Words: 2554
Edited: December 25th, 2022
•──────⋅☾ ☼ ☽⋅──────•
3rd person's POV
As soon as Reki said his words, the others cheered
"A challenge!"
"Can it be that we'll actually see ADAM skating?"
"The legend has descended!"
☾ ☼ ☽
Reki stayed strong beside Miya as Y/n held an arm around the middle schooler's shoulders, "If I win, I'll have you apologize to MIYA," The redhead said and the middle schooler looked at him, Y/n let go of him, "Don't sympathize with me! I'm totally fine. It just means I'm going back to the beginning,"
"I'm not sympathizing. It's just that I absolutely hate guys like him!" Reki said and they all looked at him. ADAM only stayed smirking, glancing over at Y/n from time to time, she was looking away from this whole time.
"Hey! Why don't you say something? Aren't your ears sticking out from that stupid mask?" Reki yelled and ADAM held out his hand, "If emotions could be seen by the eye, what shapes would they be?"
"Huh?" Reki asked
"I believe it will be a spring. That spring will have different amounts of water depending on the occasion." He said as he skated around to Y/n and his hand reached up to her shoulder, he then tucks a string of her h/c hair in his hand and rubbed her soft hair. She just stayed there, not saying a thing, only having a glare and disgusted expression.
"Don't change the subject!" Reki yelled and ADAM skated away from Y/n. He then held a fist some centimeters from Reki's face.
"My spring is currently completely dry. Because I don't have even one millimeter of interest in you," He said and skated over to Langa again. "But... Good. You're good. It flows out. It gushes out. That's right. The prize of this bet shall be you!" ADAM said while surrounding the boy and then stopped to hold his chin up.
"If I win... you will skate with me next time. How's that?"
"All right," Langa said with no hesitation. Y/b and Reki stared at them in shock. "Hey! Langa—" Y/n said but got interrupted by ADAM who settled it. "It's a deal," ADAM said and Reki shook his head and sighed.
☾ Next day ☽
Y/n was sitting by her desk. Flipping her pen in stress. Reki noticed this and glanced beside him to Langa. "You're always like this."
"About what?"
"Why do you just go off and accept stuff?" He said
"What about you, Reki? Why do you go off and challenge others?"
"Because I was pissed!" Reki said and moved closer to Langa; Langa did the same
"And I wanted to skate," Langa whispered and sat back normally at his desk. "Huh? What part of that guy made you want to skate with him? Tough, that mask is kinda cool. But someone who says stuff like that, I—" Reki said but for soon cut off by their Sensei that hit his head with some rolled-up papers.
Langa glanced over to Y/n before he goes back to his work.
☾ Ramen shop ☽
"So, what kind of skater is this ADAM guy?" Langa asked as he ate his food "He's the guy who started "S." Rumors say he's still undefeated." Reki said and Langa looked to be happy, "Don't you be getting all excited" Reki said
"Anything else?"
"Well, most of him is a mystery," Y/n said and Reki nodded, "Yeah, though, the founding members probably know," He said and Langa looked at his friends, "Founding members?"
"Like Cherry and JOE. The veterans like them all—"
"That's not true," Y/n and another voice said at the same time and they all looked beside Reki to see JOE.
Y/n's POV
"JOE?" Reki asked
"I was skating with ADAM way before "S" started." He said and casually eat his meal
"You know him?" Langa asked me and Reki
"This is JOE, one of the founding members!" I introduced, "He's known as the fastest six-pack skater!" Reki continued.
"Ugh, Reki, I'm eating here," I commented and he glared at me.
"Anywho, he's the strongest skater if you're talking just about power!" Reki said and Kojiro held him around the neck with the curve of his arm.
"Don't gimme that "just about power" thing!" He said and Reki lost his way of breathing.
"I-I-I give up!" Reki struggled to get out of his grasp and I chuckled.
"So, is ADAM really... an amazing skater?" Langa asked and the man let go of Reki; he sat back down.
"People call him... "the Matador of Love"."
"Love?" Langa asked and I stopped eating.
"ADAM says... that skating is a ritual of love." I said while rolling my eyes and Reki sighed, "What's up with that? I don't get it,"
"I don't get it, either. When it comes to him... Not anymore. But he's certainly a dangerous skater. Those who beef against ADAM can't escape being severely injured. Indeed, many people have already quit skateboarding," Kojiro said and I glanced at Reki.
His friend got injured a long time ago but he always seems so down when he talked about him so I never questioned it.
"Got that? You should listen to your senpai's advice. See ya— Oh! And Y/n... Please go home tonight. I have someone over today and Kaoru have work," He said and I waved him off "Yeah, yeah. Just leave," I said and he sighed while ruffling my hair, "Just get back home safe,"
Reki and Langa watched as he left and then turned to me "You know him? And what does he mean by that you have to go home this time?"
"He's my brother's childhood friend together with Cherry."
"Huh?! Alright, that's it! You need to tell me who your brother is!" Reki said but I shook my head. "No," I said and he crossed his arms
"Your "S" name should be Ice Queen instead," he said and I smirked at him, "Why, thank you, slime," I said and sat my money beside my now empty bowl.
Reki glared at me as I walked out of the restaurant, "Hey wait up!" Reki yelled and grabbed my arm when I was about to skate away. "What did he mean by you need to go home?" Langa asked and I sighed "Nothing. Just leave my life out of this," I said and Reki let my arm go. "I'll see you guys at the park," I said and skated away from them. Head low.
☾ ☼ ☽
At the park. I skated over to Reki and Langa that's at down and I stopped, I sat down between them and Reki handed me a soda. I thanked him and Langa turned to Reki.
"What are you gonna do about the beef with ADAM?"
"Of course, I'm gonna do it"
"What about JOE's warning?"
"Like I care!" Reki said and grabbed his drink on what he thought was a soda, but when he took a sip and spit the drink out, he looked at it to see it was protein.
"Chugging cola? Are you stupid?" we looked behind us to see MIYA standing there while holding Reki's drink, "You've never done any real training, right? I made you a practice menu." He said and handed me his cellphone.
We looked at it and on the screen was it five sets of 80 squats, 80 push-ups, 80 sit-ups, and 30 minutes running.
'That's a normal menu?! Isn't it a little bit too much?' I thought as Reki looked at it in shock, "You planning on going global or something?"
"Got a problem with that?" Miya asked
"Well, you may be, but I—"
"Even this isn't enough. That is if you're planning on winning against ADAM." MIYA said and I smiled together with Reki and Langa. He may be a brat sometimes, but he still shows he cares in his own way.
☾ ☼ ☽
3rd person's POV
Miya, Y/n, Reki, and Langa were sitting in SHADOW's working car that stood outside the flower shop he works at.
He sat in the car to return it when he the four kids. MIYA in the front and the other three in the back "Wait, you guys..."
"Take us to Crazy Rock, old man SHADOW!" Reki begged
"I'm still 24! B-Besides, who is this SHADOW anyways?" He asked and Y/n rolled her e/c eyes, "Well, it's rather obvious" she said; Miya and Langa nodded in agreement.
"We're beggin' ya! MIYA doesn't have a helmet!"
"Like I care!"
"Is something wrong?" The woman from the shop asked and SHADOW aka Hiromi stood out from the car "I-it's nothing!" He sat back into the car.
"We beg you!" Reki and Y/n said
"Please," Langa said
"I'll tell the woman," MIYA said and SHADOW gave up. He quickly put on his makeup and then drove off, "Just this once" SHADOW growled.
"MIYA, have you skated with ADAM in the past?" Reki asked.
"Nope."
"You haven't? Then, how do you know ADAM?"
Miya's Flashback
"That was a close one. I was watching you skate earlier" ADAM said and Miya looked up
"Who are you?" Miya asked but Adam didn't answer his question; instead, he gave him advice "Put your right foot two centimeters further forward,"
Flashback end
"That advice was spot-on. A lot more than my coaches. Ever since then, ADAM started showing up in front of me. That's also how I got started with "S."
"Then, that race against Langa, too?" Y/n said and he nodded, "Yeah. He said it would be a good learning experience. I've never seen it for myself, but I hear ADAM uses an astounding trick called "Love Hug." They say he goes uphill." MIYA explained
"That's impossible," Reki said, not believing MIYA's words.
"Things always fall from up above" SHADOW said and MIYA looked out the window "Just kidding. That's a lie"
☾ Meanwhile; Kaoru & Kojiro ☽
Kojiro was at his workplace, an Italian restaurant, and it was after closing hours but Kaoru was still there.
"I met SNOW this afternoon."
"SNOW?" Kaoru asked
"The duct-taping rookie. Everyone's calling him "SNOW" lately." Kojiro said and Kaoru looked at him "Is he also the reason that ADAM's returned?"
"It's someone who is around his attention for the first time in a while."
Kaoru sat his glass of white wine down and looked up at Kojirō.
"I'm going to challenge ADAM to a beef."
"I will too."
"Copycat!"
"I'm not copying!"
"Then go to the back of the line!" Kaoru said and pointed behind him. Kojirō huffed
"You're cute, but I'm not budging! You'll have to fight me for my spot!" They connected their foreheads aggressively as they glared at each other, "I have no problem with that!"
☾ ☼ ☽
The five of them have arrived at Crazy Rock. MIYA and Y/n were showing Reki what he should learn before facing ADAM. And first up... a rail slide.
"She's not dropping speed?" SHADOW asked in shock as he watched Y/n skate down the hill "You can't make the turn!" Reki said in a small panicked voice, worried for his friend.
"You gotta learn this if you don't want him to pull away at the corner," MIYA said as Y/n demonstrated the technique. Langa stared amazingly at her moves while Shadow and Reki looked at it like it was impossible.
"That's the same trick you used in the beef against Langa," Reki looked at MIYA who nodded
"Okay, so it's a rail slide, right? Watch this," Reki said and walked away with his board.
He took up the same speed Y/n had and he meets the corner. He switched his board to the side but directly lost his balance and he fell into some bushes.
"Not enough, spin," MIYA said and Reki sat up "Dammit! One more time!" He yelled and did it over and over again.
"Your upper body is plunging in too far. You have to be more aware of your balance" Y/n said
"Alright, one more time!" Reki yelled and looked around but he couldn't find his board, "Huh? Where's my board?" I ruffled his red hair, "We'll go and get it!" I said and skated away with Langa following.
"Langa..." he glanced over "Let's try it," he nodded and we both changed sides so we tried to skate uphill but we both fell to the ground.
"Ow..." we groaned and slowly sat up when MIYA and Reki run over. "Hey! Are you okay?
What are you two doing?" Reki asked and we looked up at him "Can it be that you tried to do ADAM's trick?" MIYA asked and reached out a hand. "Yeah, we were curious if it would work," I said and accepted MIYA's help.
"There's no way you can go uphill! It's a rumor! A rumor! Now, let's hurry up and get back" Reki said and Langa and I looked down with a sigh, 'I wish it was a rumor,'
"Oi, don't look so disappointed. Come on, now," Reki said, I nodded and we walked back to the car.
☾ ☼ ☽
"I'm... home" I was greeted by the butlers and maids, they looked worried as they approached me, "Young mistress, we've been so worried"
"Young master is not happy, my lady,"
"Your aunts are not so happy either," two of the maids said.
I sighed and looked to the side "Just... tell them I'm home. I'm going to my room," I said and walked up the stairs and towards my room.
3rd POV
They all looked at each other and then sighed "I hope young mistress is alright,"
"She seems a bit down—"
"Ahem..." they heard someone clear their throat and looked in that direction to see it was Tadashi Kikuchi. They quickly got back to work and kept their mouths shut through the time he was there before he left to see the young lady.
☾ ☼ ☽
Y/n's POV
I heard a knock on the door. I already knew who it was and opened the door.
"My lady, master wants to see you,"
"Tell him; I don't wanna talk to him."
"He wants to speak to you," he repeated, not giving up and I clicked my tongue, "I said; tell him that I don't want to talk with him! And while you're at it, tell him he's a scumbag!" I yelled and slammed the door in his face. I locked the door and leaned against the door as I fell to the floor, crying.
Why I was crying?
It's because I didn't stop Reki from challenging him. I know how dangerous his skating is.
I even remember the time he and I raced together. The memory is haunting me every day.
Flashback
We were at Crazy Rock alone. It was only me and Ainosuke aka ADAM. We were heading towards the big curve when he suddenly locked his board with mine and dipped me like we were dancing, the fast speed and the dip made me lose control of holding up my head and as we skated into the curve, my face was near the ground and I felt the urge to just end it all. I regretted skating with him.
The curve was over and a straightaway was coming up. I stood up again and he let me go. He smirked at my shaking state and skated off.
I took a breath of relief when I looked forward. I saw ADAM coming towards me.
He was skating uphill.
I looked into his mask and lost my balance and I hit the ground, headfirst.
I heard him gasp a little out of surprise before he skated over to me, smirking down at me as I lost my consciousness.
Flashback end
I curled up into a ball, scared of the memory... "I don't want to be a part of your stupid games,"