Gael placed first in the first round much to his friends' delight.
Elias and Mira jumped in unison while hugging each other out of joy.
Gael looked up at his father with a small smile which he retaliated. Then at Kai standing next to his father.
He also gave a thumbs up to his mom, indicating that he was alright.
And finally dedicated his attention to the noise polluting friends of his, he laughed out of joy looking towards them. Mira was radiating out of happiness for him, and he felt so relieved.
Truthfully, he was not willing to do all that. Initially when he had laid down before entering the field, his plan was to sleep and relax till the round was over. And thus, get eliminated without any injuries. But then he heard Mira's shouting and cheering and then he decided to just fuck it. She was finally active after being completely mum for an entire week, and he couldn't help but continue to make his friend happy.
And now that he stood victorious, of course, he had one last greeting to give and that was to the ground. As soon as he was done, he ran inside the participants' waiting room and laid down on his back and closed his eyes to relax.
And it was empty too, as he was the only one to finish round one so far. Just like he preferred. Maybe winning was not so bad.
Whilst Elias was still looking out for Nina in the arena, Mira was now disinterested.
She was more concerned about Ares, but only family was allowed visitation rights. At least he was not severely injured, which was a relief.
She then felt a tap on her shoulder, and once she responded to it by turning towards the person, she was greeted by Kenji.
"Hello Mira Nagami." He smiled showing his teeth.
"Hey Kenji." She frowned, curious about his sudden want to approach her.
To say he hated comforting people would be a great understatement. However, this time he was willing to make an exception.
Kenji tried to hide his laugh when he felt burning daggers glaring at him from next to his master.
"Wanna go for a walk? I see that your friend has won." He suggested.
"I'd rather not, I'm sorry." Mira rejected politely. If she walked next to this Zaveri brother, she was going to lose it thinking of the other one again.
Shit, she was thinking of him again.
Elias noticed how Mira tensed up and immediately looked at Kenji. He was scared. Kenji was a whole rogom, of course he was terrified.
However, he was definitely not as strict as Kai. In fact, he let them quite loose when he took over. And he did not look down upon him because he was an orphan.
But Mira was upset. And he wanted to be there for his best friend, stick up for her and all. So, he mustered up all his nonexistent courage and spoke up.
"Sir, Kenji, please leave her alone. She does not want to talk." Elias said, trying to hide the fright in his soft voice.
"Alvares, did I ask you for your permission boy?" He bent down which made Elias flinch, but he stood his ground.
Mira rubbed her hands feeling uncomfortable.
"It's okay E. He is not making me feel like this. And Kenji, I'm alright."
"Now don't be a hypocrite, Mira Nagami. You know it yourself; you would not leave me alone by myself if I were like this now would you." He smirked and Mira looked at him thoughtfully.
He forwarded his hand for Mira to take. She sighed, gave Elias a comforting nod before taking Kenji's hand and walking away with him.
From far away, the other Zaveri brother watched intently.
"You know, Kai? I think they make a great pair." Gio said, drinking his tea, watching as he struggled to keep a straight face.
"Excuse me sir, I have to use the bathroom..." Kai said after a while.
"Oh?" Chief G smirked. "I too have to use the bathroom. Let's go."
Kai stared at his master with slightly furrowed brows for a slight second before he finally nodded.
"Okay master Gio." Kai said with a tight smile.
"So?" Kenji asked as they walked. Mira had avoided even the slightest bit of eye contact.
"I'm okay." Mira quickly defended herself.
"Ya?" Kenji smiled slightly. She was like a mirror.
"I'll leave now." Mira quickly said, trying to walk away. Kenji held her hand to stop her.
"Wow you're worse than I am Mira Nagami." He laughed slightly. "Tell me what that idiot did."
Mira looked up, desperately trying to stop the incoming waterfall.
"I'm okay." Her voice broke.
"I'm always okay too." Kenji said and put a hand on her shoulder. "But I would also always prefer to be more than okay. Tell me, I won't tell a soul I promise."
And every word he uttered was as real as the tears dripping down her eyes.
"Kai..." Mira broke down and hid her face in her hands. Kenji walked over to her.
"A Regina type situation?" He asked for confirmation.
"Not exactly. He isn't into anyone, I think. He just doesn't want me..." She wept as Kenji rubbed her back for comfort.
"Please! Watch him get here any second to kill me. And-" He let her go and bent down. "He's a total moron if he's willing to let you..."
Kenji's tone then suddenly changed.
"And I think you're absolutely so gorgeous." Kenji said in a husky voice which caused Mira to scrunch her tearful eyes.
"Oh, hello Kenji. You're here all alone with Mira huh?" She heard chief G's playful voice. She quickly wiped her tears and turned around to see Kai with fisted hands standing next to the chief, looking down in order to avoid any eye contact.
"Oh, didn't see you there little bro." Kenji smirked.
Kai glared at Kenji but kept quiet, scared of his master standing next to him.
"Well Kai, let's go then. We should leave these two alone." Chief G said, patting Kai on his back.
"I- sir...." Kai scratched the back of his head. "Why don't you go ahead, I'll... I mean... I don't have to use the bathroom anymore."
"Oh, then let's go back. I don't have to use the bathroom anymore either." Chief G said, amused.
"Come on." He said. "Goodbye Mira, take care of her Kenji."
"Sir I have to-" Kai looked around.
Don't talk Kai, don't talk Kai.
He repeated to himself.
"Fix the..." Kai groaned mentally.
She was looking at him.
He wanted to look back.
Don't look at Kai, you'll lose it more.
Mira kept telling herself.
As if all the self-control he had trained to get had vanished within moments, he looked at her.
Then she ran away.
As soon as their eyes met, she ran.
"Mira...." He looked dumbfounded as the girl ran.
"Fix the Mira? No wonder why she ran from you." The chief said amused.
Mira ran back to her friend who was sitting, looking utterly stunned.
"Hey M, look at what I got for you." Elias said, frowning slightly as he handed her a rose.
Mira's eyes watered again looking at the rose.
"How did you know I wanted it?!" She asked excitedly and took him in for a hug. Elias ignored her question and instead updated her on the current situation.
"Nina got through the first mountain while you were gone." Elias said as Mira put the rose in her hair like how that other girl had done.
"How?" Mira asked, not really caring much but trying to show some interest for Elias.
"I think it's a bad method. She must be acting out in frustration. She has been constantly impelling herself from behind so she gets support to climb up, and same to create friction while good down. But unlike Gael she's been getting hurt simultaneously because she's technically just hitting herself. She must also be running out of stamina." Elias said, frowning.
"Ouch. God, I know how much that stupid impel hurts." Mira groaned imagining the pain must be in. "She must be growing crazy at this point. She hates losing."
Mira rolled her eyes as her sister kept slapping herself up and down through the second mountain too.
"I feel bad..." Elias said.
"Why?" Mira asked nonchalantly but then the realization hit her. "Sorry. But I actually feel kind of great. With the amount of times dad and her have hit me with that shit I'm glad she's getting a taste of her own medicine."
"They hit you?" He frowned with knitted brows.
"Ya but don't worry. It's always been that way. It's not a big deal." Mira waved it off, paying more attention to Nina as Elias' frown deepened.
By the time Nina had gotten down she looked very worn out. Mira had no doubt she was bruised.
"I think her snake's too tired to be in the forest with her." Elias said and Mira nodded.
"Is she walking in like this?! Oh my God she's limping!" Elias said, surprised at her perseverance.
"I think she's particularly upset that Gael won." Mira shrugged. "Known her my whole life, and I am pretty sure that's why she's beating herself up this badly. Bitch can't think straight when angry."
Elias frowned yet again at what Mira said.
"Shouldn't she be happy our teammate has won?" Elias said upset, as she ran inside the forest next.
"She isn't that kind of a person, E."
They watched as after a while Kai went inside the forest and carried an unconscious Nina out.
"Nina's out." Elias said as Mira nodded with a shrug.
Once Kai had taken Nina back and to the healers, he returned to the VIP area only to be greeted by her dad's glare.
"Is there a problem sir?" Kai asked confidently to which he shook his head.
Kai then went back and stood next to his master and watched the pretty girl as she giggled about something with her best friend.
Her smile was so beautiful.
"The rose you gave looks really good on her, huh Kai?" Chief G said laughing slightly as his pupil turned red.
"I- sir-" Kai gave up on forming his sentence when his master chuckled harder. He just stared down out of embarrassment of getting caught.