List of full names : 

Nakano Asahi

Mistui Nao

Nagamine Akihiro(a.k.a Hiro)

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21-8

21-5

21-11

As he sweeped victory over his opponent with the least amount of work he had had to put in recently, Asahi couldn't help but wonder why the kid wanted to have a match in the first place. From the way he challenged him, well him - who probably was in his list of eyesores, one would except that the kid wasn't all talk. 

In short, it was a letdown. A huge letdown.

He was tired and irritated after being beaten by Ishida for the n-th time, yet he had given his all against this kid. But during the first two matches, he had noticed something - curiously, Mitsui was struggling to keep up. No, not just that ; it was worse. At some point, he started feeling as if he was torchering the not so poor soul.

Firstly, Nao's stances were poor, second - his aiming and control messy, and third - well, let's just not talk about his footwork.

When it all finally ended, Asahi felt that if someone were to force him to spit out a good comment about Nao, the one thing he would begrudgingly admit was that the boy, he did deliver some good smashes.

 Not because he was actually good at it, but because his arms were fairly strong. And even though his movements were clumsy and at times all over the place, every once in a while, like a miracle, it would simply work.

Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

While shaking hands with his opponent after the match, he noticed that Mitsui was a lot more calmer and had very little to speak than before. It seemed that the results were quite a blow to his arrogance, because he even refused to look him in the eye. After muttering a 'thank you' to both Asahi and Ishida, who had agreed to be the referee, he excused himself rather quickly and scrammed out of the building.

As he tried his best to reach the exit without running, Nao felt shame engulf him.

I made an absolute fool of myself, didn't I?

The exercise had left his skin all red, thankfully for him ; or those two might have seen him blush from embarassment. Shame gave way to anger and the anger, eventually to resentment. He was resenting his decision to meet with Asahi under the pretense of wanting to play a game.

No. Actually, he resented giving in to the sweet temptation which found its way into his heart, the moment Asahi entered his life that day. Fuck!, he hated himself for being superficial and falling for his charms and that 'coolness' Akihiro kept talking about ; but more than that, he hated himself for chasing a man who most likely would find him disgusting, once he knew his true motivations.

Fuck you!!

He silently, yet angrily kept screaming in his heart -

Fuck me, for being -

"Mitsui-kun!"

Nao turned around to see the face he was trying to get out of his head, running towards him.

"Senpai??" And all the anger from earlier, reared its ugly head. "What's wrong?" He asked as Asahi slowed down and walked up to him.

Despite Nao trying his best to hide the distaste in his voice, Asahi could feel it prickling his skin.

"Here..", he said, holding out a cellphone towards him. "You left it in the court."

"Ohh, right. Thank you."

Nao quickly grabbed it and turned around to leave, not willing to spend another second there. But it looked like Asahi had other plans.

"Hey, umm.. do you plan on joining the circle?"

For a moment, Nao stood surprised. And then, he sighed.

This guy's unbelievable.

"Are you poking fun at me, Senpai? You must have better things to do, right?"

"What?!" Asahi looked bewildered, as if this was the farthest thing from what he had in mind.

"No,of course not! The circle is pretty cool, there are a few beginners who play at your level too."

It took him  a moment to realize that he had messed up. 

And nope, there was no way to take that back. 

Asahi drew a deep, long, breath.

"What I'm saying is -  feel free to join them. When and if .. you have the time."

"No, I have no such plans, nor time to waste at circles like this one. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Nao turned around and started walking back to his dormitory. 

Suddenly, Asahi shouted behind him, "Hey, stop." 

He waited till Nao turned around. Ignoring the annoyance that was put on display for him to see, he continued,"Give that back." 

He pointed at Nao's right hand. Confused, Nao looked down, only to find the racket Asahi had lended him for the game. Slightly embarassed, but still as haughty as ever, he returned it saying nothing but an "Oh..".

"Ne, would it kill you to be a bit more nice to people?" Asahi scorned.

"Says the guy who gets off from bullying others"

Needless to say, shots were fired. And Asahi was truly out of clever comebacks, so he said what came first to his mind -

"You know, I was trying to save you both that day. The least you could do is be thankful."

"Oh, so you now expect me to bow down to you or what?"

"Forget it." Asahi sighed, exasperated. "I should've never bothered with you."

"Senpai?" Nao mocked, "Do you have some sort of 'Hero complex'? You think I should be humble and thankful just because you saved me Endo senpai and then what? Bullied me in his place?"

The arrow had hit the bull's eye. Asahi stood shocked in his place, for a few moments incapable of doing anything, but listen. And so, he did.

"It doesn't matter who does it and what they do it for, you know? Bullying is bullying, Senpai. I can't believe you never realized it! And then you pretend to be some sort of saviour and expect us to be ... grateful?"

With this, Nao had released everything he was holding back. His complaints, his anger, the hatred which coexisted with lust in a corner of his brain ..... and then, he was left empty. He let out a breath, audibly and walked away, leaving Asahi to reel from the blow he'd just recieved.