Chapter 20: Mother, Father, Son

The Fuyumizu basketball and volleyball clubs gathered in front of the school campus(all in coats and other winter outfits) for their heavily expected Tokyo trip as they all excitedly awaited the arrival of the 2 travel buses for each club. The freezing cold of the outdoors wasn't enough to freeze out their fiery spirits, or so they thought. In reality, they couldn't take the cold and every blow of the wind made them shiver all over.

There was also clear tension between the two clubs since both captains were having rude exchanges of words while masking themselves with the most innocent of faces,

"Oh, it's quite cold today. Are you sure you don't want to back out from the tournament 'captain' Arby?" Dean smiled purely masking his evil intentions. His smile was deemed scary by the whole team and creepy as well.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me. I'm more worried about you since it seems you can't handle this level of cold." Tension raised as both captains emitted thunder strikes as they fought.

This tension didn't last very long because the travel buses had arrived. The players celebrated upon seeing the buses and started getting more active and shivered less.

Unexpectedly, the buses arrived alongside a stunning jett black car. What left the car was an even more stunning display of beauty in winter clothing very much known to Glenn.

She walked toward him slowly while also trying to avoid eye contact with the others. Winter's awkward walk to go in unnoticed made her stand out even more as she took small steps. The clubs' members pretended not to see her since she was trying so hard.

Glenn's POV

"Won't you miss me?" Winter's womanly tone as she asked threatened me to say yes as I regrettably complied. She obviously felt a spurt of success when a grin took over her face as she delivered me a goodbye kiss in front of everyone from my team.

This was a surprise because she wasn't the type to do these things in public and so I reacted with surprise but as well as another reaction which was shown on my face. My bashful facial reaction gave laughs to my teammates.

The teams of both clubs gathered and formed two separate straight lines before entering their respective buses. Thus, my conversation with Winter needed to be cut short. As I went into the bus, I told her to teach me how to play again when I arrive from Tokyo.

Her face lit up quite a bit as she waved goodbye. Winter ran for the bus as it was leaving and shouted with her might, "Goodluck!"

How strange, it's only one word but it seems to have awakened something im me. A tremendous feeling of joy rushed and circulated my body as I giggled. This fluttering feeling... I'm guessing this is another irrational side effect of the already irrational love.

During the bus trip, I couldn't help but stare at the scenery through the window. But what was on my mind was neither the endless grass fields nor the sheer number of odd birds. Rather, it was still because of her, the reason for my joy since the start of this trip.

At one point in the trip, the bus I was riding was right next to Ramil's. And there I saw him with a lonesome, anxious, and at the same time repressed face. A face of someone who'd later regret something is a better way I'd describe it.

It didn't take me long to brush it off as I engaged in conversation with Arby who was my seatmate for the trip. Our conversations were mostly about my romance which got even Dean and Astrio(who were behind us) interested as well as the entire club who were poking fun at me.

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Meanwhile in Tokyo Hospital(ICU room),

"Don't you want to at least reconcile with your son before you possibly die?" A mother shouted at her husband out of care for the family she earnestly worked hard to maintain. A commendable effort that ended on failure as both her husband and son couldn't make peace.

"I'd rather die than beg that sorry excuse for a son to visit me." The father who was supposed to be the more mature of the two considering he was older stubbornly stood his ground. This reply further made his wife lose hope for him.

The mother broke down in tears as she was devasted and disappointed in her husband's stubbornness. As the mother cried her heart out, she held her husband's hand begging him, "It may very well be your last chance, please talk to him. Talk to your son, Ramil."

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It was the first stop over of the trip and the students bought things to eat, some went to the rest rooms, and some just slept in the bus. Glenn was part of the ones who went to the rest rooms. Arby and Dean ate out and Astrio slept.

On his way out, he heard an irritated yet cock voice to his right. Curiosity got the better of him as he went on to listen,

"I'm never seeing that sh*tty bastard again. Listen here you geezer, go die alone and go to hell for all I care!" Glenn recognized him immediately as it was Ramil talking on his phone. Glenn didn't want to get involved further so he went back to his bus.

Glenn's POV

I exhaled to see my breath om this snowy season as I walk back to my bus as curiosity still seemed to haunt me. He seemed mad,' never see him again', did he ran away from home? If so, then since when? Anyway, I need to get back to the bus, it's way too cold outside.

I'm pretty sure he was talking about his dad to someone, maybe his mother? Not good, I shouldn't think about this too much or I might end up meddling. For now, I should just relax, sleep, and try to forget.