Vol. 2, Chapter 22: The Sheltered Son 2, Light-hearted Hate

An early morning stroll around an unfamiliar setting wasn't so bad. To tell the truth, the everyday environment around my apartment was getting old. However, the air in this city is worse than Nagoya's. Ramil said in his head

"Captain!" The heavily breathing vice captain(Name:Ryu Kei) of his team called to him.

"Huh? Oh Ryu, you're up earlier than usual. And stop with the "captain". We've known for what now? 2 years? You can call me "Ramil"."

With words broken caused by running too hard along with the cold weather, "I knew- you'd- be- working- yourself off early- in the morning- even if it's very cold outside- so I wanted- to join you. This is- also a piece- of cake for me."

To Ramil, Ryu looked like he was about to die and like any normal person he would've asked him to rest. Of course, he didn't and instead had a twisted idea.

He started accelerating and as if forcing a competition, he said "Well, I'm going ahead now, Ryu."

He was still breathing heavily, "Hey, wait- up! You- didn't even- say go,captain. God, I'm dying. Haaaaaaa, I'll rest here for a bit."

Ryu slept on a nearby field of grass under a tree.

-A while later

Ryu collapsed to the ground as soon as he reached the front of the hotel the team was staying in. He arrived about an hour after Ramil, "Oh God, I'm so thirsty I'm gonna die."

"Not so tough now, are ya?" Ramil giggled

"Cap... tain, we have- a game- today, why would- you do that?"

"Oh, I thought it was a piece of cake." I handed him a towel and told him to change since it was almost time for our game today.

*Message ping*

"Someone messaged me."

[Ma: Please go, even if only for a while. Just a few seconds would do.]

I leaned my back on a nearby wall as the interest in my eyes waned, "I'm sorry, mom. I really am, but if I go there I'll just make his condition a lot worse."

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-Tokyo Metropolitan gymnasium(All-Japan Highschool Winter Cup Basketball Event)-

-Fuyumizu High vs Takeuchi High

Both teams were stretching and drinking water. Each was given a time to warm up and display their abilities on court.

Takeuchi High wasn't that good of a school, warmups look flawed and the coach seemed laid-back. So, that's when Ramil showed them a tomahawk dunk to wake them all up.

He gave off a smirk as he went to the bench for the team's huddle, "We've been training for this for a while now. We're here to win!" their coach shouted.

*Beep*

Thus, the first game of the Basketball Winter Cup Tournament begins.

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Meanwhile in the inn,

"Wanna watch the basketball game with me, Glenn?" Arby invites Glenn

"Shouldn't you be either resting or sleeping? We have a game tomorrow." Glenn says as he wrapped himself in his futon not wanting to get up even though it was already 12:00PM.

"What's with you? You look so mundane." Arby proceeds without knowing Glenn hasn't slept all night.

[The night before, Glenn developed a type of white knight syndrome and thought of ways to help Ramil but they were all flawed plans so he thought and thought and thought and thought... you get the rest.]

"Hmm, what do you mean, I'm fine as hell." *eye bags* *red eyes*

"Come on, Astrio and Dean are already there, might as well go together." Arby tugged on Glenn's blanket.

"Give me a break, I just wanna sleep!" Glenn cried

Few minutes passed,

-Tokyo Metropolitan gymnasium(All-Japan Highschool Winter Cup Basketball Event)-

Glenn with a haunted look, "I hate you"

The gymnasium was loud, full of dribbling, cheering audiences, and chanting benched players. The game itself was intense but it wasn't really a close fight.

"Hehe, now isn't this fun. Oh look, it's Ramil. Tsk, for a bastard he sure is putting up good numbers." Arby said as we stood by the gymnasium entrance. We walked around the court hoping to find the other two.

"Oh, you two are finally here. Our team's winning 50-37." Dean said along with Astrio while they snacked on finger foods as they sat.

"Sorry, this slow ass here didn't want to leave bed." Arby replied while pointing to Glenn lightly. Glenn and Arby took their seats and Glenn observed the game silently.

"Earth to Glenn, what you staring at?" Dean said as he was poking Glenn. Glenn was unresponsive and didn't talk at all and this alarmed Astrio since he has an idea of the situation.

Glenn's POV

A heart surgery, I know he hates his dad and all but I always had this feeling that somewhere deep down he's really grateful to him. Hearing about the surgery should've affected him but judging from how he's looking and performing, you wouldn't think he has problems so maybe he actually doesn't care?

This isn't working, nothing makes sense even as I scratch my head. If only I could talk to him but as we are now, no way in hell that's happening. I don't really harbor that much of a strong hate towards him but he obviously hates me.

Oh wait, what if I ask Arby? Wait, no no. Knowing him he'd go straight to Ramil to fight with him until he visits his dad. But that would never work cause Arby'll 100% lose the fight. Ugh it's no use, this is mind-boggling.

*Dribble*

*Pass*

*Miss*

"Huh?"

Suddenly I noticed the atmosphere change and I asked Arby, "Huh? Why, what happened."

"Ramil missed catching an open pass."

THERE IT IS!

"Timeout called by Fuyumizu High."

Ramil's POV

Huff... Huff... Huff

The coach called my attention, "Over here, Ramil."

I walked to him fully knowing what he'd do, "I'm subbing you out for now, you must be tired."

I lowered my head as I accepted, "Sorry."

I sat on the bench and covered my head with a towel as I kept breathing heavily. Snap out of it, that old man doesn't deserve a shred of pity. He should just die.

Tears fled my eyes as I couldn't stop, and whispered, "Goddamn it."