Luckily for me, my nerves settle before anyone notices. I’m able to think clearly again and my thoughts race back to how the Kings must feel. “How boring,” I say aloud. One of the first-years looks at me questionably and I wave him off, saying that it was nothing, nevermind. “I kind of want to go against them.”

This time, everyone heard what I was saying. “Are you crazy?” A different first-year asks. “If we go against them, we’re bound to lose.”

“Yeah, there’ll be no point in fighting if we’re just going to lose anyways.” Another one says in reply to them.

My anger starts to boil and I grit my teeth to keep from yelling. However, Coach Etsuko isn’t as well-controlled as I am and she shouts at the top of her lungs. She calls anyone who thinks that an idiot.I feel kind of refreshed to know that a grownup has anger issues and is willing to vent. If she wasn’t like that, then I don’t think I would have been able to keep my tongue to myself.

On that note, training ended and we headed home. Daisuke walked behind me.

I kind of want to battle Daisuke again, too. I want to see if that point I made was just a fluke. I keep walking, heading towards Abeki Heights, the name of my apartment building. I walk into the apartment's elevator, and as I get ready to close the elevator doors, I see Daisuke get on as well. “What are you doing here?”

He takes his earphones out. “I live here as well,”

I look off to the side with discontempt. “Oh,. I’m in apartment number 202, what is yours?”

“I’m in number 203,” He wraps his earphones around his phone and puts it in his pocket. “You must be the new resident who just moved in next door. Did you move here with the rest of your family?”

I my breath in quickly and grip my pants slightly, trying to find the strenght to speak again. “No, I moved here by myself,” I swallow my spit. “My family lives somewhere else.” Daisuke doesn’t say anything else and just hums to himself the song he was no doubt just listening to on his phone five seconds ago. The elevator dings and I get off of it, grateful to get away from the awkward atmosphere that was no doubt slowly forming in the air.

I walk to my door, Daisuke in tow. I take my keys out and slide them into the lock. With a flick of my wrist, the door opens. Daisuke does the same. A cheery barrage of voices welcome him home. “Welcome home, nii-chan!” I hear his sister call out to him. My whole body shudders. I quickly rush into my apartment, afraid that Daisuke would figure out what was wrong with me. I slam the door behind me and lean up against the door. I slide down and kick my shoes off.

I’m finally home…