One minute thirty seconds left...
Ben, Terry, and Kaven were sitting by the edge of the court.
"Man, one thing I don't get," Ben said, frowning. "Since when does Garam even know this game? And if he does, why didn't he ever play with us before? And now look— straight into the playground!"
He leaned closer to Terry, whispering something into his ear.
The smile on Terry's face slowly vanished. Silence took over as his eyes fixed on the playground.
"What happened to him?" Kaven asked.
"Nothing," Ben said dryly. "Just… getting some air."
"Hmm, what about Auron? Something's off" kaven said.
"What do you mean?" both Ben and Terry asked at once.
"He was playing with me earlier—"
"Exactly!" Ben cut in. "He didn't serve, didn't defend. Like he wasn't even there. And now that Garam's playing seriously, he's gone even quieter. Right."
Kaven nods, they all looked at Auron.
Across the bright court, Auron stood in the sunlight, watching the edge of the field with heavy eyes.
When he played safely to protect Terry, he was ready to get himself out. But his score was much lower than Terry's… so Terry got out instead.
He turned to look at Mr. Cho, silently pleading not to be put on the team.
But Mr. Cho misunderstood, thought Kaven was confirming his name— and gave him a thumbs-up.
Seeing that, Ben, Terry, and Kaven burst out laughing.
"Oyy, Auron! If you win, we'll return your money!" Ben shouted.
Auron smiled faintly and shook his head.
"You jerks… You're not giving anything back."
Then his eyes drifted toward Garam and Gyu, standing near the net.
Something felt… strange. Something he couldn't quite name.
He served. Rex passed.
Gyu smacked— hard. Garam blinked, surprised.
Until now, Gyu had only defended— passing again and again, never smacking or serving.
Passing could be done by anyone, even a non-player. But a smack— that was skill.
Still, Garam didn't faze. He returned it with equal force. Rex and Gyu countered together, the rally speeding up.
"Again with this smack-fest?!" Ben groaned. "First they bore us by playing safe, now this! We don't have all day!"
"Oy, Auron!" Ben yelled again. "If we lose, the next party's on you! Grab those points from Kaven's!"
"But I'm literally standing next to you!" Kaven said, baffled.
Terry pulled a face, nodding exaggeratedly, and yelled back,
"Ten chocolates— truth!"
Everyone, including Auron, laughed.
"GYUUUUUUH!" Kaven— caught up in the moment called out.
Everyone froze, surprised.
Gyu turn toward him. His damp, tousled hair clung to his forehead, making his face look unfairly beautiful. A few squeals echoed from the sidelines.
-"Omg! This guy is gonna be the death of me."
-"So unfair! Why all Beauty in a male" A guy tsked.
-"Our new hearthroab."
-"Oh please! It will be Garam,not that guy."
-"Your eyes sucks girl, get them checked."
Kaven said nothing more, Gyu teethed at his behaviour, but in response Kaven just made a hand sign.
Gyu shook his head in annoyance and turned away, while Garam silently watched the entire exchange.
"Hey, you just gonna call names?" Ben teased.
"I— forgot what I was gonna say," Kaven muttered, rubbing his neck.
Ben and Terry burst into laughter.
"Seriously, what kind of sign language was that?" Terry chuckled. "You look pretty, huh? That's how you motivate a teammate now? What happened to a simple thumbs-up?"
"Uh… I don't know," Kaven shrugged. "Said whatever felt right."
His gaze flicked to Gyu and then to Garam.
"What's with you two? Why so distant?" he muttered.
Auron served again. Rex sent it back fast.
Auron passed it to Garam, who launched it toward Gyu with full power.
The ball hit him hard. Gyu staggered backward, nearly falling.Rex gestured, You okay?
Gyu nodded, forcing a small smile, then stood back up.
Only seconds were left.
Gyu felt the pain as he looked at Garam, who was talking to others.
"The brother who once saved me from even a single scratch… now hits me so hard and won't even look at me. He's right… maybe Garam, you've changed — you're not the one you used to be."
Auron served again.
Gyu returned it but rolled his shoulders back— discomfort flickering on his face.
Garam passed; Auron smacked.
Gyu hit back— faster, sharper— straight at Garam.
But Garam didn't move.Didn't even shift position.
He just stood there, eyes locked on Gyu— who was holding his shoulder.
Then— whistle.
"The game's over? And that brat Kaven actually won? How?"
"Our points were higher!" ben protested.
Kaven laughed, "were equal, until Garam got hit!"
"Best of luck with the party hmm." he teased Auron.
"whatever! this game was for selection, right? Not to decide winners or losers." Ben said shrugging his shoulders.
"Really?"
Kaven turned toward Ben,raising his brows like 'So now winning doesn't matter?'
"The next round will be held after a few days. Until then, I'll inform you who got selected and who didn't," Mr. Cho announced.
As Garam started walking away, Auron caught his wrist.
"Why didn't you hit back?"
"It… it came too sudden," Garam said, eyes avoiding his.
Auron couldn't understand. He let go.
Gyu still stood there, silently watching Garam.
"So much has changed… yet why do I feel like nothing has?
When did you change this much— or were you always like this?
No… it was me who was supposed to change, wasn't it?" Garam couldn't shake off that image.
Gyu holding his shoulder in pain, pretending it didn't hurt, hiding it behind a weak smile.
That pretending—
That's what stung the most.
Garam walked up to Terry and ben.
"So, you both knew who he is. Him being here-it's your doing, isn't it?"
Terry blinked. "Garam, what are you saying?"
"Your mother was so..."
"I know," Garam cut in sharply.
"She might have cried a bit, and you gave her an idea- a brilliant one. Let's bring him here Huh!"
"Garam, please calm down. We didn't know that!"
"We didn't know things were this messed up between you two."
"You called it messed up, it's not. His entire presence is the one which i want to escape."
"But why, why do you hate him?" Terry asked.
"Is it true? Is he your father's lover child?" Terry whisper in muffled voice.
Garam looked away..his eyes not meeting theirs.
"Because...I lost something precious to me.... to him."