Ton, Pathn's best friend and fellow Judo teammate, happened to stroll by just as the drama was wrapping up. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Pathn amidst a group of juniors, curiosity lighting up his eyes.
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"What's happening, Pathn?"
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Ton asked, eyeing his friend with interest. Pathn glanced over at Ton, his expression calm.
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"It's the first-year juniors under my mentorship. They were being hassled by some third years."
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Ton chuckled at this, a half-teasing glint in his eyes. "Lucky for them to have you as their senior mentor, huh?"
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His tone was light, but the compliment was genuine. Pathn's stoic expression gave way to a small, playful smile.
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"They're seniors, but they shouldn't be picking fights with any juniors, whether they're my mentees or not."
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"Right you are, my captain!" 251Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbnfPuNZJM
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Ton playfully saluted him, laughter in his eyes. “And now, after playing hero for your juniors, how about we take a look at our team's practice?" With that, they began to walk towards the Judo practice room, leaving the traces of the recent altercation behind.
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Meanwhile, Inn and Foze were making their way away from the confrontation, the adrenaline from their recent encounter with the seniors still rushing through their veins.
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"Thought we were gonna get beaten up by those seniors," Foze mumbled, guilt edging his words. "I'm sorry...I'm the one who crashed into them."
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Inn shook his head dismissively, "It was just an accident, Foze, don't worry about it. Those seniors have been wanting to start a fight since the basketball match."
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Foze looked thoughtful as they continued walking, "Your senior...P'Pathn, he's pretty intimidating, isn't he?"
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Inn nodded in agreement, "Yeah, as expected of the Judo team captain." After a pause, he added, with a playful grin, "But he's a bit aloof too, isn't he?"
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"Maybe that's because he's a bit famous around school. It's normal,"
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Foze said thoughtfully, the image of the Judo captain standing up to the seniors still fresh in his mind. Even as they continued walking, their conversation echoing down the corridors, they couldn't help but think of the tall, intimidating Judo captain and the way he'd stood up for them. It was an image that wouldn't be easily forgotten.
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……………………………………………………………
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The school day had taken its toll on Pathn, and by the time he arrived home, he was ready to crash. As the front door swung open, his loyal Golden Retriever bounded towards him, tail whipping back and forth in a blur of canine joy.
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"Hey there, boy. You miss me?"
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Pathn said warmly, his weariness momentarily evaporating as he kneeled to ruffle the dog's fur affectionately.
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The dog's tail wagged harder, and it nuzzled its head into Pathn's side in response. Pathn let out a small chuckle, running his fingers through the dog's soft fur. However, his laughter faded as his thoughts began to drift to a certain junior boy under his mentorship: Inn.
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Since their first meeting at the new student orientation, he'd felt an inexplicable pull towards the boy. He was a charming and vibrant presence, and it made Pathn curious to know him better. Yet, he'd held himself back, cautious. He hadn't contacted Inn since that day, even though as a mentor, he knew he should. He wondered what it would be like to get to know Inn, but something always made him hesitate, as if a barrier was holding him back from getting too involved.
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Rousing himself from his thoughts, he made his way further into the house. His younger sister, Pim, was lounging in the living room, her eyes glued to the TV. She glanced up as he entered, her face lighting up with a smile.
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"Hi, Pathn! How was school today?"
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Pathn returned her smile half-heartedly, shrugging his shoulders. "It was alright," he replied, his tone lacking his usual enthusiasm. He didn't want his younger sister to worry, so he kept his turbulent thoughts to himself.
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Retreating to the privacy of his room, he shed his school uniform, revealing the chiseled muscles honed from years of Judo training. He began his routine workout, his movements crisp and precise, a testament to his discipline and hard work.
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Midway through his push-ups, his gaze landed on the framed photo resting on his nightstand. It was a picture of his middle school girlfriend, a beautiful girl who had tragically passed away a few years ago. Her loss still haunted him, and often, he found himself talking to her photo in a futile attempt to ease his grief.
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"Hey, babe," he whispered, pausing his exercise to wipe away the beads of sweat accumulating on his forehead. His voice was soft, melancholy. "I miss you so much."
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The silence in the room felt heavier, punctuated only by his shallow breaths. His heart ached with longing and a bittersweet nostalgia. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he stood up and moved to the bathroom.
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The steady stream of water from the shower helped soothe his fraught nerves, washing away the sweat and stress of the day. But as he stood under the soothing cascade, a gnawing feeling tugged at his heart – a sense of something missing, something he couldn't quite name. The day's encounters had stirred something within him, but for now, it remained a mystery.
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