Ｏｕｒ Ｌａｄｙ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ Ｕｎｄｅｒｇｒｏｕｎｄ (Sk8 the Infinity)

4: The Ones Who Bloom in the Bitter Snow

Another thing you found out was that Langa liked to make his own decisions without notifying others. This was a reckless habit, of course, but it warranted funny reactions from the people around him. It might've been the way he looked so indifferent to everything that sold it for you. Comedy gold.

"What're you doing?!" Reki yelled.

"I thought I would skate," Langa said simply.

"But you don't skate at all! And what's with the duct tape?"

"I'll fall off the board if I don't do this," Langa looked down at his feet. "I'll be fine...probably."

You frowned. How much confidence did he really have? He needed a whole lot if he was gonna face Shadow head on. Any skater that went up against him would get creamed, especially someone who hadn't done it before. What could actually happen? What if the bombs he used would make Langa lose his balance like with Reki? His injuries could be bad, worse even since he's stuck to his board. That won't do. Not at all. You created a list of the conditions Langa would end up in. The tiers were, severe to death. You couldn't have getting the new kid injured on your conscience. Anything but that.

"Which one of ya's gonna skate then?" Shadow faced both you and Langa. "I could definitely beat both of you at once y'know."

You and Langa exchanged looks, you shaking in your shoes and him indifferent to everything.

"I'll do it, he's no good," Reki said.

"But you're injured Reki," Langa said.

"That's better than being a novice like you."

"I'm the one that's been skating for longer than both of you," you said. "I'll do it."

"No," someone said. "He will be the one to skate."

You turned to see a man with long pink hair tied up in a ponytail. The summer night breeze made it move a little. A few strands were swept over his cheek as he made sure Langa had his balance in order. He wore traditional clothing, fitting with the name he was given by others in the S community. It would always flow behind him whenever he skated, almost like they were his wings. That man was one of S's founding members, CherryBlossom. You'd only seen him a couple of times, but he always held himself in a poised way, elegant with a skateboard.

"Even if he's an amateur," Cherry said. "If someone is on a skateboard, they have to skate. That's the rule."

So it was confirmed. No one could really argue with someone like him. First of all, he was an adult, and second, the founding members held authority over the course.

Langa and Shadow were now beside each other, waiting for the siren to queue the beef's start.

"You'll need to back down soon y'know," you said. "It's your last chance."

"This isn't just broken bones we're talking about now," Reki said. "Are you even listening?"

Langa was in fact, not listening. He must've been quite stubborn on this fact then. "You never know unless you try," he said.

You sighed, "It's no use Reki."

The siren then echoed through the sky. Someone from the other side of town could probably hear it. They would think that a fire was going on, but here, a beef just started.

Shadow was already on his way down the track, out of sight in seconds. That was how most beefs worked. Both participants would glide themselves across the dirt. However, Langa had stayed behind. With his feet taped to the board, he had no other way to push himself off, propelling himself.