Favorite Crime // Kobe Paras

13

"what the hell?" Juan looked at Ricci with a confuse expression written on his face.

Ricci paid no attention to the man who just walked inside the epsilon where he was still playing basketball. It was already 8 in the evening, they were dismissed 3 hours ago and there's Ricci, still playing even after all of his teammates are relaxing at their dorms and homes,  the epsilon will close in two hours and Ricci plans to stay until the epsilon closes. 

"what are you still doing here bro?" Juan asked as he walked to the bench that has his shoes on.

Juan dropped by sa epsilon to get the shoes that he forgot to bring earlier when they were dismissed by their coach. Juan was on his way to this newly opened club together with his brother Javi who's waiting in the car. Since he already knows that epsilon will close later at 10 and he happens to passed by the epsilon, he took the opportunity to get the forgotten shoes. But this is what he didn't expect, Ricci. Playing still. Alone.

Juan picked up his shoes and put it down on the floor. He sat on the bench and looked at Ricci who keeps on shooting the ball. Ricci looks tired in Juan's eyes but, Juan is a little sharp so, he notice  that something is off. Juan maybe is an annoying friend but, he knows how to observe his surroundings. He knows what's happening. And since they're the only two around, he took this chance to ask his friend. In short, gumana na naman ang pagka chismoso ni Juan.

"Ricci? What's wrong?" Juan asked as he keep watching Ricci shoots the ball. 

Juan asked because he's a little concern to his friend. Ricci doesn't talk that much unlike before. When he noticed that Ricci doesn't talk that much, he assumes that maybe, Ricci wasn't in the mood that time. But when he saw that Kobe and Ricci doesn't talk to each other, he knew that it has something to do with their friendship. He let them fix it themselves but, it's been a week since he last saw the two joke around with them. Their other teammates are also noticing something, but they chose to not interfere because it's normal in friendship. They believe the two would mend their friendship in no time. They even called it 'Lover's quarrel' and Arisu was so jealous of ricci. Dahil si ricci ang ka 'lover's quarrel' ni Kobe.

"I'm good" Ricci shortly answered. He didn't look at Juan since the moment Juan came inside. Ricci doesn't want to let Juan see his current state. 

"liars go to hell Ricci" Juan joked. He sits back and put his arms on the bench's backrest.

"sa tingin mo pupunta pa ko sa heaven kapag binato ko sa muka mo tong bola?" Ricci ask annoyed. 

He just wanted to be alone. And epsilon is the only place that he thinks that he can be alone. He's too tired to think of a place so he chose to stay behind. But looks like, heaven or hell doesn't go his way, because here's chismosong Juan, bugging him.

"chill daddy" Juan laughed at Ricci. Ricci looks more frustrated now.

"tss"

They were quiet for a little while until Juan spoke again that made Ricci stop "What really happened between you two?" He asked in a serious tone that makes Ricci thinks 'he knows'.

They were both friends with Juan and with everyone. So Ricci is not a little shock if their other teammates knew what's happening between kobe and him. 

Still Ricci didn't talk, he just continue playing. "you two are my friends ricci, can't afford to see you two like this over some b!tch" As expected, Juan knows what's happening. He was reffering to Arisu and Ricci knows. He can't blame Juan for calling her a b!tch, because Arisu really is a b!tch nowadays. She doesn't care about anyone unless you're kobe.

Juan is a friend of Arisu as well. He understands Arisu even though she's hard to understand because they're friends. What he didn't understand is this. How come that once a two main characters in the story is now three? In short, how did ricci got involve in the not so love story of the two? Yes, Ricci is friends with the two, but he got inside the story and looks like he still doesn't know how to get out and Juan thinks it's time to pull ricci away from the story. Because he believes that the story only involves Arisu and Kobe, they were just extras. 

"I think, I like Arisu" Juan knew. He saw how Ricci looks at her. Juan doesn't know if their other teammates notice the little things but, he did. Because that's the way he looked at Arisu before.

"You should stop liking her while it's still early Ricci, you don't want to get hurt right?" Like I did. 

But he's moved on, it was a long time ago. He moved on because he needs to. He can't imagine being the male lead because it's impossible, because Arisu is making it impossible. The only male lead she sees is Kobe. No one else but Kobe. And that hurts. So he's trying to save Ricci even before he falls deeper.

 "Yes, I should. But it's hard" Juan knew that he was on that stage before too but, he manage to break free from Arisu's potion.

"you can ricci but, it'll just take time" Juan advice. Yes, it's hard but, you need to help yourself to move on.

"Juan, what's taking you so lo-- Ricci? why are you still here?" Javi asked as he got inside the epsilon. The two just looked at Javi but, Javi looks at them confuse.

"he's just doing extra training Javs" Juan answered for Ricci. Javi looks convinced so he let it go.

"let's go" Juan told Javi as he picked up his shoes on the floor.

"take care ricci" Javi told Ricci which made Ricci smile. 

Juan started following his brother but, after taking a few steps he looked at ricci again and mouthed 'you can' Ricci just nod because he knows that he can't.

Ricci can't be one of the main characters because he'll get hurt even if the story hasn't started yet.