The Trials of Neo City [WINWIN • YUTA]

🖤 12. Closing Argument 🖤

"Why can't the two of you sleep apart?" Lay groaned, shaking Sicheng gently. The oldest stirred awake to see his mentor snatch the blankets off of Renjun's small frame in order to wake him up, the boy simply cursing and going back to bed.

"I didn't even notice..." Sicheng mumbled, stretching as he stood up from his chair; Once again, Sicheng fell asleep in Renjun's room. His little brother had sprawled out, exhausted, on the large bed as Sicheng had fallen asleep in a comfy chair.

Lay clicked his tongue and looked out of the window (a window that Sicheng wasn't even completely sure was a real window) in thought.

"We have to be back at the training compound in an hour. You have evaluations."

Sicheng's breath got stuck in his throat and his eyes widened. "E-Evaluations?! But, I'm not ready! Nobody told me!"

"This is the Games, nobody should have to tell you. Figure it out." Lay turned his back on Sicheng and tugged on Renjun's leg. The youngest boy hissed and raised his fists as if he were going to hit his mentor, but grumbled and stomped away instead to the bathroom. Sicheng, on the other hand, ran a shaky hand through his disheveled brown hair.

What was he to do? He had no real skills, not much combat experience, couldn't even seem to charm the cameras! He was certainly done for if he couldn't think of something... and quick.

• • 🖤 • •

"Are you nervous?" Renjun asked quietly. Sicheng opened his eyes, his nap interrupted.

Yes... no...

"I don't know. Kind of." He snapped, Renjun closing his mouth and turning towards his window. Lay's conversation in the front seat was muffled by glass and Sicheng decided not to eavesdrop because of it.

"Do you have a routine? Or a fight? Or a dance! You like dancing!" Renjun tried again.

Sicheng groaned, getting more and more annoyed. He had a headache as it was, does Renjun not know when to shut up? "I don't have one. Dancing isn't going to get me anywhere, Renjun, this is the Hunger Games. That's dumb."

The car was silent once again, save for Lay's muffled chuckles and the hum of the car on the smooth road.

"Winnie? What are you going to do, then?" Renjun whispered, fidgeting with his hands. Sicheng tugged at his jacket sleeve and looked out of the window and at the passing skyscrapers.

"Ah, I don't know! I don't have anything, stop asking me stupid questions! I'm anxious enough!" Sicheng hissed back, Renjun recoiling at the unexpected aggression. The younger boy just looked down at his hands as the van pulled into a parking garage underground. Sicheng looked over and attempted to say sorry, but as soon as the van was stopped and parked in the training compound, Renjun practically leaped out of the car and away from his brother.

You ruin everything, Sicheng. You can't fight, you don't have a plan for evaluations... you can't even be nice to your little brother!

Sicheng shook his head as if to get rid of the bad thoughts as they walked to an elevator around the corner. A ride to a floor Sicheng had never been to along with his brother, Lay, and two bodyguards and they stepped into a wide hall where he recognized some of the other tributes.

He awkwardly stood by while Lay worked out some things -most likely questions- with nearby officials who stood guard. Kun, the sweet older boy he'd met the day before, had waved him over with a smile and he gladly made his way to the wall Kun was leaned on.

"They aren't letting us in yet." Kun hummed, his kind smile unrelenting. "Not until they check us and make sure we don't have outside items or weapons or things like that."