𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉 𝙀𝙉𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃

Chapter 10

I'm not honestly the actual "hero" in this game; I'm just an instrument for each of us to bring out the genius that's been unnoticed until someone recognizes it. And I saw potential in Fred, and in fact, he was even better than me and Nikko. So my winning shot was for him, and only for him. I saw Fred's unwavering success as we all gathered at our afterparty. I was only staring at him and Papa, while he was cheerfully held up by our teammates. So very proud!

Though it's such a pride to see, the criterion of skill and demeanor is still as diverse as it looks. And when Fred met my gaze where I was standing, I somewhat felt a slight nervousness, even terror, that he might revolt against me and rant about which of the two of us is the real "hero." And it's all good with me; I don't behold any rivalry between the teams much more with him as my half-brother, and I don't think about who's bigger. And based on what I see of Fred and the three bottles of beer he's carrying, I think all's well that ends well.

He grinned and offered me a massive embrace, and at the same time thanked me for what I did. That was simply recognizing what he could do. "Thanks, Bro! —I don't know how you did that, and never in my life has anyone taken a risk as you did earlier." I didn't quite realize that he would thank me after that, and to hear him say that he thinks of me as a brother, just impressed me even more. I can't help but be moved by the velocity of the circumstances, as Fred and I slowly get along— I thought not only with Fred would I wish to be friends with, but also with Nikko.

After my last game, I got one more satisfaction from being able to spend time with Papa at the shop and just talk about things that would come in the future. With the pace of eternity that's been making everything impossible to do at the same time, I had to concentrate on my studies again, specifically the extremely troublesome part of dreaming of becoming a future architect that I hope I can become.

But that compels a lot of effort from the numerous endeavors and actions that need to be accomplished. But with all that on my list of priorities, I still don't miss having enough time and effort to be with my friend Olivia.

Ever since the games ended, I've been busier with school and with my growing business, and I've understood that Olivia and I haven't been able to talk much in person, mostly through text. Maybe it just makes me miss her even more, and she's making an effort to make me bear it until I can feel like visiting her house at a time when everything in the world doesn't require my attention.

I was startled that I was not her only guest the night I visited her. I caught a typical car in front of their house, and I knew that Nikko was there again to make an unworthy, maybe conceited, scene. What is Nikko doing with her? What stories can he tell to make his old friend fall in love with him again this time? The last thing I wanted to hear was the giggling cries that I was convinced were coming from them inside the house, and I fixed all my beliefs when I saw the two of them cheerfully talking in the living room.

It's no longer news to me that Olivia was looking "stoopid" again while she was with Nikko. Just the two of them inside the house and laughing? and I am just so certain that if I didn't arrive, it's likely that something else could happen that she might repent of in time. How didn't it even cross her mind that the man who was laughing with her was already engaged, and she was turning a blind eye just because she still cared for him? Of course, what else is more likely to occur?

What exactly is going on, I wondered after that. Olivia may be deceiving me, but am I trying to fool myself by expecting something that is not likely to happen? As soon as they noticed that I was watching them, they got up from their seats, then Nikko gave me a disdainful stare while implying that I'd never further punished myself by making a bad decision in response to what had happened before. In contrast to me, who was outcasted in her presence both at home, he then said his goodbyes to Olivia before leaving the place. As I tried to do the same, she disrupted me.

She must have felt I was paying attention to what was happening and that I was aware of the things she could not hold onto me when she held my hand. Who am I to take away her right to love the person she genuinely adores, as I knew from the start? There is only me, the person she turns to when he treats her badly or when he departs without any goodbyes.

Although I'm beginning to fall in love with her, I don't expect her to treat me with the same level of respect that she shows Nikko and withholds from the pitiful me. I want to ask her out on a date that soon. However, my heart begs to disagree because we developed a connection and I don't want to harm her or give our relationship any more significance than what it already has—which is to be closer to her. And given that Nikko has returned to Olivia's life and is causing a stir, I suppose the future of me and Olivia will be even more hazy, much like Trev's clouded eyes. I'm only here to protect her from men who want to use and hurt her because we are friends, something of which I am still aware. Even if one of these men happens to be my brother, though, I would choose to correct his perverted behavior.

After seeing her and Nikko together once more, I was frightened for some reason and, despite the slightly aloof approach I was taking, I felt the need for more time with her. My friends and Fred both commented that they knew something about the conflict developing between Fred's older brother and me, and after so much trouble sleeping by thinking about a lot of things, Grandma said I looked like a terrible dude she had never expected. At this point, I am starting to lose Olivia and myself. Sigh!