Jui smiles, waving goodbye to his mother as he skips to the convenience store. Yesterday's match with Saka gave him a new pep in his step, and to celebrate, he wanted some gamer fuel: melon bread! His favorite was chocolate-chip, and he could almost taste the sweet treat as he walked down the aisles of the store.
Turning to his right, he entered the baked-goods and saw his prize! He went to grab the last one as he heard the bell ring: someone else had entered the store.
"Hey, did you guys get any more chocolate chip melon bread? No one else around here has it."
Jui's ears perked up. That voice…it couldn't be!
"I think that kid has the last one. We won't get any more until next week," the cashier said.
Jui turned his head to see Saka looking in his direction. Saka smirked, crossing his arms and leaning on the counter. That movement alone made Jui's face heat up.
"Psh…of course. Well, how will we solve this debacle…Jun?"
Jui looks flabbergasted. "Wait…he knows!!"
To keep himself calm and collected, Jui laughingly scratched his head. "Um…how about we share?
Saka quickly agreed to that, as Jui pays for the treat. Jui didn't want to walk straight home now that he had Saka alone. Maybe he could ask him more about how he go into playing Strike. Maybe…he could ask what school he was going to, or anything else. He honestly just wanted to know more about him. But first...
"How…how did you know I was Jun?"
"Easy," Saka says taking half of the melon bread from Jui. "One person has been beating me at House of the Dead and I've been waiting to figure out who it was for a while. So, I stuck around long enough for you to put in your gamertag out of curiosity. Plus, I figured only 'Jun' could beat me at Strike, so now I hope you know you're stuck with that name for as long as I know you."
Jui blushes, silently eating his half. Saka really was trying to figure out who he was. But…that mean…
"Then you're…Kuroi Ronin?!"
"Bingo."
Saka finished his melon bread, interlocking his hands behind his head. "I picked up gaming to keep my mind busy. My parents are rarely home, but when they are things are…not great. So, I've been wasting their allowance at the arcade to get away from it all, yah know?"
Jui stared at him, then. Saka's words latched onto his heart because he realized Saka was using videogames to escape…just like him. He didn't know what to expect, nor for Saka to out-right tell him these things. But the second Saka's eyes looked over at him, he shied away from his glance.
"Sorry, you didn't ask to hear all that. I don't know what's gotten over me."
He…he once again is worried about me. Jui watched Saka's hands go into his pockets, as if he was awaiting rejection. And in that moment, Jui reached out a hand and placed it lightly on his shoulder. At his touch, Saka looked over at Jui.
"Please don't apologize. I…I was bullied at my last school, so I used videogames to get away too." Jui smiles.
Jui removes his hand as Saka looks at him, sympathy in his eyes.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. I know I've said this before…but I didn't mean for that crap to happen to the other day."
Jui shrugs it off. "It's fine but thank you. I appreciate you sticking up for me. But you know…back then I would've wanted someone to talk to…someone to listen to the noise in my head. So, maybe I can be that person for you."
Saka's eyes lit up at Jui's words, almost as if he was unaccustomed to hearing them. His heart lightened and a smile couldn't escape his face. No one has openly wanted to listen to Saka before. His family, his friends, not even his girlfriend. When Saka was real with people, over and over they've told him to get over it, that's life, or the best statement in the world "here we go again". So, Saka began to bottle up his feelings, only portraying the cool, calm and collected boy that was a facade. But for whatever reason, this kid he barely knew, made him feel as if it was ok to show his true colors…and that felt good.
"Ok, deal! But only if you come to me if someone is bullying you. No one should be mistreated for being themselves."
Jui felt his heart race. "No one should be mistreated for being themselves." It was something Jui had hoped was a reality…somewhere. He hoped that one day someone would accept him, for exactly who he was. And maybe...just maybe…Saka was it.
"Deal!"
Saka nodded; a job well done. "Sweet, so got anything going on the rest of the day? "
Jui felt his face redden. Is he going to ask me to hang out?! Should I play it cool?! Maybe I'll act as if I have nothing going on.
"No... probably just—"
Jui's words caught as he walked past a flyer for a 2V2 Strike competition. The prize was $10,000! If he entered that, he could help his mother out with rent and utilities for their apartment. It would set them up for a bit, so she didn't have to worry so much…but…he needed a teammate. And even more so, Jui hadn't played Strike for long. He knew strategy, but he had played Strike for a fraction of the time that most. Sure, he beat Saka…but that didn't mean he could beat someone of his caliber or better again.
"Hmm?!" Saka wonders, looking over Jun's shoulder
Saka looks over at Jui's intense face. He watched Jui's eyes begin to calculate his chances. But the prize money…it was almost like he was glued to it. Did he need the cash for something? Hell…why did he care? When did he begin to care about other people's problems? Oh…that's right, he was bred not to care. He was groomed to be the best of the best, hang out with the finest, and to laugh at those who couldn't keep up. But…he didn't want to be like that anymore. He wanted to be more than a robot, and that's what had gotten him in trouble with his family in the first place. The family business wasn't important to him, sports were because he wanted to do something he loved for a living. But that wasn't the right choice. Just like helping Jun wasn't the right choice to his friends…but it felt right. It just didn't sit well with him to shut someone out...just as he's been shut out for his whole life.
Saka sighed; his thoughts mingled. Why did Jui willingly want to listen to him? People in his circle just didn't do that…or if they did, they hired a shrink. But willingly?! Maybe Saka had it all wrong. Maybe that's what people who have true connections in their lives do…talk. And that's something he's wanted to do for so long. So, why not start now?
"Let's enter it."
Jui looks up at Saka, confusion filling his features. "But…didn't you turn down joining a league?!"
"Well, yea." Saka says, brushing his hair back. "Joining a league is more work than play. The difference is, we have fun with Strike, don't we? Plus, I think we'd make a kick ass team."
Saka begins to walk away from the flyer as Jui's face lights up. Saka wanted to team up with him?! No way!!! That's amazing!! Jui didn't want to let him down. Yes, he played his heart out just to play Strike with him, but now he wanted to show him that he was more than a one trick pony.
Saka calls back to Jui. "Come on, Jun! My house is around the corner."
Jui woke up from his trance. "Your house?!"
"Yea, I've got a machine for us to start practicing," he called.
Jui blushed. A machine?! Who is this guy?!
"Coming!" Jui called.
He felt excited as he ran towards Saka. Fun… thanks to Saka, Jui rediscovered a word he thought was lost.