the beginninging
Chapter 1
In the echoing confines of an indoor court, the clamor of a fierce battle resonates. The players are locked in a grueling match, their breaths ragged with each exchange of the shuttlecock. Amidst the tension, a deafening smash reverberates through the air, followed by a desperate dive and a futile attempt to return the shuttle. Despite the valiant effort, the point slips away, marked by a sharp whistle signaling the end of the game. The scoreboard reads 27-25, a narrow victory that sends ripples of celebration echoing through the court.
In the aftermath, amidst the jubilant cries of victory, one figure lies sprawled on the floor, his chest heaving with exertion. "Damn it, damn it," he mutters, frustration etched on his face as he processes the bitter taste of defeat. Congratulatory cheers wash over him, but he remains lost in his own disappointment.
In the locker room, Nethan, still reeling from the loss, begins to change his clothes in solitude. The door swings open, and a group of boys enter, their smirks evident even before they speak. "Hey, Nethan, that was quite the performance out there," one of them taunts, amusement dancing in his eyes. Laughter erupts from the group, filling the room with a mocking chorus.
"Shut up!" Nethan snaps, his patience worn thin by their mockery. His hands curl into fists, his frustration threatening to boil over. "Oh no, look, we've made Mr. Second place mad " one of them teases, his smirk widening as he revels in Nethan's irritation. "Why, you.." as he grab the shirt of the boy,
"Come on, now, you know we can't fight here. Besides, you think you can handle us alone," he adds, his words dripping with superiority.
Nethan clenches his jaw, his grip on his shirt tightening as he struggles to rein in his temper. With a frustrated growl, he releases his hold and grabs his bag, as nethan stormed out of the locker room amidst the echoes of laughter. As he walked in the corridor, a voice was heard "oh, Nethan," in a cocky tone, "what do you want, Sang Wo"
"Oh nothing, am just here to remind you, that you dont belong here at Taeyang academy" in a tone of superiority. "
Outside, the cool air offers little solace as Nethan stalks towards the parking lot with a expressionless looked."Master," a voice calls out to him, breaking through his tumultuous thoughts. "Congratulations on the game," the voice continues, but Nethan cuts him off with a curt nod. "Let's go," he says tersely, his tone brooking no argument.
"Hmm... yes," the other replies, falling into step beside him as they make their way to the waiting car. In the silence of the back seat, Nethan's mind churns with frustration and disappointment, the laughter of his peers still ringing in his ears. "After all this years i still can't win, even thougth i have trained harder then anyone else.
In the car, the man driving tried to strike up a conversation with Nethan, but the boy quickly silenced him with a curt, "Please, I'm not in the mood." As the silence enveloped them, Nethan's mind churned with a whirlwind of emotions.
"Soon i be transferring this maybe my last time, here in korea," he mused to himself, staring out of the window at the passing scenery. "Transferring to Japan to continue high school..." The weight of the impending change hung heavy in the air, mingling with the bitter taste of defeat from the earlier match.
As they arrived home, Nethan was greeted by the familiar faces of the household maids. "Welcome back, young master," they chimed in unison, their smiles warm but tinged with concern. Nethan's gaze flickered towards them briefly before he asked, "Where are my parents?"
"They're at work, young master," one of the maids replied softly, her eyes betraying a hint of sadness. "They won't be back until next week."
Nethan nodded absently, his mind already drifting away as he made his way to the dining room. The table was set for one, a solitary place setting awaiting his arrival. With a heavy sigh, Nethan took his seat, the emptiness of the room echoing the emptiness in his heart.
The meal was a quiet affair, the taste of his favorite dishes lost in the turmoil of his thoughts. Each bite was a reminder of the loneliness that threatened to consume him, the absence of his family a gaping void that no amount of food could fill. With each passing moment, Nethan felt the weight of anticipation for the journey ahead pressing down upon him.
Retreating to his room after dinner, Nethan sank onto his bed, the softness of the mattress offering little comfort against the turmoil within. Alone in the dim light, he pondered his future, his dreams of triumph on the badminton court mingling with the uncertainty of a new beginning in a foreign land.
"I'll show them," he murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll show them all what I'm capable of." With a determined glint in his eyes, Nethan began to sketch out his plans for the future, each stroke of his pen a declaration of his resolve to rise above the challenges that lay ahead.
Nethan's arrival in Japan was marked by the bustling chaos of the airport. As he stepped off the plane, he cast a casual glance around, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of his aunt. Amidst the sea of faces, he spotted her waving frantically, her petite figure barely visible amidst the crowd.
Approaching her, Nethan found himself enveloped in a tight embrace by Reina, his aunt, whose excitement was palpable. "Nethan, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with genuine joy.
"Hey," Nethan replied with a small smile, reciprocating her embrace briefly before stepping back.
Reina's chatter filled the air as they made their way to the car, her enthusiasm infectious as she tried to engage Nethan in conversation. "So, how was your flight?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Fine," Nethan replied simply, his attention momentarily captured by the bustling activity of the airport.
Reina chuckled softly, undeterred by his brief response. "I'm so glad you're here. Wow, your Japanese is fluent," she continued, her tone warm with affection. "I can't wait for you to meet Akio. He's been looking forward to having you stay with us."
"Sure," Nethan replied with a nod, placing his luggage in the car. As they settled in, he noticed someone in the front seat—a young man who appeared to be his cousin, Akio. "Hey, Akio, wake up! Your cousin is here," Reina called out.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, I fell asleep," Akio mumbled as he stirred, blinking groggily before stepping out of the car. Reina introduced him with a smile. "This is Akio. He's excited to meet you."
Akio enthusiastically extended his hand for a handshake.
"Yeah," Nethan replied, returning the handshake with a small smile.
"I'm Akio, your cousin! It's so awesome to finally meet you," Akio continued, his excitement evident as he helped Nethan with his luggage.
Nethan nodded in agreement, offering a polite smile as Akio launched into a barrage of questions about Nethan's life in Korea and his reasons for transferring to Japan. "Yeah, my parents thought it would be a good idea for me to study here," Nethan replied vaguely, his responses brief and to the point.
As they drove through the bustling streets of Tokyo, Akio's excitement was palpable as he pointed out various landmarks and attractions, sharing his knowledge of the city with his new cousin. "So, what do you think of Tokyo so far?" he asked eagerly.
"It's... different," Nethan replied, his gaze drifting out the window as they passed by towering skyscrapers and bustling street markets.
"Right? There's so much to see and do here," Akio exclaimed, undeterred by Nethan's reserved response.
Upon arriving back at Reina's home, they settled in, with Reina leading Nethan to his room while Akio helped with the luggage. Afterward, Reina went to prepare dinner, leaving Nethan and Akio to chat in the living room.
They talked for a long time, with Akio mentioning that his mom had told him Nethan was good at badminton. Nethan acknowledged it, albeit with a hint of irritation when Akio mentioned his recent second-place win. Sensing Nethan's discomfort, Akio changed the topic, steering the conversation towards other interests and hobbies.
After a few hours of bonding, Reina called them for dinner. As they sat down to eat, Reina turned to Nethan with a warm smile. "So, Nethan, tell me about your family. How is your father?"
Nethan's expression faltered slightly at the mention of his father, his gaze flickering away as he struggled to find the right words. "He's... busy," he replied vaguely, his tone guarded.
Reina nodded understandingly, sensing Nethan's discomfort. "Well, I'm sure he's proud of you," she said gently, reaching out to pat his hand reassuringly.
Throughout dinner, conversation flowed freely, with Akio and Reina sharing stories about their own family and experiences. Nethan listened quietly, offering occasional nods or short responses.
After dinner, Nethan retreated to his room, feeling the weight of the day's events settling in. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he pondered his new surroundings, the unfamiliarity of it all filling him with a sense of unease. With a sigh, he decided to go out for some fresh air, hoping to clear his mind amidst the bustling streets of Tokyo.
After dinner, Nethan retreated to his room, feeling the weight of the day's events settling in. Sitting on the edge of his bed, a whirlwind of thoughts raced through his mind. He couldn't help but dwell on the upcoming school year, knowing that it would bring a whole new set of challenges and experiences. Memories of his past school flooded back, particularly the painful experience of dealing with a difficult teammate.
As he sat there, Nethan made a silent vow to himself: he wouldn't allow himself to trust anyone too easily again, not after being hurt and betrayed in the past. It was a defense mechanism, a way to protect himself from potential pain in the future.
After pondering for a bit, Nethan decided that some fresh air might do him good. Before heading out, he approached his aunt to ask for permission. "Can I go outside for a while?" he asked hesitantly.
Reina, ever the caring guardian, looked at him with concern. "Are you sure, Nethan? You've had a long flight; you should rest for today," she replied, her tone gentle yet firm.
Nethan nodded. "I'll be fine, aunt. Just need some air," he assured her.
Reina relented, but not without some conditions. "Okay, but take Akio with you, and make sure you don't go too far. You need to be back before dark," she instructed.
Nethan agreed with a nod, knowing that his aunt only had his best interests at heart. After quickly getting ready, he made his way to Akio's room to fetch him before heading out. "Akio, would you like to come with me?" he asked as he entered the room.
Akio, who was busy on his phone, looked up with a grin. "Of course! Let's go explore," he replied enthusiastically.
As they stepped outside, Nethan took a deep breath, the cool evening air soothing his frayed nerves. "Where should we go?" Akio asked, looking around eagerly.
Deciding on a destination, Nethan suggested, "Let's go to the park or something. It seems like a peaceful place to gather our thoughts."
Akio nodded in agreement. "There's a park nearby with a huge lake. We can relax there," he suggested.
As they walked to the park, Akio and Nethan engaged in conversation, discussing the neighborhood, the upcoming school year, and Akio's enthusiastic remarks about the abundance of cute girls at their new school.
Their conversation was interrupted when they came across a disturbing scene at a stoplight. A girl was being harassed by a guy, who was insisting on talking to her despite her protests. Nethan stepped in, confronting the guy and urging him to back off. The situation diffused, and the girl expressed her gratitude to Nethan.
As they continued their walk, a blonde girl approached them, her voice carrying frustration. "Mimiya, when will you stop going off on your own?" she exclaimed, shaking the girl who Nethan had helped. The girl, now known as Mimiya, pleaded with the blonde, named Connie, to let her explain. After a brief exchange, Connie thanked Nethan for helping her friend, and introductions were made. "Nice to meet you, my name is Akio, and this guy is Nethan," Akio said, gesturing towards Nethan. Mimiya and Connie introduced themselves, and after another round of gratitude, Nethan and Akio excused themselves and continued on their way.
Upon arriving at the park, Nethan was amazed by its size, especially the expansive lake. They found a shady spot under a tree and sat down, continuing their conversation about school and life in general.
As they talked, Akio suddenly looked at Nethan with wide eyes. "You're tall!" he exclaimed, seemingly just noticing.
Nethan chuckled. "You just noticed?" he replied, amused by Akio's belated realization.
After spending some time at the park, they headed back home, their bond strengthened by their shared experiences.