I woke up, groaning while slowly opening my eyes.

I jumped back in surprise as I saw Reki next to me, making me fall on the bed.
I once again groaned as I rubbed my back in pain.

That hurt...

"Y/N....you're awake...?" Reki's morning voice rang, making me stop rubbing my back but avert my eyes on my best-- boyfriend....

"Yee....morning, Reki." I smiled, sitting up and looking at his sleepy state.
"Come on. Wake up. We should go!" I shook his side while looking at the clock.

"Fineeee....." He sighed, also groaning while standing up.

I was about to turn around as I saw his bed hair, making me burst out in laughter.

"R-REKI! HAHAHA! YOUR HAIR!" I said while pointing my index finger at him.

He groaned with his raspy morning voice, hushing me away with his hands.

"I have to change, get out." He yawned, pushing me by my shoulders.

"What's the problem then. Can't I watch you?" I teased, grinning at him.

"WH-WH-W-W-WHAT!?" He let go, freaking out by imagining things.

"Geee....fine. I was just joking." I chuckled, voluntarily walking out and closing the door after me. I scratched the back of my head, smiling in relief that the bandage is gone now.

....

I sat at the table with Reki's family, eating breakfast.
Reki....was eating....wildly.

I sipped on my tea as I looked over at the oldest sister of the three of them...who looked at Reki with a poker face.

"Y/N. What's up with him?" She blankly asked while putting some fish into her mouth.

I shrugged, looking back at Reki who just finished his bowl.

"Let's go!" He grabbed my hand, standing up.
"Thanks for the meal!" He added before running away with me being controlled by him.

He quickly took his skateboard, I took mine.

"Seems like you're in a hurry, Reki. That eager to see Langa?" I smiled, following him.

"Yes!" He admitted, a wide smile on his face aswell.

......

There he is, Langa.

We stopped, them doing their hand check.

"Morning."
"Morning!"
We greeted each other happily.

"What should we do today??" Reki asked us.

"What about the parrotfish course?" Langa asked.

"Alright! First one there gets a bottle of juice!" Reki quickly said before speeding away.

"Oh!" Langa and I gasped.

"Not fair!" Langa added, taking his board to follow. I did the same.

____________________🛹__________________

After skating the whole day, we went to Oka-san's shop. I just tagged along.

And we told Langa about us. He just said:

"Okay. I support!"
With sparkles in his eyes and gave double thumbs up.

"Well then, I'll try it out." Rekis voice broke my line of thoughts, making me glance up at him while I was sitting at the table, sipping on the juice I won by default since they both tripped over a pebble.

"Go, Sketchy!!" Reki yelled, throwing some food up in the air. The little fox jumped and bit into it, landing not on the table, but on two mini skateboards.

"Woah!" The three of us let out in amazement as I finished my juice.

"See?See?" Reki smiled widely while Langa nodded eagerly.

They both suddenly stopped....since the sneaky fox kicked a mini skateboard into each one of them.

"OUCHHH!" They both yelled while I just sat there, not being a victim.

"That little fox." I sighed, laughing.

"You done cleaning up?" Oka-san theb came back, standing by the windows.

"We just have to toss the water out!" Reki explained.

"I'll go toss it out." Langa said while Reki picked up some dog food. He went out theough the back door while I stayed on my place.

"Looks like you're good again." Oka-san spoke to Reki, making him turn around.

"Sorry about suddenly taking some time off!" Reki bowed while Manager just smiled.

"I'm sorry, too. Maybe I said something I shouldn't have." Oka replied.

"No. It's just like what you said. It's not just about Langa. I'm different from Joe, Miya and the others, too." Reki put a hand behind his head, scratching it.
"But I love skating as much as they do."

"I see." Oka nodded, looking at me and opening his mouth to say something only to be cut off by the door opening.

"Welcome!" The three of us said, Langa joining a second later.

Just then I noticed how similar he looks to Masa-san.

WAIT! IT'S HIS BROTHER!

"You're that guy from the love hotel!!!" Reki exclaimed, making us all turn to him.

"Love hotel?!" Oka and Langa stepped towards Reki, sweating from the information.

"LOVE HOTEL?!?!" I joined a second later, running to stand in front of him.

"Oh, that's not what I--" Reki closed his eyes in frustration, now panicking by blushing and putting his hands up in defense.

"IF YOU GO THEN ATLEAST GO WITH ME!" I yelled, slapping his head in slow motion, not actually thinking about what I said.

"EHHHH?!---- Ouch..." Reki let out in tiny while Langa just stood there with a poker face.

"What kinda place is that?" Langa suddenly asked, making me put a hand over my mouth.

"Are you that innocent?!" Reki shouted, sweatdropping.

"Take this." The guy with the cap said, handing Reki a heart shaped piece of paper.
"And this is for you." He then handed me the same.

"What is this?" Reki and I asked in unison while Langa and Oka leaned closer to see what it is.

Reki turned the paper around.

"Third Wheel?" He read out loud, making me curious and turn mine around.

"Dear old love." I read mine, looking back at them.

"Third Wheel means...someone getting in the way." Langa started with that.

"What the....I mean, you don't have enough if you've only got three."

"I don't think that's the right way to look at it." Langa sighed.

"It's like when in a friend group of three people, two love each other." I also gave an example, making Reki nod.

"Adam has nominated you to be Shadow's substitute." Masa-san's brother spoke up again.
"But first you will go against Adam." He turned to me. "He will explain the details how this will work there."

"Huh?" Reki and I looked up at him.

Me? Against....Adam?...

"But you should decline. Both of you." He then said, making me furrow my eyebrows.

"I...don't understand." I commented, looking back at the invitation letter.

"Huh? After getting nominated? Why?" Reki asked.

"The previous beef with you was just him playing around. Just like with you, Y/N." He turned to me, speaking my name.
"But this time, Adam is serious."

"Couldn't ask for more." Reki stared back at him.

"That's enough! Are you going to ruin your entire life over a skateboard?!" He spoke louder. "It won't give you fortune nor fame!" He stopped forward, now being close to Reki.

"If you get into an accident, it'll be in the papers! And if that happens, everything that has been built up will come crashing down!" He continued.
"And that goes for you, too!" He pointed at me.

I just stared back, not knowing what to say. Is he...perhaps...talking about...Adam?Or should I say his 'Ainosuke-sama'.

"What do you mean." Reki tilted his head.
"I don't know who you're talking about, but you really don't get it, do you? I told you, there's only one reason to skate. It's 'cause it's fun!" Reki grinned, looking over at us smiling back at him.

"True words." I agreed.

"That again...?" The guy sighed. "You'll understand when you are an adult...that having fun can't be everything."

With that he turned around, walking out.

"That was...weird..." I sighed, putting the paper in my hands on the table.

Guess I...or rather we will go against Adam for the next round.

___________________🛹__________________

We stood in Reki's garage while it was raining outside, stating down at Langa's broken board.

"Hm.....No good." Reki examined, his arms crossed while Langa was on his right and I on his left side.

"Huh? It can't be fixed?" Langa looked down sadly.

"It's already snapped, so...." Reki sighed thoughtfully.

"No way..." Langa kneeled down, forming a ball.

"What's up?" I asked, bopping my head out behind Reki.

"I always realize things after I lose them. Like I did with you. About how much I cherished..." Langa replied while looking down on the ground.

"Aww...Langa. It's okay. I know your pain." I kneeled down next to him, patting his head.

"If it's broken, you just gotta fix it. Just like us. Right, Y/N?" Reki joined us, swinging an arm around my shoulder.

I smiled, nodding.
Langa also nodded, standing up alongside us.

"Then, first off..." Reki opened a drawer full of wheels.

"Rad! They're all wheels?" Langa watched in amazement.

"I made this! This one is for rainy weather. It has grooves like car tires." Reki explained, pointing to a wheel.

"I saw it in a magazine. I think it was in there!" Reki looked around until finally pointing at something.

I took it into my hands since I was the closest, looking at the picture.
"Skate Fun?" I read out.

"Skate Fun, August issue." Reki smiled until Langa took the magazine out of my hands.

"It's pronounced 'Fan'." Langa looked at us in disbelief.

"I said 'Fun', didn't I?" Reki asked back, me nodding.

"The magazine is 'Fan' like you're a big fan or something." Langa continued.

"Wait, there's a difference?" Reki and I sweatdropped.

"Reki, Y/N, 'Fun' with a U is when you're enjoying something."

"But both involve enjoyment, right?" I asked while looking at the magazine now on the table.

"You're right." Langa laughed, making Reki also laugh.

"Let's salvage any parts that we can use. That way, it's basically being reborn." Reki sat down on a chair, Langa joining on the other one.

"Good idea." Langa agreed while Reki started fixing the broken board.

I leaned against the wall, watching my boy do his magic.

"Any other parts we can use?" Reki asked, flipping the board

"The foot clips seem okay." Langa commented while carefully watching Reki.

"Hey, Langa...Wanna try taking them off?" Reki pointed at the clips on Langa's board.

"Huh?" I stepped forward. "You sure?" I looked at Langa.

"This has been something similar to training wheels for you until now. You still need them?" Reki continued, now also looking at our blue friend.

"No. I'm fine now." He smiled at us.

"Okay!" Reki immediately screwed it off.

"What about you, Reki? Are you okay? And you, Y/N? That beef with Adam....What are you both gonna do about it?" Langa asked, making Reki look down thoughtfully.

"That said, we can't skate in this rain." Reki said, making us look up at the window, watching the rain.

"Oh..." I let out, blinking a few times.
"Let's hope it stops later."

"Rain, huh?"

_________________🛹________________

"Adam's gonna skate!"
"Who's his opponent? Yami and the redhead?"
"There's gonna be a massacre show tonight!!!"
People passing by whispered around.

It seems like I will go against Adam.
The winner then goes against Reki.
But so.ething seems wrong....there's something I'm missing out on....It's just weird....

"A slime and his wife can't win against the evil overlord!!" Miya looked up at us angrily, his fists clenched.

I blushed a bit at the name, clearing my throat. I looked at Reki but he didn't react to it. Maybe he didn't hear it?...

"Drop out immediately if things start looking bad." Joe also added, the atmosphere tense.

"It's not guaranteed that I'm gonna loose. Well, it's not guaranteed that I'm gonna win, either...And Y/N. Just so clarify. I actually don't like that you're going against him. But I won't interfere, so please watch out." Reki turned his head to me, making me nod.

"But this time, I'm definitely not gonna back down." Reki took his board into both of his hands, looking down on it. "I don't wanna be disappointed in myself anymore."

Miya stared up at him, blinking a few times before sighing and looking down.
"A born fool is never cured, they say." He breathed out before turning away.

"I'll be waiting at the finish line. Push me." Cherry told Joe, making my ears perk up in interest.

Oho?~~

And Joe did it. He started pushing Cherry, the three of them leaving us.

"Don't sound so high and mighty. What happened to Carla?" Joe argued, sounding like a married couple.

I chuckled, averting my eyes on Langa as he called both of our names.

"Win, Y/N, Reki." Langa told us determined.

"Haaaa! You make it sound so simple!" I sweatdropped, Reki joining.
"Don't make it sound so easy..." He mumbled under his breath.

"I'll win, too. Let's go head-to-head-to head in the finals." Langa smiled, making me giggle.

"There's no head-to-head-to-head. But thank you for including me." I grinned, making Langa lean his fist forward.

"That's a promise." He said, making Reki and I also bring our fists into the middle.

"Yeah." Reki and I agreed, the three of us fist bumping.
After one last happy moment, time has come.

"Then it's me first. Wish me luck!" I smiled, walking forward to the starting line.

"You got this! Be careful!" Reki repeated, waving at my leaving body.

Why am I so nervous.....

With a deep breath I collected the crumbles of my courage and stepped forward.

"Alright then. Here we go." I sighed, gulping as I saw Adam standing next to me, ready to go.

"Yami. I hope you can entertain me. I lost my interest in you to be honest..." Adam smirked, moving his hands around dramatically.
"If not..." He turned to me, his eyes piercing thorugh mine.

"If not then what? Cat got your tongue?" I teased, averting my gaze back on the path once again.

He didn't add anything, just turned his attention on what mine was on.

"Stop if it gets too dangerous! Okay?" I heard Reki again from the left side, making me immediately turn my head towards him.

I gave him a thumbs up...but...

I don't want to stop.....Langa...Reki....back then you guys didn't stop either.
So I won't. Unless he smashes his board into me like Cherry...haha....ha....

"Here we go, Yami. You're rather Lilith now. Fallen and taken in from the fallen angel, but soon forgotten. Rejecting the absolute love you were offered." He smirked once again, his shadow tall over me.

"Nice, I guess. I don't care about your stories. Let's just go." I sighed, shaking my head.

Just then the sirens started ringing loudly, brimming through my eardrums.

This is it....

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