After studying in the library, both of them went to the court. Noel was already there with a few teammates.
They went to the locker room.
Alex quickly removed his shirt and changed into his jersey. Ken decided to take a quick shower before changing.
A few minutes later, Ken came out with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
When Alex turned around, he saw him.
It wasn't the first time Alex had seen Ken half-naked.
But today was different.
He stared at him for a moment.
He didn't even bother looking away.
At the same time, Ken was looking for his jersey, which was actually in Alex's hand.
Ken looked around for a while before finally noticing Alex.
Alex was watching the whole show without a ticket.
Ken looked at him in confusion.
But Alex's eyes weren't on his face.
Suddenly, Noel entered the room.
That was when Alex snapped back to reality.
Alex looked at Noel, then at Ken. The moment he realized Ken was still half-naked, he panicked and launched the jersey directly at Ken's face.
"You guys have been here for a while. I came to call you to play," Noel explained.
As soon as Ken got his jersey, he put it on.
Then all three of them headed to the court.
Ken and Noel were on the same team.
Alex was on the opposite team.
They started playing as usual.
Nobody was trying too hard at first.
Then Noel scored a shot.
Noel and Ken high-fived to celebrate.
It really shouldn't have mattered to Alex.
And because of that, he suddenly started taking the game more seriously.
Soon, the game became intense.
It felt like nobody else mattered anymore.
The ball was either in Alex's hands or Ken's.
Finally, Alex's team won.
A subtle little smirk appeared on his face.
"That was a good game," one of the players said.
Everyone agreed.
Alex simply nodded with a proud expression.
Soon, everyone went their separate ways.
Ken and Alex returned to their room.
Alex still had a smile on his face.
Ken noticed.
"You're energetic today," Ken said.
"Am I? Wasn't I always like this?" Alex pretended.
"And you were weird too," Ken added.
"How come?" Alex asked.
"You were acting weird in the locker room."
Ken's words immediately brought the memory back.
Alex quickly turned his face away.
"What do you mean? I wasn't."
"Then why didn't you give me my clothes when I was looking for them? On top of that, you were laughing at me like I was an idiot."
"I wasn't."
Alex glanced at Ken.
"You were."
"I wasn't."
"I swear to God."
"I wasn't."
Alex looked at Ken with the most innocent expression he could manage.
"You were, and I saw it."
Ken walked closer.
Soon Alex found himself partially pinned against the wall.
"Aren't you going to deny it?"
Ken smirked.
Alex looked down, pressing his lips together tightly.
"Look at me. Why did you do that?"
Ken demanded an answer.
Slowly, Alex looked up.
A faint blush appeared on his face.
For a second, the atmosphere changed.
Alex's gaze softened.
Ken got lost in it.
Why can't I break eye contact?
Ken panicked.
So did Alex.
Alex couldn't handle the moment anymore.
So he punched Ken in the face.
"Oops."
Alex immediately realized what he had done.
"I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"
He quickly grabbed Ken.
The corner of Ken's mouth was bleeding slightly.
"That hurt."
Ken wiped his lip and looked at the blood.
"Was I a life threat to you?" Ken groaned.
"I'm sorry."
Alex pouted.
"Why my face?"
Ken looked annoyed.
"That was so close."
"Close to killing me?"
Ken stared at him in disbelief.
"I said I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't fix this."
Ken pointed at his lip.
Alex quickly searched through the room and opened a box.
"Hehe."
"What now?"
Ken glared at him.
"We don't have a first aid kit."
"Thanks."
Ken sighed.
"Let me buy one."
Before Ken could stop him, Alex ran outside.
Ken wiped the blood from his lip again.
"That brat."
He groaned.
Why did he do that?
Why couldn't I break eye contact?
For the first time in my life...
Was he always looking at me like that?
It's weird.
But it felt bad and good at the same time.
A few minutes later, Alex came running back with a first aid kit.
He was breathing heavily.
"I forgot there's no medical shop nearby, so I had to go a little farther."
Alex grabbed some cotton buds.
"Damn. You ran all the way there?"
Ken asked with concern.
"I didn't."
Alex rolled his eyes.
"I ran into Walt—Jane's boyfriend. He dropped me off at the medical shop and brought me back."
"You think I'm Usain Bolt or something?"
Ken sighed.
"Fix me."
"Okay. Don't move."
Alex carefully applied the ointment to the corner of Ken's lip.
As soon as it touched the wound, Ken flinched.
"Tsk. I said don't move."
Alex continued applying it carefully.
"All done."
Alex looked at Ken's lips.
Then at his face.
Again.
Eye contact.
Alex froze.
Ken noticed something was off.
He placed a hand on Alex's forehead.
"You okay?"
Alex flinched.
"Yeah. I am."
He quickly stepped away from Ken.
Just as Ken was about to say something, Alex's phone rang.
It was his mom.
"My mom. I'll be back."
Alex grabbed the phone and headed to the dorm rooftop.
"Hello, my dear boy."
His mother's gentle voice greeted him.
"What's up, Mom?"
Alex sat on the floor.
"Did you identify the problem yet?"
Alex chuckled softly.
"The problem..."
He sighed.
"The problem is hard. I still don't know what it is."
"Why don't you tell me?"
"As I said, I don't even know where the problem is."
His voice shook slightly.
"Think again, boy."
"What, Mom?"
"You can only solve a problem if there actually is one."
Alex ran a hand through his hair.
"I know. At least I know I have a problem."
"Mom is worried about you."
"I know. But I'm worried that I'm reading the problem wrong."
"What if the way I'm trying to solve it is wrong?"
"What if I'm confused from the very beginning?"
"Then try one solution. If it fails, try another," his mom said softly.
"There will always be a solution, boy."
Alex chuckled.
"You are the best mother in the world."
"I know."
She answered proudly.
"Good night, Mom."
"Good night."
The call ended.
Alex shook his head as if trying to throw all the thoughts out of it.
He looked at the city lights in front of him.
Then—
"Who's there?"
A voice came from behind him.
To Be Continued...