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Langa's steps were hurried as he scanned the crowd watching the current race. A shade of red caught his eye, and his face brightened up as he looked around, only for his expression to crumple again because it's not Reki he saw.
For the umpteenth time, Langa replayed Joe's encouragement in his mind.
"Reki made your board, right? Then have Reki fix it. It'll be all right if it's you two."
Those words finally gave him the courage he needed to seek out Reki and make up with him. He didn't want their friendship to end here. He didn't want anything to end here.
At the back of his mind, Langa felt guilty that he can't check on Cherry's condition and cheer for Miya at this time. A few moments ago, Langa stared in shock and disgust as the screen showed Adam smacking the pink-haired man's face with his own board. Adam also called him his Eve, which only caused goosebumps to rise up his spine.
Nothing will ever be worth it to betray Reki's trust, Langa regretfully realized. Nothing, most especially racing with a creepy dude who took pleasure in hurting others. Really, what the hell was he thinking?! If only Langa could turn back time, he'll probably smack Adam's face with the bouquet he gave him. No, he sure will.
Reki, where are you?
His mind raced for possibilities as he searched every nook and cranny. He probably scoured most of the place by now. If the redhead was nowhere to be found here, then that means…
Despite his skateboard being broken, he set it down and skated to the entrance as fast as he could. Once he reached his destination, he kicked his board and caught it with his arm.
"Excuse me," he called out to the men guarding the entrance. "Did you see a boy with red hair leave? I think he was wearing a green hoodie…"
The man immediately remembered. "Ah, yes, he just left a while ago. He even left his "S" badge with me."
He gave his colleague across him a strange look. "It doesn't seem like he's coming back."
Langa's heart dropped to his stomach. His vision swam, and it suddenly became much harder to breathe.
What do I do? What do I do? Reki…
His knees felt weak like jelly, and he would have stumbled and fallen flat on the ground if the guard didn't steady his shoulder.
"Is that person your friend?" the man asked.
Langa nodded wordlessly, still reeling at what he heard.
The guard smiled at him and gave his shoulder a firm squeeze. "He can get his badge again, you know. As long as someone brings him back."
He's right, Langa thought as he took a deep breath. This is not time to get dejected. He nodded again, this time with more resolve. "I'll get him."
After thanking the guards, Langa ran as fast as possible while keeping a firm grip on his board. He noticed how it wobbled earlier, so it's not a good idea to ride it now. Reki's probably far away already, but if he didn't ride anything on the way to the mine, then most likely he'll walk home too. Langa can still reach him. He needed to.
As the cool wind hit his face in the middle of the dim road, Langa thought about all the things that led him here.
Ever since his father passed away, Langa's love for snowboarding also died out like an extinguished flame. It's a weird feeling to stop doing something you're accustomed to doing every day, much like breathing, but it's even stranger for that feeling not to be missed. But Langa doesn't miss it, not when the mere memory of it already made his heart ache so deeply.
Langa loved snowboarding not just because he was good at it. He enjoyed it because he loved the person who taught it to him. Langa would give anything just to be able to race in the snowy mountains with his dad again, to tumble and fall face-first on fresh snow and laugh like there's no tomorrow.
Sadly, even if Langa gives everything he has, it won't bring back all of those things again.
At least, that was what he thought before meeting Reki.
Reki couldn't bring his father back, but Langa got back most of what he'd lost through him. His genuine smile. His laughter. The excitement to face a new day. The curiosity to try new things and the passion that came with it. It's like Reki handpicked those missing emotions, put them neatly inside a letter, and mailed them back to his heart.
A part of Langa may have died the day his father died, but Reki unknowingly filled that space again piece by piece. Langa knows because recently, when he looks at their framed family picture before heading out, it doesn't hurt as much anymore. It's not just because of skateboarding, no. Reki's love and kindness calmed the snowstorm in his heart, and really, Langa found it so ironic that he's called Snow when all he wanted was to feel warm again.
What he felt during the beef with Adam was probably just a false sense of thrill and enjoyment. It reminded him of his dad, whom he never got to beat, not even once. In a way, he was reacquainted with that feeling as he raced with Adam, who was a far more excellent skater than he was.
The thought of it only sickened him now. Skating with Adam will never, ever be the same as snowboarding with his dad.
Skating with Reki was.
"You know, Langa," his dad said with a smile as he lay on his hospital bed, "When you meet someone who becomes very precious to you, treat them well. Make good memories because when the time comes when you part ways, they're the only ones you can look back on."
Someday, Langa will find the courage to go back to Canada and those snowy mountains. And by then, when he glides through the vast, white sheet of ice, the only thing he'll think about are beautiful memories.
He may not yet be brave enough to do that at the moment, but what he knows now is that he's brave enough to face Reki again.
He reached the end of a street and turned right. The area was now well-lit because of the increased streetlights and the occasional cars passing by. It'll be easier to find Reki here where people are more recognizable.
Sweat dripped down Langa's temple and his neck, and he felt sticky all over. The exhaustion from the match earlier and all the running he's done started to catch up to him. Pausing on the side of the road, he cursed inwardly as he put his free hand on a knee. He's gonna lose time, but his heart literally might burst if he continued running without taking a rest.
Dad, I'm finally starting to heal, and it's because I met someone precious to me. So please, help me find him. I want to talk to him. I want to see him. So, please…
.
.
.
.
.
The moment he lifted his head and saw in the distance that all-too-familiar back, he shouted the first thing that came to mind.
"REKIII!"
.
.
.
.
.
Reki whipped his head around fast, his shocked face illuminated by a streetlight. Langa didn't even give the other a chance to react; he ran and ran until he was only a few feet away from the redhead. Planting his feet on the ground, he stared at Reki, gauging his reaction. Different emotions flitted across the latter's face: confusion, hurt, fear, longing. Langa didn't know how he could distinguish such feelings, but with Reki, it had always been different.
Langa braced himself for Reki's words, half-expecting the other to turn him away, or at least, get mad at him.
What he didn't expect was for Reki to cry.
Langa stared, wide-eyed, as tears slid from Reki’s amber eyes like glittering raindrops. His lips trembled, and his fists shook out of sheer desperation to will his tears away. The sight shattered Langa's heart into tiny fragments.
The blue-haired boy carefully set his broken skateboard on the cemented road. He then walked toward the other slowly. With a tear-stricken face, Reki shifted about and looked around as if trying to find an escape route. In the end, he just buried his face in his hands, seemingly realizing that there's nowhere to run.
"So lame," Reki said with a muffled voice. "I didn't want you to see me like this."
The taller stopped just in front of Reki, taking in his vulnerable appearance.
Briefly, he's reminded of the sunshowers back in Canada. Amazement gripped his heart every time rainfall blanketed the streets amidst the golden light of the day. However, the childlike-wonder he felt was often fleeting; it dawned on him how wrong it felt for it to rain while the sun was shining.
Seeing Reki cry felt exactly like that.
Reki, I'm sorry. For breaking my promise to you. For hurting you. Please don't cry.
Reki, I have fun the most when I skate with you. It doesn't feel the same without you. I want to be with you.
Reki, you're my favorite person in the world.
Reki, I like you.
Despite the flurry of thoughts threatening to escape from his lips, he knew that they weren't what Reki needed at the moment. They can talk when their heads are clearer, when Reki's comfortable enough to speak to him and share with him his worries.
Langa gently pulled Reki close and wrapped his arms around him. In the middle of the quiet street, their heartbeats were at their loudest.
Hesitantly, Reki gripped the back of Langa’s shirt, and the latter pulled him even closer.
For now, he's okay with this.
He vowed never to let go until the tears stop falling. He hoped they'll stop falling soon.
After all, sunshowers don't last long.