Author's Preface
Morning arrived, with the scent of a fading warmth. Noir opened his eyes to the familiar ceiling of his bedroom, a clean white. He stretched his arms behind his head, cracking his neck, sinking deeper into the pillow. He remembered the day yesterday, and he smiled. Then his left hand traveled to the pillow, plucking his phone from under it. His fingers flickered across the screen quickly as he checked for something. That something didn't exist.
As expected , he thought.
Sighing, he brought the phone to his chest and closed his eyes. Then, he chuckled and exhaled twice in quick succession before raising himself up, eyes open.
Okay. Breakfast. Jog. College. Work. Study.
He got down from the bed, placing his right foot on the wooden part of the lower berth, before he walked towards the mirror, embedded into a wall, at the left corner of the room. Pale sunlight, the kind found at the blue hour, flickered in through the curtains. A body revealed itself, chiseled, with the right amount of muscle, at least according to what he desired. It wasn't exactly bright right now; in fact, observing the details of his body required a bit of scrunching and scrutiny. But regardless, lusty details revealed themselves. His pectorals to his abs were marked, colored a beautiful violet, and left by a departed vixen.
Or a ferocious cat.
Smiling again, slightly dazed, Noir shook his head. Then he laid out his clothes on the iron stand, removing them from the closet from the right side of the mirror. Two shirts, two pairs of pantsβnone of them required an iron. A plain white v-neck t-shirt was placed on top of plain black jeans, and a shiny black-polyester t-shirt was placed on top of plain dark chocolate-colored pants of the same material.
Grabbing the polyester, he walked into the toilet. The day would be long before it even truly began.
His footsteps now pushed against the rubberized floor with a cadence that would put a few low-level athletes to shame. His breaths were well-paced in sync with his feet, inhaling the scent of earth around. As the wind tussled through his air, he felt a sense of freedom, and with it he passed by a person or two. His pace increased against the intention of an easy run, causing a quicker cadence and longer strides.
Faster. Faster. Faster.
His lung capacity was tested to the utmost. And then when it just felt right, his pace dropped, along with his cadence, to a stop. After panting for a few seconds, with his hands on his waist, he walked back in a circle to the starting line, winded. Now that he had recovered, he thought about whether he should jog or sprint.
Jogging would be optimal... but...
Today, for the first time this year, he decided to break the schedule, well, at least in regard to anything but her. He leaned forward with just the right balance, and then before he could take a step, he heard a voice, "Kiddo, wait."
Noir turned to his right. A man wearing shield-type sunglasses and dressed in a black tracksuit with two thin grey lines running across the shoulders walked forward. He was around the same height as Noir, with a broader build, and his face, rectangular in shape, sported a greying stubble joined to his short hair above.
Beside him walked a kid, 17 years old, an inch or two shorter than Noir, clean-shaven, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a face that would bloom in his 20s. The kid had a determined expression in his eyes, like he wanted to set out on an expedition to conquer the world.
"Caleb, is it the wrong day or somtin," asked the old man, Shane; his voice was loud.
Caleb, who was looking at Noir with a fire in his eyes, answered economically, "Tuesday."
Shane frowned, then scrutinized Noir. He asked, "Kiddo, you got the wrong day?"
Wrong? Oh, right...
"Ah... not really. Just thought that a change in timetable would serve me better today." Then he smiled, glanced at Caleb, and said, "How have you been? I watched the final bout; it was quite a close match, I must say."
Caleb's fist tightened, and he gritted his teeth for a second, then his gaze shifted toward the track with the same look. He said, with zeal in his voice, "Yes. I will train harder. I will win."
Oops...
"So you sprintin, I see. Got a proposal for you."
"On your marks."
Noir leaned forward in a cat-like position, with his hands on the floor. He felt the texture of the rubber below.
"Get Set."
He glanced to his right to observe Caleb for a second. He was focused, just as expected, his gaze on the floor. A dim ray of sunlight showered his hair, causing it to glow.
What is he? A protagonist?
Noir chuckled and then turned forward, looking at the empty track.
Focus.
He nodded his head.
"Go."
In the next second, wind brushed past his face; two distinct pairs of footsteps resounded in his ears. His arms moved in a swinging motion, up and down, and up and down.
Huff-Puff! Huff-Puff!
His breath rang in a 1, 2, 1, 2 motion as his hair lifted upward and then dragged backward with the wind. Right next to him, on his right, Caleb ran, matching his speed, his breaths in a similar rhythm to Noir. His expression was serious, like he had to pay a debt. His physique looked to be like a model short-distance runner. Caleb's arms swung in a wider stance than Noir's, with an extra jerk on his shoulder every time they were backward and forward.
Huff-Puff! Huff-Puff!
Noir focused on the path ahead, for he knew the real race was yet to begin. And just the very next second, Caleb picked up speed. Noir did as well, matching him shoulder to shoulder. They glanced into each other's eyes, similar in color, as their footsteps took them forward.
Then they looked ahead, focused on the goal. Noir was a step ahead of Calen; then Caleb was a step ahead of Noir. Eventually, Caleb had a maddening smile on his face, his pace increasing by the second. Noir, not to be left behind, increased his own as well, and then again they glanced at each other, this time with a bit more fierceness.
20 meters... 30 meters... 50 meters...
The process repeated itself. Noir to his left, Caleb to his right. Their breaths matched each other's; their footsteps were oddly in sync. Noir's lungs were burning air like alcohol evaporating in the sun. Their footsteps drew closer and closer to the finish line.
80 meters... 100 meters... 140 meters...
Caleb moved forward. Noir's legs started to give up, but he pushed through. Both huffed; both puffed.
160 meters...
Caleb's pace slowed, and Noir's did even more. The distance widened.
170 meters... 180 meters...
They now stood a few meters apart. Noir's calves were on fire; his lungs were begging for air.
185 meters... 190 meters... 192 meters... 193... 194...
The finish line stood 6 meters to his front, a distance that close. Unfortunately, at that moment a foot passed the line, deciding the victor.
Caleb won the race. And as soon as he did, his neck turned backwards as he huffed and puffed, staring deeply into Noir's eyes. His smile was gone, replaced by his usual determined look.
Noir too crossed the finish line, his gaze locked with Caleb.
After taking a deep breath, Calen mumbled, "Good job."
Then he turned and walked towards his coach, who was coming towards him. Noir, whose hands were on his knees, his back slightly bent, shifted his gaze up towards the sky. It was a beautiful blue with various clouds up above. There was oneβa dinosaur-shaped one, which stood away from the others. It was interesting because it looked like it had an Adam's apple, although it carried a certain solemnity.
Chuckling, then coughing for air, Noir then fell on his back, huffing all along as he watched the sky from this view. He thought for a second that the dinosaur had moved, but he knew that it was impossible as clouds never moved that quickly. As his fingers slicked back his wet hair, he felt the wind, he felt the sun, and the beauty around.
Then, he heard footsteps behind him, causing him to lift himself off the floor.
"Well done... well done. You are somthin for sure."
"How fast did I run?"
"23.5. A 2-second increase from last year."
"You remember, huh?"
"Of course, that boy looked like he would puke blood back then. Hell, he looked like he would quit. Thank god it turned out to be a catalyst."
"He ranked 14th in [Solistras] , didn't he?"
"Yeah, so he's angsty. Will get there in a year or so; that's a guarantee."
"Hmm..."
"I see doubt there..." The man grinned and said, "You remember both of you runnin...?"
Noir nodded.
"Not now. Back then?"
Noir nodded again.
Displaying a finger to Noir, Shane said, "That was a year. Now it is two, and you cannot compete. The kid is a monster; prodigies are meat. I'll bet my life on it that if he works the way he does now... another year, I'll present to you a golden trophy."
Noir's gaze shifted to a bench in the distance, behind Shane. Cabel sat on it, with a towel resting on his head, looking to the floor, sipping an orange-colored energy drink.
"I see," he muttered.
"I'll see you around. The boy likes watching you run. Motivation, he admitted once. He bolted like a chick in love then."
Noir chuckled, and the man walked away.
Noir himself got up and then walked towards the exit after picking up a rubbery bottle from a bench. As he climbed up the white stairs, he turned to the running track.
Her cheering would surely motivate me as well.
Noir shook his head like an idiot and continued on with his timetable.
Posh-red flooring stood below Noir's feet as he walked to his apartment step by step. The running track was a privilege born to his location. He lived in a rich township. And as he walked forward, he held his phone to his ear, speaking sometimes and listening when he wasn't.
"Yes... yes... Mom... yes... I am eating."
"What do you mean when you say that voice sounds frail?"
As his mother chattered on about his health, a posh-looking matte-black car appeared in view from the left, moving on the driveway, which was situated around 20 meters away from him. An old woman, who sat inside, turned towards him with a glimmer in her eyes. She rolled down her window, waving her hand at him, and behind her on the backseat, two children dressed in uniforms squished their faces against the mirror, looking like they wanted to exit the vehicle.
Noir imagined them saying, "Brother, brother..."
How cute...
He waved back at them with his free hand, with a gentle smile. The woman nodded, rolled back her windows to their original positions, and then buzzed off into the distance.
Meanwhile, he had heard most of what had been said by his other.
Noir continued speaking to the phone, "Like a baby chick? Chicks are energetic; their squeaks rattle one's ears. Have you ever seen one? You know what, you should adopt one. Perhaps your knowledge will improve."
"Bullying you? What an absurd claim. You think a gentleman like me is capable of something so brutish."
Noir sighed. "Mom, I was really busy yesterday."
He thought about what had kept him busy before his mother's voice cut off his thoughts.
He clicked his tongue and said, "Pch... Why does it have to be a girl? Couldn't it be a guy as well?"
"In that case, I'll just adopt some."
"Right... right... right... then be sad. Love is blind, and I won't wear lenses."
"Because I don't like glasses." Noir paused, then added, "Well, I don't like lenses either."
"Hmm... I'll be there in a month," he thought of "there," where his beloved was somewhere, and then he continued with a smile, "By the way, could you greet Christi and Viola for me?"
His mother approved, and then his apartment building came into view.
"Sure... sure... either way, I have to go."
"Bye...! No, I am not waiting. Love you."
Click!
Looking at the sky, where the dinosaur had barely moved, Noir sighed and muttered, "I wonder what she's up to?"