Miles reached the square not long after he boarded the train, thanks to its speed and close distance. When he arrived in front of the building where the show-down was, he marveled at the glorious building. It wasn’t his first time seeing it, but he still couldn’t help but take in the scene.

The building carved from white marble in the shape of a giant fist was the biggest show-down arena in the capital. Miles walked to the giant white boxing glove and saw Carl was waiting for him at the entrance with a girl standing next to him. They were laughing and talking closely. Miles recognized the girl immediately.

“Hello Carl, Mae. It has been so long.” Miles walked to the two, hugging each.

Mae was their friend from childhood. She would always follow Carl when they were small and hang out with them wherever they would go. At the time, Miles was still bitter about his condition. To hide his inferiority, he was protecting people from getting bullied by others.

He got into fights and beat many kids. He met Carl just like that. In truth, he only wanted to express his anger and show people that Miles Cross could still fight even with his faulty body.

Mae and Carl were older friends. Their families were business partners, and since infancy, they would always play together. In kindergarten, Mae would hang out with Carl because of her shy nature. When bullies attacked Carl, Mae was there but she was too afraid to help. At the time, Miles came and saved Carl. Ever since then, they were best friends, and Mae was there to follow.

Miles left school after they started elementary days and met with Carl many times. But he didn’t see Mae as often. They could be considered as friends. But when Miles noticed the shy girl looking at him with stars in her eyes, he sighed. It seemed like the silly girl still had a crush on him.

“Miles, you are late. It is about to start. C’mon!” Carl said and pulled inside by grabbing his arm. But Miles stood there like an unmovable mountain. Carl tried with two arms, but his leg skidded on the ground.

“You got stronger once again!” Carl looked at him with visible shock on his face.

Mae laughed by closing her mouth with her hand. Her voice was like a melodious song, coming out of the violin. Her smile was like the dawn of the sun, after the darkest night, bringing warmth and pleasure to onlookers. Miles looked at her and sighed.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Miles, how is it going in Portal World? I heard you are in Veteran Aomine Stronghold. Too bad, I am too far away now.” Mae said with a sigh, looking at Miles. “At first I was at Veteran Enes Stronghold, but my brother and his friend came and picked me. If I knew you would be in Veteran Aomine Stronghold, I wouldn’t go with them, and come to yours instead. We could look after each other.”

“That would have been wonderful.” Miles said as they found their seats.

Carl wasn’t stingy with the tickets and bought the front seat where they could see the stage in full splendor. All the people sitting in adjacent seats were rich or influential. Miles recognized some of them but ignored their presence.

Carl sat on the left seat while Mae took the middle seat. With no other choice, Miles sat on the right. Adjacent to him was an empty seat.

Seeing it unoccupied, he remembered a silver-green eyed person, who was seated beside him. That was three years ago.

He was just minding the stage when the person started to blabber about some kind of

aura around one of the competitors. When he looked at the fighter, he couldn’t see or feel anything. He thought it was bizarre and ridiculous at the same time. He laughed away at the person’s chatter.

Throughout the showdown, that person never stopped talking to him. But Miles didn’t mind as it was entertaining and informative even though he didn’t understand any of the platters.

Seeing Miles staring blankly at an empty seat, Mae called out to him. “Miles! The show’s about to begin.”

Miles then woke up from his momentary blanked state.

Seeing that he was all good, Mae then asked. “So, how’s Merlin and Marcela doing?”

“Same old. Merlin is doing his military duty and Marcela, well she is being Marcela.” Miles answered with a smile.

Mae chuckled when he heard his answer.

Miles hesitated, then asked, “How is your brother? Has he started his military duty?”

Song Shin, Mae’s older brother, was Merlin’s peer and confronted Miles many times because of Mae. As her older brother, he was doting on his sister. And when he noticed Mae’s liking for Miles, he beat Miles black and blue. At the time, still, toddler Miles couldn’t fight back and only go home with his beaten up face. Unlike Mae, his older siblings laughed at him instead of helping. In the end, the one who helped him was Mae herself.

As they grew up, Miles approached the limit a human body could reach. Even though bitter, earnest, and tenacious, his child body couldn’t grow up indefinitely. He couldn't overcome the difference in muscle and size the age brings and, on top of that, superpower.

When Miles and others were 6 years old, Carl and Mae’s powers started to develop, and they were able to use them more efficiently. And in two short years, tables turned, and they started to protect Miles.

All the bullies Miles once beaten, came back for revenge. Miles wouldn’t have walked out of them if it weren’t for Mae and Carl. This was the biggest reason why Miles left kindergarten and went to a public elementary school. He couldn’t stomach the humiliation of being weak. As a 6 years old kid, the sudden weakness had a huge impact.

Miles looked at Mae and remembered those days once again. He could only sigh.

“Song is doing great. He just returned from a mission, and is in the city.” Mae answered.

They then turned to the stage because the stars of the night just walked in.