He offered a faint smile, the first sign of any emotion beyond his usual withdrawn demeanor. "There's always some shit going on," he began. "Some you expect, others blindside you. But it's all about how you respond."

"And how do you respond?" I probed gently, genuinely curious about the experiences that had shaped him into the person he was today.

A momentary shadow crossed Finn's face, hinting at a turbulent past. "By pushing forward," he replied, his voice firmer now. "By focusing on what's ahead rather than dwelling on the past. There's always a game to be played, a new challenge to overcome. That's what keeps me going."

"That's a pretty resilient way to approach life,“ I said, accompanied by soft laughter, as if I tried to take some weight out of what he said. He talked about problems as if life was a game, but still seemed to be serious about it.

He glanced at me, his eyes softening a bit. "Resilience isn't always a choice," he replied. "Sometimes, it's the only option you have."

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14:42

As we approached a set of double doors, I could hear muffled voices and the faint hum of activity. Finn paused momentarily, giving me a brief, inscrutable glance before pushing the doors open. We stepped into a spacious room filled with familiar faces. The ambiance was a blend of tension and anticipation.

I caught Marius' eye; he seemed surprised to see me, but his expression quickly turned into a smirk. “Well rested, sleepyhead?” he teased, trying to read my emotions. Although I automtically smiled as I saw him, it wasn't a bright one. Not wanting to make him worried, I forced myself to say something. “Y-yea.”

“Sorry for being late,” Finn said, sitting down in one of the chairs arranged in a semi-circle at the center of the room. Without a word, I hesitated for a brief moment, glancing around at the others before taking a seat.

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To both my surprise and demise, we were the last ones to arrive. I didn't expect Gregor to be here already, but obviously wasn't mad about it.

As everyone took their seats, Nick rose to his feet. "Sooo, today's the day of truth! The day we've been training for!" he declared, his voice infused with enthusiasm yet tinged with a hint of nervousness. “Let's discuss our plan for today. What do you guys think?”

Despite his motivated tone, everyone remained grim, looking at him in silence. Usually, this would have been the moment for the coach to speak up, but Nick clearly knew his place and didn't attempt to take on that role. Not because he didn't want to; I was certain he would have loved to, but rather because he knew his expertise was lacking.

"Let's talk about bans first," Janosch said, remaining seated, unlike Nick, who kept standing, perhaps out of nervousness or maybe just dedication.

Admid the chatter, someone whispered into my ear. "Sorry for not waking you up. But you seemed so... peaceful."

Peaceful? The realization that Marius had observed me sleeping sent a peculiar sensation coursing through me. Before I could ponder how to respond to such a statement, my thoughts were interrupted.

GRUMBLE! GRUMBLE!

My stomach betrayed me, pleading loudly for something to eat. I flushed with embarrassment, hoping no one had heard.

Marius chuckled, "Seems like you had a stressful morning, huh?"

"Y-yes..." I stammered, laughing nervously.

"Don't worry, I've got your back," he said, extending an apple toward me. I was taken aback. Had he really been carrying it around for me? Yet again his kindness surprised me, while also leaving me with a lingering sense of unease, as if something was amiss. Or perhaps, I felt undeserving?

Glancing at his hand, I noticed something unusual about Marius; it seemed as if his composure was beginning to crumble. His hand... It was trembling.