Sk8 the Infinity: 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐝𝐞

chapter twenty-one.

Joe and Kaoru stood in front of Kaia with guilty expressions on their faces. Kaia simply looked curiously at them as they both tried to agree on what to say. 

"I--Well, we apologize for how we acted yesterday,"  Kaoru began and then glanced over to Joe to continue. 

"We know you're pretty stressed about the race tonight and a while back we had decided to surprise you with something. Though, now it's more an apology gift."

Kaoru quickly gestured for him to get the mysterious gift and smiled kindly at Kaia. When Joe returned he held a board in his arm. Kaia's eyes were locked on it as he held it out towards him. 

"A custom board," Kaoru explained. "There's a yin-yang symbol in the center, Joe's tattoo design, and scattered cherry blossoms. They represent each of us.."

Kaia carefully took the board out of Joe's hands and traced his fingers along each of the designs with an unreadable expression. The other two started to move around nervously in fear that Kaia was still irritated from yesterday.

"The reason we hadn't given it to you till now is cause we constantly disagreed on the design," Joe admitted and Kaoru glared at him from the side to silence himself. "Just if you were wondering," Joe shrugged his shoulders before quickly adding the last part. 

"Do you like it? If you don't like the design we can change it," Kaoru comforted hastily to fill the dreading silence. 

"I like it, a lot. Really like it, I love it," Kaia breathed out happily. He ran towards the other two and pulled them into an embrace, making both of their faces tint a light pink. 

"No problem," Joe mumbled awkwardly.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Kaoru muttered in the same way. 

**

The street was completely blocked off my various cars that were lined up and stuck in the narrow entry way. The few people that tried to control the traffic seemed to be struggling to get everyone's attention as they shouted for everyone to walk the rest of the way. All eyes fell on Kaia who placed his hand on Joe's shoulder in attempt to make him relax. 

"It'll be all right. I can make the rest of the way on my own."

"You sure?" Kaoru confirmed.

"I'm okay," Kaia insisted as he held his board to his chest. He started walking within the crowds along the side of the road. "I'm okay," he repeated to himself as if to speak it into existence and convince himself. 

Kaia eventually made it up the steep hill as his hair blew in the wind behind him. It was an eerie setting that sent shivers down his spine at the slightest of sounds but he talked himself into ignoring his paranoia on the way up the hill. 

He noticed a figure awaiting him and glanced at him when he came closer. There was Adam in a completely different outfit that contrasted greatly from his usual bright color scheme. 

"Welcome, Kaia," he said and his hood fell from his head, revealing his new mask to fit the setting change. "I've been waiting for you."

"Adam.." Kaia responded hesitantly. 

"I felt that this outfit was the most appropriate for tonight. Because it is the day of departure. That's right, to somewhere nobody can hinder us." Adam flipped a coin into the air. "A world created just for the two of us."

Once the coin hit the floor and the small ring was heard, they both took off. Adam held the lead as they skated down the steep path. Kaia was completely focused on avoiding the bright jagged rocks that decorated the dangerous course.