𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 | 𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐚 [UNDR EDT]

01 | paths to greatness

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

Waking up to the sound of my alarm clock, strident against my eardrum, I pushed down the pause button with a groan and got ready for school, languidly. For going on three years, now, that had been my routine and, although anyone would have thought it got easier, when you're not particularly the best person to be around in the morning, it most definitely has gotten worse.

Normally, my friend, Ryouta, and I would go running in the early hours of the morning as training (him for modelling and I for strength) but after a flurry of messages about him being sick, I got the feeling that maybe he wasn't up for it. Even though it wasn't exactly rare for the blond to be ill, he had never turned down a jog so this time it must have been rough for him. Because no matter how much Ryouta whined and begged for any sort of attention, he never truly enjoyed admitting his weaknesses and a part of me had been gladdened by his admission.

I messaged him back, writing something or other about checking on him later and he had replied at such a frenetic pace that I could practically hear the impatient squeak behind the words written over the screen. Ever the eager one. I rolled my eyes in feigned annoyance and finished readying myself before breakfast.

Puzzled by the sudden smell of eggs, I creased my brow and followed my nose to the kitchen where I came upon Uncle Kouzou. His back was turned to me, clearly in the middle of preparing something and I walked over to him, ensuring his safety. 'You're not meant to be doing that,' I said, almost a scold, moving him away from the stove. 'Doctor Chisaka said you weren't to do anything too strenuous.'

Uncle Kouzou had suffered an illness that had rendered him 'incapable for work' over a year ago. Before then, he had been an energetic fifty-year-old, serene and comfortable living without the aid of anyone; so contented, in fact, that when he allowed me to stay with him in his cozy two bedroom apartment, he had been reluctant to let me help him at all.

He lived alone, with only a white Pomeranian named Sosa to keep him company. Shirogane Kouzou was a simple man and with all that plainness came a routine he adopted for everyday life. Work, to him, was the most important thing and everything that came after that was just another cog in the machine. He dressed in the same dark suits, cut his beard the same way and wore the same expressions no matter how he was feeling. But, just like everyone else involved within sports, he could also be quite ruthless, making him one of the most respected coaches and teachers at Teikou Junior High.

Yet, no matter how stubborn he was and continued to fight against it, I was the one who refused him to do the chores and found myself constantly worried for his well-being; if he were to do anything other than breathe, it seemed as though this internal alarm bell would go off in my mind and I would be there, almost immediately, to take over any task he started.

Shirogane Kouzou made a solemn sigh. 'I thought I'd make it today,' he said, rubbing his eyebrow in embarrassment. 'You've been working too hard recently.'