Klaus was in his favorite place on the whole Konzern property other than the workout room: the tree that Team Excalibur had planted on the Konzern property. Sophie had suggested that the team do something to signify their growth as a team, and they should start when the team was first fully formed. Klaus was the last person to join the team, so he was allowed to choose what he thought it should be, and he chose to plant a tree on the property. The tree continued to grow over time, and the friendship and the bond between the members of the team continued to grow with it. Klaus had often seen Wales and Sophie out there together when the two needed to work on their teamwork, and even Julian had been seen near the tree when he wasn't busy with Konzern Family class
"I thought I would find you out here," Klaus heard a voice say. He looked up and realized that Julian Konzern, his team leader, was standing next to him. Julian continued, "It's almost time for dinner, and Sophie and Wales couldn't find you in the mansion, so I wanted to check out here."/p
"The mansion is pretty big, though," Klaus then said, "how did you know to find me out here?"
"This is only your favorite place on the property. Other than the workout room, of course," Julian responded. Klaus smiled. "Well, you should probably get ready. We'll probably have to deal with press after dinner." Julian knew that Klaus didn't like press, but it was something that had to be dealt with, especially for a member of the Konzern family or anyone associated with the Konzern family. The Italian press was much harder to avoid than the German or French press that Klaus was more used to dealing
Klaus then asked Julian, "Would it be alright if I ate out here tonight? I kind of need space for a little bit. This is the place where I just sit and think. I often come out here if I need to think about something."
"Of course, Klaus. If we do end up having to deal with press, I can deflect questions about you if that makes you feel better," Julian responded. Klaus didn't seem like the kind of guy who really focused on his emotions very much, but everyone had to have a way to deal with their emotions. Sitting near his team's tree was Klaus's way of handling his, and Julian knew that. "If you ever want to talk about anything," Julian then told Klaus, "I'd be glad to listen. We are a team, after all." Klaus smiled and nodded, and Julian headed back to his family's mansion.
Klaus was relieved that he now had friends that he could trust. Where he came from, no one could truly be trusted. Klaus was on his own at a very early age. He never knew his mother because she died in childbirth, and his father left when Klaus was very little. When Klaus was around 10, the boy that Klaus thought was his best friend ended up spreading gossip about the "real reason" that he had no family. The rumors said that Klaus wasn't wanted by his mother or his father, and that no one in his family loved him. When Klaus was around 16, he had his first girlfriend. Klaus thought that their relationship was going to last forever. He loved her so much. However, the girl left him for the same friend that had spread gossip about Klaus years earlier. In between, rumors about Klaus continued to spread even after the friend stopped trying to spread them. Trust became hard for Klaus, and it didn't get easier after he left his hometown when his girlfriend left him.
Because of his primitive years, Klaus developed trust issues and never talked about his problems with anybody. The tree, however, signified a change in Klaus. He was learning to trust someone other than himself. Klaus knew that trusting his friends was important, but he never truly overcome his past enough to be able to tell them. His emotions stayed his own. Klaus tried to remain mysterious whenever he could for that reason. He didn't want his past to continue to bully him, but he had realized that if he did not tell someone that he could trust about it, it would continue to bully him in his
Klaus put his head on the tree, and he saw Julian out of the corner of his eye. Julian was sitting in a chair outside of the Konzern mansion watching Klaus to make sure he was
"You don't have to wait out here on me. Give me a few minutes and I'll be inside," Klaus then told Julian. Klaus didn't want Julian to worry about him; after the world championships were over and the team was going their separate ways, he would have to go back to Germany and to the life that he didn't want anyone to know
"Klaus, do you want me to go get you some food or do you want to come in and get it yourself?"
"Like I said before, I'll be inside in a few minutes. I can get my own food. Thank you though."
"Ok then." Julian started to walk inside when he heard a voice called out to him saying "Wait Julian! I changed my mind. I'll come in with you." Julian smiled. Even though Julian was much to busy to talk to Klaus every time he was out by the tree, Julian wanted to get to know Klaus. He hoped that Klaus felt the same
"Do you want me to come out here and eat with you? I don't want you to be out by the tree all by yourself, and it turns out Wales and Sophie made dinner plans while I came out here to talk to you earlier." Julian usually ate at a fancy table, often with important people that his family was associated with. Since his family was rich, Julian would often dine with some of the most important leaders from other countries. Because of this, it came as a surprise to Klaus that Julian would even offer to eat outside with him. Klaus was used to eating outside because he lived on his own on the streets of Germany for so long, but Julian came from a rich family where he never had to worry about food or
"Um, sure, Julian. It'd be great if we could eat together."
After the two went inside to get the food that was prepared for them, Julian and Klaus went back out to the tree that their team had planted a little more than a month earlier. Julian was obviously not used to sitting on the ground. He kept adjusting his position while Klaus was alright the whole
"Klaus, I feel like I don't know you very well. The world really knows nothing about you since the only match you've taken place in so far was your battle against Chi-yun. But I'm your teammate; I feel like I should know a little something about your background." Klaus seemed a bit uncomfortable when Julian asked him the question. Klaus hadn't talked about his past with anyone, so why would he want someone who grew up super rich to be the first person to know? Julian wouldn't have understood. "Klaus, if you don't want to share about your past, I'm alright with that. I'll share a little about myself if it helps you. As you know, I grew up in a super rich family, but the other members of my family weren't always there. My father would buy me whatever I wanted so he could make me happy, but it just wasn't enough. Because my father worked so hard, he was never there for me. I barely even knew him. My mother's death didn't make anything any easier for my father either. He started burying himself in work, even more than he already had. Every time I tried to talk to him, he turned me out and told me he couldn't talk. The only people he really seemed to take to were the rich people who were always at our house. One night, he worked himself so hard that he ended up having a heart attack. The only time he ever talked to me was when he was in the hospital after his heart attack. I guess I'm grateful for the time that i did get to spend with him but it wasn't enough."
"So your father was physically there but not mentally." Julian nodded, and Klaus's heart sank. He didn't think that his own teammate could have such a sad story and he wouldn't know about it, especially since the family of that teammate was so public and so well known throughout Europe. Klaus decided that if Julian trusted him enough to tell his story, then Klaus should be able to tell his story
"I never met my mother. She died while giving birth to me. I was given to my father so he could raise me, but he didn't care what happened to me at all. I haven't seen my father since he left me alone in our town in Germany. When that happened I was about 7, so I've been living on my own since then. I didn't really have any friends when he left so I didn't have anyone to stay with. When I was about 9 I got to know another boy in the town, and he eventually became my best friend. I would tell him a lot of stuff about myself that I usually wouldn't share with other people. However, he took what I had told him and started spreading false rumors about me to all of his other friends. I was so hurt by what he had done that I vowed to never trust anyone again. After a few years, though, I decided to give trust another try, and I met this beautiful girl Elizabeth. She was the first girl I ever loved. We started dating, and I wanted her to get the real me so hopefully I could get to know the real her. Later on she left me for the same boy that spread false rumors about me when we were younger. I felt so betrayed. That's why I left my town in Germany and decided to try out for Team Excalibur. I had trust issues, and that's why I avoid you all when you try to talk to me. I'm still learning to trust, but hopefully this is the first step for me to learn what trust actually is."
Julian embraced Klaus even though it was not either of their personalities to hug another person. Klaus was shocked. He had't been hugged for as long as he could remember. Klaus wrapped his arms around Julian hoping that he could provide some comfort for the younger boy. As they started to back away from each other, Klaus noticed Sophie and Wales starting to walk out towards the tree. Klaus mentioned them to Julian, and he turned around to see them coming toward them.
"Hi Sophie, hi Wales. How was your dinner?" Julian asked as the Cetus team sat down beside the two.
"It went well," Sophie responded," and how is your dinner going? I see the tree is serving its purpose."
"Our dinner is going very well," Julian responded looking back at Klaus. Julian looked back at the Cetus team just in time to see Wales kiss Sophie on the cheek. Sophie blushed, and Julian and Klaus smiled at Wales. The team continued to sit by the tree and talk, growing the friendship and bond between its members./p