"So let me get this straight," said Teru, rather straightfaced and serious. "You want me to help you get stronger so you can beat up Suzuki?"
"Yeah," Ritsu responded.
"No."
"What?"
"I said no."
"But why?"
Teru stared Ritsu straight in the face, dead serious. "I can already tell how this is going to end. If you have a grudge against him I urge you to let it go, because kicking his ass isn't going to make you feel any better."
"It's not a grudge!"
"Then what is it, Brother-kun?"
"I…" Ritsu paused, and that old familiar sinking feeling in his came back. What was the reason? For some time, he mistook it for fear. Other times, he believed it to be anger. Or maybe it was frustration? No, none of those words fit it quite right. It was a strange anxiety that grew from his stomach and out through his throat from his mouth, puncturing and destroying everything in it's path. It grew into his eyes, his head, his nose… what was it? It was painful. It was impossible to ignore. He didn't know what to call it, but he knew one thing for sure.
"It's complicated," Ritsu finally blurted out. "I like Suzuki. He's a friend, and he believes in me, but…"
Ritsu felt it growing. It was in his throat now. He clenched his fists and gulped it down, trying to subdue it. Even if he could push it back down, it would always be there. It dug its roots deep into his stomach, down through his intestines. It was sickening. Ritsu wanted to throw up.
I want to destroy it from the source.
"It doesn't really have anything to do with Suzuki. I just have to do this, or I can't move on."
Ritsu looked down at his cup, and then back at Teru who was looking rather concerned.
"Look," said Ritsu. "It's not like I want to get revenge on him or anything. I just want to beat him. Just once. After that things can go back to normal."
Teru sighed.
"Ok," he said. "I'll help you out."
"Really?" Ritsu was surprised at how quick Teru's change of heart was.
Does Teru-san…
No. That couldn't be it.
"Yes, I'll do it," replied Teru, "But it'll be hell, you know."
"Yeah, I know."
"I haven't seen him fight too much, but from what I have seen he's definitely powerful. He managed to beat that guy with the black-hole power. Even I haven't quite figured that technique out just yet, and yet Suzuki managed to beat him in a second. Even though I've improved a lot since then, I'm not sure if I could beat him in a fight just yet."
"What do you mean 'yet'? Do you think you'll be able to eventually?"
"Psychic powers aren't everything, but I don't see the harm in setting high goals for yourself. Doesn't every athlete aim to be the best in the world?"
"So you aim to beat my brother eventually?"
"I really don't think that's possible. But I might as well try. Even if I fail, I'll at least wind up being the best I can possibly be."
Teru then noticed Ritsu's sharp glare and tensed up.
"Hey, calm down! It's not like I plan to actually fight your brother! Like I said, it's just an impossible goal. I'll probably never reach that point anyway."
Ritsu exhaled. Teru was right. His brother's powers were on a completely different level altogether. They were something unachievable. Losing to him was hardly something to be ashamed of. Ritsu had accepted that a long time ago, and was now mostly at peace with being weaker than him. But still...
"So," said Ritsu, bringing the conversation back on track, "You'll do it?"
"Yeah, I'll do it."
Teru waited for a response, but Ritsu had none. The situation was conflicting, to say the least. Ritsu wasn't entirely sure if he should be happy about this situation. And eventually, the conversation turned into an awkward staring contest that lasted a full thirty seconds. And every second was of it was more painful than the last.
"Uh… So…" Teru said, finally breaking the silence.
"Yeah," Ritsu replied.
"When do you, uh, want to start?"
"As soon as possible. I'd like to get this over with."
"Alright, I'm just thinking about how I'm gonna do this."
"What do you mean?"
"Well with the Awakening Lab kids it was a bit easier to train them since their powers were so underdeveloped, but with you, I feel like even a simple spar could end up with both of us, uh, breaking some shit."
"Yeah, true."
A smile crept onto Teru's face, as if he had an idea. Ritsu had a very bad feeling about this.
Ritsu's alarm went off the next morning, if you could even call it a morning. It was still dark out, and everyone else was asleep. As Ritsu shut off the alarm he saw the time. Four in the morning.
I'm gonna fucking kill him.
Ritsu went through his morning routine as quietly as he could. He put on a sweater and some shoes and crept out the door, making sure not to wake anyone up. The time was now 4:15 am and Ritsu wished he was dead.
After about ten minutes of walking he finally reached the bus stop that he and Teru had planned to meet at. And standing there in his usual tracksuit with a rather large backpack, bright and early without a hint of exhaustion on his face was Teruki Hanazawa. Seriously, who the hell was this boy...
"Brother-kun!" Teru waved, gesturing Ritsu toward him with a bright smile on his face.
I can see you asshole.
"Can you stop calling me that?"
"Calling you what?"
"'Brother-kun.' It's annoying. Just call me Ritsu."
"Ah. Ok, Ritsu-kun. Are you ready to start?"
"Probably not."
"Good answer."