“Alvie! You have to break away from the air currents! Take the boosters—yes, those boosters—if you want to catch up to Chippy!” Rin shouted into her mic, practically shaking it.

  “G-Got it!” Alvie’s panicked voice crackled back.

  Rin clenched her fists so tight her nails dug into her palms. The floating screens in front of her reflected the fire in her eyes—Alvie wobbling through the air streams, Chippy shooting forward like a comet, and Drenco tailing right behind him like a curse she couldn’t get rid of.

  Eddie hovered behind her, hands tucked nervously in his pant pockets as he watched her screens.

  “Uh… Rin? Maybe breathe?” he offered carefully.

  “I breathing,” she snapped.

  “You’re actually not,” Eddie muttered. “You’ve been holding your breath since Alvie missed that turn.”

  Rin sucked in air sharply—loud, dramatic, and not at all relieving.

  Eddie held up his hands. “Okay. Okay. That’s… something.”

  Rin leaned closer to the screens, practically vibrating. “Alvie! You’re letting them pass you! Why are you letting them pass you?!”

  “S-Sorry! I—I’m trying!”

  Eddie blinked, turning his head just enough to whisper to himself,

  “Is it weird that I kinda miss when she used to stare blankly at walls and ask me what a sandwich was…?”

  Rin whipped around. “What was that?”

  “NOTHING!” Eddie squeaked rubbing the back of his neck with a chuckle.

  On the main display, Chippy executed a perfect barrel-turn through the mid-air obstacle ring, shooting ahead with impossible ease.

  Rin pointed at the screen like she was personally casting a spell. “SEE? CHIPPY DOES IT FLAWLESSLY! CHIPPY IS WHY CAN’T YOU—”

  Alvie crashed into an air pocket, spun twice, stabilized, and squeaked, “I’M TRYING!!!”

  Eddie gently put a hand on Rin’s shoulder—an act he would have never dared when he first met her.

  “Hey… you’re doing great,” he said softly. “You’re just… really intense today. Like—extra intense.”

  Rin deflated just slightly.

  “I’m going to throttle him! …S-Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” Eddie said, giving her a tiny smile. “I’m kinda proud of you. You care a lot. It’s just… scary.”

  “I’m scary?!” Rin snapped back.

  “A little,” Eddie admitted.

  Chippy’s tracker blinked green—

  First place.

  Again.

  Drenco crossed the line seconds later, red lights flashing with his number:

  Second.

  Rin stared at the screen, pulse still racing.

  Everything inside her felt too loud.

  Too sharp.

  Too close to slipping.

  Kormadyne was nearing Seoul.

  Things were… changing.

  And Rin wasn’t sure how much longer she could pretend she was fine.

  #

  “WOOHOO!”

  Chippy launched herself at Rin the moment she stepped off the track, squeezing her tight enough to pop ribs. “Didja SEE that?! We’re totally gonna win this Grand Prix—NO biggie!”

  Rin flailed for a second before hugging her back. “Y-Yeah… maybe. But it’s been close lately! Drenco always finishes second! One slip-up and—and Alvie doesn’t help!”

  “Aww don’t worry about it! He won’t have the points to beat me even if he did get first in the next race!” Chippy said rubbing her cheeks on Rin’s.

  “H-Hey…”

  Alvie approached from behind them, rubbing his arm and pushing his glasses up his nose. “I really do try… it’s just… everything gets so fast out there…”

  Rin froze.

  Her lips parted.

  She realized—too late—that she was staring at him.

  “O-Okay… just… try to keep up next race, alright?” she said in a smaller voice, cheeks bright pink.

  “Right!” Alvie puffed out his chest, confidence returning. More so because Rin wasn’t yelling at him anymore.

  Eddie, however, was not impressed.

  “Seriously? You literally just said you’d throttle him,” he deadpanned.

  “Wh—WHAT?! I didn’t! I’d never!!!” Rin squeaked, flustered beyond repair.

  “Rin, I’m gonna be honest,” Chippy groaned dramatically. “I believe Eddie. You keep screaming into the communication gear every darn race.”

  “I-I do NOT!” Rin snapped, turning to Eddie for backup—completely forgetting he started this entire mess.

  Alvie jumped in, panic rising.

  “Sorry, Rin! Really! I’m not gonna fail this—I’m not gonna fail

  Or—us!”

  He clasped both hands around one of hers, gentle but earnest.

  Rin melted.

  On the spot.

  Blushing so hard she could’ve powered the entire track.

  Eddie blinked. “Uh… that’s great and all, but can we please remember we haven’t actually won yet?”

  Both Rin and Alvie snapped to attention.

  “Look,” Eddie continued, crossing his arms, “just because Chippy came in first for eight of the nine races, and Drenco came in second for seven of them, doesn’t mean we can relax. Rin, Alvie — she cannot afford to throw this last race.”

  “Wasn’t planning on it,” Chippy muttered flatly.

  “Great, yeah, sure,” Eddie said, waving that off. “But the last race is

  The first-place winner doesn’t get the usual eighteen points. It’s multiplied by three — fifty-four points.”

  Rin’s eyes widened.

  Chippy stiffened.

  Alvie paled.

  “Chippy has 144 points,” Eddie continued, “but Drenco has 115. If he wins first place —just ONCE—”

  “It’s game over,” he said grimly. “We lose the whole Grand Prix.”

  “WHAT?!” Chippy exploded, voice cracking into three confused octaves.

  “No!” Alvie cut in, stepping forward. “That won’t happen! I’ll do everything I can to keep up with Chippy and help her out! I’ll make sure she gets first place—even if it’s the last thing I do! Even if I’m scared out of my mind!”

  Rin practically turned into a cherry tomato, staring up at Alvie with sparkling eyes.

  “Pfft! You’ve missed every shortcut Rin and Eddie called out in

  race up until now!” Chippy snapped. “How are you gonna do that in freaking Seoul?!”

  “No—I won’t mess it up this time!” Alvie insisted, clutching his fists. “It’s just… when I’m alone I can do it… but on the track with others I just… lose my nerves. But I won’t let that happen anymore! Not when it matters most!”

  “What a hero, everyone,” Eddie muttered dryly.

  “Eddie! Shush!” Rin smacked his arm.

  “Ow! What was that for?!”

  “I believe in you, Alvie,” Rin said firmly. “We all do! We can’t win this race with just Chippy or Alvie or Eddie or even myself! It has to be all of us—together!”

  “Yeah! What Rin said!” a random boy nearby shouted, clearly invested in their extremely loud conversation.

  “Yeah! Rin! Rin! Rin!”

  Their whole crew started chanting her name, clapping and cheering.

  Rin went crimson again and immediately hid behind Eddie.

  Alvie did the same from the other side behind Chippy, equally embarrassed.

  Eddie rolled his eyes so hard he practically saw the back of his skull.

  Chippy, meanwhile, spread her arms wide like a conquering hero, soaking up the attention with a grin while waving both hands.

  #

  Rin groaned loudly into the lobby table, pressing her forehead against the cool surface as if it could absorb her stress.

  “Eddieeeeeee…”

  Eddie didn’t even look up from his book. “Jeez, you sound like Chippy today. Did she rub off on you? Actually, where is she?”

  “Nooo… maybe…” Rin mumbled into the tabletop.

  Eddie sighed and turned a page, clearly wanting to leave but trying his best to stay present.

  “What, Rin,” he exhaled, monotone.

  Rin lifted her head just enough to look at him, chin still flattened against the table.

  Stolen story; please report.

  “What are we gonna with Alvie? I’m worried he won’t be able to do what I say!”

  Eddie glanced down at her, unimpressed.

  “You could try yelling at him. That seems to be working.”

  “What?! No! I can’t! Well… I but I ”

  “Why not?”

  Rin looked away, fidgeting with her fingers before her face turned pink again.

  “It’s just… he’s so… he’s such a soft boy… and I can’t stay mad at him.”

  “HUAH?!” Eddie’s jaw dropped. “The heck?! What if you NEED to yell at him?!”

  “I will!”

  “But then you’ll just… not?”

  “N-No! I mean—I’ll yell, but I won’t be angry!”

  “You seem pretty angry when we’re racing.”

  “Okay, well that’s different! I’m angry in the moment, but then—ugh! We get face to face and I look at his eyes behind those cute little glasses and I just—”

  “Whoa. Hold on. Rin?” Eddie interrupted, eyes widening.

  “What?” Rin looked up at him innocently.

  “You… you’re totally crushing on Alvie, aren’t you?”

  “Crushing? What's that again?” Rin blinked. “If I wanted to crush him, I’d use my wand.”

  “What.” Eddie stared, horrified.

  “Yeah! I’d just make an icicle and crush him if I wanted to—”

  “N-No!” Eddie slapped his book shut and leaned in. “Rin.

  Having a crush means… you LIKE him! I swear we've already explained this to you!”

  “I do like him,” Rin replied sincerely.

  “Ugh! No—like, like-like him!”

  “Like-like?”

  Eddie dragged his hands down his face. “It means… it means you want to

  him!”

  “WHAT!?”

  Rin shot straight up from the table so fast the heavy bench squeaked beneath her.

  A few heads turned. Rin froze like a deer in headlights, then slowly sank back into her seat until only her eyes peeked over the table.

  “I-I do want to m-marry him…” she whispered. “Not like right now, but… I do…”

  “Awwww! Rin has a crushy-wushy!”

  Eddie pointed at her while snickering into his palm.

  “I’m gonna tell him!”

  “What?! Why?!” Rin whipped around, panic rising.

  “Oh, so he knows,” Eddie said casually, “and will like you back.”

  “R-Really?”

  “Yeah! Or—” Eddie shrugged, “he could totally NOT like you back, and go ‘Ew, gross, I hate Rin,’ and then never talk to you again.” Eddie said in a high pitched voice mocking Alvie.

  Rin’s soul visibly left her body.

  “WH—WHAT?! Wait—NO! Don’t tell him !!”

  “Nope!” Eddie flipped a page in his book. “Too late. I’m telling him .”

  “EDDIE!” Rin squirmed harder. “Please, don’t! Ugh—what should I do?!”

  “Pfft, I’m telling him,” Eddie grinned. “This is hilarious.”

  “N-No—actually—I hate him. I don’t like Alvie at all.” Rin crossed her arms and looked away with fake confidence. “I totally don’t like-like him.”

  “Really?” Eddie asked innocently. “Guess I’ll just tell him that then.”

  Rin grabbed his sleeve instantly.

  “EDDIE! NO! PLEASE DON’T!”

  He only leaned back, raising his book like a shield, chuckling behind it.

  “This is so much fun,” he said, far too proud of himself.

  Rin sagged forward and collapsed onto the table again, burying her face into her palms. A long, muffled groan vibrated through the wood.

  “H-Hey, guys… um… what’s up?” a voice asked from beside them. “Is it okay if… I join you?”

  Rin peeked out through her fingers. There was a familiar face looking between herself and Eddie while clutching a book tightly to his chest.

  It was Oby.

  “What?! Oby? Ew. No way. Get lost,” Eddie snapped immediately.

  Oby flinched like he’d been slapped.

  “Eddie!” Rin gasped, stunned.

  “No! I already suffer with this guy in my room every day!” Eddie barked, grabbing his book. “There is where I’m letting him invade my one moment AWAY from him! Nope. I’m out.”

  And before either of them could respond, Eddie spun on his heel and scurried off toward the dorms at a speed normally reserved for life-threatening emergencies.

  Rin sat frozen for a second, staring after him, confused and hurt on Oby’s behalf. What was about?

  She turned, clenching her teeth.

  “Oby? Sit here! Of course you can sit here!” She planted her fists on her hips like she was scolding Eddie from afar.

  Oby gave a small, crooked smile—tired, sad.

  “I-It’s alright… you don’t have to pretend to like me…”

  “What? No!” Rin squinted, genuinely confused. “Wait—what kind of ‘like’ are we talking about?”

  Oby let out a tiny chuckle and shook his head. “It’s alright, Rin. Really. I’ll go.”

  “Wait! Oby! I’m serious—you don’t have to go!” Rin stood up, reaching out for him without thinking.

  Her voice echoed through the whole lobby.

  A few students paused, whispered, and then—almost strategically—filtered out one by one, disappearing into the dorm halls until only Rin and Oby were left in the quieting space.

  Oby exhaled, shoulders sinking.

  “…It close to curfew,” he murmured.

  Rin took a small step closer, her expression gentle, earnest.

  “…Why does everyone hate you?” she asked softly.

  Innocently.

  Not knowing she had just stabbed directly into the wound Oby hid most deeply.

  “I—I… well, it’s nothing. Probably nothing.”

  Oby forced a laugh that cracked halfway through. “Couldn’t be something silly like… my skin color!”

  He meant it as a joke.

  A shield.

  Something to toss between them so she wouldn’t look deeper.

  “Your skin color?” Rin blinked. “I wouldn’t hate you for that. I think it’s pretty.”

  Oby froze.

  “…I-It is?”

  His voice was small, confused by his own failed deflection.

  “Yes! Absolutely!”

  Rin grabbed his hand before he could retreat. “Don’t go!”

  She tugged him into the bench seat beside her.

  He yelped as he landed, but immediately forgot how to breathe.

  Rin was… close.

  Too close.

  Her big brown eyes fixed on him like he Not like he was tolerated, or ignored, or avoided.

  Like he was… wanted.

  Her soft brown hair fell over one side of her face, and she tucked it back behind her ear without thinking. Long lashes—just barely brushed with winged liner—framed her eyes when they lifted toward his.

  And her small nose—cute, sharp, unassuming—

  He had never noticed how much it suited her until now. Actually, he was never close to anyone his age like this before.

  His skin color had never been his real insecurity.

  Not truly.

  But in this moment, he almost wished it because that would make this feeling—this sudden ache in his chest—make any sort of sense.

  He would’ve fallen in love with Rin right there if he weren’t already halfway gone.

  “Come on! Tell me!” Rin insisted.

  “I-I just did!”

  “You’re lying,” Rin said bluntly. “If it were your skin, everyone would hate the other boys and girls with skin like yours.”

  She picked up one of his hands with both of hers.

  Her thumbs brushed gently over the back of his palm, circling his knuckles.

  “It’s so warm… and smooth…”

  Oby’s breath hitched.

  “W-Well yeah! I’m a human! Just like you?”

  Rin giggled—soft, delighted.

  “Now something I didn’t expect!”

  “Wh-What do you mean?!” Oby yelped, slapping both hands over his mouth and yanking the hand she held away, mortified.

  “You sounded like Eddie for a moment,” Rin laughed. “I thought you were quiet all the time.”

  “N-No… I— I’m sorry.”

  Oby lowered his head. “I didn’t want to be mean to you, Rin.”

  “Not at all! You aren’t being mean to me,” Rin said warmly—

  —and without realizing it, she leaned in.

  Subtly.

  Softly.

  Her face drifting closer to Oby’s.

  His heart nearly stopped.

  “R-Rin?” Oby whispered.

  She leaned in even closer, studying him like he was hers.

  “Wow… your eyes are a much darker brown than mine…” she breathed, full of awe.

  Then—

  “Why is your skin so dark anyway?”

  Oby froze.

  His hands trembled in his lap. His throat dried instantly.

  “U-Um… I—I was just born this way, I guess…”

  “Oh…”

  Rin pulled back slightly. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed—just for a moment.

  A moment long enough for Oby’s stomach to drop.

  “D-Did I say something wrong?” he asked shakily, terrified to let the fragile warmth between them shatter.

  “No… you didn’t…” Rin murmured.

  She wrapped her arms around herself without realizing it. Her gaze softened, dipping with quiet realization.

  “The reason everyone hates you… it’s because of something you were born with, isn’t it?”

  Oby’s heart stopped.

  Not metaphorically.

  It

  Rin wasn’t disgusted.

  She wasn’t confused.

  She wasn’t pulling away because of him.

  She was… worried for him.

  Worried.

  Her subtle frown, the way her brows dipped, the way her eyes held his — this was concern.

  Not pity.

  Not embarrassment.

  Connection.

  His mind scrambled, short-circuited, panicked, overwhelmed.

  “You’re so pretty…” he breathed without meaning to, the words slipping out like a prayer escaping his lips.

  “What?” Rin tilted her head, not hearing him.

  Oby’s soul nearly left his body.

  “O-OH! I— I meant— um— the reason everyone hates me… is probably because…”

  Rin leaned in again, eager, trusting.

  “…probably because I can’t sleep,” he finished weakly.

  Rin blinked.

  “You can’t be serious…” she said softly — but she wasn’t rejecting him.

  She actually believed it.

  “I-It is…” Oby finally admitted, letting out a small, defeated sigh. “And since I can’t sleep… I do weird things at night. Things I can’t control.”

  He hesitated before looking up again.

  Rin was still watching him—

  concerned, yes…

  but patient.

  So patient it almost hurt.

  He shifted his hand on his lap—

  and felt something warm against his leg.

  Rin’s leg.

  She’d been leaning against him this whole time, close enough for him to feel the faint warmth of her body through his uniform.

  She wasn’t pushing him to continue.

  She wasn’t rushing him.

  She was just there.

  Quiet.

  Steady.

  Giving him as much time as he needed.

  Oby felt sweat slide down his back.

  He prayed the moment would last forever. That he could stretch it just a while longer before it became awkward.

  “…Oby?” Rin tilted her head.

  “R-Right,” he stammered. “I just… ever since I can remember, I’ve had a hard time sleeping. And because of that, I do weird things at night. My parents took me to doctors, to the best healers in the world—nothing helps. It isn’t a curse either, so even someone like the great Yaxon Staffire couldn’t fix it. I’m just… stuck with it, I guess.”

  “Oby…” Rin whispered.

  No one had ever said his name like that.

  Soft.

  Careful.

  Affectionate.

  Before he knew it, Rin reached out and took his hand—lifting it from his thigh and sandwiching it gently between both of hers. Her fingers were warm. Her smile even warmer.

  “You’re a lot like me, you know?”

  “I-I am?”

  “Yes.” Rin nodded. “I had a hard time getting along with people. I still do. I was lucky I met Eddie when I did. And Chippy too. They’re the most important people in the whole world to me. But you… you’re unlucky. You just haven’t met anyone like them yet. And that’s not fair.”

  “T-There’s nothing I could’ve done…” Oby whispered, ashamed.

  “No,” Rin said simply. “But there’s something other people could’ve done. It isn’t your fault. It’s theirs.”

  She smiled at him.

  Oby’s heart disintegrated.

  There was only one thought left in his mind:

  “Everyone deserves a good friend. A real friend,” Rin continued. “And starting today? You can count on me to be your friend. Okay?”

  Oby’s breath caught.

  Then panic snapped through him.

  “But people will hate you too!” he blurted, snatching his hand away. “No one wants to be with me… and if someone does, they’ll just get hated, like me!”

  Rin blinked, looking down at her empty hands—the ones that had just held his.

  “…So be it.”

  There was no wind in the lobby.

  But Oby felt a shockwave slam into him.

  Rin lifted her head, eyes steady.

  “If that’s what it takes to be your friend,” she said, “then I’ll do it.”

  “R-Rin… you don’t get it!” Oby pleaded. “What if… what if Chippy and Eddie stop being friends with you just because you’re friends with me?!”

  “They wouldn’t,” Rin said firmly.

  So firmly that Oby flinched.

  “They are my friends. friends. And they wouldn’t hate me just because I decided to be friends with you.”

  She reached out and placed a hand on his back—

  then immediately frowned when she felt moisture against her palm.

  Quietly, respectfully, she moved her hand up to his shoulder instead.

  “I trust them,” Rin continued with a soft smile. “If I couldn’t, then they wouldn’t be so important to me, would they?”

  Oby’s gaze dropped to the floor.

  “Please… don’t do this to yourself…”

  “I’m not doing anything to myself,” Rin said gently. “Nothing bad, anyway.”

  Then her eyes brightened just a little.

  “Hey… can you do me a favor?”

  Oby looked up cautiously.

  “W-What kind of favor?”

  “…Come with me to the last race. You can help Eddie and the pit crew while I coach.”

  She said it with such uncomplicated sincerity that it pierced straight through him.

  Oby froze.

  Too many thoughts flooded in at once.

  No one would want him there.

  What if his presence brought bad luck?

  What if they lost because of him?

  What if Rin regretted being his friend?

  What if everyone blamed her for choosing him?

  He couldn’t let her risk that.

  Not Rin.

  Not the first person in his life who had ever looked at him with kindness.

  “N-No…”

  His voice cracked.

  “S-Sorry. I… I can’t.”

  Rin’s shoulders fell.

  “…Really? You can’t? Why not?”

  Her voice grew small, fragile—

  not angry, but genuinely disappointed.

  Oby’s heart buckled.

  “I—I gotta get to bed! Good night, Rin!!!”

  He bolted up from the bench and sprinted toward the stairs like his life depended on it.

  Rin blinked after him, confused.

  He vanished around the corner.

  Before she could even process the exchange—

  “Rin?” a firm, commanding voice snapped from across the lobby.

  Rin jolted to attention.

  “Y-Yes!”

  “Curfew is in exactly forty-five seconds. Where should you be?”

  “In my room, House Master Vanessa!”

  “Then get out of my sight.”