Alex came back as if he was escaping, and pulled Gawain along to step into another corridor of the sports center. The blond followed him in silence. He looked back one last time before stepping into the corridor they had been making for when he froze, then turned his head to Alex, asking, but also stating:
"You know her?"
Alex let go of Gawain's arm. He took off his sunglasses, and smiled at him with interest:
"What makes you think that? You speak with confidence, but you seemed a bit tense, earlier."
Some last bit of tension seemed to leave Gawain's chest, and he replied, his voice back to its usual calm:
"You managed to tease me, at first. But you are a playboy, and you like having fun, but not at the expense of a friend."
Alex raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a light laugh.
"You, really… Isn't it a bit too big of a leap to go from swearing a lifetime of chastity to falling for someone at first sight?"
Laughing again with another shake of the head, Alex turned to the front. However, he did not refute the words of his friend, nor did he wait for an answer. He did not try to tease the blond any further either. He restrained his amusement, and spoke with a light smile:
"You could say that the woman who finally moved that empty heart of yours is my sister."
"Huh!?"
Gawain blinked. He had thought of many things, but certainly not of that. His reaction, which sharply contrasted with his calm and intelligent temperament, made Alex laugh:
"What? Thought she was one of my 'friends'?"
Alex put the emphasis on the last word, the amusement on his face deepening as he did so. He glanced at Gawain, but didn't wait for an answer. He restrained his smile and explained, his tone light and casual:
"Leyna Staten, my mother's protégée, her goddaughter you could say. So, in a way, she is my sister. Surprising, right? I don't lack female affection, but I remain an attention-seeking playboy."
The description made Gawain forget about his surprise for a moment. He glanced at Alex's back as the latter reached for the door at the end of the corridor, his gaze both that of a friend and a professional, a thin cloud of concern swirling within him:
"Want to tell me why?"
Alex paused, then pushed open the door with a smile and a quiet headshake:
"No thanks. But you, what happened to your vow just now? Didn't even wait for the world to process it and you are throwing it away?"
The corner of Gawain's lips couldn't help but twitch. He opened his mouth to speak, his cheek subtly warming up, but Alex interrupted him as he stepped into the locker room behind the door:
"Forget it, nobody is trustworthy nowadays, anyway. Come, let's change our clothes and get going before you receive an emergency call."
Gawain's budding embarrassment gave way to a bitter smile. He took a breath, and followed Alex inside the room.
Alex threw his bag onto a bench and stopped making things difficult for the blond:
"Returning to my sister, she is older than you. She has the looks, the brain, and most importantly, money. Oh, no. That's not right. The most important thing she has is the backing of one of the most influential women in the city, or rather…"
Alex paused for an intentional dramatic effect and gave his friend a deep look before completing his words, his smile a mix of mystery and schadenfreude, and his voice low:
"...in the world."
Alex let the words linger in the air for a while, before he gave Gawain a once-over and shattered the tense silence with a lighter voice as if he never said the words just now:
"As for you, you have the looks, and the brain that is barely adequate. But let's not talk about money. Compared to my sister, you would just be considered poor. However, your biggest stumbling block is not even your weak background, it is how to break the ice and get her interested in you. And don't count on me to support you. You would be lucky if I didn't step forward to block you at the gate."
Alex paused to let the words sink in, before throwing the challenge with an even deeper smile:
"So, are you sure you still want to go for it?"
The unfiltered words and the amusement in Alex's smile made Gawain's lips twitch again. But, thinking about the figure just now and Alex's description, he pursed his lips. Not counting anything, just the unconcealed strong temperament that seemed to keep others at bay felt like a first obstacle. As Alex said, the true stumbling block was nothing more than getting his sister's attention. And uncharacteristically, his usual confidence wavered now that his heart was involved.
Gawain pursed his lips tighter, then exhaled. His fluctuating emotions receded like a tide, and he calmed down. As Alex sat down, he threw his sports bag onto the bench and looked at him, his gaze calm, just like his voice:
"Maybe you are right, but it seems like I just can't help it. When I saw her, I felt my heart beat differently for the first time."
Raising a hand to his chest, he smiled softly, sounding introspective:
"Maybe for the only time in this life."
Alex paused his action of leaning down to take off his shoes. He quietly looked at his friend, taking in the look he was seeing for the first time. After a while, he smiled, and turned to focus back on his shoes.
"Leyna is a mature woman, and she is older than you. Moreover, she lacks nothing in her life, and even if she did, she has me to spoil her, if my mother does not beat me to it. So, if you really want to go after her, it will be difficult, and as I said, I won't help you."
Gawain simply smiled:
"At least, our friendship is strong enough that you are not looking to block me at the gate."
In response to that light tone, Alex sneered:
"Tch, I just took pity on you. And seeing you flop will be kind of entertaining."
Gawain's smile grew deeper, taking no offense at the words which carried no real bite. Sitting down beside Alex, he casually remarked:
"Then, I have to thank you for at least letting me entertain you."
"Yes, you indeed have to thank me."
Alex's strong nod made Gawain laugh, before he also turned to his shoes. Undoing the laces, he took them off, but as he did so, his pants moved, the hem riding up to reveal a part his socks did not cover.
Alex's eyes fell on the sight, and he paused, his expression growing quiet and the atmosphere cooling down into dullness. Gawain happened to catch his look, and looked down at the prosthetics he had revealed with his movements. He simply showed a calm smile as he took out his climbing shoes from his sports bag, and casually asked:
"What, still hanging onto this?"