Jayden fully expected Adam and Zach would be annoyed by Ethan snubbing them—leaving them mid-joke and telling them to run faster. But he saw that their faces still appeared normal, their good-natured spirits untouched.
Adam and Zach, who were still running to cool down near Jayden, caught his curious expression. As if knowing what Jayden was thinking, Zach patted him on the back. "Our captain is always like that," Zach explained, his voice easy. "He is a no-nonsense kind of guy, but he really does have a kind heart. He just doesn't know how to relate with people socially."
Adam nodded his head too, backing up his teammate. "Yeah, our captain is exactly like that," Adam confirmed. "So, if he offends you, please don't be annoyed at him. That's just him being him."
Jayden nodded his head. He gave it some thought and suddenly remembered how, even though he had been the reason Ethan had been late, Ethan did not say anything to the coach when the coach asked.
That act of silent protection suddenly made Jayden reconsider. Maybe Ethan really does have a kind heart beneath the frosty exterior.
Soon enough, the whole team members finished their race. They were all heading off to go back to their room. The coach, however, stopped them. He then said, strictly, to the two late arrivals: "You two can only go back when you finish running your four extra laps."
Ethan and Jayden were quick to answer, both saying, "Yes, Coach." The coach then left too, turning his back and walking away, leaving both Ethan and Jayden there alone on the vast expanse of the football field.
As soon as the coach left, Ethan started running immediately, not bothering to pause for even a second. Jayden was surprised by his lack of hesitation. He scrambled to his feet and ran after Ethan. Once he was running side by side with Ethan, he couldn't help but ask the obvious question.
"Are you crazy?" Jayden asked, his voice full of disbelief. "There's no one here to watch us. Everyone had left. Why are you still running? It's not like the coach will know if we did not run the four extra laps."
Ethan's face still looked ice cold, his expression completely unaffected by the physical effort. "The reason the coach left and did not leave someone to watch over us," Ethan explained, his voice even and instructional, "is because he trusts us to do it, even without anyone here. So, just run and don't betray the coach's trust in you."
Jayden was speechless by Ethan's rigid adherence to the rules. He found the captain's willingness to go through this unnecessary punishment insane.
By the third lap, Jayden started to feel the fatigue seriously setting in. He was a good athlete, but his late night had caught up with him. He still insisted on keeping pace with Ethan, but he started breathing hard. He let out a loud sigh of frustration.
"Who is the wicked person that made the morning run compulsory?" he complained out loud. "Like, why would they choose to torture someone every morning? And I even have to wake up early just for this punishment! I'm sure the person that made this rule is just very wicked and definitely isn't happy with his life!"
Ethan, who had started breathing heavily too—though still managing to run with a cold and emotionless face—didn't even look over. He simply replied with two chilling words. "I'm the wicked person that isn't happy with his life."
Jayden became completely speechless.
That meant that Ethan is the one that made the morning run compulsory for everyone on the basketball team.
He nodded his head to himself and muttered, low enough for only himself, or so he thought: "Yeah, it's definitely someone like you that will tell people to do something like run in the morning."
Ethan then said out loud, "Heard that."
Ethan then quickened his pace, pouring on speed despite the fatigue. Jayden, not at all bothered by Ethan hearing him saying bad things about him, simply accelerated, running faster to keep up with Ethan. They finally finished the last lap in a frantic sprint.
Jayden wanted nothing more than to slump on the ground immediately after the run. But before he could, he saw that Ethan wasn't even stopping to rest at all.
Instead, Ethan was already transitioning into a quick walk, probably to go back to their room. Jayden, who had just sat down, stood up once again and followed after Ethan, extremely unwilling to sit at the field alone.
Upon getting into their room, Jayden, who isn't used to tiring himself out on early morning runs, immediately slumped on his bed with his sweaty jersey. He decided to take a quick nap before he forced himself to bathe and go to school.
Ethan frowned when he saw Jayden sleeping on the bed, still covered in the dirty jersey. The sight alone was an affront to cleanliness. Ethan checked his wristwatch.
The time was 6:40 AM. They had to get to the dining hall for breakfast at 7:20 AM. Any later than that, and you won't be able to get your breakfast and will have to go to class with an empty stomach.
Although Ethan really wants to wake Jayden up—mostly because he hates it when someone isn't productive with their time—he forced himself not to do it. It wasn't worth the inevitable argument. He repeated the new mantra: it's none of his business.
Jayden can sleep for all he likes. He decided not to care about it anymore.
Ethan walked to his side of the room, took his school uniform, and entered the bathroom to bath. After his bath, he put on his uniform, grabbed his backpack, and then started moving out of the door at exactly 7:00 on the dot.
He really, really wanted to wake Jayden up on his way out, to give him one final, helpful push toward punctuality. But thinking of how Jayden might not necessarily appreciate it and would likely think that he's overstepping, Ethan did not do that at last.
He left the room, walked quickly to the dining hall, and collected his breakfast quickly. As usual, he was the first to get to the dining hall. After finishing his breakfast, he checked his time. The time was 7:20 exactly, which was precisely the time he always finish eating his breakfast everyday.
He walked out of the male dorm and then started walking toward the classroom building. He entered into his own classroom at exactly 7:30. He immediately started cleaning his chair and table with a wipe he carried. By 7:35, he was already done with that small, necessary ritual.
He sat down on his chair, waiting for class to start at 8:10. The extra time Ethan had was precious, and he decided to use that to study because he was already a senior, and he had to pass all his exams with flying colors.
Although his dream was to become a professional basketballer and get into college on a sports scholarship, Ethan was never one to rely on a single path.
Ethan was someone who did something to perfection, so of course he must pass all his exams. He took out his textbook and started working on some difficult practice questions.
Meanwhile, Jayden, who had just wanted to nap for a while, woke up in a confused haze.
He checked his surroundings and realized that he was waking up to sunlight. He woke up grudgingly from the bed and was almost confused about the day. Then he remembered that today is Tuesday, and he has to go to school.
Jayden looked around the room and realized that Ethan is nowhere there, which meant that Ethan had probably left without him.
Jayden grabbed his phone to check the time, only to see that the time was 7:30 AM.
Jayden's eyes went wide. "Shit, shit! I'm almost late! I'm almost late!" he yelled, instantly panicking.
He stood up in a rush and ran straight for the bathroom. It was only after getting into the bathroom that he suddenly remembered a crucial detail: his school uniform is still inside one of his boxes that he did not unpack yesterday.
He swore under his breath and quickly ran out of the bathroom. He threw open the box and started flinging some clothes out violently. When he finally saw his school uniform, he quickly took it and ran back into the bathroom.
He bathed as quick as he could—a hurried, frantic splash—and after changing into his uniform, he walked out.
His dirty jersey, instead of going into the laundry basket, was casually placed on Ethan's reading table.
He decided he would put it away when he gets back from school. He quickly used his hands to style his bright silver hair, jammed his feet into his shoes, and then ran out of the room, planning to go to the dining hall first to see if he could still see something to eat before classes started. He had a feeling he was already too late for breakfast.