Opening Scene – The Final Rally
The storm outside had reached its peak.
Thunder cracked so violently it rattled the ceiling of the Tokyo International Badminton Arena, drowning out even the roar of the crowd.
On the court, Akio and Ukio faced each other like two ghosts bound by destiny.
Their identical emerald-green eyes reflected the harsh glow of the stadium lights, one pair burning with desperation, the other glimmering with madness.
The score stood at 20-20.
One point left.
Winner takes all.
Both teenagers were trembling—not from exhaustion alone, but from the weight of their intertwined fates.
Akio's legs felt like lead, his body screaming for rest, but his heart... his heart burned brighter than ever.
Ukio's body shook too, but his trembling came from anticipation.
His trap was set.
The moment of truth was almost here.
Flash of the Past
As they stared each other down, Ukio's words from earlier replayed in Akio's mind:
"If sorrow is a garden, then I am its patient gardener, pruning memories until only scars remain in bloom."
Akio didn't understand the meaning, but it sent a shiver down his spine.
It felt ancient, like a curse, like it wasn't just about badminton... but about their very lives.
Yukiko's voice echoed faintly in his mind:
"No matter what happens, Akio, don't stop moving forward. You've got me, and everyone else, cheering for you."
Akio tightened his grip on his racket.
This wasn't just for him anymore.
It was for Yukiko.
For Sora.
For everyone who had pushed him forward.
And maybe... even for Ukio.
The Serve
Ukio raised his racket slowly, like a predator savoring the final strike.
His lips curved into a twisted smile.
"Let's end this... brother."
Akio gritted his teeth.
"Fine. Let's end it."
The serve was a blur, slicing through the air so fast it was like a lightning bolt.
Akio leapt, his muscles screaming, and returned it with everything he had.
The rally began—a war of wills.
Each strike was faster, harder, more desperate than the last.
The shuttle became a comet streaking across the court, the two kids' bodies blurring as they pushed themselves beyond human limits.
The crowd was silent, completely spellbound.
The Final Strike
Akio's vision blurred.
He could barely see through the sweat and tears in his eyes.
Ukio smashed the shuttle downward with a roar, his killing blow.
Time slowed.
Akio saw Yukiko standing in the crowd, his fists clenched, screaming his name.
"You're not the same pitiful worm anymore, Akio! Jump!"
With the last of his strength, Akio dived forward, his racket connecting with the shuttle at the very edge of its frame.
It shot upward in a perfect arc, just over Ukio's reach.
Ukio spun, leaping backward to save it—but it was too late.
The shuttle hit the ground.
Point: Akio.
The scoreboard flashed: 21-20.
The Trap Is Triggered
Akio stood frozen, stomach heaving, his mind barely processing what had happened.
Then, beneath his feet, there was a strange click.
His eyes widened.
"What...?"
Slowly, almost mechanically, Akio tilted his head upward.
Ukio stood across from him, his face swallowed in shadow.
His lips curled into that same twisted smile, and his voice dripped with venom as he whispered:
"If sorrow is a garden, then I am its patient gardener..."
Akio's heart stopped.
"...No..."
Ukio's voice rose into a manic shout:
"...pruning memories until only scars remain in bloom!"
The ceiling above Akio split open, revealing a massive steel box suspended by cables.
The crowd erupted into screams as the box plummeted toward him.
Yukiko's Desperate Leap
"AKIO!!!" Yukiko's scream tore through the chaos like a siren.
He was already moving, vaulting over the railing of the spectator stands.
His body wasn't built for parkour—he was a basketball player, not a fighter—but none of that mattered.
He leapt from ledge to ledge, slipping, almost falling, his hands bleeding as he clawed his way toward his friend.
He didn't care if he died.
He just had to reach Akio.
"Hold on, Akio!" Yukiko yelled, tears streaming down his face.
"Don't you dare give up now!"
The Crushing Blow
Akio's world became slow motion.
He looked at Yukiko mid-leap, at the terrified faces of the crowd, at the sheer terror on everyone's faces.
Then the box slammed down.
The sound was indescribable—a sickening, metallic boom that shook the entire arena.
Silence followed.
Yukiko landed hard, rolling painfully, his body shaking as he stared at the wreckage.
"...Akio?" he whispered.
Ukio collapsed to his knees, covering his face with his hands as he pretended to cry, his voice breaking in fake anguish.
"No! My brother! No!"
Then, pointing at Yukiko, his voice turned sharp and accusing:
"It was him! He cut the cable with scissors! He's been helping Akio all this time! I saw him—he betrayed us!"
The crowd gasped.
All eyes turned to Yukiko, who stood there in stunned silence, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
"No... no, that's not—!" Yukiko stammered, trembling.
"I didn't—!"
Ukio's screams drowned him out, his performance flawless.
"Arrest him! My brother's dead because of him!"
The Light
Then, from beneath the crushed box, a faint glow began to shine.
The ground shook.
A burst of blinding magic light erupted, sending the box flying into the air as if it weighed nothing.
The crowd shielded their eyes, screaming in shock.
And there, standing amidst the debris, was Akio.
His body was glowing faintly, his eyes wide with disbelief and tears.
"I... I'm alive," he whispered, his voice shaking.
"I didn't... I didn't die..."
Yukiko fell to his knees, sobbing with relief.
He stumbled forward and wrapped Akio in a crushing hug.
"You idiot!" Yukiko cried.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again, Akio! I thought you were gone!"
Akio hugged him back, his voice breaking.
"I... I was thinking of everyone... the people I didn't want to leave behind... I couldn't die... not again."
Yukiko froze.
"Again...? What do you mean 'again'?"
Akio shook his head, forcing a small laugh through his tears.
"Another time, Yukiko. Another time."
Yukiko laughed too, even as tears streamed down his face.
"Fine, but don't think you're getting out of explaining later."
Ukio's Rage
The arena was silent, stunned by the miracle they had just witnessed.
Then Ukio screamed—a guttural, animalistic sound of pure hatred.
He ran at Akio, his body glowing with dark energy, and kicked him in the face, sending him crashing into the wall.
"YOU SHOULD BE DEAD!" Ukio roared, his voice breaking with madness.
"WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE?!"
Akio staggered to his feet, blood running from his lip, his body trembling.
Then he realized: this glow... this power... was his magic.
He had finally unlocked it.
But as Yukiko shouted for him to fight back, Akio simply shook his head.
"No," he said softly.
"This... isn't the magic I want."
Ukio froze, confused and furious.
"What are you talking about?!"
Akio's voice grew stronger, his eyes blazing with conviction.
"My magic isn't this. It's not power or destruction. It's badminton... it's the people I fight beside... it's us. This world doesn't need magic to shine."
The crowd gasped.
Everyone now understood: Ukio had been the true villain all along.
Justice
The arena doors burst open as police and paramedics stormed in, their boots pounding on the floor.
Akio pointed directly at Ukio, his face twisted with righteous fury.
"It's him," Akio said coldly.
"That kid over there—the so-called 'good brother.' He set the trap. He's the one who tried to kill me."
Ukio's eyes went wide.
"No! No, it's him! It's all lies! You don't understand—HE'S NOT EVEN MY BROTHER! HE'S A FREAK! HE'S—"
The officers tackled Ukio to the ground before he could finish.
He thrashed and screamed, his voice breaking into incoherent sobs as they dragged him toward the exit.
"AKIO!" Ukio screamed, his voice raw with pain.
"What do you mean by 'new life'? Who even ARE you?!"
But Akio didn't answer.
He just turned his back, his face shadowed by grief.
The Aftermath
The referee shakily raised his hand.
"Akio... wins."
The trophy was brought forward, glittering under the stadium lights.
Akio stared at it for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he shook his head and turned away.
"I don't need it," he said quietly.
"This... this isn't about trophies anymore."
Yukiko walked beside him, silent but understanding.
The two teenager's left the arena together, the sound of rain outside growing louder with every step.
The crowd watched them go, unsure whether to cheer or mourn.
Final Scene – Walking Into the Rain
Outside, the storm had calmed to a gentle drizzle.
Akio and Yukiko walked side by side beneath their transparent umbrellas, their reflections rippling in the neon-lit puddles.
"You did it, Akio," Yukiko said softly.
"But... what happens now?"
Akio looked up at the gray sky, his expression unreadable.
"Now?" he said quietly.
"Now we move forward. No matter what fate throws at us."
Yukiko smiled faintly.
"Guess that means I'm stuck babysitting you forever, huh?"
Akio chuckled weakly.
"Guess so."
They walked on in silence, their figures disappearing into the rainy Tokyo night.
Closing Line
"Even in a world soaked with sorrow, there are still gardens where hope can bloom."
Akio walked halfway back to his apartment with Yukiko, their footsteps softened by the drizzle pooling on the empty street. He lifted his eyes to the heavy gray sky, as if searching for an answer hidden in the clouds. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the hush of rain and the strange calm of resignation.
"I used to believe magic was the key to true blossoming. But now... I see it was only ever another piece of a world I've already left behind."
"Farewell... Magic."
The End...