While the boys of Casual Clowns had separated and went their own ways in the hotel, Arthur had finally found a chance to speak with Sin alone.
'I think everyone else understands that she's alone now that Damien found a girlfriend,' Arthur thought as he stared at Sin sitting at the edge of her bed.
His heart raced.
He didn't know if asking for a talk in her room was outrageous, but there wasn't a better place for a private talk than Sin's room.
Inviting her to his room would make things too straightforward!
"What did you want to talk about?" Sin asked.
Arthur gathered all the courage to confess his feelings, "I'd like to invite you on a date after the tournament."
He was usually upright, but he sounded much more formal than he should have been.
Sin stared at him for a few seconds before closing her eyes.
She smiled, "You must have talked about this with Damien. You two were acting differently."
"That's... true," Arthur replied. It was only a day, yet she could see that there was a serious talk between them... Arthur recalled Damien's words about the woman's intuition and grew worried.
Though he had a few girlfriends before, those were from wealthy schools. Things here weren't as most people thought, as kids with lots of money from their parents were often more depraved than common students.
Arthur's school romances often ended because of drugs. Those were so frequent at every party that he decided no longer to bother himself with school life and focus only on his studies.
It had been a while since he felt an affection toward someone.
He didn't even think about potential flaws in Sin's character.
"How much do you know about us?" Sin asked.
"That you were born in slums and that you protected Damien," Arthur replied. "He said that we have to learn the rest from you... I was with Jake back then, and Damien was with Liza."
"I see," Sin nodded. "Lots of girls ran away from Damien when they learned about his origins. You're about to be the same, Arthur. Because I am... a killer."
"..." Arthur widened his eyes and even grew pale. He would never expect that this beautiful woman would be a killer, that she killed someone in real life!
It had happened when Rebecca and Damien were just kids.
Damien was bullied so much that Rebecca needed to learn how to fight. That said, she was a girl, and every girl was weaker and treated like a weakling in slums.
She picked up a branch and imitated a swordsmanship she had studied in the nearby dojo. One of the masters in that dojo had noticed Rebecca and her talent for it, taking her in and giving her a wooden practice sword.
"That's it," Rebecca opened a small briefcase, revealing a small weapon. It was old, hurt by time, and with a few splinters.
It was a wooden sword that was no longer suitable for practice.
"I didn't get a new home. I got a place to become stronger," Rebecca said. Of course, because of this new connection, Damien also could meet someone who noticed his talent. First and foremost, they could finally eat something normal at the time.
Staring at the weapon, Rebecca returned to the past. "Damien was all in bruises. He cried but never let his face get hurt. It was his face that he believed to be his gift. There was a moment of weakness... I think he was too malnourished that he lost consciousness for a few seconds. His hands fell... and he was about to be punched in the nose.
I rushed in and slammed my sword on his bully's head. That kid fell unconscious onto a broken rod. The rod went through his stomach, and he bled to death. The rest of the bullies ran away."
It was a nightmare. These two didn't know what would happen after that. They feared they'd be separated and lose each other's support forever.
That said, nothing happened.
"Excuse me, what?! You want me to eavesdrop on that?! And since when it's our dear sister?!" Jake asked.
"Ya my brother! That's why I brought you here with me," Damien replied.
"You didn't want to eavesdrop alone! That must be it!" Jake spat.
"Since when you were so sharp, my dark horse brother?!"
"Quit this crap! Choose one!" Jake rapidly whispered. "But... they're really doing it."
"Why so surprised?"
"I mean... too fast?"
"What too fast?! Are we in medieval times?!" Damien asked. "I got us headphones."
"Why did you keep them in the backpack all the time?!"
"Plug them in your phone and come voice chat."
"Ok."
"Now, my dark horse," Damien said.
"So it's the dark horse," Jake whispered.
"This is advice from your older brother," Damien said. "Waiting! No! Docking! Yes!"
"Curse you, idiot!"
An hour later, Arthur left the room.
He found out that two friends were waiting for him.
Jake and Damien were leaning against the wall, playing a game on their phones. Their headphones were buzzing as they listened to loud music.
"I finally got you!"
"You're so lucky, you know?"
Arthur stared at them with a peculiar expression.
His eyes were squinted, and his lips straight.
He yanked off these two headphones and asked, "Whose idea was it?!"
He was so red that Jake couldn't open his mouth to talk. He also grew embarrassed.
Damien shrugged and whipped out a cigar.
He lit it up, "It was my idea. Don't worry. We only heard the beginning of your rocking art. Then we kept an eye on this corridor and shooed everyone that wanted to come close away. Even our dear sister's neighbor didn't get a chance to get into his room. We got your back, so don't look at us like that.
We three are brothers now. If you dare..."
"Take those threats and shove them up your ass, Damien!" Arthur shouted as he caught Damien's collar and shook him so much that Damien requested aid from Jake.
Jake was no longer here.