Chapter 11: Race

The whistle blew, and the race began with Tyson surging ahead But just as he was starting to feel the wind in his hair, a voice rang out behind him."Don't get too comfortable," Alex called, gliding past him.

Tyson's eyes widened in disbelief as Alex's strides carried him forward. Was Alex... not even trying? "You've got to be kidding me," Tyson muttered under his breath, trying to catch up.

But then Alex—who had barely broken a sweat—turned his head and winked at him. "This is what happens when you skip leg day," Alex teased.

Tyson pushed harder, determined not to let his brother show him up in front of the entire class, but it was clear that Alex wasn't even in full gear. He'd let Tyson take the lead for a moment, only to breeze past him with what seemed like zero effort again.

And on the other hand when the whistle blew and the race began, Mark and Danny, the two other racers, tried their best to keep up.

Mark, who had always been the fastest in his gym class, felt like his confidence was slipping away the moment the race started.

Tyson's explosive speed left him in the dust, and Alex... Alex was barely even trying. He jogged effortlessly, his body gliding through the air like it was second nature.

Mark glanced to his side, only to see Danny already struggling behind.

"Wait... I thought I was fast," Mark muttered, his legs burning as he tried to push forward. But all he could focus on was how Alex and Tyson had already pulled ahead.

Danny, running beside Mark, had the same realization. "Are we... even supposed to be here?"



Tyson flying ahead, and Alex— both half-naked and showing off—was making it look effortless.

Danny could feel his legs screaming in protest as he tried to pick up speed. "I'm just here for decoration,"

By the time they were a quarter through the race, the gap between the two sides was evident.

Tyson and Alex were practically in a race of their own, while Mark and Danny could barely keep up.

Tyson was in the lead, but Alex, with a smirk on his face, was gaining ground easily.

"Is he... doing that on purpose?" Tyson grunted, trying to keep pace with Alex.

He glanced to the sidelines, where Nancy was now alone cheering for him while others audibly voiced Alex. Emily still trying to figure it out who to cheer for...

Tyson took a deep breath. No. I'm winning this, he thought. But the moment he rounded the final turn, he saw Alex casually shot past him like he had using Meta-bot to surpass him.

Mark glanced over at Danny, both of them gasping for air asDanny looked ready to collapse. "I can't... I can't keep up,"

Mark panted. "Why... why is this happening?"

"These damn Rangers" Danny whispered barely able to speak, as he ran.

Mark glanced back at the two gods of the track... Tyson and Alex, who were leaving them in the dust.

Mark could hear the girls on the sidelines, screaming Alex's name, and occasionally, they cheered for Tyson as well.

Their cheers felt like salt in the wound. "We're just here to make them look good, huh?"

Tyson's jaw dropped as Alex crossed the finish line. "Good race, loser"

The girls, mouths agape, barely contained their awe, while the boys just shook their heads, knowing they'd witnessed Tyson's first defeat in forever.

Tyson, gasping for air, tried to catch his breath, but his pride took a much harder hit. He clenched his fists, trying to hide the embarrassment creeping up his neck. "I wasn't... trying hard"

He surpassed me again, Tyson thought, his chest tight with frustration. He's always been the highest mountain to climb, the one I can't reach no matter how hard I push. Will I ever be able to surpass him?

The thought gnawed at him, a bitter seed of doubt planting itself in him. whenever he thought he was getting closer, Alex seemed to create another miracle.

Was there something he was missing? Something that made Alex untouchable, invincible?

Nancy sidled up to Tyson, offering him water bottle. "Hey, that was a good race. I'm proud of you,"

She could sense his inner conflict and she wanted to tell him she was here for him.

However, Tyson didn't seem to hear her. His focus remained on the ground, his fists clenched as he walked past her, the weight of his frustration clear in his rigid posture. He ignored her completely, heading straight for the changing room.

Nancy stood there for a moment, her hand still outstretched with the water bottle. The smile faded from her face as she watched him walk away.

Her chest tightened in worry. It wasn't the first time Tyson had distanced himself, but seeing him like this—broken and unwilling to accept her support—stung more than she had expected.

"Tyson!" she called, her voice carrying a little louder this time, but he didn't turn around. His retreating figure only grew smaller as he entered the changing room.

As Tyson and Alex crossed the finish line almost simultaneously, Mark and Danny were still barely halfway to the goal. They stumbled to a stop, sweat pouring down their faces.

Mark bent over, trying to catch his breath, his lungs burning. He looked up to see Tyson already walking off, cool as ever, while Alex was leisurely walking, flashing a grin at the crowd.

Mark wiped the sweat from his brow, "I... I didn't even make it to halfway,"

Danny, still struggling to keep his composure looked up at the crowd, but it was no use—they weren't cheering for them.

They were cheering for Tyson and Alex. The two of them were already the talk of the class, and Mark and Danny were practically invisible now.

"I can't believe I agreed to race," Danny muttered, too winded to say much more.

---

Nancy waited by the school gate for Tyson, her patience growing thin as he had yet to leave the school.

He wasn't in class either-he had skipped them after his defeat, and unlike him, she didn't have the luxury of leaving whenever she wanted. So, she chose to wait outside, her worry for him mounting with each passing minute.

She had tried calling him several times, but he hadn't answered.

"How long are we going to wait?" Emily grumbled. "Maybe that duffer just left school since my male god defeated him."



Nancy shot Emily a sharp look.

"I mean that evil Alex," Emily corrected.

"If you want to go home, go home," Nancy said, "I'll search for him inside."

Emily sighed dramatically. "No, jeez," she muttered lazily, "Let's go find him."

Nancy's worry about Tyson's sudden disappearance gnawed at her, but she refused to give up. Her eyes scanned the school grounds, searching for any sign of him. That's when she spotted him.

Tyson was on the racing field, running laps. His movements were slow, every stride weighed down by exhaustion, but he kept going, as if he was forcing his body to move against its will. His head hung low, his breath coming in ragged gasps, yet he pushed forward...

Nancy's heart tightened as she watched him. What is he doing? she thought... Why is he punishing himself like this?

She could see the raw frustration etched into his face, as he pushed through the physical pain.

He was running not because he had to, but because he couldn't stop. He was running away from something—something that had knocked him down and left him feeling smaller than usual.

Nancy's breath caught in her throat. It must be painful, she thought, watching Tyson push himself further with each exhausting step. Fighting his own inner battles, his self-doubt... who knows, maybe even the whole world.

She couldn't fathom how much he was carrying in that moment, running like this, defeated but unwilling to stop.

She wanted to reach out, to tell him he didn't have to carry the weight alone, but she knew Tyson—he wouldn't listen. Not now. Not when he was buried so deep in his thoughts, lost in the pain of his own mind.

She stood there for a moment, torn between rushing to his side or waiting for him to come to her.

He's always so stubborn, Nancy thought, shaking her head softly.

"What's he doing out there?" Emily asked, her voice tinged with concern. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be," Nancy whispered, though her own heart ached at the sight of him. "Why don't you head home? I'll wait here for him."

"But-" Emily started to protest, then sighed. "That idiot... give him an earful from my side, will you?"

Nancy nodded. Emily gave Tyson one last glance, her lips pressed into a thin line, before turning to leave.

Nancy stood still for a moment, watching as Tyson's steps grew slower Then, just as she started to move toward him, he stumbled and fell to the ground.

He lay there, facing the sky, his chest rising and falling heavily. Even in his exhaustion, he stretched his hand upward, reaching as if to grasp something far beyond his limits—as if he still wasn't done running.

What are you chasing, Tyson? She thought, her steps quickening as she made her way to the track.

They both sat on the steps in silence. Tyson took a long gulp from the water bottle, his gaze fixed on the running field as if replaying every step he'd taken. His T-shirt clung to his body, soaked in sweat.

Nancy knelt beside Tyson, her expression soft but tinged with concern. She pulled out her handkerchief and gently dabbed at the sweat trickling down his brow.

Tyson glanced at her, offering a weak smile, "Thanks,"

Nancy didn't respond immediately, her hands steady despite the emotions swirling inside her. Finally, she spoke, "Are you okay?"

Tyson's smile faltered, and he looked away, "I said I'm fine,"

Nancy pulled back slightly, the handkerchief clenched tightly in her fist. "Do you think I can't see through that?"

she added, her voice rising. "You're not fine, Tyson. You're beating yourself up over something you can't even control."

Tyson head falling back against the wall. "And what do you want me to say, Nancy? That I'm tired of trying to keep up? That no matter what I do, Alex is always one step ahead?"

His voice cracked,"You think I don't know how pathetic that sounds?"

Nancy's shoulders stiffened, the frustration building in her chest. "You don't sound pathetic,"

she said, her voice sharper. "But shutting everyone out and acting like it's you against the world? That's not strength, Tyson...that's just you being stubborn."

Tyson flinched at her words, "You don't get it,"

"Then help me get it," she shot back, "I'm trying to be here for you, but it's like you won't even let me in."

The silence filled the moment as Nancy's hands trembled slightly while she clutched the handkerchief.

"It's not about you, Nancy," he said, his tone apologetic. "It's me. I don't know how to deal with all of this, and... I hate dragging you into it."

She expression softening as she leaned closer. "Tyson, you're not dragging me into anything. I choose to be here. You don't have to do this alone."



His eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw the vulnerability he tried so hard to hide.

"I don't know how to let go," he admitted, "I don't know how to stop chasing after something I might never get."

Nancy reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "You don't have to let go, but you also don't have to destroy yourself trying to prove something to Alex or anyone else. It's okay to want more, but it's not okay to forget about the people who care about you along the way."

Tyson's lips pressed into a thin line as her words sank in. "I don't mean to push you or anyone else away...I just... I don't want to be a burden."

Nancy's grip on his arm reassuring him, "You're not a burden, Tyson...But you've got to stop deciding that for everyone else. Let us choose how much we can handle, okay?"

He exhaled slowly, her words solving the knots in his head. Nancy gave him a moment before continuing, "You're a real pain sometimes, you know."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I know."

"Good," she said, her gaze drifting away. "Now stop overthinking everything. Get back to your training after Sunday—and don't forget to apologize to your dad. Got it?"

He nodded. of course, she meant Edward Rogers—his master, mentor, and the man who had taken him in when he had no one else.

Tyson couldn't deny he had said some hurtful things to Edward during their last conversation, words that still weighed on him. He owed him an apology, and he knew it.

"I will," Tyson murmured. "Now let's go, I'm starving."

As they stepped into the road, walking side by side, Tyson suddenly froze. His gaze locked on Blue, who stood a few feet away, grinning at him and Nancy.