After entering the Martial Arts building.
It was packed with people. Most of them were wearing either school outfits or very elegant-looking suits.
In the middle of the building was a platform, which was 5 meters above from the floor.
From the entrance of the building, there were three directions one could go to.
Left, which leads to the seats, where you can watch the matches, or right, which goes towards another part of the stands.
Left stands and right stands were separated, and one could choose where to watch.
Then there is the third direction, straight, which leads to the locker rooms of the fighters.
Sini turned around and smiled cheerfully, ''At first, I planned to go home, but I guess I will stay to watch!''
Ichiro nodded and looked towards the locker rooms. There were two doors; the first one had a symbol of a flower.
It was the same symbol he saw at the school sign.
The second door had a symbol of a fist, which he figured it was Arya's locker room.
'Now... How should I do this...' He rubbed his chin and had a dilemma.
''Aren't you going?'' Sini asked, completely clueless about Ichiro's problem.
Ichiro scratched his cheek and gave a small nod, ''Yup...''
Sini smiled and entered the left stands and immediately sat down in the nearest seat she could find.
''Sini!'' She turned her head towards the left and saw a group of girls waving at her.
Sini returned the wave with a smile.
The girl group left their seats and walked over to Sini.
''Sini, I thought you left?'' A girl with a brown ponytail asked. She looked youthful and quite lovely, with her school outfit hugging her petite body. Her name is Minna, and has been Sini's best friend since childhood.
Sini slightly blushed and took a glimpse of Ichiro, who still hadn't moved an inch.
''I thought it would be fun after all.'' She said with a smile.
Her friends sat down around her.
''Sami was quite sad that you didn't plan to watch.'' Minna said teasingly, ''I guess you changed your mind because of him?''
Her friends also had teasing smiles.
''No...'' Sini waved her hand and didn't want another misunderstanding to be born.
Sami was another childhood friend of Sini's, and he had a crush on her since they were children, but after way too many misunderstandings, he thinks they are almost dating.
''No need to lie to me, missy.'' Minna hugged Sini's slender body and said sadly, ''My dear Sini will be soon taken away.''
Sini bit her lip and had zero intentions of dating Sami. Even though he is a childhood friend of hers, even thinking about dating him makes her feel nauseous.
Not because he is ugly or anything, instead he is very attractive and popular with the opposite sex, but his personality is what makes Sini more than disgusted.
He is not a person who is faithful to one girl. Once Sini eavesdropped accidentally and heard Sami talking with his friends.
He has a dream. A dream of Harem.
That was the moment when Sini started feeling disgusted in his presence.
'These misunderstandings can't continue...' She nodded firmly and patted Minna's shoulder, which earned her attention.
''Actually, I met with one of the fighters from Arya, and I showed him the way,'' Sini said with rosy cheeks and turned her head towards Ichiro, who was about to take a leap of faith and start walking towards the locker room.
''Eh?'' Minna was surprised and finally saw the muscular youth.
Ichiro turned his head and looked at the group of girls with his grey eyes.
''E-Ehh...'' Minna became timid and quickly hid her body behind Sini's.
Sini wryly smiled and also saw the rest of her friends being much shyer than before.
''Ah right... I didn't get your name.'' Sini felt like facepalming after she forgot asking about his name.
''It's Ichiro,'' Ichiro replied.
''Ichiro...'' Sini kept repeating the name, printing it in her mind.
''Thanks for leading me the way,'' Ichiro said his goodbyes and started walking, past the stands and straight towards the locker room of Arya.
''Ah, wait!'' Sini felt disappointed after seeing him walking away and still had countless more questions in her mind.
''H-He was tall...'' Minna finally uttered the first words that came to her mind.
''And muscular...'' One of the friends continued.
''And handsome...''
They all sighed in unison and watched the retreating back of Ichiro.
''Yeah...'' Sini rested her head on her palm and sighed deeper than the rest of them combined.
Ichiro reached the locker room's door and heard the sound of muttering inside.
He has no idea how he should talk with them and not get thrown out.
Youth Competition is something that only a selected few had the pleasure of getting selected to.
It would be incredibly rude for him to ask to be part of the competition when so many had to fight their way to get a seat on the team.
Ichiro knew that he would be more than strong enough to represent the team.
It isn't farfetched to say that he is the strongest 16 year old in Arya, strong enough to fight equally against any 18 years old.
At the High School level, he is already at the top!
''Sigh... Maybe I can ask them for money or something... I hardly doubt that they don't know who I am... As long one does, then it will be fine.'' After making up his mind.
*Knock* *Knock*
He used his knuckles and knocked on the door several times.
He felt nervous like a kid who is going to school first time.
If Arya's representatives don't listen to him, it will be very problematic.
''Huff... Huff...'' He tried to calm down his heartbeat with deep and calm breathing, which did wonders and his nervousness disappeared.
He stood straight and waited calmly. Footsteps started approaching the door, with an outline of shadow already peeking underneath the door.
Soon, Ichiro heard the sound of the hand touching the door handle.
The door slowly started opening.
