Pathn wiped the sweat off his forehead as he walked towards the locker room, his Judo practice having ended for the day. He was exhausted, but he felt alive. It was a feeling he craved, a feeling that kept him pushing himself to his limits every day. As he entered the locker room, he saw Ton and a few other teammates already there, changing out of their practice clothes.
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"Hey, Pathn," Ton greeted him with a smile. "How was practice?”
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"Intense, as usual," Pathn replied, shrugging off his gi jacket. "But I wouldn't have it any other way.”
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The other teammates laughed in agreement, some of them nodding in respect.
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After changing into his regular clothes, Pathn joined Ton and the others in the common area of the locker room. They chatted for a few minutes, discussing the practice and sharing stories. Ton then brought up the topic of the juniors.
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"You know, I've been hanging out with Inn and Forze," Ton said, a playful grin on his face. "They're pretty cool guys.”
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Pathn's ears perked up at the mention of Inn's name. He tried to play it cool, but inside, he was a bit excited.
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"Oh yeah?" Pathn said, raising an eyebrow. "What have you been up to with them?”
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"We've been playing basketball a few times after school," Ton replied. "They're pretty good, actually. You should come play with us sometime.”
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Pathn hesitated for a moment, thinking about how he wanted to respond. He wasn't sure if he was ready to spend more time with Inn, as he was still trying to keep his feelings under control. But at the same time, he didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to spend more time with him.
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"I'll think about it," Pathn finally said, trying to sound nonchalant.
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Ton grinned, sensing the hesitation in Pathn's voice. "Come on, man. Don't be shy. They're just a couple of juniors.”
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Pathn rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile. He knew Ton was just teasing him, but deep down, he appreciated the encouragement.
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"Yeah, I guess you're right," Pathn said, chuckling.
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The group continued to chat and joke around for a few more minutes before they eventually said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Pathn couldn't stop thinking about Inn and Forze playing basketball, wondering if he should take Ton up on his offer to join them. He knew it was a risk, but something inside of him was telling him to go for it. Maybe it was time to let his guard down and take a chance.
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