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Ryuji and Goro are meeting at the park for some exercise as they do at least once a week. Goro is already waiting next to his bike when Ryuji gets there.
“What? You wanna race me on that?” Ryuji nods to the bike.
“I’ll say no since I’m feeling merciful right now.” Goro gives a fake smile. “Get on.”
“Huh?” Ryuji’s eyes widen in confusion. “O-on what?”
“The bike.”
“For what?”
“To ride it.”
“Ride the bike?!”
“Where is the breakdown here?”
“W-well, I don’t know how,” Ryuji rubs his neck.
“I know. That’s why I’m going to teach you.”
“You?!”
“No, Ryuji. I’ve been standing patiently with this bike for 15 minutes to hold it for a friend.”
“You don’t have friends.”
“Get on the bike.”
“Alright! But you better not drop me.”
“Relax. We’re not even going anywhere yet. Grab the handlebars. Feet on the pedals. Okay, remember the ducks at Inokashira? Same thing. Start slow.”
With great concentration, Ryuji pushes the pedal forward and nearly loses his balance as the wheels begin to move.
“Calm down. I’m still here,” Goro reassures him with a soft yet perpetually exasperated voice. He walks alongside as the other gets more comfortable balancing the machine. They come to the end of the long stretch of stone pathway and turn around, Goro still holding the base of the seat and a handlebar.
“Go a bit faster,” he tells him, and Ryuji complies. “Faster,” Goro says again, and again Ryuji picks up speed. “Faster,” Goro says once more, and Ryuji speeds up more.
He mentally compares it to running, the feeling isn’t entirely different. Even with as fast as he once was, though, he never got this much wind running, he must be riding faster than he could run. Which means he’s going faster than Akechi can run. That’s when it hits him.
Ryuji chances a glance over he shoulder to see the brunette a ways back, arms crossed and smiling smugly as Ryuji turns the handlebars back toward him. An exhilarated laugh bursts from him as he fully realizes that he’s doing it. He uses his feet to slow to a stop as he approaches the man waiting for him.
“Look at that! First try! Pretty fricking awesome right?!” His smile is blinding. Goro concedes with a nod.
“That was pretty impressive for a first time. Use these to brake,” Goro squeezes the handle brakes.
“You sure had a lot of faith in me picking this up fast,” Ryuji squeezes the brakes idly. “Why’d you let go?”
“Because I knew you’d be able to do it.” Ryuji stops to look up at him. “Your academic performance was passable at best because you’d come to believe all the lies those insignificant germs in your life told you. You did poorly because no one thought you capable of any better, not even you.” Ryuji looks down at his feet, his eyebrows knitted.
“But sports? That was your element. You knew it, and they couldn’t deny it. You thought you could, and so you did. You’re one of those people who could do anything in the world if only you’d stop waiting for someone to say you can.”
Ryuji swallows thickly, his eyes red and burning from the unexpected tears pooling. “Shit...” He tries to blink them away, rubbing the stray drops away. “You really think all that?”
Goro leans in, waiting for Ryuji to meet his eye. “I know it.”