Running...

Hotaru grimaced at the lane he was running down, well, more so jogging. Most people recalled him as the lazy kid, or the slow one , for the pace he did when sprinting back in his real life. Kids would laugh and the teacher would joke, but the odd part was he didn't look like the running wore him out, until he actually sprinted as fast as he could. As his eyes glimpsed over to the sidelines, he noticed the other shinigami preparing to enter the track as he did earlier. His sweat dribbled down his cheek as he continued to push himself further, he had done 6 laps around the track and he hoped he could surpass his origional score of 9. As he rushed pass the line labeling his 7th lap, his breath grew heavier and his movements slowed, he felt more tired then he had been for a long time. Passing the runners who had finished their 11th laps he saw a group of people, who seemed to be whispering about him and perhaps, laughing in a way by their blushed faces.

Hotaru glanced back at the lane attempting to use his regained energy for running, he grasped his scarf that still hung by his neck and brushed his sweat off recklessly, letting it sway behind him as he let his grip go. He ran pressing only his toes onto the ground to conserve his energy and feeling of exhaustion. As he approached the chalked line of the finish for his 8th lap, he gasped even more heavily hoping that he could make it, if he didn't reach the 9th. Collapsing over the lane, he snatched his kodachi and pierced the ground, holding himself up with it while his knees scraped the ground and halted. Regaining energy back from stopping, he raised himself off the ground gradually. The same flock of gigglers, drew nearby to Hotaru; as he stood up, rejuvenated. He smiled to them, hoping to change the thought of what they believed he was like. As they walked forward, they appeared to stare threw him he gulped as his sweat trailed down. The group passed by him, as though they had never existed; Hotaru's eyes opened widely, he turned aside to catch a glance at them but they were gone. Hotaru shook his head, believing it was his imagination. He placed his kodachi back into the sash around his waist, and decided he deserved a rest now...