New addition to the team – Wednesday evening in the judo hall

Wednesday evening, 8:30 p.m., the old judo hall smells of mats and fresh air. As always, it's just the three of us: Tim, Ben, and me. Today is Leon's first real session – just turned 18, small, slim, with big eyes and a shy smile. We practice breakfalls with him, laugh a lot, correct his hip alignment, and give him friendly pats on the shoulder. After training, the hall is empty, the coach long gone. As usual, only the four of us shower together; the others go straight home. The atmosphere is super relaxed, almost like a guys' night out.

We undress at a leisurely pace in the changing room. Leon is a little shy, turns halfway to the side, and takes longer than we do. Tim and Ben tease him a bit ("Hey Leon, need a special invitation?"), and everyone laughs. I notice that Leon is a really athletic, fit guy—slim waist, defined legs, all still so young and fresh. When he moves, his T-shirt stretches slightly across his chest. Nothing dramatic, but you can just see that he's really well-built. The air suddenly feels a little electric, but it could just be the tiredness after the workout.

The four of us stand side by side in the shower, the hot water running loudly. Leon is on the far left, trying to look casual, but he's still a little red in the face—probably because everything is new to him. Tim makes another harmless joke ("Welcome to the club, kid!"), and we all grin. I can feel the atmosphere slowly shifting: no longer just friendly, but somehow... closer. Leon glances over every now and then, our eyes meeting for a moment longer than usual. No one says anything, but we all stay under the water a little longer than necessary. It feels like something's about to happen, without us knowing exactly what.

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