#coldhandsss

He sounded so confident that it’d be fine, though you worried how things would unfold knowing your younger sister was back from college and would be for a while. She’d always been spoiled by your parents who fold under any pressure from her.

“I… I can’t take this anymore…!” She’d ‘sulk’ to herself, before rushing to her room, locking the door behind her. She’d sit there for upwards of 10 minutes max, and soon after, she’d give up and return with another attempt at garnering sympathy.

For the second round, she’d exaggerate her sobs, heaving and heavily coughing. After a few moments of feature film acting, she’d drop the bomb.

With a hand loosely holding her neck, she’d begin wheezing and shakily pointing to the counter where her asthma puffer sat. You’d seen this hundreds of times. Of course, she had her moments where she’d genuinely suffer an asthma attack. But it was painfully obvious to you when she was faking it.

Despite that, your parents would give in, rushing to her assistance and complying with her out of fear of her having another lethal attack similar to the one she had as a child.

You had a feeling she’d pull a stunt once she sees him, knowing he was out of her reach. Despite your worries, Yukimiya ensured you that he’d be there to meet your parents, not to meddle in things that didn’t concern him.

Ending the call, he told you he’d be there in around half an hour. You quietly let your parents know, and headed back to your room to prepare an outfit.

Sitting on the couch in the living room, you fiddled with the fabric of your dress, nervously waiting. Suddenly, your sister walked in, inspecting the living room with her arms crossed.

“Why is the house so… tidy all of a sudden?” Her scrutinizing gaze fell to you. “And why are you dressed up like that? Having a photoshoot?” She sneered.

“A friend is coming over.” You replied, wondering what made her come out of her room where she’d usually be sleeping until midday.

Your mother was preparing a fruit platter in the kitchen, when her voice called out to your sister. You exhaled a sigh as relief as she left the living room; one step closer to her returning to her room.

Almost immediately as she was out of sight, a knock came from the door. You stood up, flattening your dress and taking one last glance in the mirror before opening the door.

“Ah, there you are.” You were greeted by Yukimiya who was carrying a cake box and a large bouquet of elegant, neutral coloured flowers whose hue matched his clothes. He wore an overcoat that ran down to his shins, complimenting the fall colours present within his turtleneck and pants.

Before you could say anything, the overly familiar sound of your sister gushing met your ears. Whipping your head around, you shot her a glare as though to say ‘don’t you dare.’ It might keep her at bay for now.

He hadn’t even stepped foot inside your house yet, and you were already worried.“May I come in?” He smiled, offering the gifts to you. Taking them from him you led him inside to the house.

“You didn’t need to do all this...” Forgetting the annoyance you felt towards your sister moments before, your lips curved upwards.

“I happened to be at the pastry store and they had your favourite. How could I leave without getting it for you?” He chuckled as the two of you made your way to the living room where your parents and unsurprisingly, sister were waiting.

The three of them stood up, politely greeting Yukimiya. Your father shook hands with him and your mother took the gifts from you, placing the pastry box and bouquet on the coffee table in between the couches.

Though your sister wasn’t even trying to hide her intentions. While four of you sat, chatting together, she suddenly shifted from where she was sitting next to your parents – to the couch you sat on with Yukimiya.  

“A Model?” Your mother questioned “Well, you certainly are very tall and handsome.” She looked towards your father who smiled.

Yukimiya let out a coy laugh “It’s not much, really”.

Though suddenly, your sister’s unwanted voice swamped the conversation that the four of you were having.

“You are handsome!” With a giggle, she inched closer and placed a hand on Yukimiya’s shoulder. “I look pretty good, but what if you and I were together? Two people who are…” Her gaze narrowed as it shifted to you “…easier on the eyes.”

Yukimiya uncomfortably stood, shrugging her hand off his shoulder as he did so. He politely smiled at your parents, excusing himself before asking you where the bathroom was. As you lead him to the corridor outside the living room, your eyes reflected apology - what you had worried about seemed to be happening right in front of you.

Once you returned, you noticed that your sister looked elated, and she took your hand by force, leading you to back the corridor to ‘chat’.

“Where did you meet him?!” She whispered in a scolding tone.

“None of your business.” Your words were blunt, telling her more than enough.

“Is that so?” She sneered. “Well, he won’t be with you any longer now that I’m around.”

That was the last straw. For as long as you could remember, she’s ripped toys, books and many belongings out from your hands whenever she pleased, and once she was done with them, she’d get rid of them. But this time it was something completely different.

Threatening to ‘take’ a person away was low. Especially Yukimiya, who was one of the only people you had met who actually paid genuine attention to your needs, considering your thoughts and feelings instead of treating you like a burden. Ever since you and him became closer to each other, the void in your heart has begun to heal - allowing you to feel what it’s like to be acknowledged and understood. So her threat did not come lightly to you at all.

“You wouldn’t dare do anything.” A scoff escaped your lips as you crossed your arms.

She sighed, mocking you with false pity“Come on, we know how this goes, don’t we?” She whispered, cocking her head to the entry of the corridor where your parents, who were none the wiser to her intentions sat.

“It won’t work on him. You’ll only embarrass yourself.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Though, it seemed that she forgot to consider a circumstance where she might’ve been heard.

The doorknob to the bathroom at the end of the hallway clicked and turned with Yukimiya stepping out wearing a surprised expression.

“Is everything okay?” He smiled, looking in your direction.

Sashaying a few steps in his direction, she locked her arm around his. “Yukimiya… My big sister, she’s...” Cracking her voice into a sob, she began to gradually elevate the sound. Just a few more words and your parents would come rushing.

“She’s.. so mean to me..!” As she rubbed her moistening eyes, he looked at her, confused. He then shot you a look that read ‘So this is what you meant.’ You couldn’t help but snicker a little. Though your little laugh seemed to get to your sister, as she decided that to be the reason for her to start shrieking.

“You have the nerve to let out such an ugly laugh while I’m crying!?” She whipped her head towards you. “You think you’re so pretty just because this guy gave you a second of attention?”

Dumbfounded, you opened your mouth to defend yourself but no words came out. You knew she wasn’t too fond of you but this was a whole new level of disdain. Suddenly, Yukimiya annoyedly yanked his arm away from her, and took a few steps towards you, standing bu your side

“I don’t exactly have a place to speak in this…” He looked at her, then back to you “family.. discussion. But the way you’re acting is completely uncalled for.” He’d been able to speak clearly for as long as you’ve known him, but to be able to shut your sister up hadn’t been within your expectations.

As he spoke, your parents appeared behind you, confused by the situation. Your mothers first instinct was usually to coddle your sister and ask her what was wrong. Though before she could do so, she dug the hole even further.

“But… but I’m so much prettier than she is! You don’t seriously like her?” She scoffed, folding her arms.

“Like?” His eyebrows were slightly raised in confusion. “I don’t think I’d come to visit the family of a girl I only liked, no?” He wore a smile, but you’d seen that expression multiple times before; and you knew he wasn’t about to lose his cool over a girl like her.

As a last resort, she tried to farm remorse from him; thinking that he’d fall for her exaggerations. She caught a glimpse of your parents standing behind you and him in shock, and panic began to wash over her as she realised that they’d seen the way she had been acting. Her eyes were dry despite all the fake sobbing she had done, and despite this, she began to heave, coughing and placing a hand on her chest. Although your mother did immediately rush to her side, this time it was to tell her off. Your father apologised to Yukimiya, and offered the two of you to sit back down wherever, and that they’d be there soon.

Leaving the corridor, you could still hear your mother and father scolding her, calling her behaviour ‘unacceptable’ as they saw through the act she had been putting up for years. As you sat back down on the couch, an audible exhale escaped your lips. “This is what I was talking about.”

Removing his glasses, he wiped them with a cloth from his pocket as he spoke, “Nothing I haven’t been through before.” He looked at you with warmth in his smile as he turned his body to face yours. “Besides, I wanted to talk to you for a little – just the two of us.”

Your eyes followed his hand as it reached inside his coat pocket, pulling out a small box. He gently opened it, revealing a glistening gold ring with a sizeable diamond perched at the top. Your gaze lifted, following his hand that took yours as he slipped the ring onto your finger. Warmth crept up on your face as your eyes began to moisten, and once again, you were at a loss for words, although this time was unlike before.

Eventually, you choked out a few words. “Yuki, you…”

Holding your hand with his two, his thumbs held your fingers, rubbing the back of your hand. “I did say I didn’t only like you.” He chuckled, his cheeks painted a gentle hue of red. “Unless, well, you don’t actually like me.”

The growing lump in your throat protested against your words you fought to speak once more. “Of course I like you…” You smiled as a memory played back in your head. “Didn’t I tell you that in high school?”

He nodded in response, being taken back to the same memory. “And what did I tell you then?”

The memory lapsed in your head, the words the same as they were when you first heard them. The redness on both of your faces, how you were too shy to meet each other’s eyes, and the way his voice shook ever so slightly when he spoke.

You would cheer him on from the sidelines, watching the local matches he and his brother used to play against other schools. To Rin, there was no one on the field but him and Sae. Though to you, there was no one there but Rin. 

You can’t recall when it started, but there came a day where you were no longer able to listen to Rin mentally lower his own skill in favour of seeing his brother succeed. He looked so oddly happy settling for second place that it frustrated you. You knew his talents; you knew how much he enjoyed winning. What made him put all of his trust in someone other than himself? Couldn’t he also strive for first place while cheering on his brother? None of it made sense…

All he used to speak about were things including his brother’s skill. You get it, younger siblings typically admire their older siblings. Though they shouldn’t think ill of themselves just to heighten the other persons social standing. After all, the two of you had grown up together. You used to talk all the time, play games with each other, have sleepovers, walk home together. It always meant a lot to you, but did it ever mean a lot to him?

He had you, but he also had his brother.  

You had him, and only him.

You noticed slight shifts in Rin’s personality. He stopped joking and smiling as much, though he never pushed you away. He became distant, as though something was constantly on his mind. You noticed his patience wavering, and his soft, subtle smile fading away.

It was as though you were reaching out for something that was no longer there.

Hanging around him started to feel like being around a brick wall. The two of you now had little to no interactions with each other. He would finish his work, and pack his bag immediately, leaving the classroom as though he had something more important to do. He wouldn’t offer his textbook when you forgot yours, and when you spoke to him about your interests, he seemed like he was listening, sure; but he wouldn’t pause what he was doing to give you attention, or even make it look like he had any interest.

“Maybe he’s just become bored of me”, you think to yourself. You know him. You know he wouldn’t tell you about his issues unless you pry. You also know that he would keep it to himself and go about it in his own cathartic way.

Despite this, you felt like he would snap instantly if you brought it up to him. Like he was a boiling pot brimming with water; and despite it having a lid, liquid still trickled down its sides.

Though… the thought of leaving him alone troubled you. It pained you to see him in such a state, and though he wasn’t showing any signs of wavering; you would at least put in the effort to find out what was troubling him, even if he pushes you away as a result of it. At least one day, when he finds that person who will put out the fire from under him, he’ll realise that your carefully chosen words were the shards of ice that would never melt in that boiling pot of water.

Classes had concluded for the week. Students were packing their bags, laughing, and making plans for the weekend. As usual, Rin was already halfway out of the door. Despite being close your entire life, an overwhelming feeling of loneliness dawned upon you as you realised that if you don’t do something now, you may never be able to again. Each step he took felt like another thread of a worn-out rope was snapping before your eyes, and you could no longer endure it.

“Rin..!” You called out to him. Your tone was shaky; you weren’t used anything like this.

The rest of the class had left by this point. He stopped dead in his tracks, his back facing you.

“What?” His voice was blunt. He had never been extremely upbeat, but the thought that he’d been bottling everything up behind the scenes pained you.

After a few moments of silence, he finally turned around to face you, looking you deadpan in the face. It was the first time you’d spoken to him face-to-face in weeks. His eyes looked empty, yet so full of unexplained emotion.

You twiddled with your fingers that were now glossed with sweat from your clammy palms while looking down at your feet. Why were you so nervous? You’ve spoken to him thousands of times.. What was different now? It lingered at the back of your mind; you knew you were too scared to interrupt this this friendship, although deteriorating. At one stage, it had been peaceful, even fun. Though at this point, it had become anything but peaceful.

“If you don’t need anything then I’m leaving.” He turned his back once more, but you refused to see him take another step.

“Wait.” You forced a strengthened tone despite your nerves. “I need to talk to you about something.”

Stepping closer towards him, you get a better look at his expression. His aqua eyes, once filled with so much passion, were now void of emotion.

“Um… I need to ask you something.” You stuttered on your words, heart pounding so loudly that you thought he’d be able to hear it.

Rin sighs, frustrated. He pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “Get to the point already, Yuu.” His patience is waning.

You take in a shallow breath, preparing to finally put your emotions on the line.

“Rin, um… have you been feeling okay lately?”

Shoot. That was such a bad question!

He looked at you as though you were speaking gibberish. His brows furrowed, and his gaze was now somewhat scrutinizing.

“I’ve been fine.” He immediately replied before turning back around. “Since that’s all, I’m leaving.”

No, you weren’t about to let this happen again. You reached out and grabbed his arm in the midst of his step. You wanted to say something, but your throat felt constricted.

To your surprise, he didn’t move your arm away. You knew something was bothering him. He wouldn’t push you away or insult you. It was as though he wanted the comfort of someone else, but he wouldn’t bring himself to ask for it.

Before you knew it, moisture had spread across your eyes, glossing your sight. A warm drop travelled down your cheek, giving way for a wave of tears. It became so quiet that the droplets of your tears tapping onto the ground were audible.

“Please.. don’t leave..” Barely being able to choke your words out, you were doing all you could to keep him listening. “I can’t stand seeing you like this… What happened to you..?”

He didn’t answer.

You continued to pry, raising your voice slightly.

“What happened to us?”

Suddenly, Rin turns around, and yanks his arm from your grasp.

“Are you trying to make me feel guilty? You really don’t know anything about me.” He scoffed. “I was stupid to ever befriend you as a kid. You probably still think I’m content with being second place, don’t you? How pathetic.”

You’d know if he told you. if he took the time to communicate his feelings, to let you hear his troubles. You had no words. What more could you say after that?

Though you did notice one thing; he was still here. He took the battering and didn’t leave. Somewhere in there, Rin you remember is still there. You decide against attacking him with words.

“You’re still here though. You’ve always been here.” Your hand fell down his arm, fingers intertwining with his. “You would’ve gotten rid of me by now if you really thought our friendship was stupid.” Your voice was soft as you spoke, careful not to be too harsh on him.

His eyes widened momentarily. It seems you struck a chord.

“No.. no way. It is stupid.. that’s why.. that’s..” He stuttered; his gaze scattered.

“Rin.. do I have to spell it out for you? I’m not going anywhere. Even if you call me stupid.” You smiled softly, hoping your words would break through the wall he built.

There it was. That look in his eyes that you’ve been yearning to see again for years.

Tears shone in his eyes, adorning a small gleam of light. His lips parted slightly as though he had something to say. He tilted his head and placed it on your shoulder, arms wrapping tightly around your back. You could feel the desperation in his grasp; like he was asking you to never let go. Slinging your arms over his shoulders and around his neck, you felt his breath grazing your neck.

“Why.. Why did you persist..?” He murmurs. Despite all this, Rin can’t seem to fathom why someone like you remained so insistent on digging out his troubles.

“I would never sit by and watch you drown in your own worries. Especially if I know that I can do something about them.” Even though you were holding him in your arms, you felt a little more confident knowing he technically can’t see you saying something so embarrassing.

You shift one arm up to his hair and gently caress it.

“I have no one else..” Your voice shook slightly  “You’ve always been there, even when you were mad. Why would I let you slip from in-between my fingers..?”

“Excuse me.”

Turning around, you were met with a boy who seemed to be around your age. Once you looked a little closer, he seemed to be holding the same flyer that you had been handed earlier.

“Are you familiar with this address?” He asked, turning the flyer towards you and pointing at the street name. It seemed he still hadn’t noticed he was standing right in front of it.

“It’s right over here.” Moving to the side, he was able to see the café that he had been looking for, and seemed a little embarrassed by the fact that he hadn’t noticed it sooner.

“Can I head in with you?” You joked. “I’m a little nervous to go in alone.”

“If you want.” Taking your side, he walked in front towards the door and you followed close behind. Stepping into the café, you were impressed by the interior – intricate woodwork layered the edges of the furniture, velvet cushions covering the seat bases, and a warm scent of coffee hinted with undertones of vanilla and caramel wafted through the air. Surprisingly, there were only a few customers other than you two.

A lady immediately rushed up, ushering you both to a table for two. Once she had set the table and the both of you sat, you decided to speak up, embarrassed to be encroaching on his space.

“I’m sorry to be bothering you like this..” You chuckled, placing your purse in your lap.

“It’s fine. I’m not doing much either way.”

Ouch, a ‘You’re not bothering me!’ wouldn’t’ve hurt.

Though, it surprised you to see someone like him in a café on his own. So you decided to start up a conversation after you had heard each other’s names and placed your orders.

“Are you meeting somebody here?” You noted his neat attire; he seemed pretty dressed up.

“No, why would I be with you if I was?” He sarcastically replied.

Laughing in return, you continued. “Well, you don’t look like a person with a sweet tooth.”

“Huh?” He squinted at you, his face nearly forming a scowl. “And what does such a person even look like?”

“Hm..” You tapped your chin in thought. “..Not sure.”

He sighed, exasperated. Though, you were sure some semblance of a smile had formed on his face. Moments later, the waitress brought your orders; slices of strawberry shortcake and chocolate mud cake, alongside English breakfast tea for him, and jasmine tea for you. The conversations between the both of you branched out into a multitude of different topics, hobbies, schools, friends and whatnot.

After you both paid for your drinks and sweets, he offered to walk you home as you said it was close by, taking your contact info in the meantime.

A promise was made to meet up again soon at the same café.

Nagi Seishiro

The pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the school building sounded throughout the walls as the sound grew heavier throughout the school day. Once the final school bell rang, the sound outweighed the chatter between students as they spoke over each other in an attempt to form conversations. Grasping your umbrella in hand, you stood in front of the school exit, wondering how you’d keep completely dry in this hurricane-like weather.

You opted to wait for a little while as you spoke to some friends, thinking that the rain might become lighter in 20 or so minutes.

20 minutes came and went, and you were one of the only students who hadn’t headed home yet. Most had gotten picked up by car, some wore full raincoats, and few left by umbrella. You had kept your umbrella in your bag for a while, not removing it in the case that you’d need it, despite it being hefty and taking up quite a bit of space. Though, it seemed that the rain had become lighter than before, so you decided to take this opportunity to head home immediately.

Standing in front of the doors in preparation to swing them open, you noticed another person to the side, standing in front of the doors, head faced down at his phone. Just as you were about to open the doors to leave, a ‘game over’ sound effect reached your ears and your attention was caught once more.

Just as you turned your head, he did the same, your eyes meeting. You smiled and waved, unknowing of what else to do. Though his eyes immediately shot to the umbrella you had in your other hand and he stepped towards you.

“Hello.” He greeted. “Are you going home?”

“I am, did you need something?”

He rubbed his neck, seeming a little shy to speak. “Do you think I could use your umbrella as well?” He muttered. Actually, you couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed, or exhausted. Though, you knew that you might’ve been in the same situation if you hadn’t brought an umbrella.

“Sure. The rain is pretty heavy, isn’t it?”

He swung open the door, the two of you stepping outside together as you opened the umbrella. You held it over your head and he stood to your shoulder, ducking under to fit. You laughed, offering for him to hold it instead. He complied, and you both walked outside the school grounds together.

Struggling to hear your voice through the sound of the surrounding rain, he leaned over a little. “You’re very organised” He sighed. “You remembered to bring an umbrella with you”.

You shrugged, brushing it off. “It’s been in my bag for a while just in case”.

You had never met him, although you feel as though you've heard of him before. His name was familiar to you for some reason.

“You said your name was Nagi, right?” You asked as the two of you stopped at a red light. “Are you the person who sleeps in class?”

“Hm… probably, yeah.” He responded, looking ahead at the road. “I guess I'm always tired."

You laughed, poking him in the arm. “Are you getting enough sleep?”

“I think so.” He replied, thinking to himself. “I don’t do much when I get home, so, probably.”

You began to wonder what exactly he does. You’d heard of him from classmates, but you'd never thought of interacting with a person who seems completely out of it a lot of the time. Though, he was kinder than you expected, albeit seeming a little lazy. He didn’t note anything specific he did other than play games on his phone and occasionally hit the arcades as well.

“Well no wonder you’re so pale.” You scolded. “You’re practically a shut in!”

Nagi sighed in defeat, knowing that you weren't exactly wrong. On that note, you decided to propose a hangout day together outside of school. After exchanging contact information with him, he seemed a little more relaxed than before.

“You’re not going to ignore my messages, right?”

“No ma’am.”

He singlehandedly changed her. He understood her in a way no one she’d ever met before had. She’d become able to see things differently, to point out the light in the room rather than the shadows it casted.

The doorknob to the room twisted, followed by a pair of polished black leather shoes stepping softly onto the white carpet spread over the entry walkway. Two ladies stood, reaching their arms over and draping a tulle veil over her head, intricate lace woven into the edges.

Her eyes shifted upwards. His hair was styled and bore a wavy look which complimented his neat button up top, pulling everything together with a regal purple suit jacket.

This whole day was completely out of her expectations.

After the photography session he had put together at one of her favourite spots, the two of them headed to the venue, driven in a spacious white limousine. Throughout the ride, he showered her with compliments, asking if she was comfortable, or if she needed anything – making sure her beautiful smile didn’t fade. Though, there was an unplanned factor that he never considered; something that completely slipped his mind.

As the limousine came to a halt, Reo left the car and made his way over to her side, opening the door and taking her hand in his as she stepped out. Sure, the two of them had discussed what venue they had been thinking of, but this was completely overwhelming to say the least. She stood before a large area of greenery, tall tropical-like trees leaning over each other and forming a tunned like structure for as far as her eyes could see. Glancing left and right, gorgeous flowers of various colours peered over the walkway edges, swaying in the gentle wind. Interlocking his arm with hers, the two of them walked the path towards the glass building where everyone else was waiting.

Beginning the reception, they conversed with family and friends, catching up and whatnot. Stories about how they met, compliments to the dress and tuxedo, comments about the food and drinks; everybody was mingling.

She walked to Reo’s side, joining in on a conversation with a friend of his. He introduced her to him, mentioning how the two of them met in high school, having gone through a lot together. He didn’t seem to suit the confident demeanour that Reo had crafted, but nevertheless they seemed close.

In the midst of their conversation, his friend pointed at the entrance behind the two of them.

“Yikes, Reo. Why is she here?”

Turning around, they were both met with a sight for sore eyes. A lady arguing with the receptionist, telling her to ‘rub her eyes and check the list, because her name has to be on it’.

Whoever this woman was, she took it to the extra mile, showing up in a white ballgown.

She tugged at Reo’s arm, ushering for him to lean over.

“Who is that?” She whispered into his ear.

He sighed, holding the bridge of his nose. “An idiot.”

They walked towards the source of the ruckus as the mysterious woman yanked the clipboard out of the receptionist’s hands.

Whoever this woman was, she for some reason shot her a glare as though to say ‘who do you think you are?’

Reo stood there, arms folded as he glared at her. “What on earth are you doing here?” He spoke bluntly. Like a child, the woman’s attention immediately shifted from the clipboard to Reo as she tossed it to the ground.

She threw herself onto him, clenching his suit jacket in her hands. “Reo! You’re finally back for me!”

Poking his cheek with her finger, she continued. “You missed me, didn’t you~?”

He never intended to be violent, trying his best to remain calm. But something in him snapped and he shoved her back, dusting off his suit with repulsion.

“Don’t you dare come near me!” He spat. “I don’t want to see your face again.”

Just as she was about to make another move, Reo shot a glance to the two men on standby, signalling for them to have her removed.

“Reo! I made myself pretty! You miss me, right?!” She wailed, her voice piercing the ears of everybody nearby. She continued to thrash around and shriek until the lady was no longer within their sight.

Reo sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. Turning to his side, he couldn’t meet her gaze.

“I.. didn’t know she’d go this far.”

“An ex?”

“I don’t even want to call her that.” He said, taking her to the side where there were less eyes.

“We used to hang out.. a lot, in high school. But long story short, my things started to go missing when she began visiting. I found out that on top of the gifts I used to shower her with, she was pawning off my stuff for more cash. I hated her after that.” In his eyes was a mixture of emotions; pain, worry, disdain. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, silence befalling the two.

“Hey.. look at me..” She said, bringing her hand to his face and brushing a stray strand of hair away from his gaze. “That’s in the past. She’s pretty crazy, but she’s gone now, right?” He was there for her when she had nobody else. He must’ve gone through some harsh times because of that lady.

“I wasn’t there when it happened. But I’m here now.”

He sniffed uncharacteristically, avoiding her eyes once more. “I.. I didn’t want to make you sad…”

“Do I look sad?” Her eyes softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. His arms tightened around her back as his head slumped into the crook of her neck.

“Your clothes are going to get wrinkled.” She giggled, her hand finding its way to the back of his head, entangling her finger with his hair.

Slipping off his T-shirt, he continues complaining as you drape the warmly ironed dress shirt over his shoulders from behind. “Try not to be so difficult.” A snicker escapes your lips.

“Your life is different now, you know?”. Buttoning his shirt up, you help him fold the sleeves to his forearms. The sound of your toddler babbling to himself as he plays with blocks lingers in the background alongside your words. “You’ve changed so much since then.” A hand of yours reaches up to cup his cheek. “Isn’t the point of a reunion so everyone can see how much each person has changed?” Sighing in defeat, his hand drapes over yours, thumb gently rubbing the back of your hand. “I guess I’m being overdramatic.” He sighs.

Examining himself in the mirror, he holds his chin in thought. “Are you going to do anything with your hair?”

“I don’t want to put anything in it.” He replies before parting it down the middle. “I just did my haircare. Not about to cake it up with gel.”

Receiving a sloppy kiss from his toddler, he left the house. Immediately, you got to work on the things you needed to handle. It wasn’t long before you were done, and now you needed to choose an outfit to wear. You went with a deep blue coloured satin slip on, complimented by white heels. Pairing this with a matching purse decorated with gold straps, you grabbed your keys and left the house, your child propped up on your hip.

As soon as Chigiri arrived at the venue, he was greeted with a plethora of smiles and excited former classmates. Most of which wanted to ask about how he got signed to a professional team at such a young age, some even asking for his autograph. It came as a surprise to him to be greeted with so many people who were focused on him – the complete opposite of how he was treated in high school after injuring his knee.

Just when he thought the coast was clear, the reason why he didn’t want to show up in the first place made its way to the front of the small crowd surrounding him. One of the people who made him feel even lower at a point where he was already miserable.

“Chigiri?” Brushing a piece of hair behind her ear, she giggled. “It really is you! I couldn’t miss that red head of yours!”

Muffled murmurs and comments could be heard from all corners of the venue as the attention he had from the small crowd began to expand.

“Look… I know that I wasn’t a nice person back then…” She spoke, making full use of the attention everyone was giving her as she always had. “But you’re all better now, right?” There it was, the intention behind her innocent façade.

She’d leeched off him for popularity when he’d been a standout player on his high school soccer team under the mask of ‘liking him’. And now that they were all ‘grown up’ she was trying to do the very same thing right in front of his eyes.

As Chigiri clenched his fists in frustration and opened his mouth to speak, a small voice sounded behind from the entry to the venue.

“Papa!”

The pitter-patter of a small child’s footsteps rushed towards the crowd, pushing through the legs of the surrounding people.

“There you are. You weren’t picking up your phone.” You wore a smile, walking up to the remnants of the now dispersing crowd. Noticing the girl standing in front of him, gobsmacked, you decided to test the waters.

“Hey! It’s been so long, how’ve you been?” Opening your arms for a hug, she stepped back as Chigiri bent over to lift his son up.

“I’ve… been okay…” She stutters, eyes widened as her gaze flickers between Chigiri and the small child who looks like a splitting image of him.

“Did you need something from Hyoma?” His first name rolled off your tongue like butter, seeming to be the catalyst for her to flee the scene. Her heels clicked loudly against the floor as she left the venue, humiliated.

You turn to your son who was now cradled in Chigiri’s arms. “I told you not to let go of my hand!” Your fingers reached out to pinch his cheek gently as he burst out into laughter.

“He was so fast - I turned my head for a second and he was gone.”

──★ ˙ ̟! Isagi Yoichi

“Dude, that goal was literally insane. How do you always manage to pull it off?” 

Otoya slaps him on the back, laughing. “Thanks, dude.” He laughed.

“Isagi, we’re gonna head out, wanna come?” Bachira asks, slinging an arm over Isagi’s shoulder. 

He thinks to himself for a moment.

“Nah, I’m good, I’ve got something to do. You guys go on without me, ‘kay?” 

He waves goodbye to his team before leaving the locker room and making a call. Holding his phone up to his ear in anticipation, he catches a familiar face in his peripheral vision. 

There you are. 

Standing there talking to your friend, He walks up to you both and waves. 

“Thanks for keeping her company, f/n” He says, loosely wrapping an arm around your waist.

“No problem” She replies before turning to you “See you later!” Your friend says bye and leaves. 

(Earlier today over the phone, he made sure to tell you to dress nicely before you showed up to the match. 

“Wear a nice dress, okay?”

“Sure, but any reason why?” You question.

“I have a good feeling about today”. He answered with confidence).

You look down at your phone for a moment and see his name under ‘missed calls’ 

“Did you need something?” 

“Yeah, but I ended up finding it” He replies, kissing the top of your head.

He changes out of his uniform, and the two of you head to his car as he excitedly tells you that he has somewhere special to take you. 

You wouldn’t call him a ‘reckless driver’. You feel safe with him behind the wheel, though at times he teases just a bit and suddenly accelerates laughing at your reaction. He insists that he just ‘can’t help it!’ and his sports car is just ‘built for that type of stuff’. You end up breaking and laughing either way though. 

As you begin to approach your destination, Isagi decides its better if he surprises you.

“Okay, close your eyes!” He says while turning the corner of the street and slowing down. “I don’t want you to see anything yet”

“Alright, fine. You know I’ll be fine with it either way though..” You murmur timidly raising your hands to cover your eyes. 

“What was that?”

“Don’t worry”

As you step out of the car door that he opened for you, he places his hands on your shoulders and lightly squeezes them

“Keep your eyes closed, okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah”

A cold rush of air hits your body as he opens the door. Your eyes catch a small gleam of light, peaking through your slightly open fingers.

“Can I open them now?”

“Alright, go ahead” He replies, excited.

A large glass chandelier hangs down from the tall ceiling of the lobby, refracting shards of light across the room. Large red, velvety sofas on each side compliment the golden hue of the restaurant. Your feet are planted on a long black carpet, extending forward to the front of the reception. The cool air causes you cover your arms with your hands while you continue to look around the room.

“Wow..” You stare in awe, stepping closer to Isagi’s side. “You didn’t have to..” You say, smiling at him.

“I’m glad you’re happy”. He chuckles, placing his arm around your shoulder as the two of you walk towards the reception. 

──★ ˙ ̟! Bachira Meguru

‘Out of all times to have a match.. it had to be in the Afternoon?’

Hurriedly throwing a jacket over his T-Shirt in the changing room, he checks the time on his phone. It was already 5:00pm.

He says bye to the rest of his teammates, and leaves, calling your number. Of course, you pick up right away.

“Hello?”

“Hey Meguru! I watched you play today, as usual you were amazi-“

“You’re still here, right?” He abruptly cuts you off, seemingly in a hurry.

“Yeah, any reason why?”

“You know where I usually park, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m waiting for you, come as quick as you can, ‘kay?” 

“Okay, see you..” 

He ends the call there. You wonder what has him in such a rush? Either way, you head towards the carpark and see him leaning against the door of the front passenger seat. You smile and wave, walking towards him, and wrapping your arms around his neck in a hug. 

His do the same, and hook around your hips. 

After a few moments, he lets go and opens the door for you. “Didn’t you say you wanted to go to that new amusement park? I can’t be letting you down, you know?” He smiles. You can sense the excitement in his smile, he definitely wanted to go as well.

You sit down as he makes his way to the driver’s seat and begins to turn on the car.

“Aren’t you tired though?” You question, tilting your head.

“Nah, I’ll be fine! That match was so easy. Nothing to be tired about.” He replies, giggling. 

“Your choice! If you fall asleep on one of the rides, I’ll just ask the staff to wake you up!” You laugh.

Throughout the drive there, Bachira told you how thrilled he was that his upcoming matches are against this “Super special” and “Super strong” team. He also nearly crossed a red light while gawking at you in shock for not knowing the name of said team. 

When the two of you arrived there, it was nearing the end of sunset. The sky was coloured an amalgamation of hues. Purple fading into magenta, accented with a golden light near the setting disc of the sun. The fading colours highlighed his yellow eyes and glossed over his hair beautifully. Him turning and looking at you wasn't helping you to stop staring either.

“Something wrong, y/n?”

“..Nothing”

You happily snapped a picture of him while his back was turned to the ticket booth. 

The two of you went on tons of rides together, despite it being late afternoon. He helped you with the suspiciously hard to win minigames, overperformed, and the clerk had no decision but to give him exactly what he asked for as a prize, which was of course, something for you.

At the photo booth, you took some cute photos together, edited them and drew all sorts of funny things over his face while he drew love hearts on yours. 

You then bought a cotton candy to share together, and he insisted on feeding it to you. You couldn’t help but laugh with every bite you took from his hand.

Finally, he suggested the two of you ride the Ferris Wheel together. Since it was now dark out, all the lights on the stalls and buildings nearby were shining brightly, and you wondered what it would look like from the top.

He held your gloved hand and hoisted you up to the seat, before getting inside himself. He sat down next to you and stretched his arms before slumping back into the seat. 

“I didn’t expect you to wanna go on a Ferris Wheel.” You said, looking over at him as he looks outside the window of the cabin.

“I just thought it’d be nice to wind down here before heading home, y’know?”

The view from outside was breathtaking. You could see every stall that the two of you went to, to all the people playing outside. The nearby apartment buildings each had a different coloured light emitting from their rooms, each person doing their own thing. You felt a sense of warmth engulf you.

“Isn’t the view beautiful, Bachira?” You spoke while looking outside. 

Suddenly, a weight drops on your shoulder, followed by soft breathing. 

He really had fallen asleep on a ride. 

You wake abruptly to the sudden sound of knocking. 

Checking your phone, you find that 2 hours have passed. 

“Coming!” You call out, looking in the mirror to tidy yourself up before opening the door. You notice that your cheeks were streaked with dried tears.

He crosses your mind, but you quickly dismiss even the mere idea of him being there. After all you’ve done, do you really think he’ll give you even a thought? 

He wouldn’t come to see you first thing after being inside a training facility for months. He’d definitely visit people who actually care for him.

Your heart beats heavily within the confines of your body.

You reach for the doorknob, twist it, and open it.

Surely the person knocking on your door in the middle of the day right after you woke up from the specific time slot that you allocated for sleep every afternoon, wouldn’t be him. 

Though, he was always particular about not hindering you or interrupting your free time, always making sure he had an idea of the times that you’re busy, or how you were feeling before approaching you.

Surely, it wasn’t:

“Yoichi..?”

No, no this isn’t him. He looks completely different from what you remember. He looks.. taller? He’s standing with confidence and his entire demeanor is different..

Though..

“Hey, y/n..” 

But his smile is exactly as you remember. 

The way the corners of his lips curve upwards, and as lets out a joyful, yet awkward laugh stringing along with his words. The way he gets too nervous to maintain direct eye-contact, and glances towards the wall or the floor after greeting you.

The way he looks back up at you timidly. 

It was all the same.

“Listen uh, I’m really sorry for.. everything” He spoke with a soft, sympathetic tone. 

You were not about to let this opportunity go, you refused to lose him again. Cupping his face in your hands and looking him straight in his eyes, you said “Don’t apologise. I don’t want you blaming yourself for my mistakes anymore”.

He reaches for your forearms with both hands and gently holds them as your hands remain on his face. You feel the heat of his cheeks in the palm of your hands as he looks downwards in embarrassment. 

Inching closer, he rests his forehead on your head and exhales softly.

“I just don’t want to disappoint you. I want to live up to what you expect of me, y/n.” He coyly responded.

“Yoichi, that’s not something you need to worry about. We’re not kids anymore, that stuff doesn’t matter” You paused and took a slow deep breath. You can finally get it off your chest.

“Yet, I’m sorry for ignoring you before you left, I don’t even want to imagine the way I made you felt. I.. I was so selfish..” You shuffled your feet, embarrassed. Your face began to heat up, and before you knew it, a tear dropped down your right cheek. 

You lifted a hand to wipe it, but Yoichi had beaten you to it. 

“That’s not true. I felt guilty from the moment I hesitated to tell you about everything”.

He smiled; “This entire time, I was preparing what to say to you, and yet, you still managed to stump me”. Yoichi clasped his arms around you tightly yet gently and held you close. The grasp of his body felt different to before, and his newfound confidence brought you closure. He held you in his arms as he rested his head in the crook of your neck. Your heart resounded within your chest with every beat becoming louder and bearing more pressure.

Your arms remained by your side.

Giving in was not something you were prepared to do. Not in your current mindset.

The way he had changed so much, yet so little.. It made you think;

Sometimes it is okay to change. To leave my bad habits behind and stop finding new ways to run away from my problems. To finally leave my wrongs in the past.

You eventually gave in and wrapped your arms around his back, squeezing as tightly as you were able to. Without him, you would’ve been stuck in a loop of your congested mind, continuously likening every one of your lies with the truths of someone else. 

“y/n..?” He suddenly spoke.

“Yeah?”

“Um.. you’re squeezing me a bit too tight” He chuckled.