Archive of Our Own

How dull.

Halls were filled with boisterous chatter, laughter rattling off of well kept lockers, free from graffiti or decoration, uniformly grey.

How dull.

Unfamiliar faces waved and grinned, calling out and asking “How are you?”. A smile and an energetic response of “I’m doing well, you?”, filled with fake concern for their well being despite not having a clue as to who they were.

How dull.

Professors would call upon him, asking him to stand and answer the questions they asked while class was in session. Over and over. Every time he’d get them right, every time he’d receive excessive praise and ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the class, as if answering a question correctly was a superpower.

“That’s our Mikage!” They’d say, boasting about his intelligence and how well rounded he was, behaving as if it was theirs to stake pride in. Their ballads of commendation meant nothing.

“Mikage is so smart, I bet he could teach better than half the professors.” “Mikage can do anything he wants! He’s so talented.” “Mikage is so lucky, I wish I was him.”

Mikage. Mikage. Mikage.

His name was practically glued to their tongues.

How dull .

Reo Mikage, star of the school. Heir to Mikage Corporations, handsome, rich, capable, charming – popular. The “whole package”, so it seems. Reo begged to differ.

Those who praised his name and worshipped the ground upon which he walked were nothing more than nobodies with their own, self-serving agendas. Popularity borne from a promising future, a projected image, and familial wealth drew in the kiss asses hiding amongst Japan’s high society. A school made for the betterment and containment of elites was bound to be a breeding ground for self-interest.

Self-interest can blind even the strongest of men.

In the quest of bettering oneself, of scrambling to the top - scraping away at others and clawing into their positions - the quests and perils of others become invisible. A projected, surface level image of another constitutes the depth of the very same person.

In a world of self-interest, others are 2D.

That was how Reo maintained his status as the most popular boy in the school, how his reflected persona of “Mr.Perfect” never rippled nor swayed in the face of so many watchful eyes. For someone watching a cartoon cannot see the strings of the puppeteer just behind.

Reo, a marionette trapped within the confines of an invisible birdcage and forced to sing songs predetermined. Though his limbs were strung up and he walked with stiff, controlled movements laid out by someone else - he never really minded.

Childlike wonder, desires, ambitions – individuality kindled in youth that had been stomped out before it had the chance to make a flame. Nothing more than warm embers too weak to break him free remained.

Day in, day out, Reo lived by the very same routine. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners prepared at his mothers request, hours spent hunched over his desk after school completing assignments and studying to one day take over the family business, meals and conversations with friends handpicked for him when he was 5…

Divergence from the routine was not an option, and divergence from the routine was met with harsh scoldings and his parents expressing their anxieties about his future success, as if everything was banking on whether or not he ate lunch alone that day.

And all that the watchful eyes saw, those that pried into his every expression and motion, was the image of Mikage Reo his mother had so painstakingly created.

And though Reo wanted for nothing, needed for nothing – had everything he could ever dream of delivered right to his waiting palms, there was always an emptiness he couldn’t escape. There was a void not filled by the praise of his peers or superiors, or the satisfaction of his parents or the countless items filling one of the spare rooms of his home. 

Reo sat and pondered on it, a lot.

How was he supposed to know what to find and look for if he had never experienced it before, if he didn’t have a clue as to where his dissatisfaction was coming from in the first place?

That’s where, and how, it all started.

Sometime during his second year in highschool, Reo met a boy. He was… peculiar, and what seemed harmless ended up turning his life upside down.

What a headache.

The bottle of Reo’s prescription migraine medication rattled in his hand, though the effects of the pill had hardly put a damper on the sharp pangs slicing his brain apart.

Reo pressed his fingers up against his temples, pressing down and rubbing, letting his hand slide across his forehead every once in a while – anything to get the pain to subside. Angry red marks littered his porcelain skin, though that was hardly a worry when the fluorescents overhead flickered and hummed, and the school hallways thrummed with energy and noise.

God, this school was loud.

Ears ringing, Reo escaped into a side stairwell, the door swinging closed behind him and effectively shutting out the sounds of chatter and lockers slamming. Almost immediately, he felt the throbbing just behind his fingertips subside.

A sigh of relief slipped past Reo’s lips as he leaned back against the door once more, letting his eyes fall closed to bring respite against the bright lights that continued to beat down from above. He could feel the exhaustion beginning to creep in – the toll of pushing through his pain until the near end of the day.

His momentary solace was interrupted by faint sounds drifting up from the stairs below, ones he had missed upon first entering the secluded space. Animated voices, guns firing, dings, clicks, and various other similar sounds floated up to reach his ears. The sounds of  a videogame?

This stairwell was abandoned, all but unused. Even the janitors didn’t come in here to clean – the dust collecting on the steps and railings and cobwebs littering the ceiling were enough to tell him that. The dust looked, for the most part, undisturbed, other than a complete lack where the doors swung onto the landing and along a path down the steps.

His ears hadn’t deceived him - there was another person in the stairwell with him.

Reo slowly crept down the steps, following the path through the dust that had already been forged by the person before him. He kept low, shrinking into himself. The eeriness of the space was entirely unwelcome, the dingy grey light stifling. It didn’t help that his nerves were shot from dealing with his migraine all day.

The sounds of the video game he’d heard before grew louder, distinct and more clear. There was no denying what they were now, the only question was who in their right mind would play video games in the abandoned stairwell?

Reo peeked his head around the corner of the stone railings, crouching on the bottom step. He couldn’t see anything except the hunched back of another boy, his white uniform blazer just barely visible.

He let himself peer further around the corner, the boy coming into fuller view. Sure enough, there sat a student tapping away at his phone, his fingers flying rapidly over the screen, his focus so intent on the item before him that the rest of his body remained completely still.

Reo stared at the shaggy white, unkempt hair that fell in front of the boy’s face like a shield, a protector against any unwanted distractions.

He marveled, slightly, at the way the other boy didn’t move any extra than what was absolutely necessary to play his game, the way he hadn’t even spared a glance in Reo’s directions despite the rather clumsy attempt at sneaking up on him.

It was silent for a long while, Reo watching the boy play his game as best as he could from his perch on the steps, crouched so low he could barely see over the broad shoulders blocking the view before him.

“You gonna spy on me forever or are you gonna say something?”

Reo jolted, goosebumps running down his arms and spine. He ducked further behind the barrier, cheeks flushing red at having been caught red handed. The other boy didn’t speak again, as if he hadn’t even said anything in the first place.

Slowly, Reo emerged around the corner, standing up to his full height behind the gaming student. “Sorry..” He mumbled his apology sheepishly, an awkward chuckle slipping past his lips.

The other boy glanced back at him, sharp grey eyes landing on Reo’s figure, narrowed and scrutinizing every inch. Reo found himself flinching beneath the strength of the stare, the grey deep and tangled, a collection of everything this other boy had ever seen swirling right where others could perceive it. He was so sure that he could get lost in those eyes if given the chance, sucked in by the sheer mysticism of a puzzle waiting to be solved.

“Oh. You’re that boy from that family.” The other boy mumbled unceremoniously, glancing back at his game still playing in the background. Reo frowned a little.

“That’s a little unspecific.”

The white haired boy extended his hand towards Reo, palm facing the sky. The other held and tapped away at his phone, though his eyes had once again strayed from the screen, and his control of the avatar no longer contained precision. “Give me money, thanks.”

A laugh bubbled up in Reo’s chest, a mix of amusement and surprise. “Pardon?”

The other boy maintained his deep stare, expression deadpan as if his request was completely ordinary. “I prefer to live without any worries, so give me money.” He seemed completely unabashed. “You have plenty right? Surely you can spare a little for those who are below you.”

Reo couldn’t suppress the startled guffaw that slipped from his mouth. Never in all his years had he met someone so straightforward with their intentions. Even his elementary school teacher, who had professed her love for him, hadn’t been so obvious in her pursuit of his money.

He had to admit that the change in pace was… refreshing, and amusing.

Reo reached into his pocket, laughter still bubbling up in his chest, and fished out a 500 yen coin – placing it into the boy’s outstretched hand. The expressionless look on his features was broken then, replaced with one of mild surprise. Slightly widened eyes and lifted eyebrows stared back at the toothy grin that had broken out across Reo’s face.

“The name’s Mikage Reo.” He said, voice beaming with the same amusement that shone through his smile. His arm extended, hooking around the other boy’s neck and yanking downwards as he jumped to join him on the staircase. His words were tainted with his laughter. “I like you, what’s your name?”

The boy’s fingers paused their ministrations, hovering over the screen as the game continued to play. “Nagi. Nagi Seishiro.” He said, lips ever so slightly downturned into a frown. A jingle playing from his phone drew his attention away to the “game over” flashing in bright red across the screen. Nagi swore under his breath, pouting. “Shucks… I died.”

Before Reo had the chance to say anything more, Nagi had pocketed his phone and risen to his feet, tucking his hands into the kangaroo pocket of the hoodie he wore beneath the school blazer. “See ya, rich boy.”

The lazy air about him returned as he left the stairwell, posture slouched and white hair ruffled. Nagi didn’t spare a glance back as he disappeared from view, nor a second for Reo to further pursue a conversation.

Reo stared after him long after he was no longer visible, headache all but forgotten, his smile having yet to diminish. Excitement burst through him, a newfound curiosity about something he’d never experienced.

Someone he’d never experienced.

Everything about that boy, Nagi, intrigued him, but nothing piqued his interest more than whatever was hiding behind those grey eyes and blank expression. He’d seen something on the other side, something not easily attained, nor easily understood.

A challenge, a wonder.

What an odd guy.

The warm glow of excitement lingered with Reo throughout the remaining hour of the day.

He returned to his classroom as the final bell rang, on a mission to retrieve his belongings. The door flew open long before he had the chance to grab the handle himself.

Several of his classmates stood on the other side, staring at him fiercely, demandingly. A boy, Kirishima Naoto, led the pack, the very same who had flung the door open the second he’d caught wind of Reo’s return.

“Reo!” He huffed, frustrated lines pinched between furrowed brows. “Where did you disappear to? You never came back to class after break – sensei and everyone was worried about you.”

Kirishima Naoto. A “childhood friend”, if you will.

“I wasn’t feeling great.” Reo murmured, an apologetic smile on his face. It wasn’t entirely a lie – but what others didn’t know couldn’t hurt them.

“Well, are you okay now?” His frustration had morphed to concern, which Reo waved off with a flick of his hand.

“Yep, yep. All good.” Reo shuffled past the group of students and aligned desks, making his way across the room to retrieve his bag from his seat.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Naoto asked, still poised at the entrance to the classroom. “I could have sent someone to go help, or called Ba-Ya to pick you up earlier.”

Reo shrugged, stuffing his items into their respective places as he spoke. “I was fine, I just needed to relax for a bit.”

Naoto sighed in defeat. “Anyways, Reo, Mai was looking for you earlier.” His expression changed once more to one of amusement, a smug smile on his face. Reo peered at him from the corner of his eye, a frown on his face.

Mai looking for him never bode well.

“She said she had something to talk to you about.” Naoto continued, shifting his hand to his hip.

Only Naoto and Reo remained, as the last of the group shuffled quietly out the door with their belongings, likely making their ways home, and having stayed behind to express their… concern.

Reo sighed quietly, shifting his bag onto his shoulder. “Tell her to find me tomorrow, I have to get home. Ba-Ya is probably waiting.” Naoto nodded, still smug.

“I’ll pass on the message.” He said, before exiting himself, leaving Reo alone in the empty classroom.

He lifted a hand, running it through his purple locks in a release of stress.

There was no time to worry about what Mai had to say to him now, not when piles of assignments and projects lay in wait for the hours of the evening.

Or when in-depth research on one Nagi Seishiro was in store for him.

Mornings rarely felt as drowsy as this one.

The research Reo had performed well into the wee hours of the night had proved… fruitless.

There was nothing about a Nagi Seishiro anywhere he could find – not in online searches or records of city newspapers, or even social media. There was nothing on a family going by the name Nagi either. The closest he had gotten was an old article from 15 years ago about a baby named Nagi Shiroh who was gifted extensive farmlands upon his birth.

He was curious before, after meeting a boy he had never seen within school walls before but now he was finding there to be no traces of someone named Nagi Seishiro.

It was as if he were a ghost, unknown in the world around them and nonexistent in the world of the elites.

Everyone who went to Hakuho High had some sort of presence. You couldn’t get in without some form of nepotism or favor, and certainly couldn’t pay the expenses without wealth to back you up.

But somehow, some way, an invisible boy had made it in.

Even past his frustration and exhaustion, Reo could feel the thrums of excitement running through his extremities, fingers and skin humming with his curiosity.

If online research wasn’t going to work, he’d resort to something else. No better way to find out about Nagi Seishiro than by asking those who attended the same school.

“Reooo!” A shrill voice pulled Reo from his thoughts, from the plan to learn about Nagi he’d been mentally mapping out. He didn’t have to turn his head to know who that unmistakable voice belonged to.

Kirishima Mai. Naoto’s twin sister, another “childhood companion”, and the most painful thorn in his side yet.

Reo had already forgotten Naoto’s warning from the day before, but he was suddenly reminded of the reality as she appeared before him with pink cheeks and labored breathing from running to intercept him.

“Morning Mai.” He said, pausing his ascent up the main steps to face the young girl, who was gazing at him expectantly. “Did you need something?”

She huffed at that, rolling her eyes. “Did you already forget? I have something to tell you. Naoto said you would meet me at the gates this morning but by the time I got there you had already headed onto campus!”

“Naoto’s full of it - I told him to tell you to find me, not that I would wait somewhere.”

Mai only laughed like Reo had told the funniest joke in the world. “Oh Reo! You don’t have to pretend, I already know! You just got nervous and headed in quickly, you’re too nice to make me go find you .”

“Sure…”

“Anyways!” She cheered, breezing past the topic easily. “Are you ready to hear what I have to say?”

Reo couldn’t help the huff as he nodded his head. “Yes, yes. I have been.”

As if his answer had pulled back a veil, Mai suddenly faltered in her words. A flush deepend the pink on her cheeks to a dusty rose, tongue frozen in her mouth.

“W-well! You see-” Mai started, fiddling with her fingers at the hem of her blazer, suddenly unable to look him in the eye. “I wanted to tell you that I-”

She stopped mid sentence.

Reo’s gaze had drifted far away from her, looking well past her shoulder at something in front of him.

“Reo?” She asked, glancing over her shoulder to find whatever had caught his eye, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary – just students climbing the steps to the front door as per usual.

“Sorry Mai, can you tell me later?” Reo’s voice was hurried, hands working to tug the corners of his blazer down and fix his appearance, scrambling to more securely hoist his bag over his shoulder.

“Wait Reo-”

“Thanks!” He took off long before she could give an answer, or finish the conversation she’d started, leaving Mai flabbergasted and staring up after his distancing figure.

Reo didn’t need to do much thinking to figure out what she was going to tell him. She needn’t say it out loud with how obvious it already was, but clearly she intended to voice her thoughts and make things more official. It certainly wasn’t something he wanted nor needed at this moment.

And besides, something else more urgently demanded his attention.

As he rushed up the stairs full of amassing students, a spot of fluffy white hair bounced through it, ducked and weaving around others as it made a beeline for the front door.

“Nagi!” Reo called, and the boy turned, grey eyes piercing through the crowd like an arrow.

A figure passed before him, cutting off his view of the other boy. By the time the person had stepped out of Reo’s line of vision, Nagi had long since disappeared, leaving an empty space in his wake.

That distinct head of white was nowhere to be seen.

Reo clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Well shit.” 

The thoughts and wonderings returned as soon as Reo got to class.

Nagi Seishiro really was like a ghost, a mist that goes just as quickly as it comes. A split second and he’s there, and the following second he has disappeared once more.

Maybe my encounter with him had been coincidental - a one time experience that won’t happen again.

There was no way someone so noticeable had slipped past his radar for over a year.

Lost in his thoughts, Reo missed the angry presence that entered the classroom not long after he had gotten settled. Heavy footsteps marched across the tatami flooring, purposeful in their approach. A hand slapped onto his desk directly in front of the face, cutting him from his mindspace as soon as the person’s palm met the faux wood.

Reo glanced up, startled, and came face to face with a very heated Naoto.

“Oh Naoto, morning.” Reo leaned back against his seat, hardly noticing the angry vein that twitched along Naoto’s brow, or the palpable annoyance and irritation radiating from him. His thoughts continued to take their toll on his usually excellent observation skills.

“Say, Naoto?” Reo began, remaining oblivious to the other party’s emotions. “Do you know anybody by the name of Nagi Seishiro?”

“Reo, what the hell?” Naoto seethed, glowering down at him with his knuckles turning white from pressing against the desk.

“It’s weird, I’ve never heard anyone by that name before. I thought I knew everyone in the second year too.” He was staring up towards the ceiling, once again becoming submerged in his swamp of thoughts.

“What are you- now’s not the time for this! Listen to me-”

“I thought I’d ask you first since you also have a pretty extensive knowledge of the students here.”

“Reo!” Naoto’s other hand slapped down onto the desk, impact jolting Reo from his thoughts for the second time that day. Reo turned to stare at him, finally registering in full the angry boy before him. Naoto took a heavy breath, trying to settle his frustration so he could proceed in a more civilized manner, and avoid the stares from their classmates that were beginning to drift their way.

“What the hell dude? Why’d you leave my sister hanging like that?” Naoto hissed between his teeth, lowering his voice so eavesdroppers couldn’t overhear. “You promised to hear her out and then you just run off without explanation?”

Reo blinked at him, processing his complaints far slower than he usually would.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Reo murmured half-heartedly, as if his head were still in the clouds where his thoughts hung about.

“Sorry? Sorry..? That’s all you’re going to say? No ‘I’ll make it up to her’ or anything? At least go apologize to her and finish your conversation!”

Reo nodded, waving his hand dismissively. “I will, don’t worry.”

Naoto sighed, keeping his bubbling anger at bay. He removed a hand from Reo’s desk to pinch at the bridge of his nose, eyes following suit and shutting tightly.

“What’s going on with you? The Reo I know would never run off on anyone like that, nor would he skip an hour of class or be so unobservant it takes three tries to get his attention.”

Reo looked away sheepishly, fumbling beneath Naoto’s heavy presence and the crack in his facade that needed to be fixed quickly.

“I’ve just had a lot on my mind recently, I’m sorry, truly.” Reo said, dipping his head towards the other boy.

“Does it have something to do with this… Nagi guy you were asking about?”

Reo perked up slightly, opting to ignore the question in favor of pressing his curiosities. “Do you know of him?”

Naoto shook his head, finally straightening to fold his arms over his chest. “Never heard of him. What’s so important about him that it’s got you all tizzied up like this?”

“Nothing…” Reo mumbled, turning away once more to let his thoughts roam free, his voice growing more distant from the present. “At least, I don’t know yet.”

“Hm.” A displeased hum echoed out, filling the otherwise silent space with its vibrations. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here.”

Reo whirled around.

Standing upon the landing, just two steps above where he was perched, stood Nagi Seishiro, pale face illuminated by the light of the dusty window, white hair draping across his brow, those unforgettable grey eyes boring into his own.

“You!” Reo cried, almost dropping the bento he held in his hands, mouth open in shock as if he hadn’t returned to the stairwell with the sole hope of running into the living mirage once more.

“Me.” Nagi huffed irritably, sliding his hand against the back of his neck. “I came here for some peace and quiet, so what are you doing here?”

“Well I uh, I’ve been looking for you.”

“Yes I know.” Nagi plopped onto the step next to Reo, the spot closest to the railing so he could lean some of his weight against it. “You’ve been asking about me. Why?”

“You intrigue me.” Reo admitted, popping off the lid to his bento. “I’ve never seen or heard of the likes of you around here. Who are you?”

Nagi didn’t respond as he pulled out his phone, returning to the game he had been playing the day before.

An awkward silence settled over them like a wet blanket, Reo shuffling around nervously beneath it.

“Uh..” He began again, finding himself unable to look Nagi in the eye. “Do you not have a lunch?”

“No.” Nagi answered painly, not offering any sort of elaboration on the matter.

The silence continued, Reo becoming more and more fidgety with nerves the longer it lasted.

“Well, you’re a second year right? What class are you in?”

“Too many questions.” Nagi snapped, his voice miffed. Reo gulped, chopsticks hovering over his meal. Nagi only continued to tap away at his screen, all but ignoring the other person in the area.

The lunch period continued and ended with both of them in complete silence, apart from the sounds of Nagi’s game and Reo’s soft chewing as he ate his meal. The other boy stood and disappeared much like he had after their first encounter – without sparing a glance or an acknowledgement in Reo’s direction.

“Urgh-” Reo groaned, leaning his forehead into his clammy palms.

He hadn’t accounted for Nagi’s complete lack of interest in the face of his own keenness.

Maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would try again.

“Again?”

It was dejá vu – Nagi stood on the landing, staring down at Reo from above with that piercing gaze and tick of annoyance at the end of his left brow, his sudden appearance and looming figure settling a queasy feeling into the pit of Reo’s stomach and causing the bento in his lap to almost clatter to the steps below.

“I’m surprised you’re surprised.” Reo mused, keeping his voice steady in hopes of hiding the tremble that lurked just beneath the surface – tremors of excitement.

Nagi cocked a brow at this, the tick of annoyance that had been there before morphing to irritation.

“You knew of me before and if there was one thing you should have heard about me it’s that I am quite persistent.” Reo elaborated, earning an annoyed click of the tongue.

“Just wishful thinking on my part then.” Nagi muttered, settling down in his usual place just as he had the days before.

“No lunch again today?” Reo pressed, observing Nagi’s lack of personal belongings – other than his phone, of course. Nagi’s lack of response, while still harsh, was dealt with a softer blow than it had been previously. Perhaps it was Reo’s mental preparation for being blatantly ignored for 30 minutes straight.

He knew better than to try again.

It was becoming increasingly obvious that Nagi was a distant person, in a word. He was reluctant to the socialization Reo was offering, and refused Reo’s endeavors to get to know him better.

That only bolstered the curiosity festering within.

The lunch period continued and finished in silence much like it had the day before, with Reo’s mind spinning around strategies of how to get this other boy to crack.

The process repeated for a third time the following day.

Nagi rounded the corner with an exaggerated sigh, tongue clicking against the back of his teeth as he took his seat. He landed on the step with a heavy thunk, his displeasure with Reo’s presence expressed in every twitch and breath.

That didn’t deter him.

“Do you often spend your lunches here?” Reo asked, and was met with nothing but a wicked side eye, the sharp glare likely sent with the intention of tearing him apart. Nagi shifted his posture in response, leaning further away from Reo and curling tighter into himself as if it was unbearable to be even one centimeter closer to him.

Reo felt sick at the giddy pleasure that rushed through him. That was a response, in and of itself. While only one of many to come, it wase a small victory.

Reo fell silent once more, not wishing to push his luck with the little interaction he was given and beg for more. He was a patient man. Playing a waiting game like this one could only turn out in his favor in the end.

On the fourth day, Nagi never showed up in the stairwell.

Nor did he on the 5th, or the 6th after the weekend had passed.

3 steps forward 2 steps back, he supposed.

On the 7th day, his patience won out.

“Geh…” There was a surprised grunt from behind him, laced with immediate annoyance. Reo turned to see the very same person he’d been waiting for all these days.

“You’re back!” He cheered, a bite of rice pushed into his mouth seconds after.

“And you’re still here…” Nagi narrowed his eyes at him, their grey filled with malcontent. “I was thinking maybe you’d finally given up, seems I was too hopeful once again.”

“I told you-” Reo said around his mouthful. “I’m persistent.”

Nagi’s eyes narrowed impossibly further, mere slits in comparison to how usually wide and open they were. He glared at Reo, but it was as if his scorn was masking something beneath.

“If I answer your questions will you leave me be?”

Reo placed his chopsticks against his chin, as if weighing his options.

“Hmm…” He mumbled, dragging out the affair for much longer than needed. He needed time to tame the excited lurch his heart had done as soon as Nagi had uttered those words. “Maybe.”

“Fine then.” Nagi huffed, settling on the step with just as much force as the last time he had been there. “Ask away.”

Reo fought to contain the giddiness that was surely visible across all of his features.

“What class are you in?”

“2-C.”

“Are you in any clubs or sports?”

“No, too much of a hassle.”

“How did you know who I was?”

Nagi looked at him, frowning. “Thats a dumb question.”

Reo looked stricken, taken aback but he cleared his throat and continued on. “How did I not know who you were?”

“How would I know? Isn’t that a you issue?” Nagi pinched his eyes closed tightly, sucking in a deep breath. “I tend to avoid interacting with classmates.” He said with a much leveler tone than just moments before, the anger that had been rising quelled – for the time being.

“Well I can see that.” Reo said, not trying to hide the snicker in his voice. “I’ve never seen nor heard of you and many others haven’t either. It’s like you're a ghost.”

“And that’s my fault how?”

“Didn’t say it was.” Reo sighed, turning his face towards the ceiling. “Why? Why don’t you interact with others?”

Nagi shrugged, his focus on his phone suddenly much more intent than it had been. “I just prefer my alone time.”

“Bullshit.” Reo snorted, cheeks filled with rice once more. “Nobody goes to those lengths just for quiet .”

“And how would you know?” He snapped.

“I know people , Nagi, if you wanted quiet you didn’t have to make yourself a complete unknown to get it.” Nagi looked away again, his gaze darting back to his phone. Reo sat a little straighter, a wolfish grin spreading across his lips. “And I think you know that.”

Nagi was silent, not responding to the prompting and taunting Reo was laying before him.

“Why?” Reo asked again.

“Like I said.” Nagi said, words hissed through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw. “I just like my alone time.”

Reo gave a little huff, a temporary surrender. It was clear he wasn’t going to get the answer he was looking for today.

“Fine then.” He said, hoping to cut the building tension by switching to a different question. “What’s your status? You know like, what’s your importance?”

Nagi visibly stiffened as soon as the question passed Reo’s lips, dread and unease twisting its way throughout him.

He’d unwittingly stepped on a landmine, if the hardness of Nagi’s face was anything to go by.

“Trivia is over.” Nagi said, his voice a little harsher than what Reo was used to hearing from him.

“I promise to leave you alone if you answer-”

Reo was cut off by a cold look, and Nagi suddenly rising to his feet to loom above him like a foreboding tower.

Nagi’s grey eyes looked like they contained a storm, suddenly much darker than Reo ever recalled seeing. Flashes of blue pierced across them, an intensity and presence that made him shudder, and cold chills to run down his spine, sending goosebumps running across his flesh. Finality and anger rolled from Nagi in waves, subduing the threat and making Reo feel… tiny, beneath his glare – his stomach clench and his mouth feel cottony and dry.

“Yep yeah, gotcha.” Reo said hurriedly, shrinking just slightly beneath Nagi’s strong response.

Nagi didn’t say anything more, making his exit in a flurry of anger and harsh emotion.

Reo sighed as soon as his overpowering presence left the stairwell, the weight that had been pressing on his chest released, replaced with the very thing he had been hoping to rid himself of.

His curiosity about this boy had returned, only tenfold.

Reo found himself with more questions, more hypotheses and thoughts than he had started with.

How was he supposed to simply walk away now, leave it be?

This boy, this Nagi Seishiro, intrigued him unlike anything he’d ever seen or experienced.

There was a wildness to him, as if he were an untamed cat seeking shelter, and Reo wanted nothing more than to tame it himself – to see, to understand, what made Nagi Seishiro tick. He wanted to peel apart the layers of him himself .

And once he sets his mind to something? He gets it.

Reo was met with a blank expression from Nagi when he returned to the stairwell the next day.

But the elephant in the room remained unaddressed for the duration of the lunch period.

Nagi didn’t speak a single word, didn’t acknowledge Reo past a glance in his direction each time he entered and exited, for several days.

And after a time, he stopped appearing in the stairwell during lunch.

Reo waited, patiently as ever, glancing up the steps each time he heard so much as a sound coming from near the entryway.

For one day.

Two.

Four.

A week.

Even Reo can grow impatient sometimes, so he took matters into his own hands – with a little knock at the door of classroom 2-C the next time lunch rolled around.

The doors slid open to the sound of girls giggling and chatting, and he was met with four students.

The girls paused in the doorway after seeing just who it was they answered it for, jaws dropping not moments later.

“Mikage!” They gawped, eyes and voices sparkling with awe. The call of his name queued chairs scraping against the floor as others pushed away from their desks to see what was going on. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey,” he answered, smile bright and charming. He watched with a barely contained grimace as one of the girls near the front very noticeably swooned. “I came to find someone. Do any of you know Nagi Seishiro?”

The girls’ faces turned from starstruck to confused, Nagi’s name a foreign entity to them.

Some of them seemed to have some sort of recognition, but he wasn’t well received. Lips curled in distaste, and mutters were passed between them just low enough to be out of earshot.

“Why’re you looking for him?” A girl stepped forward, her arms folded over her chest, corners of her lips downturned in a displeased frown.

“Just had some things I wanted to ask…” Reo blinked, choosing his words carefully. He could see the jealousy darkening the girls’ eyes, could see the annoyance flashing over the brows of others – Nagi wasn’t welcome. He had a reputation of some kind among this group of students, one that clearly clashed with his own.

“He’s never here during lunch.” A girl piped up from the back, where she was watching the events unfold from the safety of her desk.

“I can’t imagine what you’d want with the likes of him , but she’s right. He’s not here.”

Reo gave them an understanding nod, a placatingly courteous bow.

“I see, thank you anyways.”

If he wasn’t here, then where had that sly cat run off to?

It’s not easy to find someone who wants to stay hidden, especially when that someone is already invisible to the eyes of everyone around them.

Reo prowled the halls of the school for the entire lunch period, forgoing his meal in pursuit of Nagi.

To no avail.

He came close, at one point, when he saw white hair peeking above the rim of a large perennial, but as soon as he’d gone to check, the culprit had already slinked off to another hiding spot.

Reo isn’t much of a quitter, though. If anything, the thrill of the chase was only becoming more so the longer it dragged on.

Why was he so keen on being alone? Did he have something to hide? There is so much mystery around him. He’s an enigma.

Such thoughts filled his head at all hours of the day, even when he was supposed to be working on his many assignments or getting closer with the people he’d been told to befriend.

His brain felt muddied, stirred up and unsettled in such a way that only one thing could return it to clear waters.

That’s why he found himself outside of classroom 2-C yet again, but this time in the early hours of the day, not long before the bell was set to ring, signifying the beginning of period 1.

He slid the doors open himself this time, not bothering to knock.

There, at the back of the classroom, lounged Nagi – his legs stretched comically far beneath his desk, poking out the other side and disturbing the chair directly in front of him; his arms were folded over his chest, hugging his blazer close to protect against the chill of the school’s air, and an open textbook rested on top of his face.

Like a scene from a manga.

Reo couldn’t help but snort in amusement as he scurried through the classroom in his direction, hoping to not draw too much attention to himself in the process.

“Finally come looking for me?” Nagi’s voice carried from beneath the book, muffled slightly and any expression he wore completely concealed. Even his eyes were completely blocked.

“How did you know it was me?” Reo asked, pulling an empty chair from the desk adjacent and settling in it to stare the other boy down.

Nagi let out a long sigh, weary from the trials Reo was putting him through. “Only one person would come up to my desk and you have very distinct footsteps.”

Reo blinked, sparing a glance down at his feet. He looked at them for a heartbeat, really studying the shape and size of them. “In a good way or a bad way?” He asked a bit timidly, afraid of what the answer would mean for his self-confidence.

“Does it matter?” Nagi grunted, pulling his crossed arms a little closer to his chest. “What do you want?”

“You’re avoiding me again.”

“Is that shocking?”

“No, I suppose not. But why now?”

“You did say you would leave me be if I answered your questions.”

“I said maybe .” Reo corrected. “And besides, you didn’t answer all of my questions, so the deal is off.”

Nagi gave another long, exhausted sigh. “Spoken like a true businessman. So? You found me, now what?”

“Well…” Reo paused. Now what indeed? “I want you to stop avoiding me. I want to know more about you.”

Nagi lifted a corner of his book, staring down Reo with a piercing grey eye. “You’re very forward.” He mused.

“Well, I know what I want.” Reo’s voice was a little unsteady, and he coughed up an awkward laugh to hide it.

Nagi pursed his lips, eyes narrowing before he let the book fall over his face completely once more. “Fine then.”

Reo’s jaw dropped.

“Wait, really?”

Nagi nodded.

“Why?” Reo asked, suddenly suspicious, taking his own turn to narrow his eyes.

“You’re kinda interesting.” Nagi’s voice sounded – amused. It was much lighter than Reo had ever heard before, much… warmer.

The warning bell rang abruptly, jolting Reo from his thoughts, and halting the satisfaction that had been spreading through him. He shot to his feet, rushing towards the door.

“Hey.” Nagi’s voice called from the back, and Reo’s neck swiveled around to look at him. “Bring me a lunch tomorrow and we’ll call it even.”

Reo didn’t have a chance to answer, as he was ushered out the door by the 2-C teacher and sprinting down the halls to his own classroom.

Reo’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as he sprinted down the walkways, shoulder bag swinging and bouncing at his side, and Ba-Ya waving him off like she usually did in the mornings.

Except this time, it was mere minutes before school began, and he could feel the additional bento rattling in his bag.

Jeez, why did he have to spend so much time agonizing over what to bring for the meals today? Who was he trying to impress?

Nagi was hardly worth the lost sleep and rushing off to school in a time crunch, or the odd stares he received from his peers as he burst through the main doors and rushed into the classroom not 10 seconds before the final bell rang – almost earning a tick on his perfect attendance record.

His embarrassment didn’t help the flush of his cheeks from running all the way there, or the erratic breathing he desperately tried to control.

“Reo.”

Thank god study hall was first today. The teacher was more lax with his arrival, and wasn’t there to see Reo run in uncomposed (though he did arrive just moments after). It was easier to explain his mistake to classmates than it was to faculty.

“Oy, Reo.”

What’s that hissing sound? He must be going crazy, hearing things after the flurry of nerves trying to get to class on time.

“Reo!” Sharp words were accompanied by an even sharper pain. A book slammed into the back of his head with a heavy thunk, knocking his face forward and dangerously close to the unforgiving wood of his desk upon impact.

“Ow!” Reo yelped, ducking his head immediately as several pairs of eyes turned to stare him down, drawn to his cry of pain. He gingerly rubbed the spot, tracing what was going to be a nasty goose egg come tomorrow morning.

Reo turned his head, sending a nasty glare in the direction of his attacker, the person sitting just diagonal of him.

Naoto stared back, his expression unapologetic, and with one book missing from the stack he usually kept on the corner of his desk.

Reo grit his teeth, irritation surging through his system. “What was that for?” He hissed.

“Oh, did my book manage to hit you?” Naoto hummed. “I wouldn’t have guessed with the way your head’s been in the clouds lately.”

“Pretty sure it’s been attached to my neck, like always.” Reo scoffed, still rubbing tenderly at the back of his head.

“If you’re a giraffe, then yes.” Naoto leaned back in his chair, not flinching at the tsk of displeasure Reo shot his way. “What’s up with you?”

“Don’t be such a nag Naoto.” Reo grumbled, turning away from him and letting his head rest against the cool desk.

His brief reprieve was quickly broken by another book being chucked at him, landing a heavy hit in the same spot on his head.

Reo whirled around with a scowl and tears in his eyes, cupping what was now a very sore mark.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

“Nothing, you’re making baseless assumptions. I’m exactly the same as always.”

Naoto narrowed his eyes, before casting them down just slightly, towards the base of Reo’s neck. “Yeah? Your tie is loose.”

Shit .

He was right. The knot that secured Reo’s tie in place, around the color of his polo, was partially undone, hanging just above his pecs rather than right beneath his adams apple.

Muttering angrily, Reo quickly pulled it tight, adjusting it to rest comfortably against his neck and fix up what had previously been a rather unprofessional and disheveled appearance.

Naoto and his stupid observations, and his stupid nosey ways, and his stupid arsenal of books.

“Why do you care anyways? I was just up late studying, I’m a little tired is all.”

“And that’s why you’ve been gone every day at lunch? Or why you were running late to class yesterday too? Or why I haven’t spoken to you in over a week? Or maybe that’s why you still haven’t finished your conversation with Mai?”

“Keeping tabs, are we?” Reo sighed, leaning back against his chair and letting his eyes fall closed. He could feel the beginnings of a headache pinching at his brow. “I’ll get around to it. As for the other things… I’m just busy.” His voice softened significantly, dropping the edge of irritation he’d held throughout the conversation.

Naoto puffed at him, skepticism flickering behind his eyes.

“You know you can ask for help, right?”

“Sure.” Reo said, eyes still closed.

Naoto only sighed again.

There was a pregnant pause before he spoke up again.

“Could I have my books back?”

“Absolutely not.”

Reo stood just outside the abandoned stairwell, two bentos in hand, his stomach a fluttering, tumbling mess.

Why was he so nervous?

All he had to do was open the door and share a lunch with the peculiar boy, nothing too difficult, especially by his standards.

But standing there now, he could feel his heart racing just a little faster, and even feel the itch to turn and run the opposite direction.

Swallowing his nerves, Reo pushed the doors open, stepping into the dusty, dirty stairwell he’d spent several lunches within. Almost immediately, he was met with the familiar sounds of a certain first person shooter game.

“I kept my promise.” Reo greeted as he rounded the corner on the second landing, holding up the bentos as if they were prized possessions. Nagi straightened eagerly, sliding his phone into the pocket of his ill-worn hoodie for the time being. Reo doubted he’d ever seen the boy move so quickly, or so excitedly.

It didn’t take much time to realize why.

Nagi was digging into the bento as soon as the lid hit the ground, stuffing his mouth full of pieces of expertly crafted tamagoyaki and balls of rice. All Reo could do was stare in shock as the other boy devoured his food like a starved animal.

“Tastes good, thanks.” Nagi mumbled between mouthfuls, his cheeks stuffed to their limits and resembling an overzealous chipmunk.

That was enough to cement his resolve.

As time passed, Reo and Nagi settled into a routine. Reo asked his chefs to prepare two bentos daily, and each morning would come to school with the warm boxes filling his bag, to later share with Nagi in the peace of the abandoned stairwell.

At first, they didn’t talk much. Nagi dug into his meals with quiet gratitude, and Reo let him be, as he’d learned to do from their prior interactions.

Days blended into weeks, with each of them getting progressively more comfortable and chatty in the presence of the other. It was always dumb topics of conversation, like the newest Shounen manga Reo was reading or Nagi’s progress in his videogames, but before they knew it, each lunch period was ending with more satisfaction than in just their stomachs.

Every day felt warm.

That stairwell, unkempt as it was, that had once sparked no emotion within him felt familiar, and welcome as he stepped into it each lunch period. Homely, in an odd way.

The stairwell was a bubble of personal peace, unbothered by those surrounding him, and protected against any outside influences. Reo was incapable of dragging his baggage and his issues into it, leaving them at the doorway whenever he would step inside to enjoy a lunch feeling much lighter than he ever has before.

It had escaped his notice, as he spent day after day, week after week with the same boy, following the same routine for over a month but – he’d grown fonder, closer, to him than he had to anyone before.

Sure, he had Naoto, and Mai, and several others who would rush to call themselves his friend, but he didn’t enjoy and seek out their time like he did with Nagi – the odd white haired boy who was all but invisible to everyone else.

He had… made a friend.

Of his own, on his own.

The gratification that came with it was unlike anything Reo had ever experienced before.

“Say, Nagi?” Reo interrupted the rant Nagi had been going on about his poor grades, about how his teacher had been pulling him aside to scold him after class every day. “Why don’t I tutor you a little?”

Nagi’s face looked blank and unresponsive, other than the light flush that colored his pale cheeks.

“I don’t need tutoring!” He refuted, face morphing into a pout that did little to hide the embarrassment dusting his features. “I’m fine on my own.”

“You’re so stubborn.” Reo sighed, watching as Nagi folded his arms over his chest and turned away like a petulant child. “It’s not a bad thing to need a little help. Just come back to my place after school today and I’ll help you get all your homework done.”

Nagi stuck up his nose, huffing.

“I’ll make sure there’s tons of snacks?” Reo goaded, leaning forward to prod at Reo’s cheek. Nagi’s gaze flickered in his direction, curious and relenting.

Food was always a good bribe with Nagi.

“Lemon tea too?” Nagi asked, slowly letting his arms drop away from his chest and turning back to face Reo.

“Lemon tea too.” Reo affirmed, grinning.

Nagi nodded his agreement, earning little cheers of triumph from his newfound friend.

“You never told me you lived in a castle !”

Nagi stood just inside the wrought iron gates, gawping up at Reo’s house. A long road cobbled with white stone led up to the main steps, a horseshoe driveway at the end circling around a rather flashy fountain decorated with non-native flora.

Reo chuckled a little at that. “It’s not a castle.” He said, as he led a dumbfounded Nagi down the path, pristine lawns and gardens stretching out on either side of them. He gave a curt wave to Ba-Ya, who drove off to park the car moments after.

“I don't care!” Nagi cried, stumbling after him. “This is insane!” Nagi wasn’t given time to stop and look at his surroundings as Reo ascended the steps to the front door. At least those were somewhat normal. Other than their length and size, there was nothing particularly different about them. In fact, they closely resembled the steps outside of the school.

“Before we go inside.” Reo said, pausing at the door and turning back to look at his wide eyed friend. Nagi had been hurriedly trying to fix up his uniform – as much as possible, at least. With pieces missing and a hoodie worn beneath the blazer, it made it difficult to really tidy up properly. The scene made Reo’s mouth twitch with amusement. “Try to pretend like this is something normal for you if we run into my parents, ‘kay? They’re kinda… elitist.”

Nagi blinked, but gave a slow nod of understanding. Guilt swarmed Reo’s insides at the brief droop of sadness that crossed Nagi’s face as soon as he uttered those words, his heart heavy at the notion that his words had hurt him.

They weren't his ideals, his parents just aren’t the most understanding people when it came to lower classes.

“Okay,” Reo’s face lit up with a beaming smile. “Let’s go.”

Nagi’s awe only intensified as they entered the estate. The high ceilings, with fancy lights hanging from walls or above head, ornate wallpaper and decor, were all brand new to him. The hallways seemed endless, stretching far ahead and branching off into even more endless hallways. If it weren’t for Reo leading the way, he might’ve gotten lost in such a labyrinth..

“We can put our bags in my room first.” Reo said as he turned a corner, approaching a door at the end of a shorter hallway. “Then we’ll go get the snacks.” As he spoke, he granted Nagi access to his bedroom. If it hadn’t been for the grandeur Nagi had already experienced throughout the other parts of Reo’s house, he probably would’ve collapsed right then and there.

Reo’s room was as large as the living space of a small house. He had the biggest bed Nagi had ever seen, with tons of pillows and blankets perfectly set on top. One wall had a bookcase, stretching to the ceiling at least a dozen feet above and covering every inch of wall. A ladder was attached to the top, and almost every shelf was full of materials of all sorts. Some were dedicated to textbooks and old school notebooks, others books on business, or literature classics and poetry. The shelves near the top had a few figurines scattered around, along with various decor and a katana. And finally…

“Are those manga?” Nagi asked, his eyes lighting up. Shelves upon shelves had manga stacked in them, from all different series. He set his bag down gingerly near the door, making a beeline for the bookcase. Reo watched him with a smile.

“I figured you’d like that.” He said, taking hold of Nagi’s bag and carrying it to his bed, where he rested it at the foot. “Over there is my gaming set up as well.” He gestured to a different corner of the room, one Nagi had missed after being entranced by the bookshelf. Next to it were cases of different video games, and the setup itself was expansive.

“You have all this just in your room?” Nagi asked from where he was sitting criss-cross on the floor, a manga open in his lap. He glanced around, taking in everything - from the television to the ensuite bathroom to the desk piled with homework.

Reo nodded.

“Just how rich is your family?” Nagi muttered under his breath, though his words were just out of earshot.

Reo let Nagi mill around and explore for a little while before clearing his throat. “Let’s go get the food, I’m starving.”

Food was probably the only thing that could draw Nagi away from such a wonderland.

The kitchen was just as big as the rest of the rooms in Reo’s house, though slightly under furnished. The pair settled down on stools at the bar, watching as the chef finished preparing the food. Almost immediately, glasses of lemon tea were placed at their spots, Nagi shifting forwards eagerly.

“What’s being made?” He asked curiously, after having indulged in a nice, refreshing gulp of his favorite drink.

“I had the chef make us seafood. I’ve been craving crab lately.” Reo responded, toying with an empty napkin holder. Nagi’s face paled as the plates slid across the counter to rest in front of them. He turned to look at Reo, looking crestfallen.

“I don’t like crab.”

Reo paused in cracking a leg, side eyeing him. “You’ve had crab in the lunches before, Nagi, but this is the first I’m hearing of this.”

Nagi pouted down at the plate of delicious, tempting food.

Reo hated when he made that puppy dog face - it meant he was about to ask for something, and he was about to give in to that demand.

“Cracking them is too much of a hassle.” Nagi laid his head down on the counter near the plate, looking like a wounded animal as he gazed at the food forlornly.

No, no . He would not give in. No matter how sad and pouty Nagi looked.

No matter how sad and pouty he looks.

Reo groaned loudly, reaching and yanking the plate over to him.

“You’re so dramatic, you know that?” He complained, even as he began cracking and pulling the crab meat out for his friend, gingerly organizing the plate to make it easy for Nagi to eat his food.

Nagi’s eyes glimmered with what would be considered a smile, though his face reflected none of the same emotion.

“Thank’s Reo.” He hummed, looking like normal and no longer pouting as soon as the plate was pushed back in his direction.

Nagi ate, devoured even, completely oblivious to anything outside of the flavors melting on his tongue. He really did like crab, the hassle just wasn’t worth it.

Reo stared at him, a blank look on his face.

All thoughts had been wiped from his mind, all but one. Any words had been removed from his tongue and throat, stolen away by the one thing occupying his thoughts.

Nagi had just called him by his given name.

A toasty kotatsu, blankets and jackets providing insulation and layers of warmth.

Papers splayed over the surface of the kotatsu, disorderly and jumbled, smelling of old books and ink. Textbooks lay open on the corners of the table in precarious positions, some already laid out on the adjacent floor.

“Nagi, c’mon, just do this problem.” Reo groaned, tapping at the piece of paper shared between them with the eraser of his pencil. The other boy was lying face down against the table, head hidden behind folded arms, white hair falling over his face. He whined in complaint, pushing away the paper and Reo’s pencil with a lazy hand.

This had been going on for the last hour and a half now.

The first few hours of studying and helping with Nagi’s assignments had gone quite well – he was receptive to what Reo was teaching him, and started to understand a lot of concepts he’d been previously stumped by.

After a while, he’d started to slow down, and complain more. Even when Reo brought out some snacks to incentivize him, he showed no signs of wanting to pick studying back up again.

So now they were here, with Reo pressing Nagi to just get the last few problems done, and Nagi’s stubborn reluctance.

It was getting late, maybe Nagi would be better off resting now and trying to pick it back up another time.

A knock at Reo’s bedroom door drew his attention away from his thoughts and the grumpy boy before him.

“Come in.”

The door cracked open, and a tall, slender woman entered the room, adorned in a fancy dress and heavy looking jewelry, a name brand purse hanging off of one hand. Her purple hair, which was identical to Reo’s, was tied up neatly behind her head.

“Oh, mom. Good evening.” Reo greeted.

Reo’s mother sauntered over to the kotatsu, her heeled shoes sinking into the plush carpet. “Hello my dear.” She greeted warmly, bending at the waist to press a chaste kiss against the crown of Reo’s head. The faint colorings of red dusted in Reo’s hair, from where her lipstick made contact.

Reo spared a nervous glance in Nagi’s direction, who had finally lifted his face from the table, but was still slumped over. His eyes were droopy and sleepy, and his face had red marks on it from where his skin had pressed against various surfaces for just a touch too long.

“Oh?” His mother looked over the unkempt boy, feigning surprise. “Who’s this, Reo.”

As if you didn’t know he was here the second you got home. Reo thought, suppressing his annoyance and plastering an appeasing smile on his face.

“Mom, this is Nagi Seishiro. He’s a friend from school, we’re just studying together.”

His mom nodded as if deep in thought, a finger pressed up against her chin. She stared at Nagi, brown eyes fierce.

“What a handsome young man.” She purred, bending over and grabbing Nagi’s jaw in one of her slender hands, pushing his soft cheeks together with her perfectly painted nails pressing in just slightly. She tilted his head side to side, inspecting him, and Nagi let her, not moving to resist her advances, but the wide eyed glance he shot towards Reo was more than enough of a sign of his discomfort.

Reo shook his head apologetically.

His mom dropped Nagi’s face, a pleased smile on her face and that happy hum still resonating in her chest. Reo flinched at the sound, gut twisting at the sickening smile that was on her face. He fought to not cast his face in the other direction to avoid looking at it.

“Sorry Seishiro dear.” She murmured, her voice sultry, and the ease of her use of Nagi’s given name sent another shudder down Reo’s spine. “I didn’t mean to look at you for so long. I was just wondering what you’d look like without this.” Her fingers plucked subtly at Nagi’s sweatshirt.

He looked shellshocked for a moment, before his face turned beet red.

“Mom!” Reo interrupted, standing from his spot on the floor abruptly. His face had flushed as well, but from what, he couldn’t tell. “We’re studying.” Reo’s breathing was erratic, and as he spoke he tried to force it down, as well as quell the heat that had risen within him. “Could you please leave us be?”

“Hm?” His mom turned to look at him, her eyes glossy. “Ah, sure. Study hard boys!” She backed away, finally exiting Nagi’s personal space bubble. “Reo sweetie, your father wants you to attend a meeting with him this weekend.”
“Okay mom.” Reo said, his fists balled up on the table and his eyes focused on a very interesting spot on the ground at his side. His mom hummed in content.

“Good. It was lovely meeting you, Seishiro.” She closed the door behind her before Reo had the chance to scold her again. The silence she left behind was deafening.

If it was hard to look at his mother, it was even harder to look Nagi in the face, knowing the embarrassment his family member had just caused. How was he supposed to explain away this one?

Reo found himself suddenly recalling why he had ceased in bringing friends over long ago, after his mom chased them away with her flirting or worse, lured them towards her. Only those she herself deigned fit to be Reo’s friend were safe from her habits, people like Naoto and Mai.

“Um…” He piped up, still unable to meet Nagi’s gaze. “I’m sorry, she has a habit of being flirty.” Reo fiddled with his hands beneath the table.

He chanced a glance upwards, finding Nagi still in a short-circuited state, his cheeks a bright pink and his eyes wobbly and unfocused.

Annoyance rushed through Reo.

Why?

He wasn’t annoyed with Nagi’s reaction, he knew that much. In fact he felt guilty about it, apologetic that the event happened in the first place.

His annoyance was directed towards his mother . Not for her actions themselves, as awful as they might’ve been, but for what she managed to do in mere minutes that Reo had not managed in the course of months.

Pulling such a strong reaction from Nagi Seishiro.

But now wasn’t the time to get frustrated for such selfish motives.

“Are you okay?” Reo asked timidly, tamping down the annoyance that continued to fester the longer he saw Nagi’s disheveled state.

Nagi nodded slowly, shaking his head to clear his thoughts like an etch-a-sketch. “Your mom is kinda weird.” He mumbled, screwing his eyebrows together. The tense air between them dispersed in seconds.

Relief flooded Reo’s system, the worry that Nagi had been scared away forever washing away with it.

“If you wanna head home now, I’ll walk you back.” Reo offered, shuffling the papers around into slightly more organized piles.

“I’m fine walking on my own.” Nagi said, following Reo’s lead and helping clean up the materials they had been using to study.

Reo frowned. “It’s late and dark, you can’t just walk home alone. At least let me wake Ba-Ya to take you.”

Nagi shook his head adamantly.

“You’re not leaving alone.” Reo said sternly, glowering at Nagi from over the kotatsu.

“Then I’m not leaving.”

“Fine, then you’re staying the night.”

“Wait what?”

“You heard me.” Reo pushed himself to his feet with an air of finality, moving to grab extra blankets and a futon from his closet. His movements were purposeful, accented with annoyed huffing to voice his displeasure without so many words.

Nagi was huffy from his spot on the floor, watching Reo move around with a frown on his face. “It’s fine Reo, just let me go.” He tried again, but was quickly shut down, and sleepwear and night items shoved into his hands.

“Come on, let's get ready for bed.”

It felt a little odd, brushing his teeth next to someone he was only just starting to understand, washing his face, dressed in nothing but his pyjamas.

They took turns in the bath, with Reo’s refusal to take one at the same time.

“It would be weird!” He said, before shoving Nagi into the bathroom to take one before him.

He hadn’t thought very far ahead, to how odd it would feel to know that, while he lay in his bed, Nagi lay just a few feet away. It was odd, but oddly welcome.

“Goodnight, Reo.” Nagi murmured from where he was comfortably tucked into the futon, already drifting off even as he spoke.

“Goodnight-” Reo stared out the skylight above him, at the stars twinkling just out of reach. They seemed brighter tonight. His tongue vibrated with unspoken words – with withheld words – before his desires got the best of him. “-Seishiro.”

Whispers floated down the hallways like a plague.

A heavy cloud of despair and fear hung over Reo,drenching him every step he took deeper into the school. His spine was stiff beneath his skin, prickling against his skin uncomfortably, and his shoulders were too tense to relax, lifting closer towards his head and shrinking the length of his neck.

Unease filled the surrounding air, becoming murky with the negative emotions pouring from those around him.

Jealousy.

Resentment.

Anger.

Confusion.

It was heavy enough, noticeable enough, to even draw the attention of the ever oblivious Nagi.

“What’s with the looks?” He asked, glancing around somewhat judgmentally at the other students who all crowded away and stole unconcealed looks at them.

“You’re a different kind of daft, Seishiro.” Reo muttered, a shiver rolling down his spine. A glance spared in any direction other than Nagi or the floor at his feet lead to him making eye contact with someone loitering nearby. Every gaze he caught was scrutinizing, pulling apart every inch of him for their own observation and pleasure.

This… wasn’t good.

Reo wasn’t one to stay out of the spotlight, if his admirers and recognizable name were anything to go by. But the spotlight he stayed in was usually a good light, one of others’ praise and reverence, one where he could do no wrong – so long as he remained in that circle and beneath the correct spotlight.

It seems he had taken a step too far, and was now within the wrong kind of spotlight.

One where negative attention was drawn his way, and one where he was at risk of having all the masks and facades and bonds he’d built being torn away.

“Huh? Daft?” Reo had to hold back an exhausted snort at the blank look of confusion on Nagi’s face.

A sigh slipped Reo’s lips as he forced his stiff frame to loosen up again, rolling out his shoulders and spine, wincing at the soreness that ensued.

The whispering hadn’t stopped since the pair arrived at the front gates that morning via Reo’s usual chauffeur ride – together.

And they had only gotten worse the further into the school they progressed, and the longer they remained within people's eyesight. Reo became only more and more aware of the way the whispers trailed after them in the shadows.

“Have you noticed? ” Taunting and judgemental words floated around in the thick air, like garnishes in a poisonous soup. Gazes dripping with envy and irritation were tacked to his back, boring holes into his clothes and skin.

“Mikage and Nagi…” “What? Since when?” “Who is he?” “Mikage?”

Reo muttered beneath his breath, voicing all the thoughts that were passing through the hurricane in his mind.

How could he not notice their stares? The unconcealed curiosity? What am I going to do about this? What if people start to hate me now?

Everything that could possibly be thought of in that moment was going through Reo’s head, and as human as he was, it needed an outlet.

That being unconscious, stream of consciousness, muttering.

Only the terrified side eye from his side was able to draw him back from his mind, drawing attention to his mouth moving of its own volition. His words fell to a stop abruptly.

“Don’t do that again.” Nagi said, his lips curled up in mock disgust. “That was creepy.”

“Creepy?!” Reo scowled, and suddenly all his worries were filed for later, pushed back to being nothing more than an afterthought. He jumped in place before pursuing the white haired boy down the long hallway, cries of indignation echoing after amused provocations.

The gossip and school-wide curiosity grew exponentially.

Eyes were pinned to Reo like a hawk on prey. When he’d slip from class to use the restroom, he’d feel the turning of heads and peering eyes chasing the image of his back out the door. Murmurs trailed after him wherever he went, completely inescapable, hiding within his own shadow.

It made sneaking off to spend time with Nagi almost impossible.

His time with Nagi, his quiet haven and slice of time and space he’d cut out for himself weren’t things he wanted to share with unknowns and unwanteds. This thing he’d found for himself, so refreshing and peaceful as it was, was at risk of being tainted by those who filled the rest of the world around him.

There was a reason he’d never revealed his friendship with Nagi, why he’d never let on the things he did during lunch.

He wanted to protect what was his, hide it from the rest of the world.

He wanted to protect his reputation, the light the school looked at him in, that could be altered by befriending someone unknown.

And maybe, just a little, he wanted to protect Nagi, prevent him from coming under fire and the attention of hundreds of people.

It wasn’t wrong for him to want to keep Nagi to himself and for himself, right ?

Reo’s mind spun at the speed of light as he trekked through the hallway, jumping behind garbage bins and into empty halls in order to avoid other students. His heart leapt in his chest every time someone rounded the corner or spoke a little too loudly, the hair on his arms standing on edge.

Nagi was impossible to find nowadays.

As soon as he’d caught wind of the gossip that was spreading, and as more attention turned towards him, he began to hide himself away, hoping to lose the crowds that stared him down and the few gutsy people that came to interrogate him.

The pair’s usual meeting spots were abandoned, as the nosy students had very quickly discovered them and taken them over in their pursuit of information or time with Reo.

Nagi had to get creative.

So far, Reo had found him lying atop the school washing machines, crouched beneath a sink in an outdoor bathroom, and wedged between a wall-length window and a rather large house plant. Every spot was more and more outlandish, and every time Reo found him he was reminded of how Nagi behaved almost too much like a feline.

Every lunch period was a scavenger hunt.

Today, Nagi’s spot seemed to be a little trickier than what had grown to be the norm.

Reo searched tirelessly, checking every place he could think of, but to no avail. Exhausted and frustrated, he leaned against the door to the maintenance closet near the second year classrooms – which he had just finished scouring through for the third time.

Where he was expecting a sturdy support holding him up, became empty space.

The second Reo’s back hit the wood, the door swung wide open, sending Reo crashing and tumbling backwards into the small room. He went with a cry, arms flailing for anything to grab or break his fall, but there was nothing.

His back landed on the unsealed concrete with a painful thump, the bentos he’d had in hand clattering to the ground. The darkness of the closet was only broken by the warm light coming from the entryway with a now wide open door.

“What was that?” Someone’s voice carried down the hall.

Reo stiffened, scrambling to his feet and hurriedly shutting the door – taking care in the last few inches to shut it as silently as he could manage.

He watched, heart racing in his chest and eyes wide, as the investigator drew close to the closet, footsteps halting just beyond the barrier, their silhouette marred by the textured glass of the door’s window. 

He sat with bated breath as they hovered in their spot, before finally turning and disappearing down the hallway.

Reo groaned loudly, letting himself slump against the now firmly closed door. His back ached and creaked where it had made impact against the ground, and he went to rub at the spot, staring disappointedly at the lunches which had fallen to the ground and very narrowly avoided bursting open to spill their contents further.

Why wasn’t the closet locked?

The maintenance closets were never left open, let alone open and unattended. Had the closing janitors from the night before forgotten to lock it before they left for the night?

Reo pushed himself to his feet, palms flat against the cold ground.

A sigh from the back of the room caught his attention, sending his nerves on edge. The hair at the back of his neck prickled, tickling his skin.

Someone else was in here.

The closet was dark, far too dark to see clearly into the back shelves from where he was positioned. The single rectangle of light from the door was the only thing illuminating his way. Reo peered cautiously, too nervous to take a step further inside. Another soft sigh echoed, and as his eyes slowly adjusted, a figure dressed in almost all white came into view.

Reo couldn’t help the smile that cracked across his face.

Of all the places he’d checked, of all the places he could have been – Nagi was resting here .

Reo rounded the shelves full of supplies, scent of chemicals and citrus growing sharper the further he entered. Nagi was slumped against a back wall, shielded by an alley of shelves, his neck craned in an awkward position and his knees tucked close to his chest.

Only after Reo noticed the chills running up and down Nagi’s figure did he realize how much cooler it was in the closet than in the rest of the building, and the A/C that was blowing in from a vent not far above.

Reo slipped his blazer from his shoulders, crouching gently over the sleeping boy to tuck it around his figure, taking care to cover as much as he could. He watched Nagi visibly relax as the warmth from the fabric spread over him, chasing away the cold that had been plaguing his rest.

Reo sat there for a moment, arms folded over his bent knees and his chin resting on top – butt hovering barely an inch above the ground.

“I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess.” His voice was barely above a murmur as he reached out an unsteady hand, tucking the blazer just a little closer to Nagi’s body, eyes fixated on the soft curves of his face as he rested peacefully.

Every inch of Nagi seemed to be at ease - his skin smooth and expression calm. He looked rather sweet like this, curled up and snoring quietly every once in a while; not at all like the apathetic, sometimes snarky Nagi Reo knew so well. Frown lines and concealed emotion were nowhere, his grey eyes hidden behind curtains of skin – nothing but serenity.

He looked so very human .

Reo withdrew his hand, standing back up abruptly. He left one of the neatly wrapped bentos at Nagi’s side, collecting his own before leaving him to finish his nap, no longer bothered by the cold of the A/C, protected from the storm of whispers floating just outside.

He couldn’t find it within himself to mind the shocked stares he received as he made his way back to his classroom - everyone who passed gaping at his break in the dress code - not when he knew it had been for a good cause.

And he knew that when Nagi finally awoke, satiated with sleep and the food waiting patiently at his side, he’d be able to tell by the familiar cloth bento wrapping and the soft curves of the letters RM embroidered on the inside of the blazer exactly whose words had filtered into his dreams.

Avoidance wasn’t one of Reo’s finest moments or best tactics – though the thought crossed his mind a little too late.

Hiding away, avoiding interrogation, spending less and less time where others could see and interact with him, not following through on promises or old routines… all were coming back to bite him in the ass.

How his parents hadn’t caught wind of a situation very quickly blowing out of proportion, he didn’t know, but he was beyond grateful for it. He wasn’t sure what chaos would ensue as soon as his mother found out.

Reo’s inattention to the subject had allowed it to fester and boil, growing worse behind his back, where he couldn’t see it, until it had woven into a ticking time bomb just ready to implode.

He might’ve continued to pad along, oblivious to the deteriorating situation, had it not been for Naoto’s intervention, who held a very firm grip on the collar of Reo’s shirt, yanking him down the hallway with his feet stumbling and dragging against the tatami.

His will was completely disregarded, any words or pleas that tumbled from his lips falling on deaf ears. His hands that reached to pry away Naoto’s iron grip were slapped away, leaving a sting on his skin and marring it with stripes of red.

People shuffled to the side, stepping out of the way of Naoto on the warpath. Dozens of eyes watched, wide eyed and transfixed.

Reo could feel the living cloud of gossip that had been accumulating over the weeks surge and swell as he was dragged along helplessly, threatening to burst at any moment. It hung heavy around him, all encompassing, swallowing this news of his fall from grace eagerly.

The situation was rapidly encroaching on the border of being uncontrollable, unable to be reigned in even by Reo himself.

Insults in a fit of anger flew from Reo’s mouth, directed at Naoto who yanked him down by the neck and treated him like a disobedient pet.

“This is your own doing.” Naoto snapped, pushing past the throngs of students into a different hallway, their hot gazes following after them. “If you had just stuck to the program we wouldn’t be having any issues right now.”

“ We? ” Reo hissed, still grabbing at Naoto’s wrists in an effort to loosen them. “ I’m the one being paraded down the hallways like the criminals during the Reign of Terror.”

Naoto scoffed, and Reo could see his whole body move with the roll of his eyes. “These are the consequences of your own actions. Your antics have gone on long enough.”

“Why do you care, Naoto? It’s not like-”

“Do you think you’re the only one being affected?” Naoto halted abruptly, spinning around and lifting Reo just a little further, so he had to stand on his tippy toes to touch the ground. “You may be able to turn a blind eye but what about those of us left within the gossip you’re ignoring? These stunts of yours have turned the whole school upside down, it's only a matter of time until it reaches beyond these walls. You know better than anyone else how influential everyone here is – do you really want to risk that?”

Reo blinked at him in surprise. “Well, I uh…”

Naoto rolled his eyes again, returning to dragging Reo down the halls. “It’s high time you stop pretending your little friendship you have going on is real. I don’t know what you’re seeking to gain through a nobody like him, but it’s time to put an end to it.”

A sharp pain sliced through Reo’s gut, a ringing in his ears drowning out the jeering and murmurs floating after them.

Oh .

How could he ever have forgotten? Something so fundamental to his life, to the way things run around here.

He was not, and is not, in control.

A little taste of freedom, of something new, and he had gotten lost, becoming blind to the bars around him and believing the world was in the palm of his hands.

It was foolish to think he could abandon the life that had been molded around him without so much as a word or warning, to think that he could go and choose what he wanted instead.

His paradise seemed suddenly so distant, the faintest taste on his tongue that he’d chase but could never indulge in again.

Reo stumbled along in silence, an ache in his chest where his serenity had been cruelly ripped away.

Time blurred as he was dragged out of the building and to the front steps, where Mai waited patiently. He hardly recalled as he was finally released and pushed to stand in front of the girl, his back left abandoned to the empty air as Naoto disappeared inside the school.

Mai’s words were jumbled in his brain, forgotten as soon as they were spoken. It was like a hazy memory as half-hearted apologies spilled from his lips, followed by excessive amounts of bowing.

The face of shock, anger, betrayal, and hatred broke through the mists of his mind, distorted and ravaged by the inconsistencies of time.

Reo’s life was nothing more than a fancy cage.

Carefully crafted, molded, painted, shaped, and stretched to wrap around him tightly, allowing only predetermined movements.

What worth was a songbird that sang while alone and tunes unknown? Or a puppet with broken strings, capable of free will?

Only the intact puppet and trained songbird are kept around – carefully crafted, molded, and shaped to suit the needs of their sovereign.

His life was a cage, but Reo had gotten a taste for freedom, of the air on the other side of bars painted gold in hopes that he would not notice them.

There was a certain sweetness to it, like the forbidden fruit that's riper than that which you’re allowed to taste. There was a satisfaction that came with deciding for himself, from chasing his desires, that he hadn’t achieved elsewhere.

The air was sweeter when he was with Nagi.

He could feel the strings suspending him beginning to snap and fray.

The cloud burst.

News of Mai’s rejection spread around the school within a matter of minutes, bursting forth like fire through dry underbrush.

Everything that had been festering and building, held together by the threads of some unseen entity, was finally released in one big rush upon the school, toppling everything in its wake.

Hierarchies and peace carefully built and maintained were destroyed, those presiding knocked from their places on top to join the ranks of everyone on the bottom.

Ground Zero.

In a state of mind too messy to even consider about how his actions would have severe consequences, to even think to conceal his rejection of Mai in broad daylight from the prying eyes peeking over the windowsills, he had unwittingly upended the school’s unofficial system and converted it into a battle ground.

Reo’s previous indiscretions were easily forgotten in the eyes of hope.

Hope to fill the void of power that had been left in the deposition, hope to be the next Mai.

Hope to be the one she was rejected for.

It was obvious, by the sudden change in behavior of those around him. What had once been mere curiosity, longing gazes, baseless wishes – had become peer after peer pushing into his personal space, offering their consolations in the forms of gifts and snacks, fighting tooth and nail to fill the void at Reo’s side.

Love confessions tumbled in one after another, filling his locker, his bags, his desk, and his time.

Each confession was full of hope, so much so that Reo felt a little bad as he drafted rejection after rejection, the words “I’m sorry” falling apathetically from his mouth more times than he could count.

Annoyed faces turned and stomped away, one by one.

There was never a tear shed, even as he rejected more people within a week than he had in his entire life.

It made sense – how could people cry in the absence of any true emotion? Why would they cry and lament something that was nothing more than a grab at power they couldn’t get without a pawn?

Reo Mikage, former star of the school. Heir to Mikage Corporations, handsome, rich, capable, charming – and no longer popular. Reo Mikage, “Mr.Perfect”, who rejected hundreds with a blank look on his face and no sincerity in his apologies. Reo Mikage, the top student previously adored by thousands, all waiting for their chance to get their hands on his money and power.

Reo Mikage, the boy who had everything, but nothing at all.

Reo’s fall from popularity was fast and silent.

It was difficult to notice the change, had you not been finely attuned to them before.

Gazes no longer followed him wherever he went, and the gossip surrounding the rejections, and his friendship with Nagi, slowly died out.

Interest was shifting elsewhere, and it was a much needed reprieve.

He felt the bars around him loosening, the strings snapping, his repertoire of songs opening to the possibilities of expansion.

He could finally go see Nagi without the fear of drawing attention.

And that was exactly what he intended to do.

Excitement coursed through Reo’s veins, pins and needles tickling his fingertips and toes. It had been weeks since he was last able to see Nagi’s face, and the last time he had, he’d been soundly asleep.

The winds of change were blowing in his favor.

As he jogged through the halls, he felt the air shift, from what had been much lighter and carefree recently to one more stifling. A familiar aura of anger and possessiveness swirled around his feet, lapping at his legs like a hungry animal, heavy with the desire to drag him down into its depths.

The sound of a falling desk came from beyond the sealed doors of classroom 2-C.

As soon as Reo entered, the darkness that had been insistently tugging and scraping at his ankles intensified, rising to the height of his thighs, forcing him to wade through the bog of another’s menacing aura. The air was thick to an uncomfortable extent.

Reo swallowed, chest heavy and breath coming in short bursts as he glanced around the room, taking quick inventory of the scene unfolding before his eyes.

The desks around the classroom were all empty, some of them pushed haphazardly to the side, disrupting the orderly rows and columns they were usually placed in to form a path blazed through to the back. Near the front, by the chalkboard, stood a small crowd of students, all of them pretending to mind their own business, though their attention was miles away from the items in their hands.

And at the very end of the classroom stood two students, both of whom Reo was very familiar with.

“Who even are you?” Mai’s loud shriek cut through the fragile silence, echoing into the hall beyond. Reo quickly shut the door, praying her shrill cry didn’t alert any other students, or worse, faculty.

Nagi was pinned up against the back wall, his spine pressed flat against the posters tacked against it, scowling down at the girl half his size. The hoodie of his sweatshirt was bundled in one of her hands, and the other was pointing a patronizing finger against him, the painted nail pressing deep against the flesh of his chest.

Nagi’s hands remained clenched at his side, and his mouth pressed firmly shut, taking a berating from the girl who held him hostage.

Reo felt his stomach lurch, his throat tighten.

“What makes you think you have the right to stand by Reo?” A barrage of insults and questions flowed from Mai’s mouth, each sentence slapping Nagi across the face. “A commoner lowlife like you? Do you think you can just step into his life suddenly?”

Even from the opposite end of the room, Reo could see the way Nagi’s hands trembled, and the way his knuckles went white. He felt his blood running hot, flushing his cheeks with red.

“You’re no good for him.” She sneered, pushing her face right up to Nagi’s, where he could smell her sickly sweet breath, and the gloss on her lips was in danger of smearing across his cheek. “All you’re going to do is cause suffering.”

Reo watched as Nagi’s body went rigid, his eyes widening with shock.

“That’s enough!” His body had moved before he even registered, a firm hand clamping down on Mai’s shoulder, yanking her away.

“Reo?” Mai whirled around, surprise etched across her face. Reo was seething, his muscles tense, every inch of him screaming to grab Nagi and run. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough.” Reo hissed, jaw clenched and teeth grinding against each other. “How dare you say such awful things to my friend? ”

“I’m helping you!” Mai defended, twisting her way from Reo’s grasp. “He’s a bad influence. Can’t you see how you’ve changed? You’ve lost everything because of him!”

“And let me guess, you’re better for me?” Reo stared down at her, his eyes cold and narrowed. “The only things I’ve lost are things I never wanted in the first place.”

Mai’s face fell.

“Everyone has worked so hard for your sake! You’re going to throw it away? For what?” She stepped closer towards Reo as her wrath grew, stifling the air of the room even further. “You’re going to throw me away? Your mother would have your head if she knew what was happening when she wasn’t there!”

Reo’s vision went black, his head throbbing with the flush of anger that surged through his body.

“ What? ” His anger was strong enough to rival that of the girl before him, but something swirled underneath – fear. 

If his mother were to find out, if she were to tell her…

Reo shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Don’t bring my mother into this.”

“Afraid of what she might say?” Mai taunted, unable to contain the smile that splayed on her venomous lips. “Afraid that I’m right ?”

Before Reo had the mind to respond, he felt something grab hold of the cuff of his sleeve, nimble fingers, warm against his wrist, tugging gently. The feeling of calluses brushing his skin drew his attention, and he turned to see Nagi looking at him, a pleading look swarming in those grey eyes.

No words were spoken, but he could hear Nagi’s voice clearly.

Let’s just leave.

Reo sighed, letting himself relax and the tension diffuse from his body. He turned to look at Mai, who was watching with her nose wrinkled in disgust.

“You are right.” He said plainly, starkly aware of the hand that remained firmly clutched to his sleeve. “You’re right that my mom won’t like it, at least. But that doesn’t mean she is right.” Mai blinked at him, shocked.

Was this the same Reo she knew and grew up with, the same Reo from just a few months ago?

“I’ll be choosing for myself from now on.”

Mai was shell-shocked for a moment or two, mouth parted, at a loss for words. She fumbled over herself, before her sneer made its way back onto her face.

“That attitude won’t last long.” She purred, before she turned to face Nagi, face contorted into sickly pride – as if she had already won. “You know.” She said, taking pleasure in the flashes of annoyance that speared through Nagi’s gaze. “Those who can’t last, don’t deserve to stay.”

Reo blinked. It was his turn for confusion to etch across his face.

He felt Nagi’s grip tighten around his sleeve, his pulse racing beneath his skin. Mai straightened, wiping at her shoulder to smooth the wrinkles that had been caused by Reo’s grasp, and spun on her heels.

She cast one last look over her shoulder, eyes leveling with Reo’s. Her eyelids were heavy, the look of a seductress plain on her face. “Don’t take too long to come back now, Reo.” She said, confidence clear in her every step as she strode from the classroom.

“What-” Reo’s curiosity died in his throat.

Nagi was staring straight ahead, his face sickly pale and a damp sheen along his skin. Reo was taken aback by the distress signs running throughout his face and body. “Seishiro…” He murmured, a frown donning his features.

“What’s going on in here?” A voice boomed from the open doorway. Reo jumped, hand instinctively moving to wrap around the fingers that had yet to release his sleeve.

“Nothing, sir!” He said, and rushed from the room, dragging Nagi behind him in close tow. “Sorry!”

Reo spared fleeting glances back at Nagi as they went, forehead creased with concern. He was so… silent. Expressionless, even for him.

Any of Reo’s frustrations and anger, his confusion and curiosity, had flown out the window the second he’d seen the horrified expression on Nagi’s face. It had made his heart squeeze, a fear rumbling in his chest of what had struck so deep.

Stares followed them as they rushed down the hallways, trained on their backs even as they stumbled into the abandoned stairwell – for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

The door shut behind them, sealing them off from the rest of the world.

It was only then that Reo let go of Nagi’s hand, untangling his fingers and letting it fall limply against his side.

“Seishiro?” Reo prodded, treading lightly, worried of stepping on a landmine. The other boy responded only with a heavy sigh, slumping back against the door, and letting himself slide against it until he hit the floor. Reo stared down at him, wide eyed, afraid to press for information.

Nagi’s head was in his hands, fingers threaded through his white fringe, concealing his face from the world. Reo watched quietly, respectfully, waiting for an opening, for any signs of further distress.

It was a long pause before there was any sort of response, which came in the form of a short, wry chuckle, more like an expulsion of air – his palms pressing into his eyes.

“I was trying to help you.” Nagi murmured, his voice wavering just slightly. “When she turned her anger towards you. But here you are helping me instead.”

Reo stayed quiet, allowing Nagi the space to speak his mind. Slowly, he sat on the floor next to him, sharing the door as a backrest.

“I was fine, y’know. You didn’t have to intervene.”

“You don’t look fine.” Reo pointed out, earning another strangled laugh. “Besides, what kind of friend would I be to leave you at her mercy?”

The pair shared their words in the silence of the stairwell, the sound barely carrying between the two of them.

“Mmm.” Nagi hummed, a heavy sigh drifting from deep within his chest. Finally, he removed his face from his hands, tipping his head back to rest against the cool wood behind him. His eyes remained closed, face directed towards the sky. “I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

Reo’s breath caught in his throat.

“Forgotten…? What do you mean? Why?”

“You didn’t see me for weeks. I still have your blazer, you know?”

“I had no choice.” Reo picked at the hem of his pants. “I didn’t want to drag you even further into my messes.”

Nagi only hummed again.

It was so quiet. Reo could hear Nagi’s gentle breathing, calm and at peace, and the steady thrum of his own heart in his chest. He’d have thought time stopped, if it weren’t for the specks of dust swirling around in the beams of light from the high windows, and the almost unnoticeable hum of fluorescents far above their heads.

“Thank you.” Nagi’s words broke the silence.

“For what?”

“For helping me. Twice. And for…” He paused, second guessing the words hanging from the tip of his tongue. “And for choosing me.”

Reo froze, his heart palpitating in his chest.

“Yeah, of course.” He mumbled, pink dusting his ears and the tops of his cheeks. “That's what friends are for.”

Nagi nodded at that, his expression softening, warmer than it had been before.

Maybe that was his version of a smile.

“Right, friends.”

It was quiet once more, though the cold air was humming with life, and there was a warmth surrounding them that hadn’t been there before.

Reo took the chance to ask something he’d been wondering about since before they left classroom 2-C.

“What did Mai mean?” Not a moment after the words left his lips, Nagi was stiffening at his side, and the warmth that had enveloped them was beginning to evaporate away.

“I’ve no idea.” He said, shrugging nonchalantly as if her words hadn’t caused the most pain Reo had ever seen him express. “It was something even I didn’t understand.”

He’s lying .

Something screamed at Reo, chanting it over and over again.

He’s lying .

Reo swallowed it down, pushing it aside for the time being in favor of grabbing hold of the warmth he didn’t yet want to let go of. There would be time to figure out what it meant, and why Nagi was lying about it.

“And you?” Nagi asked. “What was all that talk about your mom?”

Reo snorted a little. “The long or the short version?”

Nagi glanced at him, feigning a look of disgust at the prospect of having to listen to a long story.

Reo only smiled in amusement. “Have you ever wondered about my friends?” He asked.

“Well, no, not really.” Nagi mused. “All I know is that you have a lot of them.”

Reo shook his head. “No.” He said. “I don’t.”

Nagi only stared at him in confusion, so Reo continued.

“All of my friendships were set up by my mother, usually to help the family business.” He explained. “Like Mai and Naoto. I grew up with them, but not because I wanted to.”

“That doesn’t sound horrible.” Nagi pointed out.

“If they were decent people, then sure. But everyone I’ve known has been friends with me for one of two reasons-” He held up his fingers in demonstration. “Money or power.” He let his hand fall into his lap again. “That is until I met you, of course.”

Nagi frowned at him, turning so he could see him more clearly. “How do you know that’s not what I’m after too?”

“Well,” Reo said, smiling still. “That’s because you asked me for money the moment we met, and because you were reluctant to be around me at first.”

“What? That makes no sense.” Nagi demanded, leaning into his palms, just a touch closer towards Reo. “I asked for your money, doesn’t that mean I want it?”

Reo chuckled. “Nobody who truly wants my money would ask for it so openly. People hide their corrupt motives, they don’t share them.”

“Well!” Nagi seemed lost for arguments, a pout on his face. “What if you trust me and it turns out to be a mistake?”

Reo could only smile still, his voice ringing with sureness and clarity. “Then I will admit to my mistake, and ask you for a second chance.”

That’s right.

Even if it turned out horrible, if Nagi was the worst villain in the world and stole everything Reo had from him, he would replay every event over again.

There wasn’t a single thing Nagi could do that would make him hate him, that would make him regret befriending him and wish to do everything over again but differently.

Nagi could have all the second chances he could ever wish for.

And Reo would give them gladly.

“Oyyyy! Seishiro! Oyyyy!” Reo’s voice bounded down the halls. He felt giddy, as those around him didn’t so much as bat an eye, not bothering to look in his direction. The person he was trying to grasp the attention of, however, did the same.

Nagi flinched at the volume of Reo’s voice, tucking his head into his shoulders like a frightened turtle, but otherwise blatantly ignoring him. He picked up his pace, rushing to get out of the hallway and avoid a public spectacle.

“Hey! Don’t ignore me, you ass!”

Reo pushed past crowds of people, breaking into a light run to catch up with the white haired boy walking ahead. His inner elbow collided with the back of Nagi’s neck, yanking him forward, closer to his own eye level. The sharp tug caused Nagi to stumble, a shocked ‘urk!’ bubbling up in his throat.

“Reo…” The other boy’s eyes were shaded by his shaggy hair, grey eyes perfectly covered. Was he mad? Reo always found it hard to gauge Nagi’s emotions when he couldn’t see his face, especially his eyes. They were the window to his inner thoughts. Little beads of nervous sweat pricked at Reo’s hairline, his worry concealed only by the happy-go-lucky smile he forced on his face.

“You’re much too loud for 7am!” Nagi’s foot snagged around the back of Reo’s heel, pulling forwards, and yanking his feet out from under him. Reo fell backwards, letting out an unseemly squeal as he did, and landed on the ground with a heavy thunk. Nagi was staring down at him, a self-satisfied sparkle in his eyes.

“Guhhhh.” Reo scrambled to get his bearings, voice strangled from the impact of his fall. “Seishiro you jerk…” Nagi only snickered, and offered a hand to help pull him back to his feet. Reo took it, standing and brushing the dirt from the pants of his white school uniform, ignoring the shocked eyes that were staring them down. Reo gave Nagi a weak glare as he readjusted, huffing.

“Did you need something?” Nagi asked, his hands tucked in the pocket of his sweatshirt. He looked quite like a kitten, standing there with his head cocked to the side. All he needed was a pair of white fluffy ears to match his white fluffy hair. Nagi would make such a cute kitten, with those round eyes and his habit of following Reo around…

Reo jolted from his thoughts before quickly nodding in response.

“It’s nice out today, wanna eat out on the fields for a change?”

Nagi frowned. “Reo-”

“I know! I know! You don’t wanna be near a lotta people but hear me out! The fields rarely have people on them at lunch.” Reo put his hands on Nagi’s shoulders, shaking him back and forth a little too vigorously. “Please? Just try it!”

Nagi looked like a human maraca, his head lolling back and forth with the force of Reo’s shaking, his brains rattling. “Fine, fine.” He sighed, trying to stabilize his neck and closing his eyes against the dizziness that ensued. Reo erupted into excited cheers, and in that moment Nagi felt it was well worth his reluctant agreement.

“Meet me out there, kay?” Reo was running off before he could even finish his sentence, let alone before Nagi could respond.

I’m running late shit shit shit .

Reo rushed around inside the school, scrambling to get out with his arms full of a picnic basket and thick blanket. He was sure Nagi was getting impatient waiting outside, as it had been at least 10 minutes since the bell for lunch had rung.

He burst out the side doors, stumbling into the cool sunlight that brushed his face, squinting against the sudden change in brightness. Nagi stood near the edge of the closest field, staring out at it, his hands in his pockets.

“Sorry!” Reo called, tripping over the blanket as it slipped from his grasp, dragging along the ground. Nagi peered over his shoulder, snorting at the clumsy display before him. Reo scowled, puffing as he approached. His face was hot, splotches of red decorating his skin from the exertion of dragging the supplies outside.

“There you are.” Nagi reached forward, taking the picnic basket off of Reo’s hands once he was within reach, allowing him to regain stability and pick the trailing ends of fabric from the turf.

“Sorry.” He apologized again between pants, tossing the blanket down and adjusting all the corners. Nagi stood back, holding the basket as he waited patiently.

Kitten…

“It took a while to grab everything and drag it here.”

Nagi nodded, finally setting the basket down at the edge of the blanket.

“I noticed. What's in the basket?” He was lifting the corner, peering in curiously. Reo slapped his hand away with a click of his tongue, sitting down next to it. Nagi stared at him, taken aback, his stomach rumbling loudly as if on cue.

“You’re so impatient.” Reo grumbled, gesturing for Nagi to take a seat as well, which he followed with his own set of whines and verbal complaints. It was only then that the basket was opened, and Reo began to sift through everything.

One by one, he pulled out the food he had brought along for their meal.

There was a wide assortment of food items, from sushi to onigiri, chicken karaage and gyudon, tamagoyaki, and even chilled barbecue. There were umeboshi and piles of rice, and spam musubi, and even several tupperware dedicated to a selection of desserts. The final piece was a large jug of iced lemon tea.

Nagi narrowed his eyes at Reo, a look of skepticism etched across his face.

“This feels sketchy.” He said, folding his arms in the face of generous heaps of food. Reo paused in pulling out twin sets of plates, chopsticks, and glasses to stare at him unblinkingly.

“What does that even mean?”

Nagi’s face flushed bright red with embarrassment, his head abruptly turning the other direction to hide it.

“W-Well you know!” He defended, his ears hot. “It’s just odd. Why are you doing this?”

“Because I want to.” Reo passed over a set of dining ware to Nagi, setting his down on the blanket in order to pull his hair back into a loose bun. Nagi’s face had turned the color of a tomato, though Reo didn’t notice, more focused on finally satisfying his starving stomach. “So shall we eat?”

“Mhhmm…” Nagi mumbled, tucking his chin downwards to hide the fluster that had enveloped all of his features. He leaned forward, helping himself to the closest dish – sushi. The enticing smells filled his nostrils, replacing any memories of his very recent embarrassment with the desire to eat the meal presented before him.

The food melted on their tongues, each of the boys taking their time to try different dishes. While Nagi started on his end with the sushi, Reo started on the opposite with the tamagoyaki, relishing in the flavors that burst in his mouth like fireworks.

“Mreo-” Nagi managed behind a mouthful, cheeks puffed up. “Coan yoo paa ee camayoyaki?”

“Finish your food first and then ask for more!” Reo scolded, pointing his chopsticks accusingly. “I can barely understand what you're saying with your mouth full like that.” Even so, he started piling pieces of tamagoyaki onto his own plate, his words disapproving, but his glare fond as he watched Nagi rapidly chew and swallow, cringing at the sharp feeling dragging down his throat from trying to eat too fast.

Reo held out a piece of the tamagoyaki with his chopsticks, hand beneath it to prevent any food from falling onto the blanket. Nagi stared at it for a moment before leaning forward, enveloping the item in his mouth directly from the chopsticks.

A shiver ran down Reo’s spine, sending chills to his fingers and goosebumps up his arms.

He watched, completely transfixed, as Nagi’s lips - soft, pink, and supple - closed around the utensil, gently pulling back and taking the rolled omelette into his mouth. He smiled as he settled back again, chewing happily and humming as flavor spread throughout his mouth.

Reo’s mouth had gaped a little at the spectacle, lips and throat feeling exceptionally dry.

Nagi seemed unabashed, perhaps unaware of what he’d just done. Reo on the other hand was entirely affected, his stomach churning uncomfortably, shock coursing through his veins.

He drew back his chopsticks, fighting back the heat rising to his cheeks and the urge to watch it happen again .

Reo pushed his plate full of tamagoyaki into Nagi’s face, concealing his own behind a shaky hand, his fingers laced around his chopsticks.

“Take them.” He did his best to keep his voice steady. Nagi just hummed again and nodded, swiping the bites onto his own plate and digging in without a care. Reo turned to focus on the meal before him, his heart thrumming in his chest.

The pair continued eating in relative quiet, the clinking of dishes and gentle chewing constant interruptions to the still air, plus the occasional request for a certain dish or an offhand joke. They finished well before the end of the lunch period, stomachs full and about to burst, the aftertaste of cakes and desserts on their tongues, washed down with bittersweet tea, and content smiles warming their features.

Reo flopped back with a groan, his hand resting on his stomach as he stared up at the sky. Nagi followed suit, laying at his side with his hands resting behind his head in a makeshift pillow. The sun beat down upon them, bathing them in warmth. The breeze barely brushed over them, unable to touch so close to the ground. Drowsiness pulled at Reo’s limbs, from the fullness of his stomach, and the warmth of the air around him, and the satisfaction of having Nagi resting by his side.

A comfortable silence hung around them like a safety bubble, prone to bursting with the slightest shuffle or sound. Reo felt no desire to disturb it, watching the sky far above, a picturesque blue stretching well beyond city and treelines, kissing the earth at the edge of the horizon, only disturbed by the figure of a single black raven.

The moment felt ephemeral. As the clouds skirted past and the wind rustled the leaves of nearby apple trees, their buds just barely beginning to bloom, Reo was hit with a sense of yearning. He yearned for something he couldn’t quite see, and couldn’t quite decipher.

“Seishiro?” His voice was small, much more timid than he’d been anticipating. Tendrils of sound reached out, popping the bubble that had been protecting them, exposing them to the surrounding world. Nagi only quietly adjusted, his head leaning a little closer. Reo took this as a sign to continue, his eyes never leaving the heavens. “I…” He drew his bottom lip between his teeth, gently gnawing on it. “I want to start making my own decisions.”

Nagi turned to look at him quizzically, offering undivided attention in exchange for Reo’s thoughts. He flushed beneath the other boy’s deep stare, but suddenly felt a rush of encouragement and motivation to finish voicing his desires.

“I want to break away from this cage I’m in. I want…” Birdsong warmed the air. “I want to decide my own future.”

Reo had gone a deep shade of crimson, his face burning with the heat of a thousand suns.

It sounds so stupid, voiced aloud.

Reo wanted to bury his head in the dirt, hands moving to press against his face – a shield against the embarrassment of laying bare his desires.

Fingers that were becoming all too familiar draped themselves around his forearm, catching him in the motion.

Nagi had flipped onto his stomach, his stormy eyes stripping away everything that Reo was. Reo stared from the corner of his eyes at the soft expression on the other boy’s face, the little crinkle at the corner of his eyes of a smile that didn’t quite reach his lips.

“Let’s do it then.”

Reo’s pencil tapped repeatedly against the edge of his desk, wood against wood echoing slightly. The sound of his professor lecturing at the front droned on in the background, lulling Reo into a sleepy, dissociative state.

Stuck in his mind, Reo only stared out the window, a frown plaguing his features, the words Mai had spat rolling around in his head.

Reo clicked his tongue in annoyance, forehead creasing even further.

“Is there a problem, Mikage?” Reo jolted in his seat, turning to face the front of the class only to see the professor staring over the rim of his spectacles at him, and the students sitting in front of him turned to stare him down.

“No, sorry.” He shrunk down slightly, flushing at the giggles that sounded through the room. The professor seemed disapproving, but continued on with the lecture.

“Psst.” A sharp whisper sounded from behind him. Reo glanced over his shoulder, only to see Naoto trying to get his attention. He turned away hastily, pretending to not have seen.

“Psst!” Naoto hissed, a little more insistently. Reo groaned, and did his best to discreetly face him.

“What?” Reo’s voice was laced with irritation, words barely above a whisper.

“What happened between you and Mai? She came home the other night screaming about her revenge, or something like that.”

“Difference of opinion, I guess.” Reo muttered, doing his best to turn away from Naoto and face the front again, fearing another scolding from the professor. Naoto disregarded his efforts, continuing the conversation.

“Because of the rejection?” Reo glared at him. “Or, something else.”

“They’re related…”

“I’m surprised you had the balls to reject her, you know how she is.”

Reo snorted quietly, resting his chin in his hands. “You’re not angry?”

“I was…” Naoto admitted, staring blankly at the chalkboard ahead. “But I think I’d be angrier if you had lied to spare her feelings.”

“Mikage!” Reo jumped again, spinning back around with his head hunched. “Do I have to send you out of class?”

“No! Sorry sir.” He slumped forward on his desk, face burning as even more laughter circled the room.

“I still can’t believe you live in a castle.”

“Must you say that every single time?” Reo groaned, trudging up the steps to his front door dramatically, letting his toes drag over the lip of each stair to emphasize his point. Nagi muttered something indecipherable behind his back, which Reo aptly decided to ignore.

“Is your mom home today?” Nagi asked, kicking off his shoes in the mudroom.

“Dunno,” Reo replied. “She might’ve had a meeting this afternoon.” Nagi audibly sighed in relief.

“I’m not sure I wanna have a run in with her again.” Reo laughed wryly at that, sure Nagi was having flashbacks to the now many times his mother had cornered him to flirt.

Once it had happened in front of Reo’s father, and the icy glare he’d sent Nagi from the side of the room had been enough to make even the bravest men cower away. It was no wonder he bristled every time there was a chance the lady of the house would be home.

“Yet you still come by at least once a week.” Reo prodded, taking the time to rearrange their shoes in an orderly manner beneath the guest racks. “We could always go to your place instead.”

Nagi hummed noncommittally. “Yeah, ‘spose that’s true.”

Reo side-eyed him before straightening once more, adjusting the bag slung over his shoulders.

“Well come on then.” He broke off into a light jog, making a beeline for the kitchen rather than his bedroom, where they would usually visit first.

“Hey, don’t leave me!” Nagi chased after him, his socks slippery against the hardwood flooring, allowing him to skid around corners in his pursuit. Reo picked up speed, laughing as he rushed down the well-furbished hallways. The both of them burst into the kitchen area simultaneously, lodging in the doorway with their bodies pressed close, the extra bulk from both of their bags tightening the space further and leaving them immobile.

“Oy, Seishiro! Back up wouldya?” Reo was squirming against the other boy, fighting his way into the room in front of them. Nagi had his arms pinned against his side, squished like a cat, unable to move an inch as he surrendered to his punishment for being too hasty.

“You shouldn’t’a left me behind.” He grumbled, a pout on his face. Reo broke free and stumbled forward, allowing Nagi to collapse against the wall in his wake. The tantalizing aroma of a freshly cooked meal brought their bickering to a stop in its tracks.

“Hey boys!” A man was behind a restaurant-esque bar, back turned to the open room as he stood at the stovetop.

“Hey Juzo!” Reo said, grinning as he approached the kitchen bar with Nagi in tow.

“I’ve got your usual snack in the works right now.” Juzo glanced behind him to look directly at Reo, offering a kind smile. “Don’t mind me now.” His focus reverted to the various items before him.

Reo and Nagi settled comfortably onto the stools, letting their bags fall to the ground and rest against the wooden legs. The sound of bubbling and searing food, and the droning of the kitchen television in the background, filled the space with comfortable white noise as they both relaxed, letting their heads come to rest on the counter.

“I want lemon tea.” Nagi let his eyelids fall closed, the marble countertop providing cool relief against the warmth of his cheek. Reo didn’t miss a beat, standing from his place and walking into the kitchen.

“You know where it is, Seishiro,” Reo said as he filled two large glasses with the honey colored drink. “You can always grab it yourself.” Nagi only gave an exaggerated yawn in response, to which Reo huffed softly. He turned around, placing both glasses on the counter. “You’re such a princess sometimes.”

Nagi snatched up the drink, taking a long sip from the blue colored straw Reo had provided. It was nothing different from the normal lemon tea he served, but Nagi sighed blissfully anyways, his enjoyment written on his face.

“Hey Juzo?” A shrill voice echoed down the hall, shattering the moment of pleasure. Nagi looked at Reo with panicked, wide eyes, before dipping down beneath the countertop, doing his best to conceal his presence.

Reo’s mother strode into the room seconds later, her heels clacking against the laminated flooring.

“Oh! Reo. What are you doing in the kitchen?”

“Grabbing a snack is all.”

“That’s what Juzo is for. I don’t want you doing any hard work like that.” There was a pause as his mother looked at the countertop. “Two glasses? Reo? Is someone here?”

She began to walk around the counter before Reo had time to react, a look of dismay befalling his face just as hers lit up.

“Oh my, if it isn’t Seishiro!” She beamed down at him where he was huddled against the wall.

“Hello Mikage-San…”

“What are you doing down there sweet boy?” She purred, placing a hand on the counter to bend a little closer to his face. Reo’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“You needed Juzo, mom?” Reo interrupted, hoping to draw her attention away from the other boy.

“Hmm? Oh, right, Juzo!” She called again, her voice still high pitched and shrill as ever. Juzo stifled his flinch, sliding the snacks he’d prepped onto the counter for Nagi and Reo to enjoy.

“Yes ma’am?”

“I need four charcuterie boards brought to the living room pronto.” Reo’s mom straightened, wiping her hands down the front of her dress to pull any wrinkles from the fabric. “Guests will be here any minute.”

“Yes ma’am.” Juzo dipped his head, spinning around to get to work immediately. Reo’s mom looked down again, to where Nagi was still huddled, knees tucked to his chest in a fetal position.

“I’m sorry I have to rush out like this dear.” Her sultry voice and batting eyelashes were unsubtle as always. “I hope to see you again soon.”

A shudder ran down Nagi’s spine, and much to his delight, she trotted off, offering a quick farewell to Reo who still stood in the kitchen. Reo watched as Nagi crawled from his spot like a zombie, his face sunken and exhausted as he collapsed back onto his stool.

“I’ll talk to her.” Reo promised, more to himself than anything. He made his way around to the bar once more, settling in his spot next to Nagi. He gave the other boy a quick once over, checking him to make sure he wasn’t too shaken from the unexpected encounter.

Nagi seemed to have gotten over it quickly, new liveliness in his actions as he quickly started swiping his favorite items from the plate of snacks.

The nice atmosphere was interrupted by a loud swear coming from the kitchen. Reo looked up, searching for what had caused Juzo’s sudden outburst. The chef was staring at the television mounted in the corner, which had been playing since the pair had entered.

“What’s wrong?” Reo asked, eyes shifting between the tv screen and his chef, not registering what was displayed.

“Yeah, sorry.” Juzo said, getting back to work on slicing up an apple. “We just lost the game, is all.”

“Game?” Reo’s eyes averted back to the television once more, this time taking a moment to truly notice what was playing.

It was a football game, one with Japan facing off against the United States, apparently. A narrator was excitedly yelling through the speakers, chattering at high speeds about how Japan had once again lost the U-20 World Cup. A scene of the losing team danced across the screen, red and white jerseys huddled in a circle as many of the players hunched and cried.

“The U.S. under 20 team takes the cup for the second year in a row!” The commentator exclaimed, his Japanese layered with a thick American accent, grammatical errors tripping up every other sentence. Reo felt his attention slipping away from the words being spewed, all of his focus centering on the images flashing across the screen.

He felt dazed, sent into a trance.

Colorful confetti showered down on the stadium field, bathing the winning team in celebratory effects. Men in red and blue jerseys jumped around, latching onto each other, many toppling to the ground but retaining cheering, smiling faces even as they crashed to the turf. The crowd in the background was rippling with the ruckus they were making, posters and signs flashing, many of them joining in the enthusiastic celebrations.

Gold flashed across the screen, the trophy shining beautifully as a centerpiece, reflecting the red, blue, and white that fluttered past it.

Reo’s heart siezed at the sight.

Without realizing, his hand lurched to the side, grabbing hold of the hem of Nagi’s school blazer. Nagi paused in eating, his cheeks stuffed like a squirrel as he turned his attention towards Reo, whose gaze was still fixated on the tv.

Deciding my own future…

“Reo?” He called, voice muffled by the food filling his mouth. Reo whipped around to face him, the movement startling. His eyes glowed with newfound excitement, a vigor to his expressions that hadn’t existed as long as Nagi had known him.

“I’m gonna win the World Cup.” He blurted, stumbling over his words. Nagi only blinked at him in shock. “My future, it’s football. I know it is.” His hand clenched around Nagi’s hem further, tugging furiously at it. His purple gaze was intense, burning with the flames of determination. “I want… no. I need .. I need you to do it with me.”

“Reo, slow down! C’mon Reo…”

Nagi was running helplessly after him, chasing him down as Reo bounced from place to place, topic to topic, thought to thought. He’d become a whirlwind, difficult to track and difficult to tame.

After his grand proclamation, Reo had abruptly exited the kitchen, making his way back to his bedroom post haste, leaving Nagi to scramble after him in a dazed state of confusion, with barely any time to even register what Reo had said.

And here he was, chasing after him like a clingy lap dog as Reo tore through his closet, as he bounced between searching the endless shelves and tapping at his computer, as he shuffled through boxes full of hidden cash, and swiped through his phone looking at god knows what.

Mutterings spilled from Reo’s mouth like a fountain, words and sentences stitching together but completely incomprehensible. His field of view was narrow, focused only on the very items in front of him.

“Dude-” Reo’s shoulder crashed into Nagi’s, a sparse apology tumbling from his lips amidst everything else. “Can you take a breath?”

Reo straightened, turning to look at Nagi. “Huh?” His eyes were cloudy with the thoughts that crowded his mind.

“Let’s take a moment to think this through.” Nagi’s tone resembled one the professors would use when explaining a concept they’d explained 5 times already.

The fog slowly cleared as Reo blinked rapidly. He felt a weight pressing down on his chest suddenly, and realized he’d run out of air. He inhaled sharply, before letting himself fall to the soft plush of the foot of his bed.

Nagi stared at him from near the doorway, his hands tucked into his sweatshirt pocket. “Care to elaborate now?”

Reo ran his fingers through his silken hair, pieces of it falling from his grasp strand by strand, crashing into his peripheral vision. “Yeah, sorry.” The apology hummed from his lips as he slowly caught his breath and regained his clarity.

It was so easy to get swept up in the throes of excitement and passion.

“A football player, then?” Nagi asked, once again resembling a lost kitten as his head cocked to the side. Reo only nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, yes. The world cup – I want it.”

“Is that your future?” Nagi’s grey graze stared endlessly as he dropped into a comfortable squat, his butt barely hovering above the ground, elbows resting on his knees and his hands dangling loosely in the empty air beyond. “You sure?”

Shaggy white hair draped across Nagi’s forehead and face, framing those eyes Reo could never look away from.

Reo swallowed thickly, adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as he gave a feeble nod. “I just know it is.” The assurance in his voice startled even himself; he had never been so certain of such a spontaneous and wild decision before.

Nagi didn’t take much convincing on the matter. He trusted Reo and Reo’s intuition, trusted him if he said so surely that this is the thing that had been calling to him from afar.

But still, a devil’s advocate can prove to be useful during times like these.

“And your parents? What will they think?”

Reo stiffened, visibly disturbed by the suggestion. “Well, I..” If he thought about it logically, there was no way his parents would be okay with him abandoning everything in pursuit of something as unstable as professional football. No, they’d be furious. “They won’t like it.” He scratched his head, pondering. “But they don’t have to be involved, nor know. I want to handle it myself first anyways.”

Nagi nodded, satisfied with his thought process. “And football? Are you any good?”

Reo beamed slightly. “Never played, but I’ve always had a high level of dexterity.” Pride shone clearly in his voice.

Nagi clicked his tongue in faux annoyance. “What about getting on the team?”

Reo shrugged, leaning forward into his elbows, placed comfortably on the tops of his knees. “We’re an elite school, the team is probably shit anyways. I’m sure they’d gladly accept people of our caliber.”

“And me?” Nagi asked, eyes unblinking. “What makes you think I’m any good? Or that I’d be able to follow you into the professional league?”

Reo stared at him, shocked by the question he posed. “What do you mean?” Genuine confusion was plastered across his features. “You’re not following me anywhere.”

Nagi looked taken aback, struggling to hide the crestfallen expression that threatened to drown his features.

“You’re not following me.” Reo continued, frowning. “We’re going together. Side by side. Is there any other way to go?”

Nagi softened, the dismay melting off of his face. He huffed, a quiet, embarrassed snort from his nose as his head dipped in between his bent knees. “Right.” He glanced back up at Reo, eyes just barely crinkled in the corners. “Of course.”

It was cold, far too cold for how late in the year it was. Though the early mornings were always deceptive.

“C’mon Seishiro-” Reo sighed, forehead creasing with lines of frustration. “At least pretend you’re trying.”

Nagi laid face down on a field of astro turf, his face stuck into the fake grass, tiny rubber pellets clinging to his skin. Morning dew misted the field, leaving it a hazy white that almost resembled a first snow, and marking up Nagi and his clothes with water in the process.

The cold was warmly welcomed by the white haired boy as he laid out starfish style, huffing in annoyance as Reo pushed him to get back to his feet.

“This is too exhausting Reo!” His voice was muffled by the turf. “Can we call it quits? Find something else to pursue?”

Reo stuck up his nose stubbornly, clenching the football lodged beneath his arm a little tighter. “Absolutely not. C’mon we need to get the basics down as soon as possible.”

Nagi turned his head in the opposite direction defiantly, his child-like temper tantrum both amusing and irritating at the same time. Reo adjusted his stance, leaning into one hip.

“Will you stop that?” The lack of response was enough of an answer. Reo sighed, defeat reaching for him at a slow crawl. “What do I have to do? Do you want me to take you to the arcade tonight as a reward?”

Nagi finally turned to him, though half of his face was obscured and smooshed into the ground.

Elegant…

He glared at Reo with narrowed grey eyes, clearly skeptical. “You hate the arcade.”

“If it means you’ll finish practicing, I’ll suffer.” Reo’s bangs brushed against his cheeks. Nagi seemed to perk up at this, though his reluctance still showed as he pushed himself back to his feet, pock marks the shape of turf dug into his skin, and the tiny rubber beads clinging to whatever parts of him they could, dappling his face.

Reo let the ball fall back into the confines of his feet, trapped between a pair of brand new purple cleats, the ball itself marred only by a few scratches he and Nagi had made themselves. Nagi stood facing him, frowning and grumpy, but finally compliant. The ball began to soar between the two of them, maintaining a quick, yet steady pace as they passed back and forth.

For the last few days, Nagi and Reo had been arriving at school hours early and practicing football practically until the bell rung. Every morning was crisp, but faded into sweaty, uncomfortable warmth by the time class was rolling around, leaving the both of them damp in their brand new outfits.

Their improvement had been exponential.

It didn’t take much effort on Reo’s part to master the art of basic ball handling, and Nagi? Well, he’d had a knack for it long ago.

It started small. When things felt too easy, when he noticed Nagi relax with the ball underfoot, he started switching things up. They were able to quickly build up their skills from their natural talents, blooming even without proper care.

Reo felt excitement welling up inside of him as he watched the fruits of their recent labor. Nagi jumped in the air to receive a particularly high pass, letting the ball bounce from his chest into his waiting feet. A sliver of shiny skin peeked from beneath the hem of his baggy tee as it rose just slightly, sweat glistening along the ridges of his abdomen.

Reo swallowed – thickly, unconsciously. A sudden burst of irritation flowered in his chest and he turned away sourly, pursing his lips as he trapped the ball that was once again returned to his feet.

“What?” Nagi asked, using the back of his hand to wipe the perspiration that was dripping down the sides of his face.

“Nothing.” Reo muttered, ball tapping between his toes rhythmically. “Work on your dribbling.” It was the one thing Nagi had no natural aptitude for. Reo turned around, gathering the supplies haphazardly strewn about the field as he listened to Nagi’s rugged breathing a few paces behind him.

The irritation still burned within his chest, made only more furious at the constant panting.

Why did he let his mind wander?

To explain all the reasons he hated arcades would require a list touching the floor and a speech that lasted hours.

The stench, the dirt and grime, lingering body odor in every corner and greasy… everything. Not a single thing in an arcade was spared from the wicked hands of unclean gamers and children.

The arcade was not at all a place Reo would usually find himself, not a place he would venture to of his own volition, yet here he was.

He had to admit that seeing the joy sparkling in Nagi’s eyes, the extra bounce in his step, the energy which thrummed from his figure in quantities he rarely displayed, was well worth the pain of entering a realm of distaste and displeasure.

Reo hovered behind the white haired boy, his hands stuffed in the front pockets of his khaki shorts, eyes trained on the game Nagi was currently enveloped in.

A zombie shooter game, not surprisingly.

There was an itch of boredom beneath his skin, a need to do something , anything – just something that could scratch that itch and occupy him while he patiently waited for his friend to tire of the games splayed before him. 

A quiet swear and an obnoxiously bold game over sound drew Reo’s attention away from his twitching feet. Nagi tossed the plastic gun down in defeat, pouting. Reo stifled a giggle, Nagi’s child-like tendencies as amusing as ever.

Nagi turned and shot him a sharp look, grey eyes narrowed and brimming with lingering irritation from losing his game. “Are ya gonna stand there the whole time?” He asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“Watching you play is much more entertaining than playing myself.” Reo said with a grin. Nagi only rolled his eyes, standing from the stool.

“Well c’mon then, there's other things to do.” Nagi grabbed hold of Reo’s wrist, the latter doing his best not to cringe at the knowledge that they were the very same holding the arcade games and controllers that likely hadn’t been sanitized in a decade. It was a little easier to overcome at the warmth of his fingers against his skin, and the shockingly comforting feeling of his sandpaper fingertips.

Nagi dragged him to a different section of the arcade - the claw machines, a place he knew he could win at to drown the sting of disappointment at his previous loss.

“You gonna win us a teddy bear?” Reo mused, his voice airy with humor. His jest earned another scowl from Nagi.

“Who’s ‘us’?” He stuck his nose up, petulant like a child. “I never said anything about winning you something.” Reo only laughed in response despite the apparent insult, for the hand still wrapped around his wrist squeezed just a little tighter.

It wasn’t long before Nagi had a collection of random knick-knacks and toys, from stuffed animals, to rubber ducks and bouncy balls.

“What are you even gonna do with all this?” Reo asked, groaning softly as he adjusted what was becoming a very heavy basket in his grasp. Nagi didn’t look up from the claw machine he was currently at, his tongue poking from between his lips in his concentration. All he offered was a meager shrug. Reo sighed softly, and once again adjusted the basket in his grasp.

The game pinged, a rainbow of light flashing along the borders as yet another prize was dropped into the bin. Nagi’s ability to win each and every one was truly awe inspiring.

The other boy bent down to retrieve his prize, pulling out a ball of some sort – Reo couldn’t quite see past his lanky frame.

“Seishiroo, can you hold your own prizes now?” Reo grumbled, his muscles growing tired underneath the strain. He was met with the sudden sting of something smacking against his face and, upon opening his eyes, saw Nagi staring at him with a mini football in hand, the corners of his eyes crinkled just slightly in amusement. Reo’s forehead ached where it had made its impact. “Oy!” He shouted. “What was that for?”

“Be more grateful Reo.” Nagi said, tossing the ball up again just to catch it with one hand. He gave a gentle, under handed lob back towards Reo, who scrambled to catch the item. Reo glanced at him curiously.

“For me?” He asked, the mini ball sitting comfortably in the palm of his hand. Nagi nodded.

“Oh and-” He stepped forward, rummaging through the full basket of prizes before pulling out a tiny keychain. A little white cat made of acrylic. “Here.”

Reo took it graciously, barely able to conceal the smile on his face. “Thanks.”

“But you’re still carrying the basket.” Nagi said, and even though his face was mostly deadpan, a smug expression still shone through. Reo gawped at him.

“I can’t believe you’d do this to me! What am I your personal servant?” Accusations spilled from his lips, and Nagi shrugged once again.

“My hands can’t be full, I have games to play.” 

Reo gasped again. “Selfish! Selfish selfish crook!”

“What’s going on over here?” Reo was drawn away from his insults, and Nagi from his self-satisfaction, by the concerned voice of another. A boy was standing a few meters away, peeking around one of the claw machines curiously.

“Huh? Oh, we’re fine, sorry.” Embarrassment flooded through him. The other boy smiled, however, warm and bright.

“No worries, my curiosity got the best of me.” He fully emerged from behind the machine, standing before the pair without faltering. He seemed to catch sight of the little football Reo was holding, and his golden eyes lit up. “Oh! Do you play football?”

Reo was taken aback by the rush of excitement. “Um, yes, I suppose you could say that.”

The other boy beamed. “Me too! What position do you play?”

“Well we haven’t quite-”

“I’m a striker, or at least I want to be.” The other boy started rambling on. “I have fun in the other positions but nothing quite beats the rush of scoring goals, isn’t that right? Plus I get to show off all of my skills, and touch the ball the most-”

“Well-”

“Everyone always thought I was weird and didn’t want to play football with me, but I’ve found more and more strange people recently! Who would’ve thought that the best players in the world were off their rockers? I want to play all the football I can, the best football I can. There’s nothing I love more than beating players higher than me! Maybe one day I’ll be the best in the world!” He was breathless now, arms splayed wide in a gesture of grandeur, face cast towards the ceiling. Both Reo and Nagi stared in shock, ears ringing with the mountains of information that had been shoved in word by word.

Nagi was the first to express interest. “So, do you play for a good team then?” He pried, and Reo couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at the change in Nagi’s usual indifference.

The other boy seemed affected by almost nothing, not a hint of embarrassment or bashfulness showing on his face. “Oh! No no, nothing like that.”

“Then?” Reo pushed.

“I just play for my school team, is all. I prefer my matches with friends though.”

“What school?”

“Ichinan! Have you heard of it before? The school isn’t special or anything but our team has nearly made it to nationals in the past! This year is the year we make it all the way there.” The boy had his fists clenched at his sides, his expression shifting to one of determination.

Each and every thought and emotion were plastered on his sleeve.

He seemed to suddenly realize that he had been talking almost nonstop for the last 10 minutes when he asked - “Oh! What about you guys?”

“Hakuho…” Reo murmured, and as soon as the name of his school slipped off his tongue, the other boy went boggle-eyed.

“H..Ha… Hakuho?!” He exclaimed, taking a dramatic step backwards as if the final boss from a videogame had suddenly materialized before him. “So, you guys are rich?!”

Reo couldn’t help the tired sigh that expressed from between his lips, shoulders drooping in defeat. He was saved from answering when Nagi piped up.

“No.” He said, unblinkingly staring at the other boy. “But he is.” His thumb jabbed in the direction of Reo, and in that moment Reo was sure he’d just experienced the ultimate betrayal, jaw dropped in shock at being thrown under the bus in such a cold-hearted fashion.

The other boy, however, had a reaction quite different from what Reo was expecting. He laughed, and his eyes never lost their sparkle. “How cool!” He cheered. “The name’s Bachira. Bachira Meguru.”

“Nagi Seishiro.” Nagi said, nodding in acknowledgement.

“Mikage..” Reo’s voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. “Mikage Reo.”

It took Bachira a minute to process before he reeled again. “As in?! As in Mikage Corporations?!” Reo flinched, but nodded solemnly. “Your family practically runs the country at this point! To think I’d run into someone so important at an arcade. Oh, should I bow? Nahh, that’s not necessary.”

Nagi was staring down at Reo through narrowed eyes. “You never told me your family owned Mikage Corps.” He muttered, irritated lines creasing his usually porcelain smooth forehead.

Reo stared at him, dumbfounded. “How did you not realize…?” Reo’s slightly judgemental gaze earned an irritated stomp on the edge of his foot, and while not at all painful, the message was sent loud and clear.

“Oh! Hang on!” Bachira sang, jumping up to the balls of his feet and his hands clapping together enthusiastically. “My friend Isagi is here too! He goes to Ichinan with me, and he also plays football! Let’s all get each other’s numbers. You two don’t move!” Bachira sped off, earning an angry shout from a worker as he breezed past.

Reo stared after him, at the spot that had been filled just seconds before by Bachira’s rather overwhelming presence.

“I’m a little afraid to meet someone who is friends with that guy…” He murmured under his breath, but the boy who returned at Bachira’s side, looking just as confused as Reo felt, looked positively… regular.

“This is my friend Isagi Yoichi!” Bachira introduced, holding out a hand to the other boy as if he were an auctioneer. The boy, Isagi, sipped from the soda cup in his hand, watching his eccentric friend with mild amusement.

“Nice to meet you.” Isagi greeted, with a wave and a smile. Something about the slightly downturned crinkle at the corner of his eyes seemed almost apologetic in nature.

“Nice to meet you too.” Reo nudged Nagi to follow suit, who did with a simple nod of acknowledgement.

“You both have phones, right?” Bachira asked, dropping the arm of Isagi’s he’d had firmly grasped within his own to pull his phone from his front pocket and trot towards the other pair – both of whom pulled their own phones out in unison. “Perfect!”

Bachira snagged the devices from their grasps, quickly typing in his information and snapping a picture with each one – one with a peace sign and the other with a finger gun. He sent a text to himself from each phone and… boom.

Before Reo knew it, there were two new contacts in his somewhat barren phone, two new, slightly unfamiliar faces smiling back at him from the miniscule profile pictures, two new connections walking away from him in the middle of an arcade downtown, two new people he met since deciding a future of his own – correction, the first two people he’s met since deciding a future of his own.

How things change.

“Back to the games, then?”

“You want to… join the football team?”

“Please.”

The silence was deafening. Reo stared up at the coach of the school football team, sureness in his gaze and voice.

After weeks of practicing, both him and Nagi were finally ready to play officially – finally ready to start making a name for themselves and working their way up through the football world.

Reo’s heart hammered with excitement.

One foot out the door, one bar broken on the cage .

The coach stared at him with arms folded over his chest, sparing glances past Reo’s head towards Nagi – who stood just behind him with slouched posture and blank face. Uncertainty swam across his face as he gazed at the motley pair.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Reo said firmly, holding his ground despite the disapproval of the adult before him.

“Our team is strong enough as is, we don’t need any more players-”

“You’re lying.” Reo interrupted, earning the shock of the coach at his blatant disrespect. “The football team hasn’t had enough players to play in matches in ages. I’ve done my research.”

The coach spluttered awkwardly. “Even so!” He said, irritation growing. “We don’t need players who will only drag us down further.”

Reo snorted in amusement. “Trust me,” he said, reaching back a hand to slap onto Nagi’s shoulder. “Without us you have no chance, even if you had a full team.”

The coach stuck his tongue into his cheek, his eyes narrowing.

“Sure…” He murmured. “Fine then, let’s see if you can put your feet where your mouth is. Join practice on a trial basis today. One screw up and you’re done.”

“That seems a bit-” Nagi interjected, but Reo placed his hand over Nagi’s mouth, muffling his words and nodding his agreement.

“Deal.”

“Be out on the field in 10.” The coach disappeared from the office.

“Come on Seishiro, let’s go get ready.” Reo grabbed their bags and shoved Nagi down the hallways towards the boy’s locker room, steps rushing across the empty floors of the school.

“One screw up and we’re done?” Nagi mused as he was shoved unceremoniously into the room, and his bag thrown at his chest. “This seems a lot more difficult than you were making it out to be, Reo.”

Clothes were torn from Reo’s frame, replaced by those much tighter, clinging to his arms and legs, shorts pulled tight around his waist and shoes cinched onto his feet.

“If we can’t even manage this,” Reo said, using an elastic to pull his hair from his face. “Then how will we ever make it to the under 20 leagues and win the world cup?”

Nagi didn’t answer, glancing away to focus on getting ready himself.

“And besides,” Reo continued. “It shouldn’t be very difficult, not with the skills the current team possesses. It seems like they’re trying to scare us off, not that it will work. Once they see us in action, they’d be fools to not have us on the team.”

Nagi raised his eyebrows, disgust and disdain curling his nose. “You’re kinda annoying sometimes.” He grunted, and Reo returned the glare Nagi was giving him.

“Don’t be a baby.”

“Boys! These two want to join the team.”

There was a collective snickering from the few gathered on the team, each of them watching Reo and Nagi with sneering eyes, wolfish and scrutinizing. Reo’s gaze fell over them, observing the way they swapped whispered words and tore them apart piece by little piece.

The captain of the team stood near the front, arms folded and legs spread wide in a stance that could only be described as douchey. Reo grimaced.

A lot of the behavior the pair had been seeing since first approaching the coach of the football team suddenly clicked into place.

Tetsu Koide.

He was a well known entity within the school, just like most of the students, but his reputations preceded him as a “head-over-heels”, “would-do-anything-for-her” type of guy.

And much to Reo’s misfortune, that girl that Koide was in love with and would do anything for was none other than Kirishima Mai.

It's safe to say that there was some tension between the two.

Koide, who had been rejected by Mai countless times, had his grievances locked onto Reo. After Reo rejected Mai, Koide had been none too pleased.

It was no wonder the coach had been reluctant to offer the pair a chance to join the team, despite there being two empty spots and zero interest from other parties. It made sense that the other players were dismissive of them the second they had set foot onto the turf.

Not a single one liked Reo, and Nagi for his association with him.

Luckily for them, football didn’t care about individual feelings and emotions. Skill could overlap what people thought in a heartbeat.

All they needed to do was play like they normally did, and it would be smooth sailing.

“Let’s see what you can do.” Koide goaded, and with that, the ReoNagi trials began.

The pair were thrown into a scrimmage with hardly more than a minute to stretch and warm up, playing four to four.

Reo and Nagi were given two members from the existing team to serve as their goalie and defense, though they couldn’t expect much in the way of help from that corner.

It was more like two against four, or perhaps, two against six.

Within minutes Reo was certain that he had been correct – the school football team was nothing to marvel at. Their basic skills needed work, and only their current star player, that being the captain of the team, had any redeeming qualities.

It was easy to outshine dull pawns with exceptionality.

Smug satisfaction mulled in Reo’s gut as the jaws of the players, and even the coach, dropped in the face of their playing, only able to track with their eyes as they soared across the field in unified streaks of purple and blue.

Thrill rushed through Reo’s chest as he watched Koide stumble at one of Nagi’s traps, capable of amazing even Reo, who saw them in action constantly. The score crept a little higher, the gap widening each time the pair shared a triumphant high five, supercilious in the face of such mediocrity.

Koide lay on the ground at their feet, glaring up at them with poison dripping from his gaze, hatred twisting the lines of his face.

Even their better players couldn’t keep up with Nagi’s magical feet.

Reo and Nagi stared down at him, expressionless.

“How?” Koide seethed, his fists balled up against the turf, clutching at air.

“We’re simply better than you.” Nagi’s glib answer cut through like a knife, serrating the last of Koide’s pride, and adding to the rush of Reo’s own that was making him light headed and dizzy.

It was entirely expected when the coach and captain finally relented, reluctantly agreeing to add Reo and Nagi to the team, unable to deny their skills and ability to take them far in the tournaments.

“See? First hurdle wasn’t so hard.” Reo quipped, jabbing his elbow into Nagi’s ribs. Sweat dampened their brows, though neither were forced to work their limits.

Nagi, for one, was grateful.

He sighed, rubbing his ribs where Reo had nudged him. “Would’ve been easier if they hadn’t tried six against two.” He was pouting grumpily.

Reo only laughed, sloughing any annoyance with a shrug of his shoulders. “Who cares? What better way to prove we’re better than them?” He jumped a pace ahead, spinning on the balls of his feet to face Nagi head on. “We’re one step closer to the World Cup. Can you feel it, Sei?”

Nagi rolled his eyes, the corners crinkling in amusement. “Yup.” He hummed. “I can practically feel the exhaustion already.”

Reo jabbed him in the side again, earning a hurk of pain from the other boy.

Reo scampered off ahead of him, laughter rumbling in his chest as he avoided the retribution Nagi sought, making a beeline for the safety of the locker room as Nagi chased him down with outstretched hands.

Bap.

Reo’s fingers flew over the screen of his phone – swiping, scrolling, typing…

Bap.

Nagi: look, just got the high score in this game

Reo: If you’d just put the same energy into football as you do into video games…

Nagi: *sent a pouting alien emoji*

Nagi: are my sweat and tears not enough for you boss?

Reo smiled at his phone.

Reo: I’m only teasing, it’s more than enough.

Bap. Bap.

Nagi: *sent an alien holding up a peace sign emoji*

Nagi: Seishiro out. Don’t let the evil witch of the east kill you.

Reo: She’s still my mom you know.

Reo: Also that was so wrong… Wicked Witch of the West .

Nagi: wtv

Nagi: Seishiro out

Nagi: *sent an alien holding up a peace sign emoji*

Bap.

“Reoooo?” A shrill voice cut through the still house. Reo startled, losing control of the football that had been carefully bouncing between his feet. It flew off to the side, smacking against the leg of his bed frame with a thud.

Speak of the devil.

The door swung wide open, his mother striding through without so much as a knock. Reo watched in horror as the rolling ball slowed to a stop at her feet.

“What’s this?” She asked, looking down her nose at the item with unconcealed disgust.

“A football…” Reo murmured, rushing over to snatch it from its position, and return it to its spot next to his desk.

“A football? What on earth for?”

“To play football.” Reo didn’t dare turn to meet her gaze, busying himself with tidying his already pristine bedroom.

His mother only hummed, fingers tapping against her skin where her hands were perched on her waist.

“There’s no need for that.” She said. “Your studies are much more important than a silly sport. Though I know you know that. I’m sure you weren’t planning on joining any teams or anything, it's just a hobby, right?” Her gaze was sharp, searching for any weaknesses.

Nervous sweat beaded at the nape of Reo’s neck, and he nodded slowly, hoping to appease his mother, and draw her attention away from the subject. He finally turned to face her as he settled on the end of his bed.

“Did you need something Mom?”

“Right!” She clapped her hands together, eyes lighting up with excitement. “I wanted to ask you what you thought of Little Mai.” The term of endearment slipped from her tongue so easily, jarring and painful against Reo’s eardrums.

“What do you mean?” He asked, perplexed by the sudden interest. “My opinion of her hasn’t changed over the years.”

Reo’s mom huffed impatiently, leaning into the hand on her hip. “I mean~” Her sultry tone was grating. It always meant she was up to no good. “Have you considered ending your friendship with her?”

Reo’s eyes widened in shock. Did she already know that he had burned the bridge between himself and Mai? “Uhh.. no.” He treaded carefully, fearful for what his responses may inadvertently reveal. “But you were the one who pushed our friendship in the first place, why the sudden change of heart?”

Another impatient huff passed between his mother’s painted lips, cherry red in her efforts to cling to fading youth. “Gosh Reo, you can be quite daft sometimes. Ending your friendship in favor of something else, something more?”

A look of realization dawned on Reo’s face, a self-satisfied smile painting across his mother’s face.

“The Kirishima's are important clients of ours, you know.” She seated herself on the edge of Reo’s gaming desk, the wood creaking beneath her settling weight. “It’s important that we maintain good relations with them for the foreseeable future, but good can always be better.” The tip of her finger tapped against the tip of her nose, a motion she always did when she had one of her brilliant ideas.

Reo floundered like a fish out of water, searching for the proper response to his mother’s proposal, and the proper way to hide the anxiety that was crawling up his throat.

“You want me to date her?” He asked, his voice coiled tightly around the bitter taste of disgust.

His mother nodded. “Date to marry, of course. I can’t have you breaking the heart of my future daughter-in-law.” She rose from her seat, striding to where Reo was seated and taking his chin between her thumb and pointer. Her nails dug into his soft skin, leaving marks the shapes of crescents along his jawline. “Do you understand, Reo?” She held him tightly, preventing him from turning away or shaking off her grip. She gazed at him with intensity, her bright eyes a cold flame that threatened to overtake him. He could only give a stiff nod, restricted in his movements by her unyielding grip.

“Good.” Her purr resonated from her chest, the lack of sincerity chilling. “I’ll be off then.” She released his chin, straightening her back. “I have a meeting to go to. I expect good news soon, Reo.”

He watched, with a sinking feeling in his gut as she left his room, warmth failing to return to him, the clacking of heels against the varnish slowly melting into the distance.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on the complexities of his mother’s expectations.

Not with a change in the years, seasons, and winds right around the corner.

Before he knew it, the end of year 2 came to pass, and they waved goodbye to their seniors and said hello to their new classrooms, new kouhais, and new status.

It wasn’t that big of a deal, at least not to him.

What was more important was the freetime that came with the break from school.

Time for football practices.

Despite the blistering sun and sweltering heat, Reo and Nagi attended every day, playing alongside their new teammates and slowly perfecting the ReoNagi centered strategies.

Every day ended in sweaty, melting, blubbery messes, with both Reo and Nagi fleeing for any ounce of shade they could find, and collapsing there to down whatever was left in their water bottles.

Nagi was less in shape than Reo was, despite appearances. Each day after practice, his breathing was heavier, more laborious. Sometimes, he’d break into fits of coughing, and struggle to cool himself down – in which times Reo was forced to strip whatever layers he could and fan him down.

“Geez.” Reo groaned, plopping down on the cool grass next to Nagi, splayed out like a cadaver. “Your body has terrible temperature regulation.” Fighting the heat on his own was difficult enough without having to fight it for an extra body.

“Tell me about it…” Nagi breathed, his chest still rising and falling rapidly as he fought to catch his breath. “Blame the weather… who trains in 38 degrees anyways?”

Reo chuckled, flopping onto his back and splaying out starfish style, just as Nagi was.

“Dumbasses and fools.” He sighed, eyes fluttering closed, heavy with exertion.

The cool breeze washed over them, a much needed reprieve from the unrelenting warmth, but fleeting with its touches, barely blowing the waves of heat that swarmed them.

“Let’s grab some ice lollies on the way home.”

“Sounds good.”

Normally, Reo would never find himself at a streetside convenience store. He barely knew where they were, let alone how to navigate inside of them. But in times like these, the frozen treats they provided were more than fit for a king.

All it took was some guidance from Nagi on the way of commoners, and the pair were sitting on the steps of the store, lemon and matcha ice creams in their hands.

Sweet coolness bathed their tongues each time it passed over the popsicles, providing immediate relief from the inside out. Reo relished in the flavor and temperature.

“I understand why people do this.” He hummed, leaning back onto one of his hands, propped up on the cement behind him. His head was tilted, a bead of sweat cresting down the side of his neck. “A cold popsicle on a hot day is amazing.”

Sticky liquid dripped from the green treat in his hand, slipping down the stick and onto his hand.

“Shoot.” He hissed, tilting his head back up to inspect the damage.

Without warning, Nagi leaned over, flicking his pink tongue from between pert lips, and letting it swipe away the melting dessert.

Reo stared in shock, a wet stripe against his hand where the ice cream had once been, as Nagi sat back, licking his lips.

“I don’t really like matcha.” He said with a frown.

Reo was stuttering, voice lost to the faint breezes.

“Get strawberry or something next time, something that will actually taste good.”

“Eh!?” Reo cried, his face warming to a temperature even hotter than the surrounding air, and turning redder than the sunburns that decorated the skin of passers by.

Things progressed smoothly.

With each football practice, both Reo and Nagi saw improvements in their skills, and even minute improvements in those of their teammates. Reo’s excitement for the future only swelled each time they learned a new trick or tactic.

He could feel the gold metal of the World Cup trophy inching closer and closer to his outstretched fingertips.

The beginning of his third year in high school came along, and just as before, Reo studied to remain at the top of his class. Only this time, nobody smothered him with their praise and favor.

Nobody cared about his achievements, and despite how lonely it sounded, there was nothing Reo welcomed more.

Rumors of his friendship with Nagi had become a distant memory – nobody even blinked an eye when they saw the pair walking the halls in the mornings or during lunch. The drama that had unfolded with Mai was all but forgotten, even Mai herself seemed more lax these days, in the sense that she wasn’t attacking either of them like she had when it was still fresh in everyone’s minds. She had resorted to side eyed glares in Nagi’s direction – not that Nagi even noticed.

The dust had settled, and there was peace. It was different from what had been peaceful before, but it was so nonetheless.

But peace doesn’t last long.

Or rather, the peace on the surface had a storm brewing beneath it, just out of view, preparing to erupt when everyone least expected it.

Autumn winds blew into the city, dusting the streets with fallen leaves, and replacing the lasting heat of summer with twinges of cold.

A face Reo hadn’t seen in ages, hadn’t spoken to since the spring before, appeared in his peripherals as he headed to class early one morning.

“Naoto? What are you doing here?” Reo’s voice was terse, uninviting. There was no need to maintain a front anymore.

Naoto dipped his head in a show of respect, the scarf wrapped around his neck billowing in the wind.

“I have something to tell you, please hear me out.”

Reo looked at him skeptically, frowning into the wool pressing up against his face. “Why should I listen?”

“It’s important.” Naoto urged, and Reo relented, stopping in his tracks and stepping to the side of the walkway, where Naoto could catch his breath to speak.

“What’s this about?” He asked, hands finding their way into the pockets of his blazer.

“It’s about Mai.” 

Reo stiffened.

“What about her?”

“I think she’s planning on doing something, something bad .”

“What could she possibly do?” He asked, a scoff in his voice. 

Naoto shook his head irritably. “You know as well as I do what she’s like when she feels betrayed. I don't know what she’s thinking exactly, but I don’t think it’ll go well for you.”

Reo sat on the thought for a moment.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Naoto blinked up at him in surprise, his dark eyes round. “What do you mean?”

Reo frowned, leaning back against the trunk of a tree, his bag shifting at his side.

“You’re Mai’s twin. You two have been inseparable your whole lives, you’d do anything for her.” Reo’s frown deepened as he spoke. “Why would you tell me something that would help me, but harm her?”

Naoto was quiet for a moment, considering how he might respond. “Mai isn’t like how she used to be.” He said, and his voice was edged with grief, like he was mourning a loss, though Mai wasn’t dead.

Maybe he was mourning what once was.

“I could turn a blind eye for a while, to the things she was doing and saying but…” Naoto forced his gaze to meet with Reo’s again. “It’s gotten to be too much.”

Uncertainty battled in Reo’s gut.

He wasn’t sure what to believe. Was Naoto trying to trick or manipulate him? Or had Mai really gone so far that even Naoto couldn’t stay by her side?

“Do you have any idea of what she might try?” He finally asked, but Naoto only shook his head. Reo sighed. “How do I know you’re telling the truth then?”

“You don’t.”

“Naoto-” Reo said, eyebrows furrowing together.

Cruel words collected in his chest, years of being forced down as he nourished a friendship he had never wanted, all ready to finally see the light of day.

But he held back, a small part of him violently fighting against hurting the person standing before him, who had risked much to warn him of some unknown danger.

“I don’t know if I believe you.” He admitted, hesitating. His fingers toyed with the lint collected in his pockets. “I mean… everything stacks against you. You’re Mai’s family. And we… We were never really friends, were we? You know just as well as I do.”

The bittersweet smile that stretched onto Naoto’s face answered Reo for him. He nodded slowly.

“I know.” The corners of Naoto’s eyes curved downwards, crinkling just slightly. “I understand your hesitation, but just… don’t take my warning lightly.” He nodded again, more firmly this time. “Mai is up to something. Just keep an eye out.”

Naoto reached down, grabbing the strap of the bag he had set on the ground at the beginning of their conversation, hauling it onto his shoulder. His back turned towards Reo, a glance from the corner of his eyes spared as he started to walk away.

“See ya, Reo.”

Reo watched him go, unmoving, a twinge of guilt and sorrow tugging at his heart.

It was such a simple sentence, one he had heard many times, but it was different this time.

A final goodbye.

He was surprised by the lump in his throat as soon as Naoto disappeared into the crowd of students, aware that that would be the last time he shared a conversation with someone he had called a friend for many years.

Autumn and winter blended together, and before he knew it, it was time for the All Japan High School Football Tournament.

Time for what he had been waiting and practicing for since the end of his second year.

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting from their first official matches, but the ease with which they won wasn’t exactly it.

It was almost too easy.

The first game ended almost as quickly as it had begun, the opposing team withdrawing only thirty minutes in after the score had climbed to a 16 point gap, and was only getting larger.

The Monster Duo , they cried as they retreated with their tails tucked, saving their dignity from being crushed.

The second game passed in a breeze, Reo and Nagi crushing their opponents beneath their feet, squashing them into the turf. The opposition was stunned and unresponsive by the time the last whistle blew, allowing Hakuho to advance further into the tournament.

By the time the third tournament game passed in a similar fashion as the first two, pushing Hakuho into the quarterfinals, news of their team had begun circulating the sports world.

The Monster Duo .

Teams they had defeated told tales of two boys who were unstoppable on their own, but became a completely different force when working together. They spoke of the goals they shared, and their ability to switch from offense to defense and back at the flip of a dime.

Reo and Nagi started gaining more and more traction for their impossible feats and abilities, their nickname becoming more and more popular within football.

The Monster Duo. The Lavender Terror. Hakuho’s Greatest Weapon . ReoNagi .

The team gleamed and gloated the more Reo and Nagi became popular, and grew more lax in their work behind the scenes so that the Monster Duo may shine even more, and grant Hakuho more fame.

Hakuho was a dark horse within the tournament, earning the fear of those involved, and the attention of those watching.

The quarterfinals brought them a much more worthy opponent than those they had beaten, however.

Someone not so easily subdued.

Ichinan.

The name rang a bell as soon as Reo was told who they would be playing, though he couldn’t place where it was from.

“Does Ichinan sound familiar to you?” Reo asked Nagi as they pulled on their uniforms in the venue locker room. His jersey slipped over his head, cool air brushing against his bare skin, quickly blocked by the fabric.

Nagi shrugged, the muscles that had been accumulating along his back rolling beneath his pale skin. Reo’s gaze lingered for a beat too long.

“Not sure.” He said, focusing more on tying his shoes than on the question Reo had asked him.

As soon as they were out on the field, face to face with their opponents, Reo realized why the name Ichinan had sounded so familiar.

Bachira Meguru and Isagi Yoichi, the boys they had met at the arcade months back, stood at the front of their team, eyes glittering ravenously.

“Oh~? Oh~?” Bachira sang, crouching close to the turf at Isagi’s feet. Reo always found him slightly off putting, despite his kindness, and couldn’t help but notice how much he resembled a gremlin at this moment. Perhaps a goblin… or Golem or something.

The boy’s golden eyes were locked onto Reo and Nagi, amused and excited, glimmering in the winter sunlight. “This is the monster duo we’ve heard so much about?”

“Bachira… Isagi. It’s nice to see you again.” Reo greeted, lifting his hand in a tiny wave.

“Likewise.” Isagi said, a pleasant smile on his face. “We’ve heard tales of the feats of the monster duo. I do hope we’ll get to see them in action today, especially knowing who you are now.”

“Of course.”

“Don’t hold back now!” Bachira stood back up, his lanky arms swinging at his sides.

“We won’t.” Nagi was the one who responded this time, his voice steady and sure. Reo beamed at his display of confidence.

Ah, this was it. This was their chance .

All eyes were on them.

The lenses of cameras and several faces up in the stadium, all watching to see what would happen.

This was their opportunity to cement their name in the football world, blaze the trail towards the World Cup.

The game started.

And ended.

It happened so quickly, Reo couldn’t even remember what had transpired, bits and pieces coming back to him in jumbled flashes.

All he knew was that at the end of the second half, he and Nagi sat on their knees upon the cold turf, drenched in sweat, staring up at Bachira and Isagi who looked down at them with pity.

And disappointment.

“Ah.” Isagi clicked his tongue, bending down to observe the pair at eye level. “It’s really not your fault.”

Reo and Nagi stared at him with matching blank expressions, at a loss.

“You put up a good fight, really. You just need someone to help you blossom properly. It’s not your fault you’re the only two on your team capable of fighting at this level. I’m sorry it had to be this way.”

He pushed himself up again with his hands on his knees, and strode off to join the rest of his team – victorious.

“This is all your fault!”

Koide stood menacingly before Nagi, his fists clenched at his sides, his biceps bulging beneath the sleeves of his undershirt. Despite his burly, stronger figure, he was outmatched in height, neck craned to glare at Nagi in the face.

Nagi stared down at him with wide, surprised eyes, gaze hazy and exhausted as they had been since the end of the match.

Reo stared in shock as Koide pushed Nagi up against a locker, the situation feeling all too familiar. Nagi did nothing but scowl.

“If you hadn’t slipped while trying to score we wouldn’t have lost.”

“Woah Koide, what the fuck?” Reo grabbed him by the collar, yanking him away from where he’d been pressing far too close to Nagi. “It was a mistake. It’s hardly his fault.”

Koide reeled on him, expression sour. “You’re not much better you know! Do you know how many balls you let slip through?”

“Me?!” Reo gasped, his cheeks reddening with anger. “Why don’t you check yourself? We were the only ones who did anything the entire match, you useless sack of rice!”

“You’re supposed to be the monstrous duo.” Koide hissed, pulling himself from Reo’s grasp. “But you can’t even beat a team in the quarterfinals?”

“Teams are eleven players, not two.” Reo’s ears were hot. “Nobody could win two against eleven.”

“It shouldn’t have been. If Nagi hadn’t missed the shot-”

Reo stepped protectively in front of the other boy, and Koide’s sentence stopped short.

“Ah.” He said, sneering in Reo’s face. “I know now what the ‘monster’ in the monstrous duo was really for.”

Reo blinked at him in confusion, but before he had the chance to inquire about what he meant, Koide was speaking again.

“We don’t need the likes of you here.”

“You’re kicking us off?” Reo scoffed in disbelief.

“We don’t want monsters here.”

Reo grabbed Nagi by the hand, storming from the locker room, doing his best to ignore the jeering and laughter that chased them.

“That’s right!” Koide gibed, the laughter of the other players echoing off the locker room walls. “Take your little boy toy and run away!”

Embarrassment and fury flushed Reo’s face as he dragged them away from the messy scene. Nagi trailed after him, letting him be led off as he absently sucked on a pouch of applesauce.

Reo muttered under his breath, angry thoughts spewing into incomprehensible words.

Nagi’s hand tightened around Reo’s briefly, the small squeeze drawing him away from his festering thoughts and emotions, bringing him back to the present moment.

Reo sighed softly, comforted by the gentle pressure around his fingers.

“We don’t need them.” He decided resolutely, adjusting the bags he had on his shoulder. “We’re more than capable of making it on our own. They weren’t of any help anyways.”

Several paces away, near the edge of the stadium’s exit, stood a woman – one of the few people who hadn’t yet left the site. She was on her phone, though her words weren’t loud enough for anyone but the person on the other end to hear.

“That’s right.” She said elatedly. “I’ve found someone I think you’ll love. They call them a monster duo.”

Heavy grey clouds loomed overhead, threatening to pour their contents onto the streets below.

Reo gazed up at them worriedly, watching as they rolled and dipped in the winds, blotting out the winter sunshine.

Thunder clapped through the air, rattling his eardrums, and as if on cue, water rained down from above in torrents.

Perfect .

Droplets pelted Reo and Nagi as they ran through the streets of Yokohama, seeking refuge beneath the verandas of stores lining the sidewalks.

“This way.” Nagi directed, pulling Reo around a sharp corner.

The pair held their bags over their heads, still wearing their soccer uniforms as they darted for a bus stop just a few meters ahead. Reo faltered in his step, his feet splashing against the wet concrete.

“Are you sure about this?” He asked hesitantly, watching the glow of headlights approach them as the bus rolled into the loading zone.

“Yes it’ll be fine, now come on!” Nagi urged, dragging him forwards again as they rushed towards the doors that had slid open, exposing the interior of the bus to the cold, sopping air.

They scrambled up the steps, water dripping from their soaked clothes, splattering the floor. The driver looked less than pleased, but accepted the card Nagi passed to him, and they went and found seats among the others already riding.

Reo looked around warily, clutching his bags close to his chest.

Public transportation was a very new experience for him.

Nagi sighed wearily, dropping into a plush seat and letting his head relax back against the cushioned headrest. Reo followed his lead, taking the spot at his side.

Water dripped from Nagi’s white bangs, dropping onto his forehead and sliding down the side of his face, leaving wet trails in their wake. He lifted a hand, using the driest part of his sleeve that he could find to wipe the water away.

Reo gazed in wonder, not realizing just how long he had been staring until a pair of grey eyes snapped in his direction.

“What?” Nagi asked, straightening in his seat. Reo stiffened, casting his gaze away awkwardly.

“Nothing, sorry.”

They sat in silence for the entire bus ride towards Reo’s neighborhood, listening to the gentle hum of the engine and the sound of rain pattering against the windows.

The storm was unrelenting as they left the warmth and safety of the bus and were once again rushing down the streets, careful not to slip on the wet surfaces as they made a beeline for the large gates of Reo’s home and the dryness of his house.

Their clothes were heavy and waterlogged as they slipped their shoes off in the entry, placing them near the front where they could dry and wouldn’t get anything else wet.

It was eerily quiet within Reo’s house, hallways unlit and silent. They made a sloppy dash to his room, leaving footprints of water along the floors from their soggy socks.

As soon as the door clicked into place, the pair were stripping their clothes from their bodies, fabric clinging together and peeling from their damp skin.

Reo removed his shirt and undershirt first, his torso bare and exposed to the warm air of his bedroom.

Nagi removed his shorts and compression tights first, left only his mostly dry boxers, before he moved on to his shirt.

The collar snagged around his neck and arms, and with a muffled cry for help, Reo turned around to a wonderful spectacle.

Nagi, with his arms stuck over his head, everything above the tops of his pecs buried in piles of soaking fabric.

Reo laughed warmly, enjoying Nagi’s struggles.

“What’s wrong?” He jibed, tongue poking from between his lips in a taunting manner. “Can’t take off your own shirt?”

Nagi grumbled irritatedly from his cocoon, squirming in a desperate attempt to get unstuck.

“Would you just help me?” He whined, and Reo abided, still laughing as he moved closer to pull the wet shirt from Nagi’s head.

Even through the cold that prickled over his skin, Reo could feel the warmth radiating from Nagi’s figure. His arms just barely brushed the exposed flesh of his sides, but even that was enough to send shocks of electricity through his gut.

The hair along his forearms stood on end at the contact, his fingertips tingling as they worked to tug away the fabric.

All the while, his laughter never died, and the chill that had been impossible to ignore just moments before no longer existed.

Pure, childish joy flooded his body in a way he had never experienced before.

He was calm, happy, at peace. Warm and bubbly inside, head heavy like mulled wine, experiencing nothing but the best of the moment. He’d never felt such things before, never felt such certainty of an action or moment, of the emotions that filled the gaps in his chest, of the brush of the wind or the flick of his fingers.

This was the place he needed to be, right here.

This was the moment he’s needed all his life.

This was the person he belonged with.

The door to his room crashed open with a jarring bang, slamming against the adjacent wall.

Reo’s joy died in his throat as he came face to face with his shocked, seething mother.

Cold.

The warmth that had been protecting him disappeared, leaving him with a chill in his bones. A desolate, icy feeling blew in in its absence. He could feel the chill on his skin, the goosebumps that were running down his arms and thighs.

The bareness of his chest and Nagi’s flooded into his consciousness as he was faced with the disgust on his mother’s face.

She didn’t say anything.

They stared at each other, face to face with equally wide eyes, for what felt like eternity.

And then his mother turned on her heels, and began to stride away.

“Mom?” Reo called, panic rising in his throat.

Maybe that was just vomit.

“Mom?” He called a little more urgently, rushing from the room and leaving the mostly naked Nagi standing in the doorway.

His mother didn’t answer, storming off with her heels clicking violently against the floor, surely leaving dents in her expensive laminate.

Her silent anger was far more terrifying than any yelling she had thrown his way in the past. 

“Mom, wait!” Reo called, scrambling down the halls, hot on her tail. “Mom, let me explain! I-It was raining and we just-”

“You. Just. What?” His mother stopped abruptly, glancing over her shoulder to stare him down. There was no love or affection in those eyes. Reo stopped cold, cowering beneath her glare.

“We were just changing and-”

His mother was laughing darkly, disbelief etching her voice. “When Mai came to me and warned me about this, I thought she was crazy!” His mother had her forehead in her hand, fingers rubbing at it.

“Wait, Mai? What did Mai say to you?” Reo’s earlier panic rose in his throat once again as Naoto’s warning from months before rang through his mind.

“But it seems I was the crazy one for doubting her.”

Reo stared at her, his heart beating against his uvula, racing at a mile a minute. The walls of the hallway stretched and squeezed in on him, pressing in from all sides in tight confinement.

“We just needed to get dry from the rain.” He squeaked, his voice small. “So we didn’t catch cold.”

“Why were you in the rain in the first place?”

Reo swallowed thickly, forcing back the bile that had been creeping up his throat since his mother first appeared. “We were uh… We’d been playing football.” He admitted, but his regret was immediate.

Fury flickered through his mother’s cold eyes, her anger rising tenfold.

“ Football? ” She hissed, stepping closer and wrapping Reo in her menacing aura. “I thought I told you to quit that stupid sport.”

Reo’s voice gave out, and all he could do was flinch away at her approach, his silence enough of an answer.

“You disobeyed me? And now this? ”

Reo couldn’t look up at her, gaze cast anywhere else – the floor, the walls, the ceiling – trying not to feel trapped within the narrow hallway and her overwhelming presence.

“This is not the boy I raised.” She looked down her nose at her son. “What happened to the Reo I know?”

Reo continued to stay silent. His mouth was too dry to answer, lips glued shut where they were cracking and stinging, lacking any lubrication. His throat felt scratchy and rough, unable to support any words he wished to say.

Something snapped in his mother, her gaze darkening to a terrifying extent.

Reo wished he had never seen such malicious intent in the gaze of another.

Her palm landed against his solar plexus, shoving him roughly against a wall as she strode past him – back in the direction she’d come from.

Reo’s back ached where he’d made impact, a sore spot on his chest in the shape of his mother’s hand. He watched her, stunned, as she marched towards his room.

Before it all clicked.

“Wait, mom, no!” Reo begged, jumping up from where he had been slumped against the wall and running after her. His eyes were round, heart lurching and stomach flying into his mouth. “Stop. Mom!”

She reached his room before he did.

Nagi still stood inside, dressed in sweatpants, quietly packing his things into his bags.

Her long fingers wrapped around his forearm as she yanked him from the floor and further inside, where she was in control.

Nagi was staring at her, doe-eyed, too shocked to fight back.

“He hasn’t done anything! Mom!”

“What have you done to my son!” She screeched, spit flying from her mouth and splattering onto the unsuspecting boy’s face. Anger rolled from her in waves, enveloping them wholly.

Watery mist clouded Reo’s vision, his hands searching in empty air for something, anything.

Someone, anyone.

“You who are nothing!” Slurs poured from her mouth, ones that made Reo sick to his stomach and his ears bleed.

Nagi only stood there helplessly, shaken back and forth like a ragdoll.

“I haven’t-” He began, but his voice only further enraged her.

“Enough!” She used Nagi’s arm as her leverage to throw him to the ground, towering over him.

“Stop… no…. Please…” Reo dropped to his knees, the carpet burning the skin. His vision was unsteady, the room swaying before him. His voice was feeble, as if speaking too loud would break it clean in two. It carried on the wind, untouched, and unheard.

He watched as his mother’s red heel pressed against Nagi’s chest, digging into the soft skin.

He watched as Nagi winced, pushing back against her and trying to squirm away.

He watched as those grey eyes turned his way, fearful and pleading for help, but he was frozen in his place.

“What’s all this?” A deep voice rumbled from at Reo’s back. He turned slowly to see his father standing in the doorway, arms folded over his chest.

“Father…” Reo mumbled, his face ghostly pale and skin sunken into his skull.

His father didn’t even look at him, turning to his mother to gauge the situation.

“Did you know?” His mother asked, finally removing her foot from Nagi’s frame. Nagi collapsed back onto the ground, his breathing ragged, his body trembling like a leaf in the wind. “That Reo was-”

She couldn’t even finish her sentence, her hand pressing up against her mouth and holding back a loud sob.

Reo didn’t have it in him to respond or fight back, his hands limp against the ground. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Nagi splayed out on the carpet, shaking with the fear Reo shared.

He felt foolish, grasping at things he couldn’t have, things he knew didn’t belong to him.

Because of his selfishness, Nagi was getting the brunt of the anger of his parents, and he could feel everything he had once had slipping through his fingers.

Reo’s mother walked to his father’s side, a few tears slipping down her painted cheeks, before she leaned up to whisper a single word into his ear.

It was the calm before the storm, the silence that followed.

“Is this true?” His father roared, voice shattering the momentary peace. He took Reo by the forearm, lifting him from the floor. Reo blinked at him, dazed and confused, not recognizing the face of his father – marred by fury and disgust.

The hand holding him up released, and he was dropped back to the floor, landing heavily. He didn’t have the mind to try and break his fall.

The look his parents gave him as they stood over his aching, battered, fatigued frame was one he never anticipated, not even from them.

One of complete, unabated, abhorrence.

“You are not my son.”

A little piece of him broke, fragmenting off and spilling onto the carpet between him and his parents, where he couldn’t retrieve it.

“Go, get out.”

Reo couldn’t move, rooted to the spot.

“What-” He started, words barely above a whisper, but his father screamed in his face, drowning out whatever he had finally managed to say.

“Get out! Now!”

Something kick-started inside of him. Reo pushed himself to his feet, scrambling away from his parents. He grabbed hold of Nagi, pulling him from the ground, then collected the closest items he could without enraging the couple scowling at them from the doorway by taking too long.

His school and football bags, some nearby clothes, his stash of money and a single manga.

There was no time to grab anything else.

Nagi grabbed his own bags, and together, they rushed past Reo’s parents, not looking back as they sprinted from his house.

Not his home .

No longer his home.

No longer his family.

He abandoned the part of him that had shattered in that room, as he and Nagi raced down the streets in the pouring rain, footsteps retracing where they had landed just half an hour ago, topless with bags grasped in each hand.

The water washed away the salty tears that had begun to stream down Reo’s face as they ran, finally brimming over and falling from his eyes only to disappear without a trace.

The rain and the falling of night were all too fitting for such a dark hour.

A dry, warm towel wiped at Reo’s face, dragging through his soaking hair.

He didn’t know when, but he’d suddenly found himself within the warmth of an apartment, and was being tenderly dried by caring hands.

Reo blinked slowly, dragging himself from the mists of his mind, to focus on the pretty face positioned just in front of his.

He really never did get tired of those eyes.

Nagi’s gaze bore into his own, brimming with concern.

“There you are.” He said, and his voice was soft, tinged with worry.

Reo only blinked up at him again, his muscles, his eyes, every inch of him heavy. The towel swiped along his face again, soaking the droplets that were running from his still damp hair.

He shifted slightly, realizing the surface beneath him was plush, comfortable.

He glanced down, his feet dangling off of the edge of a bed, and wrapped in a pair of clean socks.

Similarly, his legs were clad in a pair of grey sweatpants, warm, dry, clean, and not his.

Reo glanced up, watching Nagi shuffle around on the opposite side of the room, jointly topless, with his own towel draped over his head.

Reo’s gaze skimmed the way Nagi’s new pair of sweats hung on his hips, loose enough to show off the toned muscles of his lower back, that dipped further than the eye could see…

Reo snapped his gaze upwards, warmth flushing his cheeks.

Nagi glanced over his shoulder at him, but didn’t mention the rosy hue he had suddenly adopted.

“Where are we?” Reo asked, trying to drag his attention away from the man before him. Nagi turned around, leaning back against the dresser he had just been shuffling things around in.

“My place.”

Reo startled, whirling to look at him. “Wait, what?” The redness of his face deepend, as he became acutely aware of the items around him, and the lingering scent of cologne that hung in the air.

Nagi’s cologne.

Nagi only nodded, watching on with amusement glittering in his gaze as Reo scrambled in his place, doing his best to not disturb anything, cheeks glowing redder and redder by the second.

Reo peered out the open doorway from the bedroom, into the small kitchen and barren living room beyond.

“Where is your family?” He asked timidly.

“I don’t have one.”

Reo jolted again, shock etched across his features.

“You never…”

“It’s not something I tell people.” Nagi said, rubbing his hands against the towel in his hair. “I live alone.” The towel slid from his head, revealing a fluffy white, frizzy mess.

Reo gaped at him. “How do you afford this place?”

“My uncle got it for me.” Nagi shifted towards the bathroom, hanging his towel on the hook by the door.

Reo sat, stunned, soaking in this new information. “Wait!” He exclaimed. “If you live alone and stuff, how do you go to school at Hakuho? How do you get food?”

Nagi snorted a little. “My uncle.” He said again. “The principal of Hakuho is my uncle.”

Reo’s jaw dropped.

“ What? ”

Nagi plopped onto his bed, leaning up against the headrest and staring down at Reo, who still resided at the foot.

“My uncle took me in 7 years ago. Before that I was floating between extended family.”

Well no wonder there wasn’t much information on you…

“After he agreed to watch over me, he got me this apartment, and had me live here. I get regular allowances that cover necessities, and am allowed to go to his school at no cost.”

“Where are your parents?” Reo asked curiously.

Nagi shrugged. “Don’t know. They were gone long before I knew them.”

“Do you know why?”

Nagi paused for a moment, a frown on his face. He had something to say, but the words were stuck in his throat.

Finally, he shook his head.

“No.” He answered plainly, definitively.

Reo frowned. “I’m sorry Sei.” He sighed, relaxing against the comforter. “I wish you’d have told me, I would have been happy to let you have a room at my house.”

He paused, as if remembering the events that had transpired that night.

“Not that that’s possible anymore.”

Nagi shook his head again, his arms folded over his stomach.

“It’s okay. I’m happy in this apartment. It’s small, but it's nice.” He didn’t mention how living at Reo’s place would have ended up worse for them, not when the wound was still so fresh. He sat up again, patting the top of the bed. “Come lay down for a moment, I’ll go make us some food.”

Reo frowned at him.

“Where has this Seishiro been all this time?” He asked, and Nagi glared at him.

“Shut up.”

And with that, he plodded off to the kitchen, his bare feet tapping against the tile.

Reo watched him go, surprised as ever.

How many sides of him had been hidden all this time? How much was still unknown?

But he followed Nagi’s instruction, and flopped down onto the bed, relishing in the soft warmth, and the musty scent of its owner.

He must have drifted off to sleep without realizing, because Nagi was gently shaking him awake, two bowls of soup resting precariously on the end of the bed.

“Reo,” he murmured. “Reo.”

Reo blinked sleepily, groggy from his catnap.

“Mmh?” He mumbled, sitting up. The bowl was pushed into his face.

“Food.” Nagi said, and together, they settled onto Nagi’s bed, their legs crossed with the bowls resting within, metal clinking against porcelain as spoonful after spoonful was shoveled in.

It was surprisingly good.

“Are you okay?” Reo finally asked, as he lifted some of the last drops of his soup to his lips, warm from the inside out. He glanced over at Nagi, who was doing the same.

“Yup.” Nagi said, tilting the bowl and letting the broth drizzle down his throat.

“My parents didn’t hurt you too bad?” He worried, checking over Nagi’s frame.

Nagi shook his head, grabbing Reo’s empty bowl from his hands.

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

Reo frowned, unconvinced, watching as Nagi shifted to place the bowls down on the floor near his bed. Tiny bruises danced on his torso, likely from where Reo’s mother had pressed her heel onto him.

Reo flinched, rushing forward. 

“You liar!” He scowled, yanking Nagi’s arm down to observe the marks.

“Hey-” Nagi protested, pink flushing the tops of his ears at their close proximity, but he was shushed.

“You’re bruising, and there are scuffs and scratches all over your chest. Where’s your first aid kit?”

Nagi glanced away awkwardly, hiding the rising blush on his cheeks. “Don’t have one…”

“What? Seishiro!” Reo scolded, glaring at him. He relaxed his grip on Nagi’s arm, settling back on his haunches. “How could you have everything but a first aid kit? What would you do if you got seriously hurt?”

“It’s not that big a deal…” Nagi murmured, but Reo only scowled further.

“How am I supposed to help your injuries now? We can’t just leave them to potentially get infected. Who knows what was on my mom’s shoe.”

“Would you shut up Reo?” Nagi groaned, rolling his eyes. He didn’t want the warmth on his cheeks to disappear so unceremoniously.

“I’ll have to use my funds to get one. I’ll get extra medical supplies for good measure, like a stethoscope! And an AED.”

“Would you shut up Reo?!”

Warm hands slid along Reo’s jaw, contrasts of soft and rough brushing against his skin.

Even warmer lips pressed against his own.

Reo’s words died in his throat, a soft sigh slipping out in their place.

Warmth enveloped him, wet lips sliding against his, retracting just as quickly as they came and leaving him cold and empty.

Before he had the time to think, Reo’s hands were sliding around the back of Nagi’s neck, tangling into the hair at his nape with one, the other pressing him even closer, chasing after him.

Sparks zipped through his stomach, egged on by Nagi’s hands gripping at his waist.

He relished in Nagi’s squeak as his tongue slipped into his mouth, uncomfortable warmth wrapping around him, the taste of soup bathing his taste buds.

The kiss was hot, long, and passionate, sucking the breath directly from his lungs.

Nagi’s hand drifted, pressing closer to the base of Reo’s back rather than along the sides of his hips, his hands brushing along tender skin. The other boy pressed into the kiss a little more insistently, using his weight to shove Reo onto his back, which hit the bed with a gentle thump.

Reo’s hands slid further upwards, lacing through the soft white strands, letting them wrap into his fingers as he tugged. He used his weight to flip them over, the warmth of his chest pressing up against Nagi’s as he kept their mouths together, kiss lasting until both of their lungs screamed at them for air.

Finally, he parted, lips shiny and swollen, propped up on his knees over a very disheveled, dazed Nagi.

His eyes were glassy, unfocused, but the way his pupils sharpened when he stared at Reo sent shivers rolling down his spine.

“You’re kinda good at that.” He murmured.

“Shut up.” Reo grunted, leaning down to press their lips together one more time.

Everything was so hot.

His skin was blazing, burning beneath and steaming at the touch. Droplets of sweat beaded and dripped down his face, down his neck, down his abs.

His lips were sore and bitten red, scalp aching from where his hair had been yanked one too many times.

But none of it mattered.

Absolute pleasure and ecstasy coursed through his veins. A feeling he wanted to last forever, to never lose.

Nagi’s soft pants, the warm breaths that blew up against his chest and over his shoulders, sent pleasant shudders rolling down Reo’s spine. The sharp, prickling pain of nails digging into his skin was just a reminder of the reality of what felt like a fever dream.

Reo loved the way Nagi looked, his face flushed and sweaty, his grey eyes dull in the wake of unexpected pleasure, but just as captivating as ever.

His .

Reo let his hands roam Nagi’s figure, mapping out every inch, every crevice, every dip and sway and scar.

His .

He felt himself becoming addicted to the feeling, the scent, the look of Nagi. Even the sweat that matted his hair to his forehead and the tears that watered in his eyes made him look even more ethereal, even more beautiful.

His .

Only his.

The pair fell asleep, together, in a mess of tangled limbs and disheveled appearances, hearts beating right up next to each other, tangled together just as their bodies were.

There was a heavy knock at the door.

“Mff.” Reo groaned, stuffing his face into something warm and fleshy to block out the disturbance. Supple skin moved beneath his hands, comforting to the touch. He wanted to bury his head within it and rest forever.

The knock came again.

Another loud groan, only this time, it didn’t come from him.

Nagi rolled over in his bed groggily, the covers slipping from where they had been wrapped around his hips. His feet hit the floor, narrowly missing the two bowls from the night before.

The warmth disappeared from Reo’s side.

Eyes pressed shut, he reached out a hand, feeling through the bed to find his missing heat source – to no avail.

The sheets laid empty, and when he opened his eyes, vision bleary with sleep, there was noone there. Nagi had scooted himself off the edge, making his way towards the front door, where another loud knock was ringing through the apartment.

Reo watched, half awake, from his spot in the bed, just barely able to peer through the doorway towards the front.

Nagi pulled the door open, rubbing at his eyes. A pretty girl stood in the entry with a clipboard in hand.

“What?” He mumbled sleepily, towering over her.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Before shrieking loudly, causing both of them to flinch.

“You! Pants! No!” She leapt back, shielding her eyes.

Nagi glanced down for the first time to see that, yes, he was completely naked.

“Ah.” He murmured, leaving the doorway to go find a pair of sweatpants. He found the ones he’d been wearing the night before just outside of the bedroom entry, lying discarded on the floor.

“Sorry.” Nagi apologized, though he didn’t seem fazed by the whole ordeal.

The woman took a chance and peeked through her fingers, visibly relaxing with relief when she saw he was clothed, at least from the waist down. The bright red flush of her cheeks remained, a display of the embarrassment that still lingered between them.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you.” She started, doing her best to ignore what she had seen. “But you’re Nagi Seishiro, right?”

Nagi frowned at her, nodding hesitantly.

The woman beamed. “Perfect! We spent all day yesterday looking for you.”

“You did?” Nagi’s tone was flat, unamused. Reo had to stifle a snort.

The woman only nodded vigorously.

“I watched your game against Ichinan.” Reo perked up, straightening in bed. Any remnants of sleep fled from his body as he crept towards the door to get a better view. “We’d like to speak to you about football prospects.”

Nagi cocked an eyebrow at her, his arms folded over his chest. “Why?”

The woman seemed taken aback. As was Reo.

He scrambled to pull on a pair of pants himself, to stop any damage Nagi might do to this opportunity.

“Well,” The woman was beginning to say, before Reo burst from the room, in a similarly disheveled state as Nagi.

“Hi!” He greeted warmly, giving her a friendly wave, which she slowly returned. “My name is Mikage Reo, you said you saw our game?”

The woman went from perplexed to her eyes shining. “Mikage?” She gleamed. “We thought we’d never find you! We tried going to your household but had zero luck getting even close to your doors. To think you’d be here!”

Reo flushed a little, waving away her excited rant. “What are you here for?”

The woman cleared her throat, straightening her posture. “Sorry for the late introduction.” She apologized. “My name is Anri Teieri, I’m the assistant to the coach of the Japan Under 20 football team.”

The pair’s eyes widened as they stared down at her, her figure enveloped in their shadows.

“We’d like to offer you a chance to try out for our team.”

It was quiet for a moment.

“Are you serious?” Reo asked, his voice giddy with energy, unable to hide his excitement. Anri nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes! We saw your playing and Ego thinks it will work well on the team. He seeks a new world of football, one where Japan is in the lead. We’ve collected the best players from around the country to come and try out a team playstyle, and we’ll be going from there.”

Reo bounced on his feet, looking over at Nagi with sparkling eyes.

“Ya hear that Sei? We have a chance!”

Anri laughed a little, moving down to her clipboard and shuffling out papers. 

“The information is all in these packets.” She said, handing each of them a stack of paper with a staple just barely hanging on in the corner. “We’ll be expecting you at the home field in downtown Yokohama tomorrow afternoon. Be sure to read through those. And please…”

She looked at Nagi this time, eyes narrowed.

“Be fully clothed when you arrive?”

Reo and Nagi nodded, and the door closed, leaving them in Nagi’s apartment with excitement bubbling in their chests.

“Can you believe it?” Reo breathed, plopping onto a chair at the dining table, staring in disbelief at the papers clutched in his hands. “The U-20 team Sei. They want us .”

Nagi leaned up against the edge, eyes flicking over the tiny print spread over the pages.

“Yeah..” He murmured, distant. “It’s almost unbelievable.”

Reo looked up sharply. “You don’t think it's fake, do you?”

Nagi shook his head quickly. “No, no, that’s not it.” The paper fell to the tabletop. “I’m just surprised is all. I thought there’d be more time before we were introduced to the professional leagues.”

“That just goes to show how much of an asset we can be!” Reo stood from the table, reaching to grab Nagi’s hands in his. “Trust me Sei, we deserve this.”

Nagi nodded, slowly retracting his hands from Reo’s grip. “You’re right.” He turned before Reo could see the expression on his face, walking briskly towards the kitchen. “Is cereal okay for breakfast?”

The twenty four hours between when they’d first learned about the U-20 tryout and now had been full of excited rush and a weird, tense air between Reo and Nagi.

The bus rumbled as they inched closer and closer to the stadium, vibrations jostling Reo in his seat, his shoulder bumping against the window and Nagi’s side periodically.

The other boy was quiet, just as he had been all the day before.

“Sei?” Reo prodded, worry plaguing his features.

Nagi hadn’t been behaving normally since Anri gave them their invitations.

Or was it since their night together?

Reo’s fingernails were beginning to pay the price for it, bitten down to a nub and the skin at the tips aching from friction.

Had he overstepped?

Had he done something wrong? Something Nagi didn’t want?

If he had, why hadn’t he said something before?

“Sei, if something’s going on-”

“We’re here.”

The bus groaned and came to a stop, lurching them forwards in their seats. Reo sighed solemnly, following Nagi’s lead and standing with his things.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on the complexities of Nagi’s behavior, and his continuing lack of understanding of the depths of his character.

The home stadium of the Japan under 20 football team stretched before them, shining in the winter sun, lights above the stadium sparkling like diamonds.

Energy thrummed beneath Reo’s skin as he stared at the scene before him – the people walking the sidewalks in the front, the cars filling the lots, despite there being no game today, the energy and life pulsating from the stadium itself, beckoning to him, singing his name in the sweet call of the siren.

Instinctively, Reo grabbed Nagi’s hand.

He worried, for a moment, that Nagi would push him away, but fingers wrapped into his own.

“Come on!” He could get used to this feeling of unbidden joy, this feeling of satisfying his inner child, which had been trapped within him for years, only now getting to taste the joys he’d been deprived of.

Reo dragged Nagi down the paths towards the entrance, breaking into a run as it drew nearer, and nearer.

He was really here.

He was in the place he’d only dreamed of being up until this point.

Reo and Nagi crashed into the barrier along the edge of the turf field, leaning up against the bars to get a better look, eyes round with awe.

The faux grass glistened in the artificial light, every blade defined and visible. The goals stood on either ends, majestically independent, proud and sturdy and perfectly clean. People milled about in the stands that stretched high above their heads, spread sparsely through the seats.

Reo had no idea people came to sit in on practices. It made the whole event that much more thrilling.

“Ah-” A voice from behind caught them by surprise, and they both spun around to face a group of around 30 guys, led by a tall, greasy looking man and the woman from the day before. “Who are you?”

“They are the monster duo, Ego-san.” Anri said, offering a small smile to the two boys.

“Hmm..” The man, Ego Jinpachi, Reo presumed, looked upon them with an almost disapproving glare. “Well get on with the rest then. We’re getting started immediately.”

“Yes sir!” Reo and Nagi scrambled towards the group of players, stopping short in surprise.

“I thought when they said ‘monster duo’ it might be you two.” A familiar voice sang. “But really, what are the odds we keep running into each other like this?”

“Isagi and Bachira?” Reo smiled a little, despite the fresh defeat they had handed to them. It was nice to see friendly faces in the crowd, especially when so many of the players looked so scary .

“How’s that defeat tasting?” Bachira purred, looking smug as he pushed up close towards Reo.

“ Meguru .” Isagi warned, just as he was fist bumping Nagi. Reo looked at them, scandalized.

“Since when are you two so close?” He asked, jealousy dripping from his tone. Isagi laughed a little, but it was Nagi who responded.

“We text.” He said, around a mouthful of a protein bar he’d just pulled out to snack on.

“Sei what have I said about talking with your mouth full?” Reo rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the pinching at his heart.

Isagi laughed again, approaching Reo this time.

“Don’t worry,” he said, his voice low. “I won’t get in the way.”

Crimson flushed his cheeks, earning another laugh from the dark haired football player.

“Alright you unpolished gems!” Ego’s voice rang out as he addressed the crowd, standing on a podium to give him that much extra height over the players. “Let’s see what you’ve got. We’ll be doing a scrimmage, 15 on 15. 20 of you will make it on the team, 10 will be sent home.”

“Wait-” Reo interrupted. “Is it all being decided today?”

“That’s right.” Ego said. Little gasps rippled through the crowd.

Reo frowned. “That doesn’t make much sense. How could you possibly know who will work and who won’t from a single practice?”

Ego grinned, crooked teeth flashing as it stretched from ear to ear.  “I will know.”

There was no elaboration.

Pinnies were passed among the crowd, color coded and printed with different numbers.

Reo and Nagi were both on team white, the numbers 25 and 11 flashing on their backs.

And once again, they found themselves in a battle against Bachira and Isagi.

Bachira held up his pinnie, colored yellow, with a smile. “Hehe~” He cackled, a gremlin-esque expression on his face. “Ready to have your ass handed to you again?”

Reo scoffed. “As if.”

“You suck at comebacks.” Nagi commented from the side, where he was pulling his compression tights a little further up his legs. Reo reeled on him.

“And you could do better?” He demanded, face hot with embarrassment. Nagi’s grey eyes landed on him, sparkling with amusement.

“Definitely.”

Reo bowed out of the way dramatically, allowing Nagi to finish the trash talk he had started.

“You can keep our ass, but we’ll take yours in return.”

Silence.

Reo stared at him, dumbfounded.

“You know that was really just way worse.” He groaned, and Nagi just shrugged, not showing even the slightest hint of embarrassment despite the howling laughter from behind him.

Everyone slowly shuffled onto the field, taking up their positions on opposite ends. Tactics were discussed between teams beforehand, and everyone moved to their respective spots. The people in the stands, whose attention had been drifting all morning, zeroed in on the field before them.

Nagi and Reo stood side by side, in the middle.

Mid-fielders. The census had been that, since they were both well rounded players, that would be their best position.

Reo certainly had no complaints.

They could still show what they were made of even if they weren’t on the front lines.

Two players from opposite teams met in the middle of the field, where Anri stood with a ball in hand. Reo and Nagi watched from afar as the ball was tossed high into the air between the two players.

A hand flashed out near Reo’s side. He glanced down to see Nagi holding out his fist.

A gentle tap.

Their knuckles rapped together as they fist bumped, looks of pure confidence on their faces, butterflies of excitement swarming their stomachs.

The ball landed.

“Don’t fall behind.” Reo said, with an uncontained smile on his face.

“I won’t.” Nagi’s promise rang in his ears.

And they were off. 

The wind rushed past Reo’s cheeks as he raced up the sidelines, separating from Nagi as they split the field.

He could hear the thunder of several pairs of footsteps as his teammates pushed forwards with them, their opponents dropping back. The turf was springy beneath his feet, comfortable with each step that landed and propelled him forward.

There was nothing quite like the rush of a game.

The ball soared through the air, landing perfectly between his feet as he went, never breaking his stride.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Nagi a few paces from the goal, on the opposite side of the field. Bachira and Isagi were closing in on him, coming from opposite angles in order to strangle his pathway.

Reo smiled.

You can try to mark Nagi Seishiro - the ball slammed against the inside of his foot, sending it curving across the field, right where he wanted it - but that doesn’t mean you’ll succeed .

Nagi’s grey eyes gleamed blue as he watched the ball soar his way, his chest prickling at its grace and beauty.

“Gotcha boss…” He murmured aloud, and sprung into the air, lifting feet off the ground and letting the ball tap against his broad chest, killing the spin upon impact.

The ball started to drop, falling down in time with him, but with one twist, he was flipping backwards, and sending the ball sailing straight into the goal.

The net swished, and the uproar from their team followed suit.

“Yeah-a!” Reo cheered, rushing towards Nagi. “That was perfect!”

Nagi glanced at him, his face already flushed from exertion. “Did we have to do that so early in the game?”

Reo grinned, slinging his arm around Nagi’s shoulders. “We have to show what we can do, remember? I know you have it in you.”

Nagi sighed, but relented, getting to his feet with Reo’s help.

“That was amazing!”

Their teammates rushed them as they maneuvered back to their half of the field. “No wonder they call you monster duo.”

The pair only grinned and nodded sheepishly, though their faces beamed, and their hearts swelled with pride.

The game proceeded in a give and take fashion.

A goal was scored and a goal was lost, the scores almost completely level the entire time.

Isagi, Bachira, Nagi, and Reo stayed at the forefront of the plays, though Reo and Nagi weren’t always scoring.

The whistle blew at halftime, and team white gathered on the sidelines for a break.

Nagi plopped onto the grass, his breathing unsteady and uneven, face red and sweaty.

Reo looked down at him, passing over a water bottle and towel.

“Are you okay Sei?” He asked, crouching lower so he could inspect the other boy.

Nagi nodded dismissively, despite having lost the ability to speak clearly through his exertion.

“Too much running.” He groaned, chugging the water and letting some spray onto his face to cool his blazing cheeks.

“Only one more half to go.” Reo praised, and helped him back to his feet, not missing the way Nagi’s pulse raced beneath his fingertips.

The game started again, continuing in a similar fashion as it had during the first half.

The scores slowly crept up, each side losing steam, and each play taking longer than the last.

Once again, Reo found the ball trapped between his feet as he bolted along the edge of the field.

Nagi, Nagi, where is he?

A spot of white hair in the crowd and Reo was kicking the ball, arcing it over their heads to a place only Nagi could reach.

Nagi jumped, preparing to use his heel to launch it over his head, but he never made contact with the ball.

The football flew past, bouncing out of bounds and against the field’s barrier.

Nagi hit the ground with a crash.

Shit .

Panic welled in Reo’s chest, squeezing at his throat as he pushed past the players, who only stood and watched.

“Sei!” He burst through, rushing to the collapsed Nagi’s side. “Are you okay?”

Nagi looked up with groggy eyes, his face red from where it had made impact with the ground. “I’m fine Reo.” He said apologetically, pushing himself onto his knees.

“What happened?” Reo asked, his hands pressing over Nagi’s arms, shoulders, thighs – everywhere he could reach as he checked him over frantically.

“I missed.” Nagi said sheepishly, doing his best to ignore the odd stares from those surrounding, secretly relishing in Reo’s attention. “I must’ve slipped in my jump.”

Reo audibly sighed in relief, the tension melting from his face and shoulders. “Shit.” He mumbled, hands still resting on Nagi’s arms. “You scared me. Don’t do that again, okay? If you’re tired we can cut back on the hard plays-”

“No.” Nagi interrupted.

Reo blinked at him. “No? Sei, are you sure?”

Nagi nodded assuredly. “I’m not tired. I can do it.”

Reo was skeptical, but listened nonetheless.

He trusted Nagi. If he said he could do it, then he could do it.

The game resumed with the opposition's free throw.

And they continued.

Reo pushed Nagi just as hard as he had been before, having the both of them complete skills that would normally be well beyond either of their skill levels.

As the time stretched to the last minutes of the game, the billboard hanging above flashed a set of numbers.

1 through 20, with the numbers 1 through 11 highlighted in green to represent the main spots of the U-20 team.

It was time.

The game continued, every minute dragging on and on, as names popped onto the board, slowly, one by one, play by play.

Itoshi Rin, #3.

Oliver Aiku, #17.

Reo was running down the field again, the muscles in his legs aching, bones gelatinous and wobbly. He could hear the spectators murmuring in the distance as they observed the new U-20 team in real time.

Chigiri Hyouma, #12.

Hiori Yo, #27.

Bachira Meguru, #5.

Nagi sent another graceful goal into the net from his black hole trap. It was foolish for the yellow team to have left him unmarked like that.

Darai Miroku, #1.

Neru Teppei, #19.

Isagi Yoichi, #10.

Yukimiya Kenyu, #7.

He couldn’t afford to lose, not now, not when he was so close.

Not making it into the top eleven wouldn’t be the end of the world – they could always fight for their positions as a regular after making it on the team, but…

But he wanted it .

This was his chance to grab the goal he’d set for himself, the goal he had created in order to break free from his old life and renew himself.

This was his chance to break the final strings of the puppeteer, to burst forth from his cage.

The billboard flashed as the last names filled in the spots of the regular eleven players.

Seishiro Nagi, #11.

Mikage Reo, #25.

The whistle blew, and the game came to a full stop.

Sweat ran down Reo’s body, exhaustion filling his limbs with lead.

But all he could do was stare at the billboard meters above his head, with his and Nagi’s names flashing so brilliantly on the screen.

His gaze drifted down to find Nagi, who was already looking at him.

And he smiled.

Never had Reo seen such a brilliant sight, every inch of him filled with warmth, his heart racing in his chest, thumping against his ribcage like it too wanted to break free of its confines.

Nagi’s smile was sweet and soft, so warm and enticing – a sight imprinted in Reo’s mind for the rest of time, burned in, searing, and oh so welcome.

Smile for the rest of forever, please .

A drop fell down Nagi’s chin.

Another.

He looked down in shock, pressing his hand up to his face, right up under his nose, and pulled it away.

It came back covered in a sticky sheen of red.

Nagi stared at it, before lifting his gaze to stare at Reo.

Blood poured from his nose, rushing down the crest of his lips and the fall of his chin, dripping in a steady tip, tip, tip against the green turf.

Reo’s heart froze in his chest, icy despair pumping through his veins.

Nagi pressed his hands to his face again, in an attempt to catch the blood spilling down. It pooled in his palms, sliding down his arms and soaking into the tight undershirt Reo had bought for him, staining the light blue in merlot.

His hands trembled where he held them, and a pair of terrified grey eyes glanced up his way.

Reo felt sick.

His feet were glued to the spot, unbudging.

Why why why.

Why must he be stuck whenever he is needed most?

He willed his legs to move, just move . Get to Nagi, help him!

But he couldn’t.

Nagi’s gaze was unsteady as he looked at him, only a few paces out of reach.

A few paces too far.

The blood only continued to pour.

His eyes grew dull, struggling to stay open.

Reo watched in horror as Nagi dipped and swayed on his feet, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Before he collapsed to the bloodstained turf.

A raw shriek ripped through Reo’s lungs, tearing at his sensitive throat and vocal cords, breaking his voice in two.

“Seishiro!”

Everything moved at a slow crawl.

The wind brushing through the trees and over the field, the shouts of people nearby, and those far off. The flashing lights and sirens stuck in his peripherals.

Reo’s own feet against the ground, dragging through syrup in a fight to get to his destination.

His ears were ringing, white noise muffling the words of those around him until it was distant garble.

“What’s going on?”

I don’t know.

“Is he okay?”

I don’t know .

“Mikage, what’s happening?”

“I don’t know!” He snapped, his knees burning from where they had slid across the turf.

Reo crouched over Nagi’s limp form, his hands shaking, hesitant to touch him.

Blood still dripped from his nose, the bottom of his face coated in shiny liquid, the front of his pinnie drenched.

He was so pale, and if it weren’t for the unstable rise and fall of his chest, Reo would have thought he was dead.

“ Fuck .” Reo’s voice twanged, unraveling as he spoke.

What does one do in this situation?

He watched with ice in his veins as Nagi shuddered and coughed, blood seeping past his lips.

Shit , is he choking?

Reo slipped his hand beneath Nagi’s head, lifting it from the ground and sliding himself beneath it, propping him upwards. He flinched at the warm, wet feeling wrapping around his fingers, from the blood that had soaked into his soft white hair.

As Nagi was propped up, his breathing regulated some, and the coughing that had begun wracking his body ceased.

There was a commotion as people rushed through the gates, pulling stretchers along with them. Reo didn’t flinch or look up, even as he was swarmed by EMTs. Several pairs of hands reached for Nagi, working in tandem to check his vitals, listening to his heartbeat, his breathing.

Reo watched, glassy eyed, as they hovered around him like bees.

“Is he okay?” He managed, throat parched and crackling, his mouth full of cotton.

The EMTs didn’t answer him, and instead started to settle the stretcher at his side, shifting him from Reo’s lap and onto the bed.

“Wait!”

Nagi was lifted, and the same people who had checked him over positioned themselves to carry him out, where the ambulance lay in wait.

Reo scrambled to his feet, nerves fraying.

“Wait!” He cried again, starting to chase after their swift feet. “Take me with you, I need to come with you!”

“Only family is allowed, son.” One of the older EMTs answered, barely sparing a glance in his direction.

“He’s the only one I have left!” Reo pleaded, voice raw and scratchy. “Please, I beg of you!”

They paused, finally, briefly.

The same EMT spoke again. “Listen, we can’t. Legally. We’re taking him to the nearest hospital. He needs care and fast. Go there and wait to see him again.” He sighed. “You did good, propping him up like that. Bought us some time, but now we need to save your friend.” They started off once more.

“Wait, no!”

Reo couldn’t take a step further as two sets of hands wrapped around him, one around his bicep, the other around his torso.

Isagi and Bachira held him still, even as he squirmed and cried out, until Nagi was no longer in sight.

Reo fell still in their grasp, but neither let go until he had collapsed to his knees once more.

His body shivered, coughs shaking his frame as he gagged on the wretched taste in his mouth, of vomit he had yet to dispel.

“Why?” He croaked. “Why did you stop me?”

He spun around to face Isagi and Bachira, both of whom looked down at him with pity in their gazes.

“You heard the EMT.” Isagi said, crouching to Reo’s eye level. “If we had let you go, it would have only impeded their work further.”

Reo glared at them.

He knew he was right, deep down. But it didn’t matter when the person he loved was unconscious and being ferried away to the hospital. It didn’t matter after he had watched him collapse without warning, and felt the stickiness of his blood and the weakness of his pulse beneath his fingers.

“I need to get to that hospital.”

Screw football. Screw the U-20 team. Screw the World Cup .

None of that mattered right now.

Reo rushed through the clean, white halls, antiseptics and the smell of the sick and dying clogging the air. His cleats clacked against the tile, irritating those he ran by.

Nagi’s blood crusted and dried onto his hands, under his fingernails, on his clothes.

The smell of it was sickening, stuck in his nostrils, the bitter tang a constant reminder of a nightmare.

If only it were just a nightmare .

“I need to find Nagi Seishiro.” The words rushed from his mouth in a flurry, tripping over one another as Reo slammed into the countertop of the front desk. The lady behind it looked over her glasses at him in surprise.

“And who are you?” She asked, beginning to type at her keyboard, the clicking of the keys ringing in his ears.

“His family.” Reo lied, and the lady didn’t seem to question it. “My name is Mikage Reo.”

“He’s being seen to right now.” She said, squinting at the screen of her monitor. She glanced back at Reo, eyes narrowing disapprovingly. “Why don’t you head home and change and rest for a bit?” Her offer sounded more like an instruction. “We’ll give you a call once he’s stabilized.”

Reo’s stomach lurched at her choice of words.

Stabilized.

The food in his stomach was ready to spill onto the linoleum, but he swallowed it back.

“I think I’ll stay.” His voice wavered. “Thank you.” Reo bowed his head, scampering off to find a seat in the waiting room, where he could rest his exhausted body and mind, and get the queasiness in his stomach to subside.

The lady at the desk clicked her tongue, but didn’t say anything else, going back to her computer screen.

Time didn’t exist within those barren white walls.

It felt like hours that he was waiting there, but for all he knew, it could have been mere minutes.

Grogginess pulled at him, coaxing him to sleep on the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. People passed him by, their footsteps loud against the tile, echoing in his head. Some people sharing the room with him were sleeping, others read. Others ate and others sat in silence. Others still shed tears, sobbing into kleenex tissues or the shoulders of their loved ones.

This place was absolutely awful.

When one thinks about what it might be like to be in this kind of situation, they don’t expect the nothingness.

There is… nothing. Empty. Null. Void.

The pain Reo felt, the trauma from watching the most important person to him collapse in a pool of his own blood, didn’t exist in this section of time.

Where he should have been crying worried tears, or puking in the bathroom, there was only a gaping hole.

Weird .

Reo thought, staring blankly at the wall in front of him, mind distant.

A voice called from the front of the waiting room, but Reo didn’t hear, ignorant to whomever was over there.

The voice came again, a little clearer this time, trying to fight past the white noise clouding Reo’s ears.

“Mikage Reo?”

Reo jolted in his seat. He could suddenly hear people’s sniffles and sobs, and the wails of a baby down the hall. A doctor stood at the front of the room, and Reo pushed himself to his feet, weary legs struggling to keep him upright.

“That’s me.”

The doctor turned his way, and pressed his lips thin.

The football outfit covered in blood was probably not the most normal hospital outfit in the world. The doctor let it slide, however, and gestured toward the hall.

“Come with me.”

Reo still felt nothing as he trailed after the doctor, down the halls of the hospital, the smell of antiseptic and sick people growing stronger the further they walked. All that crept through his veins was fear, slow and unnoticeable, collecting in his throat as the walk continued, and continued.

What would he be walking in on?

Finally, the doctor stopped at an open doorway, glancing inside before turning towards Reo.

“He’s in there.”

The wait had been long enough.

Reo skirted past the doctor, nearly slipping from the uneven surface of his cleats, and there lay Nagi.

White hair was splayed onto the flattened hospital pillow, washed and dried, flecks of red still staining the silken strands.

He greeted Reo with a faint smile and exhausted eyes, but it was still as dazzling as ever.

“ Oh,” Reo sighed, soft and quiet, expelling a breath that carried the weight of the world. “You’re okay.”

Nagi didn’t respond, and the doctor cleared his throat awkwardly from Reo’s side.

“Come in, won’t you?” He invited, and led Reo into the room.

Hospital rooms have a certain eeriness about them, unfamiliarity and lack of warmth that can’t be made up by turning on heaters. They were cold, and barren, haunted by the memories of those who had been there before. But somehow, this room was much more inviting than the rest of the hospital had been, less chilling.

And it didn’t reek with the stench of death.

Reo nervously took the seat at Nagi’s side, scooting as close to the edge of the bed as he could.

“Mikage-kun, have you heard of something called Congenital Heart Disease?” The doctor asked, pulling up a rolling stool and settling at the foot of the bed.

“Uh, not specifically.” Reo said, his fingers rolling into the corner of the sheets that had slipped off the side of the bed. “I’d assume it's some heart issue though.”

The doctor nodded affirmatively. “Congenital implies an issue from birth.” He explained, slipping the clipboard he had been carrying into the clear pocket on the bed frame. “Nowadays it's not so bad, but if left untreated, or handled wrong, it can be fatal.”

“Does Sei have this Congenital Heart Disease?”

The nod he didn’t want, came. Reo glanced, wide eyed, down at Nagi, but the other boy was looking away.

“Nagi-kun’s heart was frail when he was born, and since he wasn’t treated as a baby, became even more so.” The doctor gestured towards the football gear donning Reo’s figure. “When he was playing football, the exertion put a strain on his heart. Over time, it got to be too much, and it seems that one final push is what caused the events you saw a few hours ago.”

Reo stared at the doctor, trying to process the information he was being fed.

“One of Nagi’s coronary arteries is ruptured, beyond repair.” The doctor finished, a heavy sigh following his words.

“What…?” Reo’s voice was distant.

“Nagi knew he had this disease. He knew what it meant. It seems he chose to play football anyways, despite the risks.”

“What are you saying ?” Reo seethed, the hair on his neck bristling. “Sei wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t lie to me like that. There must be some mistake, right Sei?”

His words died in his throat.

Nagi was still turned away, but he could see the way remorseful tears dampened his cheeks.

“I understand how hard this must be.” The doctor said, getting up from his seat. “I will leave you two alone.”

The door slid closed, separating them from the world.

Just him, and Nagi.

“Sei? Sei. ” A lump in his throat strangled Reo’s words as he tried to grasp Nagi’s attention.

Silent tears continued to drip down Nagi’s cheeks as he slowly turned. His eyes were dull, face sunken and exhausted. He didn’t even lift his head from the support of the bed.

“I'm sorry.” His voice was scratchy, like an old record, worn and abused.

“Why? Why did you do it?” Reo grabbed Nagi’s hand, shaking it a little too vigorously than what his state of being called for.

Nagi only sunk further into the mattress. “For you…”

Reo stared at him in disbelief, guilt eating at him. “If you knew it would kill you, why would you play?”

Nagi offered him that feeble little smile again. “I would have died anyways.” A little laugh escaped his chest, interrupted by his stuttering breath. “I would much rather choose the when, the where, the how, and the why.”

Reo fell against the backrest of the chair, unable to form his thoughts into coherent sentences.

Nagi squeezed the hand that was holding his, turning away to face the ceiling. “I’ve known my whole life.” He said, barely managing to get the words past his parched lips. “That I wouldn’t live long.” His pulse thrummed weakly where his hand laid in Reo’s, heavy and warm, comforting. “I’ve avoided others my whole life, so that when I inevitably left, my absence wouldn’t be missed.”

Reo stared at him in shock. “But it is . It will be missed.” His voice was urgent, frantic.

Nagi giggled in amusement. If the times were different, Reo would have fallen in love with the sound.

But now, it seemed like it was just beyond his reach.

“By you?” He asked, letting a soft sigh slip between his lips. His eyes fluttered closed as he looked up at the ceiling. “That’s right. My only regret was letting myself fall in love with you.”

Reo froze, his heart skipping a beat in his chest.

Love . And regret .

He blinked, and Nagi’s cheeks were wet again, tears slipping from the corners of his closed eyes. “I never meant to fall in love with you.”

Mist clouded Reo’s gaze, and he blinked rapidly, fighting back the swell inside of him as the reality began to hit.

Nagi’s grip on his hand weakened a little, as he turned half-lidded grey eyes towards him.

The shine and sparkle, the life and depth Reo loved so much, was gone. They were sucked dry, barren of anything deeper, like they were telling him there was nothing left.

Reo squeezed Nagi’s hand tightly, yanking him close, his knuckles turning white.

“Why would you ever say that?” His voice was cracking as he blinked away tears. “You can’t just regret loving me.” He leaned forward, pressing his nose into the junction of Nagi’s shoulder and neck, breathing in the familiar scent of his shampoos and colognes, tainted with the stench of illness.

“I’m sorry, you’re right.” He murmured quietly, his voice a little less strangled than it was before. “Loving you might have been the best thing that happened to me.”

“And me as well.” Reo said firmly, letting Nagi’s smell wash over him until he couldn’t smell anything else.

Nagi didn’t fight it, didn’t try to voice his thoughts for fear of making the burdens Reo bore worse. He knew just as well as the next person that the words Reo spoke were the truth.

That even though he was destined to leave him, he would have continued to share himself.

To say, you would have been better off without me , would be a bullet to the heart.

For both of them.

“Please don’t leave me,” Reo whispered, his words shattering apart. “I’m not ready to let you go.”

Tears started to leak from his eyes, falling into the pockets of Nagi’s collarbones. Nagi smiled a little.

“Thank you.” Reo drew his head from Nagi’s shoulder, staring at him through watery eyes. Their gazes met, and he could see the distance forming in Nagi’s grey eyes, the dullness clouding over what little of him had been left. “Thank you for…” Nagi’s tongue was heavy in his mouth, struggling to finish his sentence.

“Thank you for loving me.”

The pulse beneath Reo’s fingers slowed, to barely more than a drip, and Reo watched with his heart tearing into pieces as the color fully faded from Nagi’s eyes.

“Sei?”

His words hung, unanswered, in a silent room.

An empty room.

“Sei.”

Nagi’s hand relaxed in Reo’s grasp.

“Sei. Sei! Sei!” Reo shrieked, his voice unable to withstand the pressure coiling tighter and tighter in his chest and throat. “Seishiro! Sei!”

Please. No. No.

“ Sei!”

Everything comes at a price.

Wealth, happiness, love.

Freedom.

Sometimes the cost of something is more than what it is worth, but you never know until it is too late.

All Reo had ever wanted was a way to gain his freedom, to break himself away from his parents, from the cage in which they had him trapped and the strings by which they controlled him.

But now that he had it, now that he was independent, and able to make decisions by himself, he realized that gaining his freedom wasn’t worth what it took away.

He had gotten his wish, his freedom provided by finding the key to the lock, but he wanted more than ever the very key that had broken in the process.

It’s almost laughable, the way that fate works.

Who would have thought that the destination was the journey, and the true destination something else entirely?

Right, everything comes at a price.

There is always something more that can be stolen away.

It’s not easy, finding a way to continue to wake up in the morning when there's no one, nothing, left to wake up for.

But despite the weight of the universe on his chest, his life at a standstill, frozen in time, the world still spun around, and the dawn still came.

And he still woke in the morning to sunshine and damp window panes, chirping birds and an empty bed.

The cold of the ground soaked through Reo’s clothes, chilling his bones, making them ache where he kneeled.

“You know, I’ve never been the best person in the world.” He was looking down at his hands, something small and shiny clasped between them. “I’m selfish. I'm blunt. I’m rude. I don’t know how to take no for an answer and I’m hardly empathetic.”

The item rolled between his fingers.

“But… even still. I managed to fall in love with a guy like you, and you, by some miracle, fell for me too.”

The wind blew, and on the bag resting against Reo’s side, a tiny keychain clinked.

“You’re the best part about me.”

Reo pushed himself to his feet, bending back over to place the item down, metal tinking against stone.

“I hope that someday I can tell you that to your face, and look into your eyes just once more as I tell you that…”

He turned, stepping away.

“ You are everything I ever wanted .”

Gold flashed in the sunlight of a new spring, curves of polished metal catching the light in just the right way. Petals from apple blossoms decorated the ground, where they had fallen from the fruit bearing tree standing proud just above.

A thin ring rested against the base of a slab of stone, where it could sit prettily right next to the one it should have belonged to.

Words carved along the inside of the ring blinked into the open air, spoken in silence.

For the love lost, it read, curves of the letters swishing into one another.

I will hold you in my heart until I can once again hold you in my arms.

And as Reo walked away, a tiny, white cat attached to his bag flapped in the wind, waving its last, solemn goodbye to the ring glinting in the eyes of the heavens;

Wondering in silence what could have been.