Chapter Text
Little Rin, seven years old, clutched his soccer ball to his chest, staring out the car window at the scenery slipping by with a mix of curiosity and boredom. He wasn’t quite sure why his family had decided to take this trip to some far-off coastal prefecture. All he wanted was to stay in the backyard, playing soccer with Sae until the sun went down, but his mom had insisted they needed “a family adventure” — and Sae, surprisingly, hadn’t argued.
—When are we getting there? —Rin asked, his voice a little restless. He wanted to get out and do something. Being stuck in the car was the worst.
—Almost there, Rin —his mom answered with a warm smile from the front seat—. Look, you can already see the ocean.
Rin stretched his neck, and his face lit up a bit when he saw the blue shimmer of the sea in the distance. It was… pretty.
He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he liked how it looked. Sae, sitting next to him, had his head down, completely oblivious to the view.
Rin looked at him and gently shook his shoulder. —Nii-chan, look, it’s the ocean.
Sae glanced up, but his face was paler than usual. —I don’t feel so good —he mumbled, rubbing his forehead—. I think the car ride’s making me dizzy.
Rin frowned, worried. His nii-chan never got sick. —Nii-chan, you okay? —he asked, leaning closer.
—Just… need to rest —Sae said, closing his eyes. Their mom turned around, a bit alarmed, and placed a hand on Sae’s forehead.
—Sweetie, you’re a little warm. Let’s stop for a bit —she said, looking at her husband, who nodded, sped up a little, and parked the car near a white wooden house with a view of the sea.
When they finally reached the house they’d rented for the week, Rin hopped out of the car with his soccer ball under his arm, but he didn’t wander far and stood watching as his parents helped Sae sit on the porch and handed him a water bottle.
—Rin, why don’t you go play for a while? —his mom suggested, kneeling beside Sae—. Your brother just needs to rest, and we’ll be here with him. Go explore the beach, but don’t go too far.
Rin hesitated, looking at Sae. He wanted to stay, but Sae cracked one eye open and waved a hand at him. —Go, Rin, I’ll catch up later.
Rin huffed, puffing out his cheeks a little, but finally nodded. He gripped his soccer ball tighter and headed down the path that led to the beach.
He wasn’t sure what he’d find, but maybe he could practice some dribbling in the sand.
[.]
The beach was prettier than Rin had expected. The sand was soft, almost white, and the sea sparkled under the sun. Rin kicked his ball a couple of times but stopped when he noticed someone near the shore.
It was a boy, probably around his age though a bit shorter, crouching by a pile of rocks. He had black hair, a little messy from the breeze, and wore a blue T-shirt that was a tad too big for him. In his hands, he held a shiny seashell, staring at it so intently he didn’t notice Rin approaching.
Rin tilted his head, curious. The boy smelled… different. It wasn’t a strong scent, since kids like them were still developing their own, but he thought he could pick up a faint trace of sweet blackberries, almost as sweet as a bakery tart. Rin didn’t know why he noticed it, but he decided not to dwell on it.
—What’re you doing? —he asked, his voice softer than he meant it to be. He didn’t want to scare him.
The boy gave a little jump and turned his head, his big, bright eyes meeting Rin’s. They were a violet color, like the sky at dusk, and for a moment, Rin felt a strange tug in his chest, making him blink, confused, and clutch his soccer ball tighter.
—Oh! —The boy grinned, and his face lit up like the sun had decided to shine just for him—. I’m collecting seashells! Look, this one’s super pretty, it’s got a spiral pattern —He held up the shell, showing it to Rin with pride—. Wanna see the others?
Rin took a step closer, still holding his ball. —Why do you collect them? —he asked, leaning in a bit to look at the shell. It was pretty, he had to admit.
—Because they’re special! —the boy replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world—. My grandpa says seashells hold the secrets of the sea. If you put them to your ear, sometimes you hear things. —He paused, blushing a little—. Well, I’ve never heard anything, but it’s fun looking for them.
Rin couldn’t help but smile, just a tiny bit. There was something about this kid that made him want to stick around and listen, especially if it meant he’d get to see smiles like those again.
—What’s your name? —Rin asked, sitting down in the sand without realizing it. His soccer ball rested in his lap now.
—Nijiro! Nijiro Nanase —the boy answered, wiping his hands on his shirt before holding one out to Rin—. And you?
Rin looked at the offered hand and, after a second, took it. Nijiro’s hand was warm, and for a moment, he could smell that faint blackberry scent again. —Rin Itoshi —he said, letting go quickly because his face felt warm for no reason.
—Rin! That’s such a cool name! —Nanase grinned even wider, and Rin felt that tug in his chest again. It was weird.
—You live around here? —Rin asked, trying to sound casual as he nudged his soccer ball gently against the sand.
—A few streets that way —Nijiro pointed toward some houses in the distance—. You guys on vacation?
—Yeah, just a week —Rin replied, shrugging. He didn’t sound too excited, but deep down, the idea of exploring the beach with someone like Nanase didn’t seem so boring.
—That’s perfect! —Nanase said, his eyes sparkling—. We can play every day. I’m always here looking for shells or running around on the beach.
Rin looked at the ball in his hands, then at Nanase. An idea popped into his head. —Hey, wanna play soccer? —he asked, holding up the ball with a spark of excitement in his eyes—. It’s super fun.
Nanase blinked, scratching his cheek with a shy look. —Uh… I don’t know how to play soccer —he admitted, looking down at his shells—. I’ve never tried...
Rin opened his mouth to say something, but the words came out faster than he expected, even surprising himself. —Don’t worry! I’ll teach you, I’ll be your coach. —He blushed as soon as he realized what he’d said, but he didn’t take it back. He wanted Nanase to play with him.
Nijiro looked at him, his eyes widening in surprise before a huge smile spread across his face. —Really?! That sounds awesome! —He jumped to his feet, leaving his shells in a neat pile—. Okay, Rin-san, teach me!
Rin felt that tug in his chest again, but this time, he laughed — something rare for him — and stood up too. —Don’t call me that, it’s weird. I think we’re the same age —he said, though he didn’t sound annoyed. Maybe a little… happy.
Nanase let out a small squeal of excitement and started following Rin as he explained how to kick the ball, talking so fast he sometimes tripped over his words.
[.]
The sun was starting to dip, painting the sky a soft orange that reflected on the waves. Rin and Nanase were sitting in the sand, worn out after an hour of playing. He’d been teaching Nanase how to kick the ball, and though Nanase wasn’t exactly a prodigy (he tripped twice and almost hit a seagull with the ball), he tried so hard that Rin couldn’t help but have fun.
Nanase, cheeks flushed and still catching his breath, flopped back onto the sand, staring at the sky. His blue shirt was covered in sand, and his hair was even messier than before. His scent was a bit stronger now, a faint mix of sweet blackberries and milk. Rin noticed it again, though he wasn’t sure why he kept paying attention. He had his own scent too, a blend of mint and milk, just as faint, not strong enough to mark him as an alpha yet. He was too young for that, at least that’s what he’d heard his parents say.
—Rin, you’re amazing! —Nanase said out of nowhere, turning to look at him with a smile so bright it could rival the sun—. Seriously, you play like a pro! I bet you’re gonna be the best soccer player in the world someday!
Rin blinked, caught off guard. His cheeks warmed, and a slight blush spread across his face before he could stop it. He looked out at the sea, frowning a little to hide it. —I’m not that good —he mumbled, kicking at the sand with his sneaker—. My nii-chan Sae’s way better. He’s gonna be the best in the world.
Nanase tilted his head, still smiling. —Your brother? Is he as good as you?
Rin nodded eagerly, his eyes lighting up as he talked about Sae. —Sae’s the best! He can do anything, he teaches me all his tricks, and one day we’re gonna play together on a super famous team —He paused, looking at Nanase—. But… you weren’t so bad for your first time. Just need to practice
Nanase laughed, a clear, joyful sound that made Rin’s chest feel that strange tug again. It was like an invisible thread tightening. He decided not to dwell on it because he didn’t understand what it was, but he couldn’t ignore that playing with Nanase had been really fun.
—Thanks, Rin-san! —Nijiro teased, sitting up and brushing the sand off his hands—. You’re a really patient coach. I thought you’d yell at me when I almost hit that bird.
Rin huffed, crossing his arms, but the corner of his mouth curled into a small smile. —It wasn’t that bad. Just… aim better next time.
Nanase nodded so eagerly he looked like a puppy. Then, he stared out at the horizon, where the sun was almost touching the water. His eyes softened. Rin watched him, curious, but didn’t say anything, so he sat down beside him.
—Hey, Rin —Nanase said after a few seconds, turning to him—. Ever heard of soulmates?
Rin frowned, confused. —Soulmates? —He’d heard adults talk about stuff like that, but he’d never cared. It sounded like something from the bedtime stories his mom read.
Nijiro leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with excitement. —It’s like a special person who’s made for you! My grandpa says the stars are like threads —Nanase said, looking up at the sky—. Like everyone’s got a thread connecting them to someone else. And when you meet that person, you know because… I dunno, you feel it.
Rin felt another tug in his chest, stronger this time, and his face warmed again. He didn’t like how that sounded. It was too… weird, too sappy. —That sounds dumb —he said, crossing his arms tighter—. There’s no threads or anything like that. It’s just a story for little kids.
Nanase didn’t get upset. He just laughed softly, like he knew something Rin didn’t. —Maybe, but my grandpa says soulmates always find each other, no matter what —He paused, blushing a little—. Sounds nice, don’t you think?
Rin huffed, looking away so Nanase wouldn’t see the faint blush still on his cheeks. —I don’t believe in that stuff —he said—. The universe doesn’t do anything. If you want something, you get it yourself. You train, you win. That’s it.
Nanase looked at him for a moment, his eyes soft and warm. —Maybe you’re right —he said, shrugging—. But… I dunno, I think it’d be cool to have a soulmate. Someone who’s always there, no matter what.
Rin didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say. The idea of soulmates seemed kind of fanciful, but the way Nanase talked about it, with that voice full of excitement, made his heart beat a little faster. It was confusing and a bit annoying, but also… not so bad.
—Hey, Rin —Nanase said, breaking the silence as he stood up with a huge smile—. Thanks for playing with me today! You’re awesome —Before Rin could react, Nanase stepped forward and wrapped him in a quick hug, his small arms squeezing tight
His faint scent filled the air for a second before he pulled back, laughing. —Hope you come back tomorrow! I wanna show you a secret spot with even prettier seashells.
Rin froze, his cheeks burning. The hug had been so sudden he didn’t know how to react. His heart gave another tug, stronger than before, and for a second, he wanted to hug him back. But instead, he crossed his arms, staring at the ground. —…Maybe —he said, though the small smile on his face gave him away.
Nanase grinned, brighter than ever. —Awesome! It’s a promise then
Rin didn’t say anything, but as he watched Nanase pick up his seashells and ramble about the sea, he thought that maybe this vacation wouldn’t be so boring after all.