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Many of the guys were already exchanging numbers since after the U-20 World Cup, they would be going their separate ways. Even the strict-looking Fukaku was giving his phone number to both Isagi and Bachira.
Chigiri took this chance and asked Kunigami for his number. The fallen hero said no, but Chigiri guilt-tripped him into saying that he regretted not getting Kunigami's phone number and suffered a broken heart. Kunigami rolled his eyeballs as he handed his phone to Chigiri, who immediately grinned and took Kuni's phone. He copied his crush's number, and saved his number on Kunigami's phone.
"Here, Rensuke," Chigiri said sassily. "Let's call each other, yeah?"
Kunigami only hummed in response, just to shut the other up. Nevertheless, Chigiri was over the moon.
Aryu approached Rin and handed a palm at Blue Lock's number one. Rin looked at Aryu's open palm before shooting the glam man a confused (yet cold) look.
"What do you want?"
"I had been asking for your number since Second Selection," Aryu reminded him. "Yet you did not give me. Now, give me your number."
"And disturb me?" Rin finished for him. "Heck no."
And he left Aryu sighing in defeat.
****
Rin walked towards his room he shared with Karasu when he saw Nanase standing outside. The country bumpkin was standing timidly, hands at the back, him tapping his barefooted right foot on the floor.
"What is it?" Rin asked straightaway.
Nanase bit his lips before he handed his phone, "Rin-san, anou, can I ask fer yer number?"
"Why?"
Nanase looked at him in confusion. "Well, I wanna talk ta ya once in a while..."
"Not happening," Rin said as he inched closer to the door. "I only gave my number to Isagi."
Nanase blinked. "Isagi-san?"
"I have a lot to ask him after all of this," Rin just said.
"But... ya and Isagi-san will be in different teams..."
"Why does it matter to you?" Rin snapped. "I'll only give my number to whoever I want."
Nanase pouted, but Rin suddenly felt a pang of something in his chest which he could not put a name on to. Especially when the look on Nanase's eyes turned into sorrow because of him.
"Ah, sorry fer askin'," Nanase said as he forced a smile. "Sorry fer botherin' ya."
Rin stood there, speechless.
"Ah, why should a master remember his property's name anyway?" Nanase murmured as he walked away. "I'm stupid..."
"Bumpkin!" Rin called out before he clasped his mouth with his hand.
Darn it. And all he knew by name was Isagi, when Nanase had been closely training with him for 15 days.
Rin remembered those times when Nanase was not his mentee yet. The country bumpkin would speak up and would put him in place. He had forgotten that Nanase wasn't always nice.
****
Ego had everyone gather inside the room where he first gave his game plan for the Blue Lock 11 vs the OG U-20 exhibition game.
"Hello, rough diamonds," he greeted. "I will be announcing which group will fly out of Japan first. You will not be having the same flight schedules."
He checked the list in his clipboard and announced that those bound for the United Kingdom, France, and Netherlands will fly first. There were murmurs from among the group, and Ego told them to shut up. He called out the next team to fly out days after the first group: Germany, Italy, and Spain. And he enumerated the next groups who would be going to Europe.
"Ah, and let me remind you too," Ego said as he scratched his head with his pen. "That fat bastard had made business out of you all, but I do not disapprove of the nuigurumis."
Many of the people voiced out their delight, and some asked if they could have the nuis of their choice.
"You can ask as many as you like. Just be sure to have your own," Ego said. "Just go to my office and ask Anri how much you want. Class dismissed."
****
The guys grabbed their nuis, and exchanged with the others. Those who would be in the next batch of flights bid goodbye to those bound for UK, France, and Netherlands. Isagi and Bachira hovered over Chigiri and Hiori, and Aryu and Niko bear-hugged Yukimiya.
Nanase built up the courage to approach Kunigami to say goodbye to him as well because he had not spoken properly with the fallen hero. Kunigami only nodded before walking away, and Kurona told him that eversince coming back from the Wild Card, Kunigami had not engaged with everyone else, and only did so with Chigiri because the princess was being a "nuisance" (as per what Kurona heard Kunigami said).
"Say, Nanase," Kurona said. "I haven't seen, seen you saying goodbye to Rin."
The mention of Blue Lock's ace made Nanase's face fall, which did not escape Kurona's vision.
"Oh, well, that depends on you too," Kurona said. "After all, that man is insufferable."
Nanase only smiled. Kurona gave him his nui, and Nanase also gave him his own.
****
Nanase was smiling wistfully as he looked at his twin nuis while walking towards the room he was sharing with Hiori. As he was about to enter his room, Hiori got out, and the two exchanged gazes.
"Nanase-kun, ya have a visiter," Hiori calmly remarked before giving an understanding smile and patting his shoulder.
As Hiori went out, Nanase stepped in the room to see Rin sitting on his bed. In his shock, he gripped his two nuis possessively before dropping his head to look at the floor.
"I know you're avoiding me, and I know I am the reason," Rin said. "Yet I still have to say goodbye to you properly."
"Hai," Nanase said in a voice closer to a whisper.
Rin sighed before he stood up, and gently held Nanase to let him sit on his own bed. Rin took his seat beside him and scratched his nape. It was so not him to be awkward around him. Why did Nanase acting like this affect him more than Barou shouting at him earlier today?
"I'm sorry, Bumpkin," Rin said, not looking at him, but only reaching out to hold his other hand that was still gripping one of the Nanase nuis. "I thought you don't matter to me, that only Isagi holds weight in my consciousness. It seems that I can't let you fly out of Japan without me apologizing properly."
And he felt his hand getting wet. Rin turned his head to see Nanase shedding tears silently. Rin wrapped an arm around the other boy's shoulder and pulled him gently towards him.
"I'm sorry," he said again.
This time, Nanase sniffed and wept a bit louder.
"I did my research," Rin told him. "France and Spain seems like to be on the same timezone. Let's call each other at night."
Nanase looked at him, and Rin's gut twisted uncomfortably to see Nanase's swollen wet eyes. It really did not sit well with him that the country bumpkin had been holding his feelings and crying because of him.
Rin grabbed his phone that he brought with him and handed it to Nanase, who put his nuis on his side to receive Rin's phone.
"Save your number, and call yourself," Rin told him.
Nanase did as told, and Rin heard a phone ringing. The country bumpkin gave back the phone, and Rin saw that Nanase simply designated his complete name on Rin's contact list.
"So formal," Rin said as he edited the entry.
He put a star and a rainbow beside Nanase's full name before saving it. And he absentmindedly let out a smile as he looked at his edited entry. His thoughts were only broken when Nanase spoke up.
"Arigatou, Rin-san..."
Rin took his phone back to his side before getting something. He gave to Nanase his nui, and the country bumpkin looked at him.
"Let's exchange," Rin encouraged him.
Indeed, the two of them exchanged nuis, and Nanase said, still calming himself down, that he planned two nuis because he feared he might lose one, so at least he still have another of his nui.
"I am not famous," he explained. "Ya heard from Ego-san that Buratsuta-san made business outta us. If my nuis are not sold out, then it means there's less market fer it. They might even scrap all my nuis, so at least I have mine."
Rin looked at the other putting the nuis on his lap and letting them shake hands.
"Cute," Rin thought.
He voiced out. "Your nuis will not be scrapped out. I will buy all your nuis and make a shrine."
Nanase asked him, "Are ya only sayin' it ta make me feel bettah?"
Rin reached out to hold Nanase's hand again, the one holding the Rin nui.
"No," Rin said. "I will buy your nui and really make a collection. Heck, I will tell that pig to include your nuis in every release."
Nanase finally laughed after all the tears. Rin watched as Nanase continued playing with the plushies.
"Don't forget me, Bumpkin," Rin said.
"Yer too monumental to be fergotten," Nanase said sadly. "I'm the one who needs ta fight hard so I'll not be fergotten."
"You won't be," Rin assured him as he rose his hand to wipe the tears from Nanase's cheeks. "By the way, I'll tell the crow I'll be kicking him out of our room today."
"Why?"
"I want you to stay next to me tonight," Rin requested.
When he noticed the redness on Nanase's cheeks, Rin touched the other's left cheek.
"I'm not even joking."
"Hai..."
And so, when Karasu learned about the sleeping arrangement, he smiled and accepted easily. It would mean more sexy time with Hiori, provided they won't be doing it on Nanase's bed.
And in Rin's room, they did not touch Karasu's bed, and instead, cuddled on Rin's bed.
****
The day came for the first group to leave Blue Lock. All of them said goodbye to each other.
Sae just tapped Nanase on the arm as he told the younger to watch over his boyfriend.
"I ain't gonna be in PXG, Sae-san," Nanase told him. "Karasu-san will be."
"Oh, okay, so the crow needs to report to me," Sae said. "Call Rin when you arrive in Reims."
Nanase's eyes grew wide, and Sae told him he knew about the two of them and their cuddle sesh for two nights already. Rin approached them, and gave the country bumpkin a goodbye.
"Let's talk after you arrive in Reims," Rin said before he looked at his nii-chan.
"My younger brother is lucky to have a nice man," Sae said, which made Rin roll his eyeballs.
Such comment coming from his nii-chan? Really?
"Goodbye, Rin-san," Nanase whispered tenderly.
"Goodbye too, Nijiro," Rin said, finally calling Nanase by his given name.
He leaned down and gave Nanase his first kiss.
--end--