Chapter Text
"I promise you I’m fine.” Reo listened to Chigiri’s warnings on the other end of the phone, pointing out that it wasn’t wise to return to Japan, but he didn’t care. Reo Mikage wasn’t the same person he was four years ago; he was someone new now. He wasn’t the teenager who cried over someone who only used him for convenience, a selfish person who had broken him. No, things had changed; the corporation’s heir was happy, playing his role perfectly.
“I understand, but as your friend, I assure you that as soon as you see him, everything will go to…”
The call from his flight pulled Reo from his conversation with Chigiri. “Okay, okay, when I see him, my whole plan will fall apart. I’ve got him, but now I have to go before I miss my flight.”
“Reo, wait.”
A sigh escaped Reo’s lips; With his right hand, he picked up his suitcase. He understood (to a certain extent) Chigiri's unease, but he knew it was time to return home temporarily. As he went through baggage control, he spotted his reason for returning to Japan in the distance.
With his suitcase at his left side and a slight frown, there was Rin Itoshi. Reo smiled at him, raising his left hand. Rin looked at him and nodded slightly. Reo moved a little closer as Rin went through baggage control.
"You're late."
Reo smiled as he put his left arm around Rin's. Rin just hummed. Reo would never have imagined he would end up with Rin. If the Reo of four years ago had met him, he probably would have asked, "Who is Rin?" Now he knew he had made the best decision; Rin was the one.
He didn't usually attend reunions with his old friends. This would be the first time he returned to Japan in four years.
This would be the first time he would see him again...
Reo's smile faltered, transforming into a grimace of displeasure. He shouldn't think about that, especially now that he was with Rin. That's...
"Stop overthinking it." Rin spoke those words with a serious expression as she gently pressed Reo's forehead with her index finger. Reo grimaced and whispered, "Sorry." Rin shook her head as she led him to their seats. Reo sat by the window; he preferred being in the public area to first class, but Rin's face showed that he didn't like the public area. Reo smiled, slowly intertwining his hands with Rin's. He knew Rin didn't like crowds; they were difficult to handle, to say the least. Although Reo was used to crowds, his boyfriend wasn't, and that was understandable. He looked out the window and watched them slowly drift away from Paris. Reo whispered goodbye; he would miss his apartment, the winter chill. He would return, that was for sure.
⚽︎⚽︎⚽︎
Japan, Japan, Japan...
What could Nagi possibly say about the country where he was born?
Four years ago, when he received the offer to go to England, he accepted. Could anyone blame him? At that time (even now) he felt he had made the right decision; now he was one of the most famous players at just 21 years old, appearing in popular magazines and commercials for products he couldn't have afforded before.
When he was 16, he met Reo Mikage, who taught him how to play soccer, and for the first time, Nagi's life at that age began to make sense.
Before, Nagi never thought Reo would leave him. He believed they would be together forever, win the World Cup, and eventually get married, adopt a dog, and move into a top-floor apartment. They promised, but they argued, and now they don't speak to each other. Nagi learned from the gossip pages that Reo quit soccer the same year he left his life, and two years later, Reo announced his relationship with Rin Itoshi. Nagi suspected Reo had a thing for soccer players; he knew Rin, as well as his brother Sae Itoshi, who had been signed by teams in other countries at a young age. Unlike his older brother, Rin was an easy opponent to beat (Nagi had experienced this firsthand, and Isagi agreed); Rin was talented, yes, but his attachment to his brother was stronger. He couldn't understand what Reo saw in that strange guy. A voice that sounded too much like Chigiri's shouted, "WHY DIDN'T HE LEAVE HIM?" Nagi ignored it; he hadn't left Reo, he simply wanted to evolve on his own. It wasn't hard to understand. Besides, it was Reo who said he wanted that damn cup, and when he got it, he didn't even say thank you. While Nagi was a little upset, he had spent five years chasing that trophy, and when he finally held it in his hands, the boy he had done everything for hadn't said a word.
Nagi still remembers when Japan won the final, everyone jumping for joy, some even crying. He had what he had wanted most, but he was alone. There was no one by his side saying, "We did it." In that moment Nagi looked up and saw Rin sitting on the grass with Reo on his lap. Reo was holding the trophy, wearing Rin's jersey, smiling, and Rin was hugging him. Nagi didn't stay for the celebration; he simply left.
He wasn't going to lie, he still felt resentment for seeing that scene between Rin and Reo; that was supposed to be Reo and Nagi, not Rin, but life is unfair. Now, back in Japan, everything was strange. Chigiri invited him to a Christmas dinner at her house; everyone on the team would be there, including their partners, including Reo. Nagi tried to stay calm; Reo would probably spend time with Rin and wouldn't even say hello. Nagi sighed; he hated this. When he arrived at Chigiri's house, he knocked on the door, and Bachira opened it with a smile: "Welcome, Nagi-chan!" Nagi raised his hand; as he entered, he saw most of them. Kunigami was setting the table, Shidou was chatting with Karasu and Otoya. Nagi was surprised to see Sae Itoshi next to Shidou, but it was best not to ask. On the floor, Isagi was fighting with Rin. Oh, if Rin was there, it meant…
“Reo, be careful, I’m not making another salad!” Chigiri’s voice pulled Nagi from his thoughts. Reo Mikage appeared in the room with a steel bowl containing a simple salad of lettuce and tomatoes.
“Who do you take me for? I’m not a…”
They locked eyes, and Nagi heard a sharp, vibrant sound that echoed throughout the room.
“REO MIKAGE!” It was Chigiri’s voice, but it sounded distant. At that moment, it was just Reo and Nagi. Reo broke eye contact, muttered “damn,” as he bent down to pick up the bowl.