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The day after the sports festival feels quieter, the tension between the Itoshi brothers still lingering. For you, though, life moves on. Your responsibilities don't pause for drama, nor do they make room for distractions. Still, beneath the surface, Rin, Sae, and even you carry burdens that tug at the edges of your interactions.
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍮 ⋅ ☆
Rin sits alone in the locker room after practice, staring at his reflection in the polished metal of his locker door. His fists clench as his mind replays the festival, the way Nanase surged ahead at the last moment, how Sae had brushed past him with that infuriatingly calm expression.
It wasn't just about losing. It was about losing in front of you.
"I can't believe you let that little nobody beat you, Rin."
The memory of Sae's smug remark tightens something in Rin's chest. He punches the locker with a sharp clang.
In the shadow of Sae's legacy, Rin has always struggled to find his own light. His older brother, the golden child, was perfect in nearly every way—on the field, in their family, and even in the way people flocked to him. Rin had to fight for scraps of acknowledgment, but with you, he wanted it to be different.
You're not a prize, Rin thinks bitterly, staring at his red-knuckled hand. But if I can win your attention... maybe I can prove I'm not just in Sae's shadow.
Later, when he's walking home, Rin sees a group of younger kids playing soccer in a park. He stops for a moment, leaning against the fence as he watches. One of the kids trips over the ball, but instead of giving up, he gets up, wipes his eyes, and keeps playing.
Rin exhales, his usual scowl softening just a little.
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍮 ⋅ ☆
Sae isn't used to losing—or at least, that's what everyone thinks. He's walking through the Blue Lock training facility when Oliver Aiku falls into step beside him, a sly grin on his face.
"Still mad about losing to a kid like Nanase?" Aiku asks, elbowing him.
"Hardly," Sae replies, his tone as cold as ever.
"Sure, sure," Aiku says, smirking. "By the way, nice job shutting Rin up yesterday. Always a pleasure watching you two go at it."
Sae doesn't reply, though Aiku's words linger in his mind.
Always a pleasure watching you two go at it.
The rivalry with Rin—it wasn't always like this. Sae remembers a time when Rin used to look up to him, chasing after him with wide, admiring eyes. Somewhere along the line, that dynamic shifted. Rin started challenging him, resenting him, and Sae, too stubborn to back down, pushed back.
He runs a hand through his hair, his usual calm cracking slightly.
Then there's you. The only person who doesn't seem to care about his fame or his carefully constructed image. Your indifference gnaws at him, and for reasons he doesn't fully understand, he finds himself wanting to break through your wall.
But is it because of you—or because he knows Rin wants you, too?
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍮 ⋅ ☆
At home, the kitchen smells faintly of last night's dinner. You sit at the table, tallying expenses for the month, a calculator in one hand and a notepad in the other.
"Y/N, can you pick up some extra rice tomorrow?" your mother calls from the other room, her voice tired but gentle.
"Yeah," you reply, jotting it down on the growing list.
Balancing school, work, and family feels like walking a tightrope. It's not that you resent it—your family comes first, always—but it doesn't leave much room for anything else.
Later, as you fold laundry in the small living room, your younger sibling sits beside you, chattering about their day.
"Do you ever get tired, Y/N?" they ask suddenly, their big eyes peeking up at you.
You pause, the question catching you off guard. "Sometimes," you admit.
"But you don't stop," they say, smiling. "You're like a superhero!"
You laugh softly, ruffling their hair. "I'm not a superhero. Just doing what I need to."
Later that night, as you sit by the window, your thoughts drift to Rin and Sae. Their attention unsettles you—not because you don't care, but because you don't know if you want to care. Letting people in feels dangerous, like adding more weight to an already heavy load.
Would it really be so bad to keep things as they are?
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍮 ⋅ ☆
The Itoshi brothers each find themselves lost in thought that evening. Rin sits at his desk, sketching out plays for the next match, determined to outshine Sae. Sae stands on his balcony, staring out at the city lights, wondering what he's really trying to achieve.
And you? You sit by the window, staring at the stars and thinking about what it means to truly let someone into your life.
The three of you are connected by invisible threads—desire, rivalry, and the shared struggle to define yourselves in a world that demands so much.
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