AN ODE TO YOUR DREAMS

( 九 ) cut glass

cut glass.

YOU SEE HOW THE LIGHT shines brightly against his figure as his legs pump and tense with every rapid step, a ball rolling forwards between each bounce against the sides of his expensive black cleats. He moves expertly and efficiently, tilting his body in ways that allow for maximum speed and with no unnecessary movement.

Itoshi Rin truly is a monster on the soccer field.

Despite how you don't understand a single thing going on, you see the way his teammates connect with him like planets orbiting the blazing Sun. He plays with confidence as if the game revolves around him, and only himself. You see it in the way he greedily hogs the ball every time he gets close to the goal and tries to score every point for himself. He moves as if he's screaming with the mean curl of his brows over his narrowed eyes—it's Itoshi Rin's world and we are all just living in it.

( We might as well just move out, then, if that's the case )

The game ends with your school's soccer team winning against the opposing team from your neighboring high school. While the others celebrate their win, the other kids lay dejectedly on the grass, relishing the frustration brought about by defeat. And though Itoshi Rin himself was the one who had brought victory upon the team with his final kick towards the corner of the goal's frame, you don't see him cheering along with the group, instead, he stands calmly with a towel slung over his right shoulder and sipping a cold drink in hand. He gazes down blankly at the grass. Who knows what he's thinking?

With how he trains himself to the bone, you assume that he's still thinking about soccer.

Ten minutes pass as you wait for the soccer players to change out of their previous clothes in exchange for fresh ones and exit the vicinity towards their own respective places. You see Itoshi Rin walking out of the nearby washroom that was near the bleachers of where you were standing. His attire had been changed to a simple black sweater and gray sweatpants. He had his gym bag slung over his shoulder whilst his other hand held his bottle.

You walk fast steps to catch up to his pace.

"Hey!" You call out, raising your right hand up in the air. "Itoshi Rin!"

At first, his brows furrowed as he turned his head to the right towards your direction. When his sodalite eyes landed on your face, his blank expression turned sour.

"What are you doing here?" He hisses once you are right beside him. "I thought I told you that you can't go to my game."

"Technically," You shrug. "You only said 'we aren't friends' when I asked you if I could watch."

"Wasn't that already an implication that you can't go?"

"I'm a lazy ass, right?" You raised your hand up to knock on the side of your head. You're pretty much unbothered by his attitude by now. "So, that means I'm pretty stupid sometimes, too. Head's pretty empty. Sorry 'bout that."

"You're infuriating."

"Tell me something I don't know." You reply lazily, waving your hand dismissively by your side with a yawn. "Anyway, you agreed that we were going to finish the character profile after your game, right? Well, let's do it now."

He scowls. "I don't remember agreeing to anything, and I still have to take a bath. I can't go around staying dirty after a game."