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REO WASN'T picking up the phone.
Initially, Seishiro thought his friend was busy. Some people stop answering their texts for days and even weeks before reappearing with an apology on the tip of their tongues. However, Reo wasn't one of those. There was a time he would talk with Seishiro on the phone for hours, but since Rin debuted and the stress of the upcoming Olympics began getting to him, he sometimes left his friend on read. He would always answer on the same day, though, even if it was many hours later.
Yet he had stopped answering since Nanase's party. Nagi sent him a message on his way home, updating Reo on gossip from the party he was sure the other would enjoy. It went something like this: You should've stayed last night. Isagi got wasted, he accidentally called his ex and both her and her new boyfriend showed up. We played Fifa. I lost more than 2000 yen. Guess who threw up over Isagi's lap. His best friend Bachira, not me.
But Reo hadn't even read the messages. Nagi let the texts sit there unopened for a whole day or so, remembering how Reo had gotten so upset over the Olympic news he ignored everyone, too, at the time. Perhaps he was having a day as bad as that one. With the parents he had, Seishiro wouldn't be surprised. And why would Reo find it in himself to continue the conversation when he didn't care about the party, to begin with? He chose not to attend and that literally meant he wasn't interested in the gossip, so why had Seishiro expected commentary about it?
Because talking about nonsense with Reo came naturally to him. Reo was his biggest confidant; he always entertained Seishiro and never complained. Except now. Maybe he cared so little he had nothing to say.
Fine. Nagi didn't mind being left on received – shit, not even on read. He hadn't expected it because Reo often kept the chatter going, but yeah, if he had a bad weekend he might not be in the mood for talking.
On Monday morning, Nagi tried to contact his friend again. It was weird that Reo's side was completely radio silent. Seishiro could understand a day or two, but not more than that. Even if Reo had an emergency of some sort, he was permanently attached to his phone because he lived at the hotel and mostly communicated with his parents through calls, which meant he should have at least read Seishiro's message and sent him a sticker or reaction.
Nagi tried to think of an excuse to incite him to answer and remembered a certain someone that had been absent at Nanase's as well, and who didn't communicate with his teammates either.
Reo, hey, do you have Rin's number?
But Reo never replied. For a second time, he didn't even read the message, which was nothing but suspicious. Was he ignoring Nagi on purpose? Seishiro had no idea what he could've done that was deserving of the silent treatment. He would have to confront Reo about it during practice. If he arrived earlier, he could probably catch his friend before he left the rink.
