ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏɪᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ‣ ᵇˡˡᵏ ˣ ᶠᵉᵐ!ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ

18

This is not proofread, as usual.

"See?? This is why you shouldn't go anywhere without me! Who knows if you'll survive next time!" Bachira prodded your arm with a pout, trailing after you.

Taking your arm, he linked yours together with his. Over time, you found Bachira to be a really physical person. He liked being able to have a finger on you at all times, It gives him comfort.

"I'll stay with you every time you're not in class, we can protect each other!" He beamed with a wink, poking his tongue out at you.

You couldn't help but smile at the bright boy. His cheerful personality was really beginning to rub off on you... "sure, i'll see you later then." You waved Bachira off as he walked into his classroom with a bounce in his step.

"You should pace yourself a bit more," Chigiri approached you from behind with a sympathetic smile.

"Easy for you to say, you could probably run the entire earth in a week." Catching your breath, you straightened up next to him.

It was one of those rare times where physical education wasn't split by gender. You were practicing for the pacer test which will take place a week later.

You despised it. Even when you were young, you've never been a runner.

Walking over to a bench, you sat down with chigiri next to you.

"I've been meaning to ask you something..." You started, glancing over at his knee where a surgery line was prominent. This was the first time you've seen it due to the fact that his usual school uniform was long pants.

Following your gaze, he looked down at the scar. "Wanna know how i got it?"

"Can I?" You asked, knowing that it was a sensitive topic for him.

"Sure." Putting a hand on the scar, Chigiri gently traced over the bump with a sad smile on his face. "About a year ago I tore my ACL during a match..."

Keeping your eyes on Chigiri, you listened to him talk about his injury and what happened in middle school. From how he used to be a snobby kid with a superior perception over others to being bullied and made fun off by others.

"I truly believed that I was ahead of everyone else, that I was better. I looked down upon people who couldn't keep up with me, I was stuck up and ignorant of others." You were surprised that Chigiri was willingly telling you about his past.

But more so you were surprised about the person he used to be. Chigiri? Ignorant? Those two words shouldn't even be in the same sentence.

"And I was so afraid of playing soccer again, terrified that I could potentially loose my worth as a player. So I tried to find a reason to quit." Chigiri paused, looking at you wanting to question your lack of response.

Seemingly zoned out, you had been staring at his knee the entire time, somehow visualising a younger version of him in your head.

"...but you're still playing?" Snapping out of your trance, you asked him.

"yup, until I can't run anymore." Chigiri confirmed with a confident smile.

"Oh wow, you know, you really are something special Chigiri Hyouma!" Blushing slightly at the use of his first name, Chigiri brushed your compliment off.

Never would you have thought that someone as kind as him would have such a past.

Walking next to Reo, the two of you were absorbed in animated chatter while the mop of white hair was quietly playing games on his phone.

You managed to find the two of them near the rooftop, Nagi on his phone and Reo practicing soccer. It wasn't rare to find the two of them in each other's company, like two peas in a pod as many would say.

But as you were busy conversing with Reo, you also noticed how Nagi seemed to lag behind a bit, leaving some distance between the two of you.

Most of the time Nagi would be next to Reo, or sometimes even on his back. Today? Not only was he not beside his best friend, but he was purposely walking a few paces behind.

Reo didn't seem to have noticed. Or maybe he did but just didn't care enough to point it out because he never once asked Nagi for his opinion and thoughts while talking to you.

Not wanting Nagi to feel left out while Reo and you planned a study session, you turned back to look at him.

"What about you? Are you gonna join us?" Nagi put his phone down, giving you you a brief look before making eye contact with his best friend.

You must have missed some kind of 'bro code' communication or something because Nagi took some time to say no unlike his usual self.

"Hm, okay then. I'll see you tomorrow Reo, bye Nagi!" Waving back at the two, you left for your next lesson.

"Are you sure you want to come along?" Reo questioned his friend, still not quite believing what was happening.

"Yeah, I have nothing to do anyways." Nagi responded, already putting on his shoes.

The study session you were supposed to have— the one that Nagi said no to. He was now adamant on wanting to join in.

"Okayy, but it's not my fault if you get bored." Still slightly confused by his sudden change of mind, Reo decided to leave it at that.

28 May 2023
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