Brothers

Chapter 5 - Answers

Rin didn't know that it would escalate to this.

'It wasn't that bad before.'
~because you didn't skip those sessions before~
 
Rin was confused.

'It isn't winter yet.'
~are you sure?~

'It isn't cold in here'
~Maybe, but are you sure that's the problem?~

These thoughts were running circles in his mind. He felt like someone was blocking his airway. He felt like he was suffocating. He was drowning.

No, he was freez-

"-in"

"-Rin"

"-shi Rin"

"ITOSHI RIN"

Opening his eyes, Rin saw Ego and Anri standing near him. Ego with his scrutinizing gaze looking at him intensely and Anri staring at him with concern visible on her face. He looked down and saw a glass of water resting in her hands, maybe she was offering it to him? Why? He could very well drink water on his own he didn't need anyone to fetch it for him.

But he was thirsty. So he decided to take it anyways. As he lifted his hand to take the glass he realised that it was trembling. No, he realised it was not just his hand that was trembling. His whole body was trembling. He also realised that he was soaked in sweat. Cold sweat.

'Why didn't I realise all of this before?'
It was as if his senses were blocked before and now there were slowly returning.

'What am I doing here with them? at their place?'

What was Rin doing with them? It was really strange.

Oh! Rin recalled. The blurred memories were coming back to him.
He remembers that after that little episode a few days ago he wasn't able to sleep well. It was pretty apparent that it was because he wasn't feeling well. Normally he would have ignored it as every second was precious. He couldn't waste a single second of his life if he wanted to beat Sae.

Normally that would be the case but he wasn't the same anymore.

Rin resolved that he needed to talk with Anri-San and Ego-San about it. So the first thing he did after waking up in the morning was to search for them.

They both agreed to listen to what he had to say. After sitting down at the neatest place he could find he got straight to the point.

"I need a doctor."

Hearing his clamor both didn't seem that surprised. Obviously they were not because clearly they were astute. They were both observers afterall.

Instead they asked him what the problem was and he had also replied in moderation. Suddenly, Four eyes had asked him a strange question. He can't remember what it was. But he's sure that he had dozed off right after hearing it and had somehow swirled into his endless queue of thoughts.

"Itoshi Rin are you in the condition to talk now?"

Ego was asking him a question again but this time he was wide awake, present and listening to him.

"Yes"

Ego nodded at him. Looked him up and down and then continued to stare.

"You know what's wrong with you, don't you, Itoshi Rin?"

Rin stiffened up. Then relaxed again.
It was now or never. Hiding it any longer was of no use. He was under their supervision. They had every right to know about it.

"Yes I know,
I have Chionophobia."

Ego's eyes turned wide and so did Anri's. Both looked at him appalled. Watching them look at him like that was uncomfortable.

"It isn't severe. I am perfectly capable of playing in winter. The only problem I have is snow."

Rin looked at them trying to gauge out their reaction. Rin didn't want to get kicked out of Blue lock for something as stupid as a phobia.
Rin didn't want to give up football for a reason as tepid as this.

Ego and Anri both looked at each other for a few seconds. Then Anri-San asked him a question.

"Why wasn't it mentioned in your medical records? Don't tell me that you haven't got professional help yet."

Rin knew that it was not the right call to hide something regarding your health from your coach and supervisor but he couldn't help it.

"That's not the case. I had received treatment from a well known psychiatrist for quite some time."

Ego was frowning now. Rin thought he was pissed at him and would tell him to 'lock off' for committing a 'big crime'.

"Itoshi Rin I want you to tell us everything about your condition. Whether it is genetic or not, if not, then when and why you developed it, from whom you were taking treatment from, when you started the said treatment, when you stopped taking it, how severe your phobia was before receiving treatment, how much you improved in your recovery time, how much it worsened since you stopped receiving it and why there are no medical records of your phobia despite receiving proffesional help.

Depending on your answer and your parent's statement your fate will be decided."