𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓 | 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙠

02. 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯

THE SILENCE THAT LINGERED IN THE STORE WAS CONSUMING.

Adonis Saint sat in a chair behind the counter, his eyes glued to his phone screen while his thumbs moved quickly.

It was the one thing he liked about the closing shift: he never saw many people in a day, and if he did, it was always the same people.

Maybe your occasional few people, a group of friends giggling and purchasing snacks, but a majority of the time it was empty.

A small sigh left Adonis's lips when he heard the bells of the door ringing, prompting him to stand up to greet the customer.

His eyes raised from his phone, taking his first look at the customer who had entered.

"Sae?"

Much like Adonis's shocked words suggested, there stood Itoshi Sae, back in japan for the first time in four years.

"Still living this backwater lifestyle are we, Saint."

A small smile stretched across Adonis's face, finding the joke in Sae's words.

"Finally tired of Europe?"

"Nothing like that." Sae said as he hummed out a laugh, his face remaining straight while their little reunion continued.

"If I asked you again, would your answer remain the same?"

Adonis's immediate dissapointment showed, his face dropping into a frown, "Yes, but you already know that. You've been at it for years."

It was true, Sae had left Japan when they were 13, but now, Adonis was already 18, and Sae was turning 18 soon.

"Do you even have any reason to work anymore?"

Adonis's miscolored eyes narrow, piercing through Sae's own eyes.

"I stopped at your house first when I came back, looking for you. You weren't there but Iris was. I think the talk we had was pretty nice."

"Sae."

"She couldn't understand it either, she still doesn't. Even when you two are doing much better, you still refuse."

Adonis continued to keep silent, his eyes still narrowed at the man in anticipation of his next words.

"You have no reason to continue working here. You can come and be the greatest in the world."

Sae paused after that, waiting to see if there was anything that Adonis had to say.

"Maybe. If things were different back then, I very may well have accepted the offer. But they weren't-"

"They never took the offer off the table!" Sae's sudden and loud outburst cut Adonis off mid sentece, the Itoshi's patience wearing thin.

"Countlessly, I've tried. Time and time again, over and over, I've offered for you to come join me. You've had the opportunities people dream of!"

Adonis's watched his friend throw his arms out over and over, the volume of his tone growing exponentially over time.

"They called you the Child of Heavens! A boy gifted by the Gods! But here you are, slaving away working at some poverty cornerstore that gets no business!"

Sae's rant didn't continue much longer, and Adonis didn't bother to interrupt him, waiting for Sae to calm.

Adonis just stood there, his body unmoving, his mouth sealed shut; listening to Sae's words.

Did Sae really care that much? Why? Was it that serious? A man who normally never acts out, an international football star, too. Here in a random cornerstore, screaming at his best friend.