Rin and Sae Itoshi, once promising brothers in the world of football , find their relationship strained and teetering on the brink of collapse. A heated argument leads to a tragic car accident that puts Rin in a coma, leaving Sae consumed with guilt...
"Anyways, I don't know what happened to you exactly but you need to heal quickly. I want you to play the next practice game we have." - June
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Sae awoke the next morning to the quiet of his childhood home. The sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of his room, casting soft patterns on the walls. He rubbed his eyes, still feeling the weight of the previous day's events heavy on his shoulders. Rin was still in the hospital, and the house felt strangely empty without the usual noise and energy.
His parents had already left for work, as evidenced by the note they had left on the kitchen table: "Sae, we've gone to work. We trust you'll be okay. Love, Otōsan and Okaasan."
Ah the childhood memories with this note.
Sae sighed deeply, perfect. He wanted nothing more than to be alone during this difficult time, but fate seemed to have other plans. His phone buzzed on the counter, and the name "Giraud" flashed on the screen. He answered reluctantly.
"Hey, Giraud," Sae greeted, trying to mask his exhaustion.
"Sae, I need you back in Spain for a bit," Giraud's voice came through, calm but insistent. "There's a practice match you need to participate in."
Sae's jaw tightened. "Now's not a good time, Giraud. Rin is still in the hospital and I unfortunately need to be here."
"I understand that, Sae. But this comes from the top. They're insistent. I need to bring you back, even if it's just for a short while," Giraud replied, his tone softening slightly.
Sae felt a surge of frustration. "Fine," he said curtly, ending the call. He threw his phone onto the couch and rubbed his temples, trying to fend off the headache that was starting to form.
He knew he had no choice. His career demanded it, and he had obligations he couldn't ignore. With a heavy heart, he began to pack his things, methodically folding clothes and placing them into his suitcase. The rhythmic action did little to soothe his troubled mind. As he packed his things , a memory from a night ago came to mind. Rin unpacking his things.
Why was he so mean in that moment?
Perhaps if he was nicer about it and asked politely, would he had got a different reaction out of Rin? If he hadn't been so irresponsible and angry Rin would've been in his room right now perfectly fine.
It's all my fault.
After packing, Sae walked around the house, each room a trip down memory lane. He paused at Rin's room, the door slightly ajar. Pushing it open, he stepped inside. The room was neat, everything in its place. But his eyes were drawn to a photo on Rin's desk. It was of them as children, smiling brightly. The glass frame was shattered, a jagged crack running through their faces.
Sae picked up the photo carefully, his thumb tracing the line of the crack. "Rin..." he whispered, feeling a sharp pang of guilt and sadness. He set the photo down gently, not wanting to cause any more damage and left the room quietly, closing the door behind him.
