𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎? || 𝙱𝙻𝙻𝙺 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔

𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 || 𝙸𝚝𝚘𝚜𝚑𝚒 𝚂𝚊𝚎 𝙿𝚝.2

New chapter! Hope you enjoy this one lol

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[6 months later]

The stadium lights were still blindingly bright as the crowd began to disperse after the U-20 match. Rin was still on the field, his eyes scanning the stands for the familiar figure that had been there, cheering him on relentlessly. Despite everything, he knew he could count on her.

As [Name] made her way down the stadium stairs, brushing past the lingering fans, she spotted Sae waiting by the tunnel entrance. He looked different, a bit softer, not quite the unapproachable figure she'd remembered from their last encounter. But even now, standing there with that hint of a smile, something in her tensed. She didn't have the time nor the patience for another of Sae's mind games.

"[Name]," Sae called out, taking a few steps toward her. He noticed the guarded look on her face, and his usual confidence faltered ever so slightly. But he pushed forward, aware that this might be one of his last chances to fix things-not just with her, but with Rin too.

"Look, I wanted to talk," he started, keeping his tone softer than she'd heard from him before. "About...everything. With you, with Rin. Things got messy, and I handled it wrong."

She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms defensively. "Now you want to talk about it?" The hesitation in her voice was sharp. "Sae, you left us behind without so much as a word, and you think showing up now, apologizing, is going to fix things?"

"I know," Sae replied, lowering his gaze.

"Look, I know things are different now. And I know I wasn't... there. For you. Or for Rin," he admitted, voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of regret. "But I want to fix that. If you'll let me."

[Name] narrowed her eyes, folding her arms. The defenses she'd built up were clearly still there. "It's not that simple, Sae. You left. You broke ties with Rin and didn't look back. Do you know how much he struggled?"

Sae felt a twinge of guilt, but he nodded. "I know. That's why I want to make things right, [Name]. With you, with Rin. I can't undo the past, but... can we start over?"

Her gaze softened, just a fraction, as if considering his words. But there was still a hint of hurt lingering in her eyes. "It's not just about starting over, Sae. It's about proving that things can be different."

Sae held her gaze, determination unwavering. "I understand. I'll do what it takes. I want to be there for Rin. I want to be there for both of you."

There was a long silence as she weighed his sincerity. Finally, she sighed, letting her arms fall to her sides. "[Alright], Sae. I'll give you a chance. But this isn't about words. It's about actions. Rin needs more than apologies-he needs a brother who's actually there."

Sae nodded, relief washing over him, though he kept his expression composed. "Thank you. I won't waste this."

With that, a tentative understanding passed between them. It wasn't a full reconciliation, but it was a start.

"I know it's not that simple. But that's why I want to try now, to do things right for once. Rin deserves to hear it, and you... you deserve an apology, too." He spoke quietly, watching her closely, waiting for any sign of a response.

In the silence that followed, she felt a pang of the old friendship they used to have. Sae hadn't always been cold and distant. Back then, he'd been someone she could rely on, someone who'd stood by her and Rin through thick and thin. Maybe, just maybe, that part of him was still there.

"Fine," she said at last, her tone still wary. "One chance, Sae. But I'm not going to pretend things are just going to go back to the way they were."

Sae nodded, seeming relieved. "I'm not asking for that. Just a chance to start over."

As they walked together down the tunnel to find Rin, there was a fragile sense of something mending. It was only the beginning, and the road to repairing things wouldn't be easy, but for the first time in a long time, Sae felt like he was finally on the right path. And [Name], though cautious, decided she could give him one last chance to prove he was worth it.

~𝙴𝚗𝚍.

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