𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓 ➛ ryusae

chpt 25 ➛ sae

The morning light filtered through the dorm windows, casting a soft, golden hue across the room. The early rays seemed almost too gentle for the heaviness in the air, as if nature itself was hesitant to acknowledge the gravity of the moment. In the room stood Sae, Shidou, Isagi, and Rin, each lost in their thoughts, feeling the weight of the impending separation. It was the kind of quiet that only existed when something important was about to happen, something that could change everything. 

Today was the day Sae was leaving for Spain. 

There was a finality in the way the air felt, as though the world had briefly stopped just to let them all absorb what was about to unfold.

Sae stood near the door, his suitcase already packed and leaning against the wall, a symbol of everything he was about to leave behind. He'd been strangely quiet all morning, a stark contrast to his usual confident demeanour. A quiet sadness hid beneath the sharp edges of his usual self-assuredness, one that only Shidou seemed to notice. The way Sae's eyes flickered to him now and then, as though silently asking for reassurance that all was going to be ok, despite everything.

Sae shifted slightly as Shidou approached. Shidou had gathered the last of Sae's bags, the ones that had been left by the door as if Sae had been trying to delay the inevitable. There was no denying it now. The time was running out.

"You don't have to carry everything," Sae said, his voice softer than usual, the teasing tone lingering at the edges. His eyes glinted playfully, but it was clear he wasn't entirely himself today. "I'm not that fragile, you know."

Shidou raised an eyebrow, his lips pulling into that signature smirk, but his eyes betrayed something deeper, something that even he wasn't sure how to articulate. He lifted the suitcase effortlessly, his muscles flexing slightly under the weight. "I know you're not, princess," he replied, the playful insult hanging in the air between them. But his voice had a layer of warmth to it, something protective, something that spoke of reluctant care. "But I like making sure you're taken care of."

Sae's gaze softened for a fraction of a second, the vulnerability creeping back before he masked it again with his usual bravado. He didn't say anything more, the silence between them spoke volumes.

Rin and Isagi were nearby, but their presence was quieter, more restrained. Rin, always the one to keep his emotions tightly under control, stood a little further from the group, his arms crossed as he avoided meeting anyone's eyes. Even he couldn't escape the heaviness of the moment. He stole glances at Sae, his usual cold indifference softened just enough to reveal the anxiety in his posture. The sharpness in his tone was gone, replaced with something far more fragile, more human.

"Take care, alright?" Rin's voice was quiet, almost a whisper, as though he was afraid the words might break if they were spoken too loudly.

Sae raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a faint smirk. "You really going to miss me, Rin? That's cute." The teasing edge was there, but there was something deeper beneath it, something that said Sae wasn't completely sure how to handle the fact that Rin, of all people, was being so... vulnerable.

Rin's eyes flicked to the side, his cheeks flushing slightly. He cleared his throat, but there was no hiding the slight tremor in his voice. "Don't get used to it," he muttered, but it was half-hearted, and his eyes betrayed him. "Seriously... take care of yourself. Don't do anything stupid."

Sae chuckled softly, a sound that felt bittersweet. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'm always careful. You should know that by now." But even as the words left his lips, there was a subtle shift in the way he carried himself, as though the act of leaving felt different this time. Like part of him didn't want to let go, didn't want to be the one to walk away.