Love by Chance - TinCan part 2 (translated)

Chapter 59-2

At the same time, Can is on the way to wash his face, with his head bowed. The smile has vanished from his face, his fists are balled up, and his speed of walking gradually slows down...

"Sob..."

His shoulders quiver, as he looks down at the ground, his tears slowly dripping down onto the floorboards.

Sometimes, the people who say they are fine are in fact the ones who are the most upset.

"Can."

Can has been holding back all this while, putting up a strong front and acting funny in front of his team mates to make them feel better. But after hearing this voice, for the first time ever since he knew they have lost, Can's tears start to flow freely and uncontrollably. He raises his head, angling his tear-streaked face towards the other.

"Tin."

His voice trembles a little. Tin tugs on his hand and throws him a glance.

"Come with me."

*Grab~*

Without hesitation, Can goes straight up to him and hugs him tightly from the back, holding him close and leaning his face against his shoulder, smearing his tears on his school shirt.

"Tin, I lost.... We lost."

"......"

Tin does not say anything, but gently strokes his shivering back. He doesn't detest the sweat, grass and dirt on the other's body - he just quietly listens to the other as sobs wreck his body.

"Why... Why did we lose?... Did we not try hard enough?... Are we not good enough?"

Can grabs the back of uniform tightly and cries, pressing his head on his shoulder several times.

"Where have I not tried hard enough? Why?... I have put in so much effort in my practice, yet I only had 2 chances to kick the ball... 2 chances... If I... *sob... sob* If P'Type didn't get injured... If I didn't replace him on the field... Could we have won?... I must have been such a lousy player... *sob... sob* That's why we lost...

Can chokes, his tears flowing freely, as he continues to blame himself.

This is probably Can's first time in a serious competition, and also it has only been a few minutes. Even though the chance of ending the match with a tie seemed difficult, but the moment he stepped onto the field the opponent team scored another goal. If Type had not gotten injured, it probably would not have happened.

As such thoughts fill his head, his sobbing starts to intensify. He keeps on emphasising that he was the one dragging the team down, that it wasn't the team who was bad, and that it was himself who was useless.

Tin shakes his head, reaching out again to rub his back.

"You're really good, you're the best!"

"I'm no good, I'm useless, I'm just dragging everybody down! Did you hear me, I dragged everyone down and made them lose!!!"

Tin's comforting words seem to take no effect on Can, and is instead causing him to shout even louder. He just keeps on blaming himself. On the contrary, Tin finds himself laughing, and it hasn't got anything to do with disgust at the fact that he is getting his clothes wet and dirtied.

"So you're trying to say that those who persevere and don't give up aren't incredible?"

"Sob... Sob..."

"So you're trying to say that those who keep going to the very last minute, to the very last second, without giving up, they aren't incredible?"

"I... No... Sob..."

"So you're trying to say that those who keep working hard, they aren't incredible?"

"I... I don't know... Don't know..." Can chokes out while leaning on his chest.

Tin smiles. "You already did so well, Can. At least in my eyes, you are the best!"

This is probably the first time Tin is consoling a crying person. If it was anyone else, he would have turned and left long ago. But it is this person, and though he isn't very good at consoling people, he wants to be by his side, to get through tjis difficult moment with him.

"I don't want to be incredible... I want to win!!"

Can lifts his head and retorts with a hurt expression. It feels as though he is reporting to his parents about some other kid who is bullying him. Tin gently wipes away the tear streaks from his face.

"Tin... I'm so sad... It's so sad in here."

Can says while forcefully hitting against his own chest. Tin grabs his hamd to stop him, worried he might hit himself to death.

"I know, I can understand what you're feeling."

The young man uses the gentlest voice possible. The more Can listens to it, the more he feels like crying. He initially wanted to hide in the toilet to cry, and then put his smile back on and head back to his team. But after seeing Tin, he felt 'maybe it's fine to cry in front of him', and in the end he realises that it doesn't make him feel any better.

"I want to cry."

"Aren't you already crying?"

"I still want to cry more."

"Then just cry it all out."

"I want to cry until... Until I forget about everhthing that happened."

Although Tin doesn't think one can cry about he forgets about an incident, when he looks at the person sobbing his heart out in front of him, he reaches out and buries Can's head into his own shoulder instead.

"Mm, just cry, cry until you forget about it, just cry on me."

Hearing this, a smile forms on the once-boisterous little monkey face. Leaning against the person who once kept criticising him, he feels that maybe he's starting to feel a little better in his arms.

Seeing that it is Tin, he can't help but want to cry, to act cute, because even though the other appears aloof and stone-faced, he is willing to comfort him like this.

"Tin... *sob*... Tin... I want to cry... I want to cry."

"I know. Just cry, just cry it all out."

Hearing those words, Can seems to have forgotten that his team members are still outside waiting for him. All he cares about is the warmth of this person as he holds his close - this person, whom he claims... Is just a friend.

A friend whom, the moment he sees him, he knows that... He can let his tears flow freely in front of him.

He's that kind of friend.

~

PS: Sorry for the slow update. Been a little busy lately 😅