cheriipetal

[cheriipetal]

I will fall in love with you, over and over again

Tags: Just a little drabble, Angst with a bit of hope, Reader's death, grief, Phainon becomes an astral express member in this AU after the events of Amphoreus, might be ooc idk

wc. 315 (this was just a little idea I had so sorry if its too short)

Phainon remembered your last conversation with perfect, painful clarity—the way your voice had wavered, the way your hands had trembled as you asked him that impossible question. If I come back as someone else... will you still know me?

His answer had been immediate. Yes. Always.

He hadn't understood then how deeply that promise would haunt him. Now, every stray breeze carrying a familiar scent, every flicker of movement at the corner of his vision sent his heart aching.

He'd turn, half-expecting to see you smirking at him, only to find nothing but empty air. It was ridiculous. Pathetic, even. But he couldn't stop himself from wanting you to be by his side again.

The numbness after Amphoreus had been a mercy at first. Feeling nothing was better than feeling everything all at once—the guilt, the grief, the crushing weight of all the things he should have said, should have done.

The Trailblazer's antics were the only thing that ever made him feel warm again, their reckless energy so much like yours that it hurt. Sometimes, when they grinned a certain way or made some absurd joke, Phainon had to look away at times.

He'd started to wonder if you'd planned it. If somewhere beyond the stars, you'd pulled strings to make sure he wasn't alone. The thought was equal parts comforting and infuriating—of course you'd still be meddling, even after everything.

Then came the Astral Express.

The moment he stepped aboard, time itself seemed to stutter. There you were, leaning against the parlor car's doorway, alive and whole and real, arguing animatedly with someone.

"[Name]?" His voice cracked. He didn't care.

You turned. Your eyes widened that someone called out your name, an unfamiliar voice. For one suspended heartbeat, the universe held its breath.

Then you smiled, bright as supernova. "Have we met before?"

And just like that, the world began again.

[cheriipetal]

ᯓ★ Chap. 3 | Big feelings, Small words

Sypnosis .𖥔 ݁ You were like a ghost that's haunting him. But somehow he couldn't be scared of you, not wanting to exorcise you but wanting for you to stay with him.

── .✦ 4537 words.

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Rin looked at the TV screen, seeing the familiar scenes of his favorite movie brought a thrill to him. His hands clutched his toys, grip tightening whenever an exciting scene came up. It was getting to the good parts of the movie.

He jolted, hearing a rumble of a car stopping on its tracks, distracting him. Did his parents finally arrive?— he peeked outside from the window, but to his disappointment, they didn't.

He then lowered his head, ready to go back to his spot on the couch. That's when he saw you, a girl his age, stepping out of the car talking in English.

For some reason, the younger Itoshi didn’t know why his eyes couldn’t take themselves off of you. There wasn’t anything special about you—it’s not like you were doing a backflip while scoring a goal—yet you seemed to pull his gaze toward you like a magnet for his eyes. It wasn’t your toy or dress, it was just… you, maybe it was because of how you spoke English, were you a foreigner? He didn’t know at all.

“That’s probably the family that bought the lot,” Rin heard his older brother’s voice looming behind him. He looked at Sae, trying to see what he felt about this, but he had that unreadable expression like always.

The younger shook his head, clearing his thoughts away, trying to hide the strange feeling bubbling in his chest. “I… don’t care. They’re just gonna be NPCs to me,” he muttered, feigning indifference and moving away from the window, rushing toward the TV.

He turned curious and looked toward his brother, who was still observing the new neighbors.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Over the course of days, Rin couldn’t help but just peek over the window more often than he’d like to admit. He’d spot you playing on the front porch, sometimes with a stuffed toy in your hands.

“She’s just a neighbor,” Rin told himself firmly, shaking his head. “Nothing special.”

But his eyes still wandered to your front porch with pots of blooming colorful flowers whenever he thought no one was watching. He noticed how you often went out with your dad, your laughter echoing through the air.

“Rin!” Sae yelled during one of their practice drills, pulling him out of his thoughts.

The younger Itoshi panicked and shot the ball straight to the net, which was blocked by the goalie. Rin felt his heart beating as he missed the shot.

His breath heavy and panting, his teal eyes scanning his brother, who had an unreadable expression as usual.

“What’s up with you lately?” Sae suddenly asked, his hand glued to his hip.

“Huh?” Rin asked, trying to play it cool.

“It’s like you’re in la-la land. You’ve been in your head lately,” the older Itoshi said with nonchalance, but there was a tint of concern in it.

Silence was the only answer Rin replied with. He felt even more embarrassed by his older brother’s comment and an immense weight on his shoulders. He hated how Sae could always read him, hated how he wasn’t able to stay focused like his older brother does.

“I’m fine,” Rin mumbled, finally answering.

Sae didn’t press any further, but for the rest of the day, Rin wasn’t feeling himself. He couldn’t shake off the feeling, and it boiled every minute. He felt angry, but at what exactly? Himself? Nii-chan? Or you?

They arrived home, Sae went ahead. Rin remained static, wanting to let out all the frustration that was building up. The ball he was gripping in his hands bounced off of the pavement as he dropped it.

He then mustered all of his strength into the kick. He didn’t know what he was aiming at, but he just wanted to hit something. The ball bounced off the wall as expected, but it curved sharply in the direction behind him.

Rin turned around to follow where it was heading, but then it was going at your house at full speed. His gaze scanned if you were there, and to his disappointment, you were. Normally he felt happy seeing you, but at this moment, he wanted you to go inside.

The ball landed on the cup of milk, splashing it on your toy that you always carried. He felt frozen in place. Rin did what Sae always taught him to do if he got in trouble.

“Run and don’t look back,” and he did just that.

His legs moved as fast as they could and bolted for the ball. Rin’s eyes looked at you almost instinctively. He could see your face—your eyes widened and your jaw dropped like you were witnessing a crime happening. Once he grabbed the ball, he ran like he never did before and went to his home.

The shutting of the door was loud as he closed it, which caused Sae to peek over to see what was happening.

Rin felt his heart beating every moment. It wasn’t a good thrill like he felt when watching horror movies.

“What happened—”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Rin said, heading to his room. His hands were still gripping the ball that had the stain of the milk.

Today was a disaster.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

The next few days he stopped peeking over the window, there was a chance they might make eye contact. He felt the whole world was watching him.

Whenever he saw you outside he’d hurriedly hide like you were the killer on the loose. Rin didn’t know what to do— he couldn’t ask Sae for help, he’d just tease him about it and it would make him a loser in front of him.

He arrived at school, making his way over to his classroom and sat on a seat near the window. Rin had his head on his desk, still not getting over that incident— he prayed nothing else would happen.

But, of course, it did.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted you. Rin recognized that unmistakable hair color caught his attention immediately. You were walking in his direction, He tried to hide his face with his arms but that clearly didn’t work since you were still going straight at him.

The younger Itoshi just braced for what you were about to say. His mind went blank as you kept asking him to apologize and then you mentioned someone named Ms. Moe? Oh, it was your stuffed toy.

Rin just kept denying everything, not wanting to take responsibility and being found guilty.

He went home that day feeling even more worse, Rin just gave up and went to his older brother for guidance.

“Mom and Dad are going to be mad at you for messing with the new neighbour,” Sae said without looking up from his book. His tone was flat, but there was an edge of amusement in it.

“It’s not a big deal,” Rin grumbled.

“Not a big deal? You’re gonna get arrested,” Sae said, his voice laced with mock seriousness.

Rin’s eyes widened. “What?”

“Yeah. There’s a law,” Sae continued, barely suppressing a smirk. “If you mess up someone's toy, you have to replace it. If you don’t, the police will come and take you away.”

Rin stared at him, horrified. Sae wasn’t joking. He never joked, Rin thought to himself.

“...Are you serious?”

“Completely,” Sae deadpanned.

To anyone they would’ve thought Sae was a big fat liar and just said that because he wanted to mess with him but to Rin— his brother was telling the truth since Rin always believed him.

And with that Rin rummaged with his toy box searching for anything in value most of it were just action figures and toy cars.

His eyes fell on an owl plushie that he loved, it was his favorite. It was the only stuffed toy that he had and the other toys didn’t seem like you would like them. It was one of his favorites— but he couldn’t risk getting arrested.

He came to the decision and put it in his school bag along with a mini toy house and a toy car for good measure.

Rin ended up apologizing to you the next day, even when it felt ego crushing for him. You had a wide smile on your face after he gifted you the apology gifts. He felt that unfamiliar warmth spread through his chest again, and this time, it wasn’t unpleasant. Rin forgot his embarrassment as you looked at the plushie.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Rin learned your name from the teacher calling it out for checking attendance. L/N Y/N. He didn’t know why it stuck to him. He’d never cared about someone else’s name before this.

You were like a ghost that's haunting him. But somehow he couldn't be scared of you, not wanting to exorcise you. He didn’t want to care, but there you were— always at the edge of his mind.

School was boring as ever, the lessons felt endless, the teachers were obnoxious, and the other kids were nothing but noise. Rin had always thought it was a waste of time.

But lately, school didn’t feel so intolerable. It wasn’t just the subjects or the lunch breaks— it was you. You’d started talking to him and Rin found himself answering back, he didn’t know why.

Days turned into weeks, and Y/N always seemed to find him during recess or after school (obviously since they live right across the street from each other), chatting about things that he didn’t even make a thought about.

Sometimes, you’d pull him into games with your other friends, even though he said he didn’t like them. Somehow, you’d always made it fun for him.

Rin would never call you a friend— just a person that he tolerated and would never leave him alone. But he didn’t mind it as much as he would.

“Y/N, watch this!” The dark-green haired boy called out one noon, holding up his two action figures.

You turned your attention towards him, and Rin felt a spark of satisfaction.

He rammed his two action figures together like they were in an epic battle, mimicking the sound effects and dramatic crashes. But it was short lived—

Crack!

The two of you froze, staring at the toys now broken in half at the torso.

He shrugged it off, tossing the pieces on the ground aside. “They always break,” he muttered, “it doesn’t matter.”

Instead of moving on, you crouched on the floor and began picking up the broken pieces.

“What are you doing? Just leave them,” Rin said flat but in an almost annoyed way.

“But these are your favorite toys, right? You can’t just leave them behind! Have you ever seen Toy Story?”

“No,” he simply replied, “what’s that?”

And that made you silent for a moment, then your face formed into shock, as if he just admitted guilty to a crime. You went closer to him which made him flinch a little by the proximity, “You have to come over to my house to watch it tomorrow!”

“Alright, alright! Don’t get too close,” Rin scolded, pushing you gently, suddenly aware of their closeness.

You grinned at him, that same bright smile you always had. And Rin felt a strange tug on his chest again— he still wasn’t getting used to it, but it was like his heart was telling something, he didn’t want to understand it.

Why did you always have to smile like that?

That weekend, Rin did end up going to your house. You lived right across the street, so it wasn’t much trouble getting here.

Standing outside, Rin glanced at your front door, hesitating before ringing the doorbell. Seconds later, the door opened, and he saw your mother walking out.

“You must be Mrs. Itoshi’s youngest kid!” Your mother warmly said, her voice is kind and soft. “Y/N’s told me a lot about you lately. Sounds like you two are getting along, maybe you should invite your brother to play with her as well,” Mrs. L/N suggested.

“Good morning, Mrs. L/N,” The dark-green haired boy mustered up to say.

He blinked, surprised. You’ve been talking about him? Rin shifted his weight awkwardly, his teal eyes eyeing at the inside of the house at the distance, searching for you.

Your mother notices the way he kept flickering his gaze past her and smiled knowingly.

You were already on the couch playing with Ms. Moe, clutching the stuffed toy in your arms as you patiently waited.

“N/N-chan, your friend is here!” Your mother called out, and your head shot up at the sound of her voice. The moment you saw Rin, you jumped and ran to and held his hand without hesitation.

“Come on, I want to show you something!” you said excitedly, pulling him towards your room upstairs.

The younger Itoshi let himself be led, his eyes darting towards the interior of your room. It was colorful and cozy, a reflection of you. Toys were scattered messily across the floor, he was taken aback by the amount of toys you had.

Then, he saw them— two familiar action figures propped up on your desk.

“I fixed them,” you announced proudly, noticing his gaze on the newly fixed toys. “Dad helped a little… but— I did most of the work!”

Rin took a step further, picking up the toys carefully this time— fearing it would break again. The cracks were faintly visible, but the pieces together almost perfectly.

He didn’t ask for it to be fixed. He didn’t even think you would. Yet, here they were, good as new.

For a moment he didn’t know what to say. But something in his chest made him feel warm.

“...Thanks,” he muttered under his breath, suppressing a smile. Gripping the toys a bit tighter.

“See? It’s like they’re alive again! Like in Toy story!” You said beaming at him, “Speaking of the movie. Let’s watch it now! And if we have time we can watch the sequel,”

His lips twitched, almost forming a smile, but he quickly brushed it off. “Alright,” he said, following you to the living room.

As you ran ahead, setting up and preparing the movie. He thought to himself, that he is starting to like you more and more and wanted to be more than just playmates at school.

He’s considering calling you his friend from now on.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

You knew it, you were tearing down his cold walls each time you spent together. Rin was getting softer, though he’d never admit it.

Occasionally, he would try to impress, even if he masked it as something else. He’d invite you to his house, put a horror movie on, and be holding a proud smirking as you clung onto him, frightened— while he on the other hand didn’t seem fazed. For someone who acted so indifferent, he seemed to enjoy your attention more than he lets on.

It really did feel like you were making progress in your mission, much quicker than you anticipated. You loved learning about his dreams, passions, and tiny habits that no one else noticed.

As much as you liked learning about him there was one passion that you tried to avoid talking about— Soccer. You had enough of it, since Auntie Anri would be so busy because of it and you barely saw her anymore. You didn’t want it to be the same with Rin as well.

Unfortunately, Rin had different plans for this weekend. He was inviting you to play soccer in the field with his brother.

You sighed as you made your way into the field that he mentioned, kicking a pebble along the path. The faint scent of cherry blossoms drifted in the air, and the sight of trees blooming in soft pink hues lightened your mood. You loved spring— everything feels so alive and vibrant.

Maybe coming here wasn’t such a bad idea. If nothing else, you gotta enjoy the scenery instead of briefly passing it with a car.

As you approached the field, two familiar figures were in the distance, they were the only ones who were playing under the bright sky. Peering at them at the entrance. You saw Rin’s older brother noticed you first, then soon Rin noticed as well and made his way over to you.

“What took you so long?” the younger Itoshi said, laced with concern but tried to conceal it.

“Sorry, Rin,” You said in a shrug with a light and unapologetic tone, “I was just admiring the cherry blossoms while walking— they are very pretty this time of year,” you explained.

His brows furrowed and gave you a small frown but there wasn’t any hint of surprise like he expected this of you. “Whatever, let’s just play.”

As you dropped off your bag on a bench, you noticed Rin’s older brother giving you a few side glances, Rim said that he was here to keep an eye on them. You were still wondering what he meant when he said a few weeks ago. Come to think of it, you didn’t know his name, Rin always referred to him as Nii-chan. You made a mental note to just ask later.

“This is your first time playing soccer, right?” Rin asked, snapping you out of your thoughts and you responded with a nod.

“Isn’t your brother going to play with us?’ You said, eyeing at the reddish-brown boy who was sitting at the bench at the distance.

“He says that he’s just gonna watch us play and to keep an eye on us,” Rin explained.

“Alright,”

You stood there awkwardly in the field, staring at the soccer ball like it was a math equation you didn’t intend on solving. You’ve seen a lot of soccer plays in Auntie Anri’s house whenever she watched TV but weren’t really interested in it.

Maybe you should’ve paid more attention…

It wasn’t that you didn’t wanna play anymore but it was more that you didn’t know how. “What if I’m bad at this?” you asked worryingly.

“...then I’ll teach you,” Rin said, a bit more softer than usual, but you didn’t notice too focused on the ball at your feet.

You took a deep breath, mentally preparing yourself. “I’m ready,”

“Took you long enough,” Rin spoke out, tossing the ball at your feet. You flinched trying to move away at first then realising you needed to stop it, it even barely stopped at time— your feet stumbling a bit.

“You’re supposed to control it, not run away from it,” he added, suppressing a laugh but it still slipped out.

Maybe you should’ve just stayed at home, but spending time with Rin is gonna make him want to be friends with you so you’re gonna endure it.

“Alright, first thing’s first” Rin said, taking it back and placing the ball in front of you. “Just try to pass it back to me.” he demonstrated, nudging the ball with a clean motion that sent it rolling back to him. “You know, like that,”

What…?

You stood there awkwardly. You needed directions, not just some vague demonstrations from him. Your brows furrowed looking at the ball that he just passed back to you, still trying to figure out what he meant.

“Can you do that again?” you asked, your voice laced with confusion.

“No,” he replied bluntly, “I already gave you clear directions,”

Yeah, clear as mud. You wanted to say out loud but held your tongue

You mimicked his motion, your foot grazing the ball gently. It didn’t go far, but it was clearly not smooth. It rolled a little, stirring off to the side.

“that sucked,” catching it with his foot effortlessly. “Try again, but with more power,” Rin replied.

You couldn’t help but wonder if Rin’s idea of “clear directions” was somehow different from yours, because nothing about this felt like it was making sense.

You should never let Rin teach you or other people things. He is way too fast, too impatient, and never lets you catch up and expects you to do it perfectly.

At first you were struggling to control the ball, your passes were too soft or veering off to the side. But somehow, despite Rin’s disastrous excuse for teaching, you managed to figure it out.

The ball started going where you wanted it to, your kicks were more smoother and more confident— though still far from perfection, but at least you were making progress.

Rim blinked as you sent a sharp pass back to him, “Are you sure you’ve never played before?” he asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

“If I had, I wouldn’t be here, being taught by you,” you shot back, narrowing your eyes back at him.

“Then let’s see if you can get the ball past me and score a goal,” Rin said, planting himself firmly in front of the goal. “Just try to kick anywhere but straight at me.”

You frowned, lining up your shot. With an exaggerated swing of your leg, you sent the ball rolling… directly into Rin’s shin. He winced, rubbing the spot.

Your hand was covering your mouth, shocked. You went over to see if he was alright, “—I’m fine, it wasn’t a bullet.” The younger Itoshi pushed your hand away gently. “But I said pass me, not through me,” he grumbled.

“Alright, let’s try again,” Rin spoke out, dusting his shin. Kicking the soccer ball back to you, you stopped it with the bottom of your foot instead of running away this time.

You charged forward, the ball still wobbling. Rin was right in front of you, his intense gaze locked into your movements, planting himself firmly.

You bit your lip, unsure what to do. You faked a kick to the side— though it was unintentional, more like you were off balance— and Rin stepped to block it. In your panic you accidently connected the ball, sending it in the opposite direction. The ball zipped past him and into the net.

There was a long silence between you too as you stared at the ball sitting steadily at the net.

“I scored?” you asked in disbelief, you were contemplating how you were able to do that.

Rin frowned looking at you, his brows furrowed. “That doesn’t count,” he said, though you could see the slightest tint of red in his cheeks.

“Nu-uh, it totally counts!” You retorted, throwing your arms in the air triumphantly.

“You didn’t even mean to do that,” Rin grumbled. He avoided your eyes, muttering in his breath.

You then picked up the ball and tilted your head, a teasing grin displayed on your face, “Aw, is Rin-chan mad I beat him in his own game?”

“We’re going home it’s late anyways,” he said curtly, he wasn’t wrong the sky was getting dark, time really did fly by. You looked at him again, already walking towards the bench where your bag and his brother was.

You couldn’t help but laugh, jogging to catch up with him, “don’t be such a sore loser! I’m a fast learner, you know.”

Rin stopped, glancing over shoulder with a glare that lacked its usual sharpness, “Next time, you’re not gonna get past me,” he said, but there was a small yet unmistakable smirk on his face.

“You’re actually smiling! Does that mean we’re friends now?” you said with a smug grin, wrapping your arms around his shoulder.

“As if,” he said, his tone more softer than usual, and he avoided your gaze.

When you made your way home, you couldn’t help but think about Rin’s older brother. He still hadn’t spoken a word to you, his cool and distant demeanor creating an air of mystery around him.

Despite his aloofness, it was clear how much influence he had over Rin. The younger Itoshi practically lit up when Sae was around, even if Rin would never admit it outright.

Once you arrived at your house, you and Rin went your separate ways. You practically sprinted through the door, eager to collapse on your bed and recover from all the physical activity. Your legs felt like jelly, and you couldn’t wait to unwind after such an eventful day.

But just as you kicked off your shoes and started to relax, a faint tug of memory nagged at you. Something felt off, like you were forgetting something important.

The answer came when your hand brushed against a familiar round object. You froze, staring down at the soccer ball still in your grasp. A groan escaped your lips as realization hit you—you’d accidentally taken their ball home with you.

With a resigned sigh, you slipped your shoes back on and headed to the Itoshi residence. The walk was short, but the weight of the ball in your hands felt like a constant reminder of your blunder.

Once you reached their doorstep, you stood on your tiptoes to reach the doorbell. A soft chime echoed through the house, and moments later, the door swung open.

Standing in the doorway was a woman with reddish-brown hair, her kind eyes softening as she looked down at you. “Hello, sweetheart,” she greeted warmly.

You straightened up, offering a polite smile. “Good evening, Mrs. Itoshi.”

Her expression brightened further. “Ah, Y/N, aren’t you the one Rin’s been spending so much time with? He’s been in such a good mood lately, and I have you to thank for that. You’re welcome here anytime,” she said, giving your head a gentle pat.

The sudden physical affection caught you off guard, and you froze slightly, unsure how to react. “Thank you, Mrs. Itoshi,” you managed, your voice small.

She smiled at your politeness but quickly added, “You should get along with Sae as well.” Her tone was casual, but there was a hint of encouragement in her words.

You congratulate yourself since you didn’t have to embarrassingly ask Rin what his brother’s name was even though you’ve seen him a bunch of times now.

“He’s been struggling with his English recently, and I heard from your mother that it’s your first language. Would you mind helping him out sometime?”

You hesitated, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden request, but you nodded. “Alright, Mrs. Itoshi. I’ll try my best.”

Her relief was almost palpable. “Thank you, sweetie. You’re a lifesaver.”

You handed her the soccer ball, watching as she cradled it with care. “Rin must have forgotten this. I’ll make sure he gets it back.”

With a final pat on your head, she bid you goodnight, leaving you to head home once more.

As you walked back, your thoughts swirled. One Itoshi brother was already a challenge to befriend, but now you had to crack two tough shells? Double trouble was an understatement.

Still, you figured it wouldn’t be so bad. Rin admired Sae a lot, and getting along with him might even earn you some extra points with your stubborn friend.

But that was a problem for another day. For now, all you wanted to do was snuggle with Ms. Moe and enjoy some much-needed rest.

And as you closed the door behind you, you couldn’t help but smile. Somehow, this day had turned out pretty great.

Taglist .𖥔 ݁ @danhoneyyysblog @nana7nana777 @levihanmyotp

[cheriipetal]

Big feelings, Small words | Chapter list

sypnosis - you moved to Kanagawa prefecture, adjusting to your new life. A boy made a lasing impression on you albeit it was not a good start despite that you two will eventually become everlasting friends. As you grow alongside him, you not only support his dreams but also discover your own passion as well.

disclaimer - there will be other characters that will be a romantic interest but this fic mainly focuses on Rin

Act 1 | Fragments of us

don't cry over spilled milk

eyelash boy no more

a glimpse of the other side of the wall

[cheriipetal]

ᯓ★ Chp. 2 | Big feelings, Small words

Sypnosis .𖥔 ݁ You realized you didn't know eyelash boy's name so you made it a mission to find out what 's his name

── .✦ Word count: 2846

Chapterlist

Previous chapter

The owl plushie was a nice addition to your collection, Mrs. Moe recovered better once she had a friend by her side. She was glowing with happiness compared to last week! Has her fur gotten shinier?

You hummed in thought, your eyes drifted towards her new friend, maybe you should give the owl plushie a name. But your thoughts were scrambled by the countless options. You just couldn’t decide.

You had an idea, what if you just named it after the one who gave it to you? 

Then it hits you, you didn’t know eyelash boy’s actual name.

 Even in school you didn’t pay attention at all to your classmate’s names. Whenever you had to call them out you just said what they were wearing or you just said ‘hey you’ in an effort to not have that awkward moment of asking what their name was even if you got to know them for days. 

This was a hassle— but it was a challenge.

Your lips curled into a mischievous grin. A challenge that you were ready to take on. 

“Alright, Ms. Moe,” you whispered, holding Ms. Moe and the owl plushie by hand, side by side. “Let’s turn this into a mystery to solve! We’re gonna find out Eyelash boy’s name, and then maybe— we’ll name your new friend after him.” 

You giggled at your plan feeling like a detective on a secret investigation. 

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

When your mother dropped you off at school, you made your way to your classroom. You then kneeled and observed if your target was in the room— he was, just sitting there by himself and playing with his action figures. 

You then moved towards like you were a predator stalking your prey, quiet and stealthy. But the way you were moving caused some attention.

“Y/N, what are you doing…?” You hear a soft voice that makes you stop in your tracks like you were caught by a guard. 

You looked over and saw your friend, Kurage, she was one of the only people in the class that wasn’t annoying. 

“Nothing,” you sheepishly said, eyeing your friend and Eyelash Boy back and forth. 

“You know, you’ve been weird lately towards R—” you then shushed them. If Kurage was just gonna give you the answers this early your mission was gonna be pointless! 

“Don’t say his name! I’m on a secret mission and I can’t tell you! Okay?” You explained, your friend just gave you one last concerning look then just gave up putting some sense into you and just nodded along. 

As soon as your friend left you alone, you refocused on eyelash boy. He seemed oblivious to your presence, still engrossed in his action figures to even be aware of his surroundings. He was unaware— this was perfect. 

You casually slid into a seat near him, trying not to look obvious. You decided to observe him first. Maybe he’d give away his name somehow— on his bag, his lunchbox, something.

While you were busy analyzing his every move, he suddenly looked at your direction and caught you. You blew your cover! 

“Why are you staring at me?” he asked, tilting his head a bit, clearly annoyed. 

“I wasn’t staring at you—” you looked for anything that might change the topic and then your eyes landed on what he was holding, some sort of man with a superhero suit and a lizard-dinosaur thing…? It was some sort of monster you guessed “I was admiring your action figures! Yeah, they are pretty cool.” 

He narrowed his eyes, then held up one of them. “This is Ranger, and this is Godzilla,” he explained. “But you probably don’t watch their shows or movies.”

He was correct, you only watched Avatar the last airbender or winx club or whatever that show that was on TV most of the time. But you focused on him now grinning, sensing the opportunity. 

“Maybe not, but I’m a quick learner. Want to tell me more about them?” You hoped the conversation would lead to him eventually mentioning his name—he had to slip up eventually, right?

The dark green haired boy seemed hesitant but started talking about the shows that the action figures were in. You nodded along, you observed him more. He seemed to actually enjoy telling these characters a bit, you’ve never seen him this happy before. 

Maybe you should talk to him more, you mentally took note. 

Just as you were making progress, the teacher entered the room and began taking attendance— this was your moment! 

Just as the teacher was calling names for attendance, a loud ringtone blared from her bag, cutting through the quiet hum of the classroom. She quickly excused herself and stepped away from the classroom leaving the rest of the class astray. 

“Of course,” you muttered to yourself, slumping in your seat. Couldn’t she have turned it off before class?

With nothing else to do, you let your mind wander, retreating to the little world of your imagination where you were the center of the world. Your thoughts blurred into a swirl of colors and half-formed images. A distant field, a flicker of movement, and the thrill of chasing something just out of reach. The world around you faded, and for a moment, you weren’t in the classroom anymore.

“L/N Y/N!” Your teacher called out, it was like a splash of water waking you up. You tensed up in your seat, startled.

“Present,” you stammered, hoping the other kids didn’t know your little slip-up. 

As the teacher continued, when your mind was about to drift off again. Then it hit you— your heart sank. The boy’s names must’ve been called while you were off in your own head. 

Curse your short attention span. 

You slumped forward, burying your face in your hands, this was gonna be harder than you thought.

As the teacher continued to make an attendance, you felt your focus drifting again. That was a failed attempt, you should try it later again. The minutes passed by slower than they should’ve have, and you couldn’t help but wish for recess to hurry up. 

The bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson. The students around you began to chatter and shuffle out of their seats, eager to get out of the confines of the room.

You stretched your arms, feeling the tension relieved from your shoulders as you stood up and gathered your things. Recess— the perfect time for your investigation. You didn’t waste any time heading out of the classroom, pushing past the other students as they spilled into the hallway.

Out in the playground, the sounds of children playing and laughter surrounded you. Your eyes scanned at the area, then focused on a familiar person, Eyelash Boy. He wasn’t talking to anyone as usual, sitting near the edge of the school yard. 

Come to think of it, he was kinda alone most of the time in school. Unless he hung out with his brother but that’s it. 

Which made you amused for a bit but you did feel pity for him—  he was kind of cold and not really a person you’d be comfortable talking to, so it really wasn’t a surprise that no one really talks to him nor does he want to talk to other, but, you recalled back to him getting excited talking about his action figures with you, maybe he doesn’t realise that he needed a friend.

Alas, you came back home, like a soldier coming back from a losing war, and without the information you needed to name the owl plushie, you stared at it with guilt. Maybe you should’ve let your friend say his name earlier…

 Maybe you’ll get his name next week as you hoped.

But tomorrow, you won't be worrying about school or a failed mission. It was a weekend, and that meant a visit to Auntie Anri!

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

You weren’t related to Aunti Anri, but it did feel like she was like a mix of a cool aunt and a big sister to you. She was one of your mom’s closest friends, someone who had always been around. Your parents usually drop you off at her place when they are gonna be busy with work, you didn’t mind you had fun when you were there. 

You swayed your legs back and forth in the car seat impatiently, you looked over to the window and seeing the sights made you relaxed a bit, but the anticipation was still bubbling inside you.  

 

You haven’t visited her in a while because of moving, you couldn’t wait to see her again. You squeezed Mrs. Moe and owl plushie tightly. 

You arrived in the familiar sight of her house, you couldn’t hold back your excitement. You opened the car door once it parked and then you hopped over to her doorstep, your father chuckled at how pumped you were. 

You then rang the doorbell with a grin, heart racing in excitement. 

You then saw a familiar face, her soft and brownish-red hair and her kind and big eyes stared at you softly.

“Y/N-chan!” Anri then hugged you tightly, you could feel that warmth of hers and her usual perfume as well. 

She welcomed you, you then eagerly went inside her home and sunk in the soft cushions of the couch, placing Ms. Moe and owl plushie down. You heard murmurs of your parents and Anri, it was all grown-up talk so you didn’t pay attention to them.

They said their goodbyes to you and left, Aunty Anri told you to stay put so she can fetch some of your favorite snacks.

Your eyes drifted towards the tv, you then looked at the soccer merch that she had. The sound of the plate gently being placed on the table caught your attention. 

You then dig in on the wonderful snack and much to your heart’s content like you were appa. 

Anri sat next to you, eating as well. She took notice of the new addition to your plushies. “Oh? A new friend for Ms. Moe?” She gently said, looking at you with curiosity. 

“Yeah, it was an apology gift from a boy in class,” you answered her question, you tried to act unfazed. 

“what did he do exactly?” Aunty Anri asked further, much to your annoyance.

“He kicked a ball and it launched like a missile towards Ms. Moe and then it hit a glass of milk which spilled on Ms. Moe and made her wet and dirty.”

Anri gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. “Poor Ms. Moe! What a crime. And this boy— did he survive your wrath?” she grinned clearly teasing you.

You rolled your eyes, still munching in your snack. “He was lucky I didn’t pop his ball.” 

Anri chuckled, leaning back on the couch. “Did he at least apologize properly?”

“I mean… yeah. He gave me the owl and said sorry, but he sucked at it. Boys are weird.” you shrugged. 

“they can be,” Anri agreed, she had a fair share of weird interactions with guys. She wishes that you wouldn’t grow through the same things she did. “But it sounds like he tried in his own way.”

“Yeah, he did. He’s still kind of annoying though but,” your sentence trailed off a bit in thought, what did you think of him? “I want to be friends with him.” 

“That’s a big change from ‘annoying’ what brought this on?”

“I mean he isn’t annoying I guess— but he isn’t that mean or anything. He's just different and is kind of hard to talk to” you quickly replied.

Anri nodded thoughtfully. “Different isn’t always bad. Sometimes, those are the friends who teach us the most about ourselves,” 

“Teach us what?” You innocently said.

“Well,” Anri began, leaning back into the couch, “maybe how to see the world from someone else’s eyes. Or how to handle someone that isn't exactly like you. It’s kind of what friendship is about— learning from each other.”

You felt like you were in a my little pony episode, that Auntie Anri was twilight sparkle. 

“And maybe,” she continued, “he might learn something from you too.” 

“like being awesome and as cool as me?”

“Exactly,” she giggled a bit, ruffling your hair. “But you know, being friends takes patience— and you need to learn that as well, and not everyone opens up right away.” 

You nodded, you felt a bit more motivated and a smile creeping on your face. “Guess, I could try.” 

“that’s the spirit,” she said warmly, “and if he still doesn’t open up then that’s fine not everyone has to be your friend,” 

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

It is Monday now, you lazily went out of your doorstep clearly not wanting to go to school now. But then you spotted the older brother at the front and you hid behind your parent's car trying not to be seen. You peeked over a bit watching as Eyelash Boy was still left behind their house. It kind of surprised you that they were still here, usually they left much earlier than you did.

You then heard what you’ve been wanting to hear for a long time.

“Rin, let’s go!” His older brother said to him, you practically jumped out of excitement. The mission was complete! You can finally name Ms. Moe’s friend after all.

You were already thinking of names based on Rin… Ron, Ri, Rinnie, and the one you liked the most was Ren. 

You stepped out from the car, trying to act casual waiting for your mom, but your excitement was through the roof. As you walked closer to your porch checking to see if your mom was gonna come out or not. 

You overheard the conversation between the brothers again. Rin didn’t seem to be in a rush to leave, but his older brother seemed to be more impatient at the moment.

“Nii-chan, wait for me,” Rin muttered, his voice softer than you’ve ever heard from him before.

Sae, on the other hand, seemed to have an understanding but annoyed look on his face. “Hurry up. We’re already late.” he said, voice blunt and commanding. He didn’t even acknowledge you at first, but then his eyes flickered towards you like he felt something was wrong.

Ruh roh.

You froze, caught off guard by his sudden attention towards you and his cold stare. It wasn’t unkind, but it felt distant— like you weren’t his time.

“Are you staring at something?” he asked, his tone was more judgemental than curious, though you couldn’t quite read it.

You blinked, eyes drifted at anything but him, taken aback by his question, but quickly recovered. “Oh! No, I— uh..” you stumbled over your words, a nervous laughter escaped you.

“Were you looking at my brother?” he said rather bluntly.

You looked up at him, your heart racing. “Well, not exactly,” 

He seemed to catch your nervousness. His gaze softened for a moment, his sharpness replaced with something more neutral. “Ah. You must be the one who got the owl plushie, huh?” his word deliberate, as though he knew the answer already. 

“uh, yeah… he gave it to me as an apology,” you answered, unsure of how much detail he wanted.

He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, his gaze still fixed on you. “He’s not the type to give something like that away easily,” he muttered, almost to himself. Then he realised he might’ve said more than he intended, he straightened up, looking away. “Just don’t make him regret it,” 

You blinked, unsure if you should say something back. But before you could even muster any words— he was already turning and walking away. Leaving you standing there and processing his words.

You tried to wrap your head around what he said. “Don’t make him regret it.” you couldn’t shake the thought. Was that a warning..? Or was that just some older brother protectiveness? Either way the words struck you.

It wasn’t like you had a plan to force yourself into Rin’s life, but there was something about the way he gave you the owl plushie. It was his way of apologizing— awkward, yes, but genuine. And Aunty Anri’s words echoed through your mind. “He tried in his own way.”

Aunty Anri was right. Maybe Rin wasn’t the easiest person to get along with but it didn’t mean you couldn’t try. You did say you wanted to be friends with him, after all. 

The mission has already been renewed. No longer was it just getting his name or resolving the issue with Mrs. Moe. Now, it was about becoming friends with him. He’d done the part apologizing, but now it was your turn to do the same— to meet him halfway.

The next step was simple: talk to him. You’ve done it before, that seemed the easiest way to start. You weren’t going to let things stay awkward between you two. You were determined, he wasn’t a big talker, but there was something to make him tick. 

The only way to find out was to try.

Taglist: @danhoneyyysblog @nana7nana777 @levihanmyotp

◇ If your @ is highlighted purple that means I couldn't tag you, sorry ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡ ◆

[cheriipetal]

The wrong side of the Altar

Synopsis: At your wedding, Rin is forced to face the feelings he’s long kept hidden from the start of your relationship with a man who wasn't him.

Oneshot | Word Count: 2414 | afab! Reader | Pure angst no comfort

The chatters of the guests blurred into an indistinct hum, grating his ears. The classical music, once a soothing melody, felt like mocking each note made his heart race. Even the chime of the bells felt like a countdown to the end of everything. Everything irritated him.

Weddings were supposed to be about love and new beginnings, but for him it marked his loss and regret. Bitterness clung to him like a second skin, suffocating and inescapable. He could still remember the moments where it was just you two— those fleeting, stolen seconds when he thought he’d always have time.

But time didn’t wait, he didn’t realise what you meant to him until you weren’t his to have. Until someone else saw your love and compassion, the laugh that felt like home, and claimed it while he was frozen, too proud, and too blind to act.

Now you were gonna stand in the altar with a man that wasn’t him.

His regret was piling up recalling the memories that he’d prioritize his goals and soccer over you. How you'd get upset but didn’t let him see it. He realised that it was probably because you thought you were hindering him from his success in achieving what he wanted.

His ears picked up your laughter. He stiffened as you adjusted his tie. The fabric wrapped between your soft and warm hands. His heart beat with every second of it. His eyes adjusted to your white dress, it fitted your complexion well. You always had a knack of finding things that compliment you well. That dress was the kind of thing you’d dream about.

“Rin, you look like a mess.” You playfully said, looping the tie around. “I want you to look good in the pictures— well, you’ll still look handsome even if you look like you haven’t slept for a week.” you teased him.

Rin’s lips turned into a line, he felt a gravel in his throat. “I’ve been busy,” his voice came through, almost distant.

He looked down at you, watching your fingers tie the knot. Did you even realise what you were doing to him?

“You shouldn’t worry how I look,” he added, still frowning, showing his indifference, “it’s not my wedding, after all.”

“Yeah, because you keep pushing women or even men away from you. You’re handsome, a star captain in the japan soccer team, you have money, you have decent— well sometimes decent personality sometimes.” You jabbed at him a bit.

Rin scoffed,“Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?” he shot back, his tone sharper than intended.

His gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, the weight of your words sinking in. “Maybe I just don’t see the point,” he muttered, barely loud enough for you to hear. “None of that matters if it’s not with the right person.”

“Then find them, if you really want to find the right person then don’t just be frozen in place, run and go.” You advised, finally done with his tie. You firmly straightened the fabric.

“What if I already found them?” His eyes showed vulnerability, itching for her to notice him. Wanting and longing for her to change her mind and be with him instead.

“Then what are you waiting for?” You encouraged him. Those words alone made him want to say he loved you right there.

But, he didn’t. Rin messed up a lot of things in his life. His blunt self made it harder to say what, how he felt— but it always came out wrong and not what he intended.

Rin’s heart skipped a beat at your words, the space between you suddenly feeling too small. He opened his mouth, the words almost there, but they choked in his throat. His gaze flickered away, as if afraid of what might slip out if he spoke.

“I... I don’t know if I can,” he muttered, his voice low and raw. “saying it now... it just feels too late.”

He caught your eyes for a split second, vulnerability in his own flickering like a dying flame. He wanted to say the words—he wanted to tell you how much he felt, how much he needed you—but the weight of all his failures kept him frozen

Some of the guests could be heard at the other side of the door. The awkwardness between them is heavy in the air. You pulled your hands back away from him. You weren’t sure how to break the silence between you two.

Rin’s gaze momentarily looks at the door, where the groom was laughing with others. He could feel his jaw tightened subconsciously. Everytime he even saw your fiance, he’d always have this scowl look.

You cleared your throat. Seeing the opening for a conversation, you took it, eyes lingering on Rin for a moment. “So… what do you think of him?”

Your voice was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of something else— an unspoken question hanging in the air.

.

Rin opened his mouth to answer but hesitated, his mind scrambling for the right words. What did he think of him? He couldn’t bring himself to admit it, even to himself.

All he could come up with was that he hated him—hated him for taking you away from him. Why did it take him so long to realize?

Soccer had always been his life—he’d worked for it, sacrificed for it. But it wasn’t enough. Not anymore. You were the one who mattered most. He had realized it too late, and now the realization gnawed at him, sharp and bitter.

“He’s... alright,” he finally said, his voice sounding distant even to his own ears. It was a weak, vague answer—one that concealed the raw truth.

“I’m surprised you didn’t fight him when I said he and I were dating, honestly. I was kind of scared for him because of how much you send death glares with every man that even flirted with me.” You say with an awkward chuckle. Recalling the memories of how Rin would act so fast.

Rin’s eyes narrowed at the countless memories, and a brief moment his face hardened. “They deserved it,” he said with indifference— but not aimed towards you, to them.

—

The music changed, signalling the bride's arrival. Rin’s gaze shifted involuntarily towards the aisle, his heart pounding with every note that played. Everything seemed to slow down around him, each step echoing louder than the last as you moved closer.

Everyone was at awe by your beauty, he didn’t blame them. He was enamoured by your movements— how you looked.

Rin’s thoughts raced, the weight of everything he couldn’t say settling heavily on his shoulders. As the soft murmur of the guests filled the air. He couldn’t shake the image of you standing besides him— if only things turned out differently.

The room was alive with quiet excitement, the glow of candlelight reflecting off the polished surfaces. Laughter drifted through the air, but all Rin could hear was the steady beat of his own heart—faster now, as if it too understood the finality of what was about to happen.

A soft chime echoed through the room, and the guests fell silent, their eyes turning toward the aisle. Rin’s breath hitched in his throat, unable to tear his gaze away from where you would soon stand, arm-in-arm with him—the man you’d chosen.

The two of you said your vows, said “I do” to the question, and made the first kiss of your marriage. His body felt cold like he was trapped in the pile of snow and it was numb. It felt like someone struck a poison into him. He hated this feeling, he experienced it before when Sae said those words that left a chokehold on him for years.

He needed a drink to wash all the pain away.

—

The venue you rented was beautiful but he was too busy swallowing in his misery to even enjoy the wedding reception. He sat down in the stool ordering a heavy drink.

You were married now, it was too late for him to do anything. He can only watch on the sidelines with you living your life with another man. The bartender then handed him the glass of alcohol.

He drank it to his heart's content. The alcohol was bitter— reflecting his own emotions back at him. Alcohol was distasteful and unhealthy, he doesn’t usually drink but he’ll make an exception for just this night, to not think.

“Really want to get into the mood, huh?” your husband talked to him. Rin was already in a bad mood, your husband made it even worse.

“I guess,” Rin said with indifference, he sipped on the drink more.

“You should be hanging out with the others instead of being here all alone, she’d want you to have fun!” The words stung more than the groom probably realized.

Did he think Rin could just ‘have fun’ when everything felt wrong? He could barely keep his thoughts straight, let alone smile for the sake of others

Rin gripped his glass harder, the cold surface pressing into his palm. He could feel his vision start to blur, the alcohol doing its work. But it didn’t numb the anger. It only made it sharper.

He could feel his jaw clench, his heart rate quicken. The groom didn’t know anything. He didn’t know the weight of this situation. And every word he said made Rin’s patience thin.

Then your husband notices Rin’s reactions. He knew what was up, and that he saw how Rin would look at you, how he’d loosen up when he was with you, and now he was miserable at the wedding.

“Hey, it’s tough, I get it,” the groom says. “But you’re a great guy, Rin. You’ve got so much going for you. Don’t beat yourself up. There’s always the future, right? Maybe even someone else out there for you too.”

The more your husband said, the worse it got for Rin. It wasn’t that the groom was wrong—he was just too far removed from what Rin was feeling.

It wasn’t about finding someone else or “moving on”—it was about the one person Rin couldn’t have anymore. The one person who was slipping further away with every passing second because of him.

His grip on the glass tightened, his knuckles turning white. “You don’t get it,” he muttered, bitterness seeping through his voice. “You think this is just some passing thing, that I’ll ‘get over with it’. You don’t know what it feels like you’ve lost everything…. Especially when you never got the chance to tell her how you even felt. So don’t just fucking sit there and tell me that everything is okay,” with every breath, he could smell the alcohol.

“I… I didn’t mean to upset you,” the groom said, a bit taken aback. “I’m just trying to help, man. You’re a good guy, Rin. You’ll be alright.”

“Can you shut it? You think you’re the one who gets to take her away, don’t you? You think you’re the perfect guy for her, but you don’t even see it. You’re just the safe option, the ‘right choice’ on paper. All you’ve done is show up with your polished image and your nice words, pretending like you’re everything she needs—

I’m not perfect, I never was. I screwed up, I pushed her away when I should’ve held on. But I’m the one who understands her. I know what makes her laugh when she’s sad. You’re just a lukewarm piece of trash that she pitied.” He let out all his anger. All his frustrations. With each word uttered it felt like a weight lifted off his shoulders but grew more distant with his stabled mind.

“Rin,” he felt his wrist being grabbed by soft hands. His eyes looked up to see you standing there with a mix of frustration and disappointment. He was being dragged to an empty room.

He knew what was about to come, you were gonna give him a lesson, scolding him like you used to do whenever he did shit like this.

"I get it, Rin. You’re hurt. I know you care about me, but this... this isn’t how you handle it. I won’t let you disrespect him and my choice. I won’t stand for it, not after everything we’ve been through.” You touched his shoulder gently.

“You made a shitty choice.” Rin said coldly. You could smell the alcohol in his breath, too far gone to think clearly right now.

“Rin, I am proud of my decision— I love him, he never pushes me away, he never makes me feel like I’m an idiot, he never makes me feel like I was his second priority. I don’t know why you don’t want this for me, can’t you see for once… that I’m happy?”

Rin’s eyes widened, his face twisting in anger, pain, and something else— something raw and almost desperate. “And you’re saying that you found someone who can see your feelings, prioritize and love you. Then what was I? Who the hell was I to you?!”

You stepped back, your chest tightening with a mix of guilt and sorrow. “A person I love,” you said, your voice almost a whisper now. “But who taught me that love isn’t always enough.”

You couldn’t stand it anymore, everything was too overwhelming for you. Rin was too hurt— you couldn’t look him in the eyes without feeling guilty. Feeling like shit, you turned around and left the room, hoping the silence would ease your thoughts.

As you left the room, it was just him with his thoughts. His gaze lingering on the doorway where you just left. His hands grip on his suit, wrinkling it, his knuckles turned white. “What was I?” the question echoed in his mind, a haunting refrain. The words that he spat out were wrong now.

His chest tightened for a moment, the alcohol buried in his veins, dulling the clarity he had left, but only left every once of guilt that he had. How could he let it get this far? He was too damn proud… to be caught up in his own world to notice you needed more than he was giving.

Now, there you were—standing with someone else, someone who could make you happy, someone who wasn’t him.

Rin clenched his fists and took a deep breath, but it didn’t help. Nothing could. He had missed his chance.

[cheriipetal]

ᯓ★ Chp. 1 | Big feelings, Small words

Sypnosis .𖥔 ݁ You moving into your new house was great until someone had to hurt your beloved best friend

── .✦ wc: 2582 | afab! Reader

── .✦ F/A = Favorite Animal

Chapter list

Next chapter

Moving from Kyoto to Kanagawa Prefecture, was an abrupt choice on your parent's end. You were used to the more cultural environment with the mix of urban and rural areas that you were more well-adjusted to in Kyoto.

Kanagawa Prefecture had this more modern and urban vibe to it, it felt strange yet exciting for you. You saw from the windows the tall buildings, the hums of the cars, and the absence of the temples from Kyoto.

The place that you moved into was nice; you notice flowers displayed on the porch, and you bend down to feel its soft texture— as well to get a good look at their vibrant colors.

Your tiny finger itching to pluck a petal, you felt a gentle hand touch your left shoulder, recognizing your mother's shadowy figure on the flower pot.

"Why don't you see your new room?" She says to you, the thoughts of plucking the petals of the flower disappearing with a new task. You then brushed your hand onto your dress before walking to your new room.

Your mother pointed to the stairs to where your room was supposedly to be; the stairs creaked one by one, lowering you; your feet stumbled, but you caught yourself in the last second, saving yourself from planting your face onto the ground.

You then walk towards the hall, catching a glimpse of an open room which had the walls in your favorite color. There were boxes on the ground, but there was a tiny plush arm sticking out from the tiny crack in the box. It was your F/A plushie!

"Ms. Moe! You're in there," you whispered to yourself excitedly. You grabbed the arm and tugged it, but it didn't budge. Frowning, you planted your feet firmly onto the ground for more leverage and pulled harder—still nothing.

Your eyes squint as you see the tape sealing the box. Determined, you tried to peel it with your fingers, but it stayed put. Your frustration grew and you grabbed the box and tried to tear it. Unknown to you, your mother was conveniently at the room that your room was above, hearing your frustration, stomping and tugging. She grew more concerned and went to the source, seeing you trying to tear it open. She swooped in and set you aside.

"Y/N-chan, we'll unpack your toys later. In the meantime, why don't you go to Daddy and explore outside?" Your mother said softly, her hand gently brushing the strands of your hair; you shot one last longing look at your trapped plushie in the box before going back downstairs.

You begrudgingly left your room with a frown tugging at your lips, forcing yourself to go outside. "Why the long face?" You hear your father say. You told him what your mother said, and you felt his warmth as he picked you up. Whilst in your father’s arms as he walked, you saw seagulls flying in the air, your eyes sparkled with admiration, then felt the smell of the ocean and sand, and you saw the beach at the horizon.

"Dad! Can we go there? Please?" You pleaded, and your dad just chuckled at your tactic of convincing him. "I don't know... what if the crabs are waiting to pinch your toes?" He said, teasingly grinning as you gasped in horror. "But you'll protect me!" You said with confidence.

"Yes, I'll always protect you," he replied.

Your eyes lit up seeing the amazing view from your father's arms. You almost leaped forward, but his grip prevented you from doing so. He chuckled, "Is my little Y/N enjoying our new home?" You nodded eagerly in response.

He sets you down, your tiny feet hitting the ground. He grabs his phone from his pocket and squats down. He aimed the camera lens towards you. "Smile, sweetie!" Your lips curled to a small smile, and your hands formed a peace sign.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Every time your parents marked the calendar, your stomach tightened. 'First School Day' loomed closer, and it wasn’t something you were excited about. It meant starting over—new enviroment, new faces, and unwanted interactions.

While playing on the porch, you played with Ms. Moe in your other toys, playing house with them and having a glass of milk on the side. A car catches your attention as it parks the house right in front of you. You saw two boys your age come out of the car; the one with reddish-brown hair went to the house first.

The younger boy kicked his soccer ball into a mini-net but sent it flying instead. It ricocheted off his house and straight into yours... It then hits Ms. Moe, and she flies, hitting your glass of milk; the milk splatters across the floor and soaks Ms. Moe in the process.

Your chest tightened in worry as you saw Ms. Moe tumbled to the ground. You only took a few steps forward to reach her, you held your plush toy gently, but your grip tightened as you saw the boy grab the ball and leave a mess—without any words of apology.

You rushed inside and you began cleaning Ms. Moe. "He didn't even say sorry to you, MoeMoe-chan. I'm gonna pop his ball and see how he likes it." You pat Ms. Moe on her head as you wipe off the milk that soaked her soft fur.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

You always heard the sound of the soccer ball thuds across from the street, but that sound just reminded you of the moments before Ms. Moe got drenched in milk. You hear them play at a certain time, noticing how they are a bit obsessed with soccer, and some days you see them wearing jerseys.

Yet you couldn't help but watch them afar from your window. Your mother would always say that you should hang out with them, but you still held a grudge towards the younger one, so you just said no every time she brought it up.

Four days left until school eventually started, and you were dragged to a tailor shop. The tailor measured your arms and legs, adjusting your uniform. You shuffled impatiently, eyes darting to the exit. Ice cream and TV were waiting, and you had enough of this.

When it was over, you hurriedly went to the car but realized your dad was still behind at the entrance of the tailor shop "You know kids your age love to go outside, but just want to be cooped up in your room," he chuckled as he opened the car with his key.

"Yeah, until a white van shows up with candy or a car runs them over—like in the movies," you shuddered, going inside the car with the help of your dad; he tucked you tightly into the car seat.

"You aren't wrong," he said, remaining quiet for a moment, taken aback at how you just said that given your age, "—but I still want you to explore and enjoy your time; you're still young and frowing after all. And maybe we should cut back on movie nights." He advised, flashing a smile, which you couldn't help but smile back at him.

You just nodded in response, even though you did not fully agree with what he said; he did have a point, you guessed. Your eyes looked out the window.

In the distance, a soccer field came into view. Bordered by trees and a rusty chain fence. Kids scattered on the grass, their jerseys darting back and forth. Cheers could be heard as the car got closer.

Your eyes lingered on the field beyond the chain fence. Two players stood out; their movements were sharp and precise, more skilled than the rest. Their kicks were strong and accurate. One of them scored a goal and followed the cheers and applause. The way they moved seemed familiar until you realized it was—

"Those two are our neighbors, the ones that keep playing soccer in their front yard," he tapped his steering wheel. "I heard from the neighbors they were prodigies."

Your dad sounded impressed by them; all you felt was a bitter taste in your mouth. It didn't matter if they were prodigies or not—especially to that boy who didn't apologize. 'Prodigies,' your dad called them. To you, one of them was just a boy who ruined your only friend.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

That day finally arrived—your first day of school. You were standing outside the porch with your elementary uniform clutching your F/C bag. Your parents were practically bursting with excitement, snapping photo after photo as you were concerned about their doting gaze; they were far more thrilled than you felt.

When you stepped inside the school, an unfamiliar sight stood before you. Your heart pounded, and you clutched the fabric of your mother's dress tighter with every step you took. The thought of her driving without you made your chest tighten. Wanting her to stay.

Sensing your nervousness, she kneeled to your level, soft hands placed on your shoulders. Her warm smile—so familiar and reassuring—calmed you making you focus on her words instead of your nervousness

"I know it's scary, but you're going to do amazing. Be friendly and make lots of friends, okay?" She kissed your forehead lightly, her soft voice full of encouragement.

"All right," you say with a wobbly smile. You didn't care about making friends; all you cared about was to make her proud.

Kids around you clung to their parents, some crying loudly as if the separation was unbearable. You can't blame them—you, too, felt your own eyes watering at the thought of your mom leaving. Worse, Ms. Moe was still drying; you couldn't even have her comfort.

A woman approached with the tag reading "Mrs. Yuka." Her friendly smile didn't ease your nerves like how your mother's smile did. "Hi, Y/N! Let's find you a seat, shall we?" She said brightly.

Before you could protest, your mother pried your hands from her dress. "Sorry, sweetie," she murmured, her voice heavy with guilt. "But mommy has to leave now," she kissed your forehead the one last time, her hands lingering for a moment as if she didn't want to leave you behind.

You let out a sniffle, trying to will tears your eyes to appear to make her stay but she only smiled with a somber expression. With a soft final "I love you," she headed through the door, leaving you alone.

A defeated sigh left your lips as you looked around the room, your eyes focused on a particular person. You can recognize those long, gorgeous bottom eyelashes and turquoise eyes anywhere.

He sat a few seats away from you; his dark green hair was messy, falling into his eyes as he doodled on his desk. When his eyes looked up and your eyes met briefly. His gaze darted almost instantly, as though he had been caught. You frowned.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

The entire time, you glared at him, not even paying attention to what the teacher said. Your frustration is boiling like a pot that was about to overflow. The way he kept ignoring you only made it worse. Your parents always said to face your problems, so you decided to use their advice.

You hear the chime of the bell signaled at the end of the class and the beginning of your confrontation. You see your target, who was still avoiding your gaze, and you could see him slowly inching his seat away from you as you walked towards him.

"Eyelash boy! You—you need to say sorry to Ms. Moe!" You said to him, determined but still a bit nervous. Other kids seemed to be overly curious about what was going on.

He finally looked at you, his brows furrowed, his tone slightly flat. "Who's that? And what are you talking about?" he said, fidgeting with his pen.

You saw his expression; you know well that he knew clearly what you were talking about. "You heard me! You hurt Ms. Moe! I want a sorry now." You exclaimed, determined to have justice for your dear friend.

"It's just a doll," he said dismissively, his gaze averting at some moments. That word alone made your eye twitch. You were already planning to pop his soccer ball in revenge.

"Ms. Moe isn't just a doll, she's the bestest friend ever!"

"You should've picked her up and dodged the ball. Work on your dodging skills next time," he said with indifference. Now he was admitting that he knew what you were talking about.

"Like how you should work on your aim?" You jabbed at him. Still annoyed at how he seemed so stubborn.

"At least I can kick a goal! Do you even know how to kick a ball right!?"

"Oh, so your goal was my house? Didn't know my house is a soccer net now."

The other kids seemed to laugh at your words, which grew his embarrassment more.

You saw the annoyance growing on his face. He got up from his seat and left. Serves him right; he couldn't even manage a simple apology. Though that look on his face kind of made you feel a little bad for him. Still, justice had to be served.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

It was the day after that confrontation. School wasn't so bad; you chatted with the other girls, and they were super nice to you, helping you with stuff you didn't understand talked about your favorite shows with them and played with toys with them, you didn't felt lonely; maybe having friends wasn't as bad as you thought.

You saw Eyelash Boy enter the room, holding something in his hands. You thought it was a soccer ball already plaughting on how to pop it, but to your surprise it was a toy car, accessories, and another plushie—which was an owl. He stopped walking for a moment, eyeing you as if testing the waters, he slowly inches towards you to which he placed the toys on your desk quickly, as if it were finishing a chore.

A small pout was plastered on his face. Clearly embarassed. "It wasn't on purpose... okay? I didn't mean to—I just guess that your doll is like my soccer ball. Important or whatever."

You stared at the toys; your frustration turned to surprise. He actually apologized somewhat, though you were a bit hesitant not knowing if this was sincere or not but it felt heartfelt. You glanced up at him, your lips curving into a small smile, and your eyes sparkled with gratitude; his eyes widened a bit by your gratefulness. He just frowns a bit before turning to the direction of his seat.

As he walked back to his seat, you couldn't help but smile more looking at Ms. Moe's new car, house, and a new owl friend.

Maybe he wasn't as bad as you thought. He just really needed to work on his apologies.

Author's note: making this to a multi-chapter series! Hope that my blue lock phase isn't gonna end until i finish this fic.