Chapter Text
IT ALL STARTED with a soccer ball to the face.
the sun was already starting to dip low, casting long shadows across the open field where sae itoshi stood with a soccer ball at his feet. the sky was streaked with orange and pink, a warm breeze tugging lightly at the hems of his shorts. a little ways away from him, his little brother rin hovered nervously, fidgeting with the edge of his oversized jersey. they had been there for nearly an hour, sae drilling passes and footwork into rin with the same intensity he gave to everything.
he was only ten, but there was already a sharpness in his gaze, the kind of seriousness most kids his age hadn't yet learned. sae didn't play for fun. even then, soccer was a part of him, something he needed to master. he narrowed his eyes, shifted his stance, and kicked the ball towards rin with more force than necessary, expecting him to trap it like he'd shown him a dozen times before.
but rin didn't trap it. instead, his eyes widened, and he flinched, jumping awkwardly to the side as the ball zipped past him. he hadn't even tried. sae clicked his tongue in annoyance, already stepping forward to fetch the ball, only it didn't stop where he thought it would. it kept rolling, catching speed on the slight slope of the grass, and then-
thud.
you had just turned the corner, your little feet carrying you along the familiar sidewalk that led home from your after school language lessons. you were sipping from a juice box, eyes glazed over as you thought about the sticker you'd gotten from your teacher, still stuck to the front of your backpack. the day had been long, your legs a little sore, and the gentle quiet of the neighborhood was making you sleepy.
you didn't notice the ball until it was too late. it struck you squarely in the face, the sudden pain shocking your whole body into stillness. your juice box slipped from your hands and splattered onto the pavement as you stumbled back a step, hands flying up to your nose.
tears welled in your eyes before you could stop them, not just from the pain but from the surprise of it all. the world tilted slightly, your breath catching in your throat as you crouched down and held your face, sniffling quietly.
from across the field, sae froze. he'd seen it happen, how the ball curved away from his brother, how it slammed right into you, and now he stood there, staring.
rin looked up at him with wide eyes, unsure of what to do, but sae didn't say anything right away. his heart thumped in his chest, not with guilt, but with something else. something tight and strange. he didn't know who you were, didn't know why you looked so small sitting on the ground like that with juice pooling around your shoes, but he started walking before he could think twice.
you sat there for a moment, your hand still pressed to your face, feeling the sting of the ball and the sticky mess of spilled juice dripping from the box onto your legs. your knees were a little scraped, and you could feel the faint bruise already forming where the ball had hit you square on the nose, but it wasn't the pain that bothered you most, it was the juice.
you loved that juice box, and now it was ruined, all of it spilled on the pavement and the rest of it slowly soaking into your shoes. you sniffled, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks as the embarrassment settled in. this was so dumb. why did it have to hit you?
before you could even think of standing, you heard footsteps.
you glanced up, and there stood a boy. his serious expression softened just a little, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his lips as he crouched down in front of you. there was a smaller boy behind him, holding onto his older brother's shirt, looking at you shyly, his small hands gripping the fabric with shyness.
sae's eyes flickered briefly to the juice box lying on the ground, the bright color of it still visible despite the mess. he reached down and grabbed it as though it was no big deal. when he stood, he held it out toward you, his eyes locked on yours. the juice box was crumpled now, the straw bent, and the liquid inside long gone, but he offered it to you like it might somehow make everything better.
"here." he said, his voice cool, almost as if nothing had happened, though there was a slight tilt to his head as if he expected something more than just an angry stare in return.
rin shifted nervously behind him, unsure whether to speak or just remain silent.
you blinked, looking at the ruined juice box and then back up at sae, confused. he wasn't apologizing, wasn't even acknowledging that he might have been the cause of your slight concussion. you felt your frustration bubbling up again, a sharp, childish anger that flared inside of you.
it wasn't fair. your juice box, your afternoon, everything was suddenly ruined because of some careless kick, and here he was, offering you an empty box like it was going to fix anything.
"it's... empty." you grumbled, your voice small but definitely annoyed, your eyes narrowing just a little as you took in his calm demeanor.
sae didn't react to your words, just held the box out more, as if insisting you take it. "it's the thought that counts." he said, his words light but somehow firm, like he didn't really understand why you were upset, but was trying anyway.
there was a pause. rin shuffled his feet nervously, looking up at his brother and then at you, still clutching sae's shirt like he might disappear if he let go. sae seemed to ignore him entirely, his focus still on you.
with a small sniffle, you took the juice box from him, not sure why you did, but unable to just leave it hanging. it felt silly, holding something so useless, but his small gesture, even if it didn't make sense, made the anger in your chest ease just a little. you stared at it for a moment, then looked back at him, still a bit upset but also confused by this weird, quiet boy in front of you.
"fine," you said, finally meeting his gaze. "but I still don't know why you kicked that ball so hard."
sae didn't say anything to that. instead, without warning, he held out a hand to you. it was steady, his fingers looked soft yet slightly calloused at the same time, and for a second, you just stared at it, wondering what he was trying to do. he didn't look at you when he spoke again, his voice flat but still carrying that sense of calm seriousness.
"stop sitting around. I'll help you up." he said.
you hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether you should accept his offer, but the ground beneath you was hard, and your butt was starting to feel sore from sitting too long.
finally, you placed your smaller hand in his, and sae gently pulled you to your feet, his grip hard but not forceful. once you were standing, you felt a little more steady, though still somewhat embarrassed by the entire situation.
rin, still standing behind his brother, gave you a small, shy smile. "are you okay?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
you nodded, finally managing a small, tight smile back at him. "yeah... I'm okay."
sae stayed quiet for a beat too long, his hand slowly dropping back to his side once you were steady on your feet. his gaze flicked to the juice stained pavement, then back to your face, like he was trying to figure out what to say, or if he even needed to. there was a strange stiffness in his posture, like apologies didn't come naturally to him, like maybe he'd never said one before. the wind picked up slightly, brushing through his hair, and for a moment he looked almost... uncertain.
"i didn't mean to hit you," he muttered finally, eyes focused somewhere over your shoulder. "it was supposed to go to him." he jerked his chin toward rin, who ducked his head in quiet shame, shifting behind him like he wished he could disappear. sae rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding your gaze. "...sorry, i guess."
the word came out almost robotic like, but there was something in the way he said it that didn't feel fake. it felt awkward and clunky, like he wasn't used to saying sorry but knew he should. his brows furrowed just a little as he glanced at you again, like he was bracing himself for you to yell at him or cry or maybe walk away without saying anything at all.
you stared at him, surprised. you hadn't expected an apology, not really, not from a boy who looked like he took everything way too seriously, who didn't flinch even when you glared at him earlier. the sorry wasn't dramatic, wasn't full of guilt or anything like that. it was just... honest. plain and strange and kind of endearing in a weird way.
"you should aim better," you said, brushing off your skirt and glancing at the field where the ball bounced off your face and rolled away. "but... thanks, i guess."
sae gave the smallest nod, the corners of his mouth twitching like he might've smiled if he knew how. rin peeked up from behind him again, visibly relieved that you weren't mad anymore. "you're not hurt, right?" rin asked, his voice still soft but a little braver now.
you shook your head. "no. just my juice box."
that made sae glance at it again, the crumpled thing still in your hand, leaking the last sticky drop down your fingers. he blinked once, slowly. "i'll get you a new one," he said, out of nowhere. "next time. if you're here."
you blinked back, unsure what to make of that, but the way he said it, serious and awkward all at once, made you smile without thinking.
"okay," you said, quietly. "next time."
sae turned around and walked back toward the ball, leaving you standing there with a juice box in one hand and a weird flutter in your chest. rin gave you one last sheepish look before jogging after his brother, still clinging to the hem of his shirt like he didn't want to let go.
a week passed. the bruise on your skin had faded to a light yellow, and the memory of the juice box incident became something you only thought about when passing the field on your way home. part of you kept glancing over, wondering if that serious boy and his shy little brother would be there again. but they weren't. not once.
you told yourself it didn't matter. he was weird anyway.
but still, you remembered the way he'd looked at you when he handed back the empty juice box. like he meant it, even if it made no sense. and now, a week later, you weren't thinking about him at all, not when you were in the canned food aisle of a crowded grocery store, trailing behind your dad and daydreaming about popsicles.
meanwhile, sae was not having a good time.
his mom had made him come along to help with the shopping, saying something about "learning responsibility" and "earning your soccer money," and now he was grumpily steering a too heavy cart through the maze of aisles, peeking out from over the handles. he didn't like crowds. didn't like the constant noise, the squeaky wheels, or how his mom kept tossing random vegetables into the cart he didn't recognize. he just wanted to go home, lace up his cleats, and practice.
he wasn't really paying attention when he turned the corner into the next aisle, pushing the cart a little too hard.
and it bumped straight into someone.
you let out a small "ow!" as a cart clipped the back of your heel, and you stumbled forward with a surprised huff, turning quickly with your eyebrows furrowed and a look of pure betrayal on your face.
"hey! watch where-"
your voice cut off when you saw him. reddish brown hair. bright teal eyes. that same unreadable, slightly bored expression.
boy from the field.
he blinked at you. once. then again. like his brain was still buffering. his hands tightened on the cart handle. he didn't say anything immediately. just stared at you with the faintest flicker of recognition lighting up his face.
"...you," you muttered, blinking. "you hit me. again."
"wasn't on purpose," he said, sounding exactly like he had the last time. not mean. just factual. like he was reporting the weather.
you folded your arms. "you owe me two juice boxes now."
he looked at you, then down at your heel like he was mentally measuring the damage. "that wasn't a juice box injury."
"still counts."
behind him, sae's mom peeked around the shelf with a puzzled look. "sae? who's this?"
"girl from the field," he said simply, and that was apparently enough for his mom, because she just smiled and wandered off again with a muttered "how nice."
you stared at him, and for a moment he just stood there, still holding the cart like it was the only thing tethering him to the earth.
"...you said next time," you said, quieter now, eyes narrowing. "so where's my juice box?"
sae looked away for a second, like he was trying to remember the exact words he'd said. then he gave a small shrug, turned toward the cart, and started digging through the bags near the front. there wasn't much in there yet, some vegetables, a loaf of bread, and-
he pulled out a small, cold juice box. the exact same kind you'd lost last time.
he didn't even look at you when he held it out.
"...here."
you stared at it. then him.
"...you remembered."
"you said next time." he muttered, as if that explained everything. and maybe it kind of did.
you took the juice box slowly, fingers brushing his for a split second. it was cold from the fridge section, condensation slipping down the sides. you looked down at it, then back up at him.
"thanks," you said, this time without a hint of sarcasm. then, with a grin, "you're lucky i like this flavor."
sae didn't answer. just pushed his cart past you like nothing happened, his expression unreadable, but his ears were a little pink.
two weeks more weeks past. the juice box he gave you sat empty on your bookshelf, the straw chewed flat and the sides dented from your grip, but you hadn't thrown it away. not yet. maybe you were weird for that. maybe he was weird for remembering what flavor you liked. either way, you hadn't seen that boy since. no soccer field. no grocery store. nothing.
the day was cloudy, the sky pale and heavy with the hint of rain. you were walking home from the library, a book tucked under your arm and your backpack bouncing softly against your back.
you were halfway through your shortcut down the back street, a narrow road lined with vending machines and small apartment buildings, when you heard it, soft, muffled sniffles.
you stopped.
at first you thought maybe it was a cat. but then you heard it again, louder this time. a hiccup. a sob.
you turned the corner slowly and saw him.
a little boy, crouched down on the curb with his arms wrapped around his knees, face buried in his sleeves. his dark green shirt was too big for his frame, and his shoulders were shaking with every small cry he tried to stifle. he looked so tiny against the backdrop of the concrete buildings, like the city was swallowing him whole.
your little heart sank.
you stepped closer, carefully. "hello?"
his head jerked up, and your eyes widened in recognition. you knew that face. those watery teal eyes.
"oh, you?" you asked gently. "you're... that boy's little brother, right?"
he blinked at you, and then nodded slowly, his bottom lip trembling. his cheeks were blotchy, and his nose was red from crying. "i- i can't find him," he choked out. "we were gonna get taiyaki and i looked at the toys and then... then he was gone..."
you crouched down beside him, placing your book on the sidewalk and patting him on his tussled hair. "how long have you been looking?"
"a long time," he sniffled, rubbing his eyes with his sleeve. "i thought he was mad. he left me..."
you pout. "i don't think he'd do that on purpose. he's not really the type to forget important stuffs."
rin looked at you with wide eyes, like he didn't expect anyone to defend his brother. you reached into your bag and pulled out a small hankie, handing it to him.
"you're not lost anymore," you beamed. "i'll help you find him, kay?"
he clutched the fabric in his tiny hands and nodded, wiping at his eyes. "okay..."
you stood up and offered your hand, and after a small pause, he took it. his grip was small, a little clammy from his tears, but he held on tight like he didn't want to lose anything else today. you smiled down at him.
"let's go find your brother."
you didn't see sae until ten minutes later, sprinting down the street with his chest heaving and panic written all over his usually unreadable face. his eyes were wild as they scanned every sidewalk, every alley, and when they landed on you, on him, he froze in place.
"rin!" he called.
rin let go of your hand and ran to him without a second thought, flinging his arms around his brother's waist with a fresh round of tears. sae dropped to one knee and hugged him back tightly, resting his hand over rin's head like he was comforting himself.
"i thought you were gone," sae muttered into rin's hair. "i looked everywhere."
"i'm sorry," rin hiccupped. "i thought you left..."
you watched quietly from a few steps away, heart tight in your chest.
after a moment, sae looked up at you. there was something different in his eyes this time. not just recognition. not just familiarity. it was something softer. something closer to gratitude.
he stood slowly, one hand still resting protectively on rin's back. "you found him."
you nodded. "he was crying near the vending machines. i stayed with him."
sae looked at you for a long moment, like he was trying to say something without using words. "...thanks," he said, voice low.
you tilted your head with a small smile. "that's two apologies and one thank you now. you're getting better at this."
his eyes narrowed faintly, but you saw the corner of his mouth twitch. barely. almost a smile.
"i owe you again." he muttered.
you shrugged, glancing at rin who was still clinging to his brother like a baby koala. "maybe this time it's worth more than a juice box."
the wind picked up again, brushing strands of your hair into your face as the silence stretched between you and sae. rin had quieted down now, breathing softly against his brother's side, his little fingers still clutching the hem of sae's hoodie like a stuffed animal. his cheeks were streaked with drying tears, but he looked calmer, like everything was okay again just because sae was there.
you shoved your hands into your pockets, rocking back slightly on your heels. "so," you said, breaking the quiet, "i keep running into you. literally.. hehe."
sae gave a small breath through his nose. not quite a laugh, but maybe the closest he got to one. his shoulders relaxed a little, and he glanced down at rin, who was peeking at you from behind his arm now, childlike curiosity in his eyes.
you looked at sae again, squinting a little under the darkening skies. "what's your name, anyway? i saved your brother, took a ball to the face, and got ran over by a shopping cart. i think i deserve to know."
he blinked once, then shifted his weight, like he hadn't even realized you didn't know. "sae," he said simply. "itoshi sae."
you nodded slowly, letting the name settle. it suited him. sharp and quiet and just a little cold around the edges. your gaze dropped to rin, who gave you a tiny, shy wave.
"i'm rin." he mumbled, voice still a little hoarse from crying.
you gave him a soft smile. "nice to meet you, rin."
then you turned back to sae, lifting your chin. "i'm [name], by the way."
he looked at you like he was memorizing it, like it was a detail he didn't want to forget. "[name]," he repeated, quietly. "right."
you offered a small grin. "next time you wanna talk to a pretty girl, just go up to her."
he didn't roll his eyes, but he looked like he wanted to.
you crouched down again, this time in front of rin. "you okay now?" you asked gently.
he nodded, wiping his nose with his sleeve. "mmhm. thank you for helping me..."
you smiled, then stood again. "you guys probably should get home. it's gonna rain soon."
sae nodded, eyes flicking to the sky, then back to you. "yeah. thanks again... for him."
you shrugged like it was no big deal, even though it kind of was. "no problem. keep a close eye on him."
you started to walk off, backpack slung lazily over one shoulder, when you heard sae call out behind you.
"[name]."
you turned, and he hesitated. then, quietly, like he wasn't used to the words, let's out a small murmur, "see you again?"
your chest did something weird at that.
you smiled. "yeah. maybe."