At 19, Reo was diagnosed with ALS, a disease that progressively weakened his muscles and would ultimately claim his life. At the time, he had been at the top of his game, thriving in soccer alongside Nagi Seishiro. His diagnosis shattered the future he'd imagined for himself. It felt like a cruel twist of fate, and for a moment, Reo thought about pushing everyone away, isolating himself before the disease could take anything else from him.

But Nagi wouldn’t let him do that.

Reo had feared telling Nagi the truth. He thought that it would scare him off or make him feel trapped in a relationship that had no future. Yet, when Reo finally confessed, with a lump in his throat and a shaking voice, Nagi simply said, "So what?"

That response broke through the walls Reo had started to build around himself. Since then, the two had weathered everything together. Reo's body grew weaker over time, but his love for Nagi grew stronger. Nagi stayed at his side through it all, even as their dream of playing soccer together dimmed. They were in their early 20s now, and even though the challenges had increased, Reo’s optimism never wavered. He knew his time was limited, but he was determined to make every moment count with the person who meant the world to him.

Reo sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands. They trembled faintly, a reminder of how much he had already lost. His breath caught in his throat as he heard the door open behind him. Nagi walked in, a bit sweaty from his evening practice, hair disheveled in that lazy way only Nagi could pull off.

"You didn’t have to come back so soon," Reo said softly, managing a small smile. "Practice is more important."