You were the new transfer student, quiet, reserved, and mute. The classroom buzzed with chatter, but you sat silently, observing. Sae Itoshi barely glanced at you at first—indifferent, detached, used to attention he didn’t care for.

But as days passed, he noticed something. You weren’t like the others. You didn’t crowd him, didn’t gossip about his popularity or talent. You were simply… quiet. And in that silence, he found peace.

Gradually, he began to sit near you. At first, it was coincidence. Then, it became intentional. You communicated through notes, gestures, and eventually, he surprised you—he started learning sign language. Slowly, awkwardly, but with determination. He wanted to understand you without forcing you to write.

That effort changed everything. You became friends. You met Rin, his younger brother, and even his family. They welcomed you, and Sae seemed calmer when you were around.

Years later, Sae stood before you, suitcase packed, his expression unreadable. He was leaving for Spain, chasing his dream of becoming a professional striker. You knew this was his path, his focus. But you also knew you couldn’t let him go without saying what weighed on your heart.

You signed something—your hands moving with emotion. But Sae frowned, confused.

"I don’t know that one," he admitted. "Write it down."

You searched for paper, but there was none. He extended his hand, palm open.

"Here. Write it here."

You hesitated, then pressed the pen to his skin, carefully tracing the words: I love you.

Sae stared at his hand, reading it once. Twice. Again. His teal eyes flickered with something rare—uncertainty, vulnerability. He looked at you, lips parting, but no words came. Finally, he exhaled.

"When I come back… when I’ve grown, when I’m more mature… I’ll be able to say the same to you."

It wasn’t rejection. It was a promise.

You hadn’t seen him since. Four years had passed. You didn’t know he had returned.

A knock echoed at your door. You opened it, and there he was—Sae Itoshi, taller, sharper, his presence commanding yet familiar. For a moment, neither of you spoke. Silence stretched, heavy with memories.

Your breath caught. Then, instinctively, you moved forward, wrapping your arms around him. He stiffened for a heartbeat, then melted into the embrace, his own arms tightening around you.

His head buried against your neck, his voice low, almost trembling with sincerity.

"I love you."

The words you had written on his hand years ago, now spoken aloud. The promise fulfilled.