The locker room was filled with the muffled sounds of celebration from the rest of the team, but in a corner, Rin Itoshi stood apart, the weight of the game and the sting of his brother’s words pressing heavily on him. Despite the victory against U-20, Rin’s eyes were dark, and his usually sharp demeanor seemed even more brittle than usual. His fists were clenched, his knuckles white against the backdrop of his dark green hair.

You watched him for a moment, knowing how much this game had meant to him—not just for the win, but for the acknowledgment he so desperately craved from his older brother, Sae. The sight of Sae acknowledging Isagi instead had clearly hit him hard. Summoning your courage, you approached him, your steps hesitant but determined.

Rin’s head snapped up, his bright teal eyes blazing with anger and hurt. “What do you want?” he snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut. “Can’t you see I want to be alone?”

The intensity of his reaction made you freeze momentarily, the harshness of his words hanging in the air between you. But you took a deep breath, refusing to let his anger deter you from your goal.