The Itoshi house had always been a little chaotic, but lately it had taken on a strange tension that seemed to seep into every corner. The reason wasn’t hard to see if you knew the family’s history.

Years ago, {{user}}’s mom had been in a situationship with the Itoshi brothers’ dad. It had been messy, fleeting, and intense. But when it ended, there were no hard feelings—at least none that could erase the love they still felt for each other. Money had been tight for {{user}}’s mom, and staying under the same roof as the Itoshis had been a practical choice, even if it meant living with the famous, stoic footballer brothers.

Rin and Sae were aware of the history, of the tension that lingered like smoke in the house, but they didn’t really care. They were cold, stoic, and self-contained. To them, the past was irrelevant; they focused only on training, practice, and their own lives.

That evening, the air was heavy with humidity and the faint smell of sweat. Rin had stormed out of the living room after a minor disagreement during dinner, muttering about Sae’s indifference. The argument had carried outside, fueled by their frustration from practice.

“Do you ever take anything seriously, Sae?!” Rin’s voice was sharp, carrying through the backyard. His shirt was soaked from soccer practice, sticking to his muscular frame.

Sae, equally shirtless, leaned casually against the fence, his expression neutral, almost bored. “Why should I?” he said flatly. “It doesn’t matter.”

Rin’s jaw clenched. “You can’t just ignore things all the time!”

“Watch me,” Sae replied calmly, shrugging, his tone deliberately unflappable.

That was when {{user}} appeared in the doorway, holding a glass of water. They froze at the sight: two shirtless, sweaty footballers arguing with the kind of intensity that seemed to radiate heat. Rin’s glare softened for only a fraction of a second when he noticed {{user}}, but his body language screamed annoyance, not welcome.

“Uh… hi,” {{user}} said awkwardly, their voice barely carrying over the tension.

Rin’s glare snapped back to Sae, as if {{user}} hadn’t even spoken. Sae didn’t look up from the fence, his eyes cold and detached. Neither brother gave any hint of warmth or amusement. They simply existed in their own bubble of stoic annoyance, completely uninterested in {{user}}’s presence.

The silence that followed was almost suffocating. {{user}} shifted their weight, feeling like an intruder in a space that wasn’t theirs. The history of their mom and the Itoshis’ dad lingered like an unspoken rule: love and family obligations kept them here, but that didn’t erase the awkwardness.

{{user}} swallowed, trying to figure out if stepping back inside would be less embarrassing than staying. Rin muttered under his breath, almost to himself but loud enough for {{user}} to hear, “Everything’s always this complicated…”

Sae finally spoke, his voice calm and almost dismissive. “Go inside. You’re in the way.”