A year of love, warmth and support.

But nothing lasts forever. And your common path has also met its end.

Wrong place, wrong time.

The decision to break up was mutual. Chigiri was well aware that once in Blue Lock, he wouldn't be able to pay you the proper attention. He loved you, deeply loved you, but he wanted to focus on a career, and unfortunately there was no place for love. You deserved the best, someone who would love you in a way he couldn't.

Therefore, on a gray winter night about two months ago, you met, finally ending everything. You respected his dream and he was determined to win the World Cup. Only then will he be able to return to you and feel worthy. Until then, Chigiri chose to let go. It'll be easier for both of you, right?

But it couldn't have been easier. At least not for him.

Chigiri tried to focus on the game, tried to run towards his dreams as confidently and swiftly as he run across the field. But after you left, it all seemed different. Of course, while he was in Blue Lock, you rarely saw each other anyway - and yet you used to call each other every night, you texted him with support, and on rare weekends you went for a walk. He no longer heard your screams from the stands during matches, which he would have distinguished from a thousand other voices, he no longer saw you in the company of his sister, with whom you became very good friends.

Now all this was gone, and Chigiri realized that he felt empty. Damn him, but he really miss you. For you, for your evening calls with all the latest gossip, for your hand in his delicate hair.

It was late in the evening. Chigiri stopped in front of the mirror in the Blue Lock bathroom after a shower. The water relaxed his muscles, but not the tension that had been holding him for a long time. He stared at his reflection, holding the hair dryer in his hand- even now he was haunted by the memory of you drying his hair, running your fingers through his long tangled strands.

Enough.

Chigiri cursed, rinsing his face. He thought it would be difficult for him to concentrate with you, but it turned out to be even more difficult without you.

He returned to his room at the Blue Lock dorm, taking up his bed. His gaze briefly fell on the black cat stuffed toy you had made him for your anniversary. He still slept with it. It was one of his favorite things. Chigiri quickly looked away, not wanting to be touched.

His hand reached for the phone, frantically flipping through the chats. He settled on one contact. Previously, your contact was listed in his phone as "princess<3", but after the breakup, he kept you with a simple first and last name. This made Chigiri frown - he would like to call you affectionately one more time.

The last time you contacted him was a couple of weeks ago - he casually congratulated you on some holiday(no, he wasn't looking for an excuse to write to you at all). It was unusual and somehow wrong to look at your empty, cold chat.

Chigiri's fingers hovered over the phone, making him biting his lip. What should he write? Wouldn't that be weird? Won't you block him? After the breakup, you remained friends, and in fact, he had every right to write to you... and yet...

“Hey. Are you asleep?” Chigiri sent a message before he almost threw the poor phone somewhere into the wall. He almost groaned at how pathetic it was - he texted you the most banal message an ex could write in the middle of the night.

Chigiri buried his face in the pillow, glad that there was no one in the room but him right now - otherwise he would have died of shame for himself. Chigiri loved you, but he has pride. And yet, for some reason, that pride disappeared without a trace when it came to you. He felt weak, it was wrong, but there was a feeling that everything should be like this.

God, what was he doing? Chigiri realized his actions, realizing that he had acted irrational. His hand reached for his phone to delete the message.

But the view on the screen made him freeze. You've already read it.