『(𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲) 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬』𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘰

²⁶

It wasn't anyone Reo recognized, and he sighed. Do you know why only a stranger asks? Because no one else cares. This was perfect for Dad and Mom's plans, and it was also the type of depressing shit Nagi and his new friends wouldn't wanna hear. At the end of the day, no one gives a shit about you...

"Yeah, I'm fine."

No one gives a shit about me.

"You sure? You've been inside for a while. Do you want me to call the doctor or something?"

"No," Reo groaned. What if he lied? Said he was taking his time because of a stomach ache or another cheap excuse?

It seemed that whoever was behind the door knew Reo was lying though because they sounded smug when they said: "Then you won't mind if I wait until you're done, will you?"

How irritating. Reo wasn't too fond of opening up to strangers but he figured revealing his shattered state would effectively push this mysterious person away. He undid the lock and opened the door roughly, "Okay, you win. I'm not doing well. Can you leave now?"

Chris' eyes widened at the sight of the troubled teenager, then softened because of the fatigue bared on his young face. Reo only felt a bit guilty once he was on the receiving end of those kind eyes because he hadn't been expecting such authentic worry.

When was the last time someone asked him how he was doing? Tsurugi danced around the subject, Nagi wasn't texting him about anything else but practice and games, and the old Mikages didn't even count when all they did was boss him around. When was the last time he mattered to someone?

"Sorry," his lip trembled.

"It's fine," Chris smiled.

But it wasn't fine. Reo was being a jerk and isolating himself and he had nothing going on for him lately. Maybe he's even lost his charm like he's lost his friends and his talent and his he-

Chris grabbed him by the shoulders, a deep crease settling between his brows while his grin faded. "Wow, easy, it's okay..." he whispered.

Reo didn't understand his tone until he felt the tears rolling down his cheeks. "This is so embarrassing-" he squeaked, aggressively rubbing his fists against his skin to try and erase all evidence.

Why did everything have to hit him the moment he was in fucking public?

(Perhaps because he wasn't alone anymore.)

"Shhh, it's normal," Chris reassured him, a tentative smile spreading on his face again. "It's the stress. It'll be fine."

Except because Reo couldn't remember what it was like not being stressed. "No it won't," he replied loudly; hurt by the realization and uncaring if it was crass. "Nothing's gonna get any better because everyone's talking about the Prix assignments but I wasn't invited. And I've refreshed the page a thousand times, I've checked my emails every day, but I'm still not there. That's not going to change so nothing is going to improve."

"I know," the coach said, not grasping the gravity of the situation. "But you might get in next year."

"But the Olympics are this year!" There was no way he had to spell it out for him. Reo shook off Chris' hands and lowered his gaze, crossing his arms over his chest and instinctively protecting himself from judgment. "I'm not in the Prix, okay? You know what that means."

Without the Prix, there will be fewer points to his name and fewer chances for the Olympics. Actually, if he kept skating like he's been doing, he could say goodbye to the Olympics right now. And wouldn't that be music to his parents' ears? To everyone who wanted to be right about him failing?