Tie a Knot|| Blue Lock

Chapter 13

"Nice to meet you too, just call me [Name]."

Reo couldn't help but smile at the scene of two of his most important people finally meeting each other. What he fails to realize, however, is the true thoughts that linger behind [Name]'s friendly facade.

Once again, [Name] wasn't a selfish person but he was still human.

'I wish you never showed up. Why couldn't you have stayed away?'

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Nagi was a decent person seeing as how he was pretty easy to get along with due to his low-maintenance needs. [Name] wants, and is trying, to get along with him but no matter what he does, he can't help but let his selfish feelings cloud his judgment.

It doesn't help the fact that he's always with them whenever [Name] wants to hang out with Reo alone. He knows Nagi isn't at fault for this considering how it's Reo that usually drags him around but [Name] can't help but resent him just a bit anyways.

"Nagi and I are aiming for the World Cup!" [Name] smiled as he leaned his cheek against his open palm, his eyes staring at Reo as the purple-haired heir rambled on about his plans. It was nice to see him so energetic, so determined to get something.

He still remembers the days when Reo joined every club he could, trying to find something to chase after, something to want. As an heir to a CEO who could give him anything he could ever want, it was hard to find something he actually had to work and suffer for.

Although he won't exactly understand it, he could still somewhat relate to that feeling. It was the thrill of wanting something. He supposed it was something similar to the envy he felt to other kids when they were younger all because they had something to strive for.

Right now, it was after classes so there weren't many students around to interrupt them, but then again, it's not like many people passed by the staircase they've been meeting up in frequently.

"There's no Soccer club in Hakuho thought but it's nothing money can't handle." Reo flashed an evil grin causing [Name] to roll his eyes affectionately. Just before he could comment about the abuse of power, a teacher suddenly passed by the corner beside them.

"Oh, Reo-kun!" One of the male teachers greeted with surprise once he caught sight of the trio chilling on the steps. Quickly, he composed himself as he approached them slightly. "This is actually pretty good timing. Can you give these papers to your adviser?"

Despite the smooth smile fixated on Reo's face when he stood up, [Name] could see the slight annoyance that showed behind his purple eyes. After years of knowing each other, he's come to learn how to read him pretty well.

"Of course!" Reo grabbed the papers from the teacher before turning to him and Nagi with an apologetic smile. "I'll be back quickly." He huffed before sprinting away, not wanting to waste any time when it came to hanging out with them.

[Name] simply nodded as he hugged his legs against his chest. Now that Reo was gone, he just realized how quiet it was with the only sound to be heard being whatever game Nagi was playing.

Normally, he would've made conversation by now, but he wasn't really in the mood to talk.

"Ah, how frustrating." Nagi mumbled after his umpteenth attempt at getting past a certain boss fight. He was about to press replay again before unintentionally letting his eyes fall onto [Name]'s curled up figure.

"You're a lot more quiet than I thought you were." He commented suddenly as he exited the game and opened another. He was getting tired of losing over and over again.

"Am I?" [Name] mumbled back instantly, not too surprised at the sudden conversation. He's experienced people suddenly walking up and speaking to him too many times to actually be startled by it now.

"Yeah," Nagi nodded even though he knew [Name] wouldn't see considering how be was a few steps behind him. "Since you're friends with Reo, I thought you'd be the same; talkative."

[Name] merely hummed as he looked at the windows placed on the wall opposite from them. Reo is quite chatty when he needed to be but he's never like that when it came to strangers or people he just met.

[Name] halted his thoughts before he made sense of the implications he was arriving to.

"Is it weird? That I'm not talkative, I mean." [Name] spoke up suddenly. He didn't know why. He could've just let the conversation die there but he didn't.

He didn't want to admit it but Nagi was interesting.

"Nah, not really." Nagi hummed as he tapped away on his phone.

Another moment of silence passed before Nagi spoke up again.

"Do you dislike me?"

[Name]'s eyes widened just a bit at the sudden question. Normally, a person would be quick to deny such a statement but he didn't really feel like lying right now. "If I said yes, what would you do?"

"Nothing really, I just wanted to know." Nagi shrugged easily as though they were talking about the weather. "It's because I'm hogging all of Reo's attention, isn't it?"

[Name] couldn't help the surprised laugh that left him this time. Was he really that obvious? "It can't be helped, he really likes you..." He muttered bitterly, not wanting to admit that fact.

"I can try to stay away from him if you want." Nagi offered nonchalantly. Although he was starting to like Reo, he still didn't like all the unnecessary practices they have to do. If he could get away from that, then he wouldn't mind.

[Name] gave a thoughtful look at the suggestion before shaking his head with a softened gaze. "It's fine. Reo would be sad if you do."

Nagi looked up from his phone for a second to give [Name] a look.

But what about you?

"If you say so..." Nagi turned his full focus back to his game.

The conversation ended at that as they waited for Reo in silence. It didn't take long for him to come back though.

"I've returned!" Reo huffed with a smile on his face. It was quite obvious he ran all the way back if the light sweat coating his forehead was anything to go about. "Did I miss anything?"

"Not really." Nagi shook his head as he spoke first. This caused [Name] to relax his body that he didn't realize was tensed up.

"That's good," Reo began to walk back to where he was sitting before the teacher called onto him.

The teen then began to start his chatter once again, starting from how he had ran around the whole school looking for his adviser up until he finally found her.

[Name] nodded along with a fond expression but unlike before, he wasn't listening with his full attention anymore.

His mind still lingered on the conversation he had with Nagi. He knew the other won't tell Reo about the hidden dislike he had for him but that's not what he was thinking about.

He was thinking of how easy it is to talk to Nagi.

And he hated it.

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Any thoughs for this chapter?