(Y/N) - Your Name

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"(Y/N)!"

"Everyone!"

Each and every player dropped whatever they were doing and began to surround me with all their cheers and questions in the air.

"Welcome back to Italy (Y/N)!"

"We didn't knew you were coming earlier than  that was scheduled!"

"How was the flight?"

Even as I was being bombarded with curious inquiries, I did what I could do best to answer all of them directly to the one who asked. I somehow noticed that even as the atmosphere was quite light and enthusiastic, I knew there was a certain someone missing.

I cleared my throat, attempting an action to call out for their attention. It effectively worked.

"Where's Fideo?" I asked and they all succumbed to silence.

"Home," was the only word that came out of the cheerful Angelo.

"Thank you, Angelo," I replied with a grateful grin. A thought suddenly passed by my mind and I quickly rushed over to my bag. The other players followed me behind, surprised that I acted quite hastily when there was nothing to worry about.

"Here!" I showed them all the souvenirs I bought for them during my trip in Japan. They were all in awe as how cute and charming it looked. I began to distribute all of their little keychains and kept on earning "Thank you" here and there, making my heart swell with emotional feelings. Shortly, I was convinced by the players to at least play a small game of soccer with them. Surprisingly, the coach allowed this even if they were in the middle of training.

Of course, I enjoyed ever minute with them but there was a tiny thought in the back of my mind that did not enjoy the game. It was a worrisome thought.

"Please stay longer, (Y/N)!" one of them pleaded, a few began to list reasons why I have to stay. They knew why I planned to leave early but it seems like our time spent together was not enough for them.

"I'm sorry guys but I promise I'll be with you guys longer once we meet again!" because of my small yet impactful promise, they eventually let me go, reminding me of what I said. I raised my hand, a sign that I swore to them that the vow will be fulfilled.

The reason why I was leaving early is because I was concerned over a specific boy.

I took a cab and kindly instructed them where to go for a shorter time of travel. I paid  the driver before I got out of the car. My surrounding was familiar and that gave me relief that I directed well.

"Hello, is anybody home?" I knocked a few times before grooming myself to look at least decent in whoever will open to door for me. I was in front of Fideo's home. It was not as big as any people's household but it was a humble one. Small but enough.

I could hear the locks getting fumbled with as its metal kept on clicking until a certain woman came into sight when the door opened wide.

She was a woman in her late thirties yet she appeared to be around the age of late twenties. She may as well pass as being a young adult.

I remembered that my mother and her used to talk how popular she was among the boys back at their high school days. She was like a goddess out of all the ordinary girls and once more, she was one of the kindest as well.

"Oh hello, (Y/N). I expected you after Angelo called me. Come in, come in!" she opened the door wider and she stepped aside for me to enter. She kept on ushering me as I came in their house. I closed the entrance door once I stepped in and began to fix the locks.

"I was wondering why did Fideo stayed at home even if there was a scheduled training with Orpheus?" she beckoned me to follow her and I complied. We stood by the door to his bed room. I could hear the ranges of between faint and loud sneezes and I felt pity. She turned the knob to Fideo's Room and revealed a sickly looking boy.

"Fideo," called his mother for her son. He looked so horrible. I could observe how different he is now as he laid helplessly on his bed unlike his usual self. Heavy dark circle bags under his unusual droopy dull blue eyes, reddish to pinkish button nose and messier brown hair.

He was a mess.

"Yes, mom?" he spoke with stuffy nose. He sound exhausted, poor Fideo. She sighed and flashed me an apologetic smile.

"I'm sure Fideo wouldn't like you to see him having a serious cold but here you are," she chuckled and saw how abrupt Fideo sat up.

"(Y/N)?!" he gapped and sneezed. He groaned and landed back to his bed.

"Well, if you think you handle him then..." she trailed off leaving a small mischievous smile as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Of course I knew that her statement has double meaning. My mom knew, it would make sense if she knew too.

They were practically gossip sisters since middle school. They share their deepest darkest secrets to each other, discuss other people who they find interesting and now that they are both mothers; they talk about their children.

"...(Y/N)," he coughed, trying to reach for something. I was alarmed and immediately went to his side to take whatever he was trying to get from the side table.

"Thanks," he hoarsely spoke while offering a tired smile in return. I took a chair by his study table and placed it next to him. I sat down with my view on Fideo's bed side.

"You might catch my cold...(Y/N)," I rolled my eyes when I heard his small worry.

"Of course I won't, I have a strong immune system!" I boasted highly with my fist over my chest, a proud and determine smile on my face. I heard a chuckle coming out, his voice a bit dry so I gave him a glass of water right next to the initial position of his medicine.

"What gave you an idea to visit me?" I looked at him, he quickly took a tissue from its container and sneezed again. He threw the tissue in a garbage can, where a lot of used paper towels were stacked messily. I sighed and took the said full container. He whine when I got up with his trash can but his whines were all nothing to me as I walk out of his room.

'Never knew he gets whiny whenever he gets sick,' I thought and giggled secretly.

"Oh! I'll take that," his mother suddenly appeared and took the garbage can that was full ang gave me an empty one.

"And here," she took two boxes of tissue from one of the drawers of their living room and handed it to me.

"Thank you, Mrs. Ardena," I smiled politely before going back to Fideo's room.

I placed the container where the former was placed before and the boxes of tissue in Fideo's range of reach.

"You're...so kind (Y/N)," he meekly said in between coughs. I tried not to look like I was touched or something.

In reality, I was greatly affected by the sudden compliment. I could feel all the blood rushing towards my cheeks, heating up as a result.

I sighed in dismay. I was too easy to read. That's why my mother knew I had a crush.

"I-I'll just get something...be right back...!" I shuffled quickly out from his room without hearing anything from him, whether it was a complain or a request. Once I closed the door softly yet a bit forcefully, my back landed for support on the said door. I was breathing heavily. I placed a hand over my chest and I could feel my heart rummaging inside my rib cage.

Ba-thump ba-thump ba-thump!

My heart kept it on and on in an abnormally fast pace.

"Geez (Y/N), you're too easy to read nowadays," I gasped when I heard her voice all of a sudden. I frowned when I saw her wore an amused look.

"Oh I have an idea! Let's cook him something to ease up his cold," she suggested and pulled me by the arm to lead me to the kitchen. She began to bring out the needed ingredients for the dish she wanted to mske for Fideo. I waited patiently as I observed.

To think she said I was easy to read kind of sucks. I was known to be somebody who was able to cover up any stray emotions especially on the field. I guess it doesn't apply to this situation.

"Chicken soup, huh..." she cheekily smile and pushed me to Fideo's room yet again while opening the door for me. I was panicking as she kept on pushing me, the soup was threatening me to spill it with all the force that was happening. I, of course, balanced it even if I almost lost my footing once she finally drove me inside his room.

I made my way to the chair next to him and noticed he was watching something familiar on his television. I placed the tray down on his side table and began to examine the video too. It was a video taken by Hide. His eyes were glued to the screen, his hand would occasionally flinch as an act of imagining that he was instructing his teammates. I smiled softly at the sight of him. It makes me...fuzzy seeing him like this. 

"O-oh,  didn't notice you were back, (Y/N)!" he waved his hand weakly. I laugh and took a hold of the bowl.

"Here come the train!~" I teased and he groaned out loud.

"Kidding, kidding," I chortled with a big grin. I led the spoon full of soup to his mouth and he just quietly sipped it.

"It's delicious!" he finished with wide eyes.

"Your mom and I cooked this especially for you," I said happily. When I saw him smiled at my direction, I was stunned. I could feel the fuzzy feeling again. I felt myself succumbing to embarrassment by his simple yet sweet smile.

I fed him until he finished it all up. I took a tissue and wipe his mouth as if it was the most normal thing to do. He laughed dryly and I stopped with furrowed eyebrows.

"You know I can wipe my own mouth, right?" As if it was a statement that needed a short moment of analysis. Blood rushed to my cheeks for the upteenth time this day.

"O-of course! So-sorry!" An amusing look overcame his features. I puffed my cheeks in frustration.

"You're so cute when you're like that."

"E-eh!?" I squeaked out loud and took a pillow out of nowhere and hid my burning face. I saw him with his frustratingly sweet smile again. I could only muster a shy smile in return.

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WORD COUNT: 1867 words