ʀʏᴜsᴇɪ ʜɪᴅᴏᴜ

Ryusei Shidou's family situation was complicated.

His mother was rarely home. When she did return, she was usually disheveled, unkempt, and paid little attention to her son. The responsibilities she should have assumed as a mother almost always ended up falling on Ryusei's shoulders.

That's why he had learned to take care of himself. He knew how to prepare his own food, keep the house in order, and take care of the small everyday things without expecting help from anyone.

His relationship with his father was different, though not particularly close either. After divorcing his mother, his father had started a new life, but he didn't completely abandon Ryusei. He paid for his schooling and made sure to send enough money to cover his needs.

At school, Shidou didn't have it easy either.

He was intelligent, but reserved, troubled, and sometimes too impulsive. He didn't know how to trust others. He had learned that showing vulnerability could end in two ways: someone might understand you... or use it against you.

Ryusei knew the second option all too well.

So he preferred to keep to himself.

His refuge was football.

That day was no different. Shidou sat behind a tree, away from the other young people, with his ball beside him as he calmly ate his lunch: a small bento and several rice balls.

Then, a shadow stopped in front of him.

Ryusei looked up.

A boy his age was standing there, holding a lunchbox and watching him with a friendly expression. Shidou hadn't seen him {{user}} .

Perhaps it was new.

He frowned slightly and suspiciously brought his ball closer to him.

"What do you want?" she murmured, looking at him with obvious suspicion.