Chapter Text
Sae’s consciousness stirred, rising from the depth of deep sleep in a slow, steady rhythm. He felt…wrong. Different. Even before opening his eyes, he could tell. His body ached, but not in a way he was used to; not the dull stiffness of intense training or travel fatigue. No, this was unfamiliar. His limbs felt longer, looser.
Worse, the sheets covering him were all wrong. Rough, cheap and scratchy against his skin. They were nothing like the ones in his apartment back in Spain.
Sae blinked his eyes open immediately. White and gray walls loomed around him, cold and sterile. The room was unfamiliar, lined with pentagonal beds, their arrangement unsettling in its symmetry. A dormitory? His stomach twisted.
This wasn't Spain.
With a sharp exhale, he pushed himself upright, only for his muscles to tighten instinctively, coiling with a strange, restless energy. Even his breathing felt off—too deep, too full, like his lungs had been stretched.
Something was very, very wrong. His body normally didn’t feel this… alive.
Sae rubbed his temples, trying to gather himself but even that felt different. His fingers brushed against his hair—hair that was softer, wilder. His hands too, were different. He slowly turned his hands over, staring at them. They were bigger…rougher.
A chill crawled up his spine.
His—not his—large, tanned fingers grasped around the desk for a phone that was lying on the table. He ignored the…odd phone case and swiped left to open the camera.
A face stared back at him. Wide pink eyes, framed by long blond lashes. Sae's breath caught in his throat.
No.
No way.
He lifted a hand to his cheek. The reflection mimicked him. He flexed his fingers. The reflection flexed. His stomach lurched.
He wasn't looking at himself.
He was looking at Shidou Ryuusei.
Sae's grip tightened on the phone. This had to be a nightmare. A bizarre, jet-lag-induced fever dream. Desperation clawed at him as he pinched his—not his—arm, hard enough to leave a mark. Pain flared, sharp and undeniable.
No. It was real. He was in Shidou's body. That annoying demon’s.
What the actual hell—
“Are ya okay, dude?” A voice cut through his spiralling thoughts, dragging Sae back into reality. Sae’s eyes snapped to the source of the voice: a guy with geometrical black hair and sharp features. Someone Sae vaguely recognised from the Blue Lock vs U-20 game. The crow guy, Karasu Tabito. Before Sae could respond, the guy—Karasu—was lazily making his bed and he carried on speaking. “Yer actin’ weird, man…”
“I’m fine.” Sae responded, instantly cursing himself for the out of character reply but he really couldn’t get himself to answer like how Shidou would.
Karasu raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
The door suddenly burst open, and before Sae could react, someone jumped onto him.
Sae let out a strangled noise as he was tackled onto the bed again, arms pinned down by the sneaky tackler. His senses were overwhelmed, panic flickering at the edges of his mind.
His brain barely registered what was happening before he found himself staring at a boy’s gleaming yellow eyes that brimmed with mischief. Ah, Sae recognised this boy. The golden boy and PxG’s heart, the up-and-coming midfielder—Charles Chevalier.
And right now, he was on top of him.
"Ryuu!" Charles beamed, his French accent thick, voice light with amusement. "Pourquoi es-tu toujours au lit?"
Sae stiffened. French. He recognized the language but not the words.
"What?" he muttered.
Charles blinked at him, tilting his head slightly, before letting out a small huff-clearly unimpressed. Then, without hesitation, he rolled off Sae and went straight for the nightstand, ransacking it like it was his own. His movements were fast, practiced, like he knew exactly what he was looking for.
A second later, he tossed something into Sae's hands.
Earbuds.
Sae stared at them for a beat before realization clicked. Translation earbuds. Of course Blue Lock had tech like this.
Before he could react, Charles bounced right back onto the bed, pressing close as if nothing had happened. The sheer ease, the lack of hesitation—it was unsettling.
Charles barely gave him any time before he reached up, deftly inserting the earbuds into Sae's ears himself.
Then he giggled. "As I said..." His impish smile widened. "Why are you still in bed, huh?"
Sae tensed beneath him. The thought of having to interact with people he was strangers to was already unfamiliar enough, but this casual intimacy, the lively way Charles practically sat on top of him, was too much. It took everything within him to not push the boy off him.
His body—Shidou’s body—wanted to react differently. Playfully. Physically.
Charles’ head nuzzled into Sae’s shoulder, completely unbothered as he hummed. “You usually wake up first and annoy the hell out of everyone. What gives?”
His body—Shidou's body—felt strange, like it wanted to move on instinct. A rush of unfamiliar energy pulsed through him, screaming for him to do something, but Sae's mind was the exact opposite: shut down, locked up.
Charles shifted slightly, still resting on top of him, oblivious to the internal breakdown Sae was having. Sae swallowed hard.
How did he end up in this mess?
—
Shidou woke up groggy, blinking sluggishly as his mind swam through a haze of sleep. His body felt weird. Too stiff. Too controlled. His limbs weren’t as loose and wild as usual.
It was like he was wrapped in a layer of something foreign. There wasn’t the usual burn of restless energy thrumming under his skin, begging him to move.
Slowly, he sat up.
His bangs fell into his face. Dark pink. Shidou froze.
Dark pink? Yeah, the ends of his hair were pink, but it was more vibrant, and bright. Though this particular shade of pink looked familiar.
His fingers shot up, combing through his hair—silky, unnaturally neat. He tugged at a strand, expecting to feel the usual unruly mess of blond (with pink tips) hair. Instead, his hands (longer, leaner, way different from normal) brushed over hair that was smooth, well-maintained, and undeniably not his.
His heart pounded.
He scrambled out of bed, feet hitting the cool floor, and practically lunged for the nearest mirror.
The face staring back at him was familiar: sharp-eyed and serious, but it wasn’t his. Those pretty turquoise eyes staring back at him sparked a tender feeling in his heart.
They were Sae’s.
There was a long pause. Then Shidou grinned.
“Ohhh, this is wild,” he smirked, admiring how cute a smile looked on Sae’s face. Sae should really smile more. He leaned in closer to the mirror, turning his head side to side, studying his new reflection with utter fascination. Oh wow.
Sae was pretty.
Like, sure Shidou had always known that, but seeing it firsthand? The effortless unbothered expression, the icy stare, the controlled elegance in every tiny movement?
Damn.
Shidou smirked, as he ran a hand through his—no, Sae’s—hair, ruffling it, watching in amusement as the perfectly kept strands immediately became a mess. “Boring bastard really keeps himself too neat, huh.”
He flexed a hand, stretched his arms, then threw a few experimental punches in the air. Sae’s body was different. Less raw power, more precision. His movements were crisp, controlled. Even his posture felt unnatural to Shidou, too straight, annoyingly disciplined.
He rolled his shoulders, bouncing on his heels.
“This is weird~”
Then a thought struck him. If he was in Sae’s body… then Sae must be in his. He snickered quietly before it turned into uncontrollable cackling (even Sae’s laugh sounded like a harmonious melody). “This is gonna be fun.”
He grabbed the phone off the nightstand, scrolling through the contacts until he found his own number, with the contact:
‘Demon’
Aww. How cute. Sae’s contact nickname for Shidou was quite endearing.
Without hesitation, he hit ‘call’.
No answer.
Shidou frowned. “Ugh Sae-chan, pick up already,” he muttered to himself, tapping his fingers impatiently. But the call rang out, eventually going to voicemail.
He sighed dramatically, but perked up instantly. “Hehe. Guess I gotta do this the fun way.” If Sae wasn’t picking up, there was only one solution: find him personally.
Which meant: getting on a plane.
Shidou didn’t hesitate. He was already searching for flights, finding the next available trip to Japan. A direct flight? Perfect. Sae’s fancy career meant he probably had first-class perks, so he might as well enjoy it.
Sae’s manager nearly choked on his coffee when Shidou (in Sae’s body) casually announced he was flying to Japan.
“What?” The man looked absolutely baffled. “You have no scheduled commitments there, Itoshi-san.”
Shidou blinked lazily. “Change of plans. Personal trip.”
The manager furrowed his brows. “Since when do you take personal trips?”
Shidou mused, thinking of a plausible excuse. “I have to visit my younger brother.” Shidou straightened his posture more, stiffening his expression into something colder.. or at least, he thought he did.
The older man gave him a long, scrutinizing look. “Who–Rin-kun? You’re acting strange.”
“You wouldn’t understand.” Shidou forced his expression to be more serious, crossing his arms and trying to channel Sae’s usual attitude. “It's family business.”
And then in true Itoshi Sae fashion, Shidou turned around and left before the manager could argue.
Once he had secured himself a seat in the back of a lavish cab, Shidou sent a quick message to himself, well, Sae, who was in his body.
‘heyy sae-chan! i know we switched bodies and since u don’t wanna pick up my calls, i’m gonna go visit u in japan!!’
Shidou thought for a moment before following up the message with another text.
‘be patient and don’t cause too much trouble whilst in my body~’
Shidou whistled to himself as he strutted through the Madrid-Barajas airport, hands tucked into the pockets of his expensive designer jacket. The smooth, high-end fabric felt luxurious between his fingertips. He didn’t miss how with every few steps, someone glanced in his direction; some with admiration, others with barely concealed awe.
He knew why, of course. He wasn’t just anybody right now. He was the Itoshi Sae.
He restrained himself from smirking wider as he adjusted his sunglasses, basking in the attention. Normally, he had to work to turn heads—maybe flash a devilish grin, pick a fight, or score a crazy, exciting goal. But now? He didn’t even have to lift a damn finger. The recognition came automatically, effortless and unearned.
“This is kinda fun,” he acknowledged, trying to keep Sae’s calm and mysterious facade. He’s gotta act more stuck-up. Sae’s the ‘cool and distant’ type, completely contrasting Shidou’s own chaotic, wild personality.
Still, it was hard to resist the urge to throw in a wink or a silly pose every time someone recognised him.
Boarding the plane was heaven. The moment he arrived, an air hostess practically bowed to him, ushering him straight into first class with an overly polite, “Right this way, Itoshi-san.”
Shidou sank into the ridiculously comfortable seat, relaxing as he closed his eyelids. “Damn. No wonder rich guys never wanna fly economy.”
The luxury was unreal. Champagne offered before takeoff, a personal flight attendant catering to his every need, a menu that looked like it belonged in a five-star restaurant. He stretched his legs out with a satisfied sigh.
Oh, he was so going to have fun living Sae’s outrageously expensive lifestyle.
—
Sae barely managed to shake Charles off before finding himself alone. Finally. He sat on the edge of the bed, fingers pressed onto his temples. His head was pounding—not from pain, but from sheer frustration. This was a disaster.
Every movement he made felt wrong. Shidou’s body wanted to slouch, to stretch out lazily, to grin at nothing in particular. It was like he was fighting a second mind inside his own head, one that belonged to the absolute menace he had somehow swapped places with.
Even standing still felt unnatural. He had caught himself instinctively spreading his legs too far apart when standing like some lawless delinquent. He had immediately corrected his posture, only to feel even more unnatural in Shidou’s body.
And the worst part? If he felt this off, everyone else would notice too.
Sae hated attention. He hated standing out when it wasn’t for his skills. The last thing he needed was people realizing something was off with him. He briefly wondered how Shidou was doing. But firstly, he needed information.
Sae grabbed Shidou’s abandoned phone from the nightstand and unlocked it, mentally preparing himself for whatever monstrosities were inside.
It was worse than he thought.
His contacts were an absolute mess—random contact names like “lil pervert” (Sae did not want to know who that was), “hard nut” (oh…), and “grumpy rat” (probably Rin) cluttered the list.
Sae clenched his jaw.
Finally, he scrolled down and found his own contact. And immediately regretted it.
‘my sae-chan’
Sae stared at the name, expression frozen in pure disbelief. He turned his head to see if anyone was watching him, before going back to stare at this… disgustingly affectionate nickname.
He debated—for a solid minute—whether or not he should just block himself out of sheer spite. Then he sighed, shaking his head.
No, he needed to talk to Shidou. With that, he opened the chat with a click. The smartass had already called multiple times hours before, but that was during Sae’s sleep because of the time difference.
He at least had the decency to leave some messages, which Sae read over with infuriating annoyance.
‘heyy sae-chan! i know we switched bodies and since u don’t wanna pick up my calls, i’m gonna go visit u in japan!!’
‘be patient and don’t cause too much trouble whilst in my body~’
Sae exhaled sharply, trying to call Shidou. The call immediately went into voicemail, telling Sae one thing: Shidou was already on the plane to Japan.
—
The moment Shidou stepped off the plane, he was swarmed. People gasped, whispered, and did double-takes as he strolled through the airport in Sae’s body. Phones flashed, cameras clicked, and a few brave fans hesitantly approached, clearly starstruck.
“Itoshi Sae?!”
“Oh my god, it’s really him—”
“Sae-san, can I get an autograph?!”
Shidou smirked to himself, hands shoved lazily into his pockets. He should’ve expected this—Sae was one of the biggest football stars in Japan, after all. But man, it was weird being on this side of it. He wasn’t used to people staring at him with awe instead of fear.
A few security staff cautiously approached, clearly unsure if they needed to intervene. Shidou could tell they were treating him like a serious professional, a respected athlete. Someone important.
Hah. If only they knew.
He debated messing with them—maybe throwing an arm around a fan or saying something outrageously un-Sae-like—but then he remembered his actual goal.
He had come here for one thing: getting to talk to the real Sae to get his damn body back. Though he couldn’t deny he was a little excited to get to meet with his dear Sae-chan again.
—
Sae was trying. Really, he was.
It was one thing to be stuck in Shidou’s chaotic, hyperactive body. It was another thing entirely to act like him. And while he prided himself on his intelligence, even he knew that fooling an entire team of people who saw Shidou every day was going to be… difficult.
The moment he stepped onto the training field, he could feel the stares.
Rin, Karasu, Nanase, and the rest of the PxG players were already gathered, stretching and warming up, but their eyes flicked to him, wary, waiting for whatever stupid, violent, or inappropriate thing Shidou was about to do.
Sae tensed. What does Shidou even do before practice? Crack a sex joke? Try to tackle Rin for fun?
Before he could decide, Charles appeared by his side, grinning as he nudged him.
"Hey, Ryuu, you're surprisingly quiet today. Did you stay up last night doing exciting things?"
Sae’s eye twitched. What kind of conversations do these people even have?
He forced himself to smirk, trying to channel whatever insanity lived in Shidou’s brain. “Heh, you wish you knew, kid.”
Then, because he felt like Shidou would probably do something like that—he reached out and patted Charles. On the head.
It was awkward. Too soft. Too much like a normal person. And it was a mistake. A grave mistake.
Charles froze. The entire field held its breath.
Then Charles gasped dramatically, stumbling backwards, and clutched his head like Sae had cursed him. "Who are you?! What have you done with Shidou!”
Sae stared blankly. “…What?”
"The real Ryuusei would never just pat my head! He would ruffle my hair like an asshole and then laugh like a demon! You—!" He gaped at Sae, before running to hide behind the nearest person: Nanase, who barely had time to process before Charles grabbed onto his shoulders like a shield. "He's an impostor! A fraud! A cheap copy of the real Shidou Ryuusei!"
Sae felt his stomach drop. Okay. Shit.
The other players looked at him hard now—Karasu had an eyebrow raised, Rin had his usual murderous scowl but had a calculating look in his eyes, like he was trying to figure Sae out. And even Loki, their master coach, was watching from the sidelines, clearly analyzing the situation.
Sae had to fix this.
So he forced out a terrible laugh—probably the worst, most obviously fake laugh of his life—and shrugged.
“Pfft, what? You idiot, I was just being nice for once.”
Charles peeked out from behind Nanase, squinting. "Being… nice?"
Sae smirked—or, well, tried to. “Yeah. Maybe I felt bad for how much I mess with you, kid. Ever think of that?”
Charles narrowed his eyes in pure suspicion. “Liar. I don’t believe you. And what’s with calling me a kid? You’ve never done that before!”
Sae stepped back, caught red-handed.
Karasu crossed his arms, looking way too entertained. "Damn, Shidou, this is new. Did you hit your head or something?"
Sae was starting to sweat. This was bad. They were already suspicious. But before anyone could press further, Loki stepped forward.
“Are you feeling unwell?” Loki asked, voice calm but firm and his bright eyes studying him with far too much perception. “You’re acting… off.”
Sae’s brain scrambled for an excuse.
“…Didn’t sleep well,” he said after a pause, trying to sound lazy. “Maybe I’m just tired.”
Loki hummed, unconvinced. “If that’s the case, you should sit out and rest.”
Sae almost refused. But then he realized: this was the perfect way to escape. If he kept talking, they’d figure it out.
“…Yeah, whatever.” Sae sighed, forcing himself to sound annoyed. “I’ll go lie down for a bit.”
The team froze again.
Shidou? Willingly skipping practice? Charles let out a horrified gasp. “Oh my God, he’s dying.”
Nanase patted his back. “Uh… maybe he really is jus’ tired…”
Sae didn’t wait for them to keep questioning him. He turned and walked off. Now all he had to do was get back to the dorms, lie low, and avoid suspicion. Though he didn’t know how much longer he could last.
—
Shidou barely had to wait before someone important showed up.
Anri Teieri, Blue Lock’s assistant manager, practically ran to the front entrance once she heard that the Itoshi Sae had suddenly arrived in Japan and was trying to enter the facility.
Shidou grinned the moment he saw her. He knew who she was; he’d seen her on TV next to Ego before, all passionate and fired up about “revolutionizing Japanese football” and whatever. And he’s also seen her give some of the speeches and directions from the monitors in Blue lock.
In short, she was a really important figure. And right now? She looked like she’d just found out an angel had come knocking on Blue Lock’s front door. Which wasn’t wrong, Sae was definitely an angel!
“Itoshi Sae—! I-I mean, Itoshi-san!” Anri stumbled over her words, breathless as she stopped in front of him. “I wasn’t aware you were in Japan, let alone planning to visit Blue Lock!”
Shidou leaned back casually, mouth pressed into a nonchalant smile. “Yeah, well, thought I’d drop by. I have something to say to my brother, Rin.” Shidou giggled internally, if only Rin had found out he was using Rin’s name as an excuse to sneak into Blue Lock.
Anri straightened, nodding eagerly. “Of course! It’s an honor to have you here. Please, this way.” She motioned him inside without hesitation. Shidou barely held back a laugh. Too easy.
–
Rin hated Shidou.
That much was obvious.
He hated everything about him—his smug grins, his reckless playstyle, the way he acted like nothing in the world mattered except his own amusement. He was a parasite, an disgusting annoying antennaed freak, and a walking, talking migraine. If there was anyone in Blue Lock he wanted to crush beneath his heel, it was Shidou Ryuusei.
So why the hell was it bothering him that Shidou hadn’t been at practice?
Rin scowled as he stormed down the hall, still toweling off his damp hair. He wasn’t worried—obviously. He didn’t care what that lunatic did with his time. If anything, it was a blessing not having to deal with him today. No cheap provocations. No annoying little jabs. No over-the-top goal celebrations where he got way too close to Rin’s face.
It was good. It was a relief. But that wasn’t what it felt like.
And that pissed him off.
That was why Rin was here, marching straight to their shared dorm after barely drying off, jaw tight with an irritation he refused to name.
When he shoved open the door, he expected something. Maybe Shidou lounging around shirtless, throwing a ball against the wall just to be obnoxious. Maybe him sprawled across Rin’s bed just to piss him off. Maybe even an arrogant, “aw did you missed me, Rin-rin?”
But there was nothing.
Just Shidou, sitting at the edge of his bed, scrolling through his phone.
The sight of him: calm, composed, existing without chaos—made Rin’s skin crawl. His posture was too natural. His expression too neutral. It was wrong. Everything about him was wrong.
Rin let the door slam behind him, crossing his arms. “You skipped practice.”
Shidou barely glanced up, voice flat and uninterested. “Yeah.”
Rin glared at the bug in front of him. “You’re not sick.”
Shidou hummed, noncommittal. “Didn’t say I was.”
That was it. No smirk. No mockery. Just an answer.
Rin’s hands clenched into fists. “Then what, you just didn’t feel like it?”
Shidou sighed. “Guess not.”
It was like trying to fight a brick wall.
And that was the problem. Shidou was never this passive. Never this dismissive. If Rin provoked him, he was supposed to take the bait. That was how it worked. That was what they did.
But this… this was something else entirely.
It should’ve been a dream come true. A world where Shidou Ryuusei finally shut the hell up. A world where Rin didn’t have to put up with his bullshit. So why did it feel like a nightmare?
Rin hated him. Hated him more than anyone. So he should’ve been glad. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t, and that made something cold and ugly twist in his gut.
Fine. If Shidou wasn’t going to act like himself, Rin would make him.
He took a decisive step forward, voice tainted with venom. “What’s wrong, freak? Finally figured out no one wants you here?”
Shidou blinked at him. Not in anger, not in amusement. Just… blankly.
Rin’s stomach churned.
“Or maybe,” he sneered, stepping closer, “you realised you’ll never be the best. That no matter how many goals you score, you’ll never be anything more than a rabid dog on a leash.”
Nothing. Not even a flicker of that usual rage.
Rin grit his teeth. “Say something.”
Shidou rolled his eyes, unbothered. “You’re so dramatic.”
Rin froze.
It wasn’t the words. It was the way he said it. Like he wasn’t even mad. Like he was amused. Like—
His breath caught in his throat, and for the first time, real unease prickled at his skin.
This wasn’t Shidou. Not at all.
Shidou would’ve shoved him. Would’ve grinned like he was enjoying every second of Rin’s anger. Would’ve thrown his own taunts right back.
This guy?
Too calm. Too controlled. Way too much like someone else.
“I was just wondering,” Shidou mused, voice lighter than usual but still recognisable, “if you ever grew out of that rebellious phase of yours.”
Rin blinked. What.
No. No, it was impossible. It had to be impossible. Rin took a sharp step forward again, eyes burning holes into Shidou’s. “What did you just say?”
Shidou—who was definitely not Shidou—just shrugged, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. “Nothing important.”
Rin’s hands clenched into fists. “You’re really starting to piss me off.”
Shidou lifted a brow, unconcerned. “What else is new?”
Rin’s breath caught. That—that was exactly how he, not Shidou, but he used to talk to him. The exact same tone. The same delivery. Rin felt something cold crawl up his spine.
“You...” he growled lowly.
Shidou blinked slowly at him, tilting his head in a questioning way.
Rin took another step closer, scanning every microexpression, every shift in Shidou’s posture. Shidou never sat still. He was always draped over furniture, always stretching, always prowling like a tiger ready to pounce. This guy? Sitting too upright. Too natural. Too… controlled.
His stomach churned.
Charles had been right. This wasn’t Shidou. No way at all.
His voice dropped, quieter but sharper. “Why are you acting like this?”
Shidou—who was too much like Sae, calm, familiar, and collected—just stared at him.
Rin had had enough.
Something was wrong with Shidou, and no one else seemed to be taking it seriously. Charles had made his joke about an imposter, and even Loki had given Shidou a wary look, but in the end, they all brushed it off.
But Rin knew.
Shidou never acted like this. Never looked at him without a single trace of malice. Never reacted to his provocations with anything other than bloodlust. And he never called him by his actual name without sneering.
Rin wanted to break something. Shatter something fragile.
In an instant, Rin stormed forward and kicked the bottom of Shidou’s bed, making it jolt. “The hell is wrong with you?” Rin clenched his fists again, an attempt to rein his anger as his fingernails dug into his palm. “You’ve been acting weird since this morning. You think I wouldn’t notice?”
Shidou sighed. Sighed. Like he was dealing with something mildly inconvenient. Not like he was about to start a fight, not like he was enjoying the tension, not like the Shidou that Rin knew. Not with rage. Not with amusement. Not with violence.
Just with a slow, almost fond blink.
Like he was looking at something small. Something insignificant.
Like how Sae used to.
The realization nearly made Rin’s breath hitch. His vision blurred at the edges—not with uncertainty, but with the sheer force of his fury.
His hand shot out, grabbing Shidou’s collar in a brutal fist. “Who the hell are you?” Rin demanded, voice piercing like a jagged blade. “Why are you fucking acting like Sae?”
Nothing. No struggle, smugness, or even a biting retort. Just that same, calm, distant stare.
Rin’s grip tightened, his knuckles going white. His pulse roared in his ears.
“You bastard—“
Before he could finish, the door swung open.
“Hey, hey, what's goin’ on in here?”
Rin turned just in time to see Karasu standing in the doorway, arms crossed, an unimpressed look on his face. Nanase peeked in behind him, wide-eyed.
“Oh, great,” Karasu sighed, stepping further in. “Rin’s lost his damn mind.”
Rin scowled. “Stay out of this.”
Karasu raised a brow. “No can’ do. Yer ‘bout to strangle our dear striker.”
Rin ignored how they referred to Shidou as ‘dear’. “That’s not Shidou,” Rin hissed, eyes narrowing in disgust.
Nanase blinked. “…Huh?”
Karasu rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, Charles already pulled that conspiracy crap earlier. Look, I dunno what’s goin’ on with Shidou, but maybe he actually just doesn’t wanna fight for once?”
Rin snarled. “That’s exactly why something’s wrong!”
Shidou—or whoever the hell he was—just talked calmly. “It’s fine. Calm down, Rin.”
“No, it’s not!” Rin snapped, twisting his head to face Shidou’s eerily soft gaze. One that reminded him too much of a certain someone. Ugh. “And don’t call me that, you freak—“
Karasu groaned and stepped between them. “Okay, break it up, children.”
“I’m not a child,” Rin seethed.
Karasu ignored him, turning to Shidou. “Dude, if yer sick or something, just say so. You’re makin’ everyone paranoid.”
Shidou hesitated. Then, he nodded politely. “Maybe I just need to rest some more.”
Karasu narrowed his eyes. “You? Resting?”
Nanase frowned. “Shidou really isn’t acting like himself…”
“I told you!” Rin snapped.
Karasu pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, enough. No one’s gettin’ murdered tonight.” he pointed at Shidou, “ya go lie down or something. And,”—he turned to Rin—“ya go take a breather before ya give yerself a damn aneurysm.”
Rin gritted his teeth, but even he knew he wasn’t going to get answers now. “…Tch.” He released his grip on Shidou with a shove.
Karasu shook his head as Rin stormed past him. “Man, they really have issues.”
Rin ignored him.
As he left the room, he heard Nanase murmur, “Maybe Charles was right after all…”