"Hell yeah! I can't believe you thought I would lose!"
Rio roared with laughter, springing up from the coach. His body shook from the victory, his grin stretched ear to ear as he looked down at his brother still reeling from the defeat.
"But… I was three goals up in the 80th minute! And I was using PSG!" Felix groaned, clutching the controller as if it had betrayed him. "How did you beat them with a random Championship team?"
Rio straightened his back, puffing out his chest, and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. His tone dropped into something wise and ancient, as though he were about to reveal a hidden truth.
"Listen, Felix, oh brother of mine," he intoned with exaggerated grandeur.
Felix leaned in, eyes narrowed, desperate for the secret.
And then—Rio's lips curled into a grin. He reached over, snatched the pile of bills sitting on the table, and flourished the winnings right in front of Felix's face.
"Because you're horrible!"
His laughter echoed through the half-furnished room, loud and triumphant.
Shoving the money into his pocket, Rio strolled toward the doorway. When he reached it, he turned around and took in the sight of their new home.
It hadn't been long since the two brothers moved in. A week, maybe. But even now, the place still had that "new house" feeling clinging to the walls.
The kitchen was Rio's favorite part—bright, spacious, and dressed in a clean white finish that seemed to glow under the afternoon light. The living room carried the same crisp palette, though it felt emptier. Two brown couches faced each other with a lonely coffee table caught between them.
The TV hadn't been mounted yet. The guys were supposed to come tomorrow afternoon, so for now the brothers had shoved one couch directly opposite the other and balanced the screen on top.
It wasn't practical at all—the TV leaned at a crooked angle, threatening to slip at any moment—but it worked. Sort of.
Rio's eyes wandered across the blank walls. A mischievous smirk tugged at his lips.
"I'll find some pictures to hang. Maybe one with that new award?"
He glanced back at Felix, whose face was still frozen in stunned disbelief.
"How?? How?? HOW??" Felix muttered over and over again, shutting off the PlayStation with a heavy sigh.
Then he looked up, squinting suspiciously. "Oh, going out?"
"Yeah. Gotta get some food for the new fridge," Rio replied.
Felix's lips curled into a grin. "You gonna see her too?"
Rio grinned right back—then answered gracefully with a loud slam of the door.
The lock clicked behind him. Poor thing—it was already suffering from how often it got mistreated.
Jogging down the hallway and stairs, Rio greeted the neighbors he passed. His steps were light, almost bouncing, like someone carrying an invisible victory flag. By the time he crossed the street, he found himself thinking, Damn, today is a good day.
On the corner sat the mom-and-pop store he'd been going to lately. Cozy. Familiar. The kind of place that could become yours after only a handful of visits.
Rio pushed the door open. The bell chimed overhead with a cheerful ring.
And behind the counter stood the reason he'd been coming here so often recently.
Morgan.
His mind raced, his legs froze the second their eyes met. Just one look and I'm done for. Her hair was the perfect shade of brown, the kind that shimmered when the light hit it just right. And her eyes… oh god. Those hazel eyes—I could stare into them forever.
"Excuse me?"
And those lips… not too big, not too small—just right. If I could just—
"RIO!"
He jolted, nearly dropping the phone in his hand. "Hm?"
Morgan crossed her arms, glaring. "Are you going to stand there for the rest of your life? Your brother is probably starving, and I know damn well you two have been living off instant ramen and soda for the last five days! You are not leaving this store until you buy something actually nutritious!"
Her tone carried the weight of a mother scolding her child, sharp but oddly warm.
Rio scratched the back of his head. I've only known her for a week, but somehow… it feels like I've known her my whole life.
A grin spread across his face. "Isn't the customer always right? If I want to buy instant ramen and soda for the rest of my life, it's your duty to support me. Of course… if that's an issue, I could always just go down the street."
She gasped, clutching her chest in mock horror. "You wouldn't dare!"
Rio stepped closer, leaning across the counter with a deadly serious expression. "Oh yes I would. In fact, I heard there's a discount at Monk's on 28th."
"But that's five blocks away!" Morgan shot back. "You wouldn't go all that way just for your food to spoil before you even get home, would you?"
"I don't think that's any of your concern," Rio replied coldly, straightening up, turning around, and dusting himself off as if preparing to walk out.
"Wait!"
He paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Yes?" he asked, tone as innocent as a child's.
Morgan bit her lip. "How much was that discount?"
Spinning around, Rio smirked. "Fifteen percent. But… for the emotional damages…"
"Fine!" She slammed her head against the counter. "Twenty percent it is."
"And I want an apology."
"An apology? For what?"
"For attempting to manipulate my eating habits."
She groaned dramatically. "Fine, I'm—"
"Not now," Rio interrupted with a wag of his finger. "Over dinner. Tonight."
"Tomorrow," she countered quickly. "I have an appointment."
"Deal."
In a blur, Rio swept through the aisles, grabbing everything he needed—including, slyly, her number—and returned to the counter for a bit more playful banter before paying.
The bell jingled as the door closed behind him.
And that's when it hit.
The fact that he asked her out.
The fact that she said yes.
And, above all, the fact that he scored a pretty good discount on top of it all.
With massive bundles of food in each hand, Rio skipped and hummed his way down the street, earning odd looks from the few passersby cars. Eventually, he set one bag down, dug into his pocket, and pulled out his wired headphones. He connected them to his phone and called Felix.
Not even allowing for a hello, he immediately blurted out, "I did it!"
After a pause, Felix's voice crackled through. "No, not… don't tell me—"
"Yes, that," Rio said, picking the bag back up and continuing on his way.
"And she said?"
"Dinner. Tomorrow."
"HOW?! Master, please, teach me your ways!"
Rio grinned, reaching an intersection. He hit the crossing button. There weren't any cars or people for that matter, but better safe than sorry. "Of course, young padawan," he said in a Merlin-like tone. "Master will bestow all his knowledge upon you… when you're older."
The walk symbol blinked on, and Rio stepped into the street, laughing as Felix raged in the background about his absurd luck.
That's when he noticed it—a white Japanese truck, coming toward him.
He expected it to slow, but instead… it felt like it sped up?
His chest tightened.
"Oh shit!"
The bags tumbled from his hands as he bolted toward the sidewalk. But the truck still swerved with him, its engine roaring.
"Rio? What's happening?" Felix's voice wavered through the phone.
Rio had no time to answer. His world became headlights and metal.
As he lay broken on the pavement, consciousness slipping away, his lips moved just enough for the shattered phone to pick up:
"Felix… I… love you."