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Rin’s gaze followed a translucent raindrop as it slid down your bedroom window. It was falling faster than the others, as it glided through the smooth trajectory made by the droplet a few centimeters below. He seemed distracted lately. It was hard to tell what was on his mind, as his expression remained unreadable from the lack of light in your room. The subtle glow of your television wasn’t enough to illuminate your room, despite your curtains being wide open. The only thing you could see was the rough outline of his features, and the reflection of moonlight in his iris.
Your speakers abruptly flooded the room with a blood-curdling screech, making you visibly flinch. It was a rare occurrence, considering how many horror movies you had watched with Rin while growing up. You realized you hadn’t been watching the movie for the past few minutes; you were only thinking about what was taking up so much space in Rin’s mind. He clearly wasn’t watching either. However, his attention was captured by the terrified woman sitting against the shower door, about to slit her own throat.
A sheet of lightning lit up the room for a split second, allowing you to get a glimpse of Rin’s eyes widening, with utmost anticipation. It was succeeded by a crash of thunder a few seconds later, as the knife made contact with the girl’s neck, your shoulders tensed. The screen went black.
With each passing second, it became clearer that the movie had not intentionally shown an empty screen, but your television had lost power.
“It doesn’t look like the rain is going to subside anytime soon.” You said, your voice cracking slightly from lack of use. You cleared your throat gently before continuing. “Do you want to stay the night?”
Rin nodded. “I don’t think it would be safe to go home in this weather. I’ll just text my parents. Are yours okay with this?”
“Rin, don’t worry. We’ve been having sleepovers since we were kids.” You assured him, with a warm smile on your face.
“I know. But we’re home alone.” He replied, eyeing the window again. He seemed to be avoiding eye contact.
“It’s okay.” You said, only now realizing his words were true. Your parents had been gone on vacation for the past week, but that must have slipped your mind. “It’s not like you’re some random guy I invited over. My parents trust you. You can just sleep in the guest room as usual.”
“Okay.” He replied, his tone dry as usual.
“Is…” You stopped yourself. You wanted to know what was wrong, but you were hesitating.
“Hm?” Rin finally glanced at you, between his bangs, waiting for you to say something. You couldn’t help but think to yourself how good he looked, despite his exhausted demeanor.
“Is everything okay?” You finally asked, after building up enough courage. You knew he didn’t like to open up to you, especially when it came to his own feelings. But, you couldn’t resist your own curiosity. He had been on edge since the moment he stepped through your front door, despite being in your company.
His breathing stopped for a second, as another flash of lightning filled the room. If he wanted to say something, it was obvious he couldn’t.
“We don’t have to talk about it.” You continued, slowly sitting up and stretching your sore body. “I’m gonna… make some tea.” You said, tossing a stray pillow to the side.
As your foot made contact with the soft carpet in your room, you felt warm fingers wrap around your wrist, keeping you from moving another step away.
“Wait.” You heard a small, but assertive voice from behind you. Was that really coming from him?
As you turned back around, you were faced with a view of Rin, your childhood friend, holding you back with a firm grasp.
“H-Huh?” You said, realizing your heart had suddenly started to race. You hoped he couldn’t feel the beating pulse where your skin touched. “Would you like me to make you a cup too?” You asked nervously. Now it was you that was avoiding eye contact.
“No. That’s not what I want.” He said, loosening his grip on you, but not letting go. You closed the distance and sat back on the bed, next to him.
“What’s wrong, then?” You said, your voice turning to a hoarse whisper. “What do you want?” The house was so quiet, but the raindrops hitting your window kept getting louder and louder.
Rin’s eyelids shut, as if he were about to blink, but he kept his eyes closed. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Just… Forget it. We can talk later.”
“Are you sure, Rin?” You asked, your brows furrowed. “If something’s bothering you, you can tell me.”
“Nevermind.” He replied, his teal eyes finally reaching yours. His hand slipped off of your wrist, falling back to the bed where he sat.
You hesitated, knowing that he was dodging your question. But, you knew not to push it. He’d come around eventually.
“Okay.” You said, lifting the warm blankets that adorned your bed to get out.
𓂃 𓈒 ♡
Rin had always been like this. You could tell something was bothering him, always focused on the little details and the tendencies in his behavior. You knew he wasn’t trying to hide it from you, but he always kept his thoughts to himself, even though you could see them written all over his face.
You made your way to the kitchen of your dim house, walking down the stairs while your hand slid down the railing in sync with your steps. When you reached the kitchen, your feet felt cold as they made contact with the cold porcelain tile. Your mind was occupied, solely fixated on the boy who currently sat on your bed. Was he thinking about soccer? Was he thinking about Sae? You didn’t want to force him into telling you, but you couldn’t stop wondering what had engulfed his mind.
You turned on the light and made your way to the kettle, filling it with cold water and placing it on an element. You turned it on high, and proceeded to step over to the small vintage tin sitting on your counter, containing loose leaf green tea— the brand that Rin’s mother had recommended to you as a young girl. You remembered the moment she had given you that familiar tin, the teal and gold design remaining the same after all these years. You wondered if she still made it for Rin. You took off the lid with care, scooping an appropriate amount into your mug.
Once you could hear the water boiling in the kettle, you turned off the element and poured the contents into the mug, making sure to not spill any. You retraced your steps back to your room with uncertainty, your head still racing with thoughts. But, for some reason, they seemed to subside when you pushed open the tall door belonging to your bedroom and saw Rin completely wrapped in your blankets with his eyes closed, holding on tightly.
The sight only lasted a few seconds, until he heard the door close softly behind you, and the sound of your faint footsteps entering the room. He propped himself up, watching you approach him,
“It smells good.” Rin said, as you got under the blankets beside him. You sat down beside him, both of your backs supported by the wall behind your bed and your various array of pillows.
“Do you want a sip? I haven’t tried it yet.” You offered, handing him the mug.
“Sure.” He said, extending his hand to take the mug from you.
“Be careful. It’s hot.” You warned him, noticing how steam swirled over the drink, in a mesmerizing pattern.
“I will.” He said, blowing on the tea with his cheeks slightly puffed out. He took a small sip. “Hm… You still drink this stuff?”
“Huh?”
“Hojicha.” He clarified, taking another sip. He seemed to drop his shoulders, sinking into your pillows a little bit more.
“Do you not like it?” You asked, unable to tell if he liked it, based on his question. “I’ve been using it ever since your mom made it for me at your house.” You explained, reminding him of the memory you shared.
“We switched to Gyokuro.” Rin said, bringing the mug to his lips once away, taking another sip. The steam was still rising from the tea, you couldn’t imagine how he could be drinking it while it was still scalding hot.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed this.” He added, which seemed to give you a sense of relief. “It gives me a warm, nostalgic feeling.”
“Yeah.” You finally said, with a small smile. “Me too.”
You noticed how he kept drinking the tea, he must really enjoy it.
“Hey, if you wanted some, you should’ve asked.” You said, leaning over the mug to see it being half empty. “Give it back.” You added, quietly.
“Sorry.” He said, taking one last sip, then handing it back to you.
You wrapped your fingers around the mug, the hot drink inside warming your fingers. Rin was right, there was certainly an aspect of nostalgia when it came to Hojicha. There was something comforting about inhaling the nutty aroma while surrounded by thunder and rain.
As you brought the rim to your lips, you took a sharp inhale before finally letting the tea pool into your mouth.
“Shit..!” You said, as the liquid scorched your tongue and throat. You had only taken a small sip, but the pain still felt unbearable.
“A-Are you okay?” Rin said, his eyes widening, glancing over to you. His face was a mix of surprise and worry.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” You replied, trying to play it off, despite the intensifying tingle in your mouth. “You made it seem like it was safe to drink… How did you manage to drink half of this whole drink?”
“Looks like you’re the one who should have been careful.” He said, trying to make himself appear less concerned. He looked away from you, letting his focus shift back to the window.
“Damn it… It really does hurt.” You said, placing the mug on your nightstand. You moved your tongue in your mouth, trying to feel the inside of your cheek.
“Stop complaining. Let me see how bad it is.” Rin said, turning back to you.
“See? What, do you want me to just stick my tongue out at you?” You said sarcastically, noticing how the tip of your tongue felt sensitive as it poked your inner cheek. You felt Rin’s eyes on you, but you kept yours looking at the wall in front of you. He didn’t say anything.
“That’s embarrassing…” You trailed off, meeting his gaze. You realized how close he was, how serious he looked. “It’s just a burn. I’ll just suck on an ice cube or something.”
The both of you went silent for a second. The white noise of the rain kept you from feeling uncomfortable, as it echoed within your room.
“I think I burned mine too.” Rin said, after a brief pause.
“Seriously?” You said, not hiding your surprise. “I thought you must have been immune or something. You had no reaction.”
“Because it was really good.” He replied.
“You idiot. You can’t be lecturing me after you did the same exact thing. You didn’t even warn me either.” You said, poking your cheek lightly with your index finger. “I really should’ve just waited for it to cool off..”
“Just show me.” He said, his tone becoming a bit more commanding. “I just want to make sure you’re fine.” He added, his voice softer.
“Since when were you so protective? You’re making this such a big deal.” You said, sighing. Despite your defiance, you stuck out your tongue awkwardly.
As you watched Rin get closer, you could start to see his face more clearly. He was close enough that you could count his long under lashes. He looked at you closely, examining your swollen tongue.
Your cheeks suddenly flushed, the warmth from underneath your skin increasing. You retracted your tongue, figuring he’d seen enough.
“It looks pretty bad,” He started. “Is it sensitive?” His face was a few inches from yours.
“Yeah” You answered, still feeling flustered. You wondered what had even happened, why your heart had skipped a beat.
Rin’s body was still so close to yours; you could feel his body heat radiating from him. Your mouth was closed, but his gaze was still lingering on your lips.
“Rin?” You asked, saying his name with a smooth, low voice.
“Sorry.” He said, realizing how long he had been leaning over you. He backed away, retreating to his initial spot in your bed.
“I mean… I don’t mind.” You said in a quiet voice.
“Mind what?” He asked, with an inquisitive tone.
“You said sorry. I mean, you don’t have to apologize. For getting close to me. That’s all.”
He looked at you with curious eyes. You were so mesmerized by them, that you couldn’t register the shortening of time between each of your heartbeats. He looked so beautifully innocent, always utterly oblivious to your feelings.
You watched him as he glanced back at the window once again. Thunder rolled in the distance.
“Why do you keep looking at the window?” You asked, changing the subject. You looked outside with him, noticing the dark, gray clouds etching closer.
“Look at the raindrops.”
You inched closer to the window, which shared a wall with your bed. You had always loved watching the view of the tree branches in your backyard swaying, the leaves rustling. It had been a habit of yours to observe them as you tried falling asleep, occasionally opening the window to listen to the melodious clinking of the wind chime which hung outside.
Your cheek hovered beside Rin’s, aligning yourself with him to see the bulbous raindrops cascading down the glass. It made sense he kept looking back at it, it was hard to pull your eyes away from their hypnotizing movement. The larger drops fell faster, as gravity pulled them down, while the small ones lingered at the top.
Although the view was pretty, you could tell there was another reason as to why Rin kept looking back to the windowpane. He was so obsessed with precision and control, it was odd that he found comfort in the haphazard, randomness of the rain.
You pointed at two raindrops falling side by side. “Which one do you think is going to reach the bottom first?” You asked.
“That one.” He said after thinking for a moment, pointing at the one on the left, which was starting to accelerate.
“Okay. I pick the other one.” You said, watching carefully.
You kept your eyes on the two raindrops, descending rapidly. They ran over the smaller drops to make their way down, migrating at almost equal speeds. Within a matter of seconds, Rin’s raindrop fell into the path of another drop, which carried it to the bottom.
“You win,” You said, taking your eyes off the window to turn your focus back to Rin. He seemed unsatisfied with the result.
“Hey, why aren’t you happy?” You asked. “You love winning.”
“That doesn’t count.” He said, looking away. You could tell something about it was bugging him, but you knew he wasn’t going to tell you.
“We can restart.” You suggested, trying a different approach.
“No, it's okay.”
You paused, not knowing what to say next. Rin was obviously distraught. Now that you were both closer to the window, it was easier to see his face.
“Is Sae bothering you again?” You asked, without thinking. He looked absentminded, but you knew that it could only mean that his thoughts were swarming on the inside.
He visibly tensed at the sound of his brother’s name. You knew it was a sensitive topic, but you couldn’t hold yourself back from asking.
“I don’t want to talk about him.” He said. He didn’t show it on his face, but you could tell you struck a nerve.
“So, it's him.” You said.
“What is?” Rin said, acting clueless to what you meant.
“Something on your mind.” You clarified, hoping he’d just give up and tell you.
“He’s always on my mind.”
Hearing Rin say that broke your heart a little bit. You knew he struggled, repeatedly being called the prodigy’s younger brother.
“What is it then? Soccer?” You asked.
Ever since Sae left to play soccer in Spain, Rin had been completely engrossed in the sport. His drive was unmatched, practicing for hours on end. His free time was dwindling, but on the rare occasions he had a few hours to spare, it would be spent with you.
“You really won’t let it go, huh?” Rin said, his tone suddenly becoming more annoyed.
He sighed. “It’s this.”
He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. It was folded three times, and was slightly crumpled from being in his pocket while laying down. He must have been waiting to show you. He didn’t unfold it, he simply gave it to you.
You attempted to put the paper back in its original state, squinting your eyes to try to make out the printed letters. It was hard to see in the dark, but when holding it close you could make out the header written in bold:
[Itoshi Rin
You’ve been selected for a special player training program.]
Your eyes continued to read the letter carefully, before reaching the end. Rin just sat beside you, watching you silently.
“Rin, this is… perfect.” You said. “This is what was bothering you? Isn’t that exactly what you need?” You asked.
“Yeah.” He said.
“So, what’s wrong?” You inquired.
“This program,” He started. “I’m going to do it.”
“Well, I know.” You said. “Soccer is your life.”
“Do you know what that means?”
Your heart skipped a beat. You knew the implications, but you didn’t want to stop him from pursuing his dreams.
“You’ll become the best in the world.” You said, trying to smile for him.
Rin nodded slightly. He took a while to respond, it looked like he was mulling over what to say.
“We won’t be able to watch horror movies together anymore.” He said quietly, in a voice that was barely audible.
“That’s what you’re worried about?” You smiled, looking at how cute he looked.
He was being completely serious. After some time, you figured it was his way of saying that you wouldn’t be able to spend time together anymore.
“I mean… I did think about that. I’m going to miss you.” You said, honestly. “But I know how important soccer is to you. I understand.”
You could see the gears spinning in Rin’s head. It wasn’t a tough decision for him to accept the invitation, it was his only choice. But it wouldn’t be easy to say goodbye to you either.
“I used to think the point of my life was to become the best in the world alongside Sae.” Rin started, after a long breath.
“I know.” You replied.
“As I’ve gotten older… I realized that my goals have changed.” He said. “After Sae left… my ambition only grew. I no longer wanted to play with him, I wanted to surpass him.”
He continued. “My hunger to become the world’s best… is still growing.”
As Rin talked, you listened to every word he said. Although you knew how voracious his appetite was to win, he rarely expressed his feelings about it to you.
“I thought about the letter for a long time. There’s no doubt in my mind that I am going to attend Blue Lock.” He finally said.
As the words came crashing down on you, an unknown feeling made its way into your heart. You wanted to feel happy for Rin, but the thought of not seeing him for so long made you ache.
“That expression on your face.” Rin started. It looked like he wanted to say something more, but he noticed your silence.
“Say something.”
You opened your mouth slightly, but couldn’t find your words. Rin had been your best friend for so long, the inevitable possibility of losing him felt like a stab to your heart. It felt selfish, but you couldn’t stop a tear from rolling down your cheek.
You were crying because you didn’t want to be apart from him, you also knew it was because of your undeniable feelings for him.
You hadn’t always had a romantic attraction to Rin. But as you grew with him, watching him change each day, you started to identify that the sentiment you had for him was not only admiration. Maybe it was partly due to his recent growth spurt, how you could see his V-line when he stretched, or the changes in his body. Or maybe, it was his change in maturity, how he was slowly gaining independence from his brother and following his own path.
“Are… Are you crying?” Rin asked, moving a strand of your hair away from your face, his finger brushing your forehead lightly.
“No. I mean yes. But I’m happy for you, Rin. I really am.” You said, wiping your cheek with the back of your hand. You blinked a few times to stop any more tears from falling.
He kept his eyes on you, trying to discern what you were feeling. You knew he wasn’t good at reading people’s emotions, so it was probably hard for him to know how you truly felt.
“We can watch all your favorite horror movies before you go.” You said, showing him a warm smile.
Rin’s gaze softened. You didn’t know if you were imagining it, but his cheeks had become slightly pink. He could probably feel the warmth from underneath his skin, because he turned his head away. He took a second to find his composure.
“What you said earlier.” He said. “Soccer is important to me.”
He stole a glance at you before continuing.
“You’re important to me too, though.” He finally said.
You felt an immediate surge of warmth in your chest, hearing those words from Rin. It felt like a shock, even though you knew it was inevitable for him to feel that way. After countless hours together, all the family dinners and sleepovers. You had both been a crucial part of each other’s childhoods, it was only natural for him to see some sort of importance in you. You just didn’t know how to interpret that importance.
“Rin…”
It was taking everything in you to not confess everything to him there and then. But, regardless of your feelings, you didn’t want Rin feeling conflicted about Blue Lock.
“I don’t know what to do when you say my name like that…” Rin said, quietly.
You didn’t know how to respond to that. How could anyone respond to that?
“You’re important to me too.” You finally said. “More than you know.”
There was a wave of silence. You couldn’t tell if Rin had picked up on your tone, or the way you said the last sentence implying something more.
It seemed like the conversation had ended there, with the two of you in your dark room side by side. The rain continued to plummet down, with no sense of stopping. You couldn’t watch a movie, but you also felt too tired to commit to anything else. In spite of that, you weren’t bored at all, sitting next to Rin.
“Does your tongue feel better?” Rin asked, a few minutes later.
“Kinda.” You replied, remembering the searing pain you felt a while ago. Your conversation with Rin had kept your mind off the pain, but as soon as he mentioned it, you felt the throb return.
“Does it look better?” You asked. You felt more comfortable after showing him the first time, so you stuck out your tongue again, lifting your chin a bit to make up for the height difference, despite the fact that you were both sitting down.
“It’s hard to tell.” Rin said.
He was still sitting on your right side, but he moved his right hand over your lap to rest on the mattress on the other side of you, next to your thigh. His arms were on either side of you, leaving you at his disposition. He leaned over you slightly, inspecting your tongue.
“It kinda tingles.” You said, as you felt your teeth graze both sides of your tongue as you slowly put it back in your mouth.
It suddenly came to your attention that the storm had subsided, the rain outside having become muffled. You were much more aware of the sound of your own breathing, which seemed to have gotten heavier.
Rin’s gaze shifted from your mouth to your eyes, which were already looking directly into his. You hadn’t noticed that your breathing had synchronized with his.
His body was getting closer and closer to yours, until his forehead touched yours.
“I’m going to miss you so much.” He said after a long pause, his voice breaking. He placed his hand on top of one of yours, squeezing firmly, as if you were going to be taken away from him.
You raised your other hand, trying your hardest to make your shaking go unnoticed, and placed it on his cheek. You let your thumb rub his skin, which felt smooth under your touch.
“I’ll miss you too. But we’re together right now. So let’s enjoy it.” You said, smiling, even though it hurt.
The tension had become unbearable, you could feel the heat where your skin touched, and the warmth of his breath. The sudden tranquility had made your thoughts so much louder, begging to be freed from the prison of your mind.
“Do you like me?” You whispered, lips centimeters away from his.
“Yeah.”
It was a combination of the Blue Lock letter, the quiet room and a potentially bittersweet goodbye which prompted you to ask him that question, but ultimately, it had just slipped out. Nonetheless, for some reason, his answer hadn’t shocked you as much as you anticipated.
You moved your hand from his cheek to his shoulder, pushing him away gently, just enough to see his face. You wanted to see his expression after confessing to you.
Rin grabbed your wrist and pinned it gently down to the mattress beside you, closing in the distance instead.
The next moment, you felt Rin pressing his lips against yours. It only lasted a split second, before he pulled away hesitantly.
You blinked, processing the soft kiss he had just placed on your lips. He had been so gentle, you barely felt it.
You could tell he was caught up in the heat of the moment, as it was the last thing you were expecting from him tonight.
“Sorry.” He said, his eyes wide. He looked worried, you could tell he had no idea how long you had been waiting for that kiss. “I should’ve ask-”
“I told you, you don’t have to apologize,” You said, putting two fingers in his shirt collar to pull him towards you. “For getting close to me.” You whispered.
“Do you like me?” He asked, repeating your question in a hushed voice.
“I love you, Rin.” You said. “Now kiss me like you mean it.”
You pulled him in, but this time it was different. His previous hesitation was gone, but he remained careful, touching you as if you were made of glass. You closed your eyes, feeling a shiver run down your spine. His lips felt soft, as to be expected from somebody who took care of his body. You thought he would pull away again, but he deepened the kiss, sucking gently on your lower lip.
It caught you off-guard, but Rin was doing exactly what you had told him to. The way he kissed you felt so genuine, the result of what could only be perceived as yearning. You felt your nerves calm down, allowing you to fully relish in the moment, letting yourself be taken away by the tide of bliss that passed through your body.
Your hand trailed from his collar to the back of his neck, making sure to hold him, in case he tried pulling back. You never wanted the moment to end, knowing that in a couple days, Rin would be gone. You didn’t know how long he’d be away, and you didn’t want to find out. You couldn’t fathom a life without him, he had always been your best friend, sticking by your side through thick and thin.
As thoughts swarmed your head, they all disappeared the moment you felt Rin’s tongue touch your lip. You impulsively parted your lips, allowing his tongue to meet yours.
Your whole mouth still tingled from the burn, your tongue being particularly tender. Your breath hitched, as you let out a quiet moan. You hadn’t meant to, but the feeling of your tongue in his mouth created such a unique sensation, nothing like you’ve ever felt before. It was like he was using you as a straw, trying to drink every last drop of you.
You turned your head away, catching your breath.
“Too much…?” Rin said, noticing how drained you looked, sitting breathless in front of him.
You shook your head, before answering.
“...Why didn’t we do that sooner?” You said, turning your head back to face him.
He didn’t reply, he seemed like he needed a moment to process what had happened. Rin wasn’t the emotional type, but it seemed like you experienced a rare moment where he let his feelings take over his entire being.
His hair was slightly messy, his lips shiny from your saliva. He didn’t say anything, he just put his hand on top of yours, intertwining his fingers with yours.
“Don’t sleep in the guest room tonight.” You said, squeezing his hand.
“Okay.”
You watched him as he moved from your side to your lap, using your thighs to cushion his head. It surprised you to see how vulnerable he looked laying there, at your mercy.
You ran your fingers through his dark green hair, moving your hand down his shoulder to rub his back.
A sheet of lightning filled the room with brightness for a split second, as the rain outside intensified once more. You closed your eyes, realizing how tired you were.
It looked like Rin had fallen asleep in your lap. His weight felt like a warm blanket on you, his body moving slightly up and down from his deep breaths.
“Don’t forget me when you become the best in the world.” You whispered out loud, not knowing whether or not he’d hear it.
“I’d never forget you. Not today, not tomorrow, not in 10 years. I’ll work hard. And when I become the best, I’ll be good enough for you.”
His words felt so natural and honest, as if this had been on his mind for a long time.
“You’re already perfect for me.” You said, without hesitation. “And, I thought you were sleeping.”
“No.” He said. “I’m thirsty.” You noticed how your mouth had also felt dry. It must have been the result of kissing him like that.
You grabbed the mug of tea on your nightstand again, knowing that it wouldn’t burn you this time. You took a sip to soothe your parched throat. You handed it to Rin too, watching him sit up to drink some.
“Gross. Lukewarm.” He said, handing it back to you.
You giggled, placing it back on the nightstand. “You say that about everything.”
“No.” He said. “You’re not lukewarm.”
You laughed, thinking about how cute he sounded when saying that.
“Is that your way of saying you love me?” You said sliding down the wall to lay down on the bed next to him. You pulled the blankets over both of you, scooching closer to him. You laid down on your side facing the wall, looking outside once last time.
He rolled over from his back to face you, placing his arm around your waist and pulling your back into his body.
“You already know I do.” He said, nuzzling into your neck.
You rolled over too, now face to face with Rin. You looked at him one last time, taking in his features, regardless of the dimly lit room.
“You’re beautiful.”
Rin’s face flushed, not knowing how to take your compliment.
You placed a quick kiss on his lips, closing your eyes. He held you close, his familiar scent putting you at ease to fall asleep feeling safe and comforted. Although, you couldn’t bring yourself to sleep just yet, as you kept going over what had happened in your mind. Your mutual confessions. The kiss. Being wrapped in his arms like this. It all felt surreal, like you were living in a dream.
But you also thought back on the letter, and how you wouldn’t be able to be close like this for a long time.
It would be hard to say goodbye to him, but you knew he wasn’t leaving forever. You’d have to manage for the next few months, taking advantage of all the opportunities to see him.
“I love you.”
Rin’s voice had come out of nowhere. It was barely a whisper, he must have thought you were sleeping. You kept your eyes shut, knowing he’d be embarrassed if he found out you hear it. All you did was inch a little closer to him.
The world was moving so fast, your memories of playing outside with Rin and Sae felt like yesterday.
But in this moment, it was just you and Rin pressed against one another, breathing in sync, while the rain trickled down your window.