( ? ) reo spends money on someone who refuses to be indebted to anyone, FLUFF I SWEAR
( A/N ) why are my bllk fics literally about meeting again i think i have some strange obsession with this trope. ANW THIS FIC IS SOOO CLICHE but i think reo is cheesy like that
the sky is a pretty shade of blue, birds are chirping sweet songs from where they’re perched on branches, and cherry blossom leaves are floating along the wind; some are even pooling around his feet. love is in the air, one could say. pluck out every element you could see in a high school-inspired love song music video, and you’ll get precisely what reo is experiencing.
but none of those are what reo is looking at right now.
no, not when you’re standing before him, and his pulse is unsteady.
“i like you,” you say. “i want to go out with you.”
reo’s eyes go round, spluttering syllables that are strung together hastily. he settles with a: “w-whuuu…”
the small group of students who decided to tag along with reo all gasped and ooh?. reo doesn’t know why he’s the one feeling mortified, heat crawling up across his cheeks.
you’re staring at him with a fierce expression, refusing to back down and shy away despite the crowd. it’s like you don’t care what they think or say so long as you get your words across. he honestly respects it.
reo scratches the back of his neck, guilty for some unfamiliar reason. he’s gently rejected countless others before, so he’s unsure why he’s so reluctant this time. maybe it’s because you’re looking at him like you know what you want, and it’s making him feel flustered in a way he hasn’t felt before.
“don’t just stand there, reo!” someone butts in, as if it’s his business. as if he’s confessing or being confessed to.
you and reo turn to glare venom at the guy, who shrinks under both your gazes.
reo’s gaze finds yours once again, trying for a comforting smile.
“i’m sorry. i can’t accept your confession,” he murmurs and winces at the feigned cries of the people around him. his heart pangs painfully in his chest when he sees your crestfallen expression. “i really am sorry!” and he is. “i bet you’re nice—“
you hold up a hand, a universal sign to shut the hell up, you’re making it worse, idiot. “it’s fine. you don’t have to say anything else aside from a ‘no’, reo-san.” the smile you give him is pretty painful. or is it painfully pretty? “thank you for your time.”
reo blinks when you swivel around. he feels incredibly horrible, to be frank.
reo watches you leave until you’re out of sight, only snapping out of it when nagi shoulders him to tune back into the laughter of his classmates, teasing him relentlessly about the confession.
“man, are you always this nice to your fans?” one of them snickers. “you’re sick for leading the l/n y/n on.”
reo frowns. “i’m not leading them on, i’m just trying not to be an ass to people who admire me, unlike some people.”
“oooh…”
reo sighs, leaning against nagi’s terrifyingly solid figure. “y/n, huh?” he mumbles.
the hallways are unusually empty today. reo is usually swarmed by students from his class or even others, especially during the hour of lunch break.
there seems to be an influx of students crowding downstairs, though, judging by the faint cheers he can hear all the way from the fourth floor.
someone passes him, brushing his forearm, and reo almost ignores it.
“oh, hi, reo-san!” the voice says, and it snaps him right out of his wondering.
reo blinks, doing a double take. “ah, y/n.”
you skid to a halt, facing him over your shoulder with a pleasantly surprised expression. “you know my name already?”
reo feels caught, somehow. he doesn’t know what to say, so he nods and smoothly switches subjects. “where are you runnin’ off to?”
you don’t move from where you’ve stopped, and reo feels the need to catch up, so he jogs like an obedient dog. the nearly terrifying grin you shoot him does little to cover your amusement. “you’ve been spacing out during class, top of the class? there’s a parade going on right now for the school festival, i’m heading down to watch.”
oh. so that’s where everyone went.
in reo’s defense, he went to the bathroom minutes before break—most likely when the teacher announced anything regarding a parade. and nagi is nowhere to be seen to inform him about it. knowing nagi, he’s hiding away on some random floor’s stairs to play games on his phones quietly.
reo nudges you with an elbow and realizes halfway through that he never asked if you’re even okay with him doing that. he clears his throat, “let me come with you, then.”
“c’mon, pretty boy.” you pick up the pace, and he could’ve tripped on air hearing that. “don’t make me miss out on the fun waiting for a snail like you.”
reo makes a show of scoffing, but he can’t hide the smile in his voice.
you both make your way downstairs, chatting idly all the while. it’s small talk—mindless, almost, but reo finds himself relaxing quickly in your presence like he didn’t just meet you yesterday. like you didn’t just ask him out, and he rejected you yesterday.
“ahh, the stalls are up already?” you frown, scanning the area and onto the line of students swarming the field. “i thought they wouldn’t be serving anything this early.”
“if it’s what you’re worried about, it’ll be my treat,” reo finds himself offering without thinking.
“will it, now?”
minutes later, you two find yourselves walking out of the line of stalls with bags of snacks and street foods (even trinkets you weren’t planning to buy but reo wanted you to have). it was all a blur. reo didn’t know he could start from roaming the hallways to having a nearly empty wallet with you by his side.
blinking incredulously at the heap of bags slung over your forearms, you say, “i’ll pay next time.”
reo shrugs, pleased with himself but trying so hard not to show it. “it’s fine.”
“what? no, it’s not fine. i’ll pay you back,” you say, stern. there is no room for dispute.
“it’s really no big deal…” and it’s not. he gets enough money to fill up his wallet easily once more. upon seeing your glare, he concedes. “fine, do what you want.”
your bright smile at that response makes him realize something about you.
reo is ashamed to say it, but ever since yesterday, he’s been noticing you more and more often.
it’s embarrassing to admit that he hasn’t paid attention before, but it’s even more embarrassing to realize that he keeps finding you everywhere—it’s almost incredulous to think that he has never met you earlier.
what’s worse is that reo is excited when he does catch sight of you.
images of your moment with him come to him in a flash, and he almost fucks it all up by approaching you out of nowhere—he could, but he doesn’t know what you still think of him after that. he, for one, would feel as if he’s being pitied when the person he confessed his feelings to starts coming up to him without any good reason.
that’s the thing: reo can’t think of a good reason.
“stop overthinking,” is all nagi says to reo’s mindless rambling of his current crisis (read: above). “you shouldn’t look too deep into it, idiot. if y/n can confess to you just because, then y/n can tell you to screw off if you make things weird.”
that is surprisingly a piece of very reasonable and thought-provoking advice.
“okay,” reo says. it makes sense.
he doesn’t have to do anything, though, because nagi looks up from his phone, sees something, and tells him reo can just text him what happens because he’s heading straight home.
“what? what? where are you going, nagi?”
“reo-san—” reo jumps in surprise, “—sorry, did i scare you? haha, that was cute!” he turns and sees you grinning up at him, impudent like you hear precisely what is going in his head.
“y/n,” he says, horrified to feel sudden warmth crawling up his cheeks. how do you keep doing that? “when did you…”
“are you free? i still have to pay you back, don’t i?”
he wants to say that if you feel like you owe something, you don’t, and reo doesn’t care about the money he spent on you, seeing how much fun you had yesterday. yet the excitement evident in your voice kills off the rebuttal on the tip of his tongue.
reo finds himself laughing, mostly out of disbelief. “alright.”
you beam, his expression softens, and the sunset is beautiful this afternoon.
“come on, i know this really good place,” you tell him, reaching for his hand like it’s natural. reo’s eye catches on the charm dangling on your bag. his heart does something weird when he realizes it’s what he picked out for you. “you mentioned you like ichibo steak yesterday, right? you’re in luck.”
reo should really get checked up. he’s been feeling incredibly warm lately.
you two decide to ride a taxi. reo texts nagi that he is out on a platonic—emphasized platonic, in bold, italic, and even underlined—date with you, as friends, and all because you felt guilty. the sticker nagi sends in return says he does not care.
along the way, you two fall into easy conversation once again. reo feels so relaxed that he doesn’t realize until later how wide his grin is. and when he does, it’s when he starts to notice everything else, too.
“it’s weird! i just passed them, and they gave me weird looks. i wanted to square up and ask, what? you wanna fight? i would beat them, no doubt,” you say, huffing. reo chuckles a little. at the sound, you pout. “what’re you laughing at? you don’t believe me?”
“of course i believe you.”
you grin. “that’s right.”
the car stops, and you pay for the ride before reo could even blink and lead him outside. your enthusiasm is endearing, reo has to admit. it feels like you actually like him and like being with him.
the gentle hold you have on him, the way your fingers are absentmindedly rubbing circles on his skin, the way his brain is melting out of his ears—when did he get so soft like this? it’s insane.
it probably means he is happy to have you as a friend, right?
in a seat for four people, reo pointedly decides to sit next to you because sitting across would make it look weird—it will feel like an actual date, and reo is not sure how he can handle the thought of that.
you don’t question it, and reo feels embarrassed to think you probably think he’s so strange that you don’t blink at it. instead, you tug him closer by the sleeve, pointing at his favorite food with sparkling eyes. it’s adorable. you’re so damn excited that it’s rubbing off on him.
reo’s mouth again runs off before his brain can catch up. “are you alright with us hanging out like this? after…”
you understand immediately. reo can’t quite see your expression properly because you’re leaning down to study the menu; however, your answer seems unfazed: “i don’t mind. i like you, don’t i? you already knew that, so that’s a silly question.”
you turn to him, smiling. “of course i’d like being with you, too.”
“ah.” reo’s face is on fire. “so… why did you even like me?”
“hm.” you make a motion of rubbing your index finger and thumb together. “money.”
reo eyes you with a scrunched nose, speechless.
you laugh brightly. “kidding! kidding! kind of.” reo nudges your knee with his as a warning. “okay, okay. i thought you’re cute, alright?”
“really?”
“really.”
it’s almost enough to make him forget how your face fell when he rejected you. almost.
is it normal to think about that so much?
(no. the answer is no, obviously. but reo doesn’t want to think about the reason why it’s a no.)
reo slouches against the seat, his arm brushing against your side. “oh.”
“that was so good,” reo groans. he burps inelegantly afterward, laughing along with you. “fuck, you were right. i’m coming back here again.”
you snort, waving your fork around. “i told you! i’m never wrong, don’t doubt me about anything ever again.” there’s sauce on the side of your mouth; reo brushes it off with his thumb without thinking, as if in a trance.
you pause, going still. you’re staring at him wide-eyed, flustered, and reo finds himself thinking that he likes that look on you.
he snaps out of it the second after, blushing profusely. “sorry, i don’t—” to save himself from explaining, he calls for the waiter for the bill instead. real smooth, reo. did it like a real rich kid.
“hey, wait, why are you paying?” you ask, frowning.
“you already paid for the ride earlier, remember? you don’t owe me anything right now, so let me pay.”
“reo—”
the waiter comes, reo scans the receipt quickly, and slips money in. he also tells them to keep the change, to which the waiter starts bowing and thanking him for, which probably means he paid them more than he’s supposed to.
you slump, bottom lip jutted out. “now i’m indebted to you again.”
reo grins. “i know.”
you become something else to him entirely. more than friends, though not quite lovers. tip-toeing lines, ready to risk it all, but never crossing over.
reo laments this to nagi, who he realizes suddenly becomes an expert.
“for someone who didn’t hesitate to reject y/n, you’re quick to regret it every day,” nagi remarks. “don’t be stupid, reo. the answer is right there— oh, i lost.” nagi is sad now, not that reo can see it because he’s having a crisis.
by the time reo realizes that what he feels for you is more than a simple crush, it’s far too late. he’s on the bus, your last message with him is a goodbye, and his life is flipped upside down.
TIMESKIP
reo sits alone on a bench in the middle of a public park, holding a popsicle and checking his watch occasionally. his knee bounces, impatient, but his last text will stay as: i’ll wait for you no matter how long.
he sighs, his head slowly tilting up to face the sky.
it’s as beautiful as he remembers it—the day he regrets more than anything. all that’s left is for birds to chirp and leaves to dance around his feet.
he had to reject his friends’ offer to go out, as it’s not often blue lock members are given off days. however, it’s a small price to pay if he gets to see you again.
“i’m here!”
reo nearly jolts in surprise, his whole body instinctively preening at the familiar melody of your voice. he turns, and his heart bursts.
it’s been so long. too long. yet every detail about you is still the same as he daydreams about when it gets a little too lonely: from your smile to the way you’re looking at him with overwhelming fondness. there’s no mistaking it—the happiness tickling his chest says more than words could.
he is so fucking in love.
you stand there, a little nervous and hesitant like you’re ready to run with one wrong move.
so reo won’t fuck this up. not anymore or ever.
“y/n,” he breathes, tugging you by the arm to pull you closer. “i missed you.”
“i missed you, too,” you say, melting in his grasp. “i didn’t think you’d— i didn’t expect you to still want to see me after high school.”
“don’t be stupid,” he chides, gently flicking your forehead. “of course i’d want to see you.” your gaze shifts to the plastic he’s holding in his other hand, and he almost smacks his face for forgetting. “right, here. i bought you ice cream because it’s a bit hot today. thought you’d like it.”
“so thoughtful,” you coo, poking his cheek before gratefully taking the popsicle from him.
he pats the vacant spot next to him. it took all his willpower and rationality to not gesture his lap.
“um,” you fidget, tongue darting out quickly to lick on the icy treat. reo is not getting distracted, he’s not. “what was the question you said you wanted to ask? that text almost made me want to chuck my phone across the room, you know? we haven’t talked for months, and that’s the first thing you send me.”
“sorry,” reo can’t help but chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. “i just want to do this before i regret anything again.”
“you have regrets with me?” you frown, hurt.
reo nods, and fuck it, reaches out to cup your chin. there’s a smidge of melted ice cream; he swipes it away with a thumb. “the day we met,” he says distractedly.
there’s a moment where you can only look at him incredulously, a little offended. but understanding dawns on your face soon after. “that was the day i confessed.”
he nods, proud. “you’re still indebted to me, aren’t you?”
“yes? you made sure you were the last one to pay for anything when you won me that plushie at the arcade a week before you left,” you recall fondly.
“alright, then.” reo takes your free hand to pull you closer to him, stunning you to silence. the popsicle starts melting at the sides—it could be from the heat or from how intense reo is staring at you. “pay me back by going out with me. as your boyfriend.”
THIS IS SO RUSHED I KNOWWW but take it and appreciate it please i dont even kno where the reo brainworms came from
in which: itoshi rin rejected you, so why isn't he handling your avoidance well?
warnings: 5k wc, fluff with minor angst, jealous!rin, food cw, swearing, reo is reader's best friend, COLLEGE!AU, gn!reader, non-canon complaint
a/n: happy valentine's day !!! shoutout to @ryekoo for finally giving me inspo on what to do for the rin fic of my event - u rly saved my life <3
↳ 5K EVENT MASTERLIST ༉‧₊
you:i’m going to end you. <reo3: i’m too pretty to die ._. you: and you told me i was too pretty for itoshi rin to reject!?!?!?! <reo3: oh... <reo3: i’m sorry. <reo3: condolences fr.
with a disappointed sigh, you pocket your phone, decidedly ignoring the next few messages that reo sends as you wait for your bus. he owes you a million yen for the amount of grief and distress he’s currently putting you through, especially with the way he shattered all hopes you had with your love life.
well, hopes that you were stupid enough to feed into because this was itoshi rin you’re talking about; possibly the most standoffish, calculated, and devastatingly gorgeous man you’ve ever met in your life. yet, despite his detestable personality, you still found yourself falling hook, line, and sinker for the man, despite his insults, cold comments, and dismissive attitude.
maybe it’s masochism.
now that you look back on it, rin’s rejection seemed almost inevitable. even if you lead yourself to hope with all the times you caught him staring at you, the prompt replies to your messages, and willingness to somewhat tolerate you during group projects, it was rather obvious that this would be the outcome to your heartfelt confession.
‘i don’t see you like that’.
it’s cringeworthy simply thinking about it. now you’re going to have another memory that’ll haunt you for the rest of your life.
recalling the expression he made after your confession; eyebrows scrunched and lips tugged into a slight frown, was traumatising enough for you to wish for the ground to swallow you whole. his face will plague you for an uncertain amount of time because today truly, was so very humbling.
the sight of your bus approaching your stop rouses you from the crevices of your thoughts and after you jump on and settle yourself into a seat in the relatively empty carriage, you bring your phone out to text reo again. he’d sent four messages since.
<reo3: this doesn’t make any sense we all thought rin was into you <reo3: like DOWN BAD into you<reo3: everyone on the team has literally made bets on you two <reo3: i’m sorry :c r u okay? you: yeah. just gotta take the L and move on you: hey at least i’m free for valentines <reo3: LET’S GOOO we’re definitely doing something <reo3: i’ll be a better valentines than r*n you: you’re sexier too babes xoxo <reo3: duh!
maybe you’ll let reo see another day.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
your university schedule was never the same after the ‘itoshi rin’ fiasco.
it was never an amazing schedule to begin with since a few classes were quite inconvenient, and there’s only so much to enjoy out of your seminars. the fun part about them was being able to sit beside rin and talk to him whenever you could without getting waved off, but since his heartless decline of your feelings, acting ‘buddy-buddy’ wouldn’t be acceptable. so you resorted to sit by yourself in a section of the space you’ve never really occupied before, busying yourself on your phone as students walked in to class.
despite the temptation to look at the door to see when rin would come in, you do not budge one bit, eyes glued to your phone screen (which had nothing entertaining on it). this meant that you couldn’t see the confusion on his face when he didn’t see you in your normal spot and how it merged further into a look of offence when he instead spots you across the room.
reluctantly taking his usual seat, rin’s gaze lingers on you, hoping to meet your eyes at least once. but upon your insistence to pretend your phone was more important than him, he sits down, practically flopping onto his chair with his backpack cushioning his fall.
sitting here feels a little empty. rin can’t help but think how it used to be much better when you insisted on being next to him.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
<;reo3: you can come now rin isn’t here yet
you: kk b there soon
the trek across campus towards the university’s soccer field, although long, is harmless enough, especially since you were doing a favour for your best friend by bringing the soccer guards and water bottle that he left at your dorm. the harmful part was the looming threat of itoshi rin’s presence and your fear that you would encounter him on your way.
all you needed to do was drop in quickly and leave.
when you get to the field, nagi’s the one who sees you first from where he was lounging on the bleaches, changed in his soccer gear.
“oh, y/n,” he mumbles, sitting up. “hello.”
“hey nagi. are you trying to nap before practice or something?” you ask.
“yeah.”
“won’t that drain you though before practice starts? you’ve got like… five minutes.”
“still classified as a power nap. wanna collect a power up before startin’.”
amusing as ever, he is. “sure. hey, you know where reo is?”
“he’s changed, probably warming up with isagi and bachira and whoever else.”
“shouldn’t you be doing that too?”
“not until reo forces me to.”
as if on cue, a friendly and very familiar voice calls out nagi’s name and you’re delighted to see the purple-haired in question. you can finally give him his stupid stuff back; the ones you’ve been holding in your hands this entire time like an idiot.
“come on nagi!” reo exclaims, jogging over. a smile appears on his face when he sees you. “yo! y/n! thanks for bringing my things.”
“‘s not a problem. next time i’ll burn them so don’t leave them again,” you counter as the purple-haired takes his things from you with an eye roll. “i filled up your water bottle for you.”
he places his things down before sitting beside nagi to put his guards on. “so considerate even whilst terrorising me.”
“of course.”
“seriously though, thank you for bringing my things.”
“not a problem. i’m gonna head back to my dorm to study so i’ll see you later. bye reo, bye nagi,” you wave at the two, fixing your backpack strap before turning around to leave the field, only to bump face-first into someone.
the apology that surfaces on your tongue quickly withers away when you lock eyes with a pair of steely, teal ones, partially hidden by strands of dark hair. he looks at you like he has something to say.
but you’re not ready to hear it.
“uh, hi rin! gotta go!” you squeak before stepping to the side and running away, leaving rin to stare in bewilderment after you.
part of him has the urge to run after you.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
<reo3: isagi’s invited a bunch of us to the on campus screening of spirited away
<reo3: wanna come?
you: ykw why not
you: not like i have essays to write
<reo3: FUCK THEM ESSAYS!
you: YOU’RE RIGHT SPIRITED AWAY IS BETTER !
if you knew that this would lead you to be seated (uncomfortably) between reo and isagi, who acted as the only barrier between you and an-unnamed-man (rin), then perhaps you would’ve dedicated yourself to your essay rather than a fun opportunity to hang out with your friends.
1500 words sounds better than having to pretend like there wasn’t an icy cold stare penetrating the back of your head every time you turned to talk to reo, or isagi trying to keep his interactions up with rin so the latter wouldn’t try to talk to you.
you owe isagi a vending machine drink after this because a ‘thank you’ will never suffice.
it’s easy enough to forget about rin when the movie plays and isagi begins whispering little pieces of commentary to you from time to time, eliciting giggles from you that you try to suppress to not annoy those around you. however, each sound that slipped past your lips was enough to make the dark-haired boy scrunch his face in disgust, an ugly, green monster climbing up his throat when he catches a glimpse of how happy you seemed with someone that wasn’t him. it kills him to see how easily it is for you to just ignore him like your friendship never existed.
since the campus movie was scheduled during a cool but bearable, autumn dusk, you severely underestimated how cold the night would get. heating wasn’t the best in the gymnasium so the committee had instructed everyone to bring their own blankets and warm covers, yet in your haste, you couldn’t bring adequate layers.
so after a while of trying to warm yourself up and convincing yourself that you were warm enough with a measly sweatshirt, rin notices from the corner of his eye how you kept rubbing your arms.
he doesn’t hesitate to take off the fleece jacket that he was wearing over his university jumper. sure, it will be significantly colder without his outer layer, but rin’s willing to suffer as long as you were okay (when has he ever been this considerate?), except he stops when he sees nagi handing you his very oversized jumper. you accept it with a gracious smile and the white-haired boy merely shrugs before going back to watching the film. rin, on the other hand, feels a cauldron of rage brewing within him.
the sight makes his chest twist, wringing him dry as he stares dejectedly at how snug you seem in someone else’s clothes. the green monster inside of rin bubbles in contempt, a being that makes him want to rip the hoodie off you and replace it with his own for you to wrap yourself up in. he wants you to be content with him- happy because of him, not because of another.
you confessed to him only two weeks ago- barely even two weeks ago, so how could you so easily forget about him and move on? pretend like his rejection didn’t shatter you and him when he saw a devastation like no other on your pretty face?
rin doesn’t know how much longer he can live like this.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
the following tuesday, you’re already seated in your new spot for your seminar, busy setting up your laptop in preparation when rin walks in. you see him from the corner of your eye, backpack slung around his shoulder, hands tucked unassumingly in his pockets as all 185cm of him saunters towards the seats. however, when you notice that he bypasses his normal spot and walks even further out of your peripheral vision, alarms blare deafeningly in your head.
you freeze when you hear someone take the seat behind you.
there’s a hard gaze on the back of your head, one that roots you to your spot and wills you not to turn around.
sneaking out your phone from your bag, you hide it so that rin can’t see it from his angle.
you: RIN IS SITTING BEHIND ME OH NO
you: terrible start to valentines day smh
<reo3: WHAT!??!!???!???! fr.
you: THIS IS AN EMERGENCY I’M GOING TO DISINTEGRATE RIGHT NOW
<reo3: maybe *don’t* do that????
<reo3: WHY’S HE SITTING BEHIND YOU?????
you: FUCK IF I KNOW IT FEELS LIKE HE’S THROWING DAGGERS AT MY HEAD
<reo3: WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?
you: CRY???????????? IDFK???????????
you: oh fuck class is about to start
you: i’ll let you know if anything happens
<reo3: STAY SAFE
you tuck your phone away with fear and dread looming over you, personified through the form of itoshi rin, who sits so indifferently behind you, head propped on his hand. you hear his pen click behind you and you don’t even need to see him to know that he’s taking out that stupid notebook of his since he preferred to take notes by hand. you want to turn around and rip said book into shreds.
as the professor starts the class, you try your best to shake rin out of your thoughts, wanting to leave him behind in the depths of your mind so you can concentrate on this damn elective. none of the notes you were typing onto your document made sense and it felt like everything the professor was saying went in one ear then out the other. curse rin for having this effect on you.
at least you get to gossip with reo after this.
though your seminar was only 60 minutes, it might as well have been 60 years because of how significantly older you feel at the end of it. the weight of rin’s stare was heavy on your shoulders when you hurriedly grab your things and make a dash for the exit.
well. you try to make a dash for the exit because somehow, rin gained the ability to teleport and beat you there, grabbing your wrist unceremoniously before pulling you into the hallways. you fumble with your phone, hurriedly texting reo.
you: UHH MAYDAY I MGHT NEEE TO SKIP OUR PLANS
<reo3: WHAT’S HAPPENING?????
you: RIN IS DRSGGING ME SIMEWHERE IDK WHERE
you: MY LOCARION IS ON LIFE360
you: I LUV YOU STUPID WHORE
<reo3: WHDJFWIJAIDJFAWHAT THE FUCK????
“hey!” you exclaim, helplessly being pulled by rin’s long strides, shutting your phone off as you try to match his eagerness. he could at least be a little more considerate and lighten up that grip of his on your wrist. “rin- what? where are we going?”
“you’ll see,” he responds gruffly.
your mind blanks despite the hurricane of questions that circulate your mind. how did you get here? is the delirium finally hitting you after countless sleepless nights? you stayed up until 2am last night to make valentine’s chocolates for your friends so maybe it’s the sugar and the sleep deprivation.
as rin pulls you through the hallways, you think about how weird it is to allow him this close to you again- well, you didn’t exactly allow him, he kind of just… invaded your personal space. but after a whole week of not talking to him, responding dryly to his texts, avoiding your regular hangout spots, and overall pretending like he doesn’t exist, being exposed to his intimidating presence once more is… exhilarating? unreal?
“wait, can we stop for a second?” you demand, breaking out of your funk when you step outside as if the harshness of the sun’s rays woke you up. “i’m so confused right now. where are we going?”
“we’re going to have lunch together at that café you’ve been wanting to try out,” he tells you with a serious expression, not breaking his usual aloof and stern personality.
rin doesn’t give mixed messages: no, he gives messages that have completely been lost, fallen astray somewhere along the path of communication.
shifting your weight between your feet awkwardly, you tell him: “well, i kinda had valentine’s plans.”
his mask of coolness and uninterest cracks, exposing all the emotions he’s been withholding from surfacing for the past weeks; jealousy, envy, greed, they all manifest through the helpless scrunch of his face. “with who?” asks rin, tone a lot harsher than he had intended, matching the crease of his eyebrows and the frown he was wearing.
it’s the green monster in him talking.
if you were going out with someone else, someone new, rin’s not too sure what he’d do. determination and pettiness can only take a man so far before his resolve cracks and you have the power to crush his heart with a single stomp, extinguishing his flames in one, swift sweep.
“with reo,” you confess. the dark-haired relaxes again, his face returning to a neutral expression.
“okay. ditch him then.” his audacity is baffling.
“i can’t just do that!”
“why not?”
“cause that’s a shitty thing to do!” you say, before murmuring under your breath, “not that you’d know the first thing about being polite.”
“i don’t care, it’s reo, you two hang out everyday. tell him to give me a turn.”
“you’re a horrible person, rin,” you murmur, ignoring the butterflies that erupt in your stomach.
he doesn’t say anything in retaliation, merely eyeing you expectantly, waiting for your next step. huffing, you reluctantly take out your phone as a sign of surrender under his suffocating pressure, muttering complaints under your breath as you find reo’s contact - literally your most recent one, to send him a quick message. almost instantly, your best friend responds with a thumbs up paired with a smirk and you almost want to block him then and there.
“done.”
“perfect,” rin goes to grab your hand again but you retract from him just in time. when you look up to meet his gaze once more, you see his unimpressed expression whilst he keeps his palm extended towards you expectantly.
“i don’t need your help walking places,” you grumble, not liking how fast your heart was racing.
he gestures to his open palm once more. “i know.”
after a moment of silence, you give in, hesitantly placing your hand in his. with a small grin, rin intertwines your fingers before pulling you to his side. without another word, he begins walking, leaving you to merely follow the brutally fast pace he’s set.
you must’ve looked ridiculous to other people. being dragged around by an 185 cm man, how humbling.
the place rin led you to was not too far from campus; a totally manageable distance for the two of you to remain in silence during the walk. you try to bypass the awkwardness of it all by focusing on other things, like how warm rin’s hand is and how you hope he doesn’t mind your sweaty hands. he seems to be content from what you’ve observed, happily walking beside you whilst sparing a few occasional glances over; ones that you pretend you don’t see whilst admiring the cityscape around you.
there are various valentine’s decorations hung up around the insides of the cafe that made you cringe slightly. although they were very cute, you feel humiliation climbing up your throat, serving as a reminder that you were currently spending a day of love and romance, or whatever, standing beside the very man who rejected you.
this is the cruellest version of a sick joke.
“welcome!” a cheery voice greets, breaking you out of your thoughts. “table for two?” rin nods. “perfect! are you here for valentine’s day because couples get access to a special menu on top of our regular one.”
when you open your mouth to reject her offer, rin beats you to it. “we’ll take the valentine’s menu.”
“okay, right this way,” the waitress guides you to an empty table for two that was right by the corner. the atmosphere of the place was cozy with various candles and statement pieces to really bring it together, but you have no time or brain space to appreciate the aesthetic of the café.
it’s not until the waitress leaves that you speak up, utterly confused. “why’d you get the valentine’s menu, we-”
realisation hits you like a truck.
“-are we on a date right now?”
rin’s unmoving, save for the purse of his lips as he stares at you. you feel a little foolish right now.
“yeah, we are,” he answers, curtly and concisely.
alarms are blaring in your head, the earth is tremoring below you, there are distant screams somewhere in the back of your mind and all you can manage out is a simple ‘oh’.
“get what you want, i’ll-” rin begins before you abruptly cut him off.
“-no, hold on, i’m so confused right now,” you rub your temples, staring at the stupid valentine’s day menu decorated with pink and hearts and chocolates. “why?”
“why what?”
“why are we on a date?”
“because it’s valentine’s day?”
“well- i know that part,” you murmur under your breath. “it’s just, y’know, people celebrate this day when they like each other.” and not when one party is miserable because the other rejected them.
“we do like each other though.”
there are no words to describe the shock you feel. really. not even an anvil dropping on your head could wake you up from whatever dream you are conjuring right now.
“no, we don’t! i like you, you don’t like me.”
he looks away, the tips of his ears turning red. “that’s not true,” he murmurs, no louder than a whisper, yet your jaw drops all the same at his confession. “i do like you.”
“a week ago you didn’t!”
“a week ago i wasn’t ready to get into a… relationship… or whatever.”
“oh,” you fix the strap of your bag, feeling slightly awkward. “and you’re ready now all of a sudden?”
“yeah.”
“i don’t believe you.”
“the fuck? why?”
“you don’t really seem like the type of guy to turn around on yourself like this. what changed?”
rin won’t ever tell you about how much he missed you during these two weeks and how it was his jealousy and greediness that spurred him to act on his feelings. instead, he simply slides the menu to you, pointing to a milkshake-‘lover’s brew’, and since the menu was decorated with pictures on the side, you could see what the concoction consisted of. whipped cream, heart sprinkles, topped with a caramel heart and fairy floss.
“the milkshake?” you ask, trailing off towards the end. “you hate sweet things and this especially looks like it could give you diabetes.”
the dark-haired shrugs. “so? i thought you’d like it.”
“sure, but it is kinda pricey for a milkshake.”
he shrugs again, putting his elbows on the table which causes his sleeves of his turtleneck to roll down a little, exposing the shiny silver of his, no doubt expensive, watch. “i’ll pay for us, it’s fine.”
“hold on-”
“i’m paying. end of argument.”
it’s an offer you can’t really reject. being a university student and all, funds are limited, so wherever you can, you want to avoid withdrawing money out of your account. that said, it doesn’t mean that you don’t feel the slightest bit guilty about draining rin’s, but with how long you’ve been friends, you know that once he’s set his mind to something, it’s hard to change it.
“if you insist,” you grumble, straightening up your spine as you awkwardly fiddle with your shirt. you feel so scrutinised under his gaze, even as you reach for the jug of water and pour two cups of water. “what else should we get?”
the waitress then comes around to take your orders and when she’s gone, conversation flows easily, reverting back to how things were between the two of you (to rin’s relief). he listens as you talk animatedly about the unfortunate series of events you had with your professor the other day, how cute your encounter with the campus dogs were, and the really unfortunate run-in you had with a guy from your shared tutorial classes.
(the dark-haired boy makes a face when you mention another man’s name before his usual face of indifference melts back in.)
“here’s your milkshake,” the waitress says, placing the drink in the middle of the table before walking away, “you guys are really cute by the way.”
“thanks,” rin says calmly, a stark contrast to your flustered reaction.
two straws stick out from the milkshake and when you put one in your mouth, you almost choke when rin takes the other one, causing your noses to bump in the middle. the look he gives you is nothing short of mischievous before pulling away, a knowing smirk playing along his lips.
“ew. that is really sweet,” he mutters before leaning back, crossing his arms.
“yeah,” you cough. “it is really sweet.”
recovering from your embarrassment, the rest of lunch goes by quite seamlessly. he goes to pay for everything with a confident tap of his card, causing you to stand awkwardly behind him, keeping all complaints to yourself as it goes through. thanking the waitress, you leave the café hand-in-hand once more.
“thanks again for paying,” you repeat and rin gives a hum of acknowledgement whilst you two walk aimlessly on the path. “what do you want to do now?”
“i don’t know. do you have anything you want to do?”
“i might have an idea.”
leading him in the direction of a nearby store that just opened recently, you come to a stop in front of a shop that had neon-lights illuminating its inside and claw machines filled with adorable plushies lining along the walls.
glancing at him, there’s a glimmer of amusement in rin’s eyes as his lips turn upwards into a small smirk. “really?” he asks, looking over at you.
“really. this’ll be fun!” you promise before walking in, the dark-haired following suit as you stop in front of a token-purchasing machine.
from the corner of your eye, you can see him taking out his wallet already and you immediately put your hand on your wrist, ceasing his movement.
with just one glance, a whole conversation passes between you two. “if you pay for me i will sock you.”
“i’d like to see you try,” he deadpans, quirking a brow before pressing the ‘20 tokens = $19’ button on the machine, “but i’m paying.”
then the sound of his card meeting the reader and the transaction being approved rings through the air, followed by the deafening noise of coins clashing against metal. the look he gives you is nothing short of proud.
“come on babe, bet you won’t be able to get any prizes,” challenges rin as he brushes past you, the pet name causing your stomach to churn as insults rest on your tongue, offended by his declaration.
he’s gracious enough to give you half of the coins, allowing you to play four games each. you only manage to win on one of them and even then, you were astonished at your own achievements, excitedly grabbing the plushie and hugging the stuffed toy to your chest protectively. rin, on the other hand, comes back to you with two in both hands and the gawk you let out was completely against your will.
“how did you do that?” you ask, a little stupified at the sight (it was kinda hot though). although at this point, you shouldn’t really question how itoshi rin works since he takes the meaning of ‘march to the beat of your own drum’ to a whole other level.
instead of answering, he hands them over to you and you have no choice but to take them, your arms now overloaded with three stuffed toys.
before you can even open your mouth to ask if he broke into the machines, your phone buzzes with a notification and the second you open it, you’re met with a familiar ‘⚠️bereal’ banner, one that makes you excited over the impeccable timing. rin raises an eyebrow at your sudden surprise.
“bereal! quick, pose!” you demand and rin obeys, raising a peace sign with a slight smile before the camera turns around to you and the many stuffed toys you’re cuddling.
how adorable you are might just kill him.
the dark-haired shakes the thought away before taking out his phone, instructing you to smile. you pose for the photo, hugging all the plushies closely to your chest whilst rin gives his usual deadpan stare into the camera. he then gives you his phone to check if it was okay to post and when you approve, you press the ‘post >’ button for him.
shutting off his phone for him, it’s at the same time that the bereal notification pops up again, this time detailing how one of his friends had posted but that’s not what caught your attention.
it’s a certain photo that made your heart thump loudly in its ribcage.
“am i your lockscreen?” you ask, pride and flattery swelling in your stomach, manifesting through the warmth of your cheeks.
the slight widening of his eyes give you all the answers you need. “you weren’t supposed to see that.”
nothing could stop the slow grin from erupting on your expression. it’s ridiculous to say so, but it almost feels like a weight is being lifted from your chest, the pains of the last few weeks erasing themselves completely with this one detail.
that’s how you know rin was meant for you.
“out of all pictures of me, you chose this one?” you question, gesturing to the selfie that you once sent him during your study sessions. your hair was messy, there was a semi-crazed look in your eyes, but at least the moisturising lip gloss you had reapplied then made you look somewhat put together.
looking at his phone once more, you feel a little warm.
“i like it,” he mutters shyly, unable to look you in the eye. despite his embarrassment, his statement fills you with endless relief, providing gratification for your relationship with rin that you didn’t know you needed.
though you’ve been friends with him for quite some time now, you feel as though you don’t really recognise the man in front of you. past perceptions you’ve had of him has now been shattered by his flustered gaze, the relentless blush coating his cheeks, and the uncharacteristic way he slumps, as if defending himself from any judgement you might throw at him.
luckily for him, that’s not what you’re interested in doing.
unlocking your phone, you hand it to him. “take a matching selfie so i can make it my lock screen too.”
at least you have all the time in the world to get to know him all over again.
(rin will never tell you that he only has been active on bereal so he could see what you were up to. except it backfired every time because instead of satisfying how desperately he was longing for you during your two weeks of no contact, it only made him want you more. he wanted to be there with you through your intense study sessions, he wanted to be going on walks with you, he wanted to be there with you when you were watching one more episode of your favourite tv show before going to bed, he just wanted to be there with you.
now he has all the time to make sure he is.)
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
[@y/n’s BeReal]
@ karasu69: @fruityninjaotoya YOU OWE ME TWENTY BUCKS → @fruitninjaotoya: Shut your micropenis up
@ yocchan: Y/N WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS → @ nagixxxxxxxxxxxxx: ratio → @ yocchan: DON’T RATIO ME RN
@monsterbachira: omg are y’all 😍❤️😍 rn → @y/n: wut. → @itshrin: Yes → @monsterbachira: y/n rin is actually a good kisser → @y/n: thanks for letting me know meguru! → @itshrin: i’m going to end you.
@bbgreo: i’m glad y’all had fun but no itoshi rin on our platonic date pls! → @y/n: would never dream of it luv <3 → @itshrin: Sleep with one eye open, Reo → @y/n: that’s my best friend :( → @itshrin: You don’t need him → @y/n: reo and i are one you can’t separate us → @itshrin: Ok fine 😒 → @bbgreo: yay! → @y/n: yay!
<reo3: told you you were too pretty to reject xx
"kaiser?" you call from the bathroom, searching the cabinet with an urgency that easily tells him you started getting ready a little too late this morning. "are we out of pimple patches?"
he leans against the doorway, watching you with an easy smile on his face. "yep, i used 'em all."
"what? there were still 5 left when i last checked though?"
"yeah, i'm breaking out," he shrugs. "it's a tragedy."
you whip your head in his direction, a deep frown setting in your brows. "no, you're not, you liar."
"just take a look if you don't believe me."
"where?!" you demand, taking a step closer to approach him. you lean into his face, leaning so close that he can feel your warm breath against his cheek, only to find nothing but perfectly smooth, acne-free skin. you realize too late that it's just another one of his ploys and kaiser quickly turns his head to plant a loud, wet kiss on your cheek.
"haha! gotcha!"
you wipe your face with the back of your hand, clearly unimpressed. "you could've just said you wanted a kiss.”
"and where's the fun in that, darling?"
but kaiser's shenanigans don't stop there. as soon as you have your back to him again, he inches forward to wrap his arms around you, binding you so tightly that you can't even squirm in his hold.
"kaiser, let go," you giggle, your body swaying left to right thanks to his playful maneuvers.
"stop getting ready," he mumbles, now burying his face in the space where your shoulder meets your neck. "don't go. don't leave me."
"i have to," you whine, finally breaking free of his hold and attempting to resume your skincare routine sans pimple patches. kaiser, who doesn’t know what it means to give up, still latches onto you like a leech, this time snaking his arm around your waist so as not to disturb you getting ready.
"where are you even going so early?" he pouts.
you catch his eyes in the mirror. "i literally told you last night."
"i forgot."
"you weren't listening."
"maybe that too."
"typical."
"nah, i'm just joking. you're seeing your mom."
"why do i even put up with you..." you ask yourself, holding back a sigh.
"because you love me. anyway, can i come? i wanna see your mom. she loves me too."
"no, that's exactly why you can't. i'm not gonna spend my saturday morning having breakfast with my mom only to listen to her she gush about you."
"aw, you're scared she loves me more than you?"
"no way, she's my mom," you say immediately, but then you pause, and ponder the possibility for a moment that she does, actually, like kaiser more than you.
kaiser raises his brow with that knowing look on his face. "you sure about that?"
"stop making me doubt my own mother."
"it's okay, if she doesn't love you as much, i can make up for it."
"no, you can't."
"of course i can. the whole world isn’t enough to hold my love for you, darling,” he says, his tone slightly more serious this time. then, he rests his chin on your shoulder, tightening his grip around your waist ever so slightly. “when are you gonna be back?”
“i’ll be back for lunch.” you can’t help but soften when he does, and kaiser breathes in deep, catching the scent of lavender soap on your skin before placing an innocent kiss against your collarbone. “i won’t be too long, mihya, i promise.”
“…fine. i’ll be waiting for you.”
“i know.”
“don’t take too long,” he adds, as if you haven’t already assured him you wouldn’t.
“i won’t,” is all you say, turning your head to kiss his head.
newfound dad and adopted son being deranged bitches together, more at 11
hi :)
ari if u don’t write sae i’ll actually go crazy/lh
✮ tags ; alcohol, gn!reader, reader has an accent that progressively worsens as the night goes on, setting is in japan, reader is sae's manager, sae is an acts of service kind of guy, they eat ramen tgt
✮ wc ; 1.2k
✮ a /n ; stop. i dont want this man.
"Ramen," You moan, face flush and nearly stumbling over yourself clumsily "Oh my god, I want ramen. And I wan' a popsicle. Fuck it's so cold."
Sae puts an arm out to keep you from stumbling, but you regain your strength before you notice. He sighs, as you confidently march down the sidewalks and turn into the nearest 7/11.
He hasn't seen you like this in the three years he's been under your management. You're a professional, and you always hold your drinks well. Tonight was one of his mandatory public events he needed to keep sponsorship, and you went as his plus one. He's back in Japan only for this, and he'll leave the day after tomorrow.
You were well-behaved for the entire night, but the minute you got in the limousine - your words were slurring asking the driver to take you to the closest bar so you could party.
Sae doesn't usually worry and fuss over people like this, except for Rin on the occasion. It's just that it's you, and he's never really seen you in this state. He's never going to claim being a good guy, but even he has enough of a conscious to do this. To stop you? No. But to make sure you don't get into anything you'd regret.
So, he's following you. He's still in his suit but he has his security nearby just in case and to make sure there's no paparazzi.
It's also a little funny seeing you drunk. There's an apathetic college student at the counter who doesn't even look up when you walk in. You don't seem to care though, rifling through the snack isles with a hazy look on your face and no awareness of your surroundings. Every few minutes you hiccup, remembering he's here.
"Do you want anythin'?" You say, only vaguely aware of what's going on. He stares at you.
"Can't."
"Fooey," You say, and Sae has to keep himself from laughing "Jus' a lil. I won't tell anyone. Scouts honor."
"Why do you want me to have some in the first place?"
"It's fun to share," You say, giving him a heart with both of your hands, ramen tucked under your arm "Don't wanna eat alone. Please."
"I've never seen you this drunk before."
"Don't usually drink a lot," You say, going to back to stare at snacks with a thoughtful look on your face "But. Ugh. Y'know?"
"Ugh?"
You nod emphatically.
"So super ugh. Anyway. Have ramen with me? It can be healthy if we get you an egg, I think."
"I'm not eating the pre-made eggs. But fine,"
"Yaayy. Thank you."
"And I'm paying for it." He says, not turning around to let you protest. You whine a little behind him, a quiet and thoughtful nooo that he has another good laugh at. He'd be amiss to let you pay, especially since he makes much more than you.
That and the fact he's trying to confess his feelings. It doesn't seem very romantic to do otherwise.
It doesn't take any effort to grab up the stuff you've secured in your arms. The cashier rings it out quietly, not paying much attention at all. He only makes an impressed face when Sae pulls out his black card.
When the ramen is finally paid for, he takes his out of the bag and hands it to you. And you scurry over to the hot-water station and microwave, where he follows suit. He looks away for one minute, and hears you yell. You've burned yourself slightly on the electric kettle.
He sighs, stepping in. He flicks your forehead with his thumb and forefinger.
"Oi. Go sit before you do something stupid."
You fumble, protesting for a minute about the fact you can do it but again - it doesn't take much effort to redirect you to your set. You rest your feet on the place for them on your stool, swishing back and forth. Sae reads the instructions, making each ramen and returning. He grabs your ice cream from the bag and places it in the nearby cooler so it doesn't melt.
He watches you stare at your ramen while it cooks, a pair of wooden chopsticks sitting ontop. He just barely stops himself from teasing you about being impatient. You place your elbows on the table in front, drowsy and huffing - glancing over at him until he tells you it's been enough time.
"Should be done. Don't burn your tongue."
"Woo!" You cheer, tearing off the top part off, chopsticks in hand. You look pleased as you eat, not hesitating to shovel as much as you can into your mouth.
Sae eats too, though probably a little less enthused. The ramen is good. It's not easy to find good instant stuff like this abroad and he hasn't had it in a long time.
"Oh, I feel better. Eating... it fixes everything,"
"What exactly were you feeling bad about?" He asks between bites. You open the soda you bought and drink it down, before wiping your mouth.
"Ma wants me to get married soon," You say, with all the annoyance. He stops chewing "Which is sooo stupid. Says she ain't getting any younger so I should start looking. Keeps setting me up on blind dates."
"...You don't want to get married?"
You sigh.
"Mm, no. 's not like that. Just that," You put your chopsticks down, elbows on the table - chin resting on your palms "Want it to happen a more naturally. You're gonna make funna me if I keep talkin"
"I won't this time."
You snort with laughter, before glancing over at him.
"If ya say so," You turn yourself slightly, looking around before giggling "I want it to be love. Stupid right? Least for me."
"Why would that be stupid? Isn't that pretty common?"
"Hn. Yeah, maybe. But I dunno. Who's out there to fall for me naturally, y'know. I don't wanna force it is all. Just want it happen without me havin' ta chase it," You say, thoughtfully, leaning back but not falling "I work hard for everythin'. Just one time, I thought - I wish it'd fall into my lap."
For a minute he sees your usual self. For a minute, Sae is shocked by the feelings he's experiencing. He's always known it. Felt it, lingering in the back of his mind. He knew it intrinsically like some kind of base instinct.
But hearing you talk, the usual smile and level eyes about something so important makes him really feel every extent. For a minute Sae thinks, he probably doesn't just like you.
It'd be nice, yknow. To see the look on your face when it does really just fall into your lap.
"Yeah, you're right. That's pretty stupid."
"Hey, c'mon. You just said—"
"Not wanting to work for it when you're married to your job is fair."
"Are you tryin' to console me? That's not—"
"So," He says, pausing to glance at you "Tell your mom you're seeing someone."
"I don't wanna lie to my Ma."
"It's not a lie." He says, straight-faced and finishing the last of his ramen before turning to you "Go out with me."
thoughts were thunk and i had to draw it before i forgot -,,,orphan kaiser who always got picked on and protected his little soccer ball with his life,,, it was the only thing he had -who stares at others like how the adults looked at himmmm -kaiser who got in on a sports scholarship and has the monthly dilemma to starve in order to keep his hair blue so he can get along with the other students -people pleaser kaiser…. fake sticker tattoos….. trying out eyeliner………….
Rei Sakuma x GN reader x Ritsu Sakuma sibling hcs (platonic ofc)
cws: none
notes: forgive me for writing so many hc posts lately 😭😭 school has been beating me up
two famous and successful idols
who happen to be both of your brothers
and coincidentally, always in competition with each other
it would be an interesting experience to say the least… but of course, like every other siblings, you guys do get into a lot of fights 😭
the fights are usually between rei and ritsu though lol
you’ll always be the one to break the fight
other than that, they’re really sweet!
rei likes to listen to you ramble about mundane topics
i also like to think that he’s always the one to buy you desserts or maybe some trinkets as little gifts
please keep his presents carefully 🙏 that’s kind of his way to say that he cares for you
ritsu on the other hand likes physical touch and quality (nap) time
he sometimes brings you around places to look for mao or just to find a place to sleep
ritsu does NOT like it when you hang out with rei and would pull you away if he feels like you’ve been hanging around him for too long
he cannot have his favorite sibling giving someone else more attention 💀
but anyways, whenever the bros have concerts, just seeing you in the crowd gives them more confidence and motivation
you’ll always be cheering them on! no matter the circumstances
they’re your brothers and you wouldn’t trade them for anything (i hope)
shut-in leo noises for your listening pleasure