CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE;
ideal summer romance

The classroom buzzed with a mix of chatter and complaints, the scent of cleaning detergent lingering in the air. Desks scraped against the floor as students pushed them to the back of the room, while two others wrung out a mop, their sighs of exhaustion blending into the background noise.

With finals finally over, every class had been assigned cleanup duty before the break.

You wiped down a desk with a damp cloth, the cool water seeping slightly through your fingers. Miwako stood beside you, tying her hair into a loose ponytail as she laughed breathlessly.

"I still can't believe we're going on this trip," she said, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Three whole days," you chuckled. "It's gonna be amazing."

"I know, right? I've been counting down for days. I just hope the weather holds up."

"Even if it rains, it'll still be fun," you reassured her with a grin.

"Fun? Raining at the beach?" Miwako scoffed sarcastically before laughing, she wiggled her eyebrows, "You know, they say summer trips are when people confess their feelings the most."

Yurika, a friend of hers, chimed in from nearby. "Yeah, it's like, the perfect timing. The summer vibes, the fireworks, the atmosphere... I bet at least one couple will come back together."

A few students around you laughed in agreement.

Miwako turned to you, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "What about you, Y/N? What's your ideal summer romance?"

You blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? I..."

A few feet away, Rin continued stacking chairs onto tables, his movements slowing slightly as he half-listened.

He didn't mean to eavesdrop. He really didn't. But when he heard your voice, his ears just... tuned in. It wasn't intentional, at least, that's what he told himself. But now, against his better judgment, his mind was stuck on the conversation.

Miwako leaned in closer. "Come on, just picture it. You're on the beach, the sun is setting, and then," she gasped dramatically, "Someone confesses their love for you! Super romantic, right?"

You laughed, shaking your head, "That's so cliché."

"It's still exciting to think about!" Miwako shared a hearty laugh with you, "So? What's your dream summer confession?"

Rin absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the back of a chair, waiting for your answer without even realizing it.

"I don't know," you admitted, dipping your cloth into the water, "I haven't really thought about it. Personally, I don't think anyone is going to confess to me."

"It's just a 'what if,'" Miwako pressed.

You hesitated before sighing with a small smile, "I think I'd prefer something more casual. Nothing too grand. Just honest."

Miwako hummed in thought, "Hmm... so, like, a quiet moment on the beach? Just the two of you?"

You rolled your eyes, "You're really trying to set the scene, huh?"

Across the room, Rin set a chair down a little harder than necessary. He wasn't listening. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. And yet, somehow, your words had slipped past his usual ability to tune out pointless conversations.

It wasn't like it mattered to him.

His jaw clenched slightly as he tied up the trash bag he had been pretending to care about. It didn't concern him if someone else confessed to you during the trip. That had nothing to do with him.

And yet, the thought of it sat heavy in his chest.

A few minutes later, the final bell rang, signaling the official end of the term.

The classroom was clean, desks neatly arranged, and students began filing out, chatting excitedly about their summer plans.

Miwako stretched her arms above her head, "Alright, time to go home and start packing!"

You laughed, "It's still a week away,"

She clicked her tongue, "It's better to be prepared! And Y/N, we have to coordinate outfits!"

"Okay, okay. I'll text you later,"

As the two of you left after getting your things, Rin finally straightened up, exhaling slowly. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, his expression unreadable as he made his way toward the door.

"I'm not going," Ryomei grumbled beneath his breath, tugging at the laces of his cleats with a little too much force.

Kousei, who had been stretching nearby, immediately shot him a baffled look, "Wait, what? Why not?" his voice was a mix of disbelief and mild offense, as if Ryomei had just personally betrayed him.

Ryomei let out a heavy sigh, barely sparing his teammates a glance, "Are you serious? I'm going to be busy training," he answered, his tone making it clear that the conversation was already becoming a nuisance.

But he knew his reasons for not coming.

"Bro, the hell did you eat this morning?" Rui cut in, raising a skeptical brow as he leaned against a locker, "Even Rin is coming. You know how serious he is about football."

That caught Ryomei off guard. His hands stilled for a second, fingers pausing over his laces, "That's a shocker," he admitted.

Kousei grinned, "See? If even Rin is making time for this, what's your excuse?"

Ryomei scoffed, shaking his head, "Rin probably has some other reason for going. That guy doesn't do things just for fun."

Rui smirked, "Yeah? Well, maybe you should learn from him." he nudged Ryomei's shoulder with his foot, "Come on, man. It's summer. We deserve a break,"

Before Ryomei could fire back, the sound of the clubroom door swinging open made them turn their heads. Rin stood at the entrance, his usual indifferent expression in place as he scanned the room. His gaze briefly flickered to Ryomei, as if sensing the conversion was about him.

"What?" Rin asked flatly, tossing his bag onto a chair.

Kousei and Rui exchanged knowing looks, "We were just talking about how you, of all people, are actually coming to the trip."

His expression remained deadpan, "And?"

Ryomei crossed his arms, "So, why are you going?"

There was a beat of silence before Rin sighed, as if he had already regretted walking into this conversation. "I had nothing better to do," he said simply.

They nudged Ryomei with their elbows at the same time, "See? Even Rin knows when to take a break, you in or what, Ryomei?"

Ryomei groaned rubbing a hand down his face, "You guys are annoying."

"We'll take that as a yes."

l/n y/n

6:23 PM

did you submit your

yes

wouldn't you know?

nawp

kaneshiro's the one
handling them

okay

btw

are you free tomorrow?

i kinda want to continue
playing last breath

yeah

GREATTT

i'll come over?

obviously

Rin leaned back at his chair, staring at the ceiling with his arms crossed. His eyes slowly avert down to his phone on the table.

The message thread was still open, the last text from you staring back at him: "Be there after lunch."

He exhaled through his nose, locking the screen with a little more force than necessary.

"So, why are you going?" Ryomei's question from earlier nagged at the back of his mind.

Why was he going?

Kousei had made it sound like it was just about taking a break, but Rin knew himself better than that. He didn't care about vacations. He didn't care about 'having fun' or 'relaxing', he didn't need to go.

He just found himself writing his name down on the registration paper.

He pushed a hand through his hair, eyes narrowing at the floor as if it held the answer.

Maybe it was because everyone else was going. Maybe it was because he'd already done enough training for the summer, and there was no point in pushing himself when there weren't any immediate matches.

But none of those excuses sat right with him.

Rin clicked his tongue, shoving himself off the desk as if that would physically shake off the thought.

His phone buzzed, he grabbed it instinctively, but it wasn't a message from you.

It was just a reminder about the trip itinerary. Rin let out a slow breath, staring at the screen for a moment before locking it again.

Maybe he didn't know exactly why he was going.

Does he really not?