CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE;
better than you

yui's dad

3:04 AM

rin, did you get home?

you didn't message me

3:15 AM

i'm starting to get really
sleepy

i didn't eat anything
by the way

3:21 AM

i'm getting really worried
but i'm just going to
assume you fell asleep
the moment you
got home

please be safe

goodnight

Rin never messaged back, even until the late morning. 

You had woken up later than usual, and by the time you made your way to the dining table, your parents were already settled on the couch, watching something on television. The faint sounds of dialogue and laughter filled the room as you quietly ate your brunch alone.

"Y/n, have you heard? Rie's oldest son came home from Spain." your mom says, her eyes still focused on whatever show she and your father were watching, "Rie said he wanted to be there for her birthday. How sweet." 

You paused chewing, 'Rin's brother is back? ' 

Maybe that was why Rin hadn't replied. He must have been busy, after all, if his brother just came home from another country, that reunion was probably important to him. 

It made sense. He must have really missed him.

You felt a wave of relief wash over you. Whatever had been keeping Rin occupied, at least it wasn't something bad. 

Your mom didn't mention anything worrying, which meant he was safe. That was all that mattered.

"How long has his brother been overseas?" you asked, curiosity in your voice.

"About a year and a half," she replied casually.

A year and a half. You imagined what it would feel like to be separated from someone you cared about for that long. 

The thought settled uneasily in your chest, a dull ache you couldn't quite shake. Even though you hadn't experienced it yourself, you could guess how hard it must have been for Rin, for his family, and even for his brother.

hell's kitchen

12:26 PM

mio
guys is it just me but
i feel like it's been forever
since i saw you guys

amari
i literally just saw you, y/n,
and rumi yesterday

mio
YEAH but that wasn't us
hanging out 💔

rumi
yeah💔💔

rumi
i miss kaori:(

kaori
hi babes

KAOORIRIRRIR9IRIR

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN

kaori
IM ALL GOOD NOW

mio
KAORI MY BABY

rumi
KAOOO🥺🥺🥺🥺

amari
oh my goodness she's
back from the dead

kaori
DAMN RIGHT I AM

mio

PLSLLSLS CAN WE HANG OUT
TODAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

amari
i'm down. where do you
guys want to go?

what are some activities
we can do?

kaori
we can go to an amusement
park

kaori
and get some shaved ice
after

rumi
YYUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPP

rumi
COUNT ME INNNNN

mio

IM ALREADY IN FRONT OF
MY CLOSET RN PREPARING
MY OUTFIT

LLOLOLOLOLL

kaori
by the way guys

kaori
how'd the trip go?

mio
IT WAS AMAZEBALLS

rumi
YEAHH my favorite was
definitely the barbecue
by the beach

amari
mine was the snorkeling

amari
i met up with y/n underwater
LMFAO

STOP

HONESTLY IT WAS SUCH
A JUMPSCARE

amari
what the frick should i
be offended😐

amari
and DONT THINK YOU

CAN GET AWYA WITH THIS
Y/N😐😐😐

amari
[picture of you on rin's
shoulders during the games.jpg]

kaori
WHAT THE HELL

rumi
AHHWHAHAHAHAH I REMEMBER

rumi
WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE [you and
rin eating together during bbq
dinner.jpg]

kaori
HELLO???

STOP

ASJDASDASDADSAD

WE R JUST FIERENDS

WHAT THE HELL

mio
what about

mio
[a candid picture taken
of you and rin eating at
the ice cream parlor.jpg]

GET OFF MY ASS RIGHTNOW

amari
YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING
TO DO

i actually have an announcement

kaori
this better not be about you
liking him again

i like him

kaori
MY GYAATTTT

amari
Y/N YOU MF HWHDAWUDHAW

rumi
I TOLD YOU GUYS

mio
JESUS

BUT I ACTUALLY DONT PLAN
ON CONFESSING

I'M OKAY WITH HOW THINGS
ARE

I ACTUALLLLLLYYYYY

WANT TO BE JUST FRIENDS
WITH HIM

WHAT CAN I SAY

HE'S AACTUALLY A NICE
GUY GUYS

amari

YEAH. TO YOU

mio
my bet is they'll start dating
next month

HEY IM SERIOUS

I DON TWANT US TO DATE

IT'D RUIN WHATEEVER WEHAVE RN

I DON'T THINK HE'S THE
TYPE TO DATE EITHER

amari
WHATEVERRRR Y/N U R
A LOSER

rumi
amari

mio
you aren't safe from
this either

mio
don't think I DIDN'T KNOW
THAT RYOMEI WALKED U
HOME

???????????????

WHAT

I KNEW YOU GUYS MADE UPBUT???

amari
SHUT UP

amari
we'll talk about this later

amari
IN PERSON

kaori
there she goes AGAIN.

You hadn't realized just how much you needed this hangout with your friends until now. No matter how many new friendships you formed or how much fun you had with other people, these were the ones you'd always come home to.

The five of you spent the afternoon catching up, sharing stories and laughs as you debriefed everything that had happened during the break so far.

Rumi had some incredible news to share. She'd received a scholarship offer from one of Tokyo's prestigious universities (after she graduates, she plans to accept it), thanks to her outstanding athletic achievements.

Kaori, meanwhile, had a Taekwondo match lined up after summer break, and this time it was in Osaka. She eagerly invited everyone to come and watch, and the four of you immediately started hoping your workload wouldn't pile up too much. None of you wanted to miss the chance to see her in action, especially on such a big stage.

As for the rest of you, things were... complicated, particularly when it came to your tangled love lives.

Mio had been spending more time with Ezekiel, the international student she'd mentioned before. He was from Canada but was half-Japanese, and from what little Mio shared, he seemed like a genuinely kind person. Mio didn't reveal much about their connection, wanting to respect the personal details Ezekiel had entrusted her with, but the way she smiled whenever his name came up said enough.

Amari's situation was different but just as heartfelt. She and Ryomei were still on good terms. After confessing his feelings, Ryomei had made it clear that he was willing to keep things as they were if that's what Amari wanted. He valued their friendship far more than his own feelings, and somehow, that made their bond even stronger.

And you?

You were on the same shoes as Ryomei. 

It had taken time for Rin to reach this level of comfort with you, to lower his walls and let you in, even just a little. The last thing you wanted was for him to pull away again. 

Maybe you were just drawn to him because of the way he looked out for you, the way his quiet actions spoke louder than any words ever could.

But when you really thought about it, dating Itoshi Rin felt... uncertain, like something you couldn't quite picture clearly. Despite his thoughtful gestures, you knew his focus remained firmly on his own goals, his future.

And that was okay.

For now, you were content with just being friends.

And that was enough.

"I am exhausted," you muttered to no one in particular as you let yourself fall back onto your bed. 

The mattress creaked softly beneath you, and for a moment, you simply lay there, eyes closed. The weight of the day clung to you, but as tired as you were, sleep didn't come easily.

After some time, you blinked your eyes open and reached for your phone, scrolling through Instagram to check the pictures you'd posted earlier. 

The first few were solo shots Mio had taken, candid yet flattering. The rest were lively group pictures, filled with bright smiles.

As expected, the comments section was buzzing with your friends' comments.

s_amari why didn't u post the one where your tongue was blue from all the shaved ice you ate

minamio16 my glorious queen

haya._.rumi can we honestly edate? youre beautiful. You always make me laugh, always ake me smile. You literally make me want to become a better person... I really enjoy every moment we spend together. My time has no value unless it is spent with you. I tell everyone of my irls how awesome you are. Thank you for being you, know that ill always be right there by your side. I love you so much. I dont think you ever realize how amazing you are sometimes. 

matsukao yeoboseyo ?? i mean hello > < *giggles lightly* oh ... arasso.. i mean okay ah ... ne i mea yes. jinjjayo i mean really ... heh... MIANHAEYO!!! I'M SORRY *frustrated sigh*

instantryomein por que? oh . you don't know spanish do you, why? si quieres? OHmy bad you don't know spanish, if you want. MIJA CALMATE. 

You couldn't help but smile as you started typing a reply. Before you could finish, a notification popped up at the top of your screen.

itoshi_rin09 started following you.

"OW!" you yelped as your phone slipped from your hands and landed squarely on your face with a painful thud. Groaning, you rubbed your forehead and glared at your phone, as if blaming it for your own clumsiness.

You sat straight, rubbing your nose. 

itoshi_rin09 liked your post.

'Didn't he say he didn't have Instagram? Is this a poser?'

Out of curiosity, you clicked on his profile and saw that it was a new account, and he was only following you. 

yui's dad

6:30 PM

heyy

i don't know if you're busy
so just reply whenever

but did you make an instagram
account?

someone under your name
followed me, might be a poser

6:38 PM

it's me

HIIII

HELP you made one?

yes

why tho

i just wanted to make
one

i seee

HRU BTW

i heard your brother
came home

how's it going?

nothing special

did my mom tell you?

NOPEE

my mom did actually

are you having fun with
him around?

no

whaatt

really

i don't know

i'm uncomfortable
around him

D:

where are you noww?

in my room

do you want to come
over?

no

it's late

tomorrow then?

we can just laze around
Seen, 6:47 PM

6:51 PM

sure

"My parents aren't around," you tell Rin as he stepped inside your living room.

This was the first time he had ever been in your house. His eyes scanned the area, gripping onto the strap of his bag.

"What snacks do you want? I can cook some french fries,"

His eyes stop wandering and land on you, "I'm okay with whatever."

With a hum, you nodded, "You can head up to my room if you want. It's cooler there, I turned on the AC."

He paused. 'Your room?' It wasn't as if the two of you hadn't been alone together before, but this felt... different. Something about stepping into a girl's space felt oddly personal.

"I can wait here." he insisted.

"It's okay! Just go upstairs, my room's the first one on the left," you assured him with a smile.

Reluctantly, Rin pressed his lips together and trudged up the stairs, his steps slow and uncertain. As he reached your door, your distant humming drifted from the kitchen below.

Twisting the knob, he stepped inside and was immediately greeted by a wave of cool air laced with the faint scent of your perfume. 

His eyes flicked around the room, it was so different from his own yours wash much more lively. Posters lined the walls, splashes of color filling every corner.

On your desk sat a collection of framed photos: baby pictures featuring you with wild hairstyles, a family portrait, your middle school graduation photo with Amari, and a group picture with your friends from school

 It looked like you had just finished your summer homework. Rin wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was quietly proud that you didn't need his help with math anymore.

"Huh...?" Rin's eyes narrowed as they settled on your corkboard. A few reminders were pinned to it, chores, a to-do list, but one section stood out.

Pinned among the notes were several printed pictures of you and him from the beach trip. His face burned. His neck prickled with heat, and he swore his ears had turned red.

'What the hell?' he thought, feeling an odd mix of embarrassment and confusion. Flustered, Rin slumped down beside your bed, frustrated brows knitted together.

"Meow?" Two familiar cats peeked out from beneath the bed.

"Ai? Yui?" Rin murmured, recognizing the pair. Ai immediately climbed into his lap, while Yui casually scratched at his knee. The tiny claws barely stung compared to the bruises Rin had earned from football, so he just let her be.

"Rin, can you open the door for me?" you yell from outside.

He stood up and opened the door to find you balancing a bowl of fries and two glasses, a large bottle of iced tea tucked under your arm.

"You should've called me to help."

"It's okay, I managed, didn't I?" you flashed him a smile before settling the food on your table.

Immediately, you noticed the pictures you had pinned and felt VEEERRYY embarrassed.

'Did he see them?'

Your eyes darted toward Rin, only to see him playing with the cats. Relieved, you hastily shuffled some books to try to cover the photos.

"What do you want to do? Play games or watch a movie?" you asked him.

"Whichever you want."

The two of you ended up playing 'Last Breath'. He got you hooked in the game, it was the only horror game you willingly played.

After all of that, the two of you watched a movie. Picked by him, of course. Though you