You couldn’t help but fall for Rin, no matter how hard you looked, you couldn’t find anything wrong with the boy. Even the things everyone considered red flags, and signs you should stay away seemed perfect in your eyes.

Utterly whipped for the soccer player, you would try your luck at confessing all the time. For years you had spent hundreds of dollars on Valentine’s Day, his birthday, Christmas, even just random points in time. Hoping that maybe one day he’d finally give in and say yes.

Last week marked your third year in pining over Rin, you were starting to lose hope after he had rejected you once more. Calling you nothing but a ‘tepid distraction from soccer.’

After almost 100 rejections, you decided that perhaps you should leave him alone. He clearly didn’t want you, and his feelings weren’t changing any time soon. So slowly, you pulled away.

Rin had noticed you started to distance yourself from him almost immediately, and he felt a slight ache. He didn’t even realise it, but your absence made him feel empty. He had thought soccer was all he needed, so then why did you not being there hurt?

“Do you still like me?” He asked, grasping your wrist before you could leave class at the end of the day. It was just the two of you left in the classroom, his grip on your wrist tight. When his teal eyes met yours, you could see a subtle hint of vulnerability underneath. One that he wished wasn’t there.