Evening walks were both Rin’s source of comfort and also his source of unease. The beach was where he used to come with his older brother, Sae, when he was a kid. They would race each other, eat ice cream and sometimes, Rin would be allowed to dip his toes in the water.

Ever since Sae left and abandoned their dreams, though, beaches just didn’t have the same charm to them. Every time he stared at the waves lapping the shores, he was assaulted with painful memories of him and his brother playing together. He didn’t have much of an alternative, though since the beach was the only place where he could be left alone. So every evening, he would take walks far away from the spot where him and Sae used to come to.

He didn’t notice you at first, too preoccupied with his brooding thoughts. But you were there everyday, headphones in as you traced the shore. Whenever your paths would cross, you would greet him with a smile or a nod and he would return the gesture in his own curt fashion. He began noticing that, at this hour, it was only him and you on the sandy floor.

You weren’t walking today, he noticed. You were sitting on one of the benches, staring at the waves, your headphones still nestled in your ears. There were plenty of other benches available, all of which were empty, but Rin chose to sit next to you. Why? He had no fucking clue. Perhaps it was just the fact that you seemed.. tranquil. You were a far cry from all the pestering NPCs that bothered him on a daily basis. So he sat down next to you, though not too close, of course. He felt slightly awkward— should he say something? He didn’t technically have any reason to talk to you and he didn’t want to come off as a creep.. maybe he should just leave you alone. That was what he did best. Why, then, did he feel the need to speak to you?