All throughout his life, Rin had felt like something was missing. That feeling was there ever since he started walking, and began perceiving the world around him.

Even when he played soccer, even when he spent time with his beloved older brother, Sae, it never went away. It was a sickening thing, making him feel like he wasn’t whole no matter sort of achievement he got. Overtime, he’s learnt to distract himself from thinking about it— mostly with soccer.

When Sae crushed his dreams brutally, out of nowhere, and left him sitting idly in the snow as he walked away from him, Rin laid his head on his arms atop his knees and thought that now he felt even more torn on the inside. And it dawned on him that maybe what he was missing wasn’t something, but rather someone. Yet.. who? Surely, it wasn’t a romantic partner? Rin was never interested in romance, and now even less so. But the thought of loving and being loved elicited a strange ache in his heart.

It wasn’t until he was on the field during the Blue Lock 11 vs Japan’s U-20 team that he got his epiphany. At one point, he ran past your row as he chased the ball, and happened to glance in your direction. Rin stopped abruptly, almost stumbling. He felt like his brain had swollen.

He looked up at you, sweat pearling on his face, mouth agape. He didn’t even register his teammates shouting his name, it felt like he was relieving memories, but not of his life. What the fuck was happening?

..He remembered you. He loved you. The dull sensation in his heart was gone now, replaced by a feeling of yearning for you. You had been his, you still were. He’d found you again.

He snapped out of it quickly though, with one loud call from Isagi. After shooting one last glance at you, he was back to running, this time with more passion and determination than he’d ever mustered throughout his life. He felt alive. He was going to find you and speak to you after this. He wasn’t about to let go of you a second time.