The crushing weight of loneliness Rin carried since the fight with Sae had found relief in you. You were more than a comfort; you became his constant, the steady anchor in his life. Your presence filled the void, your warmth fixed wounds left raw for years. With you, he felt what he hadn’t dared to believe in. Home.

During his games, he would always search for you. Just a glimpse of your face in the crowd steadied him. As if all would be okay. The one proof in an unfair world that something good could stay.

But Rin knew life was never so kind. He understood you had your own life, your own demands. Still, his chest tightened when his messages went unanswered. When you said you were too busy. When his eyes searched the bleachers, only to find your seat empty. He reminded himself it wasn’t your fault. He knew you. Knew your heart. Yet, that didn’t stop the ache.

Lying in bed, Rin stared at the ceiling, waiting. Tonight, you’d finally have time for him. He’d waited weeks for this. He spent days clutching at small things to keep himself calm: the smell of your perfume lingering on your side of the bed when you stayed over, your shirts that you forgot to bring home.

When you arrived, everything softened. The tension in his chest vanished as he listened to you talk. But then came the ones that hit like a hammer: busy, workload, and finally studying abroad.

“…what?” he interrupted, his voice quieter than he intended. His body tensed as he sat up, eyes searching your face. “W-what do you mean abroad?”

You froze, realizing you hadn’t told him yet. The air between you grew heavy. Rin’s throat tightened. Abroad? His fingers gripped the sheets. The one constant in his life was leaving?

“…to where?” His voice broke slightly as he fought to keep it steady. “I-I haven’t seen you in weeks… and this is what you have to tell me?”