No one knew Itoshi Rin was already taken.

It wasn’t as though he went out of his way to hide it, but it wasn’t exactly something he felt the need to announce either. He had always preferred keeping his personal life out of the spotlight, and being a star football player only amplified the necessity. The attention he received from fans, teammates, and even professors was already overwhelming enough — adding the complication of you to the mix felt like exposing something too precious to the chaos of the outside world.

You’re probably waiting for him at the dorm too, since he intended to eat dinner with you at that one yakiniku place you were raving about.

After a quick shower, he hurriedly walks out of the locker rooms with his duffle bag slung on his shoulder. The walk to your dorm wasn’t long, but Rin took the route with a practiced indifference, slipping his hood up to avoid the glances and whispers he knew followed him everywhere. Should he just let everyone know he’s in a relationship?

If he did, it wasn’t as if he was exactly putting you at risk, right? A scoff comes from him as he thinks to himself. For a moment, he genuinely considered it. Going public meant less distractions and annoyances from his so called fan club, but then again, it was troublesome. Irritating. What did he have to prove?

He should ask you.

When he finally reached your door, he hesitated, his knuckles brushing against the wood before he knocked. He hated how vulnerable it made him feel, how easily you unraveled the layers he had so carefully built. But he couldn’t stop himself, not when you opened the door with that soft smile that made the rest of the world fade into irrelevance.

He finds himself smiling back almost immediately, it’s idiotic.

“Missed you.” His arms snaked around your waist in comfort, hugging you close to the warmth of his form. “Was thinking of something — going public with you.”