despair | h. rindo

XVI

"Hey. Hey. Oi. Y/n. Oi dork, wake up."

It hasn't even been a minute and you were trying your best to act asleep as Rindou poked your cheek. "Komori. Y/n. Oi. Oi. Hey. Wake up." You jolted up, turning your gaze towards him with a glare, but he only smiled.

"Good. You're up." He sighed satisfied. "You woke me up for what?" You whispered angrily. "Nothing. I was walking around your room-"

"Creep."

Rindou looked at you with disbelief as he stood up, not breaking his stare. "You're friends with this guy?" He asked, holding your old picture of the newspaper club, pointing at Akihiro who was beside you, holding a trophy up high with one hand and the other holding yours with a big grin.

"Yeah. He was my boyfriend." You replied sarcastically -perhaps it was a joke, perhaps not- as you rolled your eyes, adjusting yourself to lie back down. "What?!" He yelled lowly. "You have bad taste." He muttered.

"What was that?" You turned back to him. "I said, you have bad taste." He repeated, with no hesitation to bully you in the middle of the night. "Who in the right mind would date this nerd?" He scoffed.

You looked at him, confused. He kept muttering something you couldn't really hear as he glared at the photo.

Akihiro almost looked like Rindou if you were to point it out. Same droopy eyes, same jawline, same body structure.

Same blind.

'Glasses geeks.'

You couldn't help but chuckle as you realized what was wrong. "Is Haitani-sama jealous?" You cooed mockingly. Rindou turned away, hiding his slightly flustered face. "Wait- Are you?"

"Listen to me, Komori, I never get jealous." He said coldly. "Why would I be jealous? He's out of my league. I have everything he doesn't. Tell me what he has that I don't, go ahead." He turned away agitated. "Like a moral code?" You taunted.

"..."

"Heh."

"Go to sleep!"

"I was going to, until you woke me up." You rolled your eyes, turning your body to face away from him. "I wouldn't be fuzzy if you hadn't lied about this loser being your boyfriend." He scoffed.

"Just admit you're jealous."

"Call me jealous one more time and I might just commit murder."

"Sweet dreams, Haitani." You smiled before drifting off to sleep, ignoring all the silent profanities Rindou muttered.

~ ~ ~

Rindou woke up to the morning sun rays lightly dancing on his skin.

It was blinding him.

"Good morning, sir." You greeted, tipping your head as you bowed with a curtsey to greet the newly awoken male. "Where the fuck is everyone?" He asked with a groggy voice, ignoring you as he sat down on one of the chairs.

"Not even a good morning?" You turned around as you placed a plate of grilled fish next to the fried rice. "Good morning. Where the fuck is everyone?" He rephrased tiredly. "It's a Sunday. The restaurant's packed on Sundays." You shrugged. "My mom goes to work everyday except Saturdays."

Rindou nodded as he split the chopsticks and started eating his meal. "Why aren't you at work?" He asked as you sat down a chair across him. "I have to make sure you won't steal anything." You smiled as you placed your tilted head on your palm.

The male just glared at you, his head slightly tilted downwards. "Jeez, are you always grumpy on mornings?" You teased. "Actually yes, yes I am. Deal with it." He said, munching on the food prepared as you took out your phone receiving a text.

"Your clothes are still kinda wet by the way, so once they dry up we can have your bike checked." You informed, standing up. He nodded as he stuffed his face with the last portion of egg. You looked at him confusedly as he sighed satisfied. Somehow he looked like he hadn't eaten anything his whole life.

"You good?" You asked, the male looking at you confusedly. "Yeah, why?" You just shrugged as you walked to the backyard to see his clothes drying off. With the cold weather, it was hard to have them dry off with just the sun.

As you sat down the stairs to the backyard, watching as the wind blew away the wilted leaves. You heard the door gently swing open and footsteps coming closer. "By the way." Rindou started as he sat beside you. "Are you really dating that Yukimura loser?" He asked, almost too casually.

"Did you get sleep last night?" You asked, holding your laughter. "Just answer the damn question!" He retorted. "No, I've never dated him, I'm not dating him, I'm never dating him. There. Happy?" You smiled mockingly. "As a matter of fact no, you might just date him all of a sudden." He scoffed, looking away, in hopes never to have you notice his satisfied expression. Boy, did his heart leap when you said that.

You looked up to the sky, forming pictures of different objects. "Why? Does that bother you?" You asked. Rindou stayed silent. His inner enjoyment fading away as you opened your mouth once again to tease him. He didn't know what to answer. Actually, he didn't want to answer.

"Akihiro and I are strangers, does that satisfy you?" You asked again, a smile plastered on your face. Not a mocking one, no. Just one where you looked like you were enjoying your time with him even if he probably thought otherwise.

Rindou turned to you, setting down his arms as a crutch as he leaned backwards. "The picture says otherwise." He replied. "Well, we have... history... as friends. But even the closest friends can turn into strangers, no?" You retorted, turning to him. "Just, somehow, with memories."

"Who are you? Shakespeare?" You stood up, letting out a sigh. "Come on. Take your clothes and get ready. We're going to get your bike fixed, right?"

Rindou somehow never believed a single word. Why would he? You were some kind of mentalist. One moment you were about to fold him like paper, the next you would hand him a cup of tea.

As he walked back inside, he saw you sitting on the couch, scribbling on a pad, your tongue slightly stuck out and your eyebrows knitted together. A look of frustration and concentration clouding your face.

He would never be caught saying it outloud, but the look on your face made him want to squish it while chanting how stupid you are, listening to you complain.

He couldn't help but smile.

But that soon faltered when he realized it was stupid.

Stupid to have fallen in love with someone he used to hate and barely knew. To have fallen in love with someone who barely knew him. To have fallen in love with someone who could barely tolerate his presence.

Stupid to have fallen in love at all.

Yet, what he'd give to have someone look at him like there was something in him worth looking at.

Not as some millionaire highschooler. Or some kind of all-country's crush. Not some young heir to a multi-dollar comapny.

Just Rindou Haitani.

Just him.

To have you look at him like he was worth looking at.