Out of Nowhere (Rindou x reader)

Chapter 40: R.I.P. 2 my Youth

"Let's support her together, yeah?"

—~—

Third Person POV

The following Monday— the sun barely out and shining faintly in the home ec club room— (y/n) ripped her past week's worth of sketches into pieces.

It was unprecedented and completely out of character. A scream of agony ripped through the air as she clutched her chest and fell on her knees, but she was just glad that it was so early in the morning that no one was in the school to care. She seemed so calm and composed earlier so what happened...?

It was herself. Her insecurity got the best of her and forced her to believe she wasn't good enough. Looking back on the sketches, the grief-stricken female could only look at her work with a burning hatred— it was so. painfully. plain.

'No. Not this one. Not this one either, not—!' (Y/n) thought as she reached the last page of her drawing, ripping it in half and letting it drift to the ground. In defeat, she placed her palms on the floor and leaned over the tattered mess whilst her tears sorrowfully soaked the paper with a 'plop!', 'What have I done...?'

Strangely enough, there wasn't a single hint of regret or panic. Unfortunately, it wasn't relief either, it was just... numb. The poor girl felt so utterly numb that she didn't even flinch when all her inspiration went down the drain.

Ring ring!

That time she jumped— scared out of her wits by the sudden sound emitting on top of her work station. Without a lot of effort to get to the device quicker, she hoisted herself up to her feet and picked up her phone with slight hesitation. She didn't bother to check the caller ID on the phone window and answered the call as if she wasn't crying mere minutes ago.

"Hello?"

"(Y/n)," the sound of her boyfriend's groggy voice greeted her. Five in the morning was pretty rough, after all, "Are you in club already?"

"Um," she started sheepishly, "Yeah."

"Figured," he replied and (y/n) heard him yawn on the other end of the call, "I was planning on seeing you in the morning but, honestly, my head is killing me. Ran and I went out drinking last night so I think I have a hangover."

"That sucks," she frowned in a sympathetic manner, "Hope you get well soon."

"Will you be okay though?" He asked and she unintentionally froze at the question. She had to remind herself that it was a normal thing to ask and not the fact that she had a full-on meltdown earlier.

"Of course I'd be, why wouldn't I?" The (h/c)-nette said but Rindo wasn't too convinced.

"Knowing you, you'd overwork yourself and self-destruct if it weren't for me reminding you to eat," he spoke matter-of-factly and she felt an arrow comedically piercing through her chest, "I swear you revert back to a helpless baby whenever you're focused on sewing."

"Rude," she chuckled to lighten up the mood, but a sniffle unknowingly escaped past her and caught the younger Haitani's attention.

Sighing loudly over the phone, Rindo's tone changed to a softer one, "You weren't crying, were you?"

"Huh?" (Y/n) blinked. Suddenly, the depressing mood in the room returned, "No... I wasn't."

"You don't have to lie to me, (y/n). I'm not gonna turn you away for it," he said and she could feel the pressed smile sent her way, "What's up?"