RIN

Soon Rin was on his way back to Samezuka alone even though Makoto had offered several times to walk him back. Right now the redhead needed to clear his thoughts as he went back to the dorms. It seemed like the day had started well with his intentions to ask Haru out and now… now he had no idea what he was doing. Pausing outside the school gates, he look up at the stars and sighed.

"What the hell am I doing…? Why didn't I just push Makoto off…?" he thought, feeling anger at himself bubbling up. This could totally screw up his friendship with Makoto if it became weird and right now he really didn't need to mess up anymore of his relationships. Looking back to the ground he started walking again, rubbing the back of his neck like he usually would when he was nervous.

Rin had to sneak back into his dorm as it was after curfew and he wasn't supposed to be out this late. Inside, he set down his swim bag and slipped off his jacket. Glancing up at the top bunk he saw Sousuke was already asleep before he pulled his tank top over his head and changed into more comfortable clothes. He went over to his bed, pulling his phone out of the jacket he had been wearing and saw he already had a message from Makoto, which didn't really surprise the swimmer. Snatching his headphones off his dresser, putting them in and flipping on some music before he opened up the text.

From: Makoto

Did you make it home okay?

Rin smiled as he read it, knowing how Makoto always seemed to be concerned for everyone. That boy really did act like a mom sometimes. He was about to text back when he thought he heard something and as he moved to take a headphone out, something came off the bed above him with a loud thump.

"Sousuke!" Rin yelped, as he looked up at the taller boy, who was looking right back down at him. "Jeez, you can't just do that!" he added, pausing his music.

"Where did you go?" his friend asked with a serious expression and Rin scoffed, glancing back at his phone.

"It doesn't matter does it?" he snapped back at him, but he saw Sousuke's face soften a little bit.

"You came back after the relay looking upset then vanished," He stated "What happened?"

"I… it really doesn't matter. It's in the past so let's just forget about it okay?" Rin said quickly, not wanting to think about getting rejected by Haru any more than he already was. Plus he didn't know how much he wanted to admit to getting shot down to his best friend.

"Does it have to do with Nanase?" Sousuke asked him, sitting down on the edge of Rin's bed.

"What? No-!" Rin started defended but Sousuke gave him a look that made him stop. "U-um… y-yeah. Yeah is does…" he muttered, looking down at the bed instead of at him when he felt his emotions mixing up again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sousuke asked and Rin chuckled a little. He knew the teal eyed male was not one for emotions or comforting, but right now his bluntness was making it hard to not tell him.

"I, um…. I-I asked Haru out…" Rin said quietly, tensing as he waited for how his friend would respond, knowing that Sousuke didn't like Haru. He glanced up to see him just nod a little, then look back at Rin for him to continue. "And, um, well… he rejected me…" the redhead told him. "H-He didn't even listen to me! He just interrupted and said no!" Rin snapped as his felt tears coming up. "Like he just- he didn't- I didn't…." he started breaking up as his breathing got uneven and he quickly wiped away the tears that started spilling. Grabbing the closest thing, which was just a pillow, he threw it across the room with a frustrated snarled, pissed at Haru and himself for being pathetic and crying about it. He reached out to grab something else when large arms wrapped around him, making him stop. For a moment, Rin tried pulling away but when one hand settled on the back of his head, running through his hair gently, he stopped. Leaning in closer, Rin grabbed onto the front of Sousuke's shirt, clinging onto him as he put his head on the taller's shoulder. Sousuke didn't say a word, just held him there as Rin shook, trying to stop crying and control himself.

The two of them stayed like that for several minutes before Rin's death grip on Sousuke's shirt eased up and he let go. He sat up again as Sousuke let him go slowly, wiping his eyes again quickly before he smiled a little.

"S-Sorry about that…" he muttered, looking up into his teal eyes as Sousuke smiled back at him.

"It's okay Rin." He replied simply before settling back in his spot on the edge of the bed. "But you didn't answer the rest of the question. Where did you go tonight?" he asked.

"Um, I actually went swimming with Makoto." Rin told him, not bothering to resist his questions anymore.

"Really?" Sousuke said, looking a bit surprised. "Did it help?" he asked and Rin looked over at his phone, which still had Makoto's message pulled up on it. Rin felt a little flutter of warmth from that memory instead of thinking of Haru and he smiled.

"Yeah… it did"