The moment the match ends, the internet explodes.
One missed shot, that was all it took for people to suddenly forget who Rin Itoshi is.
The same people who used to worship him are now calling him "overrated," "washed," "selfish," saying he "choked under pressure"
Your blood boils instantly.
"What the hell is wrong with these people?!"
You're sitting on the couch in one of Rin's oversized shirts, aggressively typing replies with the determination of someone entering battle.
"He missed ONE shot." "Do you people think athletes are robots?" "Everyone else misses too, why are you acting like Rin committed a crime?"
You get more and more offended with every comment you read.
Meanwhile, Rin is still on his way home.
He expected silence, maybe disappointment because he already knows the internet is tearing him apart. He can imagine the headlines, the insults, the mocking edits.
Usually, he'd just deal with it alone. But the second he opens the front door—
You storm toward him looking genuinely devastated.
His eyebrows furrow immediately. "...What happened?"
"What happened?!" you repeat in disbelief. "People are being horrible to you!"
Before he can even respond, you start ranting again.
"They're acting like you're not human! It was ONE shot! ONE! And now suddenly everyone thinks they can disrespect you?!"
Rin just stands there quietly while you continue rambling angrily.
Your cheeks are flushed, your eyes look watery from frustration and you're looking personally attacked by the comments.
And somehow… Rin completely forgets about the missed shot.
Because now all he can focus on is you.
The way you're pacing around the living room while holding your phone like it personally offended you, the way you keep defending him like your life depends on it, the way your voice shakes with genuine hurt for him.
"They don't even know how hard you work," you mumble sadly. "You were probably already upset and then they made it worse..."
Rin feels something tight twist painfully in his chest.
Not from the match or the comments.
Because instead of thinking about himself, he's suddenly staring at you like you're the most precious thing in existence.
You care this much, this deeply and for him out of all people.
"You should see the way I replied to them," you continue angrily. "Actually no, don't. I almost started fighting thirty different people."
"Almost?" Rin says flatly.
He exhales quietly through his nose.
God, you're too adorable, too sincere, too loving. He feels like his heart genuinely cannot handle it.
You're over here fighting strangers online with tears in your eyes because someone dared insult him.
Meanwhile the actual person who missed the shot is no longer sad at all, because now he's too busy staring at you with that intense, unreadable look in his eyes.
"What?" you ask, still pouting.
Rin suddenly pulls you against him, hard.
You yelp softly as he buries his face into your shoulder.
He stays silent for a few seconds. Then quietly—
"I don't care about the shot anymore."
Your expression softens instantly.
His arms tighten around your waist.
Because honestly? How is he supposed to feel miserable when someone loves him like this?
You get furious for him, you get sad for him.
You defend him like the insults are aimed at your own heart.
And Rin, someone who spent most of his life alone with his emotions, doesn't know what to do with that kind of love sometimes.
It overwhelms him in the best way possible.
"You're insane," he mutters against your skin.
You gasp dramatically. "For defending you?!"
"Well obviously I care this much," you say like it's the most normal thing in the world. "You're my boyfriend."
God, he's so in love with you.
