Gotta Love Blue

You never planned on meeting or falling in love with Rin Itoshi. It just sort of happened on its own. On a windy autumn day, you were minding your own business, sipping on an overpriced coffee that did nothing to satisfy your taste buds except warm them against the cold. In your life, you had never experienced anything profound. You simply woke up every morning and forced yourself to put one foot in front of the other. Day after day, it was exhausting.

It was tiring pretending to be normal when you knew you were anything but that. Far from it, actually. You didn't experience emotions the same way everyone else did. In fact, you didn't experience them at all. No doctor's visit had ever helped, and there was no known cure. There were advantages to it, though. You were never angry, never sad, never overwhelmed by negativity. It allowed you to make rational decisions throughout your life without being burdened by unnecessary feelings. Though, admittedly, it came at the expense of your happiness. Then again, how could you possibly miss or long for something you had never experienced in the first place?

That was how you remembered life. It was like watching leaves drift from the trees one by one—painfully slow, repetitive, and unbearably dull. Whenever you ate, it hardly mattered whether the food was extraordinary or mediocre. Everything tasted equally bland to you. You were never content with your life, but neither were you restless enough to change it.

Existing was simply... existing. It was difficult navigating the world when you had no desires of your own, constantly moving with the current because you had no idea where you wanted to go yourself. What did purpose even feel like? What was the real meaning behind life that everyone else seemed to understand so effortlessly? You couldn't even begin to imagine it. Strangely enough, you were never jealous of people who could experience emotions so freely.

Despite your indifference, your condition deeply worried your parents. One evening, your mother confessed that she had once been exactly like you. She, too, had lived without emotions until she met your father. According to her, it wasn't an illness but a curse that had haunted your family for generations. The only way to break it was to find the one person worthy of receiving your heart.

Frankly, you thought it sounded ridiculous. You were perfectly content living without having to untangle the complicated mess people called emotions. You had seen firsthand what emotions did to people. They made them impulsive. Irrational. Inefficient. In your eyes, emotions were nothing more than obstacles that clouded judgment and pushed people toward decisions they would later regret. What purpose did they serve if they only complicated everything? They seemed like nothing but an unnecessary waste of time.

Without emotions, you remained level-headed even under immense pressure. Anxiety had never plagued you. Depression had never found its way into your mind. Life was undeniably easier this way. It wasn't surprising that you preferred it. Still… There were rare moments when you found yourself questioning that belief. Those thoughts never lasted long enough to matter. This was simply your reality. There was no point yearning for something you were never meant to have.

Sometimes, you'd quietly observe the people around you, watching them laugh until tears formed in their eyes or cry as if the world itself had shattered around them. You found yourself wondering what those feelings were truly like. How did happiness feel? How heavy was grief? How warm was love? The questions lingered in your mind, unanswered.

When you were younger, your inability to express emotions became a problem. Other children avoided you. None of them wanted to play with someone who never smiled or cried, and watching that slowly broke your father's heart.

Unable to bear seeing him like that, your mother gently asked you to pretend. So you did. You learned which facial expressions matched which situations. You memorized when to laugh, when to frown, when to comfort someone, and when to celebrate with them. Eventually, pretending became second nature. It earned you friendships here and there, but they always felt... empty. Nothing could fill the hollow space inside your chest. Not the friends you made. Not the expensive gifts your father bought in hopes of making you happy. Not the countless appointments with specialists searching for answers.

You had accepted it. This was simply who you were. Until that day. The bookstore had always been one of your favorite places to visit. Reading fiction became your substitute for emotions. Every novel was another lesson on how people loved, hated, mourned, forgave, and dreamed. The more you read, the easier it became to imitate them. You could probably become a famous actress one day from how good your skills were.

That afternoon, as you wandered through the aisles, your attention drifted toward the horror section. There he was. Standing quietly between the shelves, holding a horror novel you'd heard countless people recommend but had never gotten around to reading yourself. His teak-green eyes moved across each line with quiet concentration, his brows faintly knitted together, his lower lashes fluttering quietly while the rest of his expression remained unreadable. He looked… Peaceful.

Thump…

Thump…!

Thump…!!

Your body froze. For the first time in your life, your heart raced for a reason that wasn't physical exertion. Your hand instinctively flew toward your chest, fingers pressing against the frantic pounding as though you could somehow force it to stop. Instead, the book slipped from your grasp, crashing loudly against the wooden floor. The sound echoed through the aisle. His head snapped toward you almost immediately. Concern crossed his face as he hurried over. To him it looked like you were having a heart attack.

"What are you feeling?" he asked, already looking prepared to call an ambulance.

Every step he took only made your heartbeat louder. Faster. Hotter. Something unfamiliar spread across your face, heating your cheeks until they burned. Your lips twitched upward into the smallest smile before you could stop them. What… What was happening to you? He crouched beside you, helping you back onto your feet while repeatedly asking if you were alright. You barely processed a single word. All you could focus on was him. The color of his eyes. The sound of his voice. The warmth of his hand lingering against yours for only a second before he let go.

When he was satisfied that you weren't dying, he offered one final glance before quietly walking away. You remained rooted to the spot long after he'd disappeared. That was where everything began. You had finally experienced emotions. And he was the reason why. The warmth blooming inside your chest. The unbearable pounding of your heart. The smile you couldn't force away. They were beautiful.

You had never believed in love at first sight. Yet there had to be something about him—something that existed only within him—that reached into the empty cavity inside your chest and filled it so effortlessly. Without realizing it, your feet moved, you began following him. Not close enough to draw his attention but just enough to keep him within sight. The feelings were already overwhelming. You weren't sure your body could survive another conversation with him.

You simply wanted to know his name. Where he lived. What books he liked. What coffee he drank. Whether he preferred mornings or nights. Whether he had siblings. Whether someone else already occupied the place in his heart that had somehow become yours. If so, what’s her name and address? (You were definitely not going to do something violent.)

It wasn't stalking, you told yourself. You were merely gathering public information. And that kind of information wasn’t illegal and they were important. Information solved problems. Unfortunately for you, he was quicker than you expected. You lost him in the crowded intersection of Shibuya, the train arriving at the platform carrying a sea of people crossing paths. And just like that… He was gone.

Your footsteps slowed down to a stop and you felt like sobbing out of heartbreak for the first time in your life. The warmth disappeared almost instantly, leaving behind that familiar emptiness. Only this time, it felt different. The hollowness hurt. An unbearable loneliness settled inside your chest, making every breath strangely uncomfortable. You found yourself staring into the crowd, hoping to catch another glimpse of his teal hair even though you knew it was pointless.

You hated this feeling. It wasn't pleasant at all. Not compared to standing only a few feet away from him, quietly counting each one of his eyelashes while pretending to listen to his voice. You couldn't lose him. Not after finally discovering what it meant to feel alive. Fortunately, the modern world made finding people surprisingly simple.

You began with the bookstore's social media page, scrolling through dozens of customer photos from previous events until you spotted him in the background of one posted months earlier. From there came a school emblem stitched onto a jacket, then a name mentioned beneath another student's post, followed by an athletic roster, newspaper articles, match highlights, interviews, and countless photographs uploaded by fans.

Piece by piece, his life unfolded before you. His name is Rin Itoshi and he was a striker. One of the most talented soccer players in the prefecture and he was currently attending the neighboring high school. He was popular and admired for his talents. He was untouchable. And it granted him many female fans. And the mere thought of it made you want to rip out their eyes.

You learned far more than you had originally intended, yet somehow it still wasn't enough. Then you found the upcoming fixtures. Your school's soccer team was scheduled to face his in an interscholastic tournament at the city's stadium the following week. You stared at the announcement for a long time before closing your laptop. What an incredible coincidence. Or perhaps...

It was fate finally deciding to prove your mother right.

Those events had happened months ago. Now, you had him all to yourself. You silently thanked your mother for being surprisingly supportive of your... unconventional methods. She had never questioned your devotion. If anything, she only smiled knowingly, helping you purchase a secluded house tucked deep within the mountains where no curious neighbors wandered and no passing cars disturbed the silence. Surrounded by dense forests and hidden behind winding roads that barely appeared on maps, it was the perfect place for the two of you.

It was everything you had ever wanted. Well… Almost. The only flaw in your perfect little life was Rin's stubborn refusal to accept it. Don't get it wrong, you loved that side of him. The fire in his eyes whenever he glared at you. The sharp tongue that never hesitated to spit venom in your direction. The countless escape attempts that ended with him exhausted, glaring at you from across the room while refusing to speak for days afterward.

It was adorable. You never once grew tired of it. You simply wished he'd understand that everything you did was because you loved him. So, naturally, you looked for the source of the problem. Research had never failed you before. Finding information became even easier after Rin's disappearance. News articles, interviews, archived matches, old magazine features, fan discussions, practically everyone wanted to know where Japan's rising soccer prodigy had gone. They unknowingly handed you every missing piece you needed.

That was when another name kept appearing amongst your research: Sae Itoshi, Rin’s older brother. The more you read, the more everything started making sense. Before Spain. Before their relationship crumbled. Before words became weapons between them. Rin had admired him. Chased after him. Dedicated his entire existence to reaching a brother who no longer looked back.

It wasn't hatred. It was abandonment. You almost pitied him. Almost. Because there was one thing you knew with absolute certainty. You weren't Sae. You would never leave him. Even if the rest of the world did. The police continued searching for him. Posters still surfaced every now and then. His teammates gave interviews, refusing to believe he'd simply vanished. His family held onto hope.

But none of them loved him the way you did. None of them had sacrificed everything for him. One quiet evening, while the rain softly tapped against the windows, you found him sitting near the fireplace with his usual distant expression. His wrists were free now. They had been for weeks. You trusted him enough for that.

You knelt in front of him, "Hey, Rin?" He refused to meet your eyes. "You know..." you murmured, brushing a loose strand of hair away from his face, "I'm not like your brother." Silence followed but you paid it no mind, "I wouldn't leave you even if the whole world turned its back on you." His jaw tightened at your comment, "You're special to me."

"... You're fucking insane." He finally looked up at your eyes with a glare

You smiled, "I know."

His expression twisted somewhere between frustration and exhaustion before he looked away again, "... I don't need someone lukewarm like you."

"No." You answered softly, "Not yet."

Months passed. The seasons changed. The anger in his voice slowly lost its edge. His escape attempts became less frequent. Sometimes he sat beside you while you read without saying a word. Sometimes he'd absentmindedly accept the cup of tea you handed him before realizing what he'd done. And everyday you told him the same thing over and over again, that you wouldn’t leave him and that he was special.

More little habits between the two of you grew. Tiny victories. Still… Old instincts never truly disappeared, you knew he wanted to leave and you were waiting for the perfect moment to enact your plan. One afternoon, you returned home carrying groceries only to notice the front door hanging slightly ajar. Your footsteps stopped as the house was silent. Far too silent. Setting the bags down, you calmly followed the muddy footprints leading away from the porch and deeper into the woods.

You found him nearly half an hour later. He'd made it farther than usual. Standing between towering pines, breathing heavily, looking around with the desperate realization that every direction looked exactly the same. He froze the moment he noticed you. Neither of you spoke. For a long moment, only the wind moved between the trees. Then...You smiled.

"Good job." Confusion flashed across his face, "You made it outside." You stepped aside, gesturing toward the endless forest stretching beyond him, "Go." He stared as if you’ve grown two heads, "The road is somewhere east." You pointed vaguely into the distance, "Keep walking and you'll eventually find someone."

"...What?"

"You wanted to leave." Your voice remained gentle but in reality you were panicking inside, "So leave." For the first time since you'd met him, you turned your back on him.

One step.

Two.

Three.

You walked toward the house without once checking whether he followed. Minutes passed. The forest remained quiet behind you. You were panicking to see if your plan of all those months of careful preparation and meticulously choosing your words to best comfort him and become his only source of light had gone down the drain. But then— Crunch. Another footstep. Then another. But not ahead of you, it came from behind you, speeding up with each step.

You stopped, "So..." You looked over your shoulder, "There you are."

Rin stood several meters away, chest rising and falling unevenly. Dirt clung to his shoes, his clothes were streaked with leaves, and there was an unfamiliar uncertainty lingering in those pretty eyes of his, "You said..." he began quietly, the tears in his eyes already threatening to spill, "... You wouldn't leave."

"But aren’t you the one leaving? It’s not me this time, Itoshi.” You purposely used his last name knowing how much he hated it

Silence settled between you. His gaze drifted toward the endless woods behind him. Then back to you. Another long pause. Before, without another word, he closed the remaining distance himself. His fingers hesitated only briefly before finding your sleeve. A small gesture. One that would have been meaningless to anyone else. To you… It meant everything.

"Don’t call me that." The word caught in his throat and he shut his eyes tightly. When he spoke again, his voice was barely louder than the breeze, "... I don't want to be alone. Your heart skipped a beat, joy ringing within you, "So don’t give up on me."

The corners of your lips curved upward. You reached out, gently intertwining your fingers with his, "I told you," you whispered, "I'll always stay."

Rin looked down at your joined hands and for the first time he was the one to initiate saying those three words you’ve always wanted to hear, "... I love you."

You’ve never felt this happy in your life, you couldn't control how heart sped up or how your breathing stuttered. In this moment, it was as if the world had frozen in place and the only people left still moving were you and Rin. You had imagined hearing those words countless times before. None of those fantasies compared to the real thing. Smiling at him brightly with your eyes threatening to shed tears, you leaned forward and rested your forehead against his.

"I love you so much more, my darling.” You kissed him there on the spot

Rin kissed you back, hesitant at first before completely melting into your lips and letting you take control. He had to lean down onto you, his height so tall that you had to tip toe to reach him. Every little voice in the back of his head saying this was wrong and that he should escape while he still had the chance, quiet down. And the bird you had worked so hard to capture, even after being handed the key to escape, had willingly returned to his cage. Now you weren’t going to let him go again, never again.

Together, you walked back toward the house. Neither of you looked back at the forest. The cabin slowly came into view once more, its warm lights glowing softly through the windows as dusk settled over the mountains. To anyone else, it would have looked lonely and isolated from the rest of the world, swallowed by towering pines and endless silence. But to you, it had always been home. A place built solely for the two of you, where no one could tear him away again.

As you reached the front porch, Rin's hand tightened around yours ever so slightly before he stepped inside without hesitation. There was no pleading to leave. No desperate glances toward the road. No frantic search for another opportunity to escape. He simply slipped off his shoes and quietly disappeared into the house as though he'd lived there all his life.

A gentle smile found its way onto your face. Perhaps your mother had been right after all. Love really could break the curse. You finally laughed for the first time in your life, the unfamiliar sound echoing softly through the quiet house. It felt warm. You had searched your entire life for the one person capable of making you feel. And now… He loved you too.

“Don’t ever leave me, (Y/n).” He whispered, pulling you impossibly closer, ”… Because if you do,” he murmured against your ear, “I’ll come find you.”

His once-loving eyes had turned predatory. You only smiled, blissfully unaware that somewhere between the lies, the isolation, and the endless promises that you’d never leave. You hadn’t simply taught Rin how to love. You had taught him how to obsess. You spent so long believing that you were the monster in the story.

That your family’s curse, your fears, and your darkness were the things everyone should have been afraid of. But maybe you were wrong. Maybe the monster had never been you.

“Tell me you love me, (Y/n)”

“Say you won’t leave me.”

“I’m your only boy aren’t I?”

“I’m the only one you should look at always so why do you know about Sae? Never fucking mention him again.”

“You kidnapped me and taught me to love you. It’s only fair if you take responsibility for your actions.”

Maybe it had been him all along… Quietly waiting beneath the surface, hiding behind every insult he threw at you. Waiting for the right moment to awaken. And now that it has, he wasn’t going to ever let you go either.

“Tell me you love me more.”

“I love you so much it’s fucking killing me, Rin.”

“I want you.”

“You have all of me.”

“I need you.”

The moment the van pulled away from the swarm, a heavy silence settled over the vehicle. Only moments ago everyone had been fighting for their lives. Now that they were temporarily safe behind metal doors and reinforced glass, the adrenaline began wearing off and reality started setting in. Some of the boys stared blankly out the windows while others struggled to catch their breath. One looked moments away from being sick.

You couldn't really blame them. The city looked like a warzone. Abandoned vehicles clogged the roads. Buildings burned in the distance. Every now and then you caught glimpses of people sprinting through alleyways with infected close behind. Gunshots echoed from several directions while dark smoke rose into the sky like storm clouds. It was difficult to believe that this had all started only a few hours ago.

There were still some infected blocking the road, so instead of swerving to avoid them, you drove even faster, intentionally crashing into them. It didn’t matter who it was, man, woman, or even child. The boys in the back couldn’t even stomach watching it. Watching how blood splattered all over the windshield while simultaneously hearing the cracking of bones. Who knew they were so easy to break, as if they were just mere twigs? Who knew a human being could carry that much blood? When you’re choosing between surviving and dying in the apocalypse, the answers become simple and your morals turn grey.

Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, you finally spoke. "I'm heading toward the outskirts. That's where my house is." None of them immediately responded, still out of breath and in a state of shock, "If any of you want to get dropped off somewhere along the way, now's the time to decide."

The red-haired boy sitting further back snapped his head toward you, "... How are you this calm?" He blurted out, sounding equal parts frustrated and terrified, "Did you not see what happened back there?"

The question lingered in the air. Truthfully, all of them had been wondering the same thing. Ever since climbing into the van, the boys had found themselves stealing glances in your direction. They weren't stupid. Anyone who had just escaped the beginning of what looked like the end of the world should've been shaken up to some degree. Yet aside from the faint sheen of sweat on your forehead and the dried blood splattered across your shoes, there was very little evidence that you'd just fought your way through an infected school and driven through a city collapsing in on itself.

You weren't trembling. You weren't crying. Hell, you didn't even look scared. If anything, you looked mildly inconvenienced. And it didn't help that you had driven straight through several infected without so much as flinching. Most people would've at least hesitated. You simply pressed down on the accelerator and kept moving as if running over monsters was no different from avoiding potholes on the road. Naturally, that made them uneasy. Not because you had saved them. But because they couldn't quite figure you out. You were what, a girl their age who knew how to hotwire a car, drive it, and not hesitate when going in for the literal kill? Yeah, textbook serial killer.

In contrast to the boys view of the situation, you had accepted it. This was your reality now, the life you knew before won’t ever return, at least not the way you’d remember it. In this new world, it was kill or be killed. Only the strong survive and the ones who don't have the guts to stand up and fight back will be left behind to perish in the chaos. No one wanted to turn into a cannibalistic monster, no one wanted to be forgotten, or left for dead in the tragedy. That’s why even if the rest of the boys wanted to yell at you for killing those people as if they meant nothing. As if they weren’t once normal and had lives of their own. They couldn’t bring themselves too, too selfish, too egotistical to think about saving other people. They were going to survive this crisis, but in order to do that they’d need to prioritize their own skin.

Sensing the growing tension inside the van, the dark blue-haired boy spoke before the conversation could go any further, "We came from Blue Lock." You glanced at him through the rearview mirror, one eyebrow raising slightly.

The name meant absolutely nothing to you. Maybe you’ve heard it in passing at school, some of your classmates liked to gush about the latest sport topics, but it didn’t really affect you in any way so you found no use in remembering such pointless information. You glanced at them from the rearview mirror and realized that the uniform they were wearing was somewhat familiar. But you couldn’t quite place your finger on it.

Seeing your confusion, he quickly clarified, “It’s an isolated facility where we trained.” He explained, his voice sounded steadier than most of the others, though the tension in his shoulders suggested otherwise, “The chairman of the football union came in infected then all hell broke loose, we figured it must’ve been better outside but everything's gone…”

“By 1000 hours the city was already run over, there were reports in the morning but none explain how badly the situation escalated." You responded, not bothering to try and remember whatever Blue Lock was.

The boys gave you a weird look for using military time but it was a habit you’ve picked up since you were a child. You merely hummed in response after that as if that could break the tension. For now, you assumed that the boys will be going with you until they have a means of getting home. Apparently none of them lived in the Tokyo area and they didn’t know how to drive a manual car so they were stuck with you until they could figure out a safe mode of transportation, plus they needed to rest and collect themselves, so you all collectively agreed on staying at your house at the moment. The boy who you know as Isagi introduced the rest of the survivors— Rin, Bachira, Chigiri, Nagi, Reo, and Barou.

“You’re from Hakuho High School, (L/n) (Y/n), right?” Reo asked, taking a good look at your uniform, the same one he used to wear, “Nagi and I went there, is everyone…?”

“It’s been overrun.” You simply said, not even bothering to sugarcoat it, there wasn’t in use in hiding the truth

That’s why there was a bit of familiarity to them. You had seen Reo and Nagi around before, the girls in your class used to gush about them. Reo was popular enough that even you who never really interacted with others, heard about him. You probably passed by them in the hallways too throughout the years… But that didn’t matter anymore. There was going to be no friendly or warm gesture coming from you, given the situation and your personality.

Reo had paled at your words, while Nagi didn’t want to believe it. Before Reo had entered Blue Lock he was the King of Hakuho. He had gone there his whole life and with the nature of his family’s reputation and business, he had that school wrapped around his fingers. He knew the ins and out and what kinds of strings to pull to get what he wanted. He had known most of the students there so he was a bit surprised that out of everyone they could've run into during the apocalypse, it was you.

He was a bit familiar with you. From what he knows and heard around, you’re a smart but quiet kid, your grades were the top of your entire batch, but you weren’t really a people’s person. He didn’t know much about your background or family since you liked to keep your life private, but Reo remembers how his ex said in passing how weird you were, something about being emotionless like a doll. Eyes hollow like they could stare directly into your soul.

Reo and Nagi decided not to pursue asking any more questions about their old school, not wanting to face the harsh reality just yet. So the boys changed the topic quickly, feeling bad for Reo as he held his head down in his hands while Nagi stared out of the window, eyes devoid of any emotion, almost glassy as though he was lifeless. Both boys shared their griefs and each other's sentiments, but expressed them in completely different ways. Chigiri, who wasn’t even that close to the boys, patted Reo’s back in comfort. At least the change in topic lifted the atmosphere a bit, but just a bit.

They started asking questions and stringing together information but none of their theories seemed plausible except for the fact that we were dealing with, as they called it, zombies. It seemed a bit ridiculous to say but the proof was in front of your face. Starting today the world has changed, it was the beginning of the end if the government couldn’t contain the outbreak. You were silent for the most part again, quietly observing and focusing on crashing the vehicle into the infected like it was a game and each hit scored you a point. Then the radio which had been static earlier finally worked.

“This is the emergency broadcast system, all citizens are advised to stay inside of their homes. A violent virus has broken out, turning the host violent within seconds to minutes. The spread is at an unprecedented and alarming speed. Spread of infection is the result of blood to blood contact. Getting infected blood in your mouth or eyes can also result in transmission. Symptoms include fever, headaches, and increased aggression. Prepare food and water enough for one to two weeks. The following cities have been quarantined: Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, and other neighboring major cities have been declared under martial law. The military has set up a base camp and is accepting refugees at the Tokyo borders connecting to Kamakura.”

The automated voice crackled through the radio, filling the van with an eerie calm that felt strangely out of place compared to the chaos unfolding outside. No one spoke. Even the boys who had been talking moments earlier fell silent. The only sounds remaining were the steady rumble of the engine, the occasional crackle of static from the radio, and the distant screams that filtered in through the windows whenever the van slowed at an intersection.

Quarantine. Martial law. Refugee camps. Those weren't the type of words people used unless the situation had already spiraled far beyond anyone's control. Several of the boys exchanged uneasy looks. And even Bachira who had gone around earlier saying that his monster was far better than these zombies was stunned into silence. Others stared out the windows in deep thought, watching people being massacred from outside the window as they processed what they had just heard.

After a few moments, Rin finally broke the silence, "I live in Kamakura."

Your eyes flickered toward him briefly before returning to the road. Unlike his usual blunt demeanor, which he had been exhibiting since earlier, there was a noticeable hesitation in his voice. Not fear exactly, but uncertainty. As though he was trying to convince himself just as much as everyone else.

"If the military is holding the line there..." He continued, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. "Then it should be safer." Should. Not would. Should. The distinction wasn't lost on anyone. Still, it was the first remotely hopeful thing anyone had heard since this nightmare began.

"Then that's where we go," Chigiri said, sounding more relieved than excited. His shoulders visibly relaxed for the first time since entering the van. "A military base has supplies, soldiers, medical personnel... It's probably our best chance right now."

Nobody from the boys argued. Not because they completely believed it would be safe. But because having a destination was better than driving aimlessly through a collapsing city and hoping for the best. They were desperate for a real solution, desperate for a silver lining to their misery. These boys had their entire dreams and careers ahead of them, they had it in their grasp, it was so close enough to taste. And yet, the facility they lived in for a year and had called a home was gone. The friends they had made through their trials and tribulations were gone. The work they put into their entire lives was gone. They weren’t even able to step foot in the field before this whole ordeal went off.

The radio you keep in your bag started crackling, signalling someone trying to reach you, “Can you get that please?” Rin clicked his tongue but reached for your bag anyway.

As he searched through it, he briefly paused after pulling out a packet of emergency supplies you always carried around. A small first-aid kit, spare batteries, a flashlight, energy bars, and other necessities. His eyebrows twitched. Apparently carrying half a survival kit inside a school bag wasn't normal aside from the school books. You ignored the look he gave you and almost crinkled your eyes in slight amusement when he fumbled with a period napkin, his entire nonchalant persona breaking as he shoved it back in as if nothing had happened. A moment later, he found the radio at the bottom of the back and handed it over.

"Focus on driving," Rin muttered as he handed over the radio. "I'd rather not survive all this just to die in a car crash." A fair point.

You switched the radio onto the speaker and placed it between the seats, then almost immediately, a familiar voice crackled through the static, "State your identification."

The effect it had on you was immediate. The moment your father's voice came through the radio, your posture straightened instinctively. Your grip on the steering wheel adjusted itself without conscious thought, shoulders squaring as years of conditioning took over. It was muscle memory at this point, drilled into you through countless mornings, training exercises, and lectures that always seemed to begin with the words standing properly. You hadn't even realized you were doing it until it was already too late.

The casual atmosphere inside the van disappeared almost instantly. Not that there had been much of one to begin with, but whatever remained of it vanished the second your tone changed. The boys noticed it too. You could feel their eyes shifting toward you from different corners of the vehicle, their earlier conversations dying out one by one. A moment ago, you had simply been the strange girl who happened to know how to drive and somehow managed to stay calm during the apocalypse.

Now, you looked like someone receiving orders. The distinction was subtle, yet impossible to miss. Even Rin, who had spent most of the drive looking annoyed at everything and everyone, seemed to pick up on it. His gaze lingered on you for a second longer than usual before shifting toward the radio resting between the seats. For the first time since they'd met you, the boys seemed to realize there was probably a reason you acted the way you did.

"(L/n) (Y/n). Callsign Ghost. Standing by.”

Several pairs of eyes immediately turned toward you at that, with the most bewildered look in their eyes. but you ignored them and kept your attention fixed on the road ahead. The streets were becoming increasingly difficult to navigate, abandoned vehicles littering intersections and forcing you to weave around them. Up ahead, an overturned truck blocked nearly half the road, forcing you to slow slightly before maneuvering around it.

"Report status."

"Alive and mobile. Currently en route to home location. Accompanied by seven civilian survivors." For a brief moment, only static answers.

"Copy." His voice finally returns

Even through the radio, his voice remained as calm as ever. Not reassuringly calm. Not the kind people used to comfort others. It was the sort of calm that only came from someone who had already accepted the situation and was focused entirely on dealing with it. The realization made several of the boys gulp in worry. If one of the military officers handling this crisis sounded that composed, then maybe the situation was even worse than they thought.

"Proceed home immediately." your father continued. "Your brother is being dispatched for extraction. The earliest estimated arrival is tomorrow morning, assuming airspace remains operational."

Tomorrow was longer than you would've preferred, you tightened your grip on the steering wheel slightly but otherwise remained silent again, "If extraction becomes unavailable, proceed to the nearest military installation and await further orders. Current priority is survival until retrieval can be arranged. We’ve prepared a mission for you." Another burst of static followed and only then came the part you had been expecting, "As of this moment, you are being called in for active duty support."

The words settled heavily inside the van. Several heads snapped toward you. This time you could practically feel their stares, Nobody interrupted, but the confusion was obvious. A girl their age being called into military duty wasn't exactly something people heard every day. And how exactly was that even legal, you haven’t even graduated high school yet?! Then again, when you see your city being torn apart limb from limb, the hierarchy of rules becomes meaningless.

"Understood."

The response came automatically on your part. Not even the slightest hint of hesitation. You asked no questions. Nor given a single complaint. Several images went through the boys' minds, mostly about the sight they witnessed earlier on the bus they were on before it had crashed. They recalled the state of the Japanese military personnel they had seen deployed, and they had lost to the infected so quickly. Surely you wouldn’t do that too, right?

Surely you had much more common sense and self preservation than that. How was it so easy for you to just throw your life out of the window like that? Joining the military as a girl this young, and not to mention the certain complex dynamics of the situation at hand. And that’s when the realization hit the boys so heavily, you must’ve been more qualified to have the military come after you. They were then questioning if the real monster was inside or outside of the vehicle.

Your father didn't even ask if you were injured. He didn't ask if you were frightened. He didn't even ask if you were safe. Instead, there was only a brief pause before he spoke again, "Good. Stay alive until then."

After the transmission ended, silence followed. And not the comfortable kind, it was the awkward kind. The kind that settled in after people learned something they weren't expecting. The engine hummed steadily beneath you while the scent of burning cities followed you, even with all the windows rolled up, the horrid stenched still seemed to be carried from the wind. Rin fumbled a bit to turn the device off before holding it tightly in his hands, trying to comprehend the situation after that entire information dump, to see what he could use to his advantage. After all, he was once known as Blue Lock’s puppeteer.

He refuses to die here and turn into one of those freaks of nature, he just wants to go home and for this entire nightmare to end. And that was coming from a boy who was an absolute horror nerd, loving the way it gave him adrenaline and thrill. Take note, keyword was, after experiencing such barbarities he doesn’t think he can handle another late night zombie movie marathon. Honestly, the entire situation just felt like a bad dream to him where he couldn’t wake himself up. He was worried about his brother Sae, he wasn’t even sure if was in the damn country or in Spain. He just needed to not be alone, but it had to be with Sae.

“You’re heading for the military? It’ll be safer than risking driving around. Take us with you.” Rin asked decisively

You turned to look at him and crashed into another zombie, turning on the windshield wiper so that you could see, “… Okay.”

Somewhere in the distance, another explosion echoed through the skyline, followed by a column of black smoke rising into the air. Wow, there were really so many explosions and buildings crashing down. Eventually, Bachira was the first to break. Inside the van, however, nobody seemed particularly interested in the scenery anymore. Their attention remained fixed entirely on you. Eventually, Bachira couldn’t hold it anymore and decided to ask the question everyone wanted to know.

"So... Your dad’s a soldier?" You kept your eyes on the road,

"My father's a Colonel, so yes, I guess."

Nobody interrupted, but the confusion was obvious. A girl their age being recalled for military duty wasn't exactly something people heard every day. Their eyes bounced between you and the radio sitting between the seats, trying to piece together everything they'd learned in the last few minutes. A few nervous laughs followed your answer, though nobody looked particularly relaxed afterward.

The heavy use of military terminology. The survival gear stuffed inside your school bag. The fact that you somehow knew how to hotwire a vehicle and drive a manual transmission through a city that was rapidly descending into chaos. Individually, any of those things could have been brushed aside as odd quirks. Together, however, they painted a very different picture. You could practically see the realization forming inside their heads.

Bachira looked fascinated more than anything else, as though he'd just discovered a new puzzle he wanted to take apart. Chigiri appeared uneasy, likely questioning how much of your childhood had been spent around soldiers. Reo seemed deep in thought, probably connecting details he'd overlooked earlier. Isagi looked as though he was trying to analyze everything at once, while Nagi had somehow managed to look half asleep despite the literal apocalypse unfolding around him.

Only Rin remained difficult to read. From the corner of your eye, you noticed him watching you again. The annoyance he'd shown earlier was still there, but it had faded somewhat. In its place sat something else. Curiosity, you ignored it. None of this was particularly surprising to you. Being called in for support wasn't shocking. The outbreak wasn't shocking either. For years, your father had spent every opportunity drilling the same lesson into your head. That one day, there would come a war so great that there was only one thing you could do. Hope for peace. Prepare for war. Granted, you were fairly certain he hadn't meant a zombie apocalypse when he said it, but the principle still applied. When disaster struck, everyone had a role to play. Apparently, yours had just been assigned.

"Active duty support?" Isagi finally repeated, breaking the silence. "What exactly does that mean?" You shrugged.

"No idea."

That answer seemed to catch everyone off guard, "You don't know?" Bachira asked.

"No."

You maneuvered around an abandoned sedan before continuing, "My father rarely explains things unless he absolutely has to. If he says I'm being recalled, then I'll find out when I get there."

A collective silence followed. For some reason, that explanation worried them even more than the original announcement. There were more important things to focus on. Like getting home before sunset. And hopefully getting a shower before the military inevitably ruined the rest of your week.

By the time you reached home, the van had almost given up entirely. The engine rattled beneath the hood before finally falling silent with a small boom. Even if the boys wanted to use the car, you had damaged it too much on the way home with your harsh driving skills, even as you turned the key yourself, it was dead. Judging from the fuel gauge, it probably wouldn't have carried everyone much farther even if you had wanted it to. It had done what it needed to do. It got you here.

Compared to the city, the outskirts looked almost untouched. The streets were empty, save for the occasional abandoned bicycle or a car left carelessly parked in the middle of the road. Curtains remained drawn behind neighboring windows and the only sounds that reached the property were distant sirens carried by the wind from somewhere much deeper within Tokyo. It looked peaceful enough to fool someone who hadn't seen the city an hour earlier. You weren't one of those people. The infected would eventually make their way here too. It was only a question of when.

The ominous house rolled in and the boys weren’t sure how to react with it. You parked the car just outside the house and climbed out first, taking your walkie-talkie back from Itoshi and slinging your bag over your shoulder. Opening the fenced door and signalling for the boys to get inside quickly. Rin stuck his head out to see if there were still any signs of life before getting out and following behind you, signalling to the boys that the coast was clear. The tensions were high, at some point during the drive, the whole area started to become covered by fog, or maybe it was smoke from all the fire coming from the cities.

Though it obstructed your visions, you needed to act quickly and quietly to get to safety. If you can’t see the infected through it, then probably they couldn’t see you. But that was a risk you’re going to have to take. The boys huddled in quickly with Reo having to drag behind him. You and Rin were the last ones to enter the gated fences before shutting the gate and hurrying inside. The boys let out a sigh of relief as they tried to calm down in the entrance hall. You didn’t pay them any mind as you took off your shoes and gestured to them to follow the same, making your way through the house and locking all of the windows and closing the blinds.

Rin looked at how the rest of the guys were reacting only to find them not handling it well. He rolled his eyes at them and lifted the curtains covering the small windows besides the door. It was quiet, too quiet here that it didn’t make sense. He was certain whatever peace they had in this moment wouldn’t last long, he needed to get to Kamakura soon if he wanted to find his brother and his parents and escape this hellhole.

He couldn’t see anything outside, the fog too thick to see past the trees that also helped to block his view. Instead he observed the residence they were currently sheltering at, it was… certainly not something you’d expect to be someone’s home. The house was protected by steel fences with barbed wires coiling on top of it, and no doubt it was probably electric since he could see the yellow warning sign in the distance. There were security cameras in every corner monitoring and it slightly gave him the chills, reminding him of an old horror movie he used to watch.

Closing the curtains, he followed after you wanting to ask if he could make a call since he lost his phone in the bus crash earlier. He observed around and was slightly stunned to see that not only was the outside of your house a fortress, the inside was not an exception. There were reinforced locks fitted onto every door, security cameras tucked into the corners of the ceiling, the emergency generator positioned neatly beside the hallway, and heavy steel shutters folded above each window aside from the curtains. None of it looked temporary. None of it looked recently installed. It looked as though the house had been waiting for something like this long before the rest of Tokyo had even imagined it.

The man you talked to earlier was a very paranoid man, Rin could tell. And he was right, of course, your father had spent years turning the property into something closer to a military outpost than an ordinary family home. So even if those things eventually found this neighborhood, they'd have a difficult time getting through.

The others were far less interested in the defenses than they were in the house itself. Bachira wandered through the entrance hall with open curiosity, turning slowly as he took everything in, while Nagi glanced around once before lazily commenting that it looked more like a prison than somewhere people actually lived. You supposed he wasn't entirely wrong. Growing up here, you'd stopped noticing things that other people found unusual a long time ago.

Only after everyone had wandered farther inside did they finally begin taking in the rest of the house. It was clean to the point of feeling almost sterile, it even had that horrid clean scent, one akin to hospitals. Every piece of furniture sat perfectly where it belonged. Shoes were aligned neatly beside the entrance. Not a single object had been left lying around carelessly, and yet it seemed to be abandoned. Not a trace of life presence, it felt too cold to be called a home. But then again, compared to the blood-soaked streets outside, it was way better despite it seeming disconnected from reality.

"... You guys knew the apocalypse was coming or something?" Barou, who had been staying more silent than anyone else commented.

“It looks like a hideout in one of my video games, Reo.” Nagi nudged the purple haired boy

“This place is nuts!” Bachira smiled widely and spinned around, taking in his environment

You stopped everyone just as they reached the living room, your attention immediately drifting toward the couch. Blood had already begun drying on their jerseys, leaving dark patches across the fabric that would be a nightmare to scrub out if they rubbed against the upholstery. You usually wouldn’t mind that, your system was too used to the scent of it alone however, you noticed Nagi was just about to plop down on the couch and stain it.

"Don't sit down with those dirty clothes." You set your school bag beside the stairs, stopping Nagi right in his tracks just as he was about to lie down, "Father will make me wash the covers if they stain, and I'd rather not."

The house had been silent ever since all eight of you stepped inside, but this silence felt different. It wasn't the silence of safety. It was the kind that followed after people had spent hours listening to screams. The kind where everyone was too exhausted to think, yet too awake to stop thinking. Only now did the boys really notice the states they were in and once again reminded of the horrors they were forced to go through.

Their uniforms were filthy, stained with dried blood, dust and dirt gathered from running through a city that no longer resembled the one they'd woken up in that morning. The only thing to console them at least was the fact that the blood tainting them didn’t belong to themselves. Alright, maybe that fact wasn’t actually consoling but actually craved a deep sense of guilt in them.

Chigiri stared at you for several long seconds at your comment before letting out a dry, disbelieving laugh, "... Seriously?"

"What?" You questioned, head slightly titling to the left

"That's what you're worried about?" His voice rose despite himself, frustration finally breaking through the restraint he'd been holding onto since escaping Blue Lock. "The world's falling apart. We just watched our friends die. We don't even know if our families are alive anymore..." He gestured vaguely toward the front door before pointing at the pristine white furniture, "... And you're talking about a couch." His breathing had become uneven, he was angry, he was scared, and he wanted to drag you down into his misery, "What really happened at your school? How can you fucking act like this if you also witnessed the terrors outside? How are you so calm and clean when we went through Hell and back today just to survive!" His hair which was usually perfect was now knotted and tangled, he was close to breaking down but refused to go right in front of everyone. Unfortunately for him, his words didn’t feel the least bit threatening in any way.

You remained quiet for a moment, not because you were searching for an answer, but because you were remembering the order everything had happened, "The announcement came first then someone forced the classroom door open and our teacher got bitten. Everyone started to panic, they started running thinking they'd survive. Most of them got infected though." You paused, "So I left."

"...That's it?" Chigiri asked.

"There wasn't anything else to do."

"There had to be."

"I don't know."

"You just left them?"

"I thought about helping." Every eye in the room shifted toward you. "Maybe if they had asked for help..." You shrugged almost absentmindedly, "... I would've, but they didn't. And they were already infected. If I'd stayed, I'd probably be dead too."

Chigiri opened his mouth again, only for Reo to cut him off before another word could leave it, "Stop." His voice came out sharper than anyone expected that even Chigiri froze, "I said stop." Reo rubbed both hands over his face, his breathing noticeably unsteady, "... I don't want to know. I don't want to hear another story about people dying. These are my schoolmates you're talking about... I don't wanna hear it." He glared at the boy

The anger drained from Chigiri's expression almost immediately, replaced by the same exhaustion everyone else had been trying to ignore. You watched the seven boys for another second before shifting your bag higher onto your shoulder.

"If you don't like me or my rules, you're free to leave." Your tone never changed, "I can manage on my own. But if you're staying..." You turned toward the staircase, "I'll bring down my brother's clothes for you guys to change into. Leave your uniforms outside the bathroom when you're done changing. I'll wash them before they stain permanently. There's a landline in the corner, call your families."

Without waiting for a response, you walked upstairs. Nobody tried to stop you. The silence lingering in the living room felt heavier than before, though none of them could tell whether it came from everything that had happened today or from the conversation they had just shared with you. It wasn't often someone could make an entire room fall quiet without raising their voice, yet somehow you had managed it with nothing more than a few calm sentences. The image of your expression refused to leave their minds.

You hadn't looked angry. You hadn't looked upset. If anything, you'd looked almost... Inconvenience and indifferent. That made Rin not like you as you reminded him of his brother, Sae. It was though watching your classmates die had simply become another fact to accept instead of something to grieve over. Shaking his head at the situation, clearly annoyed and frustrated, Barou went to the corner to call up his sisters, no one answered. The boys took turns in calling their respective families, but again no one answered. Tensions grew high again at their fear, anxiety, and stress at not knowing if their loved ones were safe.

Isagi was the first to break the silence, "Play nice, Chigiri" he glanced toward the staircase, "We've got nowhere else to go even if we could leave, let’s just hitch a ride to the military base and head for Kamakura."

Chigiri let out a frustrated breath, dragging a hand through his hair before looking away, "You heard her. She watched her classmates die and walked away. I don't know about you guys, but that's not normal. We’re with a serial killer here, I’m telling you." He whispered-yelled

"Mhm..." Bachira hummed absentmindedly, his gaze still fixed on the second floor where you'd disappeared. "Maybe it's just me, but I don't really mind her. She’s got a monster inside her too." A small smile found its way back onto his face, though it lacked the usual playfulness it carried. "She's strange... But I don't think she's lying about her intentions. She just seems to like taking the most efficient route."

Nagi leaned against the wall, folding his arms behind his head, "She's still one girl." He shrugged lazily, "If something happens, there are seven of us."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Reo's voice was quieter than everyone else's, but it immediately drew their attention.

They all slowly looked around the living room for what felt like the first time since entering the house. Earlier, they'd been too busy trying to stay alive and noticing how well secured the house was to pay attention to their surroundings. Now that the adrenaline had finally begun wearing off, details they had overlooked earlier started standing out one after another.

Lining the walls were medals upon medals, framed certificates and commendations that stretched farther than any of them expected. Some looked old enough to have yellowed with age while others appeared relatively recent, their glass polished so cleanly it reflected the afternoon sunlight spilling through the windows. None of them looked like the certificates parents proudly hung after a school competition.

Every single one carried military insignias, commendations for combat drills, survival exercises, marksmanship, leadership or field training. There were simply too many for them to belong to one person alone, some belonged to a man named Yoshinori and others belonged to who they assumed was your brother, named Kaito. A fair portion of those achievements belonged to you as well. The entire house felt less like somebody's home and more like an extension of a military headquarters.

There was a particular photo that caught their attention, it was a family portrait. The man they'd heard over the radio earlier is who they presumed to be in the silhouette and it seemed to be more recent. Even trapped behind a layer of glass, he looked intimidating. Tall, broad-shouldered and built like someone who had spent his entire life on a battlefield, faded scars disappeared beneath the sleeves of his formal navy uniform. His expression never changed regardless of the occasion. Whether he stood beside fellow officers or his own family, his face remained just as stern as the voice that had calmly ordered his daughter to report for active duty.

Beside him stood another young man. He couldn't have been much older than eighteen or nineteen, yet the resemblance between the two was impossible to ignore. The same hair. The same sharp eyes. The same rigid posture drilled into soldiers from years of discipline. He wasn't as heavily built as the older man, nor did he carry nearly as many scars, but it was obvious he had been raised the same way, to be just as strong.

Then there was you. Seated neatly between them, you almost looked like you belonged somewhere else entirely. Compared to your father and brother, your features were softer. Smaller. Younger. Dressed in a navy skirt uniform with a matching cap resting neatly atop your head, you looked more like an honor student posing for a formal ceremony than someone who had calmly driven through a city overrun with the infected. Yet despite the softness of your appearance, every photograph carried the same expression. Not a smile. Not a frown. Just those same hollow eyes they'd seen since earlier. The same empty look you'd worn while talking about watching your classmates die.

Rin's attention drifted away from the family portrait toward several smaller frames resting on a cabinet nearby, "She's got awards for shooting and combat training lying around if you idiots didn't notice."

There was a photo album placed on the table, since he couldn’t contain his curiosity, Isagi snatched it up and opened it, the other boys huddling around to see what was inside. They sealed their breaths at the sight, unsure what to feel exactly at the pictures. You standing at shooting ranges barely tall enough to properly shoulder the rifle in your hands. You crawled beneath barbed wire while soldiers watched from the sidelines. You standing knee-deep in mud during what looked like military exercises. Some showed a younger version of you receiving medals from decorated officers. Others captured you standing among adults in camouflage that dwarfed your smaller frame. Below the pictures were notes scribbled down with records of your progress.

"So her dad's one of those military freaks?" Chigiri muttered, though the annoyance in his voice wasn't nearly as convincing as before.

"Still..." Nagi yawned, folding his arms behind his head. "She's one girl. There're seven of us."

“Put it back where it belongs, this is an invasion of privacy. It’s wrong.” Barou grabbed the photo album and placed it back on the table

"The kitchen's to the left!" your voice suddenly echoed from upstairs. "Get whatever you want if you're hungry!"

The sudden sound of your voice made all of them glance toward the staircase, "... Food sounds good." Nagi immediately leaned against Reo. "Carry me."

"You've got legs."

"And I'm choosing not to use them." Reo sighed, already knowing he'd lose the argument anyway, and reluctantly supported the lazy striker's weight.

Once your footsteps faded again, Chigiri spoke, "I still don't trust her."

"We'll keep an eye on her." Isagi replied quietly. "If something happens, we'll leave."

"Tch." Rin clicked his tongue, "You guys are so lukewarm. Did it not occur to you that she might hear everything you're saying? We're the only ones in this house." Rin folded his arms, leaning against the wall.

One particular photograph on the table that caught Rin's attention, he leaned closer to get a good view at it. You couldn't have been older than ten. The shotgun resting in your left arm looked far too large for someone your age, forcing you to support its weight with visible difficulty. In your right hand, however, you held the severed head of a deer by its antlers, dried blood still clinging to its neck. Standing behind you were your father and older brother, both carrying hunting rifles over their shoulders while the bodies of several freshly hunted animals lay at their feet. A small campsite occupied the background, complete with canvas tents surrounding a crackling bonfire nestled deep within the forest.

It looked like an ordinary family camping trip. Except… You didn't look proud. You didn't look excited. If anything, you looked frightened. Your grip around the deer's antlers was tight, almost reluctant, while your expression seemed uncomfortable, as though you'd been told to stand still until the photograph was taken. At ten years old, those hollow eyes of yours were nowhere to be seen and left in its wake was this fearful look you had. Rin couldn't tell whether you were scared of the dead animal in your hand or of the man standing behind you.

"If you spent half as much time observing as you do complaining, you'd actually notice something. She never argued. I asked her to open the van. She did. We asked to come with her. She agreed. We asked questions. She answered." He clicked his tongue again, "... She's obedient. Too obedient because she’s trained to be a soldier. So quit whining and use your heads for once, you half-baked strikers." Rin finished

Isagi eventually walked over, followed closely by the rest of the boys. His gaze lingered on the photograph for another moment before shifting toward Rin, who still hadn't looked away from it, "Do you think we can trust her?"

Rin remained silent for a moment. "We don't have to." His answer was short, almost dismissive, "We can use her."

Nobody argued with him. Whether they liked it or not, the girl upstairs had a secure house, military connections and enough survival skills to keep seven complete strangers alive. In a world that had collapsed within the span of a few hours, those things were worth more than trust.

"... Poor animals." Bachira's voice came out much quieter than before.

His smile had long since disappeared as he stared at the photograph of your younger self holding the deer's severed head. The lifeless animal drew his attention more than the shotgun resting in your small arms. His brows knitted together with genuine sympathy, his expression softening as he quietly mourned the creatures that had long since become someone's dinner. None of them noticed the footsteps approaching from behind.

"My first kill." The calm voice made every one of them stiffen.

They turned so quickly it almost looked rehearsed. You stood in the doorway carrying a stack of neatly folded clothes in one arm while dragging several folded camp beds and sleeping bags behind you, apparently having hauled them down from your brothers room without much difficulty. Your expression remained exactly the same as before, as though catching them rummaging through your family photographs wasn't something worth reacting to.

You glanced briefly toward the picture Rin had been studying, "Father said we couldn't afford to be picky with food." Your eyes lingered on the photograph for only a second before returning to the boys. "He taught me how to hunt, gut and cook animals when I was ten." The statement was delivered so matter-of-factly that nobody knew how to respond. Walking over, you handed each of them a change of clothes, "I hope these fit. My brother's a little taller than most of you." You pointed toward the hallway without much thought. "The bathroom's over there. Leave your uniforms outside the door when you're done changing. I'll wash them later." The room remained awkwardly silent, "...I'll make lunch while you're at it."

They flinched, shocked at how they weren’t able to notice your presence at all. These boys were used to facing opponents who managed to conceal themselves in the field, but the way you walked in on them was nothing like how their old teammate, Otoya did. You managed to erase your entire existence, not a single footstep was heard which caught most especially Rin and Isagi off guard. Nobody even thanked you as you handed them the new clothes. The seven boys simply stood there, still embarrassed after being caught inspecting your family photographs.

Nagi was the first to recover, "I'm starving." Without thinking, he lazily leaned his weight toward you out of habit, only for you to step aside at the last second. Deprived of his intended support, he stumbled forward before Reo caught him by the shoulder with a tired sigh.

"Watch it." You paid the small incident no mind, "There's still a few hours before sunset." You adjusted the sleeping bags in your arms before turning toward the kitchen. "Watch the news if you want. We don't know how much longer we'll have electricity. I’ll make dinner."

With that, you walked away once more, leaving the seven boys standing exactly where they'd been. This time… None of them found themselves looking at the photographs anymore. Instead, they quietly watched you disappear around the corner, each of them wondering the same thing. Just what kind of childhood could make someone speak about their first kill with the same casualness as deciding what to cook for lunch?

Taglist: @thetwinkims @catty080 @kanavu14 @virginiaay @danhoneyyy @miss-maem @chaekins @hydraa17 @rotheboattohell

Itoshi Rin

You were sitting on Rin’s lap, facing him while he was busy watching a game on his phone. Too distracted to notice the smirk hidden on your face.

Couple weeks ago you ordered a plumping lip gloss, clear since you knew Rin hates it when you kiss him with lipstick on, claiming that the marks leaves stains that even after washing it off multiple times, it still stays on for hours, making him embarrassed from his teammates to see him in such a state when they’re doing drills. Saying it’s unprofessional and that he doesn’t like their teasing very much. (He secretly likes it, loves that people know that he’s yours.)

Well, that placed a very mischievous idea in your head. You were a bit of a prankster, which was a shocker considering how serious Rin is as a person. Currently your lips were burning, stinging badly from how effective the gloss was. There tears picking up in the corners of your eyes and snot threatening to drip from your nose.

But you refuses to let it, trying to stay silent but ultimately failing as you placed strategic kisses on his neck. (You made sure he was wearing earphones so he couldn’t notice your slight giggles, it was hard to keep a straight face whenever you’re pranking him.) This was a routine of yours, he’d let you do whatever you want with him as long as he could still watch the game.

You knew his mind was in the zone, even your kisses became mindless background noises when he was in the flow. Which made it the perfect moment to strike, you reapplied the another layer of the lip gloss, knowing that you had a deadline to make before his neck would start to burn up.

Rin started to get slightly annoyed when you began kissing his face, pressing your lips on his temples, blocking the view of the screen. But despite everything you can see the way his cheeks and ears were dusted in red. What a tsundere, honestly.

You pulled his phone away and pressed him down to the couch, placing more kisses on him, including on his lips and that’s when he started to feel it. It wasn’t that bad at first, warmth creeping onto his neck followed by sharp pinching feelings.

His eyes widened as he pushed you back from him, confused as to why the spots from where you kissed him earlier was burning. He grabbed his phone from your hands, while you feigned innocent. He flipped the camera and to his horror, there was a slight sheen residue on his skin. Glossy and shiny, with his skin raised in the shape of your lips.

He was going to cry from utter devastation. How could a man this smart and hot be dense at the same time? Only when it came to love.

“I’m allergic to your kisses…” He whispered, eyes broken from the realization, the laugh building up in your throat died at his comment, the guilt settling in quick

Rin loved getting kisses from you even if he pretended not to, so the thought and reality hitting him that you can’t kiss him anymore has like Sae leaving for Spain. It was completely world shattering.

Rin pushed you off of him before you could explain the prank, running for the medicine cabinet in the bathroom to get some antihistamines. You chased after breathless, lips swollen and that’s when it hits Rin. At least it turns out he wasn’t really allergic to your kisses. Good thing.

“What the Hell did you even eat? I’m taking both of us to the hospital. Get your stuff, we’re leaving.” He became serious, grabbing the car keys already

“Wait! It’s just a prank! It’s a lip plumper! It’s supposed to burn!”

Whoosh! Bam! You barely managed to dodge the flying medicine bottle coming straight at you. Rin’s concerned face dissolving to anger in a matter of seconds. Whatever sympathy he had for you earlier was gone in an instant and was replaced by rage at your deceit.

Let’s just say he chased you around your guys apartment for a whole while before tackling you down and scolding you. He had to miss practice that afternoon, refusing to let anyone else see how he was dying from the burning pain and how plump his lips were.

You had to console him and place ice on his face carefully, waiting for the lip gloss’ effect to go away so that he could finish up watching the game earlier.

Itoshi Sae

You and the older Itoshi sibling was stuck in a lip lock competition. Both of you lying comfortably on bed, the afternoon breeze in Spain carrying itself through his apartment. It was his day off of training so the both of you were taking advantage of it. Being a news reporter meant that you always had to have flawless makeup on so your little plan could go smoothly.

And though looks played a play of your relationship, Sae really did fell in love with your feisty character. Or more like he loves getting to shut you up. You’ve been at it for months now, you asking him questions to provoke him only to end up getting a mouthful of him. Literally.

And you, you never back down. Loving the thrill that came with being with him. But does it strike at your pride, you just wanna knock him down a peg you know? Just a little bit to spice things up between you. And your solution? Simple, you order the spiciest lip plumper available in the market.

You already had the gloss on, Sae hasn’t suspected anything out of the ordinary. Your lips with a bit swollen but he figured out it was from the kisses he gave you earlier so he didn’t make a big deal out of it, plus it stroked his ego seeing you like this.

Underneath him, your lip gloss smudge, mascara running down, and eyes stuck in a daze. He wanted to ruin you some more. Only, he more he seemed to kiss you, the more his face started to burn up and sting, he thought nothing of it at first until it got bad enough that he had to pull back from your lips.

He looked to his right, where his mirror stood and he drank up the sight. You beneath him, breathing coming in and out rapidly as you tried to recover. He would’ve enjoyed the sight more if the burning sensation didn’t bother him.

There in the mirror, he could see your pretty ruined state courtesy of his doing. But what really caught his eyes was the suspicious looking swollen marks on his skin. The look on your face gave it away, your smirk playing at your lips as a laugh escaped you.

He glared at you and caught sight of the hidden tube of lip gloss in your pocket, he snatched it and read the label, in big red letter it said: WARNING! SPICY FOR HOURS!

Yeah, he was pissed off after that since his face became swollen and it really did burn for hours as you placed ice of his face while cackling like a hyena.

The next couple of interviews he had with your company, he made sure to act extra bratty and mean as compensation for your actions. You definitely won’t be attempting that again.

Isagi Yoichi

You were Yoichi’s girlfriend of three years now, been his best friend for most of his life so you knew pretty much all of his reactions. But there’s this trend going on tik tok about how girls are testing out their boyfriend’s reactions to having them try on their lipstick.

You were curious about Isagi’s reaction to that so you attempted it. Gathering up all your lipsticks in different shades to test it out on him. It took a while to get him to agree but he always gave in when it came to you.

So here you are now in his bedroom, camera zooming in on his reactions as lipstick tubes were scattered all over his bed. His face was already covered in your kisses but he looked determined to not crumble beneath all of your affection.

His heart kept jumping against his chest with each kiss you left, with each mark that stained into his skin. His eyes avoiding looking into yours and the cameras, a bit shy from the attention you kept giving him.

You pulled back to wipe off the remaining lipstick when your eyes landed on the last tube of lip gloss. You recognized it almost immediately, cringing at the memory it brought. You purchased it on a whim, your impulsive behavior taking control of you wanting to join in on the big lips trend. What you hadn’t expected was how much pain it’d put you through. God did it burn.

And then it was light bulb turned on top of your head. You were going to get revenge for all the times Isagi focused on soccer more than you sometimes, and besides you were highly curious about his reactions.

So you wore it, carrying a fake smile and ignoring the way it pained you. Isagi noticed your discomfort but didn’t mention it, figuring that it was a girl thing that he couldn’t understand. So he shrugged it off and let you continue, relaxing himself to the point where he was caught completely off guard.

And then his face started to sting, starting o it slow until it became too hard to ignore and he was panicking, believing he was allergic to the lip stick product or something. You then began laughing, grabbing your phone go really capture his reaction and swollen face. He realized that you put a prank on him and saw the warning labels. God were you going to be the death of him.

You ended up helping him afterwards like a good girlfriend but not before editing the video and posting it online, it was crazy how fast the views and likes kept pouring in. Let’s just say that though his reputation was boosted, it also meant that it was a PR nightmare to pull of a stunt like this.

Bachira Meguru

Meguru was a very interesting person in your life. What started out as a friendly friendship with your patient turned out to become more after keeps talking to you. You were working as an intern in Blue Lock as a nurse, the one who tends to the players injuries and doting over them.

But Bachira for some reason, even if he wasn’t injured he’d find himself roaming too often in your office whenever the head doctor was out leaving the both of you alone. Maybe what drew him to you was how you were the first girl (aside from his mom, of course) to listen to him yap about whatever was in his mind and you took him seriously. Treated him well just as you treated the other players.

So cue to the both of you eventually falling in love and getting into a secret relationship with him. The season had just ended and Ego had given the boys a break which meant you were also off duty as of the moment. That where you find yourself in the local park watching Bachira dribble his soccer ball. Alone but not really simce he had you, though much to his dismay you didn’t want to play with him. Studying for your upcoming exams, yes you still have them unfortunately.

As per protocol, you don’t wear make up on duty, rules demanding that you’re kept bare face and clean, sometimes going as far as to wear a mask whenever you’re in the clinic tending to the boy’s injuries. So this was the first time that Bachira had seen you with make up on and gosh were you so darn pretty.

Leaving the ball aside, he plopped onto you and kissed you hard, smiling and giggling into it as he can feel you kissing him back. He was starting to get lost in it when you started peppering kisses all over his face. Yeah, you literally did pepper his face. You had forgotten that today you used your new lip plumper lip gloss that just came out and well Bachira can definitely attest just how effective it was.

He was too lost in the kiss, not caring that the both of you were in a public park and that anyone could pass by anytime. Until he starts feeling like something was biting at his face. He sits down in front of you confused as to why his face felt like it was burning, like full on burning until the realization hits you and you have to apologize to him forgetting that you used lip plumper lip gloss.

Contrary to what you initially thought to how Bachira would react, he ended up liking it. He went on yapping about how it makes him feel stronger and like a monster. Plus really thinks it looks cute and hot how your lips become very big and kissable so he ends up insisting you put some on him a.k.a. by kissing him

Let’s just say Bachira had to explain to his mom that night that he didn’t get into another fight like when he was still a kid when she saw how swollen his lips were and also other areas of him face

Barou Shoei

You were Nagi’s little sister and just like your brother, you ended up reflecting a lot of his values and his behavior. Though you weren’t as lazy as him, you were a very hard worker for the things you were passionate about and that’s what first drew Shoei into you, without knowing you were the sibling of the guy he found most annoying in Blue Lock. Unfortunately for you, him, and Nagi you guys fell in love.

You mirrored your brother in a lot of ways and though that was annoying in a lot of ways, he had to admit, you did have a lot of endearing parts about you which more than made up for it. And that leads us to where you are currently, Barou was in your room helping you clean out your room because you’ve been busy working at a maid cafe ironically enough. Trying to earn money for yourself so you can buy robuxs again.

Barou was very concentrated on doing a good job at helping you clean but unlike him you get distracted easily. So in the midst of cleaning out, you find the lip gloss you were missing for 3 weeks now in one of your pants pocket. It was your favorite despite the burning sensation it made, bored and already tired out of your mind, you plopped on the bed and wore the lip gloss, tossing to your bedside table as if it wouldn’t get lost again.

And to his dismay, there he finds you wrapped up in the sheets which he had just literally made, playing dress to impress in roblox instead of helping him clean your own room. He goes on for five minutes, scolding you when you pull him into bed and press a kiss on his lips to shut him up. And it does silence him quickly.

But that silence is broken when he starts to feel his face burning, at first it thought that maybe it was the germs in your room or the chemical fumes in the air from the products you’ve been using to clean the place but then he takes one good look at your lips and he realizes what’s going on, he has two little sisters who likes to play around with their moms make up so this wasn’t his first rodeo.

Still that didn’t ease the irritation on his face, both physically and mentally. And that didn’t mean you didn’t stop leaving trails of kisses on his face. He literally had to pull himself away from you to wash off his face before the stinging sensation got even worse. As punishment he banned you from kissing him for a month. And all you gotta do is sigh and toughen it out though it did that suck a lot.

Michael Kaiser

Kaiser already had you pinned down on your bed, kissing you roughly, you moaned into the kiss and pushed his chest back so that you could breathe. How were you even in this position? Earlier Kaiser had came over for a visit and just ended up lounging around as you began opening a couple of packages.

You and Kaiser had only recently began dating, both of you too focused on your own careers to even think about dating until you both meet at a charity gala and then you hit it off. You were a top model with a couple of small side roles in short films, aspiring to become an actress one day. And maybe that aspect of you being an actress with a face of a model brought back memories of Kaiser’s mom but he does really love you

If he didn’t he wouldn’t be spending time in your apartment, doing nothing but talk while he watches you open up fan mail and more PR packages when he could be doing something g more productive like practicing a new soccer move.

You were nodding along and listening to him yap about how his most recent match went while you opened another PR package, happy to see an entire make up collection has been sent to you for testing. You beamed and immediately tried it on, reading the card that came along with it which explains how the lip gloss you were using was actually a very spicy lip plumper. It burned so bad that it gave you a fun idea.

Which is how you ended up shoved down on your own bed, the spicyness from the lip gloss was everywhere, making both of your face’s swollen from it though Kaiser had it worse. He was low-key dying inside from the spicyness of it all but he refused to give in or acknowledge it, so he was just there silently accepting it like the stubborn striker he was.

When you date someone, you choose to love each and every single part of them, and they do the same for you, whether that comes from them not being your exact type or not. No one is perfect, and no one has it all simply because we're human beings who make mistakes. But when you love someone so much, you choose to overlook those flaws and love them simply because they are part of the person you fell in love with. It makes them even more unique in a way.

To you, Rin is everything and yet, at the same time, the complete opposite of who you'd thought you'd end up with in life. To be fair, it was the same for him. You were always the sunshine girl, able to brighten any room with a single smile, while he was the thundercloud that rained upon the Earth. But maybe that's what made you fall so deeply in love with him. How he practically scowled at everyone and chose to remain a loner while you surrounded yourself with people.

Maybe it was because the people who stuck to you felt fake in comparison to Rin, or maybe it was his handsome features and pretty long lashes that made you glance back at him twice. But he felt genuine, different from the plastic people you've learned to call friends. All of that became history with a single project, when you ended up being partnered with him.

Who knew Rin had more sides to him aside from his emo persona? He was a talented soccer player, you'd come to realize as the two of you worked inside his bedroom. You also found out that he loved hot, comforting meals like ochazuke, something you didn't expect from someone who seemed so untouchable. And even more interesting was discovering that he adored his older brother. (You saw his phone wallpaper, and it was an old picture of a younger him and his brother adorably playing soccer.)

He was sweet in another way that didn't mirror the normal, conventional way people showed love. It was something you hadn't experienced personally. Like how he was the only person able to show that, within the jagged lines of his teeth, there was a sort of calmness and gentleness beneath the roughness. Then again, that was no surprise. Coal under pressure turns into diamonds, or so they say.

Curiosity got the best of you, and before long, you found yourself falling deeply in love with him. Armed with this realization, you decided to act upon your feelings and confess to him, to which, shockingly, he admitted that he loved you back. Maybe it was because you stuck around despite Rin's off-putting attitude that first made him interested in you.

You were a stubborn woman, something he found himself liking far more than he expected. Eventually, your smile grew on him, your once annoying and loud high-pitched voice transforming into something he looked forward to hearing every day. You got together, and from then on, it was history—running on four years of being together.

You were both the first people to unravel and explore one another. So you knew each and every part of him, like how to deal with him when he was in one of his moods or how to hold him in your arms in a way that didn't annoy him. But more surprisingly, the boy who was known for being so nonchalant wasn't nearly as composed as he liked to believe whenever the two of you got down to business.

Surprisingly, he was very soft and vanilla when it came to sex, the complete opposite of how you'd imagined he'd be with the intimidating aura he gave off. You know like how the saying goes, a gentleman in the streets and a freak in the sheets. He always preferred taking things slowly in bed, taking his time unraveling you on his cock. And while that was sweet and all, eventually you wanted to broaden your horizons and explore more, letting him take you a little more roughly.

Don't get it wrong, Rin was a master in the bed. He could make you finish in less than two minutes with his tongue alone, but there was something about him being controlling, dominant, and rough in bed that couldn't get out of your head. You wanted him. You needed him badly. You just didn't know your prayers were going to be answered so soon.

You were walking through the mall alone, running a few errands since Rin was coming home. The season had just ended, leaving him frustrated. You didn't ask him much about it. You knew he'd done his best. Sometimes, his best just wasn't enough to beat the world's best, not that he wasn't already world-class. To you, he already was the greatest striker to ever exist. Whether he won or lost didn't change a damn thing.

But going back, you were at the mall to buy Rin some new pajamas since his old ones didn't fit anymore. (This boy keeps growing out of his clothes so quickly.) Unexpectedly, you passed by a newly opened shop. Now, you weren't really someone interested in these sorts of things, but the large display filled with all sorts of products caught your eye, especially a big box of chocolates with a sign above it that read:

Limited Time Offer! Love Chocolates! Buy One, Get One Free!

The shop was a sex shop, and why was it open in the middle of a family-friendly mall, you had no idea. But the deal was simply too good to pass up. You weren't necessarily a kinky person, but damn, were you curious about how Rin would react to them. Maybe it'd finally pull him out of his shell and get him to stop being so gentle with you. Then again, now wasn't really the right time to spring something like this on him. Rin had been feeling extremely agitated and a little depressed after his recent loss.

After debating with yourself for a while, you gave in and went inside, purchasing the chocolates with an embarrassed flush on your face while the cashier laughed and told you to have fun. Yeah... next time, you'd just buy these online. Anyway, if Rin didn't want them, you could always use them yourself.

Rin returned home that night expecting to see you there to greet him. He saw your shoes by the door, so he knew you were home. In the distance, he could hear the shower running, which explained your absence, so he shrugged it off. You'd also had a busy day today, so you couldn't always coddle him the moment he walked through the door, as much as he secretly wanted you to.

He was glad to see that you had made dinner for him, though. The table was already set for one, the food long gone cold after waiting to be eaten for so long. He wasn't really put off by it. This wasn't the first time it had happened, nor would it be the last. Whenever Rin had a bad day, you knew to expect him to return home late, so you didn't bother waiting up for him at dinner, knowing he'd get upset if you had to suffer for his sake.

Tonight, Rin was tired and drained. But it was entirely his fault. He'd pushed himself, staying behind after drills to practice more highly technical shots to help himself improve. And while Rin did miss you and your usual routine of hearing your footsteps padding throughout the apartment in search of him, he was also grateful and appreciative of you. You always knew how to handle him—knowing when to push him and when not to, when he liked you being clingy, and when he simply needed space.

At the moment, he found himself caught somewhere between needing a hug from you and wanting to hide from you, ashamed of himself. Quickly finishing up dinner, Rin went to the fridge to rummage around for what else there was to eat. He wasn't really in the mood for anything except food, a mindless outlet to release his stress. And bingo, there it was, standing in all its glory. He was surprised to see two new heart-shaped boxes. He didn't recall buying them, so they definitely belonged to you.

He opened them and was delighted to see the assortment of brightly colored chocolates inside. They looked so mouthwatering that he couldn't help but grab the entire box before plopping down on the couch, not even bothering to change out of his outside clothes. He was tired. He'd had a long day. He just wanted to relax and watch some random, lukewarm horror movie to take his mind off everything.

Rin really should've read the instructions on the back of the box and been more thorough with his search. What he didn't know was that while each color had a different flavor, they also had different intensities of aphrodisiac and, surprisingly, different effects. But the biggest dilemma that was soon to come for both you and Rin was the fact that he tried every single one because, after years of dating you, you'd managed to condition him into becoming a sweet tooth. It was both a blessing and a curse.

Rin had finished half of the chocolates and was already fifteen minutes into his movie when he started feeling it. His lower stomach began to feel warm before rapidly growing hot in a strange way. The tent in his pants became more uncomfortable by the minute. He was beginning to sweat, and his symptoms only continued to worsen. Was Rin sick? That still didn't explain why he was suddenly so hard. Rin popped another chocolate into his mouth, hoping this strange sickness would simply go away on its own.

It didn't.

Shit, he was starting to get restless. Fuck today. Fuck the chocolates. Fuck the movie. The only thing he really wanted to fuck was you. His hands were shaking, and his heart was beating so fast that he couldn't focus. He gripped the couch's armrest to ground himself, his knuckles turning white from how tightly he held onto it.

He was feeling hypersensitive. Even the cool breeze from the air conditioner brushing against his flushed face and bare legs made him shiver. He stood up so suddenly that the chocolates flew from his lap and scattered across the couch, but at the moment, he couldn't care less. Shit, he was getting so hard it was starting to hurt. He practically barged into your shared bedroom in search of you. The moment the door swung open, the scent of your shampoo and perfume filled his lungs, only fueling his desire even further.

That scent alone awakened the predatory instincts that usually surfaced only when he was playing soccer. He found you sitting at your vanity, your head turning toward him with wide eyes as the brush in your hand slipped from your fingers and hit the floor with a loud thud. You had just finished your nightly routine and were about to go cuddle with him on the couch.

As if his sudden appearance wasn't surprising enough, what he did next practically threw you for a loop. No, actually, he quite literally did. He strode toward you so quickly that you didn't even notice how his eyes had darkened or how obvious the bulge in his pants had become. All you noticed was how intimidating he'd made himself, as if you were the opposing team he was about to crush on the soccer field. Without saying a word, he grabbed you by the waist, hoisted you over his shoulder, and carried you away like a sack of rice.

"What's wrong?!" you yelped, only to receive no response.

From the way he carried you, you had a perfect view of his cute butt and defined back, making you unconsciously rub your thighs together in search of friction. Rin noticed, and at that moment, he'd never wanted you to ride his face as much as he did right then and there. But he wouldn't. He needed you on his cock right now.

He squeezed your ass, making you whine in protest, and shit, he felt like he could cum from touching you like this and listening to your cute voice alone. Whether you were yelling profanities at him or telling him the sweetest things, he'd always found your voice unbelievably soothing. He dropped you onto the bed, not caring that the impact knocked the air from your lungs. He didn't treat you like a princess in bed. This was already becoming far more exciting. Rin grabbed the bottle of lube he kept hidden beside the bed before shoving down both his shorts and boxers.

"Wait! You aren't going to prepare me?!" You pushed against his chest before staring directly at his monstrous cock, which somehow looked even bigger now.

He cursed under his breath, the words sounding more like animalistic growls. He wanted to prep you. He didn't want to hurt you for his own pleasure, but he felt so hot and overwhelmed. Something else was taking control of him. His body temperature continued to rise until the room itself felt like it was burning. He needed you skin to skin. The last piece of clothing, his shirt, was quickly discarded before he made his move. The adorable pink-and-black lace pajama set you were wearing was almost ripped clean off had you not hurried to help him remove it, scolding him because it had been expensive.

"I don't care. I'll buy you a new one." He pulled you into a kiss before lining himself up with your entrance, his cock already dripping with precum. Looking into your eyes one last time for permission, he begged, "I can't prep you— I need you now...!" His voice cracked and trembled as though he were on the verge of tears, "Please... I'm so hard. I don't know why...!" He was trying to hold himself back, but his self-control at the moment was hanging by a thread.

No control? You’ve got to be shitting yourself… Out of all the days for Rin to test those babies out, he decides to do it now?! On the day he’s at his most frustrated? You could only hope that he still had some semblance of restraint. First of all, those chocolates were expensive. You’d wanted him to try them on a day when you had a nice set of lingerie on, not while you were wearing your comfy pajamas.

Not only that, but according to the staff, those chocolates were extremely long-lasting. You only needed to eat one to already feel the effects. You really shouldn’t have been so lazy and should’ve just put a label on the box. Still, you were about to get fucked within an inch of your life, and all you could do was accept it. After all, you weren’t about to leave your poor boyfriend to fend for himself when you were the one who’d caused all of this.

“Fuck…! I’m sorry. I need you so bad!” His cock twitched impatiently at your entrance, almost as though it had a mind of its own, desperate to push inside you. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”

Rin slammed his hand onto the mattress beside your head, trying to snap himself out of whatever spell he was under. It frightened you for a moment. This wasn’t Rin. He was always so gentle with you, and it broke your heart knowing you’d done this to him. His fist clenched tightly around the bedsheets as he fought against himself. Fuck you now and risk hurting you, or spend the entire night trying to relieve himself alone until morning came. The pressure only became more unbearable as he kept himself lined up at your entrance, forcing his hips to remain still. Your heart ached as tears gathered in his eyes.

“It hurts so much, (Y/n)!” Tears were pouring down now

Your heart clenched painfully at the sight. Watching him struggle like this made guilt settle heavily in your chest. He loved you so much that he was willing to endure that unbearable agony rather than risk causing you even the slightest bit of pain. It warmed your heart in the best of ways, yet shattered it all the same. You'd never seen Rin look so vulnerable before, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes as he silently waged a battle against his own body. And knowing you were the reason he was suffering like this made your chest ache even more.

“Those chocolates you ate… Were aphrodisiacs…” You said breathless, gently cupped his face, making him look into your eyes, only to see how blown wide his pupils had become despite the tears pouring down, “This is all my fault… So take what you need.” You whispered against his ear, letting yourself relax completely beneath him.

He didn’t respond. His mind barely registered your explanation as he found himself falling even more in love with the sound of your voice. The only words he truly heard were take what you need. Rin hesitated for only a brief moment before pulling you into a deep, possessive kiss that completely contrasted with the gentle giant he was whenever he was with you. The aphrodisiac had stripped away the careful restraint he usually kept over himself, leaving every emotion heightened and impossible to ignore.

It wasn’t just because of the drug, either. He was overwhelmed with love for you while simultaneously drowning in frustration. He didn’t want to force you into anything, but at that moment, his resolve had all but crumbled. You were willing to let him have whatever he needed simply because you loved him unconditionally… And because you felt so guilty for causing all of this in the first place. You really were going to be the death of him someday.

Even though Rin hadn’t prepared you, the two of you had been having sex regularly so the adjusting period wasn’t going to be so bad. Still, the difference between taking him prepared and taking him like this was hard to ignore. And fuck he cried at that too. You felt so tight and he was only given a brief amount of release from the tension growing inside of him with you wrapped around him. This was too little, he needed more. He kept pressing inside, the resistance you kept going at meant nothing.

You whined loudly against him, your nails dragging down his back and leaving marks that would probably remain for weeks. The stretch burned deliciously, making your back arch as helpless moans escaped you from the mixture of pleasure and pain. Tears ran down your cheeks but no one noticed.

He didn’t even give you time to fully adjust, his instincts completely taking over. The moment he felt himself completely bottom out, he drew his hips back before moving again with an urgency that caught you completely off guard. Your breath hitched as his pace left you reeling. Rin speed wasn’t the fastest amongst Blue Lock, he was probably above average. But at this moment, he made Chigiri look laughable. He just kept going and going. His pistoning back and forth to the point that your eyes rolled to the back of your head, the intensity became too much to bear.

You tightened around him, and the sensation made his movements falter for only a split second before he buried his face against your shoulder with a strained cry. Rin was loud, and that alone shocked the both of you. He’d never been this vocal before. Usually, he went to great lengths to make sure the neighbors never heard the two of you, valuing his privacy above almost everything else. Tonight, however, he didn’t seem to care.

Ripping noises were heard from besides your head, the bed sheet that Rin desperately gripped on earlier was now ripped. But that didn’t even matter in that moment, the bpth of you lost in your own little world. By the time everything finally settled, which only took a minute the room had fallen quiet again. Both of you were exhausted. It was already late, and for a brief moment, you genuinely believed it was over. You’d finally gotten to see Rin’s more dominant side, but that was just the beginning of it. His cum which was overflowing inside of you felt even more dirtier as he began fucking into you again…

“Next time…” he muttered hoarsely against your ear, his voice rough from exhaustion, “label your shit.”

Next time, you’d definitely be reading the instructions on those chocolates a lot more carefully. You were far too exhausted to protest, so instead, he gently pulled both of your legs over his shoulders, adjusting you into a deeper angle. He didn't stop, even after how many times you'd already come. The two of you shifted through different positions, like when he carefully turned you onto your hands and knees, your trembling arms barely able to support your weight from pure exhaustion. He wrapped both of his arms around your waist, pressing his back against your chest as he used the embrace to steady the rhythm between you, refusing to let go even for a second.

Another position had you lying on your side while he lifted one of your legs, stretching you further than you thought you could ever handle as he continued chasing the lingering high he couldn't quite escape. How many rounds had it been now? How much more could your body possibly give before it finally gave out? By now, you felt completely full, every muscle aching from the night's events.

But that didn't mean he was done.

The effects still hadn't fully left his system. Every sensation felt painfully amplified, making it nearly impossible for him to think straight. He could feel everything about you, every twitch, every vibration, and every wet pulsing wall of muscle that held onto him deliciously as he kept pushing into you. His mind was completely fried after those 12 rounds. And your voice had long since given out, you were utterly spent, unable to find the strength to respond beyond weak breaths and small movements. Your stomach even had a visible bulge, proof of how much he came inside of you. You don’t think your body can even make anymore orgasms. Yes, you were that exhausted.

Eventually, exhaustion overtook you completely, and you drifted off, while he remained awake, desperately waiting for the burning sensation coursing through his body to finally subside. Only when it eased enough for him to think again did he finally stop. (And that was four more rounds after you had passed out.) He stayed there for a long moment, too drained to pull out of you, but gently stroking your hair while quietly catching his breath.

Guilt slowly crept into his chest as the haze between both his legs and brain began to clear. He hated that things had happened this way, but he also knew you'd been wanting him to be more rough in bed instead of constantly holding himself back. He wanted this too, to dominate you entirely, he meant. Even if he was still incredibly irritated that you'd resorted to using an aphrodisiac on him, he couldn't deny that what had started as one of the worst days he'd had in a long time somehow became a night neither of you would ever forget.

He already knew this was going to haunt him for days afterward. Every little memory of your reactions would probably distract him during training, during interviews, during meals—Hell, probably whenever he tried to sleep. Quiet apologies continuously slipped from his lips as he pressed gentle kisses along your collarbone. The faint bite marks and scattered bruises decorating your neck were impossible to ignore, silently reminding him of just how little control he'd had. Eventually, you stirred awake. Slowly, you reached up and cupped his cheeks, guiding his face toward yours before pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

"You good?" You rested the back of your hand against his forehead, checking his temperature. He was definitely cooler than before, though he still felt warmer than usual.

"I should be asking you that..." He murmured quietly

"You okay now, Rinnie?"

"Had a shit day, but I'll be fine." He was just about to pull away and help you into the bath when he froze, "... Seriously?" The familiar throbbing returned. He shut his eyes with a groan before dropping his forehead against yours, "What the hell was in those chocolates?" He muttered exasperated, "I'm never eating anything you buy without checking it first. You seriously owe me after this."

"I just wanted you to be a little rougher with me…" You admitted with an embarrassed sigh, "But yeah, I think we should stick to vanilla for a while. Gotta say though that was the greatest sex, I’ve ever had."

"Me too… You could've just talked to me instead of drugging me." He let out a tired laugh, gently bumping his forehead against yours. "You're lucky I love you. Otherwise, I would've reported you to the police."

"Sorry... I really was going to tell you. I just didn't expect you to eat them without consulting me."

"Worth it." You wanted to smack him in the back of his head for that comment both in embarrassment and slight mortification

The corner of his mouth tugged upward despite himself. Most of the effects had finally worn off, but considering how many chocolates he'd absentmindedly eaten earlier, there was no surprise that some of it still lingered. If the warmth steadily returning to his body was anything to go by, he still had a long night ahead of him. Safe to say, Rin learned several biology lessons that night. And despite how horribly his day had started, he had to admit it ended far better than he ever could've expected.

One grabbed the handlebars before the bike had fully stopped while another immediately moved toward the rear stand, stabilizing the machine with practiced efficiency. Voices reached your ears from somewhere nearby but you couldn’t tell where, the ringing in your ears from the engine roaring earlier had made you temporarily deaf. Pats in the backs and words of congratulations felt overwhelming meanwhile some of the engineers discussed your lap times and telemetry. They all blended together into meaningless background noise.

Taking off your helmet felt harder than it should have. The moment it came free, you immediately drew in a deep breath of cold air. Real fresh air. It filled your lungs so suddenly that you almost didn't realize how starved for oxygen you had been until now. (During corners breathing becomes more difficult and less natural because of the G Force so for most of the time you end up just holding your breath.)

Your tracksuit which was damp from the rain was becoming soaked as it continued to pour down relentlessly, but you didn’t care, how could you when the thought of getting sick tomorrow seemed trivial in comparison to what just happened. The sensation of your hair and face getting wet from the cold water was refreshing though you’ll have to admit, and so you welcomed it. It helped ground you here at this moment. It helped drag your mind back toward reality after spending the last few hours locked inside machines capable of reaching speeds most people could barely comprehend.

Now that the test was done, your anxiety and nervousness was through the roof, you were just trying to calm down your heavy heart that continued to beat rapidly. After tasting what Apex had to offer, it was like opening a door you can’t close. This is where you see your future, and if you can’t get into this academy it’ll be a devastating opportunity loss. This is something you were beginning to desperately hold on to, you recognized that the only way of getting you back into racing professionally was this. Apex is the ticket that you don’t want to let go. You tried to calm down, even doing breathing exercises that Rin had taught to you before he left for Blue Lock.

But too many thoughts ran through your head, each one becoming messier and messier than before. You liked to believe that you were the type of person who didn’t overthink a lot, but you’re just human. Just as you had days where you felt invincible, you also had those where you felt vulnerable and exposed.

Unfortunately, this was one of those times and your confident aura could only last for so long. ‘Was that enough to pass? Was I enough?’ You had no idea. You assumed that even if you did your best, maybe you weren't able to reach their standards. That was how bad the gap was between men and women. That gap was something you completely loathed with your entire heart. Didn’t Hayashi mention there weren’t any other girls? That only further proved your point.

The smell of wet asphalt mixed with damp earth filled the air around Fuji Speedway while rain tapped endlessly against the pit lane roofs overhead. Your heart was hammering against your chest, going too fast beyond the normal expectancy of when you usually raced, you were nervous and rightfully so. Your legs felt wobbly, your neck felt strained, and your hands were trembling. But despite all that you refused to give into the darkness that was threatening to over take you. The adrenaline from earlier began to crash when you stopped pushing your body.

‘Just a bit more ...’ Call it being stubborn or arrogant if you will, but you remained standing with difficulty, ‘Don’t overthink it, you did your best, you’ll get in and even if you don’t you can still do underground racing.’ You tried to motivate yourself, a little pep to help pull yourself together. But it came out more negatively than positive. Your anxiety was over the roof now and so was your exhaustion.

It had been so long since you’ve raced this seriously and battled with G forces, this was beyond just those regular underground racing you’ve grown accustomed to in the past year and a half (though you couldn’t diss on the experience and lessons it taught you, you’ve excelled more in technical aspects after trying it out.) Going at a speed of at least 300 km/h was no joke. The endurance and resistance you had to experience could make a grown ass man faint or throw up from the pressure.

And you had to work hard constantly to reach this level, no normal person could withstand such conditions without proper training. Each turn and corners earlier actually made your lungs burn. Your head felt heavier as you fought past it, it was like a massive dumbbell was tied to your head and you needed to use your neck muscles to resist falling with the weight. All the while, you had trouble breathing, the pressure was crushing your lungs effectively cutting off your source of oxygen.

The voice pulled you back to reality, you blinked once before turning toward Hayashi, "Congratulations." Rain dripped steadily from his umbrella while several engineers stood behind him holding tablets and telemetry reports, "Kurogane-san has approved your admission into Apex, we’re looking forward to seeing you race."

Your breath got caught in your throat as tears threatened to fall but you refused to let them. At this moment, you’ve just officially given the biggest middle finger to everyone who told you that you couldn’t make it because you’re a girl. You were the living proof that women can race just as well as men could. Those words echoed inside your head several times before your exhausted brain finally processed what he had actually said. Apex. You got into Apex. Next thing you know, you were full on smiling in joy, shaking Hayashi’s hand as words of gratitude spilled from your mouth.

"Keep note that we'll remain in contact over the next several weeks. We have a training facility in the outskirts of Tokyo near the Blue Lock facility, guess you’ll be seeing Mr. Itoshi more often then, huh? Try to keep it professional between you two when you're in public, while we don’t ban dating just don’t let it distract you.” You blushed hard and tried to explain yourself but he simply laughed and continued talking, “And take note, expect that we’ll be traveling a lot for your training." Hayashi continued professionally, "Contracts, travel arrangements, waivers, sponsorship obligations and academy documentation will be sent directly to you."

You rubbed the back of your neck, "Waivers?"

"Of course, did you expect anything less? This is motorsport." The way he said it made the answer sound obvious, "Apex can train you. We can provide resources, coaches, equipment, medical staff and opportunities that’ll set you for life. However, what we can't provide is a guarantee that you’ll make it back in one piece after each race." Your smile from earlier slowly faded but you nodded in understanding as it did make sense, "Motorsport remains one of the most dangerous professions in the world. No matter how talented a driver becomes, risk will always exist. Even the world's greatest racer has crashed countless times and lost races. It’s impossible to avoid." The rain somehow felt colder afterward, Hayashi glanced briefly toward the circuit before looking back at you, "I strongly suggest discussing everything with your family before signing."

You nodded slowly. "... Right. Don’t worry I’ll make sure to leave behind my will." You replied half jokingly

"There's one more thing." You looked up again and his expression shifted slightly to something closer to amusement. "Before official training begins, Apex intends to begin building your public profile."

"My public profile?"

"Apex intends to introduce its first generation to the public. We've secured permission to host an exhibition race event in Tokyo." Now that definitely got your attention, "A street circuit."

For a moment, you thought the exhaustion was making you hear things incorrectly."A street circuit?"

"It'll be our first official public event. Apex doesn't exist publicly yet. Most people know the sponsors. Some know Kurogane's name. Very few know what we're actually building." His gaze shifted briefly toward the circuit, "Racing is the very life blood doctrine here, so do well in that upcoming race against the others and your very fate will change. You’ll either be dropped from the program or skyrocket your career. A very fitting race of life and death, isn’t it?"

You took a second to slowly process the information. You’ll be partaking in your first major public race, not a closed evaluation. Not an academy exercise, but a real event. One designed specifically to announce Apex to the motorsport world and tell them that Japan’s coming for the Europeans who dominated.

“Didn’t you just say I got in the program?”

“Oh you are, but just like Blue Lock we’ll kick you out if you can’t keep up. You’ve got a week to prepare and we’ll send you the rest of the details soon. Rest well and be proud of your results, you’ve caught the attention of Kurogane which isn’t an easy feat.”

The thought settled heavily in your chest as Hayashi finished explaining the details. One week until Apex officially introduced itself to the public. One week until you find yourself standing on a street circuit somewhere in Tokyo alongside the rest of the academy's first generation. One week until sponsors, manufacturers, journalists, and countless strangers who had never heard your name before suddenly started paying attention. It was exciting, terrifying, and very overwhelming all at the same time. And somehow, despite everything your body had just gone through, you couldn't stop thinking about it.

The future had never looked so close before. For so long, professional racing felt like something that belonged in the past. Something you had already thrown away the moment you left your academy and disappeared into underground racing. There were moments where you convinced yourself that you were happy with that choice. Moments where speeding through mountain roads at two in the morning felt like enough. Moments where you told yourself that professional racing wasn't worth chasing anymore.

Now those excuses felt laughable. Because the moment Apex opened that door for you, the truth became impossible to ignore. You wanted this. And you were ready to give it your all to chase after this dream of yours. You wanted the circuits. The competition. The pressure. The danger. You wanted everything. The realization alone almost made your chest tighten.

By the time Hayashi excused himself and returned to discussing telemetry reports with the engineers, the rain had somehow grown heavier. Water drummed steadily against the pit lane roof while mechanics continued moving equipment throughout the garage. Despite the activity around you, everything felt strangely distant. Like you were watching it all through a fog.

Unbeknownst to you Rin was speeding his was over to the circuit not care about the weird looks he was given or how the man he saw earlier from the viewing deck, Kurogane looked up at him and eyed him up and down in judgement, like he decided Rin wasn’t even worth his time. After that encounter, the coach left in silence heading for his car as he mentally jotted down notes about your data. It didn’t even cross Kurogane’s mind to talk to you face to face after he decided you’re in the program.

Meanwhile back with you, you weren't even aware of Rin’s incoming presence. Maybe that was because your body had finally decided to collect its payment. The adrenaline that had carried you through the Formula car, the GT machine, and the motorcycle was disappearing rapidly now. Every ache that had been pushed aside earlier returned all at once. Your shoulders felt painfully heavy. Your neck burned every time you moved it. Your forearms ached from hours spent fighting steering wheels and handlebars. Even standing upright suddenly required far more effort than it should have.

You barely noticed yourself swaying slightly until a familiar hand immediately settled against your shoulder. The contact alone was enough to tell you exactly who it was. Rin. Of course it was Rin. You turned your head slightly and immediately regretted it when your neck protested the movement. He stood beside you looking exactly how you expected him to look. Unimpressed, irritated, concerned, and relieved. Somehow all four emotions existed on his face at the same time.

And honestly? He looked like he'd aged five years in a couple of hours. His damp hair clung lightly against his forehead while rainwater gathered on the shoulders of his jacket. Judging by the way his eyes immediately scanned you from head to toe, he had already begun mentally assessing how much damage you managed to do to yourself today. The answer was probably more than he'd like. Neither of you spoke immediately. There wasn't really a need to. Rin had watched everything from the formula evaluation, the GT run in the terrible weather, and the motorcycle session.

There were countless moments where you nearly gave him a heart attack. He had witnessed all of it firsthand, which was probably why the look he gave you now felt so familiar. It was the same expression he used to wear whenever you did something incredibly reckless as children and somehow survived without serious injury. The same expression that silently asked whether you were stupid while simultaneously making sure you were okay.

You tried offering him a reassuring smile. Unfortunately, your body chose that exact moment to remind you how exhausted you actually were. Your knees nearly buckled, but not enough to fall. Just enough. The kind of weakness that appeared the moment adrenaline stopped doing its job. Rin's hand immediately tightened against your shoulder. And just like that, any illusion that you were perfectly fine completely disappeared.

You sighed heavily as the fight left your body almost instantly. Maybe because you were tired. Maybe because there wasn't any point pretending around him. Or maybe because Rin had always been annoyingly good at seeing through you. Whatever the reason, you found yourself leaning slightly against him without even realizing it. The silence that followed felt comfortable as the rain continued falling hitting at you. Rin took off his jacket and used it to shield you, in the process letting himself suffer the coldness of the water.

“Tsk, idiot. Don’t be so reckless you’re going to get sick from all the rain…” Despite his harsh words, he began coddling you

The mechanics who continued working in the background faded away and so was the coldness seeping into your bones as you looked up to stare into Rin’s eyes. Those pretty teal blue irises that always seemed to both brighten and destroy your day depending on how they looked at you. And those long lower lashes that always made you jealous, God did he look gorgeous while looking at you with so much concern. He was yapping out words but it didn’t seem to register in your brain. You really needed to get that bad habit of yours, turning off your brain whenever it came to him.

Fuji Speedway remained just as alive as before but this time there was a softness to it. The side of your mouth piqued up slightly and for the first time all day, you allowed yourself to relax into him. Because it was over and you had somehow managed to survive this whole ordeal. You got into Apex. And no matter how much your body hurts right now, no matter how exhausted you feel, no matter how many terrifying challenges await you in Tokyo next week, nobody could take that away from you anymore.

You had earned this. The realization settled warmly inside your chest while you stared out across the rain-soaked circuit one final time. ‘Thank you Fuji, you’ll be a race I’ll never forget.’ Then somewhere beside you, Rin pulled out his phone. You didn't even need to ask who he was calling. Because judging by the exhausted look he gave you beforehand, there was absolutely no chance he was letting you drive home after everything that happened today.

Takeshi was about to receive the most dramatic phone call of his life.

“Both of you are idiots, you made me cut my date short.” Takeshi grumbled as his hands tightened around the steering wheel.

The windshield wipers moved rhythmically back and forth, clearing away the rain that continued falling outside while the soft glow of streetlights stretched across the wet roads ahead. Heavy metal blasted through the speakers loud enough to shake the car slightly, though it did very little to drown out the irritation simmering inside him. Not that his anger was directed toward you. That would've been very difficult considering you were currently unconscious.

When he had arrived at Fuji Speedway and laid eyes on you, Takeshi already knew there was absolutely no chance you were driving yourself home. You looked terrible. Not injured, thankfully, but exhausted in a way that made it obvious your body had been pushed far beyond what it normally could handle. You really should’ve stuck with your intense training back then. It was the kind of exhaustion that settled deep into a person's bones and only appeared after hours of forcing yourself past every physical limit you had. Whatever insanity Apex put you through today, it had clearly done a number on you.

And now here you were, peacefully fast asleep in the backseat without a care in the world. Without knowing the stress and chaos that was brewing inside the vehicle because of you. The moment you sat down, your body had apparently decided it was finished functioning for the day. The adrenaline keeping you upright disappeared entirely somewhere between leaving Fuji Speedway and getting onto the expressway. Before either boy could properly react, your head had slowly tipped sideways until it landed against Rin's shoulder.

And that was it. Gone. Knocked out like you took a punch to the face. Takeshi wasn't sure whether to be impressed or concerned by how quickly it happened. Probably both. But unfortunately, that left him alone with Rin, which was arguably worse. The older (L/n) sibling glanced toward the rearview mirror again and immediately regretted it. He was already listing out spots of where to dump a soon dead body.

The sight waiting for him there somehow managed to annoy him every single time he looked. Rin remained seated in the back, quiet as always, while your head rested comfortably against his shoulder. One of his arms stayed loosely positioned around you, not because he was trying to be affectionate but because he was making sure you didn't slide off every time the car turned or hit a bump in the road. Every now and then he'd subtly adjust your position, making sure your neck wasn't bent awkwardly or that the jacket draped over your shoulders hadn't slipped.

They were small movements. Almost instinctive ones. The kind of things people only did when they genuinely cared. And again, that made it infinitely worse as Takeshi narrowed down his eyes, full on glaring and of course, Rin noticed the hostility immediately. How could he not when Takeshi looked like his mouth would start foaming up from how angry he was. But neither of them said anything, with Rin being slightly scared that it would be his last day on Earth while Takeshi not wanting to wake you up from his yelling. Takeshi knew if he raised his voice he wouldn’t get himself to calm down so he bit back his tongue. The silence became more awkward because of it.

Growing up besides the (L/n)’s was an interesting experience for Rin, he got to know the little quirks of your family from a neighbor's perspective. You were good people, but that didn’t make your family the ideal kind of friendly neighbors that most people desired. No, Rin remembers how his parents used to complain during dinners about the noisy equipment your dad used to fix up his cars.

Or how when Takeshi got older, he started drifting into other hobbies aside from racing. One of them was becoming a musician, he remembers how the entire neighborhood filed a joint complaint about the racket that Takeshi was playing (they had to install a soundproofing system). Despite that, Rin had to admit, Takeshi was damn good at handling the electric guitar. Rin remembers how Sae brought him along to listen to them play since Takeshi invited Sae which automatically meant that Rin was coming.

During that time, he wasn’t particularly interested in listening to those forms of music. Preferring something a little more upbeat yet mellow at the same time. Besides, Rin wasn’t going to stick so long in your guy’s garage unless you were there watching them play the entire time, if not he’ll just go up to your room and probably read your books, watch a horror movie, or sleep beside you.

To his shock, this was one of the only times he saw you and your brother really bonding before. There you were small and adorable compared to your big brother who was currently teaching you the basics of how to play his electric guitar. He wrapped his arms around yours and guided you through the process, a small but genuine smile on your face the entire time. Rin hadn’t seen that smile on you, one full of sadness and happiness at the same time. But he knew the reasoning behind that, he knew you well enough like the back of his hand to know how much you craved love and attention from the older sibling who viewed you as nothing more than a liability and a responsibility.

Rin had never forgotten that smile that day, or how horribly you played that it almost made his ears bled. Though that pain couldn’t even compare to the ones in your eyes, so he made a silent vow to never be the reason why you’d shed tears. But promises were made to be broken, as only a little over a year later, he would find himself facing a dark void and end up pushing everyone aside and changing to a person who’d intentionally choose to hurt you for his own gain. He became what he promised both to himself and you what he wouldn’t become. He became the same as his brother. He became his worst nightmare. He became the entire reasoning for your worst ever heartbreak.

There’s something you need to understand about the way that Rin’s mind works when it comes to you. You were the only one who managed to break past the wall he so desperately built. He was a pretty shy kid, he didn’t like associating himself with others because they didn’t get him and because of that he became more withdrawn, the only person he’d play with was his brother. That was of course, until you showed up. You were the only one who really got excited and proud when he pulled achievement after achievement. There was just something about you that got Rin hooked and it wasn’t just because you gave him the love and support he always needed. There was just always something there about you that he couldn’t really put his finger on.

So the mere realization and thought that he was the one causing you suffering made him absolutely sick. Even when you both were kids and he had the tendency to break his own toys, he’d treat yours with the utmost care, well the best that a five year old was capable of, though he did still like to chew a bit on the car tires of your least favorite Tomica cars. That was his only compromise, but hey, you can’t say he didn’t try to control himself. When it came to you, Rin treated you like you hung the moon so eventually even after losing his way in the road to success, he’d circle right back to you. Just like a magnet being drawn to the pole. He’d always come back to where he rightfully always belonged.

Rin snapped out of his thoughts when a specific guitar riff echoed in the bass stereo system of the car, he recognized the song, it was the only one that Takeshi ever published. It’s been a while since he last heard it so it took a bit of time to recognize it. The bass coming from the music was so loud that he could feel it beating in time with his own heartbeat, vibrating in a way he didn’t like. But even more surprising was how you were still out cold despite the noise pollution going on inside the car. There was no doubt that anyone passing by couldn’t hear the music blasting.

Takeshi hated the fact that Rin wasn't remotely intimidated by him. Okay, maybe that was a bit of a lie. Rin was for sure a little bit scared of his brother-in-law. But just a little bit and if anyone says otherwise then they’re lying. Takeshi as described before is an intense man who terrified a lot of people with a single glare of his. But that wasn’t what scared Rin, in truth deep down, he was more scared of not being accepted or approved by Takeshi for you.

C’mon Rin was still just a boy who wanted to make a good impression on his girlfriend's family. Even more so considering he knew this family very well. Rin was, of course, ashamed of what he did to you, and it was even more a jab to his pride and ego to know that your brother knew he was the cause of your hurt. (He doesn’t like people knowing his business. It was something supposed to be kept between the both of you.) It was even more embarrassing to ask for his help but he loved you, and the two years apart made his heart yearn for you until he couldn’t take it anymore. So pride be damned, you were his girl and he won’t lose you twice over his mistake. Most people wouldn’t have the guts to face their regrets, but he couldn’t let that control him, he rejects it completely.

That prospect of Rin, Takeshi could get behind and support. He was taking responsibility over the mistake he made, making no excuses for himself, just wanting to change for the better and be the kind of guy you deserved. But Takeshi still couldn’t comprehend how it seemed like Rin wasn’t even scared of him, his nonchalant persona was guarding him a bit too well for Takeshi’s liking. Most people usually were scared or intimidated by Takeshi. He was tall, broad-shouldered, loud, and generally carried himself in a way that naturally demanded space. Most people got the message fairly quickly whenever he was annoyed. Rin simply didn't care about that aspect of him or at least he didn’t show it. And since Takeshi can’t really intimidate Rin off, that pissed him off even further. (How could Rin be even scared of Takeshi when he’s seen the boy in question going through puberty, please as if that was a big deal.)

The worst part was that Takeshi couldn't even physically intimidate him. Among himself, Sae, and Rin, the youngest somehow ended up becoming the tallest. It was genuinely infuriating. Every time Takeshi remembered that fact, he became slightly more offended by life itself. Rin wasn't just tall either. The boy had broad shoulders, an athletic build, and enough presence to make it obvious he wasn't the type to back down from anyone.

Not that he needed to. Because despite all the protective older brother instincts screaming inside Takeshi's head, he couldn't actually find a reason to hate him. That was the problem. Rin had disappeared for two years and absolutely deserved to get punched for that. Takeshi still stood by that opinion wholeheartedly.

But ever since showing up again, the boy had been practically attached to your side. And that was saying a lot considering he only got back yesterday. He watched over you constantly. He listened whenever you talked about racing despite clearly understanding almost none of it. He sat through hours of evaluations today looking like he was seconds away from developing heart problems from stress alone.

The realization settled quietly inside Takeshi's chest, easing some of the tension he hadn't even realized he was carrying. He had spent years watching you convince yourself that giving up professional racing was the right decision. Years watching you throw yourself into underground racing while pretending you didn't miss the circuits and competitions you grew up with. Every time he saw you come home smelling like gasoline and burnt rubber, acting like everything was fine, there was always a part of him that knew better.

Not because he was your brother. Ironically, for most of your lives, neither of you had really acted like siblings. Takeshi had always been busy. Training. Competing. Traveling. Chasing after his own racing career while your father focused on his. The age gap between the two of you certainly didn't help either. By the time he came home, you were usually off doing your own thing. And by the time he realized how much distance existed between the two of you, it had already become normal.

Then Rin left and suddenly everything changed. Maybe it was because Takeshi was the only one around. (Your dad wasn’t there most of the time during this because it was a busy season, which your mom accompanied with him.) Maybe it was because somebody had to step in. Or maybe it was because seeing his little sister slowly destroy herself had a way of forcing priorities into place. Whatever the reason, the two of you became closer after that. A lot closer. (Both you and Takeshi were like cats and dogs, always fighting and only seldom did you really get along.) Close enough that Takeshi was there to witness all the ugly parts.

Takeshi at the beginning of your underground racing career, he never supported you at first. The crazy reckless decisions. The nights you didn't come home until sunrise. The arguments, the incidents, and the partying. But none of them could compare to the way his heart dropped when he received a random phone call one afternoon. Keep in mind, you both had hidden this from your parents, a truce between the both of you that if you didn’t tattletail how Takeshi brought home different girls to the house every week then he wouldn’t kiss and tell about your little escapades.

Though that one phone call broke that deal and he had to pull you out of a dangerous situation which he refuses to even remember or want to talk about. He was just glad that he managed to take care of it on his own without turning to the police for help. Looking back on it now, Takeshi honestly wasn't sure whether your future consisted of you becoming a professional racer or a yakuza boss. Okay, maybe the yakuza boss thing was over exaggerating your rebellion since the only thing you really did was illegal racing and partying. You’ve never gone into gambling (except betting on races) or drinking which Takeshi thanks the heavens you didn't. And he was very glad you didn’t chase after different boys. (Rin was the only one for you.)

The bar for being proud of you had admittedly gotten much lower over the years. The point still stood though, you were reckless, so very painfully reckless. The kind of person who saw a warning sign and treated it like a personal challenge instead of a suggestion. The kind of person who would crawl out of a crash and immediately ask if the engine survived.

And unfortunately, that same stubbornness was one of the reasons Takeshi found it so difficult to stay angry at you for long. Because no matter how many arguments the two of you got into, no matter how often you drove him insane, you were still his little sister. His little doll. His baby sis. The annoying gremlin he somehow became responsible for protecting. Another glance toward the rearview mirror revealed the same sight again.

You remained completely unconscious, your head resting comfortably against Rin's shoulder while the younger boy sat quietly beside you filled with so much love in his eyes that it disgusted Takeshi. God, if you weren’t so peacefully asleep and in desperate need of rest Takeshi would've probably choked Rin to death. Or better yet he would’ve gotten a pair of tweezers and pulled out the boys lower lashes one by one. Very painful and more personal.

The streetlights passing outside occasionally illuminated your sleeping face before disappearing again into darkness. You looked carefree. Completely unaware that the two people currently sitting around you had collectively lost several years off their lifespan because of today's events. Takeshi clicked his tongue. Honestly, seeing you like this almost made the entire thing worse. Because this was the same idiot who spent the last several years acting invincible. The same idiot who would throw herself into situations first and think about the consequences later.

The same idiot who looked him dead in the eyes once and said, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

And this was said right before you did the exact opposite. The memory alone made him want to develop a migraine. His gaze shifted from you to Rin. And immediately his irritation returned. Because despite everything, the bastard was still sitting there. Which made Takeshi want to teach Mochi how to bite Rin in the balls. Meanwhile Rin was still making sure your head doesn't bump against the window whenever the car hits a rough section of road.

Still adjusting the jacket draped around your shoulders whenever it slipped. Still looking entirely too comfortable for Takeshi's liking. The older brother stared through the rearview mirror for several seconds before finally letting out a long breath. Eventually, he got tired of thinking about it.

"You know." The words cut through the music unexpectedly. Rin looked up. Takeshi kept his eyes on the road, "If you make my little doll cry again, I'll kill you." The statement came out so casually that it almost sounded normal. Almost.

The silence that followed stretched for several seconds. Not because Rin was scared. He wasn't. But because he knew Takeshi wasn't joking. Not entirely. The older brother's grip tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

"For most of our lives, (Y/n) and I weren't exactly close." His voice remained calm and steady. The kind of calm that somehow felt more dangerous than shouting, "But these last two years changed that."

Rain continued drumming softly against the roof while the windshield wipers swept rhythmically across the glass. Back and forth. Back and forth. Another glance toward the rearview mirror. Toward you. Still asleep. Still completely unaware.

"I was there after you left." The words were simple yet somehow heavier than anything else he'd said. "I was there when she stopped talking about the future." A quiet laugh escaped him, though there wasn't any humor behind it, "My little doll never shuts up. She talks about cars, engines, racing lines, lap times, modifications and random mechanical nonsense nobody else cares about. She used to drive everybody insane with it." His eyes softened slightly, "Then one day she just stopped."

The atmosphere inside the vehicle grew heavier, "It wasn't immediate. That's probably what made it worse. She still smiled. Still laughed. Still acted like herself. But every time somebody asked her what she wanted to do with her future, she'd change the subject. Every time professional racing got brought up, she'd suddenly lose interest. Every time somebody mentioned soccer..." Takeshi clicked his tongue, "... I'd watch her pretend she wasn't listening."

The irritation in his voice wasn't directed entirely at Rin. Part of it was directed at himself. Because looking back now, the signs had been obvious. Painfully obvious. The increasingly reckless decisions that you made one after the other, made Takeshi wonder whether your survival instincts had simply stopped functioning altogether.

"Do you know what the worst part was?" This time he didn't wait for an answer, "Every single time I asked if she was okay, she'd smile and tell me she was fine." His eyes met Rin's through the rearview mirror directly, "And every single time, I knew she was lying." The silence afterward felt heavy. Not because there was nothing left to say, "When I say don't disappear again, I'm not saying it because I don't understand why you left." His voice lowered slightly.

Out of everyone in your life, Takeshi probably understood it the most. He was a racer too. Maybe not in the same category. Maybe not under the same team or academy even. But he understood obsession. He understood sacrifice. He understood dedicating every waking second of your existence toward one goal until everything else started becoming background noise.

Ferrari had already signed him. Training would begin again in a few weeks. Soon enough, he'd be gone too. Traveling. Competing. Chasing after his own dream. So yes. He understood. That didn't mean he forgave it. The speedometer crept slightly higher. Then slightly higher again The engine growled louder beneath them. Not enough to be dangerous. Just enough. Just enough that Rin noticed how Takeshi was trying to intimidate him. He was threatening to let them crash and that’s when Rin started silently praying.

"I'm saying it because I spent two years watching my baby sister try to convince herself she didn't need you." The statement hung heavily between them, "And she was absolutely terrible at it." A humorless laugh escaped him, "God, she was awful. Every time she got into trouble, every time she got hurt, every time she did something stupid, I already knew exactly who she'd want to call first.” The speedometer climbed a little more, "So promise me."

The atmosphere inside the vehicle immediately shifted. Not because he raised his voice. Because he didn't. If anything, he sounded calmer. Which somehow made it worse. Rin remained quiet. Takeshi glanced into the rearview mirror.

"Promise me." The older brother repeated. "Out loud. I want to hear it, Rin."

For several moments, only the sound of rain and the engine filled the car. Then Rin lowered his eyes toward you. Toward the girl sleeping against his shoulder. Toward the girl who had spent two years waiting for him. Toward the girl he never wanted to lose again.

"I won't leave her again." The answer came immediately with no hesitation, only certainty

"Not good enough." Rin blinked.

The older brother's eyes narrowed. "Use her name."

The speedometer crept higher again. Not by much. Just enough. Just enough that any sane person would've started feeling nervous. Unfortunately for Takeshi, Rin was apparently not a sane person. The younger boy simply tightened his hold around you slightly as the car changed lanes. His expression never changed.

"I won't leave (L/n) (Y/n) again." His voice remained unwavering as Takeshi stared at him through the rearview mirror. Waiting. Expecting. Demanding more. Rin understood immediately, "I won't hurt her again either." The words came easier this time. More natural. Because they were true. There was no version of the future where he intended to make the same mistake twice. The older brother remained silent for several seconds.

Takeshi snorted, "Good."

Rin immediately knew that tone. It was the tone adults used right before making everything significantly worse. Unfortunately, he was correct.

"Now for the rules." The younger striker physically felt his soul leave his body.

Of course there were rules. Naturally there were rules. Takeshi was an older brother. More specifically, an overprotective older brother who had apparently spent the last two years collecting grievances and storing them away for a moment exactly like this. The older racer's eyes remained fixed on the road ahead while rain continued sliding down the windshield.

"First rule." Rin already hated where this was going, "No kissing in front of me."

"..."

"..."

"What?"

"You heard me."

Takeshi sounded completely serious, "No kissing. No hand holding. No weird couple stuff."

Rin stared at the back of his head, "You bring girls home every week since you hit 14."

"That's different."

"It literally isn't."

"It's completely different."

Rin wasn't even going to attempt figuring out the mental gymnastics behind that statement. Meanwhile Takeshi continued as if he had just won the argument.

"Second rule. No sleeping over.” The younger striker blinked.

"What?"

"No sleeping over."

The older brother repeated firmly, "No sneaking out.” Another. “No disappearing together for six hours and then pretending nothing happened." Another. “No locking doors." Another. "No being alone in a house when nobody else is home."

At this point Rin was beginning to suspect Takeshi had prepared a PowerPoint presentation beforehand, "Those aren't rules."

"They are now."

"They don't even make sense and they’re lukewarm."

"They make perfect sense."

"They don't."

"They do."

The argument lasted exactly more three seconds before Takeshi ignored him entirely and continued talking.

"Also, if my little doll tells you she's going somewhere dangerous and you're aware of it, congratulations. That's your problem now." Rin frowned.

"Why would that be my problem?" Takeshi looked genuinely offended.

"Have you met her?"

Fair. That was very much unfortunately fair. The older brother sighed heavily.

"My baby sister has absolutely zero self-preservation instincts."

"That's not true."

Takeshi glanced into the rearview mirror. Both men looked down at the unconscious girl sleeping through this entire conversation after spending the day driving Formula cars, GT cars, and motorcycles in the rain.

"..."

"..."

"Okay."

Rin conceded immediately. The older racer nodded.

"Exactly."

“And no sex. If I catch a hickey on her, I will tear apart Japan looking for you.” The statement was delivered with the same tone a person would use when discussing tomorrow's weather forecast.

Completely serious. Completely calm. Which somehow made it infinitely worse. Rin stared at the back of Takeshi's head for several seconds. Then glanced down at your sleeping form. Then back at Takeshi. Then back at you. Before finally deciding there was absolutely no correct response to that statement.

"..."

"..."

"That's a weird thing to say. We’re not thinking of even doing it, we're both focused on our careers."

"It's a perfectly reasonable thing to say and you’re both hormonal teenagers, sooner or later I’m going to put a chastity belt on her."

“That’s too much.”

"No, it isn't."

"It is when we're talking about my little doll."

Rin immediately regretted engaging. The older racer continued before he could stop him.

"And don't even think about trying anything when she's exhausted."

"What?"

"You heard me."

The fact that Takeshi looked personally offended by the concept made the entire conversation feel significantly more ridiculous.

"My baby sister can barely remember her own schedule half the time. If she's tired, injured, sick, stressed, racing, training, studying, breathing too hard, thinking too hard, or generally existing, then leave her alone." Rin rubbed his face.

"That's not how relationships work."

"Good."

"What?"

"Then don't have one."

The response came so quickly that Rin almost choked. Takeshi seemed incredibly pleased with himself afterward. The rules somehow continued from there. At one point Takeshi started explaining emergency procedures. Then relationship procedures. Then race procedures. Then emergency relationship procedures. Somewhere along the way he started listing situations Rin was apparently required to inform him about.

If you got hurt.

If you get sick.

If you got arrested.

If you got into a fight.

If you disappeared for more than twelve hours.

If you attempted something stupid involving a vehicle.

Which was concerningly broad considering your hobbies. By now Rin wasn't even sure whether Takeshi was acting like an older brother or a government agency. The rain continued falling outside while the city lights blurred past the windows. Meanwhile Rin found himself listening quietly despite the absurdity of the conversation.

Because beneath all the ridiculous rules and threats, he understood what this actually was. Worry. Two years worth of worry. Two years worth of watching someone important slowly fall apart while pretending they were fine. And honestly… If their situations were reversed, Rin wasn't entirely sure he would've behaved any differently. The realization was annoying. Mostly because it meant Takeshi had a point.

Unfortunately, that didn't stop the rules. The older racer was still going. Still talking. Still adding conditions and exceptions to rules that shouldn't have existed in the first place. Eventually the words began blending together. The warmth inside the car. The sound of the rain. The exhaustion from the day.

The weight of you leaning comfortably against him. Everything slowly started catching up to him at once. His eyes grew heavier. His responses became slower. At some point Takeshi was explaining why your future boyfriend would require approval from multiple family members despite the fact that Rin was sitting right there. Rin decided he didn't want to know.

A few minutes later his head dipped forward slightly. Then again. Then one final time. The next thing he knew, he was asleep too. Still sitting beside you. Still making sure you didn't slide around whenever the car moved. Still holding onto the jacket draped around your shoulders. The conversation died long before Takeshi ran out of rules. A glance toward the rearview mirror several minutes later revealed both teenagers completely unconscious in the backseat.

The older brother stared. Then started some more. Then tightened his grip around the steering wheel. Because somehow, despite being asleep, Rin was still managing to annoy him. He was going to have a field day texting Sae later about how to watch out for Rin or else he’ll murder him for wronging his little doll. Let’s just say Sae was very confused.

“Ahh— Shit! You’re so pretty like this.”

You couldn't respond to him, mouth currently preoccupied with his heavy cock. Rin was supposed to be studying a soccer match, the TV was turned on in the background of the living room, the cheers for Sae Itoshi becoming meaningless the more you sucked on his dick.

It felt so good to have you like this that Rin wasn’t even slightly annoyed with how you interrupted him from analyzing the games. His heart was so full watching you finger yourself desperately like a bitch in heat as you happily licked his tip like a lollipop. Teasing it with your hot tongue and using your other free hand to massage his balls.

Your head game was always so strong, you knew exactly what Rin likes and what you needed to do to rile him up. Walking up to him in nothing but his jersey and pair of boxers. Pawing at his clothed crotch, whining prettily with those big sad eyes he could never say no to. So here you are now, practically sucking the life out of him.

He grabbed you by the hair and pulled it up to a messy ponytail, he had let you take control for most of the night but he needed relief, and he needed it badly. Controlling your pacing, you had to brace yourself on his thighs as he pushed you so far down until his tip reached the back of your mouth, almost activating your gag reflex. His happy trail pressed against your nose and you could smell how delicious he was.

The kind of scent that uniquely belonged to him. That sweaty natural musk of his and the smell of freshly showered skin mixed so well together that your walls tightened around your fingers that you were still furiously pumping in and out of you. Fuck that scent alone made you drool even more as tears pricked at the side of your eyes.

He was everything in this moment. The way he threw back his head while keeping his eyes locked on your mouth and the groans he couldn’t help from spilling out. His breathing hitched the moment he had you deep throat him. He was getting closer and closer by the second, unable to hold on because of how good you felt. Honestly he doesn’t know what he likes better, your mouth or your pussy.

Well obviously the only correct answer was both, but damn did your mouth start feeling a lot like your pussy. And there were more advantages to it too, like how he loved it when you dragged your teeth around his shaft. Never biting down but the threat real and the sensation it made would have him bucking his hips, chasing after it desperately.

You had to time your breathing with Rin’s quick thrust, he was getting really close to finishing and you knew he’d never do it anywhere else except down your throat. But despite the lack of oxygen, how wet you were, and how intense everything was. It wasn’t enough to satisfy the deep hunger inside of you. You needed him to take you like he was a possessed man.

You looked up at him, eyes locking intensely as you continued swirling your tongue on his tip to make him feel better. Looking at him through your short lashes, you squeezed his thighs two times, your safe word to let him know that he could go further into the next level.

He didn’t waste any time after getting the go signal, pulling your head off of him and hauling you by the waist so that you could lay fully flat on the couch. Your coughs were loud the moment you were detached but both of you didn’t care, only wanting to finish soon.

He climbed up on you and settled his knees beside your breast, sitting above you. His length is fully erect and hard, all 10 inches of it as it curved slightly to the right. His pretty mushroom head was an angry red color and the thick vein that ran down made you want to finger yourself again to help ease the itch down there had it not been for Rin grabbing both of your wrists into one hand and pinning it above your head to the couch’s arm rest.

“You’re such a good girl for taking me so well earlier. Ready to receive your gift?”

With his other free hand he grabbed you by the chin to look up at him. His long lower lashes look very prominent in this angle. He pulled your chin downwards and forced you to open your mouth and didn’t even hesitate to push it back in. Your eyes looking at him doe like and pleading for him to take and take until there’s nothing left of you to give him.

The positioning he pulled you into helped him angle his cock to perfectly target down your esophagus. You moaned out as he completely filled you up, your jaw sore and slack from tonight’s activity. You let out an involuntary moan from the sensation, the vibrations sending down directly to Rin’s dick making him shudder and breath get caught in his throat.

Once again his fingers found themselves in your hair going at a rougher pace. His crotch area fully pressed onto your face making his cute tuff itch at your skin. His hips pulling themselves back and forth to meet your head. It felt good that he couldn’t help but release a couple of pathetic whimpers.

“Ahh— Fuck! Fuck! I’m gonna cum! Take it, pretty! It’s all yours…!”

He couldn’t hold back as his hips stopped thrusting, his release shooting down your throat powerfully. It was so warm and creamy, tasting perfectly salty that you couldn’t help roll your eyes as you came alongside him. But you underestimated the amount of his load, at the beginning of the night you were so confident you could take all of his needs and pent up frustrations but this man hadn’t had sex in over three weeks due to being so busy with practice.

He was still cumming after a good minute and even after swallowing his spent, he kept going until it overflowed. Forcing its way to spill out of your mouth and run down your chin. The sight alone made him hard, and you could feel it deep in your throat. But he knew you needed a break before you next session so he pulled out with a groan, already missing the feeling of your hot mouth.

“Hah… Ahh…” He huffed out like just ran a marathon, “Did… You just come from that alone…?” He took a look back to see the boxers you were still wearing completely soaked in your spent, “That’s so hot, shit…”

You were still in a daze from his roughness, not even able to comprehend what he was talking about, mouth ajar and still so full of him but it was already spilling out. You looked so gorgeous like this ruined by him that he couldn’t help but pull you into a make out session, tasting himself on your tongue. You moans into it and accepted him, eyes closing and arms wrapping around his back as his tongue completely dominated yours.

“Your turn now.”

He said simply as he pulled away and attacked your boxers, practically ripping it apart from his impaitence. He lowered himself down face to face with your heat, pinning your thighs apart as sniffed directly at your entrance which made you squirm around in embarrassment. He took a couple of experimental licks, your opening already slick with your cum.

“F-Fuck!” The sound you made resembled more of a gurgle than actual screaming or moaning. “Rin! Wrong—wrong hole!”

Rin was pretty sure he was in the right hole. How could he not be as he slowly pistoned his fingers in and out of your pussy? He was already going gentle and slow since he had only just entered. But he would admit that this time it felt… off. You were tighter than usual, that was for sure, and he slowed down to pull his finger out, worried that he had somehow hurt you as you clung to him.

“W-Wait! Don’t pull out…!” You immediately dragged his fingers back to where he had been sticking them earlier.

You took back your words, your back arching as you accepted him easily. He knelt between your legs and pinned one side to the mattress as he shifted into a more comfortable position. Parting your lips to take a good look at your pussy in all its forms, he couldn’t help but admire it. What a pretty little cunt, and all of it belonged to him.

Things were going great and seemed normal—or so Rin thought. As he took a closer look at where his fingers were disappearing, he realized something was wrong.

If the hole he was currently fucking wasn’t your vagina, and your actual opening was just below it, then what did that mean? He barely had time to process the thought before he felt the opening tighten around his fingers like a vice.

“Rin—shit…! I’m coming!!”

He stared in amazement as your vagina clenched around nothing, leaking ropes of white, creamy cum. He pulled out and couldn’t help himself from cleaning you up, helping you ride out your high with his thumb rubbing tight circles over your clit while simultaneously lapping up the mess.

You were the only person at school who never thought he was weird, which made his parents absolutely adore you. In fact, you were the only real friend Rin had growing up—and no, Sae didn’t count. So naturally, after years of having your attention all to himself, Rin fell in love with you.

And he fell hard. The night he confessed was beneath the same tree the two of you always returned to whenever something important happened in your lives. The first trophy Rin ever won. The medal you received for being at the top of your class. The day the fish you had cared for since you were five years old died. Every milestone, every heartbreak, every achievement was spent beneath that tree in the park where you used to sit together and watch Rin practice soccer every day.

So it was no wonder how when it was torn down to build an apartment complex, it had devastated you. The usual hangout spot where both of you had spent your childhood and early adulthood was gone, it was like having a part of you ripped away. But time had a funny way of healing old wounds. You eventually let go of such heartbreaks and learned to move on, growing up and pursuing your passions. At least some things never change. Like how it was always you and Rin.

No matter how bad your guys fight or the distance between you whenever Rin has overseas games. It never changed the love you had for each other. You gave in and ended up following him, your job as a writer allowed you to have a schedule flexible enough to allow you to be anywhere while still accomplishing your work.

You both got older, going into your mid 20’s with societal pressure and thoughts of settling down. Silent thoughts. You both never dared to let them come to light, both too scared that by mentioning it out loud, it was like hammering the final nail into the coffin. Because how could you admit you love someone so much that it scares you. You both were at the prime of your careers, and so the idea of settling down was stupid.

Rin's soccer career was flourishing while your novels were gaining recognition. Settling down felt impractical. At least, that's what you both told yourselves. The truth was much simpler. You were cowards. The happy little bubble you built together bursted after a messy fight fueled from frustration, anxiety, and fear. Prompting you to book the first ticket home to Kamakura with a suitcase packed with all your stuff. Maybe some people were meant to come into your life and leave you with memories worth a lifetime only for them to end up being lessons. Oh how you wished that wasn’t the ending between you and Rin.

2 weeks later you opened the door standing in your pajamas, hair still messy from just waking up. But much to your shock you found the last person you were ever expecting to be there. Rin was there holding a bouquet of flowers and chocolates with eyes that told you more than any words could ever explain.

“Get changed, I'm taking you out.”

He didn’t explain much about why he was there or why he practically shoved you into the shower while he picked your outfit from your closet. He looked exhausted, a man drained emotionally and physically. You could tell from how tense his shoulders were and how his eyebags were drooping like he hasn’t slept well in weeks.

He didn’t explain where he was taking you too either, the silence of the car ride suffocating in the way only both of you knew how to deal with but refuse to acknowledge. He led you to a secluded area away from prying eyes, this was close to your guys old school, you recognized. Why here and now? As cliche as it was he covered your eyes as you got closer to your destination.

“I know I’ve been a lukewarm boyfriend to you these past few months but I want you to know there isn’t anyone else I love but you..” He whispered before lifting his hands from your eyes

You let out an audible gasp from the sight, right there was a big sakura tree in full bloom. Just like the one you both used to kiss under when you were teens. You couldn’t help breaking down, your emotions tumbling out of you as thousands of old memories resurfaced.

“Rin! That kick today was awesome!”

“Congrats on the medal, you deserved it from all your hardwork.”

“I’ll always be here, striker. Don’t mind your brother, keep dreaming big.”

“I’ve always loved you since we were kids.”

“I’ve loved you since then too.”

Rin pulled you into a hug from behind, the feelings he had bottled up came pouring out as he cried silently into your neck before he guided you beneath the tree explaining how he planted this since your teen days when the original tree had been taken down. Making you cry even more at his confession, knowing he only did it for you because you were upset.

You turned around for only a second to admire the tree’s bark, your fingers pressing against it and trying to memorize the feeling. When you turned to face Rin what happened next was unexpected, he was already down on one knee holding out a diamond ring to you. Your breath got caught in your throat, your knees feeling weak as he began his speech.

“(Y/n), spend the rest of your life with me. I can’t promise you I’ll be the perfect man but I’ll do my best trying to make you happy everyday. There isn’t anyone I’d rather spend my days with than you, you’re my only friend and lover. So will you marry me?”

The screams of joy coming from you relieved him as you quickly spouted out a series of yes’. The tears that had dried up earlier came rushing right back down as it was your turn to pull him into a tight hug, kissing him and pouring in all the love you had to offer. He immediately reciprocated and slid the ring onto your fourth finger, sealing the deal between the two of you. The fears in the back of your minds faded away as you both promised to commit yourselves wholly to one another. Just like you had and always will.

This morning was the same old as usual, you woke up at 0600 on the dot. Not six-oh-one. Not five-fifty-nine. Exactly 0600 hours. You pushed yourself upright and immediately began making your bed. Every corner had to be tucked properly. No wrinkles or loose sheets. Your father hated loose sheets so you made sure to make it extra tight else you face losing different sorts of privileges. Once that was done, you headed for the bathroom, showered, brushed your teeth, and changed into your school uniform. Your hair perfectly slicked back into a pony tail with nothing out of place. By the time you came downstairs, the house was just as quiet as it always was. Breakfast was simple, rice, eggs, and miso soup. Simple. Efficient. Filling.

The TV in the background had the news reporter talking about increased police activity and riots this morning but you didn’t really listen. They didn’t block your usual path to school so it didn’t really affect you and if it really was important then your father would’ve known about it and handled it long before the news could report it. But aside from that unusual report, it was a pretty normal morning, the birds chirped happily as you walked to the train station and did your normal commute. The sun was even shining brightly with only a few clouds in sight as the birds chirped a happy song in the background. Pretty boring and normal day for a 15 year old huh?

At school things weren’t any different either, just the same old boring math lessons that made you want to slit your own throat rather than listen to another teacher yap about quadratic equations or whatever that was. But that didn’t deter you from listening the best as you could, after all any grade below perfect would be considered as failing in your fathers eyes. Though as you glanced at the clock at the top of the whiteboard and realized how much time was really left until your next class came, it made you groan in annoyance. You’d rather have PE right now, at least that wouldn’t bore you.

Well as bored as you were, things soon became more interesting as a loud crash outside the school disturbed the lesson. Everyone turned their heads to watch as the car flipped over outside the window and slid directly into a street light, exploding immediately and burning the passengers inside along with it. Shocks of gasps rang throughout the room as you noticed people on the streets began running everywhere. Your classmates started pulling out their phones even after your teacher scolded them and began recording the horrific scenes displayed.

Tensions grew high inside the room as the classrooms besides you started screaming. It was confusing. What exactly was going on? Wasn’t today just supposed to be a normal day? Some girls in the back started crying in panic and anxiety and it didn’t help, only causing widespread panic as people got up from their seats looking around frantically, some even calling their parents begging to go home.

Ding dong…!

Ding dong…!

Ding dong…!

Everyone became silent when the announcement rang— static voices through the school's speaker system turned frantic quickly, as the school’s secretary’s voice finally came out clear. She trembled, voice wailing like a child which made you silently cringed as her yelling only became louder and more desperate. “T-This is not a drill! A-All students are to stay inside of their classrooms immediately! The government has announced a state of emergency throughout the entire city! W-We are currently under martial law! T-Teachers, stay inside with your students! Barricade the doors, lock the windows, don't open them for anyone! I repeat, d-don't open them for anyone! D-Don't help those who are exhibiting violent behavior! Stay inside and wait for emergency personnel to—” The last of her voice was cut off so suddenly and the last thing we heard on the intercom was the echoing of her screams.

During the announcement you could hear screams, groans, and banging on the door in the background. It sounded both human but at the same time, inhumane? It sounded completely wrong. Your eyes darted to your teachers as he took in the announcement and made his move, dashing to the door with the intention of barricading it to protect the students he swore to teach and protect. But it was no use since he was too late, that’s why he was always the math teacher and never offered the gym coach position. Before he could fully slam the door shut, the heavy stomps of feet skidded and stopped right outside our door which granted a couple of screams. That only seemed to fuel the monster's rage.

A person, if you could even call it that, emerged from behind. The way it pushed open the door made you raise your eyebrows as you looked at them. They weren’t an unfamiliar person, in fact it was the school’s known prankster, a kind young boy who though smaller than most of his peers compensated for it with his huge personality. But who he was didn’t bother you, nor the fact that you both greeted each other good morning just today. It was the fact that you’ve been partners with him in gym class before and you know better than anyone else that this boy couldn’t lift anything heavy for the life of him.

So how come he was able to slam open the door so hard that it sent your teacher flying back on the floor. The boy stood there heaving and wheezing. His eyes blood shot red as drool dripped continuously from his mouth. He looked more like an animal than an actual human being. His clothes were torn apart in different areas and blood was spilling onto the floor from his right side, a prominent bite mark was engraved into his skin— wait doesn’t that bite look resemble human teeth marks?

Then again it didn’t really matter, since what happened next was a blur. The boy seemed to resist whatever he was fighting inside of him, banging his head on the whiteboard and seizing in a standing position until his pupils turned from brown to milky white. It was only then did he growl, the most animalistic growl you’ve ever heard a human make, it mirrored a predator about to attack their prey.

Your teacher, still on the ground clutching his shoulder which he seemed to have injured, tried to escape, pushing himself back with his feet, his fight or flight instinct triggered when the boy who made you laugh once lunged and attacked your teacher, pinning him down and going for his neck. Teeth sinking in deeply as everyone started screaming and running to the back or sides of the class, pressing their bodies against the wall as though that would save them. The chairs and tables screeched in the nastiest ways as they were dragged alongside the panic.

It was a horrifying sight that made some of the students throw up and hyperventilate. Well everyone except you who sat in your seat perfectly in the center of the classroom, still observing the situation with mild interest. Finally something was happening in your life. The boy pinning down your teacher, tore off a large chunk of his neck, the jugular veins coming along with it. Making blood splatter all over the classroom, you made sure to flip up your desk to cover you from most of the damage, only your shoes and socks receiving some of the aftermath. But that couldn’t be compared to the students on the sides near them, they weren't spared from the massacre.

That was only the beginning though, the back door of the class pushed open and in came more students pouring in who were in the same state as the boy in front. Only this time they didn’t take their time, they just lunged at the closest person next to them.

Screams rang throughout the room and you didn’t even bother to move, only tilting your head as though you were bored. This was why everyone in school deemed you as the weird kid, you had little to no empathy. But to you they were just a bunch of nobodies who didn’t know how to use their brains so why would you associate with them? Your father never knew what the future held so he prepared you for the worst, and well this apocalyptic beginning wasn’t something either of you had anticipated.

‘When people panic, they stop thinking. The first person who keeps their head is usually the one who survives. So don’t be stupid.’ The words of your father echoed in your head. Those words were something you lived by, your father always knew better and instilled in you to always observe and use your brain before jumping in blindly into any situation and immediately making an impulsive move.

Look at the situation and assess your best shot at survival. Weigh out your options and make the smart choice. Calm yourself down and do not panic. A pretty normal thing for a father to teach his daughter, if only the circumstances and reason behind them were actually normal. ‘Looks like whatever this is has similar symptoms to rabies. One bite and this infection spreads rapidly.’ You thought to yourself and made a decision to head home.

Everyone panicked as they ran for it, trying to escape the horrors only to ultimately get pinned down and bitten, soon becoming infected just like everyone else. The classmates you’ve known for years started turning on each other, the infection spreading faster and taking over the host the more it became viral. Turning around to grab your bag, you notice that one of the infected’s attention turned on you. When it tried to lunge at you, only then did you make your move. Grabbing the chair you were just sitting on, you swung it hard against the girl who used to hide your pens. Effectively slamming her against the wall.

Another boy from front of the class who had already turned ran at you at full speed, he snarled and jumped making an attempt for your neck when you grabbed your entire desk, flipping it up and blocking his way, smacking him so hard that he fell on his back to the ground, the wind knocked out from his lungs. You were sure that it should've taken him a minute to recover but he was only on the ground for one second and got back up like it didn’t affect him at all. ‘Well, that’s not good.’ You realized this isn’t a fight you can win alone as more infected made their way to you.

Weapon, you needed something to stop this, you quickly opened your bag and pulled out your pencil case. It’ll have to do for the time being, it was a fight to get to the window. Since you were on the first floor which already led to outside school, you could easily make a break from there. But several infected were blocking the area, some of your classmates ran outside through the door using the chaos to their advantage, but most of them weren’t so lucky. Which meant that there was an overflowing amount of infected who were after you. You opened your pencil case and grabbed a pen and drove it straight into their eye as one infected tried to attack you from behind. It stopped them, they fell on their knees and didn’t get up again.

Bingo. So these things could be stopped, the only thing is that you were quickly running out of pens to use. And it didn’t help how these creatures seemed stronger than they were when they were still humans. You punched and narrowly managed to avoid teeths as you grabbed a fallen chair from the side and threw it at the window, using it as an escape.

You ran for it, your bag and skirt swinging through the wind behind you as you let the adrenaline take over. ‘Is it right to abandon them all?’ You looked back at the school for a second and contemplated if ditching the people there was an act of cowardice or survival. The place in which you spent most of your life became smaller and smaller as the distance grew greater between you. The classroom you spent half a year in learning and growing, becoming a forgotten memory in the past as the once pristine white walls were now stained in crimson red. The laughs that used to echo in the hallways were now screams of pure terror.

The people you’ve surrounded yourself with since your childhood days were dying— have died at the choice and cost of you observing and not helping. You acknowledge that some part of it you were at fault knowing that if you had moved quicker to rip off the boy from your teacher before he had made a move to bite him, maybe he’d still be alive and normal right now. Or maybe if you had closed the back door quickly then maybe your classmates would still be alive. Then again they never even asked you for help. But that sort of mindset would make your father call you stupid and weak.

Maybe it was because you were a teenager and entering your rebellious phase, but sometimes you think your father’s methods in life are wrong. But then again, his way of life was what kept you alive and in this moment, in the beginning of the apocalypse maybe that was the only important thing. To stay alive and see another day until we find a way to stop whatever this was and return humanity back to its original state. Well one thing’s for certain, your boring morning today just turned a whole lot more interesting.

Taking the train to go back home was out of the question, the underground station would probably be the perfect place for these creatures to be crawling in. Tokyo had the biggest and busiest station of all and it didn’t help that today was a Monday making the subways more packed than they already were. Hundreds of people gathered in an enclosed space was like asking for a death wish. So you had no choice but to run home and running 30km straight home wasn’t an impossible feat but it was incredibly hard when you were trying to dodge people who were trying to bite you at every second.

Your school supplies had long been depleted and you were using anything at this point as a weapon, while simultaneously trying to find a mode of transportation and observing the onslaught before you. By this time you had run the whole 17km, you were more than halfway home without taking any breaks in between. You were glad you had your father’s harsh training to thank because if not for that you doubted you could run that far or last this long at least.

‘Seconds, or maybe even a minute or two. That’s all it took for what I assumed was a viral infection to spread. Maybe the placement of the bite also affected the spread rate?’ You weren’t a scientist or anything but you weren’t dumb either, you kept on observing and jotting down mental notes of things that you theorized and would have to confirm later on.

Outside the school wasn’t looking that good either. If the school was overrun quickly you could only imagine how Tokyo and the districts surrounding it were handling the situation. The school wasn’t placed exactly in the heart of Tokyo, but you’d have to pass by it in order to reach home, since you lived in the opposite direction in the outskirts. So it usually took a while to get to school and back but your father insisted that it was good for your discipline and character. Besides, he preferred private schools, no matter how inconvenient the distance was.

People were on top of each other fighting, biting and infecting each other. Those actions were on repeat over and over again. I was starting to get sick of the metallic scent but it didn’t bother me that much. Though, you thought maybe the sight of it might’ve— should’ve frightened you a bit more. This infection couldn’t be contained with how rapidly it spread and the nature it was built on. Unlike the COVID pandemic, this situation couldn’t be handled by washing hands properly or wearing masks. No, whatever this was… It wasn’t going to be that simple to recover from this unless someone could come up with a cure.

As you ran more, your legs became more exhausted and feet were hurting, the school loafers you used were definitely not made for running. You could see police and military personnel defense stations set up and being easily overrun by the undead, which worried you as it meant this was too much for the government to handle. You worried about your family’s safety, especially your father’s. But you couldn’t focus on that right now, you had to be careful and dodge the stray bullets that shot everywhere and focus on survival.

It was pure chaos, somewhere behind you a building exploded as an airplane crashed right into it. Making the whole thing crash down and knock some other buildings in the process like dominos. Everyone was running away from it, trying to get crushed but a lot of people were unlucky. Everyone was busy trying to fend for themselves as they turned against each other.

With the normal heavy traffic, it prompted most people to get out of their car and run, causing more chaos on the street and hundreds of cars to be abandoned. You could’ve used the abandoned cars to drive home if only had it not been trapped by hundreds of more vehicles. It was a dead end at the moment so you had no choice but to abandon that plan and stick to running.

There was a clearing, an area where not so many cars were gathered which made it perfect to make a gate away if you could just find a car to use. A girl with blonde hair jumped from behind you and you couldn’t dodge that easily since another person was being attacked right besides you. So in response you grabbed the girl by the hair and ripped her off before she could sink her teeth into you. You kicked her square in the chest back to where you had been standing just moments ago when… Boom!

A navy blue bus with a strange hexagon logo on it, swerved from the streets avoiding another incoming truck headed straight for them. Which made them head straight to where you were standing earlier, to which the infected girl who was about to lunge at you again got hit by the bus instead. ‘Shit, that was close.’ Inconveniently the loud noise coming from the crash gathered more of the creature's attention. Going straight for you, you scanned the area quickly for any open doors when you saw a van with the driver's seat wide open.

Funny, you don’t think any officers would be pulling you over and asking why an underage girl like you was driving without a drivers license. The bus from earlier overturned to the side and you half expected it to explode but luckily for the people inside it didn’t. You could hear doors and windows being forced open as the passengers ran out in different directions trying to find shelter and not get killed. Well not your problem.

You ran again towards the van, it was a little distance but you could make it when another car came passing through. You dodged barely on time and narrowly missed being hit again, there was too much going on that it was hard to both coordinate your mind and movements. The car ended up hitting another infected on its way to crashing, and while the infected was pinned down it didn’t stop squirming around trying to escape to hunt down and feed again on human flesh.

Seeing the opportunity arise, you made dashed for it. Only then did you finally make it into the van, slamming the door shut behind you and locking it. Making sure there was no one else in there with you. The coast was clear, there wasn’t anything living in there with you, you let your shoulders loosen slightly so you could catch your breath for a second from all that running. In the back of the van there were signs of a struggle earlier, a bloody hand print left pressed on the window, still fresh and dripping. The back seats were messed up, making you assume that someone became infected and started attacking the other passengers during the drive prompting everyone else to abandon ship and make it run for it.

Well too bad for them. One man's trash was another's treasure. You instinctively reached to turn the keys but it was missing, you checked the ground in case it had fallen or something. You searched around the driver’s seat one last time, checking beneath the seats, the center console, and even the sun visor. Nothing. A small sigh escaped your lips. Of course it couldn't be that easy, you’ll need to hot wire it if you want to get home. Fortunately, that wasn't a problem. Most daughters probably didn't know how to steal a vehicle before they were old enough to drive one, but most daughters weren't raised by a man who believed every useful skill could one day become necessary.

‘Dependence gets people killed.’ Another one of your father's favorite lessons.You got down on your knees and ripped off the plastic panel from underneath the steering wheel. Dropping to your knees, you ripped away the plastic panel beneath the steering wheel and exposed the tangled mess of wires hidden behind it. The process wasn't particularly difficult. It was just annoying. Outside the van, chaos continued to unfold. You ignored it. Panicking wouldn't make your hands move faster.

Your fingers worked through the wires methodically, separating them according to color while trying to remember the exact instructions drilled into your head years ago. Back then you had complained endlessly about learning something so stupid. Now you were silently grateful. You were in deep concentration and almost got the engine to start when your flow state was disturbed by banging fists. You looked up from the wires and found bright teal blue eyes glaring at you down. He was still human as far as you could tell, and no visible marks of any bites or exhibiting any symptoms. There was some blood that stained his navy blue sports uniform but you doubted it belonged to him. Clearly he was an athlete, great just what you needed.

“Open the door!” The boy yelled, desperately yanking at the passenger-side handle as though sheer force alone would somehow convince it to unlock.

Another boy sporting the same uniform ran after him. “Rin!” he called out, his midnight-blue hair tousled and sticking to his forehead from sweat. He shot a quick glance at his companion before turning toward you, panic written all over his face as he attempted a more reasonable approach. “Please! Help us! We won't cause any trouble!”

You don’t know what exactly compelled you to help these strangers than your own classmates that you’ve practically known your entire life. Maybe it was because they had actually approached you and asked for help rather than running around aimlessly like headless chickens, only stalling for what in the end was inevitable. Or maybe it was simply because they looked more useful alive than dead. Either way, you unlocked the passenger door and returned your attention to the exposed wiring beneath the steering wheel. Only, that single act of kindness seemed to open the floodgates.

The moment the first two boys climbed inside, they immediately began calling out to their other friends. One after another, more teenagers sprinted towards the van and piled inside without so much as asking for permission. You hadn't exactly offered the vehicle as a public shelter, yet they treated it as one regardless. The realization irritated you far more than it should have. Having people depend on you was a burden you never actively sought out.

In came a couple more other guys, you didn’t even bother to check them out or how many they were. Focusing on finishing the task at hand so you could escape this hell hole quickly. The overturned bus from earlier had drawn the majority of the infected toward it, buying everyone a temporary window of opportunity. Soon enough, that window was closing and by the time the last survivor scrambled inside the van. Dozens of infected had already spotted the group especially considering the survivors you took in came from that very bus. Their creatures' heads snapped toward the vehicle before they charged forward at full speed. Making it harder to concentrate and start the engine already.

The van shook as several bodies collided against its sides, “Hurry up! They’re coming for us!” The boy who I assumed was named Rin barked from the passenger seat beside you.

Despite the urgency in his voice, you barely reacted. Instead, you lazily flicked your gaze toward him before returning your attention to the wiring, “Do you know how to hotwire and drive a manual car?”

His eye twitched as he muttered profanities underneath his breath, "...No."

"Then don't tell me how to do my job." A vein visibly popped on his forehead.

From the back of the van, another voice cut through the growing tension.

"Please hurry!" A purple-haired boy shouted, panic evident in every word. "They're everywhere!" As if to emphasize his point, another infected slammed itself against the side of the vehicle hard enough to rock the entire van.

“If I get bitten can I still take a nap after this?” And you thought you were a bit unhinged, though it couldn’t compare to the white haired boy

With one last twist, the wires sparked, electrocuting you a bit prompting you to shake your hands as if that would help. The car roared to life— catching even more attention nearby, some infected left in the midst of their meals in favor of us. You guessed these boys were really popular among the people, huh? The deserted corpses' guts were spilled everywhere and it wasn’t a really pretty sight. You had half the mind to threaten to kick out some of the boys as they almost hurled from the traumatizing scene, their stomachs not able to handle such horrors.

Children, women, and men. No one was spared from their wrath. The metallic scent of blood filled your nostrils again but you were starting to get used to it, and though it was highly unpleasant but you’ll live. You stared straight at the road and drove directly into the infected, crashing into them without batting an eye as the sounds of bones shattering could be heard. You wanted to go home quickly with the intent of going after your father.

For the first time since everything began, there was peace. Not real peace. The kind of peace that came from being sealed inside a moving vehicle while the world burned outside. The infected couldn't reach you for now. The screams were muffled behind glass and metal. The smell of blood that had followed you throughout the city wasn't as overwhelming anymore. For a brief moment, all you could hear was the steady hum of the engine and the occasional nervous breathing coming from the boys behind you.

It felt strange. Just this morning, your biggest concern had been surviving another math lesson and making it home before your father found a reason to complain about something. Now your classmates are dead. Your teacher was dead. Grades didn’t matter anymore. The school you'd spent years attending was likely overrun by now, reduced to another forgotten building swallowed by the chaos spreading across Tokyo.

You wondered briefly how many people were still alive. How many parents were searching for their children? How many children were searching for their parents. How many people were currently watching someone they loved turn into one of those things? The thought lingered for only a moment before you pushed it away. There wasn't any point dwelling on things you couldn't change. Father hated that. The road stretched endlessly ahead of you as the city slowly disappeared behind the van. The smoke rising into the sky became smaller and smaller with distance, though you doubted the images would leave your mind anytime soon. Behind you sat six complete strangers.

A few hours ago, you hadn't known any of them existed. Now their lives were tied to yours. Just as yours had become tied to theirs. Whether any of you would survive long enough to see tomorrow was anyone's guess. Funny how quickly things changed. Still, as you tightened your grip on the steering wheel and continued driving toward home, one thing became painfully clear. Whatever happened tomorrow was a problem for tomorrow. For now, everyone inside the van was alive. And in a world that seemed determined to take everything else away, that was enough.