you’d never admit it, but you get dolled up to drop the kids off at his place. you’re so careful about looking beautiful for him even if you’re not his anymore.
“hi, beautiful” he says, fresh out the shower, dressed with sweatpants and with his bangs downwards resting on his forehead. you roll your eyes at his pet name, but your panties feel slightly wet against your folds.
you talk about your children’s progress at school since he only has them a week per month, yet you can’t help but get distracted. he looks handsome with his natural looks, teal eyes staring at you and paying attention to every word that leaves your sweet lips.
“good, and in soccer? are they doing okay?” he says, hand on his chin and back against the wall. his free hand lands on your waist, caressing your skin unconsciously. “yeah.. the coach says they’re very good” you clear your throat, “you could come to his games and see it by yourself”
“don’t have time, mama. i would if i could” he arches an eyebrow, now both hands on your waist. he caresses your skin up and down, making you feel goosebumps on his trail. “sure” you sigh, getting even closer, “itoshi sae never has time for anything that isn’t soccer, right?”
“exactly. took you long enough to understand it” he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, eyes flickering between yours and your lips. he stares down at your mouth when you bite down on your lower lip.
there’s a pause, a silence. you feel his breath get heavier and your thighs rub together, trying to ease yourself. “you shouldn’t do that”
“do what?” you swallow, trying to play it off. “want me like that” he shrugs.
you scoff and try to step back, but his hands tighten on your waist just enough to stop you. both of you forget for a second this isn’t how things are supposed to go, that you should’ve left right after the kids got in bed.
“sae…” you breathe, half a warning, half a plea.
his forehead drops to yours. you can feel the warmth of him, smell his soap, feel how real this still is. “we’re bad at this,” he says quietly. “every time”
“then let me go,” you reply, though your hands wander over his chest.
sae doesn’t. instead, his thumb brushes under your chin, tilting your face up. his eyes search yours, something vulnerable flickering behind that usual cool confidence. “i miss you,” he admits, voice so soft it feels like a caress on your neglected lips.
then you break. your lips meet his slowly, careful. slightly scared of the consequences that may come after this. but it quickly rushes into a heated and sloppy kiss, pouring all your contained feelings into his mouth and meeting his on his tongue.
you need oxygen after a few seconds and you pull away, tongue darting out over your lips. there’s a moment of silence, just staring into each other’s eyes and trying to regulate your breath. “this can’t happen” you whisper, trying to be rational in this situation.
but when his fingers start unbuttoning your flared jeans, you know you’re done. you want this, you need this. you sigh in pleasure, letting him guide you until your back hits the wall. your pants fall down to the floor, your legs straddle his hips, and your lips connect again.
sae growls into your mouth when you pull on his hair slightly, one hand on your hip and the other sneaking between your thighs. “what were you saying about this being wrong?” he smirks, making you huff, but it blends into a moan when he pulls your panties to the side and pushes to fingers into you. “shit, you’re drenched. just how i like you”
your nails dig into his skin and you grind against his hand, making him chuckle mockingly. his palm brushes against your clit and his pace speeds up, two thick digits thrusting into you relentlessly. “missed the sounds you make.. so sweet ‘nd nasty”
your head falls back against the wall, lips parted as his fingers work you open, curling just right. your walls clench around him, desperate, needy, like your body’s been waiting for this the whole time.
“sae—” you gasp, legs trembling around his hips.
he watches you closely, eyes dark and focused, like he’s memorizing every reaction. “still feel wrong?” he asks quietly, thumb now circling your clit with practiced ease.
you shake your head weakly, biting your lip to keep from moaning too loud. “no,” you admit. “feels… too good.”
that’s all it takes to make him snap.
he pulls his fingers out slowly, making you whine, and before you can complain he’s lifting you effortlessly. your back presses harder into the wall as he hooks your legs around his waist, hands gripping your thighs so your pussy is right against his bulge.
“hold on,” he mutters. sae frees himself quickly, guiding himself against you, and the first push steals the breath from both of you. he groans low, forehead dropping to your shoulder as he fills you inch by inch. “fuck,” he breathes. “missed this too.”
you cling to him, nails dragging down his back as he bottoms out. he starts moving back and forth, his hips slamming into yours, the stretch makes your eyes sting, your body welcoming him like muscle memory never faded. your soft sounds fill the room, muffled against his neck as he kisses your shoulder, your collarbone, anywhere he can reach.
“look at you,” he murmurs. “still mine when you fall apart like this.” his words make your stomach flip, hips moving to meet his. the pace builds naturally, rougher now, needier. the wall creaks softly with each thrust he gives you, and you feel the knot tightening on your low stomach.
“can feel you twitching around me like a hoe” he grunts, “want me to fill you up? make you a mama again?” you moan at his filthy words, and your ecstasy reaches you. “fuck— oh, yeah. just like that” he moans, not lasting much longer than you and filling you with his sticky load.
after the wave of pleasure, you’re shaking slightly while he helps you getting dressed. you fix your hair and kiss his cheek, “see you. remember that they have exams, try to help them studying”
“already told you i’ve got no time, beautiful” he opens the front door for you, smirking when you huff. “call me when you get home, ‘kay?”
“thought you didn’t have time” you shrug as you step out.
“i always can find some for you” sae says flatly despite the effect his words have on you.
“then help them studying for me” you wink and disappear in your car. maybe sharing custody isn’t that bad!
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Stepbrother!Rin Who still isn't used to living with a girl and having to call her sister. He hates how he's expected to look out for you and make sure you find some friends at school, how you take up the bathroom for hours and how annoyingly loud you whine whenever he wants to watch a football match and you your stupid trash TV. He never asked for a younger sibling, a fucking girl no less! As if his stupid brother wasn't enough to deal with already!
Stepbrother!Rin Who ignores you to the best of his abilities. He doesn't answer you in the hallways at school when you ask him what class he has next, walks past you in the cafeteria when you wave at him and rolls his eyes every time he comes downstairs for dinner and is greeted with your bright smile and shining eyes. He knows you're trying to be nice and play happy family, but he's not interested in it. He only cares about one thing and that's football.
Stepbrother!Rin Who has to carry you all the way home on his back after you sprained your ankle in PE. He's annoyed by your little sniffles right next to his ear and your tears staining his shirt as you cling to his shoulders with your face buried in the curve of his neck. Or at least he's annoyed until he sits you down on the large sofa in the living room area and wipes your tears away before bandaging up your foot carefully. You are kinda pretty...if you like the stupid bimbo type of girl that is—which he is completely immune to obviously.
Stepbrother!Rin Whose eyes flutter open in the middle of the night just to see you crawling into his bed. He wants to tell you off, but doesn't find it in himself when you start telling him about a very scary nightmare and how you can't fall asleep during the storm raging outside, how glad you are to have him here to protect you... He didn't ask or wanted to know, but now that you're here, he's pulling you closer by the waist and tells you to be quiet and go to sleep before he kicks you out.
Stepbrother!Rin Who tells himself he's just doing his job as an older brother to not get yelled at by his father when he scares off the guys approaching you with just one deadly stare or takes your hand into his to drag you after him so you don't get run over by a car on your way home because a stupid stray cat distracted you.
Stepbrother!Rin Who's stunned into silence, hands awkwardly hovering in the air near your hips, when you climb into his lap while he watches football and whine about switching channels for some stupid reality show you need to watch. What stuns him even more is the fact he puts it on for you without protest as his hands settle on your body and he pulls you into his chest. He even gets invested in the romantic drama displayed on TV, masking genuine curiosity behind petty questions and a click of his tongue.
Stepbrother!Rin Who first notices that something isn't right when he pops a huge boner after accidentally walking in on you changing. You had just taken a bath, standing in front of your closet and contemplating for the past 5 minutes if you should wear shorts or a skirt. The image of your luscious curves in barely any fabric is branded into the back of his mind when he takes care of his little problem in the bathroom—the cold shower wasn't nearly as satisfying as nutting it out later that evening.
Stepbrother!Rin Who does serious research in all things girls, boys and relationships in hopes to find any other explanation than physical attraction towards his stepsister as a reason for his desires to bend you over the kitchen counter, hike your skirt up and fuck that silly smile from your face. He can't bear it anymore, your pretty eyes and the echo of your stupid giggles has been replaying inside his head for days now.
Stepbrother!Rin Who questions if your clinginess and need of attention is stemming from the same filthy urges that he secretly craves. Would you sit in his lap if you didn't want to grind against his hard-on? Would you cuddle up to him every night if you didn't like the way his morning wood kept pressing between your ass cheeks? Why would you wear little to nothing around the house 24/7 if you didn't want him to stare at your perfect tits and make him imagine his teeth sinking into the perky mounts on each side?
Stepbrother!Rin Who has trouble looking into his father's eyes and only gives short, one word answers to direct questions during the rare occasion of family dinners, because he thinks his father will see right through him. His cold, distant behavior seems so perfectly normal to his father that he doesn't even notice a thing, but you do and he only stops brooding in self-pity when you hug him from behind and ask if he's okay.
Stepbrother!Rin Who's jerking it to the innocent pictures of you in his camera roll (like he does every night now). Tears burn in his eyes from the amount of shame he's feeling for being this disgusting, but the sheer desperation for you is growing stronger and stronger and his teeth clench down hard on the fabric of his pulled up shirt to stifle his pathetic noises.
Stepbrother!Rin Who didn't expect you to enter his room this early tonight as you caught him right in the act of cumming all over his stomach—panic sinks in immediately as he scrambles up and tries to explain himself.
Stepbrother!Rin Who goes completely silent when you lay down between his still spread legs, pushing his shirt out of the way and start to lick up the cum from his abdomen like it's cupcake frosting. It makes his cock spring into action again at the way you blink up and smile so cutely. He can't believe you're actually just as depraved and sick in the head as him and who is he to deny his little sister the one thing that they both have been craving from the start?!
@missyonmission
This work is entirely fictional and intended for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, places, organizations, or events is purely coincidental. No factual representations are intended.
”sae-! we’re gonna..!! can’t-.. can’t get caught!!” you whine, but grab his shirt behind you closer.
he had pulled you into the dressing room with him. anyone can walk in, yet he’s still rutting against you like he’s starving. words melt in your mouth as you arch your back and bury your face into your forearms.
his hips rolling against you form waves of heat that comes so pleasurably it’s like water in a desert. your lower stomach forms a knot and you whimper even more desperately.
he keep grinding into you rhythmically. his hands guide your hips and his fingertips brush against your waist.
“s-sae…” you angelically moan as he pressed his lips behind your ear. that’s more than enough to loose his mind.
you shouldn’t be here.
you shouldn’t still be waiting for him to look at you like that—
like you’re the answer he’s been searching for.
but god, you are. you are waiting. and it’s pathetic.
the room smells faintly of soap and rain, soft and sterile, like everything rin touches somehow becomes quiet. he’s sitting on the floor, back against the couch, eyes fixed on the wall instead of you.
“you’re thinking too much again,” he says. his voice is calm, but distant, like it’s reaching you through water.
you laugh weakly, trying to fill the space he leaves empty. “i always am.”
he doesn’t look at you when he says it: “you know i don’t mean to hurt you.”
and you hate how your throat tightens at that. how your pulse stutters, stupid and hopeful.
you want to scream then why do you? but all that leaves your lips is a whisper.
“then why not me?”
rin finally looks up. his eyes are soft—too soft, like pity in human form.
“don’t do that.”
“do what?” your voice cracks. “want you? love you? pretend it doesn’t hurt every time you look at me and see someone else?”
he flinches. you watch it happen. it’s small, but it’s there.
and that hurts even more, because it means he knows.
“i know who you pretend i am,” you say, and the words spill out before you can stop them.
rin closes his eyes. exhales.
silence.
somewhere, the washing machine hums in the next room—steady, relentless, unforgiving.
you wish your heart could sound like that. mechanical. unfeeling. just doing what it’s supposed to.
“it’s not like that,” he says finally, voice fraying at the edges. “i just—”
“just what?” you snap. “just need someone to fill the space until she calls? until she remembers you exist?”
rin stands, and suddenly he’s towering over you, eyes burning. “you think this is easy for me?”
“no,” you whisper, tears slipping down your face, “but it’s easier for you than it is for me.”
you turn away because you can’t stand to see him like that—beautiful, unreachable, his love always facing the wrong direction.
the air feels heavy, too full of what won’t ever be said.
“rin?”
he hums softly, already half gone.
“when you look at me,” you ask, voice breaking, “do you ever—just once—pretend it’s really me?”
he doesn’t answer.
you don’t need him to.
the washing machine clicks off.
the room is silent again.
and for a moment, you wish you could stop spinning too.
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SYNOPSIS: locked behind the closed doors of a sterile suite and a private dinner night, a single inadvertent gesture ignites a catastrophic public frenzy. caught between the clinical, freezing distance of an unwanted arrangement and the hyper-fixated side of the media, the fragile boundary between performance and reality completely fractures.
CONTAINS: angst, not the usual romance. still romance though. slowburn. life of luxury and fame, public figures and exposure, past relationship with Rin, slight family pressure. ridicilous amount of foreshadowing and coincedences, agressive physical restraint and possesion, boundary crossing, disordered eating, and something unexpected. added some of my favorite blue lock characters because I have free will ( list will change as more verses will be released. this story evolves per verse )
BLUE LOCK: Aged up! Famous Athlete Rin Itoshi x Famous Model & Actress Reader
Word Count: 9097 words and 52,176 characters
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Verse l. Verse ll. Verse lll. Verse IV. Invités d’Honneur
two weeks. two agonizing, exhausting weeks since this nightmare of a mission officially locked you into a room with your ex.
in that time, the counselor’s relentless, clinical conditioning has forced you and Rin to cross the initial hurdles. you can do the basic physical touch now without short-circuiting or pulling away. you can hold his hand when required, you can tolerate the heavy weight of his arm draped casually over your shoulders. you can even lean against his side to pass her arbitrary " proximity quotas. " but beneath the practiced compliance, the air between you is still thick with glass. the armor hasn't truly shattered. there are still sudden, suffocating moments where a lingering look lasts a second too long, or his thumb accidentally brushes your bare skin, and the raw, breakup awkwardness hits like a physical blow.
but today, the counselor is done playing games in the isolated safety of the hotel suite.
“ A private test is one thing, ” she had announced that morning, her eyes gleaming with that terrifying, bright corporate energy. “ But the real world doesn't have training wheels. It’s time for a soft launch! ”
the assignment? a high-profile, exclusive VIP gala swarming with public figures, internet influencers, and A-list celebrities. the agency has orchestrated it perfectly: you two are to attend as a couple, intentionally letting yourselves be caught in the background of photos, videos, and stories to let the public— and the internet— finally start connecting the dots.
on paper, it's a chemistry check. but you know the hidden truth behind her bright smile. this is a loyalty test. the counselor is throwing you straight into a den of wolves, forcing you to act under the blinding glare of high-resolution cameras and paparazzi flashes. in front of a crowd like this, a single stiff posture, a momentary flash of disgust from Rin, or a panicked flinch from you will be caught on camera, archived forever, and analyzed by millions of internet sleuths.
one single mistake, and the cover blows. one wrong move, and the agency pulls the plug— destroying both of your careers in an instant.
the heavy leather door of the sleek agency car clicks open, and the sheer volume of the outside world hits you like a physical wave.
the venue is an architectural masterpiece— a sprawling, ultra-modern glass pavilion perched high above the city skyline, lit from within by cascading crystal chandeliers and ambient violet neon. the atmosphere is thick with the intoxicating hum of high society: the synchronized, blinding clack-clack-clack of paparazzi cameras, the rhythmic bass of a live jazz-fusion ensemble, the clinking of crystal champagne flutes, and a suffocating cloud of expensive designer perfumes.
every surface is polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the glittering sea of A-list public figures, athletes, and internet elite currently mingling across the velvet lounges.
as you step out onto the red carpet, the crisp night air brushes against your bare shoulders. your black sleeveless dress fits like a second skin, elegantly tracing every curve of your figure and pooling slightly at your ankles. it is sophisticated, sharp, and undeniable.
then, Rin steps out behind you.
he looks absolutely devastating. the agency spared no expense, dressing him in an impeccably tailored, fabulous dark suit layered with a subtle, structured silk sheet overlay that drapes over his broad shoulders with a sharp, fluid elegance. it emphasizes his towering height and lethal frame, making him look less like a guest and more like a dark monarch reclaiming a throne.
the moment his hand slides onto the bare skin of your upper back to guide you forward, the atmosphere in the entrance pavilion noticeably shifts. it isn't a gentle gesture— it is a calculated display of possession and control.
the initial ripples of shock break out instantly. a prominent fashion influencer pauses mid-sentence, her champagne glass tilting dangerously as her eyes lock onto the two of you. nearby, a group of famous actors and high-profile models completely stop their conversation, their heads turning in unison as a collective, hushed whisper begins to spread through the crowd like wildfire.
" Wait... is that Rin? "
" Who is he with? Look at his hand— "
" Are they... back together? Oh my god, get a picture, look at them. "
the sight of the notoriously cold, untouchable Rin acting as a protective, attentive partner is a total system shock to the public figures around you. phones are already being subtly lifted, cameras are angling in your direction, and the first crumbs of the internet's biggest meltdown are being captured in real-time.
next to you, Rin’s jaw clenches just a fraction, the fabric of his immaculate suit shifting as his shoulders tense under the sudden scrutiny. he doesn't look at the crowd, keeping his dark, intense gaze fixed straight ahead.
as you and Rin move further into the glittering heart of the pavilion, navigating the maze of velvet ropes and low-lit lounges, his hand slides firmly down from your upper back, his large palm securely anchoring to your waist to steer you through the place.
a familiar group breaks away from the vip circle. it’s a handful of your high-profile co-workers— a couple of the industry's top actresses and a striking runway model you’ve shared the spotlight with before. they are dressed to the nines, holding their cocktails, but the moment they catch sight of Rin’s hand possessively locking you to his side, their eyes light up with pure mischief.
they descend on you two instantly, completely ignoring Rin’s naturally terrifying aura in favor of the juicy gossip unfolding right in front of them.
“ Oh my god, I knew it! ” one of the actresses giggles, leaning in close, her eyes darting pointedly between your matching dark aesthetics and the sheer proximity of your bodies.
the runway model fans her face dramatically with a manicured hand, letting out a loud, delighted gasp that draws even more eyes from the surrounding tables. “ I knew you both still loved each other! ” she teases, her voice dripping with playful triumph. “ The whole industry was mourning when you two split, but look at this! You can't keep a power couple apart for long. ”
the words hit you like a physical slap to the chest.
if only they knew.
inside, you are completely mortified, your heart doing a frantic, anxious tap-dance against your ribs. but the camera lenses are everywhere, and the counselor is undoubtedly watching from the shadows.
you force a soft, practiced laugh to bubble up from your throat, leaning just a fraction closer into Rin's side to sell the lie. “ You guys are terrible! ” you play along smoothly, though your fingers are practically burning where they press against his suit fabric.
next to you, Rin doesn't break character, but you can feel the sudden, rigid spike of tension vibrating through his powerful frame. his jaw is locked tight. to the actresses, his dark, unreadable expression just looks like his usual mysterious, brooding self.
“ Eeeeh?! No way! It is you! ”
a wildly energetic, overly familiar voice cuts through the sophisticated hum of the jazz music. you turn your head just in time to see a mop of messy dark hair with bright yellow highlights bouncing toward you. it’s Bachira, holding a brightly colored cocktail in one hand and completely ignoring the VIP etiquette as he bounds over, his wide, golden eyes locked onto the two of you.
right behind him, looking sharp but slightly overwhelmed in a sleek, tailored suit, is Isagi. he zeroes in on you first, his eyes softening with instant recognition, before his gaze drops straight to where Rin’s massive hand is firmly wrapped around your waist. Isagi’s entire face freezes, his brain visibly short-circuiting as he tries to process the sight.
“ I knew I recognized that dress from the back! ” Bachira cheers, completely invading your personal space. he leans in, his eyes darting from your face to Rin’s icy expression, a massive, mischievous grin spreading across his face. “ Rin-rin! Look at you! Since when do you let anyone touch you without trying to murder them? And here I thought you only cared about soccer and lukewarm crowds! ”
Rin doesn't pull his hand away from your skin. instead, his grip on your back tightens just a fraction, a possessive, unyielding claim as he glares at them, his voice dropping into a low, dangerously flat murmur that could cut glass.
“ Lukewarm pieces of trash. ” Rin draws out, the words vibrating sharply against your own chest. “ Step back before I make you. ”
“ Aww, so scary! ” Bachira laughs, completely unfazed by the threat, though he takes a half-step back to sling an arm around a mortified Isagi's shoulder. “ But seriously, you guys look crazy good together. Isagi, look! Rin-rin actually looks like a human being right now! ”
Isagi clears his throat nervously, adjusting his collar as he looks between you and Rin. he can clearly feel the bizarre, heavy tension vibrating between you two, but given the cameras flashing in the background, he tries to keep it casual.
“ Hey, ” Isagi says, giving you a warm, genuine smile before casting a wary glance at Rin. “ It’s really good to see you. We didn't know you'd be here tonight... let alone together. ”
the sheer awkwardness of the situation makes your stomach do a violent flip. they actually know you— they aren't just random paparazzi. having people who actually know your history stare at this forced, clinical setup makes the post-breakup flare up ten times worse.
to keep the cover from blowing, you force yourself to stay anchored to Rin's side, your fingers tightening against the fabric of his suit jacket. Rin feels your subtle panic, and in response, his large hand grips your waist even tighter, pulling you flush against his side with an aggressive, possessive finality that leaves absolutely no room for questions.
“ Isagi! Bachira! ” you force a bright, effortless smile to your face, desperate to swallow down the sudden lump of anxiety in your throat. you step slightly forward, though Rin’s heavy hand remains firmly anchored to your waist that he moves with you. “ It’s so good to see you guys! You both look amazing in suits— I almost didn't recognize you without the jerseys. ”
“ Right?! ” Bachira beams, bouncing on his heels as he gestures to his collar. “ Isagi complained the whole ride here that his tie was too tight, but I think we clean up pretty well! ”
“ I did not complain that much, ” Isagi mutters, a faint blush creeping up his neck as he scratches his cheek. he shifts his gaze back to you, his blue eyes softening with genuine warmth. “ We've just been wandering around trying to dodge the influencers, so seeing a familiar face is a huge relief. ”
every flash of a camera in the background feels like a countdown. you glance between the two of them, trying to keep the conversation flowing naturally so it looks like a casual catch-up to anyone watching. “ Are the rest of the guys here tonight too? I thought I saw a glimpse of pink hair near the entrance earlier. ”
“ Yeah, Chigiri and Kunigami are around here somewhere, ” Isagi nods, though his eyes subtly drift back down to Rin's hand, which hasn't budged an inch from your bare skin.
you can feel the absolute wall of ice radiating off Rin next to you. he is completely silent, his chest rising and falling in a slow, controlled rhythm as he glares at the space right between Isagi’s eyes, practically daring him to say another word. the sheer awkwardness of holding a normal, friendly conversation while the man from your complicated past is physically marking his territory with a lethal grip is pure emotional whiplash.
“ Well, you better keep Rin-rin company! ” Bachira teases, winking at you playfully. “ He looks like he’s gonna explode if we stay too long anyway. Let's go find the chocolate fountain, Isagi! ”
“ Ah—wait, Bachira! ” Isagi stumbles as he's dragged away, but he manages to throw one last polite nod over his shoulder. “ Great seeing you! Take care! ”
as they disappear into the crowded VIP lounge, the sudden lack of their chaotic energy leaves a heavy, suffocating silence in its wake. you let out a quiet breath, your shoulders dropping just a fraction, but Rin's fingers flex sharply against your waist, a cold, silent warning that forces you right back into posture.
the elite operative instincts you both share instantly kick in.
it’s an invisible, prickling sensation on the back of your neck. from a balcony across the pavilion, a high-end telephoto lens has just zeroed in on you two. it isn't a casual smartphone— it’s a professional press camera, positioned perfectly to capture an intimate, candid moment between the " it-couple " of the night.
there is no time to verbalize it.
Rin removes his heavy hand from your waist, the sudden absence of his warmth leaving a chilling draft against your bare skin. in one fluid motion, you pivot on your heels to face him fully, stepping directly into his personal space until your figures are practically casting a single shadow.
you raise your hands, your fingers lightly catching the silk fabric of his tie. to the camera far away, it looks like a breathtakingly tender, domestic gesture— the devoted partner meticulously adjusting her man’s suit in the middle of a crowded gala.
Rin plays his part flawlessly. he doesn't flinch away. instead, he leans down slightly, obliging your shorter height, and fixes his dark, intense gaze entirely on your face.
your fingers tremble slightly as you mimic the motions of straightening the knot of his tie, your racing thoughts looping right back to the suffocating feeling of the past two weeks. holding his gaze this close feels like staring directly into a sun that used to burn for you, and your chest aches with the sheer weight of the lie.
Rin’s eyes track the slight tremor in your hands. he doesn't break the illusion of his focused, intense expression for the camera, but his voice drops to a dangerously quiet, freezing murmur that only you can hear.
“ You’re shaking. ” he drawls, his tone flat and entirely devoid of warmth. “ Your acting is lukewarm. ”
you don't let your hands drop. keeping your fingers resting delicately against the silk of his tie, you tilt your head back, letting a soft, breathtaking smile bloom across your face. to anyone watching from a distance— and to the lens clicking away across the room— you look like a girl completely, helplessly in love.
but as you look up into his dark, intense eyes, the contrast between your radiant smile and the raw ache in your chest is pure whiplash.
you gently smooth down the lapel of his jacket, your touch light as a feather. “ I'm shaking because you're standing entirely too close. ”
Rin’s pupils dilate just a fraction, a sudden, sharp flicker breaking through his icy, calculated mask. for a split second, his gaze drops to your lips before snapping right back to your eyes, his chest rising in a slow, heavy breath.
even with the cameras watching and the counselor looming, the sheer weight of your words hangs in the tiny space between you, a reminder that no matter how much you practice this game, neither of you is immune to the wreckage you left behind.
“ Let’s walk now? ” you ask, keeping that radiant, flawless smile plastered on your face as your hands finally drop from his tie.
“ Yeah. ” he murmurs, his voice a low, clinical drawl as his expression instantly smooths back out into his signature, aloof coolness.
the moment you pivot to stand side-by-side again, his hand slides effortlessly onto your bare lower back. the direct contact of his palm against your skin sends a sharp, familiar jolt straight up your spine, but this time, you don't stiffen. instead, playing the part to absolute perfection for any lingering lenses, you seamlessly lean your weight closer into his side, letting your shoulder brush against the silk overlay of his suit.
to the high-society crowd watching the power couple walk away, you look completely synchronized, tilting your head up to smile at him playfully as you walk.
but as you look up at his sharp profile, your lips curve into a brilliant, teasing smirk, and your voice drops into a quiet, wicked whisper meant strictly for his ears.
“ If you grip my back any tighter, people are going to think you actually missed me. ”
next to you, Rin’s eyes snap toward you, his icy mask completely slipping for a fraction of a second as his jaw clenches. a vein practically throb in his temple, his dark eyes flashing with pure, irritated fire at your provocation. he doesn't break stride, but his fingers flex aggressively against your back, intentionally pulling you a millimeter closer just to prove a point.
“ Shut up. You're delusional. ”
“ Ah... Stylish. ”
a deep, dramatic voice echoes over the jazz music, dripping with an almost theatrical elegance. you look up to see none other than Aryu standing perfectly poised, flicking a strand of his impossibly silky, long hair over his shoulder. right next to him, looking completely out of place in a high-end luxury suit, is Tokimitsu, who is currently clutching a tiny cocktail glass with both hands, sweating bullets and muttering anxiously under his breath.
Aryu zeroes in on the two of you immediately. his eyes scan your sleek black sleeveless dress, then slide over to Rin’s tailored suit and immaculate silk overlay. finally, his gaze drops to Rin’s large hand, which is still firmly anchored to your bare lower back.
Aryu covers his mouth dramatically, his eyes widening with pure aesthetic approval.
“ To think the absolute peak of unstylish, lukewarm energy would display such an incredibly stylish development, ” Aryu teases, a grand, knowing smirk spreading across his face as he flicks his hair again. “ Rin... I never imagined your dark aura could ever harmonize with something so elegant. Letting a woman guide your heart? It’s completely... glamorous. ”
“ A-Ah! Aryu, wait, don't say that so loudly! ” Tokimitsu squeaks, his shoulders violently hitching as he glances at Rin's instantly darkening expression. he begins frantically wringing his hands, looking like he's about to cry right into his expensive suit jacket. “ Oh my god, Rin looks like he's going to tear the pavilion apart... I'm sorry! We shouldn't have intruded! Please don't murder us in the VIP lounge! ”
Rin stops dead in his tracks. the hand on your back turns into a literal vice grip, his fingers digging in as his entire body radiates a terrifying, suffocating pressure.
he glares at Aryu with a gaze so lethal it could stop a man's heart.
“ Get out of my sight before I rip your hair out from the roots, you freak. ” Rin draws out, his voice dropping into a dangerous, razor-sharp murmur that cuts right through the ambient noise of the pavilion.
Aryu merely lets out a dramatic sigh, entirely unfazed. “ Hm. Still completely lacking in emotional styling, I see. ”
FLASH!
the blinding white light of a professional camera bursts right in front of your faces, slicing through the dim, violet ambiance of the VIP lounge.
before you or Rin can even blink to clear the spots from your eyes, you glance over at Aryu— and your jaw almost drops.
he didn't even hesitate. the absolute millisecond the camera flash went off, Aryu’s model instincts overrode everything else. he is already frozen in a flawless, high-fashion pose. one hand is elegantly tucked into his suit pocket, his head is tilted at a perfect forty-five-degree angle to catch the neon downlighting, and his other hand is delicately framing his jawline while his impossibly silky hair magically seems to float behind him. he looks like he just stepped off a Parisian runway, completely unbothered by the fact that Rin was literally threatening to bald him two seconds ago.
next to him, Tokimitsu lets out a tiny, high-pitched squeak, his hands flying up to cover his face in pure panic, which honestly just makes the candid photo look like a chaotic masterpiece.
the unexpected flash forces you and Rin right back into survival mode. you instantly lock that stunning, radiant smile back onto your face, leaning your head just a bit closer to Rin's shoulder to look like you're completely amused by his former teammates.
Rin, caught completely off-guard by the sudden light and Aryu’s immediate, ridiculous posing, lets out a sharp, irritated click of his tongue. but because he knows the counselor will skin them alive if he looks like a monster in a group photo, he forces his features into a rigid, brooding smolder, his hand on your back tightening to pull you securely against his side.
“ Magnificent, ” Aryu purrs, breaking his pose the moment the camera lens clicks shut, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. “ A truly stylish snapshot for the masses. ”
“ Oh my god, oh my god, we're going to be trending for the wrong reasons.. ” Tokimitsu whimpers, hyperventilating into his collar.
before Aryu turns to glide away into the crowd, dragging a still-hyperventilating Tokimitsu by the sleeve, he pauses. he looks you up and down one last time, his eyes sweeping over the clean, elegant lines of your black sleeveless dress.
he flicks his long hair over his shoulder, giving you a deeply respectful, dramatic nod.
“ But truly, ” Aryu murmurs, his voice softening into something genuinely appreciative, “ your styling tonight is immaculate. The silhouette, the poise... you are the absolute saving grace of this dynamic. To look that radiant while tethered to such a gloomy, lukewarm creature? Truly, a masterpiece of patience and glamour. ”
“ A-Aryu, please, let's just go before he kills us! ” Tokimitsu wails, practically pulling Aryu's arm out of its socket as he scrambles toward the exit.
“ Farewell, stylish one. ” Aryu calls out with a final, elegant wave of his hand as they finally disappear into the swirling sea of celebrities.
the compliment leaves a soft, genuine laugh bubbling up from your chest, the tension in your shoulders dropping for just a fraction of a second.
next to you, Rin doesn't explode. instead, a heavy, suffocating silence bleeds off his frame. his hand on your bare back turns completely rigid, his fingers pressing into your skin with a flat, icy tension. he doesn't even look in the direction Aryu went, his eyes fixed straight ahead with pure, unadulterated disgust.
“ Disgusting freaks. ” Rin rasps, his voice dropping into a dangerously quiet, flat hiss that vibrates right against your shoulder.
you tilt your head up to look at his sharp profile, your brilliant, camera-ready smile slipping right back into place as you catch another flash going off in the distance.
“ He was just stating the obvious. I am the glamorous one here. ”
Rin’s jaw tightens so hard the muscle feather-clicks. he doesn't break stride, but his eyes slide down to meet yours, flat and fiercely intense. “ Keep dreaming. ”
the moment you and Rin try to steer clear of the main floor, navigating toward a slightly quieter VIP lounge, a smooth, wealthy voice cuts through the ambient chatter, instantly halting your escape.
“ Well, well. Look who finally decided to step out into the light. ”
you look up to see Reo leaning casually against a sleek marble pillar, looking effortlessly sharp in a designer suit that probably costs more than a sports car. hanging right next to him, slumped half-asleep on a plush sofa with a smartphone loosely gripped in his hand, is Nagi.
Reo’s sharp eyes instantly lock onto the two of you. as a billionaire heir who has been handled by PR teams since birth, he knows exactly how the media operates— and he immediately notices the faint, microscopic stiffness in your posture and the rigid line of Rin’s shoulders. he smirks, a knowing, calculating gleam in his eyes as he steps forward, smoothly roping you into his space.
but Reo doesn't just come over to chat. right behind him is a group of high-profile lifestyle influencers and models, their smartphones raised high as they live-stream the party to millions of viewers.
“ We were just talking about you, Rin. ” Reo says smoothly, his voice easily carrying over the audio of the live streams. he gives you a polite, charming nod before looking back at Rin.
“ Wow, Rin really is holding someone's hand, ” Nagi mumbles from the couch, not even looking up from his phone screen, though his lazy voice perfectly catches the attention of the influencers nearby. “ So troublesome. I thought you hated crowds, Rin. ”
the stakes instantly hit absolute maximum. you are no longer dealing with a distant camera lens— you are currently in high-definition, live-streaming directly to millions of internet sleuths.
Rin doesn't even stop walking. he doesn't play Reo's game, and he doesn't grace them with an argument.
instead, his hand on your bare lower back simply turns to iron. his fingers grip your waist with a heavy, sudden force, physically locking you flush against his side so you are entirely shielded by his massive frame as he cuts right past them.
he casts one single, lethal glance toward Reo and Nagi. his dark eyes are dead, filled with a flat, crushing disgust that could freeze water.
“ Lukewarm. ” Rin rasps.
it’s a single, quiet word spat through his teeth— low, dangerous, and completely dismissive. without pausing for even half a second to let the influencers get a clear shot, he uses his height and his iron grip on your waist to guide you straight through the gap, leaving his former teammates in the dust.
to the millions of people watching the live stream, the sheer, icy dismissiveness of his exit— and the way he aggressively kept you against him the entire time— is the ultimate, terrifying confirmation of how protective he is.
Nagi lets out a slow sigh, slouching even deeper into the velvet sofa.
Reo just smirks, watching your retreating figures with amusement. “ Still completely unreadable. ”
as you both finally break away into a darker, much quieter corridor of the pavilion, your heart is hammering against your ribs from the sheer force of his grip.
you turn back to the beautifully arranged catering table, prioritizing your own needs. your stomach lets out a quiet, demanding rumble, reminding you that you've been running on pure adrenaline and acting all night.
you pick up a small, elegant plate, your fingers steady as you scan the options. even though you're starving, you keep your portions strictly managed— selecting just a few small, high-protein bites and a single miniature savory tart.
Rin stands right beside you, completely silent as you make your selections. he doesn't comment on what you're picking, nor does he offer to help. he just stands there like a dark, towering wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as his sharp eyes keep watch over the empty corridor leading to the balcony.
the only sound in the secluded corner is the distant, muffled bass of the jazz band from the main pavilion and the quiet clink of your utensil against the porcelain plate.
you take a small, delicate bite of the savory tart, the rich flavor finally hitting your tongue and offering some much-needed relief. next to you, Rin lets out a barely audible breath through his nose. he still looks thoroughly irritated to be here, his jaw set in that signature, rigid line, but the aggressive, suffocating pressure he was radiating in front of Reo and Nagi has dialed back to a low, heavy simmer.
left alone in the shadows without a single camera lens currently tracked on you, the silence between you two changes. it’s no longer about keeping up a frantic, breathless performance for the media— it’s just the raw, cold reality of standing next to your ex in the dark, the space between you heavy with everything that went unsaid after the breakup.
you quietly finish your small portion of food, setting the empty plate down on the edge of the linen-covered table.
before you can even pick up your purse, a soft, familiar gasp echoes from the entry of the catering alcove.
“ Oh my god... babe?! ”
you snap your head around, and a genuine smile immediately breaks across your face, completely shattering the tense atmosphere. walking toward you is one of your former co-workers from your previous agency. she looks absolutely stunning, wearing a breathtaking gown that catches the low light perfectly, holding an empty plate of her own. you two used to be incredibly close, surviving back-to-back high-stress projects together before your careers took different paths.
“ I knew that was you! ” she squeals softly, stepping right past Rin like he’s a piece of decorative furniture, completely ignoring his towering, intimidating presence to wrap you in a warm, familiar hug. the scent of her expensive perfume fills the air as she pulls back, looking you up and down with pure admiration. “ Look at you! You look absolutely immaculate tonight. How have you been? I feel like it's been an eternity! ”
“ I'm fine! ” you laugh, the relief of seeing a friendly, familiar face making your voice sound lighter than it has all evening. “ Honestly, just taking things day by day. What about you? You look unbelievable. ”
“ Ugh, don't even get me started, ” she chuckles, rolling her eyes playfully as she starts picking out a few small portions of fruit and appetizers for her own plate.
“ The new contract has been a total whirlwind, traveling non-stop, but the exposure has been amazing. I actually just wrapped that big campaign last week— ”
as you and her smoothly launch into exchanging quick, comfortable updates about your lives and careers, the atmosphere in the small corner shifts drastically.
right next to you, Rin has gone completely, utterly rigid.
the moment your stunning friend called you "babe" and swept you into a hug, Rin’s dark eyes narrowed to slits. he stands there with his arms still crossed over his chest, his jaw tightly clenched as he listens to the two of you talk so easily.
he hates the crowd, he hates the event, and now he’s forced to stand by like a brooding statue while you casually catch up with a beautiful woman who clearly holds a comfortable, affectionate place in your life. his intense, burning gaze stays fixed on the side of your face, his irritation practically humming in the silence between your friend's sentences.
your friend smoothly finishes plating her food and glances over at Rin, finally acknowledging the brooding professional athlete standing glued to your side. she gives him a polite, curious look before turning back to you with a playful, knowing spark in her eyes.
“ Oh, Itoshi Rin? ” she jokes, rolling her eyes with a dramatic sigh. “ I told you to break up with him! ”
a genuine, breathless laugh instantly bursts out of you. the sheer absurdity of her saying that right to his face— combined with the fact that you two actually broke up and are currently forcing a massive lie for the media— makes the irony completely hilarious. you lean into her slightly, your shoulders shaking as you both share a private, laughing moment right in front of him.
next to you, Rin’s entire body turns to pure stone.
a sharp, audible click of his tongue cuts through your laughter. his jaw clenches so hard a visible knot forms in his cheek, his dark eyes flashing with a sudden, fiercely irritated heat.
he doesn't yell, and he doesn't throw a tantrum. instead, his breathing grows flat and heavy, his crossed arms tightening against his chest as he glares at your friend like he wants to erase her from the pavilion. he looks completely, utterly miserable, his antisocial energy spiking as he realizes he's the punchline of a joke he can't even argue against without ruining the agency's contract.
the moment the genuine, breathless laugh bursts out of you, your friend seamlessly slides her free arm through yours. she gives Rin one last amused, entirely unfazed look before completely turning her back on his suffocating aura, tugging you gently toward the exit.
“ Alright, enough of this gloomy corner, ” she says, her voice bright and full of easy authority. “ Come inside with me. Everyone from the old team is by the lounge, and they’ve been dying to see you! Let’s go catch up properly. ”
you smoothly, gently move your friend’s hand away from your arm, offering her a quick, apologetic smile before turning to step right back into Rin's space.
as you approach him, your face is filled with a quiet, genuine nervousness that only he can see from his vantage point. because you are a experienced actor, your back remains perfectly poised and natural, completely hiding your inner tension from your friend and anyone else watching from behind.
Rin looks down at you, a sharp crease forming between his brows. his gaze is purely disgusted, eyes tracking your nervous expression with a cold frustration. he doesn't understand what just triggered this sudden shift in you, and the unexpected variable clearly annoys him as he demands for you to explain yourself.
you stop directly in front of him. before he can even utter a word, you reach up, wrapping your arms securely around Rin's neck, and pull him down into a sudden, breathless kiss.
the kiss is slow.
or at least, in the quiet gravity of the shadows, it feels that way for both of you.
the sudden, frantic rushing of the VIP lounge completely fades out, replaced entirely by a heavy, suffocatingly familiar sensation. it is the exact warmth, the exact rhythm you both experienced a while ago— a ghost of the past slamming violently into the present.
for a split second, the messy reality of the breakup and the cold boundaries you drew in the sand completely evaporate under the sheer, unadulterated weight of memory.
even though the counselor's endless, rigid demands for this fake relationship are frustrating, you were never actually told to take it this far. you were never ordered to kiss Rin.
this choice, this sudden, breathless escalation in the dark, is entirely your own.
Rin goes completely rigid under your touch, his body locking into an unyielding freeze. for a split second, his dark eyes widen in sharp, cold surprise— he didn't calculate this move. but he doesn't pull away. instead, a low, sharp hitch catches in his throat, and the sheer force of muscle memory overrides his discipline.
his hand drops from his chest, his large fingers catching the fabric at your waist in a sudden, heavy grip. he kisses you back for one intense, frustrated second— not out of sweetness, but as a sharp, involuntary reflex of pure muscle memory, his jaw tightening with a grim, suppressed heat before his brain can even register the betrayal.
then, reality snaps back. Rin abruptly breaks the contact, pulling his head back just an inch. his breathing is slightly shallow, his eyes burning down into yours with a sharp, dangerous intensity as he forces his composure back into an iron lock.
“ What the hell do you think you're doing? ” he rasps through his teeth, his voice a low, icy blade of pure irritation and demands for answers.
just a few feet away, your friend stands completely frozen, her plate of food nearly slipping from her fingers as she stares at the two of you in absolute shock.
the playful, teasing smirk is entirely wiped from her face, her eyes wide as she watches the sheer, heavy intensity of the kiss. because of the distance and the low, muffled bass of the jazz band echoing from the main pavilion, she can’t hear a single word passing between you two. Rin’s sharp, ragged question and the dangerous, vulnerable rasp in his voice are completely lost to her.
to her eyes, she isn't seeing a calculated PR stunt or a messy, breakup confrontation. she is just witnessing what looks like a fiercely passionate, undeniable moment of raw intimacy between a couple who clearly can't keep their hands off each other.
you don't offer Rin a single answer. you don't explain the impulse, the nervousness, or the sudden break in the script.
instead, you slowly let your arms slip down from his neck, your fingers lingering for a fraction of a second against the sharp fabric of his collar. looking up into his completely disgusted, burning gaze, you force your voice to remain steady, dropping it into a quiet, casual murmur that carries just enough to reach your stunned friend.
“ Call me when something happens. Love you. ”
Rin doesn't say "I love you too" back, he doesn't even move. he never said it back, not even in the past when things were real, and he certainly isn't going to start now. he just stands there like a frozen statue in the shadows, his hand dropping from your waist, his dark eyes fixed entirely on your face with a heavy, unreadable intensity.
the moment the words leave your lips, your stomach drops, twisting violently in response to such a familiar, nostalgic feeling. saying those words to him again— paired with his predictable, heavy silence— hits your system with a wave of raw whiplash, making the ache of the breakup feel incredibly hollow and real all at once.
turning away before the emotion can bleed onto your face, you give your shocked friend a smooth, seamless smile, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary just happened.
the moment you turn your back on him, Rin stands completely frozen in the dim, violet shadows of the balcony. his whole body is wound as tight as a piano wire, the quiet fury radiating off him absolutely suffocating as his hands curl into rigid fists at his sides. he is deeply, thoroughly pissed off and disgusted.
but most of all, he loathes how effortlessly his own muscle memory just answered your familiar touch.
ever since the breakup, he’s thrown every single ounce of his obsessive energy into his discipline, locking those domestic habits away behind a seamless wall of indifference. you didn't shatter that wall, but you forced a glitch in it, and the lingering, familiar warmth of that kiss feels less like nostalgia and more like a direct insult to his self-control. his jaw tightens until it aches, his breathing deliberate and sharp as he glares at the empty place where you just disappeared.
he lets out a single, low hiss through his teeth, his dark eyes burning with pure, unadulterated irritation as he immediately clamps his ironclad guard back down.
as you walk down the carpeted hallway, the muffled sound of your friend's voice bounces off the walls. she’s completely yapping now, her hands gesturing wildly as she recaps her absolute shock, whispering a million questions a minute about how long you and Rin have been like that and how she can't believe she ever doubted the chemistry.
but you aren't listening to a single word. her voice is just white noise.
your entire focus is locked onto what you just did. your heart is still hammering against your ribs, a frantic, heavy rhythm that feels completely mismatched with your poised, elegant outer appearance. your lips still feel warm, tingling with the sharp, residual heat of his mouth, and your skin feels hyper-sensitive where his fingers had violently dug into your waist.
the weight of that familiar, nostalgic act is completely suffocating.
it was a total muscle-memory trigger. the exact way he froze before leaning in, the ragged hitch in his breath, and that predictable, heavy silence when you said love you— it was an exact, haunting replica of how things used to be. for a few seconds back there, the fake relationship, the PR contract, and the frustrating demands of the counselor didn't exist. it was just the raw, bleeding reality of the two of you, playing out a routine you used to know by heart.
your stomach twists into a tight, anxious knot. it’s a bitter, conflicting feeling. you took that step completely on your own, but now the lingering whiplash is settling into your chest. doing something so intensely intimate— and feeling him respond to it with that same familiar intensity— makes the reality of your actual breakup feel ten times heavier.
you find yourself staring straight ahead, your camera-ready smile fixed perfectly on your face as you approach the bright lounge where the rest of your old co-workers are gathered, even though inside, you're completely breathless.
as you and your friend round the corner toward the brighter VIP lounge, you suddenly realize you weren't nearly as hidden as you thought.
standing just past the threshold of the corridor, tucked into a wide alcove near a secondary refreshment station, is a cluster of familiar faces from the Blue Lock project. Isagi, Bachira, Reo, Nagi, Aryu, and Tokimitsu are all gathered there. they had clearly been heading toward the balcony for a quiet break of their own— and they had a front-row seat to the entire, breathless spectacle.
they had all chosen to stay completely quiet, not wanting to disrupt the sheer, heavy intensity of the moment, but the aftermath on their faces is loud.
Bachira and Nagi are currently frozen like statues. Nagi’s fingers are loosely wrapped around a high-end skewer, and Bachira is holding a small pastry— both of their hands are trembling so much from pure shock that the food is literally on the verge of sliding right off and dropping onto the polished floor.
the moment you and your friend pass them, the silence breaks, and they immediately launch into a hurried, hushed conversation.
“ Whoa... ” Bachira gasps, his eyes wide and completely circular as he forces himself to swallow, his hand barely steadying his tilting pastry. “ Rin-rin looked like he was about to swallow her whole. I thought his face was gonna melt off from how hot his aura got! ”
“ Ugh, scary... ” Nagi mumbles, his jaw slightly slack as he blinks slowly, staring down at the skewer that almost slipped from his grip.
Isagi lets out a low, shaky breath, crossing his arms as he looks back toward the dark corridor where Rin is still brooding. “ I didn't think Rin had it in him to look that rattled. He looked completely thrown off his game. Did you see his eyes right after they broke apart? He looked like he didn't know whether to explode or freeze to death. ”
“ It was terribly un-glamorous yet incredibly dramatic! ” Aryu chimes in, tossing his long hair over his shoulder, though his sharp eyes are still wide with genuine surprise. “ The absolute juxtaposition of elegance and raw, unbridled friction... the aesthetic tension was palpable. ”
“ O-Oh my god, do you think we should leave? ” Tokimitsu whimpers, anxiously wringing his hands together as he looks around frantically. “ What if Rin finds out we saw him like that?! He's going to murder us! He’s going to target me in training tomorrow and destroy my legs, I know it, I’m so anxious— ”
Reo just stands there, a calculating, slightly amused smirk playing on his lips as he takes a slow sip from his glass. unlike the others, his sharp mind is already putting the pieces together, his eyes trailing after your retreating back with deep intrigue.
“ Well, well, ” Reo murmurs, his voice smooth and knowing. “ And here I thought they were just putting on a neat little show for the cameras tonight. That didn't look like acting at all. Rin was completely paralyzed. ”
“ Yeah, ” Isagi agrees quietly, his football brain unconsciously analyzing the sheer weight of the history between you two. “ Whatever is going on between them... it's definitely not just for PR. ”
“ Seriously though, ” Bachira whispers, leanings in closer to the center of the huddle, his eyes practically sparkling with gossip. “ Did you guys hear what she said right at the end? I couldn't make out the words over that stupid saxophone player, but she looked so... woooah. Rin looked like he saw a ghost! ”
“ I think she told him she loved him, ” Nagi mutters, finally managing to shove the skewer into his mouth so it stops slipping. he chews lazily, leaning his heavy shoulder against the wall.
“ Wait, really?! ” Tokimitsu gasps, his face flushing bright red as he grips his head in his hands. “ She confessed right there?! Oh no, oh no, that’s so heavy! If Rin is harboring that kind of intense, unrequited emotional baggage while we're trying to focus on world-class training, his destructive output is going to skyrocket! We're all going to die in the next scrimmage! ”
“ Calm down, Tokimitsu, you're hyperventilating over someone else's love life. ” Isagi says, a small, wry smile breaking through his own lingering shock.
he shakes his head, still trying to process the image of the invincible Itoshi Rin looking so completely defenseless. “ But Nagi's right. Rin never says stuff like that. He probably doesn't even know how to process it. Did you see his fists? He looked like he wanted to punch the wall but couldn't because of the cameras. ”
Reo swirls the liquid in his glass, watching the ice cubes clink together with a knowing look. “ Of course he couldn't. Rin prides himself on being absolute, but tonight he completely lost control of the pace. She completely blindsided him. Did you see the way she just walked away afterward? Total power move. She left him standing there in the dark with zero answers. ”
“ A true masterclass in emotional drama, ” Aryu murmurs, nodding with deep, solemn approval. “ To deliver such a devastating, passionate strike and then exit with flawless posture... the stylishness of it is truly magnificent. truly glamorous. ”
“ Man, I almost want to go back out there and poke him with a stick just to see what happens! ” Bachira giggles, though he wisely stays glued to his spot. “ But he'd probably bite my head off. Do you think they're gonna break up for real after tonight, or is Rin just gonna explode? ”
Isagi sighs, glancing one last time toward the hallway where you had vanished into the crowd, “ He's going to run about twenty miles tonight just to try and burn that kiss out of his system. ”
—
your phone gives a sharp, heavy vibration inside your purse.
you smoothly excuse yourself from the middle of your old co-workers' conversation, stepping slightly to the side near a velvet curtain to pull out your screen. it’s an urgent text from the PR counselor, followed immediately by an attached link to a major high-society entertainment blog.
the headline is already blowing up: "SPOTTED: A Passionate Moment in the Shadows for Blue Lock's Itoshi Rin and His... Old Lover? "
you click the link, your stomach dropping as the page loads. it’s a beautifully shot, high-resolution candid photograph taken by a paparazzi lens from a vantage point across the pavilion. because of the low lighting of the balcony, the shot looks incredibly cinematic.
the picture captures the exact moment before the kiss, right when you stepped back into his space. in the photo, your hands are raised up, delicately fixing Rin's tie, your face tilted up toward his. Rin is towering over you, his sharp profile caught in the dim violet light, and his large hand is flat against your back, his long fingers securely gripping your waist to steady you.
but there is a specific, lethal detail the lens caught that completely changes the entire context of the shot.
Rin isn't looking at your eyes, and he isn't looking at the crowd. his sharp, heavy gaze is directed completely, hungrily downward, locked entirely onto your lips.
with his hand fiercely gripping your waist and his eyes focused on your mouth with that raw, undeniable intensity, it doesn't look like a passive PR stunt at all. it looks like he was completely starved for you. to the public, it looks like he was the one about to lose control and pull you in, cementing the image of a man completely obsessed. the comment section is already melting down over it.
the text from the counselor below the link is cold and demanding:
"The detail of his gaze is driving the engagement numbers through the roof. It looks 100% genuine. Excellent work. Do not let the momentum die. Rin is currently by the main bar. Rejoin him immediately and stay by his side for the rest of the night to solidify the buzz."
you swallow hard, your fingers tightening around your phone. the fact that the entire media world is swooning over a look that was actually born out of raw, post-breakup confusion makes your head spin.
you slip your phone back into your purse, take a deep breath to smooth down your dress, and begin navigating through the glittering crowd of the VIP lounge, walking straight toward the marble bar where the brooding, oblivious monster is waiting.
—
the ice in Rin’s glass clicks loudly against the crystal as he swirls it, his knuckles white around the tumbler. he stands completely alone at the edge of the marble bar, radiating an aura so suffocatingly hostile that even the high-society bartenders actively avoid looking him in the eye. he hadn't touched the liquid; he just needed something freezing to anchor him because his palms still feel entirely too hot.
his jaw aches from how hard he’s been clenching it. every time he looks out into the crowd, his mind aggressively processes those three seconds on the balcony— the sudden, tactical error of letting your arms slip around his neck, the intrusive familiarity of your scent, and the unprompted friction of your lips against his. he had been completely blindsided. left standing in the dark like an amateur while you casually walked away after dropping a flippant “ Love you ” that felt less like an affection and more like a calculated strike to his ribs.
he is so thoroughly consumed by the cold, sharp irritation of having his self-control compromised that he doesn’t even notice the footsteps approaching until a shadow falls over his left shoulder.
“ Wow, Rin, if you glare at that glass any harder, it’s gonna shatter into a million pieces! ”
Rin’s eyes snap sideways, narrowing into lethal, dangerous slits. Bachira is leaning against the marble counter just a couple of feet away, a massive, incredibly wicked grin stretching across his face, while Isagi stands just a half-step behind him, trying and completely failing to look casual.
Rin's body instantly tenses, the muscle along his jaw ticking as he catches the intruder's shadow.
“ Get lost. ” he rasps, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly warning through his teeth.
but Bachira doesn't back down. instead, he leans in closer, his eyes sparkling with pure mischief as he taps his chin thoughtfully. “ Aww, come on! We just came to check on you. You looked a little... overheated out there on the balcony. I didn't know you could make a face like that, Rin-rin! You looked like a big, scary dog who finally got his favorite treat but doesn't know how to chew it! ”
Isagi lets out a sharp, nervous cough, swatting at Bachira’s arm. “ Bachira, chill out— ”
“ What? ” Bachira giggles, completely unfazed as he directly teases the monster. “ Did you guys patch things up or what? Because from where we were standing, it looked like she totally devoured you, and you just stood there like a frozen statue! Did your brain totally melt, Rin? Is that why you didn't say 'I love you' back? ”
the air around the bar instantly drops to absolute zero. Rin slowly turns his entire body toward them, his dark eyes narrowing into deadly, hyper-focused slits. there is no panicked breathing— just a suffocating, lethal aura radiating off him as he stares them down like obstacles on a pitch.
“ Shut your mouths. ” Rin hisses, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that cuts straight through the noise of the room. “ If either of you breathes another word about what happened out there, I will personally destroy you. I'll make sure you never walk onto a pitch again. ”
Bachira doesn’t look even remotely intimidated by the threat. instead, he just lets out a bright, completely unbothered laugh, his eyes crinkling with amusement before they slide past Rin’s shoulder and land directly on you.
the realization clicks instantly in his eyes.
“ Ah, ” Bachira hums, a playful, knowing smirk spreading across his face as he backs away, raising his hands in mock surrender. he nudges Isagi, guiding him away from the bar before Rin actually fulfills his promise to destroy them. but he can't resist leaving a parting gift.
“ Okay, okay, we're leaving! Sorry for interrupting your private moment. ”
the tease hangs heavily in the air as they disappear into the crowd.
beside you, the silence that settles over Rin is instantaneous and deafening. Bachira’s parting shot just poured gasoline right back onto the fire of his frustration.
you look at rin, bracing yourself for the fallout. he slowly turns his head toward you, his dark eyes burning with an intense, suffocating focus. you can see the venom building behind his teeth— he is either about to demand an explanation for the stunt you just pulled on the balcony, or he's going to use that razor-sharp tongue to completely trivialize it. his mouth opens, his voice dropping into a flat, freezing deadpan that carries the absolute weight of his aristocratic disdain.
this is a work of fiction. any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and not intended. all characters depicted are not owned by me and belong to their respective creators. this work is purely fictional and for illustrative purposes only.
Does anyone still read my works
Been busy lately... realized that I haven't uploaded a new fan fiction for this month... so bear with this dessert series update for now. I also realized I haven't uploaded this part yet, and this has been in my notes for 2 months 😭😭
my orders are always open! feel free to send your thoughts, messages, orders and recommendations! ♡ ( all support given to me makes me motivated and live well )
well... what do you guys want to happen next? I'm open for suggestions ;) no hints for today since I have no idea what to do next... feel free to send your thoughts and everything! I'm open, really. + I reply as soon as I can.
this part focused more on the environment and guests so I was thinking of a one-on-one angst with Rin.
