Apologies. A Rin Matsuoka x Reader

9.

         The sea-salted air blew with ease on the ocean's sand. Me and Rin walked the concrete pier as we stared at the slowly setting sun. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He said. "Hmph." I nodded. "Com'on, let's take a walk in the sand." He said. I watched as the man began to take off his shoes and socks. I did the same and we made our way down the stairs and onto the warm sand beneath us. We walked along the ocean's shore, feeling the cool sea water touch at our bare feet. "I had fun, Y/N." Rin said. I heard him stop behind me, turning around and I looked at the man. The sun's golden rays shone so beautifully on the man's skin. His cherry eyes were now like two pairs of glowing rubies, sitting on pure sea salt. "Rin." I said softly. "I didn't forget about what I said back there at the overhead." He said. The ocean's breeze blew harder on us, making strands of my h/c hair flow with it. I tucked a strand of it behind my ear looking at Rin with pleading eyes, waiting for an answer. "What I said back there, I didn't mean to hurt you in any way. And I mean it. For both those times." He said, looking at me. I stood there, gripping onto my personal items in front of me. "Back in highschool, you exceeded the limits of the women's team. It was...embarrassing for me to watch a woman beat the national time for Japan, twice in highschool. I thought to myself, I couldn't have another person beat me. But that was my competitive side talking! What I really meant to say w-was." Rin paused, gripping onto the left side of his chest. With how much force he was using, he could rip off his shirt right  now if he wanted to. I studied the man's face. He was a blushing mess at this point, either the salty breeze made his eyes dry up or he was almost crying. "I-I really liked you back then! I couldn't bring myself to complement another great swimmer s-so I-I, I'm sorry Y/N! I'm sorry I said those things to you!" Rin shouted through the ocean's breeze. I felt a flutter in my stomach when I heard what he said to me. Ever since that day this man, Rin Matsuoka, liked me and couldn't say how he felt. "R-Rin." I whispered, almost mouthing the words from the shock I felt. "When I watched you face off Haru yesterday I felt something in me that I never thought I would feel again after that moment in highschool." He said in a voice crack. "The sadness and anger I felt in me after graduation hurt so much. I thought I was never going to see you again. I wanted to apologize to you the moment we graduated but that never did happen." He said. I felt tears begin to form in the corners of my own eyes. "But when I saw you again at the pool, I thought I could bring myself to compliment you. However, I said something so stupid that I should have never said to you. And that's why I ran. It wasn't worth the wear and tear that I would have to feel in my heart." A tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm so sorry Y/N, please forgive me-"

           I ran to the crying man in front of me and cupped his cheeks in my hands as I reached up and kissed the highschool sweetheart that I never knew existed but he knew I did. His eyes widened at the touch. His lips were soft and salty from the tears. I felt his body tremble as he began to let out the rest of his tears roll down his face. I parted from him, allowing him to show his feelings for once. "I forgive you Rin." I weeped through my own tears. He smiled through teary eyes and wrapped his large arms around me, crying into the nape of my neck. "You're just a big softy at heart, that's all." I jokingly said to him as I patted down his cherry-red hair. "Shut up." He whimpered and sniffed. Rin backed away and gave me another kiss on the lips. We stood there for a minute before he suddenly grabbed my personal things and sat them on the ground before interlocking his hands with mine. "You said you wanted to swim with me, right?" He smiled. "Y-Yea, I did." I nodded back in reply. "Well, the water is right there." He tilted his head towards the ocean. I took a look out into the distance and watched the waves go up and down below the setting sun. Turning back at Rin I smiled and took his hand and we both ran out into the cool water. I allowed myself to get wet from head to toe, splashing playfully at Rin as he did the same. We looked at each other for a moment and got closer. "I have something to say." Rin said through dripping redlocks. "What's that?" I asked, feeling the water drip onto my face as well. "Will you be my girlfriend?" Rin asked. I smiled at the taller man and nodded my head in response. "Yes." And with that, my enemy became my partner.