Love All Your Vices || Haitani Rindou/OC

14 - reality check

"she hasn't been causing you too much trouble?" Genjo skeptically asks Rin.

Kei tried not to roll her eyes as Rindou responded with a bored 'no.' she really appreciated that they both shared the same resentment for her father—even when his wasn't quite on the same level as hers.

he sat beside her, their shoulders not touching but their knees weren't like so under the table. after last night, Rin had made sure he broke rules as easily as he broke her heart. despite her pride, she hangs on to the meeting of their knees as Genjo went on being the heartless father he was. he didn't even bother to ask her if Rindou was alright; it was as if she was the problem.

Akira would glance at her every so often from across them, sitting beside the old man. she tried to ignore his scrutinizing eyes, or the way they'd travel down to her chest she'd made an effort to hide away with her hair.

the board room—where they were discussing Kei and RIndou's time together—was longer than it was wide, and its width could already fit two bedrooms. even with that much space she felt claustrophobic. Akira and her father together always, without fail, made things harder to bear than when they were separate.

"when school starts on Monday, Kei, you better make sure to go home on time. I know your schedule," Genjo warns—without need, as Kei was planning to do that anyway.

"no boys in your room. no clubbing. damn it, all I'm asking of you is to focus."

"I am focused," she earnestly says.

I was focused for a total of two years despite a crippling heartbreak yet you put this psycho back in my life yourself.

"I won't argue with you," he says, always thinking he was the better person.

she let his words disappear into a fog as she looked away, at anything, just to distract herself enough to prevent the tears. it was then that she felt his big calloused hand slip inside hers on her lap, like the first touch of sunlight after long periods of gloomy skies.

Kei looked at him. he gave no sign that he'd moved, eyes trained on Genjo. as if to prove she wasn't imagining it—or that she didn't grab his hand herself—he squeezes her hand.

she gets flashbacks of last night.

+++

after persistently ringing on his doorbell, Rindou had grumbled his way to the door and finally gave her entrance. he was wearing a towel around his waist, his body glistening as water droplets trickled from his hair.

"I was taking a shower."

right. he'd been rained on.

"what are you doing here, Kei?"

"...for your wounds."

"huh?" he turns, looking down on the first aid kit she brought.

he didn't bother to tell her that he had one of his own.

"I also brought medicine in case you feel sick."

they stared at each other, Kei thankful for the prison of his eyes or else she'd be looking down there.

"you can just leave it here. thanks," he lowly says, mildly embarrassed.

"you don't need help?"

"I was showering...so unless you want to join me—"

"sure."

he raised his brows. Kei flushed.

"I meant sure, I'll just leave it here."