Love All Your Vices || Haitani Rindou/OC

22 - not a one call away

they were officially dating, three days having passed since it began. Rindou barely stepped foot in his apartment, only at times wherein he needed clothes, or to do laundry, or to get some things. most of the time, he resided in her space.

she hasn't felt alone since.

she's never felt sad since.

one could get drunk with his attention. he wasn't fond of not touching. he'd kiss her cheek or hold her hand, sometimes he'd randomly nuzzle his face against her neck. and bit by bit, they've grown accustomed to their routine.

Kei slid her bag on her shoulder, Rindou standing before her. he'd just dropped her off to school.

"what time did you come back last night?" she asks him.

she was busy studying for a test whole morning that she barely even talked to him over breakfast.

"about midnight I think," he says, yawning.

Rin was already in his work clothes. unbeknown to Kei, Mikey had thought Rindou stopped being her guard. like so, he was given back his usual jobs, and he was starting to get noticeably busy.

she patted his head as he lightly bowed down, eyes droopy and tired.

"you've been working a lot lately," she says in concern. "and you weren't home by midnight—I was still up until two."

"really? I don't know, I fell asleep right away."

that he did. without so much as getting out of his clothes, he'd stumbled to her bed and was out like a light. that was how he knew he'd gotten it bad for her. he liked to be alone; especially so when he was tired. now, all he looks for is her embrace. and he'd walked to her apartment, slept on her bed, when his was obviously nearer.

"go on ahead, Kei—you might be late," he mutters.

"can't you go back home to sleep?"

"don't worry about it."

"maybe you should stop taking me to and from school."

that was logically the wiser thing to do. he only purses his lips, not sure what to do with his packed schedule.

"alright?" she says, searching his affirmation. "from now on, you do your job and we'll see each other at home."

"will you be fine?" he asks guiltily.

"Rin, it's like one bus ride away."

"I'll still drive you around when I can."

"alright. you're my boyfriend by the way—not my driver." she cracked a grin.

and just like that his fatigue was washed away. he leans down to plant a kiss on her lips, wishing her luck for her test later on.

+++

Rindou only got busier. he was always tired—and thus, a bit irritable. surprise, surprise, big exams were also closing in on Kei. she wasn't free when he was, or vice versa.

now she was taking a test for one of her majors, brows furrowed in frustration. there was no use agonizing over these questions she had no answer to. what irked her to the bone was that she knew she could've answered them easily had she kept on reading last night.

Rindou had walked in her apartment about eleven in the evening, having brought iced coffee for her.

"have a break," he'd said.

and she was so happy of his thoughtfulness. they actually had time for each other again, sitting side by side by the kitchen counter, his coffee hot, hers cold.