lucky charm, itoshi rin ✓

𖥻 12

"i'm really glad i'm not in your shoes," seishiro shakes his head, discreetly overwhelmed, and stuffs another french fry into his mouth.

you've been wanting to meet up again for a while, so you took the opportunity to go to mc donalds after school. you really missed talking to him, and a small weight is lifted from your shoulders when you finally can.

"i have to think of something. my parents will ground me for life if they see rin," you say, popping another spoonful of your mc sundae with caramel sauce into your mouth. your best friend was so sweet and bought you the ice cream, knowing full well that it would calm you down a bit. "most of all, i don't want them to put him down, because he just doesn't deserve that. i'm afraid they'll break us up."

at your words, you immediately think back to when you introduced seishiro to your parents. they only accepted him because his parents are also wealthy — just because of that.

but rin, he doesn't have anything like that and they don't care about his history and past.

"they won't give up until they meet him. but in the end, they can't decide who you love," throwing his arm on your shoulders he tries to cheer you up and encourage you, but that strange and negative feeling in your stomach makes you doubt that everything will be okay.

you haven't talked to rin about it yet and to be honest, you don't even know how.

with his father, it was something completely different. he was friendly, obliging, kind-hearted, understanding — everything that your parents aren't.

rin doesn't know them, but he has seen how much you suffer under their way with you, how you wished to simply be loved the way you are, without them wanting to criticize and improve you over and over again.

"i can tell. you're pretty out of it. it's best if i drive you home now and you get some rest," your best friend smiles at you understandingly.

he's known you for several years now and knows that in moments like these you can't think calm thoughts and have to be by yourself in order to get along.

you really appreciate that about him. not only does he stand by you in good times, no, he stands by you always. "but could you please drive me to rin?"

[...]

nervously you chew on your lower lip and at the same time think about how you should tell rin about saturday night. your hands play restlessly with his long fingers, which is why he has noticed that something is on your mind, just waits until you talk to him, doesn't want to push you.

at that moment, you're lying in his arms. in the background, you can quietly hear the tv, on which you are watching something.

normally, you would laugh your head off at the ridiculous and lousy actors, but you're simply not capable of that. taking a deep breath in and out, you straighten up a bit, so that you can look at rin, who is snuggled comfortably into the pillow.

"i need to talk to you about something," you mumble, averting your eyes because you're kind of embarrassed.

meeting your parents shouldn't normally be such a big problem, but you'd really give anything for rin and your parents to never meet.

sadly, he's everything they'd never want for you. school dropout, no apprenticeship, illegal car racer. "what's up, y/n?" he looks at you sympathetically, even though he doesn't even know what it's about yet.

as long as you're doing well and happy, he'd probably do anything, you seem to have become his first priority in no time. nevertheless, he's a little afraid that something is coming that he can't count on.

a move to another country or a separation for various reasons. maybe you're not ready for that or you want to concentrate on school or you finally realize that he will never be good enough for you.

"my parents want to meet you on saturday. they want you to have dinner with us," you explain the situation to him, are much more relaxed because of his calm attitude and reaction.

together you can overcome any hurdle, even this one, right?

the soft kiss on your palm confirms once again that rin would never judge you. but his face becomes a bit more serious, he thinks before shaking his head. "i can't do it this saturday," he denies, makes you move away from him and sit up straight.

"why not?" you ask, even though you already have a bitter suspicion.

"there's an important race on saturday. i'm racing against someone who's very respected in the scene. i can't miss that. but otherwise, any day would do."

normally this wouldn't be a problem. you just postpone the dinner and arrange another time, right?

but with your parents it's different.

if they invite you, you have to show up, no matter if you had something else in mind or not. they won't tolerate a cancellation, would think it's inconsiderate and irresponsible, another meeting wouldn't even come into the conversation.

"and that's just because of a race? are you serious right now? you know how important this is for us. i've told you about my parents many times, they will test you to the smallest detail and if they don't like anything, we will surely not meet again and they won't accept a refusal!," you didn't intend to get so angry, but your nerves are at the end and your feelings are going crazy, can't stop your rash words. "it's enough that you are the way you are and-" you can't go on, because rin snorts contemptuously.

if you think about it, your words sound mean and incredibly wrong. you didn't mean to express yourself like that, but now it's too late.

"so that's how it is? don't worry, i know i'm not good enough for you. but i'm trying my best, and you know that" he gets louder, stands up from the bed irritably, doing the same to you.

"we only have this one chance. only this one. and i had hoped that you would give as much as i do and understand how important this is. seems like a car race is more important than our relationship," tears form in your eyes, running down your cheeks, even though you didn't mean to. if there's one thing you hate, it's looking weak. "i'll be going now."