Out of Nowhere (Rindou x reader)

Chapter 39: Afraid

"I essentially am one."

—~—

Third Person POV

It started out slow.

Rindo first started noticing (y/n) reverting back to her old habits the following Monday. He stood at the gates an hour before school just so he can accompany her for morning club like he always does. Only for her to already be in club an hour earlier, and he only found out after texting her where she was at. He entered the sewing club room seeing her go from a hundred percent motivated to crashing in her chair the moment six o'clock hit.

Then, it was noticing how her fingers were always bandaged and how she started to wear her wrist guard again as a precaution. Every once in awhile as he sleeps through her morning class, he would hear a faint 'ow' or 'tsk' and he would look over to see her clutching her aching wrist in pain— her sketchbook wide open instead of listening to the lecture.

Currently, it's been a whole school week since the portfolio event and the most recent habit Rindo's noticed was how spaced out she became in conversation. It wasn't like she was totally disengaged, she was just...

Frowning. The smile she would plaster on her face would never reach her eyes.

"(Y/n)," Rindo announced once the lunch bell rang. His cheek rested on his propped up hand as he stared at his girlfriend scribbling diligently in her sketchbook.

"... Yes?" Said female responded after a small pause, her face turned towards him but her eyes lingered on the paper for a second before shifting away from it. At least, she answered the first time around instead of trying to catch her attention multiple times in a row.

"I'm going to grab something to eat, do you want anything?"

"Mm, no not really," (y/n) replied casually before returning to her sketches. She was on her final ones...

Picking up on her behavior, Rindo decided to test how long he could distract her. After all, she should eat something in between her work.

"I could always get you cherry pastries—"

"Ehh?! No, anything but that," she stuck her tongue out in distaste.

"Then come with me to the canteen. I don't know what you want," he shrugged.

"But..." the (e/c)-eyed girl trailed off, glancing over to her sketches once again as a small frown painted her lips. Rindo sighed in defeat. It looks like he can't win this time around.

"At least get up and stretch. I'm sure your knees sound like an eighty-year-old grandma," the blonde male stood up, walked over to the (h/c)-nette, and ruffled her hair, "I know you're excited about the show but don't forget about me every once in awhile, alright? And start eating more, I'd prefer you eating my entire pantry again than collapsing on me for starvation."

"I'll eat, don't worry," (y/n) replied with a small smile as Rindo returned a frown. There it was again...

"I'm going to get you a sandwich. Is that fine?"

"Yeah..." she trailed off as her brows furrowed like she was just realizing something, "Oh right! Before I forget, do you want to come with me to Maya's recital? She's been asking me all week. I knew I was forgetting something..."

She said the last part mostly to herself, 'Damn, I almost forgot about that! That means I have to finish all the sketches by today so I won't stress about it during her performance...'