𝓡𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓽𝓸𝓼𝓱𝓲 𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓶 𝔁 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂

25. Kaiser?/Shidou? x Rin

Rin Itoshi's world shattered in a single moment.

He had been on his way to meet Michael Kaiser, his boyfriend, after a grueling day of training. The excitement of seeing Kaiser, of spending the evening wrapped in his arms, had been enough to carry Rin through the exhaustion that weighed on him. They had been together for nearly a year, a relationship built on the fiery passion they shared both on and off the field. Kaiser was everything Rin had ever wanted-confident, charismatic, and undeniably talented.

But all of that crumbled when Rin arrived at the training facility earlier than planned, hoping to surprise Kaiser.

What he found instead was a scene that twisted his heart in ways he never thought possible.

Kaiser was standing near the exit, his back to Rin, and in front of him was a girl-tall, blonde, and beautiful. Rin's steps slowed as he watched, confusion and dread swirling in his gut. Before he could call out, the girl leaned in and pressed her lips to Kaiser's.

For a split second, Kaiser seemed to freeze, and then he stepped back, pushing the girl away. But it was too late. Rin had seen everything, and the shock of it rooted him to the spot.

"Rin?" Kaiser's voice was filled with panic as he turned, his eyes wide with realization. But Rin had already turned on his heel, the sound of his name echoing in his ears as he fled.

---

Rin's footsteps echoed down the empty hallway of his apartment building as he slammed his door shut, his heart pounding in his chest. He tried to steady his breath, but the image of Kaiser kissing that girl replayed in his mind over and over, like a haunting loop he couldn't escape.

He felt sick. Betrayed. How could Kaiser do this to him?

The pain was overwhelming, a cold, sharp ache in his chest that refused to fade. Rin's vision blurred as tears welled up, and he angrily wiped them away, not wanting to be weak, not wanting to break. But the emotions were too strong, too raw, and before he knew it, he was sliding down the wall, his knees pulled to his chest as he buried his face in his arms.

He didn't know how long he sat there, lost in the anguish of it all, when there was a knock on his door. He didn't respond at first, hoping whoever it was would just go away. But the knocking persisted, and finally, Rin forced himself to get up and answer it.

To his surprise, it wasn't Kaiser standing there. It was Ryusei Shidou.

Shidou was leaning against the doorframe, his usual cocky grin plastered on his face. But there was something different in his eyes-a softness, a concern that Rin hadn't expected.

"Hey," Shidou said, his voice unusually gentle. "You look like hell."

Rin scowled, but it lacked any real venom. "What do you want, Shidou?"

Shidou straightened up, his grin fading slightly as he looked Rin over. "I heard what happened. Word travels fast. You okay?"

Rin clenched his jaw, not wanting to talk about it, not wanting to admit how broken he felt. "I'm fine," he lied, his voice cold. "I don't need your pity."

"Pity?" Shidou chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Come on, Rin. You know I'm not here for that. I just... I don't like seeing you like this."

Rin narrowed his eyes, suspicion lacing his tone. "Since when do you care about how I feel?"

Shidou's expression softened, and he took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently cup Rin's cheek. The touch was surprisingly tender, and Rin froze, unsure of what to make of it.

"Since always," Shidou murmured, his thumb brushing against Rin's skin. "I just never showed it because I didn't think you'd ever need me. But now... you do, don't you?"