𝓡𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓽𝓸𝓼𝓱𝓲 𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓶 𝔁 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂

47. Rin Itoshi Angst Chaper 8

Begin of baro x rin

Chapter 8

A month had passed since Rin’s return, and while life hadn’t fully returned to normal, the weight he’d been carrying felt lighter. Reo had stayed by his side, supporting him through every small victory, while Isagi, from a respectful distance, was there as well, watching Rin’s progress with a quiet sense of admiration. Sae had even begun making more genuine attempts to connect with his younger brother, awkward and halting as they were. The students who once whispered and stared now barely noticed Rin, their curiosity fading as the days went by. Life had settled into a new, fragile routine.

But Rin wasn’t “better” yet. The loneliness was still there, lurking in quiet moments, when no one was looking. He wasn’t fully healed, but he was healing. And that was more than he could have hoped for a few months ago.

Then, one day, everything changed again.

It was a cold, gray morning, the kind that made everyone move just a bit slower, dragging themselves through the halls. Reo and Isagi waited by Rin’s locker, chatting idly while they waited for him to finish gathering his things.

Then, the atmosphere shifted.

From the corner of his eye, Rin noticed students turning their heads, glancing at something, or rather, someone, near the entrance. The crowd of students parted as a tall figure strode through the doors with a fierce, commanding presence that demanded attention.

The new student was hard to miss. He had wild black hair that fell messily over his intense, golden eyes. His gaze was fierce, his jaw set with an expression that could only be described as challenging. He walked as though he owned the hallway, and the energy around him crackled with a raw confidence that was impossible to ignore. There was a defiance to him, an aura of “don’t mess with me” that warned others to stay away.

Rin glanced at him briefly, unimpressed, before looking away. He was used to people coming in with big attitudes, and he didn’t care enough to get involved. But Reo nudged him, whispering, “You see the new guy?”

Rin shrugged. “I noticed. Seems like a jerk.”

Reo chuckled. “Yeah, but he’s going to be in our class.”

“Great,” Rin muttered sarcastically. “Another ego to deal with.”

As they made their way to class, the new student was right behind them, following them into the room. The teacher introduced him as Baro Shoei, his sharp, intimidating gaze scanning the classroom as if daring anyone to cross him.

“Baro, please take a seat next to Rin,” the teacher said, motioning toward the empty seat.

Rin felt a flicker of irritation. Of all the seats, the teacher had to put this guy next to him. But he kept his face impassive, refusing to acknowledge Baro as the tall, intimidating figure sank into the chair beside him with an air of disinterest.

“Hey,” Baro said, glancing sideways at him, his voice low and rough. “You don’t look like much of a challenge.”

Rin shot him a cold look. “Good, because I’m not interested in challenging you.”

Baro smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Figures. You don’t seem like the competitive type.”

The comment irked Rin, and his jaw tightened. He didn’t know this guy, and he didn’t owe him any explanations. “Think what you want,” he replied coolly, turning his attention back to his notebook. But Baro’s piercing gaze didn’t waver, lingering on him like he was sizing Rin up.

As the days went on, Baro quickly became a fixture in the school. His blunt, aggressive nature made him hard to ignore, and he didn’t seem to care about making friends. If anything, he seemed to enjoy intimidating people. He was blunt and direct, unbothered by social niceties. And though most students kept their distance, Rin noticed how Baro’s presence seemed to create a strange, magnetic energy around him.