despair | h. rindo

VII

"I don't know..." You mumbled. "Please! Please Y/n! I'll do your chores for the week!" Nahoya pleaded. Souya tapped his foot as he watched his brother beg you. Nahoya pleaded for you to cover for them if the father looks for them while they go to an "urgent" meeting in Toman.

You looked at your cousin, reluctant to agree. "Fine. But do my chores for the month and I get to have your dessert" You gave in. "Deal! Just 45 minutes, we swear!" Nahoya said, raising one hand and placing the other to form crosses on his chest. "Don't pull me into it." Souya nagged. "Shhhh! Shhhh..." Nahoya interrupted, placing a finger to his brother's lips.

"Byeeee, Y/nnn!" Smiley waved enthusiastically, pulling his twin to their bikes to leave. It was a miracle no one saw them out when they looked like two walking pompoms. You sighed as you entered the school building. "First day of school and their already cutting classes."

You were alone. Just like how it normally is when the twins weren't clinging to you like koalas. As much as it would be a good choice to make friends, you just couldn't seem to. Everyone was so different in your perspective that you didn't throw any effort into actually getting to know them.

But at least it was quiet when your cousins weren't around. Especially Nahoya.

As you scribbled on your notes, waiting for the lunch period to end, various chatter from your classroom flooded your hearing. "Y/n!" You heard a female call, interrupting your relaxing noon. This had better be good.

"Y/n! The School News club just lost 2 members!" Kaede cried. "Oh...?" You asked. "Please, Y/n, you have to join! The president's been drowning himself in research because we're lacking staff." She informed sadly.

You never really had interests in joining school clubs by now. They just meant extra useless after school activities. You already occupied yourself with your blog and the restaurant, what more a curricular club.

"Please, Y/n! I'm begging you!" Kaede pleaded. All eyes of the room on you as the girl waited for your answer. "Alright, alright! Stand up!" You said in a hushed tone, not able to hide your panic. "Thank you! Come on!" She urged, pulling you out of your seat and dragging you all the way to their room.

"Aki! They agreed." Kaede informed excitedly. "Have them started with the format of the front page." Akihiro ordered coldly, not looking up from his computer. Kaede hummed as she led you to another computer where you were left to start on the formatting.

Almost an hour had passed and you were finishing up the feature page. There were some good aspects of entering the club. You were served first cup tea. Plus, they put really fun icebreakers. Overall the club was okay.

"Thanks again, Y/n!" Kaede smiled brightly, stretching her body from slouching too much. "Komori." Akihiro called. "Welcome to the press." He said bluntly, pushing his glasses up before turning back to his final editing adjustments. "Thanks."

"I... I should go." You said. "Is- is there a schedule of when to come here?" You asked skeptically. "Everyday. 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.." Akihiro instructed, his tone seeming like he was already sick of your presence. "Got it..." You muttered. "Here give me your phone." Kaede said.

You handed her your phone, letting her type away and give it to you afterwards. "There. Now you have the club's phone number and mine." She winked. "Thanks. I should go now." You bowed. "Bye-bye! See you later!"

While you were in the news club room, you didn't really notice time pass by, almost forgetting about your cousins. But they had already arrived a few minutes before you finished, just wondering where you've gotten yourself into.

As you walked with the twins walked around the halls, somewhere around the highways between Meguro and Roppongi was a speeding Rindou Haitani, grinning like a madman as he made his way to your restaurant, eager for another day of torture.

He parked his motorcycle, peeking from outside to see if you were there. You weren't, and this brought down his spirits slightly. Maybe you were just in the kitchen with your cousins. Yeah. That's right.

"Ugh! What am I thinking?!" Rindou yelled. He'll be damned if he was thinking about you which he would whole-heartedly deny. He stepped in to see the waitress that had served him on his first day of evaluating the restaurant.

Kurumi looked up to him with a blush. She had almost forgotten how handsome the young professional was. "Is Y/n here?" Rindou asked, interrupting her thoughts. "No, they have school today along with the twins." She informed.

"School? Where?" Rindou asked once again. Was he actually disappointed you weren't here to greet him with the usual pissed off look and fake smile? "Meguro Nihon Highschool. That's where the twins' father works." She giggled.

Without a second thought, the boy left the restaurant and hopped on his cycle once more, making his way to the mentioned school. What exactly has gotten into him? Why does he care so much if you weren't there to serve him in his daily lunch- I mean, evaluation?

The drive was as short as it could've been for something speeding. Arriving outside the school, Rindou could see various students chatting around, well, everywhere. As he stepped into one of the buildings, people divided, murmuring as he looked around with a lazy stare.

"That's Rindou Haitani!"

"I heard he's a really ruthless delinquent."

"He's kind of cute."

"Why is he here? Isn't he from Roppongi?"

Murmurs filled the hallway as he walked around.

"You said you were going to cover for us!" He heard a familiar voice yell. "It's not my fault I was dragged into the newspaper club." Another one said. This time it really caught his attention.

You and the twins took a turn only for you to bump into a familiar demon. "It was urge- omph!" You stopped your tracks as you hit your head. "The hell?..." You rubbed your forehead. You looked up to see Rindou do the same.

"Watch where you're going.." He muttered, glaring at you as if it was your fault. "Me? You should be doing that! What are you even doing here?!" You asked, pushing him lightly with your finger.

Murmurs filled the halls once again as you and Rindou started to yell at each other. "I just happened to pass by." He scoffed. Lying seemed to be a sinch for a demon spawn like him. "You? Passed by? My school's hallway?!" You asked agitatedly.

"May I remind you, Komori-san, that I can fail your family's restaurant with a flick of a wrist." He glared. "May I also remind you, Mr. Haitani, that I am not on duty. So your reason for disapproving my aunt's request for investment is ineligible to the business management." You replied.

The twins were taken aback as you continued to fight with the boy. The students' whispers along the hall started to become more audible despite being in aow tone.

"Are they really going to talk to him like that?"

"Woah. The loner isn't depending on the devil twins anymore."

"Who are they anyway?"

You closed your eyes before looking Rindou straight in the eyes. Even if you weren't comfortable meeting his gaze. "Leave." You said bluntly. "What?" He asked. He wasn't surprised. He knew that you were waiting so long to finally do this. "Leave. You are not welcomed here. Moreover, you aren't supposed to be here." You cleared up.

Rindou smiled faintly. It was barely even a smile actually. "Fine." He said. He turned and pushed people blocking the way exiting school grounds. "Do you think he's going to fail mom?" Angry asked anxiously. "He wouldn't do that. Just like Y/n said, it'd be stupid if he did." Smiley scoffed.

He wouldn't do that. At least, you really hope he won't.