The Last Request You Did Is Just Adorable And If It's Not Too Troubling, How About Rindou (doesn't Matter

The last request you did is just adorable 💘 and if it's not too troubling, how about Rindou (doesn't matter which timeline) with a s/o who's a sculptor though she didn't like him at first but warming up to him after some time?? Make sure to take care of yourself 👁👁🥰

𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

— Braggart

"I repeat, I can't make a 5 meter statue if you give me such a low budget..." you say, repeating for the umpteenth time the thing you've been explaining to the boy for 20 minutes now, but he doesn't seem to give in "The price?! You literally have more money than it takes to support a couple for a month!” he says, pointing his finger, but you sigh, "Mr. Haitani, I appreciate that you're so passionate about money that you know how much it takes to support a family, but-" you say, thinking about it again, but your client throws more money on the table, much more than the ones you already had available "Now? Are 5 meters okay?" he asks with a certain presumption "I can pass a 7 like this" you say smiling, putting him to the test

The man leaves your office with a huff, and in the corridor you hear him cursing you together with a friend of his who came with him, someone who looks a lot like him, only with a shorter haircut

You decide to ignore it and take the paper where you usually take notes for customer requests; here it is a statue of approximately 7.50 meters, about one and a half meters wide... . You stay writing for a while when, out of curiosity, you decide to read the little leaflet your client left you

Read his description: Rindou Haitani, 29 years old, owner together with his brother of a music venue in the center. Statue to be delivered within a week, requested by a singer who has to perform in his club. You giggle thinking about the fact that he is more or less the same age as you, but you are much calmer and nicer than him, it must be said that in fact he didn't make a great impression on you

You spend the next few days sculpting the statue, aided by your staff. You had specified by message that the customer might not come every day to check, however, every day at precisely 4pm you found Rindou at your door, wrapped in his usual elegant suit, in contrast with your dungarees and ribbed t-shirt that you used to work; and even today, less than 3 days after delivery, you had to open the door to Rindou, albeit reluctantly. You were dirtier than usual, your hair was messy and the air freshener you had bought had turned out to be rubbish, giving off a really unpleasant smell

"Welcome back..." you say ironically, but Rindou doesn't even say hello and approaches the statue, observing it "The singer had specified to make his hair curly, not in that... that way" says the boy, pointing to the part not still finished sculpting "Our work is precision work, the hair is the most delicate part and will only be finished on the last day" you reply slightly annoyed "You say as if I don't pay you enough" he replies nervously "Hey! What is it all this confidence, Haitani?" you ask, glaring at him "Haitani who? Respect your place"

You breathe deeply, you had already faced particular and above all rude customers, but he beat them all "If you want to observe, sit down and shut up, please..." you say, motioning to him for a chair not far away. Rindou seems to want to answer you, but with an annoyed face, he approaches the chair and reluctantly sits down

You return to work, supporting one of your workers. This is how you spend the last hours, until the laboratory closes at 8pm. You go to your desk, sort out some papers and by chance you look up, finding two purple eyes staring at you "DAMN IT! SINCE WHEN ARE YOU STILL HERE?" you shout at the boy, who you thought had left hours ago, while you were busy. It was just you and him now, since everyone was gone

“I've never actually left” he says in a quieter tone than you're used to “I get it. You should leave though, I'm closing up right now” you sigh as you grab your bag, getting up from the desk “I don't think I'm leaving " he says confidently "Eh? Why wouldn't you? Sorry, it's MY shop! " you say realizing that he's just being an immature person

He seems to ignore your statement "Do you really not have a caretaker at night? Do you leave all this unattended? Don't you think about thieves?" he asks with a stern look, gesticulating "There have never been thefts in 8 years, I don't think they'll start today... and then, how are they supposed to steal huge rocks?" You ask, crossing your arms over your chest "I'll stay here to monitor my order. I don't want to risk it," he says, returning to his chair, sitting down with composure. You really want to shout at him to go away, but after the various provocations, you're fed up. You sit on the floor, next to him, and your gesture makes him raise an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" he asks “I'm watching my work” you say in a firm tone

Thus you spend the entire evening in silence, observing the statue. You look up every now and then and notice him staring at you, and it makes you a little curious "Can you explain to me why you've been staring at me since we got here?" you ask yawning, slightly tired of sleep "You look strange" he states confidently "YOU look strange, Haitani" you say wanting to provoke him, but it doesn't seem to have any effect "Why do you do this job if every now and then you come home dirty with lime?" he asks, sounding the slightest bit genuinely interested

The question confuses you a little, because you didn't think he would pay that much attention to your appearance or to your work "I simply... I like what I do" you say, shrugging your shoulders "It's as if I said that I kill because I like blood, that's not exactly an answer" he says with a bored expression "You're not particularly nice, I notice" you say, glaring at him "Neither are you"

The little spat ends like this, but in the meantime you think that perhaps, if you have to spend the whole evening here, you need to have a slightly calmer tone "I've simply always been fascinated by the world of art, and sculpture is one of the its many facets... at the beginning I excelled at painting, but I found it obvious, and so I threw myself into the world of sculpture, probably one of the best choices of my life" you say, fiddling with your fingers, keeping your gaze lowered

Rindou seems to nod, as if he were falsely interested "I also more or less followed the same reasoning as you when I started working whit my brother Ran. The art of music, however, not of sculpture like your choice" he says, letting out a small laugh at the end of the sentence. You giggle too, feeling the situation slightly calmer

Unexpectedly, you start talking. You quickly realize that you have more things in common than you thought, such as your love for art or the world of music. He talks to you about how the club organizes events, and you about how a mini statue can be created if you use forks instead of professional objects. You spend the evening like this, chatting, and only the next morning do you say goodbye when he leaves the shop. The following days flow in the same way: with the excuse of having to check the statue during the night, you talk until you get tired

"Hey, about tonight..." Rindou says, changing the subject. It was the afternoon and tonight you would have received the payment and above all you would have delivered the now practically finished statue. You look up from your work “What?” you ask placing a utensil on the ground "You know... the owners always get a lot of extra tickets when the singers perform... I still have one without an owner" he says looking nervous, but you chuckle at his behavior "You're inviting me?" you ask cheekily "Even if it were?" he says crossing his arms

You smile at his somewhat funny comment "I'd like it, actually", Rindou is surprised for a moment by the fact that you accepted, but he doesn't lose heart "Understood. At 10pm at the club, you know where it is, right?" he says seriously, but underneath he seems happy that you're coming

After leaving work and making sure that the statue has arrived at the club, you dedicate yourself to your preparation: even if you don't want him to notice it, you want to make yourself look nice for him; it must be said that he actually attracted a lot of your attention. You spend a few hours at home getting ready before arriving at the club, where you see a lot of queuing outside to get in; however without even warning, Rindou emerges from a back door signaling you to come

"I was scared for a moment seeing all that queue, I have to be honest!" she says, approaching the boy, who however does nothing but look at you, not responding to your comment "Rindou?" tomorrow intrigued by his behavior. The boy seems to come back to reality "Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something else. Come in" he says shaking his hand, letting you enter the club first. The place is full of people dancing, drinking and singing, while a recorded voice announces that the singer is about to arrive

"Can I get you something?" Rindou says making his way towards the bar counter "Oh, if I'm not asking too much a Gin Lemon. Thank you" you say with a smile, and without waiting long you find yourself with your drink. A light silence falls between you, a little awkward; he looks at you with a sort of admiration, which makes you blush a little. Come out of your thoughts when you hear the crowd screaming as the singer takes the stage, singing the first notes of his song

"Come, there's the privé room where you can see everything better" says the boy walking forward, and you follow him without asking any questions. You arrive in a private room with only about ten people, where however the music reaches much better. Without thinking you start to move, joining the rest of the group; only then do you observe Rindou, who remained a little aside

"Hey sorry, when I like the music and the atmosphere I forget who I'm with..." you say a little embarrassed, but Rindou shows you a small smile "Don't worry, I guessed it. Honestly, I was watching you while you dance " he says ending up being almost too sincere, which makes you blush even more "Oh. And I dance well?" you ask a little embarrassed, but Rindou grabs your hand, bringing it to his lips where he kisses the back of it "So much so that I was about to ask you on a second date, you know?"

NEWS‼️🗣️

From now the requests, headcanons or one shots, will also be open for the Wind Breaker fandom and you can request ANY character

REQUEST OPEN!!

Hello! I'm sorry for bothering you but if it's alright with you, can you do uncle Ran hcs? Like what kind of uncle he would be and how he'd treat his niece/nephew. Thank you so much in advance! Take care of yourself and have a nice day!

I NEEDED A REQUEST LIKE THIS, THANKS

𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

— Ran Haitani as an uncle HCS ᡣ𐭩

More or less repeating something I already said in the post where Rindou was a parent, Ran would be the type of uncle who buys the affection of his nephews with the most expensive and fantastic gifts of the moment. Since he was little he always wanted to excel in everything against his beloved brother, why stop now that the family is bigger?

Kind of uncle where his nephews are practically his children. I don't know why but seeing the two Haitani brothers, only Rindou seems like someone who could start a stable family if he wanted, so Ran will steal his brother's children in the worst moments. Christmas dinner? Him, his nephews and maybe someone he met at the last minute. His brother and wife are not invited

He would spend hours and hours talking about Roppongi in 2005, or all the battles he participated in, like Tenjiku vs Toman. He also likes to remember all the moments he experienced when he was a teenager, plus it's always a good time to ridicule Rindou by talking about those strange poses he did during fights. The shocked faces of his nephews are priceless to him

Taking inspiration from the hc written above, I also see him showing the embarrassing photos of Rindou when he was a child (please Ran, I want to see them too). Like: He proceeds to show the ugliest photo of Rindou, where he's crying while being doused in baby food, and Ran would be "oh, what an adorable baby my little Rin!"

I imagined this scenario: the kids bothering Ran excessively, a little fight starts and he's about to tell the kids "Your mom" but then remembers that she's literally his brother's wife. Will he say it anyway? Obviously

I don't know why but I see Ran on Tinder. Like, “Do you like this, baby?” "no, uncle" "me neither, it looks like a giraffe" and removes the match. He would do this for ALL the girls he is matched with by the app

I was imagining this stupid scenario: imagine that one of the nieces has just had her disappointment in love; There's that stereotype of the father and uncle hunting down the person who hurt them, right? Well, I see this thing a lot with the two Haitani brothers. I'm sorry for the unfortunate person

Taking away all these rather ironic or at least joking hcs, I see Ran as someone who would even give his life for his nephews. He always said he would do it for Rindou who is the most important person he has, and since his nephews are literally Rindou's extension, why would he change his mind?

😻😻

HELLO!!! I hope you're fine! I NEED TO CONTINUE LIVING INSTAGRAM WHILE DATING WITH KOKONOI (ilovethatboysm) thx 💗💗

YES OMG! We love Kokonoi!

Your Instagram while dating Kokonoi Hajime.

Liked by K.o.k.0, Inui.Sei_shu and 738 others.

Y/n:@K.o.k.0 Woke up to this<3

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Mad_Shi0n: Are those onions??

╰┈➤K.o.k0: Are you blind or stupid? These are flowers.

╰┈➤Rind0u_haitani: I told you drinking that three bottles of vodka at fucking once was bad idea.

Liked by K.o.k.0, Man.jir0 and 638 others.

Y/n:@K.o.k.0 my love<3

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Hanma_.Shuji: love the view. Where is this place?

╰┈➤Haru.chiy0: Earth.

╰┈➤Hanma_.Shuji: Thanks bro.

Liked by K.o.k.0, Emma_San0 and 428 others.

Y/n:@K.o.k.0 <333

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Emma_San0: I love you guys sm<3 ALSO THE HEELS??

╰┈➤Y/n: We love you sm too hun<33

Inui.Sei_shu: Where are the heels from? I need them.

Liked by K.o.k.0, Take_mitchy and 785 others.

Y/n:@K.o.k.0 get yourself a man who gives you princess treatment>>

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Man.jir0: I wonder if somebody will give me princess treatment too.

╰┈➤Izann_a: Prince* treatment.

╰┈➤Man.jir0: Princess. Treatment.

╰┈➤Izann_a: Why tf do you want to be a princess now?

Liked by K.o.k.0, Take_mitchy and 10,438 others.

Y/n:@K.o.k.0 "I have a surprise for you" he said.

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Ran.Haitani: I.. Koko don't you want to be my husband too?

╰┈➤K.o.k.0: Who are you again?

╰┈➤Ran.Haitani: damn.

____

Okey this is so short. I seriously intended this to be longer but unfortunately, I couldn't find enough pics😭

IM IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY PLS 🙏

Not Your secret (Suo hayato x reader)

Requested by: anon -🏍

The first time you met Suo was a disaster. You've just gotten out of one of the hardest days at school, and you were trying hard to not just burst into tears because of how much the day sucked. To clear your mind, you thought a sweet treat might help, so you went to the nearby cafe and ordered a strawberry cake and coffee. The moment you sat down staring at your plate, you didn't feel like eating, and to make the matter worse, a group of boys walked into the cafe and took the table right next to you. They kept laughing and looking your way until one of them made his way towards you trying to talk to you but you told him that you are not interested in talking to him but he kept pushing to make you speak so you got up without even touching your food and left the cafe only to be followed by the same group. You walked fast to lose them but they reached to your pase and just when one of them was about to touch your shoulder someone grabbed his arm. A bit taller guy dressed in dark green uniform with an eyepatch covering his eye. Immediately, he pushed the guys away, making him fall backwards, and with a smile, he spoke, "You're making the girl uncomfortable." You watched as the group of boys ran to attack him only for him beating all of them one by one with a smile on his face when he turned to face you. "Are you okay?" He asked sweetly. Without a second word, you started to cry your eyes out, making him stand there in confusion. "Don't mind those idiot boys, I don't think they will eve -"

You shook your head, still crying, "I really wanted to eat that cake," you cried, and he held his laughter. He forwarded his hand and spoke, "I know a cafe that has great cakes. Would you wanna go? You can use a friend right now, hmm?" You hiccup looking at his hand, and eventually you agreed. That day led to you both exchanging numbers, and eventually, he confessed his feelings to you after months that he liked you. Suo was a total gentleman and treated you like a princess no matter what day or time. If you needed him, he'd be there out of the wind. You really liked him however unlike you ex boyfriends he kept his life to himself and you barley knew anything about him nor where he lived everytime you'd suggest a movie night it was always at yours, his friends? He said they had "work" or "patrolling" or even his school; he'd offer to walk you to school but never mention where he goes. He met your siblings and friends when you ran into the mall, and he's always at yours. He wasn't the type to go around and cheat but not knowing the smallest thing about him made your mind wonder over what your ex did the last time, it was putting thought in your mind that he must be hiding the fact he has a girlfriend and you probably don't exist to his friends and family.

You sat on the couch thinking these stuff making yourself sad for no reason. Your phone rang, and it was Suo calling. With a sigh, you picked it up, "Hello lovely, just calling because I missed my beautiful princess. Wanna hang out later?" He's soft voice melted your heart, but you snapped back."Where? At yours?" .He chuckled "I was thinking at yours since I'm closer to your plac-" a tear fell on your hand and your breath hitched at his answer, you hoped he didn't hear that but he did, "Darling? Are you crying? Baby? Can you hear me? What's wrong?" You shut the phone throwing it on the couch. Suo kept calling and texting to no answer, which made his heart drop. Immediately, he excused himself from his friends and ran to your apartment.

Meanwhile, you were in your room crying over the thoughts of him being ashamed of being with you or cheating and every bad thought your mind was throwing at your heart. Suo unlocked the door and ran to your room, his heart pounding as he caught his breath. "What's wrong, love? Why are you crying? Hey, talk to me." He slowly sat on the bedside as you cried your eyes out, hiding your face in your pillow. He caressed your hair, bending his head to look at your face as he removed your hair to uncover your face. "Princess? My beautiful girl. What happened? Have I said something to upset you?" You didn't answer, "if you won't talk, then how will I help baby? Sweetheart, look at me?" He smiled softly before easily pulling you off the pillow and you refused to look at him still crying, he pulled you to his chest, softly caressing your head, "shhh Shhh, whatever it is making you upset we'll fix it, okay?" You cried until you couldn't anymore and just stayed in his arms staring blankly at his shirt, "Wanna tell me what's bothering you, love?" He asked after a long silence. "You!" You replied, making his brows shot up, "me? What have I, the stupid idiot boyfriend have done to make my sweetheart cry so much?" He asked, half joking. "You are ashamed of me," you replied, and he immediately got serious, "Love, don't say such thing." You noticed his voice got serious as he said that looking at you, so you pulled away from his hands looking at him now, "well then, why are you hiding the fact that we are dating? Why haven't I met your friends when you have met mine? Why don't I know where you live and what stupid school has that stupid grean uniform? And why do you keep saying about that stupid patrolling thing, and you expect me to believe a school asks its students of such things? I haven't even been in your house, and that stupid joke about your eyepatch that i didn't find funny! I feel like I'm dating a ghost or I'm I not good en-" He placed his hand on your lips, "Don't you say that about yourself, never. Not when I'm still here with you and not even when you are alone." You sighed, pushing his hand away, looking away. He softly pulled your face towards him and smiled, "Is that what's bothering you? Do you think I'm hiding the fact that I'm dating you?" He asked softly, and You nodded. He took your hands in his rubbing your knuckles he spoke, "I'm so sorry, sweetie, that I made you think such a thing. I'm sorry I made you cry because of me, I didn't think these things mattered to you." You sighed, "they do. They matter to me, and I wanna be part of your life as much as you are in mine." He smiled, pulling you closer, "I attend Furin High; it's a bit further from yours, it's all boys school. We don't just attend the school for education. We have groups of students who take turns on patrolling around the town to make sure everyone is safe. And yes, this is our uniform sadly," he chuckled, "I live a bit further from my school. And my friends know about you, in fact I was gonna ask you to meet them tomorrow if you'd like. And my eye; when I was around seven or eight I fell on it from an bicycle and its pretty bad and I can't see from it so I wear this eyepatch to not scare the kids from my white eye away," he laughed and pulled away standing up, "come on, let's go for a walk?" You blinked at him but took his hand.

It was around five in the evening as you both walked hand in hand, he showed you his school and it indeed looked like boys school as you two were passing by the school he waved at group of boys who had the same uniform on as him. "Oh, Suo!" A pink haird boy waved back as they all made their way towards you two. "Ahh, hello, are you Y/n? Suo talks a lot about you. It's so nice to finally meet you! I'm Nirei." You smiled at him, shaking his hand. "Ah, you're prettier than Suo mentioned, so sweet to finally meet you. I like your earrings. I'm kiryu." Said the pink haird boy. "Nice t-to meet you." A boy with half black and half white haird said, he seemed like he was having a hard time talking to strangers, so you waved at him, "Hello." Kiryu chuckled, "this is sakura. He just moved to the town, didn't you sakura." Sakura just nodded. "Suo, Y/n. We should all have a get-together at the cafe, na?" Kiryu suggested shuffling through his phone, "There's a new cafe that just opened near by, see, y/n?" He showed you his phone at the location of the cafe, and you gasped, "Ah, it's a cat cafe? We should go there!" You happily replied, making Suo chuckle to himself, "ya, you like cats? Y/n-San? That's nice to know!" Kiryu joined happily. Suo nodded. "We should set a day and get together, but now we need to get going." You waved at them goodbye and sacred to walk. You held Suo's arm now hugging his arm closer, "they know about me?" You asked, and he nodded down at you before placing a kiss to your head. You both kept walking until he stopped in front of a beautiful house, "Come on in, I live here, but right now, no one's home. My dad's at the dojo that he owns just down the road and mom is probably home if not out with her friends-" his sentence was cut short when you heard a lady calling his name from the house, "Suo, Darling? Is that yo- oh my hello!" She stopped when she saw you, greeting you with a smile; his mother had the dark burgundy hair, and you can tell he looks just like his mother.

"Welcome sweetie, are you Y/n? I don't forget the beautiful girl he described, oh dear, you look much prettier than I thought. Come in, why are you standing outside? I just made jasmine tea, sit here, and I'll bring you some, Suo, help me come on." Suo smiled at you before following his mother and telling you to sit down in their beautiful living room. A minute later, they came back with tea, and his mother brought a plate full of sweets. She sat next to you and Suo pour tea for the three of you, "how did my son manage to find such an angel of a girlfriend. Ah, you look beautiful, my child. Suo has been keeping you away from me. That's not a nice thing, Suo." He chuckled at his mother's words, her brows frowned when she noticed your red eyes, she placed her soft hands on your cheeks, "Your eyes are puffy. Have you been crying? Are you sick? Ah, I should make you some sou-" You shook your head, "No, no. I'm okay, it's uh it's, the winds gotten into my eyes that's why it's red, I'm fine." She smiled, "we'll that's good to hear because I thought might be another reason making you upset," she said that and gave Suo a cold look as if she was threatening him, you chuckled, "No I'm fine in fact Suo made sure I was fine and took me for a walk to cheer me up, right Suo?" He smiled at your attempt of saving him from his mother snapping at him if she found out why you cried.

She smiled her beautiful smile again before getting up, "All right, you kids have fun, and I'll go back to my baking, y/n are you fine with cookies? I'm baking some. I'll pack you some, and I would've prepared a nice dinner if Suo informed me that you're coming, dear." You chuckled nervously at her, "No, it's fine, ma'am." She smiled before walking into the kitchen. Suo got up, and you followed him, taking his hand when he forwarded towards you, "Let's go to my room." You stopped midway face flustered, "your room? Why? Why are we going to your room? Alone?" He laughed at your red face. "Princess, relax. I'll show you my room." You looked down at your hands embarrassed, he squeezed your hand gently, "you don't trust me?" You shot him a look, eyes wide, "No, I mean, I didn't mean it like that, sorry." He chuckled, "Don't apologise, princess. Come on, I'll just show you my room." You followed him upstairs close by him. You both entered the room; it was less decorated. His bed in the centre with baby blue covers, a table next to the window, his bookshelf on the other end of the room, and you noticed the plants he had by the window.

His clothes hanging on a rack and some neatly placed down. An electric guitar next to the bookshelf, "you didn't mention that you play guitar, suo." He chuckled before picking it up, "I do, I've just been too busy from using it, wanna hear something?" You nodded eagerly. "Come on, sit with me." He sat on the bed, and you sat next to him. Closely watching him as he sang, he's voice soft, making you fall in love over and again. You clapped for him, making his laugh when he finished singing, and he placed the guitar down, "That's all I remember now. I'll sing more for you if you'd like, hmm?" You nodded, "I'd love that." He stood up and pointed around his room, "well, this is my room. Go crazy and investigate it, " He said with a chuckle. You looked around and saw his jewellery stand on his table, "can I take a look at your jewellery?" You asked, and he moved for you to do so, "all yours darling, go ahead." He stood to the side as you went through his earrings, and he had many of them. He walked towards you and picked up a set of earrings that were in the shape of half moon with a silver string just like the one he's wearing, "keep these, I got them from China and I need you to have them." Your eyes widened, "b-but they're yours. I can't take them!" He smiled, placing his hands on your head, "Whatever is mine, now is yours. You can take more if you want -" You shook your head."No! I can't, I mean, these are so beautiful. " You looked down at the earrings he gave you, "thank you, Suo." He kissed your head before walking to his clothing rack, "you must be cold, here" He picked one of his dark blue hoodie and put it over your shoulder, "that will keep you warm, sorry we rushed out of your apartment that we forgot your jacket. Are you warm?" He ruffled your arms making your heart swell and eyes teary but you held back from crying and not wanting his mother think Suo made you cry, you wrapped your arms around him, "I'm so sorry for suspecting that you didn't care about me, I love you Suo." He hugged you tighter, "I love you more, sweetheart. I'm crazy about you, I'll do anything for you, my princess." He kissed your ear and whispered, "Wanna spend the night with me?" You pulled away face red as a tomato, "Suo!" He laughed and gathered you in his arms, "I'm kidding, I promise, but you can always change your mind." You chuckled, slapping his chest.

True to her words, his mother gave you a basket full of cookies and muffins that she had been baking and gave you the biggest hug before you left with Suo. Because he would never let you walk home alone.

Hi! I'd like to request headcanons or small fic (whatever you prefer I'm fine with anything) for Ran Haitani (teen) with a crush that's getting bullied for liking him because others think the reader/crush doesn't match "Ran's" level?

I hope I explained this well but in case it's confusing... I'm really sorry🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

— At your level

The hall is crowded, a river of students moving in scattered groups, some laughing and joking, some pushing the other with light elbows, some dragging themselves at a slow pace, still half asleep. The voices mix, creating a continuous buzz that bounces between the walls covered with noticeboards and school posters. As I walk through the school hall, I feel the eyes of some classmates resting on me, like pinpricks piercing the air thick with chatter and muffled laughter

Someone turns around, I notice it out of the corner of my eye, and immediately lowers his gaze as soon as he meets mine. Others whisper among themselves, and even if I don't hear the words, I know very well that I am occupying their conversations. The incessant shouting seems to become more intense as I get closer to the small groups scattered here and there. The unspoken words weigh like boulders, they slip into my ears, and I realize that every look I feel on me is full of assumptions, half-truths, gossip whispered in the corridors and bathrooms

"I wonder if she ever sees herself in a mirror! Really, she thinks she's some kind of deity to point right at him?" — "I feel sorry for her. I would never want to receive such a strong no from him. You know, it's him!"

There is no need for anyone to say anything openly; the mischievous smiles, the fleeting eyes, the way they narrow together when I pass are already eloquent enough. I am a cumbersome presence, a figure that attracts attention even when I would like to be invisible. I continue walking, keeping my face impassive, as if I don't notice anything, even if each step seems to mark the rhythm of their silent judgments

Every step I take weighs on me more and more, and not only because I feel the gazes on me, it's as if every day the weight of my mistake becomes more unbearable. Six months ago I would never have imagined that I would end up like this, at the center of these poisonous gossip. If only I hadn't made everything so obvious that day... If only I had kept my mouth shut or handled the situation better, I wouldn't be here now feeling judged at every turn, a victim of their hissy comments and fake smiles. I regret it more and more. It's a feeling that grows inside me like a weed, that envelops everything and leaves me no respite. I can't stop thinking about how I could have avoided all of this. All it took was a little more discretion, a little more silence. Maybe if I had been smarter, I could now just walk down this hall without feeling like a circus animal in front of everyone's eyes

I can't help but move forward, trying to keep my head up, even if inside I just feel more tired and wanting to disappear

“Y/n Chan, Y/n Chan!” a voice shouts behind me, and before I turn I find Moyaku, a girl two years younger than me who is nevertheless the only one who doesn't bother me "Y/n Chan! I finally managed to get the melonpan, here " says the girl, handing me the sweet that I said I wanted so much in a text message last night. I take the treat and smile at her, silently thanking her. She smiles back at me and decides to walk beside me, since this morning we have lessons in two nearby classes "Usual comments...?" the girl asks in a low voice, noticing the whispers of the other people "The usual ones" I say listlessly, biting a piece of the melonpan. We walk a little further in silence

"For me you could ask your half brother" says Moyaku, but I shake my head "Mamoru already said that I have to manage on my own" I say, but the girl next to me sighs "He only says that because he's afraid of getting into trouble with the Haitans since he's in that Toman thing. Damn though, he's your relative! He should protect you" says the girl but I laugh a little at her comment "He doesn't even consider me his sister... forget it, really" I say throwing away the waste paper dessert in a basket, biting the last piece

"I would defend you if I had the chance... but they never listen to the little ones" says Moyaku, but I grab her hand caressing it "You don't have to do anything, really. I appreciate your presence" I say with a smile, and she seems to want to end the conversation. We say goodbye and everyone goes into their own classroom

While the other kids enter the classroom, I sit at my desk and watch the rain of backpacks landing noisily on the tables, while voices quickly fill the air. My thoughts, however, are far away, anchored to that precise moment six months ago, when everything change

I'm in my third year and, looking back, I realize how absurd it seems to me that something that happened so recently could have transformed my school life so much. For almost two whole years I had been carrying a secret crush on Ran Haitani, the boy that all girls notice, the one who doesn't go unnoticed even when he does nothing to attract attention. Ran is popular, almost unattainable, a year older than me. I met him when I was only in my first year, still insecure and disoriented in the school corridors

He was different from all the others, and not only because he was already well established and known, but for his efficiency, for how he moved with confidence, especially during training sessions at the sports club. He practices running, and is good, or rather, very good. It's impossible not to notice him, with those fast and precise steps, the sweat sliding down his forehead as he passes the others as if nothing had happened. He was so charming, unreachable. Maybe it was precisely this that made me fall in love with him: that security, that aura that surrounded him

Then there was that period in which he lived near me, a lucky coincidence, which allowed me to see him every morning. We took the same route to school, me, him and his brother Rindou. Even though we didn't talk much, those moments were precious to me. They were little fragments of normality that made me daydream, made me hope that, maybe, one day, he would notice something more in me

Finally, after a long time keeping those feelings in secret, six months ago I took all my courage and declared myself. My heart was pounding so hard I thought I was going to faint. I was so sure that he would reject me, that he would say no gently and leave me to pick up the pieces of my pride. But it didn't happen that way. He didn't say no, but he didn't say yes either. He simply said he had to think about it, and I, with a lump in my throat, accepted that answer, hoping, dreaming that time would work in my favor

But something went wrong. In a short time, the news of my declaration went around the school, becoming a topic of gossip. I had declared myself to Ran Haitani, someone like him, out of my league. And now, I'm here, every day, paying the price for that choice, a victim of comments and giggles, regretting not having kept to myself those feelings that now only seem like a weapon against me

I often find myself wondering what my life would have been like if he had said yes. Maybe everything would be different now. Maybe I would walk the halls with a more confident smile, knowing that my heart was not broken, but welcomed. I imagine myself talking to him between lessons, laughing together, hearing those jokes that always made me smile when, every now and then, we happened to talk during those short journeys to school. But it didn't happen that way. The reality is that he doesn't talk to me anymore, and that "I have to think about it" that had left me hanging turned out, over time, to be just a polite way of saying no without openly hurting me. It's painful to admit it, but I can no longer hide behind illusions or empty hopes

After all, if he really wanted to say yes to me, he would have done it. Instead, it left me hanging on by a thin thread, which eventually broke. The silence that followed was even more eloquent than any words. With each passing day, I realized that his "I have to think about it" was nothing more than a sweet lie to make me believe that there was still a possibility, because in addition to being handsome he is also an asshole if he wants to be. Now, as I watch the other guys enter the classroom, with their seemingly simple and uncomplicated lives, I realize that I cannot change what has happened. That's how it happened, and I have to accept it. I have to stop tormenting myself with the "ifs" and "buts", because the truth is that he chose to walk away

The lesson begins and I try to concentrate. I take notes, the sound of the pen sliding on the paper is almost relaxing, a rhythm that keeps me anchored to reality while the teacher's voice fills the classroom. I try not to think about anything else, I immerse myself in the written words, in the explanation I'm trying to follow, even if every now and then my mind wanders, inevitably returning to those thoughts that I would prefer to avoid. But time passes and, after a few hours, we finally have the chance to go out

I leave the classroom and stop for a moment, letting the other students pass me. When I look up, I see something that makes my eyes widen. Moyaku is outside his class and is talking to Rindou Haitani, Ran's brother. I can't believe what I see. The two of them have never had contact before, at least not that I know of. Moyaku never told me about him, and I certainly wouldn't have guessed that they knew each other, let alone had anything to discuss. Also, Rindou is a fourth year and my friend is a first year. Yet, there they were, completely engrossed in the conversation. They seem so focused, so serious. I stop for a moment, unsure whether to get closer or stay away. Something inside me stirs, a curiosity mixed with a slight sense of apprehension. Why are they talking? What is it about?

As I continue to stare at Moyaku and Rindou, I notice that she sees me. His eyes meet mine, and for a moment he seems to freeze. Then, with a speed that surprises me, he moves away from Rindou and towards me. His pace is slightly hurried, and when he gets close to me, I notice a hint of agitation in his gaze. Still, he smiles at me, that smile I know well, one that tries to reassure me. I decide not to ask questions. If it were something important, she would have told me something right away, or at least that's what I tell myself to calm the curiosity gnawing inside me. Instead, we start chatting about this and that as we walk together towards the canteen. We talk about the usual things: homework, teachers, some jokes about our classmates. I try to let myself go into the conversation, but part of me keeps thinking about that moment outside of class, that dialogue between her and Rindou that I can't get out of my head

The hours pass quickly, between lessons and notes, and before I know it, it's almost time to go home. I gather my things and head towards the exit, when suddenly Moyaku joins me. She doesn't say anything, but hands me a note with a certain urgency, as if she's afraid to think about it again at the last moment. Her eyes are shifty, and before I can say anything, she turns and runs away, heading for the school gate. I stand there, ticket in hand, confused and slightly worried. What does all this mean? I look around, trying to see if anyone has noticed the scene, but everyone seems too busy thinking about their day to pay attention to us

With my heart beating a little faster, I slowly open the note "At 5.30pm in the hall in front of the Chemistry classroom on the third floor. I may be slightly late, so please wait a few minutes"

I open the note with slightly trembling hands, and begin to read. The message is short, almost hasty, but its content leaves me confused. It could very well be a joke, I think to myself, another attempt by the students to prank me and make me feel even more out of place than I already do. No explanation, no clue as to who might have written it or why I should show up there. My first reaction is to ignore it. It could just be another way to humiliate me, to make me wait in vain in front of an empty classroom, perhaps with someone hiding around the corner ready to laugh at me. But then, as I reflect, I realize that I don't have much to lose: my reputation is already in tatters, the rumors about me and Ran continue to circulate, and at this point, one more humiliation wouldn't change much. Maybe it's just curiosity, or maybe it's the desire to know if there's something more behind the note

So, with a mixture of anxiety and resignation, I head towards the classroom. It's almost time until the appointed time, and as I get closer, I feel my heart beating faster. It's the last class of the day for fourth and second years, and I know the students will be leaving soon. I lean against the wall opposite the door, trying not to attract too much attention, even though I know it's inevitable that someone will notice me. Minutes pass, and eventually, as expected, students begin to leave the room. I watch them pass in front of me, but no one seems to notice my presence. It's 5.40pm, and I'm starting to think I've been the victim of a bad joke. I feel silly, and the thought of leaving becomes stronger and stronger

Just as I'm about to walk away, I suddenly feel an arm come around my shoulders. The contact is surprising, almost comforting, but it makes me jump. My heart speeds up even more as I slowly turn to see who the person is who decided to approach me in that unexpected way

My heart stops for a moment when I turn and see that it's him, Ran. I never imagined he would be here, in front of me, at a time like this. His arm is placed on my shoulders with a disarming ease, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, as he pulls me closer to him. His face is calm, that usual relaxed look that characterizes him, as if there is nothing strange or out of the ordinary in what he is doing. I, on the other hand, am anything but calm: a tornado of emotions stirs inside me: surprise, confusion, a slight hint of panic. I can't understand why he's doing this. It's as if everything around us has stopped. I can feel the eyes of the other students fixed on us, I see them turn, almost paralyzed with surprise. The corridor, which until a moment ago was filled with constant chatter, is now immersed in an unnatural silence, broken only by the distant sound of someone's footsteps walking away

The closeness between us is almost unreal, and I feel the warmth of his arm holding me tighter, as if he wants to protect us both from the curious and judging gazes that surround us. But I can't help but wonder if this is all just another illusion, another twist of fate that will end up breaking my heart "Don't worry doll, let me talk"he says with an even stranger ease

I just look at him, trying to read something in his eyes, something that will give me a clue. What is he saying? What the fuck is going on?

"I don't care who you are, whether you're first or last year. I'm engaged so leave me alone" he says, raising his voice slightly, and if before the hall was silent, now people aren't even breathing anymore

I am left completely frozen in place as his words hit me like lightning. I can't immediately process the meaning of what he said. The world seems to spin more slowly as his words echo in my head, trying to make sense. What do you mean? Is he telling everyone to stop bothering him, or... is he really talking about me?. His tone is firm, almost irritated, as if he is tired of all this, yet his grip on my shoulders remains firm, almost protective. But it is precisely this contradiction that confuses me the most. Why is he saying these things? And above all, why is he doing it this way, in front of everyone? I feel the gazes of others around us becoming even more intense, I sense the murmur starting to grow around us, but it's as if I'm in a bubble, isolated from everything that's happening. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I can't find the words, not even to ask for explanations

I am suspended in a limbo of conflicting emotions: disbelief, hope, confusion. I wonder if he's trying to protect me, to stop the gossip, or if this is just a way to get rid of me once and for all. And as I stand there, motionless, with my mind spinning, the only thing I can do is look at him

"A little sudden right? Sorry doll. So, what were you saying that Wednesday?" he says, returning his gaze to me, as if the impossible hadn't just happened "Eh? That Wednesday?" I ask perplexed "The day you declared yourself" he says, smiling innocently at me, even if innocent is the last adjective to describe him. I desperately try to understand what is really behind his words that have just turned my whole world upside down. Do he really remember the exact day I declared myself? And above all, why does he want to continue the discussion?

"Look, declarations of love make me anxious even though I'm big and vaccinated, and yes, it took me six months to understand everything properly. Is it possible that that little friend of yours didn't tell you anything? Hell, I should have sent Rindou directly to you. .." he says playing with his braid, and strangely I see him a little anxious

And it is from his words that I connect Rindou and Moyaku's meeting this morning. Rindou asked her something about me...? "What did Rindou ask Moyaku?" I ask in surprise "No big deal, if you just still liked me" he says motioning for me to start walking, without removing his arm from around my shoulders. I look at him in surprise, and reconnect things for a moment: Ran asked Rindou to talk to Moyaku, my only friend, if he knew if I still liked him. Is he making fun of me and is he actually serious?

"I don't understand why you have to ridicule me in front of the whole school, I know how to accept a no! I did it for six months without telling you anything..." I say lowering my gaze, but I hear him chuckling "Trust me, if I wanted to make you ridiculous, I would have done it in more sadistic ways" he says and on the one hand I believe him

We remain silent for the entire journey as we arrive at the school gate. "So?" he asks “So what?” I ask, clutching my school bag "Are we a couple or not?" he asks nonchalantly

The temptation to run away and forget everything is great, but my heart beating faster than expected makes me remain immobile "I know, six months is a bit... but we just need to get there sooner or later, right? Then the your friend confirmed to Rindou that you still like me" he says with a certain seriousness "Six months of teasing is a lot, Ran" I say anxiously playing with my hands, which however he grabs, bringing one to his lips, which he kisses delicately" I don't think they'll bother you anymore considering who is your boyfriend now. We can make up six months in a week" he says letting go my hand, where I feel the part he kissed burning

"We can try... I think" I say while trying to hide the enthusiasm and even a little embarrassment I feel at the moment. I can't believe this is happening right now "Try it? We're already a couple. I never take back what I say publicly" he says grabbing my hand, pulling me towards his motorbike "Come, we have to prove that I'm on your level and that I too can be with a fantastic person"