"Come on, Wataru."
At Kawamura's urging, Wataru dragged his feet to walk faster towards his friend. They were about to go to his friend's part-time job – a renovation site handled by mostly university students. While he called it a part-time job, Kawamura was only a volunteer in the group since he was still a high school student and will be taking college entrance exams soon. His friend seemed to be introduced in the site by his neighbour Kobayashi and took an interest to it immediately. But that would be because of a cute girl from the site, wouldn't it? That's Kawamura for you. Wataru stifled a smile at the thought.
A few more steps away from them was the entrance of the building. Wataru tried to keep up with Kawamura's quick steps. However, his mind and body were sluggish that he would rather mop in his room than go somewhere. Not after he'd seen the results of their mock exam. His grade was 2 points lower than the required mark for his chosen college. He'd have to study even harder for the next mock exam. But good-natured Kawamura asked him to come with him for a change of pace and he couldn't really turn down his request.
"Wa-ta-ru, hey. Are you still sulking about it? Don't worry, we'll start studying again after this. Promise." Kawamura stopped in his tracks and turned to face Wataru. His face full of concern as he looked at his friend.
"I'm not—" Wataru was about to reply when a voice cut in their conversation.
"Who's sulking about what?"
Wataru's eyes travelled over Kawamura's shoulder to see the owner of the voice. There it was, a tall, charismatic guy standing behind Kawamura, smiling at the pair. Wataru thought he heard his friend gasped when he turned around to see the speaker.
"Ah A-asaka-san. T-that was Wataru." Kawamura stuttered as he answered the other guy. He couldn't blame his friend if he got flustered around Asaka when the older guy was like a celebrity.
"Wataru? Something happened?" The guy called Asaka turned his attention towards Wataru. Kawamura took this chance to flee from the scene with a soft 'later' to Wataru.
Asaka Masanobu. The guy behind the circle who renovate sites. From the first time they have met, Wataru stared at him with starstruck awe. Asaka have a different air about him. He moved elegantly. The way he speaks worked like a charm, captivating anyone who hears it. He was an intelligent guy to boot. He was that amazing that even the members of the renovation circle all joined because they admired him.
"W-well," Wataru started, "we just got back the results of our mock exam…
He did not have to continue for Asaka to know what he was talking about. His facial expression must have given it away.
"Which university are you going to apply?" Asaka asked.
"M University. In their Science and Engineering department"
"Really? I took an exam there before, aiming for the same department!" Asaka said.
"Seriously? You passed I bet. It is 'you' we are talking about." A bitter smile crossed Wataru's face and looked down at his feet.
"Don't say that, Wataru," after a moment of thinking, he added, "then, how about I tutor you until the next mock exam? I remember that I still have my study materials around our house."
Couldn't believe what he had just heard, Wataru snapped his head upwards to meet Asaka's eyes. They reflected seriousness as he held Wataru's gaze.
"Uh.. uhmm..." Wataru stammered. He barely talked to Asaka before so he didn't know how he would react to his offer. Of course, he wanted to learn from someone who have passed in the same university as him. On the other hand, they weren't really close for him to take advantage of his kindness.
Seeing his reaction, Asaka gave him a soft smile. "If you don't want me as your tutor, then just please accept the study materials. I believe they will be of immense help."
Afraid that Asaka misunderstood him, Wataru quickly shook his head. "That's... not what I mean. I wanted to pass the exam and with you as my tutor would greatly help me."
"But?" Asaka continued for him.
"-but I wouldn't want to take advantage of you. You are busy with the renovation as well. Why would you even go that far?" Wataru couldn't help but speak out all the thoughts inside his head.
To his surprise, Asaka smiled broadly and approached him. He stopped in front of Wataru and put his hands on the younger man's shoulders. Wataru could only blink in rapid succession.
"You're worried for that? Thanks for the concern Wataru, but I wouldn't offer you my service if I know I couldn't fit it in my sched."
"Besides, I wouldn't want to let our favorite kouhai looking gloomy like that." He winked. Everyone in the circle had been calling him 'kouhai' fondly. That includes Asaka. But the way he said it made Wataru's heart skip a beat.
Thinking that it would be better to accept the other guy's offer, Wataru looked back at Asaka and smiled. "I guess I don't have a choice but to accept. Thank you Asaka."
Asaka scoffed and suddenly removed his hands on his shoulder. Wataru thought he saw a faint color on his cheeks.
Wataru did not know that studying with Asaka would be full of surprises. Asaka would take him to various places: art gallery, an aquarium lobby, or in a bookstore his friend managed. Today, they were studying in a café ran by an old couple.
"The place is not important. No matter where we are, the basic English structure will always be the same." Asaka would say when Wataru asked why do they have to change places everytime the guy tutored him.
Asaka's magic – that was what everyone in the circle called Asaka's way of speaking. His words made the other person feel that he could exactly do what Asaka said. Wataru was pretty sure Asaka was using it to him. The longer time he spent with the other guy, the stronger his self-confidence gets. He was starting to see his most hated subject in a new light.
"Uhm, Asaka? Could you explain these articles?" Wataru said meekly, glancing over Asaka who was sitting in front of him.
The younger guy unconsciously stared at his tutor while he gave explanations. His words were gentle yet straightforward. Whenever Wataru felt like he was going to hit the dead end soon, Asaka would say encouraging words that would hit Wataru right in the heart. This guy doesn't know the power of his words. Wataru mused.
"Everything clear? Then try answering these exercises."
Instead of focusing on the task at hand, he let his eyes wander at the profile of the guy in front of him. He was looking outside with eyes tinge of sadness. There was no particular object he was looking at but his gaze seemed so far away.
He is making that face again. It's so… melancholic. He thought. There was something sad yet beautiful about Asaka. Even if he was constantly surrounded with people, Asaka appeared so far away. The tender words – Asaka's magic – seemed to be needed the most by no other than Asaka.
What was more mysterious than Asaka's pensive mood was Wataru's emotions. His chest would constrict each time he saw the older guy like that. He'd have to fight the urge to hug him and whisper that everything's alright.
If I could only make him smile from the bottom of his heart…
"H-hey Asaka," he blurted out, "if I pass this mock exam, would you go somewhere with me?"
Asaka's eyes widen and stopped mid-way from drinking his tea.
Wataru was also surprised by his wild idea. But if he could help Asaka forget everything even just for a single day, he would.
"I mean, you've been giving your best to help me, right? You even arrange your busy sched to accommodate me. S-so I wanted to return the favour." Wataru added.
Asaka who until now was staring dumbfounded at Wataru started chuckling. It was Wataru's turn to be surprised. Did he just say something embarrassing?
"You are too kind, Wataru. You should use any resources you have during this time."
"But since you so kindly ask, I'll take you up on your offer." Asaka grinned, leaving Wataru too captivated to speak. Asaka's charm was bad for the heart.
"It's a date then." Asaka grinned. Wataru could feel his cheeks heating up by the way Asaka said it.
Little did they know that that 'date' would change the course of their lives forever.
A/N: Hi all! It's been a while since the last time I've written a fic so this is as good as my very first fic. ;;;;
I do love the KazukixWataru pairing but I want Asaka to have his own alternate happy ending.