Ichigo is in the midst of regretting his academic decisions deeply.
It wasn't a pleasant feeling at all, knowing he's fucking up college. He was smart, he really was, but it's not his fault that he doesn't find anything interesting anymore.
All he ever does now a days is browse through social media and watch buzzfeed videos.
It's also regrettable that he could name twelve famous youtubers in his sleep but would not be able to recite his subject syllabus even at gun point.
Especially when Science came easier to him and he realizes with pity that he has taken his intelligence for granted and zoned out on months-worth of lessons.
College fees gone to waste, although he earned most of it during Highschool, his father would still beat him up beyond repair.
Ah, but aren't we all a little broken anyway?
He really needs to stop following 9gag on Instagram immediately. Later he would stop it on Twitter and Facebook. Later, hoe.
He sighs, looking at his results paper with itchy eyes. His eyes were a lot itchy these days.
''Probably cuz you glare at your phone screen with lights off and it glares back at you.''
''Fuck off, Renji.'' He huffs, barely having enough patience as he wallows in self deprecation. Sixty percent.
That's the lowest he ever got. He passed everything, sure. But he barely managed to do it.
''You know what you need?'' Renji asks, whom Ichigo nearly ignores, until the man bumps his shoulder with him.
''What...'' He asks without interest, already thinking of ways to distract himself from reality.
''A tutor.'' Ichigo doesn't even bother to reply as he gets up, clumsily shoves his books inside, and quickly reversing any books he shoved upside down because he remembered his grandma telling him that disrespect towards books won't help him with the knowledge deities and fuck his compulsive behavior to hell, honestly. He doesn't believe in superstitions!
It's at night that he seats himself before his laptop. After wandering here and there, prolonging the inevitable, he bought himself cheese filled junk food and finally allowed himself to look at his syllabus.
Alright, he cracks his fingers. He starts to read a chapter in his five hundred pages book, thinking, 'Oh, this is actually easier than I thought,' but unfortunately stops after the third sentence.
He turns to Google, typing in, 'What the fucking fuck is a Zymogen'.
Okay, cool. He finds it's meaning after searching again (excluding the expletives, this time). So he moves on, quite frankly proud of himself. He has never been that great with Chemistry, but he was amazing with Biology, so BioChemistry should be a piece of cake, right? Right?
Wrong. It's not five minutes later, that Ichigo is grabbing his hair, pulling at it as he unlocks his jaw in a painful silent scream.
What was he doing with his life, what the fuck was this even about? He doesn't get it, he forgot his basics, and for the first time in his Eighteen year old life, he is terrified for his academics.
He begins considering the tutor idea and lays down, heart beating quick and unsteady. He was on caffeine, for heaven's sake, he couldn't just go to sleep either!
And fuck his life, he has a class at seven.
''You look...''
''Like shit?''
''Like you woke up in a dumpster after taking Molly. But you never had molly, and never will. Know why? Cuz you are a pussy who doesn't get out of his room and fangirls over youtubers.''
Ichigo sits down in the seat across Renji in the cafeteria. ''You don't want me doing drugs, Renji.''
''I will smack you to hell and back if you did.'' He says seriously. But Ichigo gets it. His friend doesn't want him to keep spending time with lifeless and harmful technology and get out more and interact with people.
''People are assholes.'' Ichigo looks away, mumbling, ''And, you said something about a...tutor?''
Renji grins, his short bangs falling into his eyes.
''Don't even start, I will shove a spoon up your ass.'' Ichigo warns.
''Okay, alright.'' He says, leaning back, his flashy leather jacket squeaking against the plastic chair, ''I have a friend, who has a friend, and this friend is at the top of your grade.''
Ichigo frowns. ''Why would the top student want to waste his time to help some kid? He would want to spend it studying instead.''
Renji looks away slowly, thoughtful, before a small smile takes over his face and Ichigo gets unpleasant chills.
''Let's just say that he owes me one.'' He looks back at Ichigo immediately. ''And he's somewhat a genius, so he will be able to help you easily. Don't think too much.''
''Am not...'' Ichigo says.
This whole deal is a bit suspicious to him.
It's two days later, after his classes ended on a warm Thursday afternoon, that Renji manages to catch Ichigo with his thumb hovering over the download button for Pokémon go.
''Don't do it, it's a Black hole. Dude honestly, it's like you have no control.''
''I'm an addict, Renji.'' Renji sighs, frowning, looking a bit worried.
''Look, your tutor's schedule is free until tonight, I told him I'd introduce you guys so you can get on with it. Come on.''
Ichigo shoves his phone into his backpack and follows Renji despite not really wanting to. At this point, Ichigo was desperate to increase his knowledge after his late night ''study'' session, and the painful discovery of his non-existent knowledge.
Renji leads Ichigo to the library. 'Seriously?', he thinks. He hasn't been to this place in, truth be told, ever. His library record was completely empty.
''Come on.'' Renji beckons Ichigo deeper into the maze like building, and they finally reach their destination after crossing the Ecology, Mythology, Marine Biology, and Astrophysics sections.
''Here we are.'' Renji mutters to the empty chairs and desks scattered over, looking terribly unused in the BioChemistry section.
He finds a bit of solace in the fact that none of his classmates are interested in their education either, apparently.
''Strange...'' Ichigo hears, ''He said he'd be here...''
Ichigo shrugs and plops down in one chair, throwing his bag in another. He buries his hands in his hoodie pockets after pulling the hood over his head.
A silent ding is heard and Renji utters a quick, ''Hey, I need to get going, you stay here.''
Ichigo grunts uninterested, and closes his eyes. He really has to change his habits and sleep earlier.
He seems to be very tired, as he unknowingly drifts off.
Ichigo is woken up instantly when he hears the soft screech of a chair being dragged out. He rubs his blurry eyes groggily and looks up at the stranger seated across the table.
He has seen him before, he doesn't know his name, but Ichigo has definitely seen him before.
''Are you...supposed to be the person who agreed to...tutor me?'' He asks, a bit out of it. He never imagined that a day would come when he talks to the man in front of him.
''Yeah.'' The man says, almost lazy, ''It's Grimmjow.''
''Ichigo.'' He says in reply, ''Hey, I don't mean to be rude, I'm grateful you are doing this, but no one's forcing you to do this.''
Grimmjow raises one eyebrow. ''Let's just get on with it, yeah?''
Ichigo nods after a moment, not expecting such an attitude. Grimmjow looks like a cold, asshole at first glance, but he doesn't want to form an impression on his tutor.
They aren't going to become friends, Ichigo had decided this even before he met the guy.
He opens his books, lines highlighted in desperation right before his precious examination. He looks at Grimmjow who leans forward a bit to glance at his notes.
''These are...doodles.'' He mutters low. Ichigo wants to shut his book right then. He doubts Grimmjow would be able to understand the significance behind his art.
(And neither does Ichigo himself.)
''Alright...so, what do you need help with?''
''Yeah...about that.'' Ichigo cant bring himself to smile, despite feeling pretty sheepish.
''Yes?''
''Everything.''
Ichigo falls down on his bed with a mild headache. Grimmjow was baffled, although he didn't show it, Ichigo could tell by the twitch in his eye.
But despite this, Grimmjow managed to explain the entire chapter on Proteins in just under two hours. And Ichigo actually understood the concept pretty easily, he was precise, thankfully.
He thinks about thanking Renji for the suggestion. Ichigo feels just a bit hopeful towards studying now.
And he should thank Grimmjow too, after this whole ordeal.
He does wonder why the guy agreed to do it in the first place, he did seem unenthusiastic about it, not that he could blame him, Ichigo would be too if asked such a favor.
He picks up his phone, avoiding going through Twitter and checks his massages. He sees that Renji sent him a message right then.
''There's a party at Gin's. You're coming.''
No. He wasn't going.
He takes off his pants and lazily pulls his comforter up till his chin and types a reply.
''Fuck no.''