Judai sighed as his head thumped onto his desk. His biology teacher had been rambling on for the entire class about God knows what. After getting a mere two hours of sleep last night from playing too much online poker, Judai wanted to collapse. Unfortunately for him, this happened to be a day where Johan was just about as bubbly as could be. Had Judai been fully awake, he could have shivered at the thought of what they could do as a pair of vivacious, trouble-making teenagers.
Judai was startled when Yakamura-sensei loudly called his name. "Judai! Head up!" The teacher glared at him over his glasses. He was a bald, heavy-set, sweaty man probably in his mid-thirties but looked about fifty. He earned little empathy due to his attitude which could only be categorized as crappy.
Judai groaned and rested his head in his hand with his elbow on the desk, sarcastically muttering, "Yes, sir."
The teacher glanced at him once more before resuming his lecture. His monotone voice practically allowed Judai to enter a REM cycle before a painful poke behind him ruined that idea.
"Oi, Judai!" Johan whispered behind him, poking Judai's shoulder with his pencil. Judai turned around slowly, less than eager to learn what Johan had to say. But he'd rather listen to Johan than Yakamura-sensei any day. "Did you copy down what he said about the energy of activation?"
Judai's shoulders slumped. He seemed to stop paying attention to Johan after he mentioned something about actually exerting an effort to do well in a class taught by the worst teacher in the school.
The only gentle reply he could muster was, "No, sorry."
Johan shrugged. "That's okay. I'll get it from Ryo."
Just as Johan finished his statement, the bell rang, answering Judai's prayers and dismissing the students from school. Regardless of his excitement, Judai stood up slowly and stretched, grabbing his bag and waiting for Johan to collect his things. Since they had met, Judai and Johan always walked home from school together.
After putting on their street shoes, they walked outside into the fresh air. A breeze tickled Judai's tired expression. Johan knew that Judai liked to stay up late playing card games online, but was slightly concerned about the effect it could have on his health and academics. Not that Judai truly cared as much about either topic.
Johan decided the probe the issue by teasing Judai a bit, using the information he collected in today's biology class. Perhaps he could make Judai dismiss his late-night activities by replacing them with healthier ones.
"You know, Judai, if you were an enzyme, I'd put my substrate in your active site," Johan directed, trying to be subtle with the sexual nature of the statement.
As Johan expected, Judai turned to look at him with a raised brow. "What does that mean?"
Johan smiled, although in Judai's opinion, he expressed an arrogant smirk. "You'd know if you had paid attention in biology today."
Judai returned his focus to the sidewalk in front of him. "I can't help it if Yakamura's as boring as waiting for a dial-up connection."
Johan could tell Judai had expanded his computer knowledge in order to further his online game-playing capabilities. He never would have made a reference to technology prior to his discovery of the wonderful world of online gaming.
"Maybe not, but I seemed to. Besides, we have a quiz next class. You shouldn't give him another reason to hate you by failing it," Johan explained. "And maybe if you didn't spend so much time online you'd have the energy to pay attention or do something. You used to love throwing paper clips at his big butt."
Judai chuckled at the memory. Maybe he should surrender to his academics for a short time. Spring break was right around the corner, and he could play online twenty-four seven then.
"Yeah. I'll give it a shot. But only because I want to understand what you said to me," Judai responded, smiling at Johan, who laughed in reply.
"I hope you figure it out," Johan called as he waved and walked up to the door of his house.
For the next three weeks, Judai swore off the Internet unless he needed it for educational purposes. It took him that long to catch up on all the information he'd missed for the time he spent sleeping in class. And on the day before spring break, Judai had an epiphany—he finally understood Johan's statement.
As the bell rang to release students from the torturous six-hour school day, Judai walked up to Johan and said, "You know, if I were an enzyme, I'd rather you be my catalyst than substrate. That way you could help complete my reaction."
Johan smiled and laughed softly. "I think I can be both."
Judai returned the smile as both boys turned to walk home; but this time, Johan followed Judai to his house. And he didn't return home until evening.