What is it?
What is it that you want from me?
What is it that you desire from me?
What is it?
Tell me.
"Why?" I asked, utterly puzzled by the brat's odd request, "why me? Of all people, why do I have to be your tutor?"
Genos sat back on the bench, right beside me.
"I'm currently in the third year of junior high," he calmly spoke, "I'll face the national examination two months from now. That's why...I need you as my tutor."
"Heh. You're gonna take part in the national exam?" I snarked, "only of you weren't so well-behaved..."
The boy turned his head, facing away from me. He was embarrassed, I think? I only saw a tip of his burning-red ears from behind.
"...very well, then," I stood up, "I'll take your offer."
Genos turned back to me, face-to-face. There was a hint of cheerfulness on his voice, "really?"
I dropped a coin inside a vending machine nearby, and a can of softdrink rolled down. I took the can and gave it to Genos.
"From now on, I ask for your cooperation."
Genos' eyes widened in awe. He took the softdrink from my hand, and smiled. His expression was that of a purest form of joy. My heart skipped a beat, being presented with rare exhibition of stunning expressions.
"L-likewise!" he bowed down to me─a polite gesture I never expected coming from Genos, "please give me your guidance, Saitama-sensei!"
"Now, it's already evening," I gazed to the reddish-orange sky, "I'll walk you home."
We left the park. Genos was walking rather happily this time. It was so strange to see his sudden change of actions. He was rather gloomy─or creepy, even─when I first met him yesterday, and he was very savage few hours earlier. Now, he's acting over-politely and cheerful. The heck. He changed so easily, drastically, within short amounts of time. It was too confusing for me.
Some time later, Genos pointed his finger to a big house.
"That's my house, Sensei."
Scratch that. A VERY big house. It's a fucking mansion. He's so damn rich.
No, no. Calling it a mansion would be too exaggerating. It was a really big house, dammit. No wonder he dared to pay me a lot.
"Thank you, Saitama-sensei," Genos smiled brightly─contrasting his black-eye and bruises on his face, "I'll see you again. I cannot wait for our next session."
I turned my back, and waved to him. I walked, walked, and walked. Leaving that house behind. Then, I quickly ran, ran, and ran. I ran as if there's no tomorrow for me.
The sun was setting down in the horizon. I stopped running, gasped for breath. The throbbing of my heartbeat drummed fast. Crazily, wildly, furiously.
The fuck is wrong with me? What am I feeling right now? Excited? Exhilarated? Happy? What the...seriously?!
I pressed my hands onto my cheeks. It was hot. Burning.
Why does my heart beating this fast? What is wrong with me?
I guess, I was really happy...'coz I'm gonna get a large sum of money to erase those pesky, fucking debts away from my life!
Fuck.
FUCK YES!
I roared with ecstasy, inviting few pair of eyes to look at me. But I don't care. My brain has stopped working. A surge of euphoria exploded within me.
Why does that Genos kid always picking up violent fights? Why does he want me, of all people, to become his mentor? Why did he opened up to me that easily?
I'll save those questions for later. I'll leave the tomorrow me to think about it. I don't want to get bald from overthinking unecessary stuffs.
"Welcome, Sensei."
I was struck with awe. I took a brief tour of Genos' house, and I realized that the kid wasn't just only filthy-rich.
He was also fucking creepy to a certain unthinkable degree.
"What's...that?" I pointed at a rack on the wall. Several jars, filled with organs, brains, and guts were lined up on the rack. I also saw frogs, slugs, worms, and whatever it was that shaped like an eyeball preserved inside those jars.
WHAT THE HELL. SERIOUSLY?!
"Oh, that's just some of Doctor Kuseno's failed experiments," Genos replied to my horror with extremely creepy monotone, "I brought them home from his lab, because I think they're cool."
"NO, THEY'RE NOT," I was half-screaming in terror.
"If you dislike it, I'll get rid of them," Genos calmly spoke, walking slowly towards the rack of his bizarre collection.
"No, no. It's okay. You can keep 'em," I looked away from the jars, "they're your valued collection, after all."
"Sensei is so understanding," the kid widened his puppy-dog eyes to me, "thank you, Sensei! I shall do what you say!"
"Errr...yeah, sure."
This brat is so creepy, I thought, you gotta endure this, Saitama. For the sake of money!
"By the way, who's Doctor Kuchino?" I asked, intrigued by the freak who gave Genos these nightmare fuels for free.
"Doctor Kuseno, you mean. He's a friend of mine. He's a scientist."
"Oh."
I really want to go home right now. I hope I won't become one of the brains preserved in a jar. Please.
"I think we should start the lesson. We can study in my room, Sensei. Please, follow me."
Ohhhhh crap. I hope his room isn't much crazier than his living room!
I followed Genos, sweating a lot. His room was upstairs, across a very long corridor. He opened the door, and various images of grotesquely mutilated body parts flashed inside my mind. Dammit.
Contrary to my thoughts, Genos' room wasn't creepy at all. It was pretty much...normal. Just a simple bed, a wardrobe, and a set of desk and chairs.
"Your room is...surprisingly normal," I mumbled.
"...? What do you mean, Sensei?"
"I mean, I thought you were pretty mysterious. Next, I got to know that you're actually a vicious troublemaker. And then, I found out your...lovely hobby of collecting creepy crawlies. And now, I found out that you're somewhat normal...I think?"
It was like riding a rollercoaster of insanity. He was full of surprises. He was full of unexpected shits.
"You're weird, Sensei," Genos broke a faint smile. Not as bright as yesterday, but it was gentle and significant.
See? He's so unpredictable. Just like a crazy weather, changing all the time.
"I don't want to hear that from you," I grumbled, "you weirdo."
It's been a month and half since I became Genos' personal tutor. As I expected, he was so damn smart. Genius, even. He doesn't really need me from the start, as he could solve college-level problems with ease.
Genius Genos, hah. There, I made an unfunny joke.
"You don't have any friends, Genos? Or maybe, a girlfriend?" I asked in mere curiosity, which was replied in a very deadpan manner.
"None at all."
Oh. Typical lonely rich kid.
"Sensei, how do you solve this equation?" Genos asked, tapping his pen on his fingers.
"You gotta use the Euler's formula, or just look at the trigonometric tables I gave to you last week."
"Oh, I see. Thank you, Sensei."
Eh. He's playing dumb again. I know, you're not that stupid.
"By the way, thanks for hiring me," I clicked randomly on a calculator, "I can pay my rent now. I'm saved."
"...that's good to hear. I'm glad, Sensei."
I shifted my focus on Genos. He smiled again. What a creep.
"Ummm, Sensei?"
"What?" I was still clicking at the calculator, pretending to be busy.
"Can I ask you a favor?"
"Sure, go ahead."
Genos stopped writing. He tapped his pen rather nervously. Well, this is new. Another new expression, I see.
"If I got full marks in the exam, may I ask you for a present?"
"No prob. But, hey, I'm short on cash right now. Don't make me look for expensive things, will you?"
I took a glass of water beside me, and drank the content.
"No, I don't want you to buy expensive gifts for me."
The blond kid gulped. He put his pen on the table.
"I want a kiss from you, Sensei."
"BFFFFFFFFFTTTTT!"
I choked on the water I just drank. I also spat some of them, coughing like crazy.
"A-are you alright, Sensei?"
"So...so this is what you've wanted from me..." I coughed, barely realizing what was happened.
"Is this the reason why did you intend to hire me as your tutor? Eh, Genos?"
Genos kept silent for a while, before finally nodding and stared straight to my eyes.
"Yes."
Are you kidding me? Is this kid even real?
"I like you, Saitama-sensei."
Oh, give me a break.
"I want you to go out with me."
Oh, what the heck.
"Genos," I looked at him, "are you serious? Are you not just making fun of me?"
"No, sir. I'm serious."
"Because I will never forgive you if you're just using me for your own amusement," I growled, "I'm a man. I have my pride. I'm warning you, kid."
Genos shuddered a bit, but he kept his eye contact.
"Don't fuck with me."
I took my bag and stood up from my seat.
"Are you angry, Sensei?" Genos asked, his voice was shaky. Oh great, another unexpected thing came.
"Of course I am. Who wouldn't get pissed when they're paid just for playing with a lonely rich boy like you?"
"I'm sorry..."
Genos' voice was hoarse. Is he crying? The hell?
"Oh, you better be. I'm going home."
"Sensei!"
He stood up, grabbing my wrist.
"Get off me."
"Sensei, please," his tears were dripping so much─my brain wasn't able to process what was going on, "I'll become a good student. I won't get into fights anymore. I'll get full marks in the examination. You don't have to go out with me if you don't want to. But, please...stay as my personal tutor."
I bit my lip. Seeing him with such a pained expression turned me so weak.
"Fine, let's take a bet," I shoved off Genos, "if you're able to score full 500 points in the national exam, I'll continue to work as your tutor. However, if you failed, I'll stop coming here ever again."
Genos wiped his tears. His expression suddenly changed again. His eyes were fiery, filled with determination.
I don't understand this brat. I guess I'll never understand.
It was a week before the national exam started. The work in the cram school has becoming more hectic. Mock exams, supplementary lessons, reviews. I had my hands full because of it.
"You look exhausted, Saitama-san," Fubuki approached, giving a cup of warm coffee to me.
"You don't say," I received the coffee, took a big gulp from it. Aaahhh, crap. Even the caffeine doesn't work.
"I heard you became Genos-kun's personal tutor outside of the cram school, isn't that right?" Fubuki asked me with a concerned look.
I kept quiet, I didn't answer her question. She knew it already.
"I know, you've been working so hard to pay your rent, your living. Why didn't you tell me? I'd probably do something about it."
"I don't need your help anymore, Fubuki!" I yelled, "I'm a man! I'm a goddamn MAN! I have pride too, you know?!"
It was irritating. It pains me so much, to know I have to rely on other people to solve my own problems. I felt so powerless. Useless. Worthless.
Fubuki was stunned. I clasped my mouth. Dammit, I talked too much.
"I'm sorry, I raised my voice," I mumbled, "I'm tired. Maybe that's why I got too emotional."
"It's okay. I know how you feel," Fubuki finally spoke, "I'm sorry too, I was always too nosy about your problems."
"Heh, actually...I wasn't mad about it," I took another sip from ny coffee, "maybe it's because of Genos."
"You've become close to him, aren't you?" Fubuki drank her own coffee, "how's he doing? Is he prepared to face the exam?"
"To tell you the truth, I got into a fight with him," I confessed, "he hired me because he's lonely or something. I hated that. I don't want to become a rich kid's plaything just because I'm currently facing a crisis."
I kept a distance from Genos ever since the fight broke. I just let him concentrate on his exams. I don't want to be a liability. Also, I was still mad at the time.
"Do you seriously think Genos-kun would do something that shallow to you?" Fubuki emptied her coffee cup, "I know, he's not a sociable person, but he won't do anything bad to other people. Unless, you're ticking him off, though."
"I don't know," I stood up from my chair, "I'll just gonna see it with my own eyes, then."
Weeks later, I read the morning newspaper. Figures, the headline showed something I had expected.
I rushed myself to a familiar house. A familiar big house. A familiar big-ass-goddamn-rich-people's house.
Ahhhh, so irritating.
"Sensei!"
A familiar face showed up. That irritating face. He showed me the way to his room, where we both kept silent for a long time.
Genos was visibly fidgeting, his eyes cast down to the floor. His confident eye contact was missing, and that was strange. I thought he'd be more boastful about it.
"I kept my word," I spoke, "I'll fulfill my promise."
"But, Sensei, you said you─"
"Shut up. A promise is a promise."
I clasped my hands on his face. He was shaking all the time. What an amateur.
He closed his eyes in anticipation, while his face was burning red. I felt the heat rising from his face, too. He's gonna overheat if I don't act soon.
There, a kiss. A simple peck on his lips. It's done. Mission complete.
"I thought you hated me," Genos spoke, "I'm really sorry, I offended you so bad, Sensei."
"I still have my pride. A man cannot go back on his own words."
Our faces were too up close. I can see everything from this proximity. I saw Genos' long eyelashes. I also saw a drop of sweat running through his forehead. His glimmering piercings on each ear. His strands of golden hair. Everything.
"Sensei..."
I gave another kiss. It was much more slower than the first one. And deeper. And gentler.
Let our breaths become one, you magnificent, cunning brat.
Ahhhh. I was swept away.
Is this the thing you want from me?
Is thing the thing you desire from me?
Tell me.