Sasori x OC (Kazumi)


Coffee Table

"Kazumi! You're late again," he scolded.

His face was nearly as red as his hair, and his hazel eyes narrowed as I entered the room. Indeed I was late -by ten minutes- and like usual my tutor was annoyed with me.

"I'm sorry Sensei, the buses were running behind. . . again," I lied.

"For the third day in a row you will do twice as much work before leaving," he stated.

"Then you better get started," he said.

Akasuna Sasori-sensei was a personally hired teacher to help me catch up after the year of high school I missed. Through my parents business they new Sasori-sensei's grandmother who offered his services. So everyday after school I go to his house where I do the work he gives me while he grades papers and whatnot for his day classes.

"Sensei what's the formula for this one again?" I asked.

Standing and crossing his living room the redheaded adult peered over my shoulder saying, "Which one?"

I pointed to number seven while my heart jumped into my throat.

He began explaining the problem, but I wasn't listening. I was intently on how close he was to me, and how the satinwood scent clung to him.

When my parents arranged this deal with Sasori-sensei I thought it was just a waste of time and money. They were just fighting the inevitable by forcing a tutor upon me. Now I couldn't wait to go everyday and see Sasori-sensei; and get scolded. I don't know when it started, but it didn't take me long to notice how differently he treated me compared to everyone else, then again he was the only one who didn't know.

My friends at school, even my family tip-toed around me like I would self-destruct at any moment. My elder sister even postponed her wedding last spring when things had gotten bad. Everyone held that dark gleam in their eyes when they looked at me, all but Sensei who treated me like a normal teenager.

"Ouch," I whined.

Grabbing the back of my head I pouted up at my glaring teacher. I knew I was in trouble, but I didn't care. He was looking at me -ME- and not the expiration date written across my face.

"Listen Kazumi," he scolded. "You my have youth to waste, but I don't," he huffed out annoyed.

Lowering my hands from my head I said, "I'm not wasting it."

His warm hazel eyes stared at me questioningly, while he pushed his tousled hair out his face. "You're not, then what are you doing with it?" he challenged.

"I'm milking every moment from it," I smiled.

"So you like getting yelled at and failing grades," he said. Shaking his head he straightened his stance and made his way back to his small desk on the other side of the den. "Such a masochistic student I have," he muttered.

"It's not like that Sensei!" I flushed.

"get back to work," he ordered.

"But number seven," I began.

Turning back to the paper I saw the formula I need written out, I just had to plug in the numbers. A smile slipped across my face as I glanced over at Sasori-sensei, who had returned to his own work.

Strict yet kind. Smart and an adult. Busy, but made time for his students. That was my precious Sensei, and my first ever love.

When I had realized I had fallen for my tutor it was the first day of winter and I had been watching Sasori type up a test for his day classes. It was quiet except for the tapping of his keyboard and the wind outside. I was suppose to be writing an essay, but I found him far more interesting. The way his long fingers moved across the keys, and how focused his eyes were on the screen. He was handsome, and dedicated. I absentmindedly broke our sweet silence by asking a stupid question that I'm not entirely sure I regret.

"Sensei, can this be my place?" I questioned.

Sasori had spared me a quick glance before turning back to his work. "I don't understand your question," he said.

"Right here, at your coffee table. Can I call this my place?" I asked again.

"You spend enough time there," he commented.

"I'm taking that as a yes!" I grinned.

"Get back to work Kazumi," he ordered.

Winter was now coming to an end and spring was rapidly approaching. My time with Sensei would soon be over as I moved up a grade thanks to his help. I had already settled on keeping my love unrequited knowing fully well that it would be pointless to tell him, and yet I had written a love letter, which you could hardly call it that.

I had written how I enjoyed our time together, and that he treated me like a normal student. I rambled on and on about stupid things I had on my mind at the time like what I liked to eat and how I didn't want to take a history test. The paper was so full with words I hardly had room to sign it, and yet that letter now sat in the pages of my student handbook waiting to never be delivered and thrown away when the time came.

"So you're actually moving up?" he asked despite the paper I had handed him.

"Of course I am! I worked hard," I fought.

"Yes you did," he said.

As my strict tutor patted my head my heart started to race. He never praised me, yet on our last day together he was showering me in it- maybe it was a trickle but it felt like a downpour to me.

Handing me the note from my school Sasori-sensei said, "Don't slack off just because it's your last year of high school."

"Don't worry I'm not going to ruin my last year," I said with a small smile.

I tucked the paper into my bag as I turned to leave, my visit over. My last visit done, my ties to Sasori being severed.

"Thank you for every thing you've done Sensei," I said around the lump forming in my throat.

He followed me to his front door where I slipped my shoes on, preparing to not look back on this house.

"It's my job," he replied.

Spinning on my heel I met his gaze head on. "No, you don't get how grateful I am," I said.

"Kazumi," he said softly. "It was a pleasure to have you as a student." A small smile turned up his face making him look even more handsome.

My breath hitched in my throat at the sight and the lump dissolved. My kind and strict sensei was smiling at me.

With a shaky laugh I said, "I'm scared Sasori-sensei."

"You'll do fine. It's just one more year then you'll be an adult," he said encouragingly.

"You're right," I said. Forcing the widest grin I could I slipped out the door and waved, "Bye-bye Sasori-sensei!"

AAA

The doorbell was still being rang when Sasori reached the door. With a bitter "Yes?" he opened it to find a woman with a familiar crop of plum colored hair. At first he was confused at how the little goofball Kazumi grew so fast, but then he noticed that the woman's eyes were blue and not a light lavender.

"Akasuna Sasori?" the woman asked.

"Yes. Can I help you?" he replied.

"Hello, I am Kazumi's older sister, Hatake Mizuki," she introduced.

Sasori shook the hand she held out to him, and waited for her to state her business with him. Was Kazumi already in need of more tutoring? It had hardly been two weeks since she began her third year.

"I have two letters for you that I found among Kazumi's things that were addressed to you," she started.

The woman pulled said letters out of her purse and held them out to Sasori with a trembling hand. He eyed her once over and saw she was dressed in black mourning clothes with dark shadows under her eyes.

"Tell Kazumi to give them to me herself," Sasori told Mizuki.

The woman paused startled at his reaction. "Excuse me?" she slowly said.

"Just because I am not her tutor does not mean she cannot send word herself. I'm sorry you came all this way," he said as he moved to shut the door.

"No, I'm sorry," Mizuki said holding the door open. Sasori met her gaze as he released the door knob. "I thought our parents would have sent word to you, apparently not," she said.

"Sent word about what?" Sasori inquired.

With watering eyes Mizuki said, "Kazumi passed away Monday."

Sasori stared wide eyed at the sad woman who was still clutching the letters she came to deliver. Monday was only three days ago. Three days ago Kazumi had been alive and probably screwing around like usual.

"How?" was all Sasori could say.

"She was sick, had been for a very long time. We were lucky to have her for this past year," Mizuki explained. "I was really lucky to have her attend my wedding, she even caught the bouquet. She was so excited." A smile pulled at Mizuki's mouth despite the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

Composing himself Sasori nodded and said, "I see. My sincerest condolences."

"Thank you," she said. Clearing her throat she added, "Please take the letters. I promise I have not read them, Kazumi would be really mad if I did."

Taking the letters Sasori simply said, "Thank you."

"Now that you have those I should get going. I'm sorry to have intruded on your evening," Mizuki said.

Waving she took off across the road to an idling car that pulled onto the road once she was inside.

Sasori shut the door behind him as he made his way to the living room where he dropped into his desk chair. He hesitated at reading the letters, but between his curiosity and a need to know what they said he opened the first. The envelope had been dated back in December and looked more wore than the other.

As he skimmed the lines it looked to be a jumbled mess of Kazumi's thoughts. What she liked, disliked, what she enjoyed about their lessons, and how she though he was too strict. But at the end, squeezed into the last line was I love sensei, followed by her name.

So it's a love letter, Sasori thought.

It wasn't something he expected from Kazumi. She never seemed like the love note type.

As he picked up the second one he figured it be the same, but he was wrong. There were only a few lines to it, and it said more than the first.

Dear Sensei,

Thank you for never looking at me like I was about to die. That probably sounds weird, huh? Well it was enough for me to fall for you, and I cherish this unrequited love even now as I sit in this hospital bed. I really wish I could be sitting in my place doing lame homework.

Thank you for my first love,

Kazumi!

Releasing the letter and dropping his head into his hands Sasori sputtered out a broken laugh. Tears tracked down his face as his heart rapidly pounded against his ribs all while his last words to Kazumi came back to him.

"You'll do fine. It's just one more year then you'll be an adult."

Those words had been said as a reminder for himself. He just had to wait one more year then there was no problem, but there was. They didn't have a year, no- Kazumi didn't have a year. He had made assumptions and told himself one year would not change anything. The outspoken and perpetually late goofball would graduate high school and he would see her again. How wrong was he.

Running a hand through his hair Sasori leaned back in his chair staring blankly at his empty coffee table.

"Idiot," he scoffed. "You can't say unrequited when you never gave me my chance," he muttered through a broken heart.

Kazumi's voice echoed in the back of his head as the tears continued to fall telling him, "Bye-bye Sasori-sensei!"