It's no secret that Tsukasa wasn't a very good student in high school. If it wasn't for her friends and family, she likely never would have graduated. Now she had to sink or swim, but it wasn't all bad. She had to take a fine arts class for her degree, and music was the obvious choice. That way, if there was something she didn't understand, all she had to do was ask Masaru, and he would usually tell her (but not without a bunch of extra details she didn't need to know).

According to his mom, Masaru was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in elementary school. She barely knew what it meant, but she at least knew that he tended to have highly specific interests that would make it hard for him to talk about anything else. It just so happened that one of those special interests was music. The class had the side effect of giving Tsukasa something to talk about with him, even outside of asking for help on her schoolwork. Her conversations with him were always a big confidence boost.

"Whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step..."

The notes and intervals of the C major scale repeated in her head on an endless loop as she looked over her notes one last time. She needed all the help she could get, but she could at least go into the exam with the confidence that she had done everything she could to pass. When the professor finally told the class to begin working, she heaved a sigh of relief.

She breezed through the first few questions, thanks in no small part to the great tips Masaru gave her. There were only two questions that she had no idea how to answer, a welcome change of pace compared to most other exams. Even the part at the end, where she had to fill in musical notes on the staff, was no big deal. Although she wasn't the first person to finish, she wasn't the last either.

Tsukasa still had some time to spare before her next class, so she found a quiet spot where she could sit down. She took her cell phone out of her pocket and turned it back on. There was one new text message for her to read.

"Good luck on that music test!"

Attached was a picture of Masaru holding up a peace sign and giving his signature half-smile. He still had a tendency to keep his true emotions hidden from the world, saving them for the people he trusted most. Knowing him, this was the equivalent of beaming from ear to ear.

"Just got out," she texted back. "I think I did really well." It would be a few days before the results came in, but she was still trying to stay as optimistic as she could. After setting the phone on the table in front of her, she took out a magazine and began reading it. She only had enough time to read a few pages before she got a reply.

"Can I come up there and see you on Saturday?"

The big day had arrived. Tsukasa nervously paced back and forth in her dorm. Was everything put away? Was her hair and makeup just right? Did she have enough money in case they wanted to go out somewhere? He said he would be here any minute now. She knew she shouldn't have anything to worry about. After all, he told her he loved her all the time. She just didn't want to disappoint him, especially since he always insisted on paying for his own train tickets. Thankfully her roommate wouldn't be back until tomorrow, so they would at least have some privacy. She was just about to check her phone again when she heard a knock at the door. That had to be him. She quickly went to unlock the door and open it.

"Hey there, Saru—"

She didn't even have time to finish her greeting before Masaru enveloped her with a big hug. Even though it was hard to breathe like this, it somehow felt safe. He was here at last, and her worries were being squeezed out of her. "It's so good to see you, angel," he whispered as he let go of her.

"Yeah, me too." She stood on her toes to try and reach his lips with her own, but she still couldn't quite make it. He had to bend over a bit before she could finally kiss him. They stood like that for a moment, taking in the feeling, but it wasn't exactly comfortable. After pulling away, she curled her finger and beckoned him to the bed.

Tsukasa sat with her back against the wall and allowed Masaru to slowly crawl towards her on his hands and knees. His gaze was fixed on her eyes and his hands were trembling. Something was clearly off about him today.

"You don't want this, do you?"

Masaru shrugged. "I mean, I love you, but...it just doesn't feel right. Are you on birth control? I didn't bring condoms."

"What?!" Her heart skipped a beat. "That's not what I meant! I just, you know, wanted to make out."

"Oh." Masaru sat down, looking ashamed. "I don't know why my mind went straight to that."

"I'm sorry, I just—"

"No, I get it. We should wait until we both feel ready." Masaru grinned. "Now then…" He closed the distance and kissed Tsukasa gently.

Every time they did, it felt just as mesmerizing. She briefly opened her eyes just enough to see his own looking back at her. At the same time, his tongue slipped into her mouth. She put her arms around his neck to try and pull him even closer. As he leaned forward, he reached back to grab her hand, letting their fingers interlock. In the heat of the moment, she silently pleaded for him to take charge and keep escalating, but he wouldn't.

Breaking the kiss, they stopped to stare at each other. Even with the slight tinge of lust in Masaru's eyes, he was no less adorable. Tsukasa patted her chest, inviting him to rest his head there. He was quick to oblige. She knew this was his favorite place in the world to be. The rest of his body draped over her like a weighted blanket.

After finding the perfect spot to listen to her heartbeat, Masaru sighed. "I missed you so much," he said, stating the obvious. "I felt awful for not making time to see you last weekend."

"Well, you're here now, and that's what's important." Tsukasa lovingly brushed her fingers through Masaru's hair. She had done this so many times that she didn't even need to ask if it was okay. The soft sounds of contentment coming from him were enough.

Now that she could examine it more closely, though, his face looked different. It was smooth when they started dating, but now there were little red hairs dotting his chin and upper lip, and they felt rough to the touch. A beard and mustache were starting to come in.

"You've noticed them, huh?" Masaru asked.

"They make you look manly," she replied. "You don't look so much like a boy anymore."

He raised his eyebrows. "Manly?"

"Yep. You're my strong, handsome...sexy man."

Masaru sat up and glared at her, blushing slightly. "Don't say that."

Tsukasa blinked. "Don't say what?"

"Something about being called a man feels really weird, but now that's what everyone's calling me. Why can't I just be Masaru?"

"What's so bad about being a man? Are you just afraid to grow up?"

"I'm fine with growing up. It's just...I've always been forced into this little box. My parents would scold me if they thought I was…" Masaru cringed as he tried to get the words out. "If they thought I was acting too much like a girl. So I would try and force myself to act like a boy and I hated it. Maybe that's why I like when you say I'm cute, or you call me 'Saru-chan.'"

Tsukasa got closer and put her hands on his cheeks. "I don't really get it, but for what it's worth, you are very, very cute...Saru-chan." She gave him a little peck on the lips to try and put him at ease.

Masaru took a deep breath and smiled. "Thanks, but that's enough about me. Did you get your grade back on that test?"

"89!" Tsukasa answered, full of pride.

"Awesome!" He practically tackled her as they fell back onto the bed in each other's arms. "I knew you could do it!"

Tsukasa couldn't stop giggling as Masaru covered her face with kisses. She could worry about what he had just told her later. For now, it was time to celebrate.