One Plus One
by Lethe Seraph
Chapter Two: In which our protagonist attempts to utilize his brain
Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! ::beam:: I feel so loved.
I'll even try to respond.
Cirque du Macabre - ::glomps:: You're so sweet! I'm glad you like this chapter. ^_^;
Cody Saoyrn - ::grins:: Weeee~llll……(trans: Well…) Heh. You're right! It's Eclipse. However did you guess? …Er, I'm not sure about the law, but… ::shrug:: I'll worry about it when it happens. ^_~ Fufufu. Actually, it is kind of like Pretty Dynamite, isn't it? It just focuses on the student instead of the tutor. See? Raenef even has the two best friends! You're good… ::glomps::
Ryasha - ::grin:: I hope the wait wasn't too long! Thank you very much!
Raven – Thank you! ^_^ I'm glad you like. Tell me what you think of this chapter!
Spooky Mitsuko – Yay! I feel special. I was kind of afraid to rush into things, yeah. ^_^; But I'm also afraid to drag things out too much! Whatever am I to do…
I'm sorry if I forgot anyone! ::bows:: But rest assured that I am very happy you reviewed, and will add you if I realize I forgot. Or if you tell me I forgot. -_-;; (--Lethe is rather absentminded… can you tell…?)
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::twitch:: I spelled Meruhesae incorrectly in the last chapter…? I'm so ashamed.
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"Fifteen minutes?!" cried Raenef. "But… but…! How did you get a tutor on… on…"
"On such short notice?" supplied Chris, laughing. "Erutis and I have connections, dear Raenef. Now get ready!"
Click.
Raenef stared at the phone, as though expecting it to tell him that Chris had been joking. Then he bolted up and began rummaging through his drawers. "Fifteen minutes!" I have to impress this tutor. He – or she? – is my last hope! He found a soft, collared emerald shirt and nodded, putting it on. Pants… pants… I can't just wear these jeans, either! Um… um… Oh! There! Raenef hugged the velvety navy pants before slipping into them. He examined himself in a nearby mirror.
My hair is a mess!
Had Raenef stopped to think, he may have realized that the tutor would probably care more about whether he knew where his textbooks were or not.
-
A knock on the door. Raenef choked and rinsed out the toothpaste quickly. "Coming!" he called.
Okay. Everything is fine, Raenef. Fine fine. Just be yourself! …Well, a smarter version of yourself, anyway. Okay. Oookay. And… open the door.
He opened the door, and –
Chink!
"Argh!" he said to himself, closing the door and removing the chain before opening it again. "Sorry," he said awkwardly.
"Don't apologize," said the man in front of him.
Raenef's eyes widened as he examined the one who was to be his tutor. He looks so … cool! By his appearance, the man couldn't have been more than twenty; creamy ivory skin drew Raenef's attention to dark, serious eyes that glinted ruby in the light … but that wasn't the only interesting thing about him. The man had long, raven hair swept back into a loose ponytail that called "Tug me!" to Raenef - and he was wearing all black! There was a crescent moon hanging from his ear, too. Oh! And a silver chain hung from his sleek-looking pants … He was most definitely one that Raenef would call 'cool'. He didn't seem the tutor type, though.
"Are you going to let me in?"
ACK!
"Y-yes! I'm sorry!" stuttered Raenef, before remembering the man's previous words. "I mean, I'm not sorry. Well, I am, but-"
He who was to be his tutor sighed and swept past Raenef into the apartment. "Your name is Raenef?"
"Yes, sir," said Raenef politely, closing the door. I'm such an idiot! "Um, and you are…?"
"You can call me Eclipse," replied the man, shedding his trenchcoat to reveal a long-sleeved black shirt with a low neckline, fitting just as snugly as his pants did. Raenef couldn't help but stare. "Where may I put my coat?"
"Er, in… in the closet. Uh, I'll take it for you."
"Thank you very much," Eclipse said lightly. "Don't worry, I'm not too dangerous."
Raenef laughed nervously. "Of course not." He put away the coat and came back into the living room. "You can sit on the couch, if you want," he said.
"Thank you again." Eclipse sat, and Raenef took a place opposite him.
"I suppose introductions are in order," said Eclipse formally. His voice was just as dark as the rest of him, though it sounded nice to Raenef. It was a calm, quiet sort of voice, but his words seemed to come effortlessly to him. Raenef would have liked to have a voice like that.
Raenef nodded.
"As I said before, I am Eclipse. I am to be your tutor, and I will do whatever I can to assure that you pass all of your classes with acceptable grades. I have tutored students before, and they have all done exceptionally. I have been told that you are failing…?" prompted Eclipse.
"Yeah," said Raenef, blushing. He wished that he could impress Eclipse. "I'm not very good at schoolwork."
"Do you try? How often do you study?"
"I try!" said Raenef. "I study for about an hour a day, when I can, but it just doesn't help. I can't remember things."
"I see. What is your worst subject?"
Raenef thought, and grinned sheepishly. "Um, I'm failing all of them."
Eclipse put a hand to his forehead and sighed. "Well, I certainly have my work cut out for me."
"You don't have to cut yourself!" said Raenef in alarm. "I'll do my best!"
The raven-haired man looked at Raenef in surprise. There was a pause, and Eclipse began laughing. "I'm sure you will, Raenef."
Raenef grinned. Yay!
-
"Take care, Raenef. Don't forget to study."
"I won't!" said Raenef enthusiastically. "Thank you so much! Having you as a tutor is definitely helping me."
Eclipse rewarded Raenef with a slight smile. "I'm just helping you to apply yourself. The potential was always there."
Raenef blushed, and grinned at the compliment. He had always been told he looked like a girl, and it must be doubly true now. He hoped that he didn't look stupid, but he just couldn't contain himself! He looked up to Eclipse a great deal already, and it had only been a few hours.
"You can expect me on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, then," said Eclipse.
"I'll look forward to it!" Raenef said happily. "And next time, I'll have cookies ready or something!"
"That's all ri-"
"My treat," said Raenef stubbornly.
A chuckle. "Well, then, I most certainly shall look forward to our next meeting as well." Eclipse bowed and left.
Raenef didn't close the door until several minutes after Eclipse was out of sight.
-
"So, what do you think?" said Chris eagerly, hardly waiting until Raenef set his lunch tray down.
Raenef beamed. "I think I'm learning!"
"All right!" cheered Erutis. "Our Rae really does have a brain!"
"Hey! I've always had a brain!"
"Have you used it? I think it atrophied. After all, the more contact you have with Chris…"
"What did you say?!" Chris immediately took offense, throwing a fry at Erutis.
"Gee, you must really be mad, if you wasted your food on me," said Erutis dryly.
Raenef laughed. Chris and Erutis, even if they always fought with each other, were really good friends. He was lucky to know them.
And Eclipse too! He was sure that he and Eclipse would get to know each other well.
"Hah! Take that, monk!"
"I'm not a monk! I'm the son of a monk!"
"Same difference, kid!"
"Well, then, you're a cook!"
"Now you're asking for it, pansy."
"What did you call me?!"
"A pansy! Don't tell me you don't know the meaning of the word."
"I know what it means!"
"Then you'll agree with me when I use it to describe you!"
"Now, now," said Raenef, waving his hands in a conciliatory sort of way. "You don't want to-"
"Die, kendo girl! You're no match for my French fry assault!"
"Your aim sucks, monk!"
"What are you doing…?" said a teacher, looming above them. Small licks of flame danced around him. Raenef gulped.
And that was how they landed detention on a Thursday afternoon.