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“Shit!” Bisco whisper shouted, the word echoing throughout the presumably empty library. He dropped his little precious bag of chocolate filled biscuit snacks on the ground. “Argh—they’re probably broken now. Whatever.”
He picked them back up and looked for a place to sit. As he was looking around his eyes landed upon a lit lamp and a blue haired boy looking at him.
Now, why was there some guy here at—he looked at his watch—9 PM? On a Friday night?
“Uh—hey?” Bisco waved awkwardly while his arms were being weighed down by snacks he just bought from the student store right before it closed.
The mysterious guy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “You came here to eat?”
Bisco coughed. “Yes. Don’t see why that’s any of your business.” He walked closer to him for some reason. Maybe he was entranced by his presence or maybe he was confused by the black spot around the guy’s eye. Damn, did he get punched or something?
“Normal people usually eat in their dorms or outside. But you…are eating snacks on a Friday night, in a library no less.”
Bisco couldn’t argue, he looked like a loser.
“Okay, well, you’re studying, alone, on a Friday night, so,” He shrugged in return. The boy smiled. The soft glow of the lamp made him look almost pretty.
Calling someone pretty? He must really be hungry…
“Caught me there. I’m not the Library Guardian, but if you’re going to stay can you keep your chewing and noise to a minimum? I’m studying for a biology exam,” he asked with a smile on his face.
”Mm, yeah. Sure thing,” Bisco nodded then stopped in his tracks. “Wait. Bio exam? Do you have Mr. Jabi?”
The boy nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! I assume you do too?”
Bisco nodded then blinked a couple times as he absorbed the information. “Wait a minute! We have an exam?”
“Yes..on Monday. It’s the midterm, don’t you remember? We’re being tested on what we’ve learned recently! Which would be about DNA and such.”
”Oh shit! I’m screwed, I’m so screwed. I haven’t studied. How am I going to pass if I haven’t studied!”
The boy laughed softly. “Calm down. We can study together. The seat is open next to me,” he patted the chair. “I’ll help you study so you can pass the exam.”
“Oh. Really? You’d do that?”
”Why would I even offer if I didn’t want to? Sit down,” he grinned.
Bisco was somewhat dumbfounded. He sat down next to him. He smelled like…coconut? And a bit like lime. This was weird. Smelling a person is weird. Bisco mentally slapped himself.
Man…his side profile is really nice. Stop it, Bisco!
“I should introduce myself if I’m going to tutor you. My name is Milo Nekoyanagi. And you are?”
Bisco was caught off guard. He was too busy inhaling his sweet scent and examining the multitude of colors within the depths of his eyes.
“Oh—uh my name is Bisco Akaboshi!”
“Nice to meet you, Akaboshi.”
”Ew, not the last name please. Bisco, I don’t mind.”
Milo let out an amused huff. “Okay, okay. Now let’s begin.”
And so began their studying. Bisco was surprised that Milo was so patient with him. Usually, people were always too impatient for him and called him too vulgar and immature, but Milo acted and spoke genuinely.
It made him feel funny and Bisco didn’t know why.
They even did practice problems together that were within the textbook and Bisco were answering them correctly.
“You catch on quick, Bisco. Knew you could do it,” Milo bumped his shoulder against Bisco who copied the gesture.
“Well, I had a great tutor,” Bisco grinned. “Can we finally take a break, though?”
“Of course! You’ve earned it. Plus, I need one myself,” Milo agreed as he leaned back against the chair. He let out an exhausted sigh and rubbed at his eyes.
“Headache?” Bisco questioned. Milo nodded. Bisco hummed and slid a snack to the boy. “You need some food in your system. How do you expect the machine to work without any fuel?”
“You’re right…thank you.”
”Don’t mention it,” Bisco smiled as he watched Milo tear open the packet and eat the contents. “Hmm..I’m curious. What’s that black spot around your eye? You got into a fight or somethin’?”
Milo was caught off guard this time. He looked at Bisco as he was shoving food into his mouth. He chewed quickly then swallowed, but this caused him to cough.
“Shit!” Bisco flinched then started to pat his back.
“Sorry!” Milo said in between gasps. Bisco only laughed. “To answer your question, I’m not sure. I think I was just born with an unfortunate birthmark. I’ve tried covering it up with makeup and stuff but it still just looks like black ink stain.”
Bisco hummed thoughtfully. On impulse, he moved Milo’s bangs out of the way to get a full view of the supposed birthmark.
“It’s cool. Makes you look like a panda. I like pandas, they’re cute,” he said. Milo’s cheeks reddened, Bisco could see that. It was nothing a lamp couldn’t hide and it was endlessly endearing. Milo shied away from the contact of Bisco’s hand on his hair, letting the bangs fall back on his eye.
“Thank you…That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Milo said softly. Barely above a whisper, but Bisco caught it.
“No problem.”
”Um—anyway. What made you think of coming to the library tonight?” Milo asked, now avoiding eye contact with the redhead in front of him.
“Hmm..well! I was hungry and I knew that If I brought my food back to the dorm, my roommate would eat my stuff.”
Milo smiled. “That’s fair. I probably would’ve done that too. Anyways, what made you want to study biology?”
Bisco had always liked the question. He loved sharing what he loves to do. “Just because I’m interested in it. I’m hoping to pursue botany and stuff. I love plants, mushrooms especially they’re so cool! What about you?”
Milo’s eyes lit up, the shine surpassing the lamp’s light. “Same I suppose. Except for the botany stuff. I want to become a doctor. I love saving and helping people. If I ever did that as a career, then I wouldn’t be working at all, you know?”
Bisco grinned. That was the most thoughtful answer he’s ever heard from someone. Usually, people say something like, ‘I’m in it for the money it’ll make me,’ or ‘it’ll make my parents happy’.
This guy was really something.
”That’s really cool. You’re going to go far, Milo. You’re going to be really something, I can feel it,” Bisco sighed with a smile on his face.
Milo’s eyes almost looked watery. “Thank you, Bisco.”
They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Just them and nobody else. It was almost as if no one else existed at all. They were alone in their shared universe. It felt perfect.
Well, until the librarian had to break up their moment, telling them to pack up and head out since it was closing.
They stood outside the library side by side.
“Well, I hope to see you again soon, Bisco. I wish you well.”
Bisco agreed. As Milo turned to leave, Bisco impulsively caught his wrist. “Can I get your number?”
Milo’s face was covered in shock. It was cute. His eyes were wide and doe-like and his face was quickly being painted in soft hues of pink making him look like cotton candy with his blue hair.
“Yes. Of course.”