Work Text:
February 14th is just a regular day for 2nd year high school student Gakushuu Asano (16). Wake up, go to school, go home, study, sleep. Just a regular day. Entering the gates of Kunugigaoka Junior High School, he observed nearby female students, catching the glint of a rose in one of their palms or chocolates wrapped in a scarlet box. Or the male students, who were suspiciously happier than any other day, chatting loudly to their friends to let the whole world know they were expecting a gift from a girl.
God…get a job.
Valentines day. The day of expressing love to your beloved, your significant other, your crush, whoever else. Gifting bouquet of vibrant rouge roses or angelic milky flowers or handmade chocolates decorated with a cute little bow or an expressive love letter, dumping all of the feelings you’ve had for a boy since the past week/month/year. How nonsensical. It never interested Gakushuu at all…but this year’s valentine felt more agitating than usual. Normally, he’d shrug it off. Whenever reminded of the day he’d just reply to go study instead, or when asked if he has a valentine, he wouldn’t bother to respond and make a mental note to not speak to the enquirer for the day. But, this year felt more…annoying? This entire academic year has felt annoying though, since Karma Akabane stayed back in this school and was alive and breathing and present in his class.
Unconsciously, a small “tsk” left his mouth at the thought of the red headed prick and his blood pressure rising. Fuck. His day just got a whole lot worse.
The teen walked inside the building, headed to his small shoe locker at the middle of the rows of cubed lockers. He raised his hand up, instinctively opening it. But, he hesitated.
It’s the only day girls in Kunugigaoka Junior High School can slip love letters inside boy’s lockers without it looking silly. For being one of the most popular, attractive, athletic, smartest, and the student council president, it’s common for Gakushuu to receive too many love letters, chocolates, flowers, bento boxes…whatever else is given. Pretty sure there was a fanclub about him as well somewhere in this school…
Okay. It’s okay. It’s one day. He can handle this. Just do the usual tactics. Thank and ignore.
He gently opened the shoe locker…
The contents inside the locker contained multiple white envelopes, each with unique signatures belonging to a girl who wishes the president of the student council would choose their one of a kind letter and read their confession. Instead, Gakushuu just shook his head slowly, thinking about the amount of cleaning he'll have to do, and fished his hand inside the locker. His fingers finally coming in contact with the familiar texture of leather, feeling the uniquely tailored components stitched just for him because of his father’s request. He fished it out of the sea of love letters then quickly switched his wear from his outside shoes to school shoes.
First obstacle. Completed.
He walked to his homeroom, politely replying “good morning”’s and “happy valentine’s” to the student's greetings to him in the hallway with a compliant smile and wave. In a few minutes, he was in front of his homeroom door, sliding it open. What greeted him was only a few students crowded in small clusters around each of their friend’s desks. He got a few “Good morning, Asano.” and a “Hello.” here and there, replying back with a nod and a civil smile. The usual. But what was not the usual was spotting a wild Karma Akabane sitting at his desk, aimlessly scrolling on his phone, unbothered to even look up to see one of the most respected students just entered the room…early? Not on time. No. Early. What a treat, icing on the cake for his morning. He wasn’t ready to deal with the crude teasing and jabs Akabane throws at him on a daily basis so early in the morning.
No, it’s fine. It’s just February 14th. A regular day. Gakushuu just disregarded the anomalous presence and strides past him, successfully not side-eying him. He placed his bag down on the table which was unfortunately next to Akabane. For a second, he sorted himself out and drew out a small literature book from his bag, finding the chapter he left off to continue reading until attendance started undisturbed.
Undisturbed.
Undisturbed?
He peered at the still unbothered Akabane. Who has not even glanced at him, breathed in his direction, has not said any snide remark about his appearance, his book, his academics, placing 2nd in finals, anything. Wow! This feels more rude than his daily ritual. With a quick breath, he looked back into his book, not even focusing on a single word written elegantly on the page. Instead, he said out loud to only Akabane’s ears, “So quiet this morning, hm...Akabane?”
…
It’s proper manners to respond, no? Gakushuu bit his lip to remark back to his dead response. Gakushuu put on a fake, pure smile with elevated eyebrows and turned towards Akabane, who was seemingly preoccupied with his own head. Okay, should he be concerned about this? No, No of course not, it’s not his problem. He shouldn’t bite, he can handle himself. Maybe he’s disappointed that no girl got him anything for valentine, unlikely, but a small part of Asano would love for that to be the reason.
In his own thoughts, he snapped when he heard Akabane chuckle suddenly, Gakushuu looked up at him and saw that he was already staring at him with a dumb, stupid smile “Ah…Just can’t think of anything to say to you today.”
He isn’t lying. He isn’t lying? Karma’s mercury pale eyes were gazing at him with a swirl of shyness. His voice was softer, it didn’t hold that humiliating, cunning and arrogant tone, it was more embarrassed and light.
Gakushuu widened his eyes, mouth parted and dry, and furrowed his eyebrows skeptically, narrowing his gaze at him at his ambiguous response silently.
“What, you want me to say something about you?” Akabane continued, the previous shyness he held that was oddly more pleasing than his normal face suddenly disappearing and almost returning to his mischievous state as he leaned towards him with widened eyes and a large amused grin. “No…just uh,” Gakushuu quipped back, not letting the red headed teen get the best of him. “Just, surprised, you never miss the chance to disturb me.” Akabane paused, longer than usual, he pursed his lips together, then asked quietly, way too quiet, with innocent bright eyes and innocent smile.
“Oddly masochistic of you, Asano.”
Before Gakushuu could say anything back, his homeroom teacher walked in and hushed everyone to take attendance and brief them about the day. He averted his eyes away from Akabane’s brutal stare. It was itching him to remark back how utterly freaky that statement was. But he was trying to give his full attention to his homeroom teacher, as if he was hooked onto every word he said to not think about the absolutely abnormal exchange.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
February 14th was just a regular day for 2nd year high school student Gakushuu Asano. Spoke to his classmates and friends, rejected the daily love confessions more than usual, indulged in some chocolate from Ren’s collection of valentine gifts, went to his classes, and finally, attended his weekly student council meeting.
There were some odd interactions here and there with the faithful Akabane. Nothing to note off. Accidental brush of hands when lending a pencil. No smartass comments during maths. No debates to his statement’s. Paying no attention to him. Even the Big Five commented on the oddity. Disregarding Gakushuu’s conclusion as Araki and Koyama witnessed him rejecting chocolates from some younger year students during lunch.
Nonetheless. his meeting was was uneventful to say the least. Nothing marked outside the norm for the student council president.
Gakushuu was packing up for the day, assembling his bag carefully and placing his books and notes inside as he spoke to fellow student council members for idle chatter. He laughed at the complaints of being alone on such a special day like this, some of them commenting how jealous they were of the amount of gifts he got today which made him laugh more. They weren’t exaggerating, his bag was filled with chocolates and roses from female students, he appreciates them, truly! But he never has felt the intense swirl of emotions, where your heart suddenly beats faster, unconsciously playing with your fingers, the stuttering, nothing off the sort, nothing that remotely were the symptom's of being "in love" per to say. Either way, he never minded being alone, he preferred it this way, it was hard to find people who could compliment his personality and connect with.
Gakushuu headed towards the locker room in the entrance of the school, alone. It was quiet, it was just him and his thoughts, just the way he liked it. Maybe it was one of the reasons he always stayed back for his useless student council meetings. The sun glinted a calm orange as it kissed through the windows of the hallways, the sun set so quickly early into the year, it made the day’s quicker. Gakushuu reached to his locker and swapped out his school shoes for his outside ones, balancing himself a little awkwardly on one foot as he swapped his shoes. Once gaining a proper footing on his feet and took a step towards the entrance, officially about to end his school day.
Until he heard a call from behind “Asano,”. It definitely wasn’t a girl, too low pitched, more demanding, more annoying, almost like…
”Oh, Akabane,” Gakushuu exclaimed with slight surprise and confusion as he glanced back at the mystery person who was the red headed boy. Who's hands were shoved in his pockets with his school bag on his shoulders tucked closely to him, downturned eyes to the floor then raising it up to Gakushuu’s face, slowly stepping towards him with no words. “Can I help you?” Gakushuu carefully questioned as he watched Akabane walk closer to him, suddenly just a miniscule step from him, forcing him to glance up at the boy.
“Are you messing with me?” He insinuated with a tired sigh. The strawberry blonde wasn’t this annoyed at Akabane, with a high tolerance to his antics, but today he felt like he’ll crack if something ticked him off today…He’s not sure why. "I really think you are...and I don't know what joke you've been playing on me but I'm really not a fan of it."
Before he could continue with his little rant. A sudden, light push. A tap. On his chest. Gakushuu looked down and noticed a light pink box tilted to him as if it was an offer.
"Uhm...Okay," Gakushuu mumbled in confusion as he grasped it in his hand, reading the bright hot pink text “Pocky”. Strawberry Pocky. Not a joke, or a prank, not heart shaped chocolates, a rose, a book, a stuffed bear, but a convenience store bought, 150¥ strawberry flavoured Pocky. From Karma Akabane. A gift from Karma Akabane.
“Just wanted to say happy Valentine's day, Asano, It’s my favorite chocolate.” Was all Akabane said and gave a cheeky smile and a nod, then walking past the starstruck Gakushuu who stood still with the strawberry Pocky, leaving him alone in the building.
He analysed the box of Pocky like it was a math question. Understanding what it meant, is it a sign of friendship? Respect? Bullying? The...shutter...L word? Okay, the last one may be the most unlikely. But who gives someone their favorite chocolate? It should be the other way around? He should give him his favorite chocolate? The more he racked his brain, the more lost he felt with the question of, why?
Regardless, the corners of his mouth turned up unknowingly, cheeks red as he clutched the sweet to his chest. Okay, it doesn’t mean anything, nothing to get his hopes up or anything, must’ve been a courtesy-thing for being a rival. Quickly, he looked around to assure no one saw the small exchange, then stuffed the chocolate carefully into his bag then left the building, heading to where his chauffeur was.
He was driven home in silence. His father asked him the usual “How was your day.” “How was the student council meeting?” and recently, a new question has been introduced into his catalogue, “What do you want to eat tonight?” Gakushuu thinks it’s his way of trying to make his son he’s been disconnected emotionally with for the past 15 years to warm up to him…it’s the effort that counts...? The teen couldn’t help but replay the interaction again. Ah, no wonder his goldish eyes were so shy, so quiet, it held so much doubt - unlike his usual gaze of sadism and coldness. It was flattering to say the least. To think he made him like that.
The strawberry blonde head reached into his bag, picking out the distinguished chocolate, slowly ripping the side of the tin packet and met with identical sticks inside, half coated with a light pink of cold cream at the end. Gakushuu slid one out of the box, taking a bite silently as he looked out the window, watching how the street bushes were more greener and brighter than usual. Maybe he should thank Akabane on White day with something of his own, as a platonic gesture, of course, nothing else.