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If you told Akito two weeks ago that An was going to score higher than him in their upcoming English test, he would laugh and add that the sky was also green.
Nobody would imagine the horror in his face when An showed him her test result, with a big, clear, red B+ written on it. While his? Well, let’s not talk about that for now. He wasn’t going to get mad at her for secretly studying when she literally told him she was winging the test, no. In fact, he was busy getting mad at himself for losing a bet with An herself and now he had to buy her tickets to this movie she had been meaning to go to. Although, Akito wanted to watch the movie himself too, so it wasn't like the end of the world for him, though it might be the end for his wallet.
—
They were sitting in a cafe, two days after the incident, An specifically asked Akito to stay behind after practice and let their two friends leave first. He had a bad feeling about this.
“Oh, Akito, when is the movie again?” She started.
“Next Saturday?” Akito answered, skeptically, “Don't tell me you're backing out.”
“Too bad, I’m exactly telling you that.” She smiled awkwardly, “Don't get me wrong, I really DO want to watch the movie with you, it's just that something came up and now I'm busy next Saturday.”
“But I already got the tickets. They’re worth like, two weeks of my salary, you know.” The ginger deadpan.
An took a sip of her drink, trying to come up with an idea, “How about I find someone to go to the movie with you in my place? That way your money won't go down the drain, and I won't make you buy a new one for me.” She started going through her contacts, listing all the possible options, “Let’s see… Kohane’s busy, Toya’s also busy, would you like to go with Kamishiro-senpai? Wait, no, I doubt it…”
Akito tuned out whatever An was talking about and focused on his pancake. He supposed her idea wasn’t the worst thing ever, although he is still annoyed, but he would just leave it to her to decide.
“Akito? Hellooo?” It was five minutes later when An finally snapped him out of his dessert, “So, what do you think?”
“Uh, yeah, just do whatever.” He said half-heartedly.
“Okay then! Let me text Tenma-senpai.”
Wait a second.
“Hold on, you're texting who now?” Akito turned to face his friend properly.
“Tenma-senpai? The one from the Weirdo Wombo Combo? Didn't you just agree to me inviting him?” She raised an eyebrow.
“I wasn’t paying attent–” He didn't even get to finish his sentence when a noise from An’s phone came up, signaling that her message just got sent successfully.
“Oh, an immediate reply, that’s the hall monitor for you.”
An showed him her phone, on the screen was her message asking Tsukasa “Tenma-senpai, would you like to go to the movie with akito next sat? it would help him a lot!” Akito held back the urge to scream at An for wording it like that before reading his senior’s reply.
"Of course! I can always make the time for my dear junior, just send me the details and I’ll be there!"
The ginger heaved out a sigh, “I feel like you're setting me up on purpose.” He poked at his pancake.
“No idea what you're talking about.” An shrugged, and it pissed him off even more because he couldn't tell if she was being genuine or not.
“You’re being pretty helpful.” Akito finished his pancake and decided that both of them could play this game, “Although aren’t you too helpless about Akiyama?”
An gave him a look but didn't respond. Fine, he would take that as a win.
—
“And then she asked Tsukasa-senpai to go in her place!” Akito groaned, sliding Toya his notebook so the boy could check his work.
Toya hummed for a moment before returning it to his friend, “I think we're done for the day. And, something tells me you weren't actually mad at Shiraishi there.” The boy looked at him, face serious.
“You mean…?” Akito prompted as he put the notebook back inside his backpack.
“I mean you're only mad because Tsukasa-senpai is now involved.”
Akito stared at him for a good five seconds. There was no way Toya came to that conclusion after hearing his long yapping session about how much An annoyed him lately, all he did was mention Tsukasa once! But, Toya WAS his closest friend, and he wouldn't lie when he says the boy DID read him like a book, yes. But come on! He wasn't mad or embarrassed or even flustered that Tsukasa was now going to the movie with him, was he…?
“Well, I think you should still go with him, Tsukasa-senpai is a good person after all.” God, here he went with the whole “Why Tsukasa Tenma is the greatest man alive” presentation again. Akito could only wish someone could get him out of this situation.
“Akito! Just so you know the cheesecake in the fridge didn't have your name on the package so I ate it alrea– Oh.” His life saver, Ena, though he would never admit this out loud, suddenly opened the door to his room, “I didn't know Aibou-kun was over today.”
“Nah, he was just about to leave actually.” The ginger stood up.
“Was I?” Toya followed his movement.
“Yeah, you said we were done for the day, lemme see you off.” He almost pushed his friend out of the room before sending him to the front door.
Toya still looked at him weirdly as he waved him goodbye. The ginger would have to apologize to him someday, but today was not that day, he couldn't keep going with even his best friend turning against him like this.
—
No good news, although there sure was a bad one: An might not have been helpless about Mizuki after all. Akito was on the second floor’s hallway, more specifically, he was watching over those two in the courtyard. An was leaning into Mizuki as she said something that made the latter laugh out loud, and sure, that was something friends would do with each other, but he swore their gestures were too intimate to be friendly. But of course! He had no problem with An getting a partner before him, in fact, he would like to take pride in himself for telling her something that pushed her to make the first move with her long-term crush. Hold on, Mizuki was telling her something in response, and An was smiling! Not any kind of smile, but the one she used to mock Akito specifically! That damn An–
“Well if it isn't Akito!” A hand suddenly placed itself on his shoulder.
The ginger yelped, as embarrassing as it sounded, before regaining his composure, “Tsukasa-senpai.”
“What are you doing? You have been standing in this spot for a while!” Tsukasa followed his gaze to the courtyard, where the two girls were still (possibly) gossiping about him.
Akito tried not to wonder how long the blond had been here to notice he had been standing at the same spot for five minutes, he sighed, “Uh, I’m just, people watching.” Yeah. Nobody was gonna buy that. High five to him.
“Really? I must admit people watching can be useful at times, I’ve done it for my role study before!” Apparently “nobody” was Tsukasa, but whatever, as long as the senior didn't see through his lie.
The blond walked to stand next to him, and he had to fight to still his racing heart. What the hell, he wasn't a middle schooler anymore, why was he reacting as if he had a big, fat, embarrassing crush on Tsukasa!
“Oh! That’s Shiraishi and Akiyama! I wonder what they're talking about.” The blond talked to himself, “Speaking of Shiraishi, she told me you wanted to go to the movie with me!” He turned to face Akito.
“Don't get the wrong idea, I lost a bet and–”
“You don't have to be shy around me, Akito! Feel free to ask me for any favor! It's only right for me as a senior to treat my dear juniors with utmost care!” Tsukasa started patting him on the back, and he just rolled his eyes in response, whatever helped the senior sleep at night, he guessed.
Akito took a glance at the courtyard again and, were An and Mizuki looking at him? They clearly were! He wanted to mouth something that would get him in trouble if Tsukasa happened to hear it, but before he even got to react, they quickly turned away and started gossiping again. Wow, he sure had been unlucky recently.
—
Akito checked his phone again, he had been praying for Tsukasa to send him a message similar to “I’m sorry Akito! Something came up and I can't go to the movie with you now!” because in all honesty? He still wasn't ready to go on a date with the one senior he was annoyed with. Instead the only notification on his lockscreen was the message Tsukasa sent him fifteen minutes ago, saying “I’m setting out now! See you at 7P.M!”
“Akito!” Speaking of the devil, he heard his senior calling out his name as the guy was nearing the cinema, which earned him a few curious looks.
He turned to look at Tsukasa, and he would be lying if he said the blond didn't look extra good today. His hair was styled into something more fashionable, and his clothes were definitely different from his usual choice of attire, Akito guessed he got some help from that little sister he mentioned every so often.
“How long have you been waiting? I hope I’m not late!” Tsukasa got to him and almost immediately took his hand into his own to walk inside the cinema.
“Uh–” Akito could feel himself visibly sweating despite the cold evening air, “I just got here too, no worries.” He managed a reply.
“That’s good to hear then! Let’s get ourselves ready for the movie, Emu told me the caramel popcorn here tastes amazing!” Tsukasa led him to the refreshment stand.
Akito blushed, very lightly. Whatever the hell they were doing now reminded him of the couple he once saw in one of Ena’s shoujo mangas, and don't ask why he was reading her shoujo mangas! What’s worse was that they were going to watch a musical-romance! A typical movie genre for couples to watch! He felt so embarrassed already, and he couldn't help but wonder if Tsukasa was even aware of all this.
—
The movie ran for just over an hour, but it felt like an eternity for Akito. It wasn't like it was terrible or anything, it was pretty good in fact, it's just that he couldn't handle having to deal with a sobbing mess next to him just because the protagonist’s pet dog died ten minutes into the movie. And all Tsukasa talked to him about after the movie ended was how strong the protagonist was for being able to get over her dead dog!
“But seriously! I can't imagine how hard it was for her during those times… I was so glad the male lead was there to accompany her!” Tsukasa rambled as he wiped his tears the umpteenth times that evening.
“Yeah yeah, whatever you say.” Akito rolled his eyes.
And that was when he saw them, just at the corner of his eyes, but he couldn't have been mistaken. Those were An and Mizuki! He couldn't believe An would betray him like this! He almost dragged Tsukasa to them.
“Oh! If it isn't Shiraishi and Akiyama! What a coincidence!” Tsukasa greeted them before the ginger could even get a word in.
“Tsukasa-senpai and Lil’ Bro~! This is just like a double date, right An?” Mizuki smiled devilishly (Akito swore it was devilish).
“We’re not– Whatever. The point is you told me you were busy!” Akito accused An.
“But I was! I just managed to clear up my schedule yesterday!” An said unapologetically, he could even see Mizuki snickering next to her, “So, if there's nothing else, Mizuki and I have somewhere else to go now, see you!” Both of the girls disappeared from the scene before he could investigate them further.
“...I swear they were setting me up.” Akito slumped against the wall.
“But you had fun watching the movie, didn't you?” Tsukasa, clearly still hadn't processed what just happened, tried to lighten up the mood.
“Yeah, I guess.” The ginger sighed and tried to form a weak smile as they made towards the exit.
—
He ended up agreeing to walk Tsukasa home, he didn't know why, guess he just felt like it. And he hated to admit this, but keeping the senior company wasn't too bad after all, as in, he enjoyed himself on the way to his place. Tsukasa was unlocking the front door, and Akito turned to leave.
“Wait! Akito!” The blond suddenly called, and it almost made him flinch, “Thank you for today, I had a lot of fun, an uh…” It was rare to see him fumble with his words like this, the ginger could find it cute.
“Hope we get to hang out more?” He tried finishing the sentence.
“Yeah! That's it! Well then have a good night and I’ll see you at school next Monday bye!” Tsukasa slurred the last sentence as he tried to shut the door as fast as possible in front of him.
Akito almost laughed to himself at his senior’s behavior, and maybe, just maybe, he was looking forward to their next date as well.