𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹; 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯

˗ˏ 🌸 pages ༉‧₊˚.

book store clerk ! kazuha / gn ! reader

you sighed in disappointment – you had just gotten out of school, and to be frank, you were not proud of your exam marks. you were not a genius, but you had expected to do a bit better.

"all that time revising... wasted," you murmured, placing your hand on the cool steel handle of the door to your favourite book store.

pushing the door open, your eyes roamed around the place as you admired the warm coloured lights and shelves of various books. the aroma of pages filled the area, and you couldn't help but to inhale it in and sigh in satisfaction. everything was the same, except for the person your eyes had landed on.

huh??

a look of confusion made its way onto your face as you slowly approached the counter in the corner, tapping the counter's top in an attempt to get the male's attention from the book he was reading.

the male bookmarked the page he was on and looked up while softly smiling, "how may i help you?"

woah... his voice...

coughing slightly to divert your attention from your previous thoughts, you looked to the side, "uhm, are you new?? where's thoma?"

you then heard a chuckle, "haha, yes, i'm new. and i see you are acquainted with my colleague."

"yeah, we're friends actually. he introduced me to this book store," you added as you looked back at the male.

"uh, what's your name?" you asked slowly, watching as the male's eyes widened slightly, before returning to the calm expression he had had prior.

"kaedehara kazuha. you can call me kazuha, of course," he introduced himself, holding out a hand for you to shake.

smiling, you took his hand and shook it to return the gesture, "(l/n) (y/n), sir."

kazuha then raised an eyebrow, "you don't look much older than me, nor younger..."

after he pointed that out, you then realised that he had also looked the same as he had described you, "grad year?" you asked.

"class of 18," he responded, making you open your mouth slightly in surprise.

"we've graduated the same year then," you giggled, causing kazuha to join in with his own fair share of chuckles.

"thankfully, it would be kinda awkward talking to someone older or younger this comfortably," kazuha mumbled quietly, but still loud enough for you to hear.

"anyways, i'll be heading off to read a book, catch ya later?" you tilted your head, cueing kazuha to respond to your question.

"of course, i will still be here if you need me."

"aww, you care~" you teased, to which kazuha rolled his eyes at and opted to open and continue reading his book.

"it's my job, don't think anything special of it."

"haha, i was just kidding," you laughed good naturedly, "see ya later, kazu."

and with that, you waved a hand as you set off into the maze of shelves. kazuha looked back to your disappearing figure and sported a look of confusion.

"kazu..?"