Gap - Ryuunosuke Tanaka x Reader

Chapter 1

This is just a side story so the chapters won't be as long as in my other book

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Gaaaaaaah, I can't believe I passed this exam! This definitely calls for drinks!" Saeko called out, parking her van in front of her house and jumping out of the driver's seat. "Hey, you coming or not?!"

Holding my stomach, I slowly got out of the van: "Please ... I need a minute. I feel like a sack of potatoes each time I'm in your car ... sorry."

"Girl, come on! Where's your enthusiasm?! I barely passed, you got a 98%!"

"Well yes, it was an easy exam."

"That's what I get for being best friends with a genius, damn it! Now haul your ass, I have whiskey and vodka waiting for me. And you can get juice or something, there's still some in the fridge."

"Thank you for not trying to get me drunk this once." I said, walking up the drive way with her.

"I told you last time, I give up on trying to get you to drink alcohol. Geez, you're so meek! Such a soft, goody-two-shoes bastard!"

"I love you too, Saeko."

"You're too good for this world. I'm still waiting on the day you lose your nerve and snap!" She laughed as we walked into her house.

Ha ... ha ... ha. Little do you know that if I lose my nerve, it's not gonna be because of you.

The usual feeling of anxiety crept into me as I followed her into the kitchen and watched her take drinks out of the fridge.

Please don't be home. Please, don't be ho-

My wishful thinking was cut short by a slam of a door and loud footsteps coming down the hall.

Oh no.

"Siiiiiiis, did you pass? Did you??"

The kitchen door flung open as Ryu came running in, headed straight for Saeko.

"Hell yes I passed!"

They high-fived, laughing.

"I knew you could do it! You're awesome!"

"Please, you're praising the wrong person. I'm not the one who got an effing 98%!"

He turned to me with a big smile, offering a high five: "Good job, sis-tamer."

I gently slapped my palm against his, hoping it would go by too fast for him to notice how my hands were shaking. "T-Thank you. But please ... uhm ... don't call me that."

"Yeah, Ryu, how long will we have to tell you to stop it? She is NOT my tamer!"

He turned back to Saeko, grinning wide: "Who forces you to study all the time?"

"Yeah, but that's-"

"And who yells at you when you drive over the speed limit?"

"I mean-"

"And who is the only person who manages to get you to clean your room?"

"Fine, fine! I get it, I'm an irresponsible person! Geez, Ryu! You really are a handful."

"I learned it from you!"

I silently watched his eyes sparkle as he teased his sister. His whole presence was intense, loud and overwhelming, but there was something unexplainably soothing in the way he laughed. My heart raced more with each passing second, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

It was a mistake ... all of it. Becoming friends with Saeko was a mistake. Letting her invite me over for the first time was a mistake. Meeting you was a mistake. Thinking she had such a cute little brother was a mistake. Hanging out with both of you was a mistake. Watching you as you entered high school and grew from a cute boy into a man almost overnight was a mistake.

But the biggest mistake of all was falling in love with my best friend's little brother.

Words: 597