Undelivered Feelings | AkuAtsu

Chapter | '001

His life is somewhat plain. Nothing caught his attention anymore. He simply lived his life the best he could. No, he's not an average person. He is quite outstanding the way he is.

"Akutagawa-senpai!"

Yup. That's his last name. And right now, it comes from some annoying blond girl, but quite a wise person. She's friends with her little sister, Gin.

"Tch, what do you want, Higuchi?!" His typical response.

"I want to borrow your literature book. The one with 'Rashomon' titled. I need to study the case for my literature thesis." Higuchi tell her favor.

"I'll let Gin give to you tomorrow." He replied and then left to head home. It's normal for Higuchi to borrow books or notes from him. He was great in academics. The teacher recognized him.

His present is also well known due to how unapproachable he is. He doesn't like people but doesn't dislike them either. He just likes quiet and peace. And Higuchi is one of very few people that he talks with aside from his sister, Gin. But he also always headed home early, as soon as possible after the last school's bell rang.

Unlike her sister and Higuchi, who always stay late after school for activities club, his health forbids him to do so. His sister is in volleyball club. He admitted his sister looks so great with that. No wonder that Tachihara guys and others keep chasing her.

Well, again. The activities club and his health are just an excuse. Yes, he indeed had a health problem. But he still can join clubs that are not related to his physical, such as chess clubs, etc. Those kinds of people in that club keep asking him to join to gain their club reputation. But once again, it's Akutagawa we're talking about. A person who doesn't like his small space being invaded.

Usually, he wasn't directly headed home either. He will spend most of his evening at a bookstore. But it wasn't the big one in their town; he liked to spend his time on old, small bookstores that actually sell preloved books. Reason? Well again, a small place, not many people at there, and the environment quite calm. As if that bookstore open was only for him.

It's only an old man, an albino with wolf-cut hair, who often greets him whenever he comes there. That old man didn't mind that he read for free. But Akutagawa, as a wise person he is, always buys at least one book every Sunday. Why sunday?! No. Nothing special.

It was just that he saved enough pocket money to buy at the end of the weekend. Of course he can just ask or use his money without worrying due to how wealthy his father is as a doctor. But Akutagawa just wanted to do trivial things to feel a little bit of life like others average people. It's quite amusing.

But, one day, his eyes started to shine again, and he felt that he could put a little bit of color on his gray life. That's when he, like every Sunday, goes to the bookstore again, and to his surprise, he sees that slightly gray-haired old man already turned into a boy around the same age as him. A very cute boy that seems so caught up on his reading and... somehow annoying?!

He didn't greet the boy yet, but he can tell that the cute boy's appearance might be annoying due to how he had a smiling face that was so bright that Akutagawa thought he might be blind at the moment. Even his haircut was weird. Well, at least in his old age, he knows how to style his hair a bit, and wolf hair cut did suit him. Did that old man used to be so annoying in his teenage life? - Akutagawa thought so!

"You won't come in?" Suddenly a familiar old voice greets him from behind. True. Akutagawa was stunned when he saw that boy at the counter inside the bookstore, and he was still standing at the front door of the bookstore.

"Uh-huh, I didn't see you in there. I thought you wouldn't come. So I..." Akutagawa tried to come up with a good excuse. After all, he did think about how he became so stupid to think that; that old man might turn young again. He wasn't living in the witch world. Akutagawa thinks maybe because Gin always begs him to watch fantasy and adventure genre movies, so that stupid genres rubs on him a little.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I told my grandson in advance about you. He won't bother you or kick you out for reading for hours," that man said as he entered his book store, along with Akutagawa following behind him.

"Welco- grandpa!!"

"That's not how you greet people."

"You're not other people. You're my grandpa, and you're late!"

"Why should I come in hurry when I already had you work here? I will take my time and enjoy my breakfast. I'm old already."

The two albino talked and laughed at each other. The environment around them is warm. Akutagawa like that.

"The boy I was talking about was already here a half an hour ago. Why didn't you invite him in?! If I came a little bit later, that boy might still stand statue at the front door." Said the old man, puling the young albino ear.

"I'm sorry, the book I read was so good. I didn't notice him. I will ask him to come in now!" The young albino starts to head to the front door but notices that the boy they're talking about is actually just 2 meters behind his grandpa, watching all their warm family conversation. "Uh-huh, I'm sorry, Akutagawa-san. Welcome! Just do like you usually do. I won't bother you."

"You know my name?" That was the first thing that came out of Akutagawa's mouth.

"My grandpa talked a lot about you. He really likes your presence here." The albino explained with a bright smile.

"Your grandpa told you?"

"Ah yes. He said there is a raven boy with white tips who often comes here to read for free. He said it's fun to watch you read so deeply, and it's reminding him of me." That boy continued to answer still with a bright smile on his face, and a second later was hit with a book by his grandpa on his head.

"When did I say he read for free?! I said he spent most of his free time here. And bought a book every Sunday! Don't change my word, little one." That old man corrected the youngest words. "I'm sorry for my grandson limited vocabulary." He continued his words towards the raven boy.

"It's fine. I understand. I'll proceed with my reading. Thank you for allowing me."

Akutagawa replied to the old man's kindness. Though he feels a little bit offended by the young albino words.

"But it does sound the same to me..." The young albino murmured under his breath while rubbing his head and headed towards the counter and continued his reading as well.