Beyblade Burst Adventures

The Truth

In which a couple months pass, and Rantaro and Shu are growing closer. When the time is right, Shu will get to see into Rantaro's personal life, something that the blond hasn't shared with anyone before.
Then, Shu will offer a more hopeful, peaceful life for him.
(Continuation of Two Sides of One Coin. Shu x Rantaro, slowish burn, they're sixteen. Shu's affected voice is in the external link.)

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"Mister Kurenai, Mister Kiyama?" Shu and I lift our heads as we're called, and I find my stomach beginning to churn. "Can you stay after class? There's something I'd like to discuss with you both."

"Yes, ma'am." We both reply. Then, we wait until everyone else has left the classroom before getting up and standing in front of the teacher's desk. I shift a bit uncomfortably as we wait for the teacher to say something, watching as she shuffles her papers and aligns the stack.

"So..." She breathes out. "Mister Kiyama, all your teachers are aware your grades have been struggling as you have, but none of the other students have agreed to tutoring you."

"Yeeeaaaah..." I murmur slowly, looking to my feet as I feel my face growing warmer. This is so embarrassing...

"And Mister Kurenai, we're aware that you two have grown quite close."

"Yes, ma'am." Shu nods, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

"So on the behalf of the other teachers, I'd like to ask you to tutor Mister Kiyama."

"B-But only if you want to." I add, rubbing the back of my neck nervously.

"Well, I'd be happy to tutor Rantaro, ma'am." Shu says, and I look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Wait, really?..."

He stares at me with a confused face, saying quietly. "Yeah, of course... Why wouldn't I?"

"Uh... I-I dunno..." I shrug, turning away again.

"Well, good. You two can work out when you will be doing the recovery work." The teacher interrupts, drawing our attention back to her. "For now, see you Monday."

"Yes, ma'am. See you Monday." Shu replies , then we leave the classroom, walking through the hall towards our lockers. After a moment of silence, he murmurs. "So what was that about, Honcho? You know I enjoy spending time with you, no matter what we're doing."

"I-I know, I just... Um... I-I dunno... Nobody else ever wanted to tutor me, so why would you?..."

"Because we're friends, Honcho."

"I know..."

"... Out of curiousity, what did those other kids say when they said they wouldn't tutor you?" Shu asks, looking at me with a protective and kind of dark look in his eye.

"Nothing bad!" I say quickly, raising my hands. "T-They just said no!"

He doesn't look away. "But?"

"... Um... But... I g-guess I've always... Kinda thought that it's probably because I'm too dumb... That's why they said no..."

"You are not too dumb. You're not dumb at all."

"Uh... My grades say otherwise, dude."

"You just have trouble remembering everything for the tests. And, um, it doesn't help that you don't take notes."

"Oh..."

Shu stands in front of me, frowning a bit. "But you're not dumb, Honcho." I don't really know what to say... "You just need some help, and a different schooling method."