Tutor (Ushijima Wakatoshi x Reader)

Chapter 06

Two days after the video call incident, you arrived at your part-time job and immediately sought out Marie.

"Can we meet at the cafe for lunch?" You asked her. "I'd like to talk for a bit."

Marie readily agreed and already started asking if it was about Ushijima.

Four hours went by uneventfully and you went to the cafe you and Marie had gone to the first time you had asked to speak with her. You went there regularly now, but still tried to eat cafeteria sandwiches at least three times a month; you had no desire to go broke on your weekend lunches.

Since Marie's lunch break had started 15 minutes earlier than yours today, she had already gone ahead and was seated at your usual table. It also meant she would have to leave fifteen minutes earlier than you.

You ordered your usual favorite before you sat down across from Marie, whose eyes were already sparkling with anticipation.

You barely had a chance to put your bag down before she started questioning you. "So, did something happen with Ushi?"

You deliberately took a sip of your drink before replying. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Well then, tell me all about it!" She urged you on.

You took another sip before you told her about how a friend of his had told Ushijima that his speech could use some work. "So he asked me to help him. But there's only one way to help someone with pronunciation, right?" You insinuated.

Marie's eyes widened at the realization. "Did you actually talk to him?! Like, not keyboard talking, but on voice chat? You heard his voice?"

You nodded and started talking again before Marie got too excited.

"Yeah, so I told him he could call me. He did, but... It was only after I accepted the call that I realized that it was actually... A video call!" 

It was quiet for a moment and Marie opened and closed her mouth a few times before she made a high pitched squealing noise. A few of the other customers turned your way before resuming their own conversations or turning back to their drinks.

"He video called you? For real?! But that means... What did he look like?!" Marie was over the moon with the news. And you still had more to tell!

You kept quiet for a moment to create even more suspense before replying.
"He looks exactly the same as his profile picture!"

Marie squealed in joy before exclaiming: "I knew it, I knew it!!" She was practically jumping up and down in her chair. "What did he sound like? Don't tell me he has a squeaky voice?"

You almost started blushing as you remembered Ushijima's baritone voice and shook your head. "No, he has a fairly deep voice."

"Ahhh, he's so perfect... I bet you there are no two as handsome as him to be found..." Marie sighed and she looked like she was daydreaming right then and there.

Her words reminded you of the last thing you needed to tell her.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that Marie."

She looked at you, but her expression told you she was still halfway in lala-land.

"There was one." You simply said and this caught her attention.

"What do you mean? There was one what?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

"The call had barely started and this guy just barged into his room. They talked Japanese so I didn't really know what they were talking about. But then he noticed me and he started talking to me in English." You reiterated your encounter with Tooru.

"Oh my god, was he hot?" Of course, that would be the first thing she asked.

"He was very handsome." You replied even though you knew it would probably set Marie off again.

"How do you do that? Get two hot guys in such a short period of time? Save some for me will you?" She pouted.

"I didn't 'get' anyone. I'm just teaching one English and the other only said hi to me. That's all there is to it." You had expected Marie to get ahead of herself like this. "Maybe you should look for someone online as well if you want to make a Japanese friend. Not that I would call Ushijima a friend..."

It looked like she chose to ignore your first statement and instead only reacted to the last part of your sentence.

"Then maybe you should try talking to him outside your so-called 'lessons'. And while you're at it, introduce me to his friend." She said in an almost whiney voice as she started packing her things.

"I don't think so. And his name is Tooru. Tooru... Kawa or something."  You mentally slapped yourself for being so bad at remembering names. You should really work on that.

"A beautiful name as well... But in all seriousness, you should really try to contact Ushi outside of your lessons, otherwise, you might not hear from him again after his trip in August. You should make a connection that surpasses teacher-student." She advised you, surprisingly seriously.

"Why would I want that? I'm really just teaching him English, nothing more, nothing less." You said, not sure if you sounded convincing.

"Hmm, you keep telling yourself that." And with those words, Marie got up and left to go back to work.

You were confused at the serious tone the conversation had taken at the end and poked at the remainders of your food a little. You still had fifteen minutes on your own, before you also had to get back to work.

Marie's final words resonated in your mind and before you knew it you had your smartphone in hand and had opened the Line app.

You tapped Ushijima's name and started typing.

'What do you like to do in your free time, besides volleyball?'

You hesitated a few moments, with your thumb hovering over the 'send' button before you tapped.

The moment the message was sent you started doubting if this was a good idea, but it was too late.

Now all you could do was wait. Would he answer?

A few moments later your question was answered when you heard the familiar notification sound signifying you had a new message on Line.

You unlocked your phone and opened the app. Your eyes went wide in surprise as you read Ushijima's reply to your question.