Unromantic

A/N: I'm really unhappy with this. I want to just trash it, but I thought that you deserve something to read while I work on my other story, which is going to submitted for an anthology. (Exciting, right?) This story is pretty heavily based on Japanese culture, so if there's something you don't understand, please let me know. I really didn't feel like translating stuff in this. It threw off the flow~

Now please, tear this apart. ♥

Unromantic

Azakawa-senpai,

You’re not perfect, but you are to me. You’re smart and forward. If I had to say anything about you imperfect, it would be that I can’t see your eyes very well with the glasses you wear.

You have beautiful eyes.

Your secret admirer.

This was the note that Azakawa Kazuki found in his desk one particular Tuesday morning. He chuckled upon reading it. It was the most ridiculous love letter he had ever received. Being top of the class and one of the most popular in his year, he had received his fair share of love letters. He quickly composed his features and discreetly tucked the letter into his bag.

Class started without a hitch. They all greeted each other with their normal opening remarks before settling in for their lesson. The instructor lectured for their allotted time before the bell chimed and excused them for recess. The class collectively let out a sigh and relaxed in their seats. Within a few minutes, Kazuki found himself surrounded by his classmates. He hummed softly as they surrounded him.

“Ne, Azakawa-kun, what do you think of our next exam?”

Kazuki smiled at the group, unsure of who exactly had asked the question. “I think it will be okay if we all study hard, right?”

“Would you be willingly to help us study, Azakawa-kun?”

“Of course,” he beamed. The females around him swooned, and the males moaned in dismay. How had one student captured the heart of the entire female population in school? Didn’t they know the saying ‘There are plenty of fish in the sea?’ It was truly unfair to the other boys.

Recess passed, and class resumed. Kazuki diligently took notes as any good student would, not even using the time in between the teacher’s writing to doodle in the margins of his notebook. He answered any questions directed toward him confidently and accurately. When lunch came, some of the students left to enjoy their lunch with friends in other classes and others went out into the courtyard where the sun was shining brightly on the warm May day.

Kazuki chose to stay in the classroom where it was quiet, along with some of the other more introverted students. This was how Kazuki became close to some of the students without them realizing it, without him realizing it. His best friend Kiyama Toya was one of these introverted students, but he was also second in their class.

Toya walked over to the desk beside Kazuki and sat him down with the bento that his older sister made for him in the morning. Kazuki had his own bento already sitting out in front of him.

“People are ever so eager for your attention, aren’t they?” Toya started, gesturing to Kazuki’s bag with his chopsticks.

“And you’re as observant as ever, aren’t you?” Kazuki countered, pushing his glasses higher onto his nose.

“Who was it this time?”

Kazuki shrugged. “It wasn’t signed with a name.” He flicked through his books and pulled out the love letter before handing it to Toya. The friend then proceeded to put down his chopsticks and read through the love letter—if one could really call it so.