After School (A VOCALOID Oneshot)

After School

"Thanks again for staying after." Len flicked on the lights of the after school workroom as the pair entered.

"Not at all," Fukase said. He hung his backpack on a chair and took a hacky sack from his jacket pocket. "I'll use these brownie points to make you buy me a grape soda later."

"Grape soda?" Len shook his head and opened his backpack on the table. "You're gross. That stuff tastes like cough syrup."

Fukase jutted an accusing finger in Len's direction. "Don't diss the love of my life bro. Not cool." He began throwing his hacky sack in the air and catching it. "In other news, I convinced a friend of mine to help out too. You could use an extra pair of hands."

"Cuz you're not gonna help at all, are you?"

"I'm above plebeian work."

"Yeah right," Len huffed. "No brownie points for you. Is your friend someone I know?"

"Nah, he's from my AP class," said Fukase. "His name's Oliver. I asked him because he's, like, super responsible and mature and stuff. This'll be done in no time with his help." A mischievous look came over his face. "Also, he's a huge cutie, so you should definitely ask for his number."

"Fukase!" Len exclaimed with a frown. "I'm not gonna ask just anyone for their number. Going out with a complete stranger isn't fun."

"What's this about strangers?" Fukase put his hand to his ear in a patronizing motion. "Is that hypocrisy I hear? What about Book Boy? Weren't you crushing pretty hard on him?" Fukase slung his hacky sack at Len, who caught it and threw it back defensively.

"That's not what I— I am going to talk to him," Len lied as he took the posters out of his bag. "I just haven't found the right moment."

"Sure you are." Len was like a sheet of glass to Fukase. "You should be grateful that I'm taking initiative here. All you do is sit in the library and watch him read. You haven't talked to him once, and you don't even know his name."

"There's a big difference between a crush and a crush crush."

Fukase rolled his hacky sack between his palms and raised an eyebrow.

"I admit it, I don't know anything about Book Boy." Len sighed. "But this way he can be anything in my mind. Haven't you ever made up conversations in your head? Maybe I don't want to talk to him. Maybe I think it's better to daydream about a blank slate than a person I actually know."

Is it so bad I want just to admire him from afar? thought Len. I feel like if I actually met him, I would have no idea how to act. I've imagined our meeting too many times. He doesn't even seem like a real person anymore.

Fukase stared at him. "You're boring."

"Fukase—"

"Boring," Fukase whined. "You're stuck in your head and it's so boring!"

"We need to get started, Fu, are you gonna help or what?"

"To be honest," Fukase said with a glint in his eye, "I would interfere less with your life if you took initiative of any sort in socializing." He held up his hand and pointed to the upper half of his palm. "I bet your love line curves down."

"My love line?" Len held up his own hand to inspect it. "Which one is that?"

"Don't ask me." Fukase almost looked offended. "Do I look like I know anything about palmistry?"

"But, you just—"

"You were complaining nonstop the other day about how you wanted a boyfriend," Fukase interrupted. "I'm 90% sure Oliver bats for both teams. Trust me. My gaydar is infallible."