Bokuaka Week 2020

Day One:

       A quiet life was the one for Keiji. He didn't do loud movies, loud music, or loud people. His quiet apartment, and his quiet job were enough for him—they always had been, and always would be. His days were basic, tranquil, and comforting. He cooked, cleaned, worked, and studied all his own way. That meant classes in the morning, free time in the afternoon, shifts in the evening, and sleep at night. The shop where he worked was a cute little place, a bookstore just off of Main Street. He could walk from his apartment to work in less than fifteen minutes, as he was now.

       Keiji enjoyed this walk every time he made it. Today, however, was something special. As newly appointed manager, he would be showing around a new employee, a sweet, quiet boy named Kenma. Keiji liked Kenma very much, despite only having met him yesterday, and looked forward to getting to work with him. As the twinkling lights of the bookstore windows came into view over the snow, he smiled.

       Jingling bells accompanied his entrance, and Keiji gently stilled them with his hand. The bells tied to the doorknob were his boss's compromise to having a ringer over the door, and he was content with it. Gingerly, he stepped to the historical fiction section, readying himself to restock books until Kenma's arrival.

       And soon it came, as the timid boy came through the jingling door. Kenma's hair swished as he scanned the room for Keiji, only spotting him once Keiji waved.

       "Hello, Kozume." Keiji smiled, putting down the book in his hand.

       "It's just Kenma." Kenma said.

       "Well then, it's just Keiji." Kenma chuckled at the pleasantry, then followed Keiji as he was shown around the store. Most of the talking was Keiji's instruction, few words being given back.

       And the evening went on, both of them quietly filing shelves, or waiting at the register. It was a soothing atmosphere, one that might be associated with a lazy, rainy day. But the feeling was broken by the jingling of the bells.

In walked two boys, both of them large, laughing, and loud. Best friends, it seemed to Keiji, as he tried to repress his scowl. But regardless of their volume, he offered a friendly, "How may I help you?"

       "Just lookin' for text books." the first of them said, grinning friendlily, hoping for a good conversation.

       "Over here," Keiji stood from his chair, "with the nonfiction." He lead the two boys, Kotarou and Tetsurou, respectively, to Kenma, who was organizing books.

       "Hey there, brainiac!" Tetsurou said to Kenma. He earned a glare in return. Seeing Tetsurou in this bookshop was not an uncommon occurrence, but that fact was unknown to Kenma. The other, though, Keiji had never met.

       "Hello, Kuro." Kenma's lip turned up, in a snarl, "And Bokuto, too. I didn't know you could read."

       "Glad to see you finally got a job. But this place? You sure you didn't come here just to see me?"

       "And why would I want that?" Kenma's voice was full of annoyance, as he turned back to the bookshelf, pointedly ignoring the two customers.

       "You know them?" Keiji asked, hoping for some clarification on this strange conversation.

      "Unfortunately," Kenma said, going back to shelving books. Tetsurou, laughed. He placed a hand on Kenma's shoulder, who did his best to shrug it off.

     "Yeah. He was my neighbor, up 'till uni." he said. He removed his hand, to Kenma's relief, and started looking through the shelves.

       Kotarou cleared his throat, claiming the attention of the group. "Uh, where are the chemistry books?" he asked, breaking the mood. He seemed nervous in the presence of Keiji, and Keiji wondered why, he had been just fine at the entrance.

       "Just over there," Kenma gestured to his left, "two shelves down."

     "Thanks." Kenma nodded, and walked off, going to work the register.

       "Kuroo, are you buying, or just here to study?" Keiji asked, hoping for the former. If they were buying, then in ten minutes he'd be back to his peace and quiet.

       "Studying today, sorry, 'Kaash. We'll be quiet, though. Promise." Keiji sighed, shrugging his shoulders. He took Kenma's place organizing shelves.

       "It's no problem." he said, moving to the next shelf down, "I'll be here if you need any help." Tetsurou smiled, and selected a book, leading Kotarou by the shoulder to the tables in the back.

       Sitting down, Kotarou yanked Tetsurou close, startling him. Tetsurou looked to him, alarmed, asking, "What the hell, man?"

       "That's him!" Kotarou whispered, panicking, and making Tetsurou uncomfortable.

       "That's who?" Tetsurou's voice was struggling between curiosity and annoyance.

       "The one I've told you about! The cute guy from my Introduction to American Literature class! It's him!" Tetsurou's face lit up in recognition. He stared at Kotarou, then looked over to Keiji.

      "The guy you've been rambling not-stop about is Akaashi?" His disbelief overcame any other emotion. "He's been single forever. Good luck with that."

       Kotarou groaned, letting his head hit the table. He opened the textbook, hoping to study before his emotions got too wild. That tended to happen a lot, and when it did, he lost focus of everything else. He wouldn't let that happen right now. No matter how pretty Keiji was, he was not going to lose concentration. He would not focus on how easily curls of hair surrounded Keiji face. He did not care about the way his hips swayed when he walked, or how his hands fell perfectly at his sides, never wandering. He would not get lost in the gunmetal blue of his eyes, and would pointedly ignore his cute little nose and soft-looking cheeks.

       "Bo," Tetsurou said, exasperated with his partner, "Seriously." He flapped a hands at the books spread in front of them. Kotarou looked at him sheepishly. Sometimes he hated his brain.

       "Sorry." Tetsurou blinked at him, then sighed. He closed the text book, and stood to go put it back, dismissing the problem.

       "It's fine," The two of them started walking back to the shelf, "You should ask for his number." Kotarou spinned around to face him. His cheeks were hot.

       "No. No way, not happening!" Embarrassment, mixed with panic, mixed with betrayal showed in a strange expression on his face. "He wouldn't want my number." Quickly, Kotarou grabbed the book out of his friend's hands, and shoved it messily into the shelf.

       "Who wouldn't want your number?" Keiji asked, appearing next to them. He was pushing a cart filled with books, on his way to the next isle over. "Why wouldn't they?"

       Kotarou was a mess. He had no idea what to say. What do you say when the boy you were talking about just walks in on the conversation? Kotarou's solution was, "I, uh, no one! 'Cause, um, yeah..," which mad no sense. Keiji suppressed a laugh as he examined him. Tetsurou laughed for real. It was loud, and obnoxious, and made the other two cringe.

       "He wants your number." Tetsurou said, earning a glare from Kotarou, and a small smile from Keiji, who sticks out his hand. Kotarou gazed at it, looking confused. "Give him your phone, dumbass." The look on Kotarou's face was endearing, a surprised kind of happiness. And it spread to Keiji once he felt the weight of a phone in his outstretched hand. He typed his information into the blank contact, and snapped a photo for the profile picture.

       "Here," Keiji said, handing it back, "Text me. We'll get coffee or something." Kotarou grinned, wide and shiny, taking the phone from him. He turned to Tetsurou, eyes wider than ever before.

       "Yeah, yeah!" Kotarou said. Keiji's smile was soft and kind, easily covering his slight excitement, "Definitely. Thank you. You won't regret this!" Kotarou turned to Tetsurou again, who, although happy for his friend, looked ready to leave. The two of them walked to the exit, Keiji waving, and as soon as they were out the door Kotarou jumped. He pumped his fist.

"Yes!"