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“Shit!” The dark sky that had been threatening all day finally made good on its threats and pelted Yata with rain. He cursed at the sky again as the hail started, he couldn’t ride his skateboard through that. Yata ducked into the nearest storefront, not bothering to look at the sign above the door or where he was going; intent only on getting some protection from the elements.
Thump! He made it two steps into the store before he slammed into someone. And just his luck, he looked like a store employee too. Yata squinted at the unreadable name-tag half hidden by the uniform jacket before meeting the man’s eyes and completely losing track of what he was going to say. He just stared at him.
“Tch. Watch where you’re going.” The employee’s annoyed voice broke him out of his trance.
“Sorry! The rain,” he gestured with his skateboard and knocked a pile of books onto the floor. “Ooops.” He leaned forward to pick up some of the books and accidentally knocked even more off the shelf behind him. “Shit! Sorry.”
“...you don’t even look like you read books.” The employee said under his breath as he bent down to pick up the increasing pile of books. He glared at Yata who immediately bristled at the accusation.
“I do too! I’m a big reader. In fact, I’m reading,” he grabbed a random book from the floor, “this book at home right now!”
“You’re reading Pride and Prejudice?” Yata glanced at the book in his hand and fought his immediate blush. The cover showed a super sappy couple and the woman’s large breasts and cleavage were quite prominently featured.
“Yeah, guys can read girly stuff,” he managed to get out more on instinct than actual thought.
“I don’t believe you read any type of stuff.” The guy smirked at him, igniting his temper again.
“Oh yeah, I’ll prove it.”
“How?”
“I’ll be back next week to talk all about it!” he said triumphantly.
“Please don’t.” The man’s voice was still monotone and he hadn’t looked Yata in the eyes since that first annoyed glare, which only made Yata more annoyed.
“I’ll be here.” Yata slammed the book down on the table and stormed out of the store. It was still raining. He cursed again, but he refused to go back into the store. He made a note in his map app of the store’s location and tried the best he could to stay under the awning while he waited for the hail to turn back to rain.
It wasn’t until he got home that he fully realized the situation his big mouth had gotten him into: he’d have to read a lovey-dovey romance!
“Kusanagi, have you read Pride and Prejudice?” He didn’t even say bother saying hello as he stormed into the bar. Kusanagi was a lady’s man, he must have read the book.
“Ah, a romantic classic, are you looking for advice on wooing a young lady?” He paused mid polish and Yata immediately felt the teasing look.
“Nah, some asshole at a bookstore said I looked like I don’t read, so I showed him and said I did too read and I was reading Pride and Prejudice. But then he asked me to prove it, like a jerk!” Yata gestured wildly as he spoke and Kusanagi didn’t even try to hide his smile.
“Sounds like you have some reading to do then.” He resumed his glass polishing.
“Can’t you just tell me what happens?”
“This seems like a lesson you should learn on your own,” he smiled and turned his back to Yata to put the glass away and started on the next one.
“Chitose, Kamamato, you guys read Pride and Prejudice?” Yata bounced around the bar, asking his other friends who were there, but all it took was a pointed look from Kusanagi for them to swiftly abandon him.
“Um, we’re not getting involved.”
“Yeah, good luck with your wooing,” Kamamoto said.
“I’m not wooing that bastard! Oh, yeah, Anna?” She tugged on his sleeve until he bent his head closer to her level.
“Misaki can always listen to the audio-book, then he can skateboard while reading”
“...Thanks, Anna.”
Yata groaned, he hadn’t expected the book to be this wordy. And this..romantic. He was only a few chapters in too. This was going to take forever and he only had a few days left. He gave in and looked up the audio-book. The audio-book would take twice as long! He might as well read it and save the time even if he could skateboard while listening to the book, but 14 hours was just way too much skateboarding to do in two days, even for him.
He opened Netflix, two hours sounded like a much better time investment. He ignored the voice in his head telling him he didn’t have to ever go back to the bookstore in the first place.
“I read it, so there, I am a reader.” Yata made a beeline for the employee and the bookshelves he bumped into only wobbled a miniscule amount.
“Who are you?” The man blinked owlishly at him.
“I’m the guy you said didn’t look like a reader. With the skateboard last week.” Yata beamed at him.
“Ah, the idiot who knocked all the books over.” He smile was mocking, but Yata met the challenge and drew in closer, looking up into his very blue eyes.
“No, the reader who was reading Pride and Prejudice.” They were so close their breathing made them brush up against one another, but he wasn’t going to back down now.
“Oh, what was your favorite part?”
“When he proposed in the rain outside and she went off on him for being such a jerk.”
“Heh. You didn’t read it. That’s from the movie.” He looked so smug, all Yata wanted to do was wipe the smirk off his face, but when he turned his head up further to retort, he was caught off guard by how close their faces were.
“Ah, Fushimi, did you start a book club? What initiative!” The store’s manager suddenly appeared next to them. Yata jumped a little and, as their noses brushed, he blushed.
“Tch. No, this guy doesn’t read.” Even as he responded to his boss, he kept his eyes on Yata.
“Now, Fushimi, that’s no way to treat a customer.”
“Yeah, Fushimi. That’s no way to treat a customer.” Yata went up on his tiptoes to meet his eyes.
“He doesn’t read, he’s not a customer.” Fushimi took a step back and bumped into a bookshelf.
“We do sell many other things beyond books.”
“I do too read,” Yata said at the same time. He resisted the urge to close the gap between them.
“You didn’t read, you watched the movie.” Fushimi’s voice was still bland, but there was the barest hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Well a week wasn’t enough time, it wasn’t my fault.” He tried his hardest to keep the pout off his face and out of his voice, but he wasn’t sure if he succeeded.
“It sounds like you’ll have quite a spirited book club. I’ll have to get more seating for the next meeting. Maybe it would be a good employee bonding moment too.” The manager was getting a bit sparkly by this point. “Is two weeks enough time for the next book?” He nodded to himself and started scanning the displays.
“Next book?” Yata gulped.
“Oh, this one is very popular right now, would Breasts and Eggs be a good pick?” He picked up the book as he asked, but put it right back down again as Yata’s face went up in flames and Fushimi snickered. “Oh I know just the thing, it’s older, but it’s perfect! Machiko by Yaeko Nogami,” he paused a moment as Yata’s face cleared up before continuing, satisfied, “I’ll rustle up some old copies by the end of the week. I look forward to attending your book club, Fushimi.”
The two men watched him walk away in horror, before devolving into an argument over who was to blame.