18 Chapter 18 I'm Kita Duran

Duran was relieved he had made it to class before the first lesson had begun. He saw Fumio talking casually with Aki and a couple of other classmates near his desk.

From the corner of his eye, he spied Saski leaning against his own toward the middle row; surrounded by a bunch of glasses wearing boys and girls who seemed to hang off his every word.

'Here's trouble,' Saski said when he saw Duran strut past him.

'Aim to please my friend.' Duran flashed him a cocky grin and chuckled at the incredulous pffts, tsks and eye-rolls from the Saski's posse.

'Sup. You're Mr. Popular this morning.' Fumio lightly joked.

'Haha. Well, I'd hate to steal Tsubaki-kun's thunder, but can't help the admiration his posse gives me when I say those things.'

'Infamous dude. Speaking of, heard you got called into an early meet with the Princ. How'd it go?'

If it was one thing Duran had learned about his new friend Fumio. The guy seemed well informed with people and topics. At least those that seemed to be of interest to him. He was slowly discovering the sharp mind beneath his friend's aloof exterior.

'It was scary.'

'Yeah. I guess having to face up to the popo can be like that.' Aki joined their conversation.

'Have you had to deal with him before Fujita-kun?' Duran asked him politely.

'Geez. Call me Aki. I feel like my old aniki when you call me that,' Aki said and chuckled at Duran's flushed-red cheeks.

'Heehee. It's not like I'm asking you out on a date. Just call me Aki as a friend would aye?'

'Um, er, okay. Aki-kun.' Duran complied with a mousy voice and yelped at Aki's "mate's" slap to his back. For a small guy, he had a heavy hand.

'Geez man. Just Aki okay? Even the honorifics makes me feel old. We're the same age after all.'

'Dude you call me Fumio too. I can call you Duran? Been saying I'd like to call you by your given name. It's too cool not to be used.' Fumio jumped in.

'Um, yeah. I'm cool with that.'

'So. Yeah, we were called into his office when he found out the Otaku Machima Club was gonna happen. He was real pissed about it.' Aki continued with his story on his visit to the principal's office.

'Oh yeah. Didn't he tell you to prove the worth of the club or something like that?' said a classmate Duran had yet to have a conversation with.

'Something like that Isao-kun, but he predicted the club wouldn't last more than six months. So let it go. Turns out he was right. No fault to anyone but our members too. Man Dai'chi was pissed to the high heavens about it all,' Aki explained.

'But to start a music club. Now things are getting interesting huh?'

'It's interesting to see what Kita-kun has to satisfy to get one.' Saski called out, having eavesdropped on the conversation.

'Hey Tsubaki-kun. Whadya mean by that?' Aki's eyes narrowed at Saski's comment.

Saski made his way to them. He took over Fumio's seat. Ignoring Fumio's complaints and scowls.

'Just. For that type of club request to be approved. Something has to give right?'

Duran's heart pounded madly at his chest. He knew Saski's sole intention was to rile him up about the music club. Saski's composed mannerisms, cool eyes and the smirk on those luscious lips aroused him.

He slunk low in his chair, squeezed his knees together and started chanting the first few paragraphs of Pillars of the Earth in his head to shrink his twitching member. Everyone else saw his reaction as one of intimidation.

Saski continued his taunt, which made things worse for Duran. He dipped his head to hide his beetroot blushes. Adding to the misinterpretation.

'Stop it Tsubaki! Can't you see you've made him nervous!' Aki snapped at Saski.

Saski bowed his head low with apology.

'I'm sorry Kita-kun. I sometimes get carried away and didn't consider how nervous you must be about the club. I should also add how brave I think you are too for trying for one.'

'Did something just hit your head Tsubaki?!' Fumio retorted.

'Huh? No sarcastic comeback this time? Well done Kita,' said the boy Aki had referred to as Isao-kun.

Duran slowly raised his head when he felt the Pillars of the Earth had done its job. He was composed enough to face Saski.

'It's, um, okay Tsubaki-kun. I guess you have the school's best interest in mind. So I've no hard feelings. You're right. I'm nervous as hell and can't stop thinking I've signed myself up for a lost cause.'

'Well don't force yourself. Do your best and thing's will work out as they're meant to I guess.'

Saski's gentler response both surprised and warmed Duran's heart. From the gaping mouths and gawking eyes of everyone else, it was a shock for them too.

'Saski-kun. Did you smile at Kita?' A girl squealed.

'Oh-my-god! That is sooo cute!' Another girl chimed in.

Duran felt a weight of eyes checking him out. His face blushed with embarrassment that caused more girls to swoon his way.

'Hey. You seem alright to me after all. Tsubaki's was harping on about how over confident you were, since that time you saved him from being chased by girls,' said one of the guys from Saski's desk. He walked over to introduce himself.

'Hey! I did not!' Saski cursed at the lanky boy standing before Duran.

'Mikumo, Osamu. I've known this guy since grade school.' Osamu introduced himself.

Duran returned the greeting.

'Don't mind Tsubaki. He talks brash at times. But he's just your average boy like us,' Osamu whispered and laughed at Saski's tsundere reaction.

At first glance Osamu was your typical glasses boy and future salary-man type of student. His uniform clung to his tall build nicely. His hair was cropped in a safe clean cut. Dark orb like eyes glistened with a sparkle behind thin square frames. Duran felt they carried an expression beyond a boy of their age. He wondered if he was experienced in a few aspects of life that were still beyond the comprehension of his peers. He also wondered how much of that life experience was lived with Saski.

'That's reassuring.' Duran smiled.

'Alright everyone back to your seats!' Aimi-sensei called out as he entered the room, drawing everyone either out of the room or to their seats and his attention.

The bell rang. The first lesson began.