There was no sound in the library other than the slight scratch of pens and the shuffle of pages. The afternoon light was streaming through the high windows, and making golden squares on the floor.
Ryuzi was sitting in the corner table, with his notebook on, and his pencil steadily moving across the page. His notes were accurate, incisive, as ever.
Suki was twirling his pencil between his fingers, opposite him. So... do we make a PowerPoint, or a poster board?
Ryuzi said, PowerPoint.
"But poster boards are fun. Colors, we might use colors, glitter, perhaps--
"No."
Suki pouted. "You didn't even let me finish."
"I didn't need to."
"Wow. You really are a tyrant."
Ryuzi didn't look up. "And you're inefficient."
Suki choked, his heart aching in his chest. "How dare you. Talent of mine is a gift to the human race!
Ryuzi at last looked up, expressionless. "Then mankind is doomed."
For a second, silence. Then--Suki broke into laughter, and it was so loud that it attracted the glances of other students.
"Shhh!" the librarian hissed.
Suki put a hand over his mouth and shook his shoulders. S-sorry, I giggled, still. You see too good at that serious face.
Ryuzi shook his head, and went back to his notes. "Idiot."
After a couple of minutes of silent work, the air was filled with the sound of pencils scratching. But Suki, of course, could not remain silent very long.
"You know what we should do?" he said, leaning forward. Let us have a funny introduction slide. Something to grab attention."
"No."
"Come on, you see: Welcome to our project--with the sunshine and the ice prince!
Ryuzi froze. "...What did you just say?"
Suki grinned wickedly. "Sunshine and ice prince. It fits, doesn't it? You, cold and scary. Me, warm and adorable."
Ryuzi's eyebrow twitched. "You're insufferable."
"Insufferably charming."
Ryuzi sighed, and rubbed his nose between his fingers. "How do you even function?"
In a fashion, Suki responded proudly. He sat back in his chair balancing it on two legs. "You should try it sometime."
"Or you could try studying."
"I am studying!" Suki protested. "Look!" He turned his notebook over. It was scribbled all over--cats, clouds, and, most recognizably, a chibi Ryuzi with a huge scowl.
Ryuzi stared at it. And he laughed,--then he could not help it.
It wasn't loud. It was only a brief and silent chuckle that escaped, and startled him. His shoulders trembled once, his lips pouting slightly upwards.
In the silent library the sound was low but distinct.
Suki froze, eyes wide. His legs on his chair thumped the ground. "...Did you just--?"
The expression of Ryuzi closed, like banging a door. "No."
"Yes you did!" His hiss were a maniacal grin. "You laughed! Oh my god, I have reached the next level!
"Shut up."
"Do it again!"
"No."
With flashing eyes Suki leaned over the table. "You can't hide it now. You are not so bad as you are supposed to be, Ryuzi Takeda."
Ryuzi turned his head, flushed all over a little. "You're imagining things."
Suki sat back, smirking. "Sure. Keep telling yourself that. But I saw it. And it was cute."
Ryuzi stiffened, and choked a little at his own breath. "...What?"
Suki blinked innocently. "What?"
Kenji called out to him on the other table before Ryuzi could answer. "Did Takeda just smile?"
Heads turned. Aoi raised her brows. "No way. Was it sunshine boy that broke the ice?
Ryuzi's jaw tightened. He pushed his notebook in his bag. "We're done here."
Wait--Ryuzi--" Suki scrambled after him, breathing like a gasping fish. "Hey, don't be embarrassed! You looked--"
Not. A. Word, Ryuzi grumbled, and walked storming away out of the exit.
But Suki saw through the sunshine coming in at the door a glimpse of his face. His ears flushed as bright red.
And to Suki that was the sweetest of all conquests.
The story was met by laughter that evening as Suki told it to the Aoyama house.
"You made him laugh?!" Hana gasped.
No, impossible, Emi said in a flat voice, but smiling.
That is essentially admitting, squealed Rika.
With a groan Suki buried his face in his arms. "It was just a laugh!"
His heart would not cease to throb.
At the same time, Ryuzi was at his desk at the Takeda house and gazing at the wall. He frowningly touched his lips.
I laughed... in front of him.
The idea ought to have irritated him. Instead it frightened him differently--because he had found the laughter good, the first time in years, he had felt that way.
...Idiot, he said to himself, yet there was nothing in it.