social_linked | Tutoring the Beefcake Emperor (Closed?) Pre-Shadow Team Shenanigans

The man wasn't signing up for AP classes any time soon, but he seemed to be doing alright academically thus far: He could write an essay once he learned how to organize his thoughts. He could cook, clean and work with a team if he just learned how to conduct himself as he had over the years.

But math... math was a bitch. While he had been successful enough for high school, he was only just scraping by in the numbers, and he wanted to better them. He was so tired of everyone calling him stupid... he just had to get this grade up! Thank god, it seemed Souji had taken the same classes in the past and knew how the professors liked to fuck with their students.

"Hrrgh..." The issue was the formulas and memorizing them.

"I-I don't..." He ruffled his black hair irritably.

"I start okay, but then it all just- just fucks up and I don't think the answer's this many friggin' digits." With a sigh of defeat, he pushed the paper in the other man's direction. He resigned to his tea right after, only to realize the mug was empty. God. The worst day ever.

"Let me see..."

Taking Kanji's paper, Souji blinked-- once, twice, finding his eyes having a bit of blurred vision. He was feeling a bit weary lately-- well, that was to be expected, considering what he'd been up to.

Not that Kanji needed to know about that. But looking it over once his eyes cleared, he could see the problem.

"Ah... you cubed this number instead of squared it." He tapped the problem area, a two that had somehow become a three. "Then everything became more complicated after that."

Looking up, he noticed Kanji's betrayed face at his empty mug, and chuckled.

"Want to take a break and recharge some?"

"What the hell!? Lemme see!" He reached for his paper and took a look. The minute he spotted that tiny three, he scowled.

"...Damn it, I lost focus and put a cube there! Then I just went with it. I went too fast..." He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face.

"That's my big problem, man, timed tests. It's too much pressure, and all it takes is a bitty li'l slip and it all goes to crap! I thought if I worked faster I could start firing my brain cells n'..."

He sighed. "Yeah. God, I need a break. Wanna order out? There's a ramen place a few blocks over that delivers."

"Timed tests are stressful. Beating yourself up over a mistake isn't going to help much though. The rest of your math there is sound; you know the process now."

He patted the younger man's shoulder, before pulling himself up, gathering both their mugs.

"Sure, that sounds good. You mind calling them? I'll make some more tea."

"On it. I got their number saved." He already had his cell phone in hand and was dialing away. As he lay back in his seat on the couch, he let one arm drape over his face as he listened for the initial message.

Two specials. He knew Souji was like him, ate damn near anything. Why not get the special with tons of shrimp and extra noodles? Studying made you a hungry fucker. The order was easy enough to place before he let himself settle into his seat and end the call.

"...Fifteen minutes. At any rate, man... seriously? Thanks for this. I know everybody else is expecting me to just come home with D's or some shit that scrapes by, if I don't jus' quit and go back to Inaba, but... ya never did."

"They're still going on like that?"

Souji shook his head with a sigh as he put the kettle on.

"You've already proven yourself plenty, Kanji. You don't owe them anymore of that sort of thing, you know?"

Glancing back at his friend, Souji smiled.

"Well, yeah. I know what you're capable of if you're just given the time to work it out."

Bitterly, he hitched a shrug and frowned. "Sure they are. It's a small town and they ain't got shit to talk about after everything with Izanami finished up. I heard some are lookin' for somethin' 'juicy' to happen again... in a fuckin' pig's eye."

He stood and stretched. "I bet if I'm married, got a whole buncha kids or whatever, they'll still wonder when I'll 'shape up'. So it's more owing it to myself to make sure I can GET that kinda future than owin' it to a bunch've clucking hens. This is for me, even if fashion design, animation, or graphic design crap ain't for me. Plus it's... shit, it's aggressive. You watch those shows where they wanna tear each other's eyes out? S'played up for drama, but everybody is actually smiling while they figure out how ta fuck each other over. Stops bein' a passion and turns into... I dunno what that is."

"But what about you? You're graduating pretty soon, yeah? What's your plan?" Though he had a feeling he knew exactly one part of it, a little somebody they knew with honey brown eyes and more than a bit of devious spirit.

"...I wish I could say I was totally surprised... but I'm not, exactly."

He knew how gossip was in that town, after all.

"I just wished they'd learn... all that gossip was part of the problem with the TV World." A pause, as he got out the tea. It was some nice matcha he picked up recently, so he hoped Kanji would like it, "...I hope Naoki's handling all that okay."

Sure must be great to hear gossip about how people wished someone else would get killed when your own sister was a victim.

While he got the cups washed out for another round of tea, Souji nodded along with what Kanji was saying. It was amazing how much he was able to articulate his feelings and desires now. A lot had hanged since the 16 year old kid who felt like he couldn't get all his thoughts out of his head.

"Yeah... Doing this for yourself is way more important than trying to impress people who aren't worth your time." The kettle started to steam, a hissing whistle soon leaving it before the young man removed it from the stove top, pouring the boiling water into the mugs, "Passion can easily become an obsession... and thinking the only way to succeed is to crush other people is not really a healthy way to live."

Coming back to the table, Souji sat down, pushing the mug towards his friend. His question, however...

"...To be perfectly honest, I'm still not sure." He frowned, resting his elbows on the table, "I know I don't want to go the salary man route, at least... or be like my parents."

His face was neutral, though there was a slight hint of a flush in his cheeks... yeah. He knew someone he wanted to stay close to, contracts be damned, but...

"Right. Competition's great n' all, but I ain't about to knock someone's lights out or destroy their livelihood so I get ahead. That shit's evil. - Whoa, this smells awesome! Thanks." This was matcha. Gotta say, it made him feel a little homesick, since this was his mom's favorite.

"Naoki's doin' good, by the way. He's seein' somebody. Wanted me to put together a present he can give her. Mailed it out last night." He settled in, drank and casually lay his chin into a propped palm.

"Hm... Y'got too much goin' for ya just to rot in a cubicle for 60 hours a week, dude. All work, no play, dull boy or however it goes."

He set the mug down and tapped a finger. "I think... I think you'd do best if ya make an impact on people, like ya did with us. Or, shit, if ya go on safari and tame a mess of lions or somethin'. Be like that lion dude on TV who babytalks the big cats and they roll all over him like they've known him all their lives."

But Kanji shrugged. "Or, I dunno, if you were a teacher or somethin'. You kicked ass at that daycare."

"Yeah, I agree. Cutthroat industry stuff isn't my bag either... and I know you wouldn't be happy."

If Kanji fights, it's for good reasons to help people, not to push himself forward. He smiled though, hearing that Naoki was doing alright.

"Oh yeah? A girl from intown?" He knew a handful of the first years, after all, but it could be someone younger, "I should give him a buzz sometime, maybe order something from their shop." He was legal now, after all.

Listening to Kanji speak, he nodded in agreement, but wasn't able to meet Kanji's eyes, staring at the center of the table.

Make an impact on people...

He'd done it twice now, technically. It... it felt good, truly. It felt like something he really wanted to continue, but...

Souji tried to hold back a pained expression as he could remember, how Kanji yelled to him before pushing him out of the way of those, damn hellish claws--

Before being dragged down and--

"Mm... I've thought about that," Pushing the thought away, he looked back up at Kanji, "Both of those things. Teaching is pretty traditional, but doesn't really feel like I'd have much room to do things I wanted. Counseling..."

Blowing on his tea, he took a sip of it.

"...Maybe, but I'd need to be ready to actually push for it. You know how people are here about actually seeing someone professionally about their issues."

"Yeah, don't I know it. Even I refused to see somebody about what shit I had in my brain after my old man died. But that's the thing, man, you'd... change everything. Y'wanna know how good that shit felt? Seein' that shrink for a couple weeks? Cried like a goddamn baby. I can admit it. I fuckin' cried n' cried, but it's funny 'cause I felt a thousand times better after. I mean, I talked about a whole mess of things, but.. y'know."

He shrugged.

"Anyway, I ain't about ta tell ya what to do. Hell, if you're happy doin' somethin' else entirely, that's on you. Do what makes ya happy, dude. That's somethin' a lotta friggin' people can't do right now, least of all everyone that grew up before us. We're all grown-ass adults, so now we can call our own shots, right? Do what we've always wanted to do."

He smiled sheepishly. "...For the most part."

Souji listened carefully as Kanji spoke. He was glad his friend had seen someone professional about everything he'd dealt with. He'd helped as much as he could, but there was only so much he could do about Kanji's issues with his fathers death and everything that came with it.

Kanji really had come far, and Souji felt like he couldn't quite express just how proud he was of his friend.

"I'm glad you did that, Kanji."

Sometimes, he wished someone would tell him what to do. He felt adrift, and not really sure what to make of it...

"What makes me happy..."

He'd need to think that one over. Though, Kanji's final comment made him perk up a second, tilting his head in curiousity.

"...For the most part?"

Edited 2017-08-12 09:43 (UTC)

Kanji's face brightened. "Oh, e-erm... y'know, nothin'... it's..."

He rubbed his face. C'mon, this wasn't high school and it wasn't like it was a huge secret. Okay, it was kind of a secret, but he trusted Souji with it.

"A'right, a'right- I mean, I-I miss Naoto. She's kickin' ass in her career and I couldn't be happier for her. She more than earned it and she's seein' amazing places and doin' amazing things! The pictures she sends me, man, they're fuckin' amazing and I'd love to see some'a these places around the world she just casually pops into for cases."

But he leans back with a sigh. "I just get nights where I wish I wasn't holding a pillow or days where I wasn't sitting by myself or with some classmates havin' lunch. It's one thing bein' able to get a video chat goin' to shoot the breeze or fire up LINE and check in on each other... but another thing entirely to just... be able to reach out n' touch her, y'know?"

He sat upright. "Oh, man... but she visits and schoolwork can fuck off, my schedule's just full as hell of her. Video chats are like- like dimmer switches, man. Ya see her up close and my socks just blow right off, she's so goddamn pretty... I think to myself: Why couldn't I somehow be smart enough for detective work? Go Watson to her Sherlock and be able to take Europe by storm with her or somethin'? I-"

Kanji shook his head, held up his hands. "Wh-whoa, okay... yeah... I'm kinda rambling at this point. I-it's been a while since the last visit."

Edited 2017-08-12 10:31 (UTC)

Souji listened as Kanji went on-- it was interesting how he was far more willing to talk about his feelings, and articulate them.

It was also a major relief. Having to deal with Kanji dancing around his awkward (if adorable) feelings for the Detective Prince back in high school was something else. Poor guy twisted himself into knots over it... hell, it had been a major factor in his own Shadow due to those complications.

He was absolutely smitten with Naoto.

Not that Souji couldn't understand the sentiment. As Kanji went on about... not being able to physically be around her, Souji's expression betrayed him, and he nodded slowly as his head sunk down onto the table, resting on his chin.

"Yeah, I definitely understand, just... missing her."

But he didn't want to get into his woes when Kanji was venting his.

Kanji sighed, knowing for sure he'd talked too much, and sagely lay a palm atop that bowl cut.

"So we both feel like shit and we miss 'em. But I got a little somethin' that keeps me goin'. That's why I got a plan, see? I finish school next year, get that degree, but save the hell up with part-time jobs and stuff throughout. Idols n' detectives save up vacation time, right? And I looked it up- they finally put laws in place that require folks to take time off and they get paid while doin' it! So... so..."

He rubbed his hands together.

"You n' Rise, me n' Naoto. We pick a place, fly the hell outta Japan and get our girls to quit workin' so damn hard for a little while. Maybe Hawaii. Get some sunshine and explore caves n' shit."

"...That sounds really nice."

Souji couldn't help but smile, though it was a little... bittersweet?

"We'd need to keep it on the downlow, though... Technically, I'm not even supposed to be dating her."

It was her contract, after all. But... well, Inoue-san knew how much Souji had helped Rise, and was willing to turn a blind eye to it, as long as they were careful.

"Then again, if there's anyone I'd trust to chase off the Paparazzi, it would be the 'Raging Tatsumi', right?"

"Hell yeah it would! But the thing about America is that if ya don't announce who you are, they don't give a shit. We're just a buncha Japanese tourists. No paparazzi. Hell, I'll get Rise a horse mask for the plane ride if need be."

He sat back.

"Or we could all wear horse masks. Would that stir up too much trouble?"

Tutoring the Beefcake Emperor (Closed?) Pre-Shadow Team Shenanigans

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