章 5: We're going to be friends
"Hey, over here!" Ren waved enthusiastically when he spotted Shinobu.
Shinobu crossed the street and walked up to him, noting the fancy and large store front.
He was amazed that it was crowded.
"You came!" Ren exclaimed cheerfully. "I was just trying my luck."
"I was just bored," Shinobu returned wryly. "Unlike you."
"How does anyone get better at pool?" Ren asked mournfully.
"Practice," Shinobu supplied pointedly.
Ren glared. "Are YOU even good at it?"
That brought a smirk to Shinobu's lips. "Yeah, want me to teach you?"
Ren considered it for a moment and decided to forgo his pride. "If you don't mind? I don't want the guys to keep making fun of me."
"Pick a day." Shinobu realised that he was volunteering to spend more time with the other boy. Great.
Ren was already forming plans in his mind. "Thanks! Maybe the week after. It's a long weekend anyway. We could go somewhere near your workplace if it's easier for you."
Shinobu couldn't keep up. "Let's..figure it out later."
"Sure. Oh, I want to look around the shelves first. There is this new novel that I am interested in. Accompany me?" Ren said as they both headed into the store.
"Whatever, as long as I get free coffee," Shinobu muttered.
"Come on. You may find something you like too," Ren commented optimistically.
"Not likely," Shinobu was adamant.
He was however, almost forced to swallow his own words later, when they were both camped out near one of the shelves and looking through a book together.
"It's the first of a trilogy," Ren moaned. "Which means that there is going to be cliffhanger and I am going to die waiting for the next book."
"It's just a story," Shinobu frowned. "It's not real."
"How could you say that?" Ren was affronted. "This author is one of the best."
"The writing seems pretty good," Shinobu agreed reluctantly as he leafed through a few pages. Not that he read heavy historical fictions much. Did high school boys read this kind of stuff anyway? Ren must be an outlier.
Ren studied the copy which he was holding. "Should I get it now? Or should I wait until it's finished?"
"You'll just keep whining about it," Shinobu remarked.
"No, I won't."
"Yeah, sure."
"I know! How about you search for spoilers online? Tell me if the cliffhanger is bad." Ren suggested brightly.
This was ridiculous but Shinobu played along, "What is considered bad?"
"Hmm..like if the protagonist is on the cusp of death or it ends right in the middle of a decisive battle?" Ren tilted his head.
He gave Shinobu a pleading look, using his puppy-dog eyes to full effect.
"You need to get a girlfriend to do this for you," Shinobu grumbled but he took out his phone.
"You're the best!" Ren cheered.
Shinobu searched for the reviews online and read the comments and spoilers quickly.
Interesting. It was indeed a cliffhanger where the protagonist's side was in the middle of a battle, on the verge of losing badly and waiting for reinforcements which may or may not arrive. In addition, it seemed that there was a potential betrayal by his best friend, who may or may not be a spy.
A terrible cliffhanger sure to leave Ren in wretched suspense.
Shinobu looked up and told him with a nonchalant shrug, "Doesn't seem that bad."
"Are you sure?" Ren asked and watched his expression carefully.
Luckily, Shinobu really did think that it perfectly fine. Logically, it had two more books to go. It wasn't as if the protagonist would die in the second book. Besides, it was fiction.
"You'll survive," he remarked wryly.
Ren seemed convinced. "Okay, I'll get it then. Thanks."
"Can we go for that drink now?" Shinobu asked.
"Yup. Hopefully we can get a seat by the window. The people watching is fun," Ren hugged his book happily as they walked towards the cashier.
Shinobu couldn't wait until Ren finished the book.
They did manage to find a seat by the window, overlooking the crowded streets and various shenanigans of passerbys. The café mostly was occupied by couples and women. Besides them, there was only one table made up of young men. College students, most likely, typing away at their laptops.
"Not bad, want to try?" Ren offered his seasonal flavoured coffee.
Shinobu took up the offer and handed the cup back after a sip. "Interesting. Here, try mine."
Ren wrinkled his nose after a taste. "Too bitter."
"It's coffee," Shinobu said emphatically.
"You didn't add sugar," Ren huffed.
"Don't like it with," Shinobu shrugged.
"I'll keep that in mind," Ren noted and asked. "Where were you anyway?"
"Park. Not somewhere you should go," Shinobu responded and ignored the sudden feeling of protectiveness arising within.
"Why not?"
"Drugs and illegal drinking are not your thing," Shinobu said flatly.
Ren gave him a look between shock and curiosity. "You don't do drugs, do you?"
"Sometimes. Not the hard stuff," Shinobu admitted. He saw no point in hiding anything. It was not as if the school's populace didn't know what he got up to anyway, although he was often credited for things far beyond his abilities.
Ren's eyes turned into saucers. "Is it worth trying?"
That was the first time anyone had asked him directly. Shinobu's voice dried up before he replied honestly, "No, it isn't."
Ren nodded sagely. "Thought so."
Shinobu was relieved when he thought that it was the end of this line conversation.
He was wrong.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"What?"
Ren glanced around and lowered his voice, "How's sex like?"
Shinobu gave Ren a glare. "Are we having that conversation here?"
"Why not?" Ren defended himself.
"Fuck," Shinobu uttered.
"Well?" Ren looked at him expectantly.
"THAT is definitely worth trying," Shinobu answered. "First time may suck. But it depends on who you're doing it with."
Ren sighed enviously. "You sound like you've got lots of experience."
"Look, can we talk about something else?" Shinobu wished he could smoke right now.
"Jeez, didn't think you'd be shy about it," Ren grumbled.
"Drink your damn coffee."
xxxxxxxx
A couple of days later…
"You bastard! You said it wasn't a bad cliffhanger!"
"It isn't."
"What do you mean? You lied to me!"
"Look, the hero isn't going to die. What's the problem?"
"Kurosawa Shinobu, you idiot!"
"Do you still want me to teach you pool or not?"
"Arrgh!"
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