Chapter Text
Reo spent every waking minute studying. He had to be top of his class, anything other than number one wasn’t enough.
Especially for a business man's son.
Reo was the textbook definition of perfect ; he was extremely attractive to begin, from his alluring eyes, sculpted nose, and his chiseled jawline, his personality was just as good. He was easygoing, super smart, great at sports (specifically soccer) as well.
Reo was the perfect person.
So far, his grades have been perfect, he never failed to be number one scoring constant hundreds, ninety-nines, and ninety-eights. Reo felt a large smile grace his lips as he saw his name at the top.
Well… until it wasn’t.
“No way…” Reo mumbled to himself, he read over the names and test scores, “…I wasn’t first?” He read the name over and over again.
Nagi Seishirou - 100%
“Who even is that?” Reo asked no one in particular, Reo was second, for the first time in his life he hadn’t come first.
Reo heard the sound of footsteps to his right, in his peripheral vision he saw that familiar head of long reddish-pink hair.
“You’ve been staring for a while. You good Reo?” Chigiri asked, his voice echoing in the empty hallway. Chigiri approached him and drifted his attention to the list.
“I don’t get it.”
Chigiri laughed, “Wow! Reo coming in second. That’s new.” He teased.
“Who even is he? Nagi Seishiro?” Reo grumbled, he didn’t understand, he spent so much time studying for that test, just to fall short to this nobody ?
“White hair, brown eyes, tall.” Chigiri described him, “He sleeps a lot.”
“You know him!?”
“Yeah. He’s friends with Isagi. So I’ve met him a few times.” Chigiri explained, “He is in your class, Reo, you should pay attention more.”
Reo nodded. Maybe I should.
And so he did.
The next day in class Reo looked for a man matching the description Chigiri gave him. He didn’t know what to expect from this second genius…but, it definitely wasn’t this.
The tall white-haired boy, Nagi Seishiro, was sitting across the room from Reo, next to a black haired boy with blonde underneath. He was also asleep?!
No way…this couldn’t be the right guy…right?
Reo continued to observe him for the next few days, and that’s all he did, sleep, sleep, and sleep some more.
He never took notes, even if he was awake his eyes were droopy, and it was obvious he wasn’t paying any attention. So how? How did he do it? That test wasn’t easy at all.
Reo was completely befuddled. He didn’t know what to make of the situation.
Recounting his discoveries to Chigiri and Kunigami the next day he was completely flabbergasted.
“His score had to be a fluke!” Reo complained, he sat in a café studying with Chigiri and Kunigami, “There’s just no way!” He was completely bewildered by his new findings. The man who scored better than him, the man who took his number one spot , slept all of class? He didn’t even take notes!
Chigiri found the entire situation amusing. He could only smirk and chuckle at every word that left his mouth.
“He may just be a genius. The next Einstein.”
Reo scoffed, “There’s no way…he has to study, or cheat, Chigiri you know him tell me his secrets!”
“I know of him. I’ve met him like twice and we exchanged a few words.” Chigiri sighed, “Ask him yourself.”
“No way.”
“Shouldn’t this make school more interesting? You have a rival now, Reo.”
“I guess… Kunigami.” Not really though.
Reo took a sip of his coffee and went back to finishing the final few assignments he had on his computer. Though, he couldn’t focus. Nagi was consuming his mind. He needed to know more…how’d he do it? Reo needed to find a way to beat him. Second place wasn’t enough to meet his expectations.
Maybe he should ask him… No! That’s a terrible idea, Chigiri.
Reo placed his hands on both sides of his head, ruffling up his hair, before collapsing against the desk. He groaned loudly, fighting with his thoughts was not fun.
“Reo, are you going crazy?” Chigiri giggled, “Didn’t know having a rival would do this to you.”
Reo only groaned once more in response. He can’t let Nagi become a distraction…
“No. I’m just going to study two-times harder for this next test.”
“Is that even possible?” Kunigami asked, his tone of voice genuine, “You study every second of the day, Reo, where are you going to get the time?”
“I’ll find a way.”
Reo said that, and he meant it. After that conversation Reo spent every waking minute studying. He stopped going out as often the week leading up to the exam, and he lost sleep as he buried his nose in the books.
He even forgot to eat! Only eating when Ba-ya brought meals to his room. Reo lived on caffeine and energy drinks, anything that would keep him awake for that matter.
After all this preparation there was no way Reo was going to lose his number one spot again. Placing second was a one time thing, and he was going to prove this tomorrow.
Reo was a hundred percent sure he would pass this test with a one-hundred percent, giving him the first place spot.
He even went to bed early for the first time since he had begun this long studying session—sessions?, and ate a hearty breakfast the next morning.
Reo left his house more sure than he’s ever been before. He was going to show Nagi— show everyone that he was the real genius.
He walked to class confident, confident in his ability to score a perfect score on this Economics test. He was shaking in anticipation, he couldn’t wait to prove to Nagi who the real number one was.
..
.
“No way…” Reo’s been in a situation like this before, “No way!” He looked at the list, names and scores.
Once again, Nagi Seishiro was number one.
“How’d he do it?” Reo asked aloud to himself, he had to have cheated. Reo spent the last few classes analyzing Nagi, it’d been going on for over a week at this point, and he was always in a slumber. So how?
Maybe he was a real genius. No way. Reo would never let Chigiri be right about anything.
But what else could explain it?
He scored a perfect score, without even studying, taking notes, even paying attention in class.
Yet , Reo, who spent the last week and half, studying, giving his full— maybe not— attention during class, and taking every note possible to help him, only scored a ninety-eight.
Reo could only sigh in dissapoint, he had been so confident, he really needed to find out more about this Nagi Seishiro character.
First person on his list to interview was the boy he sat next to, he found his name, also through Chigiri, Bachira Meguru.
Reo stayed after class on this day, approaching Bachira as he packed up his stuff. Nagi had already left quickly after the class session was over.
“Excuse me?” Reo asked, he approached the boy, he was slightly shorter in height, and had a delightful expression on his face, “Bachira Meguru, right?”
The boy beamed and nodded at Reo. Bachira stuck his hand out, shaking Reo’s own, “Nice to meet you, Mikage Reo, yeah?”
Reo repeated Bachira’s actions, “Can I ask you a few questions over coffee.”
Bachira nodded hesitantly, Reo couldn’t blame him, I mean this was their first interaction. The two left, walking next to one another, heading towards the café close to the campus.
“So, Reo, might as well begin our conversation?” Bachira asked, he faced towards Reo giving him a wide smile. Good thing he was easy to talk to. Reo didn’t have any fear interacting with Bachira, as he did most people, Reo was very social after all, but some people are— intimidating.
“I wanted to ask you about Nagi.”
Bachira raised an eyebrow at Reo’s statement, “Really?”
Why was he so confused?
Bachira cleared his throat and began to speak again, “Sorry! People don’t ask about him often— like ever.”
Well, that answered Reo’s question, he nodded as Bachira spoke.
“How is he so smart?” Reo asked the actual first question as the two walked into the café. He held the door for Bachira, walking in behind him.
Bachira pondered for a second, “Don’t know!” He smiled. Was he mocking him…?
The two walked to the counter and got their orders taken. Waiting for the coffee to be made they took a seat at a table near the counter.
“Nagicchi is a genius. The lazy genius! I don’t know how he does it either if that’s what you wanted to know.”
“Ah…sorry for wasting your time then.”
“It’s fine! I was curious what brought your attention to him.” Bachira explained, “Do you think Nagi’s attractive? Using smarts as an excuse, rich boy.” Bachira teased, exploding into laughter as he watched Reo’s neutral expression grow confused and flustered.
“What’re you suggesting?” Reo asked, his voice was filled with confusion.
“I’m only joking…unless you are?” Bachira teased once more, wiggling his eyebrows.
Reo rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the others' antics, “I just wanted to know how he did better than me. I mean does he even study?”
“Nope!” Bachira answered, popping the ‘p.’
So that confirmed his suspicions. So how? How? How could anyone be this smart??
“Bachira Meguru!”
Bachira stood up quickly at the sound of his name being called. He went and grabbed their coffees before sitting back down across from Reo.
“No one knows how Nagi does it. I'm even shocked sometimes.”
“Is there anyone else who would know..?” Reo asked, clinging onto hope. He needed to find Nagi’s weak point, or anything that would allow Reo to get his first place spot back.
Bachira thought to himself for a moment. Pausing his movement as he debated who would know Nagi’s genius secrets.
“Maybe Isagi…Nagi doesn’t surround himself with many people. So he’s the only person I can think of. I can give you his number if you’d like? Take mine too!” Bachira offered, he grabbed a napkin, and wrote their numbers with a pen he grabbed out of his shirt's breast pocket.
“Here!” He beamed handing Reo the napkin that had messily scribbled phone numbers on it.
“Thank you.”
“Mhm! Thanks for the coffee!”
..
.
Reo feels like he hasn’t made any progress with his investigation. He’s tried asking people in their class questions about Nagi but he was only meant with a mixture of responses that never helped him.
He asked the boy who sat behind Nagi, he had an average face, no features that stuck out, in all honesty Reo couldn’t even remember his face as he left.
“Nagi? Nagi Seishiro? Who is that?” He answered. Reo could only sigh and apologize for wasting his time.
Reo asked a group of girls who sat further down the row from Nagi. Instead of being met with actual help he was met with a different situation.
“Mikage Reo, talking to us..?” A short haired gurl asked, “ Take my number! Let’s talk!”
Huh? I asked about Nagi…?
“You look so handsome today, Reo!” Another one cheered.
Reo could only sigh once more, politely turning the girls down, and walking towards other people potentially offering the information he needs.
This time he talked to a different guy, he was built, probably worked out often, and he had an angry expression on his face.
“Do you know anything about Nagi Seishiro?” Reo asked politely.
In response he received an angered groan and frustrated grumbled, the guy swatted Reo away with his hand as if he were a fly.
This was not going to work.
Reo left his integration session with no new information. All that time he spent, that he could’ve spent studying, was for nothing.
He grabbed the napkin from his pants pocket, holding it out in front of him, I guess this is my last resort.
He punched the numbers into his phone, and began to text the number, a simple introduction, how he got the number, and that he had a few questions.
He turned the simple curiosity of Nagi into a full blown investigation.
Isagi?
Hello. Bachira told me to expect a text from you. If you’d like to meet up I might have some information you want.
Reo
Okay!!! Thank you so much!!
Isagi?
It’s nothing. Just let me know the place and when.
Reo did as Isagi said. The two met at a park, Reo was sitting at a bench waiting for Isagi to arrive. Soon enough, a black haired boy with deep blue eyes approached Reo, and took a seat next to him.
“Isagi Yoichi.” He stuck out his hand just as Bachira did when he met Reo the day prior, “Nice to meet you.”
“Mikage Reo.” He grabbed Isagi’s hand, taking it in a firm grip, and shaking it.
“I was surprised when Baxhira told me someone was interested in Nagi.” Isagi laughed, “Especially someone of your status, Mikage Reo.”
Reo shrugged his shoulders, slightly embarrassed, this entire situation dawned on him in this moment. He was doing a lot to find information about Nagi. It did seem kind of obsessive from the outside looking in.
“Haha…he’s just different from anyone I’ve ever seen before. It’s not everyday you find out the top student sleeps all of class and doesn’t study.”
Isagi nodded in agreement, “He is a true genius. Nagi’s always been smart. I’ve known him since our first year of high-school.” Isagi explained. He took a deep breath and then began to speak again, “He’s good at adapting to anything, perfect at everything he does on the first try, and it’s just as shocking everytime.”
He sounds a lot like me…
Isagi turned his head facing towards Reo giving him
a soft smile, “He’s a slacker though. If he actually had the motivation to put in effort he could do countless things. There’s nothing he can’t do.”
Reo’s eyes shot open. He was really shocked by now, in utter disbelief, “He doesn’t put in effort?”
Was Nagi even real?
Isagi shook his head, an amused smirk shown on his face.
“He’s like no one else. It’s insane.”
Reo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew Isagi wasn’t lying, he was confirming everything Reo thought, and it was almost impossible to process.
Reo spent all of his free time studying to be the best, and yet, some random guy who doesn’t study, doesn’t put in effort took that spot from him. It didn’t sound real.
“Wow…” Reo mumbled, his voice drowned in awe, he was still processing the words Isagi said. Nagi was amazing. He was a worthy rival.
..
.
Reo worked three times as hard now. He needed to be better than that lazy genius, they had another test coming up, and Reo wasn’t going to slack for one minute.
Once he beat Nagi, and claimed the very much deserved first place spot back, then he could be satisfied.
Reo was skipping meals more often, doing anything in his power to shove the information into his brain, losing sleep, studying notecards, studying textbooks, rereading over different important excerpts that were brought up during class sessions.
He fell asleep on his desk, head using an open book as a pillow. Reo had overworked himself again. He found his posture getting worse, and his neck being stiff after the constant sleep in a chair, sitting position, at his desk.
It was all worth it if he could beat Nagi Seishiro!
Nagi hadn’t changed though. He continued to sleep every minute of class, and he never paid attention, nor did he take notes.
Reo wasn’t going to get too cocky this time. He was going to try everything in this power to be first place this time around.
One week until exams
…
..
.
Reo Mikage . He’s perfect, smart, talented, as many would describe him. The heir to the 705.8 billion yen Mikage Corporation.
Reo whom lived his days full of boredom. Who spent his days studying to be the best, and him who was being told that he’d be a great heir to his fathers company.
Well…his life was full of boredom, until his discovery of the boy Nagi Seishiro. A genius, the lazy genius, as they’d call him.
Reo first discovered him after he took first place over Reo. He scored higher, a perfect score, one hundred percent.
Ever since that day, Reo had been trying his hardest to surpass Nagi. Ever since that day, he’s been infatuated with the idea of Nagi, a worthy rival, someone who puts in no effort, yet never fails to be perfect .
Reo stuffed his face in books, spending every waking minute studying. He needed to be as smart and Nagi Seishiro.
…
Reo had class with Nagi this afternoon. He spent most of the time indulging in the current lesson being taught. He spent most of the class writing—taking notes, making sure not to miss any important information.
He was going to have zero setbacks.
Occasionally he would look over at Nagi. The tall white-haired boy hunched over and sleeping against the table. His friend next to him, Bachira, would shake him awake every once in a while.
Even when Nagi was awake he would sit there, dazed, in his own world, in between consciousness and sleep. It was obvious he wasn’t listening to the lesson. The words being said were tuned out and turned into white noise.
When Reo would glance over again, Nagi would be asleep again, laying his head on his side also on his sprawled out arms, drool visible by his lips.
He had no shame…
There wasn’t much Reo could do to sabotage Nagi, one they didn’t know each other, and two, Nagi’s smarts came straight from the brain, without studying or paying attention in class.
This meant, Reo had to try his hardest on his own to surpass Nagi’s natural born smarts.
Class ended just as quickly as it started. Time always passes faster when you’re doing something.
Reo needed to get home, back to his desk, and study!
Well he wanted to.
“Got you.” Chigiri muttered, he grabbed the collar of the back of Reo’s shirt as if he were a cat being carried by his mother, “You haven’t left your house in weeks… school doesn’t count . Stop studying sometimes, will you?” Chigiri scolded.
Chigiri was right, he’d spent the last two weeks inside of his bedroom, studying, only leaving to attend class, and go downstairs to eat food, if he did.
“But Chigiri!” Reo pleaded, “How am I going to be number one if I don’t study.”
“Everyone takes breaks, Reo.” Chigiri said firmly, there really was no escape.
The two walked next to one another, Chigiri holding Reo’s collar tightly ensuring he wont run away and escape.
“I need to get home, Chigiri!”
“No you don’t. You still have tomorrow.”
Chigiri had put his foot down. There really was no escape now. How was Reo supposed to defeat his rival— who doesn’t know he is his rival— now?
Reo could only sigh and look at the bright side… maybe I do need a break. Geniuses take breaks all of time, like Nagi, who quite literally t akes a break all the time.
The continued to walk side by side, leaving the University building, and making their way down the street.
“Where are we going, mom?” Reo grumbled, Chigiri was really acting like a mom right now.
“Diner. With friends .” Chigiri answered, he released Reo’s collar, and the two walked the rest of the way shoulder to shoulder.
The sun was setting as they walked, the beautiful sunset visible above them. The sky was painted a mix of purples, pinks, and oranges, blending together to make a gorgeous painting in the sky.
Reo realized he hadn’t seen the sunset in a while. He really has spent a little too much time studying.
The two inched closer and closer to the diner, walking in a comfortable silence as they approached the door. Reo opened it a bell ringing the sound of a ‘ding’ filling the air. Reo held open the door walking in behind Chigiri.
The diner was busy. Waiters and waitresses pacing up and down the rows of tables, carrying plenty of trays, and dirty dishes. The ever so present sound of people's voices from multiple different conversations. It was a busy atmosphere, and Chigiri grabbed Reo’s wrist, dragging him over to a booth where multiple people sat.
Reo definitely recognized more than one of them.
A tall muscular man with ginger hair, Kunigami, next to him sat the buzzing bee he met recently, Bachira, and another familiar face that he also met recently, Isagi Yoichi.
Chigiri dragged Reo down and into the booth, taking a seat in the half circle—crescent shaped booth that squished them all together.
But , there was someone else there, who he knew of, the tall white-haired boy with the worst posture Reo’s ever seen.
The lazy genius.
Nagi Seishiro.
“Hi Reo!” Bachira cheered, “Chigiri!” as the two sat down.
Reo threw a glare in Chigiri’s direction once they were sat down and situated, you knew about this didn’t you? He attempted to say with his eyes alone.
Chigiri only smiled in response.
“Took you two long enough.” Isagi commented, he also had the same devious smile on his lips. Oh they definitely planned this.
Reo wanted to slap the teasing smiles off of their faces. What was the point of taking Reo away from his studying just to see his rival. Who let me mention again doesn’t know he’s Reo’s rival.
If Reo was in one of those old childrens cartoons there would definitely be steam blowing out of his ears by now.
“Oh, Nagi. I don’t think you’ve met Reo.” Isagi introduced the two, “He’s super smart. Just like you ...”
Nagi perked his head up, taking his eyes away from his phone, and towards Reo who sat across from him.
“Nice to meet you, Reo.” Nagi said, his voice dull and monotone, filled with no emotion, “I’ve heard about you…”
What have they told him?
“You’re really amazing , Reo.”
Huh?
Reo felt himself become even more shocked by this guy. Admiring me? You’re the amazing one Nagi. He wanted to say.
“Thank you! It’s nice to meet you too, Nagi.” Reo gave one of his smiles, the one he’d show to his fathers workers at the company, or the people he passed in the hall.
Dinner went fine.
Reo hung out with Chigiri for a little longer after dinner. The two in Reo’s room, Chigiri sitting on the floor, and Reo sprawled out on his bed.
“You planned that, didn’t you?” Reo asked, clearly unamused by the actions Chigiri did today.
Chigiri tilted his head confused and then in an obviously sarcastic voice he asked, “What do you mean?” He broke the act quickly, breaking out into laughter, “Yeah! Isagi had the idea, him, Bachira, Kunigami, and Nagi were out eating so might as well invite us two as well.”
“But why?!”
“You know what they say, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Chigiri gave another mischievous smile, just like he did plenty of times at the restaurant.
Maybe I should…
Chigiri went home not much later, Reo was too exhausted to study that night, immediately passing out once Chigiri left.
6 days until exams…