Chapter Text
*
I never truly hated Chiba, seriously. He was just my asshole jerk TA who never could seem to get it through his thick skull that maybe I just don’t like science, okay, it’s not a personal affront to your teaching stylings, God.
I didn’t even want to take that physics class anyway, but it was the only science available when I signed up for classes and I figured with Ami, our resident brainiac, and Rei, Miss I-Will-Be-Nothing-Less-Than-A-Battle-Goddess, I would be fine. Plus, Mako refuses to do anything less than her best, so between the three of them, Minako and I would be easily carried (Minako has the same outlook on school as I do: if it isn’t in our major, why bother?).
So we show up to the first day of class, crammed in a corner of the lecture hall together, and our professor, Dr. Setsuna Meioh, looking more like a supermodel than an astrophysicist, starts doing the boring first day crap, and I see him. He sneaks in late with a huge number of papers and books in his arms. He catches my eye for a split second and I blush. Even from my third row seat across the lecture hall, I can see how blue his eyes are
“Class, this is my TA, Mamoru Chiba,” Dr. Meioh is saying while I’m restarting my brain. “He’ll be holding office hours two days a week as well as a weekly problem session to help with your assignments.” She chuckles and adds, “He’s a good resource, so use him well.”
“Thanks, Doctor Meioh,” Chiba says with his own laugh. Oh, he has a nice laugh. Damn.
He takes a seat off to the side of the lecture hall and starts working on something, head bowed, his dark fringe covering most of his face. I steadfastly ignore the way my heart is thumping in my chest and focus on Dr. Meioh as she starts our first lesson. Oh my god, is she wearing Christian Louboutin heels?
Anyway, Ami drags us to the first problem session even though we point out that she’s probably just as qualified to be a TA as the illustrious Mr. Chiba, and then she blushes all cutely and we do as she says. Ami is a dangerous creature, I tell you.
Chiba stands up at the front of the tiny classroom like a king holding court. Just kidding, he’s just sort of standing there awkwardly, bouncing on his heels, while he waits for it to be 6 o’ clock, the appointed start time.
Ami already has her book and notes out, pencil sharpened, ready for whatever words of wisdom our TA has in store for us. Rei looks vaguely interested, but that’s sort of her default expression, if she isn’t blowing up at me over something silly. Makoto is sick and Minako just didn’t want to come.
A handful of other kids I recognize from our class have settled as well, so Chiba starts in immediately by asking for questions. “Trust me, Doctor Meioh is going easy on you this week,” he says, and his eyes fall on me for a second. I blush. Again. Ugh.
The hour passes by pretty quickly and with me learning absolutely nothing. I’m about to just poke Ami and ask to crash at her dorm tonight while we finish this, when Chiba’s voice startles me. “Miss, um…?” He’s looking right at me. Crap.
“Tsukino,” I say.
“Miss Tsukino, you still seem lost. Any specific questions?”
Where to even begin…? We could start with how much I didn’t want to take this stupid class in the first place, so why am I even here to begin with? Instead I say, “Would you mind going over problem three again? I just didn’t quite understand.”
I swear I see Chiba’s eye twitch. He then goes over it, slower this time. When he’s finished, he says, “Got it?” in a tone that suggests I should have gotten it earlier.
“Yeah...I guess,” I mutter unconvincingly, and Chiba sighs. Like actually legitimately sighs. In front of me. Like it’s this big thing that I’ve asked him to do, instead of, you know, what they are literally paying him to do.
“Well, sorry some of us aren’t physics geniuses like you,” I mutter. And then realize I said that out loud and oh shit.
“You don’t have to be a genius to pay attention and retain information,” Chiba shoots back.
“Well, I apologize for my idiocy then, oh illustrious TA,” I say, color rising to my cheeks.
“There aren’t enough apologies in the world, Miss Tsukino.”
Ami and Rei are staring at us, heads going back and forth like they are at a tennis match. Ami looks horrified that I’m arguing with our TA while Rei just looks amused.
“If that’s it, I’ll see you all in class in tomorrow.” Chiba turns off the projector and starts packing his stuff like he just didn’t insult me.
I sit there for a second, dumbfounded, before Ami taps my shoulder. “Um, Usagi…?”
I wait until we’re outside the building before exploding. “Oh my god, that complete and total dick. I ask a simple question and get treated like a fucking moron.”
“Well, you clearly weren’t paying attention when he went over it the first time, Usagi,” Rei chides.
“So you’re taking his side!” I screech.
“Oh no,” Rei says. “He was kind of an asshole for no reason, but I guess I see where he’s coming from?”
“Ami?”
Ami has her phone practically pressed to her nose, avoiding my face entirely. “Thanks a lot, you guys. Some best friends.”
And the best part? I have to see him again tomorrow. Great.
*
Luckily, the class is in a huge lecture hall and it isn’t difficult to avoid Chiba completely. Unluckily, however, I continue to suck royally at physics and my Get-Out-Of-Jail free card, aka Ami Mizuno, is way too swamped with her other classes to help me.
“Please, Ami...the first quiz is this week and I’m going to fail,” I plead. I’m practically on my hands and knees here.
“I’m sorry, Usagi. I have an abstract to turn in this week and study for the quiz. I can’t really help you.”
I pout and then she says, “You know, you could go--”
“No.” I absolutely refuse to show my face at another one of Chiba’s problem sessions. Fuck him.
Ami gives me a sympathetic look and then runs off to the library.
So the quiz is on Monday, so what do I decide to do Saturday night? Certainly not sit down and have some intimate quiet time with a physics textbook. Nope, I head to the bowling-alley-and-also-arcade downtown to hang out with my girls.
Of course, I’m there for all of five minutes before Minako comes swooping in, “Oh my god, there’s a party at the Alpha Kappa house, we should totally goooooo.”
Makoto shrugs, always down for a party. Rei just sighs, knowing she has to go to keep Minako out of trouble. And me? Well, I’ll take any excuse to forget this past week.
“What are we waiting for?” I say, jumping up and hooking my arm through Minako’s. “Let’s go!”
I’m usually not one for frat parties, mostly because there is always too many people and those people tend to get really drunk really fast. And the frat houses are way too far from my dorm and I’m lazy. But Minako’s in such high spirits tonight, it’s infectious. I don’t want to let my whole week get destroyed by some loser TA, so I join in her merriment.
We find drinks and nice corner to hang out in while Minako makes Rei help her rate the frat guys. Rei rolls her eyes, but I see her lips quirk up when Minako isn’t looking.
“Oooh, what about him, Rei?” Minako says. “Tall, dark and handsome. I’d give him a nine at the least.”
I turn to see who she’s talking about and oh my god, it’s Chiba. He’s not too far from our corner, a drink in one hand, talking to some girl with long wavy hair. Ugh, she probably thinks he’s charming. Poor girl.
“Isn’t that Doctor Meioh’s TA?” Rei asks.
“Oh the one that was a total asshat to Usagi?” Makoto says. This is why I love Makoto, she remembers important things.
“Yeah, but he’s hooooot,” Minako says in a kind of whiny voice which is Rei’s cue to take her drink and swap it with water. “Let’s go say hi!” She vaults over Makoto (literally, I can’t make this up) and rushes toward Chiba.
Makoto moves to grab her, but I’m quicker. I maneuver through the crowd to Minako, who’s just made it to Chiba.
He barely notices her, but his eyes immediately find mine. Why are they so blue? It’s distracting. “Dumpling head, aren’t you a little young for a frat party?” he says, eyebrow quirking up in an annoyingly handsome way.
“Dumpling head?” I snap. As if he couldn’t be more insulting.
“You know, for your…” He trails off, gesturing to the top of his own head where my hair buns would sit.
“They are buns, for your information,” I say, moving Minako away. She stumbles back into the crowd which feels extra oppressive now that I’m actually talking to Chiba.
“Are you ready for the quiz on Monday?” he asks, knowing the answer full well.
“That’s none of your business, asshole.” I feel braver knowing we aren’t in the classroom. This is even playing ground now.
“Well, it kind of is, seeing as I will have to grade your train wreck of a quiz,” is his response.
The girl he’s with, who I admit I completely forgot about, gasps. “Mamoru! Be nice.”
“I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know how. It would beneath his genius-ness.”
“I never claimed to be a genius,” he says with a chuckle. “You bestowed that title upon me, dumpling head.”
“Stop calling me that!”
“Whatever.” He turns away and starts disappearing into the crowd. “Come on, Reika.” At the last second, he calls over his shoulder. “Have fun, dumpling head. See you Monday.
I watch his retreating back, my face heating up with pure anger.
Okay, so maybe I hate Chiba a little bit.
*
To no one’s surprise, I bomb the quiz on Monday. Epically. A monumental failure that can only be surpassed if it was an actual exam and not the first quiz of the term.
Chiba hands back the quizzes on Wednesday and apparently cannot resist a smirk in my direction. I can feel my face burning as the stack of quizzes reaches me and there is mine, sitting defeated on top with a large red “30,” circled and everything.
Dr. Meioh says the quizzes were overall okay for the first, but she expects improvement. She then reminds everyone about Chiba’s office hours and problem sessions and then dismisses class.
Okay, so I definitely need some remedial tutoring, but not from Chiba. If I can’t be in the same room as the guy, how am I supposed to let him tutor me?
Dr. Meioh is lingering to talk to a few students after class, so I wait patiently for my turn. When she asks my name, her face kind of has this glimmer of recognition when I say, “Usagi Tsukino.”
“What can I do for you, Miss Tsukino?”
“Well, Doctor Meioh, I, um...I didn’t do very well on my quiz,” I say slowly.
“A thirty, isn’t that right?” she says. Ah, that’s where that glimmer of recognition came from. Chiba must have mentioned me. Bastard.
“Yes, and I was wondering--”
“If you’re going to ask about extra help, Miss Tsukino, that’s what I have Mamoru for.”
“Yes, but--”
“I’m too busy to tutor students. It’s why I have a TA. Especially in a lecture with over one hundred students.”
“I know, but--”
“That will be all, Miss Tsukino.” And she picks up her briefcase and just struts out the door.
Even Ami doesn’t provide help for me. Again. She continues to be an amazing overachiever and completely unavailable.
Which is how I end up at Chiba’s problem session on Thursday night. I drag Minako with me because I know she didn’t do as well as she pretended on that stupid quiz either.
I see Chiba raise his eyebrows when I settle into a seat near the middle, Minako chattering into my ear. I level him with my most intimidating stare, which is probably not that intimidating, but a girl can dream. He does seem surprised to see me. Ha, I will not back down, you rat bastard. Suck it.
I pay as close attention as I can, but physics is just so boring, I zone out periodically. When Chiba switches off the projector and asks for questions, I realize that while I’m pretty much finished with the problem set for this week, I still have no idea what I’m doing. At this rate, my grades will continue to plummet and I’ll have to retake this class or another science altogether which I don’t want to do because I want to stay on track and graduate.
I’m so fucked.
I can tell Chiba wants to say something smart as soon as I approach his desk at the front as all the other students file out. Minako offers to wait for me, but I tell her to go ahead. I can handle an asshole, holier-than-thou TA.
I take a deep breath. “I think we got off on the wrong foot,” I say with as much dignity as I can muster.
“You think?” He quirks an eyebrow again and it’s annoyingly handsome.
“Look, buster,” I snap. “I’m going to fail this class, okay? And I need extra help. And that’s supposedly your job, so…?”
“What, you want me to tutor you?” He acts like I asked him to run around the moon. Am I that impossible, really?
“I just….” Another deep breath, Usagi, don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing you cry. “I don’t understand. You get from point A to B and it looks nice on paper, but I don’t see how you did it.” I turn on the puppy eyes. “Please? I think some one-on-one tutoring could really help me.”
Chiba just sighs. And I’m not sure he means it as condescending, but it sure comes off that way. Like, I’m sorry that not all of us can instantly understand the wonders of physics like you can, sir.
“Meet me at the library tomorrow night. Around eight o’clock. Does that work?”
“Sure.”
*
So I almost make it to the library at 8:00. Almost.
Chiba’s waiting in the coffee shop downstairs, tapping away on his phone, when I run up at 8:05.
“Sorry, I’m late,” I say breathless. I kind of had to run from my dorm since I sort of fell asleep through my ethics homework. I was going to set an alarm, but I was certain I wouldn’t fall asleep. I should’ve known better.
“Somehow I’m not surprised,” Chiba says, what could be mistaken for fond amusement in his tone. But who am I kidding, he’s not that nice. He tosses his coffee in the nearby trash can and picks up his bag. And no, I’m not admiring his rather toned forearms that I can see because he pushed up his shirt sleeves in that kind of hipster-ish, disheveled way.
I can hate someone and think they’re kind of cute, too, okay?
Chiba reserved a study room for us because he has the foresight for things like that. And he’s all business once we’re alone, prying me for information about what exactly I don’t understand about the problems.
“Is ‘everything’ an acceptable answer?” I say sweetly.
He rolls his eyes. “No, dumpling head, it isn’t.”
“My name is Usagi,” I snap. “If I have to spend extra time with you each week, the least you could do is use my name.”
“Explain how to factor an equation to me and I’ll stop calling you dumpling head.”
“What?” That infuriating smirk is back. Ooh, I hate him so much. “That’s totally unfair.”
The whole hour and half passes like that. I try, he makes me feel like an idiot, whether intentionally or not is completely irrelevant at this point. I’m on the verge of tears by the time he checks his phone and sees it’s almost 10 o’clock.
“It’s a good start,” he says and I search for a trace of sarcasm. “You should come by my office hours next week too.”
“You don’t have to be so condescending, you know.” I angrily stuff my notebook in my bag. “I mean I know I’m stupid, but you don’t have to keep reiterating that point every five fucking seconds.”
Chiba looks genuinely taken aback. “I’m not--”
“Oh yes you are.” I’m on a roll now. “Every little sigh and, ‘Oh come on, dumpling head.’ Like I get it, I’m not as smart as you. I don’t get this shit. You don’t have to keep shoving it down my throat. God.”
Chiba blinks owlishly for a few seconds and, as much as I hate him, he is cute. A girl could drown in those blue eyes for certain. And if I didn’t want to ring his neck, I’d probably want to ruffle his thick dark hair. In fact, Chiba is totally a guy I would go for...if he wasn’t such an asshole.
“You’re not dumb, Usagi,” he says seriously. Wait, did he actually use my name? “You’re just kind of lazy.” I guess that was a compliment. He shoulders his bag and opens the door to the study room. “And you did well tonight. Keep at this and we’ll see some improvement, okay?”
I eye him distrustfully as he holds the door open for me. He walks with me to the door and then heads in the opposite direction back to his...apartment, I guess? Like I know where Chiba lives.
As I walk back to the dorm, I can’t help but think about what he said. And how he acted. Maybe Chiba doesn’t realize how...prickly is a nice word for it...he can be? Maybe calling him out was the best thing to do. Or maybe he’ll keep being an uppity jerk that I’ll have to suffer for the rest of the semester for a decent grade.
I’m still so fucked.
*
Classes continue. Problem sessions continue. I keep meeting Chiba, at his office hours and at the library. He’s less of a jerk, but definitely not nice. But he does keep reiterating that I’m doing better. So when the next quiz rolls around and I pull out a 70, I can’t resist the “Whoo!” I let out in the middle of class because hot damn, I never thought I’d pass a physics quiz on my own.
Chiba’s smirking when I walk past him out of the lecture hall. “Anything you want to say, dumpling head?”
“I thought you said you’d stop calling me that?”
No response, just more smirking. I sigh. “Do you want me to, what, thank you? For my 70?” I narrow my eyes. “You do remember that it’s your job to help your students, right?”
“I’m not expecting a thank you,” Chiba says. “I figured you wanted to gloat.”
“I’m not gloating.” I hold the quiz to my chest. “I don’t want to scare it away.”
Chiba laughs. It’s such a surprisingly pleasant sound considering our more recent interactions that it makes my stomach do little flip-flops. Uh oh.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, dumpling head.” He ruffles my hair as he walks off down the hallway.
Uh oh.