Dance of Two Colors (Genji x Reader)

Chapter Two

ELEVEN YEARS LATER, (Y/N)'S POV:

Why did I get a job as a cashier again?

It was the worst decision I could've made. Instead of being able to walk home with my best friend Maya, I had to literally sprint out of class and run to the SaveMart in order to make it on time for my shift. My boss, a stout old man with pincer-like grubby hands, hated the "youngster" workers ever since his house was egged by edgy tweens, and frequently accused me of both doing my job wrong and being a twat. He timed my arrival to the second. I didn't have to guess that I would be fired if I was late.

I threw a sweater over my school blouse to cover it up as I ran through he streets toward the SaveMart. I didn't have time to change. The job was a bitch.

But it was one I couldn't afford to lose. I needed the money for ballet lessons and gymnastics. My ballet instructor Mary says I have the potential to be a prima ballerina, which means that I have the potential to be one of the greatest ballet dancers in the world. I couldn't stop having my lessons now; not when I was so close to achieving something so great.

I smoothed my hair and skirt down as best I could as I approached the SaveMart doors. As soon as I entered, I saw my boss standing near the entrance, checking his watch and looking away with a disappointed grunt. Good. That meant that I was on time.

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"Your total amounts to a hundred dollars and sixty cents."

"But I used all my coupons!"

"Yes. But your total still amounts to a hundred and sixty cents."

"Blasphemy!"

"Ma'm, one hundred dollars and sixty cents please."

The stressed woman shoved her hand in her purse before revealing a shiny credit card. She swiped it through the machine with anger and then squinted at me. I forced a smile on my exhausted and bored face.

"Have a nice day, ma'm."

"Hmph!"

She grabbed her bags and stomped off. I began mindlessly scanning the next person's items and mentally ran through the rest of my day. Ballet practice, then gymnastics, then home to study. Every fiber of my being just wanted to start stretching and spinning and dancing already... but my body was stuck here, in the rugged checkout lane of a SaveMart.

What snapped me out of my wishful thoughts was the realization that I had been scanning a whole bunch of family-sized chip bags for a whole minute. This person literally filled the conveyor belt with chips.

I tilted my head to see what else was on the end of the belt. Oh, a box of condoms. Lovely.

The customer slammed his hands down on the register desk to grab my attention. I jumped with surprise, and then an unamused bitch face settled upon my features.

Genji Shimada was leaning on his palm, smirking at me like I was dinner. Which was strange. Because he hadn't even so much as acknowledged my existence for eleven years.

We went to the same school, and he quickly gained a notorious reputation as he grew up. Flirting, sexing, partying, getting wasted, etc. You know the typical fuckboy drill. I had avoided him as best I could up until this point. He had broken three of my friends' hearts in the span of a month. He was the worst.

I almost can't believe that he was the reason I didn't quit ballet that day. I'm sure he didn't even remember.

His dark snarky eyes seemed to penetrate my soul. "Eyeing the condoms? What, wanna bone?"

"Your existence disgusts me."

He laughed. "I can't see why else you'd inspect them like so."

I bitterly grabbed a bag of sour cream and onion chips and scanned it before throwing it into the bagging area. "I was just wondering if you had anything other than sodium on the belt."

"If you're that curious, the chips are for a party. A wicked party at the Shimada house. My brother Hanzo will be out of town so I invited a few people over. The condoms are for when I inevitably smash."

"Do you always have to be grotesque?"

"I'll be whatever you want me to be."

He clicked his tongue and gave me a small smile. It was then that I took the opportunity to inspect the changes he'd endured over the last eleven years. His hair was dyed a shade of green, his eyes seemed to have become narrow from his default flirt-face,and his lips had become thinner and more prone to smirking. Genji had definitely matured well, but it was hard to see past that annoying personality.

I had finished scanning all the chip bags and put the box of condoms under the scanner. He snickered like a little kid. "I hope these break," I hissed, tossing them to the bagging area.

I just wanted this prick gone. I jabbed the "print receipt" button and wished it would print faster.

"Hey, wait a sec, (y/n)."

"You know my name?"

"How could I not?" As he said that, his facial expression changed. It seemed... somewhat genuine and serious. I was taken aback by his sudden switch, but then his eyes relaxed into his usual expression once again. "Alright, listen, so I chose this aisle for a reason. I was wondering... if you would tutor me."

I scoffed and pulled his receipt out. "Me? Tutor you? In what?"

"Everything! You're the smartest kid in the grade."

"Flattery won't get me to help you out."

"But I mean it!"

I started bagging his chips, but he placed his hands on top of mine to halt me. I flinched at the sudden and abrupt contact, and raised my eyes to meet his.

"Please!" he begged. "If I fail... my clan... they'll hate me even more than they already do."

I hesitated under his pleading gaze. I may not have liked Genji, but I did owe him for eleven years ago, even if he didn't mean to push me to continue ballet. And, just because I was an overall compassionate person, I hated to leave someone out in the cold when I could help them.

Come to think of it... the Shimada family were fairly rich...

"Will you pay me?" I asked.

"Honey, I'm made of money."

That would be perfect! I could possibly be able to quit my SaveMart job and still have a steady flow of money!

I pulled my hands out from his grip and sighed. "Okay, but I have a few conditions."

Genji clapped his hands, obviously elated, and waited to hear what I had to say. I pursed my lips, crossed my arms, and glared at him coldly. "No flirting, demeaning comments, stupid comments, etc. Oh wait, I just described your whole speech pattern. So it's actually be best if you kept your talking to a minimum."

"I'll... try?"

We held our stares at each other for a few seconds. He awaited my final verdict.

... I mean like, how bad could it be?