Chapter 10: The Morning Disaster

The first rays of morning light slipped through the blinds of the Sakuragaoka library, painting the floor in gold.

The room was quiet — too quiet — until Yuuto stirred, groaning softly.

His head hurt. His back hurt. His everything hurt.

“...What time is it?” he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

He blinked — and then froze.

Something warm was pressed against his arm. Another something soft was resting on his chest.

He looked down — and nearly screamed.

Mizuki was curled up beside him, sleeping soundly, her hand clutching his shirt.

Akari had somehow rolled over during the night and was now using his stomach as a pillow, one leg draped across him possessively.

Rika… was nowhere to be seen, but her folded blanket was nearby, as if she’d stormed off earlier.

Yuuto’s brain went into emergency shutdown.

> “N-no way—what the hell is this situation!?”

He tried to sit up, but Akari’s leg tightened around his waist like a vice.

> “Mmph… five more minutes, Yuuto…” she mumbled sleepily.

> “M-more than enough minutes!” he squeaked. “Get off—!”

Mizuki stirred next, blinking awake, her eyes hazy with sleep.

> “Hmm… morning already…?”

Then she looked up — saw where her hand was resting — and her entire face turned crimson.

> “Ahhh!? K-Kanda-kun!?”

> “I swear it’s not what it looks like!” he cried, waving his hands like a drowning man.

But of course, that’s exactly when Rika walked in.

---

Rika stood in the doorway, hair perfectly brushed, glasses gleaming dangerously.

In one hand, she held a tray with canned coffee.

In the other — her phone, raised and aimed directly at the scene.

Click.

Yuuto froze like a criminal caught in a spotlight.

> “R-Rika! I can explain—!”

> “No need,” she said flatly. “This is perfect blackmail material.”

> “Wait, what!?”

> “You look like a degenerate tutor violating every ethical code known to mankind,” she continued, sipping her coffee with absolute calm. “Should I send this to Sensei Amamiya? Or maybe the student council?”

Mizuki yelped and covered her face with a pillow. Akari groaned awake, still half-asleep.

> “Rikaaa… stop being scary in the morning…”

Rika crossed her arms.

> “Stop being indecent in the morning.”

Yuuto’s life flashed before his eyes. “Look, this isn’t what it looks like! We just—uh—slept after studying! That’s all!”

> “Right,” Rika said dryly. “Fully clothed co-ed sleepovers are totally part of the syllabus.”

---

Before Yuuto could defend himself further, the door creaked open again.

> “Oh my my~ What do we have here?”

The familiar teasing voice sent chills down his spine.

Standing there was Sensei Amamiya, their homeroom teacher — stylish, confident, and far too amused.

She raised a brow, taking in the sight: Yuuto sitting between two half-awake girls, surrounded by fallen books, feathers, and open instant noodle cups.

> “Well, well. I give you one night of responsibility, and you turn it into a rom-com set.”

Yuuto’s soul left his body. “S-Sensei! I can explain—”

> “No need,” she interrupted, smirking. “The smell of youthful chaos explains everything.”

She leaned in close, whispering just loud enough for Rika to hear.

> “You’ve got competition, Rika-san. If you don’t claim him soon, the others might beat you to it.”

Rika choked on her coffee.

> “S-Sensei!”

Amamiya straightened, chuckling. “I’ll be generous and pretend I didn’t see anything. But clean this place up before the librarian does — or all four of you are doomed.”

With that, she strolled out, humming cheerfully, leaving behind a trail of panic and red faces.

---

Once she was gone, Yuuto dropped his head into his hands.

> “I’m dead. I’m actually dead. They’ll never let me tutor again.”

Akari stretched, yawning loudly.

> “Aw, don’t be dramatic. That was the most fun study session ever!”

> “Fun?!” Rika snapped. “We’re one viral photo away from a scandal!”

Mizuki tugged Yuuto’s sleeve timidly.

> “K-Kanda-kun… thank you for not… you know… doing anything weird.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “Of course I didn’t! What kind of person do you think I am!?”

Rika raised an eyebrow. “Do you want that list alphabetically or chronologically?”

> “Rika!”

---

As they began cleaning, the tension softened into laughter again. Mizuki hummed quietly while stacking books. Akari started sweeping but turned it into a broom-sword fight. Rika pretended not to join — then joined anyway.

Yuuto watched them, smiling despite himself.

Maybe Sensei Amamiya was right. Maybe it was a rom-com set.

Still… as he wiped the table, Rika came over, setting down a mug of coffee beside him.

> “Here,” she said, looking away. “For… not being a total idiot. This time.”

He blinked. “Is that your way of saying thank you?”

> “It’s my way of saying you owe me breakfast,” she muttered, cheeks pink.

He smiled, a bit too brightly. “Then I’ll pay you back with tutoring excellence.”

> “Don’t push it,” she said, but the faint smile stayed.

---

When they finally stepped outside, the sun was fully up. The air smelled of early summer — fresh, warm, and full of possibility.

Akari slung her bag over her shoulder.

> “Next camp, let’s do it at my place!”

Rika immediately glared. “Absolutely not.”

Mizuki giggled. “Maybe we should just… study in the library again?”

Yuuto paled. “No. No more libraries. Ever.”

The girls laughed as they walked off down the path, their voices mixing with the morning breeze.

Yuuto followed behind, half smiling, half exasperated.

Somehow, his life as a tutor was turning into something far messier—and far more heart-thumping—than any textbook could prepare him for.