Study Session

Akari stared a bit confused at the situation as he was above Ayano. Slowly, however, the class president’s eyes closed as soft breathing could be heard. She had fallen back asleep. Well, if she was ever fully awake in the first place.

“Akari, are you still awake?” The door slid open, revealing Ryoichi walking into the room. “I just wanted to ask you about—” his voice faded off as he noticed Akari still perched on top of Ayano on the couch. A sheepish smile played on his lips as he turned slowly as if realizing he had walked into an intimate moment.

“Sorry for interrupting you…”

Quick to dispel any misconceptions, Akari scrambled off the couch with an audible thud. “This isn't what it looks like, Ryoichi,” he hastened to clarify, his words laced with a mix of embarrassment and confusion. “It’s just… actually, not even I know what just happened…”

“Young master, is everything alright? I heard a sound—” Misha’s words tapered off as she caught sight of Ryoichi's presence. Her demeanor shifted, nerves manifesting in her stammering voice.

“Oh, Misha! It’s nice to see you! It’s been a while!” Ryoichi greeted her warmly, his smile a welcoming invitation.

“R-r-r-r-r-ryoichi!” Misha stammered, her demeanor transforming into a bundle of nerves. “W–w-what are you doing here?”

“There was a bit of a kerfuffle with some snakes…” Ryoichi sheepishly explained. “I had to make sure that our young master returned home safely.”

“Y-you’re not hurt, are you?” Concern laced Misha’s voice as she circled around him, her eyes scanning his form for any signs of harm.

“I’m fine, Misha. Nothing I can’t handle,” Ryoichi affirmed with a grin.

Growing impatient with the undertones of one-sided flirting, Akari interjected, shifting their focus back to the primary matter at hand. “What did you need to see me for..?”

“Ah, thank you for reminding me.” With a sigh, Ryoichi delved into his crossover bag, retrieving a stack of papers. The sight of the papers stirred a sense of dread within Akari – his mock exam results, annotated with red ink denoting failure.

“Akari, what is the meaning of this?” Ryoichi asked, tapping his finger at the red scores, highlighting his poor performance. The realization of his academic setback heightened the intensity of Misha's glare, her eyes almost seeming to emit an ominous reddish glow.

“Young master…” Her tone carried a subtle, implicit threat, her clenched fists reflecting her escalating displeasure. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Akari interjected sheepishly, his fingers tapping together.

“Hey…” Akari tried to smile innocently. “I did pretty well in English…”

“Do I need to tutor you one-on-one again?” Misha asked, reminding Akari of those dreadful intense nights.

“T-t-there’s no need for that!” Akari held his hands up defensively. “I promise I’ll do nothing but study tomorrow, alright?! Ayano will be there to assist and I’ll even invite Chiaki!”

“If you say so,” Ryoichi conceded with a sigh, accompanied by a nod toward Misha. Her tension visibly eased, though not without a final ominous glance cast in Akari’s direction.

“Sleep well, young master,” her words held a touch of insincerity before she departed the room in Ryoichi’s wake.

As the door closed, Akari exhaled a sigh of relief, grateful for the respite. However, the weight of impending studies settled in, and weariness washed over him as he contemplated the tasks awaiting tomorrow.

With another sigh, he allowed himself to collapse onto his mattress, surrendering to the comfort it offered. The concerns of the night could wait until morning.

“Good morning, Akari!” Chiaki held his hand high in the air as he arrived at the library. Akari was still half asleep eating breakfast as he sat outside on the grass.

“G’morn… Chi…” Akari managed to muster a tired greeting. “Thanks for coming…”

“Of course, of course!” Chiaki beamed. “You know, I was seriously taken aback when you messaged me to help you study. I always figured I’d be the one having to drag you into this!”

“Well yea… you know…” Akari averted his gaze. He wasn't about to reveal that it was Misha who had coerced him into seeking Chiaki’s assistance.

“Good morning, Chiaki,” Ayano chimed in, emerging from the library’s front entrance.

“Miss class president, morn morn!” Chiaki greeted her with his usual cheer. “I can’t believe you got here before I did!”

“The early bird gets the worm and all that…” Ayano quipped. “Let’s not waste any time then, shall we?”

“Yes, let’s!” Chiaki agreed with a grin.

“But it’s still too early…” Akari let out a half-hearted groan, hunching forward in an attempt to soak up the sun’s rays for an energy boost. Ayano and Chiaki exchanged knowing glances before shaking their heads.

“It’s time to study,” Ayano declared resolutely. With synchronized determination, they each took hold of one of Akari’s arms and began dragging him toward the library building.

“Nooooo….” Akari’s protest was met with resolute determination from his two friends.

The next few hours seemed to stretch on like an endless journey through hell for Akari. Each question he attempted to solve felt like a tangled web of confusion, leaving him more confused than understanding.

In stark contrast, Chiaki and Ayano navigated the material effortlessly, their minds in perfect sync as they seamlessly tackled questions and found solutions. The stark contrast between their ease and his struggle made Akari feel like a modern-day caveman grappling with the complexities of a foreign world.

“What’s ⬤, Akari?” Ayano’s voice cut through the tense air, her gaze fixed on him as she waited for an answer.

“⬤?” Akari guessed.

“That’s correct. What about ⬤⬤?”

“I don’t know that one…”

“⬤⬤!” Chiaki answered with a confident nod. “Seriously, Akari, you need to step up your game.”

“You two are just too smart,” Akari made up an excuse as he buried his head in his arms. “Could I cheat off you during the exam, Chiaki?”

“What do you think?” Chiaki laughed lightly before glancing at his watch. “My, I need to get going. Sorry fellas but my shift starts real soon.” Chiaki quickly packed his stuff before giving a wave to leave. “Good luck you guys!”

Ayano joined in the wave, offering her own farewell as Chiaki’s figure disappeared from view.

“It’s all over then,” Akari sighed. “I can’t study, I can’t cheat, I can’t pass the exams.”

“Come on, Akari, you can do it!” Ayano pumped her fists encouragingly, determination evident on her face.

“Oya? What’s this?” A voice called out from behind him, drawing Akari’s attention. Slowly, he lifted his head to be greeted by the sight of two familiar figures – Himeko and Shinji.

“Of course, Akari can’t study well,” Himeko scoffed with a smirk.

“Now, now. Let’s be a bit more considerate, Himeko,” Shinji interjected, his smile carrying a calming effect as he greeted the assembled group. “Good afternoon, my friends.”

“Hello Shinji, Himeko,” Ayano warmly smiled back.

“How’s your little study session going? Is your brain already fried?” Himeko’s tone took on a mocking edge as she directed her words at Akari.

“As if you’re any better! I know your test scores aren’t better than mine.” Akari declared.

“How do you know that?!” Himeko’s momentary loss of composure was quickly concealed as she cleared her throat. “I mean, I’m clearly more intelligent than you are. You can’t even tackle this simple problem!”

“If you’re so smart, let’s see who’s better then!” Akari argued.

“Fine! Whoever gets the higher test scores wins!” Himeko agreed to the competition.

“What does the loser have to do?”

“Anything the winner wants!” Himeko growled.

“Himeko… this doesn’t sound like a good idea…” Shinji tried to reason with his sister.

“Silence!”

“You better keep to your promise then!” Akari warned, glaring into her eyes.

“I expect the same from you because I fully intend to win,” Himeko declared with unyielding resolve.

“You guys…” Ayano interjected with a sheepish smile, aiming to ease the escalating tension.

Himeko dramatically whipped her hair back before storming out of the library, a clear display of her discontent evident in her every step. Shinji followed her in quick succession, his gentle presence an attempt to soothe his sister's obvious frustration.

As the two departed, the atmosphere in the room seemed to shift. Akari’s previously resolute competitive expression gave way to a transformation of teary sadness. His eyes, now brimming with emotion, sought out Ayano in a plea for solace and understanding. It was a silent request for her support in the midst of this academic ordeal.

“Ayano…” His voice carried a desperate plea. With a resigned sigh, Ayano nodded her head understandingly.

“The things I do for you…” She picked up her pencil, her tone resigned but gentle. “Alright, let’s get started then.”