Hiroshi hit the ground with a dull thud, clutching his cheek as he groaned, “Ow... I’m sorry, okay!”

Miyu stood over him, fists clenched, her face as red as a traffic light. "I told you not to look at it, you—" She muttered a word that made Hiroshi flinch, the kind of word teachers would send a student straight to detention for uttering.

Still on the ground, Hiroshi adjusted his crooked glasses, the lens smudged from the fall. “Look, I said I’m sorry...”

Miyu’s anger didn’t waver. “Just... just help me, okay? And let’s move. I don’t want any of my friends seeing me with a nerd like you.”

Hiroshi sighed, picking himself up and brushing dirt off his pants. "Yeah, whatever you say, boss," he muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

They ended up in the school’s backyard, tucked away behind a crumbling brick wall. The place was deserted, save for a stray cat lounging in the grass. Hiroshi folded his arms and frowned. “You really don’t want to be seen with me? Did we have to hide this far away?”

“Yes! Yes, we did!” Miyu snapped, pacing in front of him like a general preparing for battle. “Now, can you please help me already?”

Hiroshi shrugged, leaning against the wall. “Alright, what do you need help with?”

Miyu froze, her eyes darting to the sky as if hoping to find an answer written in the clouds. “Uh... you know, whatever the teacher was talking about in science class.”

Hiroshi stared at her blankly. “You don’t even know?”

Miyu’s face flushed crimson. “O-of course I know! I just... I’m too tired to explain it to you!” She punctuated her excuse with another slap, her hand leaving a stinging mark on Hiroshi’s other cheek.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry!” Hiroshi winced, rubbing his cheek.

With a dramatic huff, Miyu opened her notebook and shoved it in front of him. Hiroshi blinked at the blank pages, not a single word or doodle in sight. “Wait... you didn’t even write down what’s coming in the exam?”

Miyu’s voice rose in defense. “I just forgot, okay?! I swear I was tired! Whatever, we’ll just use your notebook!”

Hiroshi hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. “Well, about that... Makuro—you know, my bully? He’s using my notebook to study. Said he’d give it back after school...”

Miyu’s eyes widened, then narrowed into a glare that could have melted steel. “What?!” Her fists trembled, and for a moment, Hiroshi thought she might actually explode. But instead, she let out a long, dramatic sigh, pressing her fingers to her temples as if warding off a migraine.

“Okay, listen, nerd,” she began, her voice sharp and commanding. “When you get your notebook back, you’re coming to my house to help me study. Nothing more than that. Only to study, got it? Got it?”

Hiroshi’s face turned a faint shade of pink, and for a brief moment, a thought crossed his mind. Am I really going to this cutie’s house? But just as quickly, reality hit him like a slap to the face—literally.

Miyu’s palm connected with his cheek once more, her voice cutting through his daze. “Nerd! You perverted freak! Snap out of it! You’re only coming to study!”

“Y-yeah, I know!” Hiroshi stammered, straightening his glasses as he tried to keep his voice steady.

Still glaring at him, Miyu pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and scribbled something on it. She shoved it into his hand, her handwriting as chaotic as her temper. “That’s my address. Don’t let yourself be seen, okay? If my friends find out I’m hanging out with you, I’ll—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Hiroshi cut in, waving a hand dismissively. “You’ll beat me up. Got it. You’ve said it like ten times already.”

Miyu glared daggers at him but didn’t deny it. “Good. Now don’t mess this up, nerd.”

As she stomped away, Hiroshi stared down at the crumpled note in his hand, a strange mixture of dread and nervous anticipation swirling in his chest. Her house, huh? he thought.

The corners of his lips twitched into a faint, embarrassed smile. But then he quickly shook his head, muttering under his breath, “This is going to go horribly wrong, isn’t it?”