Hiroshi gently placed his hand on Miyu's shoulder, his voice tinged with nervousness. “U-uhm, Miyu… wanna go to the arcade?”

Miyu blinked in surprise, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. “Y-yeah, why not… but, uh, I didn’t bring any money with me.”

Hiroshi gave a small smile and replied, “It’s okay. I got you.”

As they entered the arcade, Miyu’s eyes lit up with excitement as she spotted a claw machine. Rushing over, she exclaimed, “Can I try this one?”

Hiroshi chuckled, handing her a few coins. Miyu eagerly started playing, her target a Rem plushie from one of her favorite shows. However, after a few attempts, the plushie remained firmly out of her grasp.

“Ugh!” Miyu groaned, pouting. She turned to Hiroshi with a pleading look. “Hiroshi, can you please get me that Remplushie? Pretty please~?”

Hiroshi scratched his head, looking a bit uneasy. “Well, I’m not really that g—”

Before he could finish, Miyu clung to his arm, her voice rising to a sing-song tone. “Please, please, please, pleeease!”

Hiroshi’s face turned beet red as her closeness made his heart race. “Y-yeah, okay! I’ll get it for you! Just stop or I’ll—”

“What will you do?~” Miyu teased, her playful tone only making Hiroshi’s cheeks darker.

“N-nothing! Just let me focus on the claw machine!” he stammered, stepping forward to save his dignity.

With careful precision, Hiroshi maneuvered the claw and successfully snagged the Rem plushie. But not stopping there, he also managed to grab a Subaru Natsuki plushie for himself.

Miyu clapped her hands together, grinning. “Thank you, Hiroshi~!”

As Hiroshi handed her the plushie, he couldn’t help but think, Why is she being so nice? Out loud, he said, “Yeah, I love this show. Subaru’s one of my favorite characters in fiction.”

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“Me too!” Miyu said enthusiastically. “He’s so cool.”

The two spent hours in the arcade, trying different games and collecting small prizes. Hiroshi occasionally glanced at Miyu, wondering if this felt… like a date.

By the time they left the arcade, it was already 7 PM, and both of their stomachs growled in unison.

“Let’s grab some food and study,” Hiroshi suggested. “I brought my notebook and textbook in my bag just in case.”

Miyu nodded. “Yeah, sure… but I feel bad about making you spend so much money. Can I pay you back?”

Hiroshi shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I’m just happy we’re… never mind. Let’s just head to that fast-food place. I’m starving.”

Miyu smiled warmly at him. “Alright, let’s go.”

The fast-food restaurant was cozy, with the smell of fries and burgers filling the air. They ordered their meals and sat at a corner table.

As they ate, Hiroshi pulled out his notebook, and the two started reviewing for the exam. Hiroshi was meticulous, patiently explaining concepts while Miyu listened intently.

The hours passed quickly, and soon it was time to head home. They walked together to Miyu’s house, where she turned to him and said, “Thanks, Hiroshi. For, uh, everything today.”

Hiroshi smiled. “No problem. Get some rest. Tomorrow’s a big day.”

The next morning, the sun rose on a bright and clear day. As Miyu and Hiroshi met up to walk to school together, they looked more like best friends than anything else.

When they arrived at school, Miyu’s usual group of friends spotted them. One of the girls raised an eyebrow and said, “Miyu, why are you with him?”

Hiroshi braced himself, ready to apologize and claim it was just a coincidence, but to his surprise, Miyu responded first.

“We’re friends now,” she said confidently. “He’s pretty cool, okay?”

Her friends exchanged shocked looks but didn’t argue. “Really? Uh, well, okay…”

As they walked to class, Hiroshi couldn’t help but smile. He felt lighter, more confident. And that confidence carried over into the classroom, where he found himself chatting with a few classmates. By the end of the day, he had made two new friends, Mani and Styan.

But there wasn’t much time to relax. The exam was looming closer.

During lunch, Hiroshi and Miyu sat together, notebooks spread across the table. “Let’s review some more,” Hiroshi said. “I really hope you pass.”

Miyu blushed slightly but puffed out her chest. “Of course I’ll pass. I have you as my tutor, don’t I?”

Hiroshi chuckled, leaning over to explain another problem. “You’re so hopeless sometimes, Miyu…”

But this time, she didn’t argue back. Instead, she smiled softly and whispered, “Thanks, Hiroshi.”

The two spent the rest of their lunch break studying, both determined to face the challenge ahead—together.