Another gray morning dawned, just like the one before it, and Hiroshi sat hunched over in the classroom corner, his eyes glued to his handheld console. His thumb moved lazily across the buttons as he muttered under his breath, "Another day being bullied... so boring out here. No friends, no family... just me and my video games." The sound of students laughing and chattering felt like a distant buzz, a world away from his quiet bubble of monotony.
Suddenly, a voice cut through his thoughts like a knife. "Hey, nerd. What's up?"
Hiroshi glanced up from his game, only to see Miyu standing over him, her arms crossed and her signature smirk plastered across her face. "What do you care?" he replied, his tone as sharp as hers.
Miyu tilted her head, leaning down slightly, her bangs falling across her face in a way that almost seemed... sincere. "Well, listen, Hiroshi," she began, her voice softer than usual. "I know I bully you, but I actually..."
Her words hung in the air, and for a brief, bewildering moment, Hiroshi thought he saw a glimmer of something in her eyes—compassion? No, it couldn’t be. Before he could process it, Miyu leaned in closer, her lips barely inches away from his.
Time seemed to freeze. Hiroshi's heart pounded in his chest, a whirlwind of confusion and panic swirling inside him. What is happening right now?
But just as quickly as the moment came, it shattered. Miyu shoved him to the ground with surprising force, planting her foot on his chest.
"You really thought I would kiss you?!" she sneered, her voice laced with venomous glee. "You’re such a nerd! As if anyone could ever love you!"
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Hiroshi winced as pain shot through his back, her heel pressing down harder than necessary. "P-please stop!" he gasped. "I’ll do anything!"
At this, Miyu paused, her smirk faltering ever so slightly. "A-anything?" she echoed, her voice suddenly uncertain.
"Yes, anything! Just stop stepping on me!"
Miyu removed her foot with a huff, brushing nonexistent dust off her skirt. "Get up, nerd," she barked, averting her gaze. "Don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I just... need you to help me study for tomorrow’s science exam. That’s all. This means nothing! I still think you’re ugly and annoying and have absolutely no redeeming qualities!"
Hiroshi sat up, dusting himself off and giving her an incredulous look. "Yeah, fine," he said flatly. "I’ll help you study."
The lunch bell rang, and the two found themselves seated in the corner of the cafeteria, Miyu fidgeting with her pencil while Hiroshi skimmed through a textbook.
"So," Hiroshi began, trying to break the awkward silence, "what grades do you normally get in science?"
Miyu’s face turned bright red, and she stammered, "U-uh... th-that doesn’t matter, okay?! Just mind your own business!"
But Hiroshi’s attention drifted to the paper lying on the table—a crumpled sheet with bold red ink scrawled across it. Before Miyu could stop him, he snatched it up.
"Hey, let me see that," he said, straightening the paper.
"N-no, don’t—!" Miyu lunged for it, but it was too late.
Hiroshi’s eyes widened as he stared at the enormous -F circled at the top of the page. "Oh my g—"
SLAP!
Miyu’s hand connected with his cheek before he could finish the sentence, leaving a stinging red mark. "D-don’t you dares say anything, you dumb nerd!" she shouted, her voice cracking slightly.
Rubbing his cheek, Hiroshi sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Let’s just get started."
And so, amidst the odd tension of their dynamic, the nerd and his bully began their study session, neither fully understanding why the other made their heart race.