𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 {𝐔𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐣𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫}

Chapter 45: Study Bug

*Your POV*

Final exams were around the corner, and I had a lot of catching up to do before I was cornered with questions I hadn't studied for.

Ushijima was in the same boat. Volleyball practice took up a lot of our time out of school. He offered to study with me, but truthfully, I wasn't sure how helpful he would be considering I'd be distracted by his presence the entire time. I doubted I would focus on any of the material when his big, muscly body was just sitting there, taunting me.

Unfortunately, my ability to say no weakened when it came to him. I'd ignored my better judgement and invited him over on Saturday so that we could spend as long as we wanted on our assignments without being disturbed.

I was setting up supplies when he knocked. I answered promptly to let him inside.

"Hi!" I greeted warmly to which he smiled in return.

I led him to the countertop seating area where I'd agreed to be if my mother stayed in her room without bothering us. He sat in the chair next to me and set down his papers. Laid out were calculators, writing utensils, and a few snacks that I knew were mostly for me.

In the spirit of being productive, we began almost immediately. I did my best to keep my head in the game. I couldn't afford to waste time especially because I was sure I'd lose stamina in a couple of hours.

The inevitable eventually came, and I got stuck on a math problem.

"Ushi, do you know how to do this?" I asked in confusion.

He peered over at what I was referring to and nodded.

"You almost have it, but you're supposed to divide this first before continuing the rest of the formula."

I was to the right of him, and because of his left-handedness, he had to lean in closer than usual. I watched carefully as he made directive scribbles. His handwriting was on the smaller side, but it was neat and business-like.

"Do you understand?" He asked, turning his head to face me only inches away.

"Yes, thank you."

I bit the inside of my cheek and reverted to my work.

There was a silent aura of efficiency. I loved the exhilaration of breezing through sheets. Unfortunately, it was interrupted when my mother descended down the stairs. I just knew that she would strike up a conversation instead of respecting our timely occupation.

"How's it going, you two?" She started.

"Well." Ushijima said shortly.

He wasn't really sure how to interact with her yet. Discussing that was on my to-do list.

"We're getting a lot done thanks to the peace and quiet." I insinuated with wide, communicative eyes.

She definitely understood my message, but that didn't stop her.

"I just came down to get a snack. Moms have to eat to, y'know!"

I subtly cringed at her wording while she bent over to see what was in the fridge. Of all the food to pick from, she decided on leftovers from yesterday's dinner. That meant she'd have to wait while it heated up.

She stuck the bowl in the microwave before leaning over the counter and lingering to stare in a parental fashion. It was obvious she wanted to be down here with us.

"Anything I can help with?" She verbally poked.

"Unless you want to write the rough draft of this essay, I'm afraid not." I replied.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I won a free trip to South Korea for my essay? Oh, you should have seen it. The scenery, the atmosphere, you have to go some day. Ha! There was this man I met there who could have been your father. Too bad he was from Australia. He may have been a stunner, but a girl only has so much money for plane tickets."

The stories seemed to stretch on endlessly until the beep sounded, indicating the time was done. I mentally kissed the heavens.

"Alright, I suppose I should leave you two alone to study, yeah?" She suggested rhetorically before making her leave.

As soon as I heard her bedroom door close, I let out a deep sigh.

"Finally. Sorry about that." I apologized.

"She may be a bit much, but I like seeing a mother involved in her child's life. It's a nice change."

My expression quickly morphed to one of sympathy, and I was reminded of how grateful I should be.

Ushijima opened the door everyday to a hollow, loveless home with no one waiting to welcome him. He cooked his own humble meals and ate by himself at an expansive yet empty dining table. There was nobody to laugh with or hug, nobody to ask him how his day went or if he was doing well.

He never had anyone in the stands of his games to look up at. All of his trophies were won for his father who wasn't even around to praise him. They sat on a shelf in his room, polished and arranged, untouched and underappreciated.

He was alone.

"Let's take a break." I said pulling him to the couch by the hand.

"What about studying?" He questioned.

"It can wait."

I tugged him down with me and we snuggled up under a fuzzy blanket. He chose a movie, and I rested my head on his shoulder. He was surprisingly comfortable to lay on.

"This is what it's supposed to be like." I told him.

The warm embrace tightened around me and reassured that this was what he needed.

After the end credits began playing, I tilted my head back to look at him and realized he'd fallen asleep. This was the first time I'd seen him unconscious, so at peace. He was still pretty.

I very slowly took out my phone to snap a photo and set it as my home screen before returning to my previous position.

Of all the people I'd been around, he made me feel the safest. I wasn't worried that he'd leave or disappoint me. This bond was secure and devoted. Though we hadn't known each other very long, and we'd been dating even shorter of a time, he was a part of my life now, one I didn't want to lose.

I had always been a very reasonable person. I would never get ahead of myself or set my hopes too high optimistically. I was the type of girl to think that dating in highschool was a lost cause. My fear of commitment overshadowed potential for romantic relationships.

Everything we were went against my nature, and yet, I couldn't deny that I was falling in love with Ushijima Wakatoshi.

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