Hated by You ☆ | Riki Nishimura

第28章

Tutor

The weekend went fast and now were only three days of school left, which meant that the exams are approaching fast. Hitomi studied for the whole weekend, but still history is a subject she just can't understand and this way she's definitely gonna fail it. It's just one subject of all. Does it even matter if she fails it?

It was lunch time and Hitomi and Mina were looking for Yuma in the cafeteria. In a brief moment the girls spotted him, but he wasn't sitting alone. There was a bigger guy sitting the opposite of him and seemed to be chatting with him. Hitomi recognized the boy as Niki, obviously. 

When the girls approached the table, Niki turned around and saw them. He gazed at Hitomi in the eyes and patted the seat next to him. Hitomi looked at Mina in confusion, maybe almost trying to ask what Niki was aiming for. 

Mina had a teasing smirk and she nudged Hitomi in a small way. In the end, Mina occupied the seat next to Yuma and Hitomi sat besides Niki, like he apparently wanted. Yuma and Mina both looked somehow mischievous and those smiles on their faces were visible, even though they managed to hide them desperately. 

What is their problem? Seriously?

"Did you sleep well, Hitomi?" Niki asked while his gaze was completely on Hitomi when it should have been on his tray or something. Hitomi started feeling anxious and awkward of his intensive stare. He's always pretty outspoken and cold, and it's rare that he is actually nice.

Why is he asking that?

"Not really." Hitomi answered shortly.

"Why?" Niki asked.

Hitomi took a deep breath, "I studied for the whole night. I'm worried, I'm actually gonna fail some tests this semester. Honestly, I should have started studying for weeks earlier already." She complained, letting out so many phrases and it felt weird. But suddenly she felt more comfortable and relieved, when she could tell her pressures openly. 

"Take it easy, Hitomi. You can't study without sleeping!" Yuma worriedly urged. Hitomi massaged her forehead in frustration. Yuma was right. If she doesn't sleep, she can't study either. But if she sleeps, she has no time to study. 

"What subject is the difficulty?" Mina asked in concern.

"History. I hate it." Hitomi crankily answered.

"Oh! Niki is good at history! Aren't you?" Yuma inquired in relief.

"Ye- yeah. My strongest one is history. Or actually, my strongest one is physical education, but second strongest." Niki stated.

"Well, good for you." Hitomi sulked.

"He can tutor you. If that's alright?" Mina asked while glancing at Niki for a moment. 

"It is. I'll tutor you." Niki promised and patted Hitomi's back gently. Niki? A tutor? Could that even be possible in theory? Well, even Yuma said he's good, so she should just take the offer. 

"Really? Well, I guess then."

"The exam is tomorrow, so come to my place after school. If that's okay?" Niki suggested. His place? No way, she first thought. But how bad could it be? At least she gets to know where that brat lives and of course to improve her knowledge in history. 

"Yes." 

~

The bell rang and it was the last period of the day. Commotion filled the classroom again, when everyone started packing their stuff and leaving the room. Mina said earlier that she was in a hurry and she left the lesson before the teacher dismissed them. Probably family stuff. 

Hitomi packed her books and notes inside her backpack. She accidentally knocked her pencil case off the table with one of her study books. 

Shoot!

All her pencils spread across the floor and she began to pick them up one by one while crouching. Almost everyone already left the class. She only heard the movement of a couple of people behind her. Suddenly another hand was helping for picking up her stuff. She looked up to the person. After seeing his face, Hitomi remembered the tutoring that she and Niki agreed on at the lunch. That's why he haven't left yet. Usually he's the very first one who runs out of the classroom when the lesson ends. And his seat is right next to the exit as well. 

"Thanks." Hitomi said in a quiet voice. After they collected all her pens, she quickly finished packing her bag and was ready to leave. 

"Should we go now?" Niki asked.

"Yeah, let's go."

They walked over to Niki's place. He doesn't seem to ever comes to school on his motorbike. The walk wasn't wildly longer than to Hitomi's home. They talked about some things now and then, but otherwise the walk was quiet. There wasn't really anything to talk about. But it wasn't awkward at all. 

After some time they came to a courtyard of an apartment building. There were about five floors, which made the building look huge. The yard was monochrome and somehow it gave a creepy feeling. The building was also dull gray as if they had stepped into a dystopian future. 

Niki led her inside the building. From inside it wasn't so creepy anymore. The walls were patterned and it was brighter and more lively. There were an elevator, but Niki didn't use it and Hitomi followed him without asking about it. They climped only four floors, but it felt like ten. She was breathing heavily as she reached the top of the stairs. Niki noticed it and chuckled a little. "You okay?"

Hitomi wasn't used to walk so many stairs. At school their home classroom is on the second floor and at home there were only the stairs to upstairs. Niki seemed to have gotten used to it, as he wasn't breathing heavier than normal. Hitomi nodded at his question and tried to stable her breathing. He dug out his house key from his pocket and opened the door they were standing in front of. 

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