The third wheel

Studying (or trying to)

HARUKIS POV!
It was late afternoon, and the golden light of the setting sun streamed through the windows of my room, casting a warm glow over everything. Tatsuya sat cross-legged on the floor, flipping through his textbook with an expression of deep concentration. Meanwhile, Jun was sprawled out on my bed, clearly doing anything *but* studying.

I leaned against my desk, highlighter in hand, trying to focus on the notes I'd been reviewing for our upcoming exams. "Jun, you're supposed to be studying," I reminded him gently, though I couldn't help but smile at how he was half-buried in my pillows, playing with a strand of his hair and staring at the ceiling like it held all the answers.

"Yeah, yeah," Jun mumbled, waving me off. "I'll get to it. I'm just... taking a break."

Tatsuya snorted from the floor, barely looking up from his book. "You've been 'taking a break' for the last hour, Jun."

Jun sat up, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to his chest. "Well, studying is boring! How am I supposed to focus when I'm surrounded by all this comfort?" He gestured dramatically around my room.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "We're here to help you, remember? If you fail, you won't have any comfort left when you have to do summer classes."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Jun groaned, falling backward dramatically onto the bed again. He looked over at me with those big, playful eyes. "But Kimi, it's so much more fun to watch you be serious. You're cute when you're focused."

My cheeks warmed at his comment, and I quickly looked back at my notes, pretending to read. "Focus, Jun."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Tatsuya rolling his eyes again. He'd become an expert at ignoring Jun's constant antics, but I knew he found it just as funny as I did. "You really are impossible," Tatsuya muttered, though his lips twitched in amusement.

Jun turned his attention to him now. "Tatsuyaaa, you're no fun! Lighten up a little!"

Tatsuya didn't respond immediately, just raised an eyebrow. "I'm trying to pass my exams, thanks."

"Oh, come on! We'll pass," Jun said confidently, tossing the pillow aside and sitting up properly now. "We've got Haruki's super brain and your insane dedication. We'll be fine. Besides," he added, flopping onto his stomach and propping his chin in his hands, "I have faith that Kimi will save me with some last-minute tutoring the night before."

I sighed, trying to sound exasperated but failing to hide the smile tugging at my lips. "You should probably try to avoid that scenario this time."

Jun grinned at me, looking proud of himself for pulling me into his distraction. "But you love tutoring me, don't you?"

I didn't answer, just turned another page in my textbook, though the warmth in my chest told me Jun already knew the answer. As frustrating as it could be sometimes, there was something about helping him study—sitting close, guiding him through concepts, watching him finally understand—that made me secretly enjoy it. Not that I'd ever admit that out loud.

Jun, clearly satisfied with himself, rolled over onto his back again, staring up at the ceiling. "But really, Kimi. You're so serious when you study. It's adorable."

Tatsuya let out an exaggerated sigh. "Can we please get back to work before Jun distracts Haruki so much he forgets how to study too?"

Jun laughed, a bright, carefree sound that filled the room. "Kimi would never forget. He's too responsible for that. Right, Kimi?"

I smiled at him, shaking my head. "You're lucky I care about you, Jun."

Jun grinned back at me, sitting up and finally grabbing his textbook from where it lay abandoned beside him. "Alright, fine. I'll study. For you, Kimi." He winked, and I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the warmth that spread across my cheeks.

The next twenty minutes were surprisingly productive—Jun, for once, actually sat down and tried to go over his notes. Tatsuya, of course, was completely focused as always, helping explain things when either of us had questions. But I could feel Jun's energy simmering, the distraction bubbling just beneath the surface.

It wasn't long before Jun flopped down again, this time on the floor beside me, resting his head on my lap. "Haruki~," he whined softly, looking up at me with wide, pleading eyes, "this is torture. How do you do this every day?"

I looked down at him, my hand automatically going to his hair, brushing through it gently. "Because it's important," I said softly, though I was more focused on the way his hair felt under my fingers than on my own answer.

Jun sighed, a content smile crossing his face as he closed his eyes. "Mmm... You're too good to me."

Tatsuya glanced up from his book, raising an eyebrow at the scene in front of him. "You're ridiculous, you know that?" he said to Jun, though there was no real annoyance in his voice.

Jun just grinned, his eyes still closed. "Yeah, but Haruki doesn't mind, right?"

I smiled, continuing to run my fingers through his hair. "You're lucky."

Tatsuya groaned, shaking his head as he went back to his book. "You two are impossible. How do you ever get anything done?"

"We have you to keep us on track," Jun said, eyes still closed, his voice soft and teasing. "You're the responsible one."

Tatsuya gave a sarcastic laugh. "I'm not sure whether to be flattered or insulted."

"Definitely flattered," Jun replied, cracking one eye open to look at him.

I chuckled softly, watching the two of them banter. It was moments like this that made everything feel right, even when we were supposed to be studying. With Tatsuya's focus, Jun's endless energy, and my attempts to balance it all, we somehow made it work.

Eventually, though, Tatsuya stood up, stretching. "I'm going to make some tea. You two better actually do some studying while I'm gone."

Jun saluted him lazily from his spot on my lap. "Yes, sir!"

Tatsuya just shook his head and left the room, leaving me and Jun alone in the quiet.

Jun turned his gaze up to me, his expression soft. "Thanks for putting up with me, Kimi."

I smiled down at him, my fingers still gently combing through his hair. "You know I don't mind."

Jun's smile widened, and he reached up, taking my free hand in his. "I know. That's why you're the best."

For a moment, we just sat there, the sunlight fading as the day slowly gave way to evening. The sound of Tatsuya moving around in the kitchen echoed faintly in the background, but here, in this quiet space, it was just me and Jun.

And in that moment, it felt perfect.