𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 | 𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘬.

𝟏𝟐

By Friday afternoon, you found yourself sitting on a park bench just outside the school grounds, enjoying a brief moment of quiet before the weekend officially began. The weather was cool, with a light breeze rustling the leaves above you. You closed your eyes for a moment, letting the peacefulness wash over you.

Your phone buzzed softly, interrupting your thoughts. Glancing down, you saw a message from Nanami.

Nanami: "We need to meet after school today. The next math exam is next week, and we should go over a few things."

A small sigh escaped your lips. As much as you appreciated his help, the constant study sessions were starting to feel like an endless cycle. Still, you couldn’t argue with the results. You’d passed your previous math exam, something you never thought you’d accomplish.

You: "Sure. Where should we meet?"

Nanami: "The library. Usual time."

You leaned back against the bench, staring at the message for a moment. The library had become your regular spot with Nanami—quiet, secluded, and far from the prying eyes of your classmates. Not that you minded. In fact, you’d started to enjoy the quiet time spent with him, even if it was just for studying.

As you packed up your things and headed towards the library, a nagging thought crept into your mind. Despite the simplicity of the deal, something about your time with Nanami was starting to feel less transactional and more... comfortable. You brushed the thought aside. It was just a deal. Nothing more.

–

When you arrived at the library, Nanami was already seated at your usual table, a stack of textbooks and papers spread out in front of him. He glanced up as you approached, giving you a small nod in greeting.

"You’re on time," he remarked, his tone neutral as always.

You slid into the seat across from him, offering a faint smile. "I try."

Nanami didn’t respond immediately, instead pushing a sheet of math problems toward you. "We need to focus on these equations today. They’ll likely be on the next exam."

You stared at the paper, feeling your brain immediately start to scramble. Math had never been your strong suit, and even with Nanami’s help, you struggled to wrap your head around the more complex concepts. Still, you weren’t about to give up. You had too much riding on this.

As you worked through the problems, Nanami sat silently, occasionally offering a bit of guidance when you stumbled over a particularly tricky equation. His patience was something you’d come to appreciate more than you realized. He never grew frustrated or raised his voice, even when you made the same mistake for the third time in a row.

After what felt like hours of equations and formulas, you finally set your pencil down with a heavy sigh. "I think my brain is fried."

Nanami glanced up from his notes, his expression unreadable. "You did well today."

You blinked, surprised by the unexpected compliment. "Really? I feel like I’m barely keeping up."

He shook his head slightly. "You’ve improved. It’s noticeable."

A small smile tugged at your lips. Coming from Nanami, that was high praise. "Thanks. I wouldn’t have made it this far without your help."

Nanami didn’t respond, but the slightest hint of a smile ghosted across his face before he turned his attention back to his notes. You sat in silence for a few moments, watching him as he scribbled something down in his notebook. There was something oddly calming about the way he worked, his movements precise and methodical.