Save my grade, steal my heart | Nobamaki

Books, Buttons, and Banter | Two |

A few days had passed since Nobara's first tutoring session with Maki, and today was the day for another one. They had settled on Thursdays for their study sessions—it was convenient since Nobara's apartment was nearby, and it fit perfectly with both their schedules. Maki didn't have any plans that day, and Nobara's afternoons were usually wide open after her morning classes, with nothing much to do except go shopping, or lazing around the apartment. Which, unsurprisingly, was exactly what she was doing now, sprawled out on her bed with one arm draped over her eyes and her phone in the other hand, idly scrolling through social media. She wasn't quite ready to leave the warm comfort of her blankets, but with each passing minute, the clock was telling her it was time to get moving.

With a groan, she finally dragged herself out of bed and headed into the bathroom to begin her morning routine. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she touched up with a bit of light makeup, she picked out an outfit more suited for the crisp October air: a fuzzy brown jacket, some high-waisted jeans, and a pair of brown Ugg boots to brace for the early October chill that felt more like late November. It seemed winter was coming a little too early this year.

Just as she was about to head into the kitchen to grab some breakfast, she heard Yuji's voice echoing from the boys' bathroom. "Nobara! Can you get me some tissue, please?"

She sighed loudly, rolling her eyes. "Are you serious? Why didn't you check for toilet paper before you sat down?" she yelled back.

"Because I thought there was some! Please, I really need to wipe!"

Megumi had already left for his morning classes, which meant Yuji and her were the only ones still at the apartment. Yuji had afternoon classes, and if Nobara didn't help him out, there'd be no one to save him from his current predicament. With another dramatic sigh, she trudged to the storage closet, grabbed a roll of toilet paper, and headed over to the bathroom door.

She gave a quick knock before opening the door. "Hey! Privacy, please!" "Hey, privacy, please!" Yuji sputtered, embarrassed trying to cover himself up on the toilet.

"Oh, shut up. I knocked, and I don't care about what's going on down there," she replied, throwing the toilet paper at him before shutting the door. She heard a few grumbled curses as she left .

Returning to the kitchen, she grabbed a yogurt parfait from the fridge and slapped some cream cheese on a bagel. "I'm heading out!" she called, taking a bite of her bagel as she grabbed her keys.

"Good luck in class!" Yuji's muffled voice called back.

Outside, the chill in the air bit through her fuzzy jacket despite the sun's deceptive brightness. As she approached her black Jeep in the parking lot, she felt a twinge of pride. The exterior had a rugged, boyish look, but once you opened the door, it was a different story: pink leather seats, a rhinestone-studded steering wheel cover, fluffy pink dice hanging from the rearview mirror, and the sweet scent of bubblegum blowing from the air vents.

She settled into the driver's seat, feeling a sense of calm wash over her as she shut the door and took a moment to enjoy the quiet. This was her little retreat away from the chaos of classes and the everyday noise of the apartment. She took another bite of her bagel before starting the car. As the engine hummed to life, her thoughts wandered to the growing list of items in her Amazon cart—pink floor mats, a fuzzy seatbelt cover, and a few more accessories that would match perfectly with her current setup.

With a small smile, she shifted into gear and pulled out of the parking lot, feeling a little more prepared to take on the day.