Fuyuka quickly proved that it wasn’t mere luck that had landed her at the top of his class. All the math problems that he'd been struggling with, she solved with ease. She was able to explain all the core concepts he hadn't gotten a grasp of in a way that was easy for him to understand, as well.
“Use the second equation here, then apply a quadratic formula, and you’ll be able to get the final result. The next question uses the same method. Make sure you don't forget this method in the middle of the problem-solving portion.”
Her class was an incredibly efficient one; with her assistance, Asahi managed to solve all the questions he'd previously left blank.
I wonder if she feels the same as I do whenever I try to explain things to Chiaki, he pondered to himself.
The fact that she even had some secret tricks to solve problems that the teachers had never mentioned really made it clear to him that she excelled in her studies. She was certainly leagues above him, at any rate, and acted more like a teacher than the professionals they had at school as the lesson progressed.
“Damn, you’re good at this. Honestly, if you were my teacher, I wouldn’t complain at all.”
“You're overestimating me. If you have time to fool around, then surely you have time to solve this problem here.”
He focused his attention back to the notebook, but Asahi heard her sigh ever so slightly. There wasn't much he could think of as a reply, so he just forced a smile.
She’s a weird one, that’s for sure, he noted.
Her attitude was as cold as ever, but she didn’t attempt to push him away whenever he inquired about the problems. She would always answer in a way he could comprehend and even complimented him whenever he actually understood something and applied it to the problems at hand.
Leaving aside the matter of debt and repayment, he felt that he'd finally caught a glimpse of The Ice Queen's “human” side. Her movements and speech had a very regal and subtle method about them, but he slowly adapted to how to read her based on her expressions and movements.
She was acting so out of character to him that he actually found it endearing to a certain degree. Although he had to admit that a lot of the preconceptions he held about her were based on Chiaki's impressions. His friend constantly talked about her being a different kind of person.
“You calculated this incorrectly.”
“Oh, I did. Oh God, how could I fail at simple addition?”
“You’d better start taking this seriously. The test relies on these equations, so you need to drill them into your head.”
Fuyuka quietly sighed to herself again at Asahi's basic blunder. She tried to make sure he didn't hear her, but he did anyway. It was difficult for him to focus, though—he still couldn't come to terms with what was happening in front of him. He never thought he’d get the opportunity to study with The Ice Queen herself, or to be able to see her express herself in ways he’d never imagined.
✦ ✦ ✦
One hour had passed since Fuyuka agreed to help Asahi with his studies, and most of his questions were already complete. She was a proficient teacher, and he had been a fast learner. He had also tried—for the most part—to concentrate while she assisted him, which had contributed to things progressing quickly.
“Is one hour of studying really okay with you? I don’t think it’s nearly enough after all you did for me, but...”
“What are you talking about? Anyone could’ve taken care of you, but no one else could’ve helped me with these math problems. In fact, I should be the one owing you.”
Fuyuka’s face said it all—she clearly disagreed with Asahi and placed more stock into his efforts than he did. She wasn’t ready to surrender just yet, but Asahi also wasn’t planning on budging and asking her for anything else.
He’d briefly considered proposing that she come every day to help him out for the upcoming test, but that would’ve been a bother to her eventually. Plus, he wasn’t looking forward to the idea of having a daily Ice Queen studying session, so he quickly dropped that idea.
And so, after a lengthy back-and-forth between the two, Fuyuka—who had remained steadfast about assisting him until the bitter end—finally agreed to leave it at that.
“In any case, let’s just complete these remaining problems. If we’re quick about it, we can have them done in 30 minutes or less.”
“Uh, yeah, I suppose. Let’s see, the next one... Actually, wait a sec.”
Just as he’d readied himself for the final push, a sound rang out from the kitchen. Asahi got up and rushed over after he’d gotten the okay from Fuyuka.
“What was that sound just now?”
“My rice cooker. I programmed it while I was taking my break,” he replied from the kitchen as he fiddled with the appliance in an attempt to stop the grating beeping sounds.
“Now that you mention it, you were in the kitchen earlier. So that’s what you were doing?”
Asahi had taken a brief 10-minute break some time ago, which had allowed him to quickly finish folding his clothes and prepare some rice. By pouring it into the rice cooker with some water, he was able to set the timer to go off when he’d predicted he’d be done with his studies.
He lifted the lid and was immediately engulfed in a cloud of steam and the characteristic fragrance of cooked rice. There hadn’t been time to wash it, since the day had unfolded in a completely different fashion from what he’d planned. As a result, the rice was extra fluffy. Without much time to dedicate to that day’s dinner, he had decided to make some curry with rice.
Grumble.
A familiar sound echoed throughout the kitchen. Fuyuka was standing there, and the noise caused her face to turn a deep shade of crimson.
“I prepped some curry in advance. You’re more than welcome to join me if you want.”
Homemade curry was completely different from the roux sold at markets, but the latter could be stored easily and wasn’t quick to spoil—even after months in the cupboard. Nevertheless, Asahi had made curry the day prior so he could enjoy it that night. As he was preoccupied with contemplating the intricacies of curry, he failed to notice Fuyuka’s death glare, or the fact that her cheeks were as red as a Fuji apple.
“I will pass on your offer,” she answered with a shake of her head.
I guess she’s too embarrassed to say yes? I wish I could read minds, Asahi lamented.
Unfortunately for Fuyuka, her stomach continued to vocalize several times following that, so it completely killed the studying mood that had been cultivated beforehand. Each time it growled, she would tremble slightly in mortification.
“I’m not going to add this to your tab or whatever, so don’t worry. You don’t need to hold back.”
“But...”
“Like I said before, I really don’t mind. Come on, join me.”
Asahi was perturbed after her stomach started acting strangely, so he insisted on having her for dinner. How could they have studied properly under those conditions anyway?
The thought that Fuyuka could simply return next door and eat her own dinner did not occur to either of them.
After a short period of silence, Fuyuka finally gave a muted nod. Her face was still as red as could be.