Back home later that day, Yuuki finally decided to start properly studying for his midterms.
He didn’t take his classes all too seriously but he did make sure to score decently well on his midterms. Mostly to set his dad’s mind at ease, let him know he was putting in the work.
Ten days ’till midterms. This might be a little rough. I’ve been slacking recently. Yuuki thought, arranging his notes and school books across the living room table.
“Yuu-ki-e.” Just as he started checking what was on the midterm, Mina snuck up from behind, blowing on his neck.
Yuuki’s gaze remained fixed on the table. “Don’t bother me.”
“Bother you? I’m helping.”
“Don’t help me.”
She seemed displeased.
Mina took out an exercise ball, bouncing up and down, up and down to the floor. “Stay still.” She grumbled at the inanimate object, drawing a pair of eyes and a mouth onto it with a sharpie. Yuuki continued ignoring her as she decked it in the face, laughing hysterically. “Corkscrew punch it, come on. It looks funny.”
“Don’t you have midterms coming up soon? Less playing, more studying.” She started coughing. “Mina?”
Her grades were in a rather, no, considerably bad spot. She had a lot of lost time to make up for and yet appeared to have no sense of urgency whatsoever.
“I said I’d try making friends. Didn’t say a word about no studies.”
“Uh-huh. And did you make any?”
“N-Not yet! But I’m working on it, alright?”
“Great. Now just work on your studies like you work on making friends.”
“I can’t take two orders at once. My skill... your taming level isn’t high enough.” Mina started speaking nonsense again, trying to worm her way out. She lifted her head as if ending the topic. “But enough about that. What’s for dinner tonight?”
“I guess I could go buy us bentos.”
“Make it a gyudon bento!”
“Don’t make me walk all the way to the station.”
“Gyudon! Gyudon!”
Gyudon appeared to have quickly grown on her as she boasted about eventually trying all of its different flavors.
Yuuki tried to ignore Mina, but it was downright impossible to concentrate hearing her whisper ’gyudon’ in his ear every ten seconds. Realizing she wasn’t stopping anytime soon, he ended up taking her shopping anyway.
It was already around seven o’ clock by the time they got to the gyudon place-- the perfect time for dinner. “How about we eat here?”
“We’re eating at home.”
Home lover. She couldn’t eat around other people, supposedly.
They got takeout and semi-hurried back home when Mina suddenly stopped in front of a corner shop. “I want dessert.”
“Can’t resist the corner shop, huh.”
“Don’t worry. I have money.”
She apparently received a hefty amount of pocket money after telling their dad he didn’t have to come back home every week; Mina’s ultimate money printing method.
She pushed Yuuki into the shop, where she carefully examined the dessert shelf before finally picking something out. “Can I get candy too?”
“Sure, just be reasonable. And make it quick.”
“Yes!” She exclaimed, adding this and that into the shopping basket which ended up totaling over ten bucks.
Our idea of reasonability appears very different.
After returning home, the two had a late-ish dinner at the kitchen table.
Mina wolfed down her green onion gyudon, pulling a pudding dessert topped with cream and fruits out of the fridge. “Want a bite? Do you? Do you?” She pestered Yuuki as she took her sweet, sweet time finishing it.
Yuuki wanted to just finish his meal and get back to studying. “I’mma go take a bath.” Mina said, only to come running back. “Where’d you put my panties?”
“In your room.”
“But I already looked there, Yukkie.” She continued to make a nuisance out of herself.
Mina came out of the bath in her underwear, covered in steam, holding out a drier. “Dry my hair please.”
And so, he lost more and more time.
Yuuki took a bath himself and, just as he thought he’d finally get some studying done, Mina, laying on the sofa, began blasting the TV. “Mind turning it down? Or better yet, turn it off.”
“Volume master Mina at your service. Volume, lowered!”
“But nothing... never mind that. Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Doing what?” She inquisitively tilted her head.
Having this little self-awareness was a crime in its own right.
If only I could lock myself in my room. Yuuki’s room, or rather his bedroom, had no space for a desk as a massive bed took up most of it.
Mina’s room, on the other hand, did have a desk but it saw next to no use. “Mind if I borrow your room? And, if possible, mind staying away?”
“So you can do what, Yuukie?”
“Study.”
Mina pouted at Yuuki’s curt response but then, as if recalling something, she shot back, “So, what happened to Yui?”
“Huh?”
She pointed at Yuuki’s face, his mouth agape. “Why do you head straight back home from school alone all the time?” She stuck her index in his cheek, poking it.
Yui and Yuuki were passing off as girlfriend and boyfriend to Mina. It also appeared she was under the impression couples spent every second of their lives together.
“Don’t tell me you got dumped. All because you didn’t take action. All but a fleeting dream.”
“We’re just busy getting ready for midterms, is all.”
“He said as the two slowly drifted apart.”
“Studying is important, okay?”
“Well study together then.” She pointed down. Looked like she wanted him to bring Yui over.
“Here? You’ll just get in our way.”
“Oh, come on. I would never.”
“Yes yes, now go study.”
“I will... if you bring Yui.”
“Promise?”
Mina furiously shook her head up and down.
Maybe she’ll listen to a third party more, kind of like last time. Although, I’d rather we sort our problems out ourselves. Don’t want to inconvenience Yui too much. Yuuki thought as Mina burst out laughing at the TV in the corner of his eye.
✦ ✦ ✦
The following morning.
As Yuuki went through a workbook at his desk, Yui returned from a gossiping circle of girls and said, “Morning.” She leaned over, gazing at his desk. “Hard at work, I see.” She said with a composed smile on her face.
Where’s that confidence coming from? He stared at her. “Something up? Or do you just like what you see?” Yui smirked.
Yuuki begrudgingly decided to tell her about yesterday. “Basically, I think Mina’s onto us.”
“Hmm. Mmhmm.” Yui placed her hand on her chin, groaning.
He wasn’t expecting much. This must be a huge headache, even for the seatmate killer. He thought.
“I mean, I just have to turn up at your place again, yeah? Easy peasy.” Yui flashed an ok symbol, oddly enthusiastic about the whole ordeal, only to immediately follow it up with a frown. “Hmm, though I did promise I’d study with Rio today.”
“No worries. A promise is a promise.”
“But I have to do it, for Mina. For Mina.” She said as she pulled out her phone, fiddling with it.
Is she texting her to cancel their plans? Now I kind of feel bad.
“You promised her first, didn’t you? Weren’t you two max hearting it?”
“We are, which is why she doesn’t mind me flaking on her. Look, she even wrote ’All good!’” Yui said, staring at the screen. It appeared she had already gotten a response back.
Yuuki couldn’t help but imagine Rio stomp the ground underneath her, shaking furiously. But if she says it’s all good then who am I to doubt her?