Hinata looked up at him, her eyes soft but focused. "It's not easy at first," she replied, "but once you get the hang of it, it just clicks. You have to see the pattern behind it."
Ryu let out a frustrated sigh. "Yeah, patterns. I think I'm missing that piece."
Hinata smiled, offering him her notebook. "Let me show you. Look at this part. This is where the trick is."
Ryu leaned over, trying to follow her instructions. There was a warm, unspoken ease between them now. They were both so focused on the task at hand that the usual tension between them melted away.
"I think I'm starting to get it," Ryu said, a little surprised. "You make it sound so simple."
Hinata looked at him, her eyes meeting his with a warmth that surprised him. "That's because it's not impossible. You just have to approach it the right way."
For a moment, they both fell silent. The soft ticking of the clock in the background filled the room as Ryu found himself unexpectedly drawn to her quiet confidence. It was a side of Hinata he hadn't seen before—focused, patient, and capable.
"So, um…" Ryu started, scratching the back of his head nervously, "I know this might sound weird, but I've always kind of wondered—how do you stay so calm during all of this? Like, with all the pressure we're under, it feels like it could break anyone."
Hinata looked away for a second, thinking, and then met his gaze again. "It's not that I don't feel the pressure," she said quietly. "I just… prefer to take things one step at a time. If you let everything overwhelm you, it'll just crush you. You have to trust that you can handle it."
Ryu stared at her for a moment, captivated by the way she spoke, the quiet strength in her words. He had always admired her intelligence, but this side of her was different. There was something so real about the way she approached everything in life. And he realized, right then, that there was more to Hinata than just her academic skills.
Before he could say anything more, Hinata suddenly spoke up. "Let's take a break. I think we're both getting a little fried from all this studying."
Ryu chuckled. "You're probably right."
They both sat back, leaning against the couch. The room was quieter now, everyone deep in their own thoughts as the night dragged on.
As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Nagisa's house grew still. Most of the group had already started heading to bed, exhausted from hours of studying. But Ryu and Hinata were still sitting together on the couch, their notes forgotten for the moment.
"You know," Ryu said softly, his voice almost lost in the silence, "I'm glad you're here. You're a good study partner."
Hinata turned her head to look at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'm glad you think so. But you know, you're not half-bad yourself. I think you'll be just fine with this test."
Ryu grinned, his heart beating a little faster for some reason. "You really think so?"
"I do," she replied simply.
There was a long pause, and Ryu felt the space between them shrink, the warmth of the room making everything feel more intimate. The flickering light from the lamp cast shadows on her face, making her look even more captivating.
Without thinking, Ryu leaned in slightly, his hand brushing against hers. "You know, I've been thinking…" he began, but before he could finish his sentence, Hinata surprised him by closing the distance herself, her lips brushing against his.
It was soft at first, almost hesitant, as if both of them were unsure what the kiss meant. But as the seconds stretched on, the kiss deepened, and Ryu found himself pulling her closer, the weight of the world outside slipping away.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their faces flushed. Ryu looked at her, not knowing exactly what to say. Hinata, however, simply smiled, a quiet warmth in her eyes.
"Goodnight," she whispered, her voice a little shaky.
Ryu nodded, his chest tight with an unfamiliar feeling. "Yeah… goodnight."
As they both lay down for the night, a new kind of understanding passed between them. The midterms were still ahead, but for the first time in a long while, Ryu felt like he wasn't facing them alone. Hinata had become more than just a study partner—she had become something far more meaningful.
—
The day of the midterms arrived faster than anyone expected. The entire class gathered in their assigned rooms, but the weight of the test loomed over them. Class 3-E wasn't given the same classroom as the other classes, but they were used to being different. As they shuffled into their seats, the room buzzed with nervous energy.
Ryu took a deep breath as he settled into his seat, a pencil in hand. The room was filled with quiet whispers as everyone tried to steady their nerves. He glanced at his classmates—Hinata, Kirara, Nagisa, Sugino—and felt a momentary sense of solidarity. They were ready. This wasn't just a test; this was their chance to prove something. To themselves. To the school. To everyone who thought they were a joke.
The invigilator walked into the room, and the buzzing stopped. "You all know the rules. No cheating, no talking. Keep your focus, and good luck."
The papers were handed out, and the clock started ticking.
The test began, and immediately, Ryu could feel his pulse quicken. He opened the first page of the science section—several equations that looked like they'd been designed to fry his brain. But Hinata's guidance during their study session echoed in his mind, and he powered through the first few questions with relative ease.
Glancing over at Nagisa, he saw his friend already deep in concentration, writing answers at lightning speed. Sugino was quietly humming, clearly working through the math problems with a methodical approach that was impressive. Kirara's eyes flicked between the pages with precision, not wasting a single second.