The sun poured through the cracks in the curtains of Aki's room, painting golden streaks across his desk cluttered with papers and textbooks. Aki sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone as Yuki's name glowed softly on the screen. His thumb hovered over the call button, and he hesitated, his thoughts running in circles.
"What if she thinks this is weird?" he thought, biting his lip. Things had only grown more awkward between them at school. Aki scratched the back of his neck, sighing.
"No," he muttered under his breath. "It's just studying. Totally normal. She's good at math, and I need help. That's all."
Taking a deep breath, Aki hit the call button. The ringing made his heart race, but after what felt like forever, the call connected.
"Hello?" Yuki's voice came through, soft and cautious.
"Uh, hey, Yuki," Aki said, his voice quieter than he intended.
