Studying not only brings joy but also induces drowsiness.
Before finishing her homework, Miko's eyelids grew heavy, and her head began to nod. Eventually, she succumbed to sleep, resting her head on the table.
"Looks like she's asleep," Hana whispered, glancing up. "Let's not wake her up. She could use the rest, don't you think?"
"Yeah," Amemiya replied with a slight nod. He had no intention of disturbing Miko; it wasn't as though she had fallen asleep in an exam room.
"Miko seems to be having a tough time lately," Hana continued in a soft voice. "She's distracted during class, often spacing out and struggling to stay awake. Even when you tell her to rest, she refuses. Now that she's actually sleeping, we should let her be."
Amemiya glanced at Hana with surprise. 'She noticed all that? Where's the clueless airhead she pretends to be?'
"Amemiya-kun, you're looking at me weirdly," Hana pouted, puffing up her cheeks. "You must be thinking something inappropriate."
'She nailed it... but no prize for guessing right.'
Amemiya stood up, retrieved a blanket from the closet, and gently draped it over Miko.
Spring had set in, and as the sun started to dip below the horizon, the temperature began to drop.
"Amemiya-kun is really kind," Hana whispered, giving him a thumbs-up in approval.
'Kind? Just for covering someone with a blanket? Girl, you will be easily fooled by boys if you're like that.'
He sat back down and resumed studying. "Alright, let's keep going."
"Got it."
To avoid disturbing Miko, Hana quietly repositioned herself beside Amemiya, holding up her workbook as she spoke in a small voice. "Amemiya-kun, can you help me with this question? It says, 'There are nine lit candles in a room. Five get blown out. How many are left?' I thought the answer was four, but the key says five. Why?"
Amemiya glanced at her question before his attention was drawn away by a subtle force, making his gaze drift lower. The blonde girl had leaned forward slightly, unconsciously pressing her chest onto the table, as if she were used to doing so at home.
'Her posture is awful. No wonder your shoulders hurt—stop putting so much pressure on the desk!'
As the sun continued to set, the room gradually grew dim.
"What time is it now?" Hana asked, suddenly noticing the darkening sky outside the window.
Amemiya checked his phone. "It's 5:10."
"Oh no, I should get going soon," she said, stretching her arms over her head with a soft hum. "We had physical education today, and now my shoulders are so sore. I can't wait to take a nice, long bath tonight."
'PE isn't the reason for your shoulder pain. It's because of what's weighing on your chest!'
Amemiya turned back to organize his study materials. The next moment, a sudden yelp echoed from Hana's direction.
Before he could react, something dark flashed across his vision, striking him in the face. Instinctively, he raised a hand to his cheek.
"What was that?"
Amemiya blinked and glanced at Hana, who was now frantically clutching her collar. It wasn't hard to figure out what had happened. The front of her uniform had come undone, revealing her delicate collarbone and the faint outline beneath.
"I'm so sorry!" Hana's face flushed as she hastily tried to cover herself. "I stretched too hard, and the button flew off... again."
'Again? This has happened before?'
Amemiya rubbed his cheek, already knowing what the projectile was. "Uh... your button hit me in the face, then bounced under the bed."
"I can handle it," Hana said quickly, her voice flustered as she bent down to search beneath the bed. "You don't have to help."
As she crouched to retrieve the rogue button, Amemiya couldn't help but notice the obvious flaw in her strategy. Her focus on covering the front had left the back vulnerable, revealing a glimpse of pink Peppa Pig-themed underwear.
'Seriously? High school girls wearing Peppa Pig? Is this a joke?'
After a few moments of struggling, Hana sat up, her cheeks flushed as she cast a glance at Miko, who remained fast asleep. "Um... it's too dark under the bed. Can you shine your phone's flashlight down there for me?"
Amemiya agreed and knelt down, turning on the flashlight to illuminate the space beneath the bed.
"I see it!" Hana exclaimed. "It's way in the back though..."
Before Amemiya could suggest an alternative, Hana was already crawling beneath the bed like a caterpillar.
"I've got it!" she called out after a few moments. "Wait... I'm stuck."
Amemiya sighed. "Do you need help?"
"Please."
Amemiya crouched down and examined the situation. "Your uniform's caught on something. Hold on, I'll take a look."
"Thanks, Amamiya-kun," she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
Gently, Amemiya placed a hand on her waist to inspect the snag.
"Ah!" Hana gasped softly, squirming under his touch like a startled animal.
"Don't move," Amemiya said calmly. "You'll tear your uniform if you're not careful."
"I-I understand..." she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just... be gentle, please."
'It's just your waist... Why the overreaction?'
Despite her flustered state, Amemiya focused on untangling her clothes from a loose nail.
"There, it's free," he said after a few moments. "Just crawl out slowly."
A short while later, Hana wriggled out from under the bed, her blonde hair disheveled and her face flushed. She lay on the floor, panting with exhaustion.
"Phew... I finally got out," she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Good job," Amemiya said, relieved.
But just as they began to relax, a sharp voice pierced through the air.
"...What on earth are you doing?!"