The following weekend, Kazuki and Shizuka were studying together at his house. They'd settled into his room, books spread out in front of them on the small table. Kazuki was focused on reviewing their notes for an upcoming exam, while Shizuka alternated between pretending to study and sneaking glances at him.
As the afternoon stretched on, Kazuki eventually got up, stretching his arms with a yawn. "I think we've made some good progress," he said. "Want something to drink?"
"Sure! I'd love a tea," Shizuka replied, giving him a cheerful smile.
Kazuki nodded, heading to the kitchen to brew a pot of tea. When he returned with a tray of tea and snacks, he found Shizuka lounging comfortably on his bed, flipping through one of his manga.
"Hey! You're supposed to be studying, not reading my manga," he teased, setting the tray down.
Shizuka gave him an innocent smile, placing the book aside. "I was taking a break! Besides, I wanted to see what kind of stories you're into."
He rolled his eyes playfully and sat back down, handing her a cup of tea. They continued studying, but Shizuka seemed restless, constantly shifting her position and sighing. Finally, she stretched out her legs, accidentally kicking her bag off the edge of the table.
"Oh no!" she exclaimed, leaning down quickly to pick it up. She reached under the table, but in her haste, her skirt rode up, just enough for Kazuki to catch a glimpse of soft pink fabric.
He froze, eyes wide, as his face turned bright red. He quickly looked away, his heart pounding, but not before Shizuka noticed the reaction.
"What's wrong, Kazuki?" she asked, feigning innocence, though a knowing glint sparkled in her eyes.
"N-nothing!" he stammered, trying to hide his flustered expression.
She smirked, clearly enjoying his embarrassment. "Did you see something you liked?"
Kazuki's face burned even hotter, and he struggled to maintain his composure. "I didn't mean to look! You… you were just… um…"
Shizuka laughed, patting his shoulder. "Relax, Kazuki. It's okay. I was just teasing you." She leaned a bit closer, lowering her voice playfully. "But… if you wanted to see more, you could just ask, you know."
Kazuki choked on his tea, coughing as he tried to respond. "Shizuka! Don't say things like that!"
She grinned, clearly having too much fun watching him squirm. "What? Just being honest." She winked, reclining back on the bed with a satisfied smile, clearly pleased with herself.
Kazuki managed to calm down, though his heart was still racing. Shizuka always had a way of catching him off guard, but today felt like a new level of teasing. He wasn't sure how to respond, but one thing was certain: his childhood friend definitely knew how to keep him on edge.
As they continued studying, Kazuki's mind kept drifting back to that brief moment and Shizuka's playful smile. It was embarrassing, but it left him with a quiet excitement he couldn't deny.