The lazy summer days were slowly winding down, and Kazuki could almost sense the looming shadow of school on the horizon. His plan for a quiet day at home—one last day of relaxing bliss before summer break wrapped up—came crashing down when his phone buzzed.
Shizuka: *Hey, Kazuki! Are you free today? I need some help with my summer assignments.*
Kazuki sighed, rubbing his temple. It was typical Shizuka, always waiting until the last minute. Still, he couldn't say no.
Kazuki: *Fine. Come over. Just… try not to bring too much stuff.*
An hour later, Shizuka showed up with a massive bag that clanked and rattled suspiciously.
"What on earth is in there?" Kazuki asked, raising an eyebrow as she dropped it with a thud by his door.
"Just my essentials!" Shizuka beamed as she pulled out notebooks, snacks, and even a blanket. "We're going to need sustenance if we're tackling this mountain of work."
Kazuki looked at her with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "It's not an expedition, Shizuka. It's just homework."
"Well, it could take all day! Better be prepared, right?" she said, shrugging.
They settled down at the dining table, books and notebooks spread out in every direction. Kazuki quickly realized Shizuka hadn't done a single page of her summer assignments, which didn't surprise him in the least.
"I thought you just needed a bit of help…" he muttered, looking at the completely blank pages.
"Um, surprise?" Shizuka grinned sheepishly. "You're the genius here. I figured I'd get some pointers."
Kazuki groaned but couldn't help chuckling. "Alright, let's start with something simple."
They worked through a few exercises, and after a while, Shizuka's attention began to drift. She rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly at her notebook, then at Kazuki, and back at her notes.
"Hey, Kazuki?" she asked suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever wonder why we have to do all this? I mean, it's summer. Shouldn't we be out there… living?" she sighed dramatically.
Kazuki rolled his eyes, glancing at her with a smirk. "Nice try, but you still have to finish these assignments."
Shizuka pouted, trying to muster her most pitiful expression. "But it's so boring. Let's take a break? Maybe play a game?"
"Shizuka…" he warned.
"Oh, come on!" She leaned forward, giving him a playful nudge. "Don't you know the 'study-break' method? It's scientifically proven to improve learning!"
Kazuki raised an eyebrow, skeptically. "Really?"
"Absolutely! Besides…" She reached into her bag, pulling out a stack of cards with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Loser has to do five questions in a row, no complaints."
Kazuki narrowed his eyes, but the competitive side of him sparked. "Alright, you're on."
They set aside their books, and the game quickly took over. Shizuka played ruthlessly, her face a mixture of innocent charm and cutthroat determination. Kazuki matched her move for move, but every time he was close to winning, Shizuka managed to pull some ridiculous play that left him in the dust.
Finally, after a particularly intense round, Kazuki lost yet again.
"Ha!" Shizuka cheered, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "That's five questions for you."
Kazuki groaned, flipping open the book. "Fine, fine…"
They went back and forth like that, alternating between studying and games, each trying to avoid too much homework. As the hours slipped by, their laughter filled the room, and Kazuki was surprised to realize he was actually… having fun.
Shizuka seemed to sense his change in mood, smiling as she caught his eye.
"See? Studying isn't so bad with the right company," she said, giving him a wink.
Kazuki chuckled. "Maybe. But if you keep getting me to do all the work, I might start charging a tutoring fee."
"Oh, really?" She gave him a playful shove. "Then I'll need a discount, Mr. Tutor. Maybe I'll bake you something as payment."
Kazuki's face softened. "You bake? That's… unexpected."
"Hey, I'm full of surprises," she said with a mysterious smile. "You just wait."
After another hour, they finally closed the books, assignments finished. Shizuka leaned back, stretching her arms above her head with a satisfied sigh.
"Thank you for the help, Kazuki," she said, smiling warmly at him. "I would've been totally lost without you."
Kazuki felt a blush creep up his neck but tried to play it cool. "Well, just don't wait until the last day next time."
She laughed. "What would be the fun in that?"
They cleaned up the table, packing away the books and leftover snacks. As they walked to the door, Shizuka paused, looking up at him thoughtfully.
"Hey, Kazuki?"
"Yeah?"
She hesitated, her usual confidence replaced by a softer expression. "I know I can be a bit… much sometimes. But… thanks for putting up with me. Really."
Kazuki's expression softened, and he gave her a small smile. "Shizuka, we've known each other forever. It's not 'putting up with you'—it's just… you."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly hid it with a grin. "Good answer."
As she turned to leave, she looked back over her shoulder with a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh, and… be ready. I'll definitely pay you back for today."
Kazuki watched her walk away, a small smile lingering on his face. With a sigh, he closed the door, already wondering what kind of chaos she'd bring into his life next.
---
And thus, another day of Kazuki's "quiet" summer ended, filled with laughter, games, and a hint of something more.