Kazuki had just settled in for a quiet afternoon, relishing the rare moment of calm in the house, when a soft knock at his door broke the silence. He looked up to find Aoi peeking in, her expression a mix of hope and desperation.
"Onii-chan," she said sweetly, clutching her notebook like a lifeline, "I need your help with my summer homework."
Kazuki raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Homework? Aoi, didn't summer break start a while ago? Why are you only thinking about this now?"
Aoi pouted, shuffling her feet. "It's not that much… I was just saving it for later. You know, like, uh, strategic procrastination!"
Kazuki chuckled, waving her over. "Alright, alright. Let's see what 'strategic procrastination' looks like."
Aoi eagerly plopped down next to him, spreading out her books and papers. He looked over her work and quickly realized this was going to be an ordeal. Pages of math problems, Japanese essays, and even some science worksheets stared back at him.
"You weren't kidding, huh?" he teased. "This is enough homework to last the rest of summer."
Aoi grinned sheepishly. "But that's why I have you, onii-chan! You're so smart, and I figured you'd be the best tutor!"
Kazuki rolled his eyes but couldn't help feeling a little flattered. "Alright, let's start with math."
They got to work, and it didn't take long for the chaos to begin.
---
Kazuki was trying to explain a basic algebra problem, but Aoi's attention was drifting. She doodled a tiny cat in the corner of her notebook, humming as Kazuki's voice faded into the background.
"Aoi, are you even listening?" he asked, exasperated.
Aoi blinked, jolted back to the lesson. "Of course! You said… um, something about numbers?"
He sighed. "Something about numbers? Aoi, this is algebra! You have to pay attention."
She gave him a sheepish smile, twirling her pencil. "I am paying attention! It's just… math is so boring, onii-chan."
Kazuki leaned in, tapping her notebook. "Come on, just follow this. Look, x plus 3 equals 7. What does x equal?"
Aoi's face scrunched up in concentration. "Umm… 10?"
Kazuki groaned. "No, try again."
She laughed, trying to defend herself. "Okay, okay, I was just kidding! It's 4, right?"
He nodded, relieved. "Finally, you got it!"
They moved on to science, and things only got messier. Kazuki was explaining a section on plant cells when he noticed Aoi sneaking glances at her phone under the table.
"Aoi…" he said slowly, raising an eyebrow.
She quickly hid her phone, looking innocent. "What? I'm just… uh, looking up extra information on plants."
Kazuki crossed his arms. "Really? Because I'm pretty sure there's no plant cell in existence that requires a game app to understand."
Aoi laughed nervously, shrugging. "You never know! Maybe it's an interactive way to learn about photosynthesis."
He shook his head, grinning despite himself. "Let's try focusing for real this time. If we finish your science homework, I'll let you take a break, deal?"
Aoi's eyes lit up. "Deal!"
But her version of "focusing" involved her peppering Kazuki with random, off-topic questions every few minutes.
"So, onii-chan," she asked, while writing down notes, "if you could have a superpower, what would it be?"
Kazuki looked at her, exasperated but amused. "Aoi, that has nothing to do with plant cells."
She grinned. "Just answer!"
He sighed, playing along. "Fine. I'd pick the power to make you finish your homework without distractions."
Aoi gasped, laughing. "You're so boring, onii-chan! I'd choose teleportation, so I could sneak into your room anytime and force you to help me with my homework."
"Oh, so this is all for my benefit, huh?" he teased, rolling his eyes. "Let's just focus on the plants for now, okay?"
They finally managed to make it through the science section, and by the time they reached her Japanese essay, Kazuki was beginning to feel a little tired himself. He had Aoi brainstorm ideas, and she managed to write a few decent sentences… before sliding over a piece of paper to him with an innocent smile.
"Onii-chan, can you check this paragraph?" she asked sweetly.
He glanced down at the paper, only to realize it was a blatant attempt to get him to write the whole essay for her. He shot her a flat look.
"Aoi, this isn't 'checking.' You're just trying to get me to do the whole thing!"
She giggled, looking unbothered. "It was worth a try. But hey, if you want to help…"
Kazuki ruffled her hair, smirking. "Nice try, but this essay's all on you. I'm just here for 'guidance.'"
They continued with the essay, Aoi occasionally whining and complaining about the "torture" of homework. But despite her dramatic complaints, she actually managed to complete most of her work with Kazuki's help. By the time they wrapped up, the sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the room.
Aoi stretched, yawning. "Thanks, onii-chan! I couldn't have done it without you."
Kazuki leaned back, relieved. "Just don't save everything until the last minute again, alright?"
She grinned, not making any promises. "Maybe. But at least now I know I have the best homework helper!"
Kazuki groaned, but he couldn't hide his smile. Spending time with Aoi like this was exhausting, but somehow, it was also one of the best parts of summer break.