The blue powder incident that morning still lingered in Kaito's mind as he stood in front of the principal's office door. The smug smile that usually adorned his face had vanished. Beside him stood Hana Matsui, standing upright with a remarkably calm expression.
"Tch, why do I have to be here?" Kaito grumbled as he glanced at Hana. "It's not like I bullied you that badly. Such a snitch."
Hana kept her gaze on the floor. "I didn't report you. Can't you see that I've been blue all day?"
"Then how did they know it was me?!" Kaito protested.
"You set the trap," Hana replied flatly, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Before Kaito could respond, the office door swung open with a loud bang.
"Mr. Nakamura, Ms. Matsui, come in," Mr. Tanabe ordered sternly.
The two of them walked in and sat down opposite the principal's desk, their bodies stiff. Mr. Yamamoto looked at them with a serious expression.
"Mr. Nakamura, you know you've crossed the line, don't you?" Mr. Yamamoto began firmly. "And Ms. Matsui, while I understand you're the victim in this situation, was your action earlier justified?"
Kaito opened his mouth to defend himself, but Hana spoke first. "Principal Yamamoto, may I suggest a punishment for him? Since I'm the victim in this situation."
"Go ahead," Mr. Yamamoto replied, leaning back in his chair.
Hana clasped her hands tightly on her lap. "For your information, Principal, I'm new to this school and still trying to catch up with the syllabus I missed. So, can Kaito help me catch up and assist me with a project I'm working on? I need a helper."
Kaito stared at Hana, his eyes wide. He was stunned by the girl beside him. "Wait, what?!"
The principal tapped his pen on the desk, thinking. "What project?"
Hana smiled faintly and said, "The art club is organizing a mural competition to brighten up the school grounds. I want to participate in this competition, but one of the requirements is to have at least one teammate. Unfortunately, no one wants to team up with me."
Kaito leaned forward, panicked. "Principal! Please don't allow this. I know nothing about art."
Hana glared at Kaito. "So you'd rather get punished instead?"
Kaito fell silent for a moment before slumping back in his chair, resigned. "Fine."
The principal nodded. "Alright. I'll give you both time to complete the mural. If the result is satisfactory, I won't punish you. But! If you fail, your punishment will be doubled. Understand?"
"Understood, Sir," Hana replied calmly.
Kaito sighed. "Got it."
That Afternoon
In the art room, Kaito sat awkwardly on a stool, staring at a blank sketchbook. The smell of paint and charcoal filled the air, while shelves along the walls were lined with various art supplies. Hana stood nearby, carefully organizing paints and brushes.
"Argh, this is ridiculous!" Kaito grumbled. "I don't know anything about murals. What even is a mural?"
Hana looked up at him. "Can you stop complaining and just follow my instructions?"
"Easy for you to say since you're an artist. If it weren't for this punishment, I wouldn't even be here," Kaito muttered as he flipped through the sketchbook lazily.
Hana sighed and pulled a pencil out of her pocket. She handed it to Kaito. "Just start with something simple. Draw anything. Even a stick figure is fine."
Kaito hesitated but took the pencil. He began to doodle on the paper. After a few minutes, he held up his drawing. "How's this?"
Hana looked at his drawing. She saw a crooked circle—or maybe an oval?—with a few lines radiating from it. "Is this supposed to be the sun?" she asked.
"It's abstract," Kaito defended himself.
Hana's lips twitched slightly, almost forming a smile. "We'll work on it."
For the next hour, Hana taught Kaito how to draw. She was incredibly patient, enduring Kaito's endless complaints. Gradually, Kaito began to adapt to the environment.
The more time they spent together, the more Kaito found himself observing Hana rather than his sketchbook. Hana was so focused when it came to art.
"So," Kaito broke the silence after a long time, "why did you help me earlier? You could've let me get punished."
Hana paused her drawing. "I don't like unnecessary drama. Plus, if I left you there, you'd probably come after me for revenge later, right?"
Kaito was stunned. What Hana said was true. If he'd been punished, he'd definitely find the person who reported him and bully them out of spite.
"Thanks," Kaito said quietly.
"Huh? What?" Hana asked, not hearing him.
"Nothing. Just get back to work," Kaito muttered, his face turning red with embarrassment.
Hana gave him a puzzled look before resuming her drawing.