Study Date

Yuto stood outside the professor's office, staring at the door like it was a portal to the underworld. 

He sighed heavily, raising a hand to knock, only to pause and consider running for his life instead. 

'Maybe if I just disappear for a few days, he'll forget this ever happened…'

Before he could put that genius plan into motion, the door swung open. 

Professor Hideo stood there, arms crossed, eyebrows raised. 

"Akimitsu" 

Yuto straightened immediately, forcing a grin. 

"Professor! Fancy meeting you here" 

Hideo sighed. 

"Inside. Now" 

Defeated, Yuto shuffled in. 

The office was neat, lined with bookshelves stacked with thick tomes on magic theory and history. 

A single window let in the evening light, casting long shadows across the room. 

Professor Hideo sat behind his desk and gestured for Yuto to take the chair across from him. 

Yuto obeyed, slumping into the seat like a man awaiting judgment.

'Goodbye, my loved ones… this was too soon'

He clasped his hands together. 

"So. Do you know why you're here?" 

Yuto thought for a moment, then nodded. 

"Because I'm too charismatic, and you see me as a threat to your authority?" 

Hideo pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"No, Akimitsu. You're here because you've been coasting through my class, relying on raw talent instead of actually studying" 

Yuto scoffed. 

"Pfft. That can't be true. I pay attention" 

He raised an eyebrow. 

"Then tell me—what did I teach last week?" 

Yuto blinked. 

"Uh…" He leaned back, trying to look casual. 

"Y'know. Magic… stuff" 

Hideo stared at him, unimpressed. 

"Advanced magic stuff?" Yuto tried again. 

Silence. 

"…With spells?" 

They sighed deeply. 

"Akimitsu. You're skilled, there's no doubt about that. But skill alone will only take you so far. If you don't start applying yourself, you'll never reach your full potential" 

Yuto tilted his head. 

"I mean, I'm already pretty strong, so—" 

"That attitude," Hideo cut in, voice firm, "is exactly why I'm giving you an assignment" 

Yuto's smirk vanished. 

"Wait. What?" 

They pulled out a sealed envelope and slid it across the desk. 

"You will complete this special task by the end of the week. Consider it an opportunity to prove you're more than just raw talent" 

Yuto eyed the envelope like it was about to explode. 

"…Does it involve paperwork?" 

"No" 

"…Does it involve physical labor?" 

"Not necessarily" 

"…Does it involve me trying?" 

Hideo simply smiled. 

Yuto groaned, reluctantly picking up the envelope. 

"Fine. But if this turns into some life-changing lesson about responsibility, I'm blaming you" 

"I would expect nothing less," the professor said, amused. 

Yuto stood up, stuffing the envelope into his pocket. 

"Alright, I'm out. Time to go enjoy what's left of my freedom" 

As he reached the door, Hideo spoke one last time. 

"Akimitsu" 

Yuto glanced back. 

"For once," the professor said, his voice quieter, "surprise me" 

Yuto stared at him for a moment, then smirked. 

"No promises, Teach" 

—

The moment Yuto stepped out of the building, he was met with the sight of Alice leaning casually against a nearby lamppost, arms crossed, wearing the smuggest expression he'd ever seen. 

He sighed. 

"Let me guess—you've been waiting just so you could laugh at me?" 

Alice pushed off the lamppost and fell into step beside him. 

"Of course. Your suffering is quality entertainment" 

Yuto groaned, rubbing his temples. 

"I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd say you enjoy seeing me in pain" 

Alice grinned. 

"Oh, I do" 

Yuto rolled his eyes and started walking, Alice easily keeping pace with him. 

The courtyard was nearly empty now, most students had already left for the day. 

The sky had started to turn orange, signaling the beginning of the evening. 

"So?" Alice nudged him. 

"What'd the professor want?" 

Yuto grumbled and pulled the envelope out of his pocket, waving it in front of her. 

"I have an assignment" 

Alice raised an eyebrow. 

"You? Doing work? This I gotta see" 

Yuto scoffed. 

"Hey, I can be responsible when I want to be" 

Alice gave him a look. 

"Name one time" 

Yuto opened his mouth. 

Paused. 

Closed it. 

Turning his head in shame.

"…I think we should focus on the present" 

Alice laughed. 

"That's what I thought" 

She snatched the envelope from his hand before he could react. 

"Hey!" Yuto protested, reaching for it. 

Alice dodged him effortlessly, holding it up as she inspected it. 

"Huh. Looks pretty official. You think it's a normal assignment or… something worse?" 

Yuto narrowed his eyes. 

"If this turns into some hero's journey nonsense, I'm going to lose my mind" 

Alice smirked. 

"Oh, come on. What's the worst that could happen?" 

Yuto groaned. 

"Never say that! That's how things do go wrong!" 

Alice just giggled, tossing the envelope back to him. 

"Well, guess you better open it and find out, huh?" 

Yuto stared at the envelope like it was a cursed artifact. 

After a deep breath, he tore it open. 

As he pulled out the letter inside, his eyes scanned over the neatly written text. 

Then he stopped. 

Blinked.

Read it again. 

Alice tilted her head. 

"What? What's it say?" 

Yuto slowly turned to her, expression unreadable. 

Then, in the flattest tone possible, he said: 

"…I have to tutor someone" 

There was silence. 

Then Alice, sweet, supportive Alice… burst out laughing. 

Yuto groaned loudly. 

"This is worse than death"

Alice was dying.

She clutched her stomach, barely able to breathe between laughs. 

"Y-You?! Tutoring someone? Oh, this is the best thing that's ever happened!" 

Yuto just stood there, staring at the letter as if he could will it out of existence. 

"This has to be a mistake. Me? Teaching? I barely pay attention in class!" 

Alice wiped a tear from her eye. 

"And yet, somehow, you're still at the top of our year. Guess the professor decided it was time for you to give back to the community" 

Yuto groaned and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Ugh. Who even needs my tutoring? Everyone at this academy is either a genius, a noble, or some overpowered prodigy" 

Alice leaned over, pointing at a name on the paper. 

"Looks like your student is… Reika Tsukihara" 

Yuto frowned. 

"That name sounds familiar" 

Alice thought for a second. 

"Oh! She's that first-year who transferred in a few weeks ago" 

Yuto's frown deepened. 

"Wait. First-year?" 

Alice nodded. 

"Yup. Pretty quiet. I heard she's talented but, uh… not great at theory" 

Yuto squinted at the paper again. 

"So you're telling me I have to babysit a first-year and teach her all the boring stuff I don't even study myself?" 

Alice patted his shoulder, still grinning. 

"Yup! And you can't slack off, because if she fails, it'll be your fault" 

Yuto groaned dramatically. 

"Why does this academy hate me?" 

Alice smirked. 

"Oh, it doesn't. I do, though. This is the best thing that's ever happened to me" 

Yuto shot her a glare. 

"You're enjoying this way too much" 

Alice shrugged. 

"Oh. But hey, maybe Reika will be nice! Maybe you two will get along" 

Yuto narrowed his eyes. 

"Or maybe she'll be a nightmare" 

Alice gave him a playful nudge. 

"You'll find out tomorrow. You're supposed to meet her after class, right?" 

Yuto checked the paper again and groaned. 

"Yup. Right after class, in the library" 

Alice grinned. 

"Well, good luck, Professor Akimitsu" 

Yuto sighed, shoving the letter back into his pocket. 

"If I survive this, I expect so many free meals" 

Alice giggled. 

"We'll see" 

—

Yuto sat slouched in a chair near the back of the library, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently against the floor. 

He had been here for five minutes already, staring blankly at the massive bookshelves surrounding him. 

'Maybe she won't show up,' he thought hopefully. 

'Maybe I can just report that she ditched, and I'll be free from this nightmare'

Just as that comforting thought settled in, a soft voice cut through the quiet air. 

"Um… excuse me" 

Yuto turned lazily, expecting to see some nervous first-year staring at the ground, apologizing for wasting his time. 

But what he actually saw made his breath hitch. 

Standing before him was a girl with long, silvery-white hair that cascaded down her back, strands catching the light in an almost ethereal glow. 

Her deep violet eyes flickered with uncertainty as she clutched a book to her chest, shifting slightly under his gaze. 

For a moment, it was like time stopped.

Any lingering disappointment about this tutoring job vanished as his heart did an uncharacteristic thump. 

He had heard rumors that they were the same age—that was why he was recommended. 

But he hadn't expected… this. 

She looked like she had stepped out of a dream. 

Yuto blinked, realizing he had been staring for far too long. 

He quickly composed himself, leaning back in his chair with a casual smirk. 

"You must be Reika Tsukihara," he said smoothly, hoping his voice didn't give away the fact that he was still internally rebooting.

Reika nodded slightly, her voice soft. 

"Yes… You're Yuto Akimitsu, right?" 

He gave her a lazy salute. 

"That's me. Your unfortunate tutor for the week." 

She tilted her head slightly, as if studying him, before offering the faintest of smiles. 

"It's nice to meet you" 

Yuto opened his mouth to respond, but for the first time in a long time, he found himself… stuck.

All thoughts of complaining, all the jokes he had prepared about how miserable this was going to be—gone.

Instead, all he could think was: 

'…I am in so much trouble'

Yuto cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus. 

'Alright, calm down. You've talked to plenty of girls before. No big deal. Just act normal'

"Uh… yeah. Nice to meet you too," he finally said, scratching the back of his head. 

Reika gave a small nod before glancing at the chair across from him. 

"May I…?" 

"Oh—yeah, go ahead." Yuto gestured, suddenly hyper-aware of how casually he had been slouched in his seat. 

He quickly sat up straighter, trying to look at least somewhat professional. 

Reika took a seat, still clutching her book like it was some kind of shield. 

Up close, Yuto noticed how delicate she looked, pale skin, soft features, and a quiet, almost distant aura. 

'Nope. Not gonna get distracted. Focus, Yuto!'

"So," he said, trying to steer things back on track, "the professor told me you needed help with, uh… theory?" 

Reika nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. 

"Yes. I can perform most spells without much trouble, but when it comes to understanding why they work, I… struggle" 

Yuto smirked. 

"So basically, you're all instinct, no textbook?" 

Reika hesitated before nodding. 

"…I suppose that's one way to put it" 

Yuto leaned back. 

"Hey, nothing wrong with that. Some of the best magic users don't rely on theory" 

Reika looked up at him, surprised. 

"You think so?" 

"Of course." Yuto grinned. 

"I mean, I don't exactly spend my nights studying either, and I turned out pretty great" 

Reika blinked. 

Then, to his surprise, a tiny giggle escaped her lips. 

It was soft, barely even there but Yuto heard it. 

And it sent his brain into a minor crisis. 

'Did I just make her laugh? Was that the cutest thing I've ever heard? Is this what true victory feels like?!'

Before his internal screaming could escalate, Reika quickly covered her mouth, her expression returning to normal. 

"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh" 

Yuto waved a hand. 

"Nah, go ahead. I'm hilarious, after all" 

Reika tilted her head, a ghost of a smile still on her lips. 

"…You're different than I expected" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"Oh? What did you expect?" 

She looked away, tucking a strand of silver hair behind her ear. 

"Someone more… serious. Everyone speaks highly of you in class, so I assumed you'd be more—" 

She paused, searching for the right word. 

"Responsible?" Yuto guessed. 

Reika nodded. 

Yuto chuckled. 

"Yeah, that's a common misconception. I do take things seriously when it counts, though" 

Reika studied him for a moment before nodding again. 

"I see" 

For some reason, Yuto felt like he had just passed some kind of invisible test. 

Clearing his throat, he grabbed a book from the pile he had halfheartedly gathered earlier. 

"Alright, let's start with something simple. What's the hardest concept for you right now?" 

Reika hesitated, then quietly said, "…Resonance theory" 

Yuto barely held back a groan. 

Of course, it had to be something he struggled with too. 

'Welp. Time to wing it'

Grinning, he opened the book and leaned forward. 

"Alright, let's see if we can figure this out together" 

And just like that, their study session began. 

An Hour Later

"…And that's why resonance theory is just magical frequencies lining up," Yuto finished, tapping the open book with a triumphant smirk. 

Reika, who had been quietly listening the entire time, blinked. 

"Oh" 

She tilted her head slightly, her hair shifting with the movement. 

"That… makes sense" 

Yuto grinned. 

"Of course it does! You had a top-tier teacher" 

Reika let out a small breath of amusement, looking down at her notes. 

Her once-cluttered page was now filled with neatly written explanations, diagrams, and the occasional side note in elegant handwriting. 

"I appreciate this," she said softly, closing her notebook. 

"I think I understand things much better now" 

Yuto stretched, leaning back in his chair. 

"No problem! Honestly, I thought this would be a nightmare, but turns out, you're not half bad to teach" 

Reika blinked at him. 

"You expected me to be a nightmare?" 

"…No?" 

Yuto tried, but her raised eyebrow told him she wasn't buying it. 

She shook her head, amused, before glancing at the clock on the library wall. 

"It's already this late?" she murmured. 

Yuto followed her gaze and frowned. 

'Huh. When did it get dark outside?'

Reika hesitated, fingers gripping the edges of her notebook. 

"I should go…" she said slowly, but she didn't stand up right away. 

Yuto noticed. 

She wasn't rushing to leave. 

If anything, she looked… reluctant. 

An unfamiliar feeling settled in his chest. 

Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Wanna grab dinner?" 

Reika's eyes widened slightly. 

"Dinner?" 

Yuto blinked, realizing what he'd just said. 

"Uh—yeah. Y'know, food. The thing humans need to live" 

He scratched his cheek, looking away. 

"I mean, we did all this work, and I'm starving. Might as well eat something before heading back, right?" 

For a second, Reika didn't say anything. 

Yuto felt weirdly nervous. 

Then, to his surprise, she gave him a small nod. 

"That… sounds nice" 

Yuto stared. 

'Did she just say yes?'

Reika tilted her head. 

"Was that not the answer you were expecting?" 

Yuto coughed, shaking off his surprise. 

"No, no! That's great. Let's go before the cafeteria closes" 

—

The cafeteria was quieter than usual, most students had already eaten and left. 

A few scattered groups remained, chatting over their meals, but for the most part, it was peaceful, perfect for a dinner with Reika. 

Yuto led the way to the counter, hands in his pockets. 

"Alright, rule number one of academy dining, always go for the grilled meat if you don't wanna regret your life choices" 

Reika followed behind him, glancing at the menu. 

"Is the other food… that bad?" 

Yuto smirked. 

"Let's just say I've seen things that cannot be unseen" 

Reika gave a small hum, considering her options. 

When it was finally their turn, she ended up ordering a simple grilled chicken dish, while Yuto predictably went for the biggest serving of meat he could get. 

Plates in hand, they found a table by the window. 

The sky outside was deep blue now, stars barely visible against the dim glow of the academy lanterns. 

For a few minutes, they ate in comfortable silence. 

Then, Reika spoke. 

"…You're different from what I expected" 

Yuto looked up mid-bite. 

"Huh?" 

Reika set her fork down, looking at him thoughtfully. 

"I've heard people talk about you. They always say you're the top student, that you're strong, talented… intimidating" 

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"And?" 

She tilted her head. 

"You're not intimidating" 

Yuto blinked. 

"Wait. Seriously?" 

Reika nodded. 

"You're more…" She paused, searching for the right word. 

"…Goofy" 

Yuto nearly choked. 

"Excuse me?!"

Reika just sipped her drink, unbothered. 

"It's not a bad thing" 

Yuto leaned back, pointing a fork at her. 

"Listen, I'll have you know I am very intimidating when I want to be" 

Reika's lips curved ever so slightly. 

"Are you?" 

Yuto narrowed his eyes. 

"You don't believe me" 

Reika shook her head. 

"Not really" 

Yuto groaned, slumping forward. 

"Unbelievable. I'm losing my reputation and my dignity all in one day" 

Reika let out a soft laugh, the second one of the day, and Yuto, despite his fake suffering, felt oddly… pleased. 

After a moment, she looked out the window, expression thoughtful. 

"…This was nice" 

Yuto glanced at her. 

"Huh?" 

She didn't turn to face him, just kept looking at the sky. 

"Spending time like this. Talking. I don't do it often" 

Yuto watched her for a moment before shrugging. 

"Well, guess you're stuck with me now" 

Reika finally turned back to him. 

"…That wouldn't be so bad" 

Yuto blinked. 

For the second time today, she had completely thrown him off. 

Before he could think of something witty to say, Reika stood up, collecting her tray. 

"Thank you for the meal" 

Yuto, still processing, scrambled to follow. 

"Uh—yeah, no problem" 

As they left the cafeteria together, Yuto couldn't help but think: 

'Okay. Maybe this tutoring thing isn't so bad after all'

Fifteen Minutes Later 

Yuto had won. 

Not in a grand, world-changing way, but in a way that mattered.

He had survived tutoring. 

He had made her laugh. 

He had invited her to dinner, and they had a great time.

So, naturally, as he made his way back to his dorm, he celebrated the only way he knew how. 

With a stupid victory dance. 

It started as a simple fist pump, but then he got into it, wiggling his shoulders, throwing in some objectively terrible footwork, and even spinning on one heel like he was the coolest guy alive.

"Who's the man?" he muttered to himself. 

"I'm the man. That's right, Yuto, you smooth—" 

He froze mid-spin. 

Because standing right in front of his dorm door, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed, was none other than— 

Alice.

Yuto's brain stalled. 

Alice raised an eyebrow. 

"I—what—" She gestured vaguely at him. 

"What am I looking at?" 

Yuto, still mid-pose, stared at her like a caught criminal. 

"…Interpretive dance?" 

Silence. 

Then— 

Alice burst out laughing.

Yuto groaned, straightening up. 

"Okay, okay, enough of that. What are you even doing here?" 

Alice wiped a tear from her eye. 

"Oh, I needed that. You have no idea how rare it is to see The Yuto Akimitsu doing the loser shuffle outside his dorm" 

Yuto scowled. 

"It wasn't the loser shuffle" 

Alice grinned. 

"Oh, it absolutely was" 

Yuto crossed his arms. 

"Again—why are you here?" 

Alice smirked, leaning against his door frame. 

"I was waiting for you. Figured I'd check in after your big first tutoring session. And clearly, it went well" 

Yuto rolled his eyes. 

"Yeah, yeah. It was fine" 

Alice's smirk widened. 

"Fine? Yuto, I just caught you breakdancing out of pure joy" 

"It was not breakdancing" 

"It was definitely breakdancing" 

Yuto sighed, rubbing his temple. 

"Look, Reika's cool, alright? She's easy to talk to. It wasn't the disaster I thought it'd be" 

Alice's teasing expression softened slightly. 

"That's good" 

Yuto glanced at her. 

"Wait, what, no snarky comment?" 

Alice shrugged. 

"What? Can't I be happy that you had a good time?" 

Yuto squinted. 

"Feels suspicious" 

Alice rolled her eyes and stepped back. 

"Whatever, dancing king. Just don't start catching feelings" 

Yuto scoffed. 

"Pfft. Please. It was just one study session" 

Alice gave him a knowing look. 

"Mhm. Sure. See you tomorrow, Professor" 

And with that, she spun on her heel and walked off, leaving Yuto standing in front of his door, feeling very called out. 

With a sigh, he muttered, "I hate when she does that" 

Then, shaking his head, he stepped into his dorm, completely unaware that this was only the beginning of his problems.

The week went by like a blur, on the third day Yuto tried to explain complex theories but accidentally turned it into a rant about how boring textbooks were, which Reika found amusing.

On the fourth day, Yuto demonstrated a spell in the library. 

It backfired as a bookshelf nearly collapsed. 

Reika had to step in and gently remind him that "practical demonstrations" weren't necessary in every lesson.

On the fifth day, Yuto, determined to be a proper tutor, prepared an actual lesson plan. 

Reika… ended up teaching him half the material. 

He acted like it was part of the plan all along.

On the sixth, they got kicked out of the library for being too loud. 

Reika was mortified. 

Yuto took it as a badge of honor.

And finally, the final day came.

Reika clapped her hands together, eyes practically glowing as she stared down at her test paper. 

"…I did it" 

Yuto grinned, leaning back in his chair. 

"You sure! Look at that score! That's gotta be one of the highest in the class" 

Reika turned to him, her expression softer. 

"Thank you, Yuto. I truly couldn't have done this without you" 

He rubbed the back of his head. 

"Eh, don't give me too much credit. You had it in you all along" 

Reika hesitated, then suddenly— clap!  

She pressed her hands against his in an impromptu celebration. 

Yuto blinked, caught off guard. 

"…That was cute," he muttered without thinking. 

Reika's face turned slightly pink. 

"I-I was just—" 

Yuto cleared his throat, suddenly feeling weirdly fidgety. 

'Why does she look so happy? Why is that making my chest feel weird?'

To distract himself, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. 

"Wanna go see a movie?" 

Reika blinked. 

"A… movie?" 

"Yeah" 

Yuto shrugged, trying to play it cool. 

"You did great, so you deserve a break. We could catch something after class tomorrow" 

Reika looked at him for a moment, as if considering it.

Then, to his surprise, she gave a small nod. 

"That sounds nice" 

Yuto blinked. 

Before he could overthink it, Reika stood, gathering her things. 

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" 

Yuto coughed, quickly masking his surprise. 

"Uh—yeah. Tomorrow" 

As she walked off, Yuto sat back in his chair, exhaling. 

A week ago, he was dreading tutoring. 

Now, he had plans to go to the movies with Reika. 

…Yeah. He definitely didn't see this coming. 

—

Yuto stretched his arms as he walked down the hallway toward his dorm, still processing everything that had happened.

'A week ago, I thought tutoring would be a nightmare… and now I'm going to a movie with Reika?'

It was weird. 

Not bad—just… unexpected.

He had turned down so many girls in the past before, usually walking away if things got too uncomfortable, and yet here he was grinning like an idiot.

As he turned the corner, he slowed down. 

Right in front of his door, leaning against the frame like she owned the place, was Alice. 

She had a bag of snacks in one hand, casually tossing a small candy in the air and catching it in her mouth. 

When she noticed him, she grinned. 

"Well, well, look who finally made it home" 

Yuto sighed. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Alice held up the bag. 

"Bringing snacks. And waiting to hear all about your study date" 

Yuto groaned. 

"It wasn't a date" 

Alice smirked. 

"Mhm. And yet, here you are, flustered" 

"I'm not flustered" 

"Sure, sure" 

She popped another candy in her mouth. 

"So? You're gonna invite me in or what?" 

Yuto rolled his eyes but unlocked the door, stepping inside. 

"Yeah, yeah, come in" 

Alice waltzed in like she lived there, immediately plopping down on his bed and opening the bag. 

Yuto sat on his desk chair, arms crossed. 

"Alright, let's get this over with. What do you wanna know?" 

Alice grinned. 

"Everything" 

As she tossed him a bag of chips, Yuto sighed knowing he wasn't going to sleep that night.