Finding Common Ground

The first day of working together couldn't have gone worse.

Akane's fingers were practically digging into the corners of her notebook as she sat across from Zenkichi in the school library, attempting to go over the details of their assigned festival booth. She had meticulously prepared a list of potential ideas, each organized with bullet points, sub-bullet points, and color-coded notes. But Zenkichi…well, he was sitting back in his chair, looking as relaxed as if he were waiting for a movie to start.

Akane took a deep breath. Stay calm, she told herself. Just explain things clearly, and maybe he'll take this seriously.

"So," she began, keeping her voice steady, "I've come up with three potential ideas for our booth. I think we should focus on something engaging, but also educational, so I was thinking—"

Zenkichi cut her off with a lazy grin. "Why make it complicated? Just throw some snacks and games in there, and we're done, right?"

Akane blinked, taken aback. "Snacks and games? This is supposed to be a meaningful project, not a carnival."

"Who said it can't be both?" he replied, shrugging. "People don't want to come to a festival just to learn things. They want to have fun. Not everything has to be a life lesson, Ice Queen."

The nickname grated on her, and she narrowed her eyes. "And not everything has to be mindless fun either, Mr. Superstar. This project is an opportunity to do something creative and impactful. If you're just going to slack off, why even bother?"

Zenkichi's smile faded slightly, and he leaned forward, studying her with a seriousness that surprised her. "Look, Akane, not everyone's like you. Not everyone cares about being the best at everything. Some of us just want to enjoy the moment, you know?"

She crossed her arms. "And some of us actually care about our future."

They stared at each other in silence, the tension stretching between them like a rubber band about to snap. Akane could feel her frustration simmering, but there was something in Zenkichi's gaze—a hint of defiance mixed with a flicker of…understanding? It was strange. She had expected him to brush her off, not to challenge her like this.

Finally, he leaned back again, his easy smile returning. "Fine. Show me your ideas. I'll try not to fall asleep."

Rolling her eyes, Akane spread her notebook on the table, pointing to her first idea. "I was thinking we could do a 'Future Pathways' booth. It would have different stations where people can explore potential career paths or personal goals—like a mini self-discovery workshop."

Zenkichi looked at her for a long moment, then scratched his head. "Uh…isn't that a little…serious?"

"Of course, but we could make it interactive," Akane insisted, her voice laced with impatience. "There could be personality quizzes, fun facts, games that align with different skills."

He tilted his head, pretending to think it over. "Hmm…still sounds like a lot of work. How about this: what if we did something simpler, like a 'Try Your Luck' game booth? We can set up different challenges—physical, mental, whatever—and people can win prizes."

Akane's brow furrowed. "That's…not the worst idea I've ever heard."

"Thank you for the high praise," he said with a grin. "See? I can come up with good ideas too."

She allowed herself a small, reluctant smile. "It's a start. But it needs more substance. What if we combine your idea with mine? We could have stations where people try different activities that hint at potential skills, like a quiz for mental challenges, a sports mini-game, and so on. It would be fun, but also get people thinking about what they're good at."

Zenkichi gave her a nod, looking genuinely impressed. "All right, Akane. Maybe we can work with that."

For the first time, she thought that maybe, just maybe, they could pull this off without completely tearing each other apart.

---

The Next Day - A Basketball Practice Break

Later that day, Zenkichi was in the gym, running drills with his teammates. He was the type who thrived on the court, his natural athleticism and quick reflexes making him one of the best players in school. As he sank another three-pointer, he felt a buzz of satisfaction. This—this was what he was good at.

But as he paused to catch his breath, his thoughts drifted back to the library and the sight of Akane, meticulously planning their project with that intense look on her face. She was…different. Irritating, sure. But he couldn't help but admire how much she cared. Her passion for success was something he'd always brushed off, but now it had him wondering.

"Yo, Zenkichi!" His friend Hiro called out, tossing him the ball. "You good? You look…distracted."

"Nah, just thinking about the festival project," Zenkichi replied, forcing a grin as he caught the ball.

Hiro laughed. "You? Thinking about school? Man, that must be one tough partner you got."

Zenkichi rolled his eyes, but Hiro wasn't wrong. Akane was tough—tougher than anyone he'd ever met. And whether he liked it or not, he felt a strange desire to prove her wrong, to show her he wasn't just a slacker.

---

Back in the Library - The Meeting Continues

The next time they met, Akane was surprised to see Zenkichi arrive a few minutes early. He looked a bit more prepared, carrying a notebook of his own, albeit with only a couple of hastily scrawled notes.

"Wow, you're on time," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't get used to it," he replied, giving her a smirk.

As they went over the booth plans, she noticed that he was actually contributing, offering ideas and even challenging some of her suggestions. It was…refreshing, in a way, to see that he was capable of more than just jokes and eye rolls.

Their session ended on a surprisingly positive note, and as they packed up, Akane felt a strange sense of satisfaction. She still didn't like him—not by a long shot—but maybe, working with Zenkichi wouldn't be as unbearable as she'd thought.

Or at least, that's what she told herself as they parted ways, each feeling a flicker of something they couldn't yet define.