The Tutor and the Tease

Hiroshi sat in the library, a stack of textbooks and practice problems spread out before him. He was nervous about his upcoming tutoring session.

He'd never tutored anyone before, and he wasn't sure if he was up to the task. Plus, there was the added layer of intrigue surrounding his new client. He still couldn't quite place her, but her profile picture had triggered a faint sense of recognition.

This tutoring gig was one of the two part-time jobs he'd managed to land. The other was a late-night shift at a convenience store near campus.

Juggling his Computer Engineering coursework with two jobs and his increasingly complicated "rental romance" life was proving to be a challenge, but Hiroshi was determined to make it work.

Especially since renting girlfriends, even occasionally, was putting a serious dent in his meager finances.

The library doors swung open, and a girl walked in, her eyes scanning the room. Hiroshi's jaw dropped. It was her. The girl from his introductory calculus class, the one who always sat in the front row and seemed to effortlessly grasp concepts that left him struggling. He'd secretly admired her intelligence and dedication, but he'd never worked up the courage to speak to her.

She spotted him and walked over, a shy smile gracing her lips. "Hiroshi? I'm Sakura Sato."

"Oh! Hi, Sakura," Hiroshi stammered, his cheeks flushing red. "I… I didn't realize it was you."

Sakura giggled. "Yeah, I guess my profile picture is a bit old. I've… changed my look since then."

Hiroshi could see that. In class, she always wore her hair in a neat bun and dressed in conservative clothes.

Today, her hair was loose and flowing, and she was wearing a stylish outfit that accentuated her curves. She looked confident and radiant, a far cry from the shy, bookish girl he'd observed in class.

They settled into a quiet corner of the library, and Hiroshi, after confirming that Sakura had indeed transferred the agreed-upon tutoring fee to his account, began to explain the concepts she was struggling with. He was surprised to find that he enjoyed teaching. He had a knack for explaining complex ideas in a clear and concise way, and he was gratified to see the understanding dawn in Sakura's eyes.

As they worked through the problems, Hiroshi noticed that Sakura had a playful side. She teased him about his nerdy glasses and his obsession with video games, but her teasing was lighthearted and affectionate. Hiroshi found himself relaxing and enjoying her company.

He also noticed that she was incredibly observant. She picked up on his subtle cues and seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. It was a bit unnerving, but also strangely flattering.

"You know," Sakura said, leaning closer to him, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "you're not at all what I expected."

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what did you expect?"

Sakura smirked. "A boring, socially awkward nerd who spends all his time in the library."

Hiroshi laughed. "Well, I can't deny the 'nerd' part. But I assure you, I have a life outside of the library."

He paused, thinking about his late-night shifts at the convenience store and his "dates" with Raven. "It's just… a bit complicated at the moment."

Sakura's smile widened. "I'm glad to hear it. Maybe you can tell me about it sometime."

Hiroshi felt his heart skip a beat. Was she flirting with him? He wasn't sure, but he definitely liked the attention.

Their tutoring session flew by, and soon it was time for Sakura to leave. As she was packing up her books, she turned to Hiroshi with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Thanks for the help, Hiroshi," she said. "I owe you one."

"Anytime, Sakura," Hiroshi replied, his cheeks flushing red.

Sakura leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Maybe we can study together again sometime… outside of the library."

And with that, she was gone, leaving Hiroshi staring after her, a mixture of excitement and confusion swirling within him. He couldn't deny the attraction he felt for her, but he was also wary of getting involved with another girl, especially with everything else going on in his life.