Chapter 3: Sweetness and Studying for Tests
The next morning, Yuuma as usual, went to pick Yui up at her house.
Yui was waiting in front of her house today, and when she spotted Yuuma, she greeted him with a smile that seemed to be a mix of joy and shyness, waving her hand slightly.
“Go-Good morning.”
“Good morning. Is your body feeling better now?”
“Yeah, I’m fine now.”
They exchanged greetings somewhat awkwardly. However, for some reason, Yui’s expression appeared happier than usual, and her smile seemed sweeter as if it were filled with honey.
“T-Then, shall we go?”
“Yes, let’s go.”
And so, they started walking side by side.
Yuuma walked a bit slowly, taking Yui’s health into consideration, but Yui’s steps were light, and she seemed completely fine.
“…Should we hold hands?”
When Yuuma spoke those words, Yui nodded eagerly as if she had been waiting for them.
“…Then, hands?”
He took her outstretched small hand and gently intertwined their fingers. They lightly moved their fingers as if seeking each other, feeling each other’s touch and warmth.
They had held hands many times before, but it had always been in the context of close friends.
However, today, it felt different.
It was frustrating that he couldn’t find the right words to describe it, but it felt like the original close distance between them had somehow shrunk by half.
On the other hand, Yui seemed as though she was trying to sense Yuuma through their hand-holding.
Her occasional fleeting glances were soft, and at times, she pressed her body against his, much like a small animal seeking affection.
His heart was pounding. Yui today seemed somehow flighty or sweeter than usual.
With each of Yui’s gestures, it became clear that she loved him, and that made him feel embarrassed and happy. If he could, he wanted to hold Yui close and embrace her forever.
They continued walking until they reached the vicinity of the train station.
“We’re getting close to the station; should I let go now?”
Saying that, he loosened his grip.
During the entrance ceremony, he had held Yui’s hand to keep her from feeling anxious, but once they had settled into school life, he had refrained from holding hands at the station or school.
However, Yui didn’t seem willing to let go today.
“…Yui.”
“…Isn’t it okay to stay like this?”
“Well, you see…if our classmates see us like this, they might think we’re in that kind of relationship, you know?”
He felt like a coward for bringing up such a topic, but he couldn’t help himself.
“I…I’m fine with it,”
And then, Yui replied, giving him the answer he had hoped for.
“Um, Yuuma, are you not okay with it…?”
If anything, I was happy──he almost blurted out, but he swallowed it back down. It was just too embarrassing to say out loud.
Yui smiled shyly and squeezed his hand even tighter.
“Then let’s stay like this, okay?”
“…Yeah.”
They arrived at the station, still holding hands, and boarded the train.
The train was as crowded as usual, and, as was their routine, Yui headed towards the wall while Yuuma became the protective wall, shielding her from the surrounding passengers.
However, different from usual, Yui was snuggled up closely to Yuuma, occasionally pressing her body against him as if seeking affection.
“Y-Yui? Is it just me, or are you a bit closer today?”
“Hmm… is it… not okay…?”
“…Well, it’s not really a problem.”
“…Hehe♪”
Yui flashed a sweet smile, gently resting her forehead against Yuuma’s chest. He could feel the warmth and sweet scent coming from her as she pressed close. His heartbeat intensified rapidly.
(…What is this adorable creature.)
He felt his heart tightening.
He was glad they were on the train. If not for that, he probably wouldn’t have been able to resist hugging Yui.
Soon, they arrived at the nearest station to their school and walked hand in hand towards the school, passing several classmates along the way.
Yui’s white hair already made her stand out, and being seen holding hands with a boy like this would naturally lead people to assume they were in that kind of relationship.
However, even when Yuuma subtly suggested letting go, Yui held onto his hand, as if saying, “I don’t want to let go.”
It was clear she was embarrassed, but even more so, she wanted to be close to him.
The point of no return had been crossed. Yet, Yui was okay with it.
A mix of affection, embarrassment, and various other emotions welled up, creating a floating sensation that made them feel like they were on cloud nine.
However, once they arrived at school and homeroom ended, they were brought back to reality.
“Hey, Yui-chan, Sugisaki-kun, you guys studying hard?”
Asuka exclaimed, seeking their help. …The midterm exams were just around the corner, their first regular exams as high school students.
Honestly, Yuuma had been feeling a bit distracted by his thoughts about Yui, but the primary duty of a student was to study.
He couldn’t afford to get a failing grade because he was preoccupied with Yui…he wouldn’t be able to face it. Yuuma pulled himself together.
“By the way, Asuka, what about Nago? He’s better at studying, and you two are dating, so you could ask him for help, right?”
“Trying to study with Nago-kun is like being in a Spartan training camp…”
Yuuma couldn’t help but tilt his head internally at those words.
Nago might come across as unsociable, but he was generally lenient with people who were genuinely trying to make an effort.
In fact, during junior high, he had patiently tutored Asuka, who was far less academically inclined than him and not quite a friend either. It was hard to believe that Nago would suddenly adopt a harsh cramming style.
“Did you do something to upset him or something?”
“Nah, you know what? The other day when we were hanging out, we started playing Grand Gate at my place?”
“Yeah.”
“And then? We got really into it, right? So, like… I mean, we just entered high school, and I thought we should study properly, but then we played ‘just a little,’ and it got out of control…”
“…Yui, are you okay with the midterm exams? If it’s within what I can teach, you can rely on me, you know?”
“G-Gaah!? Please don’t abandon me! If I keep going like this, I’ll fail! Everyone will be in their second year and going on a school trip, and I’ll still be a first-year!”
“Sigh… Alright, I got it. So, which subjects do you want me to teach you?”
“Um…all of them!”
“Yui, are there any subjects you’re not good at…?”
“Waaah, Sugizaki-kun, don’t abandon me~! ──Hyaan!?”
Chop! Nago delivered a chop to Asuka’s head.
With an exasperated expression, Nago looked down at Asuka.
This time it’s your own fault. I’ll help you with your studies, so accept it.”
“Ugh… fine…”
“Think about your own academic abilities. If you don’t study that much, you might really end up failing, and worst-case scenario, you’ll have to repeat a year.”
“I don’t want that, but I get so sleepy whenever I open my notes…”
“You worked hard during exam prep.”
“That was, like, the power of love, you know? I didn’t want to be away from Nago-kun, and I thought if I got good grades, you might kiss me or something, so I felt motivated.”
“Rejected.”
“Isn’t that an instant rejection!? It’s a girl’s first kiss, you know!? I was joking, but couldn’t you have thought about it a bit more!?”
“Asuka.”
With Nago’s calm voice, Asuka stopped making a fuss.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You should do things more properly.”
Asuka blushed bright red at those words and meekly replied,
“Ah… yes, I’m sorry.”
“T-Then, if I do well in my studies, can I have a date as my reward…”
“We practically go out for fun almost every week, don’t we?”
“Well, I mean… like, a hand-holding date or something, I’d like that…”
“If you manage to avoid failing all subjects.”
“Yeah, I’ll do my best…”
Just then, the bell for their first-period class rang. Nago and Asuka returned to their seats.
“…Nago is really something, huh?”
“Yeah, just watching him unexpectedly makes me nervous.”
Nago was not the type to express his emotions openly, but you could still tell that he cared about Asuka from his actions and words.
“Speaking of which, even though those two are so close, they’re still like that, huh?”
“It seems that way.”
They had been dating since their third year of junior high, so they had assumed they might have kissed by now, at least.
However, from their recent conversation, it seemed that they hadn’t even gone on hand-holding dates. It must be tough for Asuka too. Yuuma let out a wry smile.
──Speaking of which.
He and Yui weren’t even officially dating yet, but they frequently held hands. Not to mention they hugged, slept together, and yesterday, he had even told Yui’s father that he would take good care of his daughter. They were doing things that most couples did after officially getting together.
Thinking about it, the next step would be something like a kiss… and that thought crossed his mind at that moment.
“Hey, Yuma…”
“Yeah?”
“Well, Nago-kun mentioned it, but… is a first kiss really important for guys too…?”
His heart skipped a beat. Did Yui have similar thoughts to Yuuma’s?
His heart was pounding, almost deafeningly so, but he managed to respond calmly.
“W-Well, I guess it’s important, right?”
“S-So, um, Yuuma… have you, uh…kissed someone before?”
“…!”
Her question made him remember that time when Yui had stayed over, and he had almost leaned in for a kiss. He stumbled over his words.
Taking it differently, Yui’s expression shifted to what looked like shock.
“…You have?”
“N-No, I haven’t…”
“I see. Ehehe…♪”
(Why is she so happy about that…!)
Yuuma felt like he was going to squirm as Yui giggled with a soft smile.
“W-What about you, then?”
Embarrassed, he decided to turn the question back on her. After all, he had assumed Yui hadn’t kissed anyone before… or so he thought, but her reaction seemed odd.
“…~~.”
“W-Well, have you?”
Blushing and hesitating, Yui mumbled,
“Uh, no. I haven’t. I mean, um…”
After mumbling to herself for a moment, Yui took out her smartphone and began typing a message. She pressed the send button, using her phone to hide her expression as she watched Yuuma’s reaction. Soon, he received a message on her phone.
“Indirect kisses don’t count, right?”
──Come to think of it, they had an indirect kiss when they shared a parfait at a family restaurant.
Blushing as he remembered that moment, Yuuma sent a reply.
“Well, I guess indirect kisses don’t really count, do they?”
“Then what about the cheeks?”
…Just a few days ago, Yui had performed a little charm on Yuuma’s cheeks when he was playing possum.
Thinking about the sensation of her lips on his cheeks, he felt like he was going to melt, but he managed to maintain a poker face as he replied.
“No count.”
“…What about in dreams?”
(What does she mean by that!?)
…Come to think of it, Yuuma had previously done quite a few things with Yui in his dreams… including more than just kissing. He had felt so guilty about it when he woke up that he practically writhed in bed.
However, now that she was asking about dreams, it made him wonder if Yui had similar dreams… and that thought almost killed him.
“No count.”
“I see. Well, maybe I haven’t done anything either.”
“I see.”
“Hehe, looks like we’re both newbies at this.”
(Newbies at what!? What is this conversation!?)
It was so embarrassing that he felt like he was going to faint.
It seemed that Yui was also embarrassed by what she had brought up, as she covered her face with both hands.
──If he could become Yui’s boyfriend, well, these kinds of conversations were probably par for the course… he thought, and once again, he felt like he was on the verge of death.
†
Despite the morning’s conversation, time had passed, and now it was after school in the library.
Yuuma, Yui, Nago, and Asuka sat around a table. They had talked about studying for the test in the morning, but in the end, these four had decided to hold a study session together.
Nago, acting as the supervisor, cleared his throat and glanced at the other three.
“I’m thinking we should start by filling in the gaps in our weak subjects. So, what subjects are you each struggling with?”
“I’m not confident in English.”
“Well, for me, it’s history-related subjects… especially Japanese history.”
“I’m struggling with all of them.”
“How did you even pass the entrance exam for this school?”
“Well, I don’t know. Maybe it’s a miracle of love.”
Nago sighed with an indescribable expression on his face.
“Sugisaki, Kamishiro-san, I’m sorry, but I’ll be focusing on Asuka’s studies intensively, so I’d like both of you to help each other out.”
“Sure thing. Good luck, Asuka.”
In the end, it was the usual pairings, and Yuuma leaned in closer to Yui.
“What specifically do you find challenging in English, Yuuma?”
“I’m okay with vocabulary, but grammar gets me sometimes. Especially when it comes to longer sentences.”
“Yeah, it can get confusing since it’s different from Japanese.”
“What about you, Yui?”
“I struggle with remembering era names and such. When I read the textbook, I start getting sleepy…”
“History has a lot to remember, after all. Well then, how about we start by reading the textbook for about ten minutes, and then we can try the mini-test the teacher gave us? We can help each other with the parts we don’t understand.”
“Sure, I got it.”
So, they started working on the mini-test. Yuuma stumbled on the grammar in the longer sentences, but Yui scored a perfect score.
“Wow, you did great!”
“…Well, that’s because I’ve been studying with you, Yuuma…”
“But I haven’t done anything yet.”
When Yuuma said that, Yui’s cheeks turned pink.
“I’m always excited, so I don’t get sleepy…and if I study with you, Yuuma, I’m sure I won’t forget.”
Those words made Yuuma’s heart race even more.
(…Could it be that she’s aware of my feelings?)
Yui has been quite proactive, or rather, sweet, since this morning. Her affection for him was always evident in her words and actions, but today, it felt slightly different.
(…If Yui is being so assertive while being aware of my feelings, then…)
He swallowed the saliva in his mouth and mustered the courage to speak.
“Hey, Yui.”
“Hm?”
“…How about we go on a date once the tests are over?”
As Yuuma said this, Yui’s shoulders jumped. Her face was red in bewilderment. …Now that Yuuma thought about it, this was the first time he had directly asked her out on a date like this.
Moreover, he had said it with a somewhat troubled tone. Yui might have sensed something in his words.
“…Do you not want to?”
“N-No, I want to go. I want to go. W-Where are we going?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Do you have any place in mind?”
“…An internet cafe?”
“You really like internet cafes, huh?”
“Yes, there it’s just me and Yuuma…”
As she said these somewhat counter-like words, Yuuma could feel his cheeks growing warm.
Perhaps feeling embarrassed about what she had just said, Yui started fidgeting as well.
“A-And, well, going to an internet cafe feels like a standard thing to do when hanging out with you, Yuuma. Plus, we haven’t played Grand Gate much recently because of our test prep, so I was wondering…”
“T-That so. Sure, let’s go to an internet cafe then.”
“Y-Yes. Then, um like in spring break, around early afternoon?”
“…If it’s okay with you, how about we meet in the morning?”
“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine with that…”
“That way, we’ll have more time together.”
“……~~~”
When Yuuma suggested this, Yui blushed bright red, fidgeting and squirming as she mumbled. But Yuuma was equally red-faced. They were both reaching their limits.
“Alright, let’s get back to studying. It wouldn’t look good if we were talking about having fun and then ended up failing our tests. Can you help me with grammar for now?”
“Y-Yeah. Um, for this question…”
As they leaned in closer to each other while studying, Yui discreetly reached for Yuuma’s uniform under the table.
Yuuma understood her intention and moved his hand under the table as well. Their hands met beneath the table, confirming each other’s feelings as they intertwined their fingers. Softly, they held hands while continuing to study.
“Oh, for this part, it might be better to translate it like this.”
“Ah, I see. So it becomes like this?”
“Yeah, that’s right… Um, Yuuma? What about this one?”
“Ah, for that one, it’s not about memorizing it individually but rather connecting it with this…”
They continued to help each other, with Yuuma explaining when Yui didn’t understand, and Yui correcting Yuuma when he made mistakes.
This was indeed unforgettable. Even if they eventually forgot the content they studied, they would surely remember the happiness of this time forever.
However, Yuuma noticed that Asuka was looking somewhat displeased.
“Ah, sorry about that. It’s just that seeing people all lovey-dovey in front of someone who’s struggling with their studies… you know how it is.”
“W-We’re not being lovey-dovey or anything…”
“It’s pretty obvious when you’re holding hands under the table, you know?”
Upon hearing this, they instinctively let go of each other’s hands.
“Asuka, focus on your own work rather than worrying about others.”
“Ugh… I don’t get this stuff at all… I hate math.”
As Asuka complained, Nago sighed and gently placed his hand over Asuka’s, which had been resting on his notebook.
“W-Wait, N-Nago-kun!?”
Ignoring Asuka’s confusion, Nago entwined his fingers with Asuka’s and held their hands together like a couple.
“Does this make you feel a little better?”
“Y-Yes…”
“I’ll keep this up while we study, so do your best.”
“I-I will…”
“…Nago really is something.”
“Yeah, he is…”
While they were talking, Yui stole a quick glance at Yuuma. Once again, she discreetly tugged on Yuuma’s school uniform under the table.
Yuuma responded by gently taking hold of Yui’s hand.
They held hands beneath the table, just like a couple, and continued to study together with the other two until the end.
TL notes:
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I Can't Read Japanese TL 
Damn, Nago is such a Chad.
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This chapter teaches us to be a chad
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