The door clicked shut behind us. The Student Council Room was so quiet that even breathing seemed to echo. Ayumi walked to the desk with her usual flawless posture, pulling some papers from her folder.
"Sit down," she said, without looking at me.
I obeyed, still hearing in my head her earlier argument with the vice president. Hanabi definitely wasn't a fan of improvisation. Or of me.
Ayumi spread the papers and pointed to a page filled with scribbled graphs.
"Today, we'll review inequalities. I want to see what stuck from yesterday."
"Careful, you might be surprised." I crossed my arms, half-smirking.
"Surprises are only good when they come with results."
She began explaining, but before she could finish, I had already scribbled the answer in the margin.
"Roots: minus three and two. Negative in the middle, positive outside."
She stopped. Looked at me for a second, as if I had said something off-script.
"Have you seen this problem before?"
"No. But it looks like one I reviewed last night." I shrugged.
She stayed silent for a beat longer than usual before writing another one.
"And this?"
I thought fast and answered.
"Four and minus two."
This time, the silence stretched even longer. Barely noticeable, but there.
"You're less… lost."
"Told you I'd surprise you."
Her eyebrow rose, just slightly, but enough.
"Maybe you put in some effort." She capped her pen with precision.
We finished the set in less time than yesterday. The rhythm flowed. The tension wasn't just uncomfortable anymore. It was… challenging.
When the session ended, Ayumi closed her notebook and stood up.
"Next time: Wednesday. I'll prepare a more advanced list. At this pace, we can recover a lot before the exams."
"Thanks for the encouragement," I muttered, packing up.
"You don't need encouragement. You need method." She glanced over her shoulder. "And maybe discipline."
"Always so kind."
She didn't reply. She had already shifted back into her usual composed stance, as if the conversation were over. I left first.
—
Outside, the sky was already threatening. Thick, heavy clouds erased any trace of blue. The cold wind carried the smell of rain before it even fell.
The first drop hit me on the stairs at the entrance.
"Damn it…" I muttered. Of course I had forgotten the umbrella. Of course my mother had warned me.
Footsteps behind me. Ayumi stopped at my side and opened her umbrella with a sharp motion.
"No umbrella?"
I nodded.
"Another reason to regret not listening to my mom."
She didn't say anything right away. Then, she lifted the umbrella over both of us and tugged me by the collar.
"Come on. I'll walk you today. But don't get used to it."
"I can handle it myself…" I shot back automatically, even as she was still holding my shirt. "No need to worry."
"I'm not worried. I just don't want to waste time if you get sick."
I almost answered again, but the rain was getting heavier. No point in playing the proud, drenched idiot.
So I went along. Or at least tried to look like I wasn't.
We walked side by side, slightly off balance, forced close together under the narrow space. Strange. Not just because we came from different worlds. But because it was the first time we were together without some obligation forcing it.
"Where do you live?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Shinonome, block two."
"Coincidence. Me too." She said it like it was nothing. "Black building. Golden gates. Twelfth floor."
I turned my head slowly. My stomach knotted.
Her building. The one I could see from my window. Tall, pristine, rich. The opposite of my place.
"Of course. Had to be you."
It came out almost like resignation.
What bothered me more was the short space beneath the umbrella. She kept insisting on holding it, even though she was much shorter than me.
"Is this umbrella small, or are you just really short?" I muttered.
She gave me a quick look but didn't answer.
"Let me hold it. You're gonna soak my whole side." I took the handle from her hand.
She hesitated for half a second before letting go. I adjusted the height without comment.
We kept walking like that. The sound of rain drowned everything else. Lights reflected on puddles, distorted. For a moment, it felt like the city had slowed down.
"Are you always like this with everyone?" she asked, eyes forward.
"Like what?"
"Sarcastic. Irritating."
"Only when I share umbrellas with bossy people."
A faint, almost-smile touched her lips.
"And you? Always this proper?"
"Only when chaos insists on walking beside me."
We kept walking, me still holding the umbrella.
We stopped in front of my house.
"This is it."
"I see."
I handed the umbrella back.
"Thanks… for not letting me turn into soup."
"It wasn't kindness. Just logistics."
But her voice was softer. Almost casual.
She started to leave, but turned back for a moment:
"And… good to know you live here."
I stood there, watching her cross the street and disappear into the building.
What did she mean by that?
I searched for my key, but my head was still elsewhere.
This girl… better keep my guard up.