"Sorry to intrude."
Hiro Nobita slipped off his shoes and followed Shizuka into her bedroom.
The room was filled with soft pink bedding and furniture, immaculately tidy and gently perfumed with the scent of fresh flowers.
Several plush toys rested at the head of her bed, and on the desk sat a framed photo of Shizuka as a younger girl round-faced and adorably innocent. The entire room radiated a sweet, girlish charm.
Shizuka's mother, Haruka Minamoto, brought in a tray of snacks and juice to welcome the student who had come to tutor her daughter.
For a diligent, high-performing student like Hiro, most parents naturally held him in high regard and treated him warmly.
"Hiro, I'll leave you two to study quietly. I won't get in the way," she said gently.
"Thank you, ma'am," Hiro replied politely.
He set his school bag in the corner and glanced at the tray. The snacks included strawberry daifuku, one of his favorites.
Without holding back, he picked one up and took a bite, then sat down with Shizuka at the low tatami table to begin tutoring.
The small Japanese-style table was a bit low for his liking. Hiro grabbed a cushion and placed it under his legs. That made things more comfortable, though it was a bit warm.
"See here, Shizuka," Hiro began, pointing to the textbook. "Even though this path looks all twisty and uneven, if we break it into segments, rearrange and align them, we can form a rectangle."
He explained the problem step by step, outlining how to solve a complex geometry question involving shaded areas a type of problem he had seen more than enough times in the past.
"Oh! I see!" Shizuka beamed. "You're amazing, Hiro! The way you explained it made it sound so easy."
She smiled brightly, picked up her pencil, and began solving the problem with renewed confidence.
While she worked, Hiro stretched his legs and rubbed his calves a little. Sitting in seiza for over thirty minutes had left his toes completely numb.
Warm sunlight streamed in through the window, falling softly on the girl's face.
Hiro gazed at her from the side. From this angle, her focused expression made her look even more adorable.
Her twin braids, tied with ribbons, framed the graceful curve of her neck like a swan's. Her slender shoulders peeked out, and her fair skin seemed to glow under the golden sunlight.
Strands of her bangs fluttered slightly in the breeze coming through the window.
"I'm done with this one, Hiro. What should we review next?"
Having finished the question, Shizuka looked up at him. Their relationship had subtly grown closer she had even dropped the formal "classmate" from his name.
"Let's see..." Hiro leaned forward to flip through the book, but a sudden cramp shot through his leg. His body tilted, and his right arm slipped under the table, landing on something soft and squishy.
His fingers instinctively pressed down. Soft... springy... definitely someone's thigh.
"Ah!" Shizuka gasped, face flushed scarlet as she quickly batted his hand away. She stammered, too flustered to speak properly.
"Sorry, Shizuka! I didn't mean to! My leg cramped up all of a sudden."
Hiro waved his hands and apologized sincerely.
Totally not my fault. Though... if it happens again, well...
"Geez... Just be more careful next time. I'll forgive you this once."
Seeing that Hiro's touch had truly been accidental, Shizuka didn't stay mad. She lowered her head, cheeks still pink, and refocused on the lesson.
But that strange tingling sensation lingered. She didn't quite understand it. Shifting slightly, she rubbed her thighs together. It still tickled.
"Alright. I'll be more careful next time."
Despite his promise, Hiro subtly edged closer until their shoulders were touching.
He'd already touched her leg sitting this close shouldn't be a big deal anymore, right?
"Hiro... aren't we sitting a little too close?"
"Are we? Doesn't feel that way to me."
"Anyway, let's not worry about that. Here, let me walk you through this next question. It's a core concept you need to really understand it."
Hiro's voice remained calm as he stared at the textbook. Shizuka, unsure what to say, straightened her posture and followed along.
Something felt a little... off, but not in a bad way. It was just that the atmosphere in the room had subtly shifted. Their backs leaned gently against each other.
As Shizuka's breathing grew slightly uneven, Hiro continued flipping through the book, maintaining a composed, almost teacher-like tone.
"So, Shizuka, do you understand this one now?"
"Y-yeah... I do. Thank you, Hiro. I learned a lot today."
"No need to thank me. If anything, I should be the one thanking you. If you hadn't stepped in that time, Gian would've definitely come after me."
"Hmph. Looking out for classmates is the right thing to do especially for a new transfer student like you. It's only fair that I look after you a little more."
She gave him a soft smile. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, and Hiro, sipping his juice, was momentarily dazed.
If only this wasn't the kind of thing that would get censored for being too forward...
"Who would've thought I'd be so lucky," Hiro said with a grin. "Meeting someone as kind and beautiful as you, Shizuka."
"I mean, I don't think I look bad either. Maybe we really are a perfect match."
He leaned in slightly, locking eyes with her.
Shizuka blinked, stunned. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink, and her eyebrows twitched ever so slightly. His words dropped into her heart like a pebble into a still lake.
She lowered her gaze, stealing a glance at his handsome profile. Her heart pounded in her chest.
He really was handsome. They did kind of look good together. Wait, what am I thinking?!
"Hiro, you're being too direct... complimenting a girl to her face like that, saying we're a perfect match..."
Trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, she gripped the hem of her skirt and lifted her chin to respond, her voice soft and sweet.
In another life, Hiro's line might've been labeled something out of a playboy's handbook. But in this slightly more romantic era, it still worked especially in a country where certain types of education were widespread and influential.
"Is being direct a bad thing?"
"You really are beautiful, Shizuka. What, am I supposed to lie and tell you you're ugly?"
"Well... when you put it that way..."
"Agh, whatever. Say what you want."
Shizuka nodded, feeling like he made a fair point. Still, hearing those words from him felt... different. Somehow deeper.
"Shizuka, ma'am, thank you for having me. I'll be heading home now."
Tutoring was done, and it was time for Hiro to leave. He went downstairs, put on his shoes, and made his way to the door.
"Goodbye, Hiro! Come visit again anytime and help Shizuka out whenever you can!" Shizuka's mother called cheerfully.
"Bye, Hiro. See you tomorrow at school!" Shizuka added.
Mother and daughter saw him off together. Shizuka even walked all the way out to the street, watching him until he was out of sight, a wistful look lingering on her face.
"Huh... isn't he just a new transfer student? How did she get so close to him so fast?"
Haruka tilted her head in curiosity. Shizuka had never gone this far to see someone off before.
Something was definitely different today.