Part 2 – Studying Together
Amaya placed her school bag beside the low table.
She reached inside and pulled out her mathematics textbook.
Then she looked at Haruto.
"...Let's study for tomorrow's quiz first."
Haruto blinked.
"...Not the notes?"
Amaya shook her head.
"...We can finish those later."
"If we forget today's lesson..."
"...We'll regret it tomorrow."
Haruto let out a small sigh.
"...Fair enough."
Amaya smiled.
She gently patted the cushion beside her.
"...Sit here."
Haruto nodded.
"...Okay."
He sat beside her.
The two spread the textbook between them.
Amaya opened it to today's lesson.
"...Let's start with percentages."
Haruto scratched his cheek.
"...I always mix those up."
Amaya giggled.
"...That's why we're studying."
She pointed to the first example.
"A shopkeeper gives a twenty percent discount on an item costing fifty ryo."
"How much do you pay?"
Haruto stared at the page.
"...Twenty percent..."
"...Ten..."
"...Forty?"
Amaya smiled.
"...Correct."
Haruto grinned proudly.
"...See?"
"I remembered."
"My turn."
He flipped a page.
"...A rectangle has a length of twelve centimetres and a width of seven."
"...What's its perimeter?"
Amaya answered almost instantly.
"...Thirty-eight centimetres."
Haruto nodded.
"...Correct."
The two continued.
"...Seven times eight?"
"...Fifty-six."
"...Correct."
"...Three quarters of forty?"
"...Thirty."
"...Correct."
"...If one notebook costs six ryo..."
"...How much do four cost?"
"...Twenty-four."
"...Correct."
Every now and then...
One of them paused.
Not because the questions were difficult...
But because they were trying to explain their thinking.
Haruto pointed at one problem.
"...Why do you divide here?"
Amaya moved a little closer.
She wrote the calculation beside it.
"...Look."
"If this is one hundred percent..."
"...Then ten percent is this."
She slowly broke the numbers down.
Haruto watched carefully.
A few moments later...
His eyes lit up.
"...Oh!"
"I get it now."
Amaya smiled.
"...See?"
"It's easier when you do it step by step."
Haruto laughed.
"...You're a better teacher than Daigo-sensei."
Amaya's cheeks turned slightly pink.
"...Don't say that."
"He'll hear you somehow."
Haruto chuckled.
"...I don't think he has that kind of hearing."
The room filled with quiet laughter.
Then...
Without realizing it...
The two leaned over the same page.
Their shoulders lightly brushed against each other as they worked through another question.
Neither of them noticed.
They were too focused on preparing for tomorrow's quiz.