Study with a Genius

Hotaru sat at her desk, surrounded by textbooks and notes. Her head was pounding from hours of studying, and the words on the page were starting to blur together. Exams were just around the corner, and despite her usual discipline, she was struggling to keep up. Between strike-ball practice and her responsibilities at school, she hadn’t slept properly in days. A knock at her door startled her. She frowned, glancing at the clock. It was late—who could it be? She opened the door to find Midori-san standing there, a bag of snacks in one hand and a thermos of coffee in the other. He flashed her that infuriatingly charming smile. “Midori-san?” she said, blinking in surprise. “What are you doing here?” “I heard you were drowning in textbooks,” he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. “Thought you could use some help.” Hotaru crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Help? From you?” He set the snacks and coffee on her desk and turned to her with a smirk. “That’s right. I’m not just a pretty face, you know. I happen to be an expert in… well, everything.” She rolled her eyes. “Sure you are.” Midori chuckled, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “Test me. Go ahead, ask me anything.” Hotaru hesitated, then flipped open her biology textbook to a particularly difficult chapter. She pointed to a complex diagram of the human circulatory system. “Explain this.” Midori leaned over, his shoulder brushing against hers as he studied the diagram. His voice was calm and confident as he began explaining, breaking down the concepts in a way that was surprisingly easy to understand. Hotaru found herself listening intently, her initial skepticism fading as he effortlessly answered every question she threw at him. By the time they moved on to math, she was thoroughly impressed—though she’d never admit it out loud. Midori solved equations with ease, his explanations clear and concise. He even managed to make calculus seem… fun. “How do you know all this?” she asked, unable to hide her curiosity. He leaned back in his chair, grinning. “I told you, Tachibana-kun. I’m a genius. And a doctor, remember? This stuff is child’s play for me.” Hotaru huffed, though there was no real annoyance in it. “Well, aren’t you full of yourself?” “Just stating the facts,” he said, his tone light. “Besides, I couldn’t let my favorite kouhai fail her exams, could I?” She blushed, quickly looking back at her notes. “I wasn’t going to fail.” “Of course not,” he said, his voice softening. “But even the best students need a break sometimes. And maybe… a little help.” Hotaru glanced at him, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. For once, he wasn’t teasing her. It was… nice. They continued studying late into the night, Midori patiently guiding her through each subject. At one point, she yawned, her exhaustion catching up with her. Midori noticed and reached over, gently tapping her forehead with his pen. “You’re falling asleep, Tachibana-kun,” he said, his voice teasing but gentle. “Let’s call it a night.” She shook her head stubbornly. “I’m fine. I just need to finish this chapter.” Midori sighed, then stood up and walked over to her. Before she could protest, he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her over to the couch princess-like. “M-Midori-san!” she exclaimed, her face turning bright red. “What are you doing?! Put me down immediately!” “Making sure you don’t pass out at your desk,” he said, setting her down gently. “You’re no good to anyone if you’re sleep-deprived.” Hotaru glared at him, though her heart was racing. “I can take care of myself.” “I know you can,” he said, his expression softening. “But you don’t always have to.” She looked away, her cheeks still flushed. “You’re impossible.” He chuckled, sitting down beside her. “And yet, here you are, still putting up with me.” They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the exhaustion finally catching up with Hotaru. Her eyelids grew heavy, and before she knew it, she was leaning against Midori’s shoulder, her breathing steady and calm. Midori glanced down at her, a small smile playing on his lips. “Sweet dreams, Tachibana-kun,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. As she drifted off to sleep, Hotaru couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of warmth and safety. And for the first time in a long time, she didn’t mind letting someone else take care of her—even if it was the infuriatingly charming Nagamasa Midori.