How To Melt the Ice Lady

Having decided to hold a study session, they were stumped with the decision as to where to hold it, in the classroom or a family diner?

For Asahi, the choice between the two didn’t matter to him as it was decided by Fuyuka’s voice.

“Oh! The second一!”

“一Study session for exams!”

“In a family diner!”

“Yay!”

After choosing an option of a drink bar for four people, a somewhat familiar exchange rang in his ears.

Even Chiaki and Hinami were very careful in public, and their voices were lower than usual.

“What do you want to drink, Asahi and Fuyu-chan? We’ll get it for you.”

“I’ll have a cola.”

“Roger~!”

The two of them went to get a drink together, leaving Asahi and Fuyuka together.

Fuyuka, who was sitting in front of him, had a joyful smile on her face.

She looked like an angel in a painting on the wall, which naturally made Asahi smile.

“You look like you’re having a great time.”

“Y-you can tell…?”

“Well, sort of.”

After his words, Fuyuka hid her face behind the menu list.

Then, suddenly, only the two caramel-colored eyes poke out.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like this.”

“What do you mean, like this?”

“Like…playing after school with…friends.”

Regardless of whether the study session was for fun or not, for Fuyuka, who had avoided having friends until now, this casual scene was probably something she had been secretly hoping for.

It must be a different feeling than playing at an amusement park or enjoying the aquarium.

“Come to think of it, didn’t Hinami ask you to play with her last year, like in the third semester?”

“Back then…it was still a little hard to work up the courage.”

Those were the days where Fuyuka finally took her first steps.

Even though she had gotten to know Hinami during the shrine visit, it would have been difficult to proceed any further.

That was why she must have felt so much love for the friendships she gained by overcoming such emotional barriers.

Fuyuka’s expression toward Hinami, Chiaki, and her classmates was warm, contrary to the cold atmosphere of the past days.

And even in front of Asahi, she had a calm and gentle smile on her face.

“But now I want to be with you.”

“I’m sure Chiaki and Hinami will be happy to hear that.”

“…Would it also make you happy, Asahi-kun?”

At the sudden question, Asahi froze for a moment.

However, he didn’t hesitate to answer, so he immediately replied.

“Of course.”

Apparently, this kind of thing could be a little embarrassing.

Fuyuka hid her face behind the menu again.

However, she couldn’t seem to prevent herself from looking from the side.

“Thanks for the wait~ Hmm? Fuyu-chan, are you blushing?”

“I-Is that so?”

Chiaki and Hinami came back from the drink bar and took their seats with a grin on their faces.

“What were you two talking about?”

“We’re talking about going out to play after the exams.”

Hinami’s eyes sparkled as he tactfully and skillfully introduced the topic.

“Let’s play! Let’s play! I want to eat while walking, go shopping, and take selfies!”

“Karaoke, bowling, that’s a must.”

“Great idea, Chi-kun! Let’s find a place where the four of us can play together!”

Chiaki and Hinami listed the locations to play with happy smiles on their faces.

Seeing the two of them, Fuyuka softly smiled.

“I’m looking forward to your invitation.”

“Then, right now let’s go―”

“Hey, don’t forget what we’re here for today.”

Asahi pointed out sharply, and Hinami puffed out her cheeks.

“I know, I know. I’ll study hard.”

With that, Hinami took out some reference books and textbooks from her bag.

It contained Japanese, Math, Geography, English, and some specialized memorization printouts.

“You’re not planning on finishing all that today, are you?”

“…What might you be talking about?”

“Look straight while saying that.”

Chiaki followed suit, spreading out a large number of notebooks on the table, and the study session began with some chat here and there.

Studying for the test progressed by the minute, with Asahi teaching Chiaki and Fuyuka teaching Hinami.

The basic idea was to solve problem sets and ask for instructions when you get stuck.

Since Asahi and Fuyuka, who were playing the role of teachers, also had their own studies to do, the two who were playing the role of students were careful to wait for some time before asking questions.

“This problem is an application of the previous page, correct?”

“I guess so. After applying the formula, solve the simultaneous equations to find the intersection point, and you should be able to do it.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a shot.”

Chiaki made full use of his intelligence and understood Asahi’s guidance.

From the fact that he had avoided red marks last year only by studying just before the exam, he was able to pick up things pretty fast.

Keeping the words “Why didn’t you just get serious from the start?” to himself, Asahi suddenly turned his attention to the seat in front.

Fuyuka was explaining the problem to Hinami while tracing the reference book.

However, Hinami, on the other hand, tilted her head with a question mark above her head.

“Clause…particles. Sense…subject.”

Apparently, she couldn’t understand the word from its meaning.

Fuyuka was not dismayed, but simply closed the reference book quietly.

“It’s a complicated and difficult subject. Let’s start by reviewing the participles. In this case, I think the school’s textbook is good.”

Instead of starting with a negative mindset she gave an affirmation and then encouraged to move on a different path.

This alone would greatly reduce the stress of students who were not good at studying.

“…What do you think? Is it correct?”

“You are correct. Good job.”

“Ehehe, Fuyu-chan’s teaching method is easy to understand.”

Feeling better after the praise, Hinami turned to her notebook again.

In the past, she could only stay focused for around 30 minutes, so this alone was a big improvement.

The motivation of the students and the good instructors helped them study.

While Chiaki and Hinami were running their pens, Asahi turned his eyes to the front again. When Fuyuka noticed his gaze, she looked up and their eyes met perfectly.

“Is there something wrong?”

“It’s just, there’s some problems that I have trouble with…”

In his hand was a pink notebook, creased in many places.

He couldn’t bring himself to say it, for fear that it might interfere with her studies, but when prompted, he had no choice but to open his mouth.

“It would be helpful if you could teach me, Fuyuka.”

“I can teach you as much as you want, if you’re fine with me.”

Asahi’s concern was unfounded, and Fuyuka looked happy for some reason.

“This problem, huh? Please wait a moment.”

Receiving the notebook, Fuyuka immediately began to read and solve the problem.

It had been a long time since he had someone teaching him to study like this.

With the distance between them across the table, the memories started to resurface.

‘Last year she was right next to me, watching over my studies.’

As if they could see through his disappointment, Chiaki and Hinami looked away from the desk and opened their mouths.

“Huh? Himuro-san is also teaching Asahi?”

“Then come here! It’s easier to do if you’re right next to each other, right?”

Prompted by the two who stood up, Asahi settled into the seat where Hinami had been sitting.

A warm glare came from the front, but he didn’t have time to worry about it.

“With this… you do this…”

“I see…”

Asahi was understanding it clearly, but for some reason he couldn’t seem to concentrate.

Because the distance between them was so close, he could directly feel the sweet scent and touch of her skin.

With Asahi’s worries out of the way, Fuyuka proceeded with her instruction diligently.

“Let’s call it a day for now.”

“You’re right. You’ve been a big help. Thanks.”

When Asahi thanked her, Fuyuka smiled at her.

The way she sipped his white grape juice was calm, and it seemed that the only person who was oddly conscious was Asahi.

“…Eh?”

He looked for a glass to quench his thirst, but couldn’t find it, even though it should have been nearby.

He looked to the side and saw that Fuyuka was just sipping from a straw.

And on a glass placed a little farther away, one can see the same contents of the juice that Fuyuka was drinking.

“That’s possibly my glass…”

“What…?”

Asahi pointed out softly, and Fuyuka looked at the two glasses side by side.

They both had straws in them, and if the contents were the same, it was no wonder they were hard to identify.

However, she realized that she had clearly mistakenly taken the wrong glass.

Fuyuka’s milky white skin gradually turned red and she began to panic.

“I-I’m so sorry! I’m a little nervous and didn’t think it through, so I took the glass…”

“I don’t mind, but nervous?”

“Ah, no, nevermind.”

Fuyuka turned away with a pout, and her ears turned bright red.

“That’s an indirect kiss, alright.”

“Definitely, an indirect kiss.”

“…Shut it.”

Chiaki and Hinami, who were watching the whole thing, bluntly teased them.

When Asahi looked at the glass that came back, there was still a little bit left in it.

‘What am I supposed to do with this…?’

The ice melted in the glass and made a clinking sound.

Asahi’s ears were also slowly turning red.