The afternoon sun lazily streamed through the windows on the west side of the School Building, casting mottled shadows across the empty corridor as though spreading a flowing ink painting over the floor. Fūki Ran had just returned from the Library, several thick reference books cradled in his arms. His steps were steady and unhurried, and his eyes held their customary calm and wisdom. Just as he turned the corner, a familiar citrus fragrance drifted over on the breeze, fresh with a hint of sweetness. It was like a ripe mandarin at the start of summer, or the scent wafting from a citrus grove glistening with morning dew. He instinctively slowed down and followed the fragrance with his gaze. Sure enough, Ichinose Honami was crouching on the floor, frantically gathering papers scattered everywhere. The setting sun fell on her long pink hair, outlining it with a soft halo. Her slightly furrowed brow and anxious expression stood in curious contrast to the fresh citrus scent around her.
"Need a hand?" Feng Qi asked, naturally crouching down. He gently set his books aside and began helping her gather the scattered papers. His movements were unhurried, his long fingers neatly stacking the sheets in order. Every gesture was calm and composed.
Ichinose looked up. The citrus fragrance wafted softly through the air with her movement, seeming to create a little world of its own around them. She gave him an apologetic smile, the corners of her eyes drooping slightly with a mix of helplessness and gratitude. "Thanks, Feng Qi. This is so strange—the clasp on my folder suddenly came loose, and the papers went everywhere." Her cheeks were faintly flushed from the commotion, making her bright eyes all the more captivating, like the brightest stars in the night sky.
Feng Qi noticed that the papers were Class B's study-group schedule and review materials. They were covered in dense notes and markings, showing how much care had gone into putting them together. As he gathered them, he remarked casually, "The clasps on these binders do come loose easily, especially when they're overfilled. Our class had a similar problem before. We found that sorting by subject and using different-colored tabs made the papers much less likely to come loose, and a lot easier to find." His voice was calm and gentle, as if he were stating the most ordinary fact, but Ichinose's eyes immediately lit up.
"I see!" Ichinose exclaimed, her voice bright with understanding. The citrus scent seemed to grow fresher and livelier with her excitement. "I've been trying to figure out how to organize these papers better. It always takes so long to find the right materials. That's such a practical idea!" She watched Feng Qi's hands closely, copying the way he sorted the papers by subject. Every now and then, she let out a soft gasp of admiration when she spotted one of his clever organizational tricks.
The two crouched in the corridor, their shadows stretching long in the sunlight and overlapping. Passing students occasionally glanced their way, but they stayed focused on the work in their hands. Feng Qi noticed that Ichinose gave a little nod whenever she finished sorting a stack. That small gesture, paired with her faint citrus fragrance, was unexpectedly soothing. Her fingers were slender and nimble, and as she sorted the papers she would unconsciously smooth out any creases. Every little detail spoke of her careful, attentive nature.
"See?" Feng Qi said as he put the neatly sorted papers back into the folder. This time, he adjusted the clasp to just the right position. "Put them in like this, and they'll be easy to take out without putting too much strain on the clasp."
Ichinose watched his movements intently. As she leaned forward, her citrus fragrance grew more noticeable. "I get it! Thank you so much, Feng Qi. Without you, I might have been wrestling with these papers for ages." Her smile was as warm as sunshine, complementing the fresh citrus scent that lingered around her and creating a wonderfully reassuring atmosphere.
A few days later, the setting sun glittered across the glass of the vending machine, bathing the entire corridor in a golden glow. Feng Qi was about to buy a drink when that familiar citrus fragrance drifted over, this time carrying a hint of fatigue. He turned and saw Ichinose standing at the machine beside him, her head tilted slightly and a troubled look on her face. Her uniform collar was slightly open, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She had clearly just finished some activity.
"What's wrong?" Feng Qi asked softly as he stepped over, his gaze briefly passing over her tired expression.
Ichinose turned toward him, and the citrus fragrance wafted lightly through the air with her movement. In the glow of the sunset, her hair seemed edged in gold. "I want to buy some green tea, but the machine seems to be jammed." She pointed helplessly at the dispenser, sounding a little dejected. "I put in a coin, but the drink didn't come out, and it didn't return the coin either."
Feng Qi examined the machine and noticed that the indicator light by the dispenser was blinking. He gave a certain spot on the side of the machine a gentle tap, applying just the right amount of force. With a click, the coin that had gotten stuck popped out of the slot, and the drink dropped into the dispenser. "Machines of this model do this pretty often," he explained, his voice still calm. "A light tap here resets the catch inside. It's probably worn down a bit from frequent use."
"That's amazing!" Ichinose exclaimed, delighted as she retrieved her green tea. Her smile sent the citrus fragrance dancing through the air, now with a lighter, more cheerful note. "You even know how to fix these, Feng Qi. I was just wondering if I should go find the teacher on duty, but then I might've missed the study-group meeting." She gently wiped the droplets of water from the bottle, her movements graceful and natural.
"I used machines like this a lot in the past, so I gradually got a feel for how they work," Feng Qi said offhandedly, buying himself a bottle of mineral water as well. The two stood by the vending machine, their shadows stretching long in the sunset. The citrus fragrance mingled with the evening breeze, making for a quiet, peaceful scene. Ichinose took small sips of her tea, occasionally sneaking a curious, grateful glance at Feng Qi.
Another week passed. Feng Qi was looking through materials in the math section of the Library. Afternoon sunlight poured through the tall windows, laying golden patches between the bookshelves, while the air held the mellow scent unique to old books. Just as he was about to take down a copy of Advanced Mathematics Advanced Exercise Collection, he caught the faintest hint of citrus drifting from the next aisle. The fragrance seemed especially fresh against the scent of books. Through a gap in the shelves, he saw Ichinose searching for something. She stood on tiptoe, running her fingers lightly along the book spines. Her focused expression made him reluctant to interrupt. Whenever she failed to find what she wanted, her brow would crease slightly, making her look both earnest and rather adorable.
Feng Qi watched quietly for a moment and realized she was looking for a copy of Advanced Mathematics Problem Solving Techniques. He remembered seeing it on the shelf next door yesterday; another student had probably put it back in the wrong place. He quietly walked over and pulled out the book without a moment's hesitation. A faint trace of the previous reader's ink still lingered on its pages.
"Looking for this?" Feng Qi asked as he came over and handed her the book. "I saw someone leave it here yesterday."
"This is the one!" Ichinose said happily, taking the book. The citrus fragrance drifted softly with her movement, mingling with the scent of books in the Library. "I've been looking everywhere. Thank you so much. Our math group needs it, and we're using it tomorrow." She gently stroked the cover as if she had found a precious treasure.
"It was nothing." Feng Qi's gaze wandered over the shelves. "I remember you mentioned wanting to organize a math tutoring group. This book should be perfect for it." He glanced over the other related books on the shelf. "If you need any more references, Linear Algebra Detailed Explanation and Probability Statistics Introduction in this section are both good options. The latter especially has a lot of worked examples for beginners."
Ichinose's eyes widened in surprise, and the citrus fragrance seemed to grow stronger in that instant. "You even remembered that? I only mentioned it in passing once..." Her voice faded, and a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. Her fingers absently traced the edge of the page.
Feng Qi didn't answer. He only gave a slight nod and turned to leave the Bookshelf Area. Ichinose watched him go, unconsciously clutching the book in her hands. The fresh citrus scent lingered softly between its pages. She realized the two books Feng Qi had just mentioned were exactly the references she would need next, and couldn't help falling into thought. Were these seemingly accidental encounters and acts of help really just coincidences? Why did Feng Qi always happen to appear whenever she ran into trouble—and why did he always know just the right way to help?
These seemingly chance acts of kindness were like cherry blossoms falling unnoticed in spring, gently brightening Ichinose's everyday life. Each time they met, the fresh citrus fragrance and the perfectly timed help drew them a little closer, without either of them realizing it. Feng Qi always maintained just the right distance, making every act of help feel natural, as though it were merely a casual turn of fate—yet he always appeared when she needed him most. Even he had begun to realize that whenever that citrus fragrance drifted near, he would unconsciously slow his steps, keeping an eye out to see whether the girl with the warm smile needed help. He couldn't even say when this subtle change had begun.
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