Let's Work Together, Kuki-kun!

"...I can consider it."

Shimiya Kuki's calm words fell in the small dorm kitchen, stirring no change on his own face, yet instantly lighting up Ichinose Honami's eyes.

"Really? That's great! Shimiya-kun! Thank you!" A brilliant smile bloomed on Ichinose Honami's face as she clasped her hands excitedly in front of her chest. "Then it's settled! Starting tomorrow? I'll send you the ingredients procurement list tonight! We'll settle the costs together later!" Her words came quickly, already planning ahead.

Shimiya Kuki merely gave a faint nod.

Watching him begin to clear the dishes, Ichinose Honami helped wipe the table, smoothly steering the conversation toward business.

"By the way, Shimiya-kun," she said in a natural tone, "about the study group for students with weaknesses." She deliberately used gentler, more positive terms like "help" and "study group."

Shimiya drained the water from the washed plates, his movements meticulous, and responded with a quiet "Mm." Ichinose Honami's voice was energetic and clear: "My initial idea is this! First, identify the students who need help and the specific subjects—I'll handle the communication and confirmation on that. Then," she looked at Shimiya, eyes bright, "the most important part is that I'll invite classmates who excel in their subjects to serve as tutors, asking them to help those in need during the study group! After all, peer-to-peer explanations can sometimes be easier to understand!" This was the core of her plan: leveraging the class's internal resources for group tutoring. Clearly, Ichinose had also picked up on the hint in Hoshinomiya-sensei's words.

She continued: "For the venue, we can use vacant classrooms or the library study room. As for scheduling, I'll coordinate with the students who need help and the tutors willing to assist, trying to align everyone's free time after classes."

Shimiya Kuki listened quietly. After a brief silence, he spoke in that calm, unwavering voice, proposing a more efficient and targeted plan:

"A group study session isn't necessarily the most efficient." He directly pointed out the potential issue. "For individual weaknesses, one-on-one tutoring is more precise." He clarified the direction.

"I can handle tutoring those weak in math and science." He took on the subjects requiring the most logic and technique, his tone as if stating an established fact. "You can coordinate other tutors for liberal arts or other subjects." He clearly delegated the task of organizing liberal arts tutoring to Ichinose.

"For scheduling, avoid peak club activity times. Conduct sessions as needed—no need to force uniformity." He emphasized flexibility again, using "as needed" to highlight the core advantage of individual tutoring.

Ichinose Honami was momentarily stunned, then her eyes lit up. She carefully considered Shimiya's words: while a group study session had a good atmosphere, it might indeed suffer from differing paces or focus issues. One-on-one tutoring could truly target each person's weaknesses, with more flexible timing, better fitting the goal of "precise help," especially for subjects like math that required extensive targeted practice! And he had voluntarily taken on the toughest math and science portion!

"Ah! Individual tutoring... as needed!" Ichinose suddenly understood, a look of realization and admiration on her face. "That really does hit the mark more accurately and boosts efficiency! Especially for math and science—it's great that you'll handle those personally, Shimiya-kun!" Her tone was full of gratitude and agreement. "Alright! Then let's do it your way! Individual tutoring as the main approach! I'll handle communication to determine each person's specific weaknesses and schedule, coordinate tutors, especially for liberal arts! And I'll definitely avoid club peak times!" She quickly adjusted the plan, fully embracing Shimiya's superior proposal.

The core arrangement was thus settled. The dorm fell quiet, save for the faint chirping of cicadas outside the window. Ichinose Honami looked at the youth before her, so calm he seemed almost detached from the world. Hoshinomiya-sensei's words—"Start with Honami"—washed over her heart like a gentle tide, again and again. A purer, stronger impulse, beyond mere cooperation, brewed and rose within her chest.

She took a deep breath, as if gathering all her courage into her lungs. Her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her, fingertips whitening from the pressure. The usual sunny, radiant smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and clarity. Her ever-vibrant eyes, now like a still lake, reflected Shimiya Kuki's deep-pool-like, unruffled figure, shimmering with utmost sincerity.

"Shimiya-kun..." she began, her voice softer than usual, yet like a droplet falling into calm water, clearly rippling between them. She paused deliberately, ensuring she had his full, quiet attention. "There's one more thing, something very important. This... might be more important than organizing tutoring, than 'partnering' for meals, or even those full-mark exam papers."

Shimiya Kuki still looked at her silently, his deep eyes revealing no emotion, as if merely receiving data. But this focused silence itself, for Ichinose, was the best response.

She straightened her back slightly, as if confirming the weight of her feelings, her voice growing clearer and more resolute: "Lately, even though you're always quiet, always... distant. But whether it's your spot-on answers in class, your honesty after Hoshinomiya-sensei's evaluation about the 'barrier,' or the sharp insight and responsibility you showed just now in proposing the individual tutoring plan... bit by bit, I've come to see more and more clearly that beneath the name Shimiya Kuki, behind those 'habits' and 'concerns,' lies a soul that is truly reliable, truly trustworthy." Her tone carried an almost reverent seriousness. "Discussing how to help classmates with you, preparing simple lunches together in the kitchen—these moments... make me feel very at ease, and full of strength. It's a sense of... walking side by side."

She paused, as if gathering the last and most important ounce of courage. Sunlight streamed through the window, dancing on her slightly flushed cheeks, yet it couldn't mask the pure anticipation and unreserved trust in her eyes.

"So, Shimiya-kun," her voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tremor, yet was unmistakably clear, like a plucked string resonating, "I sincerely, strongly hope to become your friend. Not just a regular classmate, not a study group partner, but... a true friend who can trust each other, support each other, share joys and shoulder hardships together."

The air in the dorm seemed to freeze, time itself slowing. Ichinose Honami's heart pounded powerfully in her chest, nearly breaking through the solemn silence. She bravely met Shimiya's calm, unwavering gaze, not flinching, waiting for a response that might change their relationship.

A few seconds of silence stretched like an eternity. Just as Ichinose began to think the deep pool would never ripple, Shimiya Kuki's eyelashes moved—extremely slightly, almost imperceptibly. The tiny motion was so quick it could have been an illusion. Then, slowly, almost unnoticeably, he shifted his gaze away, his eyes landing on the empty wall behind Ichinose. This subtle movement seemed like an internal weighing known only to himself.

Then, in his trademark flat, unvarying tone, he gave a clear response:

"Address me as you like." Four simple words, calm and unruffled, yet like a key turning in a lock, opening an invisible door.

He paused, as if choosing the most fitting syllable, then spoke again:

"Ichinose."

No flowery words, no passionate promises, not even an explicit acknowledgment of "friend." But this permission to change how he was addressed, this choice of a form of address closer than a surname, and that barely perceptible motion before averting his gaze... for Ichinose Honami, this was a truer response than any declaration! A vast, pure joy, like spring tides breaking through a dam, instantly swept over her, lighting up her eyes, flushing her cheeks, and causing the forcibly restrained radiant smile to bloom anew on her face, brighter and more dazzling than ever before.

"Mm!" She nodded firmly, heavily, as if to imprint this joy and confirmation deep within. That brand-new form of address, carrying indescribable closeness and satisfaction, slipped out naturally: "Thank you... Kuki-kun!" Her voice was crisp, carrying the warmth of sunlight.

After the joy, she suddenly remembered the time: "Ah! Oh no! I need to contact everyone and finalize the schedule and tutors!" She grabbed her school bag in a flurry and hurried toward the dorm entrance.

Just as her hand touched the doorknob, ready to pull it open, Ichinose Honami's movement stopped again. She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, then spun around abruptly.

The afternoon sunlight poured in through the open door, perfectly outlining her slender yet powerful silhouette, gilding her with a dazzling edge. The most brilliant, most confident smile spread across her face—a smile that seemed capable of dispelling all shadows and reaching straight to the heart. Her gaze burned like a blazing star, fixed clearly on the quietly standing youth inside the room. Her voice was clear, firm, carrying an unshakeable sense of camaraderie and a shared hope for the future, as she called out distinctly:

"Let's work hard together, Kuki-kun!"

With that, she hesitated no more. With steps as light as sunlight yet as firm as steel, her figure vanished like a gust of vibrant wind around the corridor corner. That powerful, hopeful cry—"Let's work hard together, Kuki-kun!"—seemed frozen by the sunlight and warm breeze, echoing long and lingeringly in the quiet room and the empty hallway.

Shimiya Kuki stood still, his gaze slowly shifting from the open dorm door to the empty corridor outside. The afternoon light and shadow stretched long on the floor. He remained silent, his face still wearing that unchanging mask of calm, betraying no emotion, as if everything that had just happened was merely a trivial program running.

Yet, in the deepest, most inaccessible abyss of his heart, guarded by layers of barriers, that declaration-like "Let's work hard together" and that brand-new, warm, weighty form of address—"Kuki-kun"—were like two beams of light suddenly cast into an eternal night. Though they couldn't illuminate the entire darkness, on that unchanging, dark surface, they clearly, undeniably, stirred a circle of extremely faint yet truly existing ripples. The traces of light spread silently, eventually fading away, leaving only the deep stillness beneath the surface, briefly touched.