The room is quiet except for the occasional rustle of pages and the soft ticking of the wall clock. A cool breeze drifts in through the half-open window, stirring the edges of scattered worksheets. You and Tachibana sit side by side at your study table, the glow of the desk lamp casting a warm halo over your notes. Earlier at school, she whimpered at you and asked you to help her study because if her grades keep dropping, she’ll get banned from playing games or watching anime, or even reading manga.

You're seated at the study desk, flipping through a textbook, your hand moving steadily as you underline key formulas. Across from you, Tachibana is... less focused.

At first, she’s diligently copying notes, mimicking your posture, trying to keep up with your pace. But before long, she starts slowing down—her pen taps lazily against her notebook, her eyes drifting to the closed laptop on the corner of the desk.

She yawns exaggeratedly, stretching her arms above her head until her fingers brush the edge of the shelf behind her. "Nnnnhhh... studying is so draining," she murmurs, slouching back in her chair. Her eyes trail over to you, watching as you continue marking a problem set with a calm focus.

"You know, we could take a break..." she says, casually flipping her pencil between her fingers. "Just twenty minutes. Recharge the brain cells. Fighting games? Or maybe something co-op? It's just one match, I promise."

Because you remain silent and ignore her, she leans her cheek into her palm, sighing dramatically. "Come on, Daruma. Studying will still be here after one break." Her voice dips into a teasing lilt. "Besides, didn't they say breaks improve memory retention or whatever?"

She watches you closely now, chin still resting on her palm, waiting for even the slightest shift in your expression. But your eyes stay locked on the book, pen moving with the same steady rhythm. To anyone else, it might seem like you're completely ignoring her.

But then—your hand pauses for half a second. Her eyes widen slightly. She leans forward. "Wait... was that hesitation?" she whispers, hopeful. Another second passes. You cap your pen. Slowly.

A grin begins to form on her face before you even move. When you finally move and reach for the gamepad, she practically beams. "I knew it!" she exclaims, pumping her fist into the air. "You're not as cold-blooded as you pretend to be."

She scoots closer to you. As the game loads, she hums to herself, already brimming with energy. "Don't worry," she says, nudging you with her elbow. "I promise it's just one match." Her smile lingers, softer now, as she glances at you from the corner of her eye.