We both stepped inside Aomine's house. He walked in first, calmly removing his shoes, and I followed suit, slipping mine off at the door. As I stood in the hallway, I couldn't help but take in my surroundings. The place was neat and tidy—nothing extravagant, but definitely well-kept. It was clear he wasn't rolling in wealth, but he was certainly well off enough to have a decent lifestyle.

"You going to stand there forever?" His deep voice interrupted my thoughts, and I rolled my eyes, already irritated. I walked into the kitchen, where he had moved to, not sure what else to do but wait for him to tell me otherwise.

"Wait here, I want to get changed," he said, turning as though he were already walking away.

"Wait." I called out before he could leave the kitchen. He paused but didn't turn around, clearly waiting for me to continue.

"Can I come with you?" I asked, my voice sheepish, not quite sure why I felt so awkward about it.

He shot me a confused, almost amused look over his shoulder.

"I thought you said I was the pervert?" He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk.

Realising how my words had come across, a flush of embarrassment crept up my neck.

"Not like that," I said quickly, avoiding his gaze. "I just don't want to be left down here alone. That's all."

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression soft yet unreadable. Then, with a small shrug, he spoke in his usual blunt tone.

"I'll be quick. Just sit at the kitchen island and wait," he said before disappearing upstairs.

I sat on one of the stools, staring at the kitchen counter while I waited. A few minutes later, Aomine came back downstairs, looking more relaxed. His hair was a bit messy, and he was wearing grey joggers and a black t-shirt. He grabbed a protein shake from the counter, pouring it into a bottle.

When he noticed me, he paused and looked up.

"Do you want anything?" he asked, his voice surprisingly polite.

I blinked, momentarily thrown off by his sudden shift in tone.

"No thank you," I replied with a small smile, feeling strangely uneasy.

"You sure? I think I have some juice in the fridge." He persisted, not breaking eye contact.

The intensity of his stare made me feel a bit overwhelmed, so I quickly looked down, fiddling with my phone.

"M-maybe a glass of water?" I gave in, my voice soft.

He finally broke his gaze and turned to the fridge, grabbing a glass of water for me without a word.

"Let's go into the living room," he said as he led the way.

I followed closely behind him, almost instinctively, like a duckling trailing after its mother. I didn't want to get left behind.

Suddenly, he stopped, and I bumped into his back. He glanced over his shoulder at me with a small, bemused grin as he rubbed his head.

I looked up, but before I could say anything, he had already turned back around and switched on the light in the living room. He flopped onto one of the chairs, taking a seat and grabbing a notepad and pen.

"What are you waiting for? A written invitation?" he said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at me.

I quickly took a seat next to him, unpacking my things and setting up my materials.

For the next half hour, we went over the maths problems he was struggling with. I explained formulas, shortcuts, and ways to approach different kinds of questions. To my surprise, he was actually a good student. I hadn't expected him to take it this seriously, but he was focused and determined, his eyes never leaving the work in front of him.

As for his actual work, well I guess that's why I was here, and boy does he need help.

Just as I was about to explain another concept, Aomine stretched dramatically, yawning loudly.

"Uwahhh..." he groaned.

I glanced up at him, half-amused.

"I think it's time for a break," I said, starting to stretch as well. It had been just over half an hour, and taking breaks during study sessions was essential.

I leaned back in my chair, scrolling through my phone while Aomine lazily rested on the sofa, a book draped over his face.

"So, why did you agree to help me out?" he suddenly asked, his voice muffled from under the book.

"Huh? We made a deal, obviously," I responded, not looking up from my screen, figuring he meant the tutoring arrangement.

"I know that," he muttered, rolling onto his side to face me, tossing the book aside. "I'm talking about the other reason."

I froze for a moment, Ah, so he didn't know why I had really agreed. Perfect. We should definitely keep it that way, he doesn't need to know about mai anyways

I simply shrugged and continued scrolling on my phone, trying to act casual.

"Satsuki told me it took a lot to convince you, but she didn't tell me what else was promised," he pressed, still determined to get an answer.

"Then take a hint," I responded curtly, trying to brush off his prying questions.

He scoffed, clearly unimpressed, and lazily stretched out on the sofa, making himself comfortable.

"Let's call it a day. I'll see you at school," he said, his tone final.

"What, already?!" I exclaimed, surprised. It felt way too early to stop. We'd barely gotten through everything.

He didn't answer, instead just turning over so his back was to me. He closed his eyes and settled further into the sofa.

I sighed, standing there for a few moments, feeling frustrated. There was still so much to go over, but he clearly wasn't in the mood to continue.

Reluctantly, I packed up my things.

This guy seriously got on my nerves. Ever since I bumped into him that day, I'd been seeing him constantly. He was always so annoying, so difficult to deal with. Sometimes, I felt like screaming into a pillow after talking to him.

Just as I was packing my things, my phone buzzed. I glanced down at the message.

Mother: Where are you, Y/n? It's late. Why are you still out at this hour?

I ignored it, letting the message sit there for a while. But a few seconds later, my phone buzzed again.

Mother: Y/n, I haven't got time for this. Get home. Your father and I are not pleased.

Ugh, perfect. I rolled my eyes, annoyed. Normally, they didn't notice my presence but for some reason today, they suddenly remember I exist.

It was very dark outside despite it being only 7:00pm due to it being winter, so I thought to do what any smart person would.

"Hey," I called out to Aomine, who was still lounging on the sofa with his back to me. He groaned, turning slightly.

"Drop me home," I demanded, tired of waiting.

Without hesitation, he got up, stretching and yawning loudly. I noticed he didn't argue this time—guess he was getting used the whole deal thing already.

He grabbed the keys from the table and groggily made his way to the hallway.

"Come on then," he muttered, clearly not in the mood for a conversation.

I follow him to the door, slipping on my shoes.

"Is this really necessary?" he asks, watching me with mild annoyance.

"Do I really need to remind you?" I reply, shooting him a look that says seriously?

"Not that." He shakes his head. "I'm just saying, no one's going to go out of their way to kidnap you." His tone is casual, but the confidence in his words grates on me as he opens the front door.

I pause, staring at him in disbelief. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"You're not the most attractive girl out there, so I'd say you're pretty safe," he says matter-of-factly, stepping outside and waiting for me to follow.

I grit my teeth, the insult settling in, but I refuse to let him see how much it stings. "I don't care what you think. A deal is a deal, walk me home, and then we're done for the day."

I remind myself why I'm doing this—for Mai, to help her with her love story, and for me, in case I need a favour down the line. I just have to put up with him long enough to get his grades up. After that, I'm out.