CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT;

64/80.

Your mouth gapes at the score you got from the Calculus mock test. Where did I make a mistake? I was so sure I did well!

Then you realize that you messed up the equations on one out of three of the questions, each item contributed 20 points to the score! How did you even get 4 points?

"For the effort?" you cry, reading the teacher's note.

You turned around, "What score did you get?" your eyes snap to his test paper.

80/80.

"What?!"

There it goes again, his judging eyebrow raise, "What?" he asks back.

"Nothing." you grumble through your pout, staring back at your test paper.

While Ms. Hanamiya continued her lesson, you ripped a piece of paper from your notebook.

'can u teach me how u solved that' (- y/n)

You folded it into half and passed it to Rin, looking like you were selling drugs on the low.

At first he was reluctant to take the paper, but you were tapping the side of his desk with your aching hand.

'no' (- rin)

'why not?!' (- y/n)

'i have better things to do' (- rin)

':(( please only today' (- y/n)

'i said no' (- rin)

'T____T < this is me if u even care' (- y/n)

'i don't' (- rin)

'PLEASE JUST TODAY' (- y/n)

He doesn't return the paper after your last note. You wait, expecting some kind of response, but nothing comes. You were about to send another one, but Ms. Hanamiya called you out.

Your name echoed in the air, and before you know it, as punishment, you were told to stand at the very back of the classroom with your arms up. This was very humiliating.

It didn't take long before your arms started to ache. You shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Rin, who was now focused on the board.

Can you really blame him though? You weren't his responsibility. And you're the one asking for a favor.

"Ugh," you groaned under your breath.

Ms. Hanamiya shot you a look, and you quickly straightened up.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally let you sit down. You slumped in your seat, rubbing your sore arms. Just as you were about to write down whatever equation Ms. Hanamiya discussed in front, something lightly tapped your elbow.

You peeked to your side, seeing Rin's hand holding the folded piece of paper you gave him earlier.

'meet me at the library after class. 15 minutes. don't be late' (- rin)

You blinked at the paper and your eyes widened, you swerved your head to look at him, but he was already facing forward.

A victorious smile crept onto your face.

The school library was nearly empty, with only a few students scattered across tables, their noses buried in books.

You checked your phone, exactly fifteen minutes later. Ms. Hanamiya talked to you after her dismissing the class, you explained the whole thing to her of course.

Rin was sat at the back, near the big windows, flipping through his Calculus textbook. You walked up to the table, pulling a chair in front of him.

He didn't even look up.

"Very welcoming," you sarcastically smile.

Rin sighed, "Let's get this over with, give me your paper."

He took his pencil and wrote over your incorrect answers, you leaned over to read through his corrections.

His hand moved so fast, and within seconds, a clean, step-by-step breakdown of the solution was in front of you.

"You distributed incorrectly. That's why your equation fell apart." he pointed at a part, "You applied the derivative rule wrong. Chain rule. Look," he started to explain everything, his voice steady but quick.

His gaze would occasionally find yours, lingering just long enough to send a restless flutter through your stomach, leaving an uneasy feeling that left you uncertain whether to look away or hold his stare.

Why were his eyelashes so long and pretty?

"...Oh," you muttered, "That actually makes sense."

"No kidding."

You shot him a glare, "You could at least pretend I'm not hopeless."

"You're not hopeless," he said, "Just slow."

Your jaw dropped, "Wow. Rude."

"I'll write a sample problem similar to the question you got wrong," he says, his brows furrowing.

He's going to end up with a lot of wrinkles on his forehead if he keeps doing that.

You took the paper from him and started to solve it on your own.

"Stop staring," you mumbled.

This was the exact same thing you were embarrassed about when he was helping you a month ago, his stare.

"I'm making sure you don't mess up again, my wasted time can't be for nothing."

"Micromanaging much?"

"Clearly necessary,"

You scoff at him, about to bite back a snarky response.

"Just focus," he cuts you off, tapping on the paper.

You groaned but continued working on it. Rin watched quietly, arms crossed, eyes scanning your every move.

Finally, you bring your pencil down and push the paper towards him.

He studied your work for a moment before exhaling. "You got it."

"See? I can learn quickly," you said proudly.

"Shocking," he deadpanned

You roll your eyes at him, though you can't help but smile.

"You seem to get everything I teach just fine, why can't you understand Ms. Hanamiya's?" he questions.

"I don't know, it takes time for me to understand things, and she teaches so fast."

"Might be your issue."

You got off the train with Rin beside you, much to your troubles, your mom had informed you they went out to visit a family friend at the hospital- and wouldn't go home until late. It wouldn't have been such a big deal if you didn't forget your house keys.

"Hey," you look at the back of Rin's head as he walked ahead of you, he doesn't respond but you still talk anyway, "Can I stay over? My parents aren't home, and I don't have my keys."

He stays quiet for a while, clearly contemplating whether or not it was a bad idea to let you in his house again. "Okay."

IT WAS A BAD IDEA.

The two of you were frozen in spot as you made eye contact with each and every one of his relatives that were in their living room, "Hello, Y/n! What brings you here?" his mom smiled widely.

You awkwardly bowed to them along with Rin, "Good evening," you greeted his family members, "My parents are out, is it okay if I stay here while waiting for them, aunty?" you ask.

"Of course! You're always welcome here."

Rin wasn't exactly comfortable bringing you to his room, but it didn't feel right to just leave you here with his relatives. He didn't want to put you in an awkward situation. "We're going to my room, please excuse us." he politely says.

As the two of you pranced to the stairs, his aunts immediately moved towards his mother.

"Is that Rin's girlfriend?"
"He has one already?"
"He's at that age, huh."

They bombarded her with questions, she blinked and laughed, "Rin doesn't have a girlfriend, at least none that I know of, but that's (Mother's name)'s daughter, they're friends."

"Oh, Y/n? She grew up into such a beautiful lady."

"Are you sure they're not dating, Rie? Most kids their age already date," Mrs. Itoshi's sister pries further.

"I don't think so," she waved her hand, "But if they do, I don't really mind."