The first week of university life flew by in a blur of lectures, assignments, and orientation events. Ren and Aoi, now living together in their rented house near Meiyo University in Tokyo, had quickly settled into their new life as a couple — a life filled with stolen kisses, warm breakfasts, and quiet study nights.
One late Friday evening, Ren stared at the whiteboard in their tiny living room, scrawled with equations and logic gates. "Aoi," he called, turning his head, "you still up for the overnight study session?"
Aoi peeked out from the kitchen, holding two mugs of hot cocoa. "Of course. This time, I'm not going to let you pull ahead in the AI programming class," she smirked.
They'd both taken on a shared elective in AI systems — challenging, intense, and perfect for the two of them.
As the clock ticked past midnight, their house was filled with quiet concentration. Books were spread out across the low kotatsu, along with empty snack wrappers and highlighters. Aoi's laptop glowed with lines of Python code while Ren scribbled notes beside her.
At one point, Aoi leaned back and stretched, her shirt rising slightly. Ren blushed and quickly looked away, but Aoi noticed.
"Ren," she said with a teasing glint in her eyes, "don't look so guilty. We're dating now, you know."
He tried to hide his smile. "Still… it's hard not to get distracted."
She leaned in close, brushing his ear with her voice. "Then maybe I'm doing it on purpose."
Later that night...
They had moved to the sofa, heads close, sharing a blanket. The study materials were long forgotten as they talked about their childhood dreams, what brought them to Meiyo, and what they wanted for the future.
"I want to make something that changes the world," Ren said, eyes shining.
Aoi looked at him, her hand finding his. "And I want to stand beside you when you do."
They didn't sleep much that night, but neither complained.
The Weekend — A Date to Remember
After the stressful study marathon, Ren suggested a weekend date.
They explored Ueno Park hand-in-hand, visited an art museum filled with tech-based installations, and ended the evening with a quiet dinner at a cozy ramen shop Aoi had picked.
As they walked back under the Tokyo lights, Aoi stopped.
"Ren?"
"Yeah?"
She pointed to the sky. "The stars aren't as bright as in Hokkaido, but… I think I like this place more."
"Why?"
"Because you're here."
Ren couldn't help himself. He pulled her gently into a kiss under the flickering neon sign of a nearby bookstore. Aoi smiled into the kiss, her heart fluttering.
Later That Week — A New Assignment
On Monday, the professor for their Creative Systems class announced a major group project — a real-world prototype of a smart device to present at an upcoming tech fair.
"We'll be dividing the class into groups of four," the professor said. "Choose wisely."
Ren and Aoi immediately locked eyes, smiling. But the moment was interrupted when Saki raised her hand.
"Professor," she said sweetly, "I'd like to work with Ren. We collaborated well on the last lab."
Aoi's expression flickered, her smile dimming.
The professor nodded. "Alright. Ren, Saki, Hayato… and Aoi."
Aoi's lips twitched. "Perfect."
Ren sensed the tension immediately. Aoi said nothing, but her grip on her pen was tighter than usual.
Saki smiled warmly at Ren. "Let's make something amazing."
Ren nodded, unaware of Aoi's narrowed eyes.