The next morning, their homeroom teacher clapped his hands sharply at the front of the room, the sound echoing against the walls until conversations died down.
"Alright, listen up," he said, his voice carrying that no-nonsense tone that immediately made everyone sit straighter. "December's coming fast, which means finals are right around the corner. I don't want to see anyone slacking off. Start reviewing now, or you'll regret it later."
A heavy groan rippled across the classroom. Someone muttered loudly, "Already? Feels like we *just* finished midterms yesterday."
A few students chuckled, but Eli only let out a quiet sigh. Finals. Another wall waiting for him to climb. He'd managed to push through midterms, but the thought of doing it all over again already made his chest feel heavy.
By lunchtime, the mood had shifted a little. Their group squeezed into their usual spot in the cafeteria, trays clattering onto the table, the smell of fried chicken and soup filling the air. Conversations started light, until one of their friends leaned in and said, "Hey, how about we make a study group this time? Better than stressing out alone."
"That's not a bad idea," another agreed quickly, poking at their rice. "We can quiz each other or share notes. My score last exam was *awful*, I need all the help I can get."
The idea was met with a few nods and murmurs of approval, though Eli stayed quiet, focused on his food.
That's when Kai spoke. He was leaning back in his chair, one hand lazily resting on the backrest while his gaze—calm but sharp—slid over to Eli. "Then… how about you and I study together too, Eli? Might help both of us."
Eli froze mid-bite, chopsticks hovering in the air. The words themselves were harmless, casual even, but the way Kai said them—low, steady, as if they were meant for him alone—made his heart lurch unexpectedly. He blinked, unsure if he'd heard right, but Kai's expression was unreadable, almost too composed.
Naturally, their friends noticed. They *always* noticed.
"Oooh," one of them drawled, immediately leaning across the table with a mischievous grin. "Did he just ask you out on a study date?"
The table erupted with snickers and playful nudges. Someone even wiggled their eyebrows exaggeratedly.
Eli nearly choked, heat rushing up his neck. "W–Wait, no! It's not like that!" he stammered, waving his hands as if to physically swat the idea out of the air. "He just—he only suggested studying!"
That only made his friends laugh harder.
Meanwhile, Kai didn't seem the least bit fazed by the teasing. He simply smiled—just the faintest curve of his lips, calm and confident, as if nothing could rattle him. "So," he said smoothly, his eyes still fixed on Eli, "what do you say?"
For a moment, the whole table seemed to fade into the background. Eli could feel his pulse in his throat, could feel every second stretch out painfully slow. Part of him wanted to look away, to hide from those steady eyes, but another part… couldn't.
Finally, he gave the smallest nod, almost shy. "…Sure."