Aiko groaned as she stared at the pile of textbooks on her desk. Finals were approaching, and the stress was beginning to pile up. Her phone buzzed—it was Ren.
Ren: "Ready for a study session?"
Aiko: "Yes! But… I warn you, I'm a hopeless mess today."
A few minutes later, Ren arrived, carrying his notebook and a small thermos of tea. "Hopeless mess or not, we'll survive this," he said with a small smile.
They settled at the table, books and notes spread out before them. Aiko tried to focus, but Ren's calm presence kept distracting her.
After a few hours of serious studying, Ren leaned back, stretching. "You know… we've been doing this for a while. I think it's time for a break."
Aiko blinked. "A break?"
"Yeah. A fun break," Ren said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's do a confession challenge."
Aiko tilted her head. "Confession challenge?"
Ren explained: they would take turns saying something they liked or appreciated about the other, but they had to do it in a playful or exaggerated way. Whoever laughed first lost.
Aiko giggled nervously. "You're on."
Ren went first. "I like how you always manage to spill just a little bit of chaos into my perfectly calm life."
Aiko snorted, trying not to laugh. "Hey! That's not a bad thing!"
Her turn. "I like how you always notice the little things… like when a crumb falls on your hand or when my hair is messy."
Ren smirked. "Touche. But I like how your laugh is completely contagious, even when you're frustrated with math."
They continued, teasing and complimenting each other, laughter escaping despite their attempts to stay serious. Fingers brushed over shared notes, shoulders bumped as they leaned closer, and each glance held a tiny spark of something more.
By the time they finally called it a draw, both were smiling and slightly flushed. Aiko felt her heart flutter—not just from the playful challenge, but from the warmth of being so close to him.
Ren packed up his things, glancing at her. "See you tomorrow?"
Aiko nodded, smiling. "Absolutely. And next time… I'll win the challenge."
As he left, Aiko leaned back in her chair, heart full. These small, silly, playful moments were slowly weaving their hearts together—and she wouldn't have it any other way