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Chapter 13 - Unspoken Invitations

The classroom was quieter than usual.

Not silent—just… restrained.

The air felt heavier. Pens clicked more rhythmically. Conversations carried a sharper undertone.

The whiteboard at the front of the room, typically covered with announcements or reminders, had been overtaken by a single ominous phrase:

"First Term Exams Begin in 10 Days."

Saito Kagami stared at it for three full minutes before returning to his seat.

Not because he was worried.

But because the handwriting was misaligned.

"Ten degrees off," he muttered under his breath.

Riko, seated next to him, leaned in. "Did you just judge the handwriting?"

"Yes."

"You're unbelievable."

"Incorrect. I'm extremely believable. Especially when it comes to sloppy markers and poor symmetry."

Riko laughed quietly, then sighed as she pulled her workbook from her bag.

"Still… exams already, huh?"

Across the room, a groan escaped Mari's desk. She slumped forward dramatically.

"Nooooo, my summer energy isn't even gone yet! My brain's still in firework mode!"

"Same," Riko mumbled, drawing little stars in the corner of her notebook. "I forgot what trigonometry even is."

"It's the study of triangles," Saito said without looking up.

Mari looked at him. "You scare me."

"Thank you."

"Wasn't a compliment."

But Saito had already returned to underlining his vocabulary notes.

By lunch, the tension had spread.

The rooftop was quieter than usual, the wind carrying less banter and more murmurs of panic.

Mari, chewing a melon bun, suddenly slammed her hand down on the bench.

"That's it! I've decided!"

Everyone jumped.

Even Saito flinched. Barely.

"Study group," she declared. "We're doing a study group."

Aoi raised an eyebrow. "You, Mari? You're the one who said you absorb math through osmosis."

"Exactly! And I need better math to pass this exam!"

Riko leaned back, sipping juice. "Where are we doing it?"

"My place is chaos right now," Aoi said. "My little brother broke the Wi-Fi router trying to 'download power.'"

"…What?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Riko raised her hand. "We can do it at mine. My folks won't mind."

"Perfect!" Mari grinned. "This weekend, Saturday, at Riko's place. Let's meet at noon, bring snacks, and suffer together!"

Everyone groaned.

Except Saito.

He looked up from his sandwich.

"…Wait."

They all turned to him.

"What?" Mari asked.

"I wasn't consulted about this plan."

Riko tilted her head. "You're not coming?"

"I was not invited."

Mari squinted at him. "Weren't you?"

"No."

A beat of silence.

Then Riko said, "But you're in our group."

Saito blinked. "I wasn't aware I was in any group."

Mari clapped him on the back. "Buddy, you've been absorbed."

"I did not consent to absorption."

"Too late."

Aoi leaned over. "You're like the AI in our study app. No way are we leaving you out."

Saito stared at them.

"…I see."

"See what?" Riko asked.

"I've been annexed without negotiation."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

He didn't reply.

But he also didn't say no.

Saturday arrived faster than expected.

That morning, Saito double-checked his notes, reloaded his mechanical pencils, and packed two spare erasers. Then, after pausing for a moment, he added a small bag of individually wrapped hard candies.

He didn't know why.

Maybe because Riko had mentioned liking them during one of their rooftop lunches.

Not that it was relevant.

Strictly unrelated.

He arrived at her place just before noon.

It was a modest two-story house in a quiet neighborhood—well-kept garden, wind chimes on the porch, and a pair of bright sneakers at the door.

Saito stood in front of the gate, blinked once, and knocked.

The door opened.

A tall woman in her late thirties beamed at him.

"Oh! You must be Kagami-kun. Riko mentioned you!"

Saito bowed politely. "Good afternoon. Thank you for having me."

She waved her hands. "Oh no, thank you for helping my daughter study. She needs the support."

From inside, Riko's voice shouted, "Moooom!"

"I'm just saying!"

The woman stepped aside, ushering him in. "Come in, come in. You're the first one here. Riko's in the living room."

Saito stepped inside, removed his shoes, and entered.

The house was warm. Lived-in. The walls held framed photos of summer trips, school events, a few embarrassing baby pictures.

He paused for a second longer than necessary in front of a family photo.

Then moved on.

Riko looked up from the couch as he entered.

"You're early."

"You sent me the address thirty-six hours ago."

"…Yeah, but you're still early."

"I calculated travel time and included a buffer."

"Of course you did."

He sat across from her at the table. Her notebooks were already open.

After a moment, she said, "…Thanks for coming."

"I didn't have a choice, apparently."

"You always have a choice."

He looked at her.

She grinned.

"…I made a rational decision," he said.

"I'll take it."

Mari and Aoi arrived ten minutes later, arms full of snacks, soda, and an energy drink with a name that sounded mildly illegal.

"Let's get this over with!" Mari declared. "Quadratic equations, come at me!"

Aoi leaned toward Saito. "You brought your math notebook, right?"

"Yes."

"And your science notes?"

"Yes."

"And your exam prediction charts?"

"…Yes."

"You're a godsend."

Riko handed out worksheets. "Let's go one subject at a time. We'll rotate tutors based on weakness. Kagami, you're math. Mari, you're English. Aoi's got science."

"What about you?" Mari asked.

Riko smiled. "I bring snacks and hospitality."

They worked for hours.

Saito corrected Mari's conjugations, re-explained tangent rules, and redrew a cell structure Aoi had somehow turned into a doodle of a cat.

And despite himself… he didn't hate it.

They weren't efficient. They weren't quiet. But they were persistent.

By late afternoon, Mari flopped backward onto a cushion. "I need sugar. And air. And possibly divine intervention."

"I'll get drinks," Riko offered, standing.

She glanced at Saito.

"Can you help me grab the soda from the fridge?"

He nodded and followed her into the kitchen.

The space was small but cozy. The fridge was covered in magnets and sticky notes.

Riko bent down to retrieve a few cans.

Saito opened the side drawer and grabbed cups.

Then paused.

Riko had tied her hair up while studying, revealing the back of her neck—and around it, hanging just below her collarbone, was a small silver necklace.

The one he had given her for her birthday.

Simple. Minimalist.

But unmistakable.

He said nothing.

But he looked at it for just a second longer than necessary.

Riko stood up, holding the cans. "Got 'em."

She turned.

Caught his gaze.

"…Something wrong?"

He blinked. "No."

A pause.

She smiled.

"Okay then."

They returned to the living room.

Saito's mind lingered on the glint of silver.

And for reasons he didn't quite understand…

He felt something tighten in his chest.

Not unpleasant.

Just new.

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