The Girl Who Teases Me

Riku stepped cautiously into Yumi's room, his heart still racing from the earlier exchange. The room was surprisingly neat, with shelves full of books, sports trophies, and framed photos of Yumi from various athletic events. It was clear that she wasn't just good at sports—she excelled at everything she did. The sight of her room made him feel even more out of place, but he quickly reminded himself that they were here to study.

Yumi was already sitting at her desk, tapping away on her laptop. She had a few open textbooks beside her, but she didn't seem all that focused. Instead, she glanced up at Riku and smiled, as if she hadn't noticed his nervousness.

"Take a seat, Riku," she said, patting the chair next to her desk. "We've got a lot of work to get done. No excuses."

Riku nodded, pulling out the chair and sitting down. He didn't really know what to say, so he just stared at the open notebook in front of him, pretending to read the assignment. He wasn't sure how studying with someone like Yumi was supposed to work, but he figured it couldn't hurt to try.

"So," Yumi began, her voice light but curious. "How are we doing this? You're the quiet type, so I assume you want to work on your own, huh?"

Riku glanced at her, caught off guard by the question. "Uh… well, I guess I don't mind working with you. It's just… I don't usually do group stuff." He felt a little self-conscious, unsure of how to explain that he wasn't exactly the most social person.

Yumi tilted her head slightly, her expression playful. "Hmm, yeah, I can tell. You're pretty shy, huh?"

"I'm not shy!" Riku protested, though his voice was soft. "I just don't talk much."

"Same thing, right?" Yumi grinned, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. "Don't worry, I won't bite you." She picked up a pencil and began writing something in her notebook. "So, what should we focus on first?"

Riku stared down at his notebook, trying to focus on the lesson. "Um, I guess we should start with the math problems. They're pretty complicated."

"Sounds boring, but sure," Yumi said, still scribbling away. "I was hoping we could at least talk about something a little more interesting."

Riku blinked. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything. You seem like the type to have a lot of interesting thoughts going on inside that head of yours," Yumi teased.

Riku flushed slightly at the compliment, unsure how to handle it. "I… I'm not sure about that."

Yumi leaned back in her chair, eyeing him carefully. "I think you are. You've just got this, like, quiet, not bothered by wordly matters vibe. I bet people don't realize how interesting you are."

The words took Riku by surprise. Was she really complimenting him? He stared down at his notebook, his thoughts suddenly jumbled. He could feel his face turning red, but before he could say anything, Yumi let out a yawn.

"Man, I'm tired," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "You know, studying's not nearly as fun as people say it is."

Riku nodded awkwardly, not sure how to keep the conversation going. He shifted in his seat, his gaze lingering on the stack of books in front of them. Just as he thought things would return to normal, Yumi spoke again.

"Hey, Riku," she said, her voice a little quieter now. "What's your favorite kind of music?"

Riku blinked at the unexpected question. He'd never really thought about it before. "Um… I don't really listen to music that much," he admitted, feeling like he was falling short of expectations.

Yumi raised an eyebrow. "Really? You've got to be kidding me. You don't listen to anything?"

"Well, I guess sometimes I listen to instrumental stuff, but that's about it," he said, trying to defend himself. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a little embarrassed admitting his lack of interest in music. It wasn't like he hated it, but it had never been his thing.

Yumi's lips curled into a teasing smile. "Instrumental, huh? I bet you're a total weirdo, huh?"

Riku's face went red again. "I—hey! It's not weird!"

"I was just messing with you," she laughed. "I don't really have a favorite genre either. But if you ever decide to get into music, you should try something with a good beat. I'm all about those rhythms."

Riku smiled awkwardly, relieved that the teasing had shifted to something less personal. "I'll keep that in mind."

Suddenly, Yumi stood up from her chair, walking over to the window and stretching again. The action made Riku's heart race, and before he could stop himself, his eyes were drawn to the curve of her back as she stretched. His face immediately turned bright red, and he quickly looked down at the desk, hoping she hadn't caught him.

"You okay over there, Riku?" Yumi asked, turning around and catching the awkward look on his face. "You're turning into a tomato."

"W-what?" Riku stammered, trying to brush it off. "I'm not! Really."

Yumi raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. "Uh-huh. Sure you are. Well, if you're done blushing over there, let's get back to work."

Riku, still flustered, nodded quickly. "Right! Work. Yes Work."

She laughed again, shaking her head. "You're so easy to tease, Riku."

"I—uh, I'm not easy!" he protested, though his voice was almost drowned out by the laughter in her tone.

Yumi grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying his reaction. "Sure you're not."