The next day, Nakano arrives at school nervously. He scans the halls, half expecting to see Mizuki, but the Theater Club members mention that Mizuki isn't attending today—the nurse told him to stay home and rest. A knot tightens in Nakano’s chest. Later in the day, after school, Nakano ran to the teacher's lounge area. Without thinking twice, he volunteers to take Mizuki’s homework to him, convincing their teacher it would be no trouble at all.
As Nakano makes his way to Mizuki’s house, he practices what to say, over and over.
"I’m sorry, Prez. No, that sounds too stiff... Prez, I didn’t mean... ugh, that’s even worse."_
He stumbles over his words, trying to figure out how to apologize properly. His mind is a mess of apologies, explanations, and maybe, if he’s honest, a little bit of hope that Mizuki will smile at him again.
When he finally arrives and knocks on the door, it’s Mizuki’s mother who answers. She’s a cheerful woman, with the same gentle eyes as Mizuki.
“Ah! You must be a friend of Kimiko’s!” she says, her face lighting up. “I’m Hisako. It’s so nice to meet you! Your teacher called and said one of Kimiko's friends was stopping by with his homework”
Nakano blinks, caught off guard by her warm welcome. “Uh, yes! I’m Nakano. I—uh—I brought Mizuki’s... homework,” he stammers.
“Oh, that’s so thoughtful of you! I was just about to head out, but come in, come in!” Hisako says, ushering him inside without a second thought. “I’ll make some tea for you two. Just a moment!”
Before Nakano can protest, she’s already bustling around the kitchen, preparing a tray with tea and biscuits. A few minutes later, she carries the tray upstairs and knocks on Mizuki’s door, nudging it open.
“Kimiko, sweetie, a friend of yours is here! I brought some tea and biscuits, so you two can chat. I’m just running to the convenience store, but I’ll be back soon. Oh, and Nakano-kun, would you like to stay for dinner?”
Mizuki, who had been lying on his bed, perks up, clearly shocked and a bit flustered. “Mom, that’s not—”
“Oh, nonsense!” Hisako waves off his weak protest. “It’s settled. I’ll make something special! Be good, you two.”
She sets down the tray, flashes them both a bright smile, and then heads out, closing the door behind her. Mizuki stares at the door for a moment, then slowly turns to Nakano, his face flushed.
There’s an awkward silence. Nakano shifts from one foot to the other, unsure where to start. Finally, he bows deeply, hands at his sides.
“Prez, I'm sorry,” he says, his voice steady but soft. “I didn’t mean to hurt you... or make you uncomfortable. I just... I was careless, and I didn’t think about how you felt.”
Mizuki doesn’t say anything at first. He just stares out the window, his face partially hidden. Nakano can’t tell if he’s being ignored, but he decides to keep going.
The room is filled with a gentle, calming scent—like chamomile and lavender, herbs that seem to match Mizuki’s quiet, soothing presence. It’s comforting, and Nakano realizes with a blush that the scent is Mizuki’s. For a second, he just breathes it in, letting it calm his nerves, and then he bows his head lower, trying to hide the slight pink spreading across his cheeks.
Mizuki finally shifts a little, his eyes still distant. “You say that, but it doesn’t change how I felt,” he murmurs, voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t forgive you... for now.”
Nakano lifts his head, and there’s a flicker of relief, almost like a spark, that breaks through the tension. He smirks, his usual confident smile finding its way back. “For now, huh? I’ll take that.”
Mizuki turns to face him, and despite the cold tone of his words, there’s a softness in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “Fine,” he sighs, sounding almost defeated. “You can stay for dinner. But only because my mom invited you.”
Nakano’s smirk widens into a grin, and he straightens up, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Got it. I’ll be on my best behavior. Also, I brought you your homework and class notes"
As Mizuki looks away, there’s a slight twitch at the corner of his lips, like he’s trying not to smile. Nakano can’t help but feel like he’s made a little progress, even if it’s just a small step forward. For now, that’s enough.
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