literature

CM: Tutoring Session

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A storm of white flurries is all that occupies Ogasawara Sumire’s mind, playing in slow-motion through the frosted panel of the window nearby. Her focus melts away from her current studies, only belonging to the blankets of snow that crowds her imagination. The soft plush of frozen water in her palms and the tingling, numb sensation it brings to her skin, or the way her breathe becomes visible in the foggy air swirling into a wisp of excess air above her head-
“Are you listening?” Tsukkishima Kei sits opposite of her with an uninterested gaze and dip of his frowning lips. The kotatsu provides a warmth for Sumire’s feet that instantly simmers away her daydreams about the snow outside, the thick blanket covering past her waist as she studies with Kei. In his own vain attempts, Kei returns to the example math equation she is having trouble with; deciding with a sigh to start his explanation over.

“Sorry Tsukki,” Sumire squeaks with an all-too-cheerful smile for Kei, ignoring her apology as he reiterates the statement prompting the math question. He wonders distinctly if he should have stayed home, rather than coming to tutor Sumire before final exams, seeing as her attention lies elsewhere than the mathematical functions and formulas they are reviewing. This thought, however, is discarded from Tsukkishima’s mind with a reprimanding look to Sumire.

“Question B; find the inverse of the given function f(x)=2(x-1)^3. Since we have to figure out the inverse equation, you need to list the order of the original. First, you are subtracting 1 from x before cubing it, then multiplying it by 2. So, if we go in reverse order, you would start by dividing x by 2 instead of multiplying. That would go under a cube root, and lastly adding 1 instead of subtracting. Thus, your final answer for the inverse looks like this: f^-1(x)=1+∛ x/2. Does that make sense?” Following Kei’s mathematical speech is the sudden realization that Sumire has most likely not understood a word he has said nor even heard it! Her gaze drifts back to the glass window providing a small doorway to the Winter wonderland outside to Sumire.

“Ogasawara-”

“Tsukki, let’s go outside!” The pleading gaze from Sumire’s violet irises burn their way through Kei, turning a disappointed stare her way as if to silently protest her idea. “It’s so beautiful outside, and we can study later; I promise I’ll focus then!” He knows he can’t help it, seeing her become so elated over the simple sight of snow outside and knows they would never make progress anyhow. The roll of his eyes and click of his tongue elaborates his annoyance with the entirety of the situation, but after agreeing to Sumire’s request, the light that shines in her eyes is enough to let the issue fly over his head for the time being. Ogasawara Sumire stumbles from her seat at the table, nearly tipping it over when she bangs her knee into the edge of the kotatsu. Even after overcoming the initial pain that spreads in her leg, there is still an ounce of joy that encompases her entire being, racing to pull on a heavy jacket and boots, leaving Tsukkishima dumbfounded under the warmth of the heater.


Snow angels cover the white landscape, creating wings to span across the blanket of snow capturing Sumire’s attention and stealing her thoughts from any focus on studying for mid-terms.

“We really should be studying,” Kei urges quietly, tucking the red knit scarf below his chin to speak. His voice is gruff and he stands above where Sumire lays in the comforter of frost casting a disappointed look to the girl.
Sitting up from her position, Kei sighs visibly when she sticks her tongue out and makes a face at the mention of studying, as if it were a disease. All her excuses fly right over Tsukkishima Kei’s head in their jumble of words, “We still have time until mid-terms; don’t worry…!” Kei is unsure but does not apply a response to her careless pleas, sinking the soles of his shoes further into the wet ground. He doesn’t show it, but he is cold and only wishes he could be back inside beneath the warmth and comfort of the kotatsu. Even with the three layers and scarf he has on, there is still a tremble of a numb shiver that runs down his spine like electricity when he stands in one spot for too long.

Although Sendai does not get very much snowfall, in comparison to other prefectures like Hokkaidō, the averaged 36 days of Winter that are spent in a white cloud are some of the best days to Ogasawara Sumire. With about 28 inches of snow, as the annual average record shows, it’s enough to fill her with glee and make the cold days a little more cheerful even as she freezes at night! Tsukkishima Kei could never understand why the sight of snow made her so inexplicably happy. It’s just frozen rain, he argues with an abundance of misery running through his frigid veins. Peering to the greying clouds, the rims of his glasses fog over from the warm of his breath in the confines of the knit scarf suffocating his neck. What’s so important about snow that draws her attention away from anything and everything she is supposed to be focused on? What was it about snow that captivated Sumire so effectively; in it’s intense beauty-
“They say if you move around you’ll be warmer,” Sumire advises from her bunker of frost, now sitting from her snow angels, looking more like a mess of moved snow that now sticks to her plum jacket and carmine locks of hair.

Tsukkishima turns from staring intently at the clouds long enough to notice as she motions to get up, wiping herself off as she stands. “You need to have fun, relax a little!” She whines and though she wants to believe her saying this is for the better of Tsukkishima, he’s not entirely convinced, stuffing his hands further into his pockets if possible while huffing aloud. Sumire turns impatient quick, frowning with distaste on her tongue as she stares at her best friend. How could he not have fun in the snow, she wonders before picking up a handful as best as she can, attempting to throw the icy ball at the blond from where she stands. The thing collapses entirely on her, not at all the way she expected. Instead of forming a perfect ball like she thought it would, the snow does not stick together and, rather, falls apart mid-throw, not even making it that far! Only a small portion that sticks together actually gets near Tsukkishima Kei- and by near it just barely grazes the top of his shoe!

The sound, alone, is what grasps Kei’s attention, diverting his cold gaze to follow back to Sumire, now blushing and gaping at the unexpected failure of her plan. “Did you just try to hit me?”

“I’m sorry Tsukki, I didn’t mean-” No, of course she did. He knows it. It doesn’t help that she’s laughing as she’s trying to strangle these words out of her own throat! Ogasawara comes forward to apologize before the cool icy touch of snow hits her, literally. The mere surprise of the snowball sends her a few steps back with a squeal, peeking her eyes open to find her friend smirking at her, dusting off the flakes of snow from his gloved hands. When she recovers, Sumire grapples for another handful of snow, making sure to pack it together before tossing it to Tsukkishima’s tall frame, right out in the open! The next time that Tsukkishima Kei gets close enough to throw another snowball at Sumire, he stops short in his haste, dropping the ball of frozen precipitation without notice. The dark brown irises watching Tsukkishima catch him in their gaze, stopping short upon the sight.

“You dunce, you lost a contact lense.”

“Hunh?” Ogasawara Sumire’s eyebrows knit to meet, lips enunciating confusion at the realization that Kei pours over her. “What are you talking about-” Oh. That’s why her hand looks so blurry.
In her defense, it’s hard to tell with all the clear, white snow surrounding her!

Sighing audibly, Tsukkishima helps her up, leading her back inside against her complaints that she throws against the first-year. “There’s no point in trying to look for it now. How are you going to be able to see it in the snow?” He has a point, she fathoms, frowning at the thought of having to wait for new contacts. More importantly, it means having to wear her old glasses until then..
“Don’t pout like that, it’s childish.” Ouch, Tsukki, that was harsh. “Let’s go finish studying. We’ll have lunch and eat while we’re finishing your practices for the math portion.”
°°°

So it’s back to the den where the kotatsu is on and warms Tsukkishima’s legs, thawing them out from the previous cold. Still, Ogasawara Sumire sits with a hint of a frown, pushing up her violet glasses for what seems like the tenth time since putting them on. Not even lunch was able to wipe the pout from her memory, hating to expose the “dull” brown of her eyes, as she originally put it. “I don’t see why you don’t like the way you look, normally.”
Sumire almost doesn’t hear it, looking up from the workbook in front of her, having been devoted to the same problem for four minutes now, as directed by Kei. But she hears enough, as she’s heard it enough times from him.

“There’s nothing wrong with how you look,” Tsukkishima murmurs, swiping idly through the feed on his phone without any attention to Sumire.

“I just don’t like wearing my glasses,” Sumire stammers hastily, keeping her gaze locked with the typed press of her practice notebook, copying from Tsukkishima’s notes resting beside her arm. He knows it’s a lie and that Sumire is simply avoiding the answer, even though it’s an answer Kei already knows. He’s asked her dozens of times before and he knows the real response, despite how he continues to ask. Somehow he’s taken on the idea that if he keeps repeating it, somewhere along the way he’ll get another answer, something more realistic and concrete than the flimsy answers she excuses the topic with.

“I don’t really like the snow,” Tsukkishima begins with an uninterested tone clinging to his words, catching Ogasawara Sumire’s attention without fail. “It’s so boring,” he states with assertion. “All it really is is frozen rain, right? So there’s nothing really special about it, I suppose. Not to mention it really makes it freezing cold outside, which is a pain itself.”
At this point, the winter-enthusiast within Sumire has sprung to life and given her undivided focus to what he says, frowning more than ever with his brutal honesty.

“But it’s so pretty, Tsukki, how can you-”

“I guess it’s not that bad though.” He presses to interrupt quickly, silencing Sumire. “Maybe it has some nice qualities to it, even if it’s so simple, I can even admit it’s pretty, too.” Apparently, coming from Tsukkishima, that’s a big deal. “And since you seem to like it so much it must be pretty special.” No further words pluck at Ogasawara Sumire’s lips, drying from the relief that creases the air.
“But anyways,” Kei recedes back to his normal attitude swiftly, “Let’s move onto the English portion; you were always bad with English.” The snide comment doesn’t make it that far until it rams into Sumire with exceeding displeasure, earning a groan from her at the mention of more studying.

The evening passes quickly however, trailing into the late hours of the night when Tsukkishima realizes it is high time he took his leave. Against the complaints and arguments of Sumire, they were able to get through an amiable amount of practice work that makes her feel more confident for the mid-terms than ever before. Although she had made a silent notion to properly thank Tsukkishima before he went home, her plans are cropped when Kei makes a move from under the kotatsu, finding that the redhead has passed out and is now snoozing away on the table top.
Taking it upon himself to turn off the low chatter of the television, Kei wedges from under the blanket of the table to reassign Sumire to a new position, draping a loose blanket over her shoulders and setting the purple rimmed glasses to the side so they will not leave harsh red marks on her nose.
December Commission for :iconsapphire-x-dreams:

I'm still just falling in love with Kei and Sumire but already they're just so adorable, since she's so excited about little things and he doesn't care (or doesn't want to) but he can't help it if she does~ :love: Gosh, I'm just really in love with the complex of a sweet character and silent one for a relationship //shot

Ogasawara Sumire (c) Sapphire-X-Dreams | Tsukkishima Kei (c) Furudate Haruichi
© 2016 - 2024 cafenzie
Comments4
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Sapphire-X-Dreams's avatar
This has taken long enough to review. I was cleaning through my inbox and saw this lovely little piece still awaiting my attention. I remember when I first read it, sitting in my classroom waiting for class to begin early in the morning. I remember that this story literally brightened my entire day. ; 7 ;

The imagery of my cute little Sumire as she finally comes to life outside of her profile sheet. She’s always so super excited, running from her math homework to the snowy outdoors. I can just imagine her sing-songy joy as she says “Tsukki, let’s go outside~” You honestly pegged my baby so, so cutely. 

And Tsukishima, honestly, you made my heart melt. I remember trying desperately to stifle my  chuckling in class when he asked her “Did you just try to hit me?” XD THIS LINE. Seriously, I can just imagine him tweaking his eyebrow at her kind of threateningly, kind of curiously. 

And then, my most favorite part of this perfect piece— when Sumire loses her contact. XD Tsukki reacts just as I’d expect him to be~ Gently chiding her, but being oh so sweet deep down, I’m sure. :heart: And I honestly just want to snuggle against him when he says, “There’s nothing wrong with the way you look.” Ahh, Tsukki’s so adorable;; I just love the way you write these two dorks. 

Bby, I’m sorry for taking a millennium and a half to get to reviewing this, but I honestly love this fic so so much. <3 I’m excited to explore more about them sometime later. ; 7 ; Thank you so much, bby~