"Struggle To Keep Up: The Library"

LOCATION LIBRARY: TIME 4PM

In the serene ambiance of the library, Shiriku dialed Shiroe's number, the faint sound of rustling pages and hushed whispers providing a backdrop to his conversation. "Hello, Shiroe," Shiriku greeted, his voice low to avoid disturbing the tranquil atmosphere.

Shiroe's voice crackled through the phone, his tone curious yet composed. "Yeah, Shiriku, what do you need?" he inquired, his words measured as he awaited Shiriku's request.

With a hint of hesitation, Shiriku broached his query. "Umm, Shiroe, is it okay if I stay at school until 5 PM?" he asked, his tone tentative as he awaited Shiroe's response.

Shiroe's confusion was palpable as he processed Shiriku's request. "Why?" he questioned, his curiosity piqued by Shiriku's unusual request.

Gathering his thoughts, Shiriku explained his predicament. "I'm in the library right now, and I'm meeting with someone," he clarified, his words tinged with anticipation as he awaited Shiroe's approval.

"Ehh, okay, I'll ask Dad to pick us up at 5," Shiroe responded energetically, his voice filled with enthusiasm as he agreed to Shiriku's request.

A smile tugged at Shiriku's lips as he expressed his gratitude. "Thanks, Shiroe," he replied warmly, his appreciation evident in his tone.

After a brief wait, Ayaka finally arrived at the library, her presence heralded by the soft sound of footsteps approaching. A sense of anticipation grew within the room as Shiriku rose from his seat, a welcoming smile adorning his features.

"Welcome, Ayaka," Shiriku greeted, his voice filled with warmth as he gestured towards the vacant chair beside him. "You may sit here," he said, his tone polite and accommodating.

Ayaka's laughter tinkled through the air as she accepted Shiriku's gesture, her smile radiant as she took her seat. "Thank you, Shiriku," she replied graciously, her gratitude evident in her tone.

Shiriku's smile widened at her response. "You're welcome," he assured her, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he returned to his own seat across from her.

As they settled into their respective seats, Shiriku retrieved a book from the nearby shelf, the soft rustle of pages filling the air as he prepared for their study session. Ayaka's voice broke the silence, her tone gentle yet determined as she signaled their readiness to begin.

"Let's start," Ayaka suggested, her words carrying a sense of purpose as she focused her attention on their task at hand.

Curiosity sparked within Shiriku as he glanced towards Aoi, who stood silently nearby. "Umm, Ayaka, is Aoi going to join us, or is she just going to stand there?" he inquired, his tone laced with curiosity as he sought clarification.

Ayaka's gaze shifted towards Aoi, her expression serene as she reassured Shiriku. "Don't worry, Shiriku. Aoi is just here to look after me," she explained, her voice filled with warmth and understanding.

Shiriku's shoulders relaxed slightly at Ayaka's assurance, his gaze softening as he observed Aoi's composed demeanor. With a resigned sigh, he acquiesced to Ayaka's reassurance. "If you say so, but if she ever gets tired, she can sit with us," he conceded, his tone carrying a note of acceptance.

Ayaka's smile widened at Shiriku's offer, her appreciation evident in her nod of agreement. "Thank you," she replied gratefully, her tone filled with warmth

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"Ayaka began to explain the Distributive Property for 7th-grade math. She opened her textbook and flipped to the relevant section, pointing to the examples as she spoke.

"Okay, Shiriku, let's start with the basics. The Distributive Property states that when you multiply a number by a sum, you can multiply each addend separately and then add the products together. For example, in the expression \(3 \times (x + 4)\), we distribute the 3 to both terms inside the parentheses," Ayaka explained, her voice clear and patient.

Shiriku nodded, trying his best to follow along. "So, we would have \(3 \times x\) and \(3 \times 4\), right?" he asked, his tone uncertain.

"Exactly," Ayaka affirmed with a smile. "So, that gives us \(3x + 12\). Now, let's try a few more examples."

Despite Ayaka's patient explanations, Shiriku struggled to understand the concept. He hesitated and kept making mistakes as they worked through practice problems together.

"Okay, let's try one more," Ayaka suggested, pointing to a new example in the textbook. "Here we have \(2 \times (y - 5)\). Can you apply the Distributive Property to this expression?"

Shiriku furrowed his brow in concentration, but he couldn't seem to figure it out. After a long pause, he tentatively offered his solution. "So, we would have \(2 \times y\) and \(2 \times -5\), which gives us \(2y - 10\), right?"

Ayaka could see Shiriku's struggle and patiently corrected his mistake. "Not quite. Let's try again."

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10 minutes have passed when Shiriku found himself is still struggling to keep pace with Ayaka's explanations. 'Wait, slow down,' he said, his brow furrowing in concentration as he tried to make sense of the concepts being discussed. 'How did it go from that to this?'

Ayaka's laughter rang out softly, a melodious sound that filled the air with warmth. 'It's really easy, Shiriku,' she reassured him, her tone gentle and encouraging. As she spoke, Shiriku couldn't help but notice the graceful movements of her hand, her gestures fluid and precise.

Lost in thought, Shiriku's mind raced with questions. 'I just realized, why didn't she ask about me asking for her help to tutor me when I'm a Kami?' he pondered, his thoughts swirling with confusion and uncertainty.

Caught in his contemplation, Shiriku failed to notice Ayaka's concerned gaze fixed upon him. 'Shiriku? Are you okay?' she inquired, her voice laced with genuine concern for his well-being.

Startled out of his reverie, Shiriku offered a shaky reassurance. 'Ye-yeah, I am,' he replied, his voice betraying a hint of unease as he struggled to regain his composure.

Ayaka shook her head ever so slightly, a gesture of understanding as she sought to alleviate Shiriku's discomfort. With a thoughtful smile, she decided to change seats, and seats besides Shiriku.

Confused by Ayaka's sudden movement, Shiriku couldn't help but voice his confusion. 'Uhh... Ayaka, why did you change seats?' he questioned, his tone tinged with curiosity as he sought an explanation for her actions.

Ayaka's smile only widened, her gaze warm and reassuring as she placed her finger on the open textbook before them. 'Oh, so I can explain this problem to you better,' she explained, her voice gentle and patient as she guided Shiriku through the lesson.

Shiriku's eyes flickered to Ayaka's finger resting on the page, his heart rate quickening as he felt a sudden surge of nervousness. 'Ayaka, why didn't you question me when I asked you to tutor me, especially considering me Kami?' he blurted out, his concern palpable as he voiced his doubts and insecurities.

Ayaka's expression faltered, her features betraying a moment of hesitation as she processed Shiriku's question. Silence hung heavy in the air for a tense moment, Shiriku keenly aware of Ayaka's prolonged pause.

Sensing the discomfort in the air, Shiriku quickly said,'Umm... forget about it, Ayaka. Sorry for asking you that,' he apologized, his gaze shifting away as he sought to diffuse the tension."