The Giant and the Pocky Girl

Physics

"Ugh!" I sighed, slamming my pencil into my notebook.

Another week of school done and another day closer to graduation. The looming feeling was starting to make me feel anxious and it was definitely showing in my school work.

I desperately wanted to attend Seirin High School. Not many schools had dedicated female athletics teams, Seirin happened to be one of the few and had a wonderful curricular.
I had argued with my parents for a good part of the year building my case. It would mean I would be living most of the time in Tokyo with Otōsan.

My parents divorced when I was much younger but they co-parent well. Okaasan works for an international women's athletics fashion company. Because of her job, she isn't home very often which is why she lives in Akita as opposed to Tokyo.
Otōsan is the CEO for one of Japan's leading technology companies. He used to play professional basketball which is how my parents met.

Part of the deal by attending Seiren is mainting good grades as well as focusing on my athletics. I'm now being personally trained by one of my father's old basketball team mates, (who is more or less an uncle figure) Aida Kagetori. His daughter Riko was also attending Seirin the above grade.

However I had to meet grade expectations to be even considered for attendance.

"I'm never getting into Seirin at this rate!" I sighed as my forehead hit the wooden counter top. 

"Aya-chin, your being annoying" Murasakibara dead panned as he browsed the shelves, throwing a bag of chips into his basket. 
He was again, alone this week but was in his full school uniform, I guess he didn't have practice tonight.

"Hurry up Murasakubara-kun, I  dont have all night to spend here with you"

"You are so loud..."

I poked my tongue out at the tall purple haired boy who continued scanning the shelves for various snacks, not even batting an eyelash in my direction. 
I slumped over the cashier counter, pencil in my mouth as I stared down at my physics notes. It just didn't make sense and no matter what I tried I couldn't make the equation work. 

I was too engrossed in my notes to realise Murasakibara standing (well, more like looming) above me as I poored over my note book. 
I have no idea how long he was standing their before nonchalantly slamming the grocery basket inches from my slumped position on the counter. I jerked back with a small squeal, as I did Murasakibara took it upon him self to grab my note book. 

"Hey! What are you-"

"This is wrong."

"What?"

"And that." He added staring at my notebook, pointing a long finger at an equation on the page infront of him.

"Wait, what is wrong?" Murasakibara sighed, rolling his shoulders forward into a slump. 

"Aya-chin, you are making me waste my energy"

"Oh, come on Murasakibara-kun!" He  stared down at me, expression as bored as ever.

"Please explain this to me!" Another blank stare. 

"I'll pay for half of your basket tonight. Just please, please, please explain this to me" Murasakibara's eyes lit up momentarily.

"Don't make me waste my time."

For the next half an hour, Murasakibara explained what I needed to correct to make the equations work correctly. He never repeated himself. 

As Murasakibara lent over my notebook he lent further on the counter, scooching closer to me. I noted the way his fingers nimbly scrawled out equations in my notebook. The way his eyes darted over each equation he was writing and the slightest of shift in his facial expression when he found an error. 
He was much too close to me. I could even smell the watermelon conditioner he used in his hair! 

"Aya-chin are you paying attention?" He snapped at me, I must have missed something. 

"Oh, sorry. No, could you repeat that?" Murasakibara let out a loud dramatic sigh. 

"This is pointless."

"I..I'm sorry. I just…physics is really not my strong suit.."

I just dont get it. I can easily out run all of the girls in the basketball squad during drills, I can speak and read English fluently, I'm number one in my class for crying out loud! Yet, math and physics completely eluded me.  

"Thank you for your help Murisakibara-kun but I guess, I'm just hopeless. I won't waste your time further" I had to bite my cheek to stop the embarrassed tears from spilling from my eyes. 

"Tch, stop being an idiot or I'll crush you for real Aya-chin. You can come to my house next week and I'll help you" 

Did I just hear that correctly?

"You…are offering to tutor me?"
The tall purple haired boy looked down at me with an impatient glint in his eyes. 

"Thank you so much Murasakibara-kun!" I smiled, ear to ear. 

"C'mon I'm hungry."