Once the location was settled, Yuki followed the sisters to the second floor.
There were only two rooms on the second floor: one was Kaede's, and the other, naturally, was Mahiru's.
Pushing the door open to Mahiru's room, Yuki was greeted by a pink-themed space bursting with girly charm.
The walls were covered in a soft pink, as if exuding a sweet aroma.
The curtains hung gently, letting in a hint of dreamy ambiance. The bed was dressed with pink sheets and soft throw pillows, giving off a warm and cozy feeling.
Some cute cartoon posters adorned the walls—some from manga, others featuring adorable little animals.
The room was also decorated with various pink ornaments: a pink vase, a pink photo frame, and pink lamps. These small touches added a sense of romance and warmth to the entire space.
"Please come in, Big Brother Yuki."
"I... I really don't think my room is that messy!"
Mahiru looked at Yuki, a hint of shyness in her eyes. A faint blush gradually spread across her cheeks, like the delicate bloom of a flower. This subtle change made her look even more charmingly cute, akin to a piece of fine art.
Her private room was welcoming its first guest today, which made her feel a bit nervous.
As she invited Yuki to sit at the small, low table placed on a fluffy carpet, Mahiru could feel her heart racing.
'He sat down! Big Brother Yuki sat down! That spot is now marked by him!!!'
The young girl's heart fluttered at the thought.
Once Yuki was comfortably seated, cross-legged, he smiled at Mahiru and said, "Why would you think it's messy? It looks very well-organized to me!"
"And the decor style is quite cute, too."
Receiving Yuki's praise, Mahiru finally felt a wave of relief.
A pleased smile spread across her face.
"Mhm!"
The girl nodded gently, then quietly took a seat to the side.
Kaede, witnessing this, sensed trouble.
"My room is actually very tidy too! Big Brother Yuki, you should come see it later!" The girl, not wanting to be outdone, quickly tried to regain some ground.
Seeing this, Yuki nodded in agreement.
After the trio settled in, the sisters' mother arrived with a tray carrying drinks and snacks. She then left the room, not wanting to disturb Yuki and the girls.
Then, Yuki started chatting with the sisters while they had their snacks.
He first asked some math-related questions to gauge their current level. Once he understood, he already had a general plan in mind.
He then asked them to bring over their textbooks, notebooks, and other study materials.
The tutoring session officially began.
Yuki's teaching method focused on specifically addressing the sisters' weak points.
For the dry, difficult concepts, Yuki explained them in the simplest, clearest way possible, making it easier for the sisters to grasp.
He transformed the complex and cumbersome material from their regular classes into something straightforward and understandable.
This gave the sisters a sudden feeling of clarity.
As the session progressed, the sisters became increasingly fluent and quick in solving problems. Before they knew it, they had gradually mastered the knowledge Yuki was teaching that day.
Two hours flew by, and as the session neared its end...
Mahiru and Kaede turned their heads, their eyes landing on their notebooks filled with solved problems. Expressions of astonishment and disbelief gradually washed over their faces, as if they were witnessing something incredible.
"This... did I really solve these problems?!" Kaede stared incredulously at the questions in her notebook, looking at her own handwriting with a tone thick with self-doubt.
"It's unbelievable. I can't believe I was able to solve so many complex problems without even realizing it," Mahiru said, flipping through page after page. It was clear the difficulty had been steadily increasing.
If she had been in this state during her previous exams, she wouldn't have been called into the teacher's office for a scolding.
Noticing their stunned expressions, a faint smile touched the corner of Yuki's mouth, revealing his confidence and satisfaction, as if he had anticipated this outcome all along.
"The handwriting in your respective notebooks is your own. How could that be fake?"
"As I said, since you asked me to tutor you, I would naturally ensure you learn and improve your grades, no matter what."
"Mhm mhm mhm! I believe in you, Big Brother Yuki!"
"Me too!"
The Azusagawa sisters nodded in perfect unison, expressing their absolute trust in Yuki.
Seeing this, Yuki didn't say anything more. He moved directly to the final part of the session.
"Alright, since you've both grasped the material for today, it's time to move on to the little pop quiz!"
"Are you ready?"
Yuki's gaze gently swept over the two of them as he asked in a mild tone.
"Ready!"
They nodded in unison, their eyes reflecting determination.
Neither was willing to concede to the other, both armed with the greatest resolve to claim victory in this small test.
This was no longer just a simple little exam! It was a battle!
Yuki then took out the prepared test papers and handed them to the two.
The quiz wasn't long, containing only three questions. But they were all comprehensive in nature. If both girls could solve them, even if not perfectly, it would demonstrate they had mastered today's lessons.
They took the papers and, almost simultaneously, focused their full attention on them. They concentrated intently, analyzing each problem, connecting the knowledge in their minds to the questions, striving to find the methods and approaches to solve them.
Mahiru was the first to start writing. She picked up her pen and began solving and calculating on her scratch paper with astonishing speed. Her pen tip danced rapidly across the paper, producing a continuous scratching sound, like an intense symphony echoing in the room.
Seeing this, Kaede beside her couldn't help but feel a surge of urgency. She quickly grabbed her own pen and began her calculations as well.
Roughly 40 minutes passed, and the three questions were completed by both Azusagawa sisters one after the other.
Yuki took the papers they handed over and began carefully grading them.
Mahiru and Kaede sat quietly nearby, their hearts filled with anxiety. They waited nervously for Yuki's results, as if time had slowed to a crawl at this moment.
Before long, Yuki had finished grading both tests.
"And the final result is..."
With Yuki's words, the hearts of Mahiru and Kaede instantly raced. Their toes curled with tension, and their hands anxiously gripped the hems of their clothes.
"Mahiru's score is 97. Kaede's score is 92."
"The winner of this test is Mahiru!"
As Yuki announced the final result, a wave of pure joy instantly washed over Mahiru's face.
'It's me! I'm the winner!!! Yes!!!'
Mahiru's heart screamed with excited elation.
In contrast, Kaede, who had only scored 92 and lost to Mahiru, felt a flicker of disappointment pass through her eyes.