The library that afternoon wasn't as crowded as usual.
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, reflecting softly on the slightly worn wooden tables.
Bomi sat stiffly in her chair, staring at the open book in front of her as if it were an enemy she couldn't defeat.
"I… don't get it anymore," she murmured.
Across from her, Hanz stopped writing. He glanced up briefly, then pulled his chair a little closer.
"Which part?" he asked flatly.
Bomi pointed to a page. "This one. I've read it over and over, but my brain just won't connect."
Hanz scanned the page quickly before speaking. "You're overthinking. It's just a pattern."
"Huh?"
"Look." He rewrote the explanation in a much simpler way. "If you start from here, the rest follows."
Bomi watched closely. Her eyes slowly widened.
"Oh… wait. So it's like this?"
"Yeah."
"That's… really simple," she said softly, then laughed under her breath. "Why didn't I think of that earlier?"
"Because you panicked first," Hanz replied honestly.
Surprisingly, Bomi didn't feel offended. Instead, she smiled.
"You're patient," she said.
Hanz paused. "I'm just explaining."
"That already counts as being patient," Bomi replied quickly, then lowered her head in embarrassment.
✦ ✦ ✦
Whispers drifted in from another table.
"They look really close…"
"Fake dating, but the vibe's weird."
Bomi's shoulders tensed instinctively.
"Ignore it," Hanz said calmly without looking up. "Focus."
His tone wasn't cold.
Not gentle either.
But it was steady enough to make Bomi feel… safe.
For the first time, studying together didn't feel overwhelming.
It felt warm.