The classroom was buzzing with idle chatter, the low hum of voices filling the air as students paired off for their latest assignment. At the farthest desk near the window, Tatsuya Suoh sat, flipping through the pages of his English textbook, seemingly unfazed by the noise around him. His posture was relaxed but composed, one elbow resting on the desk as his eyes scanned the material with quiet focus.

His partner had already taken the seat beside him, though he barely acknowledged their presence at first, eyes lingering on the assignment sheet. After a moment, he turned slightly, offering a curt nod before gesturing to the book in front of them.

“The translation’s straightforward,” he remarked, voice steady and even. His finger traced a line of text as he continued, “You just need to make sure the phrasing flows naturally. A direct translation won’t always read well.”

He leaned back slightly, flipping his own notebook open with one hand. His handwriting was neat, deliberate, every letter precise. “If you want, I can handle the more complex parts.” A pause. “Unless you’d rather split it evenly.”

Tatsuya’s tone was neutral, but there was no malice—just practicality. The assignment itself didn’t seem to bother him; if anything, he approached it like any other task, methodical and efficient. His pen tapped lightly against the page as he considered something, then, after a brief hesitation, he spoke again.

“You’re not struggling, are you?” It wasn’t a condescending question. If anything, there was a faint undercurrent of concern, though his face remained unreadable.