"You're more than a little confused. I've shown you the match demonstration, haven't I? Why can't you just get it through your head that-"
"No, you are the confused one! Physics is a noble study, and is the mother of all sciences!"
"I never said it wasn't a noble study, I just said that chemistry is cooler. And physics is not in any universe the mother of all sciences."
"It is in every universe! It-"
"Hello, boys! What are we arguing about today?"
The sound of the female voice startled the two men out of their fairly routine conflict. Shizuka stood in front of their normal table in the Starbucks, looking down at them with an easy-going smile. They immediately doused the internal flames that always resulted in them getting into arguments so as not to disturb the new arrival.
"Nothing for you to concern yourself with," Honda answered quickly, shaking his head in a dignified manner. It was ungentlemanly to make a lady listen to things like that.
Ryuuji, on the other hand, smirked and leaned back in his chair easily while Honda cleared a space on the table for her to sit down. "Shizuka, what would you say the queen of the sciences is?" Honda made to protest, but Ryuuji interrupted him. "No, no, I want to get her opinion. Nobody can argue that biology would be able to hold that position, so she's unbiased. Right, Shizuka?" Honda cringed and glanced at the woman's face to make sure she wasn't upset.
Not surprisingly, she wasn't bothered by it at all. "Oh, definitely. Biology is fairly unimportant in the grand scheme of the universe, after all. Considering there are so few living things in other places," she said, unzipping her backpack and pulling out a textbook and a disorganized 3-ring binder holding notebooks, loose papers, and a pencil or two.
"No, he didn't mean it like that!" Honda started.
"It's alright, Honda," she said with an amused smile. "And to answer your question, I'd have to say that math is the queen of the sciences. Sorry guys."
Both of their faces fell into contemplative looks for just a split second, but Ryuuji recovered quickly. "Alright, I'll give you that. But if math is the queen, then chemistry is definitely the king."
"She didn't-" Honda began again, but was cut off by Shizuka once more.
"It's fine, let him have his fantasies," she laughed quietly. "We have work to do, don't we?" The other two nodded, suddenly remembering why they were there, and they all got to work.
Their little study groups, through a combination of trial-and-error and routine, were divided into three phases. Phase one was quiet study. There was a long-established rule of silence, and whoever broke it for any reason owed the other two a drink of their choice from the Starbucks menu. They broke open their textbooks and notebooks and did required reading, took notes, and went over concepts they might be having trouble with; it really depended on the person.
Shizuka took notes on everything she thought was highlighted, paying special attention to vocabulary words since those were the hardest for her. She also spent a good deal of time copying down and simplifying the illustrations in the textbook to help her understand everything better. When she felt she had gotten a concept, she rewarded herself with a big sip of whatever drink she had happened to purchase that day and continued on diligently.
Ryuuji hardly took notes at all, although the ones he did take were written in immaculate handwriting with color-coded pens. He spent most of his study time viciously attacking his textbook with highlighters and copying down formulas on scrap paper. He even had a few written on his hands, just in case. He had entertained the thought of getting them permanently tattooed there, since he seemed to rely on them so much, but usually rejected it right after. As much as he loved physics, he didn't really want his beautiful skin emblazoned with it.
Honda's method of studying was less systematic. He mostly just read his textbooks over and over again, as many times as he needed to get the information down. What notes he did take were usually formulas, and those were stored in a small pocket notebook that he could carry around with him without too much difficulty. Although some of those close to him worried that he should find a better way to study, he usually found that by reading it so many times he could call to memory and repeat almost the exact wording of some sentences as they appeared in the book. Every once in a while he would get accused of cheating by his professors, and he would assure them that he was an upstanding citizen and wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. He generally had perfect attendance and sat in the front of all his classes, so they tended to be inclined to believe him.
The second phase in their little circle was group study. They each passed their notebooks or textbooks to the right, and, starting with Shizuka, they would quiz the other two on terms and concepts. It was fun because the one not being specifically quizzed always tried to recall what they had learned in the mandatory introduction classes of the other's subject and answer the questions as well, which almost always turned out to be terribly wrong. It made the sometimes stressful meetings (looming tests were always the worst) much more light-hearted and enjoyable, and they all felt that it actually made learning some of the material easier.
The third, and probably the favorite, was the time specifically designated for complaining.
"I cannot believe my astronomy professor," Ryuuji said, laying his head down on his textbook in annoyance. "It's like she has some grudge against all the students and takes it out on us with the tests. She doesn't offer extra credit, she doesn't grade on a curve; I swear she singles me out because I'm so good looking, too." He sighed in defeat. "She needs to stop being so bitter," he declared, quite a bit of bitterness evident in his own voice.
"Aw, maybe you're overreacting," Shizuka said with a smile. "There aren't a whole lot of really good female physics professors, are there? Maybe she's just giving you all tough love or something."
"Doubt it," he responded, but didn't argue further.
"For me it's my biochemistry class," Shizuka said with a wry smile. "It's really kicking my tail. You'll have to help me study sometime, Honda! If you want to, anyway."
Honda immediately perked up. "Of course! Just give me a time and let me know what you're having problems with so that I can prepare!" he said with conviction. Ryuuji glanced up at him with a smirk, but said nothing.
"That would be wonderful! Thank you so much," she said gratefully. "I'll call you later and let you know."
"Speaking of later," Ryuuji interrupted, "would either of you be interested in coming to my place Saturday for a movie? My roommate is going out of town and there aren't any parties going on for me to pick up hot chicks at, so I'll need something to occupy my time."
Honda rolled his eyes at the 'hot chicks' comment, since they both knew he was too immersed in his studies to find that sort of thing practical, but Shizuka answered positively. "That sounds like a lot of fun!" she said, grinning. "Do you want to come, Honda?"
"Of course," Honda answered, straightening his jacket a bit. "I can't leave him alone with you, can I? It wouldn't be proper."
"Keep telling yourself that, I know you're just dying to spend some more quality time with me," Ryuuji said in a jokingly haughty tone.
Honda snorted. "Yeah, who wouldn't want to spend more time with such an egotistical person?" he asked with a smirk. Before Ryuuji could make a quip back, Shizuka interrupted to keep everyone on good terms like she usually did.
"So, Saturday? What time?" she asked brightly.
"Six sound good? I'll get pizza," he said generously, and checked the clock on the wall. "And on that note, I'm going to have to take my leave. I've still got homework to finish before tomorrow morning." He gathered his things into his bag and stood to leave.
"See you later!" Shizuka said, and the remaining two waved as he exited the store.
"It is getting a little late," Honda commented. "I can take you home, if you want."
"If you wouldn't mind, that would be great!" she grinned, packing up her own things as well. "The next bus isn't for another 15 minutes."
"Of course not," he said quickly, grabbing his textbook and standing. He walked over to the door, Shizuka trailing behind him, and held it open. "After you." And so they left.