AN: Hello again everyone! I hate to sound like a broken record but again thank you to everyone who left a comment on previous chapters. Words cannot express how happy it makes me that people have enjoyed my writing. I hope you all continue to leave your thoughts and opinions on the current and future chapters! Now on to the fic!

Hayase observed her Senpai with a keen eye. They had moved the chairs from the table to an open area to get a better view of each other. She sat across from him with the very same sketchbook she'd used at the zoo when they'd gone together. The memory brought a smile to her face, she remembered how Senpai had defended her artwork despite the fact she had never really drawn before that point.

Naoto looked up from his own sketchbook and the two locked eyes for all but a second until he sheepishly refocused on his own sketch. His nervousness brought a grin to her face. Usually she'd tease him for an action like that, but showing restraint she opted not to, so he could focus on his own drawing.

Hayase refocused on her own sketchbook and began to draw her Senpai. While not quite the same level of quality that Naoto could produce, she was truly giving it her all. As the two sat there drawing each other, Naoto's nervousness slowly dissipated. Taking its place was a look that she'd truly come to love. The look of focus and determination that he adopted whenever he'd truly committed himself to drawing something.

After about thirty minutes of drawing, the timer on Naoto's phone went off, indicating it was time to take a break. Hayase held her sketchbook at arms length, trying to see it from a different perspective. It wasn't perfect by any means, but she did like it so far. She'd focused most of her effort on trying to replicate Naoto's expression. After looking over her art, Hayase looked up at her Senpai. He was also in the midst of reviewing his artwork, making small adjustments here and there.

"Sennpaii~." Hayase said playfully.

Naoto looked up from his sketchbook and said "W-What?"

"The timer went off, we're supposed to be taking a break right now." Nagatoro continued, her voice still playful.

Naoto blushed a little at Hayase's tone and then responded with:

"S-Sorry, I was just focused."

"That's okay, Senpai. Let me see what you have so far!" Hayase said while standing up. She walked over to his seat and walked to his back to see his sketchwork.

"It's not done yet, but I think it's going well so far." Naoto said.

Hayase looked over Naoto's artwork and couldn't help but grin at the piece. While still pretty rough, she could already tell it would be one of his best yet.

Hayase rested her hands on Naoto's shoulders, which caused his cheeks to flush, and said:

"Wooow Senpai! This already looks pretty good! I'm going to have to give you a SUPER good reward when you're done."

Naoto's face turned bright red and he quickly stammered out:

"T-That's okay! I really don't need a reward or anything!"

Hayase giggled at his reaction and said "Are you sure Senpai? I thought you liked my rewards?" She leaned forward, positioning her lips next to his cheek, the same place she'd rewarded him with a kiss before in the art club.

Naoto, tensing at how close she was to him, managed to reply with:

"I-I guess that's true. Some of them at least…"

Hayase grinned at that and then softly said, "Some of them huh? Which ones in particular?"

Naoto was a nervous wreck by this point, his hands were sweaty and his eyes twitching, but he managed to get out an answer. "T-The one where you… you k-kissed my cheek."

Hayase didn't say anything, she was enjoying the nervous wreck her Senpai had become with just a few words. Usually this was the part where she yelled "Eww! Gross Senpai!" and the like. But this time, she wanted a different kind of reaction.

"Okay." Hayase said, taking her hands off Naoto's shoulders and moving her face away from his cheek. She then moved back to her chair and took a seat. Hayase picked up her sketchbook and acted like nothing had happened.

After about five seconds, she looked up at Naoto and had to use every ounce of willpower she had to not laugh. Naoto was completely stunned. Whatever answer Naoto expected Hayase to give him, it definitely wasn't that.

"Wait.. What?" He said.

Naoto stared at Nagatoro, still stunned by her response. She in turn giggled and said "I knew you were a virgin Senpai, but I didn't know you were deaf too."

Nagatoro's insult brought Naoto back to his senses a bit. That was the type of answer he had expected from his kohai the first time.

"I'm not deaf…" Naoto said sheepishly, "I just didn't expect you to say that…"

Nagatoro giggled at his words and then grabbed her sketchbook and said. "C'mon Senpai, we gotta keep working on your project!"

"But-" Naoto said but Hayase quickly jumped in and said, "No Buts! Get back to work or you get no reward!"

Naoto, still confused, grabbed his sketchbook and said, "If you say so..".

He heard a little giggle come from Hayase but otherwise she didn't say anything back. They resumed their work on their respective sketches.

Naoto did his best to get back into the same state of mind he was in before Hayase's… teasing? He wasn't sure if that was an accurate descriptor of it. He knew what Nagatoro's teasing looked like, better than anyone probably, and that was something different. That alongside the look she'd given him when he'd first arrived had his heart racing. He shook his head, sending the thoughts to the back of his mind, and refocused on the sketchbook.

The two of them worked on their respective sketches for another half hour or so until the other timer went off. This time however, Naoto set down his sketchbook almost immediately, and looked up at his Kohai. Hayase stood from her chair and stretched her arms above her head, while saying. "Man, this art thing is actually kinda exhausting Senpai. How can you put up with it so much?"

Naoto watched Hayase finish her stretch and said, "It's not too bad, especially when you're drawing something you love." , A happy smile on his face. Nagatoro nodded her head in understanding and the two of them sat there for about three seconds before they both realised his slip. Both of their faces flashed a scarlet red and unlike just before, Hayase couldn't help herself.

"Love? Did I hear that correctly? Are you saying you love me, Senpai?" An evil grin slowly grew on her face as she said it.

"N-N-No! What I meant was-" but Hayase was quick to interrupt him.

"Ewww! Gross, gross, gross Senpai!" Hayase said, giggling the whole time. She then continued with, "I knew you had something sleazy up your sleeve, Senpai~!"

Naoto, still flushed a bright red, said, "I-I didn't have anything planned!"

Hayase laughed at his response and Naoto sat in his chair, cheeks flushed.

Naoto, thinking back to their previous interaction, found some extra courage and decided to try a counterattack on his Kohai. "B-But if you were so convinced I was going to try something, why'd you let me come over then?"

Hayase tensed at his response. "Ah, well… You see…" was all she managed to get out, she didn't have a response for him.

"Holy shit." Naoto thought to himself, "Did I get her?"

Hayase was NOT used to being on this side of their interactions. Naoto had finally done the impossible, he teased back and had metaphorically pinned her against the wall and they both knew it.

Seeing no way out of the conversation without saying something she would regret, she was honest with him.

"Because… Because I wanted you to." Hayase finally said back to Naoto. She didn't think it was possible for her cheeks to burn any brighter than they were right now.

"O-Oh." Was all he said back, he'd prepared for a different response than that.

The two sat there for what felt like an eternity. Hayase then finally said, "Should… shouldn't we finish your piece?".

Naoto snapped back to reality after hearing her words and quickly said, "Y-Yeah that's a good idea."

Hayase sat back down in her seat and grabbed her sketchbook. Naoto also picked up his own.

Both of them sat there and stared at their respective sketches, neither actually working on them. After about five minutes of them sitting there not working, Naoto spoke up.

"Nagatoro are you hungry at all?" His hands clenched tightly on his sketchbook.

Hayase looked up from her sketchbook at her Senpai. Still sheepish from their last interaction she said, "Y-Yeah I could eat. Did… did you have something in mind?"

Naoto looked over towards Hayase's kitchen and said, "If you want… I could make you something?"

Hayase flushed a bit at his suggestion, remembering the last time she'd tried his cooking, and how much she'd loved it.

"Yeah, that actually sounds really good." She said back. Finding more of her usual courage, she then teasingly said. "Knowing how sleazy you are, Senpai, you'll probably put something in it so you can have your way with me!"

Naoto jumped at her words and quickly said with a hint of anger in his voice, "What! No! I would never!"

Hayase giggled at his reaction and said "Don't worry Senpai, I'm just teasing you." She noticed him relaxing a little bit and then she continued with, "I know you'd never do something like that, I trust you." and gave him a smile.

Naoto stood in the kitchen looking over the different appliances, drawers, and cupboards. Hayse came up beside him and said. "Here, let me show you where everything is."

Hayse began showing him around the kitchen, and by the end of it Naoto was fairly confident he knew where everything he might need would be. Now the question was, what would he actually make?

"Well, now that I have an idea where things are. What do you want to have?" Naoto asked his Kohai.

Hayase brought her hand up to her chin and began to ponder his question. Naoto couldn't help but notice how cute she looked in the pose.

"I mean, what sounds delicious would be the same thing you made for lunch that one time." Hayase then noticed the look Naoto was giving her and said "What?" A hint of teasing in her voice.

"N-Nothing! Just um… do you guys have all the ingredients for that?" He asked, internally wracking himself for being noticeably 'gross', as Hayase would put it.

Hayase walked over to the fridge and said "Yeah, I know we do." and then with a bit of a blush said "I've admittedly been trying to make it myself. With mixed results."

Naoto's cheeks turned a little red. He knew she liked his food, but not enough to try and replicate it.

"Okay, we can definitely do that," Naoto said. "and… if you want I could show you how I do it?"

Hayase giggled at his word choice and quickly said "I'd love that, Senpai!"

The two of them began to work on dinner, Naoto showing her the different steps he'd used when cooking the dish previously. Hayase grabbed out different pots and pans as he requested them. Although neither of them would admit it, they both thought that they were making a good team together. The two of them worked together on the dish and lost track of the time, just enjoying each other's company.

Hayase walked from the kitchen and placed her and Naoto's plate across from each other. Hayase took her seat as Naoto also came from the kitchen and took his own.

"Looks like we got a little carried away…" Naoto said, "There's going to be plenty of leftovers."

"That's okay Senpai. My family will get through it pretty quickly." Hayase said back.

"That's good." Naoto said. "Hopefully they'll like it."

"I'm sure they will, Senpai!" Hayase said as she took her first bite.

Instant euphoria was the best descriptor she could think of. It was every bit as good as the first time she had it, if not a bit better. Hayase looked over to Naoto to see how he was liking it and found he was in a similar state as her own.

"That's… that's delicious." Naoto said. Hayase giggled and said "Wow, so humble Senpai~". Naoto blushed a little and said, "Well, you helped a lot too. It wasn't this good the last time I made it by myself." Hayase flushed at his compliment and continued to eat.

The two of them sat eating their dinner together, having a bit of back and forth banter until finally they finished their meals.

"Well Senpai, you said it." Hayase said, getting Naoto's attention, "That was delicious."

Naoto laughed a bit at her compliment and said, "It was a team effort." Hayase liked the sound of that, the thought of being on the same team as Naoto. Hayase looked up and noticed the time, it was getting pretty late, and her siblings would be home soon.

"It's… It's getting pretty late, Senpai."

Naoto looked up at the clock and jumped a little, "Oh shit."

Giggling at his reaction, Hayase asked, "Lost track of time did we? Silly Senpai~."

"Y-Yeah I guess you could say that. I told my parents I'd be home soon…" Naoto replied.

"Oh.. Okay." Hayase said. She knew that he'd likely have to leave soon, but still couldn't help feeling a bit sad.

Naoto, noticing Hayase's reaction couldn't help but try to say something to cheer her up:

"L-Lets do this again, okay?"

Hayase smiled at his words and her mood seemed to improve as she said. "I'd like that Senpai. Even if that was totally gross~."

Naoto gathered up his things, putting them in his bag. Hayase gathered up her sketchbook and pencils and then the two walked towards her front door. Dread slowly filling both their hearts as they knew what was coming.

Hayase opened the door and Naoto stepped out onto her porch. Taking in the night air he let out a deep sigh. He then turned and said to Hayase:

"This was a lot of fun, Nagatoro. Let's make plans to do it again." A smile on his face.

Hayase grinned at his words, but instead of teasing him said, "Sounds good Senpai. I'll text you~."

Naoto grinned a little and nodded his head. Then said "Goodnight, Nagatoro."

Hayase began to close the door and just before it had fully shut, said one last comment.

"Goodnight… Naoto." and closed the door.

Naoto's jaw hit the floor as her words registered in his mind.

That's all I have for now! I hope you guys leave a comment on your thought and opinions of this chapter!