| The Love of Three hearts | Arc — "Solving Problems the Hard Way"
Chapter 2 : "Welcome to Tutoring Hell"
Haruya Takumi lay sprawled across the luxurious white leather couch like a defeated soldier returning from war. He groaned, clutching his stomach with both hands as if protecting his final living organ.
That spot—yes, that exact spot—was the place where Airi Kaede had punched him with enough power to make the hospital next door feel a disturbance.
Airi Kaede stood over him with her arms crossed, staring down like a small general scolding a captured enemy. Her bright shoulder-length pink hair bounced slightly as she huffed.
Kaede: "If you try to be rude again… I'll bite you. For real."
She leaned forward a little.
Haruya: "I—I won't! I swear!! No more slipping tongue! No more rude!"
He jumped to his feet and saluted like a soldier at military inspection.
Airi Hana peeked from behind the table, her pink hair cascading over her shoulders like cotton candy. She held a half-open chip bag, her cheeks slightly puffed from chewing.
Hana: "Umm… Kaede… maybe don't scar him too much on the first day…"
Her face was red already, either from embarrassment… or from eating chips non-stop.
Himari, the green-hoodie girl and the reason Haruya got punched earlier, placed her hands on her hips with a proud smile.
Himari: "Okay! We're ready to get taught by you! Hurry up! Teach something smart!"
Haruya exhaled slowly, regaining the tiniest bit of hope.
Haruya: "O-Okay. I'll start teaching now."
He opened his bag, took out his textbooks, arranged them neatly… and began.
---
The Absolute Disaster Begins
Haruya stood in front of the three sisters like a nervous substitute teacher on his first day. He flipped open a notebook and started explaining.
Haruya: "Alright, today we'll start with something simple. Let's begin with—"
He turned around.
And froze.
Kaede was already asleep.
Head down on the table, drool forming a small puddle, her pink hair covering half her face like a sleeping cat.
Next to her—
Hana was eating chips.
Slowly. Gently. Softly.
Crunch… crunch… crunch…
Like a chip-eating ASMR.
Her eyes sparkled while she chewed, face blushing for absolutely no reason.
Then—
Himari.
She stared at him.
Dead serious.
Nodding like she understood everything.
…But her hands were busy doodling a potato wearing sunglasses in her notebook.
Haruya's soul started escaping his body in transparent vapor.
Haruya: "Hello?"
No one responded.
He sighed.
Haruya: "…I'm alive. And I'm teaching here."
No reaction.
Haruya: "…HELLOOOO!!???? ANYONE LISTENING TO ME!?!?"
Suddenly—
POW!!
Kaede, without even opening her eyes, punched him straight in the jaw.
A clean, perfect uppercut.
Kaede: "Don't shout. I'm sleeping."
Haruya staggered back, feeling his jaw vibrate like he swallowed a phone on silent mode.
Haruya (deadpan): "…Why are you sleeping during class…?"
No answer.
Hana glanced up from her chips, cheeks slightly red.
Hana: "I am trying… to listen…"
Haruya narrowed his eyes.
Haruya: "Listen to what? The chips advertisement?"
Hana's whole face turned pink, and she hugged her chip bag defensively.
Hana: "I—I can't stop eating… it's my weakness…"
Haruya sighed deeply.
Turning to Himari, he forced a smile.
Haruya: "Okay, Himari. What did you learn so far?"
Himari proudly raised her notebook like she won first place in a competition.
Himari: "I wrote everything! I'm taking class seriously!"
Haruya felt a spark of hope.
He took the notebook.
And instantly, the spark died.
The question written on her page:
5 + 5 = ?
Her answer:
5 + 5 = 9
Haruya stared at the paper for a whole three seconds.
Then stared at the ceiling.
Then stared at life itself.
Haruya: "…Himari… I'm not even teaching math right now. I'm teaching HISTORY."
Himari snatched the notebook back.
Himari: "No! You're wrong! I wrote the right answer!"
Haruya rubbed his temples.
Haruya: "Only once in a million years does an intelligent person call that the right answer…"
Himari puffed her chest proudly.
Himari: "Thank you!"
Haruya: "It's not a compliment!!"
Kaede, still half-asleep, suddenly shouted:
Kaede: "DON'T TALK LOUD. I CAN'T SLEEP!"
She yelled directly into Haruya's ear.
The sound echoed inside his skull like a bomb.
His life flashed before his eyes.
His soul took a small vacation.
Haruya collapsed on the couch dramatically.
Haruya: "I have officially entered… my own personal hell…"
Himari stomped her foot.
Himari: "You're rude again!!!"
Haruya: "SORRY!!!"
---
A Very Painful Study Session
Thirty minutes passed.
Haruya attempted—keyword: attempted—to teach.
It went like this:
Kaede
Slept.
Woke up only to glare.
Threatened to punch him every 10 minutes.
Actually punched him every 5 minutes.
Hana
Ate chips.
Softly whispered "Sorry…" every time he caught her.
Ate chips again.
Blushed for no reason.
Himari
Drew a dragon.
Drew Haruya falling off a cliff.
Drew Kaede punching Haruya.
Answered every question incorrectly with 100% confidence.
Haruya aged 10 years in one hour.
---
The Greatest Debate in Tutoring History
Haruya explained a very simple history concept.
Haruya: "Long ago, the emperor—"
Himari raised her hand.
Himari: "Is emperor stronger than Kaede?"
Kaede opened her eyes halfway.
Kaede: "No one is stronger than me."
Haruya's heart trembled.
Haruya: "T-That's not the point—"
Hana slowly raised her hand too.
Hana: "…Mmm… is emperor allowed to eat chips in castle?"
Haruya: "No, he's not allowed to—"
Hana gasped so loudly her chips almost fell.
Hana: "Th-then I can't be emperor…"
Her eyes watered.
Haruya panicked.
Haruya: "NO NO NO—EMPERORS CAN EAT CHIPS! LOTS OF CHIPS! UNLIMITED CHIPS!"
Hana brightened instantly and continued eating.
Then Kaede slammed her hand on the table.
Kaede: "HEY! You're giving Hana special treatment. Teach me too."
Haruya blinked.
Haruya: "You were literally SLEEPING the whole time…"
Kaede: "That's your fault."
Haruya: "H-How is that MY fault!?"
Kaede: "Because you're boring."
The punch came before he could even reply.
---
The Tutor's Breaking Point
After two hours of pain, destruction, chaos, and Kaede using him as a punching bag…
Haruya fell to his knees.
Hands on the ground.
Shoulders shaking.
Soul half outside body.
Haruya (broken): "…I… I can't… I'm losing brain cells…"
Himari crossed her arms.
Himari: "Pathetic! Teachers shouldn't fall down like that!"
Kaede nodded.
Kaede: "Stand up. Fight like a man. Teach properly."
Hana softly offered him a chip.
Hana: "…H-Here… you look hungry…"
Haruya sniffed emotionally.
Haruya: "Thank you… At least one of you is kind…"
Hana blushed and looked away, munching nervously.
But then—
Kaede: "HANA!! Don't feed the enemy!"
Hana: "E-Eeeh!? He's not an enemy!"
They started arguing.
Himari joined in.
Chaos exploded.
Again.
Haruya sat on the floor watching them fight.
Haruya: "…Yeah. This is hell. This is absolutely hell."
---
But… Something Changes
While the sisters bickered, Hana sneaked a glance at Haruya.
Himari also looked at him… her expression softening a bit.
Even Kaede paused, staring at him with a strangely unreadable look.
They weren't going to admit it but…
For the first time…
They felt a tiny bit of respect for the boy who didn't give up.
Haruya had no idea.
He was too busy calculating how many punches he could survive before passing out.
But the sisters?
They silently decided:
"Let's… give him a chance tomorrow."
Even Kaede—though she hid the thought behind a glare.
---
End of Chapter 2
The real tutoring hasn't even begun… his suffering only started.