Only if it doesn't work. If it does work, then it's a reward for a job well done!

[ Sh–she sounds... so proud of herself... well, it's not like she really would've had to wrangle him into this even without a bribe. The bribe is mostly about feeling herself better for cornering him like this.

It's a little too blustery outside for them to really get into it, but it seems like a good enough time to start easing towards the topic – so once they're out of the house and heading down the street, Ai pipes up again. ]

So, how are things going at school? It's midterms in a little while, right? Are you studying hard?