It's Friday, the third week of May.
The weather is mild.
Today isn't a typical school day. While first-year students head to their respective classes, they're not carrying their backpacks.
Today is the mid-term exam day for first-years.
Only cell phones and academic tools are allowed. Phones are confiscated during the exam but returned during breaks and at the end.
At 7:10 a.m., every student in Class A is already present. The first exam paper starts at 7:30 a.m.
"Good morning, everyone."
At 7:22 a.m., Chabashira enters the room and greets us.
"This is your first hurdle. Any questions?"
She asks after settling behind the podium.
"What you call a 'hurdle' is just a formality for us, sensei."
I reply on behalf of the class.
To back my words, everyone wears a confident look. Understandable, given the prep we've done.
"You seem confident. Good. You'll take this mid-term and the final exam in July. If no one fails either, you'll be rewarded with a luxury summer vacation."
"Vacation?"
Ike can't resist asking for details. He's not alone.
Chabashira flashes her signature sadistic smile.
"Indeed, a dream vacation on an island surrounded by sparkling blue seas."
'Dream vacation, huh…'
"Let's do our best, everyone!"
Ike shouts, already hyped.
"Yeah!"
The boys roar in unison.
While I get their enthusiasm, this kind of thing doesn't really excite me. Besides, it won't be a peaceful vacation anyway.
"Doesn't the 'pervert god' shout too?"
Hasebe glances at me.
'What's that title, Hasebe?'
It seems my actions—treating them like kids—are being misinterpreted.
I act like I didn't hear. I'm not getting baited by a teenager's nonsense.
Five minutes before the exam, the teacher quickly distributes the test papers.
Our first period is social studies. It's the easiest subject, even for low-level students.
Finally, 7:30 a.m. hits. The mid-term exam officially begins. At the teacher's signal, everyone starts.
I glance at my paper.
As expected, the questions match the old exams. Perfect. The outcome's a no-brainer.
What do I plan to do?
What a ridiculous question! I'm aiming for a perfect score, obviously.
The second and third periods cover Japanese and chemistry, respectively. Then comes the fourth: math. All the abnormally tough questions from the mock exam are here too, but they match the old tests. So far, everything's going smoothly.
Then comes the break.
Chabashira leaves for the faculty office.
The moment she's gone, the room buzzes.
"What was that?!"
A classmate yells.
"Dude, I almost screamed at my paper!"
Ike follows.
"Hey, group leaders, how'd you pull that off?"
Shinohara asks.
Her question echoes across the class.
The three group leaders instinctively turn to me. The other students follow suit, all eyes on me.
"I said earlier—this exam's just a formality for us."
That's all there is to say.
My haughty reply seems to satisfy everyone.
'Hm, looks like they're getting used to my way of talking.'
"To summer vacation!"
Ike cheers.
"Yeah!"
The boys join in again.
The break's the same length as on regular school days.
After this exchange, everyone grabs their phones from the podium and heads to either the convenience store or the cafeteria. I'm with the cafeteria group.
We walk in a tight pack. It's been nearly two months together, and the study group system has inevitably bonded the class. We're not all best friends, but since we're all headed to the cafeteria, why not go together?
I'm in line, coincidentally with my study group and Yukimura's.
"Hey, Ken and Kanji, you ready for English?"
Sonoda asks.
"Totally ready!"
Ike replies with confidence.
"As long as it's the old exams like earlier, I think I'll manage."
Sudō answers more cautiously.
Airi stays quiet, but not out of doubt—just her nature. Yamauchi, though, is acting out of character.
"Something wrong, Yamauchi-kun?"
I ask.
"Oh, no, Kōenji-kun. It's just… I got the lowest score on the last mock exam, so…"
'Interesting.'
"You didn't memorize the old exams?"
Hondō cuts in.
"Of course I did, especially with expulsion on the line if I fail. It's just… I'm not sure I answered the tough math questions right, and I feel like some others slipped by me…"
'No need to worry, Yamauchi. As your supervisor, I know you might not get a perfect score, but you'll be well above average and the elimination threshold. The fact that you're worried shows you're trying, which is a great start.'
I step closer and pat his shoulder.
"Don't stress, Yamauchi-kun. You worked hard in our sessions. You'll be fine."
Our eyes meet, and I see his anxiety ease a bit.
The chatter continues until we reach the cafeteria.
"Empty."
Sonoda exclaims.
It's not actually empty.
Due to the first-year exams, second-years have the day off, and third-years are taking a special exam elsewhere. I know this thanks to my "senpai employees." So, the cafeteria—big enough for all three years—feels deserted with just first-years.
"What's with this pressure…"
Okitani Kyosuke, a lanky boy with short, square-cut blue hair, mutters.
He's not wrong. A certain tension hits us the moment we step inside. The reason? Simple.
This school ranks its classes, and we're currently at the top. The pressure the class feels comes from the other three first-year classes in the room, staring at us intensely. It's like a champion walking in, eyed by their challengers.
"Kōenji-kun's right—we really are like celebrities."
Azuna, also near the front, says.
From there, our tight pack scatters. I head to a corner table with Hasebe, Yukimura, Airi, and Horikita.
I know, I know—why's Horikita with us? Let's just say it involves a wild, chaotic night.
We each place our orders.
Yukimura gets fries with fried stuff, Airi gets donuts with whipped cream, and Horikita orders two sandwiches and a cup of milk.
Yukimura kindly volunteers to grab our orders.
The vibe's pretty chill.
Airi and Hasebe chat about stuff only they get, while Horikita stays in her bubble, occasionally glancing at me.
'Stop doing that! If you've got something to say, spit it out.'
"How do you think you did on this morning's exams?"
Horikita finally asks.
'So that's what you wanted to know…'
"Isn't it obvious?"
I reply with a question.
"Right…"
She backtracks, as if realizing something.
"We've got a clear edge over the other classes."
She adds.
"But nothing guarantees they didn't prepare like us or that they don't have people more capable than us."
She keeps going.
"I doubt it. Our class united before anyone else. Even if someone had the same idea as Kōenji-san, getting their class on board is another story. And even if we look at academic levels, sure, other classes have capable people, but that's it. We've got capable people and a solid group overall."
'Nice analysis, Hasebe.'
Horikita doesn't add anything and slips back into her reserved state.
"What do they want?"
Hasebe suddenly says, grabbing all our attention.
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