As the days passed by, the impending midterm loomed closer and closer on the horizon. Shinichi, who had previously been content to while away his days in idleness, suddenly transformed into a fairly diligent student. The new point system, it seemed, had proven to be an effective motivator, as he could be seen pouring over his textbooks and notes.
"Mizuhara, you seem rather reserved," Kobayashi remarked. "Maybe you should try sharing your thoughts as well."
"I'm fine."
"Don't you want to earn some points?" Shinichi chimed in, his tone laced with confusion. "You're quite the weirdo."
I reached into my bag, withdrawing a novel. The cover was a reference book, and I began to immerse myself in its contents, effectively ending the conversation.
The following days passed with a monotonous routine of studying and toil. As a result of the newfound focus and productivity, Kaoru saw fit to discontinue the meetings, a testament to the effectiveness of the implemented method.
*
I awoke to the sound of the early morning. I lazily opened my eyes and checked the time, it was precisely 5:00 am. With a groan, I sat up on my bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I stretched my limbs. Glancing over at Kimura, I saw that he was still fast asleep.
I quietly slipped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom for my morning routine. The cool water of the shower invigorated my senses as it washed away the remnants of sleep from my body. I stepped out of the shower, feeling clean. I went to the sink and brushed my teeth, the minty toothpaste providing a refreshing tingling sensation. Dressing in a clean uniform before creating and eating breakfast, I was ready to take on the day ahead.
As I stepped out of my dormitory, the cool morning air greeted me, invigorating my senses. The sun had yet to rise, leaving the sky in a deep shade of blue. I took a deep breath, savoring the tranquility of the early morning. My feet carrying me through the deserted schoolyard.
The dew-covered grass crunched beneath my shoes, and the only sound was that of the distant birds chirping. I couldn't help but reflect on the significance of the day, Monday had arrived, and with it, the long-not awaited midterm exam.
As I strolled through the schoolyard, my gaze fell upon a lone figure standing in front of the mall. Though the mall was closed, whether it be due to the impending midterm exams or the early hour of the morning, I couldn't be sure. My thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice called out to me.
"Ayato!"
Recognizing the voice as that of Fujiharu, I decided to spend some of my precious time before the exam catching up with her. I turned back towards her and made my way over slowly.
"Ah, Ayato, it has been quite some time since our paths last crossed," Fujiharu greeted me with a warm smile. "Can you believe it's already Monday? Time truly does seem to fly by."
I gave a small nod in agreement, "I guess."
"How have you been? It feels like it's been ages since we last caught up."
"Good."
"You're still as aloof as ever, I see~" Fujiharu said with a grin.
"Yeah."
"How's your studying going?"
"It's decent."
"I've been having a pretty good time with it myself," Fujiharu said with a hint of enthusiasm. "Though the first day was pretty bad."
'I didn't ask' is the response I was about to say, yet I decided to adopt a more tactful approach in my response.
"I see."
"Want to go somewhere?"
I hesitated for a moment before responding, "I'm fine."
"Oh come on, we can study together!" she exclaimed with a hint of disappointment.
"I find it difficult to study with others."
"Ah, I see.. good luck then." She spoke with a hint of disappointment in her voice. "I was planning to lift my spirits by indulging in a delicious treat at the mall, but it seems to be closed at the moment. Such a shame."
I simply nodded in response before turning and making my way back to where I was headed. I made my way to the commercial area, intent on visiting the local grocery store. I realized that the shampoo I had been using had run out during my morning shower.
As I perused the aisles, I noticed that the store was relatively deserted, with only the occasional employee to be seen. I swiftly located the shampoo I needed and made my way to the register to make my purchase. With my newly acquired shampoo in hand, I then made my way back to the dormitory, where I was about to replace the empty bottle with my new acquisition.
I heard sound of the shower running as I entered the room and decided to wait a bit before approaching the bathroom. As the shower sound subsided, I made my way to the bathroom door. Kimura emerged, toweling himself dry as he noticed my presence.
"Ah, good morning," he said, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Yeah, replace the empty one with this." I replied, holding out a bottle of shampoo.
"Oh, alright." he said, taking the bottle from me. "I was just about to make do with whatever I could find." He chuckled.
"Sure."
And with that, I made my way to school, heading towards my classroom.
The silent classroom was expectant as I took my seat, awaiting the arrival of the forthcoming midterm.
The gentle hum of murmurs gradually filled the room as the students began to trickle in, taking their respective seats and waiting for the commencement of the exam. As the room filled, a teacher appeared, methodically distributing sheets of paper and accompanying booklets to each desk.
The desks were soon cluttered with the examination materials, and a throng of additional staff members entered the room, encircling the class to keep watch over the students as they undertook the test.
The paper appeared blank, and I assumed the questions were on the backside. I guess I would need to flip it over once the teacher gave the signal to begin.
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