Chapter 129: Second semester midterm exam

The day of the kiss with Aya felt like a dream. But like all dreams, it ended, and reality returned.

I was disappointed about missing the cultural festival. It was supposed to be the most fun time of the year in Japanese schools. The spring festival had been… interesting? But the cultural festival was supposed to be different!
And after the cultural festival… came the dreaded midterm exams.

“Midterms already…”

I sighed, flipping through my calendar. For some reason, exam season always triggered stress-induced indigestion and heartburn. This body, despite seeming healthy, was surprisingly susceptible to stress.

My menstrual cycle was also a problem. Most girls had a regular 28-day cycle, but mine was irregular, and I always seemed to get my period during exams. The cramps and cold sweats were the last things I needed during a test.

“But at least it’s over now…”

I circled the date on my calendar. The exams were still two weeks away, so I shouldn’t have any problems this time. But why did my cycle always seem to coincide with exams?

“Am I that stressed?”

I shook my head, muttering to myself. I was so used to my life as Kurosawa Rina, a girl, that I was starting to forget my past life. But worrying about that wouldn’t help me with the more pressing matter of the midterms.

I opened the group chat and sent a message.

Rina: Let’s have a study session for midterms! When are you free?

Quick replies followed.

Mizuki: We can have it at my place this time! Aya, are you okay with that?
Aya: Yes, that’s fine. Should we start tomorrow?

Their quick responses were typical of high school girls. I smiled and replied,

Rina: Okay, then let’s meet at Mizuki’s place tomorrow!

I wrote “Trinity Study Session ♡” on my calendar and took a deep breath. I had to do well on these midterms. I needed to study even harder to beat Arisu and Fujimoto, especially since the exam would cover material I hadn’t learned in my past life.

****

The next afternoon, I double-checked the address Mizuki had sent me as I walked.

The study session was at Mizuki’s place.
In the novel, the Asakura family was one of the most prominent and influential families in Japan.
I was a little excited and nervous.

‘What’s the Asakura family home like? A huge traditional Japanese mansion? Or a luxurious villa?’

But when I arrived at the address, I was surprised.

“…This is just a condo?”

It was a high-rise condominium, not the kind of place you’d expect a traditional family to live in. Of course, it was a very luxurious condo. The lobby was like a high-end hotel, with tight security and a balcony offering a stunning view. It felt extravagant for a student, but it didn’t quite match the image I had of the Asakura family.

Before I could even ring the doorbell, the door opened, and Mizuki greeted me with a bright smile.

“Rina-tan~! Welcome!”
“Mizuki! Your place is amazing…?”

Mizuki grinned and pulled me inside.

“Heehee, this is where I live alone. My family home is a bit far. And I’m often late because of student council work… So they let me live here.”

Living alone?
The only daughter of the Asakura family? Mizuki’s independent living situation surprised me. Her apartment was decorated with cute and colorful items, just like her personality.

“What’s with that look~?”

“Nothing, it’s just… surprising that you live alone. Where’s Aya?”

“Eeeh, aren’t you two lovebirds supposed to arrive together? Heehee, Aya-ring will be here soon. Want some tea?”

Mizuki headed towards the kitchen, smiling brightly. Watching her, I realized I didn’t know much about Mizuki’s personal life.

The Asakura family home was mentioned in the novel, but Mizuki’s apartment wasn’t. The protagonist only had eyes for Aya, so he never had the chance to visit a female friend’s home casually.

Being inside Mizuki’s apartment felt… new and strange. The kind of lived experience not depicted in the novel.
As I sipped the warm tea Mizuki had prepared, the doorbell rang.

“Ah, that must be Aya-ring! I’ll get the door~!”

Mizuki opened the door and ran out into the hallway. She returned with Aya.

“Welcome, Aya!”
“Rina, you’ve been waiting, haven’t you?”

Aya sat down next to me, smiling gently. Even the simple act of her opening her bag and taking out her books made my heart flutter. I quickly grabbed my textbook and mentally prepared myself for the study session.

“Okay, shall we begin?”

The Trinity study session at Mizuki’s apartment began. The atmosphere immediately shifted as we started studying. Aya focused intently on her textbook, and Mizuki, her usual playfulness gone, also concentrated on her studies.

Determined not to fall behind, I looked at the practice questions. Takamari Academy’s exams were notoriously difficult. It was common for students who were considered average at Takamari to excel at other schools. This place was filled with geniuses, including the three of us.

After some time,

“Haaa~ I’m sleepy. Should I take a nap~?”

Mizuki stretched and slumped over the table. I thought she was joking, but soon, I could hear her regular breathing. She’d actually fallen asleep.

Mizuki’s sudden nap left Aya and me staring at each other. A strange tension filled the air. Unable to bear the silence, I chuckled awkwardly.

“Mizuki falls asleep easily… She must have been tired…”
“I guess so.”

Aya smiled faintly, covering her mouth. She reached out and gently took my hand.

“…Aya?”

“Just for a little while… Is this okay?”

Aya’s face was already flushed. Just holding hands like this made my heart race. I mentally screamed, feeling a surge of guilt for engaging in PDA in front of Mizuki, even though she was asleep.

‘What is this…!!’

Mizuki was sleeping right next to us, and I was feeling this flustered? And this was a study session… Why was I so easily distracted?
Aya, seemingly oblivious to my inner turmoil, smiled shyly and squeezed my hand tighter.

My heart pounded in my ears.

“A-Aya… Can I borrow your notes?”

I blurted out, trying to defuse the situation. My voice trembled slightly, but I couldn’t help it. If I didn’t do something to break the tension, my heart might explode…

“…Huh? Notes?”

Aya blinked, then smiled faintly and handed me her notebook.

“Ah, yes. Here. You can use them for reference.”

I took the notebook with trembling hands. Aya’s notes. These were legendary, guaranteed to boost your score by 50 points. Even in this nerve-wracking, heart-pounding situation, Aya’s calm and organized notes had a calming effect on me.

As I hurriedly copied the notes, Aya whispered,

“Rina.”
“Yes…?”
“Want to go on a date… after the exams?”

‘Ah, ah, Ayaaaa…’

My heart skipped a beat. During exam season, with Mizuki sleeping right next to us, how could Aya say such things with such a straight face?

“Uh, uh… Sure. But let’s focus on studying for now…!”
“Heehee. Okay.”

Aya smiled, satisfied, and returned to her books.