Chapter 66: Tea party after midterms

The exams were finally over. I’d somehow managed to survive the second and third days, even the Japanese History exam, which had been filled with questions I’d never seen before. I placed my pen on the desk, letting out a deep breath. “Phew…”

The pressure of exams lifted, and my body felt lighter, but it wasn’t just the end of exams. “Ahhh…” I stretched, my stiff muscles finally relaxing. My body, which had felt heavy and sluggish for the past few days, felt… normal again. I’d been feeling better since this morning, but now, I was finally back to my usual self.

‘I feel… alive again…’ Having my period coincide with exams had been brutal. But now, the burden was lifted, my body and mind both feeling lighter, freer. It was a true sense of liberation.

I looked around the classroom. My classmates were also relaxing, sighing in relief.

“It’s over~! Finally~!” Mizuki cheered, raising her arms in the air, her relief palpable, and similar exclamations echoed throughout the classroom.

“Ah~ finally done!”
“That was the hardest exam ever!”
“Hey, let’s compare answers!”

The rustle of papers filled the air as students pulled out their exam papers and compared answers, a mix of triumphant cheers and groans of despair.

I hesitated, then decided to check my answers as well.

“Yes! I got this one right!”

“Ugh, another one wrong!”

“That World History exam was brutal, wasn’t it?”

I hadn’t expected much, but…

“Huh…?” Wait a minute. My score… it was higher than I’d anticipated. All the questions I’d guessed on… were correct. ‘Is this even possible…?’ I double-checked, but they were all right. I’d guessed correctly on every single one? That was incredibly lucky.

I glanced at Mizuki, who was frowning at her exam paper, her expression troubled. Aya, as always, was calm and composed, her expression unreadable. I was suddenly curious about everyone’s scores.

Mizuki seemed hesitant to reveal hers, so after a moment, I asked, “What did everyone get?”

Aya, as always, was the first to answer, her voice calm and even. “895.”

As expected of Aya… practically a perfect score, having missed only one five-point question. “What about you, Mizuki?”

Mizuki, who would normally have announced her score with a playful flourish, seemed hesitant, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she said, her voice slightly subdued, “…870.”

Wait, in the novel, Mizuki’s score had always been very close to Aya’s… but this time, the difference was significant. What had happened?

And then, I checked my own score.

867.

“…Huh?” I blinked, stunned. Wait… 867?!

‘No way!’ Only three points behind Mizuki? Me? This was close enough that a single answer could change our rankings. I’d been aiming to simply avoid the bottom of the class…

This score… was completely unexpected! I quickly scanned my answer sheet, checking the questions I’d guessed on. They were all correct. ‘…How is this possible?!’

I’d barely studied because of my cold, and I hadn’t been feeling well… was this really my score? Could such a miracle happen again on the next exam?

“Rina-ring, what’s with that face? Did you bomb the test?” Mizuki asked, studying my expression.

“…I got 867,” I replied, still slightly dazed.

Mizuki’s eyes widened, then she chuckled wryly. “Well, well~ looks like Rina-ring might overtake me soon~”

“N-No way! That’s impossible!”

“You never know~ What if you do well on the next exam too~?” She was teasing, but there was a hint of… seriousness in her tone.

Aya looked at me, her gaze soft. “Good job, Rina,” she said quietly, her words of encouragement dispelling my confusion, replacing it with a quiet sense of accomplishment.

“Exams are over, so~! We’re having a tea party in the student council room. You’re both coming, right?” Mizuki said brightly, changing the subject.

“Definitely!” I replied. A post-exam tea party. While it still felt surreal, I was curious. It was something that happened in the novel.

A student council tea party! Before, I would have been hesitant, unsure if I belonged there. But with my surprisingly good score… I felt like I’d earned my place.

But Aya… she didn’t seem as excited. She walked quietly, lost in thought.

Was she still bothered by missing that one question? Normally, she’d just brush it off. But today, her expression seemed… strained. Mizuki, sensing the shift in atmosphere, continued talking about the tea party, her voice bright and cheerful. “They have lots of snacks~ cookies, macarons, and even green tea cake~!”

She was clearly trying to distract us from the exam results. I smiled, letting myself be swept along by her enthusiasm.

****

We arrived at the student council room. Shirazuka-senpai was busy setting up, and Kamisaka-senpai, ever the charmer, greeted us with his usual playful energy.

And… the third-year students were also there.

‘The third-years come to the post-exam tea party too?’ I was slightly surprised. I exchanged greetings with the student council president, whom I hadn’t seen since the stage incident, and my eyes met Reina-senpai’s, her warm smile making my heart flutter. I bowed my head slightly, mumbling a greeting.

And of course, Fujimoto, my fellow first-year, was also there. ‘He’s going to… pick a fight with me again, isn’t he?’ I could feel it in my gut. And I was right.

As soon as he saw me, he rested his chin on his hand and said, his voice laced with sarcasm, “So, Kurosawa, what did you get?”

Normally, I would have been flustered by his sudden question, but this time… I channeled my inner Aya, responding calmly and firmly. I tilted my head slightly and asked, my voice neutral, “What about you?”

Fujimoto puffed out his chest, his expression smug. “I got 820!”

“…” My mind went blank.

‘Wait… does that mean…’ I’d scored higher than him? By a significant margin. He’d clearly expected me to be flustered, but I smiled faintly, trying to keep my voice light and casual. “Oh… is that so? That’s… good.”

His smug expression faltered, replaced by a look of confusion. He opened his mouth to say something, but Aya, who’d been quietly observing our exchange, spoke, her voice calm and even.

“Rina got 867.”

“…What?” Fujimoto’s face fell, his confident demeanor crumbling. He stared at me, speechless. I sighed inwardly. ‘…Why do you always have to provoke me…?’

Just then, Kamisaka-senpai, ever the smooth operator, clapped his hands together, breaking the awkward silence. “Now, now! There are more important things than exam scores, aren’t there?” He looked around the room, a cheerful smile on his face. “The exams are over, so let’s enjoy the tea party!”

“That’s right~! Time to forget about grades and enjoy some delicious treats~!” Mizuki chimed in, her usual cheerful energy returning, and the atmosphere in the room lightened. Fujimoto, his face still a mask of disbelief, quietly turned away. I breathed a sigh of relief and entered the room.

The exams… were finally over.