Shimizu-san and the Midterm Exam 4
“Also, I heard that the one with the best grades among the second-year students of the Astronomy Club gets to have a wish granted by Ai-san?”
“Seto-san ntioned that?”
“Yeah, Seto-san was unusually enthusiastic. She said she wanted Ai-san to treat her to dorayaki. She looked so cute I wanted to buy her dorayaki myself.”
I always have to be on guard around my surrounding because Toshiya’s love-struck comnt about Seto-san might slip out to others. I had forgotten to be careful and quickly scanned the surroundings.
Fortunately, everyone was talking about the exam, and it seed they hadn’t heard our conversation.
“So, Daiki, if you happened to have the best score among the Astronomy Club mbers, what would you ask Ai-san for?”
“?”
“That face of yours looks like you haven’t thought about it at all. Then why did you study more than usual this ti, Daiki?”
“Huh? Because the Astronomy Club needs to rank within the top forty for stargazing…”
“That’s for the Astronomy Club, isn’t it? Don’t you have sothing personal you want? Like, rember when you ntioned wanting a homade bentō?”
“I pretty much got that wish already…”
“What do you an you got that wish?”
“Didn’t I tell you, Toshiya? I forgot my lunch money a while ago and got a bentō from Shimizu-san when you was away for a eting.”
It was a coincidence, but there was a ti when I forgot my lunch money and Shimizu-san gave a homade bentō.
Because of that, I don’t really feel the urge to have one anymore.
“…I see. So that happened when I wasn’t around. Still, Daiki, it’s like you don’t have desires or sothing like that. Normally, if Ai-san said she’d grant a wish, the other guys wouldn’t be so quiet. Well, I’m not interested though.”
“I always feel guilty asking people to do things for .”
“That might be both your strong and weak point, Daiki. It’s okay to accept kindness from those you know a little more lightly.”
It seems Toshiya is concerned about in his own way.
“…I guess you’re right. If I get the best score among the second-year students in the Astronomy Club, I’ll think about the reward.”
“That’s the spirit! It’s better for people to have many dreams they want to achieve!”
A typical Toshiya-esque statent, always eager to discuss about dreams.
“By the way, changing the topic slightly, do you know about the recent rumors concerning Shimizu-san?”
“I don’t. Did Shimizu-san do sothing?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not a bad rumor. Shimizu-san in the staff room——”
Before Toshiya could finish, the door at the back of the classroom slowly opened.
“Hm? Soone’s here? …Sorry, Daiki, I’d better go now.”
With that, Toshiya returned to his seat.
In his place, a certain individual slowly approached my desk.
“G-good morning, Shimizu-san.”
“…Morning.”
It was Shimizu-san, or more precisely, Shimizu-san enveloped in a deep, dark aura.
“Doesn’t Shimizu-san look more intimidating than usual today?”
“Hey, she can hear you. I didn’t say anything. If anything happens, it’s all on you.”
“Heartless! I swear, if sothing happens, I’m dragging you down with !”
Clearly, Shimizu-san was behaving differently than usual, and most of our classmates were fixated on her.
She neither shouted nor ignored our classmates, just gave them a brief glance.
“Eek!”
An unknown scream could be heard.
Shimizu-san’s eyes were devoid of any light.
What was there was overwhelmingly terrifying, dark, and empty eyes.
“Shimizu-san, are you okay?”
“…Yeah.”
It took her so ti, but she did respond.
Still, looking into those eyes, I couldn’t help but worry.
“Really? If so, that’s good… but maybe you should go ho early later and get so rest today?”
“…Okay.”
While they were having this conversation, the bell rang, and Yuasa Sensei entered the classroom.
“Let’s all do our best on the midterm exams.”
Upon hearing the words ‘midterm exams,’ for a brief mont, it seed like a spark of life returned to Shimizu-san’s eyes.
“…This midterm, I won’t lose to you or Seto.”
“Huh? Okay.”
Could it be that Shimizu-san’s odd behavior was because of the midterm exams?
***
For the next few days, our class took the exams amidst unusual tension.
Most classmates, including Toshiya, wished for the exam period to end quickly and to be free from Shimizu-san’s oppressive aura.
On the other hand, I continued with the exams while constantly thinking about Shimizu-san.
Thanks to study sessions at the Astronomy Club, I felt more confident than usual.
By the end of the last subject on the final day of exams, the pressure from Shimizu-san had noticeably decreased.
Toshiya later ntioned that at the mont the exams ended, the relief from the dual pressures of the exams and Shimizu-san was palpable among many classmates.
I, too, felt greatly relieved seeing Shimizu-san return to her usual self.
While the other classmates discussed their exam performances, Shimizu-san had sohow finished preparing to leave.
“Goodbye, see you tomorrow.”
Perhaps she was too preoccupied with sothing to respond. I didn’t get a reply from Shimizu-san.
I thought about heading ho, but I decided to stop by the Astronomy Club first because I had so spare ti.
“Hello…”
“Shh, be quiet.”
As I tried to greet and enter the Astronomy Club’s room, Yousuke-san stopped .
Apparently, I shouldn’t raise my voice right now.
“What’s going on?”
Instead of speaking, Yousuke-san pointed inside the room.
When I looked carefully, I saw two figures lying face down on a desk.
Their faces were hidden, but I could easily imagine that they were Shimizu-san and Ai-san based on their hairstyles and clothing.
Yousuke-san pointed to the door, suggesting he wanted to talk in the hallway without waking them up. I nodded in agreent.
Once we were in the hallway, Yousuke-san finally spoke.
“They both ca in and fell asleep imdiately. They must’ve been exhausted.”
“I thought Shimizu-san had gone ho.”
“She might not have had the energy to. She probably worked hard for this midterm.”
“She must’ve been studying hard outside of our study sessions too.”
“Yes, when Kei couldn’t understand sothing, she apparently went to the staff room to ask, and it beca a topic among the teachers.”
“Shimizu-san…”
The usual Shimizu-san probably wouldn’t go to such lengths. It seems that she gave this midterm her best.
“I hope our stargazing will be realized, especially after the two of them have worked so hard for it.”
“I hope so.”
After that, Yousuke-san and I continued to chat in the hallway until the Shimizu sisters woke up.
***
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