Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622172789075625/episodes/16818622173425635312
It’s a shameful story, but I already had a habit of losing.
My grades had been going downhill since I entered high school, my childhood friends made fun of me every day, and finally, Kako betrayed me at a fast food restaurant.
The reason why I originally wanted to become a doctor was because of the death of my father, and my family was not wealthy and I had to put up with a lot in my life.
All of this negative chain reaction had made me a coward today.
“……Finally.”
It’s a few days after the assessment.
Today, after school, the test rankings will be returned and the top 10 students will be posted on the bulletin board.
After receiving my report card from my homeroom teacher, I took a deep breath in my seat.
I had been thorough without looking at the results of each test that had just been returned to me, let alone the report card that had just been handed to me, and I was ready for the moment of doom.
“Shall we?”
“Yeah.”
Reisa, who had become a good friend of mine, told me to get out of my seat.
I had made up my mind to check all the test results at the time of the general announcement.
My goal was to finish first in my grade.
If I was not even in the top 10, it would be out of the question.
But when the time finally came, I felt restless with anxiety and anticipation.
I looked out into the crowded hallway, feeling sick.
The students started making a fuss when they saw me.
And the crowd started whispering to each other as soon as they saw my face.
I looked at Reisa and saw that something was going on.
I’m endlessly grateful to her for going out of her way to check the bulletin board at the same time as me, from how we came to know each other to the things we do every day.
This is not the time to get lost in deep emotion.
I went to the front of the result and looked at it with my eyes wide open.
———
Results of the top 10 students of the second semester performance test
1st Edano Tsukushi, 162 in Japanese, 197 in Mathematics, 189 in English, 100 in Science, 98 in Social Sciences, 746/800 points in total
———
The moment I saw it, I fell to my knees.
Even though I hadn’t looked at the score, I had listened to the commentary, so in my mind I had an idea of how many points I had gotten.
And, to be honest, I was confident.
But when I actually saw it with my own eyes, I felt it.
“I got first place……!”
“Tsukushi, you’re a genius after all ! Just as I would expect from my tutor ! !”
As I pump my fist in excitement, Reisa gets all excited and makes a lot of noise.
I was really happy.
I felt rewarded.
This isn’t just something that’s been going on for the past few weeks.
The bitter taste I have been licking since entering high school feels like a good one all at once.
I felt as if all those days of painful effort had finally come together in one form.
And then, a new figure appears.
It is a beautiful girl with short bobbed hair walking gracefully toward me.
I feel relief from my nervous state at the face I have shared my desk with for hours every day for the past few days.
Nagisa smiles and says to me.
“I lost. I just missed out on first place this time.”
“……You were in second place?”
“Yes. It seems that I’m destined to be that way.”
Speaking of Nagisa, until recently she was a genius who was ranked second just below Takagi.
It must be tough to study so hard and still miss out on first place again.
I felt a little awkward as I thought about this.
Then I realized another result.
My eyes widened as I realized that my original goal had been achieved.
“Did we win?”
“Yes. Both Edano san and I are superior to him.”
I looked at the bottom of the sheet, which I had been looking at only up to my part.
———
Amakusa Nagisa 2nd place: Japanese 182, Mathematics 168, English 172, Science 100, Social Sciences 100, Total 722/800 points
Takagi Rio 3rd place: Japanese148, Mathematics188, English 186, Science 96, Social Sciences 82, Total 700/800 points
———
When I looked at the results, I saw that Takagi, whom I had regarded as my enemy, had dropped to third place.
Although the test was difficult, it was an unusual score.
What in the world had happened?
When I cowered my shoulders, both Reisa and Nagisa laughed happily.
It was a bit of a letdown, wasn’t it?
Well, after looking at the sheet, I stretched out my arms.
I got first place.
I fulfilled Nagisa’s goal.
I had paid my personal debt.
So, now I have to look forward.
I clenched my fist and said smilingly.
“Okay ! I’m going to review for the test right now, because I’ve been too scared to open it until now !”
“Ahaham I knew you’d say that. As expected of Tsukushi.”
“Fufu, I guess we should start by learning from this kind of attitude. Please let me join you.”
“Ah, you’re stealing the show ! I’ll do it too ! I’m weak in Japanese history, so help me out, Tsukushi.”
At the mention of the word “Japanese history,” she reconfirmed her foreign accent and her shimmering blonde hair.
“Why did you take history even though you are a returnee? I’m sure you weighed too heavily on Japanese history. You had other options like geography.”
“No no, shogun and samurai are cool ! And even with this, I’ve risen about 100 places in the rankings, you know? You can praise me if you want.”
“That’s really great. I’m proud of you.”
We laughed and left the place.
Really, when was the last time in my life that I felt so refreshed?
Here we are, in this radiant space of people who have performed well on their tests.
For the first time in my life, I feel a sense of elation, and I try to pull myself together and fail.
I refrain from forcibly restraining my loosening facial expression.
Today, I don’t think I’ll be punished for being happy.
“Thank you, both of you.”
I said.
◇
The light and the dark exist in this world.
“Ridiculous… I came in third?”
Takagi Rio was in despair.
He had put a lot of effort into this test, and thought he had prepared well.
But in the end, he fell to second place for the first time since enrolling.
What’s more, he had even lost to the man he had always mocked.
Takagi’s pride was deeply hurt, and he felt the urge to scream at any moment.
“Hey, it was like that before.”
“Yeah. Those two are a good match.”
“They were the top two in their grade and they helped each other out with their studies, right? I’d love to go on a date like that.”
Takagi widens his bloodshot eyes at the mention of people around him.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Edano Tsukushi and Amekusa Nagisa disappearing into the classroom, which turns into an even stronger anger.
He clenches his fists and bites his back teeth.
With the taste of blood in his mouth, Takagi felt defeated for the first time in his life and despaired that he was no longer even in their sight.
Then, Takagi is approached by a voice.
“U-um. Rio kun…..”
Takagi turned to see a teary-eyed woman with twin-tailed hair.
She has a report card in her hand.
“U-um. l…….what should I do? Uwaaa.”
“Huh?”
“Here, look at this.”
Takagi fell on his buttocks when he saw the report card he received from Kako.
He was astonished by this horrifying number, which he had never seen before in his life.
“Help me……”
“…..They’re all garbage.”
“R-Rio kun?”
“Shut up !”
Takagi let out a loud, shriek-like yell at the idiot in front of him who was constantly touching him.
He quickly came to his senses at his actions and turned away awkwardly.
“Ugh, ugh. Why are you saying that…… Hey, help me. Please teach me. What should I do?”
Takagi held his head as Kako sobbed.
Today was the worst day of his life.
Takagi’s girlfriend, Amane Kako, had placed last in her grade in the latest assessment test.
◇
[Just a note in the afterword.]
Reisa: 126 in Japanese, 112 in Mathematics, 98 in English, 82 in Science, 43 in Social Science, 461/800 points in total, 278/398th place.
(Up about 100 ranks from the last time)
Kako: Japanesel 72, Mathematics 38, English 48, Science 51, Social Science 18, Total 227/800 points, 398th/398th
(Down about 150 ranks from the last time.)
By the way, a red mark is less than 25 points.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !