Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622172789075625/episodes/16818622173782555222
At home, the sound of a pen echoed in an irregular rhythm.
The lines of the ballpoint pen running through the notebook were boldly extended by long strokes.
After scribbling down a passage, I picked it up and looked it over.
What I had just written was what I would be doing in the next few weeks.
In preparation for the upcoming national mock exams, I wrote down in my notebook to organize once again what schedule I should follow, what I should study, and how many points I should aim for.
Up until today, a lot has happened since the start of the second semester.
When my childhood friend betrayed me, I wondered what would happen, but in the end, it rather showed me various new experiences because of it.
I got a hundred points on a math quiz, I got first place on an assessment, and I became friends with Reisa and Nagisa, all because I left Kako.
I haven’t been able to process what was said to me that day enough to think, “Thank you for cutting me off.” but that doesn’t mean I’m holding any grudge against her.
I have to admit that when I heard that she got the lowest rank in the test this time, I shifted from anger to sympathy.
While I was thinking about that, I received a message.
It was Reisa who sent it.
[Thanks again for helping me with my studies today. I’ll think about what we’re gonna do this Sunday. So let’s talk again at school !]
Reisa contacts me dutifully every day.
I don’t know how many high school girls in the world keep in touch with other people, but it seems that they do more than I thought they would.
I laugh and reply, [Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.]
Then I got a stamp back in a second.
I was amazed at the speed at which someone with so many friends responded to my message.
A few seconds later, Nagisa contacted me again.
[Congratulations on your first place in the test today. About that, there was a math problem that I couldn’t understand after listening to the explanation, so I would appreciate it if you could help me.]
This one was about the next study session.
That said, Nagisa also sends some pretty interesting messages, such as her praising me with formal remarks.
It’s a little itchy, but not unpleasant.
“Hmm, I wonder if I can help her with the questions she doesn’t understand when she asks the teacher…”
I groaned at the heavy request, but I replied, “Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
It feels like a dream.
I can’t believe that I’m actually interacting with some of the most popular and beautiful girls in the school.
Until now, I had only seen them out of the corner of my eye while studying and thought they were beautiful, and that we were from a different world.
Once I got to know them, I found that neither of them was overly intimidating, but there was still a part of me that was afraid.
After all, it is still painful to be looked at by some of the guys.
It’s just inevitable when you’re with those beautiful girls.
I casually glanced at the chat section of the app.
Then I saw something strange.
“What is this?”
Someone’s name had been changed to Unknown.
I looked at the contents and saw that it seemed to be Kako’s account.
I was puzzled by the notation, which I had never seen before.
The most recent exchange was when she asked me about dinner and I ignored her.
We hadn’t had an actual face-to-face conversation since the fast-food restaurant incident, but the suddenness of it took me by surprise.
I was curious, so I asked Dr. Google and discovered that this notation apparently occurs when the other person deletes his/her account.
In short, Kako’s account has been deleted.
Did she anger her parents by coming in last place?
I came to this conclusion and let out a big sigh.
It’s none of my business, but if that’s the case, it’s pathetic.
If you lose the ability to contact your beloved via smartphone, you’ll have no way to cry to him.
“Well, whatever. Nothing good will come from getting involved with her.”
Everything has been going well since I cut ties with Kako.
It may just be my imagination, but I’m going to keep my distance from her as much as possible.
I will stop being aware of her existence.
Now, the problem is the mock exam at the end of the month.
The school I want to apply to is the medical school at Kaioh University, with a deviation score of 74.
Among them, if you want to study in the scholarship quota, you need to have the determination to aim not only for a place in the top 10, but also to be number one among all applicants.
If this is the case, I would have to get almost a perfect score in the general mock test that I will take this time to achieve this goal.
The last time I took the mock test, I was ranked 53rd in the school.
The scores were 62, 78, and 72 in the order of Japanese, English, and mathematics, and the overall deviation score was 64, which was too far out of the question.
I’m going to have to start rolling up my sleeves from here.
“…It’s still September, my first year of high school.”
The scope of the questions is now limited, and to be honest, it is quite mild in terms of difficulty.
However, the progression of classes at our school itself is faster than at other schools around us, so it is likely that the questions this time around will be from what we had done before the summer.
Last time, I couldn’t take much time to review the material, and I was struggling to keep up with the class, so I can’t deny that I missed some points.
Therefore, it would be better to review a little in advance now that there is more time to spare.
The premise is that the school ranks first.
If I fail here, I will be laughed at again as if the first place in the assessment test was just a fluke.
It would also make me angry to have Takagi get on my nerves again.
I couldn’t give him the top spot back at any point in the future.
I looked at the new message on my phone and turned up the corner of my mouth.
“Well, actually, if first place is threatened, it won’t be Takagi.”
Amakusa Nagisa is smarter than me.
Although my grades are better at the moment, when I think about our intelligence and hard work, I’m not really confident that I can continue to win.
Honestly, she’s even scarier than Takagi, probably because I’m showing her what I’ve got.
But I guess that’s the same condition for my opponent.
I also studied Japanese while already knowing all about Nagisa’s tricks, and thanks to that I was able to get 80% on this test.
Mock exams will be even more effective at preparing for trends, and her teachings will be more effective.
I get excited when the message “I won’t lose next time” appears in the notification bar of my smartphone.
There may be circumstances, but I don’t know.
I’ll take first place next time too.
At the time when people are sleeping, I close my notebook with a firm resolve.
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