Chapter 119 Midterm Exams - Part 3

With that, the next morning, Thursday, I woke up before my alarm even had the chance to ring. I scrubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess before reaching for my phone to cancel the alarm. My dorm mate, Kimura, was also stirring, groggily sitting up in bed before standing and shuffling over to me.

"Argh, can you make breakfast?" He asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

I nodded and stood up from my bed, taking a quick shower before beginning to prepare breakfast. I decided to keep it simple and made a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon for both of us. Kimura sat at the table, shovelling the food into his mouth with relish.

"Mm, this is some pretty good breakfast," he said, between bites of the eggs and bacon. "Mizuhara, you'll make a great househusband."

I ate my breakfast in silence, not feeling particularly inclined to engage in small talk. Once we were finished, we headed out at the same time but to different classes. As we walked through the halls of the school, Kimura started a small talk.

"How's your studying going?"

"Decent."

"I had a member in my group who wasn't pulling their weight," he continued, his frustration becoming more apparent. "It made it a bit harder for the rest of us."

I simply nodded.

"But, I'm trying to focus on the positive," he continued, "My study sessions have been going well despite that setback."

"I see."

"It's just a bit annoying, that's all," he chuckled. "-Ah, see you later, Mizuhara."

With that, we parted ways, each heading to our respective classes. The halls of the school were quiet as I made my way to class, passing by familiar faces like Kaoru and Itsuki.

I then turned my attention towards the entrance of my own classroom and made my way inside.

As the minutes ticked by, the classroom began to fill with students. The murmur of chatter and the rustling of backpacks filled the room as classmates settled into their seats. I couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation, with many of my peers expressing their exhaustion and reluctance towards the study group. Despite the less-than-enthusiastic atmosphere, the class soon began as the teacher walked in and started the lesson. As always, the hour flew by, and before I knew it, it was time to gather my things and head to the library. As I made my way towards the door, I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard a familiar voice.

"Where are you going?" It was Hamasaki, looking at me with a stern expression.

"Library."

"Make sure that's where you go," she warned. "And nowhere else."

With a nod, I made my way out of the classroom and towards the library. As I entered, I saw Kobayashi and Hamasaki catch up behind me and walk by side. Together, the three of us made our way to the booked room.

As we entered the booked room, I immediately noticed an unfamiliar face in the room. It was not Shinichi but rather a new member named Kato. He was already seated at his designated spot, and from his uneasy expression, it was clear he was not familiar with the group's rules and protocols.

Hamasaki, who seemed to have noticed this as well, approached Kato and said,

"Ah, you're Kato, right? Where were you yesterday? I'm sorry, but you'll have to give us some points as compensation for your absence."

Kato looked visibly scared as he stuttered, "H-How many exactly?"

As we took our seats, Shinichi arrived, took a seat next to me and greeted us all. Hamasaki, who was now seated next to Kato, turned to Shinichi and said,

"You're not late this time."

Shinichi simply replied.

"Of course not,"

he opened his backpack and pulled out his materials.

As we started our study session, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about this 'Kato'. He seemed nervous and kept glancing around the room, avoiding eye contact with the rest of the group.

But I paid it little mind, as it didn't concern me in the slightest.

*

As the study group settled in and began delving into their course material, it wasn't long before Shinichi broke the concentrated silence with a sudden announcement.

"Now, it's time for break time," he declared, pulling a bag of chips out of his backpack.

"Shinichi! We rejected that idea," Kobayashi interjected, her voice firm.

"Isn't it so boring if you just study all the time? We all need a little break," Shinichi argued, trying to justify his actions.

"We all need to make sacrifices if we want to do well on the midterms."

"Yeah, no one wants to get expelled," Hamasaki added in. Hamasaki then turned to Kato and asked "Kato, tell Shinichi something."

"Uhm, yes...I-I understand where you're coming from, Shinichi, but we have to stay on track if we want to succeed." Kato stammered.

"Hmm? Kato, are you a shy person? Or antisocial?"

"I-I'm both," Kato replied with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"I see." Hamasaki said, with a hint of understanding in her tone. "-ah, I forgot. Can you transfer me about five hundred points? It's for your absence."

"I... can't actually do that."

"But you have to."

"I'll pay it tomorrow, I swear."

Hamasaki stopped to think for a while before responding back, "Hmm, okay... Make sure you pay tomorrow, alright?"

"Yes."

As Hamasaki and 'Kato' continued their discussion, Shinichi had already opened his bag of chips and was munching on them, watching the exchange with interest. Kobayashi tried to intervene, but her efforts were in vain as Shinichi continued to snack.

"Shinichi!" Hamasaki exclaimed in surprise as she noticed his actions. "Okay, that's it. From now on, break time will be every twenty minutes and the objective during the break will be to revise and discuss the material while engaging in small talk."

"I'm not doing that."

"Then you can leave. We don't need any dead weight."

"I was about to leave anyways," Shinichi replied as he gathered his belongings and stood up. With a sense of finality, he walked towards the door, opened it and slammed it shut.

"What's wrong with him?" Hamasaki commented with a hint of confusion.

"It's okay, Hamasaki. We don't have the responsibility to make him pass the midterm," Kobayashi trying to diffuse the situation.

"Well, you're right," Hamasaki conceded, bringing the conversation to a close.