Midterm Exam

Friday morning, Class A classroom.

Mashima Tomoya walked in holding a stack of exam papers. After scanning the room, he spoke, "It seems everyone is ready, so I will begin distributing the papers."

"The first subject is Social Studies. As I hand these out, I have some good news for you: if no one in the class fails this exam or the final exam in July, the school will organize a vacation for everyone during summer break."

"A vacation?" someone immediately asked.

"Yes," Mashima Tomoya nodded with a smile, his hands continuing to organize the papers. "You'll even get to experience a cruise ship and spend a few dreamlike days on an island surrounded by the blue sea. Aren't you looking forward to it?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the classroom erupted:

"Really? Then I have to do my best!"

"I've never been on a cruise ship before!"

"Do you think there will be big villas by the sea? I'm so excited!"

Most of Class A began to imagine the vacation, their words filled with anticipation.

"It is indeed something to look forward to." Uesugi Hara nodded seriously. He also wanted to experience a seaside villa, something he had only ever seen on television.

"Uesugi, you aren't looking forward to watching the girls in swimsuits, are you?" Kamuro Masumi leaned over to tease him.

"That makes me look forward to it even more," Uesugi Hara replied with a straight face.

"Kamuro Masumi, what Uesugi Hara is actually looking forward to is looking at legs," Morishita Ai, sitting nearby, suddenly chimed in with a precise correction.

Kamuro Masumi recalled Uesugi Hara's past behavior and immediately looked at him with disgust. "Pervert."

Uesugi Hara opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words for a long time.

The silence was deafening.

A moment later, he managed to retort, "Morishita, no one will think you're a mute if you don't speak."

"I'm just stating facts," Morishita Ai countered.

Uesugi Hara: "I'm stating facts, too."

Not long after, everyone in the class had received their papers.

"Alright, that's enough daydreaming. Save your fantasies for after the exams. You may begin now." Mashima Tomoya clapped his hands on the podium to signal the start of the test.

Uesugi Hara pulled his thoughts back and focused on the paper. However, after scanning it a few times, he was stunned: the questions on the exam were exactly the same as the practice paper from before?

This was completely unexpected. He had assumed that even if the school reused old questions, they would at least tweak a few of them. He hadn't expected them to copy it word for word.

Did the school grow a conscience? Uesugi Hara was skeptical, but then he thought, there was no point in dwelling on it since knowing the reason wouldn't change anything.

In the gaps between answering questions, a thought suddenly popped into his head: when he reached his second year, he could sell this year's exam papers to the incoming first-years. That might be another way to earn some points.

After finishing the test, Uesugi Hara observed the reactions of the others; there wasn't a single person struggling to write.

It seemed everyone had studied well.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the scenery outside the window.

Why can't we turn in our papers early? he complained to himself.

When the final bell for the last subject of the midterm exams rang, the students of Class A finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the classroom instantly became lively.

"What kind of midterm is this! Is that it? It was way too easy!" Kamuro Masumi was all smiles, looking like she had done quite well, even speaking with newfound confidence.

"There won't be any practice papers for you to copy next time. I hope you can still smile like that then." Seeing her so happy, Uesugi Hara couldn't bear to interrupt her, so he waited until she had finished laughing before speaking.

"Hmph, I can handle the exams just fine without practice papers!" Kamuro Masumi lifted her chin, full of confidence.

"Keep bragging," Uesugi Hara said, ruthlessly deflating her.

He knew Kamuro's academic ability all too well. While passing wasn't an issue, expecting to score high was pure fantasy.

"Uesugi-kun, let's not discourage Kamuro right now." A soft voice drifted over, and Sakayanagi Arisu appeared, sitting directly in Morishita Ai's empty seat.

As for where Morishita Ai had gone, Uesugi Hara didn't know; she had probably gone off on an adventure as usual.

"I'm just worried she'll get too carried away and end up being too lazy to study later," Uesugi Hara argued.

"Uesugi, why don't you fix your own attitude toward studying first?" Kamuro Masumi immediately retorted.

"I could write this with my eyes closed and still score higher than you."

"Then go ahead and write with your eyes closed next time."

"That was a figure of speech! Do you understand? It means I could score higher than you even if I didn't try!" Uesugi Hara emphasized his point.

"Oh," Kamuro Masumi replied with a single, flat word.

Watching the two of them bicker like children, Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but chuckle. "It seems Uesugi-kun and Kamuro really have a good relationship."

"Sakayanagi, don't talk nonsense! Who has a good relationship with him!" Kamuro Masumi glared at Uesugi Hara instantly before retorting.

"Kamuro, are you just going to abandon your best buddy like this?" Uesugi Hara immediately put on a pitiful expression, his tone softening.

"Uesugi, you...! I...!"

Kamuro Masumi looked at his exaggerated expression, her face turning red with anger. She pointed a finger at him for a long time, unable to squeeze out a complete sentence.

How could this guy be such a fake!

They were just bickering a moment ago, and now she's pulling this—it's practically cheating!

"It's such a pity that Uesugi-kun isn't an actor." Sakayanagi Arisu rested her chin on one hand, her eyes brimming with amusement as she feigned regret.

"That's only because I don't want to rely on my looks to make a living," Uesugi Hara immediately puffed out his chest, boasting with a straight face. "I'm clearly overflowing with talent, yet I lack a scout to recognize it. If I'd known, I would have debuted back then; I might have already been the dream of nine hundred million girls by now."

"Heh, Uesugi, you've already lost all your dignity, yet you're still talking about relying on your looks." Kamuro Masumi tore him down without mercy, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Kamuro, you're just jealous of my good looks!" Uesugi Hara said, deliberately brushing back his bangs and striking a pose he thought was handsome.

It had to be said that his features were indeed well-defined, and for a moment, he actually possessed a certain youthful charm—it was just a shame that as soon as he opened his mouth, that appeal vanished completely.

Although Kamuro Masumi had to admit it to herself, she remained unforgiving with her words: "Jealous of you? If you're considered good-looking, then wouldn't every boy in this school be able to debut as an idol right now?"

"That's prejudice! Sakayanagi, what do you think of my looks?" Uesugi Hara turned his head to look at Sakayanagi.

Sakayanagi Arisu covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes filled with playfulness: "Uesugi-kun's 'talent' is indeed much more striking than his looks."

Uesugi Hara: "...So, neither of you can bring yourselves to compliment me even once?"

Kamuro Masumi immediately chimed in: "I can. Does complimenting you on your thick skin count?"

"Heh."