Chapter 25

One day after school, with only a week left until the midterms exams. Me, Shinozaki, Mei, and Wakamiya-san were at a library in front of the station. That library has a coffee shop attached to it.

「By the way, why are we holding a group study? We’ve been doing it in the classroom for the past week though.」

「Amane is not like in a group study in the first place. You were just trying to solve problems with earphones on.」

Excuse me but I’ve been watching you study too. Maa, no matter what I say, you probably won’t listen to me. I mean, isn’t a group study just studying on your own but with others studying on their own around too? Since everyone is studying, it creates an atmosphere where we think we have to study.

「Why are you studying so much? What are you aiming for?」

「The president. I want to beat him at least once.」

「Hou— you aim high.」

I don’t like the idea of being second place. I feel like one step below is not enough.

「It’s so crowded outside.」

「There’s a lot of students after all.」

「I’m grateful to Nanaka for reserving this place.」

Mei and Wakamiya came back to the room with plastic cups in both hands.

We’re in a corner of the library, in a room which needs reservation. Wakamiya-san made a reservation because she wanted to study in another place for a change of pace. Since the exams are near, there are students everywhere. At the family restaurant in front of the station, in the café, and any other places where students can occupy a table until dinner time. When studying outside school, most of them either go to a friend’s house nearby. However, I found this place by chance and since reservation is required, there’s no need for us to hurry.

「How are you doing?」

「I’m doing good. My foundation on the range is almost perfect and I’d like to work on the applications.」

「You are very smart, aren’t you, Amane-kun?」

「I’ve never been able to get the 1st place of the grade but I’m a regular at the top.」

「You’ve always been the 2nd place.」

「You’ve been 10000 years at the 2nd place.」

Mei and Shinozaki, I don’t care about that so don’t say too much. I mean, did you tell my grades to Mei? Maa, it’s okay. However, when Shinozaki’s the one who’s saying it, I feel like he’s fueling my anger.

「Being the 2nd placer means you are really smart. You’re amazing!」

There’s someone more amazing than me. The president has always been keeping me in check all the time.

「Technically speaking, the president has fallen to 2nd place once but my ranking fell that time too. 」

「Still, you were in the top 10. 」

At that time, the president missed a full score so it should have been my chance to be number 1. However, I was working so hard at that time that I felt like dying from overwork. I’m so tattered that I couldn’t even find time to study.

「Even Shinozaki is like that. He’s always guarding his place at the top 10.」

From below, that is. Even so, it was so amazing that there were those who were even lower than Shinozaki.

「Let Nana-chan take care of Shinozaki-kun and teach me. I’m also not very smart so I’m also in a pinch. 」

That’s not something to be proud of, is it? Or rather, Wakamiya-san would be in trouble.

「So, what subject are you not good at?」

「Japanese history.」

「Read the textbook until you poke a hole in it, end of story. What else?」

「Hey!」

No, honestly, there’s nothing to teach at subjects that need memorization. I think you have no choice but to read the textbook and remember it. Also, I don’t think I should teach you. If you listen to the class, you can get around 70 percent and the rest will be up to you.

「It can’t be helped. You have no choice but to memorize them. I mean, why did you even choose that in the first place? Choose another one.」

「Then, math.」

Well then, let me check the scope of the exam first. Wakamiya-san is also looking at me as if saying “Help me out” so I might as well get her involved.

However, isn’t it still too early to give up? I was looking after him when you bought some drinks, you know.

「Write some trigonometric formulas over there.」

「Sine, cosine, and tangent, right? I remember seeing them on the exam before the last break.」

After saying that, Shinozaki begins to write formulas on the whiteboard of the room. He seems to remember exactly what I taught him the other day.

「You are right but last year was trigonometric functions. This time, it will be the applications.」

The ladies’ faces turned slightly pale. As Shinozaki also said, this was the scope of the exam last time….are you okay?

「Let’s start with a review of last year’s scope.」

I wrote down the main points on the whiteboard and explained each to them. I noticed two things. The ladies seemed to be the type to memorize then forget things fast. They would barely remember anything after the exam. Shinozaki, on the other hand, would never forget something as long as he learned it. He even remembered everything I taught today. It seems like if Shinozaki takes classes seriously, he will be able to rank at the top. Why can’t he just take classes seriously instead of crying to me?

「Where are we even going to use them? We’ll never use them in the future.」

「You’ll surely use them on the next exams.」

「Ugh, bully.」

「Why didn’t you teach math in our group study in the first place? I thought I could do it since you never brought it up.」

「Because I’m pretty confident in everything else.」

Because if you fail too many subjects, you’ll repeat a year. That’s according to Shinozaki. It seems like the teachers for each subject spoke with him last year that he can’t take too many retests. Is he going to be okay?