Chapter 6: Exam Studies and Her

“Second year, Class A, Yuuki Yuusuke-kun. Please come to the reference room.”

“Haaah. Again…?”

After school, Yuuki was summoned by the school broadcast, a sound he had been hearing almost every day for the past few days.

“The usual thing?”

Ootani asked as she packed her bag.

“Yeah, probably.”

“Hmph. That temporary coach of yours sure is persistent.”

“You wanna go in my place, Ootani? As a pinch hitter?”

“You know my athletic skills are god-tier in the opposite sense of the word, don’t you?”

“Oh yeah, that’s right… Haaah.”

Yuuki let out a deep sigh.

◇

“So, what do you say, Yuuki-kun? Have you decided to join the baseball team?”

As soon as he entered the reference room, a powerful voice, like a member of a cheering squad, greeted him.

It was Shimizu Kouji, the temporary baseball coach.

“Seriously? I’ve told you over and over again, I have no intention of joining.”

Yuuki said, his voice laced with exasperation.

Next to Shimizu, who was sitting on a folding chair, was an elderly male teacher with a troubled expression. This timid-looking social studies teacher with glasses was, officially, the baseball club’s advisor. He didn’t seem to have any actual baseball experience, however, and was apparently in charge of miscellaneous tasks like driving the team to games and summoning Yuuki to the reference room at Shimizu’s request.

He didn’t seem like the type of person who could refuse a request, so he probably had a hard time dealing with the pushy Shimizu.

“But you see, I really want to help your talent blossom. With you and Fujii-kun, we could even aim for Koshien.”

(T/N: Koshien is most commonly associated with two major Japanese high school baseball tournaments held at the stadium:

Spring Koshien: Officially called the "Senbatsu" (選抜) or National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament, held annually in March/April.

Summer Koshien: Officially the National High School Baseball Championship, held in August. This is the more famous of the two, often simply referred to as "Koshien.”)

“It’s not that simple. Besides, Fujii isn’t the type to get all fired up about that stuff.”

“What are you talking about? Is there any high school player who doesn’t want to go to Koshien? I’ve been there myself, and it’s the greatest stage. Even Fujii-kun…”

“If that’s all you wanted to talk about, then I’ll be going.”

“Huh? Ah, wait, Yuuki-kun!”

“And please stop calling me here after school. I’m busy with studying and my part-time job. Especially right now.”

With that, Yuuki left the reference room.

That’s right. He didn’t have time for this right now.

At their school, just like any other, a big event was looming for the students just before summer vacation.

Final exams.

For a scholarship student like Yuuki, it was an event that required even more focus than for the other students.

Even though he usually studied far ahead, it was a tough battle where he had to place in the top five. He had always taken first place before, but in any competition, be it baseball or studying, you never knew what could happen.

Two weeks left. He had to buckle down and cram.

◇

“So, for a little while, I think I’ll be spending more time in the study hall.”

As usual, during their quiet time before bed, holding hands, Yuuki told her.

“Final exams…”

“I’ll probably be home late, too. Sorry, Hatsushiro.”

Studying at school was far more efficient than studying at home because he could ask the teachers questions anytime. Especially for final exams, where the focus was on the school’s tests rather than entrance exams, being able to ask the teachers who actually made the questions was a huge advantage.

“...”

Hatsushiro was silent for a moment.

He knew she cherished her time with him more than anything. That’s why he felt he had to tell her this properly.

But she replied in a calm voice, “No. You’re going to be a doctor, Yuuki-san, so that’s to be expected… Please do your best.”

“Hatsushiro…”

“In exchange… can I be a little spoiled right now?”

“...Yeah, of course. In fact, it makes me happy when you say things like that.”

At his words, Hatsushiro intertwined her fingers with his and leaned more of her weight against him.

The increased contact made him feel her warmth even more.

“It’s warm.”

“Yeah.”

“Please don’t worry about what time you get home, Yuuki-san… I’ll be waiting with a hot meal.”

“Hatsushiro…”

After that, there was no more conversation, just a quiet time.

In the silence, all that could be felt was the ticking of the clock and the warmth radiating from each other.

(Ah, dammit. This is it.)

Yuuki clutched his head internally.

This time.

This incredibly comfortable time that had become part of his daily schedule since Hatsushiro arrived was precisely why he wanted to study in the study hall.

At first, it was just a short time before bed, but now, they were like this most of the time when he was home. It was a comfortable time not just for her, but for him as well—maybe even more so. He wouldn’t say he couldn’t resist the temptation of this time if he studied at home, but he had a feeling it would be distracting.

For his regular studies, it was a good way to keep from overworking himself, but for the final cramming before exams, it was a big problem.

(...Haaah. Two weeks…)

For the first time, Yuuki found himself resentful of final exams.

…When he told Ootani about this, she shot him down with, “You’re so sappy you’re giving me heartburn.”

◇

From then on, Yuuki became a demon of studying.

He went to school an hour earlier than usual to study, and after school, he stayed in the study hall until the final bell. He had his work shifts pushed back to accommodate his studying, so he would get home late at night. Once home, he would eat and go straight to bed. Naturally, there was no time to talk with Hatsushiro.

And yet.

“Have a good day, Yuuki-san.”

“Welcome home, Yuuki-san.”

Hatsushiro did the housework as usual and greeted him with the same words every day.

That’s what motivated him to push himself even harder.

(I can’t be moping about not having time to be lovey-dovey!)

He had to study more. Even if he made a few careless mistakes, he would not give up first place to anyone.

More… more…

◇

“Ah, yeah, she’s probably feeling lonely, Hatsushiro-chan.”

It had been a week since Yuuki had gone into exam mode. During lunch break, Fujii, who had come to bother Ootani as usual, said while drinking a coffee milk.

“Yeah, you think so?”

Yuuki, who had quickly finished his lunch and was opening his textbook, looked up.

“Well, probably. I think Hatsushiro-san likes you more than you realize,” Ootani said, munching on a yakisoba bread.

“R-Really? Wow, that’s embarrassing.”

Seeing Yuuki’s goofy, lovesick expression, Ootani muttered “moron” and sighed. Yuuki, who was in the middle of a problem, said, “...Still, I can’t neglect my studies.”

“Really? If it were me, I’d ditch the test in a heartbeat if it meant making Shouko-chan feel lonely.”

Fujii said, winking at Ootani.

“I have no interest in such a useless man.”

But Ootani just shot him down.

“Besides, I can’t do that. I’m a scholarship student. The rent for the place I’m living in is covered by that.”

But Fujii replied, “But there’s only one Shouko-chan! You have to treasure the irreplaceable! Shouko is only love!”

For someone who scored a ninety on the last English test, his English was terrible.

But still, he kind of understood the sentiment.

“Setting aside the nonsense that idiot is spouting for a moment, why don’t you try talking to Hatsushiro-san? You know she’s the type to endure it if she’s lonely, so as not to bother you, right?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Oh, and about Hatsushiro-san…”

Ootani started to say something, then shook her head.

“...No, now’s not the time.”

“What is it? Now I’m curious.”

“I’ll tell you after the exams.”

Ootani said, neatly folding the wrapper from her finished bread.

◇

“Welcome home, Yuuki-san.”

“I’m home, Hatsushiro.”

As usual, Hatsushiro greeted him when he got back from his part-time job.

It was already eleven-thirty. This was actually earlier than usual.

“Dinner’s ready.”

She said with a smile, just like always.

“...Yeah, thanks.”

“What’s wrong, Yuuki-san?”

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“Fufu. I’ll get it ready right away, so please wait.”

When Yuuki came out of the shower and changed into his loungewear, a large plate of curry was on the table.

“I made a pretty big portion. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, thanks. Thanks for the food.”

He immediately took a bite of the curry.

“...Man, your curry really is the best.”

“You say that, but you eat it all the time.”

Hatsushiro said, but she didn’t start eating herself, just watched him with a happy expression, her spoon still in her hand.

“Yeah. It tastes the same as always. That’s what’s good about it.”

Her special curry, with vegetables stewed until they were meltingly tender, had the flavors of the ingredients perfectly infused into the roux. It was light, but not bland. It was the same taste he’d had many times recently.

He took a sip of water.

“It’s not just the cooking. The fact that you do the housework without any change, say ‘have a good day’ when I leave, and ‘welcome home’ when I get back, is what keeps me going. I’m really grateful.”

“W-Well, it’s embarrassing to be thanked that much.”

“...Hey, Hatsushiro. Are you sure you’re not forcing yourself to endure anything?”

He looked her straight in the eye as he said it.

He’d been trying to think of a natural way to ask, but beating around the bush just wasn’t his style. Hatsushiro touched her hair with her right hand and said, “No, not at all… I’m just doing what I always do.”

She had her usual smile.

“I see. Well, as long as it’s just my imagination.”

But the fact that she was touching her hair told him there was something she wanted to say but couldn’t. What should I do…?

“Um, Yuuki-san. Please don’t worry about me. Just focus on studying for your exams…”

She said apologetically.

Ah, continuing this conversation would be counterproductive, he thought. For her, the most painful thing would be for his study time to be cut short because of her. She knew how important his exams were, so she felt she couldn’t let herself be the reason he couldn’t focus.

(She’s so kind and considerate. Really.)

But from his perspective, if he just left her be now, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on his studies anyway. Just as he was wondering what to do, he saw a textbook next to the monitor. It was one of his from his first year.

He had no use for it now, so she must have been using it. Apparently, she spent a good amount of time studying with his textbooks while he was at school.

…This might work.

“Hey, Hatsushiro. I was thinking of studying a little more before bed. Wanna join me?”

“...Eh? But I thought you were trying to do all your studying at school before the exams.”

“I just wanted a change of pace… Is that not okay?”

“...”

She seemed to be thinking about it.

“...Well, if I won’t be a bother, then I’d be happy to study with you.”

She said with a slow nod.

◇

The only sounds in the silence were the ticking of the clock and the scratching of mechanical pencils.

Yuuki was reviewing his math notes, while Hatsushiro was working on an English reading comprehension workbook.

While studying, he glanced over at her.

Sitting on the floor with perfect posture, her pen moved smoothly. Not as fast as him, but she was writing the answers in her notebook with ease.

“...I’ve been thinking this for a while, but you’re a really good student, Hatsushiro.”

The workbook she was using was quite advanced. It wasn’t something a first-year like her should be able to solve so easily. Her prestigious all-girls’ school had a high academic standard, but even there, someone at her level would be rare.

“I’m not as good as you, Yuuki-san, but studying is about all I’ve ever done.”

“Really? I mean, you didn’t have a phone and you played a game for the first time when you came here.”

“Yes. I would go to school, come straight home, do the housework, and study… It’s not that different from now. Though not going to school feels a little strange.”

“Hatsushiro…”

“So I’m used to studying quietly by myself.”

She said, smiling at him.

She was touching her hair again. What she’d just said wasn’t a lie to keep him from worrying, but it meant there was something she wasn’t saying.

…Still, he didn’t think he should force her to say it. It was the same reason he didn’t ask about her past. He believed it was best for people to talk about these things when they were ready.

But.

“Hey, Hatsushiro. A minute ago, you said you were just ‘doing what you always do,’ so it’s nothing to be thanked for, right?”

“Eh? Y-Yes.”

“You know, Hatsushiro, I think ‘doing what you always do’ is a pretty amazing thing.”

Just as Ootani had said, there were people who couldn’t bring themselves to say what they wanted to, and he knew his girlfriend was one of them. So he at least wanted to make it easier for her to talk.

“If someone who’s always selfish is just being themselves, that’s not amazing at all. But you’re always so considerate of others. I’m the type to just say whatever’s on my mind, so I really think that’s incredible. The fact that you’re acting ‘as usual’ is a huge help to me.”

He paused for a moment before continuing.

“But I think, in the end, that’s you holding back. So… I’d like you to be a little more selfish with me. I can’t promise I’ll be able to grant every wish, but I want to try.”

With that, he turned his attention back to his notebook and focused on his studies.

For a while after that, Hatsushiro just sat there, pen in hand, frozen, watching him study.

◇

“So, in the end, you couldn’t get her to tell you how she felt.”

“Yeah.”

Early the next morning.

Yuuki had arrived first and was studying as usual when Ootani came in, and he told her what had happened.

“From what you’ve told me, it’s obvious she’s lonely. Why don’t you just cut back on your study time and make time for her?”

“No, I can’t do that. If I did, she’d feel bad, like she was a burden to me.”

“...Haaah. Being too considerate can be a problem, too.”

Ootani said with an exasperated look.

“But actually, I think I’ve found some clarity.”

Indeed, the expression on his face was no longer clouded with the doubt it had held the day before.

“If Hatsushiro is going to be that considerate, then I’ll graciously accept her kindness and focus on my studies. And then…”

He clenched his fist in determination.

“When the exams are over, I’m taking a full day off!”

“A day off?”

“Yeah. No work, no studying. I’m going to spend the whole day with her. And then, I’ll… you know, ask her on a date or something… I wonder if that will make her happy. I hope so.”

“...”

Ootani’s expression was that of someone who had just chugged a bottle of sugar syrup. She sighed and silently stood up from her chair.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Ootani?”

“I just got a little heartburn. I’m going to go buy a black coffee.”

What’s that supposed to mean? Yuuki tilted his head in confusion.

◇

The day of the final exams arrived.

Some trembled in fear, some were fired up to get a good score this time, and some, having decided it had nothing to do with them, were rubbing their eyes after staying up all night playing video games.

And as for the man who had taken first place on the last exam, Yuuki Yuusuke…

“...The time has come.”

He glared at the exam paper placed face down on his desk.

“Come at me. I will crush you…”

It was not a sentiment one would expect from someone about to take a final exam, but faced with the fighting spirit and fervor radiating from his entire body, no one dared to comment. He sat down heavily in his wooden chair, his eyes wide open, with the imposing air of a general heading into a decisive battle.

“Alright, you may begin.”

At the proctor’s words, Yuuki flipped over his exam paper.

And there they were, the enemy soldiers: the questions. One-word answers, fill-in-the-blanks, essays—a diverse army of soldiers assaulted him.

“Let’s go!”

FWASH!! He grabbed his greatsword—his mechanical pencil—and charged into the enemy horde.

“Hmph. You’ve lined up more difficult questions than usual, but unfortunately for you, I have already defeated you all.”

He had repeated the material in the exam scope so many times that it was ingrained in his mind and body.

With every swing of his greatsword-pencil, the questions were answered one after another. Even the tricky questions the teachers had put in for fun were no match for him, who had so deeply understood the material that he could even grasp the intent of the question-makers.

What’s more, he was in far better condition than during the last exam. Before, he had subsisted on three meals of convenience store bentos and takeout to save time, but now, he was eating three regular, nutritionally balanced, delicious meals a day, thanks to Hatsushiro. He felt like his brain was working three times faster.

He was a one-man army, unparalleled in the world. Not even twenty minutes had passed, and all the enemies had been annihilated, save for the final question.

“Fuhahaha, you are no match for me! How ridiculous, to think I had been deprived of time with my beloved by the likes of you! Now, the final question! How much will you entertain me—?”

“Yuuki, solve it quietly, or I’ll deduct points.”

“Ah, sorry.”

Warned by the proctor, he began to solve the problem quietly.

He caught Ootani’s eye, and she was looking at him as if he were the biggest idiot in the world.

(Incidentally, the final essay question was tougher than he expected, but he finished it in fifteen minutes. If there were no mistakes, it was a perfect score.)

◇

“...Alright, pass your papers to the front.”

Day three of final exams. The last test, Math II, was over.

“There are no other announcements, so you’re dismissed. Get home safely, everyone.”

The homeroom teacher of Class A, who had been proctoring, left the classroom.

On the third and final day, there were only three tests, so they ended before noon and the students were free to go home. Furthermore, at their school, club activities and committees were all cancelled on the last day of exams, a thoughtful gesture from the principal who believed that “after working hard studying, you should rest and play as much as you can.” Everyone was looking cheerful, thinking about how to enjoy their free time.

“Phew.”

Yuuki let out a breath.

“...Good work. How’d you do?”

Ootani, in the seat behind him, asked as she put away her writing utensils.

“Honestly, I think I nailed it.”

He said with a slightly bewildered look on his face.

“I don’t know, I just have a better feeling about this one than any of the others. Even though I spent less time studying than ever before.”

“Oh? Maybe it’s the power of your girlfriend,” Ootani said, half-joking.

“It’s not ‘maybe.’ I’m sure of it. The thought of giving this to Hatsushiro when it was all over gave me infinite power.”

He pulled two tickets to a certain theme park out of his bag. Seeing her friend say something so ridiculous with a completely straight face, Ootani’s face twitched in utter disbelief.

“...Yeah, yeah. I can’t believe you can say ‘infinite power’ with a straight face.”

But then she paused, and her tone became more serious.

“...Hey, Yuuki. About Hatsushiro-san.”

“...What’s up?”

Sensing the serious atmosphere, he turned to face her.

“I said before that I would look into her situation at school, right?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“At the time, I said I wouldn’t tell you what I found… but I have to tell you this. I contacted a former classmate of mine from middle school and had her look into it…”

She paused for a moment, then said something completely unexpected.

“Apparently… there’s no student named Hatsushiro at that all-girls’ high school.”

“...What?”

It was so far beyond what he had expected that his mind went blank for a second.

“No, no, wait a minute. That’s impossible.”

She had been wearing the uniform of a first-year at that school. Not just the uniform, but her bag and tracksuit were from that school, too.

“I don’t know either. I’m having my friend look into it in more detail right now.”

“...”

As Yuuki stood there, stunned, Ootani said, “Sorry. I know you probably wanted me to keep it to myself, but I had to tell you for my own peace of mind.”

“...No, it’s fine. Thanks for telling me.”

“Hey, don’t you think it’s about time you had Hatsushiro-san tell you about herself? Well… I guess that’s up to you.”

Yuuki just stood there for a while, staring at the tickets in his hand.

◇

Though he was reeling from the unexpected news from Ootani, he couldn’t stay confused forever, so he decided to act as usual for the time being.

The exams were over, but Yuuki was a man who never skipped a review. On the day the exams ended, he would go to the study hall and review the questions while they were still fresh in his mind. He hadn’t had any problems with the tests this time, but he would review the parts that took him a while to remember, the ones he struggled with, and any careless mistakes he had made.

“...I really need to fix this bad habit of forgetting to change the sign when I move terms in a system of equations. It wastes a lot of time.”

Not many people would go this far right after the exams, even if they had crammed hard beforehand. This thoroughness was what kept him at the top of his class.

To be honest, he wanted to go home right away and give Hatsushiro the tickets, but he had to endure. If he did a half-assed job now, it would render meaningless the sacrifice of making her feel lonely so he could focus on his exams.

“...Still, I wonder what’s really going on.”

He replayed what Ootani had told him in his mind.

Of course, he had no intention of changing his attitude toward Hatsushiro because of this. She was who she was.

But, as Ootani had said, maybe it was time to ask her about herself. He was well aware that she was the type of person who couldn’t bring herself to say what she wanted to.

…Of course, if she was hesitant, he wouldn’t force it out of her.

“Though Ootani would probably say I should force it out of her.”

Well, that aside.

For now, he would finish his review quickly and go home to Hatsushiro.

◇

After finishing his review and leaving school, it was just after noon.

He was jogging home when the usual supermarket caught his eye.

“Ah, since I’m here, maybe I’ll buy a cake as a souvenir.”

He remembered seeing a scene in a women’s magazine manga that Ootani had shown him where a husband who had been away on business came home with a cake. It was probably meant as an apology for making his wife lonely while he was engrossed in his work and a thank you for taking care of the house.

At the time, he hadn’t really understood it, but now, he thought it was a pretty neat gesture.

So, he went into the supermarket and was browsing the confectionery section, trying to decide what to get, when…

“Huh? Isn’t that Yuuki-kun?”

“Geh.”

There was Shimizu Kouji, his basket overflowing with chocolate cake and canned beer.

“Hey.”

Shimizu’s cheeks lifted into a smile, and he walked over.

“Hey, hey, hey, Yuuki-kun!”

He had thought about just giving a slight nod and running for it, but with him approaching with such ridiculously high energy, he couldn’t just ignore him.

“H-Hey. Coach Shimizu.”

“What a coincidence, meeting you here!”

“Y-Yeah. Do you live around here?”

“No, I live a little ways away, but the supermarket near me was closed, so I came here. What a coincidence! This must be a sign from God that you should join the baseball team, don’t you think?”

I wish that god would just perish, Yuuki thought from the bottom of his heart.

(Haaah. For some reason, I just can’t deal with this guy…)

The persistent recruitment was a big part of it, but for some reason, he just didn’t want to talk to him. He was always so cheerful and smiling, so he shouldn’t be a difficult person to get along with…

Yuuki had never felt this way before, and he was confused by the unfamiliar sensation.

“I’ve told you many times, I have no intention of joining the baseball team.”

“Now, don’t say that. You could balance it with your studies if you just… hm? Are you here to buy a cake, too, Yuuki-kun?”

“Eh? Ah, well. The exams are over, so I thought I’d celebrate.”

He didn’t say it was for the girlfriend waiting at home, but he wasn’t lying.

“Hmm, I see. Oh, in that case, they have some delicious ones over there, though they’re a bit pricey. Here, let me get one for you.”

“No, you don’t have to go that far—”

“Just wait here a second!”

Shimizu said and strode off to another section.

…Maybe I should just ditch him while he’s gone. Just as he was thinking that…

“Um, Yuuki-san. What’s with the long face?”

Hatsushiro was suddenly standing nearby.

She was in her usual uniform.

“Ah, it’s nothing. You out shopping?”

“Yes. I was in the middle of preparing dinner when I realized we were out of soy sauce…”

“I see. Well, since we’re here, let’s shop together. I’ll carry the basket.”

“Thank you.”

He took the basket containing the bottle of soy sauce from her.

“What were you going to buy at the sweets corner, Yuuki-san?”

“Ah—”

Yuuki scratched his cheek.

Of course, he could just be honest and say he was going to buy a cake to thank her for supporting him during the exam period.

(…I’ll do it tomorrow. I have an image of these things being better as a surprise.)

Little daily surprises are important.

Before she came along, he had never paid any attention to such things, but lately, he had been making an effort. He wanted to praise himself a little for becoming a man who could be considerate in this way, though not to the extent of Fujii.

“No, it’s noth—”

“Hey, Yuuki-kun I found the cake”

Ruined. What terrible timing.

Shimizu was walking toward them, holding a fancy-looking square cake box.

“This one, this ice cream cake is pretty good…”

“...Hm? What’s wrong?”

Shimizu suddenly stopped in his tracks.

What’s up with him? Yuuki followed his gaze and saw…

“...”

Hatsushiro, frozen in place, her eyes wide.

“Hey, what’s wrong, Hatsushiro?”

“Dad…”