Sora Minami never did mornings well, but today felt odd even for him. He wiped sleep from his eyes and glanced at his phone, squinting at a bold message in the class chat. Tanya, queen of grades (and glares), had shared her tidy notes ‘by mistake’. Right.
This seemed harmless, but Sora noticed Kyousuke, always one seat behind and always annoyed. Was Tanya playing some game, or just flexing? Sora tried to ignore it. Noriko caught him sulking at the lockers. “It’s just notes. Who cares? Studying is boring anyway.” That sounded fake even to her.
By history, a little spark had turned into full rivalry. Tanya and Kyousuke exchanged cold words. “If you need my help, just ask, Kyousuke.” He threw the notes in the bin like they were poison. “I’m not the one who copies.” The whole class buzzed. Do you remember your worst classroom showdowns?
Ashamed of his low marks last time, Sora wanted to keep up for once. He broke an uneasy rule by asking Noriko, “Why do the smart ones always pick fights?” She shrugged. “Even smart people have fun sometimes.” But this wasn’t fun – you could hear Tanya rehearsing answers in a whispered chant.
Days ran fast. PowerPoint lectures dulled the room, while Tanya’s study group grew daily. Sora tried joining but felt like a goldfish in a shark pond. Derek, usually lost in his comics, teased him: “Maybe you’ll top the math finals and walk backwards for a week.” Was it mean, or just good humor nowadays? Exams strained every face; eyes went dark in circles, patience snapped at even harmless noise. Picture that vibe – no sleep, hundred tiny arguments, and the silent crunch of highlighters working overtime.
The day before midterms, a silent fight played across open laptops. As Noriko accused Sora of ‘doom scrolling’, Tanya smiled softly from behind a high pile of books. Kyousuke stood lost in practice tests, hardly speaking. Then the biggest rumor – someone found answers hidden in the physics storeroom. Who started it? Sora caught a hint in the hallway, saw Tanya clutching her clipboard tighter, saw even class clown Derek flinch when a teacher showed up early. You ever had a class fall apart this close to exams?
Modern schools love teaming up rivals. The teacher, in her endless push for ‘growth mindsets’, splits the class for a surprise oral quiz. Sora, lost in thoughts, pairs with Tanya. Kyousuke is coupled with Noriko. Two teams, eyes tight, skip the warm-ups – nerves and shallow breathing full on. Out loud Tanya challenges: “Try not to zone out this time, Sora.” Burned, in other words.
Against odds, the quiz goes alright at first. Sora hooks one answer, Tanya two, Noriko snipes a date Sora never heard before. But right during the finals round, Tanya trails by one. Kyousuke sneers. Everything hangs on one impossible question. Tanya locks eyes with Sora. “We don’t leave here losers, right?” Sora nods, stunned by her trust. 
Barely pausing, Tanya blurts an answer. Sora sees her bluffing, but he catches a faint memory: teacher, one Friday, middle of a thunderstorm – something about particle theory. He blurts what he remembers. The whole room stops breathing. The teacher checks the notes for a painful three seconds. “Correct.” Sora can’t help but grin, but even Tanya seems surprised. Did he win for their team, or just save face? Can both sides be happy?
A lunch snap. The rivals ease up, almost speaking like friends for the first time. Tanya hands Sora a sticky-note, unreadable scribbles except one word: “thanks.” Kyousuke grumbles, but he slaps Sora on the back with fake anger. There’s a sly hint of kindness too. Every class fights, right?
But then, a shifting shadow at the entrance. A teacher pulls Sora aside—old exam papers in his hand. He whispers, “Where did you get these answers?” Have you ever stood accused just as you proved yourself? Fade out before reply, faces tense in the air. 
What happens next? Did classroom rivalries hide something deeper? Or was it all a misunderstanding hurled into chaos by the stress of tests? Guess we’ll find out—if Sora gets his words right at last. Can you already see how exams push everyone’s weak spots?
