After the anticipated Valentine's Day and the worrying annual exams are over, for the first and second grade students, there is only more than a month of the third semester left, and there is nothing important at all.
Although the remaining time is dull, it is also relaxing. After all, there is no pressure from exams. Those who have a slightly longer-term perspective are already looking forward to the short spring break before the start of the next school year.
But every time they pass by the third-grade classroom, the empty scene inside reminds them: there is a group of students who have lived here for three years and are about to leave this school for real.
Walking outside the third-year Class A classroom with few people, Hikaru Takigawa took a breath slowly and turned around to go upstairs.
After Valentine's Day, more than a week has passed. February is coming to an end, and it will soon be the day for the Northeastern University entrance exam.
The time of separation is approaching step by step. Although Chunhai once comforted her by saying that she would soon get used to life without her sister, she would still uncontrollably fall into unspeakable loss before that time came.
Back upstairs, it was lunch break, and the first and second graders were very busy.
The atmosphere in the first-grade classrooms she walked along was as relaxed as ever. Except for her, no one cared about the third-grade students who were about to leave.
"Light~ are you coming to find me?"
"Takigawa, come in and sit for a while."
"What are you wandering about? Come and chat."
The greetings one after another filled the hole in her heart that she didn't know how to fill with anything else, and also propped up her smile again.
"Light doesn't hang out with us lately."
"Haha, I have something to do."
"Besides training, what else do I have to do, other than go home and spend time with my sister."
"This is the most important event."
"I really envy Takigawa-senpai, I also want to be the most important person to Hikari..."
"What can I say? Sayuri is the most important person to me now."
"Ahhhh."
The laughter of girls is her most precious spiritual food.
But...
Still not enough.
Saying goodbye to all the friends he met along the way, Hikaru Takigawa returned to the classroom of Class C of the first year and lay down on his seat.
"Chunhai..."
Naruse turned around, and Naoko on the other side also looked over.
"Hey, it's okay."
"..."
He glanced at her, turned back, and quickly turned back again.
"By the way, Mori Jian came to see you just now."
"Hey, Yiye?"
"Hmm."
"What happened?"
"She didn't say, you can ask yourself."
Hikaru Takigawa stood up and left the classroom again.
Arriving at Class E, Morimi was reading a book.
"One leaf."
She looked over and said, "Light."
"Chunhai said you want to see me if you have something to do?"
Morimi nodded and pushed up his glasses, "This weekend, Hikaru will go to Sendai with Sister Yue to take the entrance exam for Tohoku University."
"Yeah."
"I want to go with you." Morimi said, "There will be nothing else to do next. I also want to feel the atmosphere of the entrance exam."
Takigawa Hikaru was startled, then quickly smiled.
"Okay!"
"When will we leave?"
"Friday night."
Morimi nodded, "We should go there one day in advance, otherwise we will be too rushed in the morning."
What's more, February is still snowy and windy, and the train from here to Aomori or the Shinkansen from Aomori to Sendai may be affected and delayed.
"Will you go there after school on Friday?"
"Whatever."
"Then I'd better go home first."
"No problem."
After the time was agreed upon and there was nothing else to do, the two chatted for a while before Takigawa Hikaru returned to Class C.
"Kazuyo said he would accompany me to Sendai."
Naruse was a little surprised. After thinking about it for a while, he quickly understood.
"Does she want to feel the atmosphere of the university entrance exam in advance?"
"Yes. Harumi, do you want to come with us?"
"Forget it."
He shook his head.
"I don't have to feel."
Afternoon, library.
"Aren't you coming?"
Naruse looked away from the bookshelf next to him and looked at Morimi who was sitting inside.
"What?"
"Sendai."
She held the book he wanted to borrow, "Didn't Guang tell you?"
"Sister Yue's entrance exam? I said I won't go. It's okay to just accompany them there, but it would be a bit troublesome to stay there for two days. I don't want to go."
"Just feel the atmosphere of the entrance exam in advance." Morimi said.
Naruse shook his head, "For me, is this necessary?"
"No?" She looked at him, "Are you really planning to take the entrance examination to Jinta University?"
"No way?"
"Are you serious?" Morimi frowned.
Naruse also frowned, "Even if I want to get into Tokyo University or Kyoto University, there is no need to feel the atmosphere now."
"Oh. You are so awesome."
Her face turned cold, she said no more, picked up the book, scanned the barcode, and put her hands on the keyboard.
"Class and name."
"Hello..."
"Class and name."
"Class E of the first year, I see a leaf in the forest."
"..."
She glanced at him sideways, and then typed in the class name of the borrower.
Listening to the wailing of the keyboard, Naruse said: "Be gentle."
Snap!
After hitting the Enter key, she handed the book out expressionlessly.
"Please keep it properly and return it on time."
"Okay."
As the book was passed around, the two looked at each other and looked away at the same time.
What on earth are you angry about...the two of them thought to themselves.
After leaving the library and returning to the club upstairs, Shangzi and other members of the restoration department were chatting and doing their own things as usual.
"Then, she said..."
"Really or not, why is she so embarrassed?"
"I ignored her anyway."
"By the way, there is a concert at the Civic Hall on Sunday. Do you want to go and see it together?"
"Ah, I have an appointment that day..."
Looking at Naoko, Naruse sat down in the corner and opened the book.
Time passed slowly and the sky gradually darkened.
When he looked up again, he had read only half of the book he just borrowed, and only Shangzi was left in the department room in front of him.
"It's time to go home."
"Hmm."
The two packed their things, Naruse closed the door, and Naoko locked the door.
After going downstairs, Naoko was about to go out when Naruse stopped and looked deep into the corridor.
After a while, Morimi and several unknown girls walked out of it.
It’s time for the library to close.
When she saw him and Shangzi, she was stunned for a moment and walked over.
"Go back?"
"Hmm."
The three of them left the school together.
When the bus arrived, Naruse and Shoko got on the bus one after another. Across the aisle, Morimi sat next to them.
"Does Shangzi have time on the weekend?"
"..."
Naoko was startled, looked at Naruse and then leaned forward slightly.
"This weekend?"
Morimi nodded, "Yeah."
"I have nothing to do..."
"Then do you want to go to Sendai together?"
Naoko looked at Naruse again.
He took a breath and looked at her, "Why do you have to drag us along?"
"Because I think this is a rare opportunity - accompanying Sister Yue to take the exam, I can familiarize myself with various procedures in advance and understand the problems that may be encountered without having to bear the pressure of the exam."
Morimi looked at them, "Even if you and Shangzi don't plan to apply for other schools now, you shouldn't miss it...you have nothing to do anyway."
She paused.
"Two years from now, we will be the ones taking the exam."
Naoko pursed her lower lip and looked at Naruse again, and he looked at her too.
"Shangzi, do you want to go?"
She smiled and said, "I can do it."
That's not what your eyes say.
"Then go."
Naruse agreed and looked at Morimi sitting on the other side.
"Familiar with the atmosphere? No pressure?"
"Hmm."
"You only want to bring me together to share the pressure."