Thursday. Night.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PpYO8bWDf
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Let’s see… If I divide this by this, then I move the result to the other side… oh, I have to change the sign of the number from positive to negative… right?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qGa1Pc6R6
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Focused…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TpVvuYWS9
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The note says I have to… okay… now to just solve the other side…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfTme9eAj5
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I was very focused…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbdXvV68lA
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Eleven… umm… and negative 6… so I subtract…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3Jy1eyrN7
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I felt my world compress into my desk… studying…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oBX8EjQ9i
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“The answer is five… x is equal to five.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IpnXRivGQ
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I blinked… was it right? Did I get it? It felt like I was right.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8w2lJyn6wy
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4POGPsOI6
Carefully, I scanned my desk. My solution notebook was in the middle, right in front of me, Kuroiwa’s math notebook he gave me was on its left, and my math practice exam test paper sat on its right. I did manage to finish a problem that I wasn’t able to solve, but how would I know if I was right?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOSN9Da28G
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Oh…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdtKFRaarU
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I remembered the correction note Hina gave me last week when she, Mika, and Yui were teaching me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYidwe7RukC
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPDwr9DGna
My hand automatically opened the drawer below my desk. The notebook revealed itself. It was the first thing I saw. I took it out from the drawer and started flipping its pages.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7kgNQD0SY
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Midterm practice exam, math test, problem number five… found it!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5plrmBQ5Yf
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I immediately checked. I analyzed the solution first and compared it to mine… they looked similar. My eyes drifted towards the answer.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FSEQBRcig
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“YES!” I accidentally shouted. But who cares. I raised my hands in excitement, so fast I almost threw away Hina’s correction notebook. Right now I felt like I won a gold medal at the Olympics.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGeKKaHD6Z
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I heard footsteps outside my door.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD4sZMOgkt
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Oh no… I thought and hurriedly placed my math test paper inside my desk compartment. I closed it.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1UKqZWs9Q
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I now cared that I shouted. I shouldn’t have shouted...45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqel7uUOn63
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Three knocks.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaoLLiu6yX
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“Runa, I always told you not to be loud when it’s late.” My mom appeared when she opened my door.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOYbW5C9vN
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“I’m sorry,” I said, the smile on my face was still lingering.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6y7gtabuh
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“What are you doing?”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUlyAGUIts
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“I’m trying to study.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0j3RHYShB
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My mom looked at me, then she looked around the room.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcrqdD1beM
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“That reminds me,” she said, “You haven’t shown me the result of your practice midterms exam yet…”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRI9oH0PuW
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I choked for a bit. My smile turned from a victory celebration to a worried, she might find out, kind.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR29pj4PcEN
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“Ah.” I let out without meaning to. “I forgot it at school. I’ll just show you my midterms exam later instead… after it’s done.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIG4RsVOyBa
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I tried… I tried to make excuses. I had done it so many times in the past, but I was still not used to it.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeVDbiRfvu
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She stared at me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mIMM4yK8D
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“Alright then,” she replied. “Make sure you show it to me afterwards, okay?”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4Wb77E58i
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“Okay.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJM1GpVV2A
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She smiled at me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLZiaBaBWG
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“Well, do your best in studying. I thought I would ask you to come watch Reaching for the stars together tonight, but I guess you’re busy right now.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVm5zjXtNca
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I smiled back.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkixAs3w77F
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“Okay, Mom, enjoy your show.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimNf8dS1MF
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She closed my door carefully.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hmcdv7ZFe
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Finally, I was able to breathe.
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I suddenly felt tired. I glanced at my bed…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFCsrzBxNv
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It was tempting me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vnvHyHauW
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So I launched myself toward it, bouncing once on the mattress.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDZZv0Op7b
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I turned around to face the ceiling then tilted my head towards the clock standing on my desk.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBxev2VmVA
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9:47 pm45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAynFBx3GSz
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It was already this late. Normally, I would still be with my mom in the living room watching dramas together, but lately I hadn’t been able to do so.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuftXVOMQQd
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I grabbed my phone lying just above me and turned the screen on.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNKvGUnJhF
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Five notifications from our group chat.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3wIxcoJpm
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It was Yui and Mika…
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbyqsaDVxI
Yui: Runa~~45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1kObMNewb
Yui: Runa!!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxAnbH8X1U
Yui: RUNAAA!?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYGFRbY7PS
Mika: Yui, it’s late!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSlzqDvlAS
Yui: MIKAAAAA!!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKo8rFz5Ity
Yui: HINAAAAAA!!! 😭😭😭45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQdyKNUB3f
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I giggled quietly.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUtqkwdSdH
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Hina: You called?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC7j2MQYxU
Yui: Hina!! Runa is ignoring me. 😭😭😭45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkQstDmMNZ
Yui: And Mika is being Mika again!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMOkpbZrMu
Mika: Hey! What do you mean by that?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oLLsvCWGx
Yui: Love you. 😘😘😘💕💕💕45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzn09eJwzU
Mika: That’s not an answer. And it’s not a magic phrase to avoid a question.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Wo0oKglaO
Yui: Ehehe~~ 😉😉😉45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8jFcr2NaB
Mika: I’m sleeping, it’s late.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEi5ofDWvB
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I almost lost it laughing before I’d even typed anything.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyX5ow8o6r
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Runa: I’m alive Yui, I was studying.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SKqFGrmfM
Runa: Wasn’t ignoring you, sorry 🥺45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Pntt7vhbi
Yui: Yay Runa!🎉🎉🎉45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqy0OiG4Zq9
Hina: How did this afternoon go?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyj4RvfYAaq
Mika: It went quick actually, she went into the building, ten minutes later came out with notebooks in her bag and one in her hand.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMRrjDan6n
Yui: Ooh, spoils of war. 👀👀👀45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19eLpPuGbw
Runa: We didn’t go to war.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0PywEcuGM
Yui: Sure. 👍45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu0YiYr86R
Yui: Anyways. Tell me Runa.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZfFtWfDvP
Yui: Is he cute? 😊😊😊45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD44Nftu52m
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Runa: What?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIan6pLRx2L
Mika: WHAT!?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZCbJi91OB
Hina: 😂😂😂45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqfelkLiBC
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Yui: I mean. You’ve seen him.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWsjUvwlUI
Yui: Up close.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSR6HsZ1fn
Yui: Twice now.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SdVhzv1c4
Runa: As far as I know, you’re not blind.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTmctg2gEX
Runa: Use your own eyes.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEufr3wSgoi
Yui: I prefer to use them on more important matters. 🔍🔍🔍45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK84TiVNNrT
Mika: I’m sleeping.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM25o39MCQ1
Yui: Second time you said that. 😂😂🤣🤣45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPLZ6cnRhs
Mika: I AM. SLEEPING.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuPXb5nwVf
Yui: Third time~~ 😘😘45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyvxxtVS72
Yui: Anyways.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZOdvrhHcm
Yui: Is he?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgHWNwlVwO
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Runa: Hmm. I guess. If you look closely. 🤔45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ky71fE5uJ
Yui: Did you fall for him? 😍😍😍45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrh4tOArNyH
Runa: What? No.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvf8N6q8PQr
Yui: Really?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXuJHJpkZN
Mika: She said no.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1z1gsPGKYO
Yui: You’re not sleeping Mika~~ 👀👀👀45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lgyOPyrWo
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I could practically hear Mika sighing through the screen. I giggled.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJutNlnAe3e
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Mika: How would she fall for him? They just started talking recently. And he’s not some hottie you fall for at first sight.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCSfCG9wIL
Yui: hottie?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vWQI6bKND
Runa: Oh wow, you know that word Mika?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGM8ZQKPOu
Mika: What do you mean?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GyClwolAw
Yui: We thought.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMq1mAZSz2z
Yui: You wouldn’t know.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMPZOezw5d
Yui: Since, you know.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2bNsQ0J7T
Yui: You’re like a dinosaur.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6UtLTVh3e
Mika: What!?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpUIevr9cD
Runa: Yui that’s a bit too far.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7LeSkQWl3
Runa: Mika’s more like born in Edo period.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCs1tovUsPw
Mika: First off. We’re all the same age. I was born sixteen years ago not hundreds.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTgaix9rwh
Mika: Second, calling me a dinosaur is uncalled for, Yui.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukn23GYRG1
Yui: Hehehe~~ ✌✌✌45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TjZRT06IZ
Yui: Love you. 😘😘45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwn5Jit68Ik
Mika: And third, Runa, do you really think I look like I could be born in Edo period?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxMGRi2XKF
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I couldn’t object. She did knew about how to look cute and pretty. It was just not very common for her to say words like “hottie”.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoPx5vRDe6
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Yui: Mika!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5p7HWNaBu
Yui: You’re derailing the topic! 😤😤45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6moy05pGDK
Mika: It wasn’t me!?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMr0GuDGXp
Mika: Oh my god, fine, this time I really am going to sleep!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsyAXIGnLn
Mika: Yui, I will see you tomorrow…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQgLQ2LAtI
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Mika went offline immediately.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnekH3g2y0
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Yui: Uh oh. 😱45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdNu3m06qI
Yui: Anyways~~45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3x7tfxa2kE
Yui: Runa? So did you? 🤭🤭🤭45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsto11kNb9
Hina: You heard Mika.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsjMJ5fLZL
Yui: Fine…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDk5YPHppm
Yui: But still.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRVpRDtDEo
Yui: Don’t you think.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3t30avF1O8
Yui: It’s possible?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XZOLaqRn4
Runa: I don’t think so…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlLkz0YZAH
Yui: I mean…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhdoT5wjLK
Yui: A fair maiden needs help.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTkiuNcKxx
Yui: Then comes the shadow prince.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCzfEzhlGd
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Shadow prince? Who?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVp85n9Ig3
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Yui: Rescued her.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5kd1zHgSh
Yui: Then they fell in love.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1HH9Dryfk
Yui: Just like in a fairy tale~~ 🥰🥰🥰45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12hKLzFwW1
Runa: No.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZkF21p4wj
Hina: No~~45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUglTd8WEC
Hina: I bet Runa is grateful to Kuroiwa.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQvmrqcepG
Hina: But that doesn’t mean she’ll fall for him.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnp5XPcXIr
Runa: Exactly.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWN5TMl4B5
Yui: BOO!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnyDxolDs3
Yui: BOOOO!!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzwiEjnorz
Yui: You’ll regret it. 😤😤😤45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUd0cjyXRO
Yui: I warned you.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1x3CHWBAkf
Yui: You’ll regret it not listening to me. 😤😤😤45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZytrJpsj7q
Yui: When you actually fall for him!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLTHQ0101G
Runa: I’m not.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuq4kfqpxGu
Runa: We’re just going to study. 😑😑45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMfObOn7KO
Hina: It’s late Yui.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IhHm5akIf
Yui: Okay, Mom. 👀👀45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSy4bQuTw4D
Hina: Goodnight sweetie~45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeC2hrOi3gp
Yui: Goodnight 😇😇😴😴45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc55p5W74vL
Runa: Goodnight!45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCZ1RPFcKj
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I turned the screen off.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqAR8RYs28
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Love.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5p4hsRPD7x
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I hadn’t thought about that word in any real way since middle school.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1cVLcKUp5
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVxHvfsIVo
I got up, tidied my desk, stacked the notebooks neatly, and turned off the light.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5KFS8lfd7
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAvLoHnIIi
My eyes stared at the math notebook Kuroiwa wrote for me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPtCC79U5G
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfYa3GX3h1
I smiled.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0vnWaccE3
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The way I was able to solve a problem I couldn’t during the practice exam still lingered in my head.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYcupPRQO8
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I went to bed.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16Soc7AdYs
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Then I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of thinking how a gold medal would fit around my neck.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mEaUKDsDK
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Friday. Second period. Gym class.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZf59a08qHm
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I bent over slightly, hands on my knees, catching my breath when Suzuki-chan finally blew the whistle.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0imwxPc0jJ
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I stood up, wiped the sweat from my forehead and headed towards the corner of the gym.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHf0iLsG3J
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Hina, who came from the other side of the volleyball net, walked with me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnwgs6CEu8
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One set of a volleyball match had made me quite tired. But Hina didn’t look like she was.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oIA2B5CCX
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClqT9hRkHg
Her skin glistened a little while she wiped her sweat off, but she still looked put together. Composed. Like she’d been doing something significantly less strenuous than playing a full-effort volleyball match.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhVi9VPMsM
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We played against each other. My team lost.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1B37RN0WL
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I tried to win. I gave my all. But I couldn’t compete against Hina.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPe1ht6DcLv
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She looked at me while we were walking and I stuck my tongue out at her. Just a little. Playful. Pretending I was bitter about losing.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1B6FRXQO2
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I wasn’t, really. It was just instinct. My instinct didn’t enjoy losing regardless of how I actually felt about it.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRIeZuuchE
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I stared at her.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9Pz5hSPBH
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Beautiful. Smart. Athletic.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbch6bQUnvg
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On top of all those, she was mature. She also had a great figure.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdtq0fS0Zx
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I smiled. I had always thought she was special. And I had always thought ever since we met when we were in fifth grade of elementary that I wanted to become like her.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnV7imosd1c
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I didn’t become like her. But I was glad we were still friends.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6D2ZSTyK1S
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We sat down at the corner, finally.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl59U2Xq3hy
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I looked back to where the volleyball court was and I saw Mika and Yui preparing for their match. They were on opposite teams. Mika looked really fired up. Like she was about to teach some kind of lesson to her opponents. Probably because of what happened last night, but I saw her frown when she looked at Yui.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUieTFIdbp
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Yui joked around with her teammates and was laughing. Unconcerned. She saw Mika staring at her. Gave her a wink and stretched her hand towards Mika to make a peace sign with her fingers.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0AnHhaBno
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I bet Mika didn’t like that. It showed when she closed her eyes and gripped her hand tight.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUW0YiR0jN5
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Hinano-chan was the one who acted as a referee this time. She walked to the middle of the court and tossed a coin.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7a0dxMBuv
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Yui’s team got to serve first.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSz2Kl4xDD
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While I was in the middle of getting swept by how entertaining this match could become, I finally remembered. The math question from last night I wanted to ask Hina ever since this morning. And I felt this moment was a great opportunity to ask.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1ErN47X27
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I turned toward her.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOJzap4SgR
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Her eyes were focused. It wasn’t at me. It wasn’t at Mika and Yui.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sU06uoQmp
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I followed her gaze and saw what she was looking at. It was at the opposite side of the gym. A match between the boys. And there I saw him. I saw everyone around him.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkQOCvEiJQ
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I saw the orange ball the boys were chasing around and a board that was high around both ends of the area they were playing at.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvHgWVHcs9
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Are they playing basketball? I thought they were. Probably.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS47v4fdDpp
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Kuroiwa was there. Running back and forth but no one paid attention to him. He caught the ball mid-air. And then everyone around him stopped. They just turned around and stopped moving.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxC08lEJpeN
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“Their match is getting interesting,” Hina said. Without me asking.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaEgTKCTkW
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“...Is it?” I asked.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIGtM0DmNp
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She didn’t answer. But I wondered, briefly, if she actually understood basketball at some level, being as athletic as she was.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqPrWHeoIp
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I continued watching. I wondered what Kuroiwa was going to do, now that the ball was in his hands. Somehow I was expecting him to do something incredible. Was I? I think it’s more like I was curious since he looked like someone who could do everything.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Xapju9yAS
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOdGVBytDz
He bounced the ball once, twice, and jogged. At his usual slow pace. In his usual unhurried ways. No one was in front of him, there was no resistance at all. And then he reached the far end of the court. He threw the ball toward the circle thing with a net.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rRpXXQr6H
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It didn’t go in.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lMaqqsiiE
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That was unexpected...45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7G5Ez1pwuk
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The moment it bounced away, everyone resumed moving. Someone grabbed a new ball and the game continued… Like nothing had happened.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHV0EqxGmWu
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“There’s a rumor,” Hina said, leaning slightly toward me, “that if you touch the ball after he misses, you get bad luck for the rest of the day.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8eVAlwfiF
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I stared at the ball that no one picked up. It was still rolling away from everybody, toward the edge of the gym, untouched.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpwW4XmzgD
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“...That’s ridiculous,” I said.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cI474ESvB
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“Right?” Hina agreed easily. “People will say and believe anything. All because someone looks a little different.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsbhGTcdWh
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I didn’t respond right away.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7Qp3ZR4z3
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Well, a week ago, I was one of them too. So I really couldn’t judge anyone. Otherwise I would just be a hypocrite. All I knew was what I knew about him, but I was glad that at least, at this point, I stopped believing any of those exaggerated rumors.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZJjC1MkGK
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But it was not like he was suddenly not scary anymore.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKhvo4ABua
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I contemplated on that for a bit.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5Cca3X9Go
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Hina smiled at me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxmUj6sxdx
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaAohNCBCk
“But you’re different now, right?” I wondered if she could actually tell what I was thinking.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEOKtLZUg5
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I nodded.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4KQ9auc3Z
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“Yeah.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNgQ7IZwrL
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“You know, there’s a lot of difference about knowing someone, talking to them, and not caring at all.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBerzQHVd23
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“I know.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN1GPmeMhA
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“Now that you’ve talked to him, it doesn’t mean that you know him entirely, but at least because of that, I know you can’t imagine such rumors to be true. Since, you know, he’s human.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQqPLMMbiZ
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I stared at her for a moment. Her smile never faded. She always knew what to say. Always.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYXRrK7R21
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“Look,” she said, gesturing toward the ongoing basketball match.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFCFUfpM22
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I turned around. It seemed like Kuroiwa caught the ball accidentally again. And just like last time, everyone around him stopped moving and stopped looking.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzzvs2f0kS
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He bounced the ball like he did earlier. Tried to run…45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIavk4TFrZ
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Then slipped.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fv981uxFj
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He fell to the ground. His face on the floor.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITUZYTBlTS
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The ball went out of the area where they played and everyone continued to move again. Someone got another ball and then they resumed.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgN2thyujZv
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Hina giggled.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDwzASrR5J
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“He’s actually pretty clumsy, huh.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy72Qp1uL1Z
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“Yeah.” I agreed, smiling.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbe2eAICs32
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Lunchtime.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsihpMXosYT
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Same spot on the rooftop.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxA46TgaFW
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We were already finished eating and packed our lunch boxes in our bags. But there was apparently one piece of business still that I needed to do inside mine.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwpOY9NF3i
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Hina requested to see the notebooks Kuroiwa gave me. Then Yui got curious. Which made Mika also want to see them.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSI6ERAQ9B
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I sighed.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctxYXHSAQ6
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I took three notebooks out. Math, science and English. I couldn’t take the others because if I did, my shoulder would definitely complain about the weight and would retaliate with pain later. And I was already getting a lot of other pains in other places lately, specifically my back.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhLejKTTNW
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What I took were only the ones relevant to the subjects we were getting lectured on today.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiB5T0vf2nk
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I presented the notebooks to them.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPmMZeR20n
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Hina immediately took math.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oNsoblvhA
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Mika wanted science.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlncuB3zu1C
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And Yui just took what was left.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsE6NwIKGRz
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I watched their faces.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2KUGcsP2p
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Yui’s eyes were doing that sparkly thing. I genuinely couldn’t tell if it was about the notebook itself or about whatever fantasies she started narrating in her mind.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStzfbkt34j
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“Lo—”
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“No,” I said, before she got past one syllable.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPpVi5VEeH
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SP0EHWwPA
I looked at Mika instead. Her face was so focused that I felt if I called her name she wouldn’t even hear me. She was analyzing what was inside, something that I felt last night, checking the notebooks myself, would definitely catch her eyes.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbjRhh2i8g
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygNulnT0lS
The whole structure of the notes. The labeling, the way everything was organized, like the way she wanted to make her notes look. Whenever she showed me hers, she would always complain that she couldn’t organize them as neatly as she wanted to, even though they looked perfectly neat to me. Explanations everywhere, detailed remarks on what was important to remember and what was not. Contexts and simplified words to actually make definitions easier to understand. Kuroiwa made them all. He wrote them all.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEz8W4ECgH4
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I could see it in her eyes. And I could guess that she was memorizing everything and would try to do the same with her notes from now on.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TJCT7dm74
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Finally, I looked to the person sitting beside me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMwo7dGn1z
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Hina.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1VHMSO1dT
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“This is amazing,” she said. Quiet. Like she wanted to be the only one who heard it.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKOTVbGH9N
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WeZRUr9BG
Her expression was something I never thought I would see in her face. It wasn’t analytical like the way Mika was, or even creating fantasies over her head like Yui did. Hers was different. There was reverence in it. Like she was looking at the rarest treasure in the world.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcEBEqy44k
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She turned a page.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL258i7eSa
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“This part… this is where I got it wrong on the practice exam.” She lifted a hand slightly, almost covering her mouth. “Oh. So this is how you’re supposed to do it.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZsLRUcp5v
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She stayed on that page a moment longer, and then turned to me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9sfRq7y87
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“Runa.” Her voice was careful yet urgent. “Can I borrow this for five days? No! Three days, three days is enough.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93aWcJOymA
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Three days?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWmgVjU0tZ
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“No!” I said, instinctively.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuBGCMlk4P
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMgwsiScZc
“Why?”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOt7LzY7Rd
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Why? Because I need it. Obviously.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiXuPMW5zA
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“Just one day, then.” She kept going.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TUW1Tg5Bv
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“No,” I said again. Firmer.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQI7dCMs3l
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“Please.” She almost bowed her head toward me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UepupklIr
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“Hina, you don’t need it,” Mika cut in.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9iMfCgoVu
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“But look at this—” Hina turned to show Mika the page.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOD930BZrxO
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“I know,” Mika said, before even fully looking. “It’s well organized. It’s easy to understand and it explains the mistakes we made during the practice exam. For both of us it would feel like — like someone wrote down exactly what we needed and handed it to us from above.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FWPFk7BCH
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpB2cX40IGU
“If you already understand it, then—”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tpLvKDghF
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“Runa needs it more than you do, Hina.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpuAuAX5Tn
45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jKAJHRrGE
Hina looked shocked. She stared at Mika for a second, she probably couldn’t believe she wasn’t taking her side.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEBwF3JySI
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She lowered her head, defeated, and handed the notebook back to me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnr8tRF6Kby
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“Take it before I change my mind,” she said.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudQ6pvClnC
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“That’s not really your decision to make,” I said, gently but firmly, taking it from her before she could reconsider anything.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZ0kuPxruG
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I put it in my bag. Immediately. Safely.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFA2dogg31
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“He wrote this? And there are six more of these besides the one brought?” Yui asked.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCPd5fHa9P
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“Apparently,” Mika answered for me. “And apparently he didn’t even sleep so he could write them.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9GAeQEHF3
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“Without sleeping!?”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGTqMmj0dn
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Yui’s voice made me regret telling Mika the second part.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryvxCFcaS5
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“Wow.” Yui held the English notebook up toward the sky with both hands, like she’d unearthed something sacred. “For someone he barely knew. He did it. For you.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G1AclKJgg
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I sighed. I didn’t need to look at her to know that statement was aimed directly at me.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡug5PmVyWul
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“To help me study.” I clarified whatever she was assuming it could mean.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUvUIjiUQY
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I held my hand out for the notebook. She handed it over carefully.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwJmICkZa2
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“That’s not the only reason,” Yui continued.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzttHqgcQys
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“It’s the only reason.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcxlFcyJSC
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To be honest, I didn’t fully understand it either. He did and said a lot of things I couldn’t make sense of. But he’d told me it was to help me, and at this point I’d decided to just take his word for it, because I didn’t want to spend the entire time studying with him, trying to figure out what was on his mind.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvmqflERSA
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“So you’re saying he just did this for no reason?” Yui shot back.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1X35wNnT0n
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“Hello? Helping me study is reason enough.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7a96megVZ
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“I doubt it. I think there’s more. And something is in the air that I can smell.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVpAcvrKj1
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She paused. Sniffed the air.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmjrf6srJb
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“I smell LO—”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLSfD7GLIa
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“NO,” I said and without meaning to, covered her mouth with my hand.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cGseIbSvN
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Yui was surprised and she freed herself immediately.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeI7VOOVAt
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“Don’t ever do that again!” she said then pouted.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EgrHunCxM
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Mental note. I would definitely do that again next time. The moment another opportunity came.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZMTYxZl77
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“Your hand smelled like garlic.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhzzgoJXck
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I blinked.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFCSNW9QlX
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“Excuse me!? I used my hand sanitizer after eating!” I took out my hand sanitizer again from my bag and used it. “See!”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9HfBWp7fU
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I stretched my hand toward her.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUj0DwHhv7
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“Smell it,” I said.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mDtWPRDfF
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“Nope, it still smells like garlic.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MDbNI3OMp
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My mouth opened.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVgibRMUvS
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Yui stuck her tongue out.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimIYazVOeI
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All I could bring myself to do at that moment was sigh, so I did.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1ZRsumUmz
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Fine… I’ll admit defeat this time.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9eHhhW1mp
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“Yui, you watch too many dramas,” Hina said softly.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtrWmCNFUd
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“I do. And I love them.” Yui said it with actual sparkle in her eyes.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgMBALelCX
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“Dramas are dramas. Reality is different.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEVIqhiQ3G
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“But the possibility is still there.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgfN97ZIrQ
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Hina just looked at her.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJezIN0fbkZ
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Even Hina was no match for Yui when she was being like this.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl72F7yfyNA
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“Fine.” Yui muttered, finally reading the room. “But mark my words. Don’t blame me when it actually happens. And if it does. I would grant you permission to call me,” she stood up, “the great Yuistradamus!”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktZUgY3jml
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“Definitely not,” Mika said, finally joining the conversation.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY65l68g4Uj
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She was so consumed by reading the notebook she had that I doubted she noticed what happened earlier except for what she actually noticed just then.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhcm0fjSYc
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Yui pouted but let it go.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqqcroTCpI
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Mika handed me the science notebook.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWyBLaU5YC
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“Here.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJjUTovNZS
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“Thank you.” I took it carefully and put it away with the others.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FU08ylXZz
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIXA8jG9hC
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Friday. Afternoon.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImX7g8oeNm
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This afternoon was different in one way. Mika wasn’t coming with me. I’d asked her, Yui and Hina instead for something else. I told them if my mom called and the session ran long, if they could say I was with them. Yui and Hina agreed instantly. Mika took half a second longer to consider for a bit, and I knew why. It was because she wasn’t really the kind of person who liked to lie. But then she nodded anyway.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnhfj8uJYd
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I’m sorry Mika. I thought. I would apologize to her properly next time.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCj4KTIVFR
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We split at the station. But I was the first to board the train. Going in a different way that I was finally getting used to over the past few days.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLopyLgkDl
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The walk felt different too. I was getting familiar with the street.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1wWOUujFy
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I would know where to turn now. In fact, my feet just did that for me. And if I saw the ramen shop, I would know that just about five minutes more and I would arrive at Kuroiwa’s apartment.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRYdQfUBya
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I passed the convenience store on the corner. Two minutes away.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY1Y2D7Vgd
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I thought about last night. I thought about how I felt when I finally got something right without guessing. I thought about everyone’s faces, especially Hina and Mika, when they saw what was inside the notebooks. And I got nine of them. All of them made for me so I would have a chance.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWgCW0Euvb
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This afternoon, I’ll do my best.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV02KLPH9Kn
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I turned the last corner. The building finally came into view.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6JF1mqp6Y
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And like a routine, I got in, pressed the intercom, went inside the elevator.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoi51i1s3Y
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Fifth floor like always.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0anxyRlrJj
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As I stepped out, everything from the past few days seemed to catch up to me at once. The anxiety building toward midterms. That Tuesday afternoon in the classroom. The first time I stood at his door. Every conversation with Mika, with Hina, with Yui. The notebooks. I’d only brought three today… but maybe I should’ve brought all six that he said we’re gonna use for midterms.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZuBYopr7O
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“It’s finally starting,” I whispered to myself, walking up to his door.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcO2woP9SDv
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I pressed the doorbell.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KfmpPyGOD
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Same as always. I waited for a few seconds.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXRpJYFoBD
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I felt small fluttering nerves around my stomach, looking forward to what this session would bring and also a bit of nervousness that I didn’t want to think about. Not right now. Not in this moment.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uWfUf2ZxI
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I took a breath.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPG2NxUAyu
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The door opened.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyyTlYp0wq
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I looked at him.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL37xpnknIC
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“Solve x squared minus six x plus five equals zero. By completing the square.”45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFPREOt65f
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I blinked.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8TdqoS7fa
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What?45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡro8DNGuzkk
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I wasn’t ready for all of this… This was not what I had been expecting.45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5u0yoCAPo
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This was not what I had been expecting at all!!
and then Add to home screen.