Vol. 3 Ch. 1 Ep. 13: The First Mock Exam

Good morning!

Good morning, Azusa! You look chipper today. ♥

Of course. It's important to start the day off well.

Let's not waste time. We have to brush our teeth, shower, and get changed into fresh uniforms.

Ugh, Azusa... Just ten more minutes.

Hnnngh... Morning already?

Come on, Hifumi. Koharu. It's time to wake up.

Ugh... Fine.

I'm up already...

I think our little Hifumi had a long night last night. It might take her a while to get out of bed.

It could be mental fatigue related to her responsibilities as our club president. Should we allow her to rest for longer than usual?

W-Wait. Where am I? How did I get here?

Good morning, Koharu. We're on breakfast duty today, so we need to hurry.

Wait, what?

The showers are this way. I'll help you wash, so follow me.

H-Hold on a second. Why...?

Aw. It looks like they're going to be bath time buddies after all.

Wh-Whaaat?! W-Wait. I can do that myself! You don't have to undress me!

Th-That's cold! Aaah! You're getting shampoo in my eyes!

Ah, sweet skinship. ♥

Sorry for the wait. Is everyone ready to get started?

I am! ♥

Hmm.

*sniffle* She saw everything... I've been exposed...

I was also without clothes. It's standard procedure. What's the problem?

Th-That's not the point! You're incorrigible! Don't you understand how to be gentle with someone...?

Would you like me to wash you next time, Koharu?

That's even worse! Anyone but you!

Guys, settle down...

P-Please don't remind me of how badly I overslept.

Never mind that! That's not what's important!

I need your attention!

...

Make-Up Work Club boot camp officially begins today.

We have a very long road ahead of us, and it will be easy to get discouraged...

...but think about it! We know what we must do!

The only solution is for each of us to pass next week's exam.

Hmm.

Right.

O-Okay.

...

That's why we're going to take a mock exam starting right now!

Mock exam?

Well, this is sudden.

I'll say! Why should we have to do that?!

Because our futures are on the line.

We need to know where we all stand before we begin studying for the second exam!

So to that end, I spent last night preparing this.

I made my own exam based on the questions and answer keys from last year's exams!

Sensei was able to get these for us and helped me last night. It should give each of us an idea how we'd score on the real exam if we were to take it right now.

We'll each have one hour. Max score is 100 points with the minimum passing grade being a 60. It's the same as a real exam.

And I'm going to take it with all of you, of course.

"Begin!"

...

Oh, this one takes me back. ♥

Gah... I know I've seen this before.

(That's it, everyone! You can do this!)

All right, Sensei, we're ready. Let us know our scores.

Hmm.

...

Well, then.

...

I was afraid of this. It's not looking good if we don't turn things around.

We're going to have to study nonstop if we have any hope of us each scoring 60 points next week!

Koharu and Azusa have to take the first-year exam, so I'm pairing the two of you together.

It will be up to me and Hanako to assist you. Didn't you have high grades your first year, Hanako?

Well, I did, but...

Don't worry. Sensei and I will track your scores and figure out why you've been struggling. We can do this together!

I want us to take mock exams like this from time to time moving forward.

...

I'm not going to allow us to fail. We're going to pass.

We have our goal, so let's keep working hard to achieve it!

(There's no time to sit around feeling sorry for myself. I have to do this! This is how I can help!)

Very well. I'll follow your lead.

I-If I have to.

I'm amazed at how you prepared this for us in so little time.

Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without Sensei.

Ah, I should have known this was your touch.

Oh, and it's not like I only prepared hard work for all of us. I also have prizes ready to award good grades on pop quizzes.

Let's see here...

Ta-da! Whoever gets the highest score will be awarded with some Momo Friends merch!

Momo...Friends?

Plushies?

...!

Y-Yeah, they're really popular lately. Surely you all have seen them.

Nope. I think it's my first time.

What?!

What is this one supposed to be? A pig? A hippo?

N-No! Peroro is a bird! Look, here are his wings! And his beak!

His eyes are annoying-looking. His name is weird too.

What?! I mean, sure, not everyone has to like Peroro, but look at all of his cute qualities...

Oh, now I remember. You have this Peroro on your bag and phone case, don't you?

It's the one that has its tongue hanging out, drooling like it's begging for something, right?

What?! Peroro has never done anything like that!

All the more reason to be prohibited.

Come on. Don't be like that...

(Stay calm...)

Azusa?

Cu...

"Cu"?

So cute!

...?!

...?!

Well, then!

I've never seen anything so cute! What is this round and fluffy-looking creature? A bird, you said?

His eyes... I can't read his expression at all! I can't tell what he's thinking, if anything!

Azusa...? You're starting to scare me.

There's nothing to be afraid of! She understands Peroro's cuteness! That's something worth celebrating!

What?!

And what is this long one called? Is it a salamander...? No, a giraffe perhaps. It looks like I could wear it as a scarf!

That's Wavecat. He's always doing a wave dance. And he did happen to get a neck pillow version recently...

And this? This tiny one?

That's Mr. Nicolai! He always gets bullied for saying philosophical things!

I also have a copy of Nicolai's Beyond Good & Evil, the first edition! Let me know if you'd like to read it later.

That sounds amazing! And you're giving these away? Can I pick?

Uh...yeah! You'll be able to pick whichever one you want!

...

...

*sigh* You leave me with no choice. With incentives like these, my only option is to score high marks.

Congratulations, Hifumi. You've successfully motivated your soldier. I'll complete this mission at any cost, and those strange fluffy-looking things will be turned over to my custody.

I'll be rooting for you. Good luck!

Heehee.

I can't tell who's having more fun right now: Azusa or Hifumi. ♥

It's creepy...