Gifted Academy: The Perfect Student

I gazed upon the notification of the impending exam on my phone. My mind began to process the information that had been presented.

I calculated the weighting of each subject, with mathematics and English carrying the most weight at one hundred marks each and subjects such as geography and history carrying significantly less at sixty marks each.

I also took into account the harsh penalties for a failing grade, which included a score less than twenty per cent on any one exam, a total score less than one hundred fifty, or being caught cheating.

Then I quickly calculated the maximum possible score for the upcoming midterms, exactly five hundred seventy-five.

I then began to think about my own score. I also considered the rewards for scoring above 200, an additional 10,000 points. I decided to aim for an exact score of 201 to get those points.

As I was thinking, a notification on my phone caught my attention.

-

To: Mizuhara

From: Hamasaki Aiko

We're going to begin our study session tomorrow after class. Please don't leave the class immediately.

-

I briefly skimmed the message and decided that a response was not necessary. My group consisted of Hamasaki, Kobayashi, Shinichi, Kato and myself. We had been assigned to the last group, group seven, and would be utilizing room six in the library for our studies.

I found myself with nothing to do. Without any particular interest or motivation, I decided to prepare a simple meal for myself. I ate and then went to bed, not giving it much thought.

The next morning, I woke up and went through my usual morning routine before heading to class. As I arrived at the classroom, I found it to be empty. I nonchalantly tossed my bag onto my seat before deciding to take a leisurely stroll, mostly within the confines of the schoolyard.

I made my way into the library. I stumbled upon Kanako diligently poring over her books. And she was not alone. As my footsteps echoed through the chamber, their eyes immediately turned towards me, their expressions a mix of curiosity and surprise.

I cast a fleeting glance towards them before I proceeded to saunter forward. I walked through the rows of bookshelves, my eyes scanning the titles in search of something to occupy my time. I selected a few books, their spines worn and well-loved, and made my way to a secluded corner of the library.

Settling into a seat, I placed the books on the table in front of me and opened the one I had been holding, ready to lose myself in its pages.

**

As the final pages of my book came to a close, I carefully marked my place before closing it. Rising from my seat, I meticulously returned each book to its proper location on the shelves. As I made my way back towards the classroom, the halls began to fill with the activity of students.

"Geh, I don't want to study together with them."

"You gotta pay the points if you want to skip them."

"Nope, it's better just to spend my points for the extra marks. I'm just gonna sit and play with my phone."

"Hahaha."

By the time I returned to my seat, the room was awash with the chatter of my classmates. And as the teacher strode into the room, the din gradually dissipated as all eyes turned towards the front of the class, ready to absorb the lesson of the day.

"I trust that you have all reviewed the material and are prepared to participate in the interactive exercises we will be conducting today. Now, let's begin by reviewing the concept of derivatives. Who can provide me with an example of a derivative in action?"

With that, the lesson started. I paid it little mind as the lesson progressed. Time seemed to crawl by, each second an eternity, as I sat through the hour-long class. As the bell finally rang, signalling the end of the lesson, I remained seated while my classmates bustled about, gathering their belongings and making their way out of the classroom.

I watched as Hamasaki efficiently gathered the members of our study group. She approached me. Her voice was laced with a hint of impatience.

"Make sure you come to the library, alright? We've booked it," she said, her words more of a command than a request.

"Of course."

I replied as Hamasaki walked off to gather the rest of the members. I stood up and made my way towards the library.

Upon entering the designated room, I found that two members, Shinichi and Kato, were missing.

Their absence was noted by Hamasaki with a slight frown.

"Let's just sit down and wait for them," she said, taking a seat at the table.

I followed suit, sitting next to Kobayashi, who had already begun to pull out a plethora of textbooks and notes. We sat in silence, waiting for Shinichi and Kato's arrival and the start of our study session.

As the clock ticked on, the members of the study group grew restless. They had been waiting for nearly half an hour, but their missing member had yet to arrive.

"I say we just start without them," Hamasaki suggested, her voice laced with a hint of frustration.

Kobayashi nodded in agreement, her hands busily organizing her books and notes on the table before her. "It's pointless to wait any longer. If anyone needs a book, feel free to grab one."

Hamasaki agreed, and the group began to delve into their studies. But just as they were getting into the flow of things, a sudden sound of an open door interrupted their focus. All eyes turned to the newcomer, but I couldn't tell whether it was Shinichi or Kato from just a quick glance.

"You're late, Shinichi," Hamasaki said, her tone terse.

"Yeah, you could have at least told me the meeting time.".

"I did send you a message about not leaving class immediately," Hamasaki replied with a roll of her eyes. "But you are not in class-"

"Sorry, didn't check my phone," Shinichi replied nonchalantly, taking a seat beside me.

"Well, it's fine now that you're here," Kobayashi interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "We're about to start anyway.

"Yeah, let's just get this over with. But next time, make sure to let us know if you're running late."

As the study group settled in and began to delve into the material, Kobayashi couldn't help but notice the conspicuous absence of one of their members, Kato.

She turned her gaze towards Shinichi, her voice laced with curiosity as she asked, "Wait, where's Kato?"

Shinichi scowled, his tone tinged with annoyance as he retorted, "Do you think I'm friends with that guy?"

"Oh, um, sorry."

And with that, the group settled into their studies, with Kato's absence. As minutes ticked on, Shinichi suddenly spoke.

"I can't believe we're wasting our time on this pointless exercise."

"Pointless? Are you serious? This is the midterm we're talking about," Hamasaki replied.

"Please. I haven't failed a test in my life. I don't need to waste my time on this."

"Well, not everyone is naturally gifted as you," Kobayashi interjected, her tone sharp.

"Oh, and what are you going to do? Study harder? That's not gonna cut it."

"At least we're trying," Hamasaki shot back.

"Trying? You call this trying? This is just a waste of time."

"That's enough," Kobayashi cut in, her voice trembling. "We're here to study, not to argue. Can we please focus on the task at hand?"

"We can if you all follow me. We should insert a break time per five minutes, I'll bring my snack, and we can share it together."

"Are you stupid or something? A break every five minutes? That's the real waste of time."

Despite some arguments, they continued their study.

I couldn't help but ponder on Shinichi's seemingly carefree attitude towards the midterm. Was Shinichi hiding some sort of secret strategy, or was he simply overconfident?

I can't tell why for now, but time surely would tell.

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