As a feasible plan took shape in her mind, Koharu Miura continued confirming information about the Borrowed Item Relay.
From the School Newspaper reports, it was clear the Borrowed Item Relay was indeed a project highly popular among students…
However, most of the comments were things like “It helps deepen relationships,” “You can cooperate with someone you like,” “I enjoy these two-person events,” and so on.
It was easy to see that students were mainly attracted by the interactive nature of this event…
After all, besides clothing and props, there were also requirements to borrow “people” to run with.
If a boy carried a girl in his arms and ran several hundred meters…
That was definitely a kind of contact hard to experience in ordinary student life.
Koharu Miura looked through some more related information, squinting as she returned the School Newspaper to its place.
This project really did seem full of potential.
***
In the following days, Koharu Miura kept an eye on announcements from the Athletics Committee, and eventually confirmed the provisional list of all Sports Day events on the school’s Forum.
Among the group fun activities, the name “Borrowed Item Relay” stood out.
This most-requested fun project over the years had made its way back into the Sports Day events list this year.
Having confirmed this information, Koharu Miura finally let out a breath of relief.
These past days, she had practically been building her plans around participating in the “Borrowed Item Relay.”
If it ended up being all for nothing, it would have been hard to recover the energy she’d put in.
…After all, it wasn’t enough to just prepare for Sports Day.
Almost simultaneously with the Sports Day announcements on the Forum, the school’s official Midterm Exams notice was also released.
Exam dates, subjects, make-up standards—all clearly uploaded in the official documents.
“There’s also Midterm Exams…”
Knowing that “at the very least, you can’t fail,” Koharu Miura felt a subtle ache in her head as she saw the notice.
It was hard to say whether she would pass the Midterm Exams if she kept not reviewing…
Though the science knowledge learned these days seemed easier than what she’d studied in high school originally, the liberal arts content was completely different.
Even if she could now casually write in Japanese, as for knowledge—
If you didn’t take the exam, there was no way to confirm if it was in your head at all.
Of course, if you really didn’t have it, that was an immediate fail.
“……Let’s give it my all for the Midterm Exams.”
With a renewed determination born from the desire “not to let make-up classes interfere with future actions,” Koharu Miura spent the next few days in relative peace.
She no longer racked her brains over how to create a “chance encounter” with Kanzaki Sou, nor did she let Kondo Haruka’s faint hostility unsettle her.
Sports Day plans were important, but she had to first get through the looming Midterm Exams.
***
As the exams approached, all students were enveloped in a heavy atmosphere of studying.
There was less laughter in the hallways; instead, students hurried by with books in their arms.
Kondo Haruka also seemed to visit the Library less often due to exam prep.
All these changes gave Koharu Miura a temporary sense of relief.
During this study period, the previously anxious Koharu Miura found herself able to focus entirely on the upcoming Midterm Exams, not worrying about anything else—
This helped her mental state greatly, and her unexpectedly solid grasp of liberal arts knowledge saved her a lot of trouble.
Maybe it was because “Koharu Miura” had always loved literature-related books…
The bookshelf in her room was filled with them, so her interests were clearly here.
To avoid being forced into remedial classes after failing and losing precious free time, the tense days before the exams flew by.
***
Even though she was focused on studying, Koharu Miura’s contact with Kanzaki Sou wasn’t completely cut off.
Besides Library Committee work, she would sometimes genuinely join the Study Group.
When working through problems in the Study Group, Koharu Miura sometimes felt that “studying” itself was the most reasonable and effective way she could currently maintain a connection with Kanzaki Sou.
Kanzaki Sou would sit in the center of the classroom, patiently explaining questions to other students;
Kondo Haruka would, as always, take the seat beside him, as if guarding her treasure.
Koharu Miura just needed to take a deep breath and pull herself away from Kondo Haruka and Kanzaki Sou’s affairs.
All she had to do was focus fully on preparing for the Midterm Exams.
Kondo Haruka couldn’t always stay by Kanzaki Sou’s side.
She herself wouldn’t let things develop in an unfavorable direction either.
However, to openly or secretly fight with Kondo Haruka at this time…
That wasn’t something Kanzaki Sou would be happy to see.
As long as she convinced herself of this, Koharu Miura could ignore the occasional voices from the two of them.
She would just find a seat neither too close nor too far from them, take out her prepared notebooks and reference books marked with various questions, and study seriously.
This time, she wasn’t pretending.
As a former university graduate, though the high school knowledge was a bit rusty, if she settled down, understanding and mastering it again wasn’t hard.
Using logical thinking beyond the high school level, she tackled the challenging, forgotten, and yet-to-be-mastered knowledge and questions one by one.
***
“Kanzaki-san.”
When Kanzaki Sou finished tutoring another student, Koharu Miura raised her hand.
“Sorry, about this physics electromagnetic field model… There’s a part I just can’t figure out.”
Kanzaki Sou walked over, and Kondo Haruka’s gaze immediately followed.
Koharu Miura ignored the burning stare, focusing instead on the diagram in her book and clearly stating her question.
Her problem was to the point, obviously well thought-out.
—Because she was serious.
Unlike Kondo Haruka, who came to sit beside Kanzaki Sou for her own reasons, Koharu Miura wasn’t here to keep an eye on anyone.
She genuinely wanted to study and pass the Midterm Exams with all her effort.
A gentle look flashed in Kanzaki Sou’s eyes.
He picked up his pen, drawing a mechanics diagram on the draft paper, his explanation calm and focused.
Their discussion stayed entirely on academic topics, with no unnecessary words.
Koharu Miura listened intently, occasionally asking key follow-up questions.
“Hey, Sou-kun~”
Just as their conversation was reaching its peak, Kondo Haruka’s voice intruded at the wrong time.
The girl with chestnut-red curls leaned over with her English textbook.
“What does this word mean? I looked it up in the dictionary but still don’t get it.”
Kanzaki Sou’s explanation was interrupted.
He frowned slightly, glancing at the word Kondo Haruka pointed to.
It was a very basic vocabulary word.
“Haruka, we just learned this word last week.”
There was a hint of helplessness in his voice.
“Try reading the context again.”
“Ugh…”
Kondo Haruka grabbed Kanzaki Sou’s arm.
Kanzaki Sou sighed, having no choice but to temporarily pause his explanation to Koharu Miura and turn to deal with Kondo Haruka.
Koharu Miura watched the scene quietly without saying a word.
She simply lowered her head and continued working through the previous problem, as if completely unaffected.
But she knew that the effect she wanted had already been achieved.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.