Without Haruto noticing two moths passend by, regulated by a routine that had come into existence after he made up with his cousin.
In the morning he would stand up at six 'o' clock with the ringing of his alarm clock.
After washing up and putting on his uniform he would go downstairs to the diningroom.
He was always the first one to arrive, and while he was eating, the rest of the family arrived.
They would greet each other befor everyone focused on eating theier meal.
Then he had finished breakfast, he would go get his school bag and wait in the enterance hall for his cousins.
At first, the three had taken theier bicycles to drive to school, but with the first ice they couldn't do that anymore, so Kazuya had started driving them with the car.
Another thing that had changed was the fact that they started wearing long-sleeved shirts and theier blazers.
Yoko had also started wearing tights beneath her uniform.
Once they arrived at school they would go to the classroom together and spend the time befor the teacher came talking with Naomi, Kanae, Yoshi and Minato.
Afterwards they had classes.
During the short breaks Haruto would read a book, but during lunchbreak they would eat together and talk.
After school ended they would go outside there Kazuya would pick them up and bring them home.
Afterwards, Haruto did his homework, befor going outside to take a walk at the beach or drive with his bicycle a bit.
Thought only the former was possible now.
The weather to had gotten a lot colder and while Haruto was waiting for his cousins inside the inner courtyard of his uncles house he blew on his hands to warm them up.
His cheeks were reddened from the wind blowing around him.
He looked up at the clean sky.
Even thought it had already gotten cold enough for water outside to freeze, the temperature had risen again soon after so it still had not snown yet.
Soon, it will.,Haruto thought.
That moment the door opened and his cousins came outside.
„Have you waited long?", Taro asked.
Haruto shook his head and the three went outside the courtyard and to the car parked infront of the villa.
Kazuya was already sitting on the drivers seat of the car, waiting for them.
They quickly entered it, since inside the car was a heating the head butler had already turned on.
He then drove them to school.
…
Once they entered the classroom Naomi greeted them with a big smile.
The cousins also said hi befor going to theier seats.
The classroom had four rows with each having five tables inside.
Kanaes seat was in the first line of the second row from the window.
Taros was only two seats behind hers but in the third row, with Yoshi sitting to his right.
Yokos seat was the second of the fourth row.
Minato sat two seats infront of Haruto and Naomis seat was right next to Harutos.
After Yano-sensei had entered and they had finished the usual greeting routine he said: „As you already know the new year holidays start in three weeks. Which means, that it's time for the end of trimester tests again. One short reminder: During the test week there are no afternoon classes. I'm going to announce the time for each examen now. First of all, on Monday in the first two lessons will be the math test, followed by the chemistry one. The last two lessons will be taken by the physics exam. On Tuesday you will start with biology followed by history and japanese. Wednesday are geographic, social studies and englisch. Thursday is packed with health science, japanese literature and art. On Friday are the exames in home economics, music and informatics. On the following Monday will be the sports exams, both the theoretically and the practical one. The following Tuesday is the regularly health checkup. That's it so far. Since you all already knew that the exams were coming soon, I'm sure you have all already studied hard but keep giving it your best until the exam period is over. Now, we will discuss the essay you should have written till today."
With that he continued the lesson.
Haruto, as always, payed close attention to the teachers words even thought he had already memorized all the school material during his countless lifes.
Still, it was just in his nature to be a good student.
The rest of the first half of the day passed by without anythingelse happening.
After lunchbreak had started they all sat down together and started eating.
„Ugh, I will defintly fail the math exam.", Yoshi complained, „I have been studying for two weeks already but I just don't get it."
„I'm sure most of the time you weren't actually studying but playing games, right.", Taro said grinning.
Minato nodded and to top Taros words off he said: „With how bad you are at school and with that attitude of yours you will not only fail math but all the exams."
„You are so mean!", Yoshi comlained, with a face as of he had just been beaten.
„But they are right.", Kanae answerd.
„Just because all of you get pretty good grades you can say this.", he grumbeld.
Naomi looked at him for a moment, befor a wide smile bloomed in her face.
She clapped her hands together.
„How about we form a study group and study all together. We could meet up this Friday evening or the whole Saturday long. We might not have much time left befor the exam, but we should use that time. So how about it?", she asked the others.
Yoshi agreed right away followed by Taro, Yoko, Kanae and Minato.
Haruto didn't say anything.
Studying together wasn't really something for him but he knew that he would just be forced to tag along either way.
And just as he had predicted, Taro agreed in his stead.
They decided to meet on Saturday at the twins house.
Then I should just use the time during the week to review the school material., Haruto thought.
…
Saturday came and the others rang the doorbell punctually on half past ten.
Taro leg them in and leaded them to the japanese styled living room.
Haruto was in the middle of helping Maya put some snacks on the table wich they could eat while studying.
Yoko already sat down.
After they had all taken theier materials out they started studying.
It wasn't as bad as in Harutos memory of the only time he studied together with others.
It had been a study group that he joined in one of his past life's during high school, but he left it again after that one meeting.
The other members had only played around instead of focusing.
Here, it was different.
They actually got some work done thought the others did play around a bit in between.
Then Minato was struggeling with a physic problem Haruto explained it to him, while Naomi explained a math formular to Yoshi and Yoko and Kanae were discussing a question in the englisch book.
Then they decided to take a break it was already lunchtime and Maya brought them Onigiri with different fillings.
After the meal they continued until seven.
Then the others went home Taro, Yoko and Haruto sendend them off and after a short dinner Haruto returned to his room to keep reviewing the school materials a bit longer.
…
Monday came and with that the first exam.
That day, befor sending them to school Hina, Daikaku, Maya and Kazuya wished them good luck.
And then the three entered the cousins theier friends also wished them good luck and they also wished it them.
Then, the exam started.
For the whole week during school absolute silence was inside the classroom only the sounds of pens scratching over paper could be heard.
But once the exam was over and the testpapers were being gathered all started asking the others how theier tests had gone.
That continued the whole week.
The only conversations were going like this: „Math was so hard." „Yeah, I know. I couldn't understand the second problem at all." „Didn't you need to use formular ab there?" „Nah, you needed the one dc." and so on.
Then the weekend finally came again Haruto let out a sigh of relief.
Now, only the sports exam and the regular health checkup needed to be done.
Haruto wasn't particularly worried.
He was good at sports just like how he was good with the other school subjects and he also already knew the outcome of the health checkup so there wasn't anything to be scared of.
Still, he felt uneasy, as if he had forgotten something important.
What could it be?, he wondered but he couldn't find the answer to that question.
…
On Monday, the sport exam went as Haruto had expected.
He had finished the written exam early so he had enough time to review it.
Then came the practical exam.
It was a 50-meter-sprint, a twenty minute endurance run and a ball game.
The students could decide if they wanted to play basketball or soccer to get theier grade.
Haruto had chosen basketball.
The health checkup the next day also went by as he had anticipated.
The only thing he learned was that he had grown two centimeters since the summer.
Besides that he was in good health, like the school doctor said.
On Tuesday of the last week befor the new year holidays the results for the exams were announced by posting the overall ranking on the bulletin board.
Haruto went together with the others to take a look.
„Out of 69 students I have reached the 52 place.", Yoshi said after he saw the the list hanging at the bulletin board.
„About you, Minato is on the 36 spot. Yoko has taken 28 place, Taro 16th and Naomi 4th. As for Kanae… your second."
Kanae frowend.
Until now she had always taken first place.
The others also looked at her befor Yoko asked: „Who is first then?"
„Haruto.", Yoshi answered after taking another look, his face full of disbelief, „Moreover he has a perfect score."
„What?", Kanae asked but befor the others could bombard Haruto with questions the bell rang and they needed to go back to class.
In the classroom, Haruto noticed how everyone was looking at him, half curious, half disbelieving.
Yano-Sensei cleared his throat and said: „I'm handing out the testpapers now. Please come here once I call you. Starting with Agari…Arifu…Atomaru…"
He continued, following the class list.
Kanae got her tests back first followed by the other students.
The friends also got theiers one after the other.
Yoshi was incredibly happy that he hadn't failed any of his tests even thought he was so bad in school.
After having been handed his exams Haruto sat back down and looked through them briefly.
He noticed that his running time in the sprint was slightly better then in his last life, but besides that everything was the same.
Then Yano-sensei had finished, a girl sitting in the middle of the second row raised her hand and asked: „Is it true that Kohara took first place and got a perfect score?"
Yano-sensei nodded.
Murmur started going through the class.
Everyone kept glancing at Haruto, wanting to know how smart he must be to achieve a perfect score in the difficult exams of the academy.
Haruto only looked at his testpapers.
All of them had 100 points written on them.
A smile hushed over his face.
Yes, he was happy that he had done well in the exams.
…
After school, the six friends went outside the building together.
Suddenly Kanae who was going in the front stopped and turned around to face Haruto.
„This time you have taken the top spot from me but next time I will be in first place again.", she said.
Haruto nodded.
Then he smiled slightly and said: „I will wait for the day you beat me."
After that, Kanae turned around and hurriedly left to go to her fathers car who had come to pick her up.
The others also dispersed, each going theier way after saying goodbye and the cousins went to the car in wich Kazuya was sitting who drove them home then.
…
Later in the evening Haruto was lying on his futon and looking at the ceiling.
In none of his life's had Kanae told him about her will to defeat him so clearly.
Only in one other life had she told him that she would defeat him.
I think, today was a good day, he thought befor falling asleep.