As the bell rang, signaling the end of homeroom class, Mizuha and her classmates let out a collective sigh of relief. Summer vacation was just around the corner, and excited chatter filled the room as students shared their plans.
Mr. Akihiko, their teacher, cleared his throat. "I know you're all excited about the upcoming summer vacation," he began, "but don't forget about the mid-term exams next week. Make sure you're prepared."
The classroom fell silent, all eyes on Mr. Akihiko. As he turned to leave, he paused at the door. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention – anyone who fails a subject will be attending remedial classes during summer vacation. Better not fail anything!" With a smirk and a chuckle, he left the stunned students behind.
Panic spread through the classroom. "Remedial classes? That can't happen!" one student cried out. "I can't fail any subjects. It'll ruin my entire vacation!" another lamented.
Mizuha couldn't help but laugh at her classmates' reactions. "Looks like everyone's a bit panicked about the exam," she remarked, walking towards Elly's desk. Shimizu joined them, looking concerned.
To Mizuha's surprise, both Elly and Shimizu wore worried expressions. "What's wrong with you two?" she asked, shocked. "Don't tell me you're panicking about the exams too?"
"Of course we're worried," Shimizu said, frowning. "Unlike you, who's perfect in most subjects during our mock exams, both of us have subjects we're weak in, you know."
Elly nodded, adding, "Japanese literature for me and mathematics for Shimizu-chan."
"Oh, right," Mizuha said, realization dawning on her face. "I forgot about that. You two do struggle with those subjects."
"Please help me, Mizuha-chan," Elly pleaded. "I don't want to go to remedial class."
Shimizu chimed in, "That's right, please help us. Don't you feel sympathy for your poor best friends?"
Mizuha grinned mischievously. "Alright, I'll do it for Elly, but Shimizu... are you really my best friend?"
"That's so mean, Mizuha!" Shimizu exclaimed. "Are you trying to get revenge on me for always teasing you and Hikaru? What a cruel person you are."
Mizuha laughed. "Sorry, sorry, I'm just joking. Alright, I'll teach you too."
"Really? Thanks so much, Mizuha-sensei!" Shimizu said, her face lighting up.
"Stop calling me that," Mizuha groaned. "It feels weird."
Turning to Elly, Mizuha asked, "By the way, Elly, why do you want me to help you? Besides me, Zul also has perfect grades, right? Why not ask him, since you two are so close?"
Elly looked a bit sheepish. "Actually, Zul has already been helping me. He's managed to help me understand all the other subjects, but not Japanese literature. Also, I don't want to rely on him too much. He's already done a lot for me."
"I see," Mizuha nodded, understanding. "So that's your reason."
As the three friends discussed their study plans, Elly's eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. She clapped her hands together, drawing Mizuha and Shimizu's attention.
"I've got it!" Elly exclaimed. "Why don't we have a sleepover at my house tomorrow night? That way, we can study together with Mizuha-chan as our instructor."
Shimizu grinned. "That's a great idea, Elly! We can motivate each other and take breaks together too. What do you think, Mizuha-sensei?" she teased, earning a playful glare from Mizuha.
"That's a nice suggestion," Mizuha said, looking thoughtful, "but is your family okay with this? Won't we be burdening you and your parents?"
Elly waved off her concern. "Oh, don't worry about it. My parents won't mind, and we have plenty of space to study together."
Mizuha nodded, relieved. "If you say so, then let's go ahead with it."
"Yeah, so it's decided, right?" Shimizu said excitedly.
"Yes," Elly confirmed. "We'll meet at my house tomorrow after school, okay? Don't forget to bring your study materials and pajamas!"
After that, all of them continue for school session learning until the launch break time arrived and they assembled at cafeteria as usual.
"I see, you guys are planning to have a sleepover for studying for the upcoming exam, huh?" Hikaru said, curiosity in his voice.
Mizuha chuckled. "Yes, both of them are begging me to teach them for their weak subjects."
Hikaru's expression turned wistful. "That must be nice, having a sleepover. I envy you guys. I wish I could join you too."
Shimizu's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Unfortunately for you, Hikaru, this is for girls only, and you're not invited," she said with a smug grin, chuckling.
"Tch, again with your teasing, Shimizu," Hikaru replied, looking a bit upset.
Shimizu couldn't resist pushing the joke further. "But, if you really want to join us, why not dress up like a girl? Maybe we'll consider it then," she said, barely containing her laughter.
Hikaru's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? You think I'd do that?! Crossdressing just to join you guys? That's never going to happen!" he exclaimed, his face flushing red with embarrassment.
The girls burst into laughter at Hikaru's flustered reaction, the tension of the upcoming exams momentarily forgotten. Even Hikaru, despite his initial indignation, couldn't help but crack a smile at the ridiculous suggestion.
After Hikaru's flustered reaction, Mizuha's eyes suddenly lit up.
"But I would imagine, how Hikaru looks in girl clothes," she said thoughtfully.
Elly's gaze turned distant. "Hikaru in girl clothes..."
Both Mizuha and Elly fell silent for a moment, lost in their own imaginations. Suddenly, their eyes widened, and they exclaimed in unison:
"That must be so cute...!!!"
They burst into giggles, sharing knowing looks with each other.
Hikaru's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Wait, what are both of you thinking about me? Stop it!" he exclaimed, his embarrassment reaching new heights.
Shimizu, who had been watching the exchange, burst into laughter. "That was funny! Both of you really got Hikaru this time. He's totally lost it for today."
But to Shimizu's surprise, Elly tilted her head in confusion. "What's funny, Shimizu-chan?" she asked innocently.
Mizuha nodded, her expression serious. "We're being serious about this."
Both Mizuha and Elly turned to Shimizu, fixing her with an intense, almost scary glare. Shimizu's laughter died in her throat as she took in their expressions.
"W-what kind of fetish do you both have?" Shimizu stammered, taken aback. "Also, that glare is scary, you know."
The atmosphere had suddenly shifted, leaving Hikaru even more flustered and Shimizu thoroughly confused. The girls' unexpected seriousness about Hikaru in girl's clothes had turned what was meant to be a light-hearted joke into a slightly awkward moment.
"Hey, Zul, let's have a sleepover too like them. I envy them," Hikaru suggested.
Zul looked confused. "Huh? What's with that suddenly?" "Also, your grade is good right? We don't need to do that," said Zul.
"Huh, Hikaru your grade is good?" Shimizu gaped in shock. "I thought we were in the same boat!"
"That's right but not good as Mizuha and Zul, shocked, aren't you?" Hikaru smirked. "You underestimate me so much, Shimizu."
"Tch, this is so irritating, you traitor," Shimizu grumbled, causing everyone to burst into laughter at their funny exchange.
Zul then turned to Elly with a concerned look. "Elly, make sure you get permission first to have the sleepover at your house," he reminded her.
"Yes, I'll ask my mother after school today for this," Elly replied with a smile.
"Oh, that's right, I also need to tell my mother about this too," Mizuha realized.
Later that evening, Elly approached her mother about the sleepover plans. She explained about studying together with Mizuha and Shimizu for the upcoming exams.
"That's all about my sleepover. Can I have it at our house?" Elly asked hopefully.
Her mother smiled warmly. "Sure, why not, my dear. By the way, this is your first time bringing other friends here besides Zul, right?"
"Bring them here, my dear. I'm also glad to meet them," her mother added, clearly happy to see this development.
Elly's face lit up with joy. "Sure, thanks mom! I will text them about it now," she said, turning to head back to her room with a bright smile.
After Elly left, her mother's expression turned gentle and slightly wistful. She looked at a spot in the room, speaking softly, "That girl, she seems really happy recently. I'm pretty sure she's made good friends at school.
" She paused for a moment before adding in a quieter voice, "What do you think about that, Arisa?" mentioning Elly's late twin older sister.
Meanwhile at Mizuha's house, after receiving Elly's message, Mizuha approached her mother about the sleepover plans.
"Sure, you can go, my dear, but make sure you don't disturb her family, okay?" her mother said.
"Understood, thanks mom!" Mizuha replied gladly.
A day passed, and the day of the sleepover arrived. Mizuha and Shimizu made their way to Elly's house as promised. Standing at the front door, Mizuha pressed the bell of the Sakamoto residence.
"Yes?" Mrs. Sakamoto opened the door to find Mizuha and Shimizu waiting outside.
"Good evening," both girls chorused, bowing slightly.
"Good evening. Umm... Mizuha-chan and Shimizu-chan, right?" Mrs. Sakamoto greeted warmly.
She then called into the house, "Elly, your friends are here!"
"I'm coming...!!!" Elly's voice echoed from inside.
"Please, come in. Elly will be here shortly," Mrs. Sakamoto gestured for them to enter.
As they stepped inside, Shimizu bowed politely. "Sorry for disturbing."
"Umm, this is from my mother. Please share it with your family," Mizuha offered, presenting a bento box containing food her mother had prepared.
Mrs. Sakamoto accepted it with a grateful smile. "Thank you for this. Please thank your mother for me, okay?"
Just then, Elly came rushing down. "Mizuha-chan, Shimizu-chan, you're finally here!" Her face beamed with excitement.
"Come on up! My room is on the upper floor. Let's put your belongings there first," Elly chirped, eagerly gesturing for her friends to follow.
As Mizuha and Shimizu entered Elly's room, both girls stopped in their tracks, taking in the spacious interior.
"Wow..." Mizuha breathed, looking around in amazement.
Shimizu spun in a small circle, trying to take it all in. "This is huge! It must be double the size of my room at home!"
Elly's expression softened slightly. "Actually, this used to be both mine and my sister's room. After she passed away... well, it became just my room."
A brief moment of silence fell as both Mizuha and Shimizu processed this information. They quietly moved to place their belongings against the wall.
As Mizuha set down her bag, something caught her eye. On Elly's desk were two framed photographs. In one, two identical little girls smiled brightly at the camera. In the other, the same two girls were pictured with a younger Zul.
"Is this you and your sister? Both of you look so cute," Mizuha asked gently, looking at the photos.
Elly nodded, moving closer to the desk. "Yes, that was during elementary school."
"You know," Shimizu observed, studying the childhood photo, "your sister looks exactly like how you look now."
A small smile crossed Elly's face. "Many people say the same thing. Well, we were identical twins after all."
Looking at the photo of Elly, Arisa, and Zul together, Mizuha mused, "So, you guys were really close back then."
"You're right," Shimizu chimed in. "By the way, look at this, Zul. He could actually smile like others back then, so different from how she is right now."
"But I've noticed he starting to smile like that again recently," Elly pointed out. "I think he's happy now because he's friends with all of us."
"Yeah, I also notice about that too," Mizuha agreed.
"Well, since we're all here already, why don't we start our lessons?" Mizuha suggested as she arranged her study equipment and put on her glasses.
"There she is, the glasses Mizuha!" Elly and Shimizu exclaimed in unison.
"Stop it! Why do you two always say that when I wear my glasses?" Mizuha groaned.
"Because something seems different when you wear them. You look so different with them on!" Shimizu teased, laughing.
"But why you not wearing contacts as usual, Mizuha-chan," Elly inquired.
"Well, I cannot always use my contacts all the time, it sometimes makes my eyes feel uncomfortable, so I switch to glasses back," Mizuha explained with a sigh.
"Okay, enough talk. We shouldn't waste our time. Why don't we get started?" Mizuha prompted.
"You're right. Let's begin our study session," Elly agreed.
"Eh, let me rest first. I'm too tired," Shimizu whined.
"So, you want to rest? What if your grades turn bad? Wouldn't that ruin your upcoming summer vacation?" Mizuha threatened with a scary smile.
"Erk, Mizuha's turned into her yandere mode. This isn't good," Shimizu thought fearfully.
"Okay, okay, I'll start studying now too! Mizuha sensei," said Shimizu.
As she was teaching her friends, Mizuha studied with them too. Despite being almost perfect in all subjects, she also needed to improve her own studies.
"Mizuha-chan, can you check my answer? Is this correct?" Elly asked hesitantly.
"Sure, let me check it," Mizuha leaned over to look. "This is good! You seem to have improved a bit. Keep it up," she encouraged with a warm smile.
"Understood. I'll continue as you taught me earlier," Elly nodded enthusiastically.
Mizuha then sneaked a glance at what Shimizu was doing. "Let's see how you're doing, Shimizu," she muttered.
"Hey, this answer is wrong!" Mizuha scolded, playfully knocking Shimizu's head with her book.
"Ouch!! What was that for, Mizuha? It hurts!" Shimizu yelped, rubbing her head.
"This is not the solution for that. It's supposed to be like this..." Mizuha explained patiently, demonstrating the right way to solve the math problem.
"How many times do I need to tell you this? Keep at it, okay?" she added with a stern look.
"I know, I know. Why is this subject so hard?" Shimizu groaned.
"It's actually not hard if you keep practicing and studying properly," Mizuha insisted. "Here, I'll teach you how to solve another problem using this formula."
"Even though she's a bit angry with me, she still keeps teaching me properly. She really never leaves her friends behind," Shimizu thought fondly.
"It's something like that. Do you understand now, Shimizu?" Mizuha prompted.
"I think I understand a bit better now," Shimizu replied thoughtfully.
"Then try to solve this problem using the same formula from earlier," Mizuha instructed.
"Alright, I'll try to do that," Shimizu agreed.
About one hour later, they all took a twenty-minute break.
"Ah, I'm so tired. Let me lie down for a bit," Shimizu yawned, immediately jumping onto Elly's bed. "Ah, it smells so good," she sighed contentedly.
"Hey, watch your manners, Shimizu! It's not your bed, it's Elly's," Mizuha scolded.
"Don't worry about that, I'm okay with it," Elly assured with a gentle smile.
"If you say so, then it can't be helped," Mizuha relented.
"See? Elly said she's okay with it," Shimizu grinned triumphantly.
Suddenly, Mrs. Sakamoto opened the room door. "Are you girls taking a break? Here, I brought some cookies for you," she announced cheerfully.
"Oh, cookies! They look delicious. Bon appétit!" Shimizu exclaimed, eagerly grabbing the cookies and immediately eating them.
"Thank you very much. Bon appétit," Mizuha bowed politely before taking hers.
"Wow, these cookies are so delicious!" Shimizu squealed in delight.
"That's right. Are these homemade?" Mizuha inquired curiously.
"Yes, those are my mother's homemade cookies. They're delicious, right?" Elly beamed with pride.
"Yes, they're so delicious," Mizuha agreed warmly.
"Thanks, I'm glad you all like them," Mrs. Sakamoto smiled fondly at the girls.
"Um, Elly, sorry to disturb your study session, but could you run an errand for me right now?" Mrs. Sakamoto asked suddenly.
"Sure, what do you need?" Elly looked up from her books.
Mrs. Sakamoto gave Elly a list of groceries, and Elly prepared to leave. "You guys please wait a moment, I'll be back," she announced to her friends.
"Wait, I'll go with you!" Shimizu jumped up. "Mizuha, you stay here. We'll be back soon."
Both Elly and Shimizu left the house to run the errand for Elly's mother. Mizuha, the only one who stayed behind, felt awkward being left alone with Elly's mother.
"They left, huh?" Mrs. Sakamoto murmured.
"It seems so," Mizuha shifted uncomfortably.
Suddenly Mrs. Sakamoto turned to talk to Mizuha. "Mizuha-chan, right?"
"Yes, what is it, Sakamoto-san?" Mizuha replied.
"I heard from Zul-kun that you and Shimizu-chan saved Elly from the bullies. Thank you for that. I really appreciate it," Mrs. Sakamoto whispered, bowing her head to Mizuha.
"Please raise your head! I just helped her because Shimizu and I happened to be in the bathroom that day. I'm just glad we were able to save her," Mizuha exclaimed, waving her hands frantically.
"You're really as kind as Elly said. Thank you for being friends with her," Mrs. Sakamoto smiled warmly.
"I'm glad to be friends with your daughter too," replied Mizuha.
"You see, I was really worried that she wouldn't be able to make any friends in high school besides Zul, especially after she decided to change herself to become a good person like her late sister," Mrs. Sakamoto confessed.
"I heard about that. Elly-chan decided to change herself to be like her sister, but was her sister really that shy and timid? Because when I first met Elly, she was really shy and scared to talk with anyone other than Zul," Mizuha ventured.
"No, Arisa wasn't shy like that at all. From my perspective, my late Arisa was very talkative with others. I think Elly tried so hard to adopt Arisa's positive traits that she ended up overwhelming herself," Mrs. Sakamoto explained.
"I see, she forced herself too much. That's why..." Mizuha trailed off.
"I think her decision to change might have been the right choice, as she promised Arisa she would change herself to becoming better person as she used to be quite a naughty girl in the past," Mrs. Sakamoto chuckled. "Also, her change has made me feel better and helped heal my sadness from losing Arisa. From that I can see Arisa's will stay alive inside Elly."
"Yes, I heard about that from Elly too," Mizuha nodded.
"But Recently, I've seen her become more cheerful and a bit more confident than before. I think it's thanks to you girls being friends with her. Please continue being friends with her, okay?" Mrs. Sakamoto pleaded softly.
"I understand. I promise I will be friends with her forever," Mizuha assured with a smile.
"Thanks, Mizuha-chan, I'm glad I was able to talk about my daughter with you," Mrs. Sakamoto beamed before excusing herself and leaving the room.
Left alone, Mizuha reflected, "I see. Now I understand why Elly is becoming like this; she is pushing herself so much." She paused thoughtfully. "But right now, I see that Elly is doing well, so her change is successful, I guess. I wonder if I can change myself like Elly."
"Ah, I'd better not waste my time. I should study on my own while waiting for them to come back." Mizuha then continued studying by herself while waiting for Elly and Shimizu to return from their errand.