The volleyball event ended with another victory for our class. Although I expected this outcome, I must admit that this was the closest event so far. The girls from Class B put on a great performance, and while it wasn't as impressive as our players, I can't deny they stood out quite a bit.
With the fourth event over, we were granted a short break of about 40 minutes to eat and recharge. It was the perfect opportunity to leave the room I was in and talk to someone. And no, it wasn't Kayden this time. I wanted to talk to Yuki-chan.
The problem was that Yuki-chan wasn't feeling her best. You know, those days of the month. But in her case, it wasn't just typical discomfort. Yuki-chan has chronic endometriosis, a condition she was diagnosed with shortly before entering this school. I know it's unusual for someone our age—she's only 15—but it seems luck wasn't on her side.
Endometriosis makes her periods unbearably painful, to the point where physical activities and even simple tasks become a burden. Some days she handles it better than others, but today seemed to be one of those difficult days.
That's why I wanted to talk to her. I had signed her up for the math event, but given her condition, I wasn't sure it was the best decision. Although Yuki-chan isn't particularly outstanding in this subject, I thought she might manage. However, Kayden, always observant, suggested postponing her participation if her condition didn't improve.
I walked to the common area where I knew Yuki-chan would be resting. When I arrived, I found her sitting by the window with a heating pad on her abdomen and a tired expression on her face.
—Yuki-chan, how are you feeling? —I asked softly, sitting down next to her.
She looked at me and gave a small smile. —I've had better days, but I'm okay. What's up?
I scratched the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. —It's about the math event. I don't want to pressure you if you're not feeling up to it.
Yuki-chan sighed and looked out the window. —I know I'm not the best at math, but I don't want my condition to be an excuse not to try.
—It's not an excuse, Yuki-chan. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard and end up making things worse.
There was a moment of silence between us as she seemed to debate with herself. Finally, she nodded. —Okay, I'll listen to my body. If I can't participate, I'll trust that you'll find a replacement.
I smiled, relieved. —Thank you, Yuki-chan. That's all I wanted to hear.
We spent the rest of the break chatting. Despite her pain, Yuki-chan was still the same as always: strong and determined. I knew that, although today wasn't her best day, her spirit remained unbreakable.
....
Although I wasn't sure what the next event would be, I was pretty confident it would be either the math exam or the chemistry one. After all, we had already agreed with Sakayanagi-san that the final event would be chess.
Back in the instruction room—I guess we can call it that—I sat, waiting for the next challenge to be announced. The atmosphere was tense, and the murmurs among my classmates only intensified it. I glanced sideways at Sakayanagi, who was behind me. Her expression was different this time; her usual smile, the one that almost seemed invincible, was gone.
Although she always projects unwavering confidence, the results so far had shown her that not everything goes as planned. I couldn't help but wonder if the weight of the accumulated losses was starting to affect her.
Finally, the characteristic sound of the screen lighting up grabbed our attention. The next event appeared in large white letters:
"Chemistry Exam"
The announcement made many let out a quiet sigh of relief, while others tensed even more. This event required 6 participants, so I didn't waste any time and selected the students I had already prepared for this test.
—Kobayashi, Tanaka, Suzuki, Renji, Takeshi, and Akimoto —I selected the participants, looking at each one of them through the screen. They all stood up, ready to go.
I had chosen these four not only for their performance in chemistry but also for their ability to work under pressure. This wasn't just any exam; every answer, every calculation could make the difference between victory and defeat.
—I trust you all —I added quietly, even though they couldn't hear me through the screen.
As the selected students left the room, I took one last look at Sakayanagi-san. Her eyes were still fixed on the screen, but her mind seemed to wander somewhere distant. For a moment, I wondered what she was thinking. Did she have something up her sleeve for the remaining events? Or was she simply evaluating the losses she had suffered so far?
Time continued to pass, and although our classes had been fighting with all they had, I couldn't shake the feeling that the best—or the worst—was still to come. This chemistry exam was just one more step toward the final outcome. I couldn't afford to relax for a second.
The exam lasted 45 minutes. My role, for now, was to wait for the results, although I knew that as a commander, I had the option to intervene. In these kinds of academic events, commanders could solve one of the questions, adding a point to the total score. It may sound insignificant, but in such a tight competition, a single point could determine victory or defeat.
Neither Sakayanagi-san nor I had used this option so far. The victories for my class had been strong enough that our interventions hadn't made a difference. But I knew that as we got closer to the end, the situation could change.
While I waited, time seemed to drag on. I watched my classmates through the screen, following their focused expressions as they solved the questions. It was fascinating how pressure could bring out the best or the worst in people. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the chemistry exam came to an end.
The silence in the room was broken when the results began to appear on the screen.
Class A: 89 points.
Class B: 80 points.
With a nine-point difference, my class took the victory. I couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. Although the gap wasn't as wide as in previous events, the victory was clear. The feeling of pride washed over me as I remembered the overall score: 5-0 in favor of my class.
Now there were only two events left, and Kayden's desire for a perfect score against Class B seemed more achievable with each passing moment.
My eyes went back to Sakayanagi-san. I noticed something I rarely saw in her: irritation. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, a gesture that revealed her frustration. And it was no surprise. Sakayanagi-san is known for her pride and confidence in her talent, so losing an event that didn't entirely depend on her skills must have been a hard blow to digest. This loss wasn't just hers; it was her classmates' as well, and that seemed to weigh on her.
Despite her expression, I knew she wouldn't give up so easily. Sakayanagi-san always has a plan, and with the remaining events at stake, I couldn't afford to underestimate her. The battle was far from over.