Monday morning dawned bright and clear, and Ryo found himself trudging up the steps to school with an unusual spring in his step. Despite the early hour, he was looking forward to the day—back to normal classes, the familiar bustle of the halls, and the friends he'd come to rely on for a bit of excitement.
When he reached the classroom, Hana and Yuto were already there, chatting animatedly by the windows. Hana, as always, radiated energy, her laugh echoing across the room. She noticed Ryo coming in and waved him over with her usual enthusiasm.
"Ryo! Over here! Did you finish the math homework?" she asked, her face lighting up with a mixture of curiosity and… maybe a touch of worry.
Ryo scratched his head, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, though it took me forever. Those last few problems were brutal." He dug into his bag and handed her his notebook. "Here, take a look if you need to."
"Thanks!" Hana's face practically glowed with relief as she flipped through his notes. "Honestly, I don't know how you're so calm about math. It's like my brain just shuts down every time I see an equation."
"Math isn't so bad," Yuto chimed in, flashing a teasing grin. "At least not when Ryo's around to do the hard parts."
Ryo rolled his eyes. "You two just need more confidence."
Yuto shrugged, giving Ryo a playful nudge. "Or maybe we just need a genius like you to bail us out. Admit it, Ryo, you're the unsung hero of this class."
Just then, Saki walked in, her face slightly flushed as she held her notebooks close to her chest. She spotted the group and hesitated, looking as though she might turn around, but Ryo gave her a welcoming wave.
"Saki! Come join us," he called.
She nodded, shyly making her way over. "Good morning. You… you don't mind if I sit here?"
"Of course not!" Hana said cheerfully, patting the seat next to her. "The more the merrier. Besides, we were just discussing how Ryo's basically the math wizard of the class."
Saki's eyes brightened. "Ryo is good at math… actually, all of his answers were right on the last quiz."
Ryo chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Thanks, but don't make a big deal out of it."
Just then, Mei entered the room, slipping in quietly but giving them a warm smile. She sat down across from Ryo, her soft, composed presence adding a peaceful vibe to the group.
"Morning, Mei," Ryo greeted.
"Good morning, everyone," she replied, her eyes glancing over their little circle before settling on him. "I heard there's a quiz in history today… anyone ready?"
The room collectively groaned, everyone's mood sinking slightly. History quizzes, courtesy of their notoriously strict teacher, Mr. Fujimoto, were never easy. Hana covered her face, letting out a dramatic sigh.
"I forgot! Mr. Fujimoto is going to kill me…" Hana mumbled, practically collapsing onto her desk.
Yuto patted her on the back, laughing. "Don't worry, Hana. It can't be worse than last time, right?"
"Oh, it definitely can," she muttered, her eyes widening as she imagined the lecture awaiting her.
---
**The Quiz Conundrum**
When history class finally began, the students settled in, a collective hush falling over them as Mr. Fujimoto strode to the front of the room, his eyes sharp and critical as he scanned the class. He held up a stack of papers with a faint, almost wicked smile.
"Good morning, everyone," he began, his voice firm. "Today's quiz will cover chapters three through five, focusing on the cultural developments of the Heian period. I expect everyone to perform well."
Ryo glanced over at Hana, who was visibly panicking, her face drained of color. Mei, sensing her distress, leaned over to whisper a quick summary about the Heian period's key points. Hana nodded, trying to absorb as much as she could before Mr. Fujimoto handed out the quiz.
As the test papers were distributed, Ryo focused on his own sheet, but he couldn't help but notice Hana's intense focus. She was scribbling quickly, her brow furrowed as she whispered to herself, "Stay calm, Hana… just think of the cherry blossoms and poetry…"
Saki, sitting nearby, glanced up at Hana's muttering, her expression puzzled but amused. She leaned closer to Ryo, whispering, "Is she… talking to herself about cherry blossoms?"
Ryo stifled a laugh. "Apparently, it helps her remember."
Meanwhile, Mei was already halfway through her quiz, her expression calm and collected. She seemed completely unruffled by Mr. Fujimoto's high expectations, her pen gliding over the paper in steady strokes. Ryo admired her composure, wondering how she managed to stay so focused.
As the quiz wrapped up, Mr. Fujimoto took a few lingering looks at everyone's papers, casting a skeptical glance at Hana, who looked relieved but exhausted. "I hope you all took this quiz seriously," he said, folding his arms. "Because history is not something you can breeze through."
He dismissed them with a final, critical stare, leaving a weighty silence in his wake. The moment he stepped out, Hana let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness that's over!" she exclaimed, slumping over her desk dramatically. "I swear, my brain is fried."
Yuto laughed. "You say that every time. But hey, it wasn't so bad, was it?"
She shot him a withering look. "Easy for you to say—you're a history buff!"
Saki nodded, stifling a small laugh. "I think I'll need a vacation after this one."
Ryo chuckled, feeling the same sense of relief. Despite the quiz, the atmosphere was light, everyone sharing the same exhausted but satisfied feeling that came with surviving Mr. Fujimoto's rigorous quizzes.
---
**Afternoon in the Science Lab**
After lunch, the group headed to science class, where the teacher announced a hands-on experiment involving chemical reactions. The instructions were straightforward, but Ryo knew from experience that even simple tasks could turn chaotic with their group.
Each pair received a set of beakers, test tubes, and a mysterious array of chemicals. Mei and Saki were paired together, while Ryo found himself working with Hana. Yuto, who had a mischievous glint in his eye, was paired with Amelia, who seemed equal parts excited and wary.
As they began, Hana looked at their set-up with a serious expression, then back at Ryo. "I don't trust myself with this stuff… if I mess up, the whole class might go up in smoke."
Ryo laughed, gently guiding her through the steps. "Just follow the instructions, and we'll be fine. You're not going to blow anything up."
Hana nodded, but her face remained tense as she carefully poured a liquid into the beaker, biting her lip as though she were defusing a bomb.
Across the room, Yuto was grinning mischievously, dropping a few extra drops of a mysterious liquid into his solution. Amelia glared at him, her tone stern. "Yuto, you're supposed to follow the instructions!"
"Oh, come on, Amelia," he teased. "Where's the fun in that?"
Within seconds, their beaker began to fizz violently, foaming over the edge. Amelia let out a small shriek, grabbing the beaker and hurriedly moving it away from the other equipment. "Yuto! Look what you did!"
Their teacher rushed over, glaring sternly at Yuto. "Perhaps we should follow the instructions more carefully, yes?"
Yuto gave a sheepish grin. "Noted, sensei."
Watching the chaos unfold, Ryo couldn't help but chuckle. He glanced at Hana, who was watching the scene with wide eyes, her own beaker still in her hand.
"See?" he said, grinning. "At least we're not Yuto."
Hana nodded, looking both relieved and amused. "Yeah, good point."
As the class continued, Ryo noticed Mei and Saki quietly working together, both of them so focused that they hardly noticed the noise around them. Mei's precise movements and Saki's meticulous attention to detail made them a perfect team, their experiment proceeding smoothly as they chatted in quiet tones.