The Delinquent Shimizu-san Sitting Next to Me Has Dyed Her Hair Black-Chapter 4Volume 2 . - Shimizu-san and the Midterm Exam
Shimizu-san and the Midterm Exam 4
“Also, I heard that the one with the best grades among the second-year students of the Astronomy Club gets to have a wish granted by Ai-san?”
“Seto-san mentioned that?”
“Yeah, Seto-san was unusually enthusiastic. She said she wanted Ai-san to treat her to dorayaki. She looked so cute I wanted to buy her dorayaki myself.”
I always have to be on guard around my surrounding because Toshiya’s love-struck comment about Seto-san might slip out to others. I had forgotten to be careful and quickly scanned the surroundings.
Fortunately, everyone was talking about the exam, and it seemed they hadn’t heard our conversation.
“So, Daiki, if you happened to have the best score among the Astronomy Club members, what would you ask Ai-san for?”
“Me?”
“That face of yours looks like you haven’t thought about it at all. Then why did you study more than usual this time, Daiki?”
“Huh? Because the Astronomy Club needs to rank within the top forty for stargazing…”
“That’s for the Astronomy Club, isn’t it? Don’t you have something personal you want? Like, remember when you mentioned wanting a homemade bentō?”
“I pretty much got that wish already…”
“What do you mean you got that wish?”
“Didn’t I tell you, Toshiya? I forgot my lunch money a while ago and got a bentō from Shimizu-san when you was away for a meeting.”
It was a coincidence, but there was a time when I forgot my lunch money and Shimizu-san gave me a homemade bentō.
Because of that, I don’t really feel the urge to have one anymore.
“…I see. So that happened when I wasn’t around. Still, Daiki, it’s like you don’t have desires or something like that. Normally, if Ai-san said she’d grant a wish, the other guys wouldn’t be so quiet. Well, I’m not interested though.”
“I always feel guilty asking people to do things for me.”
“That might be both your strong and weak point, Daiki. It’s okay to accept kindness from those you know a little more lightly.”
It seems Toshiya is concerned about me in his own way.
“…I guess you’re right. If I get the best score among the second-year students in the Astronomy Club, I’ll think about the reward.”
“That’s the spirit! It’s better for people to have many dreams they want to achieve!”
A typical Toshiya-esque statement, always eager to discuss about dreams.
“By the way, changing the topic slightly, do you know about the recent rumors concerning Shimizu-san?”
“I don’t. Did Shimizu-san do something?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not a bad rumor. Shimizu-san in the staff room——”
Before Toshiya could finish, the door at the back of the classroom slowly opened.
“Hm? Someone’s here? …Sorry, Daiki, I’d better go now.”
With that, Toshiya returned to his seat.
In his place, a certain individual slowly approached my desk.
“G-good morning, Shimizu-san.”
“…Morning.”
It was Shimizu-san, or more precisely, Shimizu-san enveloped in a deep, dark aura.
“Doesn’t Shimizu-san look more intimidating than usual today?”
“Hey, she can hear you. I didn’t say anything. If anything happens, it’s all on you.”
“Heartless! I swear, if something happens, I’m dragging you down with me!”
Clearly, Shimizu-san was behaving differently than usual, and most of our classmates were fixated on her.
She neither shouted nor ignored our classmates, just gave them a brief glance.
“Eek!”
An unknown scream could be heard.
Shimizu-san’s eyes were devoid of any light.
What was there was overwhelmingly terrifying, dark, and empty eyes.
“Shimizu-san, are you okay?”
“…Yeah.”
It took her some time, but she did respond.
Still, looking into those eyes, I couldn’t help but worry.
“Really? If so, that’s good… but maybe you should go home early later and get some rest today?”
“…Okay.”
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While they were having this conversation, the bell rang, and Yuasa Sensei entered the classroom.
“Let’s all do our best on the midterm exams.”
Upon hearing the words ‘midterm exams,’ for a brief moment, it seemed like a spark of life returned to Shimizu-san’s eyes.
“…This midterm, I won’t lose to you or Seto.”
“Huh? Okay.”
Could it be that Shimizu-san’s odd behavior was because of the midterm exams?
***
For the next few days, our class took the exams amidst unusual tension.
Most classmates, including Toshiya, wished for the exam period to end quickly and to be free from Shimizu-san’s oppressive aura.
On the other hand, I continued with the exams while constantly thinking about Shimizu-san.
Thanks to study sessions at the Astronomy Club, I felt more confident than usual.
By the end of the last subject on the final day of exams, the pressure from Shimizu-san had noticeably decreased.
Toshiya later mentioned that at the moment the exams ended, the relief from the dual pressures of the exams and Shimizu-san was palpable among many classmates.
I, too, felt greatly relieved seeing Shimizu-san return to her usual self.
While the other classmates discussed their exam performances, Shimizu-san had somehow finished preparing to leave.
“Goodbye, see you tomorrow.”
Perhaps she was too preoccupied with something to respond. I didn’t get a reply from Shimizu-san.
I thought about heading home, but I decided to stop by the Astronomy Club first because I had some spare time.
“Hello…”
“Shh, be quiet.”
As I tried to greet and enter the Astronomy Club’s room, Yousuke-san stopped me.
Apparently, I shouldn’t raise my voice right now.
“What’s going on?”
Instead of speaking, Yousuke-san pointed inside the room.
When I looked carefully, I saw two figures lying face down on a desk.
Their faces were hidden, but I could easily imagine that they were Shimizu-san and Ai-san based on their hairstyles and clothing.
Yousuke-san pointed to the door, suggesting he wanted to talk in the hallway without waking them up. I nodded in agreement.
Once we were in the hallway, Yousuke-san finally spoke.
“They both came in and fell asleep immediately. They must’ve been exhausted.”
“I thought Shimizu-san had gone home.”
“She might not have had the energy to. She probably worked hard for this midterm.”
“She must’ve been studying hard outside of our study sessions too.”
“Yes, when Kei couldn’t understand something, she apparently went to the staff room to ask, and it became a topic among the teachers.”
“Shimizu-san…”
The usual Shimizu-san probably wouldn’t go to such lengths. It seems that she gave this midterm her best.
“I hope our stargazing will be realized, especially after the two of them have worked so hard for it.”
“I hope so.”
After that, Yousuke-san and I continued to chat in the hallway until the Shimizu sisters woke up.
***
