The Rise of the Iron Wall!-Chapter 113: Higo’s All-Nighter
Higo felt quite depressed right now. Due to the intensity of the daily training, he missed a lot of the classes, often using that time to get a quick nap or even daydreaming like a fool. Now that the midterm exam was coming, he had a lot to catch up on, and it was not something that could be done in one night.
"Urgh... Who has the bright idea to study this phenotype and genotype? Who the hell cares if the seeds are going to be round or wrinkly?! I swear, that person is the kind of unemployed friend on Tuesday night!" He cursed inwardly, rubbing his tired eyes while sipping the unhealthy energy drink he brought from the supermarket earlier.
Right now, he was in the middle of another all-nighter, as the clock showed 23:09 already. His body ached a little, and the boy also scratched his skin unconsciously, feeling itchy at the part that was bruised from the fall he had in the training session.
Unfortunately, no matter how much he wanted to sleep right now, the boy couldn’t really afford it. He only had two more days before the midterm exam, and if he failed to pass, he would have to sit in the remedial class during the summer break.
’Honestly, it doesn’t sound really bad at first, what with me not having to go far to Niigata in a scorching hot summer. But if I didn’t go, those scoundrels would take advantage of it to seduce Kumiko-chan. No, I cannot let that happen.’ The boy shook his head strongly.
Fortunately, he was not alone here. While studying, sometimes, his phone would buzz for a moment, and Higo would put everything down immediately to reply to the message.
Kumiko-chan: So, how is it? Is my note really that helpful?
You: Yes, yes, yes, Kumiko-sensei! This is even better than listening to the class!
Kumiko-chan: Oh, surely you jest! Also, don’t call me Sensei, okay? (⸝⸝๑﹏๑⸝⸝)
Higo stiffened a chuckle when he saw the last emoji. The girls sure loved pulling it off, making the chat way more expressive. That was why everyone loved exchanging messages like this with her.
"I am home..." Suddenly, a tired voice, barely a whisper, could be heard from outside, getting mixed with the creaking sound of the door moving. Higo perked up immediately, throwing his phone away before running to the front door.
"Welcome home, Mom!" He greeted her back, taking the woman’s bag while simultaneously running to the kitchen to boil water for her. "Come on, I have already cooked dinner for you. Wait a second, I will warm it up. I will also make you a cup of tea, so just go take a quick shower and relax, okay?"
Minami watched her son getting busy the moment she entered the home and couldn’t help but smile in exasperation. "Are you really that concerned, or do you just want to run away from your study?"
"Mom, that’s a serious accusation! I would never!" Higo gasped dramatically, not even blinking, even after his motive was exposed here.
If it were a week ago, Minami would feel guilty when she saw how meticulously her son prepared everything the moment she went back after a long day of work. It also didn’t help that she had to work overtime in the last couple of days since there would be some sort of inspection from the government itself on her company.
To let Higo prepare everything like this close to midnight just for her... Of course, the mother would feel guilty.
Until a few days ago, she went back home silently, just to find Higo throwing a tantrum for not being able to solve a troublesome math problem. The boy was sulking with his patience growing thin, and honestly, Minami was afraid that her son would snap and tear apart all of the paper in front of him.
However, once Higo noticed his presence, his eyes lit up, and he threw away all of his studies to help him relax. Things went on, and the next morning, Minami saw that the book was untouched since she was back, and that was when the woman knew that her son just wanted to escape from reality here.
"Anyway, your midterm exam is going to be next Monday, right?" Minami asked after taking a quick shower; her tone was full of concern. "Don’t think too much about the result, okay? It is not the end of everything, so don’t get too pressured."
Even though she would love to see her son doing well in his studies, Minami was realistic enough to recognize the boy’s limited talent in this regard. He wasn’t like his sister, who was a model student, so the mother didn’t really expect a lot from her son.
"Don’t worry, Mom, I am hanging in there," Higo said, patting the sofa to signal his mother to sit there. After that, he was busy drying her hair quietly, as they enjoyed the tranquil moment in the middle of the night like this. "Anyway, I am more worried about the career questionnaire, you know?"
Minami blinked for a moment before saying, "Don’t worry, let’s wait until you get the result of your first mock exam, and we can start crossing out all of the impossible choices first. Even if you still don’t know what to choose, at least, you will know what not to choose in the end, okay?"
That... Was flawless logic, one that Higo couldn’t deny.
"Rather than thinking too far, how about thinking about something that you like? Just like... Your trip to Niigata?" Even though Higo couldn’t see his mother’s face, he knew she was smiling secretly right now. "You have a plan for Kumiko-chan there?"
"No way! It will be a full team activity; there is no way I could get away with Kumiko-chan alone there." Higo shook his head strongly. "Also, you know how hard her target is for the next year, right? I will feel guilty if I take a big step, and that could affect her study. So, let’s just wait until next year."
Unexpectedly, his mother turned around immediately, her serious gaze startled Higo. Before the boy could ask any question, she spoke, "I know that you did it for her, but you only have one more year in high school, don’t leave a big regret, okay?"
