After Valentine's Day, the weather is still cold.

Even at noon, the wind and snow kept blowing, and people could only shrink their necks and cover their clothes tightly.

The bulletin board in the atrium stood in the wind and snow, without any shelter, but at this time, many people were watching around, looking for something on it.

The top 50 rankings for the annual exams that were taken last Friday were announced today.

Following Ogasawara to squeeze inside, Morimi didn't stand firm, so he heard her say, "One leaf is still second." ”

“……”

She stopped, looking inside.

【First place: Harumi Naruse】

She stared at the name at the top of the list for a moment before she looked at her own name below.

[Second place: Kazuha Morimi]

The difficulty of the exam has risen sharply, and the positions of the two have not changed.

"Kazuha is still very powerful......" Ogasawara pushed his glasses and said, "This exam is so difficult." ”

Morimi looked at the list, "For us, the more difficult the exam, the more stable the ranking, isn't it." ”

"Is that so......"

Ogasawara turned his head with a sad face.

"I fell."

"Eh......"

"It's eleventh."

She looked down.

【11th place: Ogasawara Apricot】

"Hmm...... Didn't you play well? ”

In the past, although Ogasawara had never been admitted to the first place in the grade, he always hovered around the fifth or sixth place in the grade, and never fell out of the top ten.

Ogasawara covered her face and sighed.

"That guy from Kobayashi, on the day of the exam, actually came to me and asked me when I planned to send him chocolates......

“……”

Morimi was dumbfounded, and he didn't know what to say.

And Ogasawara quickly adjusted and looked at the list again.

"Aren't they all tested on Valentine's Day, why are these people's rankings still so stable...... Well, the name ......"

She glanced twice, then turned to look at Morimi.

"This person in the ninth grade is a friend of Yiye."

Morimi was stunned for a moment, "Ninth? ”

"Look."

She looked over, and in the spot she had just swept past and had not noticed, a familiar and unfamiliar name appeared.

【Ninth place: This Flower Naoko】

“……”

This is the first time the name has appeared so highly.

【“…… Naoko actually has a lot of potential in learning. ”】

Naoko was really admitted to the top ten in her grade.

"That's her, the one from Class C."

"Ahh......h

Morimi nodded a little distractedly.

Ogasawara looked at her, "What's wrong?" ”

"It's okay......"

She shook her head, she didn't want to say more, but she couldn't help but speak: "I just think the speed of her progress ...... It's a little scary. ”

It even made her a little inexplicably panicked.

"Yes, what level did this flower classmate have before?"

"The last exam was twenty-first in the grade, and the last exam was the first time she entered the top 50 in her grade."

Ogasawara was also stunned.

"Sure enough, it was very fast...... How did you do it, did Yiye tutor her? ”

"She was tutored by the first grade."

"How can Kazuha's boyfriend give...... Hmm ”

Morimi covered her mouth, her face expressionless.

"Don't talk nonsense."

“……”

Ogasahara nodded, and she let go.

Looking at the two names on the list that were approaching step by step, she sighed softly again.

Ogasawara looked at her and didn't speak.

From top to bottom, and finally swept the names of the ten in front of him, Morimi turned around and squeezed out, "Let's go back." ”

"Wait a minute......

As soon as she squeezed out of the crowd, she saw the three members of Class C walking this way.

"Morimi." Naruse said hello first.

"Hmm."

"Have you seen it?" He asked.

"What for?" She didn't speak well.

Sensing her emotions, Naruse was a little inexplicable, and Hikaru Takikawa said:

"I heard that Naoko is in the top ten this time, let's come and take a look."

“……”

She looked at Naoko next to her, who also looked at her.

Morimi nodded, and quickly smiled again.

"Well, Naoko is amazing."

Seeing her nodding, Naoko also had a happy smile on her face that could not be concealed.

"Thanks to the counseling of Kazuha and Harumi."

"Go and see, I'll go up first."

"Hmm."

After taking a few steps, Morimi turned his head again.

Ogasawara also stopped.

Relying on their own tall horses, Naruse and Takikawa Hikaru forced a way out and protected Naoko into the innermost part of the crowd of onlookers.

Hikaru Takikawa raised his hand and nodded Naoko's name, then pointed to the top of the list, and then the second below.

“……”

Looking at the smiles on the faces of the three of them, she suddenly regretted that she didn't stay there for a while.

Naoko is ninth, but she's second......

"The one next to Takigawa is the ninth-place student of this flower." Ogasawara asked, looking over there.

"Hmm."

"I can't really see it......"

"What can't you see?" Morimi asked.

"I can't see she's so smart. Although I haven't been in contact with it.,But I've often seen her walk with a leaf.,I used to think she's the kind of person who is particularly gentle.,But the type with an empty head...... Just like my sister. ”

"You actually say 'empty head'...... She's a friend I grew up with. ”

"I'm sorry!"

Morimi took another deep breath.

"Although it looks gentle, it is more harmless than light, but if you underestimate Naoko, you will suffer."

"I'm already suffering—isn't that squeezing me out." Ogasawara said with a sad face.

Morimi smiled.

One last glance back at the bulletin board, she turned, "Let's go up." ”

Back in the classroom, Ogasawara waved his hand and went back to his seat first, and Morimi walked towards the starfish.

"How's it going, have you asked about the results?"

"Ahh

Starfish was fiddling with her phone, looking up at her.

"No...... Didn't Yiye say that everyone's scores in this exam were low, and it was easier to pass. ”

“……”

So you just ignore it completely?

Morimi was a little helpless, "That's what I said, but does the starfish have the confidence that I usually have?" ”

"It should be fine......

"If you wait until the afternoon after school to say that there is a problem, I will not help you."

“…… I'll ask now! ”

Starfish's little confidence came from her, and as soon as she heard her say this, she immediately got up and went to the staff room.

Returning to his seat, Morimi wandered as he looked at the door of the classroom.

It's just a feeling of loss, which is always in her heart, and she can't be completely calm.

After waiting in a daze for a while, the starfish didn't come back, and the three Naruse who went down to see the rankings came up first and walked past the door of the class E classroom.

“……”

Looking at each other from afar, she hadn't come back to her senses yet, and she didn't react, and the same was true for Naruse.

He didn't stop, and when he disappeared behind the wall and reappeared in the window, he had already withdrawn his gaze and did not look at her again.

Naoko and Hikaru Takikawa, who were traveling with them, greeted her with a glance and a nod.

The trio quickly walked outside Class E.

“……”

The feeling of loss suddenly became stronger, and she fell to the table.

She regretted it even more.

After another moment, Starfish returned to the classroom.

"One leaf!"

She came running over and said, "I've passed all my subjects!" ”

"Hmm."

The body couldn't lift up, and it wasn't until the starfish stopped in front of him that Morimi raised his head and smiled at her, "Great." ”

Starfish clenched his hands into fists.

"There is no need to retake the exam now, and there is no need to repeat the grade......"

Although she was very inactive about asking about her grades before, in the final analysis, it was because she had little confidence, and when she saw the results, her happiness and satisfaction were completely on her face.

Looking at her smile, the dissatisfaction in Morimi's heart was also diluted a lot.

"Congratulations ......"

"Ahh

Starfish suddenly added:

"Also, Yiye also took the second grade exam this time, which is really amazing."

“……”

She opened her mouth, quickly leaned on the table, and turned her head out the window.

“…… Well. ”

Starfish looked at her, vaguely feeling that her voice seemed to tremble a little.

"One Leaf ......"

She took a deep breath, "I want to take a break." ”

"Ah, that's ......"

Starfish was just about to go back when she suddenly reached out again and took her hand.

"Thank you...... Starfish. ”

(End of chapter)