The days leading up to the half-year exams were nothing short of chaos. The hallways were filled with murmurs of panic, study groups occupied every corner, and the library was so crowded that even the quietest whisper felt like a roar.
Izumi sat at his desk, his eyes glued to his textbooks, surrounded by mountains of notes. His hair was disheveled, and dark circles were visible under his eyes.
"Izumi... are you okay?" Yuki asked, his face filled with concern.
Izumi's head jerked up, his eyes wide with intensity. "Okay? I've memorized every chemical equation from chapter one to twelve. I know all the historical dates, including the birthdays of the kings! I've calculated every possible math problem they could throw at us!"
Anzu snickered, leaning back in his chair. "Looks like someone's on fire."
"No, seriously," Yuki said, pointing at Izumi's notes. "His notebook is actually smoking."
Izumi quickly patted the paper, realizing he had been pressing his pen down so hard that it caused friction burns. "Ah... I may be overdoing it."
Anzu burst into laughter. "You think?"
"I just... I can't fail," Izumi muttered, his voice dropping. He glanced over at Marina, who was calmly reviewing her notes with an elegant grace. "If I fail... I'll look pathetic next to her. Besides my mom will kill me."
Anzu's grin widened. "Oh, so that's what this is about."
Izumi's face turned red. "Shut up!"
The bell rang, signaling the end of the study period.
"Alright, let's ace these exams!" Yuki declared, pumping his fist in the air.
Izumi stood up, his legs wobbling. "Yeah... let's do this..."
The first day of exams was brutal. Questions came at them like bullets, and the atmosphere in the classroom was tense.
Izumi scribbled furiously, his hand cramping from the effort. He was halfway through solving a math problem when his vision blurred. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus.
"Stay awake... stay awake..." he whispered to himself.
Marina glanced at him from the corner of her eye, a small smile forming. "Idiot..." she muttered, but there was a hint of admiration in her voice.
The hours dragged on, and by the end of the day, everyone looked like they had aged ten years.
Anzu collapsed on his desk. "I'm... dead..."
Yuki adjusted his glasses, his hands shaking. "I've never been so mentally exhausted."
Izumi wobbled as he stood up. "One day down... two more to go..."
He glanced at Marina, who looked perfectly fine. She noticed his stare and shrugged. "I told you to pace yourself."
Izumi groaned. "How are you not even tired?"
Marina smiled. "It's all about preparation."
Izumi sighed. "I hate geniuses."
On the final day of exams, a buzz of excitement filled the air as the students lined up outside the classrooms.
Izumi, Marina, Anzu and Yuki were passing by the hallways while they overhead a conversation.
"I heard ren gonna change his class in A-3," one of the girls whispered.
"No way!" another replied.
"I guess, it's because of Marina defeated him." another said
Izumi wasn't paying attention until he saw the familiar figure standing at the entrance of Class A-3.
Ren.
He leaned casually against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets, looking as smug as ever.
Anzu's jaw dropped. "No way... HE'S BACK?!"
Izumi's eyes narrowed. "Why is he here?"
Yuki with a curious look on his face. "Didn't he used to be in Class A-1. I mean in our class?"
Marina walked past them, her face expressionless. But as she glanced at Ren, her eyes grew colder.
Ren smirked, meeting her gaze. "Yo, Snow Princess. Miss me?"
Marina's eyes sharpened. "Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"
Ren laughed. "Oh, I did. That's why I'm here. I've changed my strategy."
Izumi's fists clenched. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Ren looked at Izumi, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "It means... I'm just getting started."
The tension in the air was thick as Ren walked into his new classroom, leaving Izumi and his friends speechless.
Anzu shook his head. "That guy's trouble."
Marina sighed. "He's persistent, I'll give him that."
Izumi felt a knot form in his stomach. "Looks like things just got more complicated."