Draw a good one! Please, let it be next to Winter-sensei... Even better if he sits right in front of me, so I can see him whenever I want!
With this fervent prayer echoing in her heart, Kani Nayuta reached into the cold metal box. Her fair fingers, trembling slightly with nervous anticipation, closed around a single folded slip of paper. She pulled it out, unfolded it with deliberate care, and read the number.
"Number... 22."
Her head instantly swiveled, her eyes performing a quick, silent calculation across the grid of desks. It was... to the left and slightly in front of her original seat. Not directly adjacent, but close. A clear line of sight.
"Hmm..." A small, pleased smile touched her lips. It wasn't the jackpot, but it was a definite win—close enough to feel connected, to exchange glances. A significant part of her wish had been granted, and her mood lifted like a sun-dappled cloud.
The lottery procession continued with a solemn, fateful rhythm. One by one, students were called, drew their slips, and relocated their belongings with a mix of groans and quiet satisfaction. The classroom landscape slowly reshaped itself.
Soon, the moment Kani Nayuta was simultaneously dreading and hoping for arrived.
"Kasumigaoka Touji."
If he were asked directly, Kasumigaoka Touji knew exactly where he'd want to sit: right next to Kani Nayuta, without a doubt. Failing that, near Eriri Spencer Sawamura, or his Nap Club comrades Kumin Tsuyuri and Gotou Hitori… heck, even in the orbit of the reliably placid Yamamoto Kumaji would be fine. The odds felt decent in a class of only twenty-seven.
He stepped up to the podium, offered Kojima-sensei a respectful nod, and dipped his hand into the box. His fingers bypassed several slips before closing on one at random. He pulled it out, unfolded it, and couldn't suppress the grin that spread across his face.
"Number 21."
The number hung in the air for a second before its meaning computed.
"Yatta—!"
A joyful exclamation, utterly uncontained, erupted from the classroom floor. Kani Nayuta, who had been watching with bated breath, shot up from her chair like an over-excited elementary schooler, throwing her hands triumphantly over her head. Her entire being radiated pure, unadulterated delight.
This unabashed display sent a wave of complex emotions through the room. Some of the boys couldn't help but mutter sourly, "Their relationship is way too good…"
Others felt a more venomous cocktail of envy, jealousy, and resentment simmer within them. What kind of black magic had Kasumigaoka Touji performed? To have not just one, but two stunning, talented girls devoted to him, and now to inspire such public joy from Kani Nayuta over a mere seat assignment… It was enough to make a lesser man wither with envy!
Kumin Tsuyuri, who had earlier drawn seat number six, looked over at the celebrating pair with a soft, palpable expression of disappointment. The people she felt most comfortable with in class were undoubtedly Kasumigaoka-kun and her Nap Club friends. The cozy cluster they'd formed was now scattered; the loss of that daily proximity stung.
Nearby, Gotou Hitori, who hadn't drawn her lot yet, stole a few furtive, hopeful glances at the desks surrounding Kasumigaoka Touji's new number, a silent plea forming in her anxious heart.
Kasumigaoka Touji placed his slip on the podium and returned to his old desk to begin gathering his things. Emboldened by her victory, Kani Nayuta tentatively stood up, her eyes darting toward Kojima Kana as she took a step toward him.
The homeroom teacher observed this silent request from the corner of her eye, her stern expression unwavering for a moment before she gave an almost imperceptible nod, turning her attention pointedly to the next slip. She would pretend she saw nothing.
Permission granted!
Kani Nayuta's step immediately lightened, becoming almost buoyant. She practically skipped over to his side, her voice sweet as syrup. "Winter-sensei, let me help you move!"
"Mm, thank you, Nayuta-chan," he replied, smiling as he handed her his schoolbag and the cloth bundle containing both their lunch boxes. He himself hoisted a tall stack of textbooks and notebooks.
The two of them then proceeded to put on a small, natural masterclass in affectionate cooperation, efficiently transferring his belongings to the new desk. The casual intimacy of the act—the shared burden, the easy smiles—scattered invisible handfuls of metaphorical 'lime' across the room, making several single students suddenly feel a profound, acute loneliness.
The lottery concluded swiftly after that. Kojima Kana, exhibiting a practical streak beneath her iron exterior, made a few final adjustments. She helped shorter students move from the back and accommodated those with vision issues, all changes made with their voluntary consent.
Kumin Tsuyuri also benefited from this—her initially drawn seat had a partially obstructed view of the board, so Kojima-sensei relocated her to the now-vacant seat formerly belonging to Inohara Miyako.
With the new seating chart settled, there was no time for acclimatization. Kojima Kana produced a stack of test papers.
"The Japanese literature exam will now begin."
And just like that, with the scratch of pencils and the rustle of paper, the siege of the sudden monthly exams was underway.
****
"Winter-sensei, how do I solve this one?"
"Hmm… for this type of problem, you need to apply the method for solving simultaneous inequalities…"
Later that afternoon, in the cozy, sun-drenched activity room of the Nap Club, a different kind of intensity filled the air.
Spurred by the abrupt exam announcement, Kumin Tsuyuri had suggested an impromptu group study session. Logically, the most sought-after resource in the room should have been Kasumigaoka Utaha. As the reigning top student of the second year, her academic prowess was legendary and beyond reproach.
And indeed, Kumin Tsuyuri, seated beside her, was the sole beneficiary of this living encyclopedia, quietly asking for clarification on a few tricky literature questions.
Everyone else—Kani Nayuta, Kato Megumi—had instinctively gravitated toward Kasumigaoka Touji, forming a small, studious semicircle around him.
Gotou Hitori, true to her painfully introverted nature, hadn't asked anyone for help, instead wrestling silently with her workbook, her brow furrowed in deepening despair. Remembering her… notorious academic performance from the original timeline, Kasumigaoka Touji decided to take the initiative. He walked over and leaned down slightly.
"Gotou-san, is there anything you're stuck on?"
An… an angel of salvation!
In that moment, Gotou Hitori's perception shifted. A shimmering, golden halo seemed to materialize above Kasumigaoka Touji's head. Several pairs of majestic, pure white wings unfurled behind his back, and a gentle, holy glow emanated from his entire being…
Her face melted into an expression of profound, moved gratitude. With a trembling finger, she pointed to a specific fill-in-the-blank question on her page. "Th-This one…"
"Let's see… Ah, this one requires polynomial factoring," he said, leaning one hand on the desk and resting the other casually on the back of her chair as he bent to examine the problem.
He launched into a concise, clear explanation. A moment later, he glanced at her face. Blank. Utter, uncomprehending confusion.
Huh? She didn't get it?
He tried again, breaking it down further, starting from the foundational formula itself. This time, a flicker of understanding dawned in her eyes. But in the process, he made a horrifying discovery: Gotou Hitori hadn't even memorized the most basic algebraic formulas!
Good heavens! What in the world were you doing last month? Did all that knowledge get sucked into a black hole… or somewhere less academic?
Kasumigaoka Touji was rendered momentarily speechless. It was painfully clear: Gotou Hitori's upcoming math exam was a lost cause, a sinking ship he couldn't salvage in an afternoon.
"In short, Gotou-san," he said, choosing his words with utmost tact, "I think your priority tonight should be… memorizing the core formulas. Start from the very beginning."
"H-Hai! I'll do my best!" Gotou Hitori responded with the fervent, obedient energy of a first-grader receiving a sacred mission from her teacher.
"Winter-sensei!" Kani Nayuta's hand shot up from across the table, waving gently.
With a small, internal sigh that was mostly fondness, Kasumigaoka Touji went to her. Before he knew it, his role had imperceptibly shifted from 'fellow student reviewing' to 'temporary tutor holding office hours.' He was holding a one-man, multi-subject rescue mission.
The afternoon melted away in a blur of equations, historical dates, and grammatical structures.
"Winter-sensei, thank you so much for your help today!"
As the clock ticked past five, marking the end of their study session, Kato Megumi offered her thanks. He noticed something—her address for him had quietly upgraded from 'Kasumigaoka-kun' to 'Winter-sensei' during the course of their intensive review.
"It was no trouble at all," he replied with a warm, slightly tired smile. "Teaching all of you is the best review for me."
Nearby, Gotou Hitori was zipping up her backpack with the air of someone heading to their own execution. She let out a long, world-weary sigh. "I'm so doomed for next week…"
"Don't say that, Gotou-san!" Kumin Tsuyuri encouraged, clenching a small, determined fist. "Go home tonight and review your textbooks properly. Just do your very best!"
Gotou Hitori responded with only a despondent, non-committal hum.
With that, the study group disbanded. They gathered their belongings, a collective fatigue mixed with a tinge of preparedness hanging over them, and filed out of the clubroom to begin their journeys home under the fading afternoon light. The first day of exams was over, but the battle was only half-won.