The next morning…
Mirae Academy was quieter than usual.
The laughter that normally echoed through the corridors had disappeared, replaced by the soft rustling of revision notes and anxious whispers.
Today…
The monthly examinations officially began.
As Rubi stepped through the school gates, she noticed students sitting beneath trees, on benches, and even along the hallway floors, reading until the very last minute.
Some repeated formulas.
Others stared blankly at their notebooks, hoping something would magically stay in their memory.
She tightened her grip on her bag.
“…Good morning.”
A familiar voice called from behind.
She turned around.
Emmi jogged toward her, slightly out of breath.
“I woke up an hour early just to revise.”
She paused dramatically.
“…And I still forgot half of it.”
Rubi smiled.
“You’ll do fine.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Before they could continue…
Nesmin appeared carrying what looked like three different notebooks.
“I’ve officially reached enlightenment.”
Emmi blinked.
“…Meaning?”
“I’ve accepted my fate.”
Yuri arrived a few seconds later.
“You’ve been saying that since the revision week.”
“Because fate refuses to change.”
Stevan quietly joined the group.
“Talking won’t improve your marks.”
Nesmin sighed.
“I knew you’d say that.”
Together…
The five of them walked toward their classroom.
As they entered…
Only one seat remained empty.
The window seat.
“…Boss is late?”
Nesmin checked the classroom clock.
“That’s unusual.”
Takoru was rarely early…
But he was almost never late.
One minute passed.
Then another.
Just as Ms.
Kim picked up the attendance register…
The classroom door quietly opened.
Takoru walked inside.
His uniform was neat.
His hair was still slightly messy.
But something felt different.
He wasn’t carrying his usual sleepy expression.
Instead…
He looked unusually serious.
Without saying a word…
He walked to his seat and sat down.
Nesmin leaned back immediately.
“…Everything okay?”
Takoru nodded once.
“…Yeah.”
“You don’t look okay.”
“I didn’t sleep much.”
Emmi whispered to Rubi,
“He’s actually nervous.”
Rubi glanced toward the window.
Takoru had already opened his notebook.
Not to draw.
Not to stare outside.
To revise.
That single action surprised her more than anything else.
Ms.
Kim smiled softly after noticing it too.
“Everyone…”
“Please keep your revision notes away.”
“The examination papers have arrived.”
At once…
The classroom became completely silent.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Another teacher entered carrying a sealed bundle of question papers.
The first examination…
Was about to begin.
The classroom door closed quietly behind the invigilator.
Every student straightened in their seat.
The atmosphere suddenly felt much heavier.
Ms.
Kim stood at the front of the room, her usual warm smile replaced by a calm, professional expression.
“Please keep only your pens, pencils, and admit cards on your desks.”
“Bags under your chairs.”
“No talking once the papers are distributed.”
The room answered with a quiet,
“Yes, Ma’am.”
The invigilator began walking between the rows, placing one question paper upside down on every desk.
The soft sound of papers touching wood echoed through the silent classroom.
When one paper stopped in front of Rubi…
She quietly placed both hands on the desk.
She closed her eyes for just a second.
Stay calm.
One question at a time.
Across the room…
Emmi nervously tapped her pencil against the desk.
Yuri gently whispered before the examination officially started,
“You’ve prepared well.”
“Trust yourself.”
Emmi smiled weakly.
“I’ll try.”
A few rows behind them…
Nesmin looked at Stevan.
“I’m buying everyone ice cream.”
Stevan didn’t even look up.
“Focus on surviving first.”
Before Nesmin could answer…
The invigilator cleared his throat.
Silence returned immediately.
“Turn over your papers.”
The classroom moved almost at the same time.
Pages flipped.
Eyes quickly scanned the questions.
For a brief second…
Nobody wrote.
Then…
The scratching of dozens of pens filled the room.
Rubi slowly read every question before writing her first answer.
A small sigh of relief escaped her lips.
Most of the questions looked familiar.
Yesterday’s revision had helped.
She began writing steadily, moving from one answer to the next without rushing.
About fifteen minutes later…
She carefully looked around the classroom.
Yuri was already halfway through the paper.
His expression remained calm as always.
Emmi frowned at one question before suddenly smiling.
“…I remember.”
She immediately continued writing.
Nesmin looked completely focused.
For once…
He wasn’t joking.
Even Stevan wrote with his usual quiet confidence.
Finally…
Her eyes drifted toward the window seat.
Takoru.
His head wasn’t resting on the desk.
He wasn’t staring out the window.
He wasn’t sleeping.
He was writing.
Slowly…
Carefully…
Sometimes stopping to think for a few seconds before continuing again.
Rubi couldn’t stop the small smile that appeared on her face.
He’s trying.
That alone felt like a victory.
Nearly forty minutes passed.
The classroom remained completely silent except for turning pages and moving pens.
Takoru reached the final page.
He looked at the last question for almost an entire minute.
Then…
Instead of leaving it blank…
He wrote something.
Maybe it wasn’t perfect.
Maybe it wasn’t even correct.
But he answered it.
Ms.
Kim, quietly observing from the front, noticed the same thing.
A faint smile appeared in her eyes.
She didn’t say anything.
She didn’t need to.
The final bell echoed through the room.
“Time is over.”
“Please stop writing.”
A few students sighed in relief.
Others looked disappointed.
The invigilator began collecting the answer sheets one by one.
When he reached Takoru…
Takoru handed over his paper without hesitation.
This time…
There were no empty pages waiting to be discovered.
As the last paper was collected, the classroom released a collective breath.
The first battle was over.
But three more examinations still awaited them.
And although no one said it aloud…
Every student knew one thing.
Tomorrow…
The challenge would begin all over again.
As soon as the invigilator left the classroom, the silence disappeared.
The room instantly filled with voices.
“Question Six!”
“What did you write?”
“I completely forgot the last theorem!”
“I knew the answer after the bell rang!”
Students gathered around each other, comparing answers and arguing over calculations.
Ms.
Kim immediately raised her hand.
“No discussion.”
Several students looked at her in confusion.
She smiled.
“You still have three exams left.”
“If today’s paper was difficult, discussing it now won’t change your marks.”
“It will only increase your stress.”
The classroom slowly became quiet again.
“…Go home.”
“Rest well.”
“And prepare for tomorrow.”
Everyone nodded.
One by one, students packed their bags.
Emmi zipped her bag with a dramatic sigh.
“I survived.”
Yuri smiled.
“I told you that you would.”
“I still deserve a reward.”
“You deserve dinner.”
“…I’ll accept that.”
Nearby…
Nesmin stretched both arms above his head.
“I think my brain officially resigned today.”
Stevan picked up his notebook.
“Don’t encourage it.”
“I need it tomorrow.”
Even Takoru quietly laughed.
The six of them slowly walked out of the classroom together.
The afternoon breeze carried away some of the tension that had filled the school all morning.
For a while…
Nobody spoke.
Everyone looked mentally exhausted.
As they reached the courtyard…
Emmi suddenly stopped.
“I have an important question.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Who’s hungry?”
Nesmin immediately raised his hand.
“I’ve been hungry since Question Two.”
“I knew it.”
Yuri shook his head with a smile.
“You think about food at the strangest times.”
“Food gives motivation.”
Stevan calmly added,
“So does passing the exam.”
“…Passing can wait.”
“The cafeteria cannot.”
The group laughed together.
Even Rubi couldn’t stop smiling.
It was strange…
Just an hour ago, everyone had been terrified.
Now…
They were joking as if nothing had happened.
Maybe…
That was what friendship was supposed to feel like.
They reached the school gate.
Students slowly began heading in different directions.
Yuri adjusted the strap of his bag.
“I’ll revise chemistry tonight.”
Emmi groaned.
“Don’t remind me.”
Nesmin looked toward Takoru.
“Boss?”
“You coming tomorrow morning?”
Takoru nodded.
“I’ll be here.”
Nesmin smiled.
“Good.”
“We’ll survive together.”
Takoru looked at him for a second before replying,
“…Yeah.”
One simple word.
But it carried far more warmth than before.
Rubi quietly noticed it.
Little by little…
The walls around him were disappearing.
As everyone prepared to leave…
Takoru suddenly looked toward Rubi.
“…Thanks.”
She blinked.
“For what?”
He adjusted the helmet hanging from his backpack.
“For making me study.”
Rubi smiled softly.
“You were the one who did the work.”
“…Maybe.”
He paused.
“But if you hadn’t been patient…”
“I probably would’ve stopped after the first day.”
For a moment…
Neither of them spoke.
The afternoon sunlight reflected softly across the school entrance.
Finally…
Rubi answered with a small smile.
“Then don’t stop now.”
Takoru looked at her.
This time…
The faint smile on his face stayed there a little longer.
“…I won’t.”
With that…
He turned and walked toward the parking area.
Rubi watched him leave until he disappeared beyond the school gate.
For the first time…
She wasn’t wondering whether Takoru Ryuzaki would ever change.
She already knew the answer.
He was changing.
Not all at once.
Not dramatically.
But one small step at a time.
And somehow…
She felt grateful that she had been there to witness the very first step.
To Be Continued…
Welcome to Chapter 23!
Thank you so much for reading and supporting this story.
Your comments, votes, and encouragement motivate me to keep writing every chapter.
Today’s chapter marked the beginning of the monthly examinations.
But more importantly, it showed something even bigger—Takoru didn’t run away this time.
He stayed, he tried, and he completed the exam with his own effort.
Sometimes, growth isn’t loud.
Sometimes, it’s simply choosing not to give up.
Now I’d love to hear your thoughts!
• What was your favorite moment in this chapter?
• Were you happy to see Takoru complete his exam instead of leaving blank pages?
• Which character made you smile the most today—Rubi, Takoru, Yuri, Emmi, Nesmin, or Stevan?
• What do you think will happen in the next exam?
Will Takoru continue improving?
Don’t forget to share your theories and favorite moments in the comments.
I read every single one!
Thank you once again for reading.
See you in the next chapter!