Chapter 35
It wasn't until the day the national exam results were released that Niou told us he wanted to go to Sendai.
He suddenly realized that Sapporo's winters were far too long, and if he had to shovel snow for several months every year, he would definitely drop out of school. After hearing this reason, Yagyu and I both gave him a silent look.
I wanted to say something, but I looked up and checked again. At the very top of the list, under the bold "Number One in the Nation" was written the name Niou Masaharu. The teacher had even tactfully omitted his total score, while the next person on the list, "Okada Sanae," had no title whatsoever.
Not only that, Niou also commented when he saw the score after my name: "888, hahaha, good number puri."
Therefore, I had a premonition that I wouldn't be able to say anything friendly, so I swallowed back all my strong curiosity. But at that moment, Yagyu leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Senpai is in Sendai."
After saying that, we smiled at each other, and in return, we received a silent look from Renwang.
By the way, Liu Sheng, who recently went to London for two months, has also returned to school. After I got used to this life where we were all busy with our own things and didn't contact each other much, the three of us returned to the state we were in when we were in the first year of high school. We would get together to eat during lunch break, sneak out to get some fresh air during self-study, and meet up on the first floor after school.
After a while, more and more people gathered in front of the notice board, and we headed towards the back gate of Rikkai University as usual. Before we even reached our destination, we could see a cordon around the old iron gate. We quickened our pace, and I stood on tiptoe to see what was going on inside, while Niou tried to climb in again without breaking the cordon.
"This place is going to be demolished and rebuilt," Yagyu said, pointing to a notice posted on the side.
"A new stadium?" I glanced at the notice.
"I'm so envious, an indoor swimming pool," Niou said, feigning a sigh.
"Come on, you hate swimming too, don't you?" I nudged him with my elbow.
"That's still better than someone who can't swim fifteen meters." Niou said, immediately hiding behind Yagyu.
"So, should we go in and take another look?" It was Yagyu who said this.
"Let me give this guy a 'love-filled iron fist' first." I stepped forward and grabbed Niou's coat hem. He unbuttoned his coat like a cicada shedding its shell, and when he turned around, all I had in my hand was his coat.
The commotion quickly attracted the attention of a teacher patrolling the construction site. He shouted from afar, "Who gave you permission to come here?" We glanced at each other and scattered in three different directions. When we finally shook off the teacher and regrouped, Niou, whose jacket was still with me, sneezed violently in the cold wind.
Many years later, by chance, I returned to Rikkai University on official business. As I drove through the back gate, two tortoiseshell cats, one large and one small, darted past. I unconsciously followed their path, looking towards the former location of the abandoned swimming pool. I recalled those two stray cats that had once antagonized me, and the scene of the three of us sitting by the pool discussing the possibility of hiding a body under the fallen leaves. I chuckled as I gripped the steering wheel.
Before the start of the second round of trials that year, I finally managed to change my application from Category III to Category II in science, right before the deadline. I was still feeling awkward because I felt like I had deserted my post at the last minute.
Aunt Ayana, upon hearing that I was going to Tokyo for an exam, invited me to stay at her house the night before so I wouldn't have to get up early to travel. I didn't want to cause her any trouble and was initially prepared to refuse, but she added that it was my master's idea, so I had no choice but to agree.
I've traveled this route from Fujisawa to the Tezuka family home countless times since first grade, often during rush hour. While being jostled around on the train, I thought about how I managed not to get lost or take the wrong train the first time I arrived at Shinjuku Station – that takes real skill.
Having a long-awaited meal with my master, Aunt Ayana naturally took the opportunity to ask me about Tezuka. In the past, I always carefully mentioned only a few words, afraid of offending the old man. This time, perhaps because I was also anxious about my exams, I didn't even notice that I kept talking about Tezuka at the dinner table. I said I envied his university life, and also mentioned how hard it was for him to study while preparing for competitions. Almost all the topics revolved around him, who wasn't present.
"Sanae must miss Kunimitsu too," Uncle Kuniharu said with a smile.
I was slightly taken aback, and before I could reply, Aunt Cai Cai pushed Uncle aside as if to help me out, and asked me what time the exam was tomorrow morning, saying she would drive me there.
After repeating the conversation "I can go by myself" and "Let me take you there" three times, the aunt finally gave up. The master, who had been silent all night, got up and left the table at this moment, and I followed him with my fists clenched.
"I will definitely pass the exam and I will never let you down." Sitting on the tatami mat in the Japanese-style room, I bent down and promised him.
"Sanae." My master called my name, making me straighten up. I looked at his face, which was different from usual. There was less of his usual sternness and anger. He was like my grandfather, who had long faded from my memory. He raised his hand and gently patted my shoulder, saying, "You will do everything you want to do. I will never be disappointed in you."
I think I should feel moved at this moment, but what I'm thinking is how wonderful it would be if those words were said to Tezuka.
That night, I slept in Tezuka's room again. During the days he was away, Aunt Ayana wished she could completely renovate her son's room and leave it to me. The newly changed sheets smelled of detergent. As soon as I lay down on the bed, I felt sleepy and forgot to put my phone down. I accidentally pressed the call button.
"Sanae?"
Tezuka's voice faintly drifted in, but I had already slowly drifted into sleep, thinking it was a call from a dream.
He called several more times but received no response. Just as he was about to hang up, he heard someone pick up their phone and whisper, "Sanae is taking the second test at the University of Tokyo tomorrow and is already asleep. I'm so sorry, Hikaru, Mom has lent your room to her again."
Although this wasn't the first time his mother had done this, Tezuka still felt his ears burning every time he thought about it. He coughed lightly and said, "Mom, don't answer other people's calls."
He added as a final note: "Don't wake her."
However, after suffering from nightmares every night for a whole year, I had a rare dreamless night and slept soundly until dawn, as if my body had never felt so light.
In early March, the spring breeze brought warmth, and the cherry blossom tree next to the teaching building bloomed early once again. I arrived at the classroom early, reached out and opened the window, and gazed at it in a daze.
Today is the results announcement day. I figured I could check the admission information on the website, so I didn't go to the site like the other students. Knowing the results a little earlier or later wouldn't affect me much. However, I've been on edge for so long, and the fact that I'm not anxious at all at this moment makes the teachers think it's unusual.
Several teachers stopped and glanced at me as they passed by our classroom, but at such a special time, unless the students themselves publicly disclosed their admission information, it was inconvenient for the teachers to inquire.
It was almost time for the website to open, so I slowly got up and headed to the library. Before I even reached the stairwell, I heard celebratory sounds coming from downstairs. The first group of students who went to check the results had returned. I peeked over the stair railing and saw Katakura and Sanada walking into the teaching building surrounded by the crowd.
Although I knew from the beginning that Katakura hadn't changed his application, the sense of defeat I felt when I saw that he had been accepted overwhelmed all other emotions. I tried to avoid the crowd, but there was nowhere to hide on the stairs, and the next second I bumped into them.
"Looks like there's good news?" I said, feigning nonchalance.
"Good luck has fallen on my head," Katakura said with a smile. "I'm even preparing to apply to private schools."
"You're likely to attract hatred by saying that, Katakura-kun," I replied, subtly avoiding eye contact with Sanada.
After a few brief pleasantries, I was about to continue downstairs when Katakura added, "Oh, by the way, congratulations to you too."
I turned around.
"Haven't you found out yet? You've been accepted too." Katakura pointed to Sanada, who hadn't said a word, as he explained. Katakura Tomokazu, who was always good at ignoring changes in the atmosphere, once again demonstrated his skill, seemingly completely oblivious to the awkwardness between me and Sanada. "He said he remembered your exam number."
"Really?" I chuckled dryly and looked at Sanada. "I was actually just about to investigate."
"Don't disbelieve me, it's true!" Katakura said.
"I should at least take a look myself," I said, then jumped down the steps in three quick steps, ignoring Sanada behind me who seemed about to say something but couldn't.
That year, only three students from Rikkai University were admitted to the University of Tokyo through the general entrance examination: one each in the humanities category 1, science category 2, and science category 3.
This was the most popular day since I was elected student council president. My juniors in the department even suggested in the chat group that they should help me organize a celebration party together with the student council. And almost everywhere I went, someone would congratulate me.
Having learned of my acceptance a day earlier, Niou refused to walk with me in the corridor. As the afternoon approached and I could no longer bear the atmosphere, I sent a distress signal to Yagyu, who helped me escape the school.
I had imagined the day I received my acceptance letter many times, but when the day actually came, I felt nothing. I thought I would at least feel happy or relieved, but I felt nothing at all. Only a vague sense of frustration and unease lingered in my heart. I felt like I was being opportunistic, and this feeling seemed to have never completely left me. I just learned later how to make it seem like it didn't exist.
Standing on the balcony of my room, I leaned against the railing, enjoying the breeze. When my phone rang, I didn't look at the caller ID. After the call was connected, the other person didn't speak for a long time, but in my heart, I knew he was the one I was thinking of.
"What's wrong?" I knew it was him.
"And you?" he asked in return.
"Not good," I told the truth.
"Me too." He was always honest with me.
After a few seconds of pause, I laughed and said, "Then let's tell you who's worse!" I immediately heard him trying to suppress a laugh. I called out to him, then muttered, "It would be good if you were here."
Suddenly a gust of wind blew by, and at the same time a gust of wind blew through the receiver. I heard him say, "Sanae, turn around."
The National Unified Examination, also known as the Center Examination, is held around mid-January each year, with a total score of 900 points.
*888 sounds like "hahaha" in Japanese.
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