[Mid-term exam 2]

On the first night of mid-term exams, Nishino is having dinner with a black gal in his living room. On the dining table, there are dishes that she has prepared. Today's menu is mapo tofu, bang bang chicken, and wakame soup. 

"It's been a long time since I've had Chinese food," said Yamanobe after finishing the dishes.

Nishino, who has been blessed with the opportunity to eat the homemade cooking of the opposite sex for several days, stretches out his chopsticks with gratitude. 

"Hey, how was the test?"

"Oh, it made the chairwoman very nervous." 

"I was never good at tests either. I hate studying."

It's just the two of them at the table. The only sound in the dining room is the sound of him and her eating and the sound of voices being exchanged. It was a very peaceful moment. 

"Are you a good student, Nisshi? Or are you like me?"

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"I'm average."  

"Until recently, I thought I would work after high school, but now I think that going to university is not a bad idea. So this semester I have decided to start studying more seriously. This exam is just to see how it goes." 

"Oh, You're going to university, Nisshi?" 

"Only if I pass the entrance exams." 

"University is a lot more work than high school, isn't it?" 

"Not necessarily."

"What? No?" 

"Unlike high school, there is no such thing as a "regular course" at university. You can specialise in whatever interests you. You have at least one subject you likes, right?" 

"My favourite subject is home economics, I think. I like to cook, it makes Yukki happy." 

"It's true, the Chinese food today is delicious.  But even if you're good at home economics, you won't pass the university entrance exam."

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"I think that's unfair."

" Oh, you think so? I've always thought so, too."

The conversation between the two flowed smoothly. There is no conflict between them.

For Nishino, it was the perfect opportunity to have a good meal together. Although there is no indication of a future relationship, the opportunity to dine with someone of the same age as him is of great value to him.

"There is also the option of attending a culinary school and then setting up your own restaurant. It is relatively easy to become independent in the restaurant industry, partly because of the ecosystem that has been established within the industry."

"But it's really expensive, right?"

"That's right."

"Then it's impossible. I don't have that kind of money." 

"...I see." 

"But I'd be happy if I could have my own shop someday."

"You can start by selling lunch boxes on the road. Unlike restaurants, you don't need to set up a shop. If you only need a production facility, you can rent it relatively cheaply." 

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"We could negotiate with the landlord of a vacant lot in an office block and rent the land for the lunch hour. You may have to pay a small fee, but it's a lot easier and less risky than setting up a shop." 

"I thought you just went to school every day without thinking about the future or anything." 

"....." 

"Oh, I'm not mocking you!"

"Hey! A bento shop. It's not a bad idea if you get fired from the shop you're working in!"

"That's a great idea but I'm not very good at making my own moves..." 

"You could ask Yanagida. He works at night and relatively close to restaurants. If you are young and good-looking, you will soon find someone who will help"

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The conversation flowed better than ever between the two. He also feels good. The same or even greater sense of achievement was swirling in his heart as when he first joined the breakdance club and successfully performed the Windmill in front of Takeuchi. 

However, such time is not forever. Halfway through the meal, Yamanobe's phone trembled.

Apparently, an incoming call came in. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. It seems to be from the manager of Yukki's shop."

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The sound of the word "Yukki" reminds him of his distance from the black gal. The girl in front of him has a man in her life and is already in a physical relationship with him, and he changes his mind to correct the distance he has unexpectedly moved closer to. He is a naïve virgin.

In front of Nishino, who is chopping his food, the black gal is on the phone for a few minutes. A few moments later, the device is placed on the table.

She opened her mouth before he could ask any questions.

"Yukki, didn't go to work." 

"I thought he was working." 

"I thought so too."

"...Hmm."

With a hand on his chin, Nishino appeared to be thinking. It's a pose that the chairwoman hates. The black gal doesn't seem to be bothered by this at all. 

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"The people in the shop said that there might have been an accident or an incident somewhere, and that's why they called me. The manager tried calling him several times, but he's not answering." 

"Try calling him yourself, maybe he picks up."

"Oh, yeah. I was just about to call him."

As if hastened by Nishino's words, she picked up her phone again. She selects the person she wants from her address book and puts the speaker to her ear. In the silence of the living room, the ringing of the phone can be heard. It was a message from the answering machine.

"Yukki..." 

 A disturbing air flows through the calm dining table. Yamanobe's face, which was always smiling, changed completely. Nishino opened his mouth when he saw the sad expression. 

"Did Yamanobe say he was going to work?"

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"Eh? Oh, yeah." 

"I remember that he looked sick last night. Maybe he got sick on the way to work and he collapsed. I'm going to look outside." 

"Im going too." 

"Are you sure? You have a mid-term test tomorrow, don't you, Nisshi?"

"I don't mind, we live in the same house after all."

"....."

"Thank you." 

The two left home.

◇ ◆ ◇

Departing from the share house, Nishino followed the black gal's lead down the street. 

This is Yukki's route to work.

It was already long after dark, and the houses in the residential area were sparsely populated. If someone had fallen, it would have been easy to see, but there was nothing like it near yhe house.

After reaching the station he uses to go to work, we had to search by train. In the meantime, we have to keep an eye out here and there.

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They had reached the neighbourhood where the man they were looking for worked.

"Yukki, where are you..." 

 Yamanobe said, looking at the busy scene of people coming and going in the downtown at night. You can see the depressed look on her face.  

Nishino responds, puzzled as to what to do. We have already checked the route to work. There are limits to how far the two of them can go in their search. There were several options that came to mind. 

"I'm sorry, but could you take me to Yanagida's place of work?" 

"What?" 

"I'll spare you the details, but I might be able to help you." 

"...Nisshi, do you know anyone around here?" 

"Well, sort of." 

At any rate, he thought he'd find out the name of the shop and its owner.

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He thought that if he could use the relationship, it would be expensive but not impossible to trace. He said that this was the only way he could use it. 

"The shopkeeper is a scary man. He doesn't like jokes." 

"We'll be fine."

"He's not as nice as Yukki, you know?" 

"Then can you just tell me where the shop is?" 

"I'll show you where it is."

 The dark-skinned gal who repeatedly confirmed this was a kind-hearted woman after all. On the other hand, Nishino, who casually nods, is still in a cynical condition. If the chairwoman of the committee was present, he would certainly have put more consideration on the other party.

But just as they were walking away, something happened.

"...Yamanobe?"

A familiar voice reached them. Their attention turns in the direction of the voice. It was a narrow alleyway, tucked away from the front of the street, between two dirty buildings. The street is so narrow that it seems difficult for a car to pass through.

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Yukio Yanagida, the man they were looking for, appeared at the other end. 

"Yukki!"

 After confirming the appearance of the other party, the black gal hugged him.

Nishino noticed that Yanagida's body trembled in response to the contact between the two. His brow creased. But it was only for a moment. The handsome man quickly regained his normal demeanour and responded in a friendly manner.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you! The guy from the shop called me, so I thought maybe you were on your way to work and got hit by a car or something."

"Really? I just had some errands to run and my phone is out of battery."

"I see. That's good."

"Well, I'm glad you're worried about me."

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"Nishino, did you help her? Thank you."

 "No, don't worry about it. I was just in the neighborhood."

"Really?" 

"Yeah." 

And here's where the cynicism comes in. Yanagida, looked at Nishino with an expression that said, "What's he talking about?"

However, the open-minded Yukki laughed off his words. 

"I'm going to go to work now, so you two go home."

"Yeah, I understand."

"Are you gonna be okay?"

"Come on, Nishino, don't make fun of older people too much. "

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"Be careful on your way home."

 And as soon as we met each other, the handsome guy left. Futsumen and the black gal returned home quietly as they were told.

◇ ◆ ◇

The following day marked the second day of the autumn mid-term exams at Tsunuma High School. 

As yesterday, the students were visibly more quiet than usual. The students were visibly more quiet than usual, even in the classroom, where they could be seen facing their textbooks. Nishino was no exception. He is sitting in his seat, spreading out his textbook and cramming his mind for the first period exam, which is just a few minutes away.

There was a person who called out to him. 

"Hey, Nishino-kun. Let's talk."

 The other party was Risa-chan.

It is not common for Nishino to be approached in the classroom by a classmate of the opposite sex, except by the chairperson. Nishino's mood was naturally lifted by the unexpected opportunity to communicate. He responded with a few lengthy lines of dialogue.

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"...What's wrong ? It's rare for you to talk to me."

"For how long are you going to keep missing that appointment? Your doctor is worried about you, so you should go to him."

At the same time he recalled the appointment he had missed. If he remembered correctly, he was supposed to have a preliminary orthodontic examination at his next visit. 

"I'm sorry, I'll have to reschedule."

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"I'm sorry to bother you on such short notice, but how about after school on Monday?" 

"So you 're telling me not to contact you?" 

"That's right. I'm sorry."

She was probably sent here by her dad to deliver a message. After I told her that, she got angry and went back to her seat where her friends were waiting. The girls in the group whispered to each other that Risa's family was a dentist. The chairperson of the committee, who was sitting two seats away, looked on with sympathy.

Also, a little further away, in Takeuchi's seat, Suzuki, who has taken up a position in front of him, is rough. It's been a while since he broke up with his ex-girlfriend to tackle the chairwoman of the committee. He still doesn't have a clue how to approach her.

Nishino was the perfect person to take it out on. 

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In contrast to Takeuchi, who turned a pinch into an opportunity, Suzuki was dragging the pinch along with him. It is not that he is being avoided. However, he is now being outperformed by good-looking men of the same level as him.

He understands this, which is why he is getting impatient. 

For Suzuki, the mere sight of Nishino coming to school every day in good health is enough to irritate him. In addition, the occasional shots of him with Rose and Gabriella also irritated him.

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He looks up from the textbook and looks at Suzuki. He had a troubled expression on his face.

We've got exams until tomorrow, so we can't be too noisy and disturb everyone, but it's time to start studying seriously.

Takeuchi asks, 

"So, Suzuki, do you have to study for the exam?"

"I'm trying to get a sports recommendation for university. "

"You've said that before." 

"Takeuchi? Are you feeling all right?" 

"I'm fine." 

Through recent experience, Takeuchi has learned. If you get involved with Nishino, it's a bonus.

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Takeuchi's perception of Nishino was that he was still the lowest-ranking member of the school's caste, a man who could not read the atmosphere. His final decision was that there was no need to get involved.

Suzuki, however, was different. This is probably why, having witnessed a backlash that he himself remembers, Takeuchi feels indescribably uncomfortable. So, to avoid being pursued by his friends, the most handsome man in the class decides to change the subject. They have the perfect story to tell at this time. 

"Are you sure you want to take that bet I mentioned at the last study group?" 

"If it works out, it's a great opportunity to impress the chairwoman." 

At a study session held in Nishino's new house, a bet based on the score of the midterm exam was decided upon, involving Rose and Gabriella.

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"No, no, I can't do it, can I?" 

"What about you, Takechi? Do you think you'll be able to conquer Rose?" 

"I wouldn't go that far, but I'd like to use this as an opportunity."

Suzuki leaned back on the back of his chair and looked up at the ceiling. He seemed to have given up on the betting altogether. This was in direct contrast to Takeuchi, who was determined to beat Rose. In the meantime, the chime rang and the invigilator arrived. It was the start of another scheduled first period exam.

◇ ◆ ◇

On the same day, the black gal had the day off.

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So, after dropping Nishino off at school, she relaxes in the living room of her house. She sits down on the sofa and watches the dramas she's been filming while munching on some snacks. She has decided to spend the whole day lazing around. Suddenly she heard a loud voice from the upper floor, the third floor. 

"Hey, that's not what you promised!" 

He sounded impatient and angry. 

Her attention, which had been on the drama, shifted upwards.  

"Yukki, are you all right?" 

She sat up from the sofa, but resisted the urge to move her legs.

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"....."

If I hear a loud voice from the floor above me again, I will call out to it as I go to ask for lunch.

But he remembered that she was there too, and after that there was nothing more to say. 

Just as Yamanobe was beginning to think it was time to call for pizza, Yukki came down the stairs from the third floor in his suit. When she heard the thumping of footsteps, Yamanobe went to the corridor. There she found the handsome man who had just walked downstairs. 

"Oh, Yukki. Are you going to work now? It's a little earlier than usual."

"Oh, yeah. I'll eat lunch outside." 

"Oh, sure." 

Yukki went upstairs after saying this.

◇ ◆ ◇

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That day, after the second day of mid-term exams, Nishino went straight home.

After school, the classrooms were filled with the sounds of students trying to study for their exams together or planning to launch their final day of exams tomorrow. If I could, I would have joined them, but I am not in a position to do so. Instead, what he wanted was to socialise with his friends in the shared house. 

"Oh, Nisshi? Welcome back." 

When he opened the front door, a black gal called out in response to the sound. She seems to be in her room on the ground floor.

"I'm back." 

"How was the test?" 

"Not so hard."

Nishino heads for his room while exchanging words.

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Nishino, who changed from uniform to casual clothes in his room, immediately headed to the living room on the second floor. Then there was already a black gal. She seemed to have moved from her room at some point. 

"Nisshi, do you want a cola?" 

"I'll have a glass if that's the case." 

"Okay," said Yamanobe, pouring a glass of coke in the kitchen. 

She sat in front of Nishino, who was sitting on a chair in the dining room. She sat down in front of him on a chair in the dining room. Two sipping glasses were placed on the table. The black gal takes one of them and gulps it down. She seemed to have a rather strong throat, and drank about a third of it in one gulp, then let out a big sigh.

Immediately, what I had just swallowed leaked out of my mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just my usual habit." 

"Oh, don't worry." 

"Nisshi, do you have any questions about Yukki?" 

"Nope."

"No? If so, I'm probably the best person for the job."

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"Is that so?" 

"I wonder if it's easier for men to talk to each other." 

"Are you worried?" 

"...Yeah, a little."

She nodded, covering her mouth with the glass she was holding, wondering if something had happened.

"Have you checked with him?"

"Yeah..."

 What came to Nishino's mind was what happened last night, when they met Yukki in a narrow alley in the downtown area at night. Nishino could not help noticing the tiny droplets of blood on his suit. Was it from his own bleeding or from a fight with someone else? At the moment it is impossible to say. According to his own words, Yanagida works in a nightclub. It is therefore possible that he may have had a rough night or two.

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Nishino thought that there must be at least two. Still, seeing the worried look on the black gal's face made him wonder about many things.

For example, the presence of Rose and Gabriella, who did not visit the classrooms of Class 2A today.

During the day they go to the same school as classmates. But if they went out of school, who knows what would happen? For Nishino, they were not only classmates, but also colleagues and rivals who might one day come into conflict with each other in business.

"I'm sorry, I have to make a few phone calls." 

"Eh?" 

"Maybe I can solve your worries." 

"Wait a minute, Nisshi, what are you talking about..?"

Nishino went to the third floor, leaving Yamanobe in the dining room.

I took out of my pocket a new phone, which I had only just bought. The number of entries in the address book was still less than two digits. He did not need to use the search function to find Marquise's phone number. 

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I found the number and connected the line. The caller picked up after about three rings. 

"What's up?"

"I'm sorry, can you accept a small request?" 

"It's rare to receive a request from you." 

Nishino's words surprised Marquis.

"It's a job that requires a lot of manpower. Can you do it in a hurry?" 

"Yes, I can spare a man for the next few days," he said, 

"I'll pay you double the going rate, but I need you to put up a man for a few days." 

"Opponent?" 

"It's a housemate."

This is the man who has lent his name to many of the paperwork for the Futumen's arrival at the share house. With this background, it was easy for him to understand.  

"Can you help me?"

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"All right. I'll take it in that case." 

"Thank you." 

"But are we dealing with a civilian?" 

"Yeah."

"I'll make the call.” 

They had been talking for only a couple of minutes when, without warning, the line was cut.

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