*mumbles mumbles*

  On the third floor of the school, the floor where most 3rd years reside, there are a lot of students cluttering up the hallway. They are chatting with their friends and whatnot. Some also gossip with one another. And then two particular female students gossip about me and Yuki. While the two female students were gossiping, two male students joined in on them.

  Apparently, the four students were arguing about which pair is better, me and Karin vs me and Yuki. Somehow, they were arguing so passionately about something that had no inherent correlation to their life in any sort of way. But all of a sudden, they were interrupted by Yuki, who suddenly ran past them and through the school hallway quickly.

  "MIIIIIIIAAAAAAAGGEEEEEEEEEEE YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!"

  And then someone's voice rings through and is heard by all the students on the 3rd floor. It was actually my voice. I am now chasing after Yuki. Yuki looks back to see the distance between her and me.

  "OH NO! HE'S GONNA CATCH ME!!!"

  Yuki increased her speed the moment she saw how fast I was running after her. I have the title for the fastest sprinter on the entire school, not just for show after all, but somehow this girl, Yuki, can keep her distance from me. Since the first-years students are new, we still don't know which students are good at a certain category. I suspect Yuki is also the fastest runner in her year.

  "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGHHHHH!!!"

  On that last meatball, Yuki has put an unhealthy amount of wasabi inside. I was running through the entire 3rd floor hallway with tears pouring out of my eyes, snot running out of my nose, and my tongue was coming out of my mouth because of how hot the wasabi was.

  When I ran through the entire hallway, everyone saw my ugly facial expression. Although it wasn't my intention, I ended up making the entire 3rd year laugh uncontrollably. The sad part, though, was that I didn't catch Yuki that day. She hid in the girls' toilet on the first floor until recess time was over. I had to go to class and continue the lecture with every one of my classmates, and the teacher couldn't help but notice my ugly expression. I kept telling them over and over that this was because of wasabi, and everyone held their laughter.

  MIAGE YUKI, I WILL NOT FORGET THIS, YOU LITTLE SHIT!

  And so, for the following days, I end up chasing after Yuki on every recess for almost the entire week. Everyone was still laughing when they saw me run because of what had happened before. But then it all came to a full stop when a certain incident happened during gym class while I was playing soccer.

  *THUD*

  "OUCH OUCH!!"

  I was playing soccer on a soccer field that was quite a distance behind the school building. I was so focused on the ball that I wasn't paying attention to the ground. I slid off a bulge of sand and fell down sliding. I ended up grazing my knee, and it was a long graze as well, though the wound wasn't deep and serious, it still hurts so much.

  The teacher said time out and permitted the other students free time for the time being. He plans to assist me, but all of a sudden, all of us, including the teacher, saw someone running towards the soccer field quickly from the school building. All of us were shocked and found out that it was Yuki. She ran nonstop the entire distance it took to reach the soccer field from the school building.

  "*pant pant* Senpai! Are you okay? *pant pant*"

  "I-I grazed my knee. It hurts, but this shouldn't affect my routine too much."

  Yuki crouched down to see my wound and found out about how long the graze was. Then Yuki stands up and walks towards me. She assists me to stand up, and puts my arm to wrap around her shoulders from the side.

  "Sensei! I will take Neo-senpai to the infirmary! Please excuse us!"

  "G-Go for it."

  My gym teacher allowed it. Yuki assists me in walking all the way from the field towards the school building and then to the infirmary. During the walk, I can sense annoying gazes from behind coming from my classmates. I can feel their smug smiles and whatnot, even though I never looked back.

  When we reached the infirmary, Yuki immediately informed the school nurse inside about my wounds. They placed me on the bed. The nurse wanted to put bandages on my wounds after putting some ointment on them, but Yuki insists and persists that she wants to help. She and the nurse are now wrapping my wounds with bandages. I can feel Yuki's sincerity throughout the entire process.

  "Okay, done! Neo-san, you can rest here until gym class is over. I'll submit some reports to the teacher's room."

  "Got it! Thank you, sensei!"

  "Miage-san, aren't you supposed to be in class right now?"

  "It's okay, sensei! I already asked my classmate to take notes for me. I won't miss anything from today's lecture that way."

  "Hmm? Wow, smart kids these days! Alright, I'm off!!"

  And then the school nurse left us alone in the infirmary.

  "Kouhai-kun, thank you!"

  "It's nothing, senpai! You should be more careful next time!!"

  "Since you’re basically begging for it, I will be more careful next time, don't worry! Hehehe!"

  "Tch!"

  "DID YOU JUST CLICK YOUR TONGUE KOUHAI?!"

  "Ah! Senpai, I'm sorry I have to go back to class! I forgot that in today's lecture, there will be a quiz near the end! I cannot miss that senpai! I'll have to excuse myself!"

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  "Go on kouhai-kun!"

  "Alright, senpai, please get well soon!"

  And then Yuki left the infirmary. And so, I was alone in the infirmary, but then I smiled to myself and thought.

  "(That Yuki. . . She was worried about me. Honestly, that was adorable! I'm glad I have such an endearing underclassman.)"

  After that, I just spent the rest of gym class inside the infirmary.

  A few weeks later, my wound had completely healed. And on today's recess, Yuki didn't come to my class, so I went to the school library to return some books I borrowed before for studying. When I entered the library, there were very few students and it was quiet, but I saw someone familiar in the corner of the room. I approached that person immediately.

  "Yo, Karin-san! How have you been doing?"

  *!*

  "*COUGH COUGH* N-N-N-N-N-NEO-SAN!!"

  Karin was so surprised to see me that her facial expression was funny and adorable.

  "Eh? I'm sorry if I startled you that much! I didn't mean to scare you."

  "I-It's okay, Neo-san. Come sit down!"

  I take a seat in front of Karin directly.

  "So, what are you doing here? Studying?"

  "Yeah, we have a history test next week. I have to prepare myself."

  "Oh!? We also have a history test next week. Perfect, let's complete our scores again soon, Karin-san!!"

  "Bring it on, Neo-san!!"

  I spend half of the recess time with Karin. We teach each other stuff we're struggling with. And then I left the library earlier to go back to class after saying goodbye to her. After a few minutes studying alone, Karin also left the library. But when she slides open the door, she bumps into someone shorter than her.

  "Ah, I apologize! I was being careless!"

  "It's okay! I was also careless."

  *!!!*

  And then the two people closest to me at school finally met each other. Karin and Yuki have laid eyes on one another.

  "(Isn't this that new shortie underclassmen who's been close to Neo-san?)"

  "(Isn't she the other role model student, Karin-senpai? The one they call Princess of the school? The one they paired with Neo-senpai?)"

  They stared at each other for a long time. After a few minutes, they finally snapped out of it.

  "E-Excuse me!" said Karin.

  "Y-Yes!" responds Yuki.

  They both went about their own ways, feeling awkward.

  And then for the next few months, my daily routines in school consisted of spending recess time with either Yuki or Karin. Butting heads against Karin on our test scores, chasing Yuki throughout the school building, arguing with Karin that everyone in the school knows about it, eating lunch together with Yuki on the rooftop, and studying together with Karin in the library.

  The mid-term exam is happening next week. Karin and I, as always, will prepare ourselves to the absolute best to gain the highest total scores possible. After an entire week full of studying, I have confidence that I'm gonna place first again this time. The midterm exam goes on for a full week. I answered all of my tests with confidence, and I'm pretty sure I can ace all tests across all subjects this time.

  When next week comes, it's time to see the school board to see the results. I once again have stood in front of it with so many other students. I searched for my name, but this time I found it really fast because I looked only at the top of the list. And there I did it. I was ranked 1 yet again, but this time, with a perfect score of 1000 total points. This means I aced all of my tests across all subjects, as I mentioned I would. I am so proud of myself for this. It feels good to finally get all perfect scores for the first time ever.

  And then I see Karin standing next to me. She looks grumpy yet again because this time her score is 999 in total. Yet another 1-point difference between us.

  "I'm sorry, Karin-san, this time I am perfect!!"

  "Grrrrrr, NOT AGAIN!!! HOW CAN I BEAT THIS ANNOYING GUY? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

  "HUAHAHAHAHAH! Better luck next time, Karin-san, because next would be your last ever chance to beat me before we all graduate!!"

  "I WILL NOT GIVE UP!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!"

  But then everyone in the crowd makes a fuss about something else.

  "Look! Look!"

  "OH MY, WE HAVE A NEW PRINCESS AT SCHOOL!!"

  "YOOOO LOOK AT THAT SCORE!!"

  "This year's first years are all insanely smart!!"

  I look under Karin's name and find out there's someone else whose total score was so close to ours, with a 998 total. This has never happened before in all of my high school years. It has always been me and Karin who are the two absolute best students of the entire school.

  "Miage Yuki?? EHHHH KOUHAI GOT THAT HIGH OF A SCORE DESPITE BEING A FIRST YEAR?!"

  "IT'S THAT SHORTIE AGAIN?! KKKKHHHHHHH!!!

  "(Huh? She knows kouhai? When did they meet?)"

  "Hello senpai! How do you like my rank?"

  *!*

  All of a sudden, Yuki approaches me from behind by pulling the back of my shirt. I turned around in shock.

  "Kouhai? You sly little, I didn't know you studied this much!"

  "Hehehe! I just wanna stand closer to you senpai!!"

  ". . .O-Okay, I appreciate it, good job!"

  "*COUGH COUGH* N-Neo-san! I'll excuse myself! Just remember, I will defeat you in the final exam!! MARK MY WORDS!!"

  "O-Okay, Karin-san! Do your best!!"

  And then Karin left. But then everyone in the crowd starts looking towards Yuki and calls her a princess.

  "Miage Yuki-san! From now on, you will become the new princess of this school! You did great, Miage-san!!"

  "Everyone cheers for the new princess!"

  "WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

  "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAHHHH!!"

  *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*

  ". . . Stop it, guys! That's annoying!"

  And then everyone in the crowd stops. They were a little bit afraid of the way her joyous tone drops to an ominous one so quickly.

  "Okay then, senpai! I'll go back to my class!" said Yuki with her joyous tone again.

  "Ah, alright, take care kouhai!"

  She left the crowd, and so did I. A little bit later, the crowd dispersed.

  For the rest of the semester, nothing meaningful happens. It was just the same old routine with Karin and Yuki. But there's this one time when my whole class went to Mount Fuji and climbed to the top together as a class. The entire trip was a blast, and the bond between my classmates and me deepened even further because of that one trip.

  Then a few months fly by so quickly. The final year of my high school life is nearing its end. Next week, we'll have the final exam. Once we graduate, we'll all go our separate ways. We may never see each other for the rest of our lives ever again. It is such a bittersweet feeling to go through.

  As always me Karin and I do our absolute best for the exam. We studied for a whole month before the exam. Then the finals week arrived. I did everything I could during that one week, but at the same time, I was distracted by the fact that this would be my final exam at this school. This will be the final time we get to do a school activity with my classmates. This will be the last time I'll ever get to compete with Karin. This will be the last time I'll ever have fun with Yuki. This realization truly saddens me, as I felt that I didn't do my best on the exam.

  When they announced the final exam scores for the last time, I went to see the school board. And I was right. I was ranked 2nd with a total score of 999. I know I sound like I fail, but I know for a fact that I could do better. And then I see a familiar name just below me that was also ranked as 2nd with a total score of 999. That was Miage Yuki. She was the student with the highest score from the first year, beating even other 2nd and 3rd year students.

  "(W-WOOOOWW!! Kouhai was really fired up this time! She almost aced everything!)"

  Neo looks to his left and right in the crowd to look for her.

  "(. . . . Seems like she wasn't here! What a shame. I wanted to congratulate her.)"

  But then I looked towards the name that stands above both of us. We have a new rank 1 on the school board. Tsukiyama Karin became the number one student with the highest total scores of the whole school, with a total of 1000 points.

  "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNN!!!!"

  Karin runs towards me and suddenly hugs me.

  "NEO-SAN I FINALLY BEAT YOU!!! I'M SO HAPPY!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

  *!!!!*

  Everyone in the crowd was shocked and had their jaws wide open. I was also shocked and speechless. She never hugged me before. This was so unexpected that I feel like my heart is gonna jump out of my chest.