On January 20th, the First National Examination, countless candidates entered the battlefield.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, as a graduating student, was one of them, destined to be among those who would stand out.
"I'm leaving."
Closing the door, Kasumigaoka Utaha, like most candidates, headed to the examination hall with her parents' advice and expectations.
Taking her examination number to the designated examination hall, graduating candidates from all over Japan, just like Kasumigaoka Utaha, streamed in.
The First Examination couldn't determine Kasumigaoka Utaha's fate, but it could definitely determine the fate of the majority.
After the results of the First Examination were released, most people would know which University they could apply to.
And for the results of the First Examination, those who wouldn't pay much attention were probably the top part of the pyramid among the candidates.
Coincidentally, Kasumigaoka Utaha was not worried about the First Examination; describing it as effortless was perfectly appropriate.
Not only was it because her desired University was not a National University Corporation, but although the questions for the First Examination referenced the second stage campus examination of National University Corporation, the difficulty was certainly not as high as the second stage.
Furthermore, Kasumigaoka Utaha was not within the elite category selected by National University Corporation, or rather, she had no reason to choose a National University Corporation.
Private Waseda University, which seemed to absorb the strengths of both Waseda University and Keio, tending towards comprehensiveness, was Kasumigaoka Utaha's goal.
They didn't heavily consider the results of the unified examination, focusing more on the campus examination results and the interview.
But this didn't hinder anything; the First Examination still had to be taken, and adding a written explanation to the interview materials was also good.
Ding—
Her phone rang. Kasumigaoka Utaha took out her phone and looked; the sender was noted as "Kashiwagi Eri".
"Good luck with your exam!"
Receiving Eriri's blessing at this time, Kasumigaoka Utaha was a little surprised, because they hadn't been in touch much recently.
Although she used the excuse of having exams, in fact, Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't quite know how to get along with Eriri.
After being told off like that on the school rooftop last time, Kasumigaoka Utaha still cared about it very much.
In addition, not long ago, she learned that Eriri had gotten an account from Aki Tomoya. Seeing them trying to get her attention in that way, Kasumigaoka Utaha had to re-evaluate her current standards.
"I'll talk about it after the exam..."
Kasumigaoka Utaha put away her phone and muttered.
Works, and unresolved interpersonal relationships, could be put aside for now; the most important thing was the exam.
However, for the First National Examination, Kasumigaoka Utaha only needed to perform at her usual level.
Her mock examination results were all rated A; there was no reason for her to do poorly in the official National Examination.
Upon arriving at the examination hall, Kasumigaoka Utaha was just one of the candidates at this moment.
"Go to Waseda University Faculty of Literature, and then drop out halfway like other seniors?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha recalled something someone had said to her.
That matter-of-fact tone, as if he had predicted her future in advance.
Thinking about it now, it was indeed matter-of-fact.
She could disregard the First National Examination, but honestly, Kasumigaoka Utaha wasn't too worried about Waseda University's entrance examination either.
"Different from people who study diligently."
Sitting in the examination hall, having participated in four National mock examinations in a year, and now the First National Examination, Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had never paid attention to how others were, saw many differences from the nervous expressions of others at this time.
For them, this was a battle for their future.
In Japan, people who want to get into a good University can start preparing as early as elementary school, or start attending Academy in junior high school, and then start working hard.
Opportunities are equal, but the process will never be equal; this is the cruel reality.
Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't care about the result of the First Examination, because the result was already destined, and she herself believed that even if she took the exam casually, she wouldn't do too poorly.
But most of the people in the examination hall were different from her.
For those aiming to enter National University Corporation, or even relying on scholarships to reach this point, the results of the First Examination were very important.
"Effortlessly achieving what others can't even with hard work, thinking about it, geniuses are really annoying."
However, Kasumigaoka Utaha would never dislike herself; at least she didn't waste her talent, she could only say she was a bit willful.
In one examination hall, there were all sorts of people. Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't need to sympathize with people who had nothing to do with her; in fact, everyone sitting here was a competitor.
It was not an exaggeration to say that the success of many people was built upon stepping on others.
When one person succeeds, another person fails.
"Start!"
...
January 20th, the first day of the First National Examination ended.
Kasumigaoka Utaha slowly walked out of the examination hall.
Anyway, for her, it was just an exam.
Many candidates still had nervous expressions on their faces, filled with anxiety.
The First National Examination could, in fact, determine many things.
After the first day's exam ended, Kasumigaoka Utaha was not in a hurry to go home, but stayed on the streets of Tokyo city.
"Aki-kun, have you seen Miki-kun?"
"Miki-kun seems to not have come out yet."
Outside the examination hall, a cram school teacher was looking around, searching for the students who took the exam today.
"Harumi Sensei, I feel that your presence here might even add pressure to Miki-kun!"
"The first day of the exam is over; we need to make sure Miki and the others focus on tomorrow. Mr. Tsubota and I are very afraid that they will dwell on today's exam."
"When Miki-kun comes out, Mr. Tsubota should also be seeing someone soon, right? We can go back to the Academy together."
Outside the examination hall, Aki Tomoya reminded Harumi Junko.
At Aomine Cram School, the three students taking the First Examination in Tokyo this year were assigned to different examination halls.
"He's out!"
"Harumi Sensei, next year when I take the First Examination, please don't wait for me. Compared to you, I'd rather see Mr. Tsubota."
Aki Tomoya had already noticed the somewhat subtle expression on the face of the senior named Miki.
Harumi Junko seemed to carry bad luck, while conversely, Mr. Tsubota seemed to bring good luck.
"Why?"
"The failed student FLAG!"
Aki Tomoya laughed.
"But even if I fail, it's failing Tokyo University. For the National Examination, I can still bring good luck!"
"But I'm aiming for Tokyo University."
...
Outside the examination hall, the students and cram school teachers gathered together. The senior named Miki walked up to Harumi Junko, his expression somewhat downcast as he began to report the situation, looking quite unconfident. It seemed he was very worried about the first day's results.
"Don't worry about today's exam; focus on tomorrow's exam instead. Everyone at the Academy is waiting for you!"
The first day of the First National Examination ended, with countless people carrying dreams, and countless people whose dreams would be shattered here.
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