The morning of the test arrived, and the dorm buzzed with activity as Kouga, Bronya, Mei, and Kiana readied themselves.
"Remember," Himeko called out, leaning against the support pillar between the entrance hallway and the living room. "This is your first exam since enrollment. Do your best, and don't let me down."
"Ah, don't worry your head about it," Kiana waved dismissively, overflowing with confidence. "You just sit back, relax, and wait for the good news!" With that, she bounded toward the door like a bolt of lightning—without her bag.
The others stared at the swinging door she'd left behind.
Himeko sighed into her drink. "That girl is the one I worry about the most."
Kouga crouched down, grabbed Kiana's bag from where she'd left it by the couch, and slung it over his shoulder with a tired smile. "I'll make sure she doesn't fail by forgetting half her stuff. See you later, Himeko."
He strode out the door after her, Bronya and Mei falling into step behind him with far more composure than their excitable teammate.
In class, everyone was buzzing about the upcoming exam.
"Ugh, another exam… It wasn't that long ago since we finished the last one, too… It hurts just to think about it," a student groaned.
Some of the girls tried to flirt with Kouga, but he kept politely brushing them off. Those who persisted earned sharp glares from both Kiana and Mei.
Meanwhile, a group of students approached the trio of Kiana, Mei, and Bronya.
"Kiana, aren't you worried at all?" one asked.
"Worried?" Kiana tilted her head in confusion.
"I mean, you have to take an exam not long after transferring here," the student said, genuine concern in their tone.
"I'm a genius!" Kiana puffed out her chest proudly. "With my talents, passing this exam will be a walk in the park!"
"Kiana, it's good that you have confidence, but don't underestimate Valkyrie exams," came a calm voice from behind them.
The trio turned to see Fu Hua standing there.
"As the proverb goes… an arrogant army will only lose," Fu Hua said evenly.
The nearby girls immediately lit up with excitement."It's Miss FuHua!""Still as elegant and handsome as ever today!"
"Huh…?" Kiana blinked, clearly not understanding a word.
Fu Hua ignored the whispers and continued, "Even though you're talented, never think of achieving a quick success. Know that haste makes waste."
"Hmph, of course I know that," Kiana shot back. She still didn't understand, but answered anyway.
"Is that so? Then I must have made an insensitive remark." Fu Hua bowed her head slightly before returning to her seat.
"…About that just now, was she scolding me?" Kiana finally whispered to Mei.
"I think she just wants you to take the exams seriously," Mei explained gently.
"Idiot," Bronya deadpanned.
"She right, you know?" another voice chimed in. The trio turned to see Kouga, who had just slipped away from the persistent girls trying to get his attention.
Kouga rested his hands in his pockets and gave Kiana a steady look. "You really do need to take this test carefully."
"Okay, okay, I get it! I'll be careful!" Kiana insisted, puffing her cheeks out in a pout.
Kouga sighed softly, then cracked a faint smile. He reached out and gave her a gentle pat on the head.
Kiana's cheeks went red as Mei sighed in exasperation and Bronya rolled her eyes.
Two days later, the results of the Valkyrie Trials were finally posted on a massive board in the academy's entrance hall. The corridor was packed with students, their voices buzzing with nerves and excitement.
Kiana, Mei, and Bronya hurried straight to the board, faces taut with anticipation. Kouga, meanwhile, didn't feel the same urgency as the others—after all, he already knew how little the exams had tested him.
The Trials themselves had been tedious. Five written papers—covering science and history—and then the physical test.
That part had drawn more eyes than he expected. The training field was filled with Valkyrie cadets battling mechanized Honkai Beast replicas. Kouga had stepped in, quietly mixing the innate powers of Build and Gavv Riders. One punch—that was all it took. The machine flew across the field and crashed into the dirt, leaving cadets and proctors frozen in disbelief.
"...Is that really all?" Kouga had asked, more disappointed than impressed.
The proctors hadn't dared to argue. They dismissed him immediately.
Now, leaning near a classroom door, Kouga glanced inside where Fu Hua sat quietly reading. He thought about joining her—until a sudden cry rang out.
Kiana's voice.
Kouga shoved through the crowd without hesitation. Students parted under his push until he reached the front.
Mei was crouched beside Kiana, rubbing her back. Kiana herself was bent low, hands desperately covering the lower part of the board.
"What happened?" Kouga asked.
Bronya answered flatly. "Kiana-idiotka barely passed. She was certain Rank 1 would be hers, but her pride shattered when the truth appeared."
Kouga sighed, shaking his head before stepping forward. He placed a steady hand on Kiana's shoulder. She flinched, whipping around with a nervous, forced smile.
"O-oh, hey! What's up? I was just, uh… covering for some poor kid down here. I mean, who'd want their name seen at the bottom, right? Not me! No way! I'm still the best, obviously. Totally not—"
"Kiana."
Kouga's voice cut through her rambling like a blade. She froze. Slowly, her arms slipped away, and her name was revealed near the bottom of the board.
Kiana kept her eyes on the ground, lips pressed tight. When she finally looked up, it wasn't to meet his gaze. Her voice came out trembling, almost breaking.
"I'm… I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what?" Kouga crouched down. His eyes locked onto hers, steady and unyielding.
"Listen. Neither Mei nor I ever cared about you being number one. All we wanted was for you to pass. That's all. So what if you didn't place high this time? Next time, we'll work harder. "
Her eyes widened, shimmering with unshed tears. She bit her lip, then leaned into his hands as Mei kept a comforting hand on her back.
Kiana still didn't look convinced. She tried to glance away, even as Kouga kept her steady."But… you guys already tried so hard for me."
"And we'll keep helping you—no matter how many times it takes." His calm certainty finally seemed to settle the storm in her.
Kouga gave her a soft smile before leaning closer, pressing his forehead against hers. The sudden intimacy sent Kiana's cheeks blazing red, her breath catching in her throat.
From the crowd came a chorus of whispers and giggles."Aww…""So romantic!""Couple goals…"
Kouga's ear twitched at the noise. He turned and spotted their classmates gawking at them, several with knowing smirks. With a small sigh, he straightened up."I think we should get out of here," he said, glancing at Kiana, Mei, and Bronya. They all nodded and started to move away from the board—
Only to be halted by a sharp voice.
"Ah, Kiana."
The group froze as their history teacher stepped forward. Mr. Nokianvirtanen, a tall, brown-haired man with a perpetually unkempt look, adjusted his glasses with one hand while the other tugged at his half-loosened tie. His white shirt hung open at the collar, revealing the lines of a surprisingly toned chest beneath.
"There's something we need to discuss," he said smoothly, reaching into his shirt pocket. With a deliberate motion, he withdrew a folded slip of paper. "I've been informed you'll need to retake your history exam."
The blood drained from Kiana's face, eyes wide as if the floor had been ripped from under her."WHAT?!"