Kunugigaoka Exam results:
Day 1
English
First: Nakamura Rio, Class 3-E
Second: Asano Gakushuu, Class 3-A
Third: Seo Tomoya, Class 3-A
Sixth: Shiota Nagisa, Class 3-E
Science
First: Okuda Manami, Class 3-E
Second: Asano Gakushuu, Class 3-A
Third: Koyama Natsuhiko, Class 3-A
Social Studies
First: Isogai Yuuma, Class 3-E
Second: Asano Gakushuu, Class 3-A
Third: Araki Teppei, Class 3-A
Day 2
Japanese literature
First: Asano Gakushuu, Class 3-A
Second: Kanzaki Yukiko, Class 3-E
Third: Sakakibara Ren, Class 3-A
Maths: calculating..
Day nth?
Home Ec: calculating..
Manami got out of her seat. She walks to Kayano, Nagisa and Nakamura's line of seats. She brings her score sheet with her. "Congratulations, Nakamura-san", she said to her blonde haired friend.
"Congratulations to you too, Okuda-chan", Nakamura chimed. "Let's see what you get in English".
"I-I got most questions right", Manami said. "I-It's thanks to Nakamura-san's clipped notes method and Nagisa-kun's book highlights".
"Good job", Nakamura fist bumps her.
"Well done, Okuda-san", Nagisa said. "I still got some of my Science answers wrong. I forgot to put the percentages of the chemical compounds. But I got the last one right".
"I also got the last one right", Kanzaki said. She stands beside Kayano. "It's all thanks to you". Manami giggled.
"Let's see how you guys do in Japanese", Kayano said.
"I got the last question right. It's about the arrival of summer in Kagu's Hill, right?" Nagisa said.
Nakamura mused, "I got that one right too".
"I-I received participation marks", Manami cried.
"We could do better next time", Kayano pats her back.
"Hey, guys. How are your scores for Social Studies?" Isogai said. The whole group seethed. "What's wrong?"
"Is this supposed to be a Social Studies exam or a debate tournament?" Nakamura sighed.
"Social Studies are hard. I can't do it", Kayano cried.
"It's even harder than Science", Nagisa wailed.
Isogai chuckled. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I see. I'm sorry".
"It's not your fault, Isogai-kun", Manami said. "It's, it's just that, t-the questions are h-hard so it's confusing. A-and the time went fast. I-it's good th-that Isogai-kun provided us w-with materials to s-study with".
"Yes, that last question didn't feel as hard after Isogai-kun talked about his trip to the rural parts of Africa with Koro-sensei", Kanzaki said.
"A-also, how did you guys do with Maths?" Manami said.
"To be honest, even if none of us made it to the top, our Maths scores aren't so bad", Nakamura said. "At least mine is better than my midterm".
"Me too", Kayano said.
"Me three", Nagisa said.
"And I also did well on the last question. That question we answered a few days ago before the test really helped us a lot. Thanks, Okuda-san". Isogai smiled.
"I wonder how Kataoka-san and Takebayashi-kun could tie in the overall best scores. It seems like they have been cramming on their own", Nagisa mused.
"Yeah, I saw Kataoka study during breaks", Isogai mused. "And Takebayashi had anime song sessions with Koro-sensei".
He sighed. "Dude is a wizard".
"Who? Takebayashi-kun or Koro-sensei?" Kayano said, her gaze exchanges from Isogai to Nagisa.
Isogai pointed at Takebayashi who folds the cord of his earphone. Nakamura gasped.
"Kayano-chan, you haven't heard Koro-sensei sing?"
She exclaimed. "He sings this really weird 50s song in the morning. And he also hummed it when he walked to class just now".
"I don't know what you're talking about". Kayano turned her head away and whistled. Manami gasped.
"Ka-kayano-san?"
"What are you hiding from us?" Nakamura said.
"You're wearing earplugs?" Nagisa said.
Kanzaki sighed. "It's a shame I didn't get full marks this time".
"It's alright, Kanzaki-san", Kayano said. She pats her shoulders. "You will get it next time".
Noticing the gap between Kayano's arms and Kanzaki's shoulders, Nakamura tickles her. "Stop running away from this ear plug fiasco".
=itl=
As the class continue to chatter away about the test results, Manami takes in her seat. Thank goodness, her test scores this time is good. More than good - marvelous. First place in the whole year for Science, her favourite subject. She couldn't be more happy.
Without meaning to, her eyes landed on a pair of golden eyes. Using one hand to support his head, Karma leaned on his table aimlessly. He's here. He didn't go outside. He should have been outside right now, right?
Manami palms both her cheeks. No. Of course he'd be here. He might not have been in class a few days ago. He might have just walked in a few minutes ago. This is still his class as well.
A paper plane landed on her table. She opened the paper plane.
Karma: Congratulations for placing 1st in Science, Okuda-san.
He made a peace sign while ducking his head into his other arm.
Manami folded another paper which isn't folded as neat as Karma's. She flew it. The paper landed on the foot of his desk. She sighed. Karma chuckled.
Okuda: Thank you, Karma-kun.
He threw a scrunched paper. Manami caught it.
Karma: Are you not going to ask how I'm doing?
Oh, that's a very intriguing question.
She scrunched a paper and threw it back.
Okuda: No, I know it's private so it would be rude to ask.
He threw a scrunched paper.
Karma: It's okay. I'll answer it.
She threw a scrunched paper.
Okuda: How are you feeling?
He threw a scrunched paper.
Karma: Not good, but everything is a lot clearer now.
Before Manami picked up another paper to write, he threw another one.
Karma: Next semester exam, I'll be counting on you, Okuda-san.
He puts on a lazy smile, not a restrained one, it's a much calmer expression than when he wrote to her the first time. His hand folds over his one arm and his eyes are like sunsets. Seeing him right there and reading his words makes her want to put on a smile as well.
"Okuda-san, how do you solve the last question?"
"O-oh, you need to explain the process. Here is how you do it..", Manami said. Her index finger moves against the crisp paper. Karma lulls to sleep, listening to her cheerful explanation to Sugaya.
=itl=
The octopus teacher holds three white flags. "Now as promised, the ones with the highest score out of the five of main subjects will get to shoot one of my tentacles". His face is green and yellow striped. "Pick any tentacle of your choosing".
"Hold it, octopus", the Terasaka gang walked up to him. "You said we could shoot one of your tentacles if we get the highest score on one of the five main subjects".
"Yes, Terasaka-kun", Koro-sensei said. "You could shoot one of my tentacles if you succeed to reach the top score of the five main subjects, which would be; English, Social Studies, Japanese Literature, Science-"
"Yeah, you forgot one".
Koro-sensei opens his eyes.
"The five main subjects are; English, Japanese Literature, Social Studies, Science and Home Ec". Terasaka slaps four exam sheets with a mark of 100.
"Home Ec?"
The four member team of the Terasaka gang's profile popped out while Koro-sensei screamed; Terasaka Ryouma, Hazama Kirara, Muramatsu Takuya and Yoshida Taisei, Score of 100, 1st Place in Home Ec. The four students snickered. "A deal's a deal, teach".
Chiba nods. He turns around to a sulking Karma, covering their conversation with one hand.
Koro-sensei puts down his tentacles. "But guys, Home Ec is just a-"
"Just what, Koro-sensei?" Karma chimed. "Are you looking down at Home Ec?"
He leaned on his chair. Everyone in Class E turns around. Manami smiled. The class devil is back.
"No".
Koro-sensei fumbled. His tentacles stay put.
Karma nods.
"Yes, that's cos you always remind to pay attention in Home Ec. So it must be the most important subject of all".
Okajima chimed in. "Yeah, Koro-sensei. Don't break your promise".
Sugaya joins. "Four people scored the highest in the most important subject".
Kurahashi stands up. "That means we get to choose seven tentacles".
"Seven. Seven. Seven".
Slowly, each student stands up. A rush of adrenaline course through Manami's nervous system. Youth. This is what a group of middle school children could achieve.
"Seven?"
As the model teacher, Koro-sensei eventually gave in. Along with Kataoka, Isogai motions both hands in perpendicular motion in hopes to restore order. Once the atmosphere calms, Isogai approaches him.
"And there is one more thing Koro-sensei". He gives him a sheet of paper. "We have decided, as a class, to use the prize from Class A for this assassination".
Koro-sensei blinked. "What?"
=itl=
At lunch break, Class E lined up in the auditorium hall. "Guys, let's form a straight line".
Kataoka said to Okajima and friends who are still gathering and talking about the prize.
"Kataoka-san", Manami said. "C-congratulations for a-achieving 7th place in the overall score".
Kataoka smiled. "You too, Okuda-san. Congrats for achieving first place in Science".
Asano steps into the hall. He and the Five Virtuosos avoid the Class E line. Terasaka taps his shoulder. "Hold it. Aren't you forgetting something?"
Asano shrugged his shoulders from Terasaka's grip.
"We had a bet, Asano", Isogai said. "You promised to follow through if we won".
The Five Virtuosos entourage stopped their tracks.
"As was the condition that you've set, we have sent our demand by email this morning", Isogai said. "Do you have any objections?"
"And don't you make a joke about it", Terasaka scoffed. "If you want, we could always throw Home Ec into the mix. Course, we'd still win".
He chuckled with the rest of the Terasaka gang. A few sheets of paper held behind Hazama's back.
Asano hold up his hand. "Certainly not. No need for further discussions. Let us never speak of this again".
Koyama glared. "Hick".
He makes sure his sharp gaze fell onto Manami.
"Enough, Koyama", Asano said. "Ren, Seo, Araki. Let's go".
The Five Virtuosos made their leave. The other classes make way as one of Asano's body guards from Class A signals them. Seo and Koyama glared at anyone who dares snicker at their spectacle. Ren brushes off his shoulders, head held up high. Araki pushes back his glasses, fists forming as his shoulders slump forward. At the front, Asano is expressionless, eyes focus on the front. As the body guards parted with the entourage, each student returns to their own line, with Class E guided to stay in line by Isogai and Kataoka.
Manami abides but her head is a mess. Hick. Never has a word feel so heart wrenching. "He should probably look in the mirror before he calls somebody a hick".
The familiar deep voice scoffed. Manami called his name at the same time as Isogai. "Karma-kun".
"When did you start attending school assemblies?" Isogai said.
Karma shrugged. "Just feel like taking stuff seriously".
The sound system buzzed, causing a few students to cover their ears. A male teacher steps into the podium as a younger teaching assistant switched his mic. He fans himself with some papers. "Now it's tome for the summer holidays. Let us not skip our studies".
He cleared his throat while pulling on his collar. "Otherwise, um, we would end up like the End Class.."
Silence. Manami played with her hands. Still silent. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Someone taps on her back. Manami squeaked. It was Kataoka who gives her a reassuring smile. Manami smiled back.
=itl=
The TV played in their living room apartment. A talk show host talks presents the stakes of this round of the competition that the contestants are about to face. Square with rounded edge screens showed the points they have. Manami's favourite contestant doesn't have the biggest score, only slightly catching up at the end, but managed to scare the opponent. She takes a deep breath as she takes over prime time.
"To-today", she exclaimed. "I won first place in Science".
She presents the paper with a big red flower mark.
Her mum took the paper and read it. Her dad exclaimed. "High five, Manami-chan". She high fives him. "Hoo, so you're in the top 20. What would you like to do now?"
"I-I, if it's possible, I would like to stay in Class E. There are much more things I could do now after being in the class, like increasing both of my scores for Science and Japanese literature", Manami said. "Also, me and my classmates are able to go on a trip to a resort in Okinawa".
"Really?" her dad said.
"Yes", Manami said. "The school rules state that students in the class with the top 50 rank can go on the trip. And me and my classmates have achieved the top scores in the top 50".
"Marvelous. Another high five".
Their high five turns into a windshield wiping father-daughter hand holding.
"Dear", her mum pats her dad's shoulder.
Her dad cleared his throat, behaving himself.
"It's good that your grades have improved, Manami-chan. About going on a trip to Okinawa, you are allowed to go. However, for staying in Class E, we will need to have a talk with your homeroom teacher. Then we will come to a decision".
Her mum excused herself and bolted to her shared bedroom.
"So Manami-chan", her dad said. "The school has given you your reward. What reward would you like from your parents?"
Her dad is all smiles and sunshine. Normal temperature for clear skies. No clouds everywhere, except maybe clear ones which looks like they come out of ice cold nitrogen flasks. Manami breathed.
"C-can I have a pool membership?"
Her dad blinked.
"What?"
The ship chapter is back y'all!
Upcoming June birthdays
9 June: Okajima Taiga
12 June: Kimura Masayoshi
15 June: Kataoka Megu
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Assassination Classroom. Assassination Classroom is a series written by Yusei Matsui. The anime is produced by Lerche. This is a fanfiction to provide a character spotlight on Okuda Manami. Themes and characterisation may differ from the original series. Also uploaded on lavender1112 blogspot and AO3.