Konata had been staring at the same sheet of paper for over half an hour, unable to write a single word. Her mind, completely blank, was devoid of all rational thought, reduced to a tangled mess of frustration and discouragement that spilled out in deep sighs. Before long, she attracted furtive and annoyed glances from her classmates, who were trying to focus on the exam. However, the intimidating atmosphere surrounding her left no room for complaints, especially when the only one who had dared to speak to her was still clutching her chest, sighing with relief. She had touched her shoulder to ask, please, if she could stop making "those annoying noises."
At the request, Konata spun sharply in her chair. In that moment, with her fists clenched, everyone thought she was going to hit her. Fortunately, it didn't happen. Instead, she just stared at her in silence, with such intensity that the girl blushed, lowered her head, and apologized. Without showing any interest in her, Konata turned back to her desk, trying to refocus on her sheet of paper, but she couldn't manage it.
Another half hour had to pass before a new sound interrupted the relative stillness of the classroom: a dull thud that startled several of the sleepy students. Konata, with her spirit already bitter, had let her head drop onto the desk, not caring about the pain she would feel when her forehead hit the surface.
"Why? Why?" she lamented, feeling her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She was furious with herself; the blank page, besides being a failure, was a stark reminder that it was all her fault.
Even so, the remnants of pride within her whispered something different: this wouldn't be happening if it weren't for her teacher, Nanako.
"It can't be a coincidence; she must have done this just to irritate me..." she thought, and thus her anger began to shift toward the blonde. Each time she looked up and saw her, her frown deepened a little more. It was as if Nanako, along with her muffled giggles, was mocking her. Nothing could be further from the truth; the woman was completely unaware of the storm raging inside Konata, engrossed in the pages of a magazine.
As time continued slipping through her fingers, in an endless back-and-forth between watching Nanako and literally writhing over her exam—now showing the first signs of wear—most of the students around her were making their final touches. In the front rows, Tsukasa and Miyuki had already finished and were chatting cheerfully. Soon, others would join the collective whispering, as the scratching of pencils on paper seemed to grow more intense.
Realizing how far behind she was, and noticing the stark contrast, only fueled Konata's irritation, especially considering that this was, in fact, a surprise test.
She couldn't help clenching her jaw at the memory of the smile Nanako wore as she handed out the exams. However, her frustration wasn't so much with the infamous surprise itself, but rather with the confusion of not understanding what on earth her teacher had been thinking when she came up with something so unconventional for the class.
Nanako had presented it as a "small parting gift," claiming it would help them improve their grades before graduation.
"It's fine if she wants to help us, but this feels like a test for elementary school kids," Konata muttered under her breath, biting down on her pencil—already marked with tooth indentations—as she pressed it once again between her molars.
The test itself consisted of a single sheet, with a seemingly simple question highlighted at the top: "Who has been the most influential person in your life? Describe the impact they've had on your growth and vision of the future."
Konata knew that the obvious answer, the easy way out, would be to mention her father. Doing so would free her from the predicament she was in. However, she still resisted writing his name, even though he had indeed been a crucial influence in her life. Similarly, her friends held a special place in her heart, and though she could choose any one of them as her answer, she couldn't bring herself to do that either.
Deep down, Konata knew perfectly well who that special person really was, and that certainty caused her great emotional conflict. To her, Yui Kobayakawa was more than just her older cousin; in her eyes, though she felt embarrassed to admit it, Yui was like the mother she never had. Yui had been by her side at every stage of her life, through both the good and the bad. Rightfully, she held an irreplaceable place in Konata's heart. That's why, despite her intense anger toward her, Konata felt it was sacrilegious to write down any name other than Yui's.
In the end, trying to push her out of her mind and heart was a futile effort; the exam itself made that abundantly clear. Konata still loved Yui unconditionally, and nothing would change that. Yet, after everything that had happened the previous month, accepting that reality—something she once would have cherished—had become difficult. In fact, every time she reflected on these things, it only made her more confused and angrier than she already was, and unfortunately, she had been doing so since the moment she opened her eyes that morning.
Thus, the discomfort became unbearable for Konata, who suddenly stood up and, raising her hand, called out to the teacher with a familiarity that left everyone bewildered. Once again, strange looks were cast her way.
"Nanako!"
Hearing her name spoken so boldly brought to Nanako the irritating memory of her mother, who often called just to ask when she planned to get married and have children. The serene expression she had worn vanished in an instant. Frowning, she set the magazine aside and turned her gaze toward the girl.
"Oh, sorry," Konata apologized, nervously intertwining her fingers. "I meant, teacher…"
"What do you want, Konata?" Nanako asked sharply. "In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of an exam. Sit down and start writing already. You're distracting the class."
"E-eh, I'm sorry," Konata stammered, playing with her long hair. "I don't feel very well… Can I go to the nurse?"
Nanako raised an eyebrow. It wasn't the first time Konata had used the same excuse to avoid her responsibilities.
"Aren't you tired of using the same excuse over and over again?"
"I'm serious!" Konata raised her voice. "I really don't feel well!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say…" Nanako replied, waving her hand dismissively. Then, she picked up her magazine, crossed her legs, and began flipping through the pages, returning to the reading she had left before being interrupted.
Konata, realizing that Nanako was no longer paying attention to her and that she definitely wouldn't let her leave, sighed sadly and slumped back into her chair. Nothing was going right; everything was a mess. Feeling the tears welling up, she quickly hid her glassy eyes beneath her forearms, resting her head on the desk as if retreating from the outside world like a turtle.
Though she hid it well, the blonde was surprised by Konata's reaction. She was used to Konata being far more persistent—annoyingly persistent, she thought—so seeing her give up so quickly was rather unusual.
"Maybe she really is sick after all," Nanako muttered to herself, feeling somewhat regretful for having been so cold toward her student.
Yet, Nanako tried to ignore her, but no matter how hard she tried to focus on the magazine, she couldn't understand a single word she was reading. Her mind kept circling back to the possibility that something was wrong with Konata, causing her to unconsciously glance toward the back of the classroom. There sat the blue-haired girl—the same one who had given her so many headaches, but also so much joy during the years she had had the honor of being her teacher. It pained her to see Konata so devoid of her usual spark, slumped over her desk as if she didn't have the strength to get up, and she had been like that for several minutes now, completely still.
Nanako bit her lip, trying to maintain her composure, but her concern eventually got the better of her. Suddenly, the seat felt uncomfortable, and the magazine seemed utterly pointless. She slammed it shut and stuffed it into her desk drawer, as if by doing so, she could rid herself of the last excuse keeping her in place. Without further delay, she stood up and hurried toward Konata—one of her favorite students, though she would never admit it openly.
How professional was that? Nanako didn't care anymore. On her days off, Konata was her faithful gaming partner, and that was what really mattered to her. Together, they formed an unstoppable duo, dominating the servers of the MMO they frequented. Besides, Konata always had her back; the last time they played, just a couple of weeks ago, the girl had gifted her some high-level gear, which Nanako still used, making her feel indebted. At least, that's what she told herself to avoid feeling embarrassed as she approached Konata's desk. Deep down, she knew how much she genuinely liked Konata. She liked her so much, in fact, that she could even imagine inviting her out for a beer once she was old enough.
Nanako stopped beside her, hands on her hips, waiting for the girl to notice her presence. But Konata remained motionless, her face buried in her arms. After a few seconds without any response, Nanako had no choice but to place a hand on her back to get her attention. At the touch, Konata slowly lifted her head, turning her gaze toward her teacher. Nanako felt a wave of relief upon seeing that she hadn't fainted, but that relief quickly faded when she noticed her red, tear-filled eyes.
"Are you crying?" It was the question Nanako was about to ask her, but she bit her tongue just in time. She knew that doing so would only put Konata in an awkward position in front of the whole class. Instead, she focused her attention on the damp sheet of paper resting on the wooden desk.
"You haven't written anything," Nanako said, feigning anger as she lightly tapped the paper with the back of her hand.
"I-I'm sorry... I-I really tried... but I couldn't... I couldn't write a single word," Konata stammered, rubbing her eyes. "I-I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't think I feel very well today..."
Without a second thought, Nanako placed her hand on Konata's forehead, keeping it there for a moment. However, when she heard a few students laughing behind her, she regretted doing it. Konata, on the other hand, didn't seem to care; she felt so discouraged that she couldn't even muster the energy to feel embarrassed by such a simple gesture. She closed her eyes briefly, as if that touch brought her some small relief. But as soon as Nanako removed her hand, Konata's expression darkened again, and the emptiness in her gaze that had worried the blonde so much returned.
"I don't think you have a fever..." Nanako said, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Oh, really?" Konata replied, feeling a bit confused.
"It's fine, Konata. You can go to the nurse's office," Nanako added in a sympathetic tone, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder to encourage her to get up.
A small wave of excitement rushed through Konata's body, making her straighten her back and open her tired eyes wide. She hadn't expected Nanako to take pity on her. The urge to hug her surged within her, as this meant she could escape the cursed exam—and Yui, soon enough. However, when reality set in, her smile faltered, and her fleeting joy faded as Nanako, in a firmer tone, corrected her misunderstanding.
"But once the bell rings, you need to come back. Don't fool yourself into thinking you can get out of the exam so easily."
Those words hit her like a cold bucket of water. A sharp pain pierced her, and a shiver ran down her spine. But before her scowl could deepen further, Nanako reassured her by gently stroking her head, disregarding what the others might think. It was a simple gesture, but it was the right one, as it had always calmed Konata without her even realizing it—and today was no exception.
"It's for your own good. Being an adult involves more than you realize. Running away from your problems will never be the solution." With those words—which even Nanako found strange—she concluded, withdrawing her hand as carefully as she had placed it.
Instinctively, Konata raised a hand to the empty space she felt on her head. Though she tried to hold back, her lips began trembling violently. Just in time, she bit them to stop the tears from spilling in front of everyone. Nanako, noticing her fragility, felt the urge to comfort her further but held back. She knew that any additional gesture might break the delicate thread keeping Konata together. So she waited in silence, watchful, casting firm glances at those who were watching, forcing them to return their focus to the exam.
After what felt like an eternity, Konata managed to pull herself together and wiped away the remaining tears with her fists. She nodded slightly before making an effort to stand up. Her steps were slow, as if each one weighed more than expected. Despite the urgency pressing her, as she passed by Nanako, she paused to express her gratitude. Then, she forced a smile toward her friends, who watched her with concern, and gave them a reassuring gesture, as if everything was fine. Finally, she disappeared behind the door, which closed firmly in her wake.
︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶
After the nurse examined her and determined that there was nothing serious enough to justify sending her home—aside from being slightly underweight and showing clear signs of stress—Konata felt a sharp pang of frustration in her chest. What bothered her most was hearing the woman repeat that she just needed to take better care of herself and that at her age, such neglect was unacceptable. Those words caused another vein to start throbbing in her head. It was unbelievable that no one was taking her seriously. Her discomfort wasn't something she made up, nor was it just a psychological issue, and it definitely wasn't her fault. Was it really so hard to understand that she had absolutely no desire to deal with anyone that day? Especially not with a meaningless exam that seemed ripped straight from some kind of youth counseling program. The only thing she needed to feel better was to lock herself in her room, bury herself under her blankets, and forget the outside world entirely.
Determined not to give in, Konata engaged in a long argument, insisting that her health was far more delicate than it appeared and that staying at school would only make her condition worse. With each point she made, her frustration grew, but so did her resolve. In the end, after so much insistence, the nurse reluctantly gave in. She allowed Konata to stay until noon but warned her not to interfere with her work. Additionally, she made it clear that if she wanted to leave early, that decision would rest with her teacher.
Though it wasn't the ideal scenario she had imagined, staying in the nurse's office was a thousand times better than enduring the suffocating classroom. Konata quickly found refuge in a forgotten corner, where she settled onto an old stool, resting her chin in her hands as she tried to calm down. Slowly, her heart began to slow its pace; it was curious, but a sense of peace always came over her whenever she found herself in a white, sterile place like that. Unlike Miyuki, who got nervous every time she went to any doctor, Konata felt an almost drowsy calmness. This was probably due to her childhood experiences, when she had spent so many hours in various medical centers. Far from being bitter memories, those moments had always felt pleasant to her, and she owed that entirely to Yui, who had been by her side for most of those doctor visits, no matter how boring they were.
At the memory, a smile began to form on her face, but it only materialized as a sigh. She realized that if she wanted to stay calm, she needed to avoid thinking about her, just as she had been doing for the past few weeks. So, as if those thoughts were a plague, she quickly discarded them and decided to focus on the monotonous ticking of the wall clock.
What initially seemed to be working soon changed, as her thoughts ended up on Nanako and how much she would miss her once she graduated from school. She didn't like how everything changed with time, but what depressed her most was thinking about Yui again; the exam had captured too much of her attention, and she could no longer keep ignoring it.
Could Nanako be aware of her family issues? It wouldn't be so far-fetched; after all, she was her teacher and, more importantly, a friend to both Yui and herself, at least in some sense. Could it be that Yui had told her something? The mere thought of it unsettled her, and she frowned at the possibility. However, it was also possible that she herself had mentioned something to Nanako without realizing it, perhaps in one of their chats. At the very least, she already knew the first thing she'd do when she got home: check them.
She stared at the clock for a few more minutes, and as her discomfort grew, she decided she had had enough. Running away didn't seem like such a bad idea at this point. After all, Yui had done it many times, and she was sure Nanako must have done it at some point too. With that conviction in mind, she stood up, having already decided on her excuse: she'd tell the nurse she was going to the bathroom, but in reality, she'd head straight for the exit and run until she reached the gate, finally achieving the long-awaited freedom. Just as she rose to her feet, the door suddenly opened.
It was Nanako, who, having noticed how long she had been gone, had come to the nurse's office to fetch her. With a firm hand on her shoulder, she guided her to the teachers' room, wanting to speak with her in private. Konata cursed inwardly; she hadn't expected the blonde to interfere with her plans. However, it seemed like everything was working against her that day, because just as they sat down to talk, the bell rang, marking the midday break. Konata's frustration grew as she realized that not only would she not be able to escape, but she'd also miss lunch for something that, in her eyes, wasn't important.
They both stayed there, immersed in a conversation that lasted for twenty minutes, all due to Konata's persistent refusal to take the exam. Nanako, with all the patience she could muster, tried to reason with her, but faced with her student's prolonged resistance, she was eventually forced to insist that she complete it.
"I've had enough!" Nanako exclaimed, losing her composure. "We're doing this, and that's final. You have until next week to finish it; I'm giving you the flexibility to do it at home, however you see fit. And before you say anything dumb... no, it's not negotiable."
With that, she took out her lunch and, without looking at her, added:
"And now you can leave; I'm hungry."
Instead of feeling relieved by the special treatment she had been granted, Konata walked out of the room even paler than when she had entered, as if she had just received the worst news of her life. However, to her surprise, when she stepped outside, she found her friends waiting for her. Despite the considerable delay, they hadn't gone to lunch without her.
"What are you guys doing here? Haven't you eaten yet?" Konata asked, her tone sharper than she intended, as she eyed the bentos they were holding.
"We were waiting for you," Kagami responded with a slight touch of irritation. "What took you so long?"
"We were starting to wonder if something had happened..." Miyuki added softly.
"I can't believe Nanako made me take the sheet home as homework. Why didn't she just fail me outright? That would've been easier," Konata complained, shaking the crumpled piece of paper in frustration.
The girls exchanged an awkward laugh before glancing at each other, unsure of how to continue the conversation.
"Well... it wasn't a particularly hard test. Actually, I thought it was quite nice," Miyuki said, adjusting her glasses with her usual elegance.
"Nice?" Konata repeated, staring at her in disbelief as she quickly shoved the exam back into her bag. "For me, it was anything but nice. My head still hurts just thinking about it."
"Don't worry so much, Kona-chan. You always find a way to get through," Tsukasa said with a smile, giving her a gentle pat on the back. "I'm sure you'll manage this time too."
Tsukasa hoped that would end the conversation so they could finally go eat. However, Kagami, eager to voice her opinion, unintentionally reignited the situation.
"Look, if you don't want to mention your cousin, you can put any of our names instead. It's that simple, Konata," Kagami said bluntly. The others stared at her in disbelief at how direct she was.
"W-what? But it's the truth!" Kagami defended herself.
"Who told you that?" Konata asked, her tone growing severe. She rarely mentioned her cousin in front of them, and even less so on such a private matter. She looked at them with an intensity she had never shown before.
Tsukasa opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated, her gaze drifting as she nervously fiddled with the hem of her skirt.
"Who!?" Konata shouted, raising her voice.
"It was Yutaka," Miyuki answered, frowning slightly as she rubbed her arm.
"Hey! We're not here to judge you. There's no need to yell at us," Kagami retorted, glaring at her as she crossed her arms. "I was just making a suggestion; no need to get all worked up."
"Of course it was her!" Konata exclaimed, clenching her fists and stomping the ground hard. Her outburst startled everyone, causing them to flinch at her sudden anger.
"P-please, calm down. I don't understand why you're so upset about this," Tsukasa said timidly. "It's as simple as talking things through with Yui; everything can be solved by talking..."
"Tsukasa, shut up! You don't understand, so don't even try to comment!"
"Hey, don't yell at my sister like that!" Kagami immediately stepped in, outraged by how Konata was treating her twin, her voice trembling with anger as she positioned herself protectively in front of Tsukasa.
"And you..." Konata jabbed a finger at Kagami's chest repeatedly. "You're the one who started this. You should've just kept your mouth shut, Kagami!"
"Excuse me!?" Kagami gasped, her cheeks flushing with anger as she instinctively raised her hands in protest. "How dare you touch me like that!"
"All of you," Konata said, stepping back from Kagami and glaring at the group. She pointed at them accusingly. "You all knew what was going on. That's why you've been giving me those looks, treating me differently these past few weeks. Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Well, just so you know, it would've been better if you kept pretending everything was fine. That way, you could've kept talking behind my back, like I'm sure you've already done more than once."
"What's wrong with you? Do you even realize the nonsense you're spouting? No wonder your cous—!"
"Stop it, girls! Please stop fighting," Tsukasa intervened before the situation spiraled out of control. "Konata's right; I shouldn't have said anything..." she added, looking at Kagami and Miyuki with sadness.
"No, no, she's not right. She's being rude for no reason! We've been worried about her, and this is how she repays us? She should be the one apologizing, especially to you, who didn't do anything wrong," Kagami exclaimed, placing both hands on her sister's shoulders.
Losing her patience, Konata shot Kagami an irritated look and said, "Kagami, do you really find it so hard to understand that no one cares about your opinion? Is it that difficult to keep your damn mouth shut? You're always ruining everything!"
Just as it seemed inevitable that they would end up butting heads, the door to the teachers' room swung wide open. Nanako appeared, clearly indignant at the ruckus they were causing so freely.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Nanako called out, glaring sternly at the four of them. "What's going on here?"
"It's Konata!" Kagami defended herself, pointing at her. "She's acting like a spoiled brat and making a fuss over nothing!"
"No! It's Kagami!" Konata shot back, pointing right back at her. "As always, her arrogant, stuck-up attitude is causing problems!"
"Enough already, girls! How much longer are you going to keep up this pointless fight?" Miyuki interrupted, visibly frustrated. When they didn't stop, she sighed and put a hand to her forehead, showing her anger like never before. "Come on, Tsukasa, it's not worth wasting any more time."
"B-but..." Tsukasa tried to protest, though Miyuki was already grabbing her wrist. All she could do was look sadly at Konata and her sister, who kept arguing, as she was dragged down the hallway toward the stairs leading to the lower floor.
Realizing she had been left alone, Kagami clenched her teeth and shot an angry look at Konata, letting out a small sound of indignation.
"S-seriously... Konata, sometimes you can be so stupid!" she muttered, struggling to hold back the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes. Not wanting to show any vulnerability, she turned around and quickly walked away, heading in the opposite direction down the hallway.
Konata, breathing heavily, stood wide-eyed, trying to make sense of what had just happened. It was Nanako's hand on her shoulder that finally snapped her out of it.
"Oh, Konata..." Nanako sighed, bringing her other hand to her face and shaking her head. "Come on, let's go. Didn't you want to go home? I'll sign the permission slip. Just calm down, okay? This kind of thing isn't good for your heart."
But Konata sharply pulled her shoulder away from Nanako's reach.
"Konata? Where are you going?" Nanako called after her, concern evident in her voice. But Konata didn't hear her—or if she did, she didn't care. She bolted down the stairs, fists clenched tight, her words barely more than a growl:
"This is all Yutaka's fault!"