The day had finally arrived-the dreaded periodical exam day. Weeks of chaotic study sessions, random bursts of motivation, and unending distractions had led to this. The school halls buzzed with nervous energy as students clutched their notes, muttering formulas and historical dates under their breath.
Lumine adjusted her glasses-ones she rarely wore-and glanced at the rest of the group gathered near their lockers. Snowball, of course, had to stay in the dorms today, much to everyone's sadness.
---
The Pre-Exam Ritual
Amber was pacing back and forth, clutching a stack of flashcards. "Okay, okay, I know this one! The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell!"
Venti, leaning casually against the lockers, snorted. "Amber, this isn't biology. Today's first exam is math."
Amber froze mid-step, her face paling. "Wait... WHAT?!"
Ayaka offered a reassuring smile as she handed Amber a neatly written cheat sheet-not for cheating, but as a final revision aid. "Take a deep breath, Amber. You'll do fine."
Albedo was flipping through a thick reference book, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Remember, focus on the formulas, not just the answers. Show your solutions clearly."
Kazuha stood beside him, hands calmly folded behind his back. "And don't forget to stay hydrated. Stress only clouds the mind further."
Aether, leaning against the locker with crossed arms, sighed dramatically. "You'd think after weeks of studying, we'd be confident. But nope, we're all collectively suffering."
Lumine chuckled softly, adjusting her grip on her calculator. "We've got this, guys. We've prepared as best as we could."
Scaramouche, who had been unusually quiet, stood slightly apart from the group with his arms crossed. "If any of you mess this up after all that chaos, I swear-"
Venti cut him off with a grin. "Oh? Big words from someone who fell asleep twice during our study sessions."
Scaramouche's eye twitched. "Shut up, windbag."
---
The Exam Hall
The classroom was dead silent except for the sound of papers rustling and pencils scribbling. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.
Albedo sat upright, calmly solving each problem with precise calculations. He looked unfazed, as if the exam were merely a casual exercise.
Ayaka glanced at her paper, her pen gliding smoothly across the sheet. Her expression was serene, yet focused.
Amber was furiously flipping her test paper back and forth, her eyes wide. ('I swear we didn't cover this in the notes-oh wait, we did. I remember now!')
Venti had his head propped on one hand as he filled in his answers lazily, occasionally twirling his pen like it was a conductor's baton.
Kazuha maintained his usual calm demeanor, his pen flowing effortlessly over the exam sheet.
Aether was visibly stressed, his brows furrowed as he calculated a particularly difficult problem. ('Why did they make question 7 this cruel?')
Lumine was focused, her lips slightly pursed as she filled in her answers, occasionally pushing up her glasses.
Scaramouche had a permanent scowl on his face, his pen aggressively scratching against the paper. At one point, he muttered under his breath, "Who in their right mind designed this sadistic math problem?!"
The invigilator, standing at the front, shot him a sharp glance, and Scaramouche immediately fell silent.
---
The Break Between Exams
The first session ended, and the group spilled out into the hallway like survivors of a battlefield.
Amber collapsed dramatically onto a bench. "I'm deceased. Someone bury me with my notebooks."
Venti flopped beside her, sighing dramatically. "Can't. I need you alive for moral support for the next exam."
Ayaka sat down gracefully beside them, opening her water bottle. "That wasn't too bad... was it?"
Albedo remained standing, flipping through his reference book again. "The trickiest question was number seven. Did everyone manage to finish it?"
Aether groaned loudly. "Don't remind me about number seven. I'm going to have nightmares about that question."
Lumine leaned against the lockers, her face scrunched up in thought. "I think I managed to get it... but I'm not entirely sure."
Scaramouche walked past them, his hands in his pockets. "If I hear the word 'question seven' one more time, I'm going to snap a pencil in half."
Venti smirked. "Oh, someone's salty."
"Do you want me to break your pencil instead?" Scaramouche shot back.
Kazuha chuckled softly from his spot by the window. "At least we have a short break before the next paper. Everyone, breathe."
---
The Afternoon Exam
The second half of the day felt even more brutal than the first. By the end, everyone emerged from the classroom looking like hollow shells of their former selves.
Amber was mumbling incoherently, clutching her pencil case. Venti had dramatically thrown himself onto the grass outside the school building. Ayaka and Albedo sat together, quietly discussing some of the questions they remembered. Kazuha closed his eyes and tilted his head upward, enjoying the afternoon breeze.
Aether sighed deeply, slumping onto a bench beside Lumine. "Well... it's over."
Lumine smiled tiredly, adjusting her glasses. "We survived."
Snowball, who had somehow managed to be smuggled in by Amber during the break, trotted around the group meowing softly.
Scaramouche leaned against a tree nearby, hands shoved into his pockets as he scowled at the sky. "That was hell."
Venti weakly raised his hand from where he lay in the grass. "Agreed."
---
The Aftermath
As the sun began to set, the group slowly made their way back to their dorms, exhausted but relieved.
Amber stretched her arms over her head. "Okay, guys, let's not think about school or exams for at least a week."
Ayaka nodded in agreement. "That sounds... nice."
Albedo adjusted his glasses. "I'll still need to analyze my answers later."
"ALBEDO, NO!" everyone shouted in unison.
Lumine walked beside her brother, Snowball happily cradled in her arms. She glanced back briefly at Scaramouche, who had fallen slightly behind the group. Their eyes met for a brief second before he looked away with a huff.
The day had been exhausting, but at least it was over.
For now, chaos would be on pause... or so they thought.