Part 1: Between Joy and Stone
The exam day had truly begun.
Students slowly filled the classroom, the low hum of voices echoing as everyone took their seats. Bags were set down, chairs scraped lightly against the floor, and the tension of the exam day settled in.
The door slid open.
Daigo stepped inside and closed it behind him with a firm motion. The room quieted instantly.
He moved to the front, opened the register, and began calling names, marking attendance one by one.
Just as he was nearing the end, a voice rose from the back.
"Sensei, this is unfair," Souta said, half-standing from his seat. "How are we supposed to finish an entire chapter in one day?"
Daigo's pen paused.
He looked up, his expression calm but serious. "It's not my problem."
The class fell silent.
"We started this chapter a month and a half ago," Daigo continued evenly. "I informed all of you about the final exam well in advance. Yes, the portions were lengthy—but because of that, the instructors agreed to limit the exam to just this one chapter."
Souta slowly sat back down.
Daigo closed the register. "Now, let me finish attendance."
He looked toward the door. "We need to head to another class shortly."
No one spoke after that.
The weight of the exam pressed down on the room as Daigo returned to the front—focused, composed, and unmoved.
The students murmured softly among themselves, shuffling papers and settling in, as Daigo stepped to the front of the classroom, holding the register firmly in his hands.
"Before we head to the exam hall, I'll call out your roll numbers," he said, scanning the room. "Memorize them carefully. I'll go through my class only."
He looked at his list and began.
"Amaya Homura — Roll Number 1."
Amaya nodded, sitting up straighter.
"Arashi Homura — Roll Number 3."
Arashi replied quietly.
"Ayame Inazuma — Roll Number 5."
Ayame's pen hovered over her notebook for a moment before she looked up.
"Haruto Inazuma — Roll Number 7."
Haruto blinked, tilting his head slightly. "Sensei… why are the roll numbers skipping like this? What happened to 2, 4, 6?"
Daigo's expression remained calm, his tone firm. "Those are assigned to Class 2 students. Your roll numbers are odd, theirs are even. It's just to keep the seating order organized between the two classes. Nothing more."
Haruto nodded slowly, the logic making sense.
"Izumi Homura — Roll Number 9."
"Kaito Inazuma — Roll Number 11."
"Misaki Hoshino — Roll Number 13."
"Souta Nishikawa — Roll Number 15."
"Yuna Sekiguchi — Roll Number 17."
Daigo closed the register with a tap. "Memorize your numbers. Once we reach the exam hall, everyone sits exactly according to these rolls. No changes unless I say otherwise."
The class went silent, each student processing the final instructions.
Haruto looked down at his desk, rolling the number 7 over in his mind, preparing for the exam that awaited.
The classroom doors slid open.
Class 1 students entered one by one, quiet and serious, and began taking their seats according to their roll numbers.
Haruto walked to the middle row and stopped at the last bench, placing his bag down carefully before sitting. He looked around once, then straightened, waiting.
Ayame moved ahead of him, settling into the first row, second bench from the back. She smoothed her uniform and opened her notebook neatly.
Kaito crossed to the third row, taking the third bench, dropping into his seat with a small exhale before leaning forward.
The room slowly filled, desks occupied in order, the air tense and expectant.
The door slid open again.
This time, Class 2 entered.
Their footsteps sounded heavier, more uncertain, as they moved into the room and took the remaining seats according to the arrangement. Chairs scraped softly against the floor as everyone settled.
Haruto kept his eyes forward at first.
Then he noticed it.
The student sitting directly in front of him—a boy from Class 2 with dark hair—sat down and didn't turn around, not even once. His back was straight, posture stiff, almost guarded. Something about it made Haruto uneasy, like a wall had been placed between them.
Haruto swallowed.
On his left, a girl slid into her seat with a bright expression. She glanced around, then noticed Haruto looking her way. She smiled easily and gave a small wave, cheerful and unbothered.
Haruto blinked, surprised, and lifted his hand halfway before dropping it again.
"Hey—"
"Hina," the invigilator's sharp voice cut through the room.
"Face forward. This is an exam hall."
Hina flinched slightly, then turned ahead, lips pressed together to hide a grin.
On Haruto's right, the girl who had just sat down hadn't reacted at all. Her eyes were fixed on her desk, expression blank, distant—like nothing around her mattered. No smile. No curiosity. Just stillness.
Haruto glanced between them once more.
Left: warmth, movement, quiet energy.
Right: silence, calm, unreadable.
He exhaled slowly.
…So I'm sitting between joy and stone, huh?
His gaze drifted forward and across the room, and only now did the full seating arrangement settle in his mind. Three columns, six rows — Class 1 and Class 2 mixed together, no familiar clusters, no safe corners.
Classroom Seating (Front → Back, Left → Right, Roll No.):
Left Center Right Roll No.
Amaya Sanae Misaki 1 14 13
Daichi Souta Riku 2 15 12
Arashi Shin Kaito 3 16 11
Haruki Yuna Raizo 4 17 10
Ayame Tetsu Izumi 5 18 9
Hina Haruto Naoko 6 7 8