Gifted Academy: The Perfect Student

"Okay, then," Kobayashi said with a sigh, "let's pick up where we left off."

As they resumed their studies, Kobayashi and Hamasaki engaged in a lively exchange of questions and answers while Kato remained relatively silent, and I was in total silence. The atmosphere in the room was much more relaxed after Shinichi's dramatic exit.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as I gazed down at my notebook, its pages adorned with a chaotic array of random scribbles, crafted to give the illusion that I also had been studying all along.

*

"Well, it seems it's time for a well-deserved respite from our studies. Everyone, take a moment to stretch your legs and clear your minds."

As the clock struck the half-hour mark, Hamasaki announced that it was time for a brief respite from the gruelling study session. I reluctantly put down my pen, having been engrossed in my pretend study session of doodling aimlessly in the margins of my notes.

"So, tell me, Kato, what is the solution to this differential equation?" Hamasaki unexpectedly asked Kato and displayed her book to Kato.

Kato's eyes bulged in panic, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he stammered out a flawed explanation.

"Uh, well, you see, it's uh, y = e^x...I think?"

"Ah, sorry, that's wrong," Kobayashi interjected with a shake of his head. "The correct solution is y = e^(x^2) + C, where C is an arbitrary constant."

"Oh, right, right," Kato said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I knew that. I just got a little flustered there for a moment."

"It's alright. We all have moments like that," Hamasaki reassured him with a pat on the back. "Let's review it together and solidify our understanding."

As the break time came to a close and the group prepared to go back to their studies, a coordinated chime echoed through the room as all of their phones simultaneously lit up with a notification.

-

To: 2-C

From: Kaoru Hiroto

Everyone, please come to library room 12. I need to discuss something.

Every student must be present there.

-

I slipped my phone back into my pocket with no reason to reject the request. Hamasaki and Kobayashi rose from their chairs upon seeing the notification, with Kato trailing behind.

I left the room with Hamasaki by my side, Kato and Hamasaki in front of us, the familiar musty smell of books filling my nose as we made our way out to the main library area.

A small group of students were already seated in the room as we arrived in room 12, some chatting amongst themselves while others sat in silence. I took a seat amongst them, glancing around the room.

Kaoru stood at the front, scanning the room with a critical eye. "Is this all?" she asked her voice carrying a hint of disappointment.

"I guess."

"I'm not sure."

Murmurs of uncertainty and confusion rippled through the room, with a few students offering half-hearted responses.

Without warning, Kaoru's gaze swept the room once more, her voice ringing out loud and clear.

"Raise your hand if you studied."

One by one, hands slowly rose throughout the room, including mine. The room was filled with the sound of rustling clothing and shuffling feet as everyone complied with her request. Kaoru's gaze travelled around the room, taking note of each raised hand before she finally spoke again.

"Alright, everyone, I've called you all here today because it's come to my attention that our study sessions haven't been as productive as they could be. I want to address this issue and find a solution."

One of the students, Hamasaki, spoke up, "But Kaoru, what's the problem? We all show up to the study sessions, and we're all here now."

"The problem is that we're not actually studying or doing anything productive during these sessions," Kaoru responded, her tone firm but not confrontational.

"But we're all here. That should count for something, right?" Itsuki chimed in.

"Just showing up isn't enough," Kaoru replied. "We're all in this study group because we want to improve and do well in our classes. But just being present isn't going to cut it. We need to actively engage and participate in our studies."

Ichikawa, who had been quiet until now, spoke up hesitantly, "But what if we don't know the material? We're just going to sit here and look stupid if we try to participate and don't know the answers."

"I propose that we make our study sessions more interactive. Instead of just sitting there in silence, we can make it into a game. Each time someone answers a question correctly, they get a point. And at the end of the session, whoever has the most points gets a small portion of points."

Hamasaki, who had been listening attentively, nodded in agreement. "I see your point, Kaoru. I think we can all try to be more engaged and participate more in our study sessions."

"It's another point system where each person in the group earns points for answering questions correctly and staying on track. At the end of the study, the person with the most points gets a reward, which is those who didn't earn the most points will have to contribute thirty points to the winner. It's a way to hold ourselves accountable and make sure we're all putting in the effort."

The group started to murmur among themselves, some agreeing with Hamasaki while others still had objections. "But what if we're too tired after class? We can't just magically make ourselves study." said one of the students.

"I understand that it's not always easy to find the energy and motivation to study," Kaoru said, her voice understanding. "But I think we can all make an effort to push ourselves a bit harder. And remember, we're all here for the same reason - to improve and try to pass midterm. We need to support each other and hold ourselves accountable for our actions."

The discussion went on for a while, with the students raising different objections and concerns. In the end, the students begrudgingly admitted that Kaoru had a point, and they began to put more effort into their studies. They still complained and procrastinated, but they knew that Kaoru was always there to remind them of the importance of taking responsibility for their own learning.

"Once again, raise your hands if you agree."

The students dutifully raised their hands and followed suit. I, too, lifted my hand. The students sat in silence, their hands raised in agreement, but the forced expressions on their faces betrayed their true feelings. Kaoru knew that this meeting was a necessary evil, but she couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment that washed over her as she looked out at the sea of unenthusiastic faces. She had hoped to inspire her classmates to take their studies more seriously, but it seemed that her efforts were falling short. The reality was that many of the students had only shown up to avoid punishment for skipping, and they had little interest in the topic at hand.

She knew that there were many absent students who would hear about the meeting's content from their friends who were present, and she didn't want to waste her breath repeating herself to those who weren't there. Instead, she focused her attention on the students who were present, and she tried to appeal to their sense of responsibility and accountability.