It’s Monday. As there were only a few days left before the final exam, I had been studying for the exam alone in the classroom since this morning, reviewing the exam preparation handouts Koma had made for me…
*Chatter*…
“Oi. Look at that…”
“Nonsense…!? That hopeless sister got to school before me…!? What happened to her…!?”
“….”
*Chatter*, *Chatter*….
“That’s not all… Take a good look at what she’s got spread out on her desk!”
“!? T-Textbooks and notebooks… Even reference books!? I-Impossible…!?”
“Aaah. It’s the impossible in reality… That hopeless sister has gotten to school earlier than all of us… And she’s studying on top of it!?”
“W-Wha…!?”
“….”
*Chatter*, *Chatter*, *Chatter*….
“It’s as if she went from being a hopeless person to a real person!? What in the hell happened to her….!?”
“Could this be… An advanced warning of a cataclysm?”
“No, we should be concerned about the state of her brain. Hey, don’t you think someone should take her to the infirmary? Did the health committee member come? Please get her to the nurse—”
“………”
…… There seems to be a lot of noise in the classroom today. On top of that, the stares of my classmates pierce me from all directions, making it a bit hard for me to focus on my studies…. Eeeh, what is it with you all?
Just the other day, ‘I can’t concentrate on my studies, so shut up!’ they were so mad that everyone threw dictionaries at me, but why are they treating me like this now….
“…. *Cough*. Aah… Hello, everyone. I won’t say you can’t gossip… It’s a bit difficult to learn anything so can you at least stop whispering around my desk? You’re too noisy and distract me.”
As soon as they saw me, my beloved classmates who had just arrived at school opened their eyes in amazement and surrounded the desk where I was sitting, staring at me and whispering something.
I feel like a rare animal in a freak show. I can’t take it anymore and decide to complain to the people around me.
“Er, well… Mako is studying seriously….”
“Are you sick, Mako…? What happened to you…?”
“Errr, Tachibana. I’ve heard summer colds can be dangerous if they get worse. I think you should measure your temperature, Tachibana…”
“Look here, you lot…”
What’s wrong with them… I wonder why my teacher, Aunty, and these guys are overly shaken up by me just studying a little…
“I mean. Didn’t you say this last week, ‘If Mako gets any more red marks, she might end up staying in school. Is it fine if you don’t study?’. So why are the people who said those things so surprised. And yet why are you so surprised when I’m studying?”
“W-We did say that. Certainly, we said that if Mako doesn’t study she’ll be in danger. However,…”
“But, what, Kanakana? If you have something you want to say, just say it clearly.”
I say that, and all my classmates look at each other and then look at me anxiously.
“Just be taking that, you’re really fired up… I can’t believe you’re the first one to arrive in school and study… What’s wrong, Mako?”
“Did you eat something bad by any chance? Tachibana, if you’re in pain, please don’t hesitate to go to the infirmary.”
“I’ll go tell the teacher that Mako is not feeling well and she needs to leave early! Please wait, Mako!”
“Un. You people need to wait. Just calm down for a minute. It’s not like I’ve gone mad or something?”
What is with this useless kindness that you would never show me on a regular basis? How much do they think that I hate studying…?
“Isn’t it strange that Mako, who is the worst student in the school, is studying seriously. You’re studying so hard just to avoid red marks… It’s not like you, Mako.”
“No, no… Look here, how is that so surprising to you, Kanakana? Think about it. There is a possibility that I, too, may have awakened to the beauty of study after Saturday and Sunday—”
“””Not at all when it comes to you, Mako!”””
“Immediate reply!? Hey, aren’t you all cruel!? At least let me finish!?”
My best friend and my classmates’ trust in me is so strong that I am about to burst into tears. They think that I hated studying that much… Er, well, it’s true that I hate it.
“So, what is it then, Mako?”
“Huh…? What is ‘what’… Kanakana?”
“After all, there’s no way Mako would be desperate for studying unless it’s related to Koma-chan. Something happened with Koma-chan, am I wrong?”
… Wow. Did she realize how desperate I get when it involves Koma? That makes me a little happy.
“That’s why I think Mako is desperately studying because she’s gone crazy… Or something has happened between you and Koma-chan. If you haven’t lost your mind… Then it’s something related to Koma-chan. So? What happened between you and Koma-chan?”
“Ooh…”
My best friend, who is sitting next to me, makes such a deduction. As expected… I’m moved deeply by how well my best friend observes me. How do you know that? Am I maybe… easy to understand?
“Well, it’s as Kanakana says…. Fufufu. The truth is… I made a promise to Koma yesterday.”
“””Promise?”””
Yes, it was yesterday… It was right after I finished my study session at Dr. Chiyuri’s clinic.
◇ ◇ ◇
“We’ve made great progress in our studies, Koma.”
“Yes. They gave us a place to study… I’m grateful to Sayuri-sama and the doctor for all they gave us!”
“Un, un. Of course, it’s thanks to the proper guidance of Koma that I’ve made any progress! Thank you, Koma!”
“I’m happy to hear that, Nee-sama. It makes me happy to be able to help Nee-sama, and I’m more than happy when you say that.”
After the study session, we were on our way back home from the doctors’ clinic. Koma and I were on the train, discussing our impressions of the study session yesterday and today.
“At any rate, I’ve been able to solve most of the basic problems in math, which was my biggest obstacle, so I’ll just try to solve as many problems as I can to prepare for the exam… For the memory subjects, I’ll do my best to remember.”
“Yes, it’s as you say, Nee-sama. We have four days left until the exams. In the meantime, Nee-sama needs to polish up on your math studies and make sure you remember as much as you can the parts of the remaining subjects that will be on the exam.”
“I don’t have much time… I have to study hard!”
“Fight, Nee-sama♪!”
Koma sitting next to me squeezed my hand and gave me an adorable shout. Uun, I’m so happy… I feel like a Onee-chan just with that support.
“Now. The biggest problem from now on is… Will I be able to concentrate on my studies once I get home until the day of the exam?”
All that’s left now is how well I can concentrate on my studies at home and at school. I wonder how I should do it from tomorrow…
In any case, the school’s library, where I could concentrate on my studies, has issued a ban on me from entering it until the exams are over. And whenever I try to study at home… My fatal problem with studying is that when I try to do it by myself, I find myself tidying up my room or starting to fantasize moe moe situations with Koma whenever I get a chance, and I can’t concentrate.
But it’s already evident from the other day that if I try to study alone with Koma, we’ll both act spoiled in many ways and won’t be able to study without someone observing us. There’s Aunty at home, but the deadline for her novel is near so having her to observe us is a bit… I’m at a loss. I’ll have to think of a better way and place to study and concentrate….
“I wish there is some way I could somehow concentrate on studying alone…”
“… Fumu. Method to concentrate… Ah. Now that I think about it, Nee-sama.”
“Hm? What is it, Koma?”
When Koma sees me muttering to myself, she claps her hands as if she had thought of something.
“Actually when we were leaving, Nee-sama was talking with doctor Chiyuri. At that time… I was chatting with Sayuri-sama.”
“With Sayuri-san?”
I remember now, when I was reconfirming with the doctor about Koma’s future medical examinations and psychosomatic medicine before we left, Koma and Sayuri were having a friendly conversation.
“While we were chatting, I mentioned to Sayuri-sama, ‘When we study at home, Nee-sama and I find it difficult to concentrate.’”
“Oooh! That’s a very timely subject!”
“That’s right. At that time, I asked Sayuri-sama, ‘How did Sayuri-sama and doctor Chiyuri concentrate on studying for exams when you were in school?’”
Sayuri-san’s and Dr. Chiyuri’s concentration methods… That’s interesting. I lean forward and listen to Koma’s story.
“And then? What did Sayuri-san say?”
“Yes. Sayuri-sama… ‘As for me, before our exams started, Chiyuri-sensei and me set conditions and rewards to motivate each other to study!’, that’s what she said.”
“… Un? Such as?”
Conditions and rewards…?
“Before the exam, they had set a goal together and rewarded each other if they could achieve the goal. For example, Sayuri-sama would get a reward from Chiyuri-sensei if ‘Sayuri-sama’s grades improved’… And in doctor Chiyuri’s case, she would get a reward from Sayuri-sama if ‘Doctor Chiyuri got the top grades’, this is what they’ve decided upon. She said it motivated them to study for exams and helped them to concentrate on their studies.”
“Heee… I see, I see. It’s a reward system.”
It’s true that you’ll be more motivated and focused on your studies if you have some kind of reward even if you are studying while hating it.
The examples of memorizing with a kiss and the reward system, smart people like Koma and the doctor, they really think a lot about when it comes to studying…
“Nee-sama. Don’t you think it sounds interesting?”
“Eh…? What’s interesting about it?”
“As I said. The rewards. Why don’t we try it out like the doctor and Sayuri-sama?”
“Eeeh…”
“Oh my…? I didn’t expect that. You don’t like it, Nee-sama?”
While admiring them, Koma starts talking about that. Mumumu… I do think it sounds interesting, and maybe some kind of reward will help me focus on my studies.
However…
“No… Just that. Even if I stand on my head I won’t be the top student in the school year and I also won’t be the high-achieving student. I think it’s hard for me to even exceed the average score to begin with…”
As expected, It’s just too difficult for me to meet the requirements of the doctor and Sayuri-san. It doesn’t matter how excellent the reward is, if I can’t achieve them, then it’s nothing more than pie in the sky. While thinking that and being reserved, Koma shakes her head and continues talking.
“I thought of that, so it’s fine. I’ll match the requirements with Nee-sama. Nee-sama will aim to ‘avoid red marks’ as originally planned. That’s your goal, Nee-sama.”
“Eeh? Is that fine? That’s a lax requirement…”
I’m surprised by Koma’s suggestion. No matter how you look at it, isn’t that a really lax requirement? In a way, I feel bad that I’m being rewarded for something I can accomplish normally…
“It’s fine. Your original goal was to get through all your classes without a red mark, isn’t that in itself a worthy goal, too? … Then, how about it? Does this requirement seem okay to you?”
“I-Is that so? …. Un, I got it. If Koma is fine with it, then it’s OK with me.”
“I’m happy, then that’s decided. Also, Nee-sama, I’m aiming for ‘First place in all subjects’!”
“Oooh…! That’s my Koma, your goals are high unlike mine! So charming!”
“Fufu… ♪ I’ll do my best trying to follow Nee-sama’s example and give it my all! …Now, the important details are the rewards…”
Rewards?… Well, my requirements are too lax so my rewards should also be just as lax. Rather, whatever Koma gives to me, it’s a reward for me.
Since I was thinking that, I didn’t have any high expectations for my reward… However, Koma’s next words froze me.
“The reward for Nee-sama. If Nee-sama is able to clear her requirement—-”
“Un, un.”
“I’ll listen to one request of Nee-sama, whatever you like… What do you think about it?”
“…. Eeh?”
◇ ◇ ◇
“Whatever I like… Whatever…. Whatever! Fufufu… Hahahahahahaha!”
“””Scar….y!?”””
While I’m in the middle of explaining to my classmates, I can’t help but laugh uncontrollably. ‘I’ll do whatever you like’… Oh my god, how wonderful it sounds.
“After all, all. If I clear it… I can request whatever I want from Koma!? There’s no better reason to study other than this!”
After Koma made such an attractive suggestion, I was able to concentrate on my studies to death, even when I am alone. This is all to do as I like with Koma…!
I’m really looking forward to the exam results…! I wonder what I should request if I clear my requirements? I can go out(date) with Koma for a whole day, or I can take Koma to the pool and let me see her artistic skill and her skin and limbs.
No, I’m not satisfied with just her wearing a swimsuit… I’d rather have a cosplay show in my roomI I’ll ask her to wear various clothes in a room alone with me, and then I’ll have her wear daring clothes little by little… And then eventually she’ll throw her clothes and come into bed— Something like that! Gufu, gufufu… Gufufufu!
“That is why! I think it’s time for me to resume studying! I need to focus, so please don’t talk to me unless it’s necessary! You should study as well! There’s not much time until the exams start!”
I advise everyone around me to do so and then I resume my studies. Let’s do this…! I’ll achieve it…!
“… How should I say it, it’s a very simple and a bit impure reason…”
“Rather, she’s bleeding from the nose and drooling while studying… She’s creepier than usual…”
“But, her focus is spectacular… Ey. Won’t she really meet her requirements at this rate… Shouldn’t we stop this lust-covered beast sister for the sake of Koma-chan…?”
“No, stop right there… Mako is finally motivated to study, and we’re the ones who first encouraged her to study… No matter her motives, I feel bad stopping her now…”
“But, Kana. What’s coming out from her isn’t motivation to study but rather doing, isn’t it?” (TN: She’s implying that Mako’s perverted desires are driving her to study)
“… I can’t deny that.”
I ignored the nonsense of my classmates’ and I bent over my desk, desperately trying to memorize. For the reward and also to avoid red marks… I’m going to study with full motivation and will!
【Remaining days to exams: 3】
Tintan 