I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

Is getting involved in music a waste of time?!

Moreover, she also earns performance fees from her shows in Akihabara. Although the fees are not much, at least she has someone like a mentor who can help her.

Downstairs, laughter and chatter filled the air, while upstairs, Aki Tomoya took off his headphones and rubbed his eyes.

"Finally I can take a break..."

At the start of the new year, Aki Tomo didn't assign himself too many tasks.

January 1st, New Year's Day, means there are only 21 days left until the first exam.

Pushing open the window, the biting winter wind rushed in, instantly sobering Aki Tomoya up.

Looking back at the room, the walls were covered with stickers, and the cabinets that used to hold my treasures were now full of reference books.

"What a pity, my precious things have been gathering dust for two years..."

After starting his exam preparation, Aki Tomo also sold off a lot of his personal belongings, but many of them were still gathering dust at home. He forgot to tidy them up and didn't have time to take care of them.

Tuk-tuk-tuk——

"Alan, may I come in? Just let me stay inside, I won't disturb your studying!"

Michiru Hyodo's voice rang out from outside.

He rubbed his neck and went to open the door. Hyoudou Michiru happily skipped into his room, while Aki Tomoya headed downstairs.

"Hey, are we going down?"

"hungry."

Let her have the room by herself; we've already finished today's tasks anyway.

While doing stretching exercises, Aki Tomoya went downstairs without looking back.

"...Anyway, I'm not going down before I leave!"

Going downstairs meant listening to her parents' nagging, pointing out what was wrong here and what was wrong there; Hyodo Michiru was already fed up with it.

It's much quieter upstairs.

On the first day of the new year, both parents were present, and relatives gathered together in Tokyo, a rare occurrence.

Immersed in the New Year's atmosphere, Aki Tomoya did not forget that the trial was in three weeks.

"Brother, don't pour wine for Lunye, he's not twenty yet!"

The mother stopped Hyodo Michiru's father from moving.

Chapter 173 The real battle is about to begin! (3/?)

In Japan, winter break is only two weeks long, and school starts a week after New Year's Day.

Two weeks of vacation isn't long. Whether you want to have a good time or have exams coming up, it will pass in the blink of an eye.

After the winter break ended and shortly after the start of the new semester, Aki Tomoya found himself in a relatively relaxed period before facing the official exams, a phase he had been preparing for for the past two years.

Maintain a good state of mind, and then perform normally in the first and second rounds.

The closer it gets to the college entrance exam, the more nervous I become, especially in the last two weeks before the exam.

Aki Tomoya always had one or two people with pre-exam syndrome around him, whether at school or in a cram school.

Burning incense and praying to Buddha in advance is a way to seek peace of mind and psychological comfort.

"God of Exams, grant me strength!"

Yoshihiko Uego's prayer skills are also in a class of their own, so it's clear that no miracle will befall him.

But judging from his expression, to be honest, Aki Tomoya was also a little nervous.

"In short, don't worry too much about the results of the first test."

That was all Aki Tomoya could say to Kamigo Yoshihiko.

The results of the first exam were not of great significance to Yoshihiko Kamigo, but he still had to take the exam.

Those who choose to pursue higher education usually take the center's exam, and the results give them a general idea of ​​their chances.

"Moreover, there are still ten days until the first test. Instead of praying to the gods now, it would be better to arrange time to rest well, adjust your condition, and perform normally."

"Easy for you to say, this is a battle that will decide our fate!"

Even with comforting words and advice from friends, I'm still nervous.

Since deciding to prepare for the exam, Yoshihiko Uego has done so much. The dark circles under his eyes weren't from staying up all night playing games, but from studying. It's a real breakthrough for him!

Because of this, his allowance actually increased, which is something that makes Yoshihiko Uego laugh and cry every time he thinks about it. In the past, when he begged for more allowance, his parents would always look down on him and refuse, never giving him a kind look.

But things are different now; at least their complexions have improved a lot.

This is indeed a good thing, but the thought of failing the exam makes Yoshihiko Uego wonder what kind of expression he should wear when he goes back home.

"But there are only ten days left. I don't think praying to God will help you do well on the exam. If you perform normally during the school's internal exam next month, you'll have a good chance of getting into your second choice, if not your first choice."

"...If I could adjust my state of mind like you, I wouldn't need to pray to God!"

Uesugi Yoshihiko also wanted to do what Aki Tomoya had said: take a good rest during this time and then adjust your state to deal with the exam.

But he was panicking. Both of them started preparing for the entrance exam in their second year of high school. Aki Tomoya's goal was the University of Tokyo, while his first choice could be considered a decent private university.

What if I relax now and fail the exam?

"In any case, it's best to get yourself in the right state of mind as soon as possible. The first test isn't important to you; what's important is the school exam next month."

With only ten days left until the first exam, which is crucial for Aki Tomoya who is aiming for a national university, it serves only as a reference for Kamigo Yoshihiko.

I wonder how much effect such words can have in comforting Yoshihiko Uego.

But as the exam approached, Aki Tomoya, a comrade who had been with him all along, still hoped that everyone around him could achieve their goals.

They weren't the only ones taking the exam; it was a battle that would determine their fate. Yoshihiko Uego's tone was a bit childish, but it was definitely true.

A single exam determines the outcome; for every successful candidate, there are countless stepping stones.

According to Aki Tomoya, the person with the best mindset around him is probably Kato Megumi.

"Kato-kun is as steady as a mountain!"

"..."

Suddenly praised by Aki Tomoya, Kato Megumi didn't know what to say. She turned around and looked at Aki Tomoya helplessly.

Next Saturday, the first national exam will be held, the first stage of academic ability selection, the first hurdle for countless candidates.

On the road to a national university, the first thing you need to do is get a stepping stone there.

With only ten days left in the countdown, it is precisely in these last ten days that people realize they are about to graduate.

The final moments of senior year are not easy, because considering college admissions, you can't help but wonder whether Tsinghua or Peking University is better, and in the end, you can only go to Lanxiang Vocational School...

In Japan, if you don't have a family background, and you don't consider further education, you either become a corporate slave or end up as a despised freeloader.

Japan's relaxed education system, where one doesn't have to work so hard to survive, further exacerbates the problem of class stratification.

For families to climb the social ladder, the expenses they typically have to bear for their children can be substantial.

Want to get into university solely through school instruction? That's something only a genius could do. In Japan, high university admission rates are generally achieved through private high schools. The tuition fees for private schools, plus the cost of tutoring at private cram schools, can be incredibly expensive.

The tuition at Toyosaki Academy is definitely not expensive among private high schools. His family is considered well-off, but the cost of Aki Tomoya's six-day-a-week tutoring sessions for two and a half years of preparation still requires his parents to grit their teeth and pay for it.

This is just Qingfeng Academy, which almost went bankrupt due to poor management. The fees of good academies are even more outrageous. Families who want to be more confident in getting their children into good universities will start investing earlier, and those with more resources will choose even more advanced options.

Therefore, Aki Tomo doesn't consider retaking the exam, and would prefer to get into a national university, because studying at a private medical university, or medical school, in Japan is extremely expensive!

After two years of preparation, Aki Tomoya felt very lucky. He had a certain foundation, met a good teacher, was mentally sound, and had only had a physical problem before. He dared not let his condition drop at all before the exam.

Ten days passed quickly. On the night before the 23rd, Aki Tomoya was expelled from the school.

"Tomorrow is the test, so absolutely no staying up late, absolutely no staying up late! Go back and get some rest!"

Harumi Junko said the same thing to everyone.

This week, we didn't put too much pressure on the students at the academy; we just let them adjust their mindset to prepare for the exam.

Now that the test is finally in sight, we absolutely cannot afford to fail here.

For Aki Tomoya in particular, the first exam is very important for him as he wants to take the entrance exam for the National University of Tokyo. His score will not only be used as a reference, but it will also be compressed into another score and included in the score of the second internal exam.

"For most people in the academy, the exam isn't that important, but it's extremely important for you and Furuhashi. You need to rest well and do me a favor!"

Harumi Junko, like a mother hen, gently pressed down on Aki Tomoya's shoulder, offering earnest advice.

The first test was important to Aki Tomoya, and the same was true for Furuhashi Fumino.

Because if Fumino Furuhashi doesn't get into her desired university after the first exam, many good universities are still willing to open their doors to her with her exam score, especially her excellent humanities score, provided that she is willing to enter a humanities department.

After so much preparation, the time for the real battle has finally come!

Okay, let's go!