ALL NOVEL chapter 37
37. Everyone’s Smiles
――The battle with the protagonist over the course of several days of testing.
The results were posted in the hallway after school on the weekend.
I don’t remember much about that day because I was too desperate. I faced the questions head-on, pouring everything I had, including my past life, into finding the answers.
As I gazed at the two large sheets of paper displaying the names of the top scorers posted in the hallway, I clenched my fists tightly.
I could hear cheerful conversations next to me.
They were bright, lively voices. But they weren’t directed at me.
“Raito-kun, that’s amazing. To achieve such great results!”
“You’re amazing, Raito. I have a new appreciation for you.”
“Raito-san. Allow me to say this as well. Your efforts have undoubtedly borne fruit; congratulations.”
“Ah. I never dreamed I could achieve such good results. It’s all thanks to everyone; I’m really grateful.”
“Raito, you should praise me more, right? You should thank me a lot!”
“Wasn’t Natsukoi more on the receiving end of help?”
“Hehe, Raito-kun. Even so, during the exam period, Himeno-san was working really hard. She was facing her weak subjects for your sake.”
“I see. You’re right, Yuna. Thank you, Natsukoi.”
“W-well, it’s not like I did it for you or anything… Ugh, fine. If you’re happy, then that’s good enough.”
“Hehe, Natsukoi looking flustered is cute.”
“Wha-!? What are you suddenly saying!?”
“Well, I wonder why.”
A scene unfolds between the protagonist and the heroines.
It looked as if the protagonist had defeated a formidable enemy and overcome a great wall alongside the heroines.
However, Fusegawa Raito’s expression was somewhat dark.
He shifted his gaze from the ranking sheet he had just been looking at to another large sheet posted right beside it.
As he stared at the name inscribed there, he clenched his fist and turned his back to the heroines.
“I’m sorry, everyone. I don’t want to talk to anyone today; I want to be alone. I’m heading home first. I have a lot to think about.”
“W-wait, Raito-kun. We’ll go with you. Rely on us; if we’re together, we can overcome any wall.”
“Any wall… huh. Yeah… I hope so.”
As Fusegawa Raito began to walk away, the heroines followed him, leaving the ranking sheet behind.
I watched Raito and the others as I looked up at the posted ranking sheet again.
The names of the top scorers lined up on that paper.
At the very top shone Fusegawa Raito’s name.
Below it were the names of Hanazaki Yuna and Kizaki Reo.
I was surprised to see Masaki’s name among the top ten. The efforts we put in during the test preparation period had paid off, and she too had made it to the top of the grade.
As I squinted at that dazzling sight, I was about to leave when—
“Ryusuke—!!!”
Masaki came running at me with incredible speed and jumped into my arms. With a beaming smile, she looked up at me and hugged me tightly.
The force nearly knocked me over, but my well-trained body managed to withstand it. I somehow caught her.
“Great job, Ryusuke! You’re the talk of the school! You did well; I’m so proud of you! Amazing!”
“Thank you, Mashiro. You’re amazing too, ranked 7th in the year!”
“Really!? Wow, it’s true! This ranking sheet is incredible! I’m 7th!! It feels like a dream!”
“Yeah, it’s amazing. You worked really hard.”
“Yep! This is all thanks to Ryusuke! I really appreciate it!”
“I’m glad to hear that. It was worth the effort I put into teaching you.”
I gently stroked Mashiro’s head. She smiled happily, her cheeks softening.
Then, with her eyes narrowed, Mashiro buried her face in my chest. I continued to stroke her soft black hair, feeling affection for her.
After a while in that position, Rei and Nishikawa came over.
“Good job, Ryusuke. You did great on this test. I heard the results.”
“Yeah. You did great too, Rei. Ranked 4th in the year, impressive.”
“My score was almost the same as the last midterm, though. I expected it, but my rank dropped. The top three were just too amazing.”
“How about Fusekawa? I heard he went home early.”
“Yeah, he didn’t seem in the mood to talk. I’ll catch up with him next time.”
“I see. That’s fine then.”
“Anyway, Ryusuke. You worked hard; you should be proud of this result.”
“Thanks, Rei.”
Rei patted my shoulder and flashed a refreshing smile. Nishikawa, beside him, was bursting with excitement as he spoke.
“Ryusuke, listen! I was surprised to get 99th! It’s my first double-digit rank, I’m so happy!”
“You worked hard too, Nishikawa. You avoided failing and can focus on basketball practice now.”
“Yeah! But I took the day off today, I wanted to celebrate you, Ryusuke!”
“Yeah, me too. I took the day off to celebrate you. The tournament is still a ways off, so everyone sent me off happily.”
“I see, both of you… for me.”
“It’s not just us two. I want to celebrate you too, Ryusuke! I want to give you lots of rewards!”
“A reward from Mashiro, huh? Can I expect that?”
“Of course! I’ll give lots of rewards to Ryusuke who worked hard!”
Everyone praised my test results.
I was incredibly happy about that.
And once again, I gazed at the ranking sheet.
But it wasn’t the one I had been looking at just a moment ago.
It was another large sheet of paper pasted next to it.
There, in large letters, was the name of just one student.
It was meant to honor the student who had achieved the highest grades, to make it known throughout the school.
First in the grade, perfect scores in all subjects.
The immense achievement and the name of the student who accomplished it were clearly engraved in big letters.
――Shindo Ryusuke.
Not anyone else, but my name was there.
Yes.
There were two ranking lists posted in the hallway.
One displayed the top 50 students from second place onward. The other was prepared solely to honor the student who had achieved first place in the grade.
And that student who had their name engraved as the top of the grade was me.
I had no power to create miracles,
No strength to resist an unreasonable fate,
I, who was not the protagonist, had grasped this.
Because I had friends who believed in me, because I had the efforts I had built up, and because I had the courage to vow to overcome any adversity.
Above all――.
“Ryusuke, really, really congratulations!”
――It was because of Mashiro’s smile.
That’s why I had come this far, why I could resist this world, why I could share this joy.
Mashiro, laughing innocently.
Reo, offering a refreshing smile.
Nishikawa, bursting into laughter.
Drawn in by their smiles, I too wore a grin.
Before me spread a dazzling scene that anyone would envy.
This moment was exactly what I had sought, and I had fought to obtain it.
“Hey everyone, want to go home together? I really want to talk a lot with all of you.”
“Of course! Where should we go!? How about a family restaurant!?”
“Sounds good, a family restaurant. I’m on board with Mashiro’s idea.”
“I’m fine with wherever Ryusuke likes! I’ll stick with you to the end!”
My precious friends answered with smiles.
It made me so happy that I smiled back.
Thank you, everyone――.