Tests and Skills

"Hey Hatsugawa, aren't we spending too much time here already?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't this enough? I mean, there are only 10 minutes left before the thing."

"That's true. That's why we need to focus more, right?"

"This is surprising though. I did not know procrastination is your thing."

"Not really. It was just announced late that's why we're here late."

"Yeah, but I mean it's just a Pop Quiz. There's no need to be worked up that much."

"I have to impress Fubuki-sama in order to gain her acknowledgement. Can you shut up?! It's harder to focus with you talking."

"Fine fine."

These two are still arguing even though they are inside the library, however, they have to be cultured enough that's why they're whispering. In front of Erika was a pile of history books and in front of Kairo is another pile of books that Erika will read. The reason was Mitsuo meeting the two of them in the cafeteria on lunch time and told them that there will be a pop quiz to welcome the new members the club. It seems that Erika took this remark in a whole new level that the amount of books she is currently reading is enough for her to compete for inter-town quiz bees.

"We should really get going by now, Hatsugawa. The club activities will start in a while."

"Tch, fine. I'll just borrow this book in the mean time." On her way out, she looked at another book, thinking that she should bring that too, and another.... and another book. Because of this, Kairo snapped and grabbed some of the books she took. "It's just a pop quiz bee! Don't get worked up that much!"

"SSSSSSSSSHHHH!!" the librarian angrily hushed the two of them and they twitched a bit.

"FINE! I'm sorry! I just acted by habit." Erika huffed and went to the librarian to borrow the one book that contains most of the data she needs.

TShe then walked with Kairo towards the club room, fully equipped and upon entering, she saw the seniors in front and the first years, sitting on desks.

"Glad you two made it in time. We're just about to start." Mitsuo said with a smile. He was holding some whiteboards so it seems like this will be a speed contest. Sayaka Fubuki, being in front of the room, is very much noticeable. It was as if she's giving radiance in the room just with her presence alone. Erika was starstruck, and when she met eyes with Sayaka, the lady smiled at her which made her heart race in excitement. She got motivated with just one look.

Kairo, on the other hand, glanced at Erika for a while then at Sayaka. He kept his words to himself. He did not want to offend Erika when she just got this excited.

"The quiz will be done by pairs. Since the others here already have their pairs, Hatsugawa and Moriyama, you two will go together. Please take the seat at the back, you will share this whiteboard." Mitsuo said when he gave the board to the two of them to which they went to their seat. "The question will be repeated twice before the signal of go. The point will be given to the pair who raises their board first with the correct answer. Whoever gets the most points will be declared the winner and therefore be included in the inter-town quiz bee along with some of us seniors this coming August. I hope you're prepared for this."

Kairo covered his mouth in surprise after hearing that. "Oh damn."

"I TOLD YOU WE SHOULD'VE STAYED LONGER!!!" Erika punched Kairo numerous times, scolding the poor guy for minding the time.

"Don't get too angry at me! If I did not drag you out of the library, we wouldn't be able to participate in the quiz in the first place." he reasons out.

Mitsuo coughed a bit to get the attention of the two. "Hey, stop bickering. We are gonna start the quiz now.", to which the two complied and behaved. "Are the mechanics clear?"

"YES!"

"Very well, we'll start now." Mitsuo walked while looking at his questionnaires. He then began to ask. "Which Japanese Prime Minister received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974?"

While the other freshmen are thinking of their own answers, Kairo looked at Erika instead. He was the one holding the pen so it was as if he assigned himself to the task of writing while Erika is assigned to thinking.

"Eisaku Sato." Erika simply said and looked at Kairo. The guy then nodded and wrote the answer on he board and raised it first.

"Eisaku Sato is correct. 1 point for Hatsugawa-Moriyama pair."

Erika grinned at Kairo happily and raised her hand a high five to which Kairo responded. But the transition in their expressions are quick when the second question is approaching.

"What were the three Axis Powers in World War II?"

The same cycle was done. Kairo looked at Erika while waiting for an answer, and the girl gave her answers.

"Japan, Germany and Italy. You know, the three stooges in Hetalia?"

"They ain't stooges. Italy is the only idiot." Kairo said while writing.

"Wha---Moriyama, you actually watch Hetalia?"

"You're one to talk. You're the one who said it first" Kairo slightly chuckled before raising the board. However, because of their small talk, the point was given to the other pair just because of a millisecond of delay. Erika pouted because of losing that point but she conditioned herself for the next one.

"Who held the administrative power in Japan from the 12th century to the middle of the last century?"

You know that feeling when all of a sudden, knowledge suddenly came to you? Erika was like that when she elbowed Kairo and said, "The Samurais." The guy was already writing a few characters ob the board though and because of Erika's attack, the pen draw a line across his writing. He grunts because of the mess but he raised the board anyway. "Don't hit me, you idiot!"

"Correct. Point for Hatsugawa-Moriyama pair."

"I'm sorry okay!"

The runs of questions were continuous with Sayaka facilitating the whole event. Kairo and Erika actually have good chemistry in this quiz, well mainly because there is a good division of labor; Kairo writing, Erika answering. It came to pass where Mitsuo went to his last question.

"In which year did Japan become a United Nations member?"

Erika slightly became agitated, being unable to be quick in giving her answer. She looked down for a while, thinking if it was 1965 or 1956. She couldn't look at Kairo. At this moment, they are a point away from winning since she knew that their pair tied with another, that's why they need to get this question right in order to win. She bit her lower lip, thinking harder and harder, but the next thing she knew, she heard the words:

"1 point for Hatsugawa-Moriyama pair. Congratulations, you two will participate in the inter town quiz bee."

The sound of clapping pulled her back in the real world. Upon looking around, she saw Kairo clapping while looking at her with the whiteboard clipped under his arms.

"What year did you right, Moriyama?"

"Huh? What? You said 1956 so I wrote it."

Erika narrowed her eyes as she looked at Kairo but she couldn't complain here, not now. She even saw Sayaka Fubuki smile at her while clapping which made her a little bit happy, but just a little bit. She kept quiet for now.

The quiz came to an end and one by one, the History Club members left. Sayaka passed by the frozen Erika and whispered a bit.

"Not bad."

Erika was surprised and she couldn't help but turn around to look at the back of the person she admires. She smiled, but then again she couldn't celebrate so she waited for the perfect time where everybody leaves and they are the only one remaining, Kairo and her.

"I did not say any year. You wrote 1956 on your own, didn't you?"

"Does it really matter?"

"YES IT MATTERS!! Why did you lie to everyone saying I was the one who gave the answer?!" Erika felt betrayed since Kairo started doing things on his own and still, she got the credit for it.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter." Kairo simply said. "After all, this is just a pop quiz, like what it is in the first place. What matters is that you got in. We'll play in the real thing, and you..." Kairo flicked Erika's forehead. ".....go kick some ass in the real stadium." He said while smirking. Erika looked at him, wide-eyed, as he picked up his bag and hangs it on his shoulder. "Let's go home."

What the hell? When did he start being this cool?