A full month had passed since the start of the new academic year. The cherry blossoms were starting to turn from bright pink to a beautiful charcoal gold, signalling the autumn call. As Asahi entered the classroom, a little later than usual, he noticed the grim faces across the classroom.

On the whiteboard at the front of the classroom was an examination timetable, set for about 4 weeks from the current date.

"As you can see from the whiteboard, there will be some preliminary examinations coming up next month. These exams will be the basis of the report we send to your parents, and scoring consistently well on these exams is what will ensure your success in the future."

"How did you do in your exams, Miss?" Yora asked, rather nonchalantly.

"I did okay - I got around 75% as my average, but admittedly, it's because I'd always cut school with my old boyfriend. Don't be like me, and get your focus set straight. Especially you, Mica: don't do anything stupid."

"Yes miss, I'll be fine." Mica retorted.

It seems that Evelyn was a much more vocal person than Asahi had ever imagined, because after Miss Locke left the classroom, she went to the front, and made an announcement.

"Hey guys, I really want us all to do well in these exams. If you want, I can set up some tutoring classes for people who feel like some of the content hasn't fully been digested. Does anyone who's good at academics mind volunteering to help me out?"

"I don't mind too much," Rachel called out.

For the first time, Asahi noticed that she was holding a cane: she was blind.

"Ari, would you mind helping us out too? I heard you're quite clever."

"Do I get any sort of reward?"

"Yes: the feeling of helping a person besides yourself! It's a brilliant feeling."

"I mean, It's not like I'm doing anything else."

With that, she divided the other 13 students into 2 groups of 4 and a group of 5. Asahi was allocated to Rachel's group, along with Noah, Yora and Mica.

"If it's okay, do you mind staying an hour after school to do our sessions? I don't really have too much time within our school hours,"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She spoke gently, with crisp diction and perfect grammar, and a harmonious, whispy tone.

"Yeah, that shouldn't be too much of a problem," Asahi replied.

"Hey Rachel, I've got to say, you're quite impressive - you have such a detrimental disability, but you still seem so composed. Have you always been blind?" Yora asked, intrigued.

"No, I was born with sight: But for some reason, as I slowly aged to 6, my sight just kept fading - to the point where I couldn't see anymore,"

"That must be really quite painful because that means you know what it's like to see colours. At least if you were blind since birth, you wouldn't know what you're missing out on," Noah remarked, sympathetically.

"Haha, yeah, I guess so. If I did have any one wish, it would be to see the colour purple again..."

While she tried to speak in an easy-going her voice became slightly raspy. It was easy to catch on to her pain from her wavering dialogue.

"S-So what subject is everyone bad at?" Asahi asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"I'm pretty terrible at everything except maths, honestly - I'm absolutely terrible at geography,"

"Mica, we don't do geography at this school,"

"Wait really?"

"Have you really been that uncencerned about your lessons?"

"Oh well, at least I have a beautiful tutor to teach me every day for the next week"

"Heyy!"

She chuckled a little.

"Yora, what about you?"

"Actually, I'm going to do an experime-"

"You and your experiments, man," Noah said under his breath.

"I get bored easily, what can I say? I want to see my natural benchmark, so I'm not going to study for this set of exams,"

"I mean, this is probably the least important set of exams, so I guess that makes sense. I just hope you're not too stupid," Micah replied.

"I think you should be more worried about your geography grades,"

"Wait, but didn't you say we don't do geography!!"

The other four in the group laughed.

"What about you, Asahi?" Rachel replied.

"I'm dead average at every subject, but I'm willing to put in some effort."

"Alright then. You know what guys, I'll treat you all to an amusement park trip if we manage to score the highest average of the 3 study groups,"

"A-Amusement park? Are you rich or something, Rachel?"

"Oh, well, it's fine! I think an achievement like that should earn its reward,"

With the nice incentive, the group were motivated. I think the small class sizes, while ostracising the classes from each other, ended up creating a tighter-knit community within it. As bonds were starting to form within the student body, there was still an air of uncertainty: so far, I am unable to reason as to why Asahi might kill himself.