"Mr. Tsundere's" & "Ms. Loner's" Midterm Exams And Memories

Many days have passed since Furumi and I went on a date, and since that last day, I haven’t been meeting with Furumi. Why? Because midterm examinations are now around the corner, and I cannot let Furumi take my time away from reviewing for the exams, or else Mom will not give me a higher allowance! So, I’ll be focusing on reviewing for now.

…

Since that day passed, I’ve been at the library all the time after classes to review for the midterms. My days have been peaceful… Well, about Furumi, she has been trying to contact me through the Line app and finding me… But well… Hehehe… She won’t be able to find me…

“Well then, let’s start reviewing,” I said to myself.

…

…

“So here you are, huh…?” a voice said.

Uhhh… This is bad. There is no way, right? I thought. But as I turned my head to check who was behind me… there she was, the girl who had been trying to find me, found me.

“Reviewing for the exams, huh? And what’s more… alone, not even inviting me,” Furumi said.

“Uhh, Furumi… What are you doing here?” I asked.

…

“You really asking me that?! I should be the one to ask you! How dare you not reply to my messages on Line, huh?!” she exclaimed.

Yeah, I’m done for… Really.

“I’m so sorry, Furumi!” I apologized.

“SHHH! Don’t call me by that name! There’s someone from the library committee here!” she whispered.

“Yes… Sorry,” I replied.

Tick, tock… The clock was ticking…

“Now, tell me, why didn’t you reply and meet up with me these past days? Hmm?” she demanded.

“Because I’m reviewing… I don’t want any hindrance…” I explained.

I’m really done for… Why did you need to say that, me?

“Ah, so you have the guts to call me a hindrance, huh?!” Furumi’s voice was sharp.

“I’m so sorry…” I mumbled, feeling the weight of her words. I should’ve gone to the public library instead of staying here at school…

“Well then, as you violated our agreement, I’ll have you tutor me for the upcoming midterm exams. Any objections?” Furumi’s tone was commanding.

“None, madam…” I replied, resigned to my fate. There goes my free time…

But wait… Me tutoring Furumi? Something feels off about that…

“Uhh… Furumi? You need tutoring?” I asked, puzzled.

Her? Needing tutoring? That’s impossible… Everyone says she’s an excellent honor student. Or is that not true?

“What’s wrong with that?” she snapped back.

“Well, aren’t you as smart as they say?” I questioned.

“I… Understand… To tell you the truth, no… I was the second top student last year, but… It’s because I had the first top student, who is my friend, teaching me back then…” Furumi admitted, her voice softening.

“Then why not ask that friend of yours?” I suggested.

The moment I asked that, her face became gloomy.

“That friend… got into a traffic accident… A truck hit him while he was saving a little girl,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Sorry… I shouldn’t have asked that…” I felt a pang of guilt.

“Well, no need to apologize, he is still alive. However… His head suffered a lot, and he was diagnosed with selective amnesia… He no longer remembers me,” Furumi explained, her eyes distant.

“…” I was at a loss for words.

I… can’t say anything more about what she said… Because… I also got into an accident… One year ago. I was told my head suffered a lot, and I got what she called “selective amnesia”… They asked me a lot of things… I remembered some, but most of what they asked… I forgot. I feel bad for her and for those people I forgot…

“I’m sorry… Well… Don’t worry, I’ll be tutoring you,” I said, trying to reassure her.

“Th-thank you… Kazuhiko,” she said, smiling at me.

That smile… Have I seen it before? It must be my imagination.

Yeah, it must be only my imagination, or that’s what I thought until a certain day comes.

…

“Hey! What are you thinking about there? Thinking about lewd things?!” Furumi’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“I’m not, okay?! Well, let’s not waste any time and start the review,” I replied, trying to focus.

"Well, make sure to teach me well, okay?! Hmph!" [Furumi]

“Hehe… What’s with the ‘Hmph!’? It doesn’t suit you at all… What a fake tsundere,” I teased, unable to hide my amusement.

Little did I know, as of this day, I had succeeded in my first step towards remembering my forgotten memories.