Chapter 863: Aurora’s Exam Week
April 21st, Wednesday.
It was another typical day at Yukihime High School. This was the best school in the Bluecorn State, and it had the most complete infrastructure. The school campus was even better than some universities in other countries of Azure Star.
And it was here that Aurora, Theo’s sister, had studied since last year. Although she arrived in the middle of the school year last year, she still managed to make true friends.
Vivian, Carolla, and Umaru became Aurora’s best friends. And in this school year, they even ran for Student Council and won the election. That was how Vivian became Student Body President, Aurora became Student Body Vice-President, and Umaru and Carolla integrated the Student Council.
It has been almost three months since the school year started, and Aurora loved everything about it so far, even the super-hard exams.
It was Exam Week, and the majority of the students were doing their best to do a last-minute review before the exams. Each day of Exam Week was dedicated to several subjects, so each day the students had to do one or more exams.
It was absolutely heart-wrenching.
Even Aurora and Vivian, the two genius girls who frequently occupied the top of the grade rankings, still did their last-minute review.
In the bustling classroom of Yukihime High School, the atmosphere was electric with the buzz of last-minute studying. It was self-study hour, and the students of Aurora’s class were in various states of preparation for the impending exams. Some pored over their notes, frantically flipping through pages and muttering to themselves. Others had formed study groups, discussing key concepts and quizzing each other. The genius duo, Aurora and Vivian, sat side by side, their heads bent over their books, occasionally sharing a knowing glance or a whispered comment. Their confidence was palpable, even in the midst of the chaotic review session.
However, not everyone shared the same enthusiasm for academic excellence. A handful of students seemed utterly unperturbed by the exams. One particularly carefree soul, let’s call him Ryan, had his feet propped up on the desk, a lollipop swinging casually from his mouth as he scrolled through his phone. He would occasionally glance up, survey the frantic scene around him with a bemused smile, and then return to his seemingly endless feed of cat videos. Another student, Sarah, appeared to be more interested in her nail art than in the exam content. She meticulously applied a fresh coat of glittery polish, her textbooks lying forgotten beside her.
As the clock ticked closer to the exam time, the room fell into an almost reverent quietness. Pens scratched furiously across paper as final formulas and definitions were committed to memory. The only sound breaking the tense quiet was the occasional whispered encouragement exchanged between friends.
After doing their final review, Aurora and her friends finally decided to relax a little before the exam, so they started chatting in low voices to not disturb their classmates.
Aurora, Vivian, Carolla, and Umaru formed an impressive squad, and their camaraderie was evident as they huddled together before the exam. "I can’t believe we’re already three months into the school year," Aurora mused, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And here we are, the mighty Student Council, facing our first Exam Week together. We’ve got to show everyone that we’re not just pretty faces; we’ve got brains too!"
Vivian, ever the poised president, nodded in agreement. "Absolutely, Aurora. We’ve worked hard for these positions, and it’s time to prove our mettle. We have the whole school always watching us, so we can’t slip up."
Carolla, with her infectious laughter, chimed in, "Oh, Vivian, always the voice of reason! But why do I feel like you’re worried about Umaru and mine’s grades? I, for one, am certain that I’ll ace all the exams. Who knows, maybe we’ll even have some fun along the way?"
Umaru, the quietest of the bunch, offered a mischievous grin. "Fun? Did someone say fun? Well, I say we make this exam season memorable. How about a friendly wager? Whoever scores the most surprising grade among us gets treated to a deluxe spa day by the others. What do you say, ladies?" She said in a joking tone.
"What do you mean by ’surprising?" Vivian asked with suspicious eyes, "A grade too low doesn’t count as ’surprising’, you know?"
"Bummers!" Umaru exclaimed.
Their friendly banter relaxed their nerves, and the friends’ laughter filled the classroom, momentarily drowning out the anxious murmurs of their classmates.
"What are you guys doing next week?" Carolla asked.
"Ah, the Hana no Kisetsu!" Umaru exclaimed, "I’ve been waiting for this Holiday Week since the school year started!"
"You’ve been waiting for a week free of school since the school started?" Aurora asked with a smile.
"Exactly!" Umaru proudly said.
The girls giggled at her antics.
But what is the Hana no Kisetsu? Or the ’Season of Blossoms’ in English. This was a Holiday Week in the Sakura Abode Country. This holiday dates back to the foundation of the country when the Pendragon and Yamata Clans signed their treaty.
But what is this holiday about? And why does it have such a long history? To explain that, we have to understand the flora and fauna of the Sakura Abode Country. And just like its name dictates, this country has Sakura Cherry trees everywhere in its territory.
And there are two times in the year that these trees become absolutely beautiful. During the Autumn, when these trees’ leaves assume wonderful colors. And the second time is when the Sakura Cherry Trees bloom.
And these two occasions are commemorated by the Sakureans with the Autumn Festival and the Hana no Kisetsu (Season of Blossoms) in Spring.
The Hana no Kisetsu (Season of Blossoms) has the popular name of Bloom Week.
During the Bloom Week, it is a national holiday where schools, universities, and other institutions close for this week. Only a few private companies are open during this week, but they still have to pay extra for the employees to work during this week.
Hana no Kisetsu (Season of Blossoms) was an important holiday for the Sakureans, as during this week, they all go to the temples to offer donations to the gods.
And during this Bloom Week, temples all over the country are in festive mode as each one of them prepares festivals to pay homage to the gods. So, during this week, the Sakurean cities are all in festive mood with several temple festivals happening.
And with the cities with blossoming cherry trees, the Sakura Abode Country is especially beautiful and enchanting during this season. That’s why, even though it’s a local country holiday, people from all over the world come to the Sakura Abode Country to commemorate this holiday as well.
"My brother and I always go to the Fire Temple Festival; we can’t miss that," Aurora said.
"Ah, the Fire Temple Festival! We have to go together one day!" Carolla exclaimed.
The Fire Temple was the most famous temple in Elffire City as it houses the city’s patron god, so every Elffirian liked to go to the Fire Temple Festival to pay homage to the city’s patron go during Bloom Week.
Aurora and her friends, caught up in the excitement of the upcoming Bloom Week, discussed their plans with enthusiasm. "I say we make the most of this holiday and explore every temple festival there is!" Umaru suggested, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "We can start with the Fire Temple Festival, of course. But then, we venture out to the lesser-known temples. Who knows, we might even discover some hidden gems." The idea of an adventurous temple hop was met with eager nods and whispered agreements.
Carolla, always the enthusiastic one, added, "And we can’t forget about the delicious festival food! I’m talking about sakura-flavored everything: mochi, ice cream, and those cute little blossom-shaped cakes. We should have a food crawl and sample all the seasonal treats!" The thought of indulging in the unique culinary delights of the season brought smiles to their faces, and they eagerly began listing their favorite festival foods.
Meanwhile, Vivian, the pragmatic one, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of responsibility amidst the excitement. "Don’t forget, we still have our Student Council duties, even during Bloom Week. We’ll need to plan some time to work on those projects. Maybe we can set aside a day for a serious council meeting, and the rest can be all fun and games." She said, striking a balance between their academic commitments and the much-needed break.
As their voices mingled in animated conversation, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the self-study class. The friends exchanged glances, knowing their exam preparation would have to resume soon. But for now, they savored the excitement of their upcoming adventures during Bloom Week, ready to tackle their exams with renewed enthusiasm.