I Just Want A Single Ending!

As expected, no surprises here.

Kamigawa Saku was more than satisfied with his rank.

Despite being in a band, learning bass, running an Instagram account, and making friends with numerous girls, he was still a top student, ranking first in his year.

He then glanced down the list to see where others had ranked.

Saku remembered that both Chihaya Anon and Togawa Sakiko generally performed well in school.

Scanning the list casually, he soon found them.

Togawa Sakiko was third in the year.

No surprises there—she was every bit the honor student he'd expected.

After all, as long as you studied hard, grades wouldn't waver due to any "special family circumstances."

Chihaya Anon, meanwhile, was seventh in the year.

So that's the level of someone who could study abroad in England, huh? he thought. Even while juggling guitar practice and tutoring Hitori, she'd still crushed the competition.

Impressive, to say the least.

As for the others, Saku didn't find their names on the board.

Kita Ikuyo's grades had dipped slightly due to band practice.

Gotoh Hitori still required tutoring.

And Takamatsu Tomori was simply average.

None of them were in the top fifty, which made perfect sense.

"You're top of the class again."

Chihaya Anon noticed his prominent ranking and couldn't help but praise him.

He was so well-rounded—keeping up with all these activities while still maintaining his academic success. Wasn't that a bit much?

"You're not doing too bad yourself."

Saku returned the compliment.

"Not bad at all, I suppose," Anon replied modestly.

She'd hoped she might beat him and claim the top spot, but it seemed that had been a stretch.

She hadn't even cracked the top five.

Still, she wasn't disappointed.

With all her other responsibilities, she barely had time for academics. Seventh in the year was pretty respectable.

Besides, even being number one would only impress a handful of people at school.

Playing in a band and helping Saku with his videos? Now that was something that could actually make a name for herself.

The choice was obvious.

As long as her grades weren't too low and didn't worry her parents, she was satisfied.

Plus, a ranking like seventh wasn't too bad alongside his top score.

They made a decent "study power couple."

"Alright, let's check on Bocchi-chan's score," Anon said after looking over their ranks, eager to verify her tutoring results.

"Sure."

Saku agreed without hesitation.

When they reached Gotoh Hitori's classroom, he left it to Anon to call her out, opting to wait nearby.

It would've been too overwhelming for Hitori if they both approached her together.

"A little intimidating," to put it lightly.

"Hitori, how did you do?"

Anon glanced over at Saku, standing a bit farther back, then turned to Hitori, who stood before her, head down as usual.

"I, uh… passed! I didn't fail any classes."

Overjoyed, Hitori handed over her report card.

Just passing was a victory. She'd avoided the dreaded fate of retakes.

All thanks to Anon.

"Huh? Only just passed?"

Anon had thought Hitori's talk of "just passing" was her being modest.

She and Saku had both said they'd done "alright," but their ranks were near the top.

"I'm sorry my grades aren't good enough for you, Anon-sama."

Hitori reflexively started to bow apologetically, but Anon stopped her just in time.

"No need to apologize! Passing is more than enough—I'm satisfied."

Anon had just been surprised, thinking her tutoring would've boosted Hitori's grades a bit more.

She certainly wasn't upset.

"Thank you…"

Hitori expressed her gratitude once more.

"No thanks needed." Anon handed back the report card, smiling. "Well, I won't keep you from your lunch."

"O-okay, bye…"

Hitori turned back to her classroom with a quick wave, unable to bear the attention she was drawing.

Anon rejoined Saku, sharing the news of Hitori's passing grades.

"She barely scraped by. Makes me wonder how low her scores were before…" Saku couldn't help but comment.

"No idea, but at least she can finally get back to band practice."

Anon stretched, a lighthearted smile crossing her face.

The exams were finally over!

"Not yet," Saku shook his head.

She gave him a confused look. "Why not?"

What else could possibly interrupt their band practice now?

"The typhoon's coming!"

He pointed to the window, where ominous clouds were gathering, a storm clearly brewing.

"Well, that'll mean putting things off till next week."

It was a valid reason for a delay, after all.

"Exactly."

---

Afternoon, after school.

"Whoa, that's some rain."

Nagasaki Soyo, stepping off the train and leaving the station, looked up at the sky, where sheets of rain fell like a downpour of buckets.

It must've been because of the approaching typhoon—the rain was far heavier than it had been the day CRYCHIC disbanded.

She shook her head, brushing aside the gloomy thought, and pulled out the umbrella she'd brought along.

After all, Saku had specifically reminded her to bring one.

Opening the umbrella, Soyo walked into the rain.

Even with it shielding her, stray raindrops, carried by the wind, splattered onto her clothes.

Fortunately, her uniform was of high quality and dark navy, with an additional layer underneath, so there was no risk of transparency.

Her only concern was her hair getting damp.

But that wasn't a big deal—she'd just wash it when she got home.

Maybe I should've worn an extra coat; it's a bit chilly, she thought, feeling the wind's chill.

But it didn't really matter. She was almost home, anyway.

And as she neared the entrance to her apartment, she happened to spot Kamigawa Saku, umbrella in hand, heading her way as well.

"Good afternoon." He greeted her with a smile.

"Good afternoon."

Instantly, Soyo felt her mood brighten.

After all, weather didn't matter one bit.

---

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

If you'd like to support WiseTL, you can visit [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Even a small gesture is like sunlight and rain to a growing flower—it helps the garden of stories flourish and bloom!

-With love, Nahida 🌱