On the final day of the semester, the results of the exam were promptly posted on the bulletin board a sobering blow to students who had spent the past few days partying like there was no tomorrow.
While others stood before the board, heads tilted upward and hearts sinking as they mulled over which cram school to beg their parents for, Kyousuke was still at the Kendo Club, calmly guiding his juniors through their drills.
This wasn't like the first small test, where he had been eager to see how Mitsuha performed.
Now that he was fully confident in his own abilities, wasn't it better to wait right here, cool and collected, like a true champion?
Amid the admiring gazes of his peers, Kyousuke walked down the path that naturally parted for him and stopped in front of the bulletin board.
He looked up at the top and his name, "Kyousuke," firmly in first place without the slightest change in expression.
As his classmates crowded around to shower him with compliments, he humbly replied, "I still have a long way to go."
Sure, that kind of humble-brag moment felt good but could it really compare to this sense of control and dominance?
"Boss!"
The door to the Kendo Club burst open, and a loud shout rang through the room. Those in the midst of heated sparring turned with annoyed expressions.
The one who had stormed in was Hanagaki Takemichi, fresh from checking the posted grades.
He'd sprinted over to report the good news, but before he could get the words out, he was met with the death stares of several sweat-soaked seniors.
Kyousuke parried Kanahara Takao's attack with a single clean strike, raised his hand to signal a pause, and called out to the group, "Keep going." Then he turned to the intruder.
"What's the matter, Hanagaki?"
Relieved to be acknowledged, the club members begrudgingly returned to practice, sparing Hanagaki from what could've been a terrifying fate.
"Phew, saved by the bell... Man, you really are the boss," Hanagaki said, his legs still shaky as he carefully approached Kyousuke.
"Hanagaki Takemichi, you're not a part of the Rampaging Angels. Please refrain from calling our boss that," grumbled Kisaki Tetta, who had followed him in with a disgruntled look.
"Then let me join already! Hojou said he was fine with it, why are you the one saying no?" Hanagaki retorted.
"A middle schooler's top priority is studying," Kisaki replied flatly.
"Oh come on, you and the boss aren't you both in the same boat?"
"I'm second in our year, and the boss is first," Kisaki said, pushing up his gold-rimmed glasses.
'If you're not going to be a delinquent properly, then just study like a good student!'
"But what about everyone else?!"
"Alright, alright, Hanagaki—what did you want to tell me?" Kyousuke said with a smile.
"If you've got nothing else, get back to training. The tournament's in a week, remember?"
Of course Kyousuke knew what Kisaki was thinking.
Still, he had personally approved Hanagaki Takemichi's entry into the Kendo Club, how could he turn down someone who admired him so fervently?
"Unbelievable… First in the entire year! Just five points away from a perfect score! Are you even human?!"
If you've ever wondered why people say Japanese kids sound so dramatic, part of it's the language's rising and falling tones.
But honestly? A lot of it's because they really try to be dramatic.
Take Hanagaki Takemichi right now, he is fully aware the seniors might glare him to death again, yet still raising both arms and shouting with over-the-top gestures and exaggerated tone.
"As much as I hate to admit it… you're on another level, Hojou. Even in Japanese class, you beat me by nearly ten points," Kisaki said, clearly frustrated.
"That just means you need to work harder, Kisaki! Show me your resolve!" Kyousuke teased.
"Oh, give me a break! I was stuck in cram school while you were out on dates with girls. Who are you to talk?" Kisaki rolled his eyes.
'Wasn't it you who dragged me out of class to help stand in line for tickets? Even during the Sakura Festival, I was grinding away at cram school!'
"Hahaha, that's what we call a genius!" said Eikichi Onizuka, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
He slung his arm around Kisaki's neck and leaned in with a smug grin.
Once again, the club's training was interrupted by Hanagaki's shouting.
The upperclassmen, initially ready to drag him off for extra practice, decided to join in the discussion instead once they realized it was about their boss.
"Dammit, Onizuka! You're covered in sweat—get off me!" Kisaki protested.
"Oh, come on. You better hurry up and practice too, or you won't even qualify for the prelims," Onizuka said with a mischievous grin.
"Even if I don't get to compete, just watching our boss dominate the field is an honor in itself!" Kisaki declared proudly.
"Man… I'm so jealous of you," Onizuka groaned.
Unlike their high school tournaments where everyone had to pull their weight, the middle school team competition allowed one person to take down the entire opposing team.
With Kyousuke on their side, they could probably win with a team of pigs.
"Hahaha! Isn't Kisaki the one who stays behind until midnight every day training with us?" said Makki Hojou, walking over and clapping Kisaki hard on the shoulder.
"Of course! Helping the boss dominate the national kendo scene, it's our greatest honor!" Kisaki smirked, giving Onizuka a friendly punch.
"Alright, middle schoolers go get changed and start training. Your time's even more precious than ours!" Vice-Captain Kanahara Takao clapped his hands and barked the order.
As the middle schoolers ran off to change into their kendo gear, the high school members who had been resting gathered around Kyousuke.
"Hey, Kyousuke," Makki said, sitting beside him on a bench and sipping water.
"Once you finish your third year, how about skipping straight into the high school team and continuing your reign in the national tournaments?"
"With grades like yours, skipping a year wouldn't be a problem."
In most Japanese schools, students retire from club activities in their third year to focus on exams and future plans.
That's why Onizuka and the others were so desperate and this was their last chance.
With a genius like Kyousuke leading them, if they still couldn't win, they'd never forgive themselves.
Of course, if you still want to stay active in the club during your third year, that's totally fine.
But you'd better be prepared to deal with the consequences of breaking the unspoken rules.
In Japan, a country where reading the atmosphere is everything even a blockhead like Eikichi Onizuka wouldn't dare challenge those invisible lines.
"No way, absolutely not!" Kyousuke rejected it flatly.
Who in their right mind would want to spend all three years of high school in this school?!
If it weren't for his adorable underclassmen, he would've transferred out in junior high already.
"Don't you want to make Higashi a legend in the high school kendo world with me? Think about it—three consecutive championship wins, from me to you."
"No matter who talks about kendo in the future, Higashi will be the first name that comes up."
"The great Makki Hojou of Higashi! The demon Kyousuke of Higashi! We'll stand tall at the peak of high school kendo in Japan!"
Makki Hojou was using the same persuasive firepower he once used to drag Kyousuke into the Rampaging Angels.
'...Wait a second, didn't Kisaki say something like this just a moment ago?' Kyousuke stared blankly at Makki Hojou.
The guy had none of the typical spoiled rich kid attitude.
Whether it was academics, daily life, kendo, or delinquency, he was the perfect role model for a senpai.
Unlike Kyousuke, who avoided trouble whenever possible, Makki was someone with real ideals and ambition.
"Makki-senpai! Higashi's greatness was never about trophies, it's about us, passing down the spirit from one generation to the next."
"It's because of people like you who give it their all for Higashi that this school has become what it is today." Kyousuke leaned lazily against the wall, clearly not putting much sincerity into his words.
"Hahaha, you cheeky brat. Come spar with me for twenty rounds! Seriously, what school could possibly land a monster like you?"
"It's not just your insane kendo skills, you've got no academic weaknesses either."
Makki Hojou laughed heartily and stood up, stretching out his right hand to Kyousuke.
"Well, it sure won't be an all-boys' school." Kyousuke grabbed his hand and stood up with a smirk.
"How about we hold a study session after the kendo tournament? You could tutor us in science. Ryou's been dying for that."
"Heh, when it comes to science, even those university prep tutors can't hold a candle to you, Boss," said the small and skinny Tsuzuki Ryou, scratching his head bashfully.
There's a saying in Japan: "Outside of Tokyo and Osaka, there are no good cram schools." Cram schools or "juku" as they're called are seen as the real prep battleground.
Osaka's juku are considered weaker than Tokyo's, and that's because top juku often hire active students from top-tier universities to teach.
After all, no one understands entrance exams better than someone who just passed them.
And Tokyo is home to giants like the University of Tokyo and Hitotsubashi.
"That's no problem. Just gather whoever needs help, but we'll have to wait till next term. Once the summer tournament's over, I'm heading straight home."
Kyousuke didn't refuse.
"Wait, does that mean you're not coming with us to the National High School Kendo Championship?" Makki slapped his forehead—he'd forgotten.
He was the one who convinced Kyousuke he could get a free plane ticket home through the tournament.
"What? Don't tell me you guys can't win without me?"
"Hahaha, of course we can! This year, we're gonna crush those punks from Nagasaki and Kumamoto!" Eikichi Onizuka shouted enthusiastically.
"Haha, says the guy who lost to someone from Kyushu Academy last year," Danma Ryuji laughed.
"Ryuji, you've got some nerve laughing! If you hadn't lost, we wouldn't have ended up second place in the team tournament!"
"Ha? Weren't you the one who lost too?!"
"Yeah, but when I lost, we still had a shot at winning!" Onizuka argued confidently.
"You bastard… I—I—get over here and spar!" Danma Ryuji, out of retorts, swung his bamboo sword in frustration and stormed off.
With that, the group headed to the center of the dojo.
Whether practicing solo or sparring, Kyousuke always trained in the center, so his underclassmen could easily watch and learn.
Like mentioned earlier, for Eikichi Onizuka and Danma Ryuji, kendo wasn't just about the sport.
It was about their dreams becoming a high school teacher and marrying a 17-year-old JK when they turned 40.
With stakes like that, their passion was off the charts.
Time after time, Kyousuke sent them flying across the floor, and time after time, they got back up again.
Every single time Onizuka got up, he'd scream, "For the JKs!!"
Honestly, it fired everyone else up too. Still, Kyousuke was genuinely worried he might scream that during an actual match.
Luckily, Kyousuke already knew he wouldn't be competing with the high school team—so if anyone embarrassed themselves, it wouldn't be him.
That night, Kyousuke stayed to train with his juniors until 10 PM.
Then he left the still-practicing dojo and headed home.
With today marking the end of his first semester of junior high, summer vacation that is about a month and a half had officially begun.
Japan's middle and high schools operate on a three-semester system:
First semester runs from April to mid or late July, followed by summer break until September.
The second semester spans September to December, with a short 10-day winter break in January. Yeah, the Japanese really aren't afraid of the cold.
The third semester goes from January to March, followed by spring break until April.
Sakura, Shouko, and the others wouldn't start their summer break until late July.
By that time, Kyousuke would likely be in Hokkaido for the tournament.
Despite the break, Kyousuke still had responsibilities.
As the acting kendo advisor, he had to lead the junior division through the upcoming regional qualifiers.
Unlike the Tamaryuu Flag Tournament, where anyone could register, both junior and senior high kendo tournaments required teams to win their local prelims before advancing to nationals.
Over the next week, as everyone had hoped, Kyousuke led his kendo team through Tokyo's fiercest competitors, eventually defeating last year's champions—Shukutoku Sugamo Junior High—to claim the Tokyo slot.
Tokyo, Ota Ward – Tokyo Bay – Haneda Airport
Tokyo has two airports: Narita, located in Chiba Prefecture, and Haneda, which you can reach from Higashi High School with just an 800-yen subway ride.
You might wonder, "If Haneda's closer to the city, why do people still use Narita?" Well, for one, Narita often has cheaper flights.
Plus, for crowd control, some international flights are only available from Narita.
Flights from Tokyo to Kushiro are a typical domestic route serviced mainly by Haneda Airport.
Higashi, with its deep pockets, had booked plane tickets for the entire team.
Funny enough, even though flying sounds more extravagant, it's actually cheaper than taking the Shinkansen.
"Kyousuke, make sure you bring back tons of souvenirs for me, okay?"
"Best of luck in the competition, Kyousuke-kun."
"Do your best! See you next semester."
It wasn't hard to guess who said what.
Since the girls had come straight from school, Sakura and the others were still wearing their uniforms.
Surrounded by them, Kyousuke truly understood why Eikichi Onizuka would dedicate his life to chasing after something this precious.
With a bunch of his subordinates watching nearby, Kyousuke didn't linger long with Sakura, Shouko, and the others.
He just smiled, gave them each a quick hug, and then waved goodbye before heading into the airport with Kisaki Tetta and the rest.
It wasn't even going to be a full month before they saw each other again no need to get too sentimental.
Originally, Kyousuke had told them not to bother coming to see him off.
It wasn't even the weekend, after all. But the moment Shouko heard that, she got so mad she went silent on the phone for nearly a full minute.
That freaked Kyousuke out enough to give in and say, "Fine, you can come." Thankfully, a few subordinates were on driving duty, so the girls didn't have to deal with the hassle of the subway.
Once he was on the plane, Kyousuke politely brushed off the overly enthusiastic flight attendants, put on his headphones, and closed his eyes.
With over two hours until they landed in Kushiro, it was the perfect chance to catch some sleep.