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Chapter 14: The Scholarship Aoki Kei Must Win!
🕑 Added 2025-07-30 20:14:01 +0000 UTCAt some point, the temperature in Tokyo had suddenly climbed.
Though it was noticeably warmer, it still paled in comparison to the scorching heat of July and August.
Even at midday, the temperature only peaked around 24 degrees Celsius.
Other than Shirose High School’s thick spring uniform becoming increasingly uncomfortable, there wasn’t much impact from the heat.
It was now May 26th—three days since Aoki Kei had taken the entrance test for Shuchiin Private High School.
The test results had been released the following afternoon.
Hiratsuka Shizuka had called him with a tone of utter disbelief, informing him that he’d passed with perfect scores in every subject.
Aoki Kei wasn’t particularly surprised.
Most of his time was either spent working part-time or studying diligently, leaving little to no room for leisure.
If his grades weren’t excellent under those conditions, he might as well quit school and work full-time.
With the official notice of acceptance in hand, Aoki Kei completed the transfer process at Shirose High School the next morning.
The teachers and administration had expressed genuine regret at his departure, but Aoki Kei had made up his mind, and no amount of persuasion could sway him.
Later that same day, he rode the train to Shuchiin Private High School to pay the tuition and complete the enrollment process.
He had to admit, Hiratsuka Shizuka sensei worked with remarkable efficiency.
The very next morning, Aoki Kei received his formal acceptance notice.
Dressed in Shuchiin’s uniform and with his bag slung over his shoulder, he grabbed the trash he’d sorted the night before and stepped out of his apartment.
After a 20-minute bumpy train ride, he arrived at Shuchiin Private High School, his second time visiting.
Looking up at the dauntingly long slope leading to the school gates, he drew in a deep breath.
Compared to Shirose High School, Shuchiin was superior in almost every regard—except one:
The long, uphill climb to the school gate was a nightmare for anyone lazy or lacking stamina.
Although everything for the transfer was mostly in place, Aoki Kei still didn’t know which class he’d be placed into.
So, as he waited at the gate for Hiratsuka-sensei, he finally decided to ask.
“Sensei,” he said, falling into step beside her. “You never told me which class I’m being placed into. What class am I in?”
Hiratsuka looked genuinely surprised.
“I didn’t tell you?” she muttered, clearly trying to recall. Then, as if suddenly remembering, she added, “Well… since we know each other pretty well, I asked the academic director to put you in my class. You’ll be in 2-F.”
“...”
A moment of silence.
Suddenly, Aoki Kei found himself mildly regretting the transfer.
If he’d just stayed at Shirose High School, he might have at least had a peaceful school life until graduation.
But now…
Remembering how she had manhandled him like an old friend just a few days ago, Aoki felt a chill run down his neck.
Taking a deep breath, he looked her straight in the eyes and said seriously, “Sensei, once I start making money from my part-time jobs, I’ll give you a cut. Just please—no more physical violence. My constitution isn’t the best…”
“Hey! You little brat!” Hiratsuka snapped, visibly twitching. “What kind of person do you think I am?!”
“I was just asking you if you had a boy—”
Aoki stopped mid-sentence, he can felt Hiratsuka sensei giving him a death glare that clearly said, One more word and I’ll strangle you right here.
Faced with such terrifying pressure from the single, middle-aged teacher, Aoki Kei wisely chose silence.
Without another word, he followed her into the school building.
It was break time, so the hallways were bustling with students and a bit noisy.
Hiratsuka glanced at her watch and paused in the corridor, clearly irritated by the noise.
“Class starts in seven minutes. My class is next. Come wait in the office with me.”
“Alright,” Aoki nodded.
Once inside the staff room, he took a seat beside her desk.
He expected a few minutes of quiet, but Hiratsuka suddenly turned toward him.
“Hey, Aoki…” she said, her voice a bit hesitant and lowered, “About your part-time job at that bar…”
Aoki turned toward her as well, leaning back slightly in his chair.
Just like Shirose, Shuchiin had a strict rule against students working in bars or other establishments considered inappropriate for minors.
In fact, Shuchiin was even stricter.
If caught, a student could even face expulsion.
Aoki Kei had already memorized these rules before applying.
So now, with Hiratsuka bringing up this very sensitive and vital—topic, he couldn’t help but feel a little tense.
“When I was processing your transfer paperwork, I looked into your family situation…” she began. “About what I said the other day—I’m really sorry.”
Without waiting for a response, she continued in a softer tone, “As for your job… I get that your circumstances make it unavoidable.
I’m willing to help cover for you with the school. But after seeing your test scores, I really do hope you can focus more on your studies.”
Aoki blinked in surprise.
Relief washed over him upon hearing she’d help him keep his job secret—but her plea that followed made him sigh inwardly.
“Sensei, I know you mean well, but this isn’t something that can be easily solved.”
He spoke frankly. “The bar pays the highest wage I can find for the least energy. Even then, I’m working until 1 a.m., and that income only just covers my living expenses.”
“Well… you said it’s almost impossible, right?” Hiratsuka smirked like she’d been waiting for this.
She turned back to her desk, shuffled through some papers, and pulled out a recent academic ranking sheet.
Handing it to Aoki Kei, she said, “Unlike your old school, Shuchiin gives substantial scholarships to the top ten students in each grade. The top three get even more. And the student ranked first? They receive 800,000 yen.”
“E-Eight hundred thousand?!”
Aoki was stunned.
The minimum wage in Tokyo was around 1,000 yen per hour.
Even working full-time—eight hours a day, every day—he’d only earn about 240,000 yen a month.
To earn 800,000 yen, he’d need to work four full months nonstop.
Yet here was Shuchiin, offering that amount for just one semester’s worth of academic excellence.
No wonder this school was famous for its university placement rates…
He quickly did the math.
If he could win the top scholarship, and continue earning his usual 180,000 yen from part-time jobs each month, his income would skyrocket—several times higher than before.
Lowering his gaze to the paper, Aoki Kei examined the list.
It wasn’t old—probably from the latest round of exams.
His eyes scanned to the top of the second-year rankings.
There, with nearly perfect marks across the board, was a name he instantly recognized:
Yukinoshita Yukino.
