Seibunkan Bookstore's main branch devoted an entire aisle to exam prep, its tall shelves crammed with study guides for every subject and every grade. Standing amid this forest of workbooks were a certain Chika Komari and Lemon Yakishio, the former watching warily as her friend’s eyes wandered along the rows.

“Lemme see…” Yakishio scanned the spines for all of three seconds before confidently yanking out a somewhat thick workbook. “Second-year math. This one, right?”

“L-Let’s not jump the gun!” Komari immediately stepped in, moving to intercept her before her good friend bit off more than she could chew.

“What’s wrong, Komari-chan?”

I don’t want to hurt her feelings, Komari thought. She hesitated, carefully choosing her words. “W-Well… the important thing is picking something that actually matches what you need. You shouldn’t get too, um, hung up on the grade level.”

“Ohhh, so that’s how it works. You’re so smart, Komari-chan!” Yakishio said cheerfully.

Then she tilted her head.

“So… how do I pick one, then?”

“J-Just a second.” Komari began pulling a few different books off the shelf. “H-How about this one? This looks like it does a good job at explaining the, um, basics.”

“Ooh, not too many words! I like it!” Yakishio said, flipping through the pages. But then she paused, cocking her head once again. “Wait, doesn’t this say third-year middle school on it?”

“R-Remember? Don’t look at the grade levels.”

“Ohhh, gotcha.”

Impressed by logic she clearly didn’t understand, Yakishio snapped the workbook shut with a satisfied grin. “Alright! Got my study guide. This exam is officially in the bag!”

“T-There’s no point if you don’t actually study!”

Yakishio froze dead in her tracks. “Isn’t there, like, a magical study guide out there that makes you smarter just by holding it?”

“N-No.”

“...Yeah, figured.” Biting back the harsh reality of her situation, Yakishio steeled her resolve and gripped the workbook way below her grade level tightly. “Okay. Fine. I’ll actually study this thing. Now this exam is for sure in the bag!”

“Is… Is math the only subject you need to worry about?”

“Hmm, what else…” Yakishio stared blankly at the shelves, counting off her fingers. “World History, Classical Lit, Modern Lit, Biology… oh, and pretty much everything to do with English is looking pretty bad right now.”

“Th-That’s literally every subject.”

“...Yeah.”

As Komari stared at the towering shelves of study guides stretching into the distance like an impossible mountain range, a look of utter resignation washed over her face. “W-We’re starting over from the first-year textbooks.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s my only choice.” Yakishio stared up at the ceiling in defeat, her spirit visibly crumbling. But then she caught on to something and leaned in close. “Wait, ‘we’re starting over’? Does that mean you’re gonna help me, Komari-chan?”

“U-Um, well, about that.” Fidgeting shyly with her bangs, Komari mumbled in a small voice. “I-I can help you study… if you’d like.”

“For real, Komari-chan?!” Without missing a beat, Yakishio scooped her right up into the air.

“Eep?! P-Put me down!”

“Aw, c’mon, it’s fine! Want me to just carry you home like this?”

“Y-You’re making a scene! We’ll get b-banned from the store!”

The word banned instantly caused Yakishio to turn serious. She set Komari back on her feet. “Ah, yeah… getting banned is a no-go. My mom would kill me.”

“D-Did you already do something?” Komari asked, sweating slightly.

Yakishio blatantly ignored the question, opting instead to stare down at the middle school workbook still clutched in her hand. “Well, if I’m starting over from our first-year stuff anyway, I guess I don’t really need this—”

“N-No, you definitely still need it,” Komari shot back instantly.

Defeated, Yakishio nodded weakly. Taking her friend by the hand, Komari dragged the sulking athlete towards the cash register.