Since the exam would be held in Tokyo, Seiya boarded shinkansen — a bullet train. On the station platform, Seiya's father, who had bought an admission ticket, was there to see Seiya off. The shinkansen started to move with a groan. Seiya’s father waved his hand. For some reason, it seemed like a lifelong goodbye. “Is it because of the fear of facing the mighty enemy of examinations alone?” Before Seiya knew it, he was crying.copyright protection178ＰＥＮＡＮＡg44375mR8x
Seiya has never felt such anxiety before. Seiya opened his notebook to distract himself, or rather, to pass the examination. But Seiya couldn’t get it into his head. Seiya just felt like he was reading it, gently tracing the letters, with little awareness. Seiya headed to the exam room the next morning and didn't remember it clearly until the exam was over. Seiya was surprised at the pain in his arm that struck him as he finished his exam. The writing pressure increased more than usual, and the sides of his little finger and palm turned black because he moved his hands across letters he wrote on the paper. There was an unusual amount of sebum on his forehead. After the test papers were collected and the number of sheets was counted, they were dismissed. Exhausted candidates left the university in unison. Seiya avoided people like a stitch and staggered toward Tokyo Station. First, he searched for the bathroom and washed his face. Washing it once didn't remove the sebum. It was slimy. It was as if layers of sebum were being put on his face.copyright protection178ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJg5GBEzNR
In the end, saisen — money Seiya offered with his wish — didn't carry a pass this time. Seiya was wrapped up in the bed. Seiya just stared at the whitish sliding doors as if his soul had been drained. The failure of this examination was hopeless. Seiya had lost all hope of living. Seiya even felt like he should have never been born if this was the case. Seiya heard a whisper, wondering if he was overthinking it, but he quickly shooed it away. Seiya didn’t blame it on the offer because he felt that his effort was not enough to pass the exam. There was a part of him that thought the offer was just an act, and whether or not Seiya did it had nothing to do with the outcome of the entrance exam. A lack of effort was clearly the cause. Even though Seiya told himself that, he couldn't face the reality of being a ronin — students who failed to pass the entrance exam for universities when they were in grade 12 and had to study until the next year to take the entrance tests for university again because they have the entrance exam only on February every year.copyright protection178ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cfxKdxfxu
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