Another Like Me - Part I (CoTE x OC) ✔

Chapter 22 - The Zodiac Exam, Part 1

I stood outside the Room 206, and took in a deep breath. I slowly held the doorknob, and headed into the room.

The room was almost empty, barring 4 tables and a few chairs. The only people who had arrived were Akito Miyake and Nene Mori, both from my class. Mori-san gave me a shy wave as I entered, and I smiled and waved back. Mashima-sensei was also present already, and he motioned for me to come in and take my seat

"Hey," Miyake-kun said as I took my seat between him and Mori-san.

"Hey. Quite the strange gathering we have here."

"Indeed. It's across all the classes. I cannot possibly fathom what is going on."

"All the classes?" I asked, a bit confused.

"Yeah, all classes are apparently gonna be mixed in or something. I'm not really sure."

"It said Special Exam, right? Must be something then."

"But if it is a Special Exam, why have we been segregated into mixed class groups? I cannot make out a reason for this," Miyake reasoned out.

"We'll probably find out soon. Have you been able to talk to anyone in Class who has already attended the meeting? I was sure that there were several Rooms which started their meeting much earlier than ours."

"Unfortunately, no. I'm as clueless as you are," Miyake deadpanned.

I stretched back in my chair and looked around the Room once more, but it was rather boring. 

As we waited, the last person trickled into the Room. I noticed Haruka Hasebe enter our Room. She was another girl in our Class, and, if I remember correctly, was voted to have the biggest breasts in class. Now, I wasn't a part of this vote. I just knew the results. I remember Chiaki telling me about how there was a list for 'The Ikemen', for which I had been placed a commendable 4th. There was a 'Most Gloomy Guys', 'Most Nerdy Guys' and 'Guys Who Need To Die' list as well. I did not ask for my placement in those; I was rather sure that I had not made a podium finish in any of those.

Hasebe-san walked over and sat on the chair to Miyake-kun's right. I remember them being rather good friends.

After everyone had gathered in the Room, Class A's homeroom teacher, Mashima-sensei surveyed all of us.

"Looks like everyone is here." He cleared his throat. "Miyake, Hasebe, Mori and Takeyama. I will now explain the rules of this special exam." It was gonna begin.

"In this Special Exam, all first year students will be divided up into groups based on their zodiac signs and the entirety of the examination will be conducted in groups of students sharing the same zodiac sign as the 4 of you here. The purpose of this test is to assess your 'thinking ability'."

Zodiac signs? So there must be 12 total groups in that case. If we were all evenly distributed out through all the groups, then there would be 13 people per group, give or take a few. So Class D itself will be split up into 12 groups of 4? And 3, since we had only 40 students in our class. We would be mixed with these smaller groups from other classes as well. I found this combination interesting.

No one uttered a word, and was intently listening to Mashima-sensei's words. He then continued with the explanation.

"There are 3 required attributes that people who function well in society are required to master — action, thinking, and teamwork. These skills are necessary for you all to become successful adults. The last test on the island tested teamwork quite heavily, however, this one will emphasize your thinking. The ability to critically think, analyze the situation at hand and resolve the problem given will be tested in this exam. The ability to work creatively with imagination and work determinedly towards resolving the problem, such traits will become vital for this task."