chemistry olympics | k. tetsurou

02 - the olympics

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The day of the Chemistry Olympics had finally dawned, and a tidal wave of nerves engulfed me. A persistent knot twisted in my stomach from the moment I awoke, intensifying as the bus journey brought me closer to the competition venue.

Despite my thorough preparation, doubt lingered, and I found myself questioning my decision to participate. Each step I took towards the center seemed to magnify the internal turmoil. I berated myself, imagining the ease and relaxation I could have enjoyed if I had just declined the opportunity.

Upon arrival, the bustling center hosted participants from various schools across Japan. At the entrance, my name was checked, and I received a necklace bearing a card with my information. Nervously navigating the crowd, my eyes caught sight of someone in a Fukurodani jacket—just like mine. Our eyes met, and the boy, whom I recognized as Fujuki from my grade, approached with a relieved smile.

"Hey! Finally, a Fukurodani student," he greeted with a polite smile.

"Oh hi! Yeah, because I don't really know anyone here," I replied, returning the smile.

"Me neither," he chuckled. "L/n, right?"

"Yes, that's me! And you must be Fujuki," I affirmed, and he nodded with a smile.

We engaged in small talk, finding common ground despite never having spoken much before. As the starting time loomed, we made our way to the stage. The competition format involved pairing up students, who then competed head-to-head. The moderator would pose questions, and the first to answer correctly earned a point. The first student to accumulate 5 points would advance, while the other would exit the stage.

The initial pair took the stage, engaging in a rigorous back-and-forth of questions. The tension was palpable as their knowledge of chemistry was put to the test. This pattern persisted with subsequent pairs, questions varying in content but consistently challenging the participants.

Suddenly, my name resonated through the auditorium, jolting me into a state of mild panic as I rose from my seat. Another student joined me on stage, and together, we approached the high desks with notebooks and pens placed in front of us.

Surveying the crowd from the elevated stage did little to quell the nervous energy coursing through me. In an attempt to steady my nerves, I took a deep breath, recalling the countless hours I dedicated to studying for this moment.

"First question," announced the moderator through the microphone. I braced myself. "True or false? Bases have a pH level below 7."

"False!" I blurted out, perhaps faster than I had ever spoken in my life. The moderator nodded, declaring, "Correct!". Relief washed over me, manifesting as a fleeting smile.

The next question swiftly followed: "What is the molecular formula for sulfuric acid?" Without hesitation, I confidently replied, "It's H2SO4," earning another point. The questions thus far seemed relatively easy, and my opponent struggled to match my speed.

Moving on to the third question, the moderator queried, "In a chemical reaction, what is the term for a substance that speeds up the reaction but is not consumed in the process?" As I poised to respond, my competitor preemptively called out, "Catalyst." The moderator acknowledged the answer, granting him a point.

Rather than dampening my spirits, this setback fueled my determination. I smoothly navigated through the subsequent questions, seizing the opportunity to showcase my knowledge. Although my opponent managed to answer one question, I secured the decisive fifth point, winning the round.

Returning to my seat, a newfound calmness washed over me. Fujuki, seated next to me, offered a supportive smile and a thumbs-up, and i grinned in return.

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Pairs of participants took their turns on stage, each round narrowing down the contenders exponentially. I found myself back in the center, the thrill of winning coursing through me. Despite the happiness, nervous anticipation lingered as I contemplated the rounds yet to come.

A 15-minute break was announced, offering a brief respite from the intensity. Eager to relieve the stress, I headed to the bathroom. Having to hold your pee while being nervous as hell is not a very comfortable situation. As I emerged, my phone buzzed with texts from Ikuru, mirroring her own anxiety and excitement.

ikurururu🎀🪐
HOWS IT GOIN?
DID YOU WIN ALREADY???!!!
Y/NNNNNNN ANSWER IM NERVOUS

I chuckled as i read them and started typing.

Y/n
I WON THE FIRST 2 ROUNDSSSS AHEDHDHEHEHAGGFF

The break concluded, and I returned to the main stage, the familiar nervous energy settling back in.

"Welcome back to all students who've won so far, and also to the ones who unfortunately didn't make it, now in the publicum. Before we continue, we wanted to congratulate all students who took part here today, it shows how courageous you all are. It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, what's important is that you came here!" The moderator's congratulatory words echoed, acknowledging the courage of all participants as everyone started clapping.

After a while, the applause ceased, and the moderator spoke once more: "Now it's just two more rounds, and at the end of these, only 2 students will remain, who will compete against each other in the final round to decide the winner! So good luck everyone!" and with that, the third round started, my nerves intensifying as the mystery of when were they gonna call my name remained.

The moderator's announcement of the next pair sent a shiver down my spine. "L/n Y/n and Kuroo Tetsurou," he called, and I found myself standing alongside another student for the third time.

As we took our places behind the tall desks, the student I was competing against and I made eye contact, and he offered a greeting nod and a small smirk.

"Question 1: The symbol Sb stands for stibnum or stibnite. What is the modern name of this element?"

"Antimony." Both of us answered simultaneously, glancing at each other as our responses echoed through the auditorium.

"Okay, that's no point for any of you. Next question: what's The S.I unit of temperature?" And once again, we responded simultaneously: "Kelvin"
However, my slightly quicker answer earned me a point, prompting a subtle exchange of glances between us. The rivalry intensified with each question, as we either matched responses or one of us secured a point.

"Onto the next question: Which of the following is an alkaline earth metal?
[A] Pottasium
[B] Lead
[C] Copper
[D] Calcium"

As the new question emerged, Kuroo confidently answered "Calcium," mimicking the prideful smile I had worn earlier. The ongoing back-and-forth continued, with both of us accumulating 3 points each. Instead of looking at the moderator, the audience, or our notebooks, our eyes remained fixed on each other, intensifying the competition.

"What is nitrous oxide more commonly known as?"

"Oh, Laughing gas!" i called, earning my fourth point and once again smiling at my opponent.

The question about gold's atomic number arrived, and Kuroo effortlessly responded with "79," smirking in my direction. Tied at 4 points each, the next question would determine the victor. But I wasn't feeling any nervous at all, I just wanted to win so badly, because the priceless face he'd make would make all this effort worth it. Unwavering, I eagerly awaited the challenge, my desire to win fueling a sense of determination.

Finally, the moderator posed the decisive question, the one that would either propel me forward or lead to my exit from the stage. The suspense hung in the air as I prepared to respond, driven by the burning desire to outshine my opponent.

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