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The Examination Day


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Nanami departed the bus after nearly a thirty minute ride and followed nearly ten students including her three classmates from junior high school to Higashi High School for the entrance examination. The tension among the group of students kept their lips sealed as they walked down the busy Tokyou streets towards the school.

They entered the gate that was a good distance from the entrance of the building, some bikes parked just inside the gate. Spread about the front of the school was the ground that they used for training in PE, and behind the school were two specialized buildings and the swimming pool that was normally used in the summer.

Nanami found her name on a board telling her what classroom to report to for her test, and she had to run up to the fourth floor of five and find room 4-J to sit with several others like her. The teacher took a green identification card from her as she came through the door, and he directed her to the seat she was to occupy for the test.

The waiting was the most nerve wracking. The waiting was like the silence in a movie just before a great storm or the climax where the monster appears behing the main character. Nanami's mind was frantacally trying to remember math formulas, English vocabulary, Science facts, History names and dates, and Kanji (Japanese advanced symbols for words). She was so busy in her head that she missed the schedule on the blackboard at the front of the room.

9:00 to 9:50 Math test

9:55 to 10:45 English test

10:50 to 11:40 Science test

11:45 to 12:30 History test

12:40 to 1:30 lunch

1:35 to 2:25 Japanese test

2:30 Dismissal.

All she could concentrate on, was what she wanted to remember for the tests, and then the class teacher went to the front of the room.

"Of course, no one will be permitted to leave their seats during the exam unless there is a very good reason, so before we start the math test, I suggest that anyone that hasn't used the toilet yet go and take care of that."

Nanami had not heard his instruction as she was still concentrating on the formulas, difficult English structures, names and dates, and Kanji symbols that she had just previously studied. Why couldn't they spread these tests over a couple of days so she could concentrate on studying just a few things at a time? It was so hard keeping it all straight, and Higashi was such a high level of school, she was sure that only the top few students would be chosen to go there.

Then, before she could actually take a chance to go, the students were asked to hurry into the room, and the teacher started to pass back the testing booklets.

"You will open your test packet when I say go, and you will put down your pencil when I call time. Anyone not following the rules will have the last ten questions they had answered marked incomplete. Do you understand? Even if you are in the middle of an answer, you will put down your pencil as soon as you are asked, or you will risk the last ten answers."

Nanami nodded that she understood and waited until the precise time that she was allowed to open her packet. There was one odd desk empty in the room, and the testing packet for that missing person had been placed on that desk. Someone had not made it to class, and they would likely not be allowed to take the test. That was what they were warned of. Anyone coming late would not be allowed to take the tests.

The first three periods went by without much fuss, and Nanami felt good about the answers she had given for those tests. Now, she had to take the history test just before lunch, and this made her breath easier. History wasn't necessarily easier, but if she had done this well so far, she was sure that history wouldn't be much of a problem. That was, however, just as the packets were being handed back.

In the last three breaks, as well as before starting, Nanami had not felt any need to go. She was still feeling quite relaxed and only bothered by the task at hand.

Fifteen minutes into the test, however, Nanami was soon feeling a different feeling.

"Hm... I haven't been to the bathroom all morning. No wonder I have to go," she thought. "Still, I can wait until lunch-- I think."

Around her, all the students' heads were bent over and hands were writing furiously to get as much into each answer as was possible. Due to the high level of testing, these tests had been all essay type except for math which still had not provided any multiple guesses for the students to guess between. Actually, only English had any multiple choice questions, and that was because it was the only way they could really test listening as far as Nanami knew.

"This is so typical," she mentally scolded her body. "You would pick now to want to pee. You'll just have to wait."

She read the next question.

15. In your own words, explain the turning point of 1615 and it's effect on Japan:

"Was this really necessary to know as an adult?" Nanami sighed to herself. "Of course it was the change of the Shogun to Ieyasu Tokugawa which was decided through a final battle of that same year. But what did that really mean for Japan?" she wondered.

"I don't think they even teach this in junior high," she told herself as she gave up on the question skipping it for an easier one. "Who cares if it was Tokugawa or Minamoto?"

Now, time was closing in on her as the minute hand read 12:10. She had just twenty more minutes to finish the test, and her bladder rejoiced at the limited time left. It still barely felt the fullness, but it was just as happy as it really didn't want to wait for several hours as had happened on occasion.

"And the last question," Nanami looked the paper over. "This test was probably the worst, but only because I don't see how these events are important to me. I wish they made history more relevant when they asked questions."

The clock was reading 12:25, just five minutes left when she finished her test.

"Pencils down," the teacher called and everyone as one dropped their pencils. "You may go to the cafeteria and eat your lunches. Don't forget, you must be back in your desk at one thirty so we may continue with the last test at one thirty-five."

The students nodded and started to get up.

Nanami looked towards her classmates that she knew, and they all silently nodded in agreement that they were going to have lunch together. First, of course, she had to run to the toilets. She walked out of the room quickly towards the bathroom closest, but there was already a crowd of girls waiting to go in there. She sighed as she waited.

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