Chapter 18: Requirements Before Midterm Exams

It's on the weekend, and Rose got no classes, but she went to the campus anyway as she had some academic matters to attend to, and it's a few days before the midterm exams.

Luckily for her, the University professors are kind enough to leave the classrooms and the faculty room open, in case there are any students who want to hang out and submit their academic requirements over the weekend.

She didn't want her high grades to drop, so she figured out that she had better do something.

She had to cancel her reservation at a beach resort, apologized to Tashiro for spoiling their plans, and rushed straight to Akita University from the resort.

She had her backpack, filled with clothes and skincare sent back to her condo unit, and paid extra for the shipment.

She placed her latest edition tablet, chargers, and Bluetooth earphones on her expensive sling bag, then rushed out of the room she shared with Tashiro.

She went straight to the helipad of the resort, took out her wallet, and paid the helicopter pilot a handsome tip, plus extra for fuel, then instructed the helicopter pilot to fly her straight to the helipad of Akita University.

She showed the pilot her student ID, then the pilot immediately let her inside the helicopter and they took off after informing the attendant of the Akita University helipad that they'll arrive sooner or later.

Rose felt bored, so she took up the initiative to talk with the pilot.

She knew that the pilot couldn't hear her because of the headset he wore, but luckily, she was the only passenger, and she paid extra.

She also sat in the front seat beside the pilot.

She put on the headset, and started talking with the pilot.

"Hello, Mr, Hirano Akira. I'm Rose Hineki."

Her mention of her surname alone was enough to make the pilot take notice of her.

"Oh, are you the Rose Hineki that always gets featured on the news? I didn't expect to meet you in person. What's your course? "

"AB Political Science major in International Relations"

They continued to talk until they arrived at the Akita University helipad an hour later.

Rose got down from the helipad, glad to know that she made another friend that day.

Her legs were stiff from being seated in the front seat of the helicopter for an hour, so she decided that she might as well give her body an exercise by jogging all the way to the fourth floor of the Mitsukuri Hall, named after a rich relative on her mother's side who made a lot of donations to Akita University.

While she walked past the rooms towards the second room on the fourth floor of the Mitsukuri Hall, she noticed that the university was busy and bustling as usual, with professors and students walking past her, everyone minding their own business.

She entered the room and was surprised to see her professor sitting there, her bespectacled face looking up from her Ipad straight at Rose's surprised face.

" Look who's here. It's the top student in my class. What's the matter, Rose? You look surprised to know that I'm around. It's a wonder you're around campus over the weekends."

Professor Kubota Tsukiko, the Dean of the Liberal Arts department, and Rose's professor in a few major subjects, commented.

"I guess you're here to complete your requirements, correct? I got a faculty meeting coming up later, so don't bother looking for me. You know my office is open until 9 pm at night. Just submit later when you're finished."

Professor Tsukiko then placed her Ipad and charger into her bag, got out of the classroom, then went straight to the Faculty Room for the meeting.

Rose looked around the classroom. She could see her classmates stop what they were doing, and look at her.

She took her seat at the front, ignored their stares, took out her tablet, connected her Bluetooth earphones, and started doing her requirements.

Tashiro remained behind at the resort, dumbfounded on why Rose had to cancel her reservations at the last minute at the private beach resort, spoiling the surprise he had planned for her.

Since it's the weekends, and he's off duty, he thought that he might as well make the most of his stay in the private beach resort.

He had a tiring workweek, and tried his best to ignore the advances of Sukebe Meiko, who kept showing up at his place more often.

Sukebe is one feisty girl, but she sure can get on the nerves once in a while. A wish she'd just focus on the tasks given to her as a trainee in the Elorian Secret Service. I already have my hands full doing my missions while trying my best not to get caught by those still loyal to the Renegades.

Tashiro shook those thoughts off from his head, then switched clothes, wearing nothing but his beach shorts and goggles, slippers, and a towel.

It didn't take long for him to reach the beach.

He placed the towel and coffee he's holding on a beach chair with a cup holder he also brought along with him.

He put on his goggles, winked at the ladies relaxing on the beach, looking at his abs and clear skin, while showing his perfect smile and pearly white teeth, then he went to the sea for a long swim.

After he finished swimming, he rubbed himself dry with his towel, placed the towel to dry on the back of the beach chair, and relaxed on the beach chair while sipping some self-made iced coffee.

Kokoro is at her condo unit, her eyes glued to her gaming laptop, listening to pop music on her Bluetooth earphones, rushing against time to finish her requirements before the start of the midterm exams.

She knew couldn't afford to throw away her scholarship, and her elite status, after everything she worked hard for.

It was either this good shot for a better future, or go back to the tough, hard and miserable life in the slums.

And she didn't want to experience the hardships she went through before all over again.

After a few hours of being glued to her gaming laptop, tending to her school requirements, she took a short break.

She went to the kitchen to whip herself some toasted bread with fried eggs, and hot chocolate, then returned to her room while bringing a hot tray full of food.

While she ate, she felt grateful for the good life she currently lived now, compared to what she had to endure in the past.

She had no regrets on the course she took up, and on her actions and decisions that led to where she is today.

At times she felt like quitting, but she just bravely fought on.

After she finished eating, she went back to finishing her requirements.

Takeshi is back at the private battle simulation center.

He had the private battle simulation center closed for today, while he had the battle program updated and modified.

The recent raid and infiltration on the Fujiwara mansion caused him to make this decision, as he didn't want a repeat of the past where almost all of the members of the Secret Unit fainted because of the gap between their powers.

He knew that making this upgrade is somewhat costly, but he knew that the results will be worth the cost, as it means that there will be an increase in strength right after the mages trained with the improved and updated battle simulation system. It also meant more profits, as he didn't operate the center for free.

He stayed at the security control room, monitoring the IT technicians who were updating the system.

He thought of the recent events.

So it turned out that there is a secret organization backing the Premier, unknown to the general public, and the rank and file employees of the government. Well, whatever, he was still an initiate, and he still needed to gather more insider info on stuff that matter to him about the secret organization.

He cleared those thoughts away, and felt too tired and lazy to cook himself up some food at the kitchen of the private battle simulation center, so he decided to just order some fast food instead.

After the fast-food delivery arrived, he went to get the food he ordered, and went back to the security control room to eat.

Riku is in the living room of his family resthouse.

He sat on the reclining sofa with his legs crossed, his eyes glued to his latest edition iPad, while listening to fast rock music on his Bluetooth headphones.

He was busy making his requirements before the start of the pre-midterm exams.

Although he found the Marketing course hard and challenging at times, he had no reason to complain, as he knew that his parents' business is how they made money, and it's how they could afford to put Riku in an elite university for the rich and well-to-do.

He picked this course because he wanted to be able to help his parents in their business one way or another, and pay them back for giving him a good life.

He is also active in his parents' business, advising them of marketing trends, and that they should always get on with the times if they want to maintain a good standing with high profits.

His parents are busy with a major business deal offshore at the moment, and that means he got to enjoy peace and quiet in the family rest house for the meantime.

Sakura is lying on her belly in her bedroom, her eyes glued to her high-end laptop.

She was listening to pop-punk music through the Bluetooth earphones stuck in her ears.

She was busy doing her requirements before the start of the midterm exams.

She wished that she took up Game Development and Programming, the same course that Kokoro took right from the start, but fate had other plans for her.

She wasn't a gamer, and failed in the entrance exam of the Game Development course, but aced the interview.

The entrance exam was an elimination round, where she had to do a one on one battle with a Game Development Professor on the virtual reality version of the popular game War of Empires XXV.

She easily got eliminated right from the start, while Kokoro managed to survive the elimination round, being an expert gamer aside from being a good strategist. Both of them took the entrance exam and the interview on the same day, but only Kokoro got accepted.

She had to settle for the Data Science course instead.

It may not be her dream course, but she is still content with what she got, knowing fully well that she has a lot of opportunities ahead of her.

Yamato Hirayama is at his hideout somewhere in the outskirts of Akiko City, planning a meeting with the punks who always heckled Kokoro,while they all ate a quick meal ordered from a popular coffee chain nearby.

"Hey, buddy, you all heard what the goat demon Baphomet said loud and clear, correct? We are to eliminate the entire Secret Unit, and make sure that nothing gets into its way for the demon to manifest itself in our world, and aid in our plans. Some of you here are students in Akita University, and know Kokoro and the rest of Secret Unit pretty well. It's the weekend today, and we have a perfect chance to have them eliminated. Have you guys thought of a plan yet? Some of you will have to be dismissed today, as per the orders of the Grand Leader. Morimoto Shuji, Hirata Takahiro, Ishimoto Yuji, Teramoto Midori, Morino Nana, and Nakata Hoshi, you're dismissed from service. The Grand Leader has already paid you for your efforts. Don't worry, I'll take over your duties temporarily starting from now on. "

3 girls and 3 men left from the hideout, and each went on their way to focus on their own business.

" Yep, we do. We'd get caught and identified right away if we did it, so we sent some hired killers to do it instead. We'll still be lurking around the place incognito, just to make sure that nothing wrong happens, and provide backup when needed. "

Miyoshi Izanama, an attractive punk girl aged 19,replied.

" Perfect. Now that we've all identified what we need to do, and took the initiative to do it, then let's get started. Get to work, everyone. "

Yamato said in a commanding tone.