Chapter 4: exams are deadly

The role play is titled, 'Exams Are Deadly' in which the story goes around with smart students. Kazumi who is the smartest in their class is also the main character of the story. The title itself is kind of funny or weird but the story will not according to writer Hitoshi.. Kazumi is a new student in an unknown high school in the country side. He was used living in the city living his life to the fullest. However, in his young age he caused a lot of trouble that make his father who is one of the richest businessman in town into a decision. He throw Kazumi in one of the secluded place in the country. He is one of the smart kid even he is not a fan of studying, all he do is partying all night until he is exhausted. According to his father, he can only come back if he became the top of the school. Kazumi needs to live his own life and become independent.

It was already dark when he got off the bus. The only noise he can hear are the cold air passing with the dry leaves and the animals and insects. It was really quiet this time at night in this little town middle of nowhere. He took a deep breath staring those things he never thought in his entire life that he will never see. He was standing in a waiting shed beside the road in where the only streetlight was located. The only street light that is broken, it keeps turning on and off. Across the road there is a one way path where he needs to go where he will live.

It took him a while to look for the place he will stay. In the end of the road there was a two story house that was very old that it seems any typhoon or earthquake can destroy it. He knock two times in a rusty door. It took a couple of minutes when someone opened it. It was an old lady in her eighties welcomed him, the only person living in this house.

He was assigned in one of the vacant rooms in the house that was used to be a stock room. When he opened the old rugged door that like it will fall the time you hold it. The room was full of boxes containing old picture frames and albums and some documents and paintings that is covered with dusts and webs. Kazumi took a deep breath of anxiety with a realization that he really is not at his house and all of these is not a dream.

The next morning, Kazumi got lost in his way to school because of two reasons: first, he is not familiar to the place, he never went there in his whole life except today, he even cares if there is a place like this existing in the country or in the world rather. And second, he was not used going to school in bare foot, he even attend school rarely.

The homeroom subject is done and the second subject is starting when he got to school. Everyone is astonished mainly the girls having an eyes of heart as if an angel is descended from above not knowing that inside of that angel costume lies a sleeping devil. He went directly to vacant seat at the very back of the room without introducing himself to everyone like a real bastard. He was just sleeping in the entire morning until lunch break.

Five minutes before the afternoon class begun when he woke up. He was yawning and stretching his arms when a few girls from the class went to talk to him. They introduce themselves in their cutest voice while trying to be gentle blushing so red. Kazumi realized that there were only a few students in the room, a thirty? No twenty or more. Usually a class contain more than forty students and what is more intriguing is that he remembered all the faces of these students pictured in the bulletin board a while ago when he is looking for his room, they are all belong to the top students. He thought that it was not worth wondering about the school having few students, after all the place is from nowhere and there are only few houses in town.

The next subject teacher went in, she was seem so young to be a high school teacher herself. What that teacher say next shocked him, ''So… it seems that only few of you survived. The exam will be week after next week, I hoped that no one will die again'' Random thought came into his mind when he heard that but what was more shocking is that none in the crowd reacted.

Then the character of Fuyumi entered the scene, she was the fittest of those who survived and Kazumi's seatmate. She noticed that Kazumi is wondering of what that crazy teacher is talking so she insisted to explain the situation he was on.

Every year almost half of the population of the school got missing after exam. Every after exam in every semester they are getting fewer and fewer and what is more interesting is that just all the top students remain and graduate. There is a one and only rule in this school that you should remember when you decide to enroll here which is to remain in the top in order to survive.

To those who got scores lower than the said passing score in every subject got missing. At first students don't understand the world they are in. However, sooner you'll realize that those only who blessed with brains will survive. Teachers and other school facilitators are insane, they are crazy to have the most intelligent students. If you got grades lower than the passing one, you better say goodbye.

Who would know that a school like this exist. Kazumi got goose bumps all over his body. He ran immediately out of the room even Fuyumi is not yet finished. He look for a nearby phone and dial his dad's phone number. At first no one is answering, after a several missed calls he finally picked up the phone. The voice in the other line is irritated asking what he want and to be fast for he has a meeting coming.

Kazumi talked in a shaking voice saying that the school he's in is crazy, he still don't want to die. His father just burst in laughter, a laugh he never heard before. He never expect what his father said, ''You should go there and be good. I once graduated in that school, I was the top student'' he was so shocked to let all the information sink in his little brain.

All he want for now is to get away far from here, far from hell. That night, he stayed in his room whole day. He heard knocks on the door but he out of being scared he never leave out his bed thinking that leaving can make him dead not until he heard a familiar voice on the other side. He think twice before he slowly went to answer the knock. ''It was your first day then you attend school late then when you arrive all you did is to sleep then scape'' ''Your school is crazy, all of you is crazy'' ''You should accept the situation you're in. I didn't know that a man like you is scared to death'' ''Who will not?! There is no law that gives the right to the teachers to kill their students if they don't pass'' ''That where the excitement begins, you'll never learn if you will not work hard. There were no easy things in the world'' ''But dying is not in the option'' ''Then prove it, prove it that you're not one of those losers who died. Prove yourself to everyone, to your dad, to the school, that not the likes of them will make you die'' ''Where are you getting that courage'' ''I've been through a lot, this will just be part of it'' ''You're so brave for a girl… who was about to die'' Who told you that I will die. No one can kill Nagisa Fuyumi, not this school or not anyone else''

The next morning Kazumi went to school when he met Fuyumi in the entrance gate. ''Oh good morning Kazumi'' ''G… good morning Fu…Fuyumi'' ''Why are you nervous, just chill this is just me'' ''By the way what changed your mind?'' ''I was thinking what you told me last night and I think you were right. It was so embarrassing to admit that a girl like you is braver than me. And because of that from now on, you'll be my idol'' ''S…stupid that what anyone would do if they were in my position'', Fuyumi was embarrassed with a blushing red face.

It was midwinter already yet Kazumi feels so hot, sweating a lot while studying for the whole night in a straight whole week before the exam day. He thought that if his father overcome these situations he could also. He will never let Fuyumi carry him again just because he was coward to move.

After a week the exam is finally over and yet the tension is still in the air. The moment of truth came, who will remain at the top and who will fall. Everyone is shaking in nervous that the only things you can hear are the birds outside and the large footsteps of their teacher coming in to the room. She was not in her usual get up this day, wearing a sleeveless camouflage shirt matching the skinny jeans and her black thick shoes. She look like going in a war as a female soldier in her outfit for that day holding a white folder containing who will remain and who will not. The tension was felt in the four corners of the room hearing imaginary drum roles as the teacher slowly bringing out the result.

After a week of exam, only three students fail the exam in the class. Kota Fijioka, he was a happy go lucky guy, the clown in the class. It is surprising that until now he was still alive when everyone know he don't have a brain in that big head of his. Next is Kaoru Oizumi, she is a shy girl. Barely talks and always alone. Her existence will not really important in the class, they will never know if she's absent, died or not you would wonder if she really became your classmate. And lastly, the person who failed the exam is… Kazumi Yano.

His eyes got big when he heard the result while staring at Fuyumi with the same reaction. ''H…how come. I know I review my answers multiple times I know I will pass'' ''How about the… name of the teachers… did you know the correct spelling of their names'' ''I…I don't know I just wrote what it sounds like I'm not sure'' ''Gosh they are very strict when it comes to their name when you got it wrong even you have a perfect score you'll get zero'' ''Why you didn't told me'' ''I don't know you should have asked''

The three of them went out of the class by the lead of their homeroom teacher they went to the closed gym. Getting near of the place makes you step heavier as you get nearer to your dead. They are walking in the corridor near the gym and still they can hear the screams of the people burning in hell. Kazumi's hand is shaking real strong as he hold the door. There were no enough energy left in his body to open that big door knowing that your death is waiting. Their teacher got bored so she push three of them inside the place.

Upon entering Kazumi bumped into a girl trying to save her life but still their homeroom teacher caught her and slit her throat. Their uniform that is clean and white just this morning is now turned into color red. Kazumi never thought that his life would end this way, he'd rather chose to die having fights with the gangsters in the city, getting in jail for being caught partying in the club or getting a punch from his girl's real boyfriend. Who would remember Kazumi when he died, he don't have real friends or love ones. He spend all of his youth partying in the clubs. Maybe no one, no one will know that there were once man named Kazumi Yano existed in the world and died in a tragedy for failing in class in a mistake of not knowing his teacher's name in correct spelling.

It was his first time witnessing deaths, it can give him a trauma in his entire life however, he doesn't need to bare it for in a minute he will become one of them. He closed his eyes as he walk in the platform where he should hang himself while being watched by the teachers and the remaining students. He was already holding the rope when he heard multiple gunshots that can destroy your eardrums in the echo of those gunshots. Yet he still don't have a strength to open his eyes and make a move. He remain standing in front holding the room with his two hands when someone grab his right hand.

He opened his eyes and there he saw the teachers who's like a devil a while ago are now bathing with their own blood. He figured out that the person dragging him out of the place is Fuyumi. He was thankful at the same time wondering what is happening. ''I can't bare to watch you died'' ''I don't know, maybe because… I already fell in love with you''

Whaaat!!!! ''Hitoshi!! What is this feeling in love thingy. It is not in the script when we had our last practice'' ''It just came in my mind yesterday, I thought it would be interesting if there is a bit of love story in the play'' ''The hell, no way!!'' ''That is already the final script, you don't have a choice. Bleh!''

Fuyumi and Kazumi standing near the school gate confessing her love to him. She was about to hug him when she was shot in her back. She fell down slowly in the ground as Kazumi catches her. The school principal walked nearer to them. ''When I said that no one will stay alive I mean everyone who doesn't follow my rule'' He aim in Kazumi's head then pull the trigger.

Two bodies found in front of the gate hugging each other until their last breath.

''This script is insane, the writer is crazier'', Kazumi said while reading the script glaring at Hitoshi. At least it was successful, the audience seems they enjoyed it'', he answered while looking outside the curtain where the audience are standing and clapping. ''C'mon, you should go and bow'', says Hatoshi as he push Kazumi in the stage with the other characters to have their bows as the curtain closed.

''Thank goodness it is already done and we survived'', Fuyumi said while smiling cleaning the stage. ''Ahmmm…. Guys, did you see Kaoru? I've been looking for her around the place but she's nowhere to be found. She's gone after her dead scene in the play and she's still not coming back''