Midterm week arrived at Sakura University like a dark storm cloud hovering above every student's head. Posters reading "STUDY WEEK – NO EXCUSES" were plastered around campus. Even the usually lively courtyard felt quieter, as if everyone knew the coming days would test their limits.
Except, of course… the Worst Squad.
When Kai reached their clubroom, he found pure chaos.
Riku was asleep on top of a pile of books.
Mika was dramatically flipping through pages like she was in a battle manga.
Haru was chewing on a chocolate bar while crying internally.
Aya was calmly sketching everyone's panic.
And Sora… Sora stood in the middle with a whistle and a clipboard.
"Everyone LISTEN!" Sora shouted, blowing the whistle so loudly that Riku fell off the table.
Kai blinked. "W-what's happening?"
"MIDTERMS!" Mika cried, pointing dramatically at the ceiling. "The monster approaches!"
Riku rubbed his head. "And apparently Sora thinks she's our military commander."
Sora ignored the comment as she adjusted her glasses. "We need a strategy. A real one. Or we will all be doomed."
Kai already felt sweat forming on his forehead.
---
The Study Strategy
Sora slapped a huge paper onto the board titled:
OPERATION SURVIVE MIDTERMS
A complicated chart spread across it — arrows, circles, highlighted sections, and even little doodles of "brain power energy bars."
"Here's how we proceed," Sora announced confidently.
1. Morning revisions.
2. Afternoon practice tests.
3. Evening review sessions.
4. Night break. No studying after 10 pm!
Mika raised her hand. "Um… Sora, when do we panic?"
"No panicking allowed."
Riku crossed his arms. "Too late. I started panicking at step 1."
Kai swallowed hard. "Maybe I should… study twice as hard?"
Sora nodded approvingly. "Good mindset, Kai. You're improving."
But the moment study time officially started…
everything fell apart.
---
Study Session Disaster #1
Kai opened his textbook.
Ten seconds later… Riku's chair broke.
Haru dropped snack crumbs into his notes.
Mika tried solving math problems and flipped the book upside down like it was written in ancient code.
Aya accidentally drew a manga version of the teacher instead of writing notes.
Sora's eye twitched. "This… this is worse than I expected."
Suddenly the lights flickered.
Riku gasped dramatically. "It's the MIDTERM SPIRIT! It's here to steal our grades!"
Haru yelped, dropping his chocolate.
Kai nearly closed his book on his finger.
"No!" Sora shouted, pointing at the ceiling.
"That's just the power-saving mode!"
---
Study Session Disaster #2
Hours passed.
Kai's handwriting became so messy even he couldn't read it.
Mika tried memorizing facts but kept shouting them out loud like battle attacks.
"PHOTOSYNTHESIS FORMATION!! ATP STRIKE!!"
Riku scribbled nonsense and proudly announced, "I've created a new formula!"
Sora checked it and sighed. "This is… a shopping list."
Aya kept sketching motivational chibi versions of everyone but forgot to study herself.
Haru attempted to stay awake but ended up sleep-talking math equations.
Kai buried his face in his notes.
"This is impossible…"
Mika threw an arm around him. "Don't worry! Studying is just like training! We mess up at the start… then mess up a little less later!"
Kai couldn't help laughing.
---
Late-Night Study Success
After hours of chaos, something magical happened.
The squad grew quiet.
The books stayed open.
Pens moved steadily.
The room filled with a soft, warm focus.
Kai watched everyone with gentle admiration.
Mika's determined expression.
Sora solving problems calmly.
Riku surprisingly understanding a concept.
Haru trying his best to stay awake.
Aya writing neat notes with little doodle icons.
Kai felt it in his chest:
We're doing this… together.
"See?" Sora said softly. "You're better than you think."
Kai smiled. "Thanks. I… I'm glad I'm not alone."
---
Exam Day
When the morning came, Sakura University echoed with nervous whispers.
The Worst Squad stood outside the exam hall like soldiers ready for battle.
Mika raised her pencil like a sword.
"Squad! We fight… with BRAIN POWER!"
Riku saluted dramatically.
Haru wiped sweat from his forehead.
Aya smiled softly.
Sora adjusted her glasses.
Kai took a deep breath.
"We can do this," he whispered.
Inside the hall, pages turned, pens scratched, and time ticked like thunder.
Kai felt nervous at first…
But then he remembered the laughter, the chaos, the teamwork.
And suddenly, he felt confident.
---
After the Exam
The moment they left the hall—
Riku: "WE ARE ALIVE!"
Haru: "I thought my soul left my body at question 14…"
Mika: "I ATTACKED THAT PAPER LIKE A WARRIOR!"
Aya: "I think… I passed?"
Sora: "I know I did."
Kai exhaled deeply.
"I actually… did okay," he said softly.
Mika smiled proudly. "That's the spirit, Kai!"
The squad burst into cheers, laughter echoing across campus.
Even in the toughest week of their university life… they stayed together.
---
End of Chapter Message
That night, Kai wrote in his notebook:
"Midterms were scary. But with friends by my side… even fear became something to laugh at. Maybe… that's what true strength is."
And so, the Worst Squad survived another challenge—
not because they were the best,
but because they never gave up on each other.
---