Crash Course
The early spring sky was filled with clouds that could be seen through the rough-hewn windows of the old treehouse in Mana’s backyard. Inside the treehouse, Jun and Mana sat back to back with their laptops out. Surrounded by walls hand-built by Mana’s dad years ago and which Jun recently retrofitted with WiFi, they prepared to spend yet another afternoon working… and waiting.
“I don’t understand why they couldn’t have just sent us the exam results though an e-mail, or through secure login, or something like that,” Mana said wearily. “Waiting on a packet of papers in the mail is so… archaic.”
Jun shrugged. “E-mails can be faked pretty easily these days. And paper is more official, anyway.”
“You’re sure we’ll get a response soon?”
“Any day now. The entrance exam grading period closed two weeks ago.”
“And it’ll be a single sheet for a rejection, and a full packet for acceptance?”
“Yep.”
“How thick would the packet be?”
Jun looked up. “Mana…”
“I’m just asking!”
“Don’t worry so much about it,” Jun said, “You’ll make it in!”
“But what if I don’t?” Mana asked, “What if it’s just you?”
Jun smirked. “Hey, I might not make it in either.”
Mana stared at him incredulously. “Don’t be stupid. This is you we’re talking about. Of course you’re making it in.” She sighed and leaned against Jun’s back. “I’m just deluding myself into thinking I’m at the same level as you…”
“Hey,” Jun said, taking her hand. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve worked just as hard as I have to get a shot at Minami Academy. If I have a chance, so do you.”
Jun and Mana had applied for an accelerated summer exchange program at Minami Academy, an elite high school in Tokyo, Japan. From May to July, international students would have the chance to experience how a Japanese high school student lived and worked. The entrance exam was reportedly as difficult as a real Japanese high school entrance exam, and Jun and Mana had spent months studying for it.
Mana, in particular, had surprised everyone when she decided to apply for the program, so much so that they had chalked it up to her only wanting to go because Jun was going.
“It’s not just because you’re applying for the program, or because I really want to go to Japan, or anything like that,” Mana had said, “I want the experience. I want to learn the same way a Japanese student would. It sounds so interesting!”
“It would bring us a step closer to Akira, Seita and Tian,” Jun said thoughtfully.
“Exactly!” Mana said.
Now, watching Mana lean against him, looking disturbed, Jun felt just as apprehensive. He wanted so much for Mana to be able to come with him if he got accepted into the program. Ever since they had confessed to each other on that cold afternoon in December, they had never been apart. The thought of going to Japan and spending three whole months there alone was unbearable.
“Hey, kids!” Mana’s mom called from down below. “The mail’s here!”
Mana immediately jumped up and ran toward the door. “Coming!” she called out.
Jun got up and followed after her, feeling a little shaky.
When they both came down, Mana’s mom walked over to them, holding a stack of envelopes. She handed a large, thick envelope to Jun.
“Here you are, Jun,” she said, “Just as you requested!”
“Thanks,” he said gratefully. He looked at the envelope, seeing the Minami Academy logo printed on it.
“It’s thick…” Mana murmured. She looked up at Jun in amazement. “Jun! You made it!”
Jun shook his head. “Not unless they actually say it,” he said, ripping open the envelope. He pulled out the first sheet of the stack and quietly read it. He nodded, smiling.
“You made it?” Mana asked.
Jun answered with a thumbs up.
“And for you, Mana,” her mom handed her an envelope.
Mana’s eyes widened as she stared at the large, thick envelope. “No… way…” she whispered.
“Open it!” Jun said with an excited, relieved smile.
“I can’t believe this, I can’t…” she said, ripping open the envelope and pulling out the top sheet of paper. Her eyes roved across the neatly typed print.
“‘Dear Mana Saitou,’” she read out loud, “‘This letter is to inform you that you have been… accepted into the Summer 2070 International Exchange Program at Minami Academy?!” She finished with a shriek. “I did it!” she shouted, hugging her mom. Then, with a brilliant smile, she jumped into Jun’s arms. “We did it!” she said, hugging him hard, “We’re going together!”
Jun smiled, hugging her back. “Together…” he said, sighing in relief.
Notes:
This is actually meant to be a lead-in to the sequel story I’m planning, which finds everyone in Japan for the next summer. I thought it’d be interesting to have Jun and Mana go to Japan through an exchange program instead of just going on vacation.