The results of the final exams
By mid-March, Ehime High School announced the results of the final exams.
In front of the staff room, every student’s name was posted in large print, ranked in order of academic performance by grade.
There was always a certain tension around this announcement. It affected class placement for the next school year.
Ehime High had what was called the “3–8 system.” The top students were gathered into Class 3 and Class 8. To enter either of these classes, one had to rank within the top 80 in the entire grade.
For third-year students, the system became even more severe. Class 3 was for top humanities students, and Class 8 for top science students. Classes 1 and 2 were for national-university-track humanities students, Classes 6 and 7 for national-university-track science students, and Classes 4 and 5 for the rest.
Because of such a blunt system, drama inevitably arose around class assignments, and even slang terms were born.
Miya-ochi” (宮落ち)
This referred to students who fell out of Classes 3 or 8 into other classes. The “miya” comes from 3 (mi) and 8 (ya). The emotional impact was said to be severe, since everyone could see exactly who had “fallen.” Every year, there were students who would freeze in front of the posted list.
“Miya-iri” (宮入り)
The opposite of miya-ochi. Many people were happy to enter these classes, but some became anxious, wondering if they could keep up. Others reportedly became suddenly arrogant.
“Miya-modori” (宮戻り)
When a student who had fallen from the elite classes in their second year returned to them in their third year. This was surprisingly common. Many top university entrants were said to be from this group.
“Ippo” (一歩)
Students ranked 81st to 90th. They were “one step away” from entering the elite classes. Those who narrowly missed entry were pitiful, especially those who fell just short.
“Corridor Miya” (廊下の宮)
Even within each classroom, seating was strictly ranked by performance. Seats were assigned from the back by the window (highest rank) to the front by the corridor (lowest rank). Even in the elite classes, lower-ranked students were mockingly called “corridor miya.”
“Shigo” (しご)
A slang term for students placed in Classes 4 and 5 in their third year. Sometimes written with the kanji meaning “after death.” It implied they were “done for”—essentially declared unable to pass national universities.
Some girls were said to cry upon seeing their class assignment, as it felt like an official verdict on their future. Just as there was “corridor miya,” there was even “corridor shigo.”
When alumni would casually say, “I myself was corridor shigo,” it oddly created a sense of familiarity for current students’ parents.
This kind of social atmosphere was something outsiders could never really understand.
In the first year, the top two students were still, as they had been since entrance exams, “Tōko Mishima” and “Haruka Saijō”
“Hey, Soto—this is amazing!”
Shion, who had been looking at the results with me, gave my shoulder a firm slap.
I was ranked 51st. My best result since entering school.
“I really tried this time, you know.”
“If I get to second year, I’ll have to start working harder too.”
Even Shion, who said that, was ranked 62nd, so it wasn’t a bad result at all.
Takako was 88th, Asuka 103rd, and Zumii was 185th.
“Soto, We made it into the ‘Miya-iri’ group, didn’t we?”
Shion murmured quietly, staring at the number 62.
Hearing that, I thought, oh, so I’m going into the ‘Miya-iri’group. If I move up to second year, I might end up in the same class as Tōko-chan. That would be the first time since elementary school.
“I always thought Ehime High would be hard just to keep up with, but if you try, it kind of works out, doesn’t it?”
Shion said that, and I replied,
“Even keeping up is hard though.”
Then we both laughed.
We went to check the second-year grade list as well.
“Kinashi Miko... Kinashi...Miko... Whoa, sixth place.”
Amazing. My brother finally broke into the top ten.
He’d been working hard every day since New Year’s. All right—tonight I’ll make him a steak as a reward♡
“Haa!”
Shion let out a loud voice too.
“He’s good-looking and smart… he’s perfect. It almost feels intimidating.”
That’s not true.
When it comes to family, for some reason I feel like I want to deny praise like that. I just don’t say it out loud.
“If you tried to date Soto’s brother, you’d need serious determination.”
“Determination?”
“Because you’d have to keep up with that level, right? How much would you have to improve yourself?”
That level?
Improve yourself?
“That’s going too far.”
“People around you wouldn’t allow it either. If the level doesn’t match.”
“People around you wouldn’t allow it?”
“Would your brother even accept some weird girl as his girlfriend?”
Weird girl?
“For example, someone like Tomochika?”
She even brought up a specific name again. An image of a gloomy expression came to mind. But even if she asked whether I could accept it, it was hard to judge someone I didn’t even know.
“See? That’s what I mean.”
Shion laughed as she said it, but I still wasn’t convinced.
We left the school.
The sky was clear, but a strangely warm wind blew hard against my bare legs.
I walked while holding down my uniform skirt. The sailor-fuku uniform ribbon flapped in an undisciplined way.
“Takako was so close,” Shion said, her expression darkening.
“Yeah… she got under 80 in both midterms and finals last semester. It’s going to be awkward to talk to her next time.”
That was true. In the midterm exams last semester, both Shion and I had been far below even the 100th rank.
“I know we say “Miya-iri” doesn’t matter, but if someone who actually made it says that, it would feel bad… so I can’t bring myself to say it.”
“Takako had other reasons for wanting to get into “Miya-iri” too, so I guess it makes it even worse.”
“Reasons?”
“Huh? You didn’t know? She’s totally into Saijō-kun.”
Saijō-kun? She meant Haruka Saijō?
“Takako’s really into baseball, right? Even as a first-year, Saijō-kun made the baseball team’s starting lineup. She’s not the type to squeal or anything, but she was aiming to end up in the same class as him.”
I see.
Maybe it’s something trivial, but there are so many things I don’t know.
Maybe I should pay a little more attention.
After I parted ways with Shion, I was waiting alone for the tram at Kenchō-mae stop when a group of Ehime High boys in gakuran uniforms came noisily down the platform. My brother was among them too—it was the members of the swimming club.
“Hey, Sotoko-chan, all alone?”
Ochi-san called out to me casually.
“Going home lonely, huh? If you’re having trouble finding a boyfriend, I can always help you out.”
“So you’re offering to be my boyfriend, Ochi-san?”
“Oh—Sotoko-chan, after a year in high school you’re starting to understand how things work, huh?”
“Then I’ll be counting on you when I’m in trouble, okay?”
“W-w-wait a second, Sotoko-chan—does that mean you already have a boyfriend?”
“Let’s just say that’s for you to imagine.”
The tram arrived, so I got on with them.
“Kinashi’s grades went up again this time, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, I was shocked. At that level, he could go anywhere—Tokyo, Kyoto, no problem.”
“Nah, I’m staying local.”
“Local? With grades like that? That’s kind of a waste, isn’t it?”
“Maybe medical school?”
“Yeah. That’s what I’m thinking.”
“No way…”
I listened quietly, straining my ears as I took in my brother’s conversation.
We got off at Minamimachi tram stop after riding the train for a while, just the two of us as siblings.
The wind was strong. I walked while holding down the hem of my skirt.
After crossing the streetcar road and entering the residential backstreets, I asked him.
“Are you taking the medical school entrance exams?”
“Ah, that? Yeah, that’s the plan.”
His answer was as calm and matter-of-fact as ever.
“I never heard anything about that.”
“Well, if I become a doctor, I can stay in Matsuyama as long as I want.”
So staying in Matsuyama is the priority? Which means…
“Do you have someone you like?”
“Huh?”
He looked genuinely surprised.
“Like… you want to stay close to someone you like, so you chose that, or something?”
He looked at me for a moment, then smiled.
“Well… yeah. If I can find someone like that, maybe.”
“If you can find someone?”
What does that even mean?
“And besides—”
“Besides?”
“I can’t just leave Sotoko alone, can I?”
I ended up staring at him.
Was that just concern for me? Or did I get in his way?
His eyes when he looked at me were the same as always—calm and gentle. Somehow, it made me feel even sadder.
“It’s fine. If you want to go somewhere, I’ll just move in with Uncle.”
“Well, I’m sure Uncle would be happy about that.”
“Why?”
“He’s always liked you, Sotoko.”
He chuckled softly.
“By the way,” he said.
“Do you have someone you like, Sotoko?”
Me?
Why would he ask that?
You already knows I don’t—so isn’t that a cruel question?
And what’s with that smile?
“But medical school… that’s surprising,” I said.
“Really?”
“I mean, you like cameras and precise work, don’t you? So I thought maybe engineering or something like that.”
“Well, I do like precision machinery and optics too.”
“So when did you even start thinking about becoming a doctor?”
“When? Maybe when Grandma’s health started getting worse. She had a really hard time at the end. I thought… if I could help even a little, people wouldn’t have to suffer like that.”
“I didn’t know it went that far back.”
“I’m not the type to lead people or take charge. Even if I worked a normal office job, I probably wouldn’t climb very far. I think I’m better suited to doing something where my own skills matter directly.”
“I’ve never heard you talk about that before.”
“Well, plans can change. It’s still just the beginning.”
Watching his fresh, untroubled smile, I thought—right, I’m going into second year soon too. I should probably start thinking about my own future too.
But I still didn’t have anything figured out.
Medical school…
That’s probably too far for me.
That night.
“All right, dig in.”
I set a thick steak down on the table with a thud. When was the last time I even cooked something like this?
“Did something happen today?”
He looked up, eyes wide. Cute.
“Your test ranking jumped into the single digits, didn’t it? This is Sotoko’s celebration for you.”
“Just a regular test score, though?”
“I made this for you, so stop complaining and eat.”
He bit into the thick medium-rare steak.
Yeah… this is happiness.
After we finished the main dish, I made tea.
“Sotoko did really well this time too,” he said.
I looked up without thinking. So he had checked my results too.
“I’m doing my best in my own way, you know.”
“I know.”
He gave me a gentle look.
“Sotoko… because you’re here, I can go through high school this calmly. I’m really grateful.”
What is that all of a sudden? That serious face.
“Don’t say embarrassing things like that.”
“Because you handle everything at home for me.”
“Aah, I’m starting to itch all over.”
I exaggerated it and stood up.
“Finish your tea quickly. I’ll do the dishes.”
“I’ll help.”
“It’s fine.”
As I carried the dishes to the sink, I suddenly thought— How long is this life, just the two of us, going to continue?
When I looked back, my brother was finishing his tea.
That ordinary sight somehow felt strangely sad.
