It was Monday morning. I am on my way to our first lecture. It’s a meeting where they are going to announce our results in our half semester tests. These ones were held for special purposes and are to introduce the new system they want this university to put in progress. When entering the building there were many students dressed just like me. Red blazers shared everyone. Same colour skirts and for male’s pants. White or light blue shirts. Yeah. We had uniforms in this university.

  “They announced the date of our presentation.” A gentle hand was placed on my shoulder and I looked to see who it belonged to.

  “When is it?” I saw Shin.

  He looked rather tired. His eyes were focussed but you could see the dark circles under them.

  “This Thursday!” He said. His eyes trailing on me with this intense expression on his face.

  “You came all the way here just to tell me that?” I smiled at him knowingly and he nodded.

  “Yes. I did!” He looked at me. Then at his phone and back at me.

  “I gotta go now! See you then!!! And good luck today!” He said. Squeezing me and then letting go. Rushing to walk away. He didn’t even say good morning or hello which only means how busy he is.

  I watched him hurry away down the corridor.

  Other students walked around and filled the place quickly. I myself started to move towards my classroom.

  “Did you get it yet?” A voice creeped behind me.

  “No! Leave me alone.” I stepped away from the intruder.

  “Can’t we be friendly going to a lecture together?” He asked me and matched my pace of walking.

  I didn’t even look at him and did not say anything.

  “I will meet him properly after his presentation. Wait till then.” I responded to him with my face full of annoyance.

  Yuji only flashed a big grin. His eyes are bright and sharp.

  I didn’t want to interact with him even more and started walking faster to get away. Thankfully. He got the message because he didn’t pester me more. Letting me walk by myself.

  When the lesson started our professor Mrs. Doris came in. She was wearing her usual indifferent expression and in her hand she had a tablet teachers tend to use in lessons.

  “Good morning everyone.” She greeted us as her gaze landed on the class.

  People in the room responded to her with a firm good morning.

  In this class right now there were around thirty six people. All of us are studying in the technology department. In the group I am in. Six people are development students. The other thirty students also work in the technology department but their studies vary. There's another group of engineers that consists of thirteen people. And the rest seventeen are also working with technology but I think their broad lectures are mostly about overall things for a job that handles devices day to day. I wasn’t interested in specifics but knew that they were not the same as I.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Everyone in this room is skilled in what they do and the goal is to polish those skills. All of us are second course students. We are in our second half year of our studies and just finished our second half semester year test. This test was for the overall skill test which concluded a variety of selected questions we have learned so far. Including questions we haven’t even touched yet. A hand picked up from a student. Who happened to also be in my development class. I think her name was Sher or maybe Alex…I can’t remember.

  “I have a question about the test!” She spoke up. Eyes focused on Mrs. Doris. Who looked like she already knew what the question would be.

  “Go on!” Mrs Doris spoke eying her student.

  “These questions used in this test when I looked into them after I found out that you had included the kind we would only learn in our third year?” Her question was something other students shared.

  “This test was designed to test everyone's overall ability. It concluded questions from previous, current and upcoming materials.” Mrs. Doris answered her question.

  After that another hand popped up. It was someone else. A guy from a different group than I.

  “You mentioned that the university is changing their system? What will happen from now on?” His question was straight to the point that everyone wanted to know.

  Mrs. Doris looked at the student. Then turned to walk to stand on the podium on the front, middle of the class and placed her notepad.

  “Before we speak in detail about that. Firstly, I will show you the results of your test scores.” She spoke and made a movement to turn on the interactive board behind her and its screen turned on. Everyone's eyes turned towards the screen. A page of list of names came up and next to them a score. On the board I looked through to find my name there but as I was looking I noticed there were not just names in the people that are in this classroom but names that were listed over a hundred. One hundred and twenty six students to be total.

  Previously when we were shown our results they were only shown for the people that are inside the classroom. Everyone immediately noticed that.

  “Is that the list for the whole second grade?” This question was brought up by another student and our professor nodded in acknowledgement.

  “Yes. This is the result of the whole second year.” She confirmed. This test was for all mandatory subjects that each of us takes. It included mathematics, physics, chemistry, history, science, geography, technology, economy, English and foreign languages. And even questions from psychology and sociology. Also they had thrown in questions from literature and art which are the subjects that we normally don’t require to take but these are for individuals to choose as extras. Each year has a mandatory level that needs to be reached in each of the subjects. How much of the subject it depends on the course itself. For the technology development class that I am in. The main subjects would be mathematics, physics, science, technology. The last ones not as important would be English and foreign languages, then chemistry, and economics. Then even less ones such as geography and sociology. In our course. Our department didn’t have lessons in psychology, art and literature. Those are mostly for students in different departments. Unless one signed for it.

  “The total score for this test. If all questions are answered correctly. It is two hundred thirty.” Mrs. Doris mentioned.

  I scanned the first name on that list and once I saw it I immediately narrowed my gaze. This person sat in our class and I could see others. Including Mrs. Doris. Looking at this student. He sat there nonchalantly with a winning grin on his face, hands crossed.

  “I congratulate you young man, Yuji. You were the only one who came with a score of two hundred and thirty. Well done!” Mrs. Doris said. Acknowledging his accomplishment.

  Yuji only nodded slightly grinning. “Thank you Mrs.”

  His perfect score has landed him in the first place on the leaderboard!