DIE!

Chapter 4 The Pressure

As weeks passed by and the time remaining until the mid-term exams approached, Hideaki began to focus more on studying rather than practicing his magic, as he had been doing until now.

Usually, in class, he was lost in his own thoughts, pondering new blood control techniques and sketching anime characters in his notebooks-in other words, his attitude toward studying was non-existent. He hated studying, but now he had to buckle down and get to work... June was just around the corner...

***

The library was quiet except for the rustling of pages and the occasional whisper. Hideaki sat alone at a table, his textbooks and notes scattered around him. The dim light of the library did little to alleviate the shadows of exhaustion etched into his face.

His hands were buried in his face as he muttered to himself, "I can't keep up with all this. No matter how hard I try, I just don't get it. How am I supposed to pass these exams?"

He glanced around at his classmates who were deeply immersed in their studies. Their focused expressions and diligent note-taking only deepened Hideaki's sense of inadequacy. He felt like an outsider in this sea of concentration and success.

He sighed 'Looks like I wouldn't have time to try some blood bending... My parents will kill me if I'll bring any more bad grade from exams...'
His fascination with his magical practice seemed to be a distant memory, now overshadowed by academic failures and mounting pressure.

Hideaki's eyes darted nervously around the library. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself, but the frustration was becoming unbearable. He needed a way to escape, even if just for a moment. 'I g-guess that no one will notice...' Taking a deep breath, he made sure no one was watching and subtly started using his blood control magic beneath the table.

He focused on a small trickle of blood from a paper cut on his finger, using his power to manipulate it gently. The slight, almost imperceptible movement was enough to help him feel a semblance of control amidst the chaos of his studies.

"I can't take this anymore... It's too much to learn..." Hideaki whispered to himself, trying to keep his voice steady.

His fingers twitched as he experimented with small droplets of his own blood. "Just a bit more practice," he muttered. "It's not harming anyone, just... testing boundaries."

As he concentrated, he could feel a strange mix of relief and satisfaction. The control over his blood, even in such a small, secretive way, provided a distraction from the overwhelming pressure of exams. It was a fleeting moment of power and focus that he craved so much.

Suddenly, a soft voice interrupted his concentration. "Miyahara-kun, are you okay?"

Hideaki looked up, startled. It was Shizou, a classmate who had been sitting at a nearby table. Shizou's concerned expression caught Hideaki off guard. He quickly harden up the little drops of blood, into very small pinch thing, and dropped it on floor accidently, trying to hide his hands, pretending to be absorbed in his notes.

"Oh, Gyatsu-san. I-I'm fine. Just a bit stressed with all the studying," Hideaki stammered.

Shizou sat down next to him, his brow furrowed with concern. "You look like you're having a hard time. I've noticed you've been pretty quiet lately. Do you want to talk about it?"

Hideaki hesitated, his heart pounding. He didn't want to admit how overwhelmed he actually felt. "N-no, it's nothing. Just... a lot to handle right now."

Shizou looked skeptical but didn't press further. Instead, he offered a supportive smile. "Well, if you ever need help or someone to talk to, I'm here. We're all in this together, right? Hehe."