Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 124 - Playing It Cool

Chapter 124 - Playing It Cool

Today is the day—the day we face the final boss of the school year. 

And no, I'm not talking about some monstrous, fire-breathing Cosmic Beast from another reality. I'm talking about the real deal: Final Written Exams. When I say "today," I mean the entire cursed week ahead of us—an academic gauntlet we students affectionately call Hell Week.

Everyone knows the drill. Hell Week is pure punishment wrapped in paper and ink. It's not like the weekly practicals where at least something happens. No explosions. No experiments. No drama. Just hours of staring at book pages, eyes glazed, souls slowly leaving our bodies. But I'm not complaining—my practical grades this finals are trash anyway.

The days blur into one another, caught in a mind-numbing loop: wake up, eat a sad excuse for breakfast, drag yourself to the exam hall, survive the test, crawl to the library, study until your brain throbs, eat dinner in silence, then collapse into bed. Rinse and repeat. It's a boring, soul-crushing cycle we've all learned to endure. And it doesn't let up—not until Friday, the grand finale. The final boss of final bosses: Advanced Calculus.

Doctor Remus—our unholy gatekeeper—has a reputation. He's the reason first-year students cry in stairwells and rethink their life choices. It's almost comical how this seemingly pointless subject has become the downfall of so many bright minds. That's exactly why Myrrh, my ever-diligent classmate, treated her review for this subject like a military operation.

Thankfully, my WAIFU partner, Fei, is a beast when it comes to written exams. Her specialty. And I'm no slouch either. Together, we tore through the tests like seasoned raid party members. The monotonous rhythm of the week continued, pages turning, pens scribbling, nights getting shorter—until we finally stood at the end of the line, battle-worn but ready.

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The university bell rang—loud, metallic, and liberating. It echoed through the halls like a warhorn announcing the end of a long, bloody battle. The Final Exams were over.

As soon as we submitted our papers, the proctor silently exited the room without so much as a word, leaving behind an atmosphere heavy with exhaustion and muted celebration. A collective sigh escaped from the classroom, a strange mix of relief and lingering anxiety.

"Haaah..." I heard my WAIFU partner, Fei, exhale beside me, the kind of sigh that felt like it came from her soul. When she caught me looking, she turned and gave me a soft smile, the kind that sparkled with tired pride.

"Finals is finally over," she whispered, almost like she didn't believe it herself.

"We can finally breathe." I smiled back, my shoulders relaxing for the first time in days.

She hesitated a moment, then turned to me more directly. "Hey, Zaft... um, how many items are you sure about?"

"Thirty-eight out of fifty," I said after a short pause. "You?"

Fei's face brightened. "I think around forty! The passing score's seventy-five. So if we combine our scores, that's seventy-eight. If teamwork counted, we'd pass for sure!"

"Good work." I grinned and held out a fist. "I'm really glad you were my partner for these exams."

"M-Me too!" she stammered, blushing slightly as she bumped her fist against mine. "It's nice being your WAIFU, Zaft. I... I'm sorry if I didn't meet your expectations in the practical exams. But I tried to make it up to you during the written ones. Also, um... sorry again about the whole... tteokbokki incident. I know it kind of threw off our rhythm."