I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

The contrast between before and after, the high expectations, and the fact that one's life is equated with the University of Tokyo—this is what happens when you can't adjust your mindset after failure.

Failure in her college entrance exams, her failed love life, and her failed career have shaped Junko Harumi into who she is today.

"Is Aki-kun making fun of me?"

Harumi Junko replied weakly.

Compared to Aki Tomoya, I, an adult, feel that my mentality is not as good as that of a student.

The way the other person works hard, how they plan their life rationally, and their positive mindset—aren't these exactly what I lack?

"I'm so envious!"

Harumi Junko thought to herself, "It's not for anyone else, but simply for myself, that I'm moving towards my goal."

Harumi Junko gradually began to believe that Aki Tomoya's goal was not so far away.

"Please don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to make fun of you at all. I was seriously asking Professor Harumi for advice on how you failed the entrance exam for Tokyo University, such as your mindset at the time. Could you share that with everyone in the academy?"

Aki Tomo explained calmly, but at that moment, all the students in the academy who were about to leave stopped in their tracks and looked over with some curiosity.

Noticing the reactions of the other students, Aki Tomoya frowned slightly, suddenly realizing that he had unintentionally pushed Harumi Junko to the front.

Harumi Junko was slightly reserved after being thrust into the spotlight by Aki Tomoya.

Harumi Junko gave an awkward smile, while Aki Tomoya, observing her closely, noticed the fear in her eyes.

If one is ashamed to look back on their past and unable to plan for the future, should we pity their misfortune or be angry at their lack of ambition?

"How about facing your past life a little more directly? The University of Tokyo isn't your whole life. You're confident enough to tell students that Keio University is a piece of cake."

Realizing he had caused trouble for the other party, Aki Tomoya felt a pang of reluctance and spoke to Harumi Junko in a voice that only others could hear.

Suddenly feeling sympathized with by a student, Junko Harumi couldn't help but smile bitterly. Meanwhile, Sayaka Kudo, who had been laughing earlier, also stopped and watched the two of them from the side.

"It seems like the positions of the teacher and students have been switched!"

Sayaka Kudo muttered to herself.

Chapter 50 In a group of three, there must be one who can teach me.

Aki Tomoya doesn't dislike Harumi Junko; in fact, he seems to have some feelings about her failing to get into the University of Tokyo.

The feeling of striving with all your might towards a goal only to be turned away is unpleasant.

He didn't know how much effort Junko Harumi had put in, but that feeling of being just one step away must have been unbearable.

From this failed adult, Aki Tomoya actually saw more of a lost soul.

Some people recover quickly, while others remain confused for a period of time, the length of which varies from person to person.

However, in Aki Tomoya's previous life, failing the exam was simply failing the exam. He didn't consider retaking it, and he had alternative options, so he quickly recovered.

"Mindset."

Aki Tomoya whispered a reminder to Harumi Junko.

Having already dragged the other party into trouble, Aki Tomoya began to try to extricate himself from the situation.

Many students at the academy had opinions about Junko Harumi, not because of her teaching methods, but because of her attitude towards life.

Her negative and pessimistic attitude towards life made her aura so unbearable that very few people in the academy could tolerate it.

Aki Tomo is one of them.

The reason they were able to remain unaffected was firstly because they felt sympathy, and secondly, although it may be somewhat impolite, Harumi Junko was indeed a good warning.

After Aki Tomoya reminded her of a key word, Harumi Junko was still a little stunned.

It wasn't until the boy in front of her kept mouthing the word "mindset" that Junko Harumi realized he was giving her another chance.

Whether he can change the other students' opinion of him depends on this move.

It's time to let them see that she is a teacher too!

"Experience is a mindset!"

Harumi Junko blurted out at this moment, her voice quite firm.

Everyone turned their attention to Harumi Junko, waiting to hear what she would say next. Kudo Sayaka, who was standing next to her and Aki Tomoya, was also very curious, wanting to see what insightful things this unreliable teacher Harumi could say under Aki Tomoya's guidance.

However, after waiting for several seconds, Junko Harumi didn't say anything more.

She was not prepared with any so-called experience at all; the word "mindset" was only mentioned after Aki Tomoya reminded her.

Even if a complete sentence forms in your mind for a fleeting moment, it vanishes before you can say it.

Seeing this, Aki Tomoya sighed inwardly. Seeing that Harumi Junko was still reluctant to talk about failing the exam, he thought for a moment and then immediately stood up and asked Harumi Junko in a slightly louder voice, "Harumi-sensei, I think I understand now. May I say a few words?"

Harumi Junko looked at Aki Tomoya in surprise, and nodded with a somewhat bewildered expression.

He stepped forward under everyone's gaze, a friendly smile on his face: "I personally think that mindset is very important, especially during the exam preparation stage. Maintain a calm and optimistic attitude, do your best every day, adjust your emotions to cope with the exam, and perform normally during the exam..."

Using Junko Harumi's name, Tomoya Aki slowly began to tell his story.

It wasn't anything special; it was all old news, just phrased differently.

Although it seemed somewhat perfunctory, it did indeed help Harumi Junko get through this ordeal.

But even so, Aki Tomoya's voice is captivating, and with his subtle body language, he draws everyone's attention.

However, Junko Harumi herself never actually talked about her experience of failing the exam. Before that knot in her heart was untied, don't expect her to take the initiative to talk about it.

"Harumi-sensei, is that right?"

Aki Tomoya suddenly turned to look at Harumi Junko and asked, only then did the latter notice that he had already finished speaking.

"...That's right! Everyone should maintain an optimistic attitude towards learning and approach future exams with a calm mindset. You must perform normally on the exams!"

As Harumi Junko descended the steps that Aki Tomoya had set up, her voice carried a hint of unease.

It seemed like he was both somewhat unwilling and somewhat relieved.

But at this moment, Harumi Junko finally showed some of the authority that a teacher should have.

After saying goodbye to the other students, Harumi Junko turned to Kudo Sayaka beside her and said, "Kudo-san, I think I understand why I failed to get into Tokyo University!"

She had consistently achieved A grades in mock exams before the university's entrance exams, and her deviation scores in each subject were among the best. However, the reason for her failure in the university's entrance exams seemed to have become clear because of what happened tonight.

"Is it a matter of mindset? If so, Harumi-sensei needs to find a way to face the future!"

Sayaka Kudo leaned against her desk and teased.

The first tutoring session at the academy didn't seem as boring as she had imagined.

Real students preparing for the University of Tokyo are not boring people.

Especially Junko Harumi, the tutor here, is surprisingly well taken care of by her students.

"It's getting late, Kudo-kun, you should go home early... Mr. Tsubota, excuse me, I'll be going now!"

In his office, Mr. Tsubota saw a figure, more energetic than ever before, jogging away from the school.

He walked out, somewhat puzzled, and asked Kudo Sayaka, who was the last one left in the academy, with curiosity, "What's wrong with Harumi-sensei?"

This was the first time Mr. Tsubota had ever seen Junko Harumi with such a vibrant smile.

"I don't really understand either. It's like that Harumi-sensei got injected with hormones by the Tokyo University student next door..."

Sayaka Kudo joked that, in her eyes, Tomoya Aki next door seemed to have won over Junko Harumi.

"Oh no, it's getting late, I have to go now, bye-bye, Mr. Tsubota!"

"Ah, please take care."

Outside Aomine Academy, Harumi Junko ran onto the sidewalk and began searching for that figure.

When she spotted the boy pushing his bicycle past the convenience store, she secretly cheered herself up, determined to seize the opportunity this time!

"Wait a minute, Anki-kun!"

The figure pushing the bicycle in front stopped, and Aki Tomoya turned around and looked at Harumi Junko with a puzzled expression.

"What brings you here, Harumi-sensei... If it's about what happened before, then I really misspoke. I shouldn't have asked you about your experience of failing the exam in such a public setting. I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

Aki Tomoya thought Harumi Junko was going to talk about what happened at the academy. He had indeed been a little careless about the occasion and made Harumi Junko do something she wasn't good at, but thankfully they got over it.

"no!"

Harumi Junko approached Aki Tomoya and stared intently at him.

Her demeanor was different from usual. Harumi Junko, who had always exuded a sense of dejection, unexpectedly looked somewhat cool at this moment.

"Please let me officially take charge of Aki's humanities tutoring! I want you to get into the University of Tokyo!"

Harumi Junko spoke in a solemn tone, her eyes filled with determination.

"..." Aki Tomoya was silent for a while, and after about ten seconds he tentatively replied, "Harumi-sensei, if you want to use me to make up for past regrets, how about you change your target? My new deskmate is going to take the Keio exam."

“An Yi’s weakness is the humanities. To get a ticket to the University of Tokyo’s internal entrance exam, you need to take the national exam. Classical Chinese is the most difficult subject, and your writing still has flaws. Your modern Chinese reading is just average. If you continue at this pace, the humanities will drag you down. If you can’t improve your score in the humanities, then relying solely on your science scores in the national exam, national universities won’t take you seriously.”

Harumi Junko stared into Aki Tomoya's eyes, her mind, which had been idle for twelve years, suddenly starting to work.

"I'm not used to you being so clear and organized all of a sudden..."

Aki Tomoya looked at Harumi Junko, who suddenly seemed to have awakened, with a somewhat subtle expression.