LOADING...
"miss y/n, can you please calculate the volume of a cylinder with a height of 7.26 inches and a diameter of 2.32 centimeters?"
it took me only a couple moments before i could respond. "30.69 centimeters cubed."
"correct. mr blade, can you calculate the area of a sector in which the central angle is 47 degrees and the radius is 3.22 centimeters?"
"4.25 centimeters squared." blade answered quickly.
"correct. miss y/n, what is the value of 15 combination 7?"
"6435." i say, looking over at blade, who sends a glare my way.
"correct. mr blade, if f(x) = 4x^2 + 8x + 4, when is the graph concave down?"
"at 2 < x < 6?"
"that is incorrect, mr blade." my head shoots up, feeling both confidence yet sadness towards the statement i heard.
after a while, we had settled into a tie. the next question, blade had gotten wrong, but only partially. half credit.
"miss y/n, this question can be broken into three points. meaning you can earn partial credit. what are the x-intercepts, increasing and decreasing intervals of x^2 + 24x + 144?"
"(12, 0) (-12,0), increasing at x > 12, decreasing at x < 12?"
silence
silence
silence.
"unfortunately miss y/n, we're going to have to give you 2/3 credit for this question. however, even this much has helped AEHS to be the 2023 academic decathlon champions!!"
it took a moment to register what was happening. both himeko and dan heng embraced me tightly, as the rest of acadec gathered around us.
"however, we would like to announce that there has been a tie for individual scores this year. miss y/n, and mr blade, with 98.79%!"
i walked over to blade, holding back on hugging him. he shook my hand gently, as i gave him a look, reading 'you okay?'
he nodded softly, squeezing my hand tighter. "meet me in the lobby after this." i nodded, smiling softly.
"of course." i felt a hand on my shoulder, while simultaneously watching a hand place itself on blades. i turned around realizing both kafka and welt were glaring at each other.
"congratulations." kafka said coolly. i blushed at her voice but nodded.
"t-thank you." both welt and blade sent me an irritated glance. "and good job, blade." he simply blinked, holding back what he wanted to say.
"good work, l/n."
"ahh, mr blade, miss y/n!" a young man came running up to us, journal in his hand. "my name is alex karisoh, im a scout for this years national ACADEC team."
both of us froze, glancing nervously at each other.
"see, normally, i choose one person from this district, and another from the xianzhou district, but this time, ive decided that.. i want you both." my jaw dropped as blade's eyes widened.
"you want both of us...?" i whispered, looking up at blade.
"yes, im sure you two would make a very fine team."
"alright." blade shrugged before i could respond. i held back to urge to smile in front of kafka and welt.
"alright~" i replied as well, looking back at welt. "im gonna stay here and get some information, mr welt. you can go back."
welt took a glance at blade and kafka, before nodding. "we'll see you back at the hotel, y/n." both welt and kafka took their lead, as blade and i stood in front of alex.
"as you may know, this year's competition will take place in xianzhou. we'll have you two stay there for about a week, two days of the competition, and the rest of the week to yourselves. you both are 18 correct?" the two of us nodded. "excellent, this makes things easier. as legal adults, just consider this a sponsored vacation. technically, you two can do whatever."
"whats the rooming situation like?" i asked. alex karisoh sighed, shaking his head.
"well, since this year i decided to take two, there is only one room booked. we'll try to sort it out, but prepare to share a room."
i glanced over at blade, who sighed. "great. just great."
"if you have any more questions, feel free to reach out by email!" alex karisoh handed our papers before leaving us to ourselves. since we were practically the only two left in the venue, i broke the silence.
"so..." i mumbled. blade motioned to the exit. "um... we're still good right?"
blade scoffed. "did you really think this would make me stop talking to you?" a smile grew on my face. "although im salty that i dont get my hoodie back."
i giggled softly, walking side by side with him. "we all know it looks better on me."
blade chuckled. "yeah, it does."
"wait wha-"
a/n: RAHH