Gifted Academy: The Perfect Student

Eventually, we made our way back to the apartment.

"Kanako, have you heard of the Ideal Human Project?"

"Huh...? Yes... I have; Father used to talk about it a lot."

"Do you know what type of kids were taken in?"

"The smart ones?"

"No... the only kids there were ones who had lost all hope."

The two of us sat down on opposite sides of her kitchen table.

"But..."

"Did you know that they called the Ideal Human Project a success?"

"Yeah... I heard about that."

"Do you know why it was classified as a success?"

"Um... I would assume it was because they made really intelligent kids."

It seemed she knew a little about it, but she was still missing most of the key parts.

"No, in fact, the Ideal Human Project was a complete failure in that regard."

"Then..."

"Kanako, I'm telling you because I want you to understand," I pushed some books over to her, "you can't make a genius. However, there are people... hidden in the shadows, who are capable of something amazing."

"What are you saying...?"

"I'm saying, I can see with my own two eyes that you're a genius."

"But..."

"Your chess skills, they don't just come to anyone."

"But you beat me..."

"You'll understand in the future," I took a breath, "Kanako, listen to me... and follow my instructions. You will pass your next exam."

...

A gave her a few more minutes to decide whether she wanted to study with me or not. At this point, if she were to reject me, there would be nothing else I'd be able to do. If she were to decline, I would leave and suffer the consequence.

"Fine, I'll listen to you for now."

I circled some questions in her textbooks and had her attempt them. I could tell that she was racking her brain trying to figure them out. Still, it appeared that she was struggling to no avail—that was to be expected, after all.

After attempting a series of questions, she showed me her responses—they were all wrong. As I looked at her working out, I noticed something very interesting.

I decided to rewrite the question I had her do, this time changing their layout ever-so-slightly. All of a sudden, as she looked down at the new questions, something seemed to have clicked within her. After another attempt, she managed to get 50%.

"Did you see what I changed?" I asked her.

"I don't know... they seemed easier for some reason."

Once again, I gave her a new set of questions. To no surprise, she once again answered them all wrong. However, once again, I changed the questions ever-so-slightly and handed them back to her. Upon completing the altered questions, I saw that she managed to get a majority correct.

"Did you see what changed this time?"

"Um... I don't really know..."

"That's fine. We'll do it again."

For the third time, I handed her another few questions that I had chosen. She then again struggled with the original questions, failing to answer a single one correctly. She looked over at me, already expecting what I was doing.

I then changed the questions, altering only several words.

She finished the altered set, and this time, she managed to achieve an 80% score.

"Do you see what the difference is?"

"I... they're simpler...?"

"Not quite."

After seeing her thinking to no avail, I decided to call it a day.

"That's all for today. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Huh? But we've only been going for a little while..."

I pulled over a few of her textbooks and began circling questions. I looked specifically for one type of question, a type of question which would significantly improve her understanding of the concepts.

"Look in the textbook if you don't know the answer. I want you to keep looking until you manage to get the correct answer, no matter how long it takes."

I pulled out my phone.

"Give me your number."

She hesitantly typed her number into my contacts.

"Whenever you think of an answer, I want you to send it to me. I will tell you whether you are wrong or right. You will keep redoing the question until you get it right."

"But... what if I can never get the right answer?"

"Then you will keep going, even if it means staying up all night."

"Huh."

"Tomorrow morning, I will come back and check on you."

I got up from my chair and began making my way toward the front door.

I still hadn't quite put my finger on what the problem was. I still didn't quite understand how she was so good at chess yet so poor at academics. It wasn't logical, at least from the point of view I was thinking. However, nothing is without reason—it is merely that we have yet to find the reason.

All this just to keep my secret from being leaked.

Then again, in the words of Jean-Paul Satre, 'it is therefore senseless to think of complaining since nothing foreign has decided what we feel, what we live, or what we are.'

Since I believe that there is something to lose, there must be something that I care for. Years ago, no one would have ever been able to hold something hostage about me. Years ago, no one would have been able to threaten me.

You can only be threatened when you have something to lose, after all.

Ah, I'm working so hard.

But... I had to admit that this was just a little fun.

As the door locked behind me, I walked down the well-kept, soft carpet toward the elevator. There were various plants and other decorations keeping company by the walls. The bright lights lit up the area to such an extent that there were hardly any shadows.

I walked into the elevator before scanning the keycard that I had been given.

Ground floor.

The elevator rumbled slightly before I felt the momentum of my body heading downwards. A few seconds later, with a little tune, the door opened, and I made my way back out into the reception area. It was starting to get a little late in the afternoon.

As I walked out through the automatic glass doors, the cold breeze brushed up against my skin. I was once again reminded of how alive I was.

Ah, my life was such a mess.