riemaynine | TO THE FUTURE... (Reply)

--- Mirai e, a NEWS song that serves as the theme song for Nigatsu no Shousha

After rewatching NEWS concerts (and be emotional with STORY), I was able to finish watching (or lemme say binge-watching as it only took me two days to finish lol) another Jdrama, starring Yagira Yuya and Inoue Mao, with Shige also appearing as regular character.

Title: 二月の勝者－絶対合格の教室－(Pay to Ace/
February Winners: Absolutely Passable Classroom)
Genre: slice of life, drama
No. of Episodes: 10 episodes, approx. 54 minutes per episode
Original Network: NTV, aired in Fall 2021

Based from the manga with the same title by Takase Shiho, the story is set in an average cram school Ouka Seminar, headed by Kuroki Kurodo (played by Yagira Yuya), who once worked in an elite cram school as a competent teacher, so he has an assurance that every student in the cram school he currently works at will pass the middle entrance examination. This drama focuses more on the common struggles that the cram school students are facing, and how Kuroki-sensei addressed those issues while encouraging the students to become "winners in February". (February is when entrance exams take place in Japan.)

At first, Sakura Mai (played by Inoue Mao), a new teacher in Ouka Seminar, thought that Kuroki-sensei only cares about money since he mentioned that cram school is a business where they render services to the customers, which are the cram school students, but his clever ways of engaging the students not to quit made her realized that he actually cares for the students.

He truly cares lol

On the other hand, Haitani Jun (played by Kato Shigeaki *SHIGEEEE💚*), who works at Luttwak, the elite cram school where Kuroki-sensei formerly worked as the teacher, was finding the reason why Kuroki-sensei quit at Luttwak, so Haitani-sensei is following him almost every where just to seek an answer from Kuroki-sensei himself.

Oh my goodness Haitani, are you a stalker?! lmao 😆

Ah, because you're a stalker? Just kidding!

I really love how this drama had tackled real-life situations experienced by the cram school students that are really relatable! Some students have a hard time catching up with lessons being taught, some are too competitive that they would not like to lose at anyone, some are just attending since it is their parents' decisions to let them attend the classes.

Here are some of the quotes that caught my attention, which really make sense:

Kuroki-sensei advised his co-teachers to encourage the students by saying, "The fact that you are anxious is proof that you have worked hard."

Kuroki-sensei, while talking to Haitani-sensei: Passing the exam is not the ultimate goal. Those who know the joy of learning and the preciousness of defeating oneself through examinations are the real winners who will open up the future.

Lemme post some screencaps of my ultimate oshi here!