"Chihiro-chan, Chihiro-chan, Chihiro-chan..."
Silent, almost inaudible whispers escaped my mouth as I tried to form her silhouette around the places she could have been. The imaginary illustration expanded with more and more people until I narrowed down Chihiro-chan's spot. Himeno-san sat to her left, the whole time, which should put the perpetrator to her right.
Shibata-kun sat beside her for a while, but he switched places with the person next to Kanzaki-kun some time during our dinner. Hitomi-chan also swapped places with Beppu-kun, who traded his position with Hamaguchi-kun afterward. The girl called Mii-chan sat beside Chihiro-chan for a bit because she was interested in her cute hair clip. Once their conversation concluded, she traded places with...
... Ayanokouji-kun?
No, there must have been someone else.
He held one of Ike-kun's bowls in his hands, but he sat beside multiple of my classmates, including Kanzaki-kun, Himeno-san, Watanabe-kun and me, who all ate some berries. Even more of us if I continued throughout the evening. Him being the perpetrator wouldn't make any sense, as Ayanokouji-kun would never hurt —
Could he have been the target?
His accident during the previous day...
What if it hadn't been an accident?
Everyone should have realized that Ayanokouji-kun was Class D's designated leader. Poisoning him wouldn't accomplish anything, aside from increasing the difficulty for the other classes, as they would need to find the newly appointed card-holder after he retired.
And this solved all of our questions...
"Did everything work out okay?"
Shibata-kun lay on the ground and spread his limbs, panting as if he was dying. Kanzaki-kun, who wasn't part of a sports club, was in an even worse condition, barely able to stand as he emptied two water bottles in one swoop. His whole body trembled as he collapsed into a seating posture.
"Yes, Shiranami-san was taken to the doctor immediately, so she will be fine. We might have lost thirty points, but at least she is in good hands now. We also made it barely in time for roll call."
Both guys had trouble even moving as they drew deep breaths due to their immense exhaustion. Himeno-san brought another two bottles, which Shibata-kun gulped down without hesitation.
"How the hell did Ayanokouji do this for three days?"
"His stamina is off the charts..."
Two pitiful laughs slipped their glistening lips as they regarded each other with wry smiles. Even though Shibata-kun was in the soccer club, he had a difficult time with a trip that was only a fraction of Ayanokouji-kun's.
To think that his classmates still doubted him...
Kanzaki-kun signaled me to move closer towards him before he slipped the new leader card out of his pocket. It was only a small, almost invisible gesture, as far as anyone else was concerned. The engraving read 'Hamaguchi Tetsuya'.
The leader's identity didn't matter, now that we had decided not to occupy any spots. Chihiro-chan used the card twice, and we surrounded her both times. Ibuki-san joined us before our first and last renewal, but she would have had trouble figuring out who used the card, even if she had x-ray vision.
"I'll keep it safe with me until the end of the exam. If someone notices the card, they might reach the wrong conclusion, which would buy us some peace of mind. This maneuver is doubtful, at best, but the most we can do at the moment."
"We can't go wrong with trying."
The rest of our schoolmates woke up one by one.
Hoshinomiya-sensei and Chabashira-sensei began morning roll call a few minutes later, at the usual time. Kouenji-kun took Ayanokouji-kun on his back and ran off to occupy the remaining spots after each student had confirmed their presence.
Matsushita-san strolled into the forest with Sakura-san and Hasebe-san, which was a new and quite unexpected combination. Sudou-kun, who usually walked around with them, left the camp with Horikita-san. He stared a hole into the ground, as if he was begging for help, before the two vanished behind the treeline.
"Hirata-kun, do you have a moment?"
I walked up to one of the kindest and most helpful students in their class.
He turned around with a surprised expression, as I had interrupted him during his usual routine of checking up on everyone's progress. Over the past few days, I had seen that he always tried his best for the class. No matter how difficult the situation got, he tried to keep their cohesion high and acted with peaceful solutions in mind.
In short, I could trust him.
At least to a certain degree.
"Of course, Ichinose-san. It's been a while since we talked, hasn't it?"
His smile was pleasing and set the mood for a calm, amiable conversation.
We had exchanged pleasantries during our stay here and confronted him about Ibuki-san's status as a spy, but the last time we had talked one on one was back in June, when we ran into each other while shopping for groceries.
"It's about the incident two days ago. Could you lend me your ear for a moment?"
A wry, pained expression formed on his face as he acknowledged my plea with a nod. The two of us walked into the forest, away from our classmates. I singled him out specifically, since I believed that he would share my thoughts about wanting to help Ayanokouji-kun.
"I honestly don't — argh, Horikita! My ear!"
"Don't weasel yourself out of this and answer my question, Sudou-kun. What did Shinohara..."
Her soft, yet somehow terrifying, voice vanished as we walked past the hearing range. Hirata-kun only scratched his cheek and told me not to worry too much about it, before we stopped at a red berry bush. He plucked a few to eat and turned around, regarding me with an attentive glance.
"May I ask where you found Karuizawa-san's underwear?"
"That's something I can't discuss with you. I'm terribly sorry."
Hirata-kun bowed in apology.
He wouldn't budge on this, but I needed him to trust me right now. If he decided to deny his support after my request, then I would be back at the starting point. With his and Kushida-san's help, we might be able to do something.
"May I take a wild guess, then?" I surveyed our surroundings to make sure that no one would overhear our conversation and proceeded in a quiet voice. "Did you find the underwear in Ayanokouji-kun's bag by chance?"
He appeared rather shocked.
His silence was enough evidence to prove my assumption.
"How did you know that?"
Should I tell him about Matsushita-san's plans?
Or would I be overstepping?
I drew a deep breath and decided to inform Ayanokouji-kun first, before I involved anyone else. He had the right to be the first to know, since he was the one in danger. Hirata-kun shouldn't know everything, but it would be fine to warn him that someone was targeting Ayanokouji-kun.
"It's nothing more than a loose hunch at the moment, but I think that someone is trying to get Ayanokouji-kun off this island, by any means necessary. First was the stolen underwear in his bag, then the accident while renewing the spots at night. And now... now we had to send Chihiro-chan back to the ship because she ate poisonous berries."
"What? But..."
Hirata-kun stopped and went over everything he knew. He must have also understood that this sudden need to force him into retirement made little sense for everyone but Class D.
"Chihiro-chan sat beside him yesterday. I think she ate some of his berries and fell sick."
The boy's bright, friendly eyes turned somber.
He was still looking in my direction, but not at me. His gaze was focused at something behind my person, something, or someone that wasn't present. The surrounding atmosphere changed, causing me to take a step back.
"Ayanokouji-kun... he mentioned stomach pains this morning." His palms crushed the berries he had harvested as their fresh juices trickled down his fingers and sank to the ground. "Why? Who could do something like this? Just why can't we all get along?"
Hirata-kun showed me a sight of him that none of his classmates should have seen so far. Even though his eyes were different, I could gleam at certain similarities between us. There must have been something in his past that had shaped him, similar to the anguish I went through.
"I'm available if you ever need to talk. Shouldering so much on your own... It's painful."
There were people aside from me who could support him. It didn't need to be me, or Shibata-kun, who he knew from the soccer club, or even Kushida-san, who was a close friend and classmate to him. I was sure that he would someday find a person whom he could entrust this burden with.
"Thank you, Ichinose-san. But I don't know who I can trust anymore."
"You can trust Kanzaki-kun and me. We are Ayanokouji-kun's friends as well."
Once again, he wore a wry smile.
After the underwear incident, he should have realized that Class B cared more about him than his own class did. The actions each of us took spoke volumes. They demonstrated and underlined that we cared about him, no matter what.
I couldn't hear what they talked about since Ichinose had lowered her voice, but I recognized his reaction. Perceived the pain, the struggle, the small ember of distrust in his quivering, once bright brown orbs. They lost their color and dimmed like a smoldering, dying flame that was about to go extinct.
Just as I remembered from my middle school days.
Hirata was plagued by deep regret, tormented by his own self-loathing for something he had or hadn't done, similar to all the people who had put their faith in me. Who had shared their deepest, darkest secrets with the character I had shown them. This scene must have been the reason Kiyotaka told me to observe Hirata throughout the exam's final phase.
Ever since we stepped foot on this island, they danced to his tune, unbeknownst to everyone.
I leaned against a thick tree between some shrubs which separated them from me. A sigh left my lips before I glanced at the treetops above. The wind brushed past the leaves, producing gentle, almost soothing sounds as I thought back to the night at the beach.
...
The distance between us kept diminishing, but my body froze short of touching his lips.
If I went through with this act of rebellion, everything would change. I could no longer be the Kikyou Kushida I had been, the one who distrusted the unknown and everyone around her. He must have felt my struggles, known that I wouldn't kiss him. His confidence annoyed me, or rather, I was livid that he had been correct once again.
What the fuck am I doing?
The devil's golden eyes shone in the moonlight, glimmering with my reflection.
My hazel-colored hair danced in the soft ocean breeze and brushed against his forehead while I observed my own trembling crimson orbs. We were so close that I could feel his warm breath on my lips, listen to his steady heartbeat, which hadn't increased in frequency even once.
Fuck... I really want to kiss him.
I pulled away and rested my weary head on his chest.
This boy had done the most horrible things to me. Despite everything he had put me through, I wanted to hold him, feel his pleasant, comforting frame close to mine. Both my mind and heart were essential for Kikyou Kushida's survival. Right now, they were out of sync, striving to understand each other.
I should have hated this person.
My body still quivered when I thought about him or listened to his words. The scars he had imparted into my mind and soul weren't healed, and they wouldn't improve for quite some time. Yet my heart rate increased whenever I was close to him. Before, this had been the influence of my fear, but now something different took its place.
And this was all his doing.
He wanted these feelings to blossom. His actions had sown the seeds and his efforts towards making me feel cherished, nourished certain emotions he had prepared to develop. There was a reason for his loving embrace, an intent behind calling me his queen, comparing me with this one of a kind piece on the chessboard.
"Kiyotaka?"
His gentle hand caressed over the back of my head.
"Mh?"
I took a deep breath and made sure to remember this beautiful evening.
"Nothing..."
...
Since I had my tasks to accomplish, I knew a lot more about what was going on than everyone else. Despite this huge advantage, I couldn't wrap my head around most of the things he did. The steps he took, they weren't only to win this exam. He prepared for something bigger that was still out of reach.
Ichinose and Hirata separated, with her going back to camp and him aimlessly wandering around. The general direction would lead him back to the camp, but it didn't seem like he wanted to spend his time there at the moment. Our impeccable knight in shining armor stopped in front of a thick tree.
His fists smashed into the bark over and over.
"Why... why is this happening? It's just like back then..."
His punches were relentless and increased in intensity until the skin over his knuckles eventually cracked. Blood flowed out of his wounds, which mixed with the dirt from the tree before it trickled along his fingers and palm. Droplets of his crimson body fluid scattered through the air as the remnants poured down the bark and oozed into the ground.
"Why was I doing this? Why was I doing all of this until now?"
He smacked his head against the tree once, twice...
I wondered if he had continued, if Mii-chan hadn't called out to him.
After my conversation with Hirata-kun, I returned to the camp.
Kanzaki-kun still worked off his exhaustion while I informed him of my findings. I withheld my own conclusions, since I wanted him to have a fresh, untainted view about everything I had figured out. My feelings for Ayanokouji-kun had blinded me once already, which was why I trusted his judgement more than mine.
If an inherently careful person like him reached the same conclusion as me, then I could be more certain about my own convictions. This time I would have an even easier time messing up the facts since this issue involved Ayanokouji-kun, Matsushita-san and Class D's fate.
I couldn't blindly throw around accusations without being certain.
"What do you think about all of this, Ichinose?"
"That's what I'd like to hear from you first."
A wry smile spread over his face as he understood my concerns. Kanzaki-kun was aware of my insecurities, which stemmed from my jumbled emotions. He nodded and brushed along his chin.
"I've also felt a little uncomfortable this morning. I thought that I might have caught a flu or something, but some berries being poisonous would explain this. It seems they weren't too toxic as both Ayanokouji and I only have very weak symptoms. Shiranami-san must have grabbed more of them, which is why her condition worsened to such a degree. This was probably the real reason Matsushita-san wanted our classes to stay separate."
"Yeah. She is dangerous and Chihiro-chan became an accidental victim in her ploy."
I clenched my fists, both angry and deeply saddened that Kanzaki-kun arrived at the same conclusion. We glanced around the camp, trying to discern how to proceed from now on. There wasn't much we could do without shattering Class D's cohesion.
"Do you have something in mind?"
"I think it's best to tell Ayanokouji-kun first. He deserves to know what Matsushita-san is up to behind his back. Maybe he can talk her out of this plan. She cares about him. I truly believe that, so it wouldn't be strange if he could change her mind. Class D might lose most of their points in this exam, but they still have enough time to make a comeback."
Kanzaki-kun said nothing and nodded in agreement.
Even though Ayanokouji-kun's girlfriend turned out to be a bad person, I felt relieved. I didn't like these newfound petty emotions in me and tried to bury them beneath all the bad I had done. If she wasn't trying to hurt him, I wouldn't have said anything. It was not my place to interfere in their relationship as an outsider.
But if his health was in danger, I couldn't just sit by.
He deserved to be happy above all else.
The two of us joined up with some of our schoolmates to help with the chores that needed to be handled. Aside from those daily tasks, we had little to do on this island. Some of us went to the beach yesterday and played with the balls Matsushita-san had us buy. but that was about all the fun we had aside from talking and relaxing.
Around half an hour later, Ayanokouji-kun and Kouenji-kun arrived at the camp.
The latter wasn't out of breath, despite running around the whole island with a person on his back. We knew next to nothing about him, but his stamina and physical prowess seemed even more ridiculous than Ayanokouji-kun's, who eclipsed both Shibata-kun and Kanzaki-kun.
According to himself, Kouenji-kun only helped them for personal benefits.
How did Matsushita-san stockpile so many points anyway?
Even I had only around 2.6 million, and I was acting as our bank.
Class D's most peculiar student strode off into the forest as Ayanokouji-kun limped over towards a nearby tree where he sat down. His complexion was much paler than this morning as he pulled up his jersey and examined the scratches that had amassed on his body during the fall.
I excused myself and walked over.
My heart kept beating faster and stronger with every step I took towards him. This was an occurrence I had grown familiar with during our time on the island. Unfortunately, the reason for my increasing pulse differed from my usual elation.
What would I do if he didn't believe me?
What if he began to hate me?
Should I have let Kanzaki-kun talk to him?
Should I get him?
Just to be safe?
Such thoughts swirled through my head like a raging tsunami before I stood in front of Ayanokouji-kun. A charming smile formed on his lips as he glanced up at me, not bothered by my frame that prevented the warm rays from reaching him.
"Hey Ichinose."
"Can we talk?"
My voice sounded stiff and uneven, prime evidence of my nervousness. He must have picked up on my weird behavior, as his expression changed into confusion. I became so accustomed to him that I could tell, even though his face had barely shifted.
"Yeah, of course."
Ayanokouji-kun propped himself up on the tree, careful to not put any additional pressure on his left leg, which seemed to be rather painful. He flinched as he stepped on a thick root that forced him to readjust his posture.
"Here, lean on me."
I held onto his side and slung his arm around my shoulder.
"No, it's fine. I —"
"Ayanokouji-kun, don't be like that and lean on me."
Regret formed on my paling face after I managed to squeeze out this sentence.
While I didn't mind having him near me, I hadn't been prepared for what this meant for my heart. He was so close that I perceived the heat that his body emanated. This influx of stimuli was too much for my body to handle, as I felt myself disintegrate into a puddle of strawberry-colored goo.
An undescribable, sweet scent tickled my nose.
One would think that his smell should be off after six days on an uninhabited island and lots of sweating, but that wasn't the case at all. His odor was more than just pleasant. I couldn't find the words. My mind stopped working in that exact moment, or rather, it went into hyper-mode.
Oh my god, how do I smell?
It's bad right?
Right?!
What if he thinks I smell bad?
What do I do?
"Ichinose?"
"HAI!"
A high-pitched squeal escaped my lips as he peered at me with a blank stare. Those golden eyes gleamed in the sunlight and I lost myself in their mesmerizing luster. Neither of us averted our gazes. I couldn't fathom his reason for not doing so, but mine was obvious to anyone but him.
One seconds, two seconds...
I lost track of time, as my eyes refused to blink. Almost as if they were concerned that he would be gone once they opened up again. My face flushed in a deep crimson and began to heat up. I wouldn't be surprised if I turned into a second sun if I stared at him for just a little longer.
Who am I kidding?
My heart would have jumped out of my chest way before then.
"Ichinose? Ayanokouji?"
A familiar voice drew me out of this trance-like state.
"Eh? Ah? Yes, Kanzaki-kun?"
Thank you so much!
"The girls said that they'd heat some water and put berries inside for some sort of tea." He pointed towards our classmates, who waved us with bright, beaming smiles. "Do you guys want some as well?"
"Ah, sure. Thank you for asking, Kanzaki-kun."
"If it's no trouble, then I'd take some as well. Thanks, Kanzaki."
He nodded and strolled back to the group, which began to squeal upon receiving our answers. I glanced around, hoping that none of the Class D students saw their far too obvious behavior. Kushida-san was the only one around at the moment, and she wouldn't get the wrong idea over something like this.
Hopefully...
I was thankful that my classmates wanted to help me, but this wasn't the proper way. Ayanokouji-kun had a girlfriend with whom he seemed happy with, so it wasn't my place to intrude. Our friends also noticed that he was treated with mistrust, despite everything he did for Class D, so I understood where their invigorated intentions stemmed from.
Ayanokouji-kun and I walked into the forest.
We stopped after barely twenty meters, as I didn't want to put any more strain on his leg. I wiped away the leaves and dirt from below the tree before the two of us sat down. He was hurt, so there was no reason to let him stand the whole time.
"What are we doing here?"
"I have to tell you something."
I averted my gaze, still concerned about the negative reactions he might have once I briefed him about what we knew. If he took this the wrong way, then our friendship would break apart with no chance for salvation.
"That sounds serious. What's wrong?"
"Promise me that you won't freak out... or hate me..."
He peered into my eyes with a puzzled expression.
"How could I ever hate you?"
His smooth, warm voice convinced me that I made the correct decision.
"Okay... I'm not sure how to tell you something like this, and I wouldn't if I had any other choice, but I think that Matsushita-san wants to feed you poisonous berries to let you retire from the exam. I know that this sounds horrible, and that you might not believe me, but everyone knows that you are Class D's leader. She wants to change this before the final day to keep all the points you've gained. If you hate me now, that's okay. I'd understand, but please. You need —"
"I know."
"Eh?"
His calm, unemotional voice freaked me out more than a scream or glare for badmouthing his girlfriend. Realization struck me once again, as the words he had spoken were even more astounding. For a few seconds, I wasn't able to grasp a clear, continuous thought.
Much less form a coherent sentence.
"W-what?"
"Chiaki told me about her plan on the first day. She also said that we should keep this a secret, because our classmates would freak out while she assured me that she would look for another way, one which didn't endanger my health. We both racked our brains, but neither of us came up with a viable solution."
I grabbed him by the shoulders and joggled him.
"What? But... that's your health, Ayanokouji-kun. This... this is not right. You shouldn't have to do something like this! She shouldn't even have had the idea to poison you! That's not normal! She's your girlfriend!"
How could he not understand that her way of doing things was wrong and dangerous for him?
A normal person wouldn't just poison another!
"You think I don't know that?" He lowered his head and played with the blades of grass around his feet. "It was too late to do anything. Rather than telling everyone and damaging the class, I swore myself to go through with her plan and keep the peace. I sincerely thank you for telling me, really. But this is Class D's problem, so please let us handle it."
My heart shattered into more and more pieces the longer his sentence went on.
Ayanokouji-kun protected his class in every way imaginable, despite his classmates' doubts about him, their disregard for his condition and their attitudes when he was missing. He ignored the glances, the badmouthing, and the danger this plan posed towards his health and put himself between Matsushita-san and their classmates.
Just so that no one but him had to suffer.
It wouldn't be right to tell him that he was just being used, as Ayanokouji-kun already made up his mind. He accepted his girlfriends plan, his classmates' cruelty, and began to bottle all these twisted feelings up in order to protect them.
Would I have had the same strength in his place?
"Do you know when you were supposed to eat the berries?"
"This evening, why?"
"Because Chihiro-chan got sick today."
"Shiranami? But —" He went silent as his pale hands began to rip out the grass along his feet. "I sat beside her... Shiranami, she's sick because of me? Why? That's not what I wanted..."
I couldn't help but embrace the suffering boy in front of me.
Wow, they are so much softer than Kikyou's and Chiaki's...
I couldn't even fathom the emotions and the torturous pain he must have been experiencing at this moment. After everything he had accomplished to safeguard his classmates, one of his friends in our class got sick. He must have felt horrible for wanting to be with us yesterday as this was the only reason that Chihiro-chan ate the berries.
Neither Kanzaki-kun nor I faulted him, but he must have blamed himself.
How could he have known that Matsushita-san would enact her plan sooner?
The only thing I could gift him was comfort.
"It's not your fault, Ayanokouji-kun. None of us think this way. You couldn't have known that, so please... don't blame yourself anymore. Don't lift this weight all on your own. We will always have your back."
He must have felt the sincerity in those words as he tightened his grip around me.
The pain and the suffering, I would help him carry it, no matter how long it took or how difficult our path would be. Right now, not all was lost. If he had trusted us with this sooner, we might have been able to come up with something to help him.
Maybe we still could.
"Kanzaki-kun and I will think of something, so please. Don't let her poison you."
"I can't. Not without risking the class. If I don't ingest the poison as planned and you guys couldn't come up with anything, then my class would break apart. It's not that I don't trust you, but this isn't your burden to carry."
"Then I'll make it mine. I don't care what you say." I loosened my embrace and stood, before stretching my hand towards him. "Let's go back. Kanzaki-kun and I have some thinking to do. I don't want to see you get hurt."
Sixth day, evening.
I leaned against a tree as the clouds tore, sharing my current state of mind. The translucent droplets smashed into the ground and splattered over the green grass that grew around me. I held out my hand, catching and staring at the tears from heaven.
"It's only going to get worse. Are you coming?"
Kanzaki-kun stood up and dusted off his back with a similar, defeated expression. His frown grew deeper, as he noticed that I had no intention of moving anywhere.
"No, not yet. I'll stay for a bit."
"You should eat... and not get wet."
"I'm not hungry and it's just water."
Despite our best intentions, we couldn't come up with a solution without severing Ayanokouji-kun's trust in us. He would never forgive us if we didn't honor the sacrifices he had already made. All we could wish for was that he put his faith in us sooner the next time he planned to torment himself for the good of their class.
A deep, frustrated sigh echoed through the dark forest.
"Can't really fault you for that. Just make sure that you come back before the weather gets worse, okay? I'll have to head back or Matsushita-san might grow restless. We can't let her realize that we know."
"Sure, I'll follow you in a few minutes. Don't worry."
The crunching sound his steps produced softened until they died out.
I raised my head and observed the rain droplets that dowsed the island in their comforting, somewhat melancholic smell. With weather like this, everyone would move into their tents, or the cave, but I liked it here. The sky understood how I felt and mirrored the miserable feeling that spread through my soul like a cancer.
"It's a terrible day for rain."
A lone tear slid down my right eye.
"My, my. Being a maiden in love seems to be quite the undertaking."
Surprised by the sudden voice, I jumped and almost stumbled over my own feet. The boy from whom this statement originated from strode out of the underbrush to my left. He swept his golden mane towards the back and displayed his sparkling white teeth.
"Kouenji-kun, you surprised me. What are you talking about?"
"Please, it's quite difficult not to notice your infatuation with Ayanokouji-boy."
My heartbeat stopped as the blood in my body froze.
"Ayanokouji-kun has a girlfriend. We are just friends."
"You do realize that you are deflecting right, bank-girl? Please don't treat me for a fool like those Class D monkeys do. It's unbecoming for someone that has reached a certain threshold above primates."
Bank-girl?
How could he have found out about that?
No one aside from my classmates knew, and they wouldn't have told him. He couldn't have seen my phone either, since we had nothing to do with each other until this exam. Ayanokouji-kun was an exception as well, but he was the same as my companions and wouldn't share this information with anyone.
"What do you want? There's a reason you showed up, right?"
"Me?" An explosive laugh rang through the forest, scaring the birds as the trees began to shake to the pace of his voice. "There is nothing I need from you, but something I can offer."
His words were as mysterious as usual.
"And what would that be?"
"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. How much is his well-being worth to you, maiden-girl?"
August 7th.
After a hellish week on an uninhabited island, the special exam was about to end. I hadn't expected how bad this week would be after we had first stepped onto this island that might have as well been purgatory.
My eyes opened to the same ceiling I became familiar with the past week.
This voyage had been my first of its kind.
We didn't have that much money back home, so I had never slept in a tent outside of school trips, neither had I spent days on a luxury cruiser. Despite all the memories I had made, I wanted to forget that the past seven days ever existed.
The tent opened up when one of my friends peeked inside.
"Ohh, our sleepy Class Rep is finally awake, huh?" Mako-chan stuck out her tongue before a beam emerged on her face. "Morning roll call is in five minutes, so you should get up! It's the last one as well, so no need to mope around."
I regarded her carefree greeting with a silent nod.
She slipped out of the tent and informed my classmates that she had successfully managed to wake the slumbering beauty that wanted to keep sleeping 'just five more minutes' for the last hour.
A pained frown drifted over my face.
I rubbed my eyes and slapped my cheeks to gain some color in order to conceal my pale complexion before I staggered out of the warm bed and joined them. Our usual gathering followed the same pattern every morning: a student's name was called, and they answered if they were present.
The same scene took place right beside us.
"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
Chabashira-sensei's gaze flew over Class D. Even Hoshinomiya-sensei had silenced for a moment as she glanced over, searching the assembly for the boy in question. The same went for Kanzaki-kun.
"Present."
His telltale monotone voice danced over the clearing.
I peered over at the brown-haired golden eyed boy, whose ashen disposition had recovered from yesterday. My chest began to hurt, sting and burn in excruciating pain as I bit down on my lip. Kanzaki-kun's expression was colored in surprise as I averted my gaze to the ground.
Was this the right decision?
I had betrayed my class, my friends that were akin to family, in the worst possible way imaginable. All for a guy I couldn't even be together with, a person who cherished someone else, despite their flaws and dark tendencies. I entered this school to change, to turn a new page, far away from the memories of my past.
Yet even now, they still haunted me.
I was still the same disgusting person I had been before.
Nothing had changed.
Tears began to gather in my eyes.
The memories, my recollections of bygone times, overlapped with the new scars that formed yesterday. I deserved this stinging sensation that assaulted my heart and earned the searing pain that traveled along my limbs. This punishment for my contemptuous actions was more than justified.
Would my classmates react the same?
I clenched my fists and bit my lip harder until it began to bleed, trying to hold the tears I already felt on my cheek. The pain in my heart intensified for every millimeter the salty droplets covered. They trickled along my cheek, dripped onto my hands and onto the ground below.
"Honami-chan? Are you feeling unwell?"
This sentence cracked and tore the hole riddled dam apart. With no advanced warning, or prior signs that something was wrong, I burst out into a fountain of tears. I collapsed, succumbed to the pain, and cried because of what I had done.
"Present."
Chabashira-sensei ticked off my name as I felt a loving, yet troubled, gaze linger on my person.
Ichinose Honami hadn't been sorted into Class A, which was reason enough to assume that she as well had some sort of defect. Something must have happened in this spotless record she called her own, and I was intrigued by this possibility. She was a sweet girl, unbelievably kind, compassionate and selfless — altruistic, even.
Could this be exploited under the right circumstances?
"Honami-chan? Are you feeling unwell?"
Amikura's voice was soft, full of concern for her classmate.
Ichinose's expression, her pale face and the pain that reflected in her quivering, yet beautiful ocean blue orbs betrayed the unstable state of mind she had found herself in due to her actions.
Her breakdown began slowly with sniveling, followed by deep sobbing. She collapsed onto her knees and began to cry, bawl her eyes out in front of everyone. Her friends, our classmates and the two teachers. The Class B students, as well as Hoshinomiya-sensei, surrounded the angel in genuine apprehension.
"Honami-chan?"
"What happened, Honami-chan?"
"Honami-chan..."
Every time one of her friends voiced their concern, the cries intensified. The anguish she suffered deepened as her guilt grew, devouring her like a lost lamb on a sweet summer day. Her closest friends, who cared and worried about her, exacerbated the self-loathing that consumed her like a spreading sickness.
Kanzaki's gaze swayed towards me, surprised by my presence.
The Class D students also voiced their worries and concerns over Ichinose's well-being. Not only had they been our partner during this exam, but she was also one of the most popular girls in the school. It came as no surprise that everyone was distressed when someone like her broke out into tears.
Ichinose didn't seem to mind that she bawled her eyes out in the presence of so many people. She cried and suffered in such a humiliating, almost pitiful position. Her betrayal, which wasn't even known yet, stung so deep that she couldn't help but let these negative emotions. out of her system, handing them free rein over her body.
Would Ichinose Honami tell her class of this shameful act?
Or would she carry this secret to her grave?
I couldn't wait to find out.
Kiyotaka and Kouenji-kun came back from their final trip after morning roll call, as most of our items were packed. At first, I had planned to skip the last chance to take over spots since it would have been too dangerous for our newly appointed leader, but this was of no concern now.
I glanced towards them in relief.
One sat down and leaned against a tree, while the other strode off into the jungle without breaking a sweat. Kouenji-kun was really built differently that he could shrug these trips off as if they were nothing. Trusting him with tying all those loose ends was quite the gamble, but he assured me that I wouldn't need to pay him and that he would owe me a big favor if anything went wrong.
I still have a lot to learn...
Kouenji-kun revealed himself to be incredibly capable, which was why I chose to trust him this once. It was a real shame, however, that he didn't plan on participating for the class. He declared that he wouldn't help in future exams and that he just lent us a hand this one time because we had been so pitiful, wriggling around like helpless worms.
The rest of the morning went by as swift as the first one.
Our group wandered back to the shore at around eleven.
We wouldn't need an hour to get to the ship, but we had to submit our guesses before noon, when the exam officially concluded. The huge tents as well as the helicopter still stood on the beach, next to some new constructions.
Four tables had been set up at the end of each row, right in front of a small stage area that had been erected some time during our stay. The columns were labeled A through D, assigning each class to a certain spot.
One of the faculty members walked up the wooden stairs on the left side of the stage with a megaphone in hand. The device produced a loud beeping noise, attracting the attention of every student on the beach.
"You may take your guesses from now on until 11:59. Any submissions thereafter will be invalid."
Each table had one additional person standing by. None of them were our homeroom teachers, but other personnel that had no affiliation with either of us, which meant that even our teachers weren't allowed to know who was chosen, at least before the results were announced.
Our instructors left their respective positions behind us and boarded the ship.
Hoshinomiya-sensei wore a relaxed expression and ran up the stairs, yelling for alcohol while Chabashira-sensei and Mashima-sensei displayed their usual stern countenance as they shook their heads, shocked by their colleagues behavior. Sakagami-sensei slithered up the stairs like a snake as he watched over the assembly of students.
"Let's get this done, shall we?"
Kanzaki-kun turned towards me, whereupon I nodded in agreement.
We walked up towards our designated tables to write up the names of Class A and C. To make this procedure safer for them; we decided that I would show Kanzaki-kun our final guesses before submitting the paper.
This should have been Ichinose-san's role, but she wasn't feeling well.
I took the pen the school had prepared for us and noted down the names Kouenji-kun had given me, even though I didn't know how he arrived at the conclusion for Class C's leader, as there had been no leads. Kanzaki-kun walked over and peeked at our submission, as per our agreement, before we both handed the paper to the staff member in front of us, who folded it into a thick envelope and left the beach.
We returned to our respective classes after our transaction concluded.
Class C's minimal lineup consisted of Shiina-san, Ibuki-san and Yamada-kun.
The former thanked us and left our group upon reaching the shore, while the other two joined her a few minutes later when they arrived at the beach. Class A was so surprised by their pathetic display that most of them broke out into contagious laughter, due to Class C's usual haughty attitude.
Katsuragi-kun paid his classmates no mind and filled out the paper in front of him while Ibuki-san took care of this step for Class C. Shiina-san and she didn't talk about anything before she left to complete the procedure, which once again emphasized that she really wasn't interested in the class competition.
Each class talked among each other as we waited until noon.
I couldn't help but overhear that most of the students talked about Class C's disappearing act and that they hadn't taken the exam seriously. A few Class A boys and girls were also surprised about Kiyotaka's presence, as they had rightfully assumed that he shouldn't have been here any more.
"We are now tallying up the results. Please wait a moment. Feel free to use the rest area if you'd like, or have a drink."
This announcement was broadcasted three times through the ship's loudspeakers.
I couldn't help but breathe a deep sigh of relief after having survived this week. It was finally over — a done deal. No more scheming, lying or thinking too much about any statement. Just some time to relax.
My gaze swayed over to Kiyotaka and Horikita-san, who was doing much better than before. She wasn't back in perfect condition, but a good, nutritious meal on the cruiser would work wonders for her constitution.
"Let's get you something to drink and some snacks, maybe."
"Ayanokouji-kun, I appreciate your help, but I can walk over there by myself."
"You are so not cute at all, you know that, right?"
A small smile formed on my lips as I saw that their relationship hadn't changed at all.
Both of them had the time of their life teasing and making fun of each other. Horikita-san was one of the few good friends he had in our class, who was comparable to the likes of Ichinose-san, Kanzaki-kun, Shibata-kun and so on.
"I am perfectly aware of the fact that it's hard to refer to me as cute, because of my behavior, but you shouldn't say something this harsh to a poor, sick girl, you know?"
"Didn't you just say you were fine?"
"I remember no such thing."
I couldn't help but laugh after listening to their exchange.
Some of the other girls also noted that she wasn't that bad of a person, which assured me somewhat. Horikita-san managed to warm up to Kiyotaka, so I hoped that this would be the case with the girls as well, now that they knew that she wasn't just mean, arrogant and condescending. Not everyone had changed their opinions, of course, but I had hoped that they could at least accept her in time.
Our relaxation period continued for around thirty minutes until Mashima-sensei disembarked the ship. He walked up to the podium, megaphone in hand, just like the previous staff member. Everyone turned around as another loud beeping sound echoed over the beach.
In a matter of seconds, silence descended over the venue.
"Over this past week, we have closely watched your efforts in this special test. Some students took the challenge head-on, while others devised schemes or forged alliances to tackle the test. Many things have happened, but overall, the test results were splendid. Good work."
After his honest praise, everyone was relieved.
"Well then, to get straight to the point, I would like to announce the outcome of this special test. Before I reveal the points, however, a word of caution. We will not accept questions regarding the results, without exceptions. We would like you to accept the information you have been given, analyze them, and use them to help you for the next test. It is what it is. Don't wet yourselves over these results. You must accept reality."
The tension was running hot as the students listened to every word that left Mashima-sensei's mouth. He lowered the megaphone and opened the sealed white envelope he received from the staff member next to him.
"Now for the rankings. The lowest class is Class C, with zero points."
Nobody laughed or was at all surprised by this revelation. The group in question consisted of three people, so it wasn't unusual to assume that they had placed dead last. Ryuuen had left with most of his classmates and enjoyed their dream vacation on the cruiser while we slept in the dirt.
From a certain point of view, they might have even won the exam.
"In third place is Class A, with zero points as well."
The whole beach was deathly silent.
No one believed what Mashima-sensei had just announced.
Class A, the ones that towered over all other classes with over 1000 points and a lead of around 300 points in front of Class B, placed dead last together with the group of three they had laughed at before. The commotion that should have followed this ridiculous declaration never followed, however.
"Second place is Class B, with 315 points."
"Yes!"
"Wuhu, we did it, guys!"
"Yeah! Let's throw a party in one of the karaoke rooms!"
"Great job, everyone!"
Class B was elated since they gained fifteen extra points due to our deal. Even though Ichinose-san cheered with everyone else, her smile didn't shine as bright as it usually did. She must have been feeling really unwell, otherwise she wouldn't have been this despondent after such good news.
The Class A students eyed us with suspicion, as we were the only ones left.
"And then class D —"
Mashima-sensei's movements stiffened.
The students who waited on the searing beach were confused by this sudden spectacle. Class A's homeroom teacher turned to the staff member, who had given him the list with an astonished expression.
"You are certain that this is correct?"
The representative wasn't caught by surprise. Neither was he curious about Mashima-sensei's change in behavior. A dry, dejected laugh escaped the man as he nodded.
"There's no doubt. We checked it multiple times."
Their exchange was almost comical.
Even though they whispered, their voices were easily discernable due to the megaphone in the teacher's hand. He had failed to lower it due to his surprise and forgotten to take the thumb off the button as his muscles had stiffened. Sweat built on his forehead and his eyes quivered in incredulity.
The sum written on the note was too much.
Yet I couldn't understand his bewilderment.
This difference was inevitable.
What did they expect after throwing a fox into the henhouse?
After letting a god play with mortals?
I shut my eyes, ready to listen to the orchestra of reverence that was about to unfold.
"First is Class D... with 787 points."
"HOLY SHIT, WHAT?!"
"Are you for real?!"
"Seven... what?"
"We did it, everyone!"
Class D broke out into a celebration that was hard to describe with words.
Shouts of joy, amazement and sheer exhilaration rang over the sandy beach as they embraced each other and jumped up and down in pure happiness. Their partners during this exam gasped in silent admiration, congratulating their allies with cordial smiles. They might not have achieved such an insane amount themselves, but they were content with the 315 points they had received.
"What's the meaning of this, Katsuragi?!"
Someone in Class A's camp wasn't as delighted by the news.
Katsuragi-san stood in silence, unmoving. He neither raised his head to show the boy that he had heard him, nor did he glance over at Class D's festive atmosphere. All he did was contemplate in silence, wondering where he had gone wrong.
Ryuuen-san stepped forward and leaned onto the ship's railing with a wide grin on his face. We might have achieved no points during this exam, but we had stabilized the overall mood that predominated the class. While the other students suffered for seven days, Class C had spent the time of their lives on the cruisers many establishments.
Not only had we made a deal with Katsuragi-san, but also with the students who followed Sakayanagi-san. Ryuuen-san really was a twisted and cunning person to think of such crooked schemes. I knew that we would lose out on points after Shiranami-san miraculously fell sick, but the 787 from Class D were just ridiculous.
There was something else, however, we had learned.
Ichinose Honami, Kanzaki Ryuji, Matsushita Chiaki, Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyou were key figures in their respective classes. Every single one of them peered towards a certain person as this unbelievable amount of points was announced. Ryuuen-san's grin grew as wide as a dragon's maw as he noticed where these glances led us.
We got you, X.
Or should I say, Kouenji Rokusuke?