IT WAS 9:30 ON a Thursday morning. A flock of buses were parked.
While faintly smelling the exhaust gas from the engine's idling, the students boarded with light steps.
For many second-year students, except those who went on expeditions for club activities and competitions, this was the third outing of the year following the deserted island exam and the school trip; a training camp for all years.
However, it was announced in advance that this year's mixed training camp was very different, and its nature had completely changed, even though it was included in the 'camps' category in terms of format.
Therefore, the term 'special exam' wasn't used.
Before the trip started, what was concerning was the number of buses prepared for the students.
Usually, it was one bus per class. In other words, if all three years participated, it would be 12 buses.
However, there were only nine buses gathered this time.
But the mystery was immediately solved by looking at the boarding students.
There was only one bus prepared for the third-year students.
Apparently, the number of students gathered was very small, only about 20.
I couldn't say for sure because I didn't see everyone's faces, but as far as I could see, it seemed that five students from each of the four classes, A to D, were called from the third-year.
When instructed to board the bus, there was no specific seating assignment, and we were told we could sit wherever we wanted.
Upon hearing this, Kei immediately clung to my arm.
"I'll sit with Kiyotaka."
Despite receiving some cold stares from some of the boys, I agreed and boarded the bus, taking a seat by the window on the right side, three rows from the back. Kei sat next to me.
"Wouldn't it have been better to stick with the girls?"
"I'll do that on the way back. It's fine to be together on the way there, right?"
We spent most of our private time together, but she still wanted to be together on the bus.
I didn't know what was different, but she seemed happier than usual.
Once everyone had boarded, and the other buses were ready, Chabashirasensei boarded.
"This reminds me of last year's training camp. We had a lot of exchanges with each other at that time too."
"That's right."
A year had passed since then.
At that time, neither of us thought our relationship would deepen this much.
Not only Kei, but the relationships with the people around us had also changed significantly.
"Oh, that's right. I found out yesterday that my favorite movie's going to be screened soon. Let's go see it together when it starts."
Kei showed me an image that looked like a movie poster, her eyes narrowing in delight.
To Kei, it was just one of the casual conversations she naturally brought up.
But there was one thing that bothered me.
"When is the movie scheduled to be released?"
"Um, when was it? The last time I saw the trailer, it seemed like it was going to be released in the spring."
"I want to know the exact date."
"Huh? Is there something wrong? Let's see... Oh, it's listed here."
The homepage that Kei showed me stated that the movie would start screening on March 26.
Fortunately, it was before the start of the new school term, during spring break.
"I see. Let's go see it."
"Yay! It's super interesting. I think you'll enjoy it too," Kei said with a smile, but her smile froze as she looked at my face.
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing."
Kei, who answered and took her eyes off me, started to prepare for the movie by looking at a page that seemed to be a character relationship chart while humming a song.
After that, the students each enjoyed the outside scenery while chatting casually.
About 20 minutes after the bus left the city, Chabashira-sensei held a microphone and looked at the students throughout the bus.
"I think it's about time to explain the details of the training camp. As I mentioned briefly at school, it has been decided to hold a three-night, four-day experiential learning exchange meeting for all years."
Normally, this would be a tense moment, but there was no sign of tension among the students on the bus.
While listening to Chabashira-sensei's words, they were enjoying the outside scenery or resting their bodies, creating a different mood than usual.
As I mentioned earlier, this is not a special exam, but a simple exchange meeting.
"Let me remind you not to take the exchange meeting as a special exam. There will be no change in class points this time. Unless you engage in behavior that deviates from student life, there's probably no risk of expulsion. You can get private points for participating in some games, but it's more of a voluntary participation than a mandatory one."
It was only natural that Chabashira-sensei was explaining this to emphasize
it.
The students had become more cautious in their long life at ANHS.
They had a habit of suspecting that there might've been something behind the exchange meeting.
That was why she was announcing that it wasn't a special exam, that class points wouldn't change, and that there were no penalties like expulsion waiting for them.
This was what gave the students peace of mind.
"It's unfortunate that Ichihashi had to stay home due to illness, but it was a blessing in disguise."
(TL Note: Chabashira is thankful that it is only a small illness. This also allows for less students to work with which is the "blessing" she is referring to.)
There was a surprising amount of students with poor health due to the prevalence of colds at this time of year.
"I think some of you may have already noticed, but even though it's for all years, this time, only five representatives from each class of the third-years are participating. This is taking into account various circumstances."
Chabashira-sensei briefly touched on it, but she didn't go into detail.
"Your main objective will be to interact with the first-year students, but it's not like you can get along with everyone just from our vague instructions. As soon as you arrive at the camp, all years will be divided into 20 groups. The 20 thirdyear students who will serve as representatives in each group have already finished organizing the members based on the full list of first and second-year students."
This meant that the groups were already decided, and we just weren't informed about which group we would be in.
"I will distribute the organization chart now, so remember which group you belong to. There may be some differences in the number of people and the gender ratio, but the balance of grades and classes has been adjusted as much as possible. The games will be conducted between groups to determine the winner."Chabashira-sensei handed out printouts to the students sitting in front of her on both sides.
The students took the necessary printouts and passed them on to the students sitting behind them.
"This printout also includes some rewards you can get from the games and the conditions for obtaining them. You should read it carefully."
"It's not an exam, so I feel more comfortable, but I still want private points. The win rate seems to change a lot depending on whether you get into a good group or not, right?"
"Yeah."
It was natural to hope that you'd have as many excellent students in your group as possible.
Of course, it was unknown what skills would be required to determine the winner.
Hondō, who was sitting in front of us, stood up and handed us the remaining printouts. Kei took them and passed them further back.
"I hope I'm with you, Kiyotaka."
The printouts were clipped together in groups of five, with information about the group activities, rewards for the exchange meeting, and a list of students' names from the third page onwards.
I noticed that there was also a folded card in the size of a regular business card inserted.
Fortunately, the printouts were made just for us, so there were marks on the names of the students in this class. This made it easy to find my name.
The names of those who were absent were also listed. There were two second-year students, Ichihashi and Ichinose, but there were four first-year students, which seemed to be quite a lot. Among them was Ishigami's name.
It was probably a coincidence that they were in poor health. Because of that, I wouldn't get the opportunity to get involved with them.
"I'm in group seven with Tanaka-senpai. You're not there... but..."
Kei, who quickly found her name in the middle of the first page, looked disappointed but somewhat relieved. I wonder why.
"But what?"
"It seems that at the training camp, I'll be sharing a room with the girls in the same group, and there's someone I don't want to be with... I'm glad they aren't there," she said. At the beginning of the printout, it was written that in addition to the games, we would be living together in a room separated by gender. That must have been her reaction to noticing that.
She didn't specify who, but there was no doubt that she was referring to Ichinose.
In the last special exam, she was surprised to be consecutively nominated, even if it was part of their strategy.
"It's not that I hate Ichinose-san or anything, but, I don't know. I'm a little scared."
She muttered this and then glared at me.
"You're close with Ichinose-san, Kiyotaka. Sometimes, I have doubts about various things."
Kei whispered this to me in a voice that no one else could hear.
"So that's why you were feeling conflicted."
"There's a chance that you could end up with Ichinose, right?"
Surprisingly, Ichinose's presence seemed to have grown negatively in Kei's mind.
"I seem to be in group 20 with Kiryūin-senpai, at the end of the fifth page."
I quickly looked through the list of all 20 groups, and as Chabashira-sensei had previously announced, the gender ratio balance was as fair as possible, and the distribution of students by class was either a minimum of one or a maximum of three—basically, two each. It seemed to be as equal as possible.
However, I felt an eerie bias and inequality in some parts of each group.
Since the other students were still looking for their names, there were probably few who had noticed, but it was only a matter of time before questions would arise.
Kei, who hadn't noticed anything, was still looking at the list with a disappointed look on her face due to our separation.
I turned my attention back to the reward section at the top of the first page.
[Group Ranking Rewards]1st place: 30,000 private points for each student 2nd place: 20,000 private points for each student 3rd place: 10,000 private points for each student 4th to 10th place: 5,000 private points for each student 11th to 15th place: 3,000 private points for each student 16th to 20th place: 1,000 private points for each student
*The private points obtained in this exchange meeting cannot be transferred
*Use is limited to shopping within Keyaki Mall
*To receive the reward, you must meet the conditions of the point card
Because this wasn't a special exam, we couldn't get as big of a reward. It also wasn't a system where only certain classes benefit.
Even for high school students, an extra 1000 or 2000 yen was not something we could ignore, so naturally, we would want to aim for the top.
Although there were disadvantages such as the inability to transfer or the limited places where they could use it, it also meant that it was virtually impossible to use it strategically. The ability to use it freely without hesitation was an advantage.
The students stared at the list for a while.
"Um... Chabashira-sensei. May I ask a question?"
Sonoda raised her hand after getting a rough idea of the groups.
"You have something on your mind, don't you?"
"Yes. If we're going to play games in separate groups, is this... fair? I mean, even if it's impossible to be perfectly fair, it seems a bit unbalanced... I feel that way about Nagumo-senpai's group, for example."
"OAA standards of balance are not taken into account at all. It wouldn't be strange if there was a drastic bias."
In response to the question, Chabashira-sensei gave a curt answer.
"Wow, it's true. Isn't Nagumo-senpai's group quite dangerous?"
While listening to the question and checking the list, Ike, who saw the group led by Nagumo, spoke.
Nagumo was a well-known former student council president and a student who maintained all A's or above in the OAA.
But what was astonishing was that the group had faces with outstanding ability.
[First-year Students]Class A Takahashi Osamu, Toudou Rin, Amasawa Ichika Class B Hagiwara Chihaya, Fukuchi Hinano Class C Namekawa Azuki, Iguchi Yuri Class D Tatewaki Aoi, Osaki Noa
[Second-year Students]Class A Sanada Kousei, Sawada Yasumi Class B Horikita Suzune, Hirata Yosuke Class C Kaneda Satoru, Katsuragi Kouhei Class D Kanzaki Ryuji
All of them were excellent in their studies, and they were either good at sports or able to follow instructions accurately. They didn't hesitate in selecting students who could bring the group together.
If we talked about individual abilities, there were students with outstanding abilities such as Sakayanagi, Ryuuen, and Koenji, but it was unknown what kind of chemistry would occur when they were thrown in the mix together.
Isn't this a well-rounded group formed to avoid that?
After seeing this, many other groups would inevitably fade away.
If you were in a group that had Sakayanagi or Ryuuen, students mentioned earlier as examples, they might be able to make a breakthrough and win against the strongest group, but for most other groups, defeat is inevitable. If there was a game that specialized only in academic ability, it would be almost impossible to win in terms of overall ability.
"Some of you may think the group assignments are a bit unfair, but there's nothing we can do about it. It's only natural that excellent students are attracted to stable groups."
Chabashira-sensei, holding a printout in one hand, answered with a stern look.
Sonoda, who asked, shrank back at her expression.
It was a reasonable argument that couldn't be refuted once said.
Perhaps thinking that the warning had gone too far, the teacher softened her expression and showed a slight smile.
"But just because they're excellent doesn't mean they'll always win.
Especially in this case."
She told Sonoda that there was hope and continued her explanation.
"This exchange meeting will be a round-robin game spanning three days.
The groups will compete against each other, but it will be one group against another, and the order of the matches will not be disclosed. Also, the content of the games will be randomly selected from a list each time."
Chabashira-sensei continued to verbally convey the detailed rules, but the rules of the exchange meeting can be summarized as follows.
[Exchange Meeting Experiential Learning Game Overview]Period: Conducted over three days Day 1: 5 matches; Day 2: 7 matches; Day 3: 7 matches
※30-minute interval between each game
Match method: Conducted as a round-robin match among all 20 groups. The order of the matches is not disclosed. Rules: For every game, each group selects five players from the third-year's group. Only first and second-year students can be selected as participants in the game. The fundamental idea is one-on-one matches, with victory awarded to the first group achieving three wins. Games will continue for all five players even if defeat is assured. Unlimited participation, with no restrictions on the number of times one can participate. Game content: The school will randomly choose from a predetermined list, with game details announced periodically. Victory conditions: Rewards are distributed based on the highest number of victories.
※ In the case of a tie for third place or above, additional games will be conducted.
As expected from something labeled as a game, the content seemed to be really light. It was clear at a glance from the list prepared by the school, with unique activities like 'flower pressing' and 'pottery wheel making,' which seemed unique to a training camp. There were also game-based activities like 'playing cards' and 'UNO,' as well as sports-based ones like 'table tennis.' Of course, there were also some that required a bit of brainpower and involved academic skills, but they didn't seem to be the main focus.
(TL Note: "Pottery wheel making" is the act of shaping pottery while it spins on a wheel.)
There were also activities like flower arrangement and bonsai, and looking at them, it was a truly interesting lineup.
And all these listed games seemed to be available for experience at any time, not just during the matches.
It also seemed possible that the same game could be selected two or three times.
With the detailed explanation, it became clear. For the three nights and four days, the idea was to interact with the kōhais, make things, play games, compete for rankings, and deepen friendships.
It might be boring for students who weren't interested, but I was honestly looking forward to being able to experience creating things.
"Attached to the printouts distributed on the bus is a point card. You can collect stamps when you participate in various experiential learning activities at the camp. Filling this out is a condition for receiving rewards, so be mindful."
The point card seemed to be a method to encourage voluntary participation in experiential learning.
There were a few rules, like a limit on the number of stamps you can collect in a day and not being able to receive multiple stamps for the same game, but it didn't seem to be something to worry about.
Anyway, I wanted to try various things that I couldn't usually do at school.
With the content understood, it seemed that even groups with low overall OAA abilities could see plenty of opportunities.
With these rules, it seemed safe to say that there was a chance of winning against any group.
"I hope it's clear that there's no need to be too concerned about winning or losing this time. Of course, it's fine to aim for first place and work together for the sake of rewards, but as you can see from the list of various games, the main focus is on the interactions using experiential learning. It's perfectly fine to actively interact with other groups and focus on deepening friendships."
So far, we'd been given various tasks and their rules from the school, much like special exams.
For the first time, they acknowledged that we didn't have to win, and losing was okay as well.
"This trip really feels relaxed. Even if we're in last place, we'll still get 1,000 yen."
For now, many students, starting with Kei, were relieved by the contents of the trip.
"That's right. The fact that there's nothing wrong with losing this time is a big deal."
The classmates who received the explanation began to loosen up and spent their time relaxed.
Some even started singing in high spirits.
"Don't forget to follow the school's schedule, even though you're free to a certain extent."
That was a bit of a downer.
Kei and I checked the schedule written on the printout.
Wake up
Lights out
Lunch break
7 a.m.
10 p.m.
1 p.m.~2 p.m.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
8 a.m.~9 a.m.
12 p.m.~1 p.m.
7 p.m.~8 p.m.
Large bath
6 a.m.~8 a.m. & 8 p.m.~10 p.m.
Exchange meeting
Morning session 9 a.m.~12 p.m. Afternoon session 2 p.m.~6 p.m.
Other than the time spent on the games, we were basically free the whole time.
In extreme cases, whether to take a nap without having lunch, or to immerse oneself in making things, was left to the individual's discretion.
If the group leader ordered participation in the game, that wouldn't be the case, but it seemed that there were no penalties for refusing.
On the first day, it was announced that we'd arrive around noon, and from there, we would gather by group, have lunch, and then only the afternoon exchange meeting was scheduled.
"I hope you'll behave in a way that is not embarrassing to a senpai at the training camp."
With that, the explanation seemed to be over, and Chabashira-sensei turned off the microphone and sat down.
1
After the bus had been on the highway for about two hours, the view from the window was completely covered by the mountains.
The bus stopped in front of a different facility than last year, and the students began to get off.
The area in front of the main entrance where the buses were lined up was much more open than I would've imagined.
The building where we would be staying for the camp was built like an old inn—one with a long history.
According to the explanation from the school, it was originally a lodging facility and activity center built during the bubble era.
(TL NOTE: The bubble era (バブル期) refers to a time of excessive speculation and asset price inflation in Japan from 1986-1991.) Inside, there were classrooms for each activity.
That was probably why there were so many experiential games listed in the previous printout.
"Gather in your assigned groups. From now on, for the next three days, follow your leader's instructions, have discussions, and get along with everyone."
The 20 third-year students who were assigned as leaders for each group spread out.
Directly in front of me stood Kiryūin, hands in her jersey jacket pockets.
"Well, see you later, Kiyotaka."
I watched Kei, who was reluctant to leave, for a moment, and then headed down to Kiryūin.
"I look forward to working with you for the next three days, Kiryūinsenpai."
"I'm counting on you."
The first and second-year members assigned to Kiryūin's group, Group 20, were as follows, totaling 16 people:
[First-year Students]Class A Toyohashi Goro, Kosumi Dan Class B Yanagi Yasuhisa, Eikura Mani Class C Tsubaki Sakurako, Shintoku Taro Class D Obokata Yukiki, Jute Misora.
[Second-year Students]Class A Hashimoto Masayoshi, Yamamura Miki, Morishita Ai Class B Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, Nishimura Ryūko Class C Oda Takumi, Shiina Hiyori Class D Hatsukawa Maho.
Kiryūin was the leader of the group.
My impression was that there were students who could do sports and students who could study.
It was a balance that would be difficult to achieve in an evenly matched competition, but this was probably only possible because it was a casual exchange meeting centered around games.
Of course, among the second-year students, there were many who I had interacted with, but among the first-year students, I hardly knew anyone other than Tsubaki. In that sense, there must've been a great significance in holding an exchange meeting.
"Hey, I never thought I'd be teaming up with you in this way."
As the group gathered, right from the get-go, Hashimoto casually approached me. "I agree."
Just the other day, I had many discussions with Hashimoto and the others, but it was strange that the four of us from that day were in the same group.
"I'm both happy and disappointed. I wish we could've been together in some high-stakes special exam."
He seemed to have high expectations for me. I hadn't said a word about whether I could meet those expectations yet, but I'd leave it at that.
"Even if it's just an exchange meeting, I would be grateful to receive a decent amount of money if I can get to the top. At least exchanging contact information with the first-years is a must. I'll invite you to join the group later."
Even without asking, it was a great help to have someone who was willing to take on the coordinating role—a time-consuming job.
"I might delete your name from my contact list next month, though."
"Hey, hey, stop with the Morishita-like unfunny jokes."
I know I was the one who said it, but it might've sounded a little like Morishita.
I wonder if that strange existence is influencing me in unexpected ways. As I was thinking that, a soft voice reached my ear.
"Good morning, Ayanokōji-kun."
Hiyori, who had slowly walked up to the group, called my name.
"Good morning. I'll be counting on you starting from today. It's reassuring to have you here."
"I feel the same way. I was relieved to know that we're in the same group."
I felt like anyone would accept Hiyori right away, unlike me, but the world that she saw was completely different from what others saw.
I was genuinely happy to have a reliable friend join me. "Hashimoto-kun, I look forward to working with you as well." Hiyori, who was standing next to me, lightly bowed her head.
"I always welcome cute girls. But you know, you two look good together when you stand side by side."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want you to take it the wrong way, but I think you two look more natural together than when you're with Karuizawa."
Is it because we have things in common, like reading, that makes it different from Kei?
But there was no need to take everything Hashimoto said seriously.
The person who made that claim had already shifted his interest away from us and started to focus on the entire group that had gathered.
Kiryūin was ignoring the group and was staring at the winter mountains.
So Hashimoto must have thought he had to make a move.
"Um, is that everyone? Ah, no, are we one short? One, two, three—"Hashimoto quickly counted the number of people.
"Fifteen, and sixteen including me. Looks like we're still one short." One short? I thought everyone was here, was I mistaken?"There are 17 of us here. Yamamura Miki is also here."
"Oh, really, everyone was here... Sorry, Yamamura."
Hashimoto hastily corrected himself, seeming to have genuinely overlooked her.
"No... I'm sorry."
For some reason, Yamamura apologized, even though she was just forgotten in the count.
Being unnoticed by Kiryūin and overlooked by her classmate Hashimoto, her inconspicuousness was on full display, but recently, it seemed to be even more pronounced.
However, once her presence was recognized, a sudden change occurred where I felt her presence more because I couldn't sense her as much as others.
However, that might only apply to me.
When I asked Hiyori about Yamamura, she said she had never had a proper conversation with her before, so I decided to speak to her, introducing Hiyori in the process.
"We seem to be crossing paths a lot lately."
"Yes, that's true. I look forward to... this time as well."
"Nice to meet you, Yamamura-san."
When Hiyori gave her a gentle, enveloping smile, Yamamura stiffened.
"Ah, yes. You're Shiina-san, right...?"
Yamamura greeted Hiyori hesitantly, but she seemed restless, as if she had something on her mind.
"Oh? Do you have something you want to ask me?"
"Ah—that... you're completely different from what I thought..."
"Me?"
When Hiyori tilted her head quizzically, Yamamura muttered in a low voice.
"I thought you were more... indifferent..."
Yamamura, who observed people from afar, seemed to see Hiyori in such a way.
Indeed, I had the same impression of her before. It was only through talking and getting to know her that I realized the difference between what I imagined and reality.
"I'm sorry. I'm not good at talking to people, so I might've said something rude..."
"It's totally fine. I'm not good at talking to people either, so we're comrades.""Is that... so?"
Even as she answered, Yamamura didn't seem to see it that way; her eyes said so.
"You don't see it? If so, I think it's thanks to Ayanokōji-kun." "Ayanokōji-kun...?" Mine?
The same question that Yamamura had was probably floating in my head.
"Yes. Even though I'm not good at it, I've come to love talking with my friends. So I think you will surely come to love talking too."
Hiyori took Yamamura's hand, who was on guard, and reiterated her message.
Hiyori's statement that it was thanks to me was an exaggeration, but I hoped that Yamamura would feel the same way someday.
Anyway, with that, all the members of the Kiryūin group were gathered together.
"Ayanokōji Kiyotaka. Nice to see you."
There she was, Morishita, who called me by my full name without any honorifics but in a polite manner.
"Nice to see you too."
"You're—um... Shiina Hiyori, right? I'm Morishita Ai. Hello, hello."She bowed her head slightly.
"I'm Shiina. Nice to meet you, Morishita-san."
Starting with Yamamura, the second-year students exchanged light greetings. Then they started to greet the first-year students, who were nervously gathered in one place.
Kiryūin, who had been waiting without intervening in the ongoing conversations, turned around.
"Now that the greetings are over, let's have lunch. Let's disband for now."
"Wait a minute, Kiryūin-senpai. Wouldn't it be better for us to have lunch together to strengthen the camaraderie of the group?"
Hashimoto quickly stepped in to counter Kiryūin's immediate declaration of disbandment.
Indeed, in that situation, Hashimoto's suggestion wasn't a bad one.
In fact, looking around, it seemed that most groups were starting to act as a unit.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Kiryūin accepted Hashimoto's proposal, but at the same time, indicated that she wouldn't be joining them.
Then, she left the group and disappeared into the inn alone.
"Man, seriously? We've got quite a leader here."
Hashimoto sighed in exasperation at the situation where the leader had gone absent.
"We can ignore her. I agree with the group lunch."
It was too much to leave all the decisions to Hashimoto alone, so I lightly backed him up.
"That's right. She said she'd leave it to us, so there's little reason to disband here."
Hashimoto decided that it was detrimental to think too long about the situation, which was confusing the first-year students, and started to act quickly. Even if there were students among the first-years who were reluctant to have a meal with their senpais, given that this was considered an exchange meeting, objections were unlikely except from people with strong personalities like Hōsen.
"Wait a minute, hey! Kōenji!"
Behind Hashimoto, who was explaining to the first-year students, there was a small issue in another group nearby. It seemed that Kōenji, who had been assigned to the sixth group, had left the gathering without following the leader's instructions.
The other second-year students in the same group, who were used to seeing this sort of behavior from Kōenji, didn't say anything to the bewildered first-year students, even though they found it somewhat nostalgic. Even Inogashira, a classmate, seemed anxious, but in the end, she seemed to have no choice but to let it go.
For a moment, Inogashira and I made eye contact, but she quickly turned back to her angry leader's voice.
"I wonder what happened to Kōenji-kun."
Hiyori, who apparently didn't understand, muttered as she watched Kōenji's retreating back.
"He's always acting alone. He probably won't come back."
"Is that so?"
"Kōenji Rokusuke is a person who can't work in a group. It's something we already knew. My condolences."
It seemed that Morishita knew exactly what was going on.
She clasped her hands together as if praying for the sixth group, which was already being hit with a lack of coordination.
"If you had been in the same group, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, would you have stopped him as a fellow classmate?"
"Because we're in the same class, I would've been sure it was useless to stop him and overlook it."
Whether or not we were in the same group wasn't important. If someone had called out to him and he stopped and listened, it wouldn't have been a problem.
"Alright. All the first-years have agreed. Let's go too."
Hashimoto gave the order, and we, the 20th group, started walking without our leader.
As we entered the inn with our shoes on, a slightly damp smell hit our noses. It might not have been a place that was often frequented. The students walked in a line, heading to the cafeteria.
Since our leader was absent, it seemed inevitable that Hashimoto, who took the initiative, would bear that burden.
While having a lively lunch as a group, Hashimoto took the lead and became the center of the conversation.
He encouraged the first-year students who were still hesitant and the less talkative ones, boosting their spirits without resorting to any foolish commotion, and skillfully broadened the conversation to include them.
Honestly, for students like me who were typically listeners, he was a lifesaver.
"Um... Hashimoto-senpai. It was written in the rules of this exchange meeting, but we don't need everyone to be present for the games, right?"
"Yeah. The number of people participating in one game is up to five, and the same person can participate as many times as they want. It seems pretty flexible."
All we needed was the required number of people plus the leader to be present at the designated time.
"Looking at Kiryūin-senpai, it seems like she's not interested in the exchange meeting, so we can just do whatever we want... but I wish she had at least told us what she'd do."
Since the leader is the one who decides the players, the plan was for Kiryūin to decide as soon as the game content was announced.
Hashimoto seemed to be bothered by the fact that Kiryūin hadn't asked anyone about what they were good at or anything.
"For now, all we can do is to try our best."
"Kiryūin-senpai is amazing, isn't she? Maybe she already knows about us?"A female student from the first-year Class D, Jitsute, asked Hashimoto.
Even without directly knowing her, it wouldn't be surprising to know about Kiryūin's exceptional abilities.
"That's not possible. There's no way she could know who in this group is good at flower arrangement."
Hashimoto was skeptical, and rightfully so. No one would know about each other's individual strengths and weaknesses at this point.
"There was a reason why I suggested we all eat together. Let's rate our confidence in the game contents written on the printout on a scale of one to five.
One means you're not confident."
It was a simple but inevitable decision that the leader should take the initiative to make.
Everyone used their phones to rate their own game-related abilities.
However, the difficult part was that there were many unusual things.
If it was something you had never experienced before, you could only rate it a one, and even if you felt like you could do it, you could only rate it a maximum of two.
Moreover, they didn't even provide a place to practice many of those activities in advance.
Things that required impromptu creativity were particularly difficult.
Everyone used their phones while eating.
There was a considerable amount of activities, so some people finished eating by the time it was completed.
Anyway, this way, we could gather data for everyone as a guide.
And it was immediately shared in the group chat that Hashimoto created.
"...This isn't going to work."
Hashimoto's first words after looking through it were harsh.
As feared, almost all of the students gave a rating of one to two to most of the games, and there were hardly any ratings of four or above. Hashimoto seemed to have given up on the chance of winning.
"Maybe we should just give up on the exchange meeting and just play around."
But it was too early to make that judgment.
This phenomenon was undoubtedly happening in other groups as well.
"I feel like there are fewer groups that are serious about it... Well, for now,
I'll show this information to Kiryūin-senpai and let her decide on the plan."In the end, that was what it all came down to for this exchange meeting.
If Kiryūin was motivated, the kōhais would just follow her lead.
If she wasn't motivated, she'd just participate casually and relax at the training camp.
Personally, I'd like to take it easy.
2
After finishing lunch, I got up from my seat while looking at a message from a certain person on my phone.
It was just before one in the afternoon. There was about an hour left until the first game of the day.
"Sorry, but let me step out for a bit. Is it okay if we meet up in the shared room?"
"Yeah, that's fine. I'll take the first-years and do some experiential learning or something."
I thanked Hashimoto, who was taking on the hassle of being a senpai, and headed to the break room marked 'Rest Area.'
Shortly after I arrived, I saw the person who had called me sitting alone on a two-seater sofa, looking bored out the window. There seemed to be another person, standing and glancing at the view outside the window. It didn't seem like a coincidence, considering the combination.
"Do you need something from me, Nagumo-senpai?"
"Need? Well, it's not much of a need, but I do have something to talk about."Using his fingertips, he gestured me over.
I complied and sat down on the empty sofa in front of me.
The person standing by the window, Asahina, turned around.
"Hey there, Ayanokōji-kun."
Then, she left her spot, pushed Nagumo to the right end of the sofa, and forcibly sat down next to him.
"I was expecting some kind of special exam, but it turned out to be just an exchange meeting. I'm honestly upset."
His first words, facing me directly, were of disappointment in this training camp.
"I really have bad luck."
Nagumo lamented his misfortune and shook his head lightly with a small smile.
"You think so too, don't you?"
Nagumo, who was leaning on the armrest with his elbow and gently resting his cheek on it, asked with a look of disgust.
"Indeed, compared to last year's mixed training camp, it's undeniable that this one is a significant step down. That's probably why it's positioned as an exchange meeting rather than a special exam."
Last year, there was a risk of expulsion, but this year, there wasn't even a penalty specified.
I could understand Nagumo's great disappointment.
"But you knew this was coming, didn't you, Asahina? Considering the timing of the training camp."
"...Yeah, I guess."
Now that it was February, it was hard to imagine having a difficult special exam involving all grades. That was what Asahina expressed.
"It would've been virtually impossible for all the third-year students to participate, like last year."
When I muttered that, Nagumo responded.
"Many of us third-years are dealing with exams and job hunting at this time. Only those who have already decided their future and have spare time can participate in the training camp. No matter how many private points they can get in return, most of them would rather save every minute and second."
The third-year students had created a rule to collect and manage private points by Nagumo. If they saved up to 20 million points, someone could be pulled into Class A.
However, this time, the reward was non-transferable, could only be used within Keyaki Mall, and the amount was not significant.
Even if they sought to further their studies, I wasn't familiar with university circumstances, but private university entrance exams generally started from late January. For national and public universities, it would be late February.
Considering that it was early February, it seemed that many students were about to face their main exams.
In such a situation, spending three nights and four days taking care of their kōhais was too big a price to pay.
"Last year, the joint training camp was held a month earlier, but wasn't it quite tough for the third-year students even then?"
"I think so. There were quite a few third-year students who brought textbooks. I thought that might be why it was more relaxed this year."
Considering this, Horikita Manabu's generation might have struggled a lot behind the scenes.
Perhaps the school had prepared some relief measures, but we couldn't know that.
Even if it was a busy time and this trip was said to be more relaxed, the third-year students participating in this exchange meeting were likely limited to those who had a clear goal for further studies or employment.
"Can we assume that the third-year students who are participating in the exchange meeting did so voluntarily?"
In response to my question, Asahina nodded.
"They were recruiting five volunteers from each class. If they didn't reach
20, they planned to reduce the number of groups and adjust."
It seemed that the school was also considerate of the third-year students.
"I haven't asked until now, but what will you and Nagumo-senpai do after graduation?"
When I asked with the flow of conversation, Nagumo looked up, surprised by the question.
"Do you want to know?"
He seemed pleased to have sparked my interest.
I felt that if I answered vaguely here, he might get upset, so I nodded honestly.
"I'm going to university. I have no intention of using the Class A privilege."In other words, he was confident that he could pass on his own merit.
"I'm also going to a university, like Miyabi. But it will be different from his. My self-scoring on the common test for the university entrance exams I took recently was just under the cut-off point, and it might be a bit impossible at my level. If I can graduate from Class A, I might be able to force my way in with the help of the school... but I probably won't."
The specific name of the university didn't come up, but the university Nagumo was going to seemed to be prestigious.
Asahina's decision not to aim too high was probably correct. Even if you forced your way into a higher-level university with ANHS's authority, there were various risks after admission.
The Class A privilege was best used for job-related purposes, as Keisei mentioned before.
"I don't see any value in the Class A privilege itself. Do you know why?"
"Because you have the power to achieve your goals on your own."
"That's one of the reasons I dominated the third-year and became an overwhelming presence. Whether I'm in Class B or Class D at graduation, I believe I can get into the university I want and get a job at the company I desire with my own power."
Asahina looked at Nagumo beside her with a deliberately disgusted look, but it was probably true.
"So even if everyone unites and drops you to Class B, they know what would happen. That wouldn't raise motivation, and it would be hard to maintain.
That's what led to the current results."Nagumo nodded in agreement.
However, of course, it was better to have the Class A privilege.
The difference was whether you relied on those privileges or considered it as just insurance.
"By the way, Horikita-senpai is also at the university where Nagumo-senpai is going. That should show how much he admires him."
The deciding factor for the university wasn't where he wanted to go, but where Horikita Manabu was.
"Leave me alone. If you want, you can take the exam next year and come to the same university. I'll welcome you."
"If I go, I'll have to work really hard on the common test... right?"
"I'll refrain. I think it would be quite difficult even with my academic ability."
Unlike Asahina, who honestly accepted my words, it didn't seem to get through to Nagumo.
He laughed at my not-serious answer and shrugged his shoulders.
"Let's get to the point. Honestly, the only thing you gain from this exchange meeting is private points, and there's nothing to lose. So it's a place where there are fewer people who take it seriously. I'm not just lacking in excitement, but I decided
to think positively that it's better than not having it at all."
A game is a game, a match is a match. This will undoubtedly be the last opportunity.
"I thought that was the case. You want to compete with me in this exchange meeting, right?"
"That's right."
For the third-year students, this was an exchange meeting with little return.
Nagumo had taken the time to make a match with me happen.
Upon hearing those words, Asahina moved her face closer to Nagumo.
"Is that what this is about? It's not fair to treat Ayanokōji-kun poorly, right?"
"So, you decided to join to protect Ayanokōji? You're quite kind."
"But Ayanokōji-kun hasn't done anything wrong. It's not fair that he's being targeted by you. Why are you so persistent in targeting him?"
With her shoulders, Asahina forcefully pushed against Nagumo.
But that seemed to have slightly irritated Nagumo, who retorted with a halfsmile.
"Do you know why Horikita Suzune joined the student council, Nazuna?"
"Isn't it because she wanted to follow in her brother's footsteps?"
"No, that's not it. I don't know about now, but that wasn't the case when she first joined."
"Is that so? Then what was her motive?"
"This guy right here. Ayanokōji was using Suzune to keep an eye on me.""Eh?" Asahina opened her mouth in confusion.
"I suppose he judged me to be a bad student council president, but in the end, that wasn't the case, was it?"
Of course, it wasn't that there were no instances where Nagumo's actions were excessive, but he didn't cause any problematic behavior that warranted strong caution from Horikita Manabu.
"That's true. I think what you did brought about good changes to the school."
"Maybe you were too influenced by Horikita-senpai, for better or worse?"
Before entering the school, I had no social interactions with others, so it was certain that I was greatly influenced by Horikita Manabu.
The school preferred stability, while Nagumo preferred reform. The two ideologies were never meant to converge.
"Horikita-senpai did pass the baton to me, after all."
"So you admit it."
"It's too late to deny it now."
"Wait, wait a minute. Eh, what? This is a bit different from what I thought."
Asahina, looking flustered, opened her mouth while looking back and forth between me and Nagumo.
"Despite his deadpan expression, he's pulling strings behind the scenes.
Anyway—"
Nagumo paused for a moment before asking again.
"I can assume you're willing to accept a match with me, right?"
"Why do we need to add conditions beyond the rules and rewards prepared for the exchange meeting?"
"I've thought about leaving it be, but it's unacceptable. If I, who served as the student council president, were to trap you for personal reasons within the matches created by the school, it would cause problems."
As Nagumo said, if the two of us, who weren't even in the same year, were to impose risky bets with each other, the school wouldn't be pleased.
"Actually, calling it a match is an exaggeration. It's more like a small bet."
"A bet, you say?"
"Yes. If you win the bet, I'll give you a decent reward."
"So, even if I lose, I don't have to give up my private points?"
"Sounds easy, right?"
It was more like a game than a match or a bet.
However, it was a bit suspicious that only Nagumo was at a disadvantage.
"I see no reason to refuse, but with the current rules, there's not much either of us can do. You're the leader, so you can't participate in the game directly, can you?"
The one directing the students was Kiryūin, in other words, the third-year students.
And the ones playing were the first and second-year students.
The stage we were put on was different from the start.
"Or are you going to ignore the exchange meeting and have a match in some other way?"
This experiential facility was well-equipped with places and tools to make that happen.
"It wouldn't be bad to have a match outside the exchange meeting, but if we do that, there's no need to stick to this training camp."
"That's true. At school, we could have a more legitimate match."
"If the school says to hold an exchange meeting, I'll follow the formal rules."
Saying that, Nagumo continued.
"At first, I thought about letting you be the leader and having a match by directing the first and second-year students."
On the surface, third-year Kiryūin-senpai was the leader, but I would be the one who would actually give the appointments and instructions.
And it seemed that he had anticipated her not participating in the game."Not bad, right?"
"Well, yeah. But to make it work, we'd have to allow him to choose his group members, otherwise, it wouldn't be fair, right?"
Nagumo had chosen all the group members himself. On the other hand, if Kiryūin were to entrust the group members she had picked on her own, it certainly wouldn't be a fair starting line.
In fact, the first and second-years weren't told anything until we got on the bus.
"And when you open the lid, it's a round-robin. If you only have one direct confrontation after dragging it out for three days, it's going to lack excitement, right? That's why I thought I'd stop insisting on the same conditions here."Saying that, Nagumo pointed his index finger at me.
"You participate in all the games. And when you lose three times, that's your defeat."
"I don't have to worry about the group's win or loss, right?"
"Yeah. Even if Kiryūin's group loses 19 times in a row, if you don't lose to anyone, it's a win."
All 19 games. So the condition is to win 17 of them individually.
"You're so kind to let me lose twice."
"If I make being undefeated a condition and you lose in the first battle, it would be a real turn-off, right? It's more fun to keep you around as long as possible."
Nagumo said he set the line of three losses just for his own enjoyment.
"Eh? Isn't that too disadvantageous for Ayanokōji-kun? Card games are all about luck."
"He has nothing to lose even if he doesn't win, right? The right to set the rules is naturally ours."
"Ah, well, yeah... Well, that might be true."
I was a little dissatisfied, but even if I was confronted with the most harsh content, it was true that there was no reason to refuse if the risk on my side was zero.
"All I want is your defeat. It's only natural for me to demand a high probability of victory. I'm also offering private points as compensation."
"Is it okay to mess around with a kōhai from a distance just before your graduation?"
"That's the way I like to treat you."
Either way, it wouldn't hurt to respond to Nagumo's wishes in some way.
He'd be graduating in March anyway.
"Understood. Then I'll accept your proposal without hesitation."With my acceptance, Nagumo responded with a slight nod.
"Of course, I've told Kiryūin that you're participating in all the games."
It seemed that negotiations had been conducted behind the scenes on the assumption that I would accept.
"It's not my place to say as an outsider, but you can clearly refuse if you don't like it, you know? Even if you say you won't pay anything when you lose, the fact that you lost will remain."
That was exactly what Nagumo wanted, the matter of 'winning' and 'losing.'
"If Ayanokōji says he'll accept, you don't need to say anything unnecessary."
Asahina, who was treated rudely, puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction but backed down when she saw that I was fine with it.
"But you really didn't hold back in your selection, Senpai. The students assigned to the other groups were a bit taken aback."
When I pointed that out, he didn't show any discontent, but rather smiled as if it was natural.
"Even in a trivial exchange meeting, a game is a game. As a former student council president, I have to show my dignity."
It seemed that he intended to win even in the exchange meeting where he participated as a leader, apart from the battle with me.
That was Nagumo's freedom; it was none of my business.
"Even if you start winning several in a row, it's easier to stop you if I can command the group directly."
"Wow. You're really ruthless, Miyabi."
"No, I don't think so. I think Nagumo-senpai's way of thinking is correct."
It was a question of skill to be able to drag your opponent into your own ring after creating a favorable situation for yourself.
Given the structure of only facing each group once and the atmosphere of the exchange meeting, it was safe to say that it wouldn't be clear how many times a particular individual had participated in a game. But that was also in my favor.
It would be too conspicuous to take on a group as a second-year student, but if it was just an individual battle, it was possible to avoid attention.
While setting the stage for himself to take advantage of the situation, he had also taken care of me.
"Nazuna seems to misunderstand, but victory or defeat is not determined solely by whether one is excellent. If the person on top isn't more capable, using a skilled person will only lead to their loss."
What Nagumo was saying was correct.
No matter how many pieces you were given in shogi, if your skill was insufficient, you couldn't necessarily win.
"I'm sorry I'm late. Has the discussion been settled?"Kiryūin showed up in the break room.
"Ah, everything's going smoothly. It's going to be a match between me and Ayanokōji as planned," Nagumo said before turning to me. "Kiryūin must have sniffed out that I was planning to challenge you and volunteered for this role."
"That's right," Kiryūin nodded. "If you want, I can even give you the authority as the leader. Of course, on the surface, I'll make it look like I chose the participants. That way, we can compete as a group, can't we?"
She proposed a win-win situation, but I wondered if Kiryūin simply wanted to watch my victory or defeat from the nearest seat without doing anything.
"I see. That was a part that had been bothering me a little. I now understand why those three from Class A ended up in the same group."
When Hashimoto and Morishita stopped by the convenience store, they ran into Yamamura, and Kiryūin happened to be there at the same time.
That might have been the deciding factor in choosing the same group.
If she handed over the authority to me, it was a consideration to save as much time as possible to deepen friendships.
"I don't know much about your current friendships. It was a chance encounter, and I just let you choose randomly. If you're uncomfortable in the group, it would be hard to show your true abilities, right?"
Thanks to Hashimoto and Hiyori, it seemed like the conversation could go smoothly.
"I appreciate your consideration, but I'll decline your offer. Unfortunately,
I'm not good at socializing and I'm too busy trying to get along with my kōhais."Kiryūin responded with disappointment, but she didn't seem too bothered.
"I didn't expect Kiryūin-senpai to get involved in this matter."
Nagumo and Kiryūin weren't exactly friends. Rather, they stood in opposing positions.
When I responded that way, Kiryūin smiled happily.
"Anyway, I'm glad the match seems to be happening, Nagumo. It's a shame that third-year students can't participate in the game directly."
Kiryūin expressed her feelings about the exchange meeting, whether they were true or not.
"If there was a rule that allowed participation, would you have given it your all?"
"It's a rare opportunity involving Ayanokōji. Of course I want to meet his expectations."
"Huh, you've really bought into Ayanokōji. If you want, I can challenge you individually and not just in this exchange meeting. If we're both third-years, there's no need to hold back. I'll even bet the ticket price for Class A."
"Sorry, but I'll decline. That ticket price is soaked with the blood and sweat of the entire year. It's too heavy for me, who hasn't been involved, to accept, isn't it?"
Kiryūin was also the confident type who didn't consider her own defeat. Her words were strong.
She firmly implied that she'd win if she competed.
"That's a shame."
Nagumo, however, was used to it and didn't seem deeply interested in Kiryūin after having known her for three years.
"Well then, I have some things to do as a leader, so I'll excuse myself first.
Let's meet again later."
After briefly taking care of her business, Kiryūin left.
"Fūka-chan is always cool."
"She's just a woman, after all."
"Wow, that's a terrible thing to say, Nagumo. In this day and age, you can't complain even if you're killed."
"Don't get me wrong. I just want to be on top among the same sex, there's no discrimination or anything."
He couldn't get passionate because she's a different gender.
"Even so, your way of speaking can cause misunderstandings, you know."
That was also a valid point. He wouldn't be punished if he expressed himself a little more tactfully.
When I got up from the sofa, Nagumo and Asahina also stood up.
We all left the break room together.
"You should also practice or something and prepare for the match."
"I will."
"Ah, finally you're out. You're done talking, right?"
Just before we disbanded, Amasawa appeared from down the hallway, looking as if she had been waiting impatiently, and approached us.
Nagumo scratched the back of his head at Amasawa's appearance and her words.
"Didn't you hear my instructions? I told you to wait, didn't I?"
"It's okay. I'll work twice as hard during exams."
"I can't trust your words yet. If you do something on your own again, you better think you won't be given another chance."
"That's harsh. I understand, I'll follow the instructions properly."
"Nagumo, this girl is... um..."
"Amasawa. From first-year Class A."
"Oh, right. You're Amasawa-chan. You must be pretty good to be called into Miyabi's group, huh?"
"Well, not that much..."
It wasn't surprising, given that she had achieved the rare A in both academic and physical abilities on the OAA.
However, when considering overall ability and quick thinking, Amasawa wasn't necessarily the top candidate to be chosen.
"She wasn't my pick. Somehow, she heard rumors and knew about the next social gathering."
"That's why I promoted myself. I promised to contribute to getting first place."
"Honestly, I was a little hesitant to recruit her."
Whether it was due to Amasawa's personality, or suspicion about her relationship with me, Nagumo didn't specify. He probably decided to recruit her because he deemed it a minor issue.
"You have to organize your own group too, Nazuna. You're a Class A student, so aim for the win. Can you always rely on us?"
"Eh, oh my gosh, it's already this late!? I have to go, but feel free to consult me if you have any problems!"
Asahina, who had checked the time on her phone, hurriedly ran off. She almost tripped on her way, but she turned the corner and disappeared.
"I wonder if Nazuna can lead a group with that attitude...?"
Amasawa smirked and leaned in towards Nagumo, who was sighing in disbelief.
"Could it be that you're dating Asahina-senpai?"
"Huh? No, I'm not."
"But you told me to wait because you had important things to discuss with Ayanokōji-senpai, but you kept Asahina-senpai by your side, right? That's special, isn't it?"
It might have been a leap to equate being special with being a lover, but who knows?
"That's none of your business."
"Eh~ it is. Look, if I'm aiming for Nagumo-senpai, she's my rival."
"You're aiming for a guy who's about to graduate?"
"I'm a patient woman, so I'm tolerant of long-distance relationships."
"Sorry, but I don't like women who pretend to be cute or flatter me."
Amasawa overreacted as if she was hurt by Nagumo's blunt rejection. He probably disliked that kind of behavior. He deliberately averted his gaze.
"I'm leaving now. Do your best, Ayanokōji."
After Nagumo left, only Amasawa and I were left in the hallway.
"Am I disliked?"
"Well, if you say things to make yourself disliked, that's what happens."
"But look, you're also disliked, Ayanokōji-senpai, so I wanted to be included in the same group."
What kind of group is that?
"I think it's true that they aren't dating, but their relationship does feel special, doesn't it?"
"Well, yeah. It seems like they've gone beyond just being friends."I agreed with Amasawa on that point. It made sense.
"By the way, it seems you knew about the exchange meeting in advance."
"We were told in advance what kind of exchange meeting would be held."
"We" here included Yagami who that man prepared and had Tsukishiro manage.
It seemed they were told the schedule for the year upon entering this school.
If they were going to expel me, it would be better to give them information in advance.
"I don't understand why you chose to team up with Nagumo."
"Eh? Isn't it simply because the chances of winning seem high? After all, he was the student council president. I'm a girl of age, so I want private points."Amasawa answered, but it was clear that she was lying.
However, she quickly corrected herself, as if she had no particular intention of hiding her true feelings.
"I thought you and Nagumo-senpai would be competing soon. I thought it might be nice to be on your side and support you, but that wouldn't be fun, would it?"
"That's the reason?"
"That's the reason indeed. I thought if I sided with Nagumo-senpai, we might have a good match..."
Amasawa sighed and held her cheek.
"I can see Nagumo-senpai's disappointment. The list the school provided is just full of games. It wouldn't be satisfying to win a game of rock-paper-scissors or cards against him. I didn't need to antagonize him."
"There's nothing we can do about that."
"I heard from Nagumo-senpai first, but the rules are that if you lose three times, it's your loss, right? I could feel his desire to see you lose in any way. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens."
"I hope it's something to look forward to, but there's a good chance that I could lose three times in a row without showing any surprises."
In reality, depending on the content, there's a high chance that I could lose without being able to do anything.
"But at least Nagumo-senpai and I don't think so."
"Do you understand Nagumo's feelings too?"
"I'm the one who made fun of it, so I wasn't allowed to come to the discussion."
"Did you come here to greet me even though you were refused?"
"Was it not good?"
It wasn't that it wasn't good, but there was no reason to force contact with Nagumo and risk his resentment.
In order to get more limelight within the group, it seemed that not only ability but also whether you were well-liked would become significant."Well then, I've been called to my group, so I'll head back. See you later."With a quick turn, Amasawa cheerfully left.
It was a casual conversation with Amasawa, but there was one thing that bothered me.
Amasawa mentioned that she had been informed about this exchange meeting by Tsukishiro and others in advance, but if so, there was a slight contradiction in the conversation earlier.
"I wonder what she's up to."
It might be a good idea to do a little research.