A fleeting vacation, the beginning

Intro

For many of the students, each day on the uninhabited island seemed like a long time.

In contrast, a day spent on a luxury cruise ship is like a flash of light, passing by in an instant. How can the flow of time be so different when it's the same 24 hours time period?

I suppose the most important factor is that for most of the day, we don't think much about time. During normal school life and special exams, we often think about time. On the other hand, on a day off, you don't think about time as much and the difference is noticeable.

This was the second day of such a festive holiday.

The number of students passing each other in the ship's corridors had increased dramatically, as if the fatigue of many students had finally worn off and they were beginning to enjoy their vacation to the fullest. I, who had been spending most of my time quietly by myself, received an email from someone unexpectedly inviting me to hang out.

It was from Kiriyama, the vice president of the 3rd year B class. It was an invitation to meet at the pool, and I wondered if the aim was to deepen our friendship by chatting elegantly on a float or playing beach volleyball together.

In an instant, I kicked all the unpredictable ideas out of my mind.

Although the location of this call is a swimming pool, it is far from hanging out for fun.

Of course, I could refuse. Or I could choose to ignore it. But I'll get called out at some point anyway. Depending on the situation, it could be in a more unpleasant place than now.

I decided that it would be less damaging for me to be called out alone now.

Besides, there was a good chance that he could solve the mystery of the persistent stares I had felt from the third-year students yesterday.

"Kiriyama huh ..."

I was now in the rest area by the fitness gym.

I was in front of a monitor where the results of the special exam were posted.

Many of the students had already finished checking their exam results, and now I was alone.

The number of teachers monitoring the exam results had also been reduced to one.

I had the exam results down to a tee, but when I slid the results of the top students up again, I focused on the results of the Kiriyama group.

The overall ranking was announced in front of the whole group, with Kouenji Rokusuke in first place, the Nagumo group in second place, and the Sakayanagi group in third place, but in fourth place was the Kiriyama group, with a score of 255 points, only six points behind. Which means that Sakayanagi was the last one to finish on the podium.

The difference between third and fourth place was more than just a difference in ranking.

"So, naturally, for a third-year student, it was disappointing."

Nagumo missed out on first place, and Kiriyama missed out on the podium.

Nagumo missed out on first place, Kiriyama missed out on the podium, and there was even the

unusual circumstance that all the expelled students were third-year students.

Since I still had about 20 minutes before my appointment, I decided to show up at the poolside first. It was also to confirm that the stares were not just me being self-conscious, but that there was some kind of strategy at work.

It was no longer a matter of slow observation and insight, the answer was immediately apparent.

Within tens of seconds of my appearance at the pool, I was being eyed by an unspecified number of third-year students who were staying in every nook and cranny.

Students who were engrossed in conversation and third-year students who were swimming were all observing me as soon as they noticed my presence.

It was no mere coincidence that I felt their eyes on me yesterday.

"It's too early to prove anything, isn't it?"

It's such a strong feeling of discomfort that I want to complain about it.

I should just be here as one of the shadowy students, but I stand out more than any of them.

Even if I try not to think about it, I naturally try to find out what's behind it, what's really going on.

It was most likely an order from Nagumo, but at this point I had no idea what it was about. There are many students who are giving me a blatant stare, but I continue to pretend not to notice anything.

It's easier to act like a stupid, insensitive person. However, I can easily imagine Nagumo assuming that I'm aware of the strange crowd of stares. It's not surprising that he's enjoying seeing me as the center of attention.

At any rate, the best thing to do for now was to ignore the stares and pass the time.

I looked around the pool and saw Ichinose and a few of her classmates, wondering who else was there. It just so happened that Ichinose was the only one who noticed my presence and our eyes met.

Her shoulders jerked once, and she ran away to hide in the shadows of the other classmates. Her classmates were asking her what was wrong with her sudden change in behavior.

After Ichinose's confession to me at the uninhabited island exam.

It was understandable that we would feel awkward just looking at each other from a distance like this.

It's not just Ichinose, but her classmates are also there, so I should keep my distance for now. Even if I leave her alone, I've already arranged to meet her the evening after tomorrow.

I see a few of my classmates here and there, but unfortunately I can't find any students who are particularly close to me.

"Looks like you're starting to get into a lot of trouble, Ayanokouji."

A voice called out to me from slightly in front of me, and I looked over to see Kiryuuin resting on a beach chair on the deck.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's about the third years. It's not as if you haven't noticed, is it?"

"I'm not sure."

I tried to feign ignorance, but Kiryuuin didn't even snicker and continued nonchalantly.

"Even though I'm not complicit, I'm still a third-year student. I've already heard the information." "Are you referring to the gaze that's being directed at me?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"And it's not a big problem. I'm being watched, that's all."

"That's it, huh?"

I put forward that I didn't care, but Kiryuuin said that wasn't the case.

"It just seems like one of those terminally horrible strategies to me, doesn't it? It would be nothing short of nasty, especially for a type of person like you."

While chilling, Kiryuuin's point is not wrong.

"That's the student council president. He's played a bizarre but effective card against the perfect5 you."

"Perfect me is a bit of an overstatement."

"Don't be modest. I've been through the line of death with you at least once, and I understand that you have bottomless capabilities. Isn't that right?"

The eyes that lurked beneath the sunglasses sharply pierced me.

Even if I continue to deny it, there are so many students in the vicinity that I never know when my voice will be heard.

I'm sure Kiryuuin has taken into consideration the surrounding environment. "Okay, I'll accept it for now."

"Huh, that's fine. Now back to the topic at hand, did anything happen with Nagumo at the end of the test? Because at least there were no orders for the third year students until the end of the uninhabited island exam."

"I don't remember anything at all that could be held against me..... It's frustrating that I can't say that."

Kiryuuin had eased into a posture so far, but he sat up slightly.

"In terms of personal power, the man named Nagumo Miyabi is one of the best in this school. Academic ability A, physical ability A, tactful thinking ability A+, social contribution A+. He is impeccable."

"I know; he's by far the number one student in the entire school year when it comes to OAA." There are a few students, like Sudou and Kiryuuin, who hold an A+ in one ability.

But Nagumo is the only student with an all-A or better, and the number of students with two or more A+s is extremely limited.

"Nagumo, with his original high academic ability, physical ability, charisma to unite the grade, and achievement to the position of student council president, has not been blessed with any enemies among his grade. The only one who was acknowledged as having equal ability within the school was Horikita Manabu, but now that he has graduated, he is absent."

Kiryuuin took a breath and picked up the glass on the table.

"To Nagumo, you were supposed to be just one of his toys. However, something that happened during the uninhabited island test seems to have triggered him to take you seriously."

"It would be best if he just left me alone, though."

"Well, if that's the case, then you've made a bad choice somewhere." Kiryuuin was relentless with remarks which were painfully true.

"There are probably only a few people who can defeat you one-on-one. I've some confidence in my abilities, but if there's a type that's not my cup of tea, it's probably someone like Ayanokouji. But in Nagumo's case, the nature is completely different. I see him as the type you're not good at. What do

5 flawless; absolute perfection;

you think?"

"I can't deny that possibility anymore. I've been misjudging the nature of him."

They just gave me a look. I hadn't realized how stressful and disgusting it could be. Even in the white room, there were always eyes watching, but this was something else entirely.

In other words, I was being forced into an environment I had never experienced before in my life. And the only way to escape was to stay indoors, and that was not a practical solution either.

"I suppose so, Nagumo tends to prefer flashy moves, winning ways, and one-on-ones. But when it comes to winning for sure, he will use any strategy. That's right, even mobilizing the entire third grade. No matter what it takes, he always prioritizes winning in the end."

So the act of making a lot of people look at me was just the beginning. "Sorry, but I'm not going to be able to help you with this one."

She said and put on the sunglasses she had on her forehead.

"I never said I wanted to rely on you."

Kiryuuin rejected my request for help as if she was anticipating me.

"I've been free to do whatever I want for the past three years, but I've got a few regrets about my ... school life. If this school had an original grade retention system, I might have been willing to consider it."

Staying in the same grade without a promotion or a detention. In layman's terms, it was repeating a grade.

"There you are, Ayanokouji."

As I and Kiryuuin continued to talk, vice president Kiriyama showed up. Kiriyama, with his serious impression, seemed to have arrived much earlier than promised. He took a glance at Kiryuuin, who was relaxing beside me, and then looked at me again.

"We've got a little while before our scheduled time, but you don't mind if we start? This isn't the best place, let's move."

"You mean you don't want me to hear this, Kiriyama?"

Kiryuuin said she couldn't help me, but she was interested in what he had to say.

She lifted the sunglasses she had put on again.

"Simply because it attracts too much attention. I prefer to talk in a quiet place if possible."

The poolside was the most popular place, and many students were staying there.

Well, for some reason, only the seat next to Kiryuuin was empty, but there was no need to pursue that point too deeply. It looked uncomfortable somehow.

"It's a funny thing to say that you attract too much attention, that's a contradiction, Kiriyama." "What?"

"If you want to talk in a quiet place, it's nonsense to use a pool like this where many people gather as a meeting place. Isn't that right?"

"Then you wanted me to tell you from the start that I didn't want to talk by your side because it would be too depressing?"

Kiriyama said as he spat at Kiryuuin for poking him. 31

His expression at that moment was completely dead, devoid of any color of emotion. It showed that Kiryuuin had burned his hands many times before.

"I see, so it means I've made you feel better."

Whenever the conversation started, it always revolved around Kiryuuin.

Kiriyama didn't like that, so he made a move to escape, but it turned out to be a way to get Kiryuuin to butt in.

"Anyway, why don't you tell me what you're going to say?" "No. I refuse. It's none of your business."

"Irrelevant? How can you assume it's none of my business?" "What?"

"Ayanokouji and I are in a relationship6. If that's the case, how can you say it's irrelevant?" Huh?

Kiriyama looked at me and Kiryuuin in turn with a surprised look on his face before his reaction "What?"

"I'm just kidding, Kiriyama, you're a boring guy, but your reactions are sometimes funny." Kiriyama looks highly offended when he sees Kiryuuin laughing with amusement.

He walked away without uttering a word.

He would have to leave such a woman alone and get on with it.

"I can't ignore him, so I'll leave you to it Kiryuuin-senpai."

"Please give my regards to Kiriyama."

I hope you won't do that. I'm sure he doesn't want to hear Kiryuuin's name, even if she's not there.

I followed Kiriyama, who was walking ahead of me, to a deck one floor above, overlooking the pool.

It was a relatively quiet place, with many students sunbathing or taking a nap.

Still, there were a good number of students gathered here, and conversations could be conspicuous.

However, there was not a single third-year student in sight, suggesting that Kiriyama had already gotten rid of them.

In that sense, the freshmen and second-years probably wouldn't mind Kiriyama's conversation with me. The other saving grace was that there was no one waiting for me, and I was having a one-on- one discussion with Kiriyama.

"So, why did you call me all the way here?"

"I'm not going to go around saying it. What did you do to Nagumo on the last day of the uninhabited island test, Ayanokouji?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be silly. It's obvious that you had something to do with the results of the uninhabited island test."

The last day of the uninhabited island examinations, when Nagumo and I met, I heard over the 6 male-female one

walkie-talkie that they were in the middle of a strategy to suppress Kouenji.

"I don't mind answering, but can you answer my question first?"

"A question?"

Yes. There was something I wanted to make sure of when I received such a call. To Kiriyama's dubious look, I continued.

"It's something I've been wondering since I first met Vice President Kiriyama. It seems that you were initially working to defeat Nagumo, but at what point did you give up fighting ...?"

If Kiriyama was expecting Nagumo's downfall and defeat, then this incident should be a welcome one.

"Gave up? I don't understand what you mean. My personal battle is still going on."

"Is that so? It doesn't look like it to me."

After denying it, Kiriyama seemed to immediately understand what I was trying to do.

"You seem to think that I'm on Nagumo's side, but that's not true; the changes to Nagumo's plans are beginning to have a negative impact on me and the surrounding area. I told you before the uninhabited island test to stay out of the way."

That one word was a series of very ordinary words of denial uttered by Kiriyama. However, humans are capable of making minor gaffes.

"That's an expansive interpretation. I was simply talking about whether or not you've abandoned the fight, but Kiriyama-senpai seems to be very aware of the aspect of whether or not you're on the student council president's side of the camp."

"... I suppose it's the same thing."

"What you mean by admitting defeat and turning on the other side is completely different. They are completely dissimilar. I'd think the vice president understands that much?"

People with a lot of pride who categorize themselves as excellent think that they don't make mistakes. That is why if you don't ask them beforehand implying "you know this already right?", they're less likely to accept the mistake.

"What's the point?"

Without admitting or denying, Kiriyama tried to move on.

The easiest option the man could take right now was to go through with it.

"I simply wanted to ask what position you are in. Have you given up on fighting, but are you still an enemy of Nagumo? Or are you under Nagumo's thumb? Just in case, since it was a case that Horikita Manabu entrusted to me."

Kiriyama's expression hardened, as if he hadn't heard Manabu's name in a long time. "... That's right."

He might have remembered the first time me and Kiriyama met.

"When I think about it, your relationship with me, Nagumo, and Horikita-senpai - in short, you were someone who had no interest in the student council. In that sense, you were the wrong person to involve."

He placed his left hand on the railing and gripped it forcefully. 33

"It's true that I was going to defeat Nagumo. If I didn't defeat him, it would be impossible for our class to re-emerge in A class. But by the middle of my second-years year, that spirit was slowly fading away."

The current 3rd year students are allowing Class A to run solo far more than our grade.

At the moment, the class points between the 3rd year A class and the 3rd year B class are over 900 apart. Even at the midway point of last year, there must have been a difference of over 700 points.

We allowed Nagumo to run solo early on and got to the point where we couldn't catch them.

"We, the third years, moved on to the individual competition early on. Class points and school rules were secondary, and we started competing according to our own rules proposed by Nagumo."

So that's a big part of the reason behind the unusual solo run.

Once that happened, it would have been a high hurdle for Kiriyama to confront on his own.

"I was struggling to break through somehow, but as soon as I reached the third year, that wave swallowed me up too."

Frustration? Resignation? Kiriyama shows an indescribable profile.

"What happened to you after you were swallowed by the wave?"

"Huh. .... I guess you'll have to hear it clearly from my mouth to make me feel better."

"Because it's important to me."

"Nagumo handed me a ticket to graduate with A class, and I decided to follow the rules that guy made up. This is what you wanted to hear, right?"

In other words, the position he's in now means that not only has he stopped being hostile, but he's become one of Nagumo's friends.

I guess that's how important graduating with an A class is to an ordinary student. It's also proof that 20 million points is worth it and attractive.

"Whether or not you get this school's biggest privilege will have a big impact on the rest of your life. It's more important to graduate with an A class, no matter how your classmates may ultimately resent you. Three years of high school is just a blink of an eye compared to the decades of life that lie ahead."

It was no surprise that Kiriyama was upset and wanted to know the details, even calling me up.

"It was our proposition and mission for Nagumo to win the first place. However, your involvement caused a disruption in the chain of command, and Kouenji snatched the first place from him, leaving him in second place. As a result, I lost a lot of both class and private points. Do you have any idea how much this means to me?"

As confirmed by the OAA, Nagumo had a trial card and additional cards numbering 7 in his large group, and the amount of money he lost by not taking first place alone amounted to seven million.

In addition, if all 28 of the third-year students' flight cards had been assigned to Nagumo's group, he would have received an additional reward of nearly 15 million private points. However, sinking to second place resulted in almost halving the amount. Of course, it's still a huge amount of money.

If the effects of the class points from the trial cards were included, the loss would be even greater.

"With graduation looming for us third-year students, missing out on first place this time is a huge loss, especially when we need to collect private points without wasting even a single point."

Considering that the Kiriyama group had also concentrated their "extra" cards on their own group with the intention of aiming for second place, more private points than they had just calculated would be lost.

"I guess the fact that Kiriyama-senpai's group didn't win the prize isn't unrelated."

When I pointed that out, he twitched his shoulders slightly.

"... Ah, we were hurriedly brought in as a backup factor for the Nagumo group. But the slight delay in response had repercussions on all sides until the end. We didn't just lose to Kouenji, the second year group took third place."

The large number of private point rewards that the third-year students would have earned if everything had gone according to plan. Although those were just skin deep calculations, they were exactly the kind of money that could definitely save their friends.

"The ticket we need to move to Class A is 20 million. We're always looking for the best way to generate that. I'd say we've lost one of those tickets in this case."

The uninhabited island test, the top rewards were all very attractive, but when it came to private points, the total effect of the additional cards and the flight cards was much greater.

"Up until now, Nagumo has continued to produce results and has gained the trust of the grade. But by coming here and sticking to your presence, he's lost a lot of money and the trust has been damaged. If it was switched7, the problem would still have been minimal, but after the special exam - Nagumo took unbelievable action."

"The unexpected expulsion of the third-year students, is that correct?"

"Yes. Originally, it was planned that the top students would pick up the group that had been deliberately placed in the bottom of the class, prevent them from leaving, and rescue them by replacing them at the end of the exam."

But that was not done, and the third-year students in the lower group were expelled en masse.

"There was no way to resist, and fifteen students were expelled. They didn't even have time to cry it out."

"It's a shuddering situation, isn't it, for the third-year students?"

"Of course it is. A single whim can bring three years to nothing. If it's because of our own actions, we can give up, but if it's because of Nagumo's unreasonable actions, it's a different story."

If all of this is true, it could be the beginning of a wake-up call for the students who have been following him delusionally. No, if anything, it could be said that it was unusual that even after this event, the third-year students still showed no signs of defying Nagumo.

"Isn't that strange? Nagumo not being blamed."

"It's a big blunder, you know. And a lot of people below B class who don't have tickets are keeping quiet."

"Even if I wanted to defy him, I couldn't. Nagumo and the students enrolled in 3rd year A class are protected by an impenetrable fortress."

An impenetrable fortress. It would mean that a system has been created that no other class can ever disobey.

If that's the case, then ... the mystery seems to be able to be solved by asking one question.

7 切り替える, to change; to exchange; to convert; to renew; to throw a switch; to replace; to switch over; 35

"Vice President Kiriyama has the ticket in his hand, right?"

Normally, this question would be answered with a resounding "yes".

However, Kiriyama answered in the blink of an eye, without changing his expression.

"If I had that ticket in my possession, I wouldn't have any problem with it."

"I see. If that ticket is in Nagumo's possession, then it's certainly a different story."

It was obvious, but Nagumo was playing a shrewd strategy. If all private points were controlled by Nagumo, no one could stand against Nagumo.

To put it simply, Nagumo has promised to rescue them with 20 million points.

No, even the expression "verbal promise" might be naive.

'If you continue to be loyal to me, I will prepare a ticket for you.'

I think he is using vague expression like that to avoid making a clear statement.

If they were to go against him in this situation, the promise might be violated without a second thought.

"It's also forbidden to accumulate private points by sneaking around. The maximum amount that an individual can have at their disposal is basically 500,000 points. Anything above that will be siphoned off to Nagumo."

"That's harsh."

Unlike cash deposits in a wardrobe, private points that exist in the form of electronic money cannot be hidden. I'm sure they also have rules to monitor each other.

Even if Nagumo were to be kicked out of school by some means, he would be expelled with tens or even hundreds of millions of private points.

This means that even if they wanted to start a rebellion, they would never be able to do so.

"Now you understand why the third-year students are pushing Nagumo to an unusual level and then protecting him, don't you?"

"I understand."

It's a perfect dictatorship, you could say. No one else in the same grade could possibly compete with Nagumo.

"That guy is playing with the entire third grade. He makes the students who don't have tickets compete against each other, and then he pretends to give the winner a ticket and makes them pledge their allegiance."

Of course, for the students in classes D and C, who have no chance of winning, Nagumo's existence would be nothing but a god.

Which is natural as they get to graduate from class A if it goes well.

But we won't know that until we really move classes just before graduation.

"I want to compete and fight to get as many tickets as possible in the little school life we have left. That's why your presence is only a hindrance, Ayanokouji."

Nagumo's attention to me caused him to lose valuable private points. With the resulting loss, students who should be saved are no longer saved. This is the situation that the third-year students are in now.

"But do you think I'm in this situation because I want to be?"

"I know."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"Just go back to the beginning. Tell me what happened on the uninhabited island, and then we'll find a solution first."

"I thought Nagumo didn't want that. He haven't even let the vice president hear what happened, have he?"

"... That's true, but we can't solve the problem by letting it go."

So you want to stop Nagumo's rampage, even if it means risking losing your ticket? No, he fears what will happen to his own ticket if he doesn't stop it.

"If you're not willing to talk to me, then I want you to meet Nagumo right now and talk to him. I'll even set up the meeting if necessary. No one will benefit from you and Nagumo having a go at each other in the future, is that right?"

"You're absolutely right."

"I'll be sure to advise Nagumo to stop the operation that he is carrying out. I want you to believe me."

The operation he's carrying out. I don't need to ask what it is.

"You mean the way I'm being observed."

Kiriyama looked down at the pool and nodded.

"What kind of aim is it, what is it for, and for how long? There's no explanation for any of those things, and there's a growing distrust among the third years about this strange behavior."

Despite their disbelief, they had no choice but to comply with Nagumo, who had every right to do so.

"The Nagumo administration is rock solid, but ... still, if they continue with this recklessness, the worst could happen."

Kiriyama and others who have been given tickets will continue to faithfully obey, but many students who have not been given tickets will not. Kiriyama can't let something like a riot happen.

It would not be surprising if they were planning to expel Nagumo if they did not get a ticket anyway.

For Kiriyama and the others, that would be the worst case scenario.

"I don't think this is the end of the story, though, if I say I'll meet with him."

"Then what should I do? You won't tell me the details, but you also don't want to meet Nagumo. Then the situation will only get worse."

"Can you give me some time? I'm sure I'll have an answer for you soon."

Perhaps Nagumo will send more information to Kiriyama's ears instead of me.

"fine... But you need to make a decision before Nagumo makes his next move."

Kiriyama had been looking around the entire pool and immediately noticed the appearance of a certain someone.

It was, of course, Nagumo, who had been the center of the conversation all along. 37

"I have to go now. If he finds out I'm meeting with you, I'll be in trouble again."

It was probably wise for Kiriyama, since he took a reasonable risk in making contact with me today. It was worth the contact just to know the situation of the third-year students.

The pool was quickly cleared as the number of people on Nagumo's group began to increase.

If he wanted to talk to me, he would have sent a messenger even if he didn't contact me directly.

The fact that he didn't have one at the moment suggests that he had no intention of setting up a place to talk.

Anyway, it's not nice to keep attracting attention.

As if to escape, I went to the locker room to change my clothes...

"Ayanokouji-senpai!"

I ran into Nanase, who spotted me in the aisle and ran up to me with a happy look on her face.

On a ship with a fixed destination, it was not unusual for me to see students I know repeatedly outside of their cabins, so seeing them two days in a row was not that unusual.

However, the way they appeared was exactly the same, which reminded me of the scene I saw yesterday.

"May I have a moment of your time now?"

She lightly checked my surroundings and seemed to be checking if I was with someone else.

I was with Ishizaki yesterday, so she might not have been able to initiate the conversation.

However, I nodded my head, somewhat confused by the strong pressure or the close distance.

"Actually, I'm not sure if I should report this, but, well, there's something that's been bothering me a little."

"Something that's bothering you?"

Nanase nodded and her cheerfulness disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.

Then, paying attention to the surroundings, Nanase spoke in a whisper.

"There's one thing I didn't tell senpai. If I tell you, you might get angry. ..."

I might get angry? What on earth could she be talking about?

"Well..."

Nanase was about to speak up about what she had been keeping quiet in a more whispered voice, but ....

"Huh? Ayanokouji-kun?"

A less familiar voice called out, and Nanase hurried to get some distance.

It was Ichinose's classmate, Kobashi Yume.

In the past, they would not have even greeted each other when they saw each other at school. However, during the uninhabited island test, they spent a short time together.

It seemed to have brought about a change in their relationship.

"Oh, Am I bothering you? I guess I'd better wait."

She said apologetically, as if she had missed Nanase hiding behind my body.

"No, it's fine. I was just asking Ayanokouji-senpai something I didn't understand."

"Is that okay?"

Nanase nodded vigorously twice, as if it wasn't as serious as she thought it was.

"I'll call on you again when I have time."

She was sure it wasn't something the other students would want to hear.

Nanase bowed deeply not only to me, but also to Kobashi, and ran off.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were talking. She's a freshman, right? I hope I didn't offend you."

"I don't think you need to worry about that. What's more, you wanted to see me?"

"Actually, the girls in my class are going to have a party tonight. I wanted to thank you for saving Chihiro-chan's life."

That was the invitation.

However, the keyword "girls in the class" stuck out strongly.

"What kind of members will be there?"

I got scared and tried to confirm, but Kobashi nodded her head, saying, "Nuh-uh".

"I guess we're still in the process of adjusting. Don't worry about it so much, there are no weird kids, so it's fine."

It's not that I'm afraid of the odd member joining, but she doesn't seem to understand.

"It's only students from Kobashi's class, right? Doesn't it float your boat that I, a stranger, will be joining?"

"Really? That's not true. Hey, hey, what do you think?" It was a fluffy, abstract invitation to a party.

To be honest, I wasn't too keen on the idea, partly because I didn't have many people in Ichinose's class that I could talk to intimately.

Especially now, it was doubtful whether the conversation would be lively even if I meet Ichinose. it was a little painful, but I was going to decline.

"No, I'm not going to..."

Seeing that I was about to refuse, Kobashi clasped her hands together and kept talking.

"Please! It's just a chance that we met here, you know?"

It was hard to say no when she said that, but I couldn't just give in so easily.

It was obvious that if I let things flow here, nothing good would come of it later.

"You mean I'm responsible..., right?"

"Huh?"

"No, I can't help it. I'm going to properly report this to everyone in the class, saying that I invited Ayanokouji-kun, but he turned me down because I didn't invite him well enough."

"Wait. Why would you do that?"

"So you're coming?" "... that's ...."

"So you still don't want to? Oh well, only if I could have asked you out a little better, ... I'm sorry everyone."

"I don't want you to be so depressed. ..."

"Just show up, ...! Please, this way! Honami-chan is coming too!"

Once again, this time she rubbed her hands together with more vigor than before.

It was as if there was already no way out of this.

"All right. Are you sure you want me to just show up?"

"Yeah, thanks! Oh, but don't tell Honami-chan that you're going to the party today, okay?"

She smiled so brightly that it was hard to believe that she was depressed and sad just before.

Women are born actresses, as they say.

But don't tell Ichinose? That part stuck with me a little.

"Why the secrecy? I'm going to have to ask everyone's permission to participate."

If there was even one student who didn't want me to participate, I wanted them to feel free to tell me.

That way, I could say no once again, in the name of a good cause.

"Because you see, that's the thing ...Ayanokouji-kun, isn't it better to have a surprise?"

That seemed like a surprise in a not-so-good way.

I don't want to go too far into it, but her classmates seem to have a lot on their minds about me and Ichinose.

"Well then, I'll be waiting for you in room 5034 at 8:00."

"Room 5034, is that ... someone's room?"

I had thought that we would be using some rest area or the deck.

And it was a guest room where the girls were sleeping, not the boys, room number-wise. "is that a problem?"

"No ... not exactly a problem, it just seems a little more difficult to get to."

"That's not an issue. right?"

Thank you, Kobashi's "right?". It was a good push from her side8.

The way out was being taken away.

"Then I'll be waiting for you! Make sure you come!"

Satisfied with his promise, Kobashi walked away a little too fast.

"I was beaten."

It was not even the right time to talk to Ichinose face to face yet. ...

Well, if it was in a large group of people, it was okay.

8 means that wording made him harder to use the excuse. 40

If it is a thank you party, I'm sure there will be more than a few boys there.

After this, I spent a bewildering amount of time in my room, not feeling like playing freely, and after dinner at six, it was just before eight in the afternoon.

"Shall I go...?"

If I could choose again now whether to go or not, I would choose "no" without hesitation.

It was such an unwelcome invitation, but if I really didn't want to go, I should have refused without hesitation. It was because of my half-hearted response that I ended up in this situation, so I guess I had to live with it.

I stood there in front of room 5034, which I had arrived at ... with renewed determination.

A minute had already passed since I arrived at this place.

You could hear the girls talking and laughing from time to time when you try to knock on the door.

There was no sign of any boys ... at the moment.

I have a bad feeling about this.

I'm not sure why, but I also feel like I'm starting to sweat.

The only thing I know for sure is that I'm more nervous than I was when I confronted Tsukishiro at the uninhabited island test.

"Wouldn't it be wiser to just turn back?"

The devil's whisper escaped through my throat as a voice.

Wouldn't it be less damaging if I just apologized and said that I forgot?

No, but I don't want to be branded as someone who broke a promise if I can help it.

What on earth should I do ...?

I was stuck as if I was in a sleep paralysis, but the spell was broken by an unexpected source.

"Oh, you're here!"

It was Kobashi who appeared from the end of the corridor.

It was a bad timing, or something ....

In Kobashi's hand was a large plastic bag, with snacks and bottled juice peeking out from inside. Once I had been spotted, the option to flee no longer existed naturally.

"I think everyone is already gathered here, so don't hesitate to come in."

"Oh, yeah, ... I was just about to do that."

I'm not allowed to run away anymore.

The door that I felt so heavy and could not open, Kobashi tried to open it easily without hesitation. Was it okay that she opened it so easily? I need to prepare my mind a little more....

While I was thinking that, the only door separating me from the guest room was being removed. The first thing that stimulated my senses was not sight, but smell.

But the smell of something sweet, like flowers or honey.

Immediately after that, a girl, a lot of girls' eyeballs caught sight of me.

"Ta-da! Ayanokouji-kun, I've brought him in!"

In a not-so-spacious four-person room, there are a lot of girls sitting around.

What is this world in front of my eyes?

There were 10 of them in total, including 1, 2, 3... Kobashi.

This means that half of the girls in Ichinose's class are here.

And there was not the slightest hint of a boy in the room, and I almost felt as if I've been betrayed without my permission.

"Wait, that's a bit of a bad way of saying I brought Nino-chan in~!"

"Really? Oh, I bought this thing you asked for~"

I put the plastic bag on a small table near the bed in the small guest room.

What's with this fluffy, light-hearted gathering?

It was definitely a little different from Kei's group of girls.

Most of the girls in the group were girls I had never spoken to before, but I remembered their names and faces from OAA.

I was so overwhelmed by the scene that I couldn't move, and Kobashi tapped me lightly on the back.

"So Ayanokouji-kun~, where shall you sit? Oh, next to Honami-chan, is that okay?"

It was true that Ichinose would be the closest of the two, but she didn't hesitate to specify.

I don't think there was any choice because the room was so small to begin with, but the right to choose didn't seem to exist from the start.

The only strange thing was that even though there were 10 people in the room, there was enough space for one boy to sit next to Ichinose.

In other words, it wasn't a coincidence that the space was empty, but it was most likely predetermined.

I remembered what Kobashi had said when she asked me out during the day and compared it to what I had said on ..., but it wasn't going to help me in the current situation.

At this rate if I keep standing I'll be uncomfortable with eyes of 10 people. I hurriedly excused myself from the girls and went next to Ichinose.

"Can I..... sit down?"

"O-, of course."

After a quick acceptance, I sat down next to Ichinose, but I was still getting stares from almost everyone.

In fact, except for Ichinose, Kobashi, and Himeno, seven other students were watching me as if they were cautiously evaluating me.

No, I should keep a cool head and keep an indifferent face at this point. And let them allow me to leave as soon as possible.

The tea was poured into a clear cup and handed to me by Kobashi.

When everyone had their drinks, Amikura, who seemed to be the moderator of the meeting, spoke up.

"Well then, I'll get right to it - I'll start the party to thank you for the uninhabited island exam, and to thank Ayanokouji for saving Chihiro-chan from getting lost. Kanpai!9"

With those words, everyone raised their cups to the top.

"Well, first of all, thank you Ayanokouji-kun, you really helped us out that time."

With that, Shiranami, sitting to Ichinose's left, thanked him.

I haven't done anything to be awed more than once. ...

I couldn't expand on the conversation for now, so I gave her a small nod.

"Um, Ayanokouji-kun."

Personally, I wanted to say that the party was in full swing, but when I wanted to lament that only about ten minutes of time had passed, Shiranami looked at me with a serious face.

"What is it ...?"

A can of orange juice was clutched in both hands, and she seemed to be trying to say something.

"Me, I'm grateful for the help. But I'm not ready to admit it yet."

"...huh?"

Without elaborating, Shiranami just said that, then squeezed and poured the orange juice down her throat.

"Pfft! I can't say any more!"

No, no, what are you talking about, ...?

I was left behind, but the people around Shiranami were showering her with words of encouragement and praise for a job well done.

Shiranami was wasn't that embarrassed, but what was it about? But I couldn't even ask her back in a way like that.

At the beginning of the party, Shiranami mentioned me, but after that, the girls started talking about whatever they wanted. I just watched from the sidelines like a borrowed cat.

Of course, if someone asked me if I felt comfortable, I would have said no immediately. But then again, ....

It was amazing to see how many topics come up one after another.

Regardless of the genre, the topics were as busy as an airplane flying around Japan.

But no matter what the topic, there was one thing in common.

Many girls think of Ichinose as the center, trust Ichinose, and have delusional belief in Ichinose. I'm not saying that's a bad thing.

Ichinose Honami is without a doubt the most trustworthy student in the second year. This is true regardless of friend or foe.

The criteria for what constitutes trustworthy depends on the person, but trust is something that is built on a daily basis. Just as no one will trust a student who has never spoken before if you

9 Cheers

suddenly tell them to trust you.

But being trusting someone and being delusional are two different things.

Even if Ichinose is trustworthy, she can still make wrong choices.

If you keep trusting such a wrong person, you will not get any results.

We need students who can tell us when we're wrong so that we can correct our mistakes.

"Can I have a moment?"

As the girls' excitement peaked, one girl, who had only shown the occasional phase so far, raised her hand.

"What's wrong, Yuki-chan?"

"The usual headache. Sorry, but it's bad, can I go back to my room? It's seriously bad."

If it had been a mere remark with nothing to say, I wouldn't have paid attention, but the unexpected tone surprised me.

Ichinose's class was basically all polite and decent students.

Himeno briefly told her why she was sick and wished to leave.

"Sure, why don't I follow you?"

Ichinose and the girls hurriedly call out to Himeno after hearing about their friend's discomfort. "Oh, it's okay, it's okay. I'm not a kid. ..."

Himeno stood up, looking fed up with the overprotective behavior.

There was a student in Ichinose's class who was this type of person, wasn't there?

As I recall, Yuki Himeno's group for the uninhabited island test were all from the same class. Anyway, there was a change in the atmosphere of the place where I couldn't leave yet.

If I let this chance pass, I don't know when I'll be able to go home again.

I decided to take the plunge and follow Himeno's lead.

"Well then, I guess it's time for me to go home too."

"Oh, you're leaving already? You could have stayed longer."

"No, I was originally just going to show my face, and I have plans to meet someone later." Once I said I had plans, Ichinose and the others didn't hold me back too long.

"Well, we'll see you later, Ayanokouji-kun."

With Ichinose and the girls still sitting pretty, I left the room.

"Phew, ..., I almost broke out in a strange sweat."

I was already sweating, I guess you could say.

Less than 30 seconds after Himeno left the room, I too escaped from the evil room 5034. It may be heaven for some people, but for me, it was a painful place to be.

I can't say I'm very good at closing the distance between people.

It would be a different story if I had completely created the role from the beginning, but since I had decided to play a low-profile high school student, it was not easy to change that.

However, the fact that Ichinose's class has had little to do with him so far, I think he was able to get closer to them in a certain way.

With Ichinose at the center, I have a vague idea of what kind of kids are around her.

What is lacking and what is missing? At this point, I know the strengths and weaknesses of Ichinose's class.

It is essential to have students who can speak up, no matter who the leader is in the future.

At the moment, the only person I can think of who can do that is Kanzaki, a male student.

But in a class that revolves around Ichinose, the girls seem to have as much power as the boys.

Kanzaki is the type of person who can speak up to Ichinose, but whether he can appeal to the class as a whole, and whether he can control the girls, is another matter entirely.

"Hmm?"

Himeno complained of a headache and said she was going back to her room, but she walked in a different direction from the guest room.

In an instant, she went around the corner, but she must not have been mistaken because of her distinctive hair color.

Himeno, who had made me feel uncomfortable in the girls' meeting earlier.

She seemed to be a little uncomfortable, so I decided to follow her.

She arrived at the aft deck at night, where there was no sign of anyone.

Looking at her profile from a distance, I remembered Yuki Himeno's profile again.

Year 2, Class B, Yuki Himeno Academic ability

Physical ability Resourcefulness

Ability to contribute to society

Overall ability

B- (63) C (51) C+ (58) C+ (58) C+ (57)

Except for a high level of academic ability, they are normal for better or worse, and do not have any outstanding abilities as far as I can see.

However, this is only the ability as seen from the school side. There may be hidden strengths and weaknesses in every student. I would like to explore a little more.

Direct contact would be a shortcut here.

"What are you doing?"

"Is ...? What?"

She looked slightly uncomfortable and looked away.

It was not natural for her to be here since she slipped out of the room saying she had a headache.

"Is your headache better?"

"Geez, ...."

She mumbled a few words that were mostly drowned out by the wind, but it sounded like she said "annoying".

There are a certain number of boys and girls who use abusive language, but in Himeno's case, it was not abusive, but rather a wary way of speaking to keep people away from her.

However, perhaps also concerned about the external world, she coughed once and turned her gaze to us.

"I just stopped by because I thought the breeze would calm me down, you know?" "Do you get headaches often? You said something like that earlier."

I was going to ask her for more details, but she shut down, as if she didn't want to have any more conversation.

Even at the girls' party earlier, she hadn't said anything except when she was leaving. In addition to that, the other girls basically never approached Himeno.

It's not like she was being hacked, Ichinose wouldn't tolerate such a thing, and if the relationship was bad, she wouldn't show it to the rest of the class.

If that's the case....

She must have been tired, and been half-heartedly invited to the party.

If you think that this is due to the classmates' desire to have as much fun as possible, you can see the connection.

"It's because I have a migraine."

She replied shortly, in a rambling manner.

"If it's a migraine, then you're right to cool it down."

Migraines are caused by the dilatation of cerebral blood vessels due to changes in female hormones, fatigue, and lack of sleep. Blood vessels dilate less when cooled and widen when warmed, so exposure to the wind is not a bad idea.

But only if it's really a migraine.

"Daru10..."

"Maybe the headache is just an excuse to get out of a space you don't like?" "What? You're saying I'm lying?"

Himeno had been relatively nonchalant up to this point, but as soon as it was pointed out to her that she might be lying, her color changed. She was a rare type of person in Ichinose's class, where most classmates were mild-mannered.

My instincts were right.

"I can see you getting worked up, was that a bulls eye?"

"No, I'm not. I mean, what is it? Oh, I'm getting a headache again. ... I'm going back to my room."

"I'm sorry if I offended you. But can you just listen to me for a minute?" Holding her forehead, Himeno looked back at me in disgust. "Headache, it's getting more intense though?"

"Sorry."

10 she's starting to say something that starts from だる (daru) but I can't guess. Could be 怠い(だるい) meaning bothersome.

"Sorry? ... are you saying that because you want me to listen to you?"

"So you hate it11."

"I hate it."

I could see her catching up with the conversation a few times. This one seems to be more her true self.

"Oh, well, I guess I don't have a choice then."

Do you understand? I cowered my shoulders in exasperation.

"I guess I'll just have to go back to the girls' meeting now and report that Himeno might have a temporary illness."

"Huh, what? Don't take the liberty of treating me as a furlough. You're such a liar."

"Liar? I'm just saying that you might have a temporary illness. At least, since I feel that way, I have the right to throw a stone. You can prove whether it's true or false in front of everyone later."

"There's no way to prove a headache, is there?"

"Maybe."

"What, they all praised you, but you have a nasty personality."

"Well, at least they didn't compliment me on my good personality, did they?"

Not to toot my own horn, but they just thanked me for saving Shironami.

"Oh yeah."

"Then again, you're an odd one, Himeno. It's kind of unlike Ichinose's classmate."

"Unusual? If you ask me, the people in my class are too good-natured. Our class tends to get together in large groups and do things. I don't mind that in itself, but the problem is that each meeting is too long and they never leave."

If there were repeated meetings that I didn't like, I would be fed up with it.

But Ichinose's classmates enjoy the gatherings.

That's why no one wants to leave after each gathering, and the result is long hours.

"If you don't like it, why don't you just not attend?"

"You think I can do that? I mean, even if you think it's annoying, it's important to keep in line."

"Well, I guess so."

The class as a whole is cohesive, especially the girls, who seem to have a strong sense of unity. Even if they were unhappy inside, it would take courage to throw a stone and cause a stir.

Himeno. Maybe my encounter with her will change the direction of things. Normally, I would not get deeply involved with Himeno, a person of the opposite sex, unless there was a special situation.

However, it would not be a bad idea to take a step forward here.

Of course, if it ends up being a nuisance to Himeno, then so be it.

"If you want to relieve stress, shouting is the best way after all, isn't it?" "Shouting ...? Even if I didn't want to, I'd get pulled over if I shouted here."

11 could be me(Kiyo) instead of it.

"Not many students come to the aft deck, and considering the sound of the ship, shouting won't make a difference to the surroundings. It'll just be drowned out quickly and disappear."

"But ...."

She looks confused, as if she has never shouted that loud before.

"Well, why don't you go ahead and shout it out first?"

"... me?"

I couldn't help but be flustered by the unexpected response.

"I don't know you very well, but you don't seem like the type of person who would ... scream. If you show me how to do it, I'll do it."

I'm confused.

I don't remember ever being under strong stress myself, so I don't have enough experience to say no when asked if I actually remember yelling.

"If you can't do it, then get the hell out of here."

If I backed down here, this would probably be the end of my relationship with Himeno.

"Alright..."

With Himeno watching, I made up my mind and raised my voice towards the ocean.

"Ah─────. Okay, now it's Himeno's turn."

"..., are you kidding me?"

"really?"

"You didn't even have a shred of volume in your voice. Seriously Sucks"

"Then show me your example."

"I'll neither give an example or a shit."

I caught Himeno's back as she tried to run away in disgust with my words.

"If I do it, wasn't Himeno supposed to do it too?"

"No, no, it's just annoying when people think they've done it."

"Whatever the volume of my voice, there's no doubt that I responded. However, if Himeno's voice was just as low as mine, then you have no right to make fun of me at all."

In order to avoid being accused of shouting in the same low voice, I seal off ahead of time. "Geez, ..., you know what, I'll just do it once, right? And then you'll leave, right?" Taking a breath, Himeno put her hands up by her mouth as if she had no choice. "Wa───────!!!"

The sound of the ship's engine and the wind drowned out the noise, so no one but me would have heard it.

But I heard a voice echoing in my ears, twice as loud as I had imagined, and it echoed around me. I felt the ship rocking. ... But that was just a feeling, there was no way it was actually rocking.

The way she spoke and her demeanor was more of a downer, her tension was low and her voice volume was subdued, but it was a tremendous, tremendous voice volume.

"Ha. ... That's refreshing."

Without seeming to care about my surprise, Himeno nodded in satisfaction.

"Right? It was worth screaming for me too."

"No, no, you didn't scream at all."

She poked me with a white eye.

"Well, if I was under ... stress, I guess I could have done better."

"Yeah? You didn't look that way."

"You were better at that one than I thought. You must have been under a lot of stress." "What? I'm going to kill you?"

She gave me a moderately sharp look.

If she was angry, she didn't put her hands and feet before her mouth.

"I was a little out of line."

I apologize honestly, but she doesn't seem to take offense.

Maybe this Himeno has a scary side to her.

"I'm going back to my room now."

"Yeah, I'm sorry for holding you up in so many ways."

"If you're aware that you're sorry, that's still good."

With that, Himeno walked back into the ship.

"I think I'll go back to my room too."

The thank you party may not have been a place to be tired from, but I was unusually tired. I think I'm going to have a deep sleep today.

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