Growth in each of us

Intro

The summer vacation on the luxury cruise ship, which has been a valuable experience for me, has already passed its turn.

The wallets of the students who are enjoying the remaining period to the fullest must be loosening up like never before. It may seem a bit silly to students who are systematically aiming for the top, but there is nothing wrong with spending money on a short break.

At the same time, it gives you a sense of euphoria and happiness.

This may sound like an excuse, but I'm also using my private points, which I don't have.

I changed into my swimsuit and opened the door to see a large empty pool. This luxury cruise ship has a large pool facility that is free for everyone to use, but it also has another pool. The fee is not cheap at 20,000 points for 60 minutes, but the time you can spend with your closest friends is more than worth the money. The pool can be used by up to 40 people at a time. If you rent it out to one class, you can use it for 500 points per head.

For this reason, this private pool is unexpectedly popular with students, and is almost always booked up from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. when it is open.

It's hard to swim freely in a large pool packed with people, but in a private pool, there's plenty of room to do whatever you want and enjoy it without getting in trouble.

"Whoa, it's huge!"

Akito says excitedly as he shows up at the poolside a little later. It's the same size as the pool that's open to the public for free, but it looks so big that I can't believe how much the scale changes when it's private.

"Where's Keisei?"

"He's going to go after he finishes using the bathroom. The girls aren't ready for the quicksand yet, are they?"

I don't need to confirm now that they won't finish changing in a short time like the boys. Akito somehow picked up the menu list that was placed by the beach chairs.

"Wow ... that's more expensive than the other side."

In the private pool, drinks were more expensive than in the free pool, almost double the price. It may have been natural considering the number of orders they had to make in relation to the number of people to prepare them, but it was harsh. This is another example of unrelenting exploitation. The fact that food and drinks are not allowed is also well thought out. Just then, the door to the locker room opened slightly.

We turned around at the same time, but there was no sign of anyone coming out of the door. Instead, we hear a voice speaking in our ears.

"Hey Airi, what are you doing, hurry up and go."

"B-b-b-, but, but! That's embarrassing, Haruka-chan!"

"What's embarrassing? You've been posting all kinds of embarrassing pictures on the Internet, so you should be fine, right?"

"Well, it's not like I was being watched directly!"

"For me, that's more embarrassing. There, there."

"Wow! Wait, wait, wait!"

Such an indescribable conversation was exchanged between Haruka and Airi. "What can I say, there's a goodness you can't see, isn't there?"

Akito says that unexpectedly.

"What?"

"I was just wondering if Akito thinks about that kind of thing too."

"You know, ... that's normal for boys, right? I mean, I don't talk about it lightly on a daily basis like Ike and the others. You wouldn't either, right?"

He looked at me with a somewhat dumbfounded look, but at the same time, there was an air that didn't allow for denial. I didn't read the air, but I could tell that Akito was trying to be brave.

Since it was not advisable to ignore it, I admitted it honestly.

"Well, I guess so."

Akito laughs a little, as if relieved when I answer that.

"If a girl hears, she'll probably say I'm stupid or something, though."

Normally, Akito has a rather calm poker face, but judging from the amount of words he's saying, it's obvious to the casual observer that he's getting nervous.

However, the two still seem to be arguing, and it's hard for them to come out. "I'm so embarrassed!"

"You know what! I'm feeling the same way over here!"

"Haha ...Haruka-chan, that's a very bold outfit."

"It's because you promised to wear this in front of everyone!"

"Hyah!"

We were in a kind of life-and-death state as we waited for her to appear.

"Bold, they say."

"Looks like."

A sense of anticipation, accompanied by a feeling of embarrassment.

Where should we look and what words should we say to the girl when she comes out? "Impossible, impossible! I'll at least borrow something to put on!"

"No, you can't! Come on, don't run away!"

"Ugh, I'm still embarrassed in this kind of swimsuit, Haruka-chan!"

"That's what I'm like, too, you know? I have no choice but to go along with you!" "It's not something I asked you to do!

We're still waiting for her to show up, but it looks like the wrangling will continue. "Hey Ayanokouji, what do you think of Airi?"

Akito had been looking at the girls earlier, but now he found himself looking at me. I'm sure he didn't just say something random.

"What do you mean?"

I immediately understood the flow of the conversation, but I dared to remain ignorant.

"Mixed-gender groups can be a little complicated, right? It's not strange for someone to fall in love with someone else."

It wasn't hard to answer that question, but....

"What about you?"

When I asked that back, Akito showed a somewhat troubled expression.

"Well, I guess so."

After a bit of silence, Akito speaks.

"I guess I'd be lying if I said it doesn't exist at all."

He replied in a way that didn't deny or acknowledge the existence of such a being.

"But if it might destroy this group, I'm not going to force it."

To leave it there, smoldering in my heart. Whether that existence is Haruka or Airi, I can't judge right now, but I'm going to .... I wonder what the right answer would be here.

It's not like math, where you can be sure of the answer if you try to figure it out.

"Kiyotaka, you're..."

"Kyaaaah!"

Just as Akito was about to say something, the half-opened door opened with great force. Then, Airi jumped forward. She makes eye contact with Akito again as a loud voice comes flying out.

"Oh, you're terrible for pushing me, Haruka-chan!"

"It's because you didn't answer quickly enough!"

Saying that, Haruka also showed up soon after Airi's appearance.

"Oh, come on, ...."

Akito looked shocked, but needless to say, I felt the same way.

What can I say, both of them are wearing incredibly daring swimsuits.

If this wasn't a private pool, they would have attracted a lot of attention from both men and women. Haruka immediately raised her eyes and looked at us.

I felt like it was a crime to stare at her, so I turned in the right direction at the same time as Akito. However, something immediately caught my attention, and Akito said, keeping his gaze elsewhere. "Airi gives a very different impression, doesn't she?"

I wish he didn't have to bring it up to me here, but I guess Akito's in a tough spot too.

"I guess. It looks so much more innocent."

"That's it, that's it."

Haruka blatantly looked disappointed as she expressed her thoughts on our Airi.

"It's bland and mundane."

"Don't say that. No, I'm too surprised to say anything."

I'd really like Haruka to catch the part where the vocabulary is rapidly declining. "... I'm going to go for a little swim."

Perhaps the two of them were too stimulating, Akito said, turning his back on them and jumping into the pool without any preparation. Splashing in the water, he swam through the empty pool alone. I know what it feels like to want to run away. It's because it's a private pool, an environment you don't usually get to experience, and when you see the destructive power of the two people in front of you, you can't escape.

To get rid of all the worries, it was the right thing to do.

However, if the two men suddenly put all their energy into swimming, the atmosphere would obviously turn strange. I guess I'll just have to shield myself and keep facing them.

What should I do? I took a quick look at the two of them, and saw that Airi was looking uncomfortable and blushing. Seeing this, Haruka happily walked around to her back and grabbed both her shoulders.

"Hiya!"

"There, there, Kiyopon, how's the reborn Airi?"

With that, she pushed Airi forward. The distance between us was so close that we could almost touch each other. It wasn't like that, it was like she was actually touching me. I retreated to the point where I couldn't tell, and maintained a close distance.

"Wow, ...."

Both of them were wearing swimsuits that exposed a lot of skin, so touching them easily was a problematic action.

Unable to bear the situation, Airi opened her mouth to escape.

"Wow, maybe I should go inside the pool too!"

"Hey, Airi..."

Haruka reached out to catch her, but failed to grab her arm in time.

Then she jumped into the pool. I thought it was ..., but it was just like Airi to hold the stainless steel railing and enter the water slowly.

"Damn. I'm super embarrassed too. ..." That's true, I suppose.

Aside from the emphasis on her breasts, the area of her swimsuit on her lower half was clearly smaller than the rest.

Even if it is tied tightly with a string, I'm anxious if something should happen. "Just so you know, Airi is the one who chose this ridiculous swimsuit, right?"

"I couldn't get into it, but what's the story behind it?"

Originally, Haruka was not the kind of student who liked to show skin in public. However, this emphasis on her breasts and lower body was not normal.

"How did it happen, how did it happen? ..."

She looked difficult for a moment, but began to explain, choosing her words carefully. "Is this, how do you say, like a form of going along with Airi."

"What do you mean?"

She's so choosy, I can't even begin to understand.

"It means that she's desperately trying to change. And me too. If I may say so myself, ... there are some things that stand out a little more than others, right?"

She said it in a muddled way, but I'm pretty sure she was referring to the thing that was bothering me.

"I know I shouldn't worry about it, but the way you look at me makes me uncomfortable."

The problem is understandable, but it's extremely difficult to ignore, even from a male perspective.

It's inevitable that your eyes will be drawn to them.

"I chose a daring bathing suit to encourage her, and she replied that it was okay if I wore it too.

That was a good response, and I could easily imagine Haruka refusing to wear a flashy swimsuit.

She could imagine Haruka refusing to wear a fancy bathing suit, because she could say back that if Haruka won't wear it, then she won't either.

"I can't let this one stumble on the first move of the Airi modification project, either. It's called willpower."

So now that she's accepted the conditions she had set, there's no escape for Airi either.

"Besides, neither me nor Airi can wear something like this in the open pool over there, but if it's here..."

It seems that because the three boys are close friends, they managed to make it happen. Even so, it was easy for a guy to imagine that there was a lot of shame involved.

"Do you want to see ...?"

Haruka asked, looking embarrassed, or rather, hiding her disgust.

"Well, to be honest, there's something difficult about being told not to look."

It couldn't be helped that they were in my field of vision when we were talking in the first place.

The only way to avoid seeing them is to turn your back to them, either directly above or below them.

"I see. I think I know the difference between a woman and a man, but I don't know anything about psychology."

The difference in curiosity about breasts, waist, and lower abdomen is not something that men and women can understand.

No, there's no way to know because each human being has their own strengths and weaknesses, not just men and women.

"Huh? Where's Yukimu by the way?"

"Looks like it'll take a little longer."

I wonder if the stomachache is lingering longer, but he doesn't seem to be coming out at all. "Hmm?"

Haruka responded, looking in the faraway direction, as if she had confirmed it without much interest.

The conversation stopped once, and silence flowed for a short while.

"... Oh no, I'm still thinking about things."

"Sorry. I'm trying not to look at it, but..."

I can't help but look at the other person's face as we talk, and I can't help but see them.

"That's not it. There's nothing wrong with you, Kiyopon. In the first place, I know I'm too self- conscious too. I know that you don't like what you see."

Well, no, ... I'm not watching because I want to. I'll keep that part to myself.

"If something stands out, it attracts attention. It's the same with everything. I just can't feel good when I think it's me."

In Haruka's case, it's not just the gaze of boys. Even if it's a same-sex gathering, she doesn't welcome the attention being drawn to her breasts.

"Sorry, I think it's going to take me a little longer to calm down."

"That's okay. If you don't think you can do it, you can go change and come back."

"That's no good, because as long as Airi's trying, I don't want to have to break her."

Did she say Airi modification plan? I could tell she had a lot on her mind.

"Let me change the subject. Maybe it's too late, but it looks like Kiyopon was just about ready for the uninhabited island test."

The Ayanokouji group hadn't been able to get together in the past few days, so Haruka had mentioned the topic, albeit late.

It was a completely unrelated topic, which was probably a good thing right now. "Well, it's not funny because we were the same way."

"Because it was pretty tough, to be honest. We fought as hard as we could and that's what we got. I'm sorry about that."

"Not bad at all. I'm just relieved, I guess."

Letting out a short breath, Haruka looked at Airi, who was clumsily trying to swim.

"Relieved? After the results were such a mess?"

"Look, there were rumors that Kiyopon was a terrible person because of the math problem. I think this will calm that down a bit. You don't want to be under any kind of pressure, do you?"

Apparently, she was thinking about my future.

"After all, Kiyopon is more of a saint than the other guys."

"What did you see that made you think that?"

I wondered, because I thought she was buying too much.

I have the same sex drive and interest in the opposite sex as anyone else.

"Facial expressions, gazes, and so on. I feel like you're less interested in those things than other boys."

I don't know what to say about that, but I don't want to show it here. I'm also grateful that another guy is playing the role of panicking. I think it's a synergy effect.

"Uo..."

As soon as Keisei, who finished changing late, showed up, he let out a surprised voice.

It is clear to the eye that this is not the impression ... he had of the private pool we had rented.

I'm sure he saw Haruka standing next to me in all her daring glory.

"Oss-o-ss."

Haruka greeted Keisei with a dumbfounded look on her face and voice, as if trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.

"Oh, oh ...."

He put back his glasses, which had almost fallen off, and looked over.

I guess it means that Keisei, who usually studies all the time, is a fine boy.

The fact that the reaction of the boys and the way they run away are the same again shows the character of this group.

If it were Ryuuen or Kouenji, they would probably react differently.

"Well, ..., I guess I'll swim a bit too."

I jumped into the pool as if to escape towards Akito, who continued swimming vigorously.

Airi, who couldn't swim very well and had her feet on the bottom of the pool, waved at Haruka.

"Come here too, Haruka-chan~. It feels so good~?"

"Yes, yes, I'm coming. I'll be right back."

I can't help it, she said as she began to do her preparatory exercises next to me.

"It seems like you've become better friends since we fought the uninhabited island test together."

"That's true, isn't it? We've shared a lot of things from top to bottom."

"Wow, that's a little embarrassing, don't say that!"

Airi, who was waiting at the edge of the pool looking at me, hurriedly made a splash.

Up? Down? Common keywords, but meaningful keywords.

"I don't know, Airi is basically unreliable, but I can't leave her alone. She's like my best friend and my sister."

A statement that was unthinkable when they first met. It's not just about Haruka.

The same goes for Keisei, and even if there are no major changes, the same goes for Akito.

After that, I took turns playing in the pool with the rest of the group, enjoying it to the fullest.

After a game of two-on-two beach volleyball, we are now in the middle of a five-point, one-on-one beach volleyball game. The first match was between Keisei and Airi, which Keisei won 5-2. Then came the battle between me and Akito, which Akito won 5-3. Airi, who had very little energy, was tired after one match, and I called out to her as she sat down by the pool to rest.

"You looked like you were having a lot of fun."

"Ah, Kiyotaka-kun. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. I wasn't much of a partner at all, but ..."

For some reason, she tried to stand up, so I stopped her and sat down next to her.

"I'm still surprised, to be honest. It's the fact that Airi was brave enough to do it this way."

"That's ... yeah. I thought I'd take the plunge. ... I'm still terribly, terribly embarrassed, but..." "Why did you decide to take the plunge?"

It couldn't have been a mere whim.

"When you do a uninhabited island test, you're with your group almost 24 hours a day, right? So Haruka-chan and I talked about a lot of things. We talked about our childhood, middle school, junior high school, and how we got to know each other in this school."

If you have time, a little chatting won't be enough. So, it was no wonder that we delved into a deeper conversation. Perhaps the intense time they spent together made them understand each other as if they were old best friends.

"I think we can change now. ... I think now is the only time we can change. ..." "Can you change? You don't mean just the way you look, do you?"

"Yes. I can't say for sure yet, but ... I'm starting to think that I need to change. It's not good enough for me to be bad at studies and sports."

With a blush on her cheeks and feeling embarrassed, Airi expressed her determination. "So that's the start of your grooming."

"Haruka-chan told me that it's not good to deliberately be inconspicuous."

By nature, Airi didn't like to stand out because of her personality.

That's why she keeps her hairstyle modest and wears unnecessary glasses in her daily life. As for her posture, she often rounds her back and tries not to look up. As Airi gazed into the pool, she saw that in the new game, the ball had been slammed into the water and Akito had scored from Haruka.

It was now three to one, and Akito had extended his lead.

"I guess it's late ...."

After telling me everything, Airi looked up at me anxiously. "No, it's not too late."

I wanted to praise her honestly for making that decision.

"I'll back you up."

"Oh, thanks Kiyotaka-kun, I'll do my best."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you something...don't tell anyone about that makeover of Airi's yet...we'll show it off to everyone after the second semester starts."

It would be better if it was in a classroom where everyone was present. If she's going to be nervous anyway, it's better to do it less often.

"So what did you think about it Yukimu? I mean, look at Airi."

Haruka, who was serving, stopped moving and spoke to Keisei, who was watching the match. "Oh, don't ask me."

"You wouldn't know if I didn't ask, would you? Let me hear your frank opinion, right?"

With that being said, Keisei looked directly at Airi and observed every inch of her body. Naturally embarrassed, Airi tried to run away.

"Don't run away, Airi."

Haruka did her best to hold her back as she growled and flapped her legs.

And after the observation, Keisei's assessment was ....

"... Not bad, is it? I mean, no, it's totally fine. ..."

Kesei, who was usually not interested in girls, replied embarrassed.

"Whoa, if Yukimu has this reaction, it seems perfect!"

Haruka jumped high at that moment, as happy as if it was her.

She then slammed her serve into Akito, who had been caught looking at Airi.

"Whoa!"

"1 point! Now it's two against three!"

"That's not fair, Haruka."

"It's probably Miyachi's fault for gawking at the girls. Don't let your guard down; carelessness is the great enemy."

"Don't be reckless. But ..., can a girl change like this just by taking off her glasses and changing her hairstyle a little?"

"It means that your original material was shining. Didn't you even know that?"

"I don't care what you say, ...?"

Akito and Keisei looked at each other and nodded at the same time.

"Oh dear16. Well, it's because of you are like this that I'm able to treat you without hesitation." Akito shook off his worries and concentrated on his own serve.

As the game resumed, Airi blurted out.

"I wonder how I can get better at studying, or rather, how I can get smarter. ..."

Although Airi and the others prepare for tests on a regular basis, they don't have the kind of fundamental study sessions that Horikita and Sudou do. That part of the program will be essential for raising the academic level.

Keisei overhears something related to studying and begins to explain it up front.

"Don't you think we should start by figuring out what we can and can't do? Starting from the first grade of elementary school, we all start running side by side at first. But gradually, they start to show their strengths and weaknesses in their studies, and you know why that is?"

"Um, ...."

"Individuals differ in their ability to learn and absorb, and they also differ in their ability to concentrate; some people can't hold out for a minute, while others can flexibly control their concentration and get through an hour of class. That alone starts to make a difference in learning ability, but how much you study outside of class is also a big factor."

"That's true, yeah. It's true that the kids who went to the cram school were smart." 16 yare yare

Airi nodded in agreement, though it was obvious.

"Rah!"

The ball bounces off Haruka's catch, scoring a fifth goal. The result was 5-2 in favor of Akito.

"Alright. I guess I've won now."

"I'm sorry. But I was a little distracted by their conversation and couldn't concentrate, so that's why I lost."

With that analysis and excuse, Haruka also came up to the beach side.

"Why don't you teach her how to study, Kiyopon?"

Haruka suggested from the flow of conversation.

"Sorry, but I'm not very good at teaching studies. Besides, there are specialists around, right?" The gaze that had been directed at us turned to Keisei as if to prompt him.

"Well, if ...Airi says it's fine, it's fine with me."

"No, but you see, Yukimu, me and Akito are going to be being taken care of by you from now on. Won't it be hard to teach her if we put in a different level of Airi?"

"Ugh, that just means I'm an idiot, doesn't it? ... Ugh."

"Ah, no, no! That's not what I meant!"

"No, that's the only meaning I got."

She can't defend herself, so Akito mutters with a sigh.

"I'm just saying, so ... oh my god, I'm sorry, that was a little too wordy!" She bowed deeply to Airi, and at the same time, the two lumps were big... And don't look at them. I'm going to lose my concentration.

Then they all burst into laughter, and the atmosphere relaxed. "Now, let's play a revenge game between Airi and Keisei." "Eh, I can't win no matter how many times I try~!"

"I'll join you as a helper, so don't worry."

"Wait a minute, Akito. We're at a huge disadvantage then!"

While complaining, Keisei honestly walked into the pool. He's very serious about it.

"I'll do my best!"

Airi, who had gained a reliable companion in Akito, made a small fist pump.

Haruka and I watched from the poolside as the two of them engaged in a novel two-on-one battle. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

Haruka asked shortly after the match started, keeping her gaze fixed on the match.

"I hope it's not my imagination, but isn't Kiyopon a little cold towards Airi?"

"I don't mean to be."

"But, you know, you could have taught her one-on-one. You can do that, right?"

If I had to choose between being able to and not being able to, I could do it no problem. "I feel like it's unfair, you know, to Airi."

"I'm being fair to everyone."

"Really?"

"I've never really favored anyone except for pretense."

"... Does that mean you're just as fair to your best friend or girlfriend?"

"Yes, it does."

"I don't know, isn't that a little weird? It's like you're too distant. I'm going to take this opportunity to say that Kiyopon has been watching us from a distance for a while now."

Apparently, Haruka could tell that about me.

"I've never seen you smile or anything."

She reached out her right arm and pinched my left cheek.

She plays with it, tugging and pulling with some strength.

"I hope we can at least make Kiyopon laugh, right?"

"It's not like I'm not laughing on purpose, though."

She let go of her fingertips from the cheek she was pinching and crossed her arms in frustration.

"There's still another reason why I don't tell you directly: the distance between Airi and me has been too close from the start."

"What's that?"

"I don't think it's me that's making her grow, I think it's the environment around her."

"Surrounding environment?"

"There's Haruka, there's Akito, and there's Keisei. Growing up surrounded by her best friends is the most important factor for Airi. In fact, right now, Airi is about to change a lot thanks to Haruka."

"I think the most important person for Airi is Kiyopon, though."

"If you're the type who grows by involving romance, that might have been a good idea."

"I've heard before that Kiyopon is aware of Airi's feelings for him, but I don't know how to put it, that's kind of a terrible way to put it: ..."

Complicated eyes look at me, as if she doesn't know how to express herself.

"Since our first year, Airi has been thinking about me in no small way. I'm happy about that. It's just..."

She looked at me with anxious eyes, as if she were a girl waiting for a reply to her confession.

Airi's love. It's an undeniable fact that she's her best friend who can pray for her to succeed.

"What Airi needs right now are friends she can trust."

"And, but you know what? But it would be nice to have a romantic element in there. It might make her work harder."

"Sure, there could be synergy."

But the trouble is, romance is basically not something that can be done more than one in parallel.

Basically, you can only have one person at the table, and if you want to bring in a second person, you'll have to take action to cut off the first. Of course, it's not impossible to have two or three people at the same time, but in this closed school environment, it's not suitable, and the disadvantages of being exposed are far greater. I stood up from the poolside.

"From now on, Airi will go through a bit of a psychological shock. At that time, Haruka, I need you more than anyone to be there to cheer her up."

"What's that, what does that mean?"

"Sorry, I can't answer that right now."

Airi is the least valuable person in the class.

Academic ability + physical ability + other factors. Overall, it leads to that decision.

It's not only the OAA, but also my own personal opinion.

However, depending on the changes that Airi is trying to make from here on out, she will grow, albeit slowly.

Maybe in six months, maybe in a year, she'll be able to escape from the bottom of the class.

My time in the private pool was quickly coming to an end, and I began to change my clothes.

There was no way to extend the time, as the employees had to clean the pool before the next reservation was made. The three of us quickly showered and changed our clothes and left the private pool. Unlike the boys, we didn't see any of the girls, probably because it takes time to change.

"Looks like the girls aren't here yet."

We hadn't discussed what to do after this, so we waited for them to come out.

"Ayanokouji-senpai!"

"Hmm?"

I suddenly felt a pair of eyes looking at me, and it was Nanase.

Today was another record-breaking day, and I was seeing Nanase every day on the ship.

"I asked Nanase to help me find a partner for my special written exam. Also, Nanase helped me out a few times on the uninhabited island."

"Huh? So you're a pretty awesome girl."

As if impressed, Akito nodded and lightly raised his hand to greet Nanase. Keisei followed suit. Could it be that Nanase was the next one to book the private pool? That's what I thought. ... "I just happened to be passing by here."

As if to deny it, Nanase interjected that it was just a coincidence.

"I see."

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'll leave you to it."

The only place in the vicinity where special students could play was the private pool.

In fact, Nanase walked away, but I couldn't see the purpose of why she showed up here.

No, no, no, no... it's too optimistic to chalk this up to mere coincidence.

Nanase seems to have some grasp of my actions and is checking on me every step of the way.

But there is no malice in it.

If that's the case, then what's the purpose?

Nakaizumi and Suzuki walked past in front of the three of us.

Seeing them, the other two didn't seem to notice anything unusual.

"What's up Ayanokouji, is something wrong with those two?"

"No. ... I was just wondering where they were going."

"Oh, sure. There's nothing special about this destination, is there? I think they're lost."

There are no special facilities beyond this point. It's not impossible that they got lost, though.

In the first place, we don't visit this level for any purpose other than the private pool.

Like Nanase, I'm walking around in places I wouldn't normally think of.

Come to think of it, I saw Nanase, Nakazumi and the others on the deck near the bow of the ship yesterday.

"But it's tough on Airi, too. There seems to be a lot of strong enemies in many ways." "What's that?"

Akito muttered behind me, and Keisei butted in.

"No, it's nothing."

Nanase walks away, and not long after, the two girls come out after getting dressed.

"That was fun, Haruka-chan."

"Well, yeah. Maybe it's not so bad to play pool with fellow companions."

The two girls seemed to be very satisfied and were smiling the whole time after they finished changing.

Haruka must have been worried about what I said earlier, but she didn't show it. "Oh, ...."

As we all gathered to leave the private pool, the next person who seemed to have a reservation showed up.

"So Ike is next?"

"Oh, oh. Yeah, that's right. It's the only time I can get an appointment."

"You're not alone, are you? Sudou and the others?"

Akito looked curiously at Ike's back, but there was no one in sight.

"Ah~ no, let's see, ...."

Ike chokes on his words and is restless, but he catches something out of the corner of his eye. "Sorry, sorry to keep you waiting!"

"How unusual, combination of Shinohara and Ike, hanging out. What about the other men?"

Akito and Keisei didn't think anything suspicious and asked such a thing in a matter-of-fact manner.

Of course, Haruka and Airi seemed to have guessed right away and pushed the boys back, though they were surprised.

"Here, here, don't worry about that, we'll go on our own." "What? What's with you all of a sudden?"

"Come on, Satsuki, let's go."

"Yeah."

Taking Shinohara's hand as she ran away, the two of them took the reception desk of the private pool.

The time was fixed, so they wouldn't have time to sell oil at this place. "Satsuki?"

Akito finally notices something strange about the two when he calls her by her given name and sees them disappear into their respective changing rooms, hand in hand in a friendly manner.

"Those guys ... yeah, when did that happen?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

Keisei still didn't understand, but Haruka immediately gave him a straightforward explanation.

"You mean they've started dating, right?"

"What are you talking about? Ike and Shinohara are water and oil, why would they be going out?"

He denied with a straight face that there was no way two people who disliked each other would be dating.

"Yukimu is smart, but she's ... stupid."

"They might have hated each other at first, but I think they've been getting closer little by little. Lately, they've been kind of conscious of each other, you know?"

Airi nodded her head as if she understood, probably because girls are good at this kind of romantic stuff.

"Well, yeah. But I wasn't expecting it, though I was surprised that it seemed like they really started dating."

"... So, is that right? Ike and Shinohara? ... No, I still don't understand."

Keisei, having grasped the situation, looked aghast and searched for the backs of the two people he could no longer see.

"No~Okkay~"

Not long after they finished playing and returned to the guest room, Miyamoto came back, mumbling.

"Did something happen?"

"There's nothing like that. Tokitou guy was grabbing Katsuragi by the chest in the nearby bathroom. Of course, he's the one who's quick to fight. That was quite a struggle, though."

"You didn't stop him, did you? Hiroya can be pretty scary when he gets mad, you know?" 79

Miyamoto looked a little pissed off at Akito, who acted as if he had abandoned him.

"I'm not going to stop them. It's none of my business, and it would be a disaster if I got involved."

Katsuragi and Hiroya Tokitou. Both were students in Ryuuen's class.

"Katsuragi just moved from A class. Considering that they were enemies not long ago, it wouldn't be surprising if a trouble or two occurred. Hey Kiyotaka."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I'm a little worried, why don't we go check on him?"

"Leave it alone, Miyake. The enemy class is in trouble, so it's relatively our gain, right? Katsuragi is originally from Class A. It's not surprising that they don't get along."

"But, ..., we're in the same second year."

"If we get involved in this, we might end up as collateral damage, right? What if Ryuuen finds out about it?"

Akito seemed to be dissatisfied with Miyamoto's persuasion, but he listened for the moment. It was possible that the situation would take a turn for the worse if Akito left.

As I listened to the exchange between the two, I stood up silently.

"Just leave them alone."

"No, I think it's right to remain calm about Katsuragi. I'm thirsty, so I'm just going to the concession stand."

With that, I left the guest room.

I'm pretty sure the two of them were talking about the rest room nearby where they were struggling. If it's a minor dispute, it's best to leave it alone, as Miyamoto said.

The first thing that comes to mind when I hear the name Tokito is Ichinose's classmate Katsumi Tokito, who was in the same group at last year's joint camp. The person who is in trouble now is someone else, Hiroya Tokito. I remember being surprised when I heard that the relatively rare surname of Tokito was not just a coincidence, but a distant relative. Since then, I have not had any deep friendship with him, but I have shared food, clothing, and shelter with Katsumi Tokito.

I've heard that they don't know each other, but if it's okay for an outsider like me to step in, I'd like to reach out to him.

That's what I wanted to do. ...

Even though I came near the rest room, I couldn't see Katsuragi and others.

There was a bit of a struggle, but it was probably already resolved.

"Ayanokouji-kun."

As I was about to take a look around the area, Hiyori called out to me.

"Have you seen Katsuragi?"

"Just as I thought, others had seen them too. I also heard that Katsuragi-kun and Tokito-kun were having a dispute, so I came here. That's why I asked them to change the location a while ago."

I see. I'm sure It'll be conspicuous around the restroom.

As I followed Hiyori's lead, I heard a faint voice coming from an unpopulated area.

I was instructed to peer into the shadows and quietly look for the source of the voice. As Miyamoto had reported, it was Katsuragi and Tokito. However, it seemed that another girl, Okabe, had also joined them.

"Katsuragi, are you really following Ryuuen?"

"That's a parallel. This is the third time you've asked that question, though the wording has changed somewhat."

"That's because you won't answer."

"I can't answer that. I've repeatedly asked you what you mean by 'following'."

While Katsuragi was handling the situation calmly, Tokitou was letting his emotions get the better of him.

"I'm talking about becoming his dog and listening to his orders for everything." "I don't remember being his dog, and I don't think I'm listening to his orders."

"Sorry, but I don't think so. If that's the case, uninhabited island test, why did you work with that guy?"

"That's a statement I don't understand. Of course it was for the class to win." What else could it be, Katsuragi replies as if it were obvious.

"Even though we didn't even get third place?"

"It certainly didn't seem to go as planned. But it's not a bad result."

"What's that, fourth place and below are the same. And the flight card is meaningless now." "It means that Ryuuen has more things on his mind than you think."

"You're a stranger, you know that? Then tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm not at the stage to tell you yet. I'm sorry, I can't do that."

"What's that? You don't have anything to tell me, do you? Anyway, I hate Ryuuen."

The push-and-pull exchange went on and on.

One thing is for sure, Tokitou really hates Ryuuen.

"If you ask me if I'm a person who can be viewed favorably, I certainly can't give you a straightforward yes."

Katsuragi nodded in agreement, not arguing that point.

But that attitude also didn't sit well with Tokitou, apparently.

"For all that, you teamed up with Ryuuen on the uninhabited island, and you were eating well together today."

"You're going in circles. It seems that there's a misunderstanding..."

Tokitou interrupted Katsuragi, who was trying to deny it, with a biting posture.

"You were so hostile to us, but you were so easily won over. I thought you'd have more backbone than that."

"I've had more than one run-in with Ryuuen, friend or foe. But now I'm fulfilling my role as a member of the class, as Ryuuen's classmate. And if this class is centered around Ryuuen, then it makes sense to follow him."

"I don't think that's coming from the guy who had a run-in with Sakayanagi."

"The process is different; when we started as a first year, we hadn't even decided who would be the leader. And Sakayanagi and I were at odds with each other, so I put my name forward and we had a confrontation. The current class has already established Ryuuen as its leader and is steering the course. Are you going to recognize me as the leader now that I've been transferred in the first place?"

"That's ...."

"Besides, Sakayanagi and Ryuuen have different types. The shade17 of the class is also bigger."

Katsuragi responded with a fair warning, but Tokitou didn't seem convinced at all.

"That's why I told you, Tokitou, that Katsuragi-kun is not worth talking to."

Okabe, who had been quiet up to this point, tapped Tokitou on the shoulder and admonished him that there was no point in going any further.

"In the end, Katsuragi-kun, who had no place in A class, was happy to be picked up by Ryuuen, right? In other words, you're his dog."

"I don't think you guys will understand me if I deny it here."

I see, I'm starting to get a rough idea of the basis of this dispute.

Someone tapped my shoulder with their fingertips and when pulled my face back I faced Hiyori.

"It's not yesterday or today that some of your classmates have been complaining."

"I suppose. It's just that the resentment they've been feeling has been building up."

Ryuuen's dictatorial regime would naturally create a strong backlash.

He's probably been forcibly suppressing it until now, but now it's finally starting to bounce back.

"What about Ryuuen? He used to have no mercy for insurgents."

"Before, yes."

"So the fact that that's no longer the case is the reason for things like this?"

Hiyori gave a small nod.

"We're all changing, you know. I didn't have strong feelings about the class in the beginning either. I almost didn't even insist on it, as long as I could spend three years surrounded by books."

Indeed, if you ask me if Hiyori's presence was strong from the beginning, I would say no. In fact, he didn't even take notice of her presence.

"Tokitou-kun has always hated Ryuuen-kun's methods. No, it's not just Tokitou-kun. Even Okabe- san, who is standing beside me right now, is one of them."

"You mean they want to embrace Katsuragi and turn against Ryuuen?" "That may be so."

In terms of ability, Katsuragi is capable enough to be a substitute leader. And because he was a transferred student, he could cut into Ryuuen without hesitation.

"But Hiroya Tokitou, Ryuuen has also made a troublesome opponent."

Tokitou Hiroya, Akito had said something similar, was known for his winsome personality, rough

17 flavour, nuance, feel. Basically saying they operate through different principles and such. 82

language, and vindictive nature.

"Do you think so too, Ayanokouji-kun?"

As Hiyori feared, this situation was not in anyone's best interest.

"Certainly, our class is doing well right now. I also think that one of the reasons for this is that Ryuuen-kun, who came back after being out of the frontline for a while, has shown a lot of growth."

Compared to the beginning of the year, Ryuuen, and those around him such as Ishizaki, have also shown great growth.

"But whether or not the rapid progress will continue forever is a different story. It may be true for any class, but if Ryuuen-kun were to be expelled from school in the future, I think our class would collapse at once."

"Ryuuen's fighting style is always fraught with danger."

There will probably be a development in the future where people will take big risks in order to win big.

The "promise" that he made to Sakayanagi is also of great interest.

"When that happens, it's essential to have someone who can be on the receiving end."

A potential leader in an unforeseen situation. Hiyori smiles at me.

"In that case, why don't you come to our class Ayanokouji-kun...?"

Hiyori, despite her appearance, is not optimistic and spells out a strategy for the class to win.

"How daring of you, again."

"I recruited you last time, but that was just a half-joke to go along with Ishizaki-kun. But this invitation is different from that."

That meant she was serious.

"I don't think it's a weak class at all. But it is also true that we lack someone who can lead us in case of emergency. What do you think?"

A battle with Hiyori, Katsuragi, and Kaneda backing me up as advisors, huh?

"It's not necessarily a development that would cause Ryuuen to drop out of school. Right?"

"Of course, it's best if it doesn't."

It just seemed like a bit of an outlandish offer for Hiyori.

Even if she had been thinking about it in her gut, it was questionable if it was something she should say now.

"Did you hear some troublesome things?"

I asked boldly, but Hiyori just smiled a little and didn't answer.

While I was talking to Hiyori, Katsuragi and Tokitou continued to argue with each other.

Katsuragi finally broke his rigidity when Tokitou didn't respond in a way that pleased him.

"... You're wasting your time. I told you because I thought you would understand, but I was wrong."

"I guess you do understand."

"I'm not asking you to keep quiet about this, if you want to report me to Ryuuen, be my guest."

"I'm not going to report it."

"Are you sure? I'm telling you, I'm serious. I don't know what will happen if you leave me alone."

"Don't get me wrong Tokitou, there's a lot wrong with Ryuuen's methods. I don't think it's wrong to be frustrated like you are. But I don't admire overzealous behavior."

It was obvious that Tokitou had something on his mind.

And there was no doubt that it was his intention to get rid of Ryuuen.

"Shut up."

With that, Tokitou walked away from Katsuragi.

We ducked down and watched Tokitou and Okabe go without noticing us.

After that, I were going to leave quietly, but ....

Hiyori tugged on my arm, causing me to appear in front of Katsuragi.

"What do you want, Ayanokouji?"

It would be strange to run away at this point, so he followed the flow and walked up to Katsuragi.

"No, a lot of things are going on in Katsuragi's class."

"I guess it's the same for every class. I wish I didn't have to tell you that."

Katsuragi looks once at Hiyori, who is standing next to me.

"I'm not impressed Shiina, you seem to trust Ayanokouji, but it's not the right decision to bring your personal feelings into a class issue."

As harsh as it sounds, Katsuragi is right.

Sending information to the enemy that you don't have to give can be fatal later on.

"That may be so. But who among my classmates can I talk to about this? If one of the parties involved, Ryuuen-kun, hears about it, he won't leave Tokitou-kun and the others alone, and the same goes for the rest of the students. They might try to score points by selling out the friends who betrayed them."

"It's not something that can be solved by putting it in Ayanokouji's ear."

"Isn't this a good opportunity for Katsuragi-kun to sort out his thoughts on what to do?"

"What?"

"Why don't you let out what you're thinking about in order to set your own direction?"

A schemer, huh? Hiyori is trying to use me to influence Katsuragi in a positive way.

It's not easy for Katsuragi, who is a solitary thinker, to get along with others.

This behavior must have rubbed off on Katsuragi, because he agrees with her, even though he is taken aback.

"You seem to be thinking more about the class than I thought, Shiina."

"Of course I am. Because I plan to graduate with all my classmates in Class A." As if encouraged by these words, Katsuragi put his thoughts into words.

"As the only second year who has experienced two classes so far, I feel that there is a definite difference between Sakayanagi's class and Ryuuen's class. In both cases, the classmates are often frustrated by their leaders, but Sakayanagi's class still has a certain cohesiveness. On the other hand,

there are still many students in Ryuuen's class who are not satisfied."

That's exactly the kind of students Tokitou and Okabe, who had just crammed into Katsuragi, were.

"This dissatisfaction will continue to accumulate and endure as long as the class is on the rise. ..."

"So you're saying you're afraid of the next time it starts to follow a downward path?"

"Yeah. In some cases, a single mistake will be enough to destroy half the class. I think the man could foresee that, but I also don't think he'd change the ... current system."

"That's exactly what Katsuragi read, isn't it? I'm sure Ryuuen knows that too."

"But if he does know, then he should step up to Tokitou and the others and make a move."

"Well, there will inevitably be a backlash against Ryuuen's methods."

Apparently, Katsuragi believed that Ryuuen should solve this problem.

"In anticipation of that, didn't Ryuuen pull Katsuragi out of Class A?"

"... me?"

"If something happened to Ryuuen himself, Katsuragi would be able to take his place. I think that's why he brought you in."

Katsuragi was exactly what Hiyori was looking for, a candidate for leadership. "It's hard to believe."

Of course, as I said to Katsuragi, it's my own interpretation.

"In the case of Ryuuen, who is a high-risk, high-return student, he may graduate with an A class, or he may drop out of school after an exam somewhere without a second thought. That's why you need an insurance policy just in case."

It is very possible that the Ryuuen administration will fall apart from the betrayal of one person. "If that's the case, then I don't like ...."

He thought it was because Katsuragi held him in high esteem, but he made no attempt to hide his displeasure at that.

"Ryuuen and I are enemies because of our different values. That hasn't changed even now that we are classmates. But now that we're friends, I think the least I can do is to graduate with an A grade without missing a single classmates."

Knowing that he is this kind of person, Ryuuen probably didn't tell Katsuragi directly.

In terms of personal growth, Ryuuen's evolution has been remarkable, but his classmates have not been able to keep up with his momentum.

"About earlier, I think you made the right decision to keep Tokitou out of Ryuuen's earshot."

"It would be nice if we could just leave the rebels alone, but if we had to get rid of them, it would be a bigger problem."

It would be a headache to worry about, but at the same time, it would be rewarding for Katsuragi.

At the very least, the situation is very different from when he was in Class A, where he was tamed and killed without a chance to play.

Katsuragi's expression softened slightly, as if he had something new in mind. "What do you think, Katsuragi-kun?"

"... I know."

After clearing his throat once, Katsuragi looked at me again.

"Now that you've listened to me, I'm starting to see what I should be doing. Thank you."

"No, I'm just saying what I think."

"Even if it were bullshit, it wouldn't have mattered, but what you said was on point, and I'm sure Shiina made you listen because she was sure you'd give the right answer."

Hiyori smiled happily.

Although he had been taken advantage of, he hoped that this would bring even the slightest sign to Ryuuen's class.

"Nevertheless, Ayanokouji; I'm sure some of the students thought the same thing, but it was a bit surprising."

"Surprising?"

"Because the results of this special exam were pretty close."

Matsushita and many of the other students must have become skeptical of my abilities.

In that sense, Tsukishiro's presence turned out to be a good thing.

"Is that your true ability? Or was it something unplanned?"

"Well, I don't know."

I brushed it off, but Katsuragi didn't seem to miss it.

"Shiina, I'm sorry, but Ayanokouji and I need to talk alone for a moment."

"Understood. I guess I'll go back to my room. See you later, Ayanokouji-kun."

I exchanged a quick goodbye with Hiyori, and the two of us stayed here.

"During the uninhabited island test, Ryuuen told me everything he knows about you."

"Ryuuen told you honestly?"

"He was a little skittish at first, but I told him to tell me if he had accepted me as a member of his class."

That's some kind of killing line.

If that's the case, then I stood as the X who was in the dark in Horikita's class.

That would mean that Katsuragi knew about everything, even the incident on the rooftop.

As Sakayanagi said, I can't prevent the number of students who know me from gradually increasing.

"Looks like you've been getting around pretty well so far."

"I didn't think it would make much difference to me whether I was in A class or D class, as long as I could have a quiet school life."

"Is that why you're hiding your abilities? I won't say anything else, but it probably won't take too much longer for it to become known."

I'm sure it will. There was almost no way to contain the information that was beginning to spread. "I'm just going to be me, and do what I have to do here at the school."

"I don't know when it will be, but I'm looking forward to the day when I can fight you for real."

With that, Katsuragi nodded once and left the place.

Late afternoon. I was walking to the café terrace with one of my friends.

"It's been a while since we've seen each other like this, Satou-san."

"Yes, it has. Maybe since that time."

Since that time. That was when I told her that I was going out with Kiyotaka.

Since then, Satou-san and I have been good friends ... and have become much closer than before, to the point where we can now call ourselves best friends.

But our group usually consists of four or five people. That's how many of us are always hanging out together.

So it's not often that I get to be alone with Satou-san. It's the same on the boat this summer vacation. In fact, since I don't have much privacy, I only have opportunities to play with seven or eight people. I'm still a little reluctant to go to the pool ..., but I can cover my skin with a rash guard so it's not a problem. Anyway, there's a reason why I forced myself to spend some time alone with Satou-san today.

Anyway, I went to ... and found an empty seat. Satou-san and I looked around, trying to find a seat before we ordered. Unlike the school, the café terrace was spacious enough that we didn't have to worry about finding a place.

However, based on what we were going to talk about today, we didn't want to be surrounded by people if possible.

If you want to be some distance away from the other kids, it tends to be in a place with poor sunlight.

I don't know what I'll do. ...

"I don't mind if it's in the back of the room, okay?"

"Oh, you don't mind?"

"Because we have something important to talk about, don't we?"

Satou-san, who had guessed, said and gave me a cute smile.

"Thanks."

We thanked him and decided to take the unpopular seat with no view of the outside.

After turning over the in-use bill, we went to order.

"Let me buy you a drink, since I called Satou-san."

Pushing past Satou-san's seeming reticence, I ordered two identical coffees before taking a seat. "So... what's the story?"

Satou-san asked as soon as we sat down.

I didn't mean to drag it out at all either, but ....

"Well, ... wait a minute."

"What's wrong?"

"Don't you think the atmosphere is a bit strange?"

I felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere of the place, and I confirmed it, but she tilted his head curiously.

"Weird? I don't think there's anything wrong with it. ..."

"I guess so. I'm sorry for saying such a strange thing."

I didn't know why I felt this way at first.

But maybe it's something I've acquired from spending so much time with him ...Kiyotaka. He never overlooks even the slightest change.

Is it someone's facial expression, emotion, or the atmosphere of such a place? No matter what it is, he can detect and see through the changes.

Maybe I've acquired such an eye for picking out the right things. ...?

I don't know what it really is, but I've decided to think so for now.

But I don't know. Why do I feel such a bad vibe?

I kept my composure and began to quietly observe my surroundings.

"I wish we could live on a ship like this forever..."

I said as I sipped my cup and looked around.

"Haha, I agree with you. But if we continue like this everyday, we'll run out of money."

"That's true. Pools, movies, and good food, I'm sure I'll run out of money soon."

I noticed that the strange atmosphere had disappeared. Or rather, it had faded.

Was it just a misunderstanding on my part? I was too busy trying to figure out what was going on that I didn't notice the situation changing.

A group of three third-year girls had joined us at the table next to ours, chatting and laughing. "So, so~, Kisarazu-kun from B class, you know~?"

"Oh my god, seriously? I didn't know that~"

They were laughing out loud, chatting amicably.

Oh, I should have told you ... earlier. Even though the ocean side is more popular, it's no wonder people choose this place to avoid the popularity and sunshine. They may not be interested in our conversation, but they are still close enough to hear it if they want to. I could move to get away from them, but I didn't want to make a bad impression on them; 1 year juniors or not, they were seniors.

If it was a first year junior, or a third year senior, there was no way to get rid of the possibility that they might not want to be next to me, and they might hold on to the fact that I moved.

I'm well aware that abuse can start from such a trivial thing.

"Actually, I thought I'd tell Satou-san first."

Let's not worry about the irrelevant third-year students, let's just focus on Satou-san here. It would be rude to worry about anything else.

"I think it's about time I told everyone about me and Kiyotaka."

"... Yeah."

I knew that Satou-san had almost guessed what I was going to say.

She might have even thought about the possibility that we might have broken up. ...

No, I don't think so. If that were the case, I wouldn't have been able to keep my composure.

I couldn't imagine myself being able to laugh it off and say, "We broke up" without a care in the world.

"That's why I thought I'd tell Satou-san about the ...."

"Wouldn't everyone be very surprised if they knew? That you two are dating."

I simulated it over and over in my head.

I knew that no matter when I said it, it would probably cause a bit of a stir.

I don't mean to speak ill of myself, but I'm not very pretty.

Before I met ...Kiyotaka, I used to act much more bossy than I am now because I didn't want to be bullied. I've even used my sexy eyes on boys who weren't interested.

"So when are you going to tell everyone?"

Satou-san asked me about the timing, to which I immediately replied.

"Well, it's summer vacation right now, so I'm thinking I'll tell everyone when the second semester starts."

"What did Ayanokouji-kun say about that?" "He said he'll adjust the timing to my liking." Satou-san sucks on the straw and takes a sip. "I see. So you guys are in love?"

"What? Huh?"

"It's nice of you to tell me."

"Uh-huh. Well, it would be weird if we weren't lovey-dovey."

"Did you kiss him or something?"

"Yeah, what?"

"You've been going out for quite a while now, right? How is it going?"

I made my right hand into a goo and held it out to my mouth. It's a microphone.

"..., just one surprise."

I answer honestly and Satou-san smirks.

"That's nice, I'd love a surprise kiss."

"Oh, really? I wasn't prepared for it, and it was my first time ...."

Satou-san rolled her eyes a little when she heard such a murmur.

"Karuizawa-san didn't have anything with Hirata-kun? You'd been together for quite a while, hadn't you?"

"Huh?"

"And it's not surprising if Karuizawa-san had a boyfriend in middle school."

As I listened to Satou-san's comments, I felt my blood run cold.

Karuizawa Kei was a woman at the top of her caste, who was always moving from one man to another as a popular girl.

To report that such a person had her first kiss was certainly a problem.

"Well, ..., you see, I'm very firm with myself."

She replied, trying her best to look nonchalant.

"Are you sure it's only your special boyfriend that you allow to do that?"

I poured a third of the cup of coffee down my throat in one gulp as I felt my throat grow thirsty rapidly.

"But Hirata-kun was a super cool boyfriend too, right?"

"Well, yeah. But I guess he wasn't exciting enough for me."

Don't worry, I can do it.

Now that I've slipped up, I'll just have to go with the flow and cover it up.

"Hirata-kun is a herbivorous guy, so he didn't come on too strong. It was a little unsatisfying, wasn't it?"

I apologize in my heart, but I sacrifice him for my own sake.

"I see. Well, it's true that I want my boyfriend to take the lead in some ways."

"Right, right?"

"But even Ayanokouji-kun is pretty carnivorous, even though he looks herbivorous."

When Satou-san said that, I thought she was showing a little bit of regret.

"Satou-san... me..."

"Oh, sorry Karuizawa-san, that's not what I meant...!"

Today, I was just going to tell her that I was going to announce that we were dating.

But now I'm just a sarcastic girl bragging about it.

When I first entered this school, I thought it was fine.

I was a sarcastic girl, going around telling everyone what Hirata-kun did and did not do.

But now, I think that's not enough.

I should have avoided making unintentional remarks because I consider him to be an important friend. ... It sounds like a defensive instinct to protect yourself, but it's just a selfish ego.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's normal to fall in love with a boy you like at the same time, it's been happening for a long time. Well, ... in my case, I always lose."

Satou-san leaked such dissatisfaction by sharpening her lips.

But after that, she immediately returned to her usual cheerful state.

"Just to make sure, if Karuizawa-san dumps Ayanokouji-kun, it's okay if ..., right?" Okay, that's what you mean by okay, isn't it? I continue without finishing clearing my mind.

"You see, Hirata-kun can also go free and get a new girlfriend, right? So it's the same for Ayanokouji-kun, right?"

"That's well, yes, but ..."

That's absolutely not okay! I mean, I'm not breaking up with him!

I shouted in my mind, but I couldn't bring it to the surface, so it was tough.

"See, I think Karuizawa-san can get a better guy."

"by higher-ranked guy, who?"

"I'm a little confused when you ask me who, but I'm thinking of ... Tsukasaki-kun18 and Nagumo- senpai."

"Huh?"

For me, both of them are just out of the question.

Speaking only of visuals, Tsukasaki-kun is certainly top class, and maybe even the student council president. I'm sure he's the best in terms of titles and such.

But...yeah I don't feel like they can be Kiyotaka's rivals.

He can be ... sarcastic, but he is also ... strong, cool, and mysterious.

And yet...he understands me.

"Yes! I'm sorry, that was unnecessary, thank you for the meal!"

"What?"

"Because it's written on Karuizawa-san's face. Ayanokouji-kun is the best."

I'm not sure what to do. My poker face didn't work on Satou-san, who knew the details of my love life.

"Thanks for being the first to tell me. It made me happy."

"I don't know. ... I'm glad you did."

Then our conversation shifted to other people's love stories.

About the uninhabited island, about completely unrelated things.

It was the first time in a long time that the two of us were able to have a good time together.

The same day. It was a little after 2:10 in the afternoon.

A little after 2:10 p.m., when most of the students had finished their lunch and were playing around.

I was quietly looking out at the ocean, waiting for the person I had called. I took out my cell phone, clicked on the name, Horikita Suzune, and opened OAA. I was expecting to see some changes in the results of the uninhabited island exam, but it looks like there are no changes here. There were only a few occasions when each teacher could see the students, so it's possible that the results were not reflected.

This was also the case when I looked at her OAA as she was waiting for me later.

I quickly closed my phone and stared at the ocean in silence.

It had been a few days since the grueling and somewhat unrealistic uninhabited island test. My body was no longer tired, but I still felt a sense of everyday life, partly because I was on a

18 who?

luxury cruise ship.

"Gee, you're still here?"

A voice called out to me from some distance away. Before I could turn around, the words continued.

"Can you not call me out using other people? It'll give people the wrong idea that you and I are close."

I called out to Yamaga-san, who was in the same cabin in the class she was enrolled in.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't have any other way to contact you. Or did you want to be approached at a meal with a lot of people in the same room?"

"I definitely don't want to do that. But I hate it just as much to be approached in a way like today." "Then can you tell me in advance how I should go about it if I want to talk to you?"

"It's probably best if you don't even think about talking to me."

Ibuki-san, with a disgusted look on her face, arrived about ten minutes late for the meeting. Without a single word of apology, she only complained earlier.

"You don't seem to be late for some reason. Are you perhaps trying to be Miyamoto Musashi?"

"What? I don't even know what that means."

It doesn't seem like she's trying to piss me off - or anything.

Well, if that's what she's trying to do, she should make me wait two hours instead of ten minutes late.

"If you're not harassing me, I'd like to hear why you're late." "Huh? As far as I'm concerned, you calling me is harassment." "Yes. You're right."

I answered back seriously and sighed in exasperation.

"What do you mean, if I don't go through with the call, you're going to pretend I ran away? I'm so pissed off."

"If I call you out normally, you'll just ignore me, right?"

"Of course you would. Who the hell would want to meet you?"

I was prepared for her to ignore me completely, but she came, albeit late.

She didn't like the idea of losing to me more than anything, and I was right to call her out on the challenge.

"Oh, I get it now."

If you have something to say, say it now, or so she seems to be hurrying.

I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt, but there are circumstances that make that unlikely. "Shall we talk while we walk? It takes a long time to talk standing up, and we'll stand out here." It's a good place to meet up, but not a good place to talk confidentially.

"Huh? ... Damn."

She's irritated, but follows rather obediently.

She's frustrated that she lost to me in the uninhabited island test.

It's no wonder she's contacting me for a chance at revenge.

As I started to move, I was able to blend into the hustle and bustle of my surroundings and started talking.

"It has to do with Amasawa-san, the person we fought in the uninhabited island trials." "... Oh, that damn cocky first year."

I can't see Ibuki-san's expression as she is walking somewhat behind me.

"It's a little hard to talk to you, can you walk a little faster?"

"That's too much. It's up to me what pace I walk at, isn't it?"

"It is only when you are alone."

I stop and look back at her.

"As for you, I'd like to cut this short. So for my part, I'd like to make this as quick as possible for you. But in order to do that, I'm going to need your help."

"Okay, okay. Just walk fast, right?"

She said and started walking past me. It was like she was walking in a race.

What can I say? She's a child in a bad way. Of course, she's not a child in the good sense, so it can't be a strong point. As I was watching Ibuki-san's back in disgust, she looked back at me with a scared face.

"You're not following me?

"Too fast a pace is also a problem. Can you walk moderately fast?"

"Oh, for God's sake!"

Ibuki-san came back, ruffling her own hair.

"I'll listen to you, but you have to accept my revenge match! Got it?"

"Yes, and I expect that there will be a gymnastics festival in the second semester - depending on the situation, I may be able to make it happen."

"You mean I'll get my revenge, right?"

"That's why I'm saying it. I'll make it happen, depending on the situation."

After sorting out the meaning of her words for a bit, she bit his lip once in frustration. "So you're saying you won't accept it depending on the situation, is that it?"

"Oh, you can decipher that kind of thing for someone with your mind, I'm impressed." I clap my hands together, and she slaps them away as if she thinks I'm being ridiculous. "That's violent."

"Shut up! If you don't promise to take the job, we're done here!"

"That's fine, but you'll never get the revenge match you want."

"No..."

"I can't make any promises here, but depending on your actions, there is still a possibility. Don't you think that's very important? I don't think I've lost to you. I mean, ... no until you graduate, and even after you graduate, you'll still have regrets that you didn't win."

"Gu...!"

"So? Don't listen to what I have to say. The choice is yours, Ibuki-san."

"All right, all right! You're supposed to listen to me!"

"It'll be easier if you're honest with me from the start, because you'll be able to make short work of my story, which I hate."

I'll send you some advice for next time; Ibuki-san is hoping for a revenge match, but it really depends on the future. Of course, if it doesn't match the class's policy, I won't be able to deal with her. I don't want to talk about it here, because it would only be negative.

The fact that I gave her room for a revenge match must have lowered her spirits somewhat. Ibuki-san stopped and began to walk in step with me.

"Well? What's with that cocky yearling?"

"How did it make you feel to put your hands together with her?"

"How did I feel about ...?"

"Stronger than anyone you've ever fought, I guess that's how you felt."

"Well, ... I have to admit that I'm not perfect at that."

Whether it's me or Ibuki-san, there's a difference in strength that we can't beat even if Amasawa-san stands on her head.

"It's true that Amasawa is a year old with a strange strength. Ah, I don't like to think about that because it makes me sick to my stomach?"

"Don't say that. You're currently the only one who can or needs to have this conversation."

Ibuki-san could understand this because she had confronted her directly. If I were to explain Amasawa-san's strength to someone who didn't know anything about it, they wouldn't be able to comprehend a single millimeter of it.

"I know it's a strange story, but you may have suffered some damage. I thought I'd apologize for that first."

"Damage?"

Ibuki-san raises an eyebrow, as if she didn't understand the meaning.

"I'm planning to investigate Amasawa-san's background in the future."

"You're going to stick your neck out for her? I don't think you should do that. She seems to have a screwed-up mind, and you never know what she might do."

It was the strong image of Amasawa-san that made Ibuki-san say that.

"Yes, she's dangerous. But I have a feeling that if I leave her alone, something bad will happen in the future."

"It doesn't sound like she was interested in you, does it?"

"Not for me, for Ayanokouji-kun."

At the mention of the name, Ibuki-san's gaze turned to the ocean side as if she understood. "Ayanokouji, huh? I don't know about that, but she sure seemed to know a lot about Ayanokouji." Yes, Amasawa-san knows about Ayanokouji-kun.

She didn't look like she knew him from this year as a mere junior.

"He's a classmate of mine. If there's anything I can do to help, it's only natural that I'll lend a hand."

I thought to myself that this was a bit of a toothy conversation.

If I had asked him when I first started at this school, he would have given me goosebumps and denied it with all his might.

"But if she finds out that you're looking into it, she'll probably try to set you up. You wouldn't stand a chance then, would you?"

"Her strength is, how should I say, ... different from the world we live in, I feel." "I'd say don't put "we" in there, but that thing is definitely different."

"So there was no one as good as her in your memory either."

"I'm the strongest out of the second years. It was the same in middle school. There weren't many girls who did martial arts, and I was never beaten by someone who only had a passing interest in it. I mean, I've always been the best as far as I'm concerned."

"Right. I think you're the second strongest second-years after me, I won't deny it." "And you're denying it so much. Are you saying you don't approve of my strength?" "No one is saying that. It's just that I don't think I'm weaker than you."

"No, no, I'm definitely stronger than you."

"I wonder where in the world you get such confidence. What's your evidence?" "A hunch?"

"You can't rely on that at all. You're just analyzing me to make yourself feel better. Neither of us has ever fought in perfect condition. You don't have all the ingredients to make a clear decision on who is stronger."

"Then it's fine if I'm provisionally the best. Why should I be the second best?" "It's the result of an objective evaluation."

"I don't get it."

We reached the cafeteria, one of our destinations.

"It's going to take a while, let me buy you a drink. What would you like?" "I don't really care what you want, but I'll have ... iced lemon tea."

Ibuki-san and I finish our orders and pay with our phones. 1400 points for two drinks, that's expensive.

I get two drinks from the waiter who's ready to serve us. "Here you go. It's on me."

"It's kind of weird that you're buying me a drink."

"You should accept my thanks."

"Well, okay."

Ibuki-san accepted the cup with her left hand and took a sip while looking in the faraway direction. Then she moved a little further away and stopped in a less popular area.

"Because I fought her, I know that she shares the same sense of strength as I do. On top of that, did you sense any of her weaknesses, any sort of quirks in her fighting style?"

"She's not an easy opponent to analyze like that." "...Yes."

It would be best if it didn't take the form of a rematch, but ... I don't know what would happen if I pushed too hard.

"You alone will end up getting beaten back. I don't think that outcome can be reversed." Ibuki-san is not trying to bring me down or anything, just stating the facts.

If I re-trained from here, it would only be as she pointed out.

"You're free to think whatever you want, but it's best to just let it go."

"Have you been listening to me? To Ayanokouji-kun..."

"Yes, that's it."

She interrupted, turning the hand that held the cup towards me.

"No matter what Amasawa did, wouldn't that guy be able to handle it on his own?"

"... What do you mean?"

Indeed, Ayanokouji-kun is a brilliant man.

That's because I've been watching him from the side for a year, and I've had the chance to learn a little about him.

But there are still many mysteries, and not all of his academic and physical abilities have been figured out. Even I, who was in the same class. Ibuki-san didn't understand what was going on.

From the outside, all they have is the information that he is good at math and not bad at athletics. "It felt like an assertion, but you must be buying Ayanokouji-kun quite a bit."

"I'm not buying it, anyone can see that considering how strong he is."

Ibuki-san said clearly, "I can see that, considering his strength."

"Maybe you overheard something about him and Housen-kun somewhere?" "What? Housen? Who's that? ... Ah, that gorilla-like guy."

The conversation doesn't click, and I'm wrapped up in a bit of frustration. "Where did you get the information that your Ayanokouji-kun is strong?" "Where...?"

I was in the middle of choosing my words when I got a look on my face like I had somehow lost it. "Was that something you were told not to say? Did they not? I forgot...."

Ibuki-san closes her eyes and crosses her arms, as if she is trying to remember something. "Something happened that I don't know about, didn't it?"

I try to push a little here.

"So you're the one who doesn't know anything about it?"

"Mu... doesn't know anything, but it doesn't mean you know anything either."

With the two of us in check, I decided to go ahead with the conversation.

"Reconciliation, I think we need it."

"I don't want to, though."

"Not so fast. At this point, I want to hear everything you know. What you know about Ayanokouji-

kun that I don't know."

This is sort of a chance in a thousand to gather information.

If Ibuki-san knows a little bit about anything, anything at all, she can go to ....

"Well, okay. What don't you know?"

Ibuki-san asks in a troublesome tone, as if she can't decide what to say.

"I'm sure you do, but I'm curious about what you were trying to tell me earlier ...."

"What I was going to tell you earlier was about Ryuuen and Ayanokouji's rooftop incident. You know, the time we called Karuizawa and waterboarded her."

"Hmm, what? I kinda have no idea what you're talking about ... at all." Ryuuen-kun? Rooftop? And Karuizawa-san? Waterboarding?

Question marks kept popping up in my head.

"Ahhh, that's what I mean. That means he hasn't told anyone in the class."

Ibuki-san nodded her head in agreement, as if she understood something first.

Then Ibuki-san started to tell me something about Ayanokouji-kun that I didn't know.

As I listened to her, I tried not to let my emotions get the better of me as I stared out at the shining sea and tried to keep my mind clear: Ryuuen-kun had turned to Karuizawa-san to find out about Ayanokouji-kun, who was hiding in our class. In order to save her, Ayanokouji-kun went to the rooftop alone.

There, he showed his overwhelming power and overpowered Ryuuen-kun and the others.

Even though I should have known him to some extent, I was still surprised more than once.

"So that's what happened when ...Ryuuen-kun stopped messing with our class. I had no idea."

"Anyway, now you know. His strength is not normal."

"Yes, it is. He's a man of immeasurable things. .... Having fought both of them, who do you think would win if the two of them fought?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen either of them take themselves seriously. I'm not trying to say they're men or women, but I think Ayanokouji is the better overall fighter. So there's no need for you to get involved."

If he was strong enough to deal with whatever Amasawa-san might do to him, he might.

"But physical strength doesn't necessarily mean you're safe. It doesn't mean you can avoid being expelled from school, especially in school life. In fact, your strength can be your downfall."

On the uninhabited island, Amasawa-san could do whatever she wanted, but on the school grounds, it was not so easy.

"Thank you Ibuki-san, I think your information will be more useful than I thought."

"You're not going to talk to Ayanokouji about this, are you?"

"Not yet, no. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some idea of what's going on."

He had been in contact with Amasawa-san a few times, especially since it was before the uninhabited island test.

"And then there's the matter of the paper. ..."

"Paper?"

"Besides Amasawa-san, there was another thing that bothered me about the uninhabited island test." I explained that a piece of paper had been placed in my tent.

Ibuki-san seemed to have an idea why I was in the northeast of the island on the last day.

"I see," she said, "someone other than Amasawa sent you a notice suggesting Ayanokouji."

"You know the word 'suggest', don't you?"

"Can you please not make fun of me?"

Ibuki-san's academic ability is low in OAA, but she is surprisingly easy to talk to.

I don't feel uncomfortable as if I'm talking to someone who is obviously of a lower level.

"At that time, Amasawa-san looked at the paper she received from me and tore it into pieces. That action has been bugging me for a long time, but I think it was because she didn't want to leave any evidence of her handwriting. Anyway, I just remember clearly that it had beautiful handwriting."

"Beautiful handwriting?"

"Yes. I don't think there are a lot of people who can write at that level."

"I see. So there's a possibility that the guy who can write that good is playing a bad game. But it's going to be difficult to find just that, isn't it? I mean, the evidence has been destroyed."

"It won't be easy, I'm afraid. We can't just go around asking each of them to write a letter. There's also the possibility, though it's still an unsubstantiated theory, that the person who wrote the letters might be physically strong, whether it's Ayanokouji-kun or Amasawa-san, if they have exceptional strength. Furthermore, there is a high possibility that he is a first year."

"Could be strong guy like Ayanokouji and Amasawa for sure. But what makes him a first year?"

"Someone who Amasawa-san knows & his handwriting; it's unlikely that he's a second or third year."

"I see."

Ayanokouji-kun, Amasawa-san, and a third party.

What kind of connection each of them has, we still don't have the full picture.

But we can't just leave it at that.

"I'll try to keep you out of harm's way, but if I fall, I can't guarantee what will happen next. If Amasawa-san starts acting strangely, I won't hesitate to call the school..."

A light clank sounded on the deck.

It was because Ibuki-san had pushed the cup of tea hard against the railing.

The contents, which were still more than half full, overflowed from the cup and splashed onto her hand.

"What's wrong?"

"What if you fall? I told you I'm the one who's going to take you down."

"I'm not going to let you beat me either. But you never know what the unseen enemy, including Amasawa-san, will do, so..."

"There's two of them, so shouldn't there be two of us?" 99

"That's ...."

"It'll be a different story if I, the strongest of the second years, join in. If you insist, I'll lend you a hand."

With that, she took the cup back in her other hand and took a lick of the lemon tea on the back of her hand.

"What do you mean? I can't believe you've offered to help me twice."

"I don't want to end up being licked by a year, and I don't like the idea of you losing to anyone but me. Besides, you brought the story with the intention of relying on me, right?"

Ibuki-san looked me straight in the eye.

"No, not at all?"

"What? Why don't you at least be that honest and say that you need Ibuki-san's help?" "I've never thought of it that way before."

"Fine then, ...! I'll never ask for your help again! Bye-bye!"

As an angry Ibuki-san was about to walk away, I grabbed her by the left wrist.

"What the hell!"

"I'm going to ask you to work for free to pay for the drink I just bought you."19

"Huh? You said it was a drink from you, and now you're trying to take money from me?" "There's nothing more expensive than free drinks."

"Then I'll give it back right now."

Ibuki-san takes out her cell phone and I continue.

"In that case, I'll take three million points."

She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, not understanding what I'm saying.

"It's a treat from me. Don't you think it's worth that much added value?"

"I don't think so at all! It's seven hundred points, right!"

"If you don't have the ability to pay, I'll make it up to you by lending me a hand."

"You know, ..., I'm going to say this one more time, can't you just be honest?"

"If I need to be honest, I will be."

For some reason, I was embarrassed to ask Ibuki-san to be honest, so I ended up like this. I kept my normal demeanor and continued in a high-handed manner.

"You really have a disgusting personality."

"That's mutual, isn't it, Ibuki-san?"

Our gazes crossed each other and Ibuki-san drank the rest of her cup in disgust.

"A big cup of lemon tea."

I laughed a little, finding such a phrase somewhat amusing.

It was dusk, the sun was setting beyond the horizon.

At the promised place, Ichinose was waiting for me, staring at the sea.

Looking at her fragile profile, I felt a little hesitant to call out her name.

"Ichinose."

"Ayanokouji-kun, hello."

I exchanged a quick greeting and stood in front of her. I wasn't in the mood to suddenly cut to the chase, so I decided to interject a bit of banter.

"Are you still continuing with the example, the strategy of saving up your private points?" It was irrelevant to the main topic, but Ichinose didn't show a single displeased face.

"Yeah. I've decided that there's no harm in doing it. It's easy to save up as much as you can, and when you don't need it anymore, you can just give back the points you kept then to everyone."

She says it's easy, but it's a strategy that Ichinose can continue to implement because she is a trustworthy person.

As she said, there's nothing wrong with just keeping the points. If the money is automatically depleted, it can be inconvenient, but if the money is guaranteed to be returned, it is a good idea to have a large amount of money ready to move when the time comes.

The fact that it's the one and only advantage given to Ichinose is also a big factor.

"But the strategy of pooling is to be prepared for emergencies. That's not enough, is it?"

"Not if it's something new we've started, but this time it's a continuation."

In other words, she didn't prepare a new strategy, just a continuation of the status quo.

"Ayanokouji-kun, what do you think we are lacking?"

"Things that Ichinose's class is lacking?"

"Yes. We can't really see that on our own. ...Ayanokouji-kun, I was wondering what our class looks like from your point of view."

"During the uninhabited island exam, I had a chance to talk with some of Ichinose's classmates. The first thing I felt was that there were many students with good character."

This is something you know without even saying it, but it's also an inseparable factor. However, they don't like to fight, so they can't aggressively go for class points.

"I think it's important to be a little more forceful. I'm not saying you should foul or backstab, but I think it's important to be strong against rough play."

"Rough play ..., huh? Yes, I agree. We need to be more firm to fight, right?"

I don't really have any concrete solutions in mind right now.

It's just painfully clear that she's trying her best to push forward into the darkness of the moment.

"The uninhabited island test the other day. I'm talking about that reply. ..."

"Yeah, ... that's right, that's what we're here to talk about, isn't it?"

I gently put my face close to Ichinose's ear and tried to speak in a voice that was difficult to hear without concentrating on the fact that there was no one else around - that's when.

101

"What are you and Honami talking about when you meet up in a place like this?"

Ichinose, startled by the owner of the voice, the student council president Nagumo, hurriedly distanced herself, but he would have definitely seen the scene from almost zero distance.

Was he being followed? No, I'm not stupid enough to be followed without knowing it. So was Ichinose marked from the start?

No, this was probably due to Nagumo's countless eyes watching him.

No matter how much you move around without being seen, it's almost impossible to completely escape the eyes of all the third-year students on this cruise ship. It would not be surprising if some of them had seen us on our way here.

However, there was no sign of Nagumo's contact in the past few days.

It was as if he had planned it, and the timing was just what he had hoped to avoid the most.

"Thank you for your hard work, student council president Nagumo."

Breaking the flow at once, Ichinose hurriedly worked on returning to normal mode.

It wasn't that she was able to completely dispel her agitation and confusion.

But even if she had mended it perfectly, it would have been meaningless to Nagumo now.

"It seems like you two met on the last day of the uninhabited island, are you two sneaking around together again?"

"Eh, let's see: ...."

Ichinose choked on her words as she was suddenly reminded of what happened on the uninhabited island. For herself, she inadvertently confessed to me, and it is not straightforward to deceive it.

I was about to interrupt her, but Nagumo stopped me with his hand. I was under strong pressure not to interrupt now.

"Well, it doesn't matter what it is. It's just that... if Honami, a fellow student council member, might be brought to tears, the student council president can't just leave her alone, can he?"

So that's what happened after all.

I had already guessed this when I fully realized that Kiriyama was on Nagumo's side.

Nagumo moved even closer to us, and stood next to Ichinose.

"Are you ... being made to cry?"

"I hope I'm wrong, but it's about Karuizawa."

He doesn't dare to say it in a single go, but speaks slowly and in small bursts to make himself understood.

"Karuizawa-san, as in?"

Of course, Ichinose couldn't understand why Kei's name was mentioned at this moment.

"It seems you've only told people close to you yet, but I've overheard you talking about dating Karuizawa for quite some time now. Am I right? Ayanokouji."

I'm going out with Karuizawa.

When Ichinose heard those words, she probably didn't immediately understand what they meant. "What, you've never heard of them? Honami and Ayanokouji seem to be on good terms, so I

102

thought you'd have told her by now."

There was a slight pause before he continued.

"You weren't thinking of two-timing her, were you?"

I didn't reply to Nagumo's one-sided attack.

There was no point in telling him that I was trying to tell her that I was going out with Kei.

In fact, it is obvious that it would only be an act of rubbing salt in the wound.

"Is it really ...?"

"Hey Ayanokouji, Honami's asking, why don't you answer her? Or am I wrong and you have nothing to do with Karuizawa? If that's the case, please deny it, and I apologize profusely."

Kiriyama had seen me and Kei together.

But I didn't give him any definitive indication that we were dating.

In other words, it's not impossible that he's trying to trick her into thinking I'm in a relationship with Kei.

But there is no option for me to say, "That's not true".

If I were to say that, and later find out that we were together, my lie would be exposed.

In the first place, it's better to assume that Nagumo has corroborated the story before entering into it.

"I hadn't ostensibly told anyone about it, but where on earth did you get that information?" "Ah ...!"

I could see the obvious shock in Ichinose at my admission.

First of all, Nagumo must have realized that Ichinose's feelings were directed towards me. "I see you've realized that I didn't just jump to gossip and speculation, huh?"

He showed his teeth happily, but wouldn't talk about the seed or how to back it up.

I remembered vividly Kiryuuin's words that Nagumo might not be a good match for me.

"I don't want to say anything about people's love lives. But as I said before, Honami is a member of the student council. She has a good chance of becoming the student council president in the future. I have to protect her."

"I understand that the relationship between me and Ichinose is unnatural in the eyes of the student council president Nagumo. However, I think it was premature for you to step in at this stage, wasn't it?"

"That's true, if you're talking about Honami dating you and being cheated on, but from the looks of it, that doesn't seem to be the case. It may have been a completely unrelated discussion. However, if the two of you meet up in a deserted place like this just before dinner, it's understandable that you would think that, right? I'm sure your girlfriend would be saddened to see you in this situation."

"Indeed, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings."

"As the student council president ..., I did what I had to do as a member of the student council." Nagumo gives Ichinose one last look before approaching me.

"You should introduce me to your girlfriend sometime. I'd like to see her face at least once."

103

Nagumo taps me on the shoulder and whispers in my ear.

"You're free to think what you like about my methods. But, you know, it hasn't even started yet." "It hasn't even begun?"

"You can mix a hundred truths with one lie and no one will notice. You have to make a decision before you can't take it back. If you ever want to fight me, you can always come see me. If you get down on your knees and show me one thing, I'll be your opponent."

In other words, unless he agreed to fight Nagumo, the relentless surveillance and harassment would continue unabated.

He's talking about dragging me out into the arena of competition, even if it's by force.

"See you later."

With that, he left the place.

It hadn't even started yet, had it? The overwhelming surveillance and information network that only Nagumo possessed.

All of the third-year students move as their hands and feet, their eyes and ears.

For the students of this school who live on the premises, it is as if their entire lives are exposed. And then there was the saying, "One lie for every 100 truths".

For now, he is just letting the truth out, but it means that lies will start to be mixed in with it.

To the casual observer, it is just an extension of harassment, a childish act. However, he has done more damage to me mentally than anyone else I've fought so far.

Nagumo doesn't care that he's antagonizing his classmates by sticking to me.

Either he doesn't think that he will lose their trust because of something like this, or he doesn't intend to gain their trust from the start and just wants to be bound by the rules.

Regardless, it is clear that Nagumo is prepared to do whatever it takes.

As Nagumo left, all that was left was a moment of silence.

It did not have any of the buoyant air that had been flowing right after we joined.

It was just a heavy, quiet time.

"Ah, haha. What's with the little interruption in the conversation? ..."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, that ... why did I get called here?"

"It's about the uninhabited island..."

"Oh! That thing, that thing? That's .... that is ... so ...."

She shouted loudly, then her voice gradually faltered.

"Can you just forget it ...?"

Ichinose spat out, her smile never faltering the entire time.

"Sorry, I didn't know anything about it. I got carried away and said something selfish and, well, weird ...."

"Like Nagumo said, I didn't tell anyone around me anything. It's no wonder you don't know." "Yeah, I know, right? Maybe so, but ... I knew I was being stupid! You see, Ayanokouji-kun,

104

you're kind ... and you're very, very nice ... and there's no way you don't have a girlfriend ...."

In spite of Ichinose's strong will to never break her smile, her eyes were clearly moistened and her eyes began to overflow with tears. She was trying her best to keep her tears from overflowing, trying to keep her composure and pretend that nothing was wrong.

What kind of emotions do we feel when we fall in love with someone and they have someone else in mind?

It's something you can't really understand from TV, books, or just from hearing about it.

Although it was a little different from what I had planned, I was now able to experience it right in front of my eyes.

"Goodbye..."

Ichinose ran off, leaving me with one word that she had to squeeze out.

I didn't say a word or extend my hand to her back, but just watched her go in silence.

"Nagumo, huh? I guess I've made an enemy that's much more troublesome than I thought."

It was a little different from what I had planned, but it didn't change the path I was on.

Even though I felt the disadvantageous circumstances piling up against me, I couldn't help but feel the curiosity welling up from deep within my chest.

Last Chapter Next Chapter