Chapter 1: Sports Festival Begins
"The surnames of the students divided up in order of the zodiac animals were the key to figuring out the 'target' then".
The location was the table furthest back in the crowded cafe 'Palette'. The close of summer vacation. I, along with Hirata and Karuizawa, and also Horikita, with those bizarre members, surrounded the lunch table. The purpose was to review the shipboard special exam that had taken place in the midst of the summer vacation. We were verifying the answer to the search for the 'target' that took place in mixed teams divided up into groups of the 12 zodiacs.
"The rabbit is the 4th in the zodiac. Ayanokouji-kun, Ichinose-san, Ibuki-san and Karuizawa-san. It would continue in that order".
"I see. If that's the order then I'm the 4th. That's why I was the 'target' then".
As though impressed, Karuizawa nods. But even so, the two girls here, at first glance, should have appeared mismatched but through the existence of Hirata, for some reason, the incompatibility between them was erased. It's a mystery.
"But you know, that rule is extremely simple. Almost anyone could understand it. That means the Dragon group Horikita-san and the others belonged to was the 5th so Kushida-san would have been the 'target', right?"
Having heard the answer, Karuizawa inserted the straw into the pack and sipped milk from it.
"That's right. Certainly, if you know the answer, it's simple. However, to arrive at this answer in the middle of the exam is no easy matter. Just with the three 'targets' in your own class, you won't be able to find proof of the rules that determine the 'targets'".
Including oneselves, if the names of all 3 'targets' for a class were known, it could be said that one would finally begin to see the possibility.
And besides, even if one realizes that the order of the surnames that correspond to the order of the zodiac is how the 'target' is determined, there is still no changing the fact that the first time answering is risky regardless. Because, by some chance, if the wrong answer were to be given, one would incur a considerable amount of damage.
Of course, if one wins the bet, then it's possible to overturn everything in one stroke.
"What worries me is Class C. I think during the middle of the exam, Ryuuen-kun discovered the rules".
Hirata's conjecture is most probably spot on. If that's not the case, he would not have been able to do all that.
"But, isn't it strange? If that's the case, why did he make a mistake?".
"I was also uneasy about that too. Even though there was a massive risk involved, if he understood the rules then ultimately it wouldn't have been strange even if he had seen through all the 'targets'. In other words, there should have been no mistake".
However, judging from the situation, Class C gave a wrong answer. Horikita then voiced her deduction she had made from a slightly different perspective.
"Even if Class C is seemingly dominated by Ryuuen-kun, couldn't it be that it's not monolithic? There should be more than a few people dissatisfied with his dictatorship".
"Certainly, that's true. The right to answer is given to all students, so students who did not comply with Ryuuen-kun's plan or those he failed to control making a blunder. That line of thought cannot be ruled out either. If they gave a correct answer, they stand to gain a massive amount of points after all".
The conjectures of Horikita and Hirata follow a good line of thought. However, it's also a fact that one cannot say that for certain. As for why, if there was a traitor, Ryuuen would thoroughly root out that individual.
Even if they deleted the mail and overcame that, if it's him, he might even go as far as to check their private points.
"What do you think about this, Ayanokouji-kun?".
Due to such an act from Horikita, both Hirata and Karuizawa turned their eyes towards me. I ended up unconsciously choking from that overconcentrated gaze on me.
"I don't know, I have no clue at all".
As I said that to deceive them, perhaps they lost interest in me in one stroke but their gazes scattered away.
But since Karuizawa alone was still looking at me, I returned her gaze and after a slight delay, she averted her eyes.
"Either way, right now our first priority is to establish this relationship. It makes me happy that I'm able to talk like this with Horikita-san and Ayanokouji-kun".
Up until now, Horikita had not wanted to hold the discussion Hirata had desired. However, after the end of the special exam for the two of them, it probably meant that changes have begun to appear in Horikita's mindset. From being cornered herself, she's begun to realize the fact that she cannot fight alone.
"It can't be helped, right? The zodiac exam was a special one where you absolutely cannot overcome it alone. If this can be predicted to be the same in the future too, a certain degree of connection will become necessary".
That seems to be the biggest factor behind Horikita changing her mind. However, that is correct. There is a limit to fighting alone in solitude. From now on too, one can expect many small trials from society that one cannot fight against alone.
"But even so, you successfully managed to escape Ryuuen-kun's grip".
Unlike Horikita's team, Karuizawa who was the 'target' of a different group, brilliantly managed to overcome the exam without having her identity be discovered. The indirect benefits that brought to Class D are by no means small.
"Well, I suppose. I have a surprisingly good poker face. Right, Yousuke-kun?".
Clinging to Hirata's arm, Karuizawa smiled with upturned eyes. It was almost unbelievable that the relationship between those two had once soured. It's beyond my interest whether or not this is just an act or not though.
"It was because before Ryuuen could answer, someone else gave the wrong answer after all. It was thanks to that".
But since when did she start calling Hirata by his first name?...Yousuke. I'd like to call him that too for a bit but it's impossible. Hirata and Karuizawa, it may be a new relationship created from the complicated situation between those two. Hirata returned Karuizawa's smile, then turned towards Horikita.
"I have a proposal to make, would that be ok?".
In response to Hirata's proposal, Horikita persisted in remaining silent without answering. It's an expression of her intention of wanting him to speak.
"Firstly, in order to bring the class together as one I'd like to bring Kushida-san into the fold. I think she will be able to supplement the four of us in parts we cannot compensate for. Starting with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun, there are few people capable of bringing the majority of the boys together as one, you see".
Indeed, it may very well be that the one qualified to rein in the students of that sort is Kushida. However, I don't know whether or not Horikita will easily greenlight that. From enrollment up until now, the relationship between those two was constantly bad.
"Unnecessary. I won't deny it in the sense that she is capable of controlling them, but it's something we can do on our own. For that purpose, I've reached out to you and Karuizawa-san. If the two of you will lend your power, then this problem can be beaten. It may be a different story if you prove uncooperative like a certain someone though".
She looked at me with a side glance. What a rude person.
"Certainly, if it's Ayanokouji-kun, he may not follow our lead".
The two of them, with the exception of Hirata, nodded in agreement.
"It's a big misunderstanding if you think of me as the uncooperative one. For lengthy things, I'm just one amongst the crowd obediently falling into line. Truly, I'm a person you can control like you said yourself. In other words, I'm a person with a small presence".
"The ones who claim to be people with a small presence are the ones who aren't so. That is one answer".
"Then are you a person with a small presence?".
"Me? There's no way I could possibly be a person with a small presence, right? Do you mind not mocking me?".
".....s-sure".
At this point, it was a flow that couldn't be considered as anything other than sketch comedy but it doesn't seem at all like Horikita was telling a joke. It's incredibly difficult to judge whether or not she's playing the fool but without a doubt, she's probably being serious.