4.1

Just before 2 p.m. on the same day, a male student stuffed an empty cup into a trash can outside Keyaki Mall, and a female student appeared, glaring at him.

Since both were from the same class, the male student raised his hand cheerfully.

"Yo, Masumi-chan. You arrived earlier than I thought."

"Can you stop calling me that? And don't call me out on a holiday."

"Don't say that. I've got some interesting information today."

"I know you like gathering info, but don't involve me in it."

"Harsh. This is quite useful, you know?"

"Then report it to Sakayanagi, and earn some brownie points yourself."

"I have other things in mind too. The only person I can talk to honestly in class is you, Masumi-chan."

"That's a lie, isn't it?"

"It's not. At least you can voice your opinions to the princess without fear."

Hashimoto answered, appreciating that point.

"So what? That has nothing to do with being honest. I dislike such a casual approach."

Even when she clearly expressed she hated it, Hashimoto showed no signs of concern and tried to continue the conversation.

"Well, just listen. Let me tell you what I overheard."

Having said that, Hashimoto conveyed that he had eavesdropped on a group's conversation at Keyaki Mall during the day. Based on the recorded facts on his cell phone, he began to explain and supplement in his own words.

It was about a topic discussed by Sudō and seven other students in Class B.

By the time she finished listening, Kamuro, who had no interest whatsoever, showed a change in attitude.

"Right? Interesting story, wasn't it?"

"I knew some of it to some extent."

"Horikita isn't the core of Class B after all. The glimpses shown on the uninhabited island, the strange uneasiness and flow up to this point, and behind the unanimous special exam. There's something far more radical than I imagined going on. It can't be easy to cut off a girl from a group you were friends with, could it? It meant that he could be extremely ruthless. She was cute too, even if she was a bit plain."

"What does her appearance have to do with this?"

"It definitely matters. If Sakura were ugly, you might think that cutting her off wouldn't be a big deal. Her appearance matters more than you think."

Hashimoto insisted, but Kamuro didn't agree. However, she showed some understanding towards the first part of his statement.

"Ayanokōji can make ruthless decisions based solely on interests, regardless of how close he is to someone."

"That's right. And at least during the point of the unanimous special exam, Ayanokōji's placement within the class was not high at all. It's extremely difficult for someone like that to control and guide the class."

Hashimoto made sure to lock and save the recording on his cell phone so that it wouldn't be accidentally deleted.

"By the way, I've been wondering about something since earlier."

"What is it?"

"How could you eavesdrop on such an important conversation?"

"It was just a coincidence. I was lucky."

Hashimoto answered without hesitation, but Kamuro didn't believe it at all.

"Coincidence, huh?"

Hashimoto's recorded audio data started from the point when the members of Horikita's class began gathering at the café.

It was unlikely that he'd predict such an important conversation, considering the higher possibility of engaging in meaningless small talk.

Even if he was randomly collecting information, could there be such a convenient coincidence?

"Really? You're doubting that it was just a coincidence?"

"Not necessarily. I won't pry if you don't want to talk about it. Let it be a coincidence, right?"

Deciding that it was wisest not to dig too deeply, Kamuro chose not to probe any further.

Moreover, Hashimoto showed no signs of answering Kamuro's question.

"So? It was certainly interesting information, but what's next? What's the significance of knowing this?"

"Before reaching a conclusion, if it's confirmed that Ayanokōji isn't a normal guy, then I'm curious about where, when, and what he's been doing from the time he entered the school up until now. Upon admission, that troublemaker Ryūen was rampaging around, but he's suddenly grown quiet. And recently, there's been an increasing number of interactions between him and Ayanokōji, right?"

While skillfully incorporating facts he already knew, Hashimoto made assumptions and predictions for Kamuro.

"...Is it that Ryūen lost to Ayanokōji, who was hiding behind Horikita?"

"Ryūen isn't the kind of guy who gets hung up on just one victory or defeat. If this flow is correct, it wasn't just a mere loss. I'd say he lost to Ayanokōji, demonstrating an overwhelming difference in ability."

"If that's the case, what's the reason for Ryūen's involvement with him afterward? Aiming for revenge?"

"That could be on his mind as well. But perhaps it's also related to Ayanokōji's character. If he believes that he can get Ayanokōji on his side, and work in his favor, it's better to have him as an ally rather than an enemy, right?"

"In other words, he's using Ayanokōji to his advantage... That's just like Ryūen, isn't it?"

He wouldn't just accept defeat. He was always persistent, just as everyone imagined.

"There's that too, but in this case, there's more to it."

"More?"

"Ryūen probably uses Ayanokōji for his own benefit, but Ayanokōji undoubtedly knows this. It's more like, 'Try your best because I'm letting you use me.'"

"What does Ayanokōji gain in doing that? Supporting Horikita from the shadows makes more sense for advancing the class."

"Who knows? Maybe he wants Ryūen to help crush Ichinose and Sakayanagi? If Ayanokōji isn't the type to take the spotlight, depending on the aggressive Ryūen seems like a sensible idea, right?"

"I suppose it could be."

"I've always been suspicious of it, but the thick mist is gradually clearing. Ayanokōji, who belongs to Horikita's class, is the most troublesome enemy. And..."

For a moment, Hashimoto hesitated, but he continued.

"Ayanokōji's capabilities are greater than Sakayanagi's."

"Can you say that for sure?"

"Yeah, I don't plan on attaching 'possibly' or 'probably' anymore. I was convinced by today's conversation."

No matter who the target was, normally, such an overestimation was impossible.

"If what you're saying is correct, we're in big trouble."

"Big trouble indeed. Most importantly, at the end of the third term, huge amounts of points are expected to be at stake in the final exam. If we lose to Ryūen, we won't be able to escape."

Hashimoto calmly stated something that no one in Class A would say.

Kamuro was slightly annoyed by this and stared at him.

The future confrontation with Ayanokōji's class was yet to be determined.

Though they were bound to clash eventually, it was possible that it was still a ways away.

What needed to be concerned about first was the final exam, conducted at the end of the third term.

"So you think we're going to lose to Ryūen there, huh? That's why you're concerned about Class A's future. Or perhaps you're even wishing for our failure?"

"I don't want to lose. And Masumi-chan, you get mad when I say something like that."

Despite knowing that he didn't have faith in Sakayanagi, Hashimoto was a little surprised.

But that wasn't the reason for Kamuro's anger.

"I just don't like your negative thinking. You always assume the same thing."

"I won't deny being pessimistic. But it's not bad to prepare for the worst."

In this school, you never knew what kind of turnaround or loophole might be in play.

Hashimoto was always cautious about that, but of course, he couldn't cope with everything.

"So you foresee, and then…? All you can do is let yourself have some room for your feelings."

Kamuro, who concluded that it was futile, got tired of the repeated negative remarks.

"Don't say that. You're the only one I can talk to about this, Masumi-chan."

"Ugh..."

Although Kamuro was being used by Sakayanagi, she didn't completely surrender her heart.

She would complain if she didn't like something, and without hesitation, she would refuse depending on the situation.

Sakayanagi liked that aspect of her, and so did Hashimoto.

"Having some room in your heart isn't a bad thing, is it?"

Returning a joke, of course, was just one of the byproducts of Hashimoto mentally preparing himself for the worst-case scenario.

"If we continue to be in the same class, that would be true."

By adding a single phrase, another meaning was created in the pessimistic thinking.

"If you're talking about the class change ticket, it's a risky bet. I can't imagine it being given to the losing class, and even if we could get it by the end of the school year, there would only be a limited time to use it."

The class change ticket, while seemingly versatile, actually had little merit.

The higher ranked the class, the less reason there was to move to a lower one.

"Even if we lose in your worst-case scenario, we'd only be at a draw at best. Even if you were lucky enough to get a class change ticket in that state, could you use it? Even assuming Ayanokōji's ability is the best in the school year, it would take a lot of resolve to jump in."

Even if Ayanokōji's class rose to Class A temporarily, the closer they were to a draw, the more likely it would be for the positions to switch in a single special exam.

If Sakayanagi retaliated and rose again, the class change would lead to a major failure.

However, there might be a chance of being saved if he'd be lucky enough to get a class change ticket from Ayanokōji's class again, but that was just a series of hypotheticals.

"It's something you can't use unless we're clearly losing steam, like Ichinose's class."

This kind of discussion wasn't only conducted by Hashimoto and Kamuro.

It was one of those common topics that were casually being discussed among students.

"There's more than one way to switch classes, right?"

"If you're talking about spending 20 million points, it's utterly impossible. It's even more unrealistic."

Kamuro continued with an exasperated tone.

On the other hand, Hashimoto always took into consideration the possibility of cooperation among classes, not individuals.

"I know it's none of my business, but what about taking advantage of the situation like that?"

Kamuro didn't say it explicitly, but Sakayanagi was always aware that Hashimoto was making suspicious moves. He himself had reported such activities several times. She was probably watching over them after having various students from different years investigate as well.

If he showed signs of betraying the class and making a move, he'd be immediately targeted.

"All that matters is that, in the end, you're in Class A. It's a simple story that seems difficult."

"I get what you're saying, but it's better for you not to think about strange things."

As a classmate, she offered him advice and a warning.

Hashimoto responded with a small thank you, but his attitude was far from receptive.

It's not that I want to betray anyone.

I just can't rely solely on Sakayanagi if I want to graduate in Class A.

The initial dominance of one strong class has faded, and now three powerful classes are breathing down our necks.

Well, I've always considered the possibility of three formidable classes.

But my miscalculation was thinking that Ichinose's class would stand out among them.

Up until the middle of our second year, I never truly realized the impact Ayanokōji had.

Despite having scouted him several times, he never showed any obvious signs of being a powerhouse.

It was probably intentional.

But in the last few months, Ayanokōji had been taking actions that stood out, making his previously inconspicuous behavior seem like a lie. He had originally seemed uninterested in the class struggles. What caused this change?

Perhaps he had intended to win from the beginning.

Had he held back until this point just to decide when to propel the class forward?

Questions surfaced and disappeared one after another.

I can see the whole picture with Sakayanagi, Ryūen, and Ichinose.

What kind of person they are and what kind of motives they have.

But I can't see that from Ayanokōji.

He's a troublesome existence.

"For now, I still want more information. I plan to investigate Ayanokōji and his surroundings again."

"You can do that on your own, can't you?"

Sakayanagi's never ordered me not to scout or gather information on Ayanokōji.

Kamuro also thought that if I was curious, I could act as I pleased.

In fact, today's audio data is valuable for the upcoming battle.

However, he suddenly realized something.

From an early point last year, Sakayanagi had instructed Kamuro alone to investigate Ayanokōji.

I wonder how much she had been able to gauge Ayanokōji's abilities at that point.

But could she have really seen his true power at that time?

In that moment, a possibility was born in Kamuro's mind.

Could it be that Sakayanagi had known of Ayanokōji's abilities from an unimaginable source...?

"Hey, Masumi-chan?"

As a hand waved in front of her, Kamuro, whose mind had been elsewhere, quickly brushed it away.

"...What?"

"No, you were just spacing out. This is an important conversation, you know?"

Kamuro stopped thinking for a moment and listened to Hashimoto's story.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Would you help me get in touch with Ayanokōji? Together, I mean."

"...Why me?"

"I'm definitely being cautious. Ryūen might be pulling the strings."

"Even if I'm there, Ayanokōji would still be cautious. Rather, he'll be even more so if I'm around."

"If the number of opponents double, Ayanokōji's caution also increases. If we have four eyes and ears, the information we gather will double, right?" 

"I'm okay with that proposal, but I have one condition."

"Oh, what's that?"

"Never call me Masumi-chan again. This is an absolute condition."

"O-oh, okay. Kamuro-chan will do… right?"

It seemed like they reached an agreement here, but Kamuro continued.

"Also, there's one more thing. I'll be the only one who makes contact with Ayanokōji."

"Only you?"

At her proposal, Hashimoto showed a puzzled face.

"If I'm seen with you, Sakayanagi might sniff us out, and it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings."

"I can't deny that."

It was a request for a solo mission, fearing that Ayanokōji's caution would increase.

However, for Hashimoto, it wasn't an attractive offer.

"I'll look into what you want to know. Compromise with that."

But if he insisted on accompanying her, Kamuro would decisively pretend the conversation had never happened.

On top of that, she refused to let him call her Masumi for some reason.

Through their nearly two-year relationship, Hashimoto had come to understand Kamuro well.

"Well… guess there's no choice. Okay, let's team up."

Agreeing for now, Hashimoto extended his right hand.

Without returning the handshake, Kamuro simply sent him a cold gaze.

"You're always so cold. I really like you, Kamuro-chan, you know?"

"I don't know how you can say that when you have a girlfriend."

"Oh, if I break up with her, will you go out with me?"

"Not a chance."

Hashimoto pretended to be disappointed, holding his forehead. Kamuro shook her head, playing along with his farce.

"I'm leaving already."

"Sorry to have kept you. But make sure to tell me the date and time of the plan."

On that point alone, Hashimoto was insistent.