Chapter 6 An Inevitable Past

INTRODUCTION

At night, my roommates were having a good time talking about trivial things.

I was worried about Akito's health, but his fever had gone down in a day and he was on the way

to recovery, and he seemed to have no problem lying down and talking. I spent the night

operating my cell phone while watching from the sidelines, occasionally interjecting a word or

two.

While I'm surfing the net, waiting for sleepiness, I receive a chat message.

[I'd like to call you for a minute now, okay?]

Such was the message from Kei.

It's been a while since I lifted the ban on chatting, but we've been exchanging at least once a

day.

Today, there were no emoticons or stamps used, suggesting that it was a serious conversation.

[I'm in my room, give me three minutes.]

It's not hard to get out of the guest room since it's not curfew yet.

After sending a reply, I decided to quickly get out of bed.

"I'll get a drink."

I slipped out of the guest room and went to the corridor, using a convenient phrase that could be

used at any time.

It was around 9 p.m. and I didn't see any students passing by.

I then walked out onto the deck at night and took a quick look around.

After making sure that no one was around, I decided to call Kei.

"Hello?"

"Sorry for the suddenness. But I really wanted to call you today."

She said something cute and typical of her.

I wondered if this was his lover's way of saying, "I just wanted to hear your voice".

"You know…"

After a slight pause, Kei starts to speak.

"I heard a bad rumor about you. You can explain it to me in detail, right?"

"Bad rumors?"

Mmm? The words I was expecting to hear didn't come out, but rather Kei seemed to be in a bad

mood.

The silence was long and there was no immediate reply.

"A bad rumor?"

I couldn't take it anymore and asked her twice, but she just gave a hint of regret and didn't try to

answer.

Rather, she seemed to be suspicious of the fact that I repeated the same words word for word.

"Is there anything that comes to mind?"

"No, nothing comes to mind."

I answered without hesitation, but there were a few things that came to mind.

First of all, my main concern was Ichinose.

Nagumo saw the exchange between me and Ichinose and knew that we were in an unusual

situation.

And now that he knows that Kei and I are in a relationship, it's not surprising that he would

mention this fact. In addition to that, the fact that I was paired up with Satou, who had confessed

to me once, and the fact that I had chatted with Matsushita, all went through my mind.

"Are you sure you can't think of anything else?"

There was a pause, as if she was making a final check to pass judgment.

"No."

Still, I kept my ignorance to myself. If I knew for sure what Kei was talking about, I would have

confessed, whether it was with Ichinose or Satou.

However, since I haven't identified it yet, if I say something inappropriate, the wound may widen.

It's like letting the flesh cut the bone.

Why is ... I'm in such a mess instead of having a sweet phone call?

"Kei?"

I prompt her by calling her name, and she starts to speak, her lips quivering.

"There's a rumor going around that you're, well, messing around with a junior!"

"...?"

I heard what seemed to be the content of the rumor, but I couldn't catch up and tilted my head.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I guess I was wrong.

It was a good thing I didn't say anything carelessly, after all.

"Where and how did you hear that rumor?"

"I don't know! But I heard that you've been seen repeatedly meeting with a first year girl…?"

A first-year girl. The only person who comes to mind is Nanase…

It's true that I talked to Nanase repeatedly over the holidays.

It's not like we were meeting in secret, so there are probably witnesses all over the place.

If I knew what was going on, it would be quicker to talk.

"She's just a junior."

"I know that! I mean, even if I say that if it's not just a junior even then it's not good!"

Indeed.

"And also! I didn't hear that you and Satou-san were paired up for the treasure hunt."

Apparently, Kei was aware of the situation that came to my mind.

"Sure, I didn't report it, but since it's Kei, didn't you know about it right away?"

Even Matsushita knew about it, as I and Satou had been walking around on a treasure hunt and

there were many witnesses.

"Well, yes, I knew right away, I knew but..., but come on."

She seemed to be dissatisfied and was mumbling something inaudible.

"I really wanted to be paired with Kiyotaka."

"I understand how you feel?"

"Buh…"

"By the way, what was the result of your pairing with Mori?"

"... Do you want to hear about it?"

"No, thanks."

The air got worse, so I decided not to go deeper into it. I could continue to listen to her

complain, but since the topic of Satou had come up, I decided to ask her about it.

"Did you tell Satou about the future?"

"Huh? Ah, yes. I just wanted to tell Satou-san first."

"Well, I guess that's safe. By the way, did you talk about it over the phone or chat?"

"No way. You have to talk about these things in person. It was at the cafe."

"A cafe, huh? Do you remember anyone listening to you?"

"I'm careful, that's how careful I am. At least I don't think any of the second year students heard

me, so don't worry."

Indeed, it was the second years that Kei should be most concerned about.

First year students and third year students are generally not interested in the love stories of

other grades.

Especially if the subject is me.

The third-year students, however, are the complete opposite, and it's not surprising that they

only bite on the subject of me.

"Oh, but it was a little difficult to talk to her when a third-year girl came to sit near me."

As if answering a question, Kei recalled the time she had met Satou. For Kei, who didn't know

the circumstances, marking a third year student shouldn't have been an assumption.

"I'm glad to hear that you understand."

"Yeah. But you're sure about this, right? It's okay if we're open about our relationship."

"Of course it's fine."

I knew that sooner or later I would have to do something.

The more we knock them back, the more troublesome the rest of the process will become.

"Well, when I say open up, I don't mean declare it in front of your classmates. It's just going to

spread naturally from your friends and you'll know about it over time."

I'm sure there'll be a reaction to my thoughts later, but it's not that big of a deal.

"But you see, ...Kiyotaka is very popular."

"Is that so?"

"Wow, you don't seem to know what you're talking about, it's super annoying."

"Then why don't you just stop talking about it?"

"Well, that's true, but you're asking me because you're worried even if you know what I'm talking

about!"

It's not that I don't understand what you're saying, but there are contradictions.

"Isn't this a declaration to avoid unnecessary worries?"

As long as the person you like is not supposed to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you might get a

fierce attack. To avoid this, make a big deal about the fact that you are dating someone.

By doing so, most people will give up and stop attacking you.

Of course, I know that there are a few exceptions…

"You should be worried…"

The few exceptions are that Kei is scared of an enemy she has not yet seen.

"You may not know it yet, but there are even girls who are passionate about liking and stealing

boys who they know have girlfriends."

"I see."

"Okay? I'll never allow you to cheat on me."

For the dependent Kei, she would never allow her boyfriend to cheat on her.

That was something I knew even before we started dating.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do that."

"Are you sure?"

"Really."

"Really, really?"

"Really."

We went Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth in a seemingly sterile exchange.

However, this seemingly sterile behavior is one of the expressions of affection in the process of

love.

"Do you like me ...?"

I look around to make sure.

Of course, at this time of day, no student would want to face a dark deck.

"Yeah, I like you."

Now that I know that no one is around, I can say it without hesitation.

"... Mm.fufufu"

"What's with the creepy laugh?"

I thought for sure she would be pleased or reply in the same way, but I didn't expect her to laugh

at me.

"It's funny to think that Kiyotaka is saying that while worrying about his surroundings."

Apparently Kei could see what I was doing.

"I'm hanging up now."

"Oh, wait, wait. Say it again."

"Mmm."

My words were caught once in my throat when she demanded a second helping of declaration.

"I left when saying I was buying drinks, so I should probably get back."

"Hey! Tell me you like me!"

"I just said that."

"I want to hear it one more time!"

How selfish of her. No, it's still the same word, but it weighs so much differently.

"I like you"

"...fufu…"

"Hey."

Kei tried to hold back her laughter, but in the end she couldn't hold it in and let her voice out.

"Yeah, you're the best. ... I'm never going to give you to another girl."

I just said that she doesn't have to worry about that right now, but her anxiety seems to be

growing.

"Don't you want me to ask for it too?"

"If I ask you, will you tell me?"

"I'm not sure about that."

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hey! That's the part where you ask for it!"

I don't know, it seems like I'm being given a choice, but I'm not.

"Then tell me."

"Throw it away! You don't seem to care! I don't like it!"

"Please say ...."

"Huh? I don't know what to do~"

I held back the urge to retort and waited for Kei's response.

"I like you."

Kei replied with a short, slight laugh.

"Good night Kiyotaka."

"Yeah, good night."

As I hung up the call, Kei's words of liking reverberated in the back of my ear.

"Not bad, huh?"

Love is a really interesting thing.

That's what I thought, it was night time.

PART 1

It was just after August 9th on the ship.

It was after 1:00 a.m., when most of the students were probably already asleep.

The three of them met up in the night bar lounge, which was only open to adults.

"Ugh, I'm so tired. Why do we teachers have to work so late, day in and day out? It's making my

skin rough. I wish we could have a summer vacation too."

Hoshinomiya complained as she slumped down on the bar counter.

"You've had enough rest, you could have used the 5th and 6th for rest."

"Only two days, right~? I was busy yesterday and today~. What's with the treasure hunt bonus

game, we want the bonus~"

"I understand how you feel, but we're working people, Chie. We don't get a long summer

vacation like kids."

Chabashira, sitting to Hoshinomiya's right, admonished.

"It's not a big deal, considering the effort the students put in for two weeks on an uninhabited

island."

This time Mashima, sitting to Hoshinomiya's left, urged her to hold her ground.

"Don't force reality on me, .... I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it."

She held her ears with both hands and shook her head in disgust.

"Then at least let me have a vacation on the boat. Isn't it unfair that the students are the only

ones who have access to the pool, movies, and everything else and we can't?"

Hoshinomiya couldn't agree more with the situation she watched with her fingers in her mouth

every day in front of her.

"That's our job."

"When you're in the workforce, that's what you're supposed to do, Chie."

"Oh, yada yada work people!"

Even harder, she covered both ears with her hands.

But not long after, she let go of her hands and raised her right hand, shouting.

"Please give me a strong drink to escape from reality. Master's choice."

She then banged the counter table with her left hand and demanded a drink.

"You've never changed at all,…"

Chabashira looks at Hoshinomiya and sighs in exasperation.

"Because my goal is to be beautiful and young forever?"

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what~?"

"... No, don't worry about it. It would be useless to explain."

Late, Mashima and Chabashira also ordered beers, and when they were all here, they tipped

their glasses and toasted.

"But this special exam, it's been a strangely rough ride. There were too many unscheduled

things."

"There was a serious injury to a student, and a watch malfunction that was obviously the result

of the students doing whatever they wanted. And then something unexpected happened when

only the third-year students were expelled."

Taking a sip of the cocktail she was served, Hoshinomiya took a breath.

"The problem is that we let the students have too much freedom. It hasn't been reported, but I'm

sure there are things going on between boys and girls that we can't see."

"At the very least, I'd like to think that line was kept."

"That's sweet, Mashima-kun. You can't stop a young girl's passion even if you give her a lot of

flickers."

"That's only in your mind."

Hoshinomiya quickly demanded a refill when she was told off.

"I'll be busy again after the summer break."

"Ugh, I can't take it anymore. I don't want to be a cheaply paid teacher. Expendables,

expendable."

"All you've been doing is complaining."

"Of course. I did set this place up to complain."

Hoshinomiya said without a trace of remorse and sipped from her second glass.

"You never change, Chie. That's one of the good things about you."

Chabashira asks for some nuts as a light snack.

"Anyway, I'm relieved that the second years didn't lose this uninhabited island test."

"It was weird that only the third year students dropped out, though."

Sandwiched between Hoshinomiya and Chabashira, Mashima listened quietly to the

conversation.

But just as she was about to move on to another topic, he placed his half-empty glass of beer

on the table somewhat forcefully.

"The second-years are doing well. But that can lead to trouble."

"What, you mean it's not good that they're working so hard?"

"It's not that the school wants people to drop out, but after all, the second-year students we take

have virtually never dropped out of school in special exams so far."

"Virtually, huh. We've had to choose students who were semi-forcibly expelled from school, but

expelled students are expelled students, right?"

All three of them remembered clearly about the in-class vote.

"I'd like to believe that there won't be any more special exams with no way out like that, ever

again."

Chabashira, who usually treats her classmates with a cool-headedness, was

not without heartache. She couldn't agree with the idea of forcing a student who hadn't made a

mistake into a corner.

She agreed with Hoshinomiya on this point. But Mashima's face was grim.

Seeing this, Chabashira looked into Mashima's eyes.

"Don't tell me, you're saying that there's another special exam being prepared

to force people out of school?"

"A development like last year's in-class vote isn't something the school can do like that."

"That's not a problem then. As long as it's not something with a mandatory expulsion, my class

will get through."

"Oh dear? You've come to say a lot of things, haven't you, Sae-chan?"

Over Mashima's back, Hoshinomiya poked Chabashira in the side.

"Stop it!"

Chabashira grabs her hand, somewhat angrily, and Hoshinomiya turns her sharp eyes back on

her.

"You don't think you're going to make it up to Class A, do you?"

"... No one is saying that. I'm just saying that we're better than previous years' classes."

"Hmm?"

The air was tense, and Mashima gulped down the remaining half of his beer.

"There's certainly no forced expulsion. But…."

Chabashira and Hoshinomiya look at Mashima, who chokes on his words.

"The outline for the next special exam was announced the other day. It will be the first time in

eleven years that it will be held."

"Eleven years? ... We're 29 years old this year, so that means it's been since... our junior year

of high school? It's rare to see a special exam that old being adopted."

The memories of high school, many of them melted into the back of my brain and disappeared.

What conversations did we have, what special exams did we take? If I were asked to recall all of

them immediately, I wouldn't be able to answer.

"The school makes the special exams fit into a year-long schedule. To take it a step further, it's

based on a four-year rotation. You get the idea so far, right?"

"It's to make sure that the other kids don't leak the contents of the special exam while they're still

in school, right?"

The High School of Advanced Training had administered numerous special exams throughout

its history, ranging from those that were administered only once to those that fell into the

quadrennial framework due to their versatility.

"Of course, sometimes we intentionally repeat the same special exam in a short period of time,

and sometimes we do special exams for information sharing purposes, but basically it's a

predetermined rotation. But depending on how the year goes, we may bring in special exams

from further back than four years."

"So it's not that uncommon for old special exams to be used, is it?"

"Yes, it is. As long as it's not a 'problematic' special exam."

Mashima said with a hint of implication, but the two didn't think too much about it.

Rather, they were eager for the new special exam to begin.

"Maybe me and Sae-chan's class will have to fight each other~"

"You seem to be expecting that to happen. Do you think you can win if you fight us?"

"No, I don't think so. But it's better than fighting Ryuuen-kun's class or Sakayanagi-san's?"

Grinning, Hoshinomiya spat out the smell of alcohol from her mouth.

"Our class has grown a lot. Don't expect it to be easy."

"Wow…I never thought Sae-chan would say something like that. Ayanokouji-kun is a very

special kid, so she's a bit bossy now, isn't she?"

"Ayanokouji is indeed a gem. But there are a lot of students in my class who show a lot of

potential."

"Even? Isn't Sae-chan relying too much on Ayanokouji-kun?"

"What the hell are you talking about, when did I rely on Ayanokouji?"

The two of them seemed to be casually catching each other's words, but for Mashima sitting in

between them, their conversation could be chilling.

If he just listened to what they were saying in silence, it would turn into an argument in a matter

of minutes.

"Leave it at that. There's no point in arguing right now."

"Yeah, I guess I got a little heated."

Hoshinomiya gulps down the sake until it's empty, expressing her regret.

"You're going too fast."

"I'm fine, I'm not so weak that I'll go under easily."

"No, you're not. I'm saying that today… will affect tomorrow's work."

"Don't worry, it won't affect it."

Hoshinomiya shows no signs of stopping drinking and asks for a third glass.

"If you're ..., let's talk before you get too drunk. You might want to take a look at the outline for

the next special exam."

Mashima, having taken control of his phone, places it on the table.

"The important thing is the name of the special exam. You'll understand it as soon as you see it."

"The name of the exam?"

"Read it."

The two of them look at each other and look into the phone almost simultaneously.

Chabashira gasped the moment she saw it. The same goes for Hoshinomiya.

There was a special exam that both Chabashira and Hoshinomiya had experienced in their

school days.

The news was that it had been decided that it would be held at the beginning of the second

semester.

"I'm sure you remember this special exam well, even if it was 11 years ago… long ago."

Chabashira was speechless as she looked over and over at the name of the special exam that

was listed.

Hoshinomiya turns away from her phone and holds the third glass that has been brought to her.

She looked at her reflection in the glass and smiled to herself.

"I never thought I'd see this special exam again, you know. ..."

Chabashira couldn't answer anything and just quietly looked down once more.

"I thought that last year's in-class poll ... thing was a substitute for this?"

Hoshinomiya looked at Mashima, as if to confirm.

"What it turns out is that the school had no choice but to use it in a similar way. It seems that if

any of the second-year students had dropped out of the uninhabited island exam, the next

special exam was going to be a different one."

"Well, I guess that's not an option. We can't make the written exam too hard just to get people to

drop out. I guess Sae-chan's class is too good, and now there's a special exam that's a big

problem."

Hoshinomiya emphasized, as if to fry her.

"It's too early to assume it's a big problem. Depending on how you look at it, it's just a trivial

test."

"But if you make the wrong choice, it can turn into a difficult problem. Isn't that right? Sae-chan?"

Closing her eyes, Chabashira didn't answer yes or no.

"Yes. ... You two were especially tormented by this special exam, you know."

"I remember when we were in the third semester of our junior year. I've never forgotten that day,

I guess."

The words were directed to herself and to Chabashira as if she was nostalgic for the past.

"So, how long are you going to keep quiet? Do you have any comments?"

Chabashira couldn't get the words out of her head when asked that.

"What a jerk."

After a short whine, she ignored Chabashira who didn't reply and shifted her gaze towards

Mashima.

"What do you think Mashima-kun? Do you think there will be any withdrawals from the next

special exam ...?"

"Even though Class A is head and shoulders above the rest, there are still chances left for Class

B and below to turn things around. If they challenge them with the intention of winning, there's a

great chance that they'll follow the same path as you."

"A premonition huh… I guess."

Hoshinomiya muttered and asked the bartender for a fourth round of drinks. The pace of her

drink picks up.

"Well, I think my class is probably okay in a bad way, but what about Sae-chan's? Right now,

she's crawling up from the bottom, and if she can increase her class points here, she could be in

class B all at once. I would…"

"I'm going back to my room."

Chabashira, who had been silent for a long time, said and stood up before downing her first cup.

"Just when I thought you were finally talking, you say you're going home… The mood is

spoiled…"

"I'm sorry, but the two of you can handle the rest."

Chabashira turned her back on her, and Hoshinomiya's expression, which had been slow until

now, changed drastically.

"Hey!"

Hosinomiya slams her glass down on the table hard.

Then she stood up vigorously.

Not only Chabashira, but also Majima was surprised by her action and showed a slight agitation,

unable to speak.

It was fortunate that there were only three people in the audience.

"How long are you going to chase after your boring love, you!"

"... what are you talking about?"

"Do you know how old we are now? Twenty-nine? How many years old was it?"

"Hey, you drank too much at once…"

"Shut up, Mashima-kun!"

"..."

The bartender, who was wiping glasses nearby, sensed something unusual and excused himself

to use the restroom.

"You've been stuck in time for a long time, you're like a senior in high school, and yet you've

aged so well. And you are putting the pressure on current children without permission. Isn't that

stupid?"

Chabashira left the place in silence, not even bothering to reply to the continuous abuse.

Silence flowed between Hoshinomiya and Mashima, who were left here.

"Oh dear, she's gone."

Feeling a bit out of sorts, Hoshinomiya retrieves the drink Chabashira left behind and sits back

down.

"You're a mean one too, Hoshinomiya."

"I don't blame you. It's worse that this special test is coming up than anything else."

"Because it was this special exam that caused the decisive difference between you two."

"If Sae-chan had chosen the right answer, we could have graduated with an A class, you

know?"

"... You're still holding a grudge, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm holding a grudge. I failed and now I'm a teacher in this school. If it were true, I

could have gone to a more glamorous world."

"After that exam, you and Chabashira were in the same room, which made dorm life difficult."

"You can't live together after what happened. We could have killed each other."

"The scary thing about you guys is that you can't even say that you're exaggerating ...."

Hoshinomiya grabbed a strand of hair and pulled it out.

"I thought you cured that habit?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I did it unconsciously… Do you want a piece of my precious hair…?"

"No thanks."

He ignored the hair she offered him and demanded a second drink from the bartender who

came back.

Seeing this, Hoshinomiya also urged for a fourth drink.

"I told you, sharing a room is not a good idea. It's fine when things are going well, but if there's

trouble, the relationship can change drastically. When love and the future come into play."

Before he knew it, Hoshinomiya was back to her usual hilarious expression.

"Even though all the second-year students stayed behind for the uninhabited

island exam. The school is so cruel."

"Originally, there would be a few students who dropped out every year, that's the policy this

school was built on. But the school acknowledges the hard work of the second-year students.

That's why this special exam is being held. Because we still don't know what the results will be."

"That's true, but ... that exam brings out the ugliness and weakness in people. At least the

saving grace is that this is just the end of the first semester of my second-years year. Oh, and

that means it has something to do with the fact that the school approves of it, too."

"The shorter the rest of the school year is, the more class points will jump in value and the more

difficult the special exams will be, so there's some relief compared to what we did in the third

semester of our junior year."

"It's definitely not my fault ... because it's Sae-chan who's at fault ...."

"It depends on how you think about it. You and Chabashira both made the right decision."

"I don't know…"

Hoshinomiya's hand stopped as she suddenly tried to drink the newly arrived drink.

"What's up?"

"My class won't make ... at least class A."

"What are you talking about?"

"I already know; I don't think I can reach Sakayanagi-san's class. But… but even if that's the

case, I'm not going to let Sae-chan's class graduate with an A grade. For us, graduating with an

A class was a long-held dream. The girl who destroyed that has no right to make her own

students graduate with A class. Isn't that right, Mashima-kun?"

"... Isn't that a separate issue from this?"

"It's not separate. Absolutely not."

"Besides, Ichinose's class is excellent. There's still a way to get to A class. Perhaps Ichinose's

class will easily get through the next special exam."

"That's not good enough. No matter how outrageous the future may be, you need to become an

ogre in order to win A class. Just like I tried to do."

"Even with the dropouts, huh?"

"Even with the dropouts, yes."

He maked a sigh.

"Hirata, Kushida, Horikita, Kouenji, and Ayanokouji... are too much no matter how many times

you think about it."

"As usual, the class is full of students who are considered problematic, but there is a strange

sense of solidarity. It's as if every single flaw is being eliminated one by one."

"I hope the next special exam will destroy that."

Hoshinomiya said, resting her head on Majima's shoulder.

"I think I'm getting kind of badly drunk… I'd like to take a break, in Mashima-kun's room."

"If you're going to sleep, you should sleep in your room."

"That's harsh. Isn't there a more gentle way to say that?"

"If you're going to sleep, you'd better go back to your room."

"You haven't changed much!"

She pulled herself closer to hug his large left arm.

But Mashima forcefully pulled her away with force.

"Are you bothered?"

"I'm not bothered."

"Well, then at least take me to my room~. And then we can drink again in my room? Until

morning."

"Sorry, but I'm going back to my room too. Don't drink too much either."

"Don't you think this is a chance of a lifetime?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to get involved with you or Chabashira. It'll only lead to trouble."

"Strict~"

At the empty bar counter, Hoshinomiya quietly sipped her drink.

PART 2

On the day of the drinking party, the teachers were complaining about the situation.

The students, unaware of what is going on, went with their friends to make memories on the

luxury cruise ship that is left behind.

However, I, Horikita Suzune, was going to use my last remaining day off for something

completely different.

In front of the entrance to the private pool, there is a counter for employees and receptionists.

If the pool was open, they would check in here and pay before using the pool.

But I heard that the private pools are very popular among the students, so I guess they are

almost always booked up.

Of course, that's a good thing for me.

"Excuse me, I'm thinking of making a reservation for the private pool."

I speak to the employee at the reception desk. Perhaps having already had the same

conversation repeatedly with many students, the employee seemed familiar and began to give a

brief explanation.

"Please fill in your preferred time slot. If it's full, you can also waitlist."

With that, the employee held out a board to me.

I hadn't come to this place to enjoy the private pool.

I came all the way here to get the board that I just caught in front of me.

"I'll borrow it."

All the cafes and other reception areas had a reservation system using tablets and machines.

However, when it came to the private pools, which had a fixed time of every hour for each group

and could be booked up to a few days in advance, everything was booked on paper.

I pretended to look for the day and time I wanted to make a reservation and

paid attention to the font of each letter.

This is a private pool for multiple people, but the representative is supposed to fill out the form.

I had actually planned to settle the score with the treasure hunt game the other day.

Only about half of the school's students participated.

For the first-year students, the participation rate was over 66%.

Before the test ended, I checked the names and handwriting of all the first-year students who

participated, but none of the candidates matched the handwriting I remembered.

Did any of the 34% happen to be the person who sent me the letter?

No, or did they not participate in order to prevent me from matching their name to their

handwriting?

Anyway, that's what happened, and I'm still trying to find out from the remaining 34% of first-year

students.

Still, what amazes me is the reservation rate for the private pool.

Almost all the time slots are booked up, including the last day.

There is no charge for cancelling a reservation up to the day before, so some students may

want to hold onto it for now, but it's really popular.

There is a space to write the name of the representative and the number of students, but there

is no need to write the grade.

The writing on that paper I saw was really beautiful.

I flipped through the paper to check for everyone, but I couldn't find the same level of

handwriting.

I had a feeling it wouldn't be easy to find, but it looks like I was right.

It's not every day that you get the chance to see the names and handwriting of your students.

Since I couldn't find any, I guess it's time to start the hard work.

I would have to look at each name again and check it against the OAA.

Although there are not hundreds of names on the reservation list, it takes a lot of time just to

check them. It's easy to skip students with blatantly bad handwriting or different habits, but I

want to be sure and clear about who I can exclude here.

Kibayashi, 1st year B class, and Mochizuki, 1st year D class, were

excluded. I've already checked the handwriting of Eto-san (...) after participating in the

treasure hunt game yesterday, so he's excluded.

Thankfully, the receptionist didn't pay attention to me looking at the list with my cell phone in

hand, as she had a lot of chores to do.

But still, it's really not that easy to find. I looked through the list of 2nd and 3rd year treasure

hunters to make sure, but I couldn't find anyone who looked like the same person.

Where the hell is the person who wrote that piece of paper…?

A few minutes passed when I finished eliminating the ninth person.

The receptionist was about to get suspicious of me when she unexpectedly called out to me

from behind.

"Um, is it going to take much longer?"

"What? Eh, yeah. I'm sorry. I'm having a little trouble keeping time with my friends."

I was so focused on looking at the list that I didn't notice the presence of the student standing

behind me.

I had already assumed that hardly any students would come to the appointment, but I wasn't

following…

It would be difficult to keep them waiting for many minutes to make the exclusion list.

I decide that it would be better to let the boy make the reservation first.

From the looks of him, he's not a senior, he's a freshman.

"It's still going to take me a while to decide, so go ahead."

"Is that so? Then I'll leave first."

So said the male student who took the board from me.

He was tall, about the same height as Sudou-kun or a little shorter. I operate my cell phone and

wait for the visitor to finish filling out the reservation list while pretending to be chatting with a

friend.

Perhaps because there are only a limited number of places where you can make an

appointment, I was able to decide faster than I expected.

Not long after, the boy looked back at me as if he had finished writing down his reservation.

"Thank you very much. Excuse me."

I received the list of names as I switched places, and immediately checked the names of the

first-year students I had filled out.

"There was ...."

Representative name, Kyo Ishigami. The number of users is five.

He hadn't participated in the treasure hunt game, so this was the first time I'd seen this name.

When I looked up the name in the OAA I had already opened, I also found out that it was class

A, first year.

His handwriting was refined, and it was no wonder that he had been doing penmanship for

years.

However, handwriting is very prone to habits. It was not the machine-like, model-like handwriting

I had seen on the uninhabited island. Still, it was the closest handwriting I've ever seen. If I had

a piece of paper in my hand, I would be able to match it up in detail, but since Amasawa-san

had torn it up and thrown it away, that would be impossible. I can't be sure that the letters in my

memory and the letters written by Ishigami-kun are really different.

As I stared at the letters, I felt like I was having a Gestalt collapse.

[ (Gestalt Collapse) is a term in Japanese which describes the phenomenon of a complex

character breaking down into its component parts in one's mind and losing its meaning if one

stares at it for a short while. ]

I've been staring at the letters so much since the other day that it seems to be putting a lot of

strain on my brain.

"I'm sorry, can you give me a minute?"

I call out somewhat loudly to Ishigami-kun as he moves away from me.

He looked back at me curiously, and I continued.

"Actually, I just finished a discussion with a friend, but it seems to have coincided with the time

you wrote about. So I was wondering if I could talk to you about a few things."

Whatever the topic, I want a hint to make sure he's the one who insinuated Ayanokouji-kun's

expulsion.

"It's not that I can't consult with you, but I just told my colleagues that I have an appointment at

that time."

I lifted the phone up to my face with the back side facing.

I was able to connect with him, as I had succeeded in calling him off at first.

If he was the one in front of me, the one who had put it down on paper on the uninhabited

island, there was a good chance he knew me, even if I didn't know if he had delivered it directly

to the tent.

"Can I see the list of names again, please?"

"Of course. Sorry about that."

"No, it's fine, Horikita-senpai."

He calls my name, and my heart rate quickens slightly.

"... You know my name. Although I don't recall ever talking to you."

"I learned most of the names and faces of the academically advanced second-years during the

first special exam right after I entered the school."

The handy OAA can also help you remember the names of your seniors and

juniors.

"That's a good memory. I thought I remembered some of the more academically advanced

students, but I didn't recognize you, Ishigami-kun."

"I'm not the one who stands out."

The discussion went smoothly without any trouble or suspicion on my part.

We didn't get anything definitive, but I still feel that his handwriting is different somehow.

I feel bad about keeping him around any longer, so I decide to let him go.

"Can I ask you one question, Horikita-senpai?"

This time, however, I'm the one who gets a word in edgewise with Ishigami-kun.

"When I stopped you, you said that you thought you remembered the academically advanced

students, but you didn't recognize me, right?"

"Yeah, why does that matter?"

I don't remember saying anything crazy, but…

"Are you sure you didn't remember?"

He confirmed as if to make sure I did.

"Of course it's true."

In fact, I didn't have Ishigami-kun in my memory.

"Then at what point did you find out that I'm an academic? If you and your friend were meeting

at the time of your appointment, I'm sure it would take you a good amount of time to activate

OAA and confirm it."

I couldn't respond quickly enough to the sharp point I hadn't expected him to make.

There was nothing strange about it, up to the point where I found his name in the list. However,

as Ishigami said, there was something strange about the fact that I knew that he had high

academic ability.

He could have pointed this out earlier, but he threw it in slowly.

It was as if he had timed it to the point where it was relieved that i could

finish my response without incident.

"I just happened to have OAA open and running in the background. Ishigami-kun's name was in

the time slot I wanted to book, so I hurried to check the to make sure it was you."

It was a bit of a bitter excuse, but it was definitely not an impossible story.

After Ishigami-kun finished confirming with his friend on his cell phone, he nonchalantly changed

the appointment time.

"I see. I'm sorry for the strange misunderstanding."

"That's okay. I'm sure you were a little startled, and it's understandable that you would get the

wrong idea."

"Well then, I'll leave you to it."

"Oh, ..., yes, Ishigami-kun, thank you so much for the reservation."

"No problem, but…"

He was about to say something, but it seemed like he was hesitating for a bit

to say the next word.

"What?"

"No. I'll see you again Horikita-senpai."

"Right. Again."

It didn't turn out the way I thought it would, and Ishigami-kun turned away and walked away.

I don't think it's him from his handwriting, but I'm strangely curious about this student.

I think it's better to position him as gray with a hint of white for now.

[Grey and white referencing if it was him or not. Gray being unsure]

After seeing him off until I couldn't see his back anymore, I stood there holding the list.

It's not natural for me to take my time to look at the list since I made an appointment.

I'll have to remember to call to cancel after I've given myself some time.

And since I didn't get any clues, I'll have to figure out what to do next.

"You look like you're having a very difficult time~ Horikita-san."

Hoshinomiya-sensei, who was unusually present at this moment, called out to me.

Such a teacher seemed to be sitting with Kanzaki-kun, and our eyes met.

"Isn't that so, I guess it's the same as usual."

"Yeah? I guess so."

What bothered me more was the fact that Hoshinomiya-sensei had her hands on the wall.

"Um, you're not feeling well?"

"Oh~ this? Don't worry about this, it's a disease specific to adults."

Adult-specific illness? What the hell kind of illness is that…?

"I mean, who's that cool kid from earlier… uh, who is he~? I think I've seen him somewhere

before."

The person Hoshinomiya-sensei had passed just before was none other than Ishigami-kun.

"It's Ishigami from Class A, Year 1."

Before I could answer, Kanzaki-kun, standing next to the teacher, answered.

"Eh? First year? I mean, well, if you're a 2nd or 3rd year student, it's only natural that you

know…"

Hoshinomiya-sensei tilted her head curiously for some reason.

"What's wrong with him? Do you have any thoughts about him?"

I ask, hoping to get any clues I can.

"Hmm, I think I saw him at school once quite a while ago… I might be mistaken. I'm sorry,

Horikita-san, but I don't think so!"

Wobbling on her feet, Hoshinomiya-sensei ran towards the deck.

I followed her, wondering what was going on.

"Ah, ugh, hiiii!"

I don't know what's going on, but she let out a painful cry and went outside. Then, with a loud

gurgle, Hoshinomiya-sensei clutched her mouth and grabbed the deck railing.

"Oro aro uro!!!"

The glistening vomit was blown away by the strong sea breeze. Kanzaki-kun, who arrived a little

later, and I just stared at it.

What the hell are we being shown…?

"Sensei ..., I think that's a lot of problematic behavior."

I point out the hygiene and moral aspects of the situation.

"Ugh, I've got a mix of hangover and seasickness, sorry Horikita-sa──ororooro!"

The least I can say is that it was the ocean down there…

"I'm sorry, I'm going to go back to my room and go to sleep. ... Sorry, I was in the middle of a

conversation, Kanzaki-kun."

"Don't worry about it. I'll call on you again."

"And Horikita-san, I'm sorry for showing you something weird~... ugh!"

She waved her hand flippantly, but quickly repressed her mouth and ran into the ship.

"… You're a busy man."

"It must be confusing if you're not used to seeing her."

"You've seen her a few times?"

"I've been shown something like that about three times in my morning homeroom."

I'm sorry to hear that,….

With Hoshinomiya-sensei out of sight, I bailed lightly at Kanzaki-kun and turned to leave.

"Horikita, what is your relationship with Ishigami?"

As soon as I stopped, I was asked to talk about something I didn't expect.

"What do you mean?"

Since the true meaning of his words was unclear, I had no choice but to reply.

"You've been talking to him."

"The way you said it, it sounds like you know him in no small way. It seems like you knew his

name."

"Well, I had a lot of opportunities to have contact with first-year students during the special

examinations right after the second-year promotion."

The best students of the first year, most of them, were taken by the Sakayanagi-san and

Ryuuen-kun classes.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kanzaki-kun knew Ishigami-kun through that process, though…

I was a little surprised that Kanzaki-kun, who doesn't usually talk to me, took a bite out of it.

"I bumped into him at a private pool reservation. So, yeah."

I explained the situation briefly, but Kanzaki-kun seemed a little unconvinced.

"By the way, is he a trustworthy junior in your eyes?"

I still don't know how much of a clue I'm following, and how much of a witness I am as one of

those witnesses.

That's why I'd like to get information from as many of them as possible.

"His academic skills are impeccable. That's what the OAA can tell you."

"Yes, it was a qualified A."

In contrast, his physical abilities were not so good, and he received a D-.

"But being able to study doesn't equal trust."

"Why would you want to know if Ishigami is trustworthy? It seems irrelevant to the appointment."

We're in the middle of summer vacation with no special exams going on.

Surely it wouldn't be surprising if that's what you were wondering about.

Kanzaki-kun seemed to be concerned about it, so I asked him about it, but let's leave it at that.

"Don't worry about it. I just thought I'd ask."

I try to let the conversation drift because I can't give him information about his handwriting.

But he didn't turn away from me and continued his words.

"It's not like I don't have the material to know if I can trust the guy or not."

It's a strange way of putting it, but it means that Kanzaki-kun knows about Ishigami-kun.

"If you can answer some questions from me, I don't mind telling you about Ishigami."

I judged him to be gray, closer to white, so I didn't have to force myself to go along with the

conversation. However, the expression on Kanzaki-kun's face at this point seemed different

from the calm one he usually showed, and it caught me.

"Question? What is it?"

"I've been analyzing Horikita's class for a while now."

"... my class?"

"Among them, I'd like to know how good…Ayanokoji really is."

"I can't answer that question for you, even if you asked me. Can you ask him directly?"

I digress, inwardly surprised that Ayanokoji-kun's name was mentioned

here.

"I don't think he's someone who would answer honestly if you asked him."

"That may be so. But it doesn't mean you can trust a word that comes out of me, does it?"

"If it helps one, that's fine."

"We've known each other a long time, but I don't know anything about him."

"I don't know anything, that's too exaggerated. If you call yourself the leader of the class, you

should be somewhat familiar with the inner workings of your classmates."

"I haven't gained the trust of all my classmates yet. That goes for Ayanokoji-kun as well."

I don't have the qualifications yet to proudly call myself a leader.

At the very least, I'm not as good as Sakayanagi-san, Ichinose-san, or Ryuuen-kun.

"I guess you can't answer me honestly, since he's probably a valuable asset to Horikita's class."

"Well, just being alerted like that gives you some sense of the value of his presence."

Regardless of whether or not he's capable, I'd appreciate it if he'd put in the effort to think about

it.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?"

"No, that's all I care about right now."

If that's the case, then it's no wonder you can't tell me about Ishigami-kun.

You can't pursue it strongly from here, though I was thinking that…

"The student named Ishigami is excellent, compassionate, and has the ability to do things. He is

already recognized as the leader of Class A in the first year, and his fellow students are sure to

have complete confidence in him."

"I'm sure that's a good thing for his friends."

"But that's only for your allies. It doesn't apply to those who threaten them. They're probably the

type that would bare their fangs without mercy."

He seemed like a mild-mannered student to me, so it was difficult to picture him with the

material I had now.

"Then I wonder what kind of attitude he would have towards someone who is neither an enemy

nor a friend."

"If he's neither friend nor foe, then to him it's indifference."

"Indifferent?"

Kanzaki-kun, who had been speaking in front of me, stopped moving.

"... Ah. You're not supposed to care about beings that don't mean anything to you."

"He told me he'd see me again, I wonder if an indifferent person would leave a note suggesting

a reunion."

"Ishigami? No, he's not the kind of man who says things like that easily. Did he really say that?"

"If I didn't mishear it, yes. You seem to know a lot about him, though."

I wonder if there's something going on between Kanzaki-kun and Ishigami-kun that has nothing

to do with the case I'm pursuing.

"I don't know much about him. I've never been taken advantage of before."

He muttered to himself, and then continued.

"It's true that the man is only interested in either his friends or his enemies. In other words,

Horikita has already been classified as one of them in Ishigami's mind."

"Even if you put it that way, I don't really understand."

Today was the first time I had contact with Ishigami-kun.

Prior to that, we had never met face to face or exchanged greetings.

Neither a clear ally nor a clear enemy, that's the usual analysis.

"Unknowingly having a relationship is always a possibility."

"Are you suggesting that my actions are indirectly influencing him?"

"I can't rule out that possibility."

For the life of me, I can't figure out what Kanzaki-kun is talking about.

Kanzaki-kun pondered for a while, but eventually muttered quietly.

"I'll give you one piece of advice. Don't get any more involved with Ishigami."

"I don't want to get involved in the first place. While I'm advising you, are there any other first

years I should be aware of?"

"Other first years?"

So far, there's no one who could be considered a clear suspect. I need a clue.

If Amasawa-san or any other name came up, it would add depth to his statement.

I thought so…

"The only first year you should be concerned about is Ishigami."

Kanzaki-kun replied, then turned away and started walking. On the way, he passed Ibuki-san,

who was looking at him, but did not make eye contact with Kanzaki-kun.

"Are you close with Kanzaki?"

"No, not at all. We just happened to have something in common today, what's wrong?"

"I don't like the fact that he looks so smart with you."

It was useless to take her seriously.

"What do you have in common with that guy?"

"A freshman, Ishigami-kun. He was a student who looked a little like the handwriting I'm looking

for."

With that, I accessed OAA and brought up Ishigami-kun's profile.

Year 1, Class A, Kyo Ishigami

Academic Ability A (95)

Physical Ability D- (25)

Ability to think tactfully B+ (77)

Ability to contribute to society D (31)

Overall ability B- (61)

"Also, there was something a little creepy about the way he talked and acted, like he couldn't

see the bottom."

"Hmm? Does that mean he's suspicious in your mind?"

"I don't know. I think it's more gray than white, but .... If this physical assessment isn't a true

assessment of his abilities, then I might get suspicious all at once."

But there's no way to be sure of that at the moment.

"This Ishigami is not the one you're looking for."

Ibuki-san interjected, as if to deny my deduction.

"How can you be so sure?"

"The day before yesterday, I was on the floor overlooking the pool, and I was kind of watching

the guys playing."

"By yourself? That must be lonely."

"What? Do you want me to stop talking?"

"Just kidding, go on."

"Damn,…. This guy, who stood out a bit because he was tall, came into view. He had a normal

body with no upper or lower body workouts. It's definitely not that he works out. My guess for the

guy you're looking for is someone strong like Amasawa or Ayanokouji, right?"

"Maybe the reason you went to the pool was to look for someone who works out…?"

Did you finally notice? Cowering her shoulders, Ibuki-san continued.

"Strength and body are always proportional. If it's a guy who can move, he definitely has a toned

body, and if it's a guy who's strong, his muscles must be well-trained."

If I were an amateur, I'd say that Ibuki-san is a martial artist.

If she had seen Ishigami-kun, whose upper body was naked, then this data

had a high degree of credibility.

"That's a good point for you to focus on."

If the information from Ibuki-san was reliable, it meant that his physical ability was undeniably

around D-.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean he's the necessarily strong person as

I initially guessed, but…

I think it's safe to say that he's completely innocent.

"Either way, the holidays are almost over, and we'll have to wait until the second semester starts

to continue."

"I don't know how long that's going to take."

I can't help but feel a bit dismayed, but right now I have no conclusive proof of anything.

We'll just have to keep at it for a while.

PART 3

Time for many of the students to head to the ship's facilities.

Amasawa Ichika, Class A, Year 1, was making her way into the cabin where one student was

waiting.

"How are you going to excuse yourself if your roommate comes back at this time? I mean,

normally I would say that, but since it's you, you're calculating that you'll never come back, aren't

you?"

He smiled thinly and didn't answer either of Amasawa's questions.

"Do you understand what's going on? It seems that Nanase-chan, Horikita-senpai, and

Ryuuen-senpai are all looking for you with their eyes. Can't you just leave it at that?"

"This is fine. The plan is working like a charm."

"Then tell me the details of that plan…Takuya."

Yagami Takuya, who was called Takuya and was enrolled in first year B class, quietly got up

from the bed.

"You never learn either, Ichika."

Amasawa, wary of the approaching Yagami, stared at him without blinking at his actions.

The moment she blinked, she could be subjected to some kind of powerful attack.

"I'm not going to raise my hand here."

"As much as I'd like to believe that."

"You're right, you're no longer on the White Room side. That's why you're my enemy."

He reached out his right arm and gently touched Amasawa.

"I know you thought so, but… I don't even recognize you as an enemy."

"Oh my, you're telling me."

"Just kidding. Now that you're a civilian, I just can't take any chances."

"I might be recording this conversation."

"You can do whatever you want with that."

Yagami could tell that recording this conversation would not be detrimental in any way.

If Amasawa was completely on Ayanokoji's side, then all she had to do was speak directly to

him.

Even if it is not enough to believe that the story is true, it is enough to keep Yagami on his toes.

"The reason I called you here is because I wanted to find out your true intentions. Did you really

want to protect Ayanokoji-senpai and repeatedly interfere with my plans?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Nya~"

Yagami laughed at Amasawa's frightened display and removed his fingers from the tips of her

hair.

"There are too many to point out, so let's hear about the one point that forced me to change my

plans. Why did you sabotage Kushida and Kurachi? I sent to Ayanokouji for the uninhabited

island test?"

"I don't have to explain, you know that. It's because it's a painful strategy for Ayanokoji-senpai. I

didn't want them to film a scene of him fighting with Nanase-chan and Kurachi-kun, two

unconnected people. I'm sure senpai would have gotten through it just fine, but it was still

inevitable that the footage would be disturbing."

"Right. It's true that he would have been able to handle Nanase and Kurachi without difficulty.

But if we had recorded the scene of him dealing with it, we could have used it as a bargaining

chip. If Ayanokouji forcibly took the tablet from Kushida, he wouldn't be able to unlock the pass,

and physical destruction would create other problems."

The plan was thwarted by Amasawa, who had anticipated the action.

"Are you angry?"

"No way. I'm sure it would have made for a more interesting production in the end. I also got to

know his character and how well he could read. He didn't choose to do a GPS search even

though it looked like he was about to be attacked. He could do that because he knew that it

would only be a distraction. Normally, I would have done a GPS search like Nanase did and

followed Kurachi or Kushida."

Once back on the ship, there was no change in behavior in that regard.

"As a result, Nanase-chan and Ryuuen-senpai have stepped into the Lost Forest, haven't they?

They don't seem to have made contact yet, but I don't see how questioning the unrelated Utomiya-kun is going to help. But what about Horikita-senpai? It seems that they are trying to

identify him by getting a hint from the paper Takuya wrote. It was a bit of an idea to have the

handwriting on the list in a treasure hunt game, wasn't it?"

"I'm sure if I give her a few more hints, she'll eventually get to me."

Yagami didn't seem to be in a hurry, in fact he seemed to be waiting for it.

"You mean that paper was a deliberate act?"

"Of course, that was my direction, too. I just want you to do your best to get there."

Yagami has a lot of hints for this in the future.

Even without asking him about it, Amasawa knew exactly what he was

talking about.

"What's beyond that? If it matches Takuya's handwriting, that information will also be in

Ayanokoji-senpai's ears."

If that happens, he'll be suspected as a potential White Room student.

"He doesn't trust me to begin with, and I'm assuming he's aware of some of the lies I've spread.

This roundabout way of doing things was originally because Tsukishiro was in the way, though.

Now that he's retreated, there's less need for it. There's no point in beating up Ayanokouji in a

prepared advantageous situation."

"So you're saying you don't care when he found out?"

"That's what I mean. I'm even willing to come out directly to him."

From the beginning, Yagami had intended to go head-to-head with Ayanokoji.

But if he acted carelessly in the preliminary stages, there was a possibility that Tsukishiro would

interfere.

While he was making all sorts of plans and following Tsukishiro's lead, they were all just to buy

time.

"But now that the uninhabited island exam is over, we won't have a chance to interact with the

second-year students for a while, right? I think it'll be better for you if you go back to the White

Room soon~"

For Amasawa, who had no intention of returning, being expelled was a blessing in disguise. But

for Yagami, it's the only place to return to.

"I have to completely crush him in a perfect way. I can catch up on my studies as much as I

want."

His smile, a clumsy toothy grin, was nothing like his usual freshness.

"You really are twisted in a different way from me, aren't you Takuya?"

Amasawa continued her words, though she was dumbfounded.

"I feel sorry for Utomiya-kun too. He's just a fellow student, but he's teaming up with Takuya to

protect Tsubaki-chan…I bet he'd be pissed if he knew it was Takuya who got his C classmates

expelled."

"We knew from the start that he's a clumsy and companionable person; if he lets one classmate

drop out, he'll definitely want to stop it this time. I slipped into Tsubaki and Utomiya's pockets

and developed a strategy that would never succeed, and confirmed Ayanokoji's hand. Thanks to

that, I also found out that he's connected to Sakayanagi, the leader of the second year A class."

"Oh, she came to me… Arisu-senpai."

"There's a possibility that she'll intervene in the fight between me and Ayanokoji in the future, so

we'll have to think about how to deal with her."

"Yes, yes, well, do what you want."

Amasawa sighs in boredom, tired of seeing Yagami start to talk so eloquently.

When he's in a good mood, Yagami will talk forever by himself, like now, even if he's left alone.

He enjoys this situation more than anyone else, even though he has put himself in danger of

having his identity discovered.

"Are you satisfied with your speech? Can I go back now?"

"Before that, what I wanted to call you out to confirm is your intentions, Ichika."

"Hmm~?"

Showing a childish smile, Yagami instantly grabbed both of Amasawa's forearms.

"Huh!"

Amasawa, who had been on guard with the intention of avoiding him for sure, was not caught off

guard, but she couldn't react.

"It's either Utomiya or me. Everyone will find out about it not too long from now. That's where it

all starts."

"…So they're going to play the kind of serious game Takuya wants?"

"We recognize each other as enemies, and then we compete to see who's really good."

"Why don't you decide with your fists like a man, instead of trying to go around? With Takuya's

fighting ability, he should be able to compete with Ayanokoji."

"I won't use violence except for the minimum necessary."

"How can you say that?"

The force of the restraining hand was extraordinary, and even Amasawa was no match for it.

But even if she tried to use other means, she would not be able to compete with him now.

"Can't you understand that this is the least violent thing you can do right now?"

Amasawa smiles back at him, but she's already imagining what will happen next in her mind

over and over again.

However, no matter how many times she repeats it, she can't find a pattern that can break the

situation.

"The reason why I called you here today is because I was actually thinking of putting you out of

action again. And Ichika, who knows about me, is only a hindrance to me no matter how I try in

the future. Have you noticed that?"

"Haha~, it might not be funny."

With Yagami's looming face in front of her, Amasawa began to prepare herself──.

The pressure was removed from her clenched forearm, and the restraints were released.

"What a surprise."

He laughed softly, as he always did, and put his hand on the door behind Amasawa's back.

"Sorry, sorry. But really, today I was going to crush you. But I stopped."

"Wow, you did?"

Amasawa drew back, slouching at such a response.

"Because I've heard that you were sanctioned by Shiba. You were right not to fight back."

"If you turn him away once, he'll just come back twice as hard. I learned that when I was little.

But are you sure you want to leave me alone?"

"Now that I know that Ichika is going to remain calm. If I had made the decision to go completely

with Ayanokoji, I would have ended it already."

"It's a little difficult to weigh the senior I admire and the friendliness of my peers."

"Don't worry, it's a head-to-head match that Ayanokoji needs to win. There's no way I'm going to

be violent with him. It's one of two things:

either I get expelled or he does."

With that, Yagami opened the door to the guest room and let Amasawa leave like a gentleman.

PART 4

It was around 2 a.m. in the concert hall.

I quietly opened the heavy door.

In the large room, there was only one person sitting in a seat with her back to me.

It was so quiet that even the sound of my footsteps on the carpet could be heard, and I

approached the person.

"Students aren't allowed to leave their guest rooms at this time, though."

"Don't say that. If it's not this time of day, there's no chance for us to be alone for sure."

"If someone finds us, you'll take responsibility for us, won't you? Chabashira-sensei."

Chabashira doesn't even turn to look at me.

"Don't worry. The teacher's nightly rounds are supposed to last until midnight."

"That's fine then. So, what were you thinking calling me all the way out here?"

"After the summer break, the second semester will begin. And the next exams will start."

"I'm sure it will. Last year, we went straight to the gym festival, didn't we?"

"Yeah. But not this year, there will be one special exam held before that."

"Are you sure? You can't give me that information."

There was no way that a teacher would be allowed to give out favorable information to a

particular student or class.

"Or are you saying that the next special exam has already started?"

"No… it's not like that."

If that's the case, then Chabashira's decision to invite me here and this conversation was all at

her own discretion.

This is unexpected, because I thought that the homeroom teacher is usually not particularly

supportive of the class.

I don't know what she was thinking, but she suddenly fell silent.

There was no point in standing by her, so I went to the stage. Normally, this concert hall is a

place where you can enjoy listening to live music.

The large, high-class grand piano is still in place.

Perhaps because the performance was held in this hall today, it was naturally not covered with

any dust.

"Acting Director Tsukishiro even risked his own career to get rid of you on the uninhabited

island. Even if your father was a celebrity, his persistence is extraordinary."

"I suppose so. The only thing I have to correct is that Tsukishiro has never been interested in the

position of Acting Director from the beginning. He only used the position to get rid of me."

"So that's how powerful a force is at work?"

Chabashira crosses her arms, completely unable to understand.

"Are you ready to talk about it now?"

"... Ah."

Pausing for a breath, Chabashira speaks up quietly.

"How do you analyze your class?"

"How, what do you mean?"

"Do you think you have what it takes to move up to Class A?"

"Are you going to ask that to the students in your own class?"

"I'd like to ask you."

Unusual, that's not even close.

That's how much Chabashira must have something on her mind.

"Yes, I definitely think that we have the highest potential out of the second years. However, that

doesn't mean that we can just leave them like this and move up to Class A. It will be very

difficult to catch up with Sakayanagi's class, which is currently leading the A class."

The teacher would know this school better than most.

"The class has to be one, I think that is the minimum requirement. And that includes you,

Chabashira-sensei."

When I said that, Chabashira looked at me with a surprised look. She looks like she knows what

she's doing.

"I'm .... What kind of teacher do I look like to you?"

Chabashira has always been rather cold-hearted towards her classmates.

Instead, she had spent her days shunting them down and abandoning them.

"A teacher who thinks she can't win, but can't give up hope. That's it in a nutshell, isn't it?"

"That's harsh."

"The fact and impression that you tried to use me hasn't changed at all."

"Yes, that's right."

Unless she sincerely corrected that mistake, Chabashira would never change.

"You don't make your students work hard because you yourself want to be in Class A. You work

hard for the sake of the students who strongly want to be in Class A."

"Ayanokoji..."

"I'm sure you'll be able to find the answer. I think so."

"You said that the ... class needs to become one."

"Yes."

"That includes you, of course."

"Of course it does."

Their gazes met, and Chabashira gulped heavily.

"What if I told you that I was leaving my past behind?"

Eyes that questioned her resolve.

You'd better believe that any lie here will be seen through.

"If you say you're going to throw away your past, then I'm going to throw away the way I've

always thought. If you're serious about getting to Class A, I'm not going to hold out on you."

"... I see."

What will or will not change about Chabashira with these words?

That remains to be seen at the moment…

"When you can look forward, I'm sure the class will start to change for real."

"... I guess so."

Looking up at the high ceiling, Chabashira closed both eyes.

It seemed certain that she was casting a deep shadow over her mind.

I should just walk away, but for some reason I feel a little differently at this moment.

Chabashira's reputation as a homeroom teacher remains low.

However, when I looked at her as a person, I began to see a slight change in my opinion of her.

She was much more fragile than I had expected, as if she had only grown up

on the outside.

I sat back in my chair and opened the keyboard lid.

"... What are you doing? Don't tell me you can play the piano?"

Without answering any questions, I ran my fingertips over the keys and began to play a tune.

When I finished playing, Chabashira applauded without seeming to.

"I'm no musical expert, but that's brilliant. Even with practice, I'll never be able to play at that

level. As I recall, the song you just played…"

And then, in the silent concert hall, there was a sound slightly behind me.

Chabashira hurriedly stood up and turned around.

Emerging from the darkness was a smiling Tsukishiro.

"Beethoven, Für Elise, isn't it? Even though the difficulty of the piece itself is not high, to play it

so perfectly is an impressive feat. It was a shame that Chabashira-sensei and I were the only

ones who were watching. However, during this time, students are not allowed to go out

unintentionally. You know that there will be penalties waiting for you if you break it easily, don't

you?"

[ It's a good song. Try hearing it ]

"Acting Director Tsukishiro, this is ...."

Chabashira hurriedly tried to make an excuse, but Tsukishiro stopped her softly.

"Don't worry. As of today, I have been dismissed from my position as acting

Director, and Chancellor Sakayanagi has reinstated, so I am now just an irrelevant civilian. I will

not be reporting to the school."

"We can trust ..., are you sure?"

"There is no need to trust me. However, from the moment I showed up here, Ayanokoji-kun was

aware of my presence. If your emotions are disturbed, it will be transmitted to your performance.

But I didn't see a single millimeter of turbulence in your performance. ... Why is that?"

"It's simple. I can't be expelled, even if I am to be punished. The only thing you and I have to

fight about is whether or not I'll be expelled. There's no point in penalizing me for going out ."

"Even if you knew that, it's normal to panic if you're seen in a place you don't want to be seen. I

wonder if that courage comes from your father."

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember being raised that way."

Closing the lid, I stepped away from the piano.

"In the morning, I won't be able to talk to you ever again. When I thought about it, I thought I'd at

least try one last time."

The ship is equipped with number of surveillance cameras.

I wonder if he was constantly checking the corridors for images of my cabin.

He's got a lot of time on his hands.

"If you'd prefer me to leave, I'll leave."

"No, it's fine as it is. It would be more inconvenient for Ayanokoji-kun if he were to be left alone

with me. It is better for you to stay here to protect the students."

Tsukishiro walked up to us and sat down on a seat two seats away from Chabashira.

"Is the concert over already?"

"If you need to talk, please do so soon."

He knew it was a joke, so he urged Tsukishiro to speak quickly.

"It's a bad idea, but I'm here to negotiate one last time. Don't you have any intention to report

your expulsion and leave?"

"Tsukishiro─san. What on earth do you intend to do?"

Hearing the word "expulsion", Chabashira interrupted with a bit of anger.

"What do you mean?"

"You interfered in the special exam without permission and tried to expel Ayanokoji. That alone

is an act that would normally be unforgivable."

"That goes for you too Chabashira-sensei, weren't you trying to have a private conversation

about the next special exam?"

The details were unclear, but in his own way, Tsukishiro seemed to see through Chabashira's

purpose.

"It's certainly not something to be praised. But I'm not going to tell him what the exam is to give

him an advantage."

"That may be true in your mind, but you can't prove it. The fact that I happened to show up here

prevented the injustice from happening before it happened."

"That's…"

"And you are guilty of more than one. You understand, don't you?"

At the moment, Chabashira's crime was calling out a student at this time when he was

grounded.

Even if it is between a teacher and a student, the fact that they are male and female is a point

that cannot be overlooked.

Tsukishiro can also persistently exploit that small gap.

"Chabashira-sensei, it's not me who's in trouble for making a fuss, it's you. And Ayanokoji-kun,

too."

If it turns into a mess with the teacher, a warning won't be enough.

It was a threat from Tsukishiro, "If you understand, don't interfere".

"Stick to ...."

Chabashira, who had lost track of that part, understood the position she was in and stepped

back.

"That's fine."

Without breaking into a smile, Tsukishiro approached me and the distance between us closed to

about two meters.

"I won't try to set you up here, don't worry."

"No matter what the situation, you will act if it is in your best interest. That's the kind of person I

analyzed you to be."

"I guess that means you're buying it to some extent."

So far, I've managed to evade Tsukishiro's tricks.

But that's only because Tsukishiro has followed what can hardly be called an outrageous

strategy.

Manipulation of exams, violence, kidnapping, that's about it.

Perhaps if this man had wanted to, it would not have been as bad as it had been.

"I won't drop out."

"I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. So you're going to stay at this school until you graduate, is that

it?"

"That is my intention. As long as I don't get expelled according to the school's rules."

"No matter how much you want to stay in this world, you certainly can't resist it."

They don't speak to each other here, but the shadow of the White Room student still flickers

around them.

"You are clever. And strong. It's so good that anyone who knows what you're capable of would

agree."

Eventually, Tsukishiro stands in front of me.

"But no matter how good you are, you are still just a child. You should understand that that

person has already factored in that strength of yours and is sending me to you."

In other words, that man also foresaw the future where I would evict Tsukishiro like this…?

"If you want to stay in school for even a day longer, you should think twice."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Smiling thinly, Tsukishiro laughed once by himself, wondering what he was thinking.

"However, this school is surprisingly interesting. I'm sure it's the only school in the whole world

that can conduct special exams on an uninhabited island. It reminded me of the time when I was

a little boy and I was really into Boy Scouts."

With that, Tsukishiro held out his left hand in front of me.

"Now this is goodbye Ayanokouji-kun, can you shake my hand?"

This left hand did not seem like a simple farewell greeting.

When I held out my left hand in the same manner and grasped it back, Tsukishiro nodded as if

he was satisfied.

"Well then… I'll see you 'again' sooner or later."

With a final tap on my left shoulder with the palm of his right hand, Tsukishiro turned on his heel.

"Oh, and please disperse within five minutes. If you don't, I will report you."

I and Chabashira looked away until Tsukishiro was out of sight.

"I don't care about the details, but I can't believe he asked for a handshake with his left hand.

Does that mean he was hostile to you until the end?"

In general, handshakes are usually done with the right hand.

Well, people nowadays don't care about such things and may not even know what it means.

"It didn't seem that way to me, though."

"What do you mean?"

Tsukishiro said without warning, talking about his passion for Boy Scouts. It is usually

considered rude to shake hands with your left hand, but in the case of the Boy Scouts, this is an

exception.

What it means is…

"Forget it. It's probably useless to think about that guy's thoughts."

It's also possible to make it mean something.

"I'll go back first."

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

As long as Tsukishiro had already found me, ignoring the warning here would only be a risk.

"I'm sorry. I just summoned you easily and gave Acting Director Tsukishiro an opportunity to take

advantage of you."

"That's fine, I don't mind. It's just that I'm starting to see some things."

As I approached the doorway, I decided to leave a few words for Chabashira without looking

back.

"As I said before, whether the class will stay afloat or sink in the future is not something on the

other side of the river that is irrelevant to the teacher. You'd better understand that."

No matter what special exams awaited them, the students could only move forward.

Only the homeroom teachers of each class can lead the way.