Chapter 4: First Half of the Girls’ Battle - Ichinose Honami

And so, just like that, on the 3rd day, a lot of things seemed to have happened on the boys' side but as a girl myself I, Ichinose Honami, had no way of knowing about those circumstances. Let me go back to the day the special exam at the outdoor school began and start from there.

"For now, we've already decided on how to partition the groups so let's get along, everyone."

Prior to bedtime, I said that to my group members. Again and again through ups and downs, as stormy and dramatic events repeated themselves, at least for now my companions with who I'll be challenging this exam have been decided.

Me, Wang Mei-Yu-san, Shiina Hiyori-san, Yabu Nanami-san, Yamashita Saki-san, Kinoshita Minori-san, Nishino Takeko-san, Manabe Shiho-san, Nishi Haruka-san, Motodoi Chikako-san and Rokkaku Momoe-san together form one group.

I'm the only one from Class B, and there's also only one from Class C, the rest are students from either Class A or Class D. The girls named Manabe-san and Nishino-san seemed to be problem children even within their class. In short, this is a gathering of rejects. Because when it comes to things like this, girls can be pretty blunt.

Mei-Yu-san and I are just students brought in to fill the leftover spots in the group and so we don't have much of a connection between one another. I need to hurry up and forge a relationship.

"Let's get along, Ichinose-san."

"Likewise, Shiina-san. I've always wanted to get along with you."

"Is that so? It's an honor."

But as for Class C...no, as for Class D, most of their students don't really lend themselves to an exchange like this.

Since Ryuuen-kun's behind them, getting along with them really did prove to be impossible after all. Well, it still isn't very clear whether or not he's truly stepped down though. Either way, we've finally made a girls' group, so I'd like to get along. The one thing I need to avoid above all else is this group not making the cut and an expulsion occurring. In other words, someone having to take responsibility and dragging someone else down along with them.

Even if my top priority happened to be my comrades from Class B, now that we've formed this group I can't play favorites here. I told myself that. Wang Mei-Yu-san did not actively participate. Or to be more precise, it felt like she was unable to do so even if she did want to participate. Of course, it's easy for me to simply reach out to her. But this group is made up chiefly of girls from Class A and Class D.

Furthermore, there are quite a bit of girls with comparatively big egos. If I carelessly start pulling them along willy-nilly, they may start to suspect me. That's why I decided to wait for a while. And if those two classes still don't take the initiative and reach out to Wang Mei-Yu-san with a helping hand, then I'll do something about it.

"You're...Wang Mei-Yu-san right?"

"Y-Yes."

Shiina-san approached her from the side and gently called out to her. She's an extremely reliable person who took the initiative and accepted the role of leader for even a group like this.

This time around, I did not put myself forward for the role of leader.

It's partly because Shiina-san immediately raised her hand but it's also because I didn't think we could get 1st place considering our members.

"This is very nervewracking, is it not? To be surrounded by unfamiliar people."

"Umm, ummmm, that's not really..."

"It's understandable that you would be bewildered if you're suddenly told to get along or break down walls."

"Yeah, yeah. It's exactly as Shiina-san says."

The walls that exist between strangers and friends aren't something you can overcome just by wanting to. They're something that's already overcome by the time you notice. If you just keep overthinking it then you'll lose sight of your bearings and fall.

"Hey, Ichinose-san. Have you ever had a boyfriend before?"

A girl from Class A slammed that question into me.

"No...embarrassingly enough I don't have any experience when it comes to romance."

"I see. Even though you look like you'd be super popular, could it be that you're the high standards type?"

"I don't believe I am...but I wonder."

"Alright then, are there any boys you're interested in right now?"

"Eeeeeeeehhhhhhh~". Suddenly being asked something like that, I couldn't help but panic.

"You know, there are rumors that you've been seen alone together with Nagumo-senpai, quite often too..."

Certainly, ever since I joined the student council, I've been taking action alongside President Nagumo quite a lot. I surely didn't expect it to be at the extent where rumors like this would pop up.

"Before getting into whether I like him or hate him, I don't really think of the student council president that way I'm telling you."

"No way that's true, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. If it's Ichinose-san, it wouldn't be strange even if you started dating Nagumo-senpai."

"Either way, there isn't anyone I like right now, I think..."

"By 'now' do you mean you used to like someone?"

The girls all went into uproar at the same time. This is a dangerous topic if you don't have the words for it.

"That's not the case—. Umm, certainly there was a senpai I used to admire but before I could come around to seeing him as a member of the opposite sex, he ended up graduating..."

I desperately denied it, but the girls looked at each other before breaking out in laughter.

"What? What? Did I say something strange?"

"No. It's just, how should I put it, it's like you're answering everything so seriously."

"Ichinose-san, you're way too honest. You can just brush off whatever you don't want to answer ok?"

"Ahh, does this mean you dodged that question a while ago, Chikako-chan?"

"Ugh."

And with that, the nighttime girls-only gathering became lively once again.

How should I put it, it's a mood that could keep you going on and on without a wink of sleep.

"Even I won't answer what I can't answer, ok?"

"Alright then, how many times have you been confessed to so far?"

"Ehh? Umm 3 times...ahh, if I include elementary school then that'd be 4 times I guess. And if you include that case, it'd be 5 times."

"See? You're answering!"

"Nyaa—!"

I'm not very good at talking about romance. It's because I'm unfamiliar with it that I'd slip up.

"Could it be Ichinose-san's the type of person to not tell lies?"

"That may be so—".

Even with that, the girls went into an uproar. But it's probably better if I denied that one.

"That's not true. Really."

"Ehh—?"

"For instance, when it comes to the special exam, wouldn't you need to make a gamble once or twice? I may try to use misdirection or lie at a time like that."

"Then you're fine with telling lies."

"…hmm. That's also not quite right, I guess. I think everybody's the same, nobody really wants to tell lies. That's why, as much as possible, I try to avoid telling lies, would be most accurate I suppose. No, I suppose that's not right either. I'm bad at telling lies with the intent of hurting people, I guess..."

"Isn't that strange? Wouldn't you normally tell lies to avoid hurting people?"

"That's right. I think lies told to avoid hurting people are definitely gentle ones."

But...…that's not the case when it comes to me. That's right. This is an ordeal I've set for me and me alone.

"A lie meant to avoid hurting people would only be delaying the inevitable, is how I should put it I suppose..."

From that one lie, bad things will crop up more and more is what I believe.

I don't want to go through that again. Those painful days. That cruel time.