It was the morning of August 4th, the day after the completion of the uninhabited island special exam. For the next seven days, from today until the end of August 10th, the students would spend their vacation on a luxury cruise ship. We were promised that there wouldn't be any special exams like the zodiac exam held last year.
The ship had a swimming pool, a fitness gym, a movie theater, a concert hall, a bathhouse with a view, a shopping area with restaurants such as the café terrace, and various other entertainnt facilities.
In other words, we'd earned the right to enjoy all of this.
So where was I on this long-awaited first day...?
I was relaxing in the four-person cabin assigned to each student with my mobile phone in my hand. There was no need to rush off to play just because you had a few days off.
In fact, it wasn't a bad idea to give up all entertainnt for a while to get so rest and relaxation. In contrast to the hard bed from our dormitories, the bed of a first-class brand gently embraces the body. That feeling was further amplified after spending the last two weeks living in a tent on the harsh uninhabited island.
I'll leave it at that as far as the situation for the first day goes.
The class points for August were determined and announced based on the results of the uninhabited island exam. Normally, they were announced on the first day of the month, but this ti the beginning of the month coincided with the middle of the uninhabited island exam. Because of this, the point totals were announced late so that they could account for the results of the special exam.
For students enrolled in this school, the beginning of the month started with the confirmation of class points. The sa was true for our individual rankings, but class points were directly related to our private points, which in turn were directly related to our monthly allowance. If you didn't have any money at your disposal, your holiday on this luxury cruise ship would be wasted.
Second-Year Class Points for August:
• Class A led by Sakayanagi: 1206 points
• Class B led by Ichinose: 578 points
• Class C led by Horikita: 571 points
• Class D led by Ryūen: 551 points
As a result, our class ended up rising to Class C by a narrow margin. There was a chance we could've even risen to Class B, but we were just one step short.
However, there was nothing to be pessimistic about. In fact, the results were rather good, with Kōenji managing to get us 300 class points with his solo win.
I was once again reminded of the destructive power of this overwhelming points bonus. Kōenji had always been perceived as a nuisance by many in the class, but those people would have no choice but to change their view now.
However, I was skeptical of whether this change in view would last forever. In exchange for the huge amount of class points he had earned, he was given a card that ant he would be 'exempted from all cooperation' until graduation. If this fact were made public, the number of people who felt honestly happy about the situation would likely decrease. Nevertheless, I think this was a good thing.
If we hadn't gotten Kōenji's 300 points, we would've had to keep fighting for a long ti while being uncertain of whether we could really keep up with the upper classes. Having all three classes side by side like this would be a great help ntally.
Now we were just a step away from being able to rise up and beco the sole Class B. From there, we would have to try and close the gap through direct confrontation with Sakayanagi's class.
This upward path also applied to Ryūen's class, which had dropped to Class D.
He was unable to finish in the top three in the uninhabited island exam, so didn't win any points for his class. The points gap had shortened as a result of this, but there was nothing to complain about regarding their ability. The addition of Katsuragi would raise the overall academic performance of the class and provide them with a sense of stability.
In addition, Ryūen made so kind of deal with Sakayanagi. It was hard to say if it was a contract to do with private points or class points, or even sothing completely different, but it may well have an impact in future battles.
Although there were so concerns, their montum wasn't slowing, but increasing, making them probably the scariest class right now. They dropped to Class D in na only; in fact, I am sure they don't care one bit.
In contrast, Ichinose's class, which had risen back up to Class B, was not in bad shape if you only looked at the results.
With Sakayanagi leading, Ichinose was able to gain class points through cooperation. However, they couldn't rest on their laurels, as the gap between Class B and Class D was only 27 points. We'd entered a situation where the rankings could be switched co September 1st through minor behavioural issues alone. Depending on the results of the uninhabited island exam, they could've fallen to Class D. The anxiety Ichinose was feeling must be quite strong. The mont of truth will co soon, Ichinose.
I sent her a ssage, though only in my heart.
I didn't think that there would be more exams like the uninhabited island exam where all classes in all years participate from here on, so the next special exam should be a battle among our year. If they fall behind Class C and Class D, the future will look bleak for Ichinose's class. In other words, the next battle may decide their future...
The situation of the three classes side by side could be briefly summarized as such.
In the end, it was Class A led by Sakayanagi on top. It wouldn't be easy to close that gap. Their sense of stability was outstanding, and as such, they were able to slip into third place in the uninhabited island exam and accumulate class points.
They have many excellent students, and Sakayanagi's ability to control them was perfect. Furthermore, the strategies Sakayanagi was capable of using weren't limited to just the traditional or unorthodox, she was able to use both with great dexterity. Class A was truly unshakable, and she was certainly worthy of being their leader.
There was barely a chance, but if 'Horikita's Class' gained montum, it wouldn't be impossible to catch up. Yes, it wasn't like there was no room to manoeuvre.
Of course, in order to do that, the dominant Class A needed to be broken down in so way. The shortest route would be to get rid of Sakayanagi, but it would be extrely difficult to do so when considering her protection point. Even if she didn't have a protection point, it would be no simple task. Rather than destroying the head, the smart thing to do would be to crush the pieces that are the limbs.
We would need to eliminate more than just 1 or 2 people, but if Kamuro, Hashimoto, and Kitō were absent or otherwise made dysfunctional, there was only so much Sakayanagi would be able to do. There were unknowns about Kitō, but the other two seed to be people with a lot of problems that could be exploited.
Well, I'll leave it at that for now.
With the official start of the sumr vacation, all classes had temporarily stopped fighting and were in a state of truce.
From here on for a while, it was my turn to have as much fun as I could as a normal student. Until the other day, my pockets were empty, but when the class points were announced and the private points for August were given out, my wallet was suddenly full. Our class had 571 class points, or in other words, 57,100 yen worth of private points were given to each person. I didn't receive any bonuses since I wasn't able to get into the top rankings for additional rewards, but it was more than enough. Private points were essential for spending a fulfilling ti on this luxury cruise ship, as the system required a minimum number of private points to enjoy a movie or al of your choice. Last year, all the facilities on board were free of charge, so the rules have been tightened up regarding money as well. Of course, it didn't cost anything to spend the week holed up in your guest cabin, but then it would be no different to living in your dormitory on a day off.
Ping! There was a pleasant little sound and then an email arrived.
I received a ssage on my recently returned phone that the detailed results of the uninhabited island exam would be released at the resting area by the fitness gym on the ship for two days starting today. Since only the top and bottom few groups had been announced, many students would be interested. As for , it would be best to check it out so that I could keep an eye on the future.
However, it would be more convenient to send the list to everyone's phones, but they didn't do that. Did they not want students to take the results ho and analyse them for a long ti? It could be considered a asure to avoid leaving unnecessary evidence due to Tsukishiro's involvent this ti.
There was a part of that wanted to go check it out right away, but it was likely that students would be coming in droves, so it would probably be better to give it so ti.
Forgetting about the test results for the mont, I decided to take care of sothing else. Using my phone, I sent a simple ssage to Ichinose with a request to et briefly in the evening in three days' ti. Of course, it was easy for her to imagine that it was in response to the spur of the mont confession I received on the uninhabited island.
I thought about seeing her and giving my reply right away, but the gruelling uninhabited island exam had only just ended. It was okay to let her spend so ti regaining her strength and having so fun with her friends. Since the ssage hadn't been read yet, I turned off my phone for now.
I decided to see what my roommates, Miyamoto Soshi, Hondō Ryōtarō, and Miyake Akito, would do.
"Hey Ryōtarō, the exam results are out. Wanna go take a look?"
"Hmm...pass... I can't walk, I'm a wreck. Right now I just want to lie in my bed..."
Not only was he tired, but it was understandable that this bed would take away his energy to move. The temptation of the bed was too much for all of us, including . Hondō, who was particularly exhausted, turned weakly to his left and showed his back.
"You've been like that since yesterday."
"I felt like dying when I moved and I really wanted to eat, but I couldn't get it down my throat."
With his back to , he covered his head with the duvet and curled up. For now, it seed he just wanted to lie down and sleep. The trip on this luxury liner would last for a week, so it was a wise decision to not panic and wait to recover his strength.
"What about you guys, Miyake and Ayanokōji? Aren't you a little curious about your rankings?"
Akito turned his gaze towards Miyamoto as he fiddled with his phone. "I'm good. I have a good idea of what rank we placed. Honestly, I think it's enough that we didn't get expelled. I just want to relax for today, like Hondō."
It wasn't hard to imagine that Akito, who was working with both Haruka and Airi, would've had a lot of trouble as the only guy in his group. It must have taken more of a toll on his spirit than his physical strength.
"You were in the sa group as Sakura and Hasebe right?" Miyamoto asked Akito whilst sitting on his bed.
"What's this all of a sudden?"
"I was in a group with three guys, so it was a hell of a sweaty ti, but you must've been in heaven surrounded by girls, right?"
"What kind of heaven is that? If you ask , it was hell 'cause there were so many things to take care of. A bunch of guys would definitely be easier."
Because both were part of different groups, each was claiming the other had it better.
To be honest, I was glad I didn't join either group. For this exam, unless you were really good friends, it was better to go alone.
Anyway, when the two of them refused, Miyamoto's gaze turned towards as well. Unlike Hondō and Akito, I was able to regain most of the strength I had lost on the island by sleeping well in my bed. I wasn't quite in perfect condition, but I'd have no trouble moving around the ship.
However, instead of rushing, I could go take a look later. Besides, even if Akito didn't go, it was possible that other mbers of the Ayanokōji group might go to check it out.
"I'm going to take it easy today. I don't like crowds and I'm sure everyone is curious about their rankings."
Bang bang bang!
When I tried to say no like the first two did, there were several knocks on the door of the guest cabin. The montum of the knocks was unbelievably strong, as if sothing unusual had occurred. Akito jumped up and rushed to open the door, revealing Ishizaki. There was a tense atmosphere as if sothing was wrong...
"Ayanokōji, let's go check out the test results together!"
Everyone was taken aback by his smile and what he had said. Akito turned around and looked at , having lost his voice.
"No, I'm..."
"What, you're not busy are ya? Co on, let's go!"
He barged into the room and grabbed by the arm while I was sitting on the bed.
"When did you guys beco such good friends?"
The person who was most surprised by the situation was Akito, with whom I spent the most ti. Ishizaki, who was from a rival class, was also a bit of a problem child, so it wasn't surprising that Akito was concerned. In fact, the other two had also been taken aback by Ishizaki's appearance and were still stiff.
"Well, it just kind of happened..."
I had nothing more to say, but I didn't think Akito would find my explanation satisfactory. Despite the strong pressure of Ishizaki's smile, I decided to pull back and turn him down.
"I'm a little tired today."
"Whatcha an you're tired? If it's you it'll be fine. Co on, let's go!"
With no regard for my feelings, he didn't seem to want to give up on dragging out the room.
"...Okay, I get it. Let get changed for now."
"Right, I'll be waitin' for you in the hallway then!"
Perhaps because he was satisfied with my answer that I would join him, Ishizaki walked out of the room.
"Looks like you've caught the eye of a nasty one. Let know if there's any trouble."
"Thank you, Akito. Well, Ishizaki's not a bad guy, so I'll be okay."
"Not a bad guy, huh? I ain't got a good impression of him. It's possible Ryūen's pulling his strings from behind. You'd best be on your guard."
We'd repeatedly had clashes with the delinquents led by Ryūen, so it was natural for those who didn't know the inner workings of the class to think that way. Ishizaki wasn't good at hiding things or playing gas, but if he was being controlled without knowing it, then he could be troubleso to deal with. Saying that, now that weren't in the middle of a special exam, I could assu that wasn't the case.
After changing out of my uniform, I raised my hand lightly to Akito and left the room. Ishizaki seed to be the only one waiting in the hallway, and I couldn't see any other students.
"Right, let's go~!"
"There's no need to be in such a hurry, is there?"
"Eh? Why not?"
"Even if we don't rush, the results will be up for two days, so we can see them later, right?"
"I want to see it quickly. I'm the kinda guy who, when a new movie cos out, can't wait and goes to see it straight away."
Even if he explained to that he was that type of person, there was no way I could understand. It was a little hard to imagine Ishizaki going to the movie theatre in high spirits on the day of its release.
"I went to see 'World Domination 16' the day it ca out."
I'd never heard that title before, but it sounded like it would have guns and fists flying all over the place. And 16 films made it quite the long series. However, that title didn't appeal to at all.
"I'm curious where Ryūen-san's group ended up placin'."
At any rate, Ishizaki didn't seem like the kind of guy to not have many friends in his own class. He shouldn't have needed to invite , a student from another class.
"Are you sure you don't want to invite Ryūen and the others who are worried about their ranking?"
I'll ask him indirectly to find out his true intentions.
"That guy will say sothin' if he needs to. If he hasn't said anythin' yet, then it ain't needed."
"That's easy to understand."
"Right. A lot of the other guys are too tired after being on an uninhabited island and passed on my offer."
Like Akito and the others, most people just wanted to rest right now.
"You're in good spirits. Aren't you tired?"
"? I recovered after I slept."
"I see"
It was a surprisingly simple answer, but it was easy to understand. He might not have particularly good motor skills, but he seed to be more resilient than most. However, the fact that he chose after the process of elimination didn't really make sense.
"You're easy to talk to, Ayanokōji."
"...Is that so?"
That was a little surprising, since I wasn't very good at socializing.
"You're way easier to talk to than that weirdo Kaneda."
I didn't know much about Kaneda, but the comparison resulted in so complex feelings.
On the way, we passed by a store.
"Oh, they're sellin' national flags!"
Ishizaki's eyes sparkled with excitent as he picked up national flags from all over the world in the store. As I watched him with a confused expression, wondering what was going on, Ishizaki rubbed the bottom of his nose with his index finger and answered.
"Ah, you know, when we went to Albert's room before, he had a collection of flags. I dunno, maybe I've been inspired by him, but I've been collectin' them too."
So, one person's hobby influenced another person, and that spread? They'd apparently found a common hobby in collecting flags, which seed to be a rarity nowadays.
"I don't know much about Albert, but he's a good guy, isn't he?"
"Yeah, that's right. When we first ca to school we had a bunch of problems, but now he's my best friend."
It was true that I often saw Ishizaki and Albert together.
"So, as far as friendships go, it's smooth sailing, I guess."
I was honestly impressed and said so, but Ishizaki's face hardened slightly as he walked beside .
"It's not really like that. It's not like I'm the most popular kid in class."
"Is it because you're working under Ryūen?"
"I don't think that's necessarily the reason, it happened right after I ca to this school after all. But after our run-in with you on the rooftop, I was supposed to have defeated Ryūen-san and taken back the class. I'd been hangin' out with a lot of people I'd never really gotten to know before."
He spoke so much that he seed to be at a loss for words. It was true that Ishizaki's position may be complicated. There were more than a few students who were hoping Ryūen would be defeated and were grateful to Ishizaki. However, if he were to fall straight back into line under Ryūen, he would inevitably face opposition.
"So, I'm also part of the cause."
"Ah sorry, I phrased it weirdly. It's not your fault, Ayanokōji. That was a fight we started in the first place. It's true that so of my friends left , but now I'm friends with you instead, so don't worry 'bout it."
Ishizaki turned his head my way and laughed powerfully. But there was sothing fragile about that laugh, almost dangerous.
"Don't go trying to solve the class problems all by yourself."
"I know. Class problems are solved with classmates together. Ryūen-san returned with that determination."
Ishizaki believed so and would do everything he could to follow.
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