At noon, everyone ate curry together.
In the afternoon there were two hours of safety lectures. Besides the usual first-aid thods, they specifically added instructions on what to do if you encounter an accident in the snow. But none of the students there listened seriously, because even if they did, they would never need it.
When the lecture ended, it was supposed to be free-ti, but because Sakurai Saki was the representative in charge of preparing the courage test for the evening, he needed to go to the nearby forest to set up decorations for the challenge.
Sakurai Saki and Shinomiya Kaguya carried several direction signs as they walked through the snow-covered forest. The route for the courage test had already been designated, and the two of them had to plant the signs to keep others from getting lost.
There were a total of three paths, with three classes each responsible for one.
Two people might not sound like a lot, but it was barely enough. In a snowy forest like this, no one even needed to pretend to be a ghost—just a small animal passing by was enough to scare students half to death.
Just imagine: only a flashlight in hand, bitter cold all around, complete silence, and suddenly a bird call rings out—such a scene would definitely make anyone panic, scream, and run. Sakurai Saki could already picture it.
"This stretch of trail… could it be that students from another school have used it before? There are footprints everywhere."
In this world there are originally no roads; people walk and a road appears.
"Would other schools also hold a winter camp and even a courage test?" Shinomiya Kaguya pulled her scarf tighter, covering her small mouth inside it—every movent radiating girlishness.
"This world has no two identical leaves, but idiots certainly are never just one." Sakurai Saki held the direction sign with his left hand while reading the map with his right.
The courage test route was about 1.5 km long. At first glance that number doesn't an much. For example: a person can walk 60–100 ters in a minute depending on pace. In other words, even if you walk without stopping, it would take at least more than ten minutes—and that's at night.
Half an hour was a sure thing.
At night, a group would set out every ten minutes, with either three or two mbers—no limit.
If you didn't want to join, you didn't have to. But the boys probably wouldn't refuse, because boys always like to compete over strange things.
Like speed or length. Basically the longer the better, the bigger the better. Big ans strong, caliber is justice! Truth exists only within the range of the cannon!
And yes, this "cannon" is a perfectly ordinary cannon—don't get the wrong idea.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking about why humans always fall into aningless struggles for superiority." Sakurai Saki pressed the direction sign firmly into the ground and only let go after confirming it wouldn't fall.
"During last month's exam, I beat you. I'm really sorry." Shinomiya Kaguya tilted her head slightly.
She thought he was talking about the test.
After spending New Year with Sakurai Saki, Shinomiya Kaguya felt relaxed in both body and mind; even her studies went much more smoothly. In the last exam she had taken second place.
First place was Shijo Maki—who had already turned into a demon.
If Sakurai Saki was a study prodigy who could score high without much effort, then Shijo Maki was undoubtedly a study demon—gifted and relentlessly drilling problems like mad.
Stand proud, Maki—this is the fate of the losing heroine!! You will definitely sit atop Shuchiin!!
But what price must be paid?
Hmph, she probably will never find a boyfriend in this lifeti.
Maki: (ง ͠ಥ_ಥ)ง
"We didn't bet anything on last month's test, so why are you so happy?" Sakurai Saki thought this girl was making a big deal out of nothing.
Besides, he himself didn't care about exams at all.
Youth only lasts a few years—spending all day on practice problems is boring as hell; wouldn't cuddling with a cute girlfriend be better?
"Beating you makes happy, of course." Kaguya pushed the direction sign with her hand, confirming it wasn't loose.
Having sacrificed her own maid, Shinomiya Kaguya was now very strong—too strong!
"Next year Shirogane will be going abroad, so now I don't really care about rankings anymore. If Kaguya-san wants to, maybe you can beat Maki and take back first place," Sakurai Saki thought.
Thinking of this, Sakurai Saki suddenly beca curious about sothing from a year ago.
"When back then Shirogane and I challenged you, did you feel anything?"
"…I didn't pay attention to you weeds." Shinomiya Kaguya recalled.
And so things had progressed to the present.
She'd joined the student council partly because of that curiosity. Sakurai Saki and Shirogane Miyuki had hemd her in on the score rankings: in front was a short-term goal she couldn't surpass, behind were challengers who could overtake her at any mont. At that ti Kaguya had been very tense.
After being overtaken by Sakurai Saki, Shinomiya Kaguya instead felt relieved.
"If Shirogane knew, he'd definitely be sad." Sakurai Saki chuckled a few tis.
"Then why did he challenge ?"
"Seems like the forr student council president said sothing. Shirogane at that ti wasn't willing to fall behind, so he made you his target." Sakurai Saki recalled: "Maybe he fell in love with you at first sight?"
Or maybe not? Frankly, Sakurai felt Shirogane was closer to Ryuju Momo—after all, the astronomy club was sothing Shirogane bent the rules to create, and Ryuju Momo was its only mber. To say there was nothing going on, Sakurai just didn't believe it.
Kaguya: (·•᷄ࡇ•᷅ )
True or false?
Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't feel anything certain.
"But later you slapped him, so he probably regretted falling for you." Sakurai Saki stroked his chin.
"That day Shirogane cried to for a long ti, saying how determined he'd been when inviting you into the student council, only to be hit by you."
Shirogane: .°՞(っ-ᯅ-ς)՞°·.
Back then Sakurai Saki had been rather angry, because Shirogane Miyuki was one of his few close friends—even now he still was! So later, whenever Kaguya wanted to raise her hand again, Sakurai Saki would stop her, and when angry he sotis even tugged Shinomiya Kaguya's hair.
"I hit him, and then you hit ?" Shinomiya Kaguya said through clenched teeth.
mories surged in her head like waves, one after another.
The more she thought, the angrier she beca!
Kaguya: ﾍ( ﾟ益ﾟ)ﾉ彡┻━┻
"So what?"
"Sakurai-san, you're a man, can't you be a bit gentler with a girl?"
"I support gender equality. If last year you'd been gentle with Shirogane, then I would have been gentle with you… maybe." Rembering his mood back then, seeing everyone as irritating, Sakurai Saki spoke uncertainly.
"Hesitating!! You're hesitating!!" Shinomiya Kaguya in her heart branded him with the label [violent man].
Not even married yet and already daring to hit soone—what would happen after marriage? Shinomiya Kaguya didn't dare imagine.
"You have to learn to put yourself in soone else's place, Kaguya-san." Sakurai Saki's tone was cheerful.
"How about this, Kaguya-san: I'll punch you first, then you try to see if you can endure it without hitting back?"
Shinomiya Kaguya said nothing; she only looked at him as if looking at an idiot.
Kaguya: (≖ - ≖)
'Do you think I'm stupid?'—that was the look she gave, and Sakurai Saki understood it.
"Stop talking, we still have work to do." Sakurai Saki picked up the direction sign and continued forward.
He could be sure that, in Kaguya's mind, his remaining lifespan was less than two months.
Tokyo Bay in winter—the water must be very cold, right?
In this cold world, only the scarf Ai-chan had knitted by hand brought a touch of warmth.
Sakurai Saki wrapped the scarf from his girlfriend tightly around his neck, exhaling a breath of warm white mist.
Today was so cold.
Would there be no snow tomorrow?
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