Chapter 6: A Gathering Between Classes

Chapter 6: A Gathering Between Classes

Chapter 6:

A Gathering

Between Classes

“I t’s so hot today.”

How many times had I said that this summer? Still, it really was hot, no way around it. Even if saying so out loud made you feel hotter, you couldn’t stop yourself. Just thinking the words didn’t help. Cicadas were probably the only creatures who preferred this sweltering heat.

Heat aside, I’d gotten caught up in yet another unusual incident. If the other guys knew about this situation, they probably wouldn’t be happy with me at all. It was a very nasty problem.

Well, let’s start from the beginning.

A tree-lined path a short distance from the dormitory led to the school. If you went off that path, you’d find a rest area. That’s where I was. It was a popular spot to sit down and chat. There were several benches and vending machines, the view was great, and many students frequented it in the early spring.

The heat made this a rare off-season period for the rest area. It was completely deserted, which turned it into a perfect spot for a clandestine meeting.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

As I sat on the bench, Karuizawa Kei walked toward me. She shaded her eyes from the blinding sunlight with a hand and looked at the sky.

“So hot,” she muttered. Apparently, we were of one mind on the subject.

Karuizawa’s long ponytail bobbed as she sat down next to me. She wore an unusually casual outfit: jeans and a simple shirt. Even so, the outfit looked coordinated and stylish. I supposed girls had to prioritize fashion no matter how hot it was, which had to be tough.

“I know you’re busy right now. Sorry for dragging you out like this,” I said.

“Are you being sarcastic? I played around too much this summer. I don’t have any points to spend, so I’ve just been hanging out in my room.”

“Do you have plans tomorrow?” I asked.

“I can’t really do anything without money. I’ll probably be sleeping.” It sounded like Karuizawa really was indulging herself this summer.

“You should get a lot of points next month, though. I mean, after the last test.”

During the exam on the cruise ship, Karuizawa—who’d been the VIP—had worked together with me. We managed to keep her identity secret until the test ended. Because of that, Karuizawa would receive 500,000 points as a reward come September.

“Yeah, I guess. I’ve picked out the clothes and accessories and stuff I want to get. But is it really okay to use all the points like that? Isn’t it better to save some?”

“You can hold yourself back?” I asked, teasing her a little. She puffed out her cheeks and glared at me.

“Well, it’s not that simple. When I have points, they seem to last less than a week,” she muttered.

Karuizawa mimed counting all the things she wanted on her fingers. She was out of fingers in no time. Just how many things did she plan to get anyway?

“But, like, even I know how important private points are. The school system’s really weird, right? You get, like, this ridiculously huge amount of points during special exams and stuff. Everyone else is wondering about that, too,” she observed.

The regular student body was finally starting to suspect that something was up, apparently. I supposed that was natural. If you suddenly received a large sum of money, you’d question the school’s motives. You’d consider the possibility that private points weren’t just meant for use on one’s private desires.

“That’s true. Some students might get as many as 1,000,000 or 2,000,000 points,” I said.

“Yeah. Is it really okay to give high schoolers that much money? It’s definitely not normal.”

The points were sort of necessary for us to “survive” at school, which was probably why Karuizawa was unsure how best to use them. For example, if you made a blunder that could result in your expulsion, you could make the problem go away with enough private points. Having a few million points on hand as insurance probably was a good idea.

“There’s no reason to think about it too much. Looking too far ahead can drive you insane. If you retain ten to twenty percent of your monthly points, that should be enough,” I said.

You had to maintain a balance between your wants and needs. For Karuizawa, who’d always been a shopaholic, curbing her desires was hard. Besides, if a former spendthrift suddenly became miserly, students in our class might get suspicious. I didn’t want anyone to connect her change in circumstances to me. I still wanted to avoid notice as much as possible.

“I want to ask you for a favor,” I said.

“What, you’re not even going to apologize first for calling me out here on such a hot day?”

“Want this?” I handed her a bottle of tea I hadn’t drunk from yet. She hesitated, then reluctantly accepted it.

“It’s a little warm,” she muttered.

“That’s the weather’s fault. Nothing I can do.”

Some places nearby had recorded temperatures of forty degrees Celsius or higher. Just thinking the number made me feel hot.

Karuizawa struggled to uncap her drink. “Hmph. Guess I got a loser.”

“A loser? You don’t usually get prizes in tea bottle caps.”

“That’s not funny, you know. I’m talking about how hard this is to open,” she grumbled.

Well, it had been a poor joke. I reached over, took the drink, twisted the cap, and returned it.

“Thanks.”

After what’d happened on the boat, the distance between Karuizawa and I had diminished. Before summer vacation, it would’ve been impossible for us to have this kind of conversation. She probably still didn’t trust me, but she showed no sign of that.

Karuizawa really understood self-control. To protect herself and her status, she could adapt to any environment.

“Tomorrow’s the last day of summer vacation. One of my friends invited me to make some fun summer memories.”

“What do you mean, summer memories? We don’t have fireworks or a festival or anything like that here, do we?” asked Karuizawa.

“The school has a big pool, right? It’s normally reserved for the swim club. Did you know that the restriction was lifted for today?”

That pool was even bigger than the one we used during swim class. For the last three days of summer vacation, it was open for communal use. When a huge crowd of students flooded the pool on the first day, the school put additional restrictions in place. Students could only use the pool once during those last three days. Apparently, the second day was really busy, too.

“Ah. Now that you mention it, though, I’m not that interested in swimming,” muttered Karuizawa.

She always skipped swim class by claiming she didn’t feel well. Even though it was difficult to cut class due to the point system, the school couldn’t really question a student’s poor physical condition, especially not woman-specific problems. There were girls other than Karuizawa who refused to participate, probably for a variety of reasons. They might feel ill, not want other people to know they couldn’t swim well, or even hate swimming in the first place. Maybe they didn’t want to show that much skin around boys. And so on.

However, Karuizawa’s circumstances were different. A while ago, Karuizawa had been viciously bullied by her classmates. As a result, she had a terrible scar on her side, a mark that pained her to this day. If someone saw it, it would definitely cause a stir.

“Do you like swimming?” I asked her.

“Hmm. Well, I don’t hate it, I guess. I haven’t gone swimming for years now, so I’ve probably forgotten how.” Karuizawa drank her tea and stared ahead as she replied. I could tell that wasn’t how she really felt. “So, what, the guys want to make memories at the pool? You’re obviously just planning to be perverts.”

I couldn’t deny that, actually. That was probably exactly their reasoning.

“So, what does this have to do with me?” asked Karuizawa.

“Before I answer that, let me ask you one thing. Does the school really not know that you were bullied before?”

“Huh?”

Karuizawa looked puzzled for a moment, then turned to glare at me. Her polite façade was gone. I returned her stare.

“You know I don’t want to talk about that, right?” she growled.

“I’m not reopening old wounds for no reason. I’m asking because it’s relevant,” I replied.

“But…” This had to be a serious topic for Karuizawa. She seemed to come to a decision. “All right. I’m sure you must have a reason for this.”

She tried to swallow her anxieties.

“I definitely don’t think they know the truth about me being bullied. They might know about my leave of absence from school, or how many days off I took during junior high, but they probably think those were due to me being sick or skipping class, you know? Or they might just think I’m stupid. That’s probably why they put me in Class D.”

Karuizawa sounded self-deprecating, but she was likely right. The school must’ve had a poor impression of her bad attendance record and low grades. The bullying certainly explained her current arrogance.

“Even if the school investigates the matter, they probably won’t find any evidence of the bullying,” she added.

“You realize that the world is magnificently rotten, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Karuizawa muttered. “I suffered for many years. I asked my teachers and classmates for help, but that only made it worse. There was no escape.”

Human nature included a strong tendency to fall into vicious cycles. Bullying was deeply rooted in the human psyche. People might not like to confront that truth too closely, but they should be aware of what a pernicious problem it was. There was no simple solution to bullying. If a victim pushed back, it might only result in them being attacked more fiercely the next time. "Why'd you tattle? What're you trying to pull?" the bullies might demand as they increased their attacks.

“No matter how often they beat me up, the school ignored the bullying, and wouldn’t do anything. They gave the bullies light warnings, at most. Of course, it got worse, you know?”

Even if a school acknowledged bullying, they usually wanted to deal with it in secret, so as not to risk damaging their reputation. There were schools that would stubbornly refuse to admit the truth even after a bullied student killed themselves, leaving behind a note.

Worse, death might bring no salvation. The bullied student might be insulted even after they died. People could mock them, or share their story on social media for entertainment. What a terrifying era it was, when you could be bullied even after death.

“The school, the people who bullied me, even myself… No one admitted the truth. My friends spouted the same lies. That was the only way they could answer, no matter how unjust it was.”

Karuizawa spoke almost as if she were talking about someone else. To her, the past was unchangeable. It wouldn't be strange for someone to cry, looking back on such a painful past, but her eyes were only looking forward.

In truth, this school had probably investigated her case thoroughly. Had they concluded that she was an airhead, didn’t take school seriously, and cut class? If everyone believed that to be true, then the real truth wouldn’t matter. It would be buried forever under all the lies.

“But I’m grateful to the people who bullied me, and the school that covered it up,” Karuizawa added. “No one here knows about my past. That’s why I was able to become a new me. I couldn’t have done that if everyone here had heard of the bullying.”

She’d turned her situation around by obtaining the exceptionally popular Hirata’s support and protection.

“Karuizawa, I think you deserve praise, but I should tell you something first. From now on, you’re forbidden to do anything that supports bullying others.”

“Huh? Are you saying that I’m bullying someone?”

“It’s one thing to be headstrong, but you’ve been going after Sakura. She clearly isn’t the kind of girl who’d bully you. Even if you’re doing it to prevent yourself from becoming a victim, stop.” Despite Karuizawa’s past suffering, there were things I couldn’t tolerate.

“Sakura-san, huh? You want me to help her because she’s so attached to you?”

“Do I need a reason? You should understand how it feels to be bullied.”

“My social status is my lifeline. It’s not something I’m ready to just discard. I do feel sorry for Sakura-san, but the weak exist as prey for the strong. Especially those pretending to be strong, like me.” She was resolute.

“I’m asking for Sakura’s sake. She’s helped me quite a few times, after all.”

“Hmph. You openly admit it,” Karuizawa huffed. There was no dissatisfaction or discontent in her eyes. Only wariness. “You’re not convincing, but…fine. I’ll be careful from now on. Okay?”

“Being reasonable is helpful. Besides, Hirata’s already established your current popularity. You shouldn’t be in any danger.”

“I suppose you’re right.Maybe I’ve been overdoing it a little,” Karuizawa replied softly. As long as she could see herself objectively, we were good. “But, if my position does appear to be in danger, then—”

“When that happens, I’ll back you. If necessary, I’ll bring in Hirata and even Chabashira-sensei to eliminate your enemies. That’s a promise.”

“Hmm. Okay then. Deal.”

Karuizawa never struck me as the sort of person who’d resort to violence or intimidation in the first place. She could pretend all she liked, but she was just playing that part to protect herself. People who’d been bullied for years usually couldn’t socialize easily, but she had a strong heart, and had overcome that trauma. When she didn't yield to my threats, I was convinced.

“I wonder why?” she muttered.

“What?”

“It’s just that I don’t really like bringing up my past. I thought I’d never tell anyone about it. But I ended up telling you, and it felt so surprisingly fine that it’s kind of odd, you know?”

Apparently even Karuizawa didn’t know why she’d told me about the bullying. I wasn’t sure of the reason, either.

“Can I ask you something? Is the way you’re acting now the real you?” She sounded somewhat guarded. Karuizawa was the only person in our class who’d seen both my sides. I crossed my arms and racked my brain for how to respond.

“I’m always like this, I guess.”

“You’re completely different, though.”

Well, strictly speaking, this wasn’t really me. However, it wasn’t the same as faking a personality.

“I want to ask you something. What would you say is the specific difference between me right now, and the usual me?”

“Usually, you’re this gloomy guy. You don’t talk at all. But now, you’re assertive. You’re being direct. Those traits are polar opposites. The way you talk is different, too. What’s your deal, anyway?”

“What do you mean? Don’t people simply act differently depending on who they’re with? Don’t you do the same thing?”

That was probably the best possible rebuttal, although it didn’t fit exactly. The truth was that it felt like I’d just been born as an individual. When I enrolled in this school, I wasn’t fully formed. I was like liquid, or moldable clay. Developing into a full person took time, and I had yet to completely understand how to interact, or the correct way to express myself.

“Anyway, I plan on just being my usual self,” I said.

“You don’t sound like anything like your usual self,” Karuizawa replied. She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

“Let’s get back to the topic at hand. You can keep an eye on me from now on, and determine what kind of person I am.”

“I kinda get the feeling you’re dodging the question. Well, all right. Let’s go back to talking about the school. What’s up with it?”

“Tomorrow, four of us guys—me, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudou—are planning to go out, along with Horikita, Sakura, and Kushida.”

“Talk about a bizarre combination. I can’t imagine Horikita-san and Sakura-san hanging out with those guys. I guess they’re both friendly with you , but the other three are just going to end up ogling them, right? They have my sincerest condolences.”

True. The girls would normally never come out with us if we invited them to. I understood why Karuizawa felt the way she did.

“I want you to join us,” I said.

“Huh?! Are you serious?!” Karuizawa shouted.

She had no connection to the group. If anything, there was tension between her and them.

“You can put on your swimsuit at the dorm, wear your clothes over it, and come along. It’ll probably be unpleasant, but if you return to the dorm dressed the same way, everything should be fine,” I said.

“No, no. That’s not the problem. I really, really don’t want to do this.”

“I sympathize, but you basically can’t refuse, can you?”

“Wow. You’re the worst.”

“My decision’s final. You’ll do as instructed.” I pushed a handwritten note toward her, adding, “I’ve shown you some consideration.”

“What the hell? You’re using up my whole day, aren’t you? And it’s the last day of summer, too!”

“You said you planned to spend the day sleeping, right?” I countered. “I want you to join us at the pool. But I’m not telling you to participate.”

Karuizawa read my note closely.

“Wait, what’s the difference between ‘join’ and ‘participate’?” she asked.

I explained in detail why I’d called her. Karuizawa heard me out, then cradled her head in her hands.

“What’s the matter?” I asked her. “Got a headache?”

“Of course my head hurts! It hurts because you… No, forget it. It’s meaningless. Can’t you just ask Horikita-san? Aren’t you close?”

“I can’t rely on her. She doesn’t know how I operate from the shadows.”

“Huh? Why?” Karuizawa sounded incredulous. Her disbelief was to be expected, but reassuring her would be tricky. The correct plan of action would be to evade her question and mislead her, but instead, I decided to take things a step further.

“This entire time, even back when I contacted you on the ship, I’ve acted entirely on my own. I haven’t spoken with Horikita about this, because I still can’t trust her.” That was all true; I spoke no lies.

“What? You don’t trust her, even after all the time you’ve spent together? That’s weird.”

“She makes an excellent cover for me, like a magic cloak of invisibility. She’s conspicuous,” I replied.

“So, you’re just using her, then?”

“Not exactly, but in this particular situation, I’d say that’s about it.”

“Hmm? I don’t get what you’re saying. Seriously, can you knock off the vagueness?” Karuizawa flashed me a smile, though. “Still, your schemes have been successful so far, huh? I really thought that Horikita-san was the mastermind. Seriously, who are you?”

To her, my existence was shrouded in mystery. I didn’t respond.

“Well, whatever. I guess being more trustworthy than Horikita-san is a good thing,” she added.

That was right. Karuizawa was infinitely superior to Horikita in some ways, although I couldn’t explain that to her.

“So, I just need to carry out your orders?” she asked.

“Yes. Now that that’s settled, would you come with me for a little while? We need to take care of something in advance.”

“Well, I don’t exactly have the right to refuse.” Karuizawa stood and brushed dirt from her skirt, demonstrating just how quickly she wanted to end this. As for me, I didn’t want to waste any precious time, either. Together, we made our way toward the pool.

6.1

T he night before I met with Karuizawa, I’d been enjoying the last fleeting moments of summer vacation in my dorm room when Ike, seemingly the three idiots’ representative, posted in the group chat.

Is it really okay for summer to end like this? Our youth’s slipping away.

It was simultaneously profound and moronic. Ike continued messaging before anyone had a chance to reply.

Is it really okay to let the precious summer vacation after our first year of high school end without experiencing anything amazing? he repeated, although this time, his phrasing was different.

No, it’s not okay! replied Yamauchi, agreeing with Ike’s sentiment. Considering that an unrequited love had broken Yamauchi’s heart, he probably yearned for a fresh start.

Yeah, I want to make the most of my youth, too! added Sudou.

In that case, we should rise up! Youth won’t come to those who wait. Now is the time of men who take the initiative! responded Ike.

Chasing youthful pleasures was all well and good, but how exactly were they going to go about it?

Do you have any good ideas? asked Yamauchi.

Ike was probably waiting for someone to ask that, because he posted a long message immediately afterward.

I thought of one! Right now, the pool’s open to everyone, yeah? We’ll invite those fine, gorgeous ladies to go swimming! I’ve got Kikyou-chan, right? Haruki, you go with Sakura. And Ken, you’re with Horikita!

Ike rattled off girls’ names, managing to casually reopen Yamauchi’s wounds.

If Suzune is going, then I’m in. Do you think she’ll go ? asked Sudou.

Leave that to Ayanokouji-sensei! Right?

I wanted to respond with “as if,” but I couldn’t just come out and say it.

I mean, you’re going to help, right? You’re my friend, right? Sudou’s message, casual as it was over chat, certainly sounded like a threat. I noticed that he only used the word “friend” when he needed something.

I’ll see what I can do. Don’t expect too much, I replied.

After that, I temporarily suspended the chat and tried giving Horikita a call. It wasn’t just for Sudou. A part of me also wanted to invite her, especially now that her perceived social status had begun to rise.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Can’t I call you without a reason?” I replied.

“Okay, I’m hanging up.”

“Wait, wait! Okay, to tell you the truth, some friends were talking about going to the pool tomorrow. They asked me to call you, since you’ve been sitting in your room all day every day.”

“By friends, you mean those three incredible idiots? I can’t imagine bringing myself to hang out with them.”

Three incredible idiots. It had a nice ring to it.

“I refuse,” Horikita said.

“Would you come if it was just the two of us?”

“No.”

Of course not. However, I had a secret weapon.

“Water bottle.”

Horikita’s attitude and aura changed drastically at those simple words, even over the phone. It would have been nice if she knew when she was beaten, but instead, she feigned ignorance.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, the words ‘water bottle’ have just been on my mind lately. Like getting your arm stuck in a water bottle. That kind of thing.”

“You have a very unpleasant phone manner.” Horikita sounded increasingly concerned.

“I just think honesty does us all good.”

“Okay. What do you need me to do tomorrow, and at what time?”

Horikita was desperate to protect her reputation. She’d do anything to keep people from finding out about the water bottle incident, including going to the pool.

“We’ll meet at 8:30 in the lobby, and plan to go our separate ways in the evening,” I said.

“Understood. But I won’t forgive you if you ever try this again,” she warned.

“O-okay.”

I had no desire to tempt fate. I didn’t think of this as blackmail, but rather, cashing in on the favor I did Horikita during the water bottle incident. She probably understood that.

I invited Horikita. I posted in the chat.

Great work, Ayanokouji! You’ve avoided being German suplexed onto concrete!

Apparently, my life had been in danger.

Invite Sakura for me! Please, I beg you, Ayanokouji! wrote Yamauchi.

He’d just been rejected the other day. Immediately afterward, he sent me a private message.

I don’t want them to know I was rejected! Please help me!

Well, that was sad. The guys would probably love it if Sakura joined us, but she wasn’t really a sociable girl. She always skipped swim class, because her chest size got her ogled by both sexes to a painful degree. It was also probably going to be awkward for her to go out with the guy she just rejected.

I decided I’d at least give her a call.

6.2

I n the blink of an eye, the promised day arrived—summer vacation’s final event. We’d agreed to meet at 8:30. Making my way downstairs to the lobby, I saw that most of the group had already assembled.

“You just barely made it, huh?” Horikita prodded.

“There’s still about ten seconds left until we were scheduled to meet.”

“The elevator’s really swamped, right? That’s why you were late, isn’t it?” she shot back.

She was probably still angry about my coercive invitation. Plus, chances were she didn’t like the company. Since Kushida, Sakura, Ike, and Yamauchi were coming to the pool, there wasn’t really anyone else for Horikita to talk to.

“G-good morning, Ayanokouji-kun.”

“Morning, Sakura,” I replied.

Sakura peeked up at me as she greeted me politely. Yamauchi appeared to be checking Sakura out, glancing at her from his peripheral vision. Sakura looked somewhat anxious.

I’d remember for reference that romantic confessions didn’t necessarily result in happiness—they could cause trouble that persisted afterward, too.

“Where’s Sudou?”

“He probably overslept,” replied Horikita.

It was well past the time we’d agreed to meet, but there was no sign of Sudou. He was probably exhausted from club activities. Since no one was trying to contact him, I went for it.

“It’s no use. The call’s not connecting,” I said.

The phone just kept ringing and ringing. I couldn’t even reach his voicemail.

“Man, what the hell’s Sudou doing? It’s already 8:30! If we don’t hurry, we’re not gonna be the first ones there!” shouted Ike. He looked at the elevator, tapping his foot.

“A-all right, I’ll go wake him up,” said Yamauchi. He got onto the elevator, looking uncomfortable with the awkward silence between him and Sakura. As soon as he left, the heavy atmosphere began to dissipate.

“Did something happen to him?” asked Horikita in a low voice. She must’ve noted the change. I scratched the back of my head as I considered how to answer.

“Several things happened,” I replied. I left it at that. Neither Yamauchi nor Sakura would be happy if word got out.

“Oh, what’s this? Horikita-san, everyone, good morning!”

As we waited for Sudou to arrive, Ichinose came down with three friends. Bath towels peeked out of the colorful plastic bags they carried.

“Are you guys heading to the pool, too?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it.”

The pool was the summer vacation’s last special treat. It wasn’t really strange that they were going.

“Well, why don’t we all go together?” asked Ichinose.

“Of course, the more the merrier!” shouted Ike, jumping so high off the sofa that he looked like he was about to take off into orbit.

Horikita didn’t utter a single word.

“Well, it’s just… I’m sorry, but someone in our group overslept. We’re waiting for him to come down. Another of our friends went to get him,” explained Ike.

“Gotcha!” replied Ichinose cheerfully.

6.3

S udou opened his mouth as wide as a crocodile’s, yawning and tousling his mussed hair.

“Sorry I overslept. Got way too exhausted from all my club stuff,” he said, apologizing to Horikita, who responded as if he was merely an annoyance.

“Don’t give me that,” she said. No sign that he'd made any progress at melting her heart.

Ichinose and her friends, who’d been waiting for Sudou so we could all go to the pool together, were talking with Kushida at the center of the group.

“Hey, Ayanokouji-kun.” Horikita said to me, ignoring Sudou. Sudou, for his part, glared at me. “Don’t you think this is a little strange?”

“What is?”

“At a time like this, Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun would normally be pushing their luck, right?”

Sudou stiffened when he heard Horikita make that sharp observation. Since he was standing so close, she didn’t miss that.

“Did something occur to you, Sudou-kun?” she asked.

“Not really,” he muttered.

That only made Horikita look more guarded. Ike and Yamauchi walked together, shoulder to shoulder, both wearing stiff expressions.

“I can’t help but think they have ulterior motives,” said Horikita. She focused her attention on the bag that Ike held. “Even though they shouldn’t have brought anything with them except towels and swimsuits, that bag looks really heavy.”

Ike’s bag appeared to weigh more than any of the guys there, myself included.

“Huh, really? Doesn’t seem like that to me,” replied Sudou nervously.

“It doesn’t? Just look at the bag,” Horikita pressed.

Horikita’s suspicions had merit. The bag swung heavily back and forth when Ike walked, and it strained against his arm.

“Don’t you guys have plans for after the pool? Maybe he brought stuff for that?” I said, backing Sudou up. Sudou grabbed the lifeline I gave him.

“Y-yeah. I think that’s it.”

“I see. I suppose that’s credible,” said Horikita.

It was a known fact that those three horny idiots loved women. Given how meek they suddenly were, it was no wonder Horikita felt concerned. The three were extremely nervous right then, and it wasn’t because beautiful girls surrounded them. Nor was it because they’d be able to see those girls in swimsuits soon.

I decided to change the subject in order to maintain the deception.

“Sudou.”

“Wh-what?”

“How’d your club activities go? Did you get any points?”

“Huh? Y-yeah, I got a few from playing in the tournament. I think about 3,000 points or so,” he replied.

Sudou was being humble. Horikita looked genuinely impressed. “You gained points through personal activities?” she asked.

“Yeah. But lots of second and third years have gotten tens of thousands of points, so I can’t get too cocky yet. If you accomplish a lot for a club, it can even affect your class points. I’m gonna try to do way more in the second semester and onward,” he replied, crossing his arms and flexing in triumph.

Horikita, hearing of Sudou’s success in a field she could not master, offered him honest respect. “The day when you contribute more significantly to the class might be near,” she said.

To tell you the truth, I thought the same. If all went well, Sudou might become a net benefit to the class. That said, I had my concerns. Sudou made enemies easily. I needed to monitor him and Horikita, who had the same tendencies.

We made our way to the swimming club’s special facility, which adjoined the side of the school building. Since it wasn’t part of the main building, we were allowed to enter without wearing our uniforms. It looked as though the pool would be a popular spot, especially considering that this was the last day.

Even before we got to the pool’s entrance, students crowded the place. Just as you’d expect from a state-of-the-art school, every grade level had a separate locker room. It was easy to get lost there, but we followed the instructions on a signboard and found our way.

“Okay, let’s meet up back here in twenty minutes,” said Ichinose, pointing at the hallway that led to the pool. It was good to have an organized leader like her around.

“Hoo… Hoo…” Ike huffed.

As the girls walked off, Ike started breathing loudly, as if aroused. He walked faster, making him the first to arrive at the locker room. Inside, Ike and Yamauchi immediately went to the innermost locker, all the way in the back.

“H-hey, you guys. Today is going to be special. Don’t you get that feeling?!”

“Yeah. We’re going further than anyone in our class has gone. Further than anyone in our whole school!”

Ike and Yamauchi were attracting the attention of people around them. Sudou immediately went over and put both of them in headlocks, one in his left arm and one in his right.

“Geh! What the hell, Ken?!”

“You guys are causing too much ruckus! Look, I know you’re impatient, but we can’t get noticed,” hissed Sudou.

“Y-yeah, guess you’re right. Sorry, dude. Ow!”

Sudou smashed their foreheads together as a lesson. It was a little aggressive, but not a bad method.

“You’re surprisingly calm, Sudou,” I said.

“Guess I just wasn’t expecting all that much, honestly. Besides, I dunno, it kind of feels wrong. When I really think about this, it’d make Suzune sad. I don’t want them to see Suzune defenseless, you know? If you’re a man, you gotta make a girl fall for you,” he replied.

Sudou had the right idea. I wanted Ike and Yamauchi to learn that lesson themselves, but for the moment, their primary focus was immediate sexual gratification. I checked my phone. I had a message from Karuizawa saying that she’d just entered the locker room.

“Who’s messaging you?” asked Ike, his face red and a suspicious gleam in his eyes. He tried to take a peek at my phone, so I quickly put it away.

“Come on. It’s a girl, isn’t it?”

“Do I look that popular?” I replied.

“I guess you got a point. All right, let’s get changed! Spread out the towels!” shouted Ike.

I kind of wanted him to protest that I did look popular, but I let that expectation go. It was time to see how Ike and Yamauchi’s luck would hold.

6.4

“W hoa, talk about luxury. It’s completely decked out.”

The large pool facility, normally used for club activities and regular practice, looked completely different today. A number of students crowded the area, but food stalls were also everywhere. Snacks and junk food were in abundance: hot dogs, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and more.

Even weirder, upperclassmen seemed be managing the stalls. There were all types, from serious students who worked hard without so much as a smile, to students who looked like they were having a blast. It reminded me of the special tests.

Whatever was going on, it certainly seemed festive. While we stood around, waiting for the girls, I felt the group’s mood begin to lift.

If you wanted to attract positive attention from the people around you, you had to put in the work. Take academics, for example. If you were at the top of the class, or got the highest score in an exam, people paid attention to you. The same held true if you exhibited remarkable athleticism. But there were many ways to stand out, and one was simply being attractive. Handsome men, beautiful women—it was far easier for gorgeous people to attract attention than star athletes or academic titans. You couldn’t really deny that that special factor existed.

I didn’t know how we compared to other schools, but a lot of people at this school were more attractive than average. That included members of our group. We were surrounded by many gorgeous students whose names I didn’t know. No wonder Ike and Yamauchi were constantly horny.

What would it be like if stunning looks went hand in hand with a perfect personality? Someone who wasn't just cute and exceptionally stylish, but also academically brilliant? A girl like that would steal anyone’s attention.

Almost all of the male students suddenly focused their attention on a single point.

“Whew. This sure is a huge crowd, isn’t it?” Ichinose caught up with us, apparently oblivious to everyone looking at her.

“Hey…”

Unsure where to look, I shifted my gaze toward the wall as I answered.

“Where are the others? I thought the boys would be faster,” she said.

“They’re still changing,” I answered. They were also late due to other…circumstances. “You got changed pretty quickly.”

“Ah ha ha! I’m pretty confident in my quick-change abilities,” Ichinose boasted, as though that was something to be proud of. Her sunny innocence might just be the secret to her popularity. “Oh! Ayanokouji-kun, you brought a rash guard?”

“This might be strange for a guy, but I don’t really like showing skin in front of people. I heard that it was okay to wear this when we aren’t in class.”

“I see. I think that’s fine. It doesn’t violate the rules, after all.”

A few other students were also covering up, even guys like me. Ichinose poked my vest-covered stomach with her index finger.

“You’re pretty hard. Also, you’re slender. You have the ideal amount of muscle, without being too muscular,” she observed.

She kept touching me all over, from my arms to my shoulders. I was lucky I’d had the funds to buy an outer garment. I needed to thank Katsuragi.

“Do you work out?” she asked.

“No. It’s probably just the material. I don’t exercise daily or anything,” I said.

“Hmm.”

Ichinose lowered her eyes to look at my legs, but at least stopped asking questions. Still, standing this close to her made me hyper-conscious of her monstrous—er, her very large breasts. How in the world could I swim in this condition? I doubted whether I’d even be able to move.

“Well, those guys are late. I think I’ll go check on them,” I said.

I knew full well what they were doing, and why they were late, but I couldn’t bear seeing Ichinose in her swimsuit anymore. I turned on my heel and headed for the men’s locker rooms.

Several minutes later, we completed our preparations. We headed to the pool together. All the girls, including Horikita, had assembled.

“Wow!”

Ike couldn’t help but exclaim when he saw the wondrous spectacle the girls presented. Sakura, however, retreated to the back of their group. She, of course, was wearing a rash guard, too. Even so, not all the guys were able to conceal their delight at seeing the girls wearing swimsuits.

“Gah, ah! I can see them. Their breasts , underneath those thin swimsuits! I can see them!”

Ike and Yamauchi stared at the girls as if they both had X-ray vision. They seemed to be having the time of their lives.

“Okay, how about we get going? Looks like that spot at the far back is open.”

Ichinose led the way as we went to secure a place where we could hang out. The guys fell in line right behind the girls, their objective to ogle the girls’ gently bouncing buttocks. However, Sudou didn’t move from Horikita’s side. They looked good together. I actually thought they would be a surprisingly good couple.

Meanwhile, I walked next to Sakura, which was becoming a habit.

“Ah. Thank you,” she whispered.

“Why are you thanking me?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Sakura appeared puzzled. Then she realized that I had no idea what she was referencing. “Um, well. For inviting me out today.”

“Huh? It’s normal, after all. We’re friends. Right?”

I said the word “friend” smoothly and easily. Sakura looked up happily, her eyes sparkling like a puppy’s.

“So, you don’t need to thank me,” I said.

Sakura apparently didn’t agree. “Still, thank you,” she repeated.

“No, well… Well, okay.”

That was just the way Sakura was. It was why I could relax when I was with her.

Even so, she had become bolder. She’d matured to the point where I barely recognized her as the same girl I first met. A classmate had confessed romantic feelings toward her, and she hadn’t run away, but answered him properly. Watching her grow more and more each day, I thought that, maybe, I could change, too.

“I’ve been thinking, recently—during P.E., the teacher told us that swimming would definitely be useful to us later. I think that referred to the island test.” Sakura made this observation with a fiery look in her eyes. I decided not to deflate her.

“I see. Huh. That’s certainly true.”

“See, just like I thought!” Happy at having deduced something important, Sakura hopped innocently up and down, making her large breasts jiggle beneath her rash guard.

I felt some sympathy for a girl whose breasts were so large that they made normal things difficult, like simply removing a shirt. Regardless, I was just glad I’d been able to discover a new side to Sakura.

However, her expression turned apologetic the next moment. “If I participated properly, I think I’d be more useful. I used my poor health as an excuse to run away.”

“As long as you’re aware of that, isn’t it enough?”

The students who once lived solely for themselves, with no thought for the future, had slowly begun to realize that people couldn’t survive alone. Unless you planned to be a hermit, living on a mountain, you had no choice but to depend on other people.

The majority of junior high and high school students hadn’t noticed that yet, however. They lived in hedonistic isolation, spending their time on the Internet or feverishly engaging in mobile games. Some delinquents even committed crimes ranging from minor offenses to serious felonies. They didn’t know how to ask for help or cooperate with others. Some would spend their entire lives not knowing how.

This school was different, though. Their methods were unique, but they seemed to be trying to teach students how to become functional individuals.

Sakura had started to recognize that. She’d realized that maybe there was something she could do for the class. She might eventually become a great asset to 1-D.

“Ichinose-san. You guys. You came here today, too, huh?”

Three male students called out to us as we looked for a spot. I recognized one: Kanzaki from Class B. He nodded to us.

“Yoo-hoo! Shibata-kun, you’re here with the guys?” asked Ichinose.

Shibata raised his hand and looked at us Class D students with a smile. “Looks like a fun group! How about we join you?” he asked.

“I’m totally okay with that, but…is that all right?” asked Ichinose, looking at us.

Kushida nodded with enthusiasm, which annihilated Ike and Yamauchi’s ability to veto the suggestion. The three Class B students joined us, making our group’s total number a staggering thirteen members.

“Sorry for bothering you,” said Kanzaki, approaching me. He understood that I wasn’t especially good at dealing with a rowdy group.

Sakura quickly took a step back. She’d instantly faded into the background, so that Kanzaki wouldn’t notice her.

“That’s fine,” I said. “It’s the last day of summer vacation, after all.”

“Well, it’s true that we only have a few opportunities to socialize with students from other classes. Shibata and the others seem happy,” replied Kanzaki.

“You don’t really seem to like them, though,” I said. Kanzaki looked calm and composed, as always. However, there’d been a slyness to the way he approached me, so as not to draw attention.

“I’m like you, Ayanokouji. I’m not good with crowds.”

As Kanzaki and I chatted about nothing in particular, we heard increasingly loud cheers up ahead.

“Sounds like they’re all fired up over something,” said Sudou.

I raised my head to look. At the center of the uproar was a huge splash. A person and a ball flew upward into the air. The person delivered a powerful, aggressive spike that sent the ball flying to the opponent’s side of the pool. Apparently, they were playing volleyball.

“Whoa! Awesome! This is, like, some next-level stuff, huh?!” shouted Yamauchi.

There were three pools in the large facility, all currently being used for various activities and games. One pool was for standard swimming. Another was built to function like a lazy river with a current. The final pool was mainly geared toward activities like sports.

A large crowd of screaming girls surrounded the sports pool, in which students were playing a fierce game of volleyball. I’d never seen many of them before. The majority looked a little older than us. They were probably second or third-year students.

One male student, in particular, stood out.

“He’s awesome.”

The object of Sudou’s expressed admiration was the same student I’d noticed. At first glance, his slender form appeared delicate. Upon closer inspection, though, you saw his well-defined abs. The way his blond hair swayed whenever he moved, and the composed expression on his face, caught the eye. He was so beautiful that you could almost mistake him for an illusion, an image flickering on a screen.

Apparently, this beautiful young man had stolen most of the female students’ attention.

“Ugh, he’s the kind of guy I hate the most. Even though he’s not all that talented or hardworking, he’s a winner because of his looks,” spat Ike.

I understood Ike and Yamauchi’s venomous envy, but they were wrong. This handsome man wasn’t showered in attention due to his appearance. I saw the sharp gleam in his eyes as his attention focused upward. The beautiful young man soared into the air to meet the ball that a teammate passed him.

Most of the onlookers went quiet, as though they’d forgotten to cheer. Everyone watched with bated breath. The handsome student shot the bullet—er, the ball—at a sharp angle and with high velocity. It assaulted the enemy team. The student who received the ball was clearly skilled, too. He responded quickly and dove to try to keep the ball in play.

Everyone screamed in unison as the beautiful young man’s team earned a point. His physical abilities’ superior nature was obvious. Looking at how developed the lower half of his body was, I guessed that he focused on a sport in which he used his legs. Maybe track and field? I could imagine baseball or soccer as well.

“H-he’s handsome, he’s smart, he’s good at sports… Who the hell is he?!”

“People are really getting fired up, huh? That guy completely dominates the game all by himself.”

“Looks like it. I’m not sure who he is or where he’s from, though.”

Horikita and I didn’t know many students from other classes, or what their abilities were. The best person to ask was Kushida, whose network was wider than anyone else’s. She had our answer.

“That’s Nagumo-senpai from Class A. He’s a second year. It sounds like he’s really popular with the girls,” she said.

“Nagumo…”

I’d heard that name recently. Eavesdropping on our conversation, Ichinose explained a bit more. “He’s the current student council vice president. It’s said that he’ll take over as president next year. Apparently, he’s really smart.”

Horikita’s shoulders tightened slightly when she heard the key words “student council.”

Every time Nagumo showed off his skills, there were loud, high-pitched cheers. Other games were going on at the same time, but nobody watched. Everyone was fixated on Nagumo.

“Even though he’s popular with the ladies, I’ve never heard of him until now. You didn’t know him either, right, Ayanokouji-kun? He’s obviously skilled, but considering his notoriety, I imagine some of that must be hype. I’m sure the student council president would easily surpass him in any activity. Wouldn’t he?” asked Horikita.

What a brazen thing to say—praising the president without revealing that he was her brother.

“Yeah. They say the president is amazing. He’s possibly the most extraordinary student in this school’s whole history. Wait. He has the same last name as you, Horikita-san. Right?” asked Ichinose.

“It would appear so,” Horikita answered matter-of-factly. Apparently, she had no intention of giving an honest answer.

“But there are rumors that Nagumo has comparable skills. In fact, during the student council elections, President Horikita and Vice President Nagumo both ran for the position of president. At the time, Nagumo was just a first-year student,” said Ichinose.

“You’re quite well-informed, aren’t you?” replied Horikita.

“When I joined the student council, I inevitably picked up on those kinds of things.”

“You did?” Horikita sounded incredulous.

She couldn’t hide her surprise. I recalled that, the day I met her, she was talking to Hoshinomiya-sensei, Class B’s homeroom teacher, about “student council business.” I had absolutely no interest in working alongside Horikita Manabu, but given how the school was structured, entering the student council had to have monumental significance.

“By the way, what are the prerequisites for joining the student council? Not just anyone can join, right?”

“Hmm. Well, it’s a little tricky. To tell you the truth, I was rejected the first time I applied. But, since you can apply as many times as you want, I persisted,” said Ichinose. “The president never confirmed anything, but apparently, the final decision came from Vice President Nagumo. Later, I heard from Nagumo that President Horikita seemed disappointed in this year’s first-year students. Apparently, they usually accept two first-years, but this year, I’m the only one. That’s why I want to hurry up and prove myself. It sounds as though President Horikita might be stepping down in October.”

As Horikita struggled to get closer to her brother, Ichinose was trying her absolute hardest to gain some ground.

“My goal is definitely to be like Nagumo-senpai. We both started strong, and we get along well. All the student council presidents in this school’s history originally came from Class A, but Nagumo-senpai is like me. We both came from Class B. Then, before anyone realized it, he was next in line to become the president. So, that’s why I’m going to become president after Nagumo-senpai.”

Ichinose paused for a moment, then added, “Just kidding!”

She clearly held Nagumo in higher esteem than Horikita’s brother.

Looking displeased, Horikita snapped back. “Nagumo’s limited potential is obvious. He had a delayed start,” she spat.

“Hey, hey,” I said.

Horikita was free to think whatever she wanted, but didn’t that logic work against her, based on the fact she’d started in Class D? Unless…unless she was serious.

“Wait. Do you still think they assigned you to Class D by mistake?” I asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Horikita said without hesitation.

“Well, I suppose I can understand why you think that. But the school doesn’t seem to sort classes based on academic ability alone. They examine your intelligence, of course, but also your maturity level and collaboration skills. They base their decisions on our demonstration of all those abilities, I think,” mused Ichinose.

“So, you’re saying there’s a problem with me overall?”

“Oh, no. Sorry. I apologize if that’s how it sounded. But think about it. Basically, Horikita-san, you’re the sort of person who believes in herself. If we turn that statement around, though, it could also mean that you’re self-centered. In the real world, there will be times when you need to determine who’s better suited to a situation: a self-important person, or someone who follows instructions. Such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.”

Self-centered people could be hard to handle, even if they had superior talent. However, people who could follow instructions would always be in demand, a highly sought-after resource.

“I can’t believe that,” said Horikita in a low voice. Her attitude hadn't changed, but hopefully, her way of thinking had slowly begun to transform.

When Ichinose got called over by a friend, I drew slightly nearer to Horikita.

“You didn’t announce your candidacy for the student council, did you? You chose to attend this school to be by your older brother’s side, right?” I asked.

“Those are separate issues. Even you can grasp that much, can’t you? Even if I did the student council interview, there’s absolutely no way I’d get in.”

Well, yeah. If even Ichinose from Class B wasn’t accepted the first time, then Horikita from Class D… The elder Horikita probably wouldn’t allow his sister to join student council when he wanted her expelled.

I watched the game go on for a while. In the end, Nagumo’s team overwhelmed the opposition. The girls who’d cheered Nagumo gathered around him as he climbed out of the pool.

“Hey, wait a sec. That dude’s got an ear piercing! How is that okay?!” shouted Ike, clearly searching for something to say.

“But isn’t that fine? It’s still summer vacation,” replied Ichinose.

“W-well, wait a sec… He’s got a hole in his ear, right?! Isn’t that a big problem?!” Ike persisted.

“I think that’s probably a clip-on earring, actually. He dresses normally in school,” she answered.

“Ugh!” Ike grumbled. No matter how much he objected, Nagumo was a completely flawless student.

“Hey, why don’t we play some volleyball? With Shibata-kun and the other guys on our team, we’ll have six people, and you guys will have seven. If we rotate, we should be set,” said Ichinose.

Ike was the first one to agree. “Yeah, for sure! I’ll attract all the girls’ attention, like Nagumo-senpai!” he shouted.

That was probably impossible, but a lot of students seemed eager to play. Since we’d come all this way, they wanted a good experience.

“U-um, I’m pretty bad at physical activity, so…I’ll watch,” said Sakura, retreating. She probably just really didn’t want to play. Since it was obvious that she wasn’t the athletic sort, no one raised any objections.

“I don’t really feel like playing, either,” said Horikita. She seemed intractable, even though she still owed me a favor.

“Horikita-san, are you running away?” Ichinose smiled, as if to provoke Horikita.

“It’s not ‘running away’ when it’s just a simple game,” snapped Horikita.

“You’re certainly right. But this is like a microcosm of our class. Who’s more ambitious, and who has superior teamwork? In that sense, it’s a mock competition. Or are you saying that you don’t want to compete against us?” asked Ichinose. She was treating this like an analytical test of our combat ability.

“Fine. Let’s do it,” said Horikita.

The Class B students would be our rivals in the near future. This was just a game for now, but they probably wanted to ascertain their opponents’ abilities, too.

“How about this? To make the match a little more interesting, the winners gets to enjoy a free lunch, courtesy of the losers. Are you okay with those stakes?” asked Ichinose.

“Sure,” replied Horikita.

After we submitted our request to use a volleyball court, each team picked its own strategies. The rules we settled on dictated that there’d be fifteen points per set, with a three-set match. We would declare the first team to get two sets the winner. We would determine who served via rotation, and a person who scored would earn the right to serve again.

“This may be a game, but a match is still a match. Since we’re doing this, we’re going to win,” said Horikita.

“You’re unusually fired up, Horikita-san,” observed Kushida.

“With a free lunch at stake, sure. But it’s more than that. To buy lunch for this many people, you might have to spend up to 10,000 points. Even though they’re just private points, the difference between Class B and us could close by that much. On the other hand, if we lose, the gap would widen. It’s just like the special tests,” Horikita replied.

True. Two thousand points per person wasn’t a small expense.

“All right! Let’s definitely win this thing. Ken! Haruki!” shouted Ike.

“Leave this to me, Suzune. If I’m here, we’ve got the strength of one hundred men. I’ll knock those meatheads down!” shouted Sudou.

“But isn’t meathead a word you’d use to describe yourself, Sudou?” I called.

“The hell, dude? You know, ‘meathead.’ Someone’s who got too much meat in their head. Like, their brains are too big, because they study too much. Right?”

Apparently, Sudou had wonderfully misunderstood the meaning of the word. Rather like a meathead.

“Forget it,” I replied.

Sudou looked at the Class B team members and laughed like he had confidence to spare. His attitude seemed to suggest there was no way he’d lose.

"Let's see how I can use you, Sudou-kun."

Although he dragged us down in academics, he might be an invaluable ally in a situation like this.

“Sudou, do you have any experience playing pool volleyball?”

“Nope. Played a little volleyball in class, though.”

“And yet you sound really confident.”

“Basketball’s like all other sports. An upperclassman I respect said that.”

Well, Sudou certainly believed in his own abilities. Horikita was about to determine whether or not he was all talk.

6.5

“A ll right, leave it to me!”

Sudou, looking up at the ball as it arced down, jumped into the air. Then, using his incredible body like a spring, he slammed the ball at the opposing team, as fast as a bullet. Ichinose tried her absolute hardest to keep the ball in play, but her movements in the water were slow and dull. She didn’t make it in time.

No one on the sidelines cheered for Sudou, but his power seemed greater than or equal to Nagumo’s.

“Yeah!”

Sudou struck a victory pose. I guessed that this was what they meant when they talked about “taking to something like a fish to water.” Horikita watched Sudou in apparent admiration.

“Wow, that was an amazing shot. You really got us good!” said Ichinose, scooping up the ball and handing it back to Sudou.

“Heh. Well, I guess a girl couldn’t really repel my attack. Suppose I need to dial it down, huh?” he boasted.

“Are you being sexist now? Don’t underestimate us girls,” said Ichinose, with a smile on her face and not a hint of anger in her voice.

The game started with Class B serving the ball, but Sudou’s incredible, furious skills got our team to a seven-to-three lead.

“Sudou-kun has a wide defensive range and really high attack power. We need to avoid his area as much as possible,” observed Kanzaki. He was clearly growing increasingly cautious of Sudou, who was pulling our team forward.

“Okay, Ichinose. Give me the ball. I’ve found our target!” shouted Shibata.

“Roger!” responded Ichinose.

Ichinose received the ball and courteously guided it along. Shibata leapt up to strike it. Sadly, he aimed at the space right in front of me. If that wasn’t a coincidence, then he considered me our team’s weakest link.

“Get it, Ayanokouji!”

I took a step forward, as Sudou ordered. The ball wasn’t really moving fast. It shouldn’t have been difficult for me to touch it. I extended my arm.

Bap . The ball made a dull sound as I hit it.

“Geh.”

It sailed away magnificently in the wrong direction.

“Yay!”

On the other side of the net, Ichinose and Shibata high-fived. Naturally, Sudou shot me a furious glare and stormed over.

“The hell was that?!” roared Sudou.

“Er, I guess it showed the virtue of scoring quietly, rather than flamboyantly?” I replied.

“Don’t screw around. It’s fine if your angle’s bad, but at least get the ball into the air.”

This was the first time I’d ever played volleyball in my life. I couldn’t just become a natural in five minutes.

“Hey, hey. Calm down, Sudou. I’ll get things back with my astonishing serve. Check it,” said Ike, picking up the ball.

“Yeah!”

The ball awkwardly sailed towards our opponents’ territory. The girls caught it, and Ichinose leaped up to pitch it at us.

“You guys are useless!” shouted Sudou.

He blocked the ball that Ichinose sent back and returned it to Class B’s side once again. This time, Kanzaki sent the ball into the air, and another girl lobbed it in my direction. The ball sped toward me, but Sudou took advantage of his height to try and intercept it. Covering me, he charged forward and successfully tossed the ball back.

“Eat this !” shouted Ichinose. She jumped upward, her breasts jiggling, which instantly snatched the attention of Ike, Yamauchi, and I.

“Back!” shouted Sudou. Horikita received Ichinose’s shot, and sent the ball back up, guiding it to a more ideal spot. The game had just begun, but already, Sudou was calling the shots.

None of the girls could stop Sudou’s attacks, considering his overwhelming power. Kanzaki and Shibata managed to hang on, but Sudou had both superior technique and greater strength, so they were on the defensive.

Class B’s only viable strategy was to deny Sudou the ball. On Class D’s side, Horikita and Kushida had above-average offensive and defensive power. A stable lineup. On the other hand, the weak links included me, Ike, and Yamauchi.

“Gyah! Sorry!” shouted Yamauchi.

Instead of scooping up the serve, Yamauchi let Class B score another point. Every time they scored, Sudou’s frustration grew, and he clicked his tongue at us. Then again, all Class B’s points were because of us three.

“Calm down, Sudou-kun. You’re doing your best, and it’s better if you don’t waste your energy.”

“But if we lose because of these useless guys, this’ll all be for nothing,” Sudou lamented.

Still complaining, Sudou returned to his original position. When Sudou couldn’t see him, Ike flipped him off. Yamauchi followed suit.

“Hey, Haruki. You’re gettin’ the death sentence later.”

“Gyah!”

Unfortunately for Yamauchi, Sudou had caught him in the act. This really wasn’t Yamauchi’s lucky day. When we resumed playing, the ball once again came flying straight toward him.

“No way, no way!” Yamauchi gurgled, falling face down in the water. “Gluuub!”

“It’s pathetic that the girls are more useful than you!” said Sudou.

Talk about kicking us when we were down. No one wanted to look uncool in front of girls, but just as you couldn’t improve you grades overnight, we couldn’t become stellar athletes right here and now.

The ball once again came to me. Remembering my previous failure, I tried to figure out how best to receive it. I thought that by watching my arm placement, and the ball’s rotation, getting it back into the air shouldn’t be difficult. Theoretically.

However, I noticed Ichinose gazing intently at me from the other side of the net. I decided to receive the ball in a deliberately clumsy manner, without moving from my spot. I let my feet slip and fumbled the ball into the water.

“God. You’re awful, Ayanokouji!”

As I resurfaced, Ike laughed at me.

“Even if it’s bad, it’s okay, as long as you get the ball up! Good job!” shouted Sudou.

Sudou, who’d been shadowing me, showed off several fierce jumps. Even though he should’ve used up quite a bit of stamina, he unleashed his finishing attack over and over again. His strength alone made us a match for Class B, even with their superior teamwork. While I observed Sudou, I decided to amuse myself by actually playing some volleyball.

6.6

“A ww, we lost. Completely,” said Ichinose, sounding a little frustrated as she got out of the pool.

Sure, we were just playing, but no one had wanted to lose. Class D achieved victory after winning two consecutive sets.

“That’s all thanks to Sudou-kun,” said Horikita.

Sudou smiled smugly at this compliment. He was undoubtedly happy that the girl he liked had praised him, especially since Horikita was sparing with compliments.

“You’re in basketball. Some boys from our class play, too, but I’ve heard about you, Sudou-kun. They say you’re the best first-year student,” said Ichinose.

“Of course,” he replied.

More importantly, that meant word had gotten around to other classes. I wondered if this volleyball

game was just a test. Sudou’s athleticism was a match for the upperclassmen. Any exam that depended on physical activity would be a huge boon for Sudou, and for us. From Ichinose’s perspective, Sudou was now a threat.

“If you guys hadn’t dragged us down, we could’ve had an overwhelming victory,” said Sudou.

“Damn it. Sudou’s getting full of himself,” said Yamauchi. He collapsed outside the pool, glaring at Sudou with frustration. After the volleyball game was done, Sudou had kept his promise to deliver a death sentence to Yamauchi, and knocked him out.

“Well, as long as we won, it’s all good. This means we can eat whatever we want for lunch,” I said, redirecting Sudou’s focus from anger to food.

“Yeah, guess so. Since we’re pretty broke, this is good.” Sudou was acting a little cocky, but he deserved to. He’d won the game single-handed.

“Well then, how about lunch?”

Our stomachs grumbled, right on cue. Ichinose, Sudou, and the rest headed toward the food stands. Horikita hung back and followed further behind.

“Ayanokouji-kun. You’re not really bad at sports, are you? Even though you’re a beginner at volleyball, your movements were odd,” she observed.

Horikita had seen me fight her brother some time ago. She recalled how I’d moved.

“Ichinose was watching me closely,” I answered.

“You’re not going to show your hand yet, then. I suppose the other classes must be frantically trying to analyze Class D’s combat abilities right now,” replied Horikita.

As we arrived at the food stands, Ichinose turned to us. “Just as we promised, you can have whatever you like, and however much you want. Eat up!” she said.

“All right! In that case, we’re not holding back!”

The three idiots, their appetites many times greater than anyone else’s, rushed for the food. Ichinose just stood there, grinning.

“Wait, are you paying for the whole thing yourself?”

“Yeah. I’m the one who suggested the bet,” Ichinose replied. That might be true, but this was going to be stupidly expensive. “I’m pretty frugal, so everything should be just fine.”

Kushida appeared puzzled. “But, Ichinose-san, didn’t you use up quite a few points on stuff like swimwear? I know Class D can’t compare itself to Class B, but we’re just barely getting by.”

“Hmm. Well, I don’t really care much about fashion. I kinda wear whatever, and I can just rotate outfits anyway. I guess that’s sort of weird for a girl to say,” Ichinose chuckled.

“Not at all. It’s good not to spend a lot, I think.”

In my own prejudiced view, girls cared about looking good. That was certainly true of Kushida. I would’ve thought that Horikita was indifferent, but even she seemed to pay attention to her hair and clothes.

“There might be something more important for me to use points on eventually,” said Ichinose.

“All right, then. I won’t hold back,” said Horikita. She’d always been a light eater, but having Class B treating us seemed to make her gluttonous.

“Sure, that’s fine. But it’d be a waste to have leftovers, so eat everything!” said Ichinose.

I was personally pretty interested in the junk food, and chose what I wanted.

6.7

W hen it was almost closing time, Ichinose proposed that we head back before the crowds got worse. We all agreed. While everyone got changed, I slipped away and waited for my visitor by the pool.

“Ah, I’m so drained,” I muttered.

Soon Karuizawa appeared, slapping my back as she walked up behind me.

“Good work. How’d it go?” I asked.

“It’s just like you said. Honestly repulsive,” she replied.

“Come on, don’t say that. It’s just youth run amok, right?”

Karuizawa gestured as though she was going to vomit, then scanned her surroundings.

“How was it? Being at the pool, I mean,” I asked.

“Whatever. I don’t feel much of anything, but…” Karuizawa looked around once more, as if worried about prying eyes. “Even though it’s fake, I’m still supposed to be going out with Hirata-kun. If I’m seen alone with you, weird rumors might spring up.”

“Really? Well, maybe they would if I were a pretty boy like Hirata. Sadly, I’m completely lacking in hotness. At best, people will think you’re part of our group,” I told her.

This was an innocuous place to be alone with a girl. It would have been a different story at night, on a secluded park bench, but not here.

Hirata, Karuizawa’s fake boyfriend, was nowhere to be seen. He was probably busy with club activities. I didn’t know much about the soccer club’s schedule, but he seemed like an active guy.

“We were allowed to wear rash guards today. You saw them, right?” I asked.

“Well, yeah. But are you really okay with spending money on a rash guard? They’re pretty expensive.”

“It was a necessary expense.”

Karuizawa held out her hand, and I grabbed it. I felt something hard against my palm.

“What are you planning, anyway?” asked Karuizawa.

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you different from the others? You could just sit back and enjoy the show,” she said. Ah, so we were discussing what I held in my hand.

“It could have ended up fracturing the class. I want to avoid that.” That was why I’d called Karuizawa to meet me, although getting her to enjoy the pool had been another of my goals. “Did you invite anyone else?”

“I’m alone. I was with two others, but I told them to go off on their own and have fun.”

“A wise decision.”

I started walking slowly along the side of the pool. Karuizawa trailed me.

“Are you aiming for Class A, then?” she asked.

“You’re not interested?”

“Hmm, I dunno. I do want points, and I’d be happy to get a job anywhere, but…” She kicked the air, hands in her pockets. “I don’t really feel like duking it out with those Class C students, I guess.”

Karuizawa was referring to a specific group of Class C girls. Even though I’d managed to contain things to a degree, Karuizawa couldn’t face the girls directly without triggering the past trauma of them bullying her. Until that mental prison released her, Karuizawa could never demonstrate her true talents.

“I want to talk to you about something. Just you,” I said.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know what our next test will be, but I was thinking about preparing a certain trick.”

“A trick?”

As we walked, blending into all the hustle and bustle, we discussed extremely important things. Things I hadn’t even talked to Horikita about.

“To have someone expelled.”

“Huh?”

Karuizawa stopped dead in her tracks, as though she didn’t understand what I meant. When I continued walking, she hurriedly chased after me.

“W-wait a minute. What do you mean?!”

“Exactly what I said. I’m going to have a first-year student expelled. The ideal candidates would be those three girls who know about your past. If we can’t get to them, then perhaps someone else. If that doesn’t work, then—” I began.

“Th-then what?”

“Probably some unnecessary human being from Class D.”

“You do understand what you’re saying, don’t you? Getting someone expelled isn’t that easy,” Karuizawa replied.

“You don’t think so? That’s not really true. I actually have the option available right now.” Fingers wrapped tight around the object Karuizawa had handed me, I drew her attention to my hand.

“Wait, don’t tell me. Is that what it’s for?” she asked, incredulous.

“Depending on the situation, I could get someone expelled in a single stroke. Right?”

“B-but wait. Why are you talking about this? You went all out trying to save Sudou-kun earlier, right?”

It was true that I’d rescued Sudou from the threat of expulsion. However, that was before I was forced to commit to reaching Class A. As Horikita once said, I had to prepare for the eventuality of cutting off people who dragged us down.

“Even though you saved Sudou-kun, you’re going to kick him out?” Karuizawa asked.

“Oh no. I have no intention of getting rid of Sudou. His physical skill will be quite valuable to Class D,” I replied. There weren’t many other students in the whole school with comparable abilities, including Kouenji.

“But what will happen to our class points if someone is expelled?” wondered Karuizawa apprehensively.

“The best option would be to expel someone from another class, of course.” However, if a student from our class was expelled, fear would motivate the survivors to struggle mightily. That wouldn’t be the worst thing.

“You’re awful, you know that?” said Karuizawa.

“Surely you already realized that about me?”

“I guess.”

I’d threatened Karuizawa. My actions had verged on assault. I couldn’t imagine that she considered me a good person.

“How about consulting Hirata-kun?” she asked.

“I have concerns about that. Hirata still isn’t someone I can fully trust,” I replied.

“Huh?”

“You know about his past?”

“Oh, yeah. He told me about it when I told him what happened to me. His friend tried to commit suicide by jumping, right?”

That was right. Hirata had told me that he still carried that regret around with him, which was probably true.

“Do you really believe that his friend’s suicide attempt turned him into a student who’d be placed in Class D?” I asked.

“Huh?”

“That can’t be the only reason for the school to assign a highly intelligent and immensely popular student to our class. Don’t you agree?” Placement in Class D would have been understandable if Hirata had poor attendance, or low grades like Karuizawa, but that didn’t appear to be the case.

“Wait. You asked about my past because…”

“I wanted to understand Hirata’s situation. Past trauma doesn’t equate to getting placed in Class D,” I replied.

Confirming things with Karuizawa had convinced me that she was someone I could trust. However, Hirata wouldn’t be easy to deal with. I’d need to discreetly figure out whether he was telling the truth or lying.

“You keep trying to gather information by poking and prodding, but you’re not telling me anything,” grumbled Karuizawa.

“Hmm?”

“You’re not normal, like, at all. Something definitely happened to you.”

“Nothing really happened to me,” I replied.

“That’s a lie.”

Nothing had happened. I wasn’t bullied in the past like Karuizawa, and I hadn’t had a beloved friend attempt suicide like Hirata, either.

“I can tell just from your eyes. You look like you could kill someone without hesitation.”

“Nothing that dramatic took place in my past.”

There really was nothing. So little had happened to me that I had nothing to talk about. My life was a blank slate.

Karuizawa’s eyes locked onto me. She probably couldn’t help but wonder what her future contained. Holding onto that fear could most certainly prove useful.

However, she’d asked me what I intended to do. Almost as if answering that question, I clenched my fist tighter. As I did so, I heard the plastic in my hand bend and crack.

“H-hey!”

I walked to the garbage bin and tossed away the bits of plastic.

“I won’t expel anyone from Class D. It’s about time for me to get back to the group. Thanks for today,” I said.

“Okay…”

“Let’s head back, then.”

As the pool closed, students started to flood into the locker rooms. Which group you belonged to seemed to determine when you headed back. There were groups that left before closing, like Ichinose’s, groups that left just when the closing call came, and groups that remained in the pool until the very last second. I wondered which groups would make it back the fastest.

We quietly watched the other students as they walked away. After some time, the area was deserted, except for some lifeguards.

“You’re still not heading back?” I asked.

“You already know the answer, so why even ask?” Karuizawa lightly patted the spot on her rash guard right above her scar. She looked desperate. Still, it wasn’t like she could go home without changing. She had to wait until she was the last person in the locker room.

“It would be fine if you just wore a school-issued swimsuit, right?” I asked. No one would notice her scar.

“Ugh, swim with one of those on? No way. They’re too lame. I already hate having to wear one during lessons.”

Apparently, the world of girls was crueler than I thought. Even an unfashionable bathing suit could demote you on the social ladder.

“Do you like swimming?”

“Huh? Well, I don’t hate it,” she said.

“How about taking a little swim now? There aren’t any students around. The only people here are lifeguards, and they look busy cleaning up.”

Karuizawa pondered the idea. After all, it was better than the crowded locker rooms.

“I’m okay,” she muttered.

“Come on.”

“No, I won’t ‘come on.’ I told you, I don’t want to.”

“Even if someone sees you, you’ll be fine, as long as you’re wearing the school swimsuit.”

“That’s not the problem. Why do I have to show you my swimsuit?” she huffed.

So, that was what held her back. In that case, I thought perhaps I should use a slightly more aggressive method.

“That’s an order.”

Karuizawa glared at me.

“You seriously are the worst. I absolutely hate you.” She scowled.

“You decide whether to obey me or not. So, what’ll it be?”

“I understand,” she replied.

Karuizawa reluctantly did as instructed, pouting with dissatisfaction. She removed her rash guard and left it on a chair. I inspected her in her swimsuit. Karuizawa stood with her back to me, not turning around.

“Maybe this will be the only thing I can wear swimming for the rest of my life,” she muttered. She was still terrified that her scar would draw people’s attention.

I closed the distance between us and grabbed her arm.

“Wh-what are you—?!”

I shoved Karuizawa into the pool. Splash ! She crashed into the water. When a lifeguard heard the noise, she shouted at us with a megaphone.

“We’re closed! Please leave right now!”

“Pwah! What’d you do that for?!” Karuizawa shouted.

As she peeked angrily out from the water, I offered her my hand.

“Did you have fun?” I asked.

“Being pushed in isn’t exactly fun, you know.”

Karuizawa took hold of my outstretched hand. Then, without warning, she pulled me into the water. I didn’t resist at all, taking care not to crash into her when I fell. The resulting splash, even bigger than before, would certainly anger the lifeguards. Karuizawa laughed as they rushed over to us.

When I tried to surface, she held my head down and pushed me deeper underwater. Even though the situation was childish, seeing Karuizawa enjoy something ended up making it worthwhile.

6.8

A fter we finished swimming, I was rather thirsty. The rest of our group must’ve felt the same way, because as dusk fell and we walked back to the dorms, one of Ichinose’s friends said, “Hey, Honami-chan. I think I want ice cream. How about you?”

“Yeah. Sounds good,” Ichinose replied. Even after a refreshing swim, the heat was oppressive. “How about we take a little detour before heading back?”

There were no objections. We entered a nearby convenience store, and everyone rushed to the ice cream. Horikita had been conflicted over whether she wanted something to drink, but now it looked like she wanted ice cream, too.

“I’ll have this one! Ultra Choco Monaka!” shouted Ike, pulling out an ice cream three times larger than normal. It was nearly four times the price of a regular ice cream, too.

That seemed wasteful, but I supposed if it made him happy, it was probably fine. Sudou and Yamauchi wanted shaved ice, while Ichinose chose a popsicle. Even in a standard convenience store, the group’s individual quirks and tastes were clear.

Sakura, standing behind me, looked around hesitantly.

“What are you getting?” I asked.

“Um, I-I… Wh-what do I pick, I wonder?” she stuttered.

Sakura stood on tiptoe and desperately struggled to look inside the ice cream freezer. Honestly, even I could barely see. When Ike and the others finally left, I felt Sakura push against me.

“Let’s go,” I told her.

“O-okay,” she replied.

She really seemed to be struggling to choose, so I stood by her while we made our selections, to help.

“What should I do?” she muttered. Her hands shook, as if she were flustered.

“You don’t like ice cream?”

“Oh no, I like all kinds. I’ve probably eaten everything here before,” she replied, pointing toward the right half of the case. Horikita, who’d also remained by the freezer, chose her ice cream and went to the register.

“Hurry up, or you’ll get left behind!” Ike called.

Given how sensitive Sakura was, hearing that only made her more flustered. “Um, umm… Sorry. I’m the type who takes forever deciding things like this.”

“There’s no need to panic. He’s just messing around. I haven’t decided yet, either,” I told her.

“What are you going to have, Ayanokouji-kun?”

“Me?”

I shifted my attention from Sakura and looked into the freezer. Honestly, everything looked the same.

“I think I’ll have this.”

I picked up a standard soft-serve ice cream, the kind that coils around and around. Some of the soft serve had chocolate mixed in, but I’d leave that for next time.

“W-well, I’ll have that too, then. It’s delicious,” Sakura replied.

It felt as though I’d forced her to choose that, but if Sakura was satisfied, then it was probably fine. After we paid and left, everyone gathered in front of the store and began to eat. I opened the package and scooped some ice cream, letting it melt in my mouth.

“This is…really good,” I said quietly.

The sweetness and coldness shivered through my body. This could become a habit. It was honestly revelatory. Who knew ice cream would be this delicious? Eating too much of it could be bad for you, though.

“Whoa, you sure are enjoying that. It’s almost like it’s your first time eating ice cream,” observed Ichinose.

“Anyone would think it’s delicious. Especially in this heat,” I replied. That should’ve been obvious.

“Well, I suppose. It’s just…you’re eating it like it’s something you really love. This is the first time I’ve seen you make a face like that.”

“That’s because he has a face like a doll. His expression never changes,” said Horikita, interjecting on my behalf. Well, she was sort of like a doll herself in that regard.

Horikita and Ichinose began to chatter happily about the second semester, which was about to start.

“Hey, Ichinose. Your popsicle looks pretty rough.”

“Gah! You’re seriously right!”

Ichinose’s popsicle was melting in the heat. Flustered, Ichinose licked what was dripping and then stuck the popsicle in her mouth.

“Mmph, famks bery mug,” she muttered through a mouthful of popsicle.

Was she saying, “Thank you very much”? It seemed that way. Even as it melted, the popsicle did look delicious.

6.9

“W hew! What a long day. I’m beat. This was fun, huh?” asked Ichinose.

“Yeah. It was nice to talk to Horikita-san and Sakura-san. We should hang out again!”

The Class B girls seemed satisfied with how they’d spent their last day of vacation. Sakura, who looked a little more relaxed, even managed a small grin. On the other hand, Ike, Yamauchi, and even Sudou looked anxious. After quickly saying their farewells, they rushed into the elevator.

“We’ll come hang out in your room later, Ayanokouji.”

They left it at that.

“I wonder what’s up with them? I thought they were in high spirits today,” said Kushida.

“They seemed especially strange. Perhaps a certain someone knows what happened, though,” said Horikita.

They both glanced at me, but I refrained from commenting, for my own reasons.

“Okay, then. See you at school, Ayanokouji-kun.”

“See you tomorrow.”

After parting with Kushida and Sakura, only Horikita and I remained in the lobby. I thought she’d stayed behind to avoid Kushida, but even when another elevator arrived, Horikita didn’t get on.

“You’re not going up?” I asked.

“What about you? Would you like to take a little walk?” she asked.

“Sure.”

Horikita and I walked along the tree-lined path while looking at the sky, now dyed the color of sunset.

“Surprisingly, I had fun today. I suppose a day off every once in a while isn’t so bad.” That was an unexpected statement, coming from Horikita. She spoke slowly, her still-wet hair fluttering behind her. “We start the second semester tomorrow. I’m sure even bigger challenges await.”

“Yeah, probably.”

This wasn’t an ordinary school. Countless unknown hardships—like the survival test on the island, or the test of deception on the cruise ship—undoubtedly lay in wait for us.

“I’ve thought a lot during summer vacation. About the things I’ve done, and the things I was able to do,” Horikita continued.

“And what do you think now?” I asked.

“That’s a secret. If I told you, you’d laugh.”

She dodged the question, although I didn’t know why. Maybe she was embarrassed by what she’d been about to say.