Looking at the pouting Amane, a rare smile appeared on Horikita's face.
After spending a long time with Amane, she was actually able to smile a little more normally.
However, since participating in the school's special exams, such opportunities had become increasingly rare.
All sorts of complicated matters left her with no time to care for Amane, and Amane refused to tell Horikita her true plans.
This led to Horikita experiencing considerable anxiety every day. Despite inexplicably achieving an unimaginable grand victory on the Uninhabited Island.
But with it came even greater pressure.
She had to step up and become the leader to advance Class D in Hirata's absence. At this time, the distance between Class D and Class A was still out of reach, but it was undeniable that this was the closest they had ever been to Class A. Even though she had never been a leader, she understood the principle of striking while the iron was hot.
If they fell into the abyss at their peak, climbing back up would become extremely difficult.
How to help Class D win and maintain the current situation, or even improve it, became a persistent worry for Horikita. Just now, while waiting for Amane's message, Horikita was stunned when she heard broadcasts announcing the end of numerous favored person groups.
Her first reaction was that Shibata had cracked the school's pattern for selecting favored persons, and this competition over who the favored person was had been thoroughly killed by Class B.
Even if Class B lost all of the remaining groups, the class points they gained would very likely catch up to or even surpass Class D.
The excessive worry even caused her to feel nauseous. Just when she couldn't hold back any longer and was about to ask Amane for help, she hesitated because Amane hadn't replied and she feared disturbing her. Instead, she chose to trust Ayanokoji, whom she had previously been unwilling to trust.
Ayanokoji didn't express any opinions on the exam, only telling Horikita that Amane was at the cafeteria.
Perplexed, Horikita could only come to Amane for a solution. On her way, she smelled popcorn, and it seemed to Horikita that Amane probably liked such sweets, so she bought a bag on a whim.
When she arrived, she happened to see Amane and Shiina chatting. She had nothing to talk about with Shiina, so to avoid interrupting their conversation, she chose to quietly sit in the back row.
Then came the current scene.
She didn't know why, but looking at Amane, it was as if all her worries disappeared. No matter what Amane did, she lived in her own happiness. Perhaps... happiness was what Amane pursued after all.
"Suzune, what's wrong?"
Seeing Horikita spacing out, Amane reached out and waved her hand in front of Horikita's eyes.
The next second, Horikita gently slapped her hand away.
"I've told you many times, Amane, haven't I? Don't touch things with hands that have handled food."
"I just saw you spacing out, that's all. What's wrong? Did you run into some trouble?"
Amane's words didn't surprise Horikita. Even though she usually maintained a poker face, Amane could always read her emotions from her expression.
"Yes, I've encountered some difficulties, but... it probably doesn't matter anymore. I originally thought the competition for this favored person exam would only begin tomorrow, but I didn't expect it to end today."
Horikita knew that it was her informing Shibata of her playing card number that led to the subsequent chain of reactions.
But she also made amends, strictly forbidding the class from selling playing card numbers and actively communicating with Katsuragi of Class A, hoping to reach a collaboration.
However, Katsuragi didn't trust her because of Amane's matter. Sakayanagi and Shiina, because they agreed to sell their class members' playing card numbers, were considered by Horikita to be people who only cared about immediate benefits, and she had no desire to communicate with them.
So, after Katsuragi refused, Horikita no longer had any direction to pursue.
She didn't even know where the breakthrough point of this exam was.
The initiative was with Class B, and Class C and Class A, for some unknown reason, were selling playing card numbers at such a low price.
This led to Class D members also following suit, and eventually, Horikita could no longer suppress the desires of the Class D students. Led by Kushida, they massively sold their playing card numbers.
Therefore, in Horikita's view, the outcome of this favored person exam was already very clear, with no room for reversal.
It's already over.
"It's over?"
Amane chewed on the popcorn, her gaze fixed on Horikita.
"Amane, do you still have a plan?"
Horikita asked eagerly.
She was like a desperate drowning person, wanting to cling tightly to even a floating straw to find a glimmer of hope.
"In my opinion, Suzune, you're still too pessimistic. Not to mention there are still five favored person groups left, just a bunch of exam-ended broadcasts scared you? This exam isn't about who guesses fastest. If there's no conclusive evidence, what difference does it make even if you submit a result?" Amane said, wiping her hands with a tissue, then, in front of Horikita, she opened the email sending interface. The recipient was the school's designated email address, and the content was:
"The favored person of the snake group is Ninomiya Yui of Class 1-B."
After typing, Amane clicked send in front of Horikita.
"Amane, you—"
Before Horikita could stop her, she heard the school broadcast.
"The snake group's exam has ended. Students of the snake group no longer need to participate in the exam. Please proceed with caution and do not disturb other students."
"Now I can sleep in tomorrow."
Amane stretched leisurely.
Horikita stared blankly at everything before her.
She had seen with her own eyes Amane casually writing down a person's name and submitting it, as if it were as simple as drinking water.
One had to know that if she guessed incorrectly, fifty class points would be deducted.
Amane made the decision so casually, her expression as if it were only natural, leaving Horikita speechless.
"Suzune, you seem to be spacing out a lot today. Did you not sleep well during your lunch break? Or are you sick?" Amane touched Horikita's forehead.
Then she touched her own, and only after confirming Horikita's temperature was normal did she feel a little relieved.
In her opinion, Horikita was probably too anxious, leading to insufficient sleep, which caused her to zone out during their conversation.
"Why?"
"Hmm?" Amane tilted her head. She thought she had just heard Horikita speaking, but when she looked up, Horikita was just staring blankly at her, making Amane mistakenly believe she might have misheard.
But then, Horikita's question made Amane realize that it hadn't been a hallucination.
"Why can you get the result so easily, Amane? You didn't even investigate, did you? You also didn't have time to find a way to look at that girl Ninomiya Yui's phone messages in such a short time. So how did you determine that she was the favored person, Amane? Or did you already have precise information?"
Horikita's voice carried confusion and bewilderment.
She didn't know why something she had racked her brain over seemed so simple to Amane. Horikita couldn't think of any other possibility except that Amane already had enough clues.
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