Narrator: Shikakoi Souta
As I was leaving after my explanation, Ichinose suddenly said, "I do not like it..."
"What?" I asked, a little irritated.
As I looked back, I saw Kanzaki sneaking away.
I feel like something bad is about to happen...
"Why did you not tell me about your plan? Why did you try to run away with a half explanation?"
"I mean, it's..."
THINK, SOUTA! What can I say? I never thought she would be angry about this!
"I just did not want to burden you..."
"So you think I could not have handled your plan? Hmph. One day I am the perfect leader, the other day you hide things from me..." Ichinose said, her face a mask of anger.
Why...?
Think calmly. I cannot displease her here, or I will become a social outcast.
Then I can say goodbye to my peaceful school life.
At that moment, flashbacks of the first month of trying to approach Ichinose crossed my mind.
In that instant, I made up my mind.
"Ichinose-san... it was my fault. What will it take for you to forgive me?"
"Hmm... let me think... how about you treat me?"
What? ... The mood change is way too quick!
"The meals here are free," I deadpanned.
"Then after the summer vacation... it's a promise."
How did we get here? This is definitely a date...
The rumours will be the death of me.
I got it... I just have to treat the whole class.
"I understand, Ichinose-san. The treat for the island exam result will be on me for our class. Well then, I will get going..."
Ichinose looked a little displeased, but did not say anything.
Why does she look... sad?
No. I do not want to think about it.
Why do I feel like I am in the wrong?
With that, I left the scene with a heavy heart.
Or so I tried.
"Yo! Kanzaki told us the leader thing was your idea!"
"Yeah! You are amazing!"
"I heard you knew Class C's and A's leader!"
"We beat Class A thanks to you!"
"He basically got us 200 points in the exam!"
What?
Are they talking about their leader being guessed by two classes without a guess of our own?
So, a -100 to +100...
And just like that, rumours about me started to spread.
"He is very good looking..."
"I heard he joined the student council as a secretary in one go..."
"He always gets full marks in papers..."
"He also sleeps for the whole test... does he finish the tests in 5 minutes?"
"His study sessions are also very good..."
"He never brags..."
On the ship, it was the first time I had heard that girls had a ranking list for boys, and I was third.
First was Nagumo-senpai, second was Horikita-senpai.
As long as I am not first, no one would stalk me, right?
And then the next special exam began...
x-x-x
Narrator: Shikakoi Souta
Five minutes after the announcement rang, Kanzaki came to my room.
"At least knock on your way in," I said, displeased.
"Don't mind me."
"What do you want?" I said, turning around.
"I want to know the way you want to go about this exam," he said, his tone serious.
"I have not decided yet."
"Can I ask why?"
What?
What do you mean by why?
Just because I did things on the island does not mean I am omniscient.
Also! Please spare me some privacy...
"Except for the announcement, we have nothing," I said calmly.
"You are in the student council. Why would you know nothing?" he asked, as if trying to wear down my excuses.
"I do not want to make a plan on incomplete information. As such, I literally have nothing."
"I see," he said, disappointed.
Did he really think he could corner me like that?
Though I indeed have nothing, does that mean I cannot keep my thoughts to myself anymore?
I would rather not spend my high school life being bossed around.
I cracked my knuckles, a faint smile forming on my face, then rolled my shoulders slightly as I said, "You sure are a troublesome friend. Trying to corner me, barging into my room... It seems I have been too lenient on you."
"Can you stop joking around?" he said as he got up.
I instantly took hold of his shoulder.
"Trying to run away?"
The next 5 minutes were... educational.
Though Shibata claimed he heard screams of agony, no one believed him.
Because neither Kanzaki nor I was injured.
Sure, I tormented him by using my fingers and his pressure points, but I did not hurt him.
Anyway, with this, I doubt he will mess with me again.
x-x-x
At around six p.m., I entered the room I was supposed to go into and found Chabashira-sensei waiting for me, along with Chihiro-san, the one who confessed to Ichinose-san in May.
The remaining one was Tetsuya Yamaguchi.
"Take a seat. I will begin the explanation," Chabashira-sensei said.
I took a seat, and as Chabashira-sensei explained, I read my book and then rested my head on the table.
There are twelve groups based on the Chinese zodiac signs. Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
In each group, there is a preferred person, whom I can just call the VIP.
The main outcome to achieve is to identify the VIP.
During the test period, there will be discussions in both the morning and the evening. Except for introducing yourself in the first meeting, there are no rules. You can do nothing in the discussion if you want.
We will be messaged the details regarding the discussion time, venue, and whether we are VIP or not by email.
Each student can report one student as the VIP before the final discussion. This would achieve outcomes three or four.
If the VIP is from your class, whether you report correctly or not, it will be ignored.
Outcome IV: If the VIP is not from your class and you report incorrectly, your class will lose 50 class points. The VIP will gain 500k pp, along with their class getting 50 class points.
Outcome III: If the VIP is not from your class and you report correctly, your class will gain 50 class points, and the reporter gets 500k pp.
Then comes the final reporting time.
In the time period of 24 hours, beginning after 30 minutes of the final discussion, the final submission period begins, leading to outcomes one and two.
After these 30 minutes, however, no communication is allowed. Reporting in that time period leads to outcomes three and four.
Which means to actually achieve outcomes one and two, everyone has to be fooled completely or convinced completely.
There is no middle ground.
Outcome I: If in the final 24 hours, the VIP is reported correctly, then the VIP wins 1 million pp, and the ones who report correctly receive 500k pp each.
Outcome II: If in the final 24 hours, the VIP is not reported correctly by anyone, then the VIP gets 500k pp.
"This exam aims to challenge your thinking ability," Chabashira had said once.
Does the VIP assignment have a pattern?
It may be random as well.
I will see if I can find a pattern from the lists of all groups and the VIPs in Class B.
With that, the explanation ended, and we left the room.
We were placed in the Rooster group.
"Guess we will be in the same, Shikakoi-san, Shiranami-san," Yamaguchi said.
"Let's do our best," Shiranami added.
As I looked at her, I remembered how she looked at Ichinose, eyes filled with love, affection, and that quiet sense of respect that comes from forcing distance...
If she were to find out Ichinose almost set a date with me, and that I deflected it, I do not know if she would say this to me.
...No, she probably would.
But it would not be genuine.
Argh... just one strange encounter, and everything is already turning into affection.
"Likewise," I said, and left.
If I stay here any longer, I might go crazy!!!