As soon as evening arrived, I headed out to gather enough firewood for everyone to get through the night.
Come to think of it, collecting firewood might actually be an enjoyable task. Moving from one tree to another, from one bush to another... it feels like a video game.
I even decided to give every tree a name since they had become my partners in work.
But I forget them quickly because all trees look the same.
No... this job is starting to affect my mental health.
I should head back to camp.
I carried all the firewood I gathered beneath my arm as I walked toward the camp, which echoed with the happy voices of the students.
Or maybe they were just screaming.
"Kouenji, you bastard! Why do you keep disappearing? You neither work nor register for attendance. You're just dead weight to us...!" Sudou shouted furiously at Kouenji while Hirata stood between them, trying to restrain the enraged Sudou.
"Fufufufu... sorry, Red-Hair-kun, but I technically didn't even exist until this moment, so you should be grateful to the eighth boy..." Kouenji said while brushing his hair back.
"Hah...? Eighth boy? He's mocking us again! I'll teach you a lesson..." Sudou said as he reached toward Kouenji.
"Sudou-kun, calm down please... Kouenji-kun, could you step away for a bit until he calms down?" Hirata tried to separate the two.
"Sorry, boy, but I don't take orders from anyone..." Kouenji said as he stood upright before them as if he had no intention of moving.
All the boys and girls of Class D watched as if it were some sort of entertainment show.
Why don't they just leave already?
I took a deep breath, then threw the sticks I had gathered onto the ground before searching through them for one thick enough to crack Kouenji's skull.
All he ever does is cause problems.
I need to put an end to this already.
"What's all this noise...?" I said as I approached the center of the commotion, causing the crowd's gazes to shift toward me.
"Stop trying to hold me back— ah, Hikigaya..." Sudou said as he stood up again while attempting to push Hirata aside.
"Hikigaya-kun... don't worry, I'll try to separate them," Hirata said with a strained smile.
I think what he could do up until now had already reached its limit in this matter.
"Kouenji, can you come with me for a moment please...?" I said while pointing toward the nearby forest.
Kouenji didn't answer and simply walked toward the place I indicated.
"Sudou, just get back to work..." I said, then glanced toward Yukinoshita, who was trying to disperse the others.
"Anyone who has finished their work should help the others finish theirs so we can end the day earlier..." Yukinoshita said, causing most of the students to leave.
"Ah... Hikigaya-kun, thank you," Hirata said while wiping the sweat from his forehead.
I simply raised my hand while following Kouenji.
I need to fix this. I'm the one who forced him to stay with us, so this is my responsibility.
"What is it, eighth boy? Don't tell me you're going to ask me to do some meaningless labor..." Kouenji said while sitting atop a giant rock.
"No, but I am asking you to at least register for attendance..." I said while searching for somewhere to sit other than the rock he was using.
"No, I don't want to," Kouenji replied before opening his eyes as if challenging us.
Yukinoshita arrived at the scene to observe our exchange.
Well, that works for me. Without the leader's approval, this would just be a symbolic agreement.
"Kouenji... I noticed that you don't eat anything at camp..." I said while leaning against a tree.
"Fufufufufu... I understand what you're getting at, eighth boy, but providing the food required for my beautiful body is hardly difficult for someone like me..." Kouenji began running his hand across his chest as if showing off his muscles.
I know he understands exactly what I'm trying to say, so right now I probably look like a shady salesman trying to close a deal...
Dealing with intelligent people is always complicated.
But because they're intelligent, they know where their interests lie.
That's why, to become a good salesman, you must always present an offer suited to the person standing before you.
"I know this matter is trivial to you, Kouenji, but what if we provided your meals for you? In exchange, all you need to do is show up for attendance registration. No effort required. You'll just stand there until we're done," I said while tapping my knee with my finger.
"Hmmmm..." Kouenji's eyes shifted from me toward Yukinoshita.
Perhaps from his perspective, if Yukinoshita didn't agree to this, then our agreement held no meaning.
"I agree..." Yukinoshita said while nodding in support of the offer.
"Fufufufu... very well, I'll accept under one condition. I get two portions for every meal..." Kouenji said before leaving the forest as if shutting down any further negotiation.
What a narcissistic bastard.
If his role wasn't important for what's about to happen... then returning to the ship would've been better for everyone.
"Dealing with him is exhausting..." Yukinoshita said while rubbing her temples.
"Yeah..."
"Hey guys! Do you know what happened...?!" Two students from Class D shouted while running toward the camp.
"What's going on...?" Yukinoshita asked as she headed toward the camp to find out.
"What happened, guys...?" Hirata came out as well.
"We saw the students from Class C boarding the ship at the beach..." they said while panting.
"Are you sure about this...?" Hirata asked, unable to believe them.
"Yeah, man, we saw them ourselves..."
"What?! Does that mean they withdrew completely...?" Sudou came running over as well, unable to believe it.
Meanwhile, most gazes shifted toward Ibuki, who sat alone beneath a tree.
The moment she heard the news, she frowned angrily before leaving toward the forest.
What a miserable situation. Her own classmates abandoned her and left her behind.
"It seems they finally made their move..." Yukinoshita said beside me.
Yeah.
Class C had withdrawn.
According to the information Hirata and Horikita brought back, Class A had shut themselves inside a cave and weren't allowing anyone near them.
Meanwhile, Class B had become our ally.
This exam keeps evolving in stranger ways with each passing day.
I feel exhausted from everything that happened today.
Maybe I'll sleep early tonight.
---
I was lying on the bed Kouenji made for me from leaves when I suddenly felt a cold breeze brush against my face, causing me to shiver.
It's cold outside.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The blue sky had already started appearing, but the sun hadn't risen yet.
It was dawn...
I adjusted my tracksuit around my body because of the cold before trying to return to sleep.
It still wasn't time to wake up yet.
Besides, I was starving after sleeping on an empty stomach yesterday...
Damn it. I always regret my impulsive decisions.
I tried closing my eyes again so I could fall asleep once more, but the sound of footsteps woke me up again.
Hmmmm...
I glanced toward the source of the noise.
A shadow was moving from the girls' tent toward the boys' tent.
Maybe someone just needed the bathroom.
Suddenly, the figure stopped in front of the boys' tent and began looking around cautiously as if checking whether anyone was watching.
Then the shadow started approaching the boys' bags left outside.
I don't think it's one of the boys from Class D.
The height is shorter than every boy in the class.
What if it's a thief from another class...?
I quietly got up from my bed, placed my shoes on the ground to wear them, and left my jacket behind.
I started walking on my tiptoes so I could sneak over without being heard.
The figure in front of me stretched a hand toward one of the bags, but just before they touched it, I grabbed their wrist.
"Got you. What are you doing here— ah, Ibuki?"
Once I got close enough, I recognized the person in front of me, but I was shocked that it was Ibuki.
What does she want with the boys' bags?
I guarantee they're full of chaotic junk...
"You..." Ibuki's eyes widened in panic after I cornered her. She tried pulling her wrist free from my grip, but it was useless.
"What are you doing here...?"
She clearly had no intention of answering my question and continued trying to escape, but after realizing resistance was pointless, she stopped and stared directly into my eyes.
Without any warning, she suddenly raised her leg and delivered a clean kick straight toward my head.
I barely managed to raise my arm at the last moment and block the powerful kick.
If it had landed on my head, I probably would've blacked out. She's strong.
But the shock made me lose my balance, loosening my grip on her wrist, allowing her to yank her hand free and run into the forest...
What the hell? She's incredibly strong.
She must practice martial arts.
That was close.
"What a beautiful morning..."
Amid the quiet sounds of the forest, Kouenji's annoying voice shattered the silence.
Was he awake this whole time? Maybe he saw everything that happened.
Whatever. It was just a small fight.
I looked at the bare arm I used to block her kick.
There was a scratch from the impact.
I reached my right hand toward it to rub the spot, but then I felt something soft between my fingers.
Huh? What's this...
It seems that when she pulled her arm away, she accidentally left it in my hand.
I slowly opened my fingers to look at what she left behind, but for a moment, I genuinely couldn't process what I was seeing.
It felt as if my brain had disconnected from reality.
But a second later, my senses returned.
Even my rotten eyes, usually half-asleep and emotionless, widened to their limit, unable to decide whether what I was seeing was actually real or not.
Maybe I'm still dreaming.
Yeah, it has to be a dream.
I don't usually wake up at this hour, and there's no way I could've blocked a kick that fast.
It's definitely a dream.
That means I should wake up at any moment now.
But then... why do these panties feel so real even inside a dream?