A full week after arriving on the island, the first-year students finally returned to the luxury cruise ship. After days of scarce food and almost no rest, they had finally returned to a life of comfort.
The very first thing I did before spending the evening on the ship was take a warm shower, letting the heat ease the strain my body had accumulated from the physical labor we'd gone through every single day.
It felt like a warrior's respite.
After putting on my shirt and pants, I unplugged my phone from the charger.
The room was empty except for me and Ayanokōji. Hirata had already left to spend some time with his friends.
I adjusted my collar while checking my phone.
Maybe someone had stolen my private points while I was gone.
"You really put in a lot of effort during this exam..." Ayanokōji said as he stared at the television in the room.
It looked like he was watching a documentary about penguins.
"Yeah, I know. Without me, you guys wouldn't have even been able to eat," I replied as I slipped my phone into my pocket and headed for the door.
Without the firewood I gathered every day, they wouldn't have even been able to start a fire...
I opened the door and stepped outside, feeling Ayanokōji's gaze follow me.
I stood in the quiet hallway.
Night had already fallen.
Unlike the previous nights, when everyone had gone to sleep early after exhausting themselves all day, tonight the students were celebrating in the restaurants, enjoying luxurious meals.
I just wanted to relax for a while.
I'd eat later...
Then I spotted a large-built boy standing at the far end of the corridor with his annoyingly blond hair.
I had been looking for him.
Good thing I found him here.
"Hey... Kōenji, can I get your contact information? I want to transfer the points to you," I said as I pulled out my phone.
"Oh? So you really keep your promises, Eighth Boy. Splendid..." Kōenji said while admiring his own reflection in the mirror.
Did he seriously think I was going to trick him?
I'd smash that mirror over his head.
"Here's seventy thousand private points... Thanks for helping me," I said, bowing my head slightly.
We had agreed on fifty thousand.
But he deserved more.
He had done a lot, even if it was only because he was being paid.
"Fufufufu... It seems you truly appreciate my efforts... Though everything I did wasn't even worth breaking a sweat," he said as he put away his phone.
"Uh... Right... Thanks."
Why can't this arrogant jerk just shut up?
"Remember this well. This is the last time I'll ever lend you a hand... Farewell."
Kōenji turned around and waved before walking away.
Me too...
I'll never ask you for anything again.
I turned in the opposite direction, looking for somewhere quiet where I could relax.
I walked alone through the empty corridors, dragging my feet across the deck, the scraping sound breaking the silence surrounding the ship.
Eventually, I reached the place where I used to spend my time when we had first boarded this ship.
Hardly anyone ever came here.
Perfect for spending some quiet time alone.
I rested my hands on the cold railing as I listened to the waves crashing against the hull, blending with the strange scent of the sea into a strangely complete scene.
Though the darkness made it impossible to even see the surface of the water.
"That bitch..."
Suddenly, I heard a dark voice approaching, followed by a powerful kick against the railing.
The impact made it shake beneath my hands.
...What?
I turned to my right and found a girl in her school uniform with short hair, kicking the railing over and over as if she had gone insane.
"That damn Horikita... Who the hell does she think she is...?"
She kept kicking the railing after every sentence, as though imagining the person she hated standing right in front of her.
"I'll kill her... I'll kill her..."
So this was Kushida's real face...
I knew she wasn't normal.
That sweet personality of hers had always felt far too exaggerated.
Well, none of this concerned me.
I'd quietly leave.
I pushed myself away from the railing, intending to leave the area.
I had no interest in getting involved with her.
"And that Yukinoshita... Such an arrogant woman. Does she seriously think she's the reason we won...?!"
Kushida kicked the railing with all her strength before the recoil threw her onto the floor.
"Ah..."
I froze after hearing her last sentence.
The sound escaped my mouth before I realized it.
"H-Hey... Who's there?!"
She spun toward me.
I found myself staring into a pair of dark eyes, completely different from the warm ones she usually showed everyone.
Even her usual smile had disappeared as she clenched her teeth.
"You... What are you doing here?"
Kushida quickly stood up after seeing me.
She didn't even bother hiding her true self anymore.
As if she'd already realized I'd seen everything.
I quietly stared back at her.
The truth she'd hidden from everyone behind sweet words and a bright smile.
"You don't seem very surprised by what you're seeing. What's wrong?" Kushida asked, glaring at me angrily.
"Well... You never seemed genuine to me from the very beginning," I said as I rested my hands on the railing again.
There was no backing out now.
"Hah...? Who told you? Horikita? Ayanokōji? Come on, admit it!" Kushida shouted as she clenched her small fists.
"...What?"
Those two know about her?
That would explain the hostility between her and Horikita.
Ignoring Kushida standing to my right, I continued staring into the dark sea.
"So you're not going to admit it... Then come here."
Kushida suddenly rushed toward me.
The instant she moved, every instinct inside me ignited.
Every alarm bell in my body went off.
I immediately jumped backward while watching Kushida close in.
"Stop right there."
I pointed directly at her.
She froze for a brief moment.
Then ignored my warning and charged again.
"Take one more step, and I'll make sure even the crew aboard this ship learns your true face."
Kushida stopped dead in her tracks, staring at me with tear-filled eyes.
I had no idea what she intended to do.
But I wasn't going to let her.
"You bastard... Who do you think you are...?" she hissed through gritted teeth.
"Listen. I'm not interested in your illness or your split personality. I won't tell anyone. Just stay away from me," I said while carefully watching her movements.
She might actually be crazy enough to attack me.
Hiding my body wouldn't exactly be difficult.
All she'd have to do was throw me into the sea.
"And you expect me to believe that...?"
She stomped the floor angrily.
"Believe it or don't... Just carry your feet somewhere far away from me."
I fixed her with my usual zombie-like stare.
For a brief instant, Kushida's eyes trembled.
Then she slowly took a step backward.
"I'll get my revenge... You, Horikita, Ayanokōji... I'll expel every single person who stands in my way."
A tear rolled down Kushida's cheek.
She wiped it away with the back of her hand before running off.
"...Haah."
Why does everyone want revenge against me and wants to crush me...?
That's not fair.
I ran my hand along the railing while gazing at the horizon.
Did she really mean that...?
Does that mean she'll target all of us...
Even her?
I glanced toward the path she'd disappeared down.
Kushida was a ticking time bomb.
Not someone anyone should play with.
"Hikigaya-kun, stop looking around like that. You're going to scare anyone who walks by."
A girl with long black hair tied with two red ribbons walked over and leaned against the same railing.
"No... Nobody usually comes here," I replied as I looked at Yukinoshita beside me.
She had also changed back into her school uniform after spending an entire week wearing sportswear on the deserted island.
"Really? Is that why you come here whenever you want to spend some time alone?" Yukinoshita asked, resting a hand against her chin as if thinking.
"Just leave me alone..."
I frowned at her.
Why does she never miss a chance to make fun of me...?
Have mercy.
"The students are happy we took first place," Yukinoshita said as she looked out at the scenery before us.
"They worked hard for an entire week."
Working together with both the people you like and the people you can't stand...
That alone deserved victory.
"Yeah... Even Horikita-san seemed happy. She said you might become a reliable ally."
"No... I don't want to be anyone's ally," I replied with a weary sigh.
Yukinoshita let out a quiet laugh as she leaned harder against the railing, almost as if she wanted to break it.
"Also..."
"You did an excellent job."
She pushed herself away from the railing and stood directly in front of me.
Our eyes met.
She looked straight at me...
Then suddenly stepped closer, standing on the tips of her toes.
She brought her face close to my ear as though she wanted to whisper a secret.
My heartbeat quickened as the scent of roses drifted from her hair.
Then I felt her soft lips gently press against my cheek, perfectly matching the quiet atmosphere surrounding us.
For a brief moment, I lost all sense of time.
I couldn't even tell whether it had only been a single second.
Yukinoshita stepped back.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
I couldn't tell whether my heart was beating so fast that I could no longer feel it...
Or whether it had simply stopped.
She lightly walked away down the corridor while I placed a hand over my cheek, checking whether it was still intact.
I watched the girl trying to flee before she suddenly stopped, as though she'd remembered something, and turned back toward me.
Even though she couldn't look me directly in the eyes, she forced herself to speak.
"Happy Birthday... Hikigaya-kun."
Then she turned and ran away, as though her greatest goal was simply to disappear from sight.
I rested my forehead against the cold railing, hoping its chill would cool my burning body.
This is unbearable...
I seriously thought I was going to die.
I placed a hand over my heart to check on it.
Its heartbeat had already gone far beyond normal.
...Ah, right.
Tomorrow is my birthday.