At the appointed time and place, we convened for our first meeting.
What surprised me even more was seeing a few familiar faces in the Rabbit group.
C Class included Ibuki Mio and Shiina Hiyori.
B Class brought Ichinose Honami.
And in A Class—personally, I only knew Kamuro Masumi.
Then it struck me: all the people I recognized were girls.
Fourteen students in total—three each from A and B Classes, and four each from C and D Classes—sat in the large conference room, confirming one another’s presence for the first time.
An awkward silence initially filled the air.
"O-okay! If nobody takes the initiative, this meeting won't get off the ground. So, I'll start!"
True to form, Ichinose immediately took control of the proceedings.
"...Since Ayanokouji said we should act on our own this time, my course is already set."
We had agreed beforehand that Ayanokouji and I would be in different groups. More importantly, we lacked the essential asset for pulling something off in this exam: connections. So, we decided to act independently. Of course, that didn’t mean we were conceding defeat—rather, it meant we’d strive to secure a victory for at least our own group.
"When you're not the favored one, the thrill certainly fades a bit," someone observed.
I pretended to listen intently to Ichinose while quietly taking in the situation.
"Should we at least introduce ourselves first?" Ichinose suggested.
Before the other classes could chime in with nods of agreement, a man from A Class abruptly interjected in a blunt tone.
"We won’t cooperate."
"Huh? What do you mean, Machida-kun?" someone asked.
"Exactly as I said. We’re not taking part in any discussion."
"Oh dear... a boycott right from the start? That’s a bit problematic," another remarked.
Ichinose hesitated at his firm declaration, but Machida snorted dismissively before confidently explaining to us all.
"Do you know the simplest way to end this exam?"
"M-me...?!"
Startled by the sudden address, Karuizawa paused before, after a moment’s thought, replying,
"S-sharing the favored one to earn points collectively...?"
Sure enough, in theory, the most significant benefit for an individual was the result of [Pattern 1]. But what he really meant was more along the lines of... [Pattern 2].
"No. The proper answer is to let the exam conclude without sharing any information at all."
It was clearly a favored-one concealment strategy.
"If we divulge nothing and simply remain quiet, that alone will prevent any loss of class points."
"But isn’t that a luxury only A Class can afford, considering its high score? And if we don't even do something as simple as introduce ourselves, then what’s the point of being here? The school might even penalize us if they pick up on this situation via the exam room’s microphones, right?"
Ichinose methodically countered Machida’s argument, point by point. In response, Machida looked slightly cornered before saying,
"...We’ll do the introductions. But that’s where we draw the line."
And with that, the entire A Class limited itself to introductions before falling silent once more.
Well, well—this was getting interesting indeed.
"Hmm, could this be Katsuragi-kun’s orders? Still, a perpetual silence might be rather dull, don’t you think, Machida-kun?" Ichinose attempted to cajole him further, but
"It doesn't matter." Machida resolutely chose to stick to silence, following Katsuragi’s directive without wavering.
"So Katsuragi’s tactic is to maintain the status quo on the deserted island rather than chasing points," I mused silently.
For a class like A Class, flush with class points, it was indeed more advantageous to sit tight than to risk cutting into their score by recklessly searching for the favored one.
Yet, it was an overly defensive strategy.
"Very much in Katsuragi's style."
For the record, Katsuragi was part of the Dragon Group alongside Ryuuen, Horikita, Kanzaki, and others—a group that gave off a deathly vibe.
Well, that was a problem for Horikita to handle, so I decided to leave it be.
The real issue, however, was my own Rabbit group…
"Staying silent is fine, but if one of them turns out to be the favored one, it'll be a headache. One wrong move and I’ll have Horikita’s lectures, not to mention the grumbling of the rest of the class."
Hmm… how should I tackle this? Several ideas came to mind, but I wanted to choose an option that promised a bit more excitement.
Lost in thought, I barely noticed when the first meeting ended without any real progress and everyone dispersed.
"Wait, Karuizawa."
C Class’s Manabe Shiho, accompanied by a group of girls, rushed toward Karuizawa, who had been quietly waiting for Hirata.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?!"
"...What is it?"
In a forceful tone, Manabe shouted at Karuizawa, prompting her to finally look up from her device and meet their gaze.
At the end of that glance, I sensed something unmistakable.
"...Fear?"
A faint trace of terror had seeped through.
This had always been my forte—reading someone by their eyes, their movements, even the inflections of their voice. Rather than acquiring skills or knowledge, my strength lay in directly observing and evaluating people.
And my sharp instinct told me that Karuizawa was utterly terrified at that moment.
But why? How had it come to this?
Of course, if several people advanced on a single individual with menacing force, fear would be a natural reaction. Yet this was not a situation that should evoke nothing but terror; at the very least, one would expect panic, embarrassment, or confusion. Nevertheless, Karuizawa’s expression betrayed only pure fear.
"Fascinating."
I had pegged her as one of those flashy upper-caste types who used Hirata as a shield, but now I wondered if there was more to her than met the eye. So, I slipped behind a pillar to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Before summer vacation started, you got into a fight with Rika, didn't you?" someone inquired.
"...Who?" came the puzzled reply.
"You know, the one with glasses—the one you were accused of cutting in line! Is that true?!"
"I’m not sure... and besides, could you please give me some space? It's uncomfortable."
"Huh?!"
Manabe's voice rose sharply, clearly offended by Karuizawa’s evasive attitude. It wasn’t mere bluntness—it was the instinct to protect oneself.
"Apologize to Rika!"
"I don't even know who that is, so what would I apologize for? I don’t remember any such thing—it probably wasn’t me."
"Then I'll take a photograph and let Rika confirm it."
"Wait, don’t take my picture!"
Camera. Photos.
At that, Karuizawa panicked and swatted Manabe’s hand away. Her device slipped from her grasp, and Manabe’s anger only deepened.
"...Hmm."
Judging by that reaction, there were few conclusions to be drawn.
"Maybe she was bullied?"
I wasn’t entirely certain, but I felt I was close to the truth when suddenly—
"Hey! What’s all this commotion?"
Machida from A Class appeared and herded Manabe’s group away. In response, Karuizawa expressed her thanks before turning her attention to Machida, practically fawning over him.
"...Almost certainly, she’s the type who clings to strong men for protection."
In other words, parasitic? Dependent? Pure self-defense? And considering she already had a boyfriend…
"Maybe it's just a sham relationship. After all, they still address each other formally, and the distance between them hasn’t changed at all. Perhaps there’s some sort of unspoken agreement? I should ask when I get the chance."
Satisfied to have witnessed a noteworthy scene, I returned to my room to plan my strategy for the upcoming Special Exams.
Second Discussion Session
A Class remained silent, congregating separately and conversing among themselves. Ichinose had brought cards in a bid to get everyone to join in a game, but that too fell flat. In the end, only Shiina from both B and D Classes chose to participate, while the rest of us settled into games like cops and robbers.
"This one."
"Oh my... dodged again? There are only two cards left," someone teased.
"Your expression says it all," another observed.
"W-what?! Do I really look that obvious?"
While playing cops and robbers, Ichinose and I traded banter.
At another table, I chatted with Shiina about books.
"I read that book you recommended last time, Shiina. It was really good. Mind if I suggest one for you next time?"
"I'm glad you liked it. I'll be looking forward to your recommendation," she replied.
Elsewhere, I playfully teased Ibuki.
"...What are you staring at?"
"Nothing really. You just looked bored—I was wondering if you wanted to join in over here."
"Forget it. Mind your own business."
"And after complimenting your cooking, you still shut me out..."
"Gah...?! Keep that mouth shut!"
Bit by bit, it wasn’t so much a discussion as it was everyone drifting toward their own little circles.
"Could Ian-kun be the popular type? Or perhaps a notorious playboy?"
"Out of the blue?"
As the game shifted from cops and robbers to One Card—and several students dropped out from exhaustion—Ichinose, the lone girl still on the game table, played the four of diamonds and asked,
"I mean, you seem unusually close with Shiina and Ibuki, even though they're not in your class. And don't forget about me!"
"We're just acquaintances. Shiina and I share the same hobbies, and I saved Ibuki during the island exam."
"You saved her?"
"Saved? I wasn’t rescued—he just happened to find her alone!"
"If I’d been left stranded on that mountain, it would have been a disaster. So, I saved you. Right?"
"What are you talking about, right?!"
"Doctor, do you admit it?"
"Y-yes...? I—I suppose I do..."
Unsurprisingly, the “doctor” was more than willing to play along with such antics.
"...So you’re that kind of person?"
Discarding the four of hearts, Yukimura looked at me in disbelief and asked,
"What kind of person did you think I was?"
"Well, you're quiet in class and never the one to start conversations," I replied.
"Fair enough."
I then discarded the seven of hearts and switched my play to spades.
"Even during breaks, you mostly just sleep, and unless it's Kushida, Hirata, or Horikita, you hardly ever talk, right?"
"That’s true."
"But even on the island, you seemed to mingle well with very different people… so why were you so quiet until now?"
"Who knows? Maybe I was just tired back in class. Here, I can rest, play, and not even study—it's perfect. They say people end up talking more when they're in good spirits. One Card!"
"Ah, you got me there."
Sly as ever, Ichinose tried to wrap things up quietly.
"So, does Yukimura dislike this side of me or something?"
"...I've never said that. I was just curious because it's a bit surprising. One Card!"
Tch.
This guy had been reading the number of cards in my hand all along—it was a perfectly executed king-and-queen play!
"Still, Ian-kun becomes easier to talk to now, doesn't he? Although I always thought you were approachable!"
"I appreciate the compliment. I guess I've always lacked a strong presence, which makes me less confident," I admitted.
"Is that so?"
Sitting nearby while reading a book, Shiina tilted her head and asked,
"I always thought Ian-kun came off as quite confident..."
"That's far too kind. I'm really quite timid."
"Hah... who did you imagine was timid then?"
Ibuki, clearly eavesdropping despite her pretense of indifference, shot back,
"No, I really am timid."
Time was drawing near.
Noticing that the second discussion session was nearly over, I offered a small smile and continued,
"I mean, it wouldn’t be wise to casually announce to everyone that I'm the favored one."
"Eh...?"
My words left Ichinose stunned—cards dropped in shock. More precisely, Shiina, who had been absorbed in her book, looked up; Ibuki, who’d been feigning indifference, turned her gaze towards me; and all my classmates—from those in C and D Classes playing nearby to Machida’s group, Karuizawa, and even Manabe’s crew in the distance—were all fixed on me.
As expected.
"I'm the favored one."
A bomb yields its true impact only when it detonates at the most unexpected moment.
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