Past react to future

Under the tree.

"You seem to be doing alright."

Kei's group had secured 37 points over these past three days.

At least for now, they weren't doing all that badly.

"I'm just relying on the other two, mostly. How about you, Kiyotaka?"

"I'm doing well, all things considered."

"Well, since it's you we're talking about, you'll be fine for sure."

Kei let out a noise as she stretched.

"Anywho, I just wish this exam would end already... I can't believe we've still got 11 more days of this."

Considering the number of days we had remaining, there was no denying that we were still in the early phase of the exam.

"By the way, has anything happened these past few days?"

"You mean『that person』you told me about, right? Hmm, nope, nothing comes to mind."

Before the special exam started, I asked Kei to go check on a certain something for me.

I did this in consideration of the possibility that the White Room student would try and come in contact with Kei.

However, it didn't seem like anything had happened so far.

"Just in case, I've noted down everybody I've come in contact with on my tablet."

She opened up the notepad app on her tablet and showed me a list of all the different students and groups she'd interacted with over the past three days.

It primarily consisted of second-years, with essentially no contact with first or third-years.

As expected, they wouldn't let themselves get caught that easily.

"By. The. Way."

"Hm?"

She suddenly leaned in very close to my face and peered into my eyes.

"I heard that first-year girl back at the campsite has been travelling around with you, Kiyotaka."

"o oh," said Miyake

"he was going to be busted," said Sudou.

The two of them are not actually worried for Ayanokouji, but they felt some fun about what going to happen in the video

"Word travels fast, it seems."

"nice change of topic, kokoko," said Kouenji

"When I asked Ike-kun, he told me immediately though? Wait, that's not the point here!"

"Karuizawa-san almost fall for his trap," said Matsushita.

"yeah right," said Satou, and the two of them laughed.

Karuizawa was only smiling and thinking that it was so fun if she dated Ayanokouji.

Even I, who was ignorant when it came to love, understood that a girlfriend would be concerned if they were to find out that their boyfriend had been willingly travelling together with another girl. 

Even if I were to list out a bunch of reasons behind the decision, I was fairly confident that I wouldn't be able to convince her.

I could talk of how Nanase might be involved in the expulsion plan against me or how she might have a connection to the White Room, but...