Chapter- 3 (Ichinose's POV)
Once the homeroom ended, Chabashira-sensei walked out of the class.
"Ichinose-san." Hirata, who sat beside me, called out
"If you don't mind, can we discuss the strategy for the sports festival in the evening?"
"Sure thing! I will get Horikita-san as well, if you are okay with it."
"Yes, I was going to ask you for that. Let's meet at Ayanokouji-kun's room around four." He proposed.
"Uh, is Ayanokouji-kun okay with it?"
"Yes, I asked for his permission. He is okay with it."
"Oh, then let's meet at four then."
Hirata gave me a small nod and left with the rest of his friends.
It feels nostalgic, the last time we all met in Ayanokouji's room was in first semester trying to unravel the S system. Time has passed since then, for better or for worse the summer vacation has brought the students closer to each other.
Around 3:45 I make my way to Ayanokouji's room, most students are done with their lunch and are resting in their rooms so no one spotted me coming here.
I slowly knocked on the door and within a few seconds Ayanokouji opened the door. Apathetic eyes stared back at me, for a moment we stood silent.
"Pardon the intrusion Ayanokouji-kun." I smiled at him.
"Please come in." He replied with a small nod.
I noticed that he was still wearing his uniform, perhaps he fell asleep once he reached his room? And I disturbed his sleep?
His room looked the same as it was in the first semester, nothing new in it, mostly the stuff provided by school.
"Ayanokouji-kun, by any chance, are you a minimalist?"
"Uh, I can't keep my room clean if I have too many things lying around."
Picking up a small handbag kept on the table he walked into the kitchen.
"Would you like to drink something-"
Knock.
I walked to the gate, on opening I found Hirata and Horikita standing at the door. I chuckled quietly at the sight of the odd duo.
"Good afternoon, Ichinose-san." Hirata greeted me politely.
"Good afternoon Hirata-kun, Horikita-san."
All three of us sat down and Ayanokouji-kun joined us as well. He had changed his uniform and was in a home ware, that was fast.
Wasn't he in the kitchen?
"Would you all like to drink something?" Ayanokouji asked.
"Some water."
"Coffee."
"Green tea-"
Hey hey, he isn't a waiter!
"I will help you Ayanokouji-kun."
"It is okay, I can do it."
"It will take less time if we both do it."
Understanding the fact that Horikita and Hirata might not have much time for this he nodded slightly.
We both went into the kitchen, looking around a little I only spotted barley tea packets lying around. Perhaps he likes to drink that as his daily beverage.
"Ayanokouji-kun, do you have coffee?"
Opening a small drawer he took out the same handbag he carried earlier, it had coffee and green tea packets in it.
"I don't have them usually, but I bought some from the convenience store today."
Did he know beforehand that I like green tea? Maybe he picked that up last time he came to my room. Remembering the embarrassing event my cheeks feel hot.
"H-How considerate of you."
I prepared barley tea and green tea while he brewed the coffee. We both stood beside each other silently, I had several questions for him but I refrained from asking them.
In the zodiac sign he somehow figured out the VIP of Dragon group, I can't see how he did that. Also the fact that I had sent the answer in front of everyone, how did my answer get cancelled out?
I don't think he would answer any of these, but what is actually dangerous is his capability to do something beyond my understanding. He doesn't look like someone who has hatred in him, but I wonder what he will do to the traitor once he finds them.
Or perhaps he has already found the traitor and doesn't plan on doing anything?
Anyways, I won't get anywhere thinking about that now. The silence between us is growing awkward.
"I will check on those two." I whispered slowly and he nodded back.
While the drinks were boiling I peeked into the living room where Hirata and Horikita were sitting. I wonder if the air is tense among them or if they have got accustomed to each other at this point.
Both of them were reading the manual given by school carefully, apparently waiting for us to gather before making their point.
We carried the drinks to the table, and I gave Hirata some water.
Hirata took a paper out of his pocket and kept it on the table.
"This is the statistics of boy's."
"It seems like Sudou-kun is on the top of all the tests." I observed.
"Except for the grip strength test." Horikita added.
Looking at the numbers it seems like Kouenji [103 kg] is a cut above the rest. Ayanokouji [69 kg ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ] was at third but he and Sudou [82.4 kg] had a major gap in their strengths, and same was the case with fourth place who was Hirata [55 kg].
"Here, this is the statistics of girls in our class." I presented the small notepad.
"Horikita-san is unparalleled in all the tests."
"Yes, she has exceptional athletic prowess." I added.
"Your time is also above average Ichinose-san, you are second only to Horikita-san."
"Onodera-san was absent during this, I think she might have a better score than me."
Horikita analyzed the boy's statistics while Hirata and Ayanokouji looked at the girl's score.
"Have you decided the participants for recommended events?" Horikita asked.
"Yes, Sudou, Akito, Ayanokouji and myself for now. We will decide on other events in the coming days."
"Very well."
"There isn't much we can decide from just one day." Hirata said.
"That is certainly true, in order to fill up the participation table there is a lot more to learn. But we must decide our approach to it first."
"What do you mean, Horikita-san?" He asked.
"According to sensei, the whole class must come to a consensus with each decision. The approach we take to fill the participation table must be supported by the majority."
Hirata's smile faded for a moment.
"What approach do you propose?"
"The ideal way would be to make athletic students compete for the win and use the unathletic as sacrificial lambs."
"That attitude won't be accepted by many students, naturally there will be people aiming for the prizes. If we deny their participation then they will revolt."
That is where we come in, we two might be able to negotiate our way into this but is it the right choice? I stole a glance at Ayanokouji who was sipping his barley tea peacefully.
"You can try moderating them."
"Horikita-san, I don't think operating on that extreme is a good idea." I interfered.
"Why would you say that?"
"It would make our participation table very predictable, on top of that saving the strength of our top athletes for recommended events will be a better idea."
For a moment she considered my words and then finally spoke up.
"Very well, there won't be a compromise in the recommended events. We can take a balanced approach for other events." On hearing that Hirata eased up a little.
"That being said, the secrecy of the participation table is paramount." The air around us grew heavier.
"Naturally, we would keep it secret so that other classes don't find it, but the students won't accept it if we don't let any of them see the table." Hirata mentioned it politely.
Hirata did not know that Ryuuen had the names of all VIPs from Class D. It would be a natural assumption to think that the traitor would have ceased their movement against the class as the risk of getting revealed is high.
But it looks like the traitor doesn't fear getting caught at this point, or perhaps destroying Class D is of greater importance than their own safety.
I can only recall one person who would do something like that, but I still need proof against her.
"We can't risk any chances in the sports festival, unlike island exams everything is set on stone once the participation table is submitted." Horikita didn't bother to explain to Hirata about the attacks of Ryuuen on the cruise ship.
"But we shouldn't doubt each other like that, what happened on the island need not repeat in this exam again."
No Hirata, it did repeat again in the last special test. Horikita made her point and looked at me to convince Hirata further on this.
"Hirata-kun, we are still trying to find the traitor. I suspect that the results Ryuuen obtained on the cruise ship is related to the traitor of our class."
Hirata grew silent, the connection of Ryuuen's achievement to that of the traitor frightened him for a moment.
Sip.
Oh god he is still sipping on his barley tea, just how many sips were there in that small cup?
"The three classes are ahead of us by a huge margin, if Ryuuen defeats us in this event then the hopes of overtaking him would also end there, that is why we should be cautious with the participation table which is the key of this event." I added.
Slowly but surely Hirata understood the reason for Horikita's action.
"Don't worry, you won't be alone. I will take the responsibility to submit the participation table."
"If you say so. Students of our class do have a lot of trust in you."
"Then it is decided, we won't show the whole participation table to anyone, we will only reveal each individual their own event." I announced.
"I agree."
"Very well."
Sip.
"If that is all then I will be leaving." Horikita said as she got up.
"If you don't mind, I would like to ask one last question." Hirata stopped her.
She looked at him, it was her way to signal him to continue.
"On the island, we gave four different VIP names to the class in order to narrow down the list of potential traitors right?"
"Yes."
"I didn't pry into this matter before and left it in your hands, but now I would like to know if you found out which answer Ryuuen reported on the island." Hirata's expression had turned dark.
"Why the sudden interest?" Horikita didn't flinch.
"If the results Ryuuen got on the island is connected to the traitor then that also implies that they are connected to the bullying of Karuizawa-san. After all she was called to the last floor on the threat of getting her identity revealed."
Horikita was a little surprised by his deduction. Karuizawa's name was only known to the four people in this room and Karuizawa herself, so it was a mystery to Hirata how the anonymous person who lured out Karuizawa knew her identity as the VIP. But now he can also assume a connection between these two.
"The name was Akito Miyake, if you remember then we gave this name to the girl's faction led by Kushida." Horikita answered slowly.
"Very well." Hirata got up and left the room.
"He looks serious."
"Seems so."
"You didn't tell him about the names we narrowed down in the zodiac sign test."
"If he zeroes upon the traitor at that level then they will notice him."
"Hmm, that would complicate the matter further."
After that brief exchange Horikita left as well. Now, it was just me and Ayanokouji left in the room.
"I will wash the cups before I leave."
"I can do that, you don't need to trouble yourself."
"It is okay Ayanokouji-kun, we always trouble you with our meetings. Even when you lack interest in them." I said as I walked to the kitchen.
"Why would you think so?" He asked, still sitting in the living room.
"You don't say anything at all when we plan, it feels like we bother you with all this."
"Uh, that is because I don't understand what is the best choice most of the time." We talked across his room, I was in the kitchen and he was sitting near the table.
"You don't expect a lie like that to work on me after the summer vacation right?"
After witnessing his powers in the summer vacation I am not a foreigner to his abilities. Horikita might still doubt him but I am sure that he isn't someone who can't hold an active discussion about the special test.
Or was it that his ideas are too good to communicate with people like us?
"The sports festival happens out in front of the whole school, there isn't much to scheme in this. It's major component is about teamwork and unity, which you and Hirata excel in."
Oh.
"I see, so um we don't bother you much right?" I asked, peeking out of the kitchen to see his reaction.
He slightly shook his head as an answer
"Hearing you all strategize is good for me as well."
"Then you won't mind if we gather here on weekends to decide the participation table right?"
"....."
Looks like he didn't like the idea.
"I don't mind, if you all are okay with it."
"Yosh!! Then it's decided."
[ A/n: Well you can guess from where I picked up that 'Yosh']
I washed the cups thoroughly and walked back to him, it was already late so I should also get going now or else students might spot me.
"Ayanokouji-kun, I wanted to ask you something."
"Hm?"
"How did you know that I liked green tea?"
"Uh, last time I came to your room you had a few packets stacked up. So I just assumed that."
"Oh, I thought so."
"I also had a question."
"Yes?"
"The barley tea tasted different."
"Oh, did it not suit your taste?"
"No, it tasted better than what I made. Can you tell me how you made it?"
"Sure!"
Phew.
Once we drank another cup of tea I left cautiously, making sure no one saw me. This festival is going to be enjoyable.