The sounds of the seagulls flying around in the vicinity, coupled with the sheer flapping of the waves, invaded my earbuds as I kept on looking at the vast and endless sea, shining brightly under the rays of the sun.
A weak wind blew over, carrying the oceanic, salty aroma as the cruise traversed toward the endless.
It is an experience not even the simulation tools could replicate; it has a beauty of its own. I stood lucky, watching over such a magnificent view and allowing the passage of time to flow...
"...Sorry to keep you waiting, Ayanokouji-kun."
A strong wind blew over, and so did my gaze as it dawned on the petite figure entering the door to the rear area of the ship. The wind caused her to falter a little and grip strongly to her cane while holding her infamous black beret from flying out as she came near me.
"Thank you for accepting my sudden invitation; I was worried you wouldn't attend."
"Don't mention it."
She took a moment to stabilize herself on the fence and look over the ocean too.
The wind had quieted, allowing for a tranquil moment where we both looked over the fence and at the view.
This is merely a prelude to warming things up before we address the main topic.
"So." I turned to her.
"What is it that you wish to talk with me about?"
...
.
...
The Pearl Harbor is a Japanese-manufactured ship, commissioned and owned by the government. It originally served as an aircraft carrier during the Second World War but then transformed into a cruise liner intended for public transportation and tropical tourism.
It can host more than a thousand passengers with countless facilities, such as Michelin-starred restaurants, public and private pools, a 5D cinema, massage parlors, etc. It doesn't lack anything, as long as you're willing to look for it.
Its impressive design and compelling features caused it to be on many people's bucket lists, regardless of their wealth. Yet, despite this, the staff refuses to take more than fifty passengers per tour, all for the reason of trying to keep it clean and make the experience more enjoyable.
I'm not making stuff up from my mind; this is what it read on the handouts they gave us when we boarded.
This ship is heading toward the outskirts of the main Japanese land, where the Advanced Nurturing High School students will undertake their next special exam.
"We are thirty minutes away from reaching our destination; please remain on standby and wait for further instructions."
A gentle robotic voice echoed from the speaker above my head in a soft, informative pitch.
The information registered within my head as I kept gazing at the pages of a book I picked out earlier while calmly sipping a hot cup of coffee.
After I met with Sakayanagi, I was left to my own devices, so I brought a chair to a secluded corner with great air and a nice view over the ocean and idly basked. I am confident no one will find me here, which is nice.
Honami is currently with her girlfriends, roaming around the ship and wasting time while we await our turn—which is pretty much what every second and third year is doing.
While I can always go back and join her, I shouldn't stick by her all the time. I also need some alone time for myself.
Although that's a habit I've only picked up since I enrolled in this facility,
I heard a couple of third-years chatting away at a distance, and then the noises quickly subsided.
To put it mildly, my progress has been rather sluggish. After leaving the white room, I did my best to maintain my physical condition. While I was successful in doing so, I couldn't help but notice a decline in my resilience.
Multiple factors are responsible for this. But mostly, it is because there is no beating white room training.
On the other hand, my social instinct has been on track for some time now. I had no trouble communicating with people back then, but truth be told, I wasn't a great socializer. Now, I can fit in any group just fine and make acquaintances.
I can also get some inside jokes now.
Which is nice.
Bzzt
My phone vibrated in my pocket, which prompted me to pause my reading to pick it up. It was a text from Honami.
[The first-years are leaving, so get up, sleepy-head.😴😴]
Why did she call me sleepy?
[Okay, on it.]
I saw the read sign pop up before I closed my phone and prepared to get up.
Sure enough, a soft ringing came from the speaker, followed by the same robotic voice.
"Second-year students, please head toward the agreed location immediately."
It didn't take me long to return the chair and arrive at the designated location. The entrance to a theater room is relatively crowded, with students lurking around the entry, most probably waiting for their friends or classmates.
I passed through the door in one piece and took a seat at the far corner of the middle rows.
The shade was nice, and it would neatly conceal my figure from the front rowers or the stage.
I didn't mind being noticed, but at the same time, I didn't want to sit anywhere else.
The theater was quick to fill with students as everyone scavenged for seats.
"Oh? Ugh, it's you." My soon-to-be seatmate finally approached me and made their arrival.
Long purple hair and a decently athletic figure were the primary characteristics of Kumoro Masumi, a Class 2-B student, and Sakayanagi's lapdog.
She took the exact seat next to mine and pretentiously looked at the stage—where the staff were doing a checkup—with a direct face as if pretending I didn't exist.
I leaned on my chair and looked back at the front rows, where Honami and the gang were presently seated. She is being as ebullient as usual.
I noticed her holding her phone in her hand while she was turning back and forth.
I decided to pick up my phone and tease her a little.
[Poo]
When she heard my message, she halted and turned to look at her hands.
[Where are you?]
[Look in front of you.]
She remained still before swiveling her head and looking back.
[Good try] I messaged her, and I could see her pout.
[Are you making fun of me?]
[Where are you???]
[!!!]
Triple message.
[We'll catch up later]
As I sent her that, her friends had already noticed her chipping out of the conversation and started to gaze at each other in silence. I can only guess what kind of faces Amikura and Minamikata are making now.
"So," I said, setting my phone down and addressing my little stalker. "If you hated being close to me as much as you did, then why sit beside me?"
Her shoulders stiffened before she nervously turned to check on me directly and found me staring at her.
"W-Who? Me?" I continued staring at her. "There weren't enough seats."
"Right," I'm definitely going to ignore that this theater can hold two hundred viewers—which is more number than people in our grade level.
It's pretty clear to me that she was ordered to spy on me. Alas, I found it fun to point out her contradictions and see her reaction.
She probably knows it too, which would explain her obscurely gritting her teeth after the interaction.
Fortunately, she was saved by the entrance of a peculiar person.
"Good morning, gentlemen and ladies." Tsukishiro, holding a microphone, stood on the stage with a big smile as he addressed all of us.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed around the theater and made the only source of luminosity the ones at the stage—as if indicating the show had started and demanding our focus.
There, Mashima-sensei and Sakagami-sensei could be seen adjusting the projector that was oriented toward the large screen behind Tsukishiro. The projector then showed a sizable map with an island marked with ten horizontal and vertical lines, for a total of one hundred registered locations.
"This map represents the area in which you'll be taking the special test." Tsukishiro further elaborated.
There is a distinct hint of genuine amazement at the sight of this thing coming from every row of spectators.
Everyone has seen and experienced the island exam a year ago—except Sakayanagi—but this is much more remarkable.
It should be obvious the space would be much greater than before, which leads me to believe this reaction is caused by subconscious fear.
"Now, reserve any questions you have until you go through the rules, they might be answered by then."
As he said, a link was shared across all our phones which seems to include the rules.
(https://you-zitsu.fandom.com/wiki/Uninhabited_Island_Exam)
(I don't want to do this, go ahead and read. I'm borrowing some plot armor to cover past explanations. There is no need to worry I'll include everything)
After reviewing the full version of the rules, I can safely say that all my queries were completely resolved.
I turned off my phone and set it back in my pocket.
I now understand why the teachers were very cautious about this exam.
From my perspective, they had a bit of a habit of exaggerating things.
But this is unlike any other.
It would take the full extent of the teenage student's abilities to pass through, and some more.
Under these circumstances, someone should be upset if they have been allotted my card.
But it honestly made no difference to me.
'The Trial Card: Increases class points from special exam rewards by 1.5 times, but the group faces penalties if they don't enter the top 30%'
I had the option to trade it, but it's too late for that now.
"We may be on the island for a while, but it's still within government premises, meaning school rules will apply. So no sexual or violent contact. Okay?"
That out-of-hand comment seems to faze everybody and even upset some. Mashima-sensei quickly trotted and whispered something in Tsukishiro's ear.
"That was just a small reminder; you may go now," Tsukishiro said with a smile.
With that, the show has concluded, and everyone is prepared to leave.
My seatmate, in particular, stood up and scurried away as soon as we were given the go-signal—it's kind of hilarious.
I remained in my seat and waited for the entrance to clear out before heading out.
I've already decided what supplies to purchase. What's left is to confirm with Honami to see if she has any plans.
I needn't look any further, as she was right in the middle of the supply zone.
"Oh, hey Kiyotaka!" She smiled at me as soon as she spotted me and then turned to accommodate the direction I was approaching her.
"Hey, Honami." I looked at her. "What are you up to?"
"I'm calculating..." She was busy staring at a clipboard with a list of the items available from this storage.
Although it would be annoying to interrupt someone in the middle of their thoughts in this situation, I had to inquire.
"Honami, we don't have that big of a budget."
Five thousand yen isn't enough to afford many things, and coupled with the fact that we have to buy our tents and backpacks, the rope is cut even shorter.
"I'm looking for where to spend the entire class's budget." She promptly stopped thinking, looked at me, and began explaining. "You see, after I looked at the rules and this list, I came up with the idea to create a supporting network for all the groups; we'll have supply units spread evenly across the map gathering food and providing for the groups who are more focused on gathering points, and in case someone falls into a deficit, of course.
"We'll coordinate all of this thanks to the radio listed here."
Honami's strategy was to rely on a power group to plow through the high ranks while the others focused on surviving. This seems to be in line with the original intent.
"And everyone agreed to take part?"
"Well... I did not force them to participate; rather, I merely suggested that they do so. I am aware of the risk, and if anyone has any doubts, it is a sudden request at a sudden time. But~..." Honami grinned and rubbed her cheek as her voice squeaked a little.
I guess that is to be expected from a class like this, but it seems that Honami was taken aback by how fast her message reached and how quickly she received positive feedback.
"Then shouldn't you jot down the numbers?"
"No, I'll be fine." She continued to smile as she slid both of her hands behind her back and stooped a little to get a closer look at my face. "I didn't tell you the next bit of what I thought of.
"The 12th day will be the last chance you have to check your group ranking. If any of the supply units appear to be in danger, I'll..."
"Have it merge with another more stable group to pull it out of the bottom ranks." I cut through her, and she paused before nodding. "I got the gist of your plan.
"But have you accounted for the case if this merging process fails?"
On a technical level, or a situation when the said groups fail to make contact for whatever reasons. This will spell doom.
"Don't worry..." Honami reassured me. "That's why I chose the groups for whom I lent six million points to their members for this job. If they can't make it, they'll at least save themselves."
The bank was able to provide five individuals with a secure ticket to pass the test; with the addition of everyone else's personal wallet, that number increased to six. It was decided to be handed to a three-two-man group since the individuals at risk were already covered by their teammates.
There is no doubt that this allotment carried a great deal of responsibility.
"So, are you onboard?" Honami inquired if I would like to join.
"No, I'm good." I'm certain I would receive help regardless of whether I joined. Moreover, announcing my involvement would only put the support units under more unnecessary stress; I do have quite a noteworthy presence.
Although it was instant, I noticed Honami's energy subtly dampened in disappointment; maybe she wanted me to rely more on her. That was my best guess. She was quick to overwrite her feelings and compose her thoughts.
We were out in the open for a while, but nobody attempted to eavesdrop on our conversation. Which is a rare gift.
"There is still a lot of time left. Wanna take a stroll?" I asked her out.
"Oh, I was just going to ask you exactly that!" Honami happily shifted from composed to cheerful at my suggestion.
She went and dropped off the list with one of our classmates before she joined me on a short walk around the ship. We went toward the sidewalk and peeked above the railing toward the ocean with nothing to enjoy but each other's presence.
From the corner of my eye, on the horizon, a huge body of land slowly appeared and made itself more and more visible. I immediately recognized the island from the map and the direction we were approaching it.
"Hoooh! It's massive!" Honami leaned on the rail and looked over as soon as we got closer. "So that's where we'll spend the next couple of days. Not gonna lie, it makes me a little excited~!"
Despite the seemingly intimidating size, Honami seems to have gotten more excited.
However, I spotted some impurities in her enthusiasm. Maybe she is feeling a little nervous after all.
"If you're that excited, how about you jump off and swim? We're not that far." About two and a half kilometers; it's doable.
"Whaat? No way!!!" She retaliated at my attempt at humor. "Why don't you jump off yourself?"
She let go of the railing and got closer to me with a mischievous grin.
"I'll have to pass." I looked away, prompting her to advance even further.
"C'mon, are you scared?" She teased and then grabbed my shirt with both hands and lightly shook me in a joking manner. "You can only suggest it if you can do it; you broke rule number sixty-seven!"
I don't remember a rule like that ever existing.
"Swimming is not the actual problem. The problem comes with the authorities later on." I reasoned, at which she laughed.
"You have a girlfriend who is the student council vice president, and you're making excuses like that! Hmph, I'll bail you out and even pay the money! You have no reason to not do it!"
"Oh, look, we've arrived." I took the escape route as soon as it became a viable option.
"I'll remember this." She maliciously and mischievously grinned before she proceeded to tidy my messy shirt—that she ruined with her hands—and then initiated a hug, one that didn't last for long.
"I'll go and check on the materials and everyone. When will you be back?" She asked me.
"In a bit."
"Alright." She nodded in approval and turned around to prepare to leave, as her back was facing me and she was moving away.
"Wait," I called out to her.
"Hmm?" She looked back at me, confused, as I approached her. "What is it, Kiyotaka?"
"Give me your hand."
"O-Oh, alright."
She lifted her left hand, and I grabbed it as I pulled out a small golden bracelet from my pocket and slid it over her palm. It was the fragile and light type.
"W-Wha? What is this?"
"Happy birthday, Honami."
Today is the 20th of July, which happened to coincide with the first day of the inhabited island exam.
Nobody had forgotten her birthday, but it was a selfless decision from her to push everybody to focus on the exam rather than her, so no celebrations were held.
"Kiyotaka! I told you not to worry about me!" Honami's tone shifted and she reprimanded me for 'disobeying' her.
"Would you have really wanted me to ignore you? Because you said so?"
"...Ah..." She immediately got flustered again and bashfully averted her eyes somewhere else.
I've seen countless memes about men complaining about women's indirect approaches or illogical behaviors in a relationship. And honestly, I've had my fair share of these with Honami as well—they were harmless, and Honami always did it on purpose for the heck of it.
Its sheer impracticality, unpredictability, and nigh-impossibility to comprehend are what these people try to make it be.
In the circumstances building up to this moment, there is absolutely no way Honami wouldn't appreciate a small surprise gift from me despite her objections. She is actually fine with having a belated birthday for the sake of an exam.
But she cannot deny that she doesn't want a gift from me on her special day, regardless of the circumstances. Which means that I have outsmarted her.
"...No..." She admitted it and gazed back at me with her blue orbs and flushed face. "I'll accept it... just this once! Okay?"
"Okay." I nodded. She took her hand out and observed the bracelet in silence.
It wasn't exactly expensive, but it wasn't something I would've attained for her. I have other plans in mind.
"Honestly, you're quite the struggle," she omitted with a warm and elated smile on her face before she gave me another embrace—this one lasted much longer. "Thank you, Kiyotaka. I love you."
"You're welcome."
As the boat slowed down to park next to the dock, a harmonious melody of waves and leaves overlapped the atmosphere as the two of us shared a passionate embrace.
This will likely be our last time sharing affection in two weeks, as an arduous future awaits us. This is the reason why we kept savoring each other's presence and blissful company.
But there seemed to be something bugging Honami's mind, so I patted her back and encouraged her to spill it.
"If you have something to say, say it."
Confirming my suspicion, she remained motionless while burying her face in my shirt.
"I won't judge you for it; this will be your last chance to say it to me directly."
I needn't probe further.
"Please stay safe out there." She omits softly and faintly.
"Hmm, is that all?" I moved my hand and brushed some of her hair behind her ear to get a better look at her face.
"Please survive and come back... so we can have fun with everyone again."
"Be a little more selfish."
"..." She fell into a temporary trance, still not looking me in the face. Then she gripped me a little stronger. "Please, survive... so we can have lots and lots of fun times together, once more."
This is Honami's deepest fear, speaking here. The fear of not seeing me again or losing me
This is not a result of her mistrust of me; in fact, I don't question her confidence in my skills and chances of surviving at all. This is a very modest amount of anxiety and tension that she can't currently control because of the remote risk of things going completely south.
She is aware of the fact that I am perfectly able to nullify my expulsion, yet she is still not wholeheartedly certain, which is interesting.
But after this exam, she will conquer this fear and become confident about me—and herself, for that matter.
That is, in case things don't head completely south from now on.
"Honestly, I can't believe you just forced me to spell something this embarrassing." She finally looked up—while still clutching me—and stared at me with a huge pout and crystal eyes.
"I didn't force you; you did it out of your will."
"Yeah, yeah~ smooth talker." She let go and tidied her clothes and ignored mine, which had gotten messy again.
"Hey-"
"What?" She shot me a sharp gaze.
"I haven't received my daily kiss yet."
"Now you're trying to exploit a vulnerable woman for your needs?" She took hold of my shirt and pulled me in for a kiss. "There you go, you perv."
Her tone was convincingly stern up until she started cracking down and giggling and having a blast. And that lasted until she heard a message from the intercom.
"The uninhabited island exam will start right away. Please congregate at the ship's bow. I repeat..."
"It nearly slipped my mind; let's go check on the others."
We quickly went back to the storage zone, where we found most of our classmates waiting for us. They had bought all the equipment they had ordered and waited for her confirmation.
While she was busy, I went to check my backpack for all the items I bought. There weren't many options for a solo survivalist like myself.
A portable, one-person-sized tent, and a toothbrush. The latter was given to us for free since it's a sanitary product.
An iron pot has many uses, primarily cooking, heating food, and boiling water.
A flashlight for contingency's sake and the rest was split between food and water.
An ordinary power bank. Nothing impressive.
As I had finished packing, they were busy with the minor details of their sustenance strategy. I went ahead and left them and made my way toward the dock.
It was bustling, with nearly the whole student body there, awaiting further notice.
I spotted Kouenji standing in a self-indulgent manner, radiating immense confidence and self-worth. He is kind of my opponent (since I agreed to battle him in this test), so I didn't approach him.
Ryuuen and Horikita are standing side by side, ready to engage. They are teammates with Sakayanagi, and they are a powerful contender for first place.
There was the student council president, Kiriyama Ikuto, in front of his classmates. Asahina Nazuna, the vice president, and Kiryuuin Fuka, a soloist
The first-years were also no different, as every leader stood in front of their class. Takahashi Osamu for 1-A; Yagami Takuya for 1-B; Tsubaki Sakorako and Utomiya Riku for 1-C; Hosen Kazuomi and Nanase Tsubasa for 1-D.
All of which are serious contenders to dominate the rankings.
Katsuragi, as well as Ibuki, both spotted me but then turned their heads away in disinterest. They were also noteworthy opponents, I suppose.
We were the last class to arrive, and right on time, as Mashima-sensei gave a nod of approval before checking his watch and announcing out loud using a megaphone.
"You'll all begin descending to the dock in a short while, in an organized order. From juniors to sophomores and then seniors, and beginning from Class D to Class A through an alphabetical order."
This alone resulted in disgruntled responses from most students. There would be a lot of waiting before some got their turn.
"Once your name is called, you'll head to the caller to receive your watch and tablet before descending. I believe the rules already stressed how important they were."
Some faculty members were standing guard in front of the stairs, equipped with a machine that I assumed would install the watch on your hand.
Seeing that nobody had any inquiries, Mashima-sensei stared at his watch as if waiting to time it.
"With regards from every faculty member and the acting director, We all wish you the best of luck in your next journey."
"And now, I officially announce the beginning of the uninhabited island exam."
[Uninhabited Island exam: started]
Exam Status:
Current day: Day 1
Current time: 9:00 AM
There is no reported information yet.