'...': Writing
'...': Sign language
Class D wasn't going well, as the girls were fighting about buying a toilet with the boys.
"I can't do this! I definitely can't!" Shinohara complained.
"Come on and deal with it," Ike said, "This isn't the time to fight."
"Stop messing around. It doesn't matter to guys. I'm not going to do it in a corrugated box."
"It's up to you. I don't have anything to say. But it's not approved to relieve yourselves in the forest, as well as in the sea or the river. Don't forget that," With only this warning; the Chabashira-sensei continued talking indifferently.
"But, a corrugated box! Besides, guys will also be close by, right? Disgusting!"
I didn't want to listen to them arguing over a toilet. I moved away from them.
I heard footsteps as someone walked over to me. I looked to see Onodera sitting down beside me, letting out a sigh.
"It hasn't even been a minute, and they are already arguing," Onodera complained.
I didn't have my notebook, and I don't think the rest of my classmates knew sign language except Horikita, Koenji, and Ayanokouji.
I could only sit there in silence.
"So, what are you planning on doing? I want to go swimming in the ocean!" Onodera said, looking longingly at the ocean.
Onodera turned to me as I looked back at her, "Ah, that's right... You don't have your notebook," a sheepish smile appeared on Onodera's face.
I nodded.
We both sit there silently, trying to ignore our classmates' arguing.
Exam Class Points - 300-20=280
~Timeskip~
I didn't volunteer to venture into the forest with the others, but I wasn't the only one who didn't volunteer.
"Kagurazaka-kun, what do you think about this exam?" Horikita asked, sitting down beside me.
I looked at her face and noticed the severe expression, but she looked pale.
'I want to drop out.'
"Please answer seriously, or I'll kick you," Horikita said deadpan.
'I am being serious, though. Our class is going to be a disaster in this exam.'
"I would have to agree with you. They weren't even a minute into the exam and arguing about a toilet," Horikita said.
"I consider you a good candidate for leader," Horikita told me.
I didn't know how to respond, and I didn't think she was joking.
~Timeskip~
"It is a river!! A river!! What a beautiful feeling it is! It looks like there is equipment! It seems that we will be able to possess a mechanism exclusively! It is only a ten-minute walk, so let's go together simultaneously."
Ike's team had left earlier for a search mission. They may have found that spot already. And it seemed that they were guarding it so that other classes won't snatch it away.
With the presence of a clear river along with the shades that block the sunlight and level terrain. It seemed to be our ideal base location.
"To claim the spot possession, we must update it every 8 hours and have a leader. But who will be our leader?" Hirata asked the question.
"I had a lot on my mind, and I thought about various things, but whether one likes it or not, Hirata-kun or Karuizawa-san stands out as persons. But isn't a leader one that you could rely on and also one that has a deep sense of responsibility? I think that Horikita-san is the one that meets both conditions. How about that?"
"I understand, and I accept it, but before that, I want everyone to know my opinion about who is qualified to be a leader," Horikita said.
I felt an impending doom when Horikita made eye contact with me.
Don't you dare...
"Kagurazaka Norogumi. I suggest him as a leader."
I sighed and accepted my fate.
"Thank you for my selfish request," Horikita said, looking away, but I saw a faint smile.
Horikita can smile?!
All 38 of my classmates, except for one, voted, and the results were tied until Ayanokouji voted.
I turned to Ayanokouji in disappointment, "I had no other choice," he responded.
You were the tiebreaker...
I was already dealing with my first problem, and they argued about drinking water from the river.
I'm feeling hungry. I wonder if there's something edible in the forest to eat. I walked into the woods.
"Kagu-kun," I look back to see Ichihashi walking toward me with a smile.
I turned away from her and continued walking. I heard her footsteps quicken up until she was walking beside me.
"I found myself tired of listening to them argue, so I decided to check out what you're doing," Ichihashi told me.
I stopped and grabbed a stick before writing into the dirt.
'Food.'
"Oh, you're searching for food. I'll be joining you," she stated.
We both wander around, looking for food, "You know... we are all alone," Ichihashi said seductively.
I stare at her with a deadpan expression as she giggles.
Ichihashi is undoubtedly something else...
We continued walking through the forest until we found a place filled with corn.
"Look at all this corn!" Ichihashi said excitedly.
I won't question how corn grows in the forest, but I'm glad we found food.
Ichihashi and I grabbed some corn and returned to the base. Along the way, we found Mori sitting against a tree.
There was no sight of her cheerful and social personality. I poked her cheek.
"I told you already that I'm..." Mori stopped mid-sentence, seeing me and Ichihashi.
"Kagurazaka-kun... Ruri-san..."
A frown appeared on Ichihashi's face, "You're here all alone. Did they push all the work onto you?"
Mori didn't say anything, and she looked away.
Ichihashi handed me her share of the corn, "Don't worry; you can leave this to me," she flashed a confident smile.
Well, I will leave her to it to take care of Mori. I left the two girls behind and continued walking toward the camp.
On the way there, I encountered an unusual sight. A blue-haired girl was sitting back against the tree.
She wasn't the only one there, though. I saw Yamauchi, Ayanokouji, and Sakura together.
"Kagurazaka-kun, there you are! You even found food!" Yamauchi pointed out.
I gestured toward the girl with my head, "Ah, she had a class dispute. We decided to bring her back to our camp," Yamauchi answered.
Did he even take into consideration that she could be a spy? Whatever...
"Can you convince me that I'm from Class C? That means I'm your enemy," she said.
I shook my head.
"See, there's no problem," Yamauchi gave her a thumbs-up, "I am Yamauchi Haruki. Please, treat me well!"
Well, you seem like a nice guy, but... for real, you are an idiot!"
While astounded by the self-introduction, the girl gave us a short reply without even looking at us.
"I am... Ibuki."
Upon introducing herself, Ibuki brushed her cheek with a shy smile and avoided eye contact. I couldn't help but notice the dirt under her nails, perhaps from digging in the ground earlier. Her behavior piqued my interest, and I wondered if she had a disdain for meeting people's gazes.
I continued making my way back with the four of them. We eventually arrived, and I placed the bundle of corn on the ground.
"Where have you been?" Horikita approached me.
'Looking for food.'
Horikita's eyes landed on Ibuki, and she dragged me to have a private conversation with him.
"Many of our classmates are mad that you neglected your duty to claim the spot, so I had to do it for you," Horikita whispered.
That means anyone could claim the spot if they have a card.
'Sorry, I didn't want to deal with the arguing.'
Horikita sighed, "Well, you did bring food back, so I commend you for that."
"I'll hold onto the keycard for now," she whispered.
The others were talking about what to do with Ibuki. I didn't waste any time and walked over to her. She was sitting on the ground away from Class D.
"What? Are you here to kick me out? I don't blame you. I'll get in the way," Ibuki pulled a handful of grass, looking pissed.
I shook my head, crouching down. I started writing in the dirt, 'I don't trust you, and you could be a spy.'
Her eyes widened slightly, "If you don't trust me, why did you bring me to the camp?"
I erased what I wrote and wrote something else, 'Because half the class hates me already, and if I were to say no, then I would get more hate on me.'
I erased what I wrote.
'Besides, the class will let you stay since I'll be outvoted. I'll have to keep an eye on you.'
A slight smirk appeared on her face, "I thought you were some kind-hearted idiot, but it seems you have a brain in there."
I erased my writing and said, "Kagurazaka-kun, I hope you don't mind if I talk to her?"
I turned to see Hirata flash me a smile. I shook my head and allowed him to talk to her.
"Ehhh?!" Screams of shock rose all at once.
"Don't kid around. Koenji, that sucker!! What is he thinking?" Yukimura yelled, kicking the ground.
I don't know what you're expecting from Koenji. He does what he wants and sees himself as a perfect being.
Wait, where did these other items come from?
Exam Class Points: 280-80=200
Day 2
"Kagurazaka-kun, wake up."
I'm not getting up because I'm under an hour of sleep. I didn't sleep in the tent and slept outside.
SPLASH
My eyes shot wide open as I sat up. Sudou was standing over me with an empty bottle and a mischievous smile.
"Hurry up, we have roll call in a few minutes," Sudou said before walking away.
"What's the matter, leader? Are you perhaps wet?" Yamauchi asked with an annoying smile.
I stared at him with a cold glare, causing him to squeal and move back.
I got up to my feet. My jersey was now wet, but I'll get through it. The other students were looking at us because of Yamauchi's squeal.
I ignored their stares and got my breakfast, going over to Ibuki.
"You look like a mess," Ibuki commented.
I roll my eyes and continue eating my breakfast.
"I pity you. It must be hard having classmates like that," Ibuki said.
Does she pity me, or is she saying it to make me feel better?
"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Ike's angry voice resonated through the camp's ground.
I looked in the direction of the voice to peep through the situation. Two male students stood there with a grin.
Ibuki, who showed a bitter expression only for a moment, stepped into the shade of the tent like she was trying to hide herself.
"Komiya and Kondou?"
Like Ibuki, who coughed abruptly, I found those two people familiar. They were two students in C class.
"Well, D class seems to be living a rather frugal life. As expected, this is a class of defectives."
"Do you know Ryuuen?" Ibuki asked.
'The dictator?'
"Yup, you can say they're his underlings."
"What did you have for breakfast? Grass? Or insects? Here, you can eat snacks too."
He provocatively tossed a single potato chip toward Ike's feet, causing the entire talk about the herd. This behavior only fueled their anger further, as they were already frustrated with the ongoing food supply cuts.
"Attention, everyone! Ryuuen-san has a message for you. Are you looking to make the most of your summer vacation? Then head to the beach right away! Don't hesitate to join us for a wonderful time. Tired of living a monotonous life? Let's break free and create unforgettable memories together."
I got up to my feet and made my way over to them. I walked over to the potato chips, picked them up, and tossed them to Ike.
I gestured to the soda in his hand, "Haha, looks like one of the defective monkeys has already given up," he handed me the soda.
"Hey, Ryuuen will let you join us and share the luxuries," Komiya said.
I drank before spitting the liquid at Kondou and pouring the remaining content over Komiya's head.
I walked away while my classmates stared at me with shocked expressions before Sudou burst out laughing.
"You bastard!" Komiya screamed.
Kondou didn't say anything, but he dragged Komiya away.
I returned to eating breakfast when I heard Ibuki say, "I don't know if you're stupid or brave."
I shrugged, and I heard her let out a chuckle.
After breakfast, Horikita asked me, "Was it necessary to do that?"
I nodded.
Horikita sighed, "I'm a little worried and thinking of supervising the situation. Do you want to come with me and Ayanokouji?"
'Are you okay? You don't look so well.'
"I'm fine."
Class C's camp
As we approached the forest, we were startled by the sight of numerous Class C students gathering on the beach from the nearby bushes. The scene before us surpassed all expectations.
"It can't be... This kind of stuff... Is it possible?"
To our surprise, we discovered a delightful and unexpected pattern. In addition to the expected provisional toilets and shower room, we were delighted to find a host of amenities, including turf with sun protection, a barbecue set, chairs, parasols, and various snacks and drinks. This abundance of entertainment equipment was a welcome surprise.
"What the hell is C class doing? Does this mean they don't have to save points?" Horikita asked.
It might be a possibility that they wasted all of their points.
"Let's check that out. What the hell is Class C thinking?" Horikita asked.
As we emerged from the bushes onto the beach, our steps on the sand were firm and confident. One of the male students spotted us and called out to someone nearby, but we couldn't make out the face of the person lounging in a nearby chair. Suddenly, one of the boys sprinted over to greet us.
"Err, Ryuuen-san called..." the male student, somewhat frightened, or perhaps I should say without driving.
"Just like a king. We are using classmates like this. It looks like the king welcomes us. What are we going to do?" Horikita asked us.
"That's on you to decide, Horikita," Ayanokouji told her.
"Alright. I want to know what's going on. Let's go."
We accepted and accompanied the male student. As we approached the sea, a savory smell of burned meat got into our noses.
"This is outrageous."
I took a look around and felt a tap on my back. I turned around to see Nishino and Shiina. They both were wearing swimsuits, and I couldn't help but stare.
"Oi, eyes up here, you pervert," Nishino snapped her fingers.
Shiina had a bit of red on her cheeks.
'Sorry, both of you look nice.'
Shiina's cheeks turned beet red, while Nishino seemed confused. The silver-haired girl whispered into Nishino's, and a slight pink blush appeared on Nishino's face.
"Don't say stuff like that..." She muttered.
"So, how's the test going?" Shiina asked.
'Hate it.'
"Eh, why do you hate it?" Shiina asked, confused.
I shrugged, and it made both girls sweatdrop.
"Umm," Shiina looked at me with a shy smile, "Once this exam is over, do you want to read together on the cruise ship?"
I nodded.
Nishino cleared her throat, "Don't forget that you owe me."
"You're coming with us," someone grabbed my ear and pulled on it.
I waved Shiina and Nishino away as I was dragged away by the ear by Horikita. She let go of my ear, "Who were you talking to?"
'Two girls.'
"Don't get mixed up or get feelings for someone in another class," Horikita said.
Horikita walked away while I turned to Ayanokouji. He shrugged and walked after her.
Class B's Camp
Upon arriving at the campsite, we were greeted with a starkly different perspective on life than what we knew in D class. The spot chosen by those in the well's group was unpredictable and needed more space for eight people to pitch 3 or 4 tents. Instead, they opted for hammocks to secure a place to stay. While we began our camping experience similarly, the items they brought were entirely different. One particular gadget near the well piqued my interest, but the distinct ambiance emanating from B class truly astonished me.
"Huh? Horikita-san? And Ayanokouji-kun?"
Ichinose had already noticed Horikita and Ayanokouji. Her eyes landed on me and seemed to sparkle, "Kagurazaka-kun!"
She broke out into a little sprint and ran past them and straight to me...
...
...
She was tackling me into a hug.
She hugged me in front of all these people, and I could feel my cheeks develop a slight warmth.
She realized what was going on and quickly pulled away. Her face was red, and she had a shy smile, "Sorry... I got a little too excited..."
A young man with purple hair was staring at me before he approached me, "I don't think we have met, but you must be from Class D, right?"
I nodded.
"Kanzaki Ryuji."
I didn't know if he understood sign language, so I didn't do anything except stare at him.
"Ah, you must be Kagurazaka Norogumi," he stated.
I nodded.
I looked past Kanazaki and looked around the area.
Hammock, cookware, small tent, lantern, and provisional toilet. Fishing rod and water shower... If you combine it with food, it's a total of 70 points.
"Kagurazaka-kun!" I turned to the voice, and I was suddenly on the ground.
I blink several times to find Amikura with a sly smirk on her face, "Hey."
I looked at Kanzaki for help, but he ended up walking away.
"Amikura-san!" Ichinose had a pout on her face as she pulled the girl off of me, "Why did you do that?"
"What?" A teasing smile formed on her face, "You hugged Kagurazaka-kun, so I think it's fair if I do the same."
A blush formed on Ichinose's face as she avoided eye contact with the purple-haired girl.
"Don't worry; I will show Kagurazaka-kun around," Amikura saluted.
Before Ichinose could protest, Amikura grabbed my arm and started dragging me away.
"Kozue-san, Sayo-san, Chihiro-san, Yume-san! Look who I brought with me!" She said in an energetic tone.
"Hey, Kagurazaka-kun! We didn't know you were coming here today!" Andou said.
"Yo, Kagurazaka-kun," Minamikata greeted me.
"H-Hi," Shiranami looked away bashfully.
"Hey," Kobashi flashed a smile.
"Are you here to help us move these boxes?" Andou asked.
I shook my head.
"Hey, we need help from a strong man," Andou shamelessly said, "Oh, it looks like a found one."
I point at Kanzaki.
Amikura giggled, "Come on and help us."
~Timeskip~
After helping the girls move the boxes, I was ready to leave Class B's camp, but Ichinose stopped me.
She had an embarrassed look, "After the exam is over, would you like to hang out for a little bit?"
I nodded.