Chapter 24 - Control
Around an hour later, the three of us arrived back at the camp.
We were quite surprised since the visitor count in our base had once again increased. Just like before, it was a Class C student, one I had seen on the beach. It was rather difficult to overlook him because of his immense height, which should have eclipsed every student in the first-year with ease.
The giant in question sat next to Shiina-san, who munched on a handful of red berries.
Kushida-san ambled over to the pair with more fruits in hand and offered them to our new guest. He took the bowl-like container Ike-kun had crafted from tree bark and thanked her for our hospitality before decanting the fruits into the silver-haired girl's bowl.
Feeling a headache coming, I surveyed our surroundings for Kiyotaka.
Much to my regret, I couldn't find him anywhere.
Sudou-kun ambled out of the cave and performed a few exercises to loosen his strained muscles. His back pain seemed to have worsened compared to this morning, at least if his expression was anything to go by. The rest of our classmates were doing much better than him and continued their chores despite the confusion about our new arrival.
Hirata-kun discussed something with Karuizawa-san and a few other girls, while Ike-kun started the fires around the camp. Class B's leadership excused themselves and wandered towards their own comrades to go over some related matters. Horikita-san rested near the cave as usual and glanced around the area with a weary, tired complexion.
Our gazes met for a moment before she averted her eyes.
Was she also searching for Kiyotaka?
I wasn't sure if I should speak to her, because it was a well-known fact that she didn't enjoy talking with our classmates. In case she had to, she was rather prickly and a nightmare to converse with, at least according to Ichihashi-san, Azuma-san, and a few others. I had only spoken to her once, so I couldn't read much into her overall bearing, but my exhaustion was quite pronounced, which was why I decided against addressing her right now.
My energy reserves to deal with her antics were too low.
"Hey, Kushida-san. Do you know if Kiyotaka made it back?"
The girl carrying around a dozen small branches stopped in her tracks and bounced over with a bright, cheery expression that could burn the repressed fatigue away before it managed to affect someone.
"Um, he returned quite a while before you guys and is resting in one of the tents at the moment. Kiyotaka mentioned that he was tired and that he wanted to get some sleep before his trip tonight. I think he's in the second boy's tent close to the cave's rear."
"Thank you, Kushida-san."
She nodded, hopped back and dumped the firewood next to one of the pits.
"Kanji-kun, this is enough, right?"
"Ah, thank you Kikyou-chan! This should..."
The two of them had a lot on their plate, so I left them alone.
Kushida-san and Hirata-kun were the biggest reasons that our class worked as efficient as it did, and I was more than thankful for their help. Without our own private angel and knight in shining armor duo keeping the class cohesion high, I would have had a lot more trouble supervising my classmates.
This could also be said about Ike-kun, who had improved our chances at winning this exam without spending points by leaps and bounds due to his prior knowledge, which was not only helping us, but also his own damaged reputation.
Thoughts like these offered me a brief respite from the worry I harbored for Kiyotaka.
I could tell that he would overexert himself to reoccupy the spots in our name, and the action I would have to take against him near the end of this exam made the whole situation worse. Almost two days had passed, but I wasn't any closer in figuring out how I could retire Kiyotaka without hurting him.
He knew what was going through my mind, since I had shared these details with him, but nothing changed the fact that I might have to harm the person I treasured dearest in order to win this exam.
Would I really be capable of poisoning my boyfriend?
A good girlfriend should have never thought about such a decision.
The answer should have been an obvious, resounding no.
But could I go against Fumei's orders?
"Ah, Matsushita-san, I have a question about..."
"You are back, Matsushita-san! There's something I'd like to..."
The barrage of questions that reached my ears dragged me out of this toxic downward spiral, for which I was grateful for. There were still some other problems that needed to be addressed right now, and it would help my mental health if I concentrated on them for the moment instead of despairing about Kiyotaka.
"Yes, Miyake-kun, could you take some people to gather moss and leaves? I'd like to pad out the space underneath our tents to make the upcoming nights more comfortable for all of us. We will need quite a lot, but if we begin now, we should be able to cushion most of our tents before we are going to sleep."
"Eh, yeah. Of course, Matsushita-san."
My classmate glanced over our camp, looking for someone to share this task with, as Class B's female leader ambled up to us with a bright smile on her face. She turned towards Miyake-kun, exuding her usual helpful atmosphere.
"You could also use the vinyl bags and sheets from the school for the moment. They won't be as comfortable as a large quantity of soft moss, but we can just ask our teachers for more without limit. Putting the collected plants inside might be a good idea as well, as they would act like a pillow of sorts."
Their class had apparently come up with their own idea to combat the rough terrain, even before we had seen a similar strategy in Class A's camp. I hadn't noticed this before since I was busy, but they had decked their three tents in large quantities of these bags to soften their sleeping places.
"That's a good idea, thank you Ichinose-san. I'll get right on it."
Miyake-kun nodded and strode off as the next person in line came up to me.
"Matsushita-san, do you have any idea what we could do against the heat in the camp? The nights are fine since we have the cave, but the clearing where we spend most of our time during the day is just horrible because of the humidity."
This was one of the issues I didn't have an answer for yet.
Hirata-kun and I had already discussed this problem after Karuizawa-san's complaints, but neither of us had any viable ideas apart from moving everything into the cave, which wouldn't work out as the heat would just gather there instead. Ike-kun, who had helped us on multiple occasions, was stumped as well, because he never had to deal with such a climate during his camping trips.
"Um, we tried sprinkling water around our camp with moderate success." Her face was adorned by a sweet smile as these god-sent words left her lips. "It's not cool by any stretch, but definitely better than doing nothing. Scattering water near our beds and onto the ground removed some of the heat, at least."
"Let's try what Ichinose-san suggested, then."
"Mh, sure. But how much water do I need? Do I sprinkle it around with my fingertips or do I have to dump like entire bottles everywhere? It would also be fine to use river water, right? Wasting our water reserves for this would be bad, depending on the quantity..."
Class B's leader surveyed the camp on her side and waved someone over.
"Himeno-san, do you have a moment?"
A girl with violet twin tails peeked over before striding towards us. I had seen her before when we went to sing karaoke, but she was a rather quiet girl, so we had talked little. Aside from her name and her beautiful singing voice, I knew next to nothing about her.
"What's up, Class Rep?"
"Could you show Inogashira-san how we sprinkled our water around?"
"Eh..." The girl peered at my classmate as if she was a complete idiot, but neither she nor Ichinose-san had noticed this. "Yeah, sure." She turned around and signaled one of her friends. "Shiranami, something came up. I'll be with you in a sec."
"Okaaay."
Just like that, a major headache was mitigated.
Even though I didn't like to admit this, Class B was a force to be reckoned with, and I was overjoyed that they had decided to partner up with us during this exam. If Kiyotaka hadn't developed such a good friendship with them, we would have been in much more trouble due to the deal I would have had to accept.
"Thank you Ichinose-san. You really helped us out."
"Don't worry, we're a team, aren't we?"
She flashed me a bright, sparkling smile before wandering off towards Kanzaki-kun, who was looking for her input on some things he didn't want to decide on his own.
Calling her the kindest, most benevolent person in this whole school might have been an understatement. The more I got to know about this girl, the better I understood why so many students were looking up to her. She was similar to Kushida-san in that regard, but still several magnitudes more popular due to her position in the student council.
Could I ever become as reliable as her?
I thought myself superior in some aspects, while I couldn't even hold a candle to her in others. The previous issues that plagued our camp were perfect examples of this. While I had trouble dealing with these circumstances, she solved everything in a matter of seconds, without breaking a sweat.
"Tired..."
My languished whispers were meant for no one in particular.
This whole exam had put a much bigger toll on me than anticipated.
Even asking for a few seconds of rest was too much, as my duties increased by the minute. I still had to discuss our plans for the upcoming days with Hirata-kun and Kushida-san before I figured out what kind of story our newest arrival brought. As if this wasn't bad enough, I had yet to find clues about Class C's leader.
Would I need to care about them in the first place?
There was no reason to look for their card if they had quit. The problem, however, was that we could neither confirm nor deny whether this was factual. For all we knew, all three could have been sent here and lied to us for Ryuuen's sake.
In the improbable case that they had quit, it would be impossible to fulfill our part of the deal because of these strange circumstances. I saw no reason to reimburse Class B for our failure if this situation occurred, but this sentiment might damage our relationship with them.
We would need to find a common ground after the exam ended.
Giving them Class A's leader wasn't a problem, because I've seen enough about Katsuragi-kun in their camp to conclude that he was a smart and careful man. He wouldn't have made a rookie mistake like walking around with the card in his hand if there was a miniscule chance of him being seen. When he noticed that the cave was already occupied, he must have taken the card from the person named Yahiko, the real leader, in order to confuse potential observers.
Huuh, I want to see Kiyotaka.
A deep sigh escaped my lips as I slipped into the cave.
There were always two sides to a coin, but I hadn't been aware that leading a class would be this difficult before I took the job. Talking to my classmates, acting like I was close to them, having to plan ten steps ahead and think of everything that the other classes might do was draining.
Both physically and mentally.
I felt like a damaged battery with a gaping hole that desperately tried to function.
Was this the same for the other class leaders?
Unfortunately, I couldn't ask any of them. I didn't want to appear weak, or to complain about something I had decided for myself. Since I had taken the plunge; this leap of faith with Fumei, I had to see it through to the very end. Not to mention that all class leaders could be considered competitors.
The silence in the cave was interrupted by the zipper that slid down the tent.
My first reaction upon glancing inside was uncontrollable — flushing like a tomato would have been an understatement. He wasn't sleeping naked or anything similar that would warrant such an extreme reaction, but I couldn't help but feel appreciative of the cute smile that adorned his handsome sleeping face.
I was all alone with him, far away from our classmates.
His muscular, well-defined chest heaved up and down with every breath he took. The muscles in his face contracted and relaxed, each time his faint expression of happiness changed, which made this scene even more precious and memorable. I felt myself incapable of finding the correct words to formulate how charming he was.
My heartbeat sped up as my gaze wandered down his frame.
He must have been having a nice dream, one where he could relax, recharge and forget the toll Fumei and I had put on him. Even though I had told my boyfriend that it was alright to stop, I knew that he would keep pushing himself in order to make me happy.
Yes...
Kiyotaka exhausted himself for me, while I planned to poison him.
Was there any human more despicable than I?
"Kushida-san, do you know where Matsushita-san is?"
"Sorry Karuizawa-san, but I haven't seen her since she came back from scouting out the camps with Ichinose-san and Kanzaki-kun. Have you asked them? Or maybe she left to gather resources with someone?"
I loved being relied upon, as usual, but their constant questions annoyed me quite a lot. It would have been easier for her to ask her damn knight in shining armor, or that big-breasted goody two-shoes that ambled through Class B's camp. Both of them had multiple conversations with Matsushita, while I talked to her twice.
FUCKING TWICE!
"Mhh, I checked with Class B, but she isn't with them. Everyone aside from her and Ayanokouji-kun is here because it's almost meal time. I don't think she'd run off on her own either, since she told us to leave in groups, y'know?"
Don't bother me with your pointless shit and shut the fuck up.
Why is this cheap knock-off so damn irritating, huh?!
For fuck's sake, all those bitches are so frustrating.
But Matsushita asked where Kiyotaka was, right?
Different from his usual behavior, he was pretty obvious when he stared at my tits last night. Wait... Don't tell me... If he's screwing his girlfriend in that damn cave while I'm playing babysitter for eighty people, I'm gonna murder someone for real.
"Oh, I guess that makes sense... but I don't know where else she could be. Let's wait for a few more minutes before we send someone to look for her. I'm sure she's close by."
I rounded up my cutesy answer with a light, charming and refreshing giggle.
"Mhh, 'kay. Guess you're right."
Karuizawa strolled back to her friends, which prompted a sigh of relief. Since I got rid of the most recent nuisance that kept me from visiting the restroom, I was fucking ecstatic. This euphoric feeling lasted only a second, as it was soon snuffed out by yet another annoying fly that began buzzing around me.
"Kushida-san! There you are. You need to help me! Please!"
The Sudog prayed, kowtowing in the dirt.
Hah, lick my shoes and I might.
"What can I do for you, Sudou-kun?"
I folded my fingers and threw him a pleasant smile before helping him up from the ground. His whole complexion regained the previously lost color as he scanned our surroundings for anyone that might overhear our exchange. He lowered his voice and pointed towards a rather desolate spot at the edge of the clearing, far away from our companions.
"Not here... come with me."
Despite my thoughts about beating him up for ruining my visit to the toilet, which I desperately needed, I followed him as he led us away from the crowd. Envisioning his demise was fun, as it calmed my wrath that had only risen the past three hours.
Because every fucking time I wanted to piss, someone needed me.
Was it too much to ask for five minutes of peace?!
"Okay... here's fine."
Sudou peered over the clearing one last time and took a deep breath.
He either wanted to confess to me, which I doubted because of Ike's disgusting existence, or he had maneuvered himself in such a predicament that he had trouble to find the right words for how much he had screwed up.
"So, you know how I was doing chores and stuff all day like a good classmate, right? Hirata told me to rest for a bit since my back kept hurting after our run-in with Yamada and that I should wake Ayanokouji when it's meal time. I was like, 'Yeah, sure', and slid into the tent to rest. I couldn't really sleep because of my back, so I went back out, performed a few exercises and helped with some small stuff around the base. Since it's getting dark now, I figured that it's almost time to eat, so I wanted to wake Ayanokouji..."
"It's great that you are doing so much for our class Sudou-kun, and I'm overjoyed that you are growing closer to everyone, but where is the problem with waking Kiyotaka? It's not like he would bite."
If push came to shove, he'd devour him whole.
"Yeah, I know that. HE won't. But Ayanokouji's not alone in the tent."
Karuizawa's words and the discussion with Matsushita resurfaced in my mind before I could even word the question that lingered on the tip of my tongue. My complexion turned ashen in bewilderment as I looked at this damn asshole, who put me into an impossible situation with widened eyes, as my previous joking statement seemed to have come to life.
"Wait... Matsushita-san?
Sudou nodded in tears.
"You gotta help me! She's scary!"
I'd love to strangle him with some vines and order him to leave me the fuck alone, because I was even more terrified than he was, but that was something I wouldn't get away with despite my cute looks. That stupid piece of shit didn't even know that he was afraid of the wrong person in that tent.
Kiyotaka won't get mad if I wake them, right?
Fuck, Sudou! I'm gonna punch the shit out of you someday.
"I'll take care of it, alright? Just go back to the others and never speak about this again."
"Thank you, Kushida-san! You're a lifesaver."
The dog took my hands and squeezed them between his own in thanks. He felt terrible about putting me into this position, which was the least he could do after throwing me in front of a fucking dragon. Sudou kept shaking my hands and assured me of his eternal gratitude multiple times before running off with his tail between his legs.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
This was everything my mind could produce as I walked towards my potential execution. The need to relieve myself had long since vanished and was replaced by unease, as yet another unpleasant thought popped into my mind.
Those two were decent and would have done nothing two lovers of the opposite gender shouldn't have been doing on a goddamn deserted island in a tent people wanted to sleep in tonight, right?!
No, calm down. Sudou would have freaked out even more if that had been the case.
Okay now, cautiously...
I zipped the tent open with utmost care and took a peek inside.
Kiyotaka, who wore a faint smile, lay sideways and slept peacefully. The devils muscular chest heaved up and down in a calm rhythm, which was strangely satisfying to look at. His girlfriend dozed behind him. One of her arms was slung around his waist, while the other grasped his jersey from behind, as if she was pulling him closer towards her.
"Oh, Sudou really brought you."
My feet moved on their own volition, stumbling backwards as I was nearing a heart attack. This sudden, involuntary movement escalated to such a degree that I shuffled into the tent's walls, caving the whole structure.
"Fuck! Don't scare me like that."
I took a deep, calming breath and recovered from this unfortunate situation before the tent came crashing down on us. Kiyotaka observed the whole scene with a unique teasing smirk, proving that his efforts in becoming more expressive had already paid off.
"Pretty bold to talk like this while we're not alone."
"Stop with the teasing! You wouldn't have said anything if she could hear me."
It was unusual, but I felt calm and safe despite his girlfriends presence. His existence gave me a peace of mind I had never felt before, which might have had something to do with the games he'd been playing with me.
"Who knows?" He shrugged, wearing his usual blank stare. "I'm glad he got you, though. He was cursing Hirata on his way out, but this situation is a lot more enjoyable. Wake her up and tell Sudou to get me in around five minutes."
His expression sent shivers down my spine, even though he neither looked grim nor angry. Knowing what this innocent-looking boy was capable of shook me to the very core every time I laid my eyes on him.
"Sure... but can we talk later? Just the two of us?"
"Is something troubling you?" My gaze wandered to Matsushita, who slept behind him. "Relax, her breathing is shallow and steady. She's asleep and won't wake up anytime soon without external help."
"It's about Kouenji."
He closed his eyes for a moment, almost if the mention of this name annoyed him. There was no reason for me to interpret emotions into his behavior, however, since they were almost impossible to decipher.
"We'll talk later. Get it done."
"...shita-san. Matsu... Matsushita-san?"
"Nghhhh."
Such a sound escaped my dry lips as I awoke from my deep slumber.
I rubbed my eyes, still pretty disoriented because I was woken up while I was fast asleep. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't remember when and where I had dozed off. The why, at least, was simple: I was exhausted.
The remainder of my weakened senses began to kick in as I took my first breath.
Kiyotaka's delicious scent traveled through my nostrils and straight into my brain, causing me to experience a slight state of arousal. This was what it would feel like after spending a night with him in one of our rooms. Waking up beside my handsome boyfriend, right next to his tempting odor, embracing his broad, muscular torso as my fingers...
My eyes shot open.
Without thinking about my current position for more than a second, I backed up from the warm, comfortable feeling I had been leaning against the whole time. The safety his back had granted me vanished in a snap, as my shocked gaze met the surprised look of the worried Kushida-san, who must have come in here to check on me.
My heart, which was still throbbing like a train engine, threatened to jump out of my chest as I glanced back down at my sleeping boyfriend and the deep imprint my frame had created behind him. The warmth my body produced amplified ten, no twenty-fold, until I felt like a boiling water tank.
A water tank with a leak, to be specific.
The moist sensation between my legs spread into my underwear ever so slightly as my nipples hardened further. My current impassioned state made my whole body flush in an even deeper crimson color. I covered my face and bent forward, praying that Kushida-san's presence was nothing but a bad dream.
How did I end up like this?!
I just wanted to take a quick peek!
"Um, Matsushita-san?"
"Please don't talk to me right now..."
Shame and embarrassment were the two most vocal emotions that resided in my turbulent mind, next to the stimulation I had felt before and after the initial shock at being found in bed with my boyfriend. I took deep breaths, trying to ease these feelings and urges that began growing inside of me. Each inhalation worsened my current complexion, as I picked up on my own arousal and the associated stimulating thoughts.
This arousing odor wasn't unfamiliar. Neither were the images that entered my mind, but it was the first time that such a situation occurred without me actively masturbating in order to orgasm. I was assured that I didn't touch myself either, because I wasn't wet enough for this to be probable.
Had I dreamed something weird?
"It's okay, Matsushita-san. No one except me saw you in here." Kushida-san's smooth, soothing voice danced around my ears as she rubbed my head. "Let's get you out of here before anyone looks for Kiyotaka."
I glanced at her bright, almost blinding smile and grasped her hand.
"You can't tell anyone! Absolutely! Please, Kushida-san! Promise me!"
"Of course. No one will ever know."
A sigh of relief eluded my lips as I realized that she didn't know about my current state.
"What time is it?"
"It's almost time for dinner. I heard Hirata-kun asking Sudou-kun to wake Kiyotaka before the food is served, so we should get out of here before he arrives." I lowered my head, embarrassed about the whole situation, but Kushida-san stopped me in my tracks. "It's normal that you want to be with your boyfriend, especially when you have so much going on. This could have happened to any other girl as well, so there is no need to feel uncomfortable."
Even though I hadn't voiced my thoughts, she knew exactly what troubled me. She realized that I felt awkward, and that this situation would have been even worse if Sudou-kun or one of the other guys had found me like this.
I would have died in shame.
"You are right. Thank you, Kushida-san. I owe you big time."
A heartfelt laugh escaped the beige-haired angel.
"You don't owe me anything, Matsushita-san. You are doing more than anyone else for our class, so please let me protect you this once. Let's leave before someone else arrives."
"Y-yeah. Let's do that."
Together with Kushida-san in tow, I sneaked out of the tent.
This was the first secret I would share with anyone, aside from Fumei and Kiyotaka. I wasn't someone who showed her cards, not even to people that were 'close' to me. Even now, I would have tried my best to hide this from her if she hadn't seen me.
Kiyotaka was the only one I could tell everything, as long as it didn't endanger him.
Kushida-san was one of the most trustworthy people in the entire school, so I was glad that she had found me. I could rest assured that nobody would ever hear about this mishap, since she always wanted the best for everyone.
During the short trip towards our joint campfire, I thought of things I had taken care of, in case someone asked me about my sudden absence. I checked in on Miyake-kun's progress in gathering moss and sat down with the others just as Sudou-kun and Kiyotaka ambled towards our meeting place.
"Hey Chiaki."
All I could do was squeal in a high-pitched tone before stuffing my mouth with berries in order to buy some time to think of words to say to him. He tilted his head, confused by my weird reaction, as I began to blush yet again. I averted my gaze, since I was in no condition to talk to him right now.
Kushida-san noticed my behavior and spoke to Kiyotaka in my stead.
I occupied myself by glancing over the meal our classmates had lain out and noticed that we had a much larger quantity of fish than yesterday. This wasn't solely Kouenji-kun's colossus of a catch, but also the smaller ones the fishing group had caught while we were visiting the other classes.
Previously, we had more rods from the hut than volunteers to fish, but this changed as we included the Class B students into our camp. We might have needed more food, but we also had more hands to acquire our nourishments.
Ichinose-san seemed somewhat absentminded the whole evening.
The only reason I could think of was her secret crush, who might have been part of our gathering. Seeing Kiyotaka and my relationship with him must have contributed to some longing thoughts of her own. Maybe she also wanted to feed and share fish with him. Maybe she also wished to be hugged in front of the fire.
Even though it was embarrassing, I truly loved him.
I felt my temperature rising and averted my eyes towards the three Class C students.
The giant's name seemed to be Yamada Albert. Contrary to his looks, he was a kind person, at least according to my classmates that had spoken to him. It was hard to communicate with Yamada-kun since he had trouble understanding Japanese, but he always answered the questions he understood and thanked us for the food and water.
We cleaned up after dinner and gathered around for roll-call.
Afterwards, I rounded up Hirata-kun and our visitors for a talk.
The fresh grass kept crunching beneath my feet as I followed Kiyotaka into the forest.
I didn't expect us to wander this far away from our camp, but he kept his course without stopping, even after ten, fifteen minutes. He reduced his speed whenever he noticed that I was getting slower and helped me down some dangerous-looking slopes when I struggled with traversing them.
Yet neither of us talked.
We were just one person leading and another one following. The two of us were neither close to each other, nor were we far apart. A certain, comfortable distance had gradually formed between our two bodies. I wouldn't have any trouble reaching out to him if I wanted to, and he was close enough to catch me in case I stumbled and fell.
Time passed until we reached the end of the forest area and arrived on the eastern beach, far in the distance. We left the towering, dense green foliage behind us, and gazed up towards the vast ocean of bright stars that glimmered atop of our heads.
A quiet, almost inaudible gasp left my quivering lips.
The waves surged over the beautiful dark blue sea as the water splashed against the shore, leaving its mark in the sand. High in the sky shone the moon, in a mysterious, yet mesmerizing light, unreachable for any human being on earth. For the last two days, I had neither the time nor energy to enjoy this breathtaking scenery for what it was.
Simply fascinating.
Is this the reason he brought me here?
I wasn't sure if this boy could have such romantic thoughts, but I liked to think that he had planned to show me this view. There was nothing wrong in wanting to believe that the person closest to you would move heaven and hell in order to spark happiness and joy in your fragile heart.
"What are we doing here?"
The sweet voice of my everyday persona traveled over the ocean.
"You don't need to keep your guard up around here. Wearing your mask the whole time, it's draining, isn't it? I brought you here so that you could let go of all your worries for a moment, while the two of us enjoyed this view together. The bright stars reflecting off the dark ocean... don't you think such a sight is quite beautiful?"
Kiyotaka slipped out of his shoes and placed them on the beach.
'Are you serious?'
Is what I wanted to return, but couldn't bring myself to.
I followed his example and took off my sneakers.
The sand beneath my feet was still warm, even though the sun had already ceased to leave its mark on this side of the world. I couldn't deny that this moment, this brief downtime the two of us could spend together, was important to me.
"It feels nice, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does... but what exactly are you planning?"
The devil sometimes mimed an angel, kind and caring, charming even, but his generosity came with a steep price. I knew this better than anyone, because I've seen both sides of the person known as Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. The circumstances on the island had changed, and he wanted to mitigate my unfavorable reactions towards something he would tell me.
And the worst part was that his method was working...
The brown-haired, golden-eyed boy heaved a sigh and lay flat on the beach, folding his fingers behind his head.
"Despite your thoughts, I know that you are doing your best, even if I don't always show it. Worry, unease and hesitance. All these emotions occupy your mind. They stress you out and make you unhappy. Right now, I want you to relax a little, to be yourself and release all those negative feelings you have trapped inside your heart. I will listen to your grievances as long as you need me and I will stay by your side, no matter what."
I raised my brow to these surprising, yet frightening accurate words.
"Here? Out in the open, where everyone could hear me?"
"You trust me, right?"
In a certain sense, I trusted him more than anyone else. But I could never answer this question with a wholehearted yes. Committing to someone I couldn't understand, someone who could have secrets from me, was impossible. Because I wouldn't be able to stop wondering about what might happen if he abandoned and discarded me.
"No." I took a deep breath and peeked at his calm, never-changing expression. "But also yes."
"I'm glad."
He shut his eyes, a soft smile on his lips.
"Why?"
His words confused me, since such an answer should have displeased him. The only reason that came to mind was the honesty about my feelings I met him with. Maybe he was glad that I answered him without hiding my sincere thoughts.
"Come on." He tapped the sand beside him, signaling that he wouldn't respond to my question. "Lie down and relax. Tell me what bothered you on the ship and about the people here. We still have time until I have to start my trip, so you can complain all you want."
I heeded his command and made myself comfortable on the sandy beach, right next to him. The warm sand and the cool ocean breeze that brought a whiff of fresh, salty air were reassuring and drove away my previous doubts.
"Alright... let's start with the first day of this fucking cruise ship, then. I mean, I was looking forward to this trip a shit ton, but do you have any sort of understanding about how fucking annoying my roommates are? They can't stop fucking bitching about..."
Similar strings of words left my mouth for what felt like hours.
Every single student, the teachers, the ship's crew, everyone managed to annoy me at least once in the past few days. Some of them were miniscule things, like one of my roommates snoring worse than a fucking train crash, while others were majorly pissing me off. I told him everything that I had been bottling up.
All while gazing at those beautiful stars above us.
The two of us were close. I wouldn't need to stretch very far if I wanted to touch him. His presence was pleasant, and he exuded an atmosphere that gave me safety, made me feel at ease, even. We had quite a terrible start, yet now I was so comfortable around him.
The scars he had carved into my flesh were still fresh, still oozing blood. There was no way that I could feel something akin to love for someone who did such terrible things to me. Both he and I were aware of this. We were not in love. We had something twisted, something much darker, more sinister.
It was really strange...
Kiyotaka had found me because I couldn't hold in my pent-up frustration that had reached its boiling point because of a certain someone. It had always felt wonderful to voice my resentments and misgivings in screams and shouts. I needed my voice to be loud, wanted to beat the shit out of anything that was in sight, because talking alone had never helped me.
So why..?
Why did it feel so wonderful to disclose my thoughts to him?
"Are you done already?"
Before I realized it, a calm, comfortable silence pervaded our surroundings. Without his words, I wouldn't have noticed that I had stopped complaining, ceased ranting about the bad habits of my classmates.
"Huh? Uh... y-yeah... I guess."
"I'm glad that you are feeling better now." He tilted his head and grinned at me for a moment before he gazed at the stars. "What happened with Kouenji today? You wanted to talk about him."
I recreated our conversation as faithful as possible since there might have been some clues hidden in his words. Even though I hadn't memorized everything, I was quite proud of my achievement in remembering so much of this guys nonsense.
"Apate, huh?" It almost sounded as if he was snickering, but that was impossible. "In Greek mythology, Apate is the embodiment of deceit. That's also why he mentioned that it was fitting for both you and Ibuki, as she is currently tricking everyone as Class C's spy. The same would be the case for Shiina and Yamada as well, though."
His voice was tranquil, but the words that left his mouth weren't assuring at all.
"Wait, back up a minute. You're telling me he knows? How? What are we going to do?"
I jumped up, whirling a bunch of sand around.
"Calm down Kikyou."
Nothing but a self-pitying laugh escaped my lips.
Of course, he said my name, knowing that it would appease me...
"Kouenji is not a threat. If he ever dares to become one, I'll handle him."
"How?!"
"Permanently."
His voice was arctic, so void of emotion that I couldn't swallow the saliva in my mouth. A bone-chilling, blood-freezing shiver traveled through my entire being as I glanced into those desolate golden orbs that no human could possess.
I took a breather and expelled the memories that began to surface from my mind.
"How long?"
"Ever since the first day, I assume. That's also when I became suspicious. Back on the bus."
A self-deprecating chuckle was all I could manage to produce after such an unexpected answer.
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Kouenji is a master at cold reading. Even if you hadn't shown a red flag back then, he would have known that you are hiding something by now. The good thing is that he doesn't know what you are suppressing. Due to my involvement, he thinks that it has something to do with me, which should reassure you, as he shouldn't know how twisted you are."
Cold Reading?
Didn't Inogashira's weird show have a main character that uses this as some sort of superpower?
"Isn't this all bullshit?"
"I can't speak for the source of your information, but cold reading is far from unreliable, as you must have discerned. He hadn't only figured out that you were untruthful, he also knew that the school was withholding information after analyzing Chabashira's body language and micro expressions during her introduction on the first day."
So it was safe to assume that he wanted to read me during our sudden conversation. He kept talking about my chores and how I wasn't able to relax because of them in order to lead my thoughts towards Kiyotaka and what he might have done to me. Kouenji knew that I was working for him, but he wasn't privy to the extent of our relationship.
Or had I already accidentally revealed something?
That bastard...
"Then isn't he dangerous?"
"Not at all." Kiyotaka shook his head and signaled me to lie back down. "First, Kouenji is still Kouenji. He doesn't care about what we are doing as long as it doesn't inconvenience him too much, and even that is up for debate, as you must have surmised due to his presence on the island."
What he said made sense, as Kouenji cared little about this school or anyone that wasn't him. I had been surprised that this monkey stayed on the island, but this new information explained his unusual behavior. Kiyotaka and he must have made some kind of deal behind everyone's back.
"Is he able to read you as well?"
If it's Kiyotaka, then I'm sure Kouenji's cold reading couldn't hold a candle.
"Yes."
Fuck...
"You don't need to worry about Kouenji, or anyone else you might be concerned about in the future. There is only one thing you need to remember, no matter what happens, so listen carefully."
I glanced at him with perked ears, as it was quite unusual for Kiyotaka to talk like this.
"I'm always in control. Even if it doesn't look like it, everything is proceeding according to plan."
Even though this claim was arrogant, preposterous and totally outrageous, I couldn't help but to cling onto those words, and view them as the truth. The Kiyotaka I knew was always multiple steps ahead of his enemies and had backup plans for backup plans in case the backup plans of his backup plans had failed.
Even when something unexpected happened, he adapted and seized control with little effort.
A prime example of this rule was the initial day of this exam, when he was contacted by the person Matsushita worked for. He adjusted his plans, using the person behind her as the mastermind as soon as he learned about their involvement. I wouldn't even be surprised if he had already narrowed them down.
He was always calm, always collected.
I'd love to see a crack in his composure just once...
With such a sinister thought in mind, I rolled over to my left. Since he was lying beside me, it took only a fraction of a second to mount him. He wore a completely unfazed expression, even though my face closed in on his own. His two golden orbs were focused on my eyes, despite the cleavage that had formed by my breasts pressing into his chest.
"What would you do if I wanted to kiss you right now?"
Even Kiyotaka shouldn't have expected such a move.
"Would you want to?"
His calm demeanor didn't change despite my best efforts.
Somehow, I felt angry, hurt in my pride as a beautiful woman. Every other guy would have killed for such a situation. They would have payed me to lie atop their chests, to hover over their lips, to look at them with a charming grin. Yet he didn't bat an eye. The devil didn't even answer my damn question, nor was he getting excited by my charms.
"That's not an answer to my question."
My voice turned cold.
I knew that this wouldn't intimidate him, since my change in expression hadn't helped me on the rooftop either, but I realized something after spending so much time with this courteous devil.
He admired those eyes.
"I'd probably tell you that I have a girlfriend and that you'd be a bad girl."
This answer was even more ridiculous than the first one.
Almost as if he dared me to kiss him.
"Heh? Then tell me, Kiyotaka... am I a bad girl?"
I flashed him a smirk and moved my face closer to his. Our noses touched a few moments later, and I angled my head to the side. My lips and his, the distance between them diminished rapidly.
"So both Shiina-san and Ibuki-san aren't allowed to retire before the exam concludes, or they will get beaten up by Ryuuen once they are back on the ship because they would have disregarded their punishment?"
"That's what it boils down to..."
Hirata-kun scratched his cheek.
A conversation between the three Class C visitors as well as Kushida-san and Hirata-kun took place, while Ichinose-san, Kanzaki-kun and I were looking for the base camps of the other two classes. Everyone, including Ryuuen himself, had already retired, according to Yamada-kun. He returned to persuade Shiina-san to come back to the ship, but the latter was intent on sitting out her punishment as requested.
"Okay, just to recap this: Ryuuen decided that he'd ignore this special exam in favor of a few relaxing days because all the spots had already been taken by us. Ibuki-san threw a tantrum and demanded that he takes this test seriously without messing around. Ryuuen then beat her up because of this defiant attitude and exiled her from their camp. Shiina-san couldn't take the violent behavior anymore and asked him to rethink his approach in leading the class, whereupon she was beaten and banished as well. Correct so far?"
"Yes, Matsushita-san."
"Tch."
"YES!"
Since both of his classmates agreed with my words, Yamada-kun seemed to be alright with what had been said, even if he understood nothing. He always communicated in English, so I wasn't sure if he was proficient enough in Japanese to interpret my words correctly.
"Yamada-kun came to get the two of you after everyone retired, because he thought that it would be hard for you girls to stay alone on the island. He hadn't known that you were residing with us and looked for you all over the island to make sure that you were safe, right?"
"Yes, Albert-san is really kind."
"Still don't understand why he's following that piece of shit."
"YES!"
If what they said was true, we couldn't send them back to the cruise, even if it would make things easier for us. In case I insisted on them leaving our camp, they would just stay somewhere else for the remainder of the exam, which would be a huge disadvantage. As long as they were here, we could at least monitor their movements.
The only thing I'd be doing if I isolated them was garnering bad attention.
Assuming that these three told the truth, one of them had to be the card holder. Yamada-kun was the last to arrive, so it was possible that Ryuuen changed the designated leader, just like we had planned, and told his classmate to bury the card somewhere. If he was ordered not to look at the back of the card where the name was engraved, then neither of them would know who the current leader was.
This was as strong as any defense could get.
How in the world were we supposed to figure this out?
And all of this would only be the case if there was no other Class C student perched in some thicket, waiting for his time. We couldn't just blindly guess either, since we would lose points for every wrong choice.
Argh, this sucks...
What would Fumei do in such a situation?
Would he give up?
Or would he somehow find a way?
"Well, we can't just leave you on this island to fend for your own. The three of you can stay, provided you earn your keep. Judging by yesterday, however, this shouldn't be a problem, as neither of you was slacking off."
"Yes, this won't be an issue at all, Matsushita-san. We are thankful that we can stay with you for the rest of this exam, even though we could be considered enemies. It's only natural that we would help, now that we are intruding on your hospitality."
Shiina-san performed a graceful bow, while Ibuki-san and Yamada-kun nodded.
Hirata-kun and I helped with stashing moss into the vinyl bags after our discussion with the Class C students. Aside from this, we took care of a few other tasks until it was almost time to sleep. I wandered over the clearing in search of Kiyotaka, but it seemed like he was already gone.
He was chatting with Kushida-san the last time I saw him, so I decided to ask her if she knew anything about his current whereabouts. As luck would have it, she finished up with Horikita-san and ambled over to her tent, where I intercepted her.
"Kushida-san? Do you know if Kiyotaka is already gone?"
"Oh... yeah. He said it was better to leave sooner since he could walk to the first spot, which would allow him to keep some more stamina for the rest of his trip. He wanted to talk to you, but left after he noticed that you were busy."
My heart bled a little, since he hadn't said goodbye, but I understood his reasons. Kiyotaka was considerate towards me, in case I was occupied with something important, but he didn't seem to have realized that he was the most important person in this camp. If he wanted to talk, I'd drop everyone and everything in a heartbeat.
"Mh, okay. Thank you. Good night, guys."
""Good night, Matsushita-san.""
Kushida-san, as well as the remaining girls in the tent, waved as I trudged back outside.
I hope he's doing alright.
Should I check if he forgot his flashlight?
No, he wouldn't... stop worrying so much Chiaki.
A coughing fit pulled me out of this downward spiral, for which I was quite thankful for. The perpetrator was none other than Horikita-san, who I had barely talked to in the past four months. Even though I wasn't convinced whether this was a good idea, I resolved myself to chat with her for a bit.
"How are you feeling, Horikita-san?"
The sick girl turned around upon picking up on my voice. Despite sitting right beside one of the fires, she seemed to freeze, as she had pulled the padded vinyl sheets deep into her face.
"I'm fine." Her answer was short and concise, as well as an obvious lie. "T-thank you for asking, though."
I shook my head.
"There's no need for you to thank me for something like that. Just tell someone if you are getting worse or feel you need a doctor. I'd much rather lose thirty points than endanger a classmate's health."
She choked again before a weak, quivering voice escaped her lips.
"I've already decided that I won't be burdening Class D this way. I'll remain here until the end, no matter what."
Since she was this fixated on staying on the island, I could only help to keep an eye on her when Kiyotaka wasn't around. Horikita-san didn't catch me as the person who would tell others if she was feeling worse, but maybe she would open up to him, since their relationship seemed to be quite good.
I deemed it unnecessary to talk to her any further, as nothing would come of it. She probably wanted to sleep anyway, so it was better to withdraw and leave her alone for now. Her fragile, sickly voice once again reverberated through my eardrums as I was about to say my farewells.
"Do you know where Ayanokouji-kun is?"
"He's already off on his tour. Should I let him know that you wanted to talk to him?"
She twisted back around, which left me unable to read anything from her expression.
"No need."
Total impenetrable darkness.
Those were the only words that could describe the night inside this island's forest. Not a single speck of light found its way towards me through the dense foliage that towered high above. The bright moon's shining silhouette wasn't intense enough to change anything this deep into the jungle.
The flashlight bumped around in my pocket as I jumped over a thicket filled with poisonous berries. I slid down a slope and climbed up a tree in order to overcome the difference in altitude on the other side of the small ravine. The way to Class C's camp was quite comfortable without the detours we had taken.
My eyes had long since grown accustomed to the darkness, so I wasn't worried about slipping or hurting myself. It was more important to stay beneath the radar and not to announce myself to anyone that might have hidden themselves around here.
Small waves clashed against the beach in a natural rhythm, which gave this place a comfortable, soothing feeling. The view was similar, yet different, to the one on the other shore where I spent time with Kikyou. I shook my head, dispelling the thoughts about what had transpired and began to scrutinize the surroundings.
There were multiple deep footprints in the soil, right next to the beach.
Chiaki hadn't noticed them hidden beneath all the grass and shrubbery, different to our two companions. Most of these prints were leading towards the ship, except for one pair that moved into the opposite direction. This wasn't surprising, since we had indeed welcomed yet another guest today.
But the size didn't match Yamada's shoes.
I removed these prints, which originated at the campsite until a certain point where they were barely visible and returned to the grill that Class C had hidden in the bushes. This was another false lead, one which only Ichinose had picked up on. Contrary to popular belief, she was incredibly observant if she wasn't blinded by her emotions.
Those fickle psychological states hindered her from achieving her true potential.
This was true for most people at this school, but Ichinose took the crown with ease.
She was swayed by her friendships, the naïve optimistic outlook into human nature and on this world that she had fostered even before she arrived at this school. No one here knew how vile and disgusting humans could be. There are, of course, the ones who went through their own patch of darkness like Karuizawa, but these pitiful remembrances didn't even scratch the surface on the monstrous actions by some people who called themselves 'human'.
I was comparable, yet contrasting, to these horrors.
Everything I had done and would do from this day onwards left only one conclusion. It emphasized one important fact that would remain unchanged for every potential future that awaited me and the students at this school.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was a horrible human being.
No — he was the worst of them all.
A deep yawn escaped my mouth as I rubbed my tired eyes.
The back pain from yesterday hadn't worsened, which assured me that Matsushita-san's strategy with the moss and vinyl bags had worked wonders, despite my previous doubts about cushioning our tents with dense green clumps of, well, moss.
I didn't even need to look around the tent to notice that I was one of the last boys to wake up, since I had so much space to sprawl my arms out as far as I wanted. It shouldn't have been this late or someone would have woken me up by now, but I still decided to get up.
With nothing else to do, I stood and made my way over to the entrance.
"Damn cold..."
A cool gust of wind immediately squeezed itself through the barely opened zipper and sent goosebumps over my entire body. The temperature wasn't that bad since we were still on a tropical island, but the cave's interior was rather chilly after sleeping in a tent with ten people for the whole night.
"Sudou! Get your lazy ass out of here! It's eight in five minutes."
The first words I heard at such a beautiful morning were none other than Ike's, which immediately soured the mood for the remainder of the day. If he hadn't been this useful during this exam, I would have put him in the worst headlock he had ever experienced.
"Yeah, yeah. Stop yelling, my ears are bleeding."
I stretched my tired limbs and performed a few light exercises to stay awake.
Chabashira-sensei, who seemed much less irritated than yesterday, called everyone over for roll-call. This exact situation repeated next to us with Hoshinomiya-sensei and the Class B students who had joined our camp. My gaze wandered over our classmates and stopped on Kouenji, whom I still distrusted after his stunt with the fish.
How the hell did he do that, anyway?!
After roaming past him, my eyes met Sakura's.
She gifted me with a cute smile and waved me good morning. Before I could repay this kindness, she spun away and turned towards Hasebe, who she had become much closer with since the incident with Yamada.
I kept repeating and recreating the fight between him and me multiple times, but couldn't find any way to win. It didn't matter whether I used my fists, legs or even tried to bite him, the result was always the same: I lost.
What kind of monster was this Ryuuen guy to beat someone like him?
I couldn't even imagine.
Ayanokouji leaned against a tree and yawned, still half asleep. He glanced at me for a moment and regarded me with a weak nod before Chabashira-sensei confirmed his presence. A second later, he turned around and dashed off towards the first spot on his morning trip.
Not only was his whole rhythm royally messed up, he couldn't even rest comfortably during the day. Lack of sleep, nutrition and the burden of carrying our points on his back would lead to even worse exhaustion and might contribute to him stopping his rounds altogether in a few days.
Neither of us would complain if he gave up.
He did more than anyone could have ever asked for.
Matsushita-san, Ichinose, Hirata and Kanzaki assembled near the cave area while we commoners ate breakfast with each other. The nuts we had brought yesterday cracked apart inside my mouth, before I swallowed these strange fruits and rinsed my mouth with water to get rid of the small pieces that stuck between my teeth. They were edible, according to Ike, but I didn't know what exactly they were.
He told us, but I forgot.
Either way, they tasted pretty good.
We kept chatting and laughing with the Class B students as we all mingled and had our fun during breakfast. The only girl that hadn't been included into these festivities was Horikita, who kept resting throughout the whole exam. She was lying down at her usual spot, buried inside a thick blanket we made from vinyl bags and moss.
Should I go over and talk to her?
I decided against this, as I would only get insulted, even though she should have been bored.
"Sudou-kun, could you gather some corn later? We've already used everything up."
Our leader walked over with a vinyl bag in hand.
Despite my best efforts to screw things up with her, she pulled me out of each mess I had slithered into. Both Kushida and Hirata had spoken out for me yesterday, after I had attacked Yamada. Matsushita-san wasn't mad, since I fought to protect our classmates, but she still told me to speak before throwing punches.
I was really glad that she didn't wake up in that tent...
"Sure, leave it to me."
She handed me the prepared bag, which I folded up.
They were supposed to be used for the toilets, but they had so many other purposes that it was almost weird that the school had given us an unlimited quantity of them. Collecting corn was a lot more comfortable due to the volume of these bags, since Ike's bowls were too small for even one or two corncobs.
"If you need help, you can ask Miyake-kun and Shibata-kun from Class B."
"No, thanks. I'd rather do this on my own."
She should have known that I didn't mix well with people, especially ones I didn't know. There was no need to scare off that poor Class B guy and whoever Miyake was. He was one of our classmates, of course, but I didn't know which one.
"You know that I'd feel reassured if everyone walks around in groups of at least two to three people, right? At least take someone with you." Matsushita-san glanced around before a mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Hey, Sakura-san? Could you come over for a moment?"
Huh, are you serious?!
Our timid classmate was so surprised by this sudden spotlight that her whole body shrunk. She shuddered for a second and trudged over with slow, uncertain steps, despite the scare she had to tolerate.
"H-hello, Sudou-kun, Matsushita-san."
"Would you mind accompanying this guy when he leaves to gather corn for us? If you go with him, I don't have to worry about him getting lost, so please keep an eye on this idiot, yeah?"
Hey... I'm still here, you know?
"Ehh? Y-yeah. I g-guess..."
"You don't need to force yourself."
Matsushita-san revealed a faint smile, which calmed Sakura's nerves.
"N-no! Ah, I... I mean um... if it's S-sudou-kun, then..."
I was unable to understand most of the words that fled her trembling lips as she got quieter with each word that passed through my eardrums. Our brown-haired savior didn't have the same problem and promptly paired us up before she strode off.
"W-well... I'll be in y-your care. S-sudou-kun."
"Uhh, yeah. Likewise."
Just like Sakura, I bowed before wondering why in the world I was offering her such a senseless performance. I asked myself why Ayanokouji and Kouenji could walk around alone, while the two of us fumbled around each other. The latter was self-explanatory, since no one wanted anything to do with him, but Ayanokouji was pretty popular with the girls.
Ohh, now I get it...
I hadn't been aware that Matsushita-san was the jealous type.
That explained a lot, actually...
Surprised by my sudden increase in logical reasoning, I took off with Sakura. We had been to the cornfield with Matsushita-san before, so it didn't take too long until we arrived at our destination.
That would have been the case if Sakura wasn't so damn slow, at least. Physically speaking, she was pathetic and began to struggle not long after we had left the camp. Her huge breasts kept heaving up and down as moist, laboured breaths escaped her mouth.
I pinched myself in a desperate measure to forget about these giant lumps of happiness.
God dammit Ken, what is wrong with you?
"Let's take a break for a moment. My stomach needs some time to digest the food, haha..."
Sakura nodded and slumped down against a tree in exhaustion.
It was better if she believed that I was at fault for this pause, because she would likely throw a small fit and complain that she didn't want to drag me down. She may even want to continue and would push herself until she collapsed, which I couldn't take responsibility for with a good conscience.
I sat down beside her, not too close to make her feel uncomfortable, but also not too far away to make it awkward. Unfortunately, the ensuing silence had botched my initial plan of not making things weird between us. We had talked a lot during the time after the incident, so there wasn't much I was still curious about.
"It's a shame that you couldn't bring your camera." I grabbed onto a lone branch and drew circles in the ground beside me. "I bet you would have enjoyed this trip a lot more if you could have taken pictures of everyone."
"Mmm..." She nodded and interlocked her arms in front of her legs. "I already saw some great spots I could have taken photos at. It's a shame that we are only allowed to buy a camera with points and weren't allowed to use our own."
"What? You can buy something like that as well? Damn, this school is horrible..."
I had only skimmed over the manual, so I had been unaware that even a camera could be bought, which was akin to forcing conflicts in various classes. If the person who enjoyed photography wasn't the shy Sakura, but a narcissist like Kouenji, the class would have started a war without a doubt.
"Well, it's alright. I can still take great pictures at school."
Sakura held both of her hands in such a manner that she was creating a frame around my face. She closed one of her eyes, mimicking a professional photographer, before we both blushed and turned away.
What the hell?
That was so cute!
"W-what about you, Sudou-kun? Do you miss basketball?"
"Yeah... it really sucks. I've played a bit on the ship's court, though. So there's that I guess. You also took a lot of pictures back on the cruiser, so I guess we have something in common."
She tilted her head to the side with a confused expression.
"There's a basketball court on the ship?"
"Yeah! I couldn't believe it myself at first. But I gave it my all, even outside the club!"
I slapped my chest, looking forward to the time back at school.
The summer tournament was the current goal I had set my sights on. If I did well in my first event with the basketball club, I might gain enough points to buy myself a passing grade once or twice, depending on the amount of points I was missing. Maybe I could even gain class points and everyone would apologize for badmouthing me.
"I guess there's..."
A few quiet words drifted off Sakura's lips and vanished into the deep forest.
"What did you say? Sorry, I couldn't hear."
"Ehhh wawawa..."
She spun around and burrowed her head in between her arms before shaking left and right. I was too mesmerized by two other objects that wobbled around and forgot the topic we had talked about before.
Curse you, Ike. You've tainted my thoughts!
I had to find another subject before my mind went to more forbidden places.
"How are you getting along with the others?"
"Talking with Matsushita-san is always nice, but she's so busy that we barely had time to chat ever since we docked on the island. Ayanokouji-kun is the same, since he either runs around or sleeps. I really hope that he isn't pushing himself too hard for the class. Hasebe-san is really considerate as well, and we are even going to exchange numbers once we are back on the ship." Sakura beamed at her knees with a faint crimson complexion. "The others are... they are kind... but I never know what I'm supposed to say. Even when they are relaxing and not talking about the exam, I feel out of place and constantly wonder whether I should say this, that or just stay quiet..."
The pink-haired girl scratched her head and stared into the forest.
Even though she seemed uncomfortable about holding eye contact for long, she tried to glance at whomever she was speaking to. This time, however, it was different. Instead of peering at me, she averted her gaze towards the ground and tried to escape any contact.
I punished her with a playful karate-chop to the head.
"Ouch, w-what was that f-for?"
"I've decided. Every time you are this insecure, I'm going to hit you like that."
"Ehhhh?! Y-you can't do that S-sudou-kun!"
She shielded her head while rocking her body back and forth. Her small hands turned into fists, which she swayed up and down beside her. Her complaints, even though adorable, fell on deaf ears.
"Watch me!"
Once again, I hit her head.
Sakura was insecure, but I wasn't smart. Even though I knew that her fearful behavior was a problem, I couldn't come up with a solution like Matsushita-san would. In the end, I was nothing more than an idiot.
So I'll help her the only way I know.
She was really attentive and compassionate, but no one had seen this yet. Even with those fake glasses she wore before, she was quite beautiful, but no one had noticed this yet. Her insecurities were quite charming and sometimes super annoying, but no one was aware of this yet.
I'd like to support her, at least for the time an idiot like me can spend with her.
Before she realized that she was too good to waste time with a brute like me.
I wanted to make her smile.
At least once more.
A loud sneeze echoed through our camp.
"Which one of you bastards is talking shit about me?!"
Ike-kun expected answers, whereupon the rest of our classmates began to snicker. The Class B students also took his words as a repeating joke and surveyed the surroundings for anyone that felt guilty of this crime.
"You paired up Sudou and Sakura, huh? Do you really think this is going to end well?"
My boyfriends charming voice traveled through my ears.
I spun around, delighted by his return and jumped straight into his athletic arms. He was surprised by this sudden attack, since I usually held back on such lovey-dovey actions in front of people, but I couldn't help myself. I took a sharp breath, savoring his sweet, somewhat sweaty scent.
"You're back!" I rubbed my face into his chest like a lonely, forgotten kitten and looked up into his tired, golden eyes before planting a loving kiss on his luscious lips. "About those two, I think they'll be fine. They like each other, so Sudou-kun wouldn't do anything weird. Sakura-san also feels comfortable around him."
"You are kidding, right?"
"Well, they are not at couple level of liking each other, but I believe that they will be good friends if Sakura-san manages to jump over her shadow. Sudou-kun kept looking out for her, ever since... that day, and I'm sure that she noticed that he is putting effort into being calmer to make her feel at ease."
"Wow. That's surprising."
A laugh slipped my lips as I caressed over his soft hair.
"You don't look surprised at all, you know?"
The faint smile on his face deepened before he leaned towards me. His warm breath tickled my earlobe while I tried my absolute hardest to not think of yesterday when I slept next to him.
"May I ask you something?"
"A-anything."
My eyes darted around, wishing that no one was looking towards us, as I felt my body temperature increase. The blush that extended from my head to the rest of my body increased in intensity as my thoughts began to run wild.
"Would it be unfair of me to ask you to spoil me a bit?"
There was no way that he really asked me to s-spoil him, right?
"W-what?"
Yes, I was going crazy.
Surely.
"I want you to spoil me..." He leaned into my neck and began to nibble on my skin without prior warning. "According to your silence throughout this exam, I assume that I will be poisoned in the upcoming days. I might develop a bad fever, my stomach might kill me and I might feel as miserable as Horikita. The least you could do is spoil me, don't you think?"
His calm, gentle tone and these cruel words ruptured my heart.
Despite knowing that I would have to endanger his health, he clung to me, the most dreadful girlfriend anyone could have ever had. He wanted to feel my warmth, experience my touch regardless of the cruel things I would do to him for something as trivial as class points.
I felt embarrassed and disgusted by myself for exposing him to such danger.
"Okay... but I... I'll spoil you a-afterwards. Promise..."
My gaze swayed around, surveying the surroundings while he was occupied with kissing me. We had done this before, but I didn't want anyone else to see Kiyotaka's adorable side. And I still hated being watched while... doing it.
God Chiaki!
That sounded so wrong!
Get a grip already and stop fantasizing!
This momentary excursion into dreamland didn't help my complexion, that neared a dangerous crimson. I leaned forward until our lips met again. He tasted so much sweeter than usual, but I didn't know why.
Maybe this addictive taste was part of my emotions and proof that my thoughts ran wild. Altering my perception to such a dangerous degree wouldn't be a weird side effect after my yearning for him grew.
Even though I wanted to keep our embrace short, I couldn't find the courage to separate my lips from his.
I was truly a horrible human being.