『』『』『』『』『』
After convincing Ryuen to cooperate, Kumagawa remained seated, casually flipping through the pages of his manga. Ryuen had left a little while ago, looking oddly satisfied. Given the nature of this exam, it was no surprise to see him satisfied.
It was already six in the evening. The sun outside was starting to paint the café with a dim orange light. Kumagawa wasn't in a rush. He was still waiting for someone.
Eventually, that someone arrived.
"Yo, sorry to keep you waiting. Am I late?"
It was Hashimoto from Class A. He had on his usual school uniform, though it was loose and a bit messy.
He greeted Kumagawa with his usual overconfident smile, walking up like they were old friends.
『Seeing you even bother to show up, I'd say you're not late. Usually, most people just say yes to shut me up, then never come. Not that I blame them. I've gotten used to being the kind of guy people agree with just so they can walk away quicker. 』
Right off the bat, the conversation was lopsided. The tone didn't match. The vibe was off. But Hashimoto, who was used to hanging around someone like Sakayanagi, wasn't so easily thrown off by uncomfortable people.
He laughed like it was actually funny.
"Ha ha ha, don't be like that, you're not that bad of a person. You're sharp, and you've got guts. Most people wouldn't have the nerve to pull half the stuff you do. Honestly, I kinda respect that."
『... 』
Kumagawa just gave him a vague smile. as if the words went in one ear and out the other.
Seeing his lack of reaction, Hashimoto scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and sat down across from him.
Looking at Kumagawa right now, it didn't seem like he was particularly interested in the individual named Hashimoto. And it seemed Hashimoto realized that too. He didn't know what he did to earn that kind of cold indifference, but it didn't sit right with him. Being ignored like this—it almost felt like he was being looked down on.
It wasn't the same as dealing with Sakayanagi. She might've been twisted, but at least she treated him like someone worth keeping around. Kumagawa, on the other hand, didn't even bother to hide his disinterest.
Still, if the infamous Kumagawa went out of his way to call him here, then there had to be something he wanted.
"Well, you called me here, didn't you? What's up?"
『Good question! For a half-hearted person who lives his life half-heartedly, you know how to ask an important question. 』
"...."
He sure was cheerful.
It seemed that this impertinent person in front of him had finally taken an interest in his questioning. Of course, Hashimoto wasn't exactly thrilled about it—but he went along with it anyway.
『You see, I wanted to talk to you because you're the kind of guy who knows how to sniff out opportunities. In other words, a self-serving individual. 』
Kumagawa started off with no hesitation, saying it so casually you'd think he was complimenting him. But the words themselves were blunt, maybe even insulting, basically calling Hashimoto the kind of guy who'd switch sides the moment it benefits him.
The kind of person who watches from the sidelines, chooses the winning team, and calls it loyalty after the fact.
It wouldn't be strange if Hashimoto got offended by that. But instead—
"Haha, you've got a way with words, don't you?"
Hashimoto gave a relaxed laugh, sounding as carefree as ever.
"Don't get the wrong idea though. I'm doing this for Class A. Always have. Just 'cause I stay low and play it safe doesn't mean I've forgotten where I stand."
『Ah, right. Like Zhuge Liang hiding in a thatched hut, waiting for the wind to blow his way. Except, you're just waiting for someone else to win so you can smile at the end. 』
It was a brutal way to put it, but Kumagawa said it with a cheerful grin, like he was genuinely praising him.
Even if he was being looked down on, Hashimoto didn't deny it. It's not like it was a secret. Anyone with half a brain could see what kind of role he played. But people don't usually come out and say it like that.
There's an unspoken rule to keep things polite, at least on the surface. Only someone with zero regard for that kind of social code would throw it out so bluntly.
Hashimoto let out a small sigh, then gave a half-hearted smile.
"Man, you really know how to talk. You make me sound like some small-time schemer."
『Aren't you? Isn't that why you sided with Sakayanagi-chan instead of Katsuragi-kun?』
"...Well, you're not wrong, I guess. Call it being adaptable. I just make sure I don't sink with a losing ship, that's all."
He said it casually, as if he'd long made peace with how people might see him. Still, he added a follow-up, as if to put up at least a thin wall of integrity.
"Still... it's not like I'd sell out my class for pocket change or anything. I do have some standards."
Unless of course it benefited him—that was a different story entirely. He wasn't naive enough to deny it.
Then, with a raised brow, Hashimoto flipped the question back.
"But if you're saying it like that, are you not the kind of guy that would betray his class?" It wasn't even an accusation, just curiosity.
Kumagawa responded with an offhand shrug.
『Well, if I'm saying that much, then I'm even more of a deep-sea fish that belongs even less in a water tank like this. To the point where I wouldn't even mind if I were expelled. 』
Hashimoto stared at him, lips slightly parted.
What the hell is with this guy?
What he meant was straightforward. He didn't care about the class system. Whether it was Class 1-D or any other class, it made no difference to him. Staying or getting expelled wasn't something he gave much thought to.
He was a defective product in the truest sense.
He was the total opposite of people like Sakayanagi.
Trying to compose himself, Hashimoto took a deep breath and returned to the original topic.
"...So? What's the deal then? You didn't call me all the way out here just to psychoanalyze me, did you? And hey, mind putting that away? Where are your manners, man?" he said with a light chuckle, gesturing toward the manga still open in Kumagawa's hands
『Right, right. I do tend to get sidetracked when I'm having fun. 』
Kumagawa leaned back in his seat and casually closed the manga. He placed it on the table with a small thud, like it didn't matter much either way.
『Let me put it simply, then. I want to make a deal with class A. 』
"A deal?"
Hashimoto was caught a little off guard, but he quickly pulled himself together. He'd half-expected the conversation might head in this direction, so it wasn't entirely out of the blue.
『That's right. It's a deal that will definetily benefited you in the long run. 』
"So...are you saying to betray my class?"
『You make it sound so bad. I prefer the term 'mutual cooperation' with optional perks. 』
"...And what exactly do I get out of this 'cooperation'?"
Kumagawa threw his hands up in mock frustration.
『Hey, hey, what's wrong with everybody around me? Why can't anyone just put blind faith in me and trust me for once? Aren't you Sakayanagi's loyal subordinate and classmate? Just agree with my proposal and get to work already. 』
"Well, even if you say so..." Hashimoto scratched his cheek. "It was the princess herself who said not to trust you."
Of all people in the school, Kumagawa was probably the worst person to bring up the word "trust." The guy practically wore "untrustworthy" like a badge of honor.
Still, it was a little strange. Sakayanagi didn't usually bother warning others about people. She preferred using them or toyed with them not advising caution. Yet with Kumagawa, she specifically told him to keep his distance. She even said to trust Ryuen over Kumagawa if it came down to it.
And Hashimoto didn't fully get it.
Sure, Kumagawa was shady, his reputation was all over the place, and his vibe was off. But compared to someone like Ryuen—who ruled his class with violence and had near-complete influence over them, wasn't he the one they should be more wary of?
『Why is that? 』Kumagawa asked casually, like he was genuinely curious.
"Why, you ask... well, it's because you're untrustworthy?"
That was all Hashimoto could come up with.
『No, isn't that a little weird? I mean, if you really think about it, I'm the obvious choice not to trust, right? Sketchy attitude, no clear loyalties, unpredictable behavior, a professional liar—so warning you not to trust me is the most redundant thing a person could do, and I don't understand why it's treated like some sort of critical advice. So? Why is it? Why is it a warning? If you don't specify the reason why it matters to say something so obvious, then unfortunately I won't be able to understand such a meaningless gesture. 』
"..."
Hashimoto was silent.
He didn't even know where to start.
"...You say you want a deal, but this is turning into something else entirely."
That was all Hashimoto could come up with in the moment. Rather than trying to untangle a with logic that twisted in on itself, he just pushed the conversation back on track.
『Let's keep it simple, then. 』
Thankfully, Kumagawa didn't push the issue any further. If he had, Hashimoto honestly might've just stood up and left. There was only so much nonsense a person could take in one sitting.
『Let's attack and destroy Katsuragi-kun's reputation and influence over Class A students, and let Sakayanagi-chan lead Class A for the next three years. 』
Kumagawa said it with a cheerful smile, far too cheerful for someone casually suggesting character assassination.
"...You're picking a fight with Katsuragi now?"
『No way, no way, something like that's impossible. How could a friendless person like me have the guts to hate someone? That would go completely against my motto—"Friendship, Effort, and Victory."』
"Isn't that a Shounen Jump slogan?"
『Yeah, and that's how I navigate through life. Without it, I'd probably ruin someone's love life, career, and mental stability just because I was bored. So really, you should be grateful Shounen Jump exists. 』
"..."
Hashimoto felt a headache slowly blooming behind his eyes.
He had assumed the rumors about Kumagawa were exaggerated—people love to turn odd students into school legends. But now, sitting face-to-face like this, he was starting to believe that maybe the rumors didn't go far enough. The guy really was something else.
Still, he couldn't just nod along to something this out of pocket.
"...Why Katsuragi? What do you get from attacking him?" he asked, finally steering the conversation back with effort.
『To be honest, I was reading old issues of Weekly Shonen Jump when suddenly, for no reason at all, I got this sudden urge to ruin someone's reputation. And I thought that if I want to do it right, I should start with the elites. So, I thought, why not Katsuragi-kun? He's from Class A, he's got a good brain, he's disciplined, and I figured it'd be a good deed. 』
What a pretty lackluster reason—it almost sounded like he made it up on the spot. Of course, Hashimoto didn't fully believe a word of it. What surprised him more was how effortlessly he said it, like lying came as naturally to him as breathing.
But there was something strange in that sentence.
A good deed?
"What do you mean, 'good deed'?" Hashimoto asked.
It was, in fact, not a good deed by any reasonable standard.
If character assassination counted as a good deed, then the entire world's definition of justice was on life support. It wasn't even a moral gray zone—Kumagawa had straight up described sabotage with a smile on his face.
『Isn't helping a disabled person supposed to be a good deed? Or did the definition of goodness change while I wasn't paying attention?』
"....."
Hashimoto felt another headache coming on—or maybe it was just his conscience acting up.
The way he casually strung together "character assassination" and "helping the disabled" into the same moral category was nothing short of catastrophic.
How do you even respond to something like that?
Kumagawa spoke as if dragging someone's reputation through the mud was an act of charity. As if tearing down someone who stood tall, like Katsuragi, was equivalent to lifting someone up.
Hashimoto knew her well enough to understand that she rarely displayed her anger in a direct way. She was the type to tuck it behind a polite smile or smug expression, but hearing something like that—even she might've found it hard to keep her usual expresssion from cracking.
"Man... You're really lucky the princess isn't here. Even she might've snapped hearing that one."
He wasn't joking either. There were certain lines that even someone like Sakayanagi wouldn't let slide.
『Eh? That's no good. I don't want to upset the princess. I was just trying to spread a little love and equality.』
"By tearing someone down?"
『Well, someone has to get hurt for others to smile, right? Isn't that how this place works?』
Hashimoto didn't have a comeback for that. As messed up as it sounded, it wasn't wrong. In this school, every gain came at the cost of someone else's loss. It was a place where stepping over others was just another strategy.
『So? What's your answer to my generous offer of mutual cooperation?』
"I'm not saying no. But I can't just jump in without thinking either."
『Ah, useless as expected. 』 Kumagawa stood up with a casual stretch and a smile that didn't match the insult that had just left his mouth. 『Well, thanks for wasting my time. I had fun. This conversation will be a treasured memory I'll discard later.』
He turned to leave, waving his hand in a cheery yet oddly uncomfortable way.
"Wait—! That's not what I meant." Hashimoto called out, voice firmer this time.
『Oh? Then what did you mean?』
Hashimoto silent for a second, he was ruminating about something, before he slowly spoke.
"It's not about whether I want to or not," Hashimoto continued. "I'm not the one who decides these things."
『... 』
Hashimoto sighed, scratched his cheek, then turned around.
"Give me a minute."
Without explaining further, he started walking off, leaving Kumagawa behind for now.
A few minutes later, Hashimoto came back and sat down again, this time a little more composed.
He placed his phone on the table, the screen lit up, and the front camera pointed directly at Kumagawa.
"Good evening, Kumagawa-kun. I hear you've taken quite the interest in Class A lately."
Sakayanagi's face appeared on the screen, she sat with perfect posture in what looked like her private room.
『Hello, Sakayanagi-chan. Your voice sounds as elegant as ever. 』
"What's with that? Kumagawa-kun, are you actually taking an interest in me?"
『What are you saying? Whether they're in my year, the year below, or even a teacher—I take interest in most girls. 』
Kumagawa said it in a rather proud tone, like he was trying to make himself sound cool. But instead of sounding cool, he just ended up sounding like a complete and total pervert.
Sakayanagi had expected that kind of response from him, so she wasn't the least bit bothered.
It was just small talk, nothing more.
"Fufufu, how very like you," she replied with her usual composed smile. "I've already heard the gist of things from Hashimoto-kun. This proposal of yours 'mutual cooperation,' was it? I must say, it's quite intriguing."
Sakayanagi wasted no time on pleasantries. She was already cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
Hashimoto sat silently, letting the two of them talk. After all, he was just the middleman now.
『Right, right? 』
Kumagawa gave a lazy thumbs-up to the camera like he was proud of himself. His expression was relaxed, but his eyes were a little too sharp for someone who claimed to be carefree.
『So, what do you think? Let's tear down Katsuragi-kun's reputation and help you run Class A without all that dead weight. Sounds good doesn't it? 』
"Hmm... I don't recall asking for help, though. You must think quite highly of yourself to assume I'd need assistance dealing with someone like Katsuragi."
『Huh? What are you saying? Who said I would help you deal with katsuragi-kun? I think you have it backwards. It was you who need my help in dealing with him 』
Sakayanagi's eyebrow twitched at that, but Kumagawa continued regardless.
『Weren't you the one who failed to get me expelled, ven when you and Ryuen-chan had the advantage? Well, I suppose it wasn't entirely your fault. But still, for someone who couldn't even pull off something that basic... you're hardly in a position to act so high and mighty. 』
It was incredible how Kumagawa managed to insult Sakayanagi without even changing the tone of his voice or his expression. He said it with the same casual, empty cheer he always wore.
If it were said like that, wrapped in Kumagawa's natural unpleasantness, even a saint would probably feel irritated by the remark.
"...You should watch your mouth, Kumagawa-kun."
For once, Sakayanagi dropped the smile. Her usual smugness and condescending tone vanished without a trace.
Hashimoto felt the tension creeping up his neck. Sitting between the two of them like this felt more unpleasant than he expected.
"Forgive me for the foul language, but I suppose even someone like you should understand the meaning of manners. I'd rather not waste time entertaining vulgar nonsense from someone who can't keep a leash on his tongue."
And then, she smiled again.
"But, since I've already entertained this much, go on. Tell me more. How exactly do you plan to deal with Katsuragi-kun?"
Sakayanagi was clearly displeased, judging by the tone of her voice.
『Huhuhu. I really am not suited for this, am I? 』
"???"
『Well, since we've already come this far, let's not waste any more time. As they say, time is pain. 』
"Don't you mean 'time is money?'"
Hashimoto tried to straighten out the metaphor, assuming Kumagawa had just misspoken.
『.....? Money is also pain, right? Without money, your life is a pain. So pain equals money.』
"Ah..."
That strange logic came out effortlessly.
It was almost impressive how he could string nonsense together in a way that sounded just reasonable enough—until you actually thought about it.
『Anyway, what I'm offering is information regarding the exam. 』
"Exam?"
Sakayanagi's voice came through the phone, she was clearly intrigued.
Given her circumstances, with her physical condition preventing her from taking part in either of the two ongoing special exams, Sakayanagi had been left behind at school. That meant she didn't have a complete grasp of the situation, Hashimoto or Masumi must've given her the general outline, but secondhand reports could only offer so much.
It also meant she had less influence over what was happening right now.
With most of Class A busy with the exam, she couldn't give detailed instructions or adjust to changes as they happened, and her ability to steer its direction was limited.
『Yup. I'll give you some useful information. And in return, you give me something too. Fair enough, right, Hashimoto-kun? 』
Hashimoto blinked, a little thrown off by the sudden question.
"Huh? Me?"
He looked puzzled, naturally so. The negotiation was clearly between Kumagawa and Sakayanagi. Why was he being dragged into it now?
"Um... Even if you ask me, I wouldn't know. My job's just to be the middleman between you and the princess," Hashimoto said carefully, keeping his tone neutral.
"Fufu, Hashimoto-kun's just being modest. He may call himself a middleman, but I do place a certain level of trust in his judgment. If you're trying to get my attention, Kumagawa-kun, I suggest you be a little more direct."
『Asking a whimsical contrarian like me to be direct? That's just cruel. What if my spine shatters from being too straightforward? If that happens, I'm definitely blaming you.』
"Then at least give me something concrete, Kumagawa-kun."
『Alright then, just a little preview. Did you know that the 'VIP' is not randomly picked, and was carefully picked out by the school? 』
"....."
Sakayanagi didn't answer right away. That silence was telling.
Hashimoto was also silence.
Naturally, Sakayanagi had no way of knowing this information—after all, she hadn't participated in the exam. While she spent her time leisurely at school, the crucial hints had been delivered through messages sent only to the first-year students who participate in the test. There was simply no way for her to have seen those clues.
But, if you really thought about it, the pattern wasn't all that difficult to figure out, especially if the class had worked together from the start. The school hadn't used a particularly complex method. Even with just three VIPs, it would've been possible to piece together the puzzle and arrive at the correct conclusion.
"...What do you mean by that?" Hashimoto asked.
『You remember the messages sent by the school, right? The one we got on the first day of the exam, whether or not we're the VIP or not. 』
"Sent by the school?"
Kumagawa nodded lightly and, without waiting, began to recite a part of it.
『 'After careful consideration...' That's how it starts. Don't you think it's strange? Why would the school use such a vague phrase? You know about it, right, Sakayanagi-chan? Since you're the school director's daughter... or was it granddaughter?』
Sakayanagi didn't answer immediately.
Of course, she understood what he was getting at.
This wasn't an ordinary school, and they wouldn't throw around vague phrases like that without intent. Being the director's daughter didn't mean she was given insight into every detail of the exams. In fact, she was more or less treated like every other student in that regard. But she understood the kind of school this was, and she knew that even something as small as a choice of words could carry meaning.
"I see... So you're suggesting that the school is using some kind of pattern to determine the VIPs for each group?"
She gave her interpretation, and Kumagawa responded immediately.
『That's right. The school is using a pretty simple and boring method to determine the VIPs. So simple that even someone like Yahiko-kun could figure it. Honestly, if someone like him could figure it out, then I bet someone as smart as Sakayanagi-chan would've gotten it instantly—if you were actually taking the exam, that is. 』
"My, my. That's quite the claim. But if it's as simple as you say, I find it hard to believe no one else has noticed it yet."
『Ah, that's fair. But let me put it this way—if I say "even someone like Yahiko-kun" could figure it out, that doesn't really mean much. So how about this? 』
He paused with a grin.
『The method is so simple... even I could've figured it out. 』
Sakayanagi blinked. Then laughed again.
"Fufuf, now that is simple...Still, no one's brought it up. If it really is that easy, why hasn't anyone else noticed?"
Kumagawa tilted his head slightly, tapping his finger against the table. For a moment, it looked like he was thinking seriously, though knowing him, it was just as likely he was pretending.
After a short pause, he started speaking again.
『Do you happen to know about a theory in social psychology known as "Social Identity Theory"? 』
"I've heard of it. More or less." Sakayanagi gave a light nod from the other side of the screen.
"...No clue what that is," Hashimoto admitted, scratching the side of his head.
『Well, of course you wouldn't. There's no way someone like Hashimoto-kun would know. Ahaha.』
"...."
Hashimoto didn't even respond, he just didn't feel like getting involved.
『Don't worry, this twisted and unpleasant Kumagawa Misogi will explain it to you. I'll show off how surprisingly educated I am. Feel free to quote me in your math class. 』
Then, without pausing, he smoothly continued his explanation.
『As for Social Identity Theory, it's a concept that suggests people tend to adopt the mindset, behavior, and values of the group they're placed in and often limiting their ability to think beyond that identity. 』
"What does that have to do with the exam?" Hashimoto asked.
Although he considered himself a little bit above average in terms of intelligence, the sudden shift in topic made it difficult to keep up and Kumagawa's mind didn't exactly follow a straight line. Still, Hashimoto hated being out of the loop even more than he disliked dealing with weirdos. So, despite the looming possibility of being insulted, he chose to ask.
『What does that have to do with groups, you ask? Hmm... Hashimoto-kun, do you remember the teacher's explanation about the rules of this exam?』
"More or less. Chabashira-sensei is pretty direct, so remembering the gist of it wasn't too hard."
Hashimoto nodded, though his answer was a bit vague. He hadn't memorized everything word for word, but he remembered the key points well enough.
『Well, Sae-chan-sensei might come off as a cold woman, but I suppose that's part of her appeal. In any case, most of the teachers probably said something similar, right? I imagine they all follow the same school-approved script, so it would've gone something like this— 』
At that point, Kumagawa changed his tone of voice.
Perhaps he was trying to do an imitation
『 "From this point on, you are no longer acting as members of Class X, but rather as members of the X group. Whether you pass or fail this test depends on each group~."』
"....."
Kumagawa changed the tone of his voice to resemble Hoshinomiya-sensei. He tried to perfectly mimic her tone and manner of speaking. but the result was both disturbing and unpleasant to witness.
"Is that true, Hashimoto-kun?" Sakayanagi asked through the phone.
"...Yeah, more or less. Though Chabashira-sensei didn't say it exactly like that, but yeah, the meaning was the same."
『If we apply this in a test like this, where students were split into groups and told to act as a group, not a class, most people naturally stopped looking beyond their own small circle. They started believing that everything, even the solution, had to come from within. Just like evolution on an island pushes creatures to shrink to survive, group dynamics shrink your thinking. You cut off outside input. You stop questioning the bigger picture. 』
He gestured vaguely with his hand, as if drawing invisible lines between ideas no one else had thought to connect.
Sakayanagi more or less understood what he was getting at. The fact that he explained it so well with that clear analogy made it all the more bizarre—it didn't seem like something someone like him should've been capable of.
『Didn't they say this test focuses on "thinking"? But since the school kept stressing that it's a group exam, most students naturally left something as exhausting as "individual thinking" to someone else, it kind of leads to that mindset, doesn't it? It's like when someone volunteers to be the class leader, and everyone else just quietly tries to keep them from doing anything too stupid. You stop thinking for yourself, and just follow along. 』
"...So you're saying the school took advantage of that mindset to hide a very simple pattern in plain sight," Sakayanagi muttered, half to herself.
He gave her proud smile.
『Oho, what an astounding and reasonable and outstanding assessment you just showed, Sakayanagi-chan. Truly brilliant, as expected of the director's daughter... but yeah, you're more or less correct. 』
His tone was mocking, yet oddly sincere in its own way.
『In the end, they made you think this was a test of teamwork, so everyone stopped thinking like an individual. That's how the school hid a simple pattern behind a big, fancy-sounding rule set. 』
Sakayanagi quietly reflected on his words.
It wasn't that the explanation was complicated. In fact, it was the opposite. She could see how plausible it was. As long as the students never looked outside their group, the pattern would remain hidden.
They were using what you could call the transparency paradox—hiding something not by making it hard to find, but by making it too easy to notice. They gave you the truth from the start. They said: "You're a group now. Work as one." And everyone just accepted that the answer had to come from within.
That was also likely the reason why the school explained the rules to each class separately, even though students from different classes were placed in the same group. They weren't just being efficient. They wanted to make sure each class started with a slightly different tone, a slightly different mood.
A different "beginning" to reinforce the idea of separation.
From the moment the test started, everyone was already boxed in.
"Fufu... I see. So even if the clues were there, no one would piece them together unless they looked at the bigger picture...."
But still, that didn't answer her question.
"I must say, Kumagawa-kun, your explanation has been full of surprisingly fitting analogies. It almost sounded believable, but you've yet to actually explain what method the school used to determine the VIPs." Sakayanagi said with a teasing tone.
『Hmm.... 』
Kumagawa gave Sakayanagi a pensive look, like someone being asked to repeat the obvious. He tilted his head slightly, as if trying to figure out whether it was worth the effort to explain something he thought she should've figured out on her own.
Sakayanagi noticed.
She let out a small sigh, her voice still composed but clear in intent.
"My, I don't appreciate that kind of gaze, Kumagawa-kun. It's unpleasant. If you have something to say, say it properly. I'd rather not be stared at like that."
Sakayanagi didn't mince words. She was perfectly straightforward with Kumagawa, delivering her thoughts with the graceful elegance she always carried herself with.
Hashimoto, still beside him, blinked and looked toward the phone. He hadn't expected Sakayanagi to sound that irritated. But maybe it wasn't surprising. Their personalities were just too different to get along.
『Well, all right... I have a pathological distaste for explaining things correctly to the ignorant... I feverishly hate it. It goes against my very nature. But, well, if it's Sakayanagi-chan, I guess I can make an exception. Just this once. 』
With that, Kumagawa shifted in his seat, trying to find a more relaxed position. He adjusted his posture again and again, as if searching for the one perfect way to sit.
He changed positions three times. Crossed his legs. Uncrossed them. Leaned back. Then forward again.
Naturally, Sakayanagi had the displeasure of watching the whole thing through the phone. She couldn't understand why it was taking so long—after all, it was just a plain wooden chair with a thin cushion on top. There was only so much comfort one could get from it.
Eventually, after what felt like an unnecessarily long time, Kumagawa finally stopped moving and let out a satisfied sigh. Then, as if nothing odd had happened, he casually began his explanation.
『So... the method the school used is simple. The VIP is placed based on Gojūon-jun arrangement. The student whose surname falls in the same order as the group's zodiac animal is VIP. 』
"...Huh? No way!? That's way too simple." Hashimoto's brows furrowed.
He couldn't hide his disbelief. It sounded like something Kumagawa just made up on the spot. He had expected a more elaborate trick—something hidden deeper in the rules, not something that could be summed up in a single sentence.
"How confident are you in that theory?"
Sakayanagi's voice came through the phone.
『Mm... probably. More or less. I used my brain, so there's a small chance it's right. But I'm also the kind of guy who's usually wrong about these things. 』
"...."
His answer was, to put it simply, worrying.
With how he always talked in circles and contradicted himself, it was hard to take anything Kumagawa Misogi said at face value.
"Can you at least give me the details? You've gone this far explaining the idea. I'm sure someone like you enjoys being misunderstood, but I also imagine you hate being seen as empty talk. Unless, of course, you're the type to back off when it matters."
She tried to press him for a clearer answer.
To put it simply, Kumagawa was untrustworthy in every sense of the word. Sakayanagi knew that. Her information about the exam was limited to what Hashimoto told her.
And with someone like Kumagawa, who lied as easily as he breathed, it was only natural that she wanted more than just vague hints and clever analogies.
She was expecting him to be swayed.
But unfortunately for her, Kumagawa was a Minus.
『Unfortunately for you, I'm the type to back off when it matters. I'm the kind of guy who'd stake a friend's life in Russian roulette just to win a coin toss. 』
He sounds oddly cheerful.
『But, did you know? Free things cost the most. You ask for something easy, but it's never really free. Still... since Sakayanagi-chan asked so nicely, I guess I have no choice but to comply, right? 』
"..."
Sakayanagi remained silent on the other end of the line.
She looked at Kumagawa, who stared back at her with that same amused smile on his face.
Eventually, she let out a quiet sigh.
"Well then, Kumagawa-kun. It seems I've crossed the line. Where are my manners? You said this was a mutual cooperation, didn't you? Then allow me to ask properly—what do you want in exchange for this information you just gave us?"
Sakayanagi wasn't naive.
She could recognize a threat, even when it was wrapped in jokes and nonsense.
Despite his laid-back tone, Kumagawa was clearly drawing a line. He wasn't offering charity. He was waiting for something in return.
『Oh, come on now. I'm not that greedy. On the contrary, I'm a rather generous person. That's why, what I've given you, and what you'll give me... will be fair. Just like in a gamble, where fairness and soundness are expected of dealers. 』
It was the first time that the words "fairness" and "soundness" sounded so dubious. Coming from Kumagawa, even a phrase that should sound sincere felt like a hidden trap.
Sakayanagi simply smile as she stared back at him through the screen. She was trying to mask her emotion in order to gauge how much of what he said could actually be taken seriously.
"Is that so? Then I'll trust in your sense of fairness... for now."
『Mmm, thank you for your kind understanding. You really are mature for your age, Sakayanagi-chan. 』
"Flattery doesn't suit you."
『Yeah, I know. I hate saying nice things. Makes my skin crawl. 』
He gave a lazy shrug, like none of this really mattered to him.
『Well, as for what I want... I'm aiming for a certain outcome in the Snake group. And to make that happen, I'll need your cooperation. Or rather, your subordinate—Hashimoto-kun. And Masumi-chan too, for that matter. 』
As he spoke, Kumagawa casually pointed toward Hashimoto, who had been silent through most of the conversation, quietly observing the back-and-forth like a bystander.
"...You're dragging me into this now?"
『Come on, don't look so surprised. You're the only one I can count on. Not because you're trustworthy, of course. Just because you're conveniently placed. 』
"Wow. That's comforting."
Sakayanagi let her gaze drift toward Hashimoto for a moment, then back to the screen.
"So? What exactly are you trying to achieve in the Snake group, Kumagawa-kun?"
Kumagawa casually pulled out his phone again. His thumb lazily tapped across the screen before he turned it toward the camera for Sakayanagi and Hashimoto to see.
"Hahaha, seriouly..." Hashimoto let out a nervous laugh as he read the text.
Sakayanagi, on the other hand, frowned as she took in the content of the message.
『As you can see, I'm the VIP of the Snake group. And the truth is... I'm a little broke. 』
What an obvious lie.
She had heard from Hashimoto about how Kumagawa managed to squeeze money out of Katsuragi-kun's faction after striking a deal with him during the island exam. Apparently, Katsuragi ended up getting swindled, and as a result, half of their points were handed over to Kumagawa.
Which meant, by all accounts, he should be sitting on a small fortune in private points right now.
『I'm also a very materialistic person, you know. I hate pain, and money prevents pain. So it's simple: no money equals pain, and money equals no pain. 』
"...."
Sakayanagi didn't reply immediately.
"...So that's your real goal."
She exhaled quietly through her nose.
This was... troublesome.
The fact that Kumagawa was the VIP posed a considerable problem on her end. By openly revealing his identity now, of all times, she could more or less understand what he was aiming for. And frankly, the manner in which he went about it was nothing short of distasteful.
『Don't make it sound like I'm some kind of bad guy. Try thinking in terms of good deeds, if someone benefits from it, isn't that enough to call it good? 』
"...."
From a profit standpoint, it wasn't actually a bad deal for Sakayanagi. With Hashimoto and Masumi both in the Snake group, achieving Outcome One would mean 500,000 private points each. That alone added up to one million points for her faction.
It was only unfortunate that Yahiko happened to be in the same group. If he weren't there, it could've been 1.5 million.
Yet, despite the potential gain, Kumagawa's so-called "offer" sounded like nothing more than a veiled threat from her perspective. The way Kumagawa tried to frame it like some twisted act of charity was something she found particularly distasteful.
『So? Are you going to accept the deal, or are you not not not not not going to? Don't act all haughty and just tell me. 』
"...I'm not fond of how you put it, Kumagawa-kun. But I understand the value behind the proposal. I suppose I should thank you for giving me such a fair deal—though your definition of fair is definitely wrong by all accounts."
She paused, giving a quick glance to Hashimoto, who looked vaguely uncomfortable throughout the exchange.
"In the end, you're asking me to make the member of class A to put your name after 9:30 PM on the last day so that you can achive outcome one. Whether it's for your benefit or mine, the result is still mutual gain... is that what you're saying?"
『Hmm.... If you put it like that, I guess that's more or less it. 』
"..."
What a lackluster answer for someone who went out of his way to set this up. Even now, he acted like the outcome didn't matter to him at all.
A long pause followed.
Then, finally, Sakayanagi's calm voice came through the phone.
"...Very well. I'll accept your little arrangement. You should feel honored, Kumagawa-kun—I'm being unusually generous today."
She made it sound like a gesture of goodwill, rather than a strategic decision.
Sakayanagi was a prideful person. She valued appearances and reputation, and she wouldn't take action unless she could do so with grace. Even now, she chose to frame her acceptance not as a concession, but as a favor—one she was bestowing from a place of superiority.
Kumagawa, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.
Pride was a concept he neither respected nor understood Or perhaps it was more accurate to say he had an unhealthy, twisted form of pride.
And the proof of that was in his response to Sakayanagi's words.
『...I'm used to my goodwill being trampled, so I'll let this slide for now. 』
Sakayanagi narrowed her eyes slightly, but didn't comment. It was hard to get a read on Kumagawa's intentions.
"Then, I'll leave the rest to Hashimoto-kun, make sure you don't cause unnecessary problems, Kumagawa-kun."
Sakayanagi ended the call without another word.
As the screen dimmed and the call ended, the faint smile on Kumagawa's face lingered.
Hashimoto, who had stayed silent for most of the exchange, finally let out a tired breath.
"Whew, I didn't expect to see the princess act like that."
『 "Act like that?" 』
"Hmm...How do I put it... It's like seeing a swan flinch when a rock hits the lake."
Hashimoto scratched the side of his head, trying to find the right words.
"She's usually so composed, you know? Elegant, smug, you name it. But for a second back there, she sounded... irritated. Just a little, like her tone dropped by half a note."
Even through the filter of a screen, Hashimoto could still catch the slight change in her tone whenever she talked to Kumagawa.
Kumagawa didn't seem particularly moved by the observation. If anything, he looked pleased.
『Well, I'm glad I could touch her heart. 』
"But still, is this really a cooperation?"
『Hmm? What do you mean by that Hashimoto-kun? 』
"I thought you said you wanted to drag Katsuragi down? But from what I heard earlier, it didn't sound like it at all."
It felt more like a simple exchange than a mutual cooperation. Kumagawa gave her information and Sakayanagi gave her support. There was no sense of teamwork or shared goal. Just a give-and-take.
『What are you talking about? Isn't "mutual cooperation" just two sides getting what they want? That's what I did. She got her information, and I got what I wanted. Sounds mutual to me. 』
"Um..."
It seemed like Kumagawa misunderstood the meaning of "mutual cooperation."
While it was technically true that both parties received something, the term usually implied more than a simple trade, and more on working toward the same goal, or at least helping each other reach their goals together.
In this case, there was no such thing.
『Besides, I don't really plan on dragging Katsuragi-kun down. That would be simply immoral of me. I did not not not not not not plan that at all. 』
"Then... are you lying about the part where you said you'd drag Katsuragi down?"
When Hashimoto asked that, Kumagawa stood up slowly from his seat. He reached over and picked up the open Shounen Jump magazine from the table, closing it with a soft thud.
By the way he moved, it was clear he had no intention of answering.
『Okay then, it's getting late, and frankly, I don't feel like wasting my precious evening with someone I barely know. Especially not a boy with a half-hearted way of life. 』
He paused, then glanced at Hashimoto with a faint smile.
『But I'll give you this—out of all the boring people I've met lately, you're probably the most interesting boring person. Congrats.』
With a hollow chuckle, Kumagawa turned away and made for the exit, waving the magazine lazily like a farewell flag.
Kumagawa laughed listlessly as he left the café.
"...Man, he's a real pain." Hashimoto muttered, watching him go.
『』『』『』『』『』
Kumagawa intended to have dinner before heading back to his room, but he stopped in his tracks when an announcement echoed through the ship's intercom system.
[The Horse group's exam is now over. Students in the Horse group no longer need to participate in the exam. Please be mindful of your actions and avoid disturbing the others.]
『As expected, he works fast. 』
Kumagawa glanced at the time on his phone.
It was almost 7 o'clock, and from the window, Kumagawa could see the sun starting to set. Dinner time was approaching, so he planned to head up to the second floor of the lower deck to look for a restaurant.
Right now, he was on the third floor of the lower deck, where most of the cafés were located. Unlike the ones on the upper deck, the cafés down here were usually less crowded and quieter.
『Well, no point wasting energy on an elevator if I'm just heading up. 』
The elevator was all the way at the far end of the corridor, you had to take a left, then a right just to get there, and Kumagawa wasn't really in the mood for that kind of detour.
The stairs, on the other hand, were just around the corner from the café. So, naturally, he went that way.
But just as he turned, something caught the corner of his eye.
A familiar figure was walking ahead, heading down the narrow passage that led toward the fourth floor, the basement level.
『Ayanokouji-kun? 』
He watched the back of the boy disappear down the stairs.
He recalled that the fourth floor was where the ship's power distribution area was located. As far as he knew, it was generally off-limits, especially to students. It wasn't the kind of place someone would just wander into by accident.
Unless, of course, Ayanokouji was some kind of delinquent. Then, strangely enough, it would all add up.
Was he up to something?
Kumagawa looked toward the upper stairway.
Then back toward the one going down.
『Hmm...』
『END』
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