The ship's horn echoed over the waves as the students of Advanced Nurturing High School returned aboard after a week of trials.The salty wind carried both relief and exhaustion — the collective sigh of a hundred first-years who had survived hell and somehow come back smiling.
The once-deserted island was now just a small shape in the distance.The nightmare was over.At least for now.
"Ah, the sweet scent of civilization," Koenji Rokusuke declared, arms spread wide on the ship's deck. His golden hair gleamed under the afternoon sun, a smug grin plastered across his face.
He looked completely untouched by hardship — a walking insult to every student who had spent the past week surviving on saltwater and canned food.
"Koenji!" Sudō roared. "Where the hell have you been all this time!?"The class spun on him, their pent-up frustration finally boiling over.
Koenji adjusted his sunglasses, looking more like a celebrity than a student."My dear comrades," he said, tone dripping with arrogance. "Alas, my health was simply unsuitable for such barbaric conditions. Thus, I was forced to prioritize self-care. A man of refinement must value his well-being above all."
"You mean you slacked off the whole week!" Ike yelled.Koenji only chuckled, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulder. "Call it what you will. Results are what matter, are they not? And it seems our class has triumphed."
Sudō looked ready to strangle him, but Hirata stepped in as always. "Sudō-kun, calm down. Let's just be glad we all made it back."
Koenji grinned wider. "Indeed. A leader such as myself should return in splendid health, after all."
I whispered to Airi beside me, "He really doesn't know shame, does he?"She giggled softly. "He's… definitely unique."
As we entered the main hall, the sound of footsteps drew everyone's attention.Suzune Horikita stood there, pale but steady. Her normally sharp eyes were softer than usual — fever still lingering beneath her composure.
"Horikita!" Karuizawa called, running over. The rest of the class followed.Suzune blinked in confusion as they surrounded her.
"...You all look lively," she murmured.
Karuizawa fidgeted with her hair, then bowed slightly. "Um, about what I said before… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you."
Suzune's eyes widened slightly. "You don't need to—"
"No," Karuizawa interrupted. "You were chasing Ibuki to stop her. Ayanokōji-kun told us everything. We misunderstood."
The rest of the girls nodded awkwardly, murmuring their apologies.
Suzune hesitated, then gave a quiet sigh. "It doesn't matter. What's done is done."
She tried to step forward, but her knees faltered slightly. Hirata caught her shoulder immediately.
"Horikita-san, you should rest."
"I'm fine," she insisted. "I just wanted to ask… our result. Did we really—?"
Hirata smiled. "Yes. First place. Thanks to everyone's effort."
The students cheered again, pride and disbelief mingling.
But as Suzune turned, searching the crowd, her eyes flicked toward the back — to Ayanokōji, who stood quietly, hands in pockets.
Before she could call out, several classmates surrounded her again, asking questions and offering congratulations.
And Ayanokōji, ever the ghost, slipped out of sight.
Later, I found him walking through the quiet corridors of the ship. The excitement of the day had faded, replaced by the dull hum of engines beneath our feet.
He wasn't heading toward the cafeteria or our room. Instead, he turned into the private lounge area — where Chabashira-sensei was waiting.
I stopped before the doorway, just out of sight.
"Quite the performance," she said, crossing her arms. "You managed to lead Class D to first place without anyone realizing your hand in it."
Ayanokōji tilted his head. "You say that as if I did it alone."
Chabashira smirked faintly. "Oh, I know exactly who helped you. Miyamoto, for one."
My name on her lips made me raise an eyebrow. So she'd noticed. Of course she had.
She leaned forward. "Your father would be proud, perhaps. Or furious. Hard to say."
Ayanokōji's expression didn't change. "You said before that he wants me expelled. Was that true?"
"It was," she replied coldly. "He told me directly — that you'll either drop out or destroy yourself trying to win. You remind him of Icarus, you know. The boy who flew too close to the sun."
A long silence hung between them.
Then Ayanokōji said quietly, "Maybe he's right."
Chabashira's smirk faded. "You don't sound afraid."
"I stopped being afraid a long time ago," he said simply. "But… thank you for the warning."
He walked away, his footsteps light and unhurried.
That evening, Class D was finally allowed to relax.The mood was bright — no one mentioned the island, the stress, or the exhaustion.
We split up into groups; everyone needed a different kind of recovery.
The girls — Airi, Hasebe, Maezono, and Mei Yu Wang — headed to the pool, eager for warm water and chatter.Meanwhile, the boys — Yukimura, Miyake, Okitani, Ijuin, and I — took the more direct route to happiness: the ship's cafeteria.
"Food that's not canned tuna," Okitani said with tears in his eyes. "I could cry.""Don't you dare," Ijuin said, laughing. "You'll make the miso soup salty."
We devoured our meals like starving wolves. Steak, curry, rice — everything tasted divine.
Afterward, we regrouped in my cabin. The girls joined, towels around their shoulders, their hair damp from the pool.
"Alright!" Okitani said, holding up a controller. "Time for something civilized — video games!"
We crowded around the TV, laughter filling the room. Airi sat beside me, smiling faintly every time she won a match. Haruka cursed at the screen, while Mei Yu Wang teased her mercilessly.
For a few hours, we weren't competitors or survivors — just friends.It felt good.
Eventually, as the night deepened, the others grew sleepy."Five more minutes," Okitani mumbled before passing out on the couch.
I sighed, stretching my arms. "Guess that's game over for tonight."
The room was quiet except for the steady hum of the ship.I stood, pocketed my key card, and decided to take a walk.
Down the corridor, the lounge lights glowed warm and soft. Inside, Ayanokōji sat across from Horikita, who had wrapped herself in a thin blanket. Her fever still hadn't fully gone, but her eyes were as sharp as ever.
"…You hid it well," she was saying. "All that manipulation — even I didn't notice."
"It wasn't manipulation," Ayanokōji replied calmly. "Just strategy. You wanted to win. I helped you do that."
"Then why hide it?" she asked.
He leaned back slightly. "Because if you knew, you would've tried to control it — and failed. You're still too rigid."
Her brows furrowed. "You're insufferable."
"Maybe," he said, smiling faintly.
That's when I stepped in. "You two always talk like you're plotting to overthrow a country."
They both turned. Suzune blinked. "Miyamoto. Shouldn't you be with the others?"
"Got bored," I said, pulling up a chair. "Figured I'd join whatever this secret meeting is."
She crossed her arms, but there was no real irritation in her eyes.
Ayanokōji looked between us, then said quietly, "Horikita. You want to reach A-Class, right?"
She frowned. "Obviously."
"Then I'll help you," he said. "But there's one condition: stop investigating me. Don't dig into my past, my records, or my motives."
Her lips parted slightly, taken aback. "You're making it sound like I—"
"I am," he interrupted, eyes steady. "If you can do that, I'll make sure you reach A-Class. That's my promise."
Suzune fell silent, studying his expression. For once, she didn't argue.
"…Fine," she said finally. "I accept."
He extended a hand across the table.She hesitated, then took it. Their handshake was brief but firm — an alliance born from necessity and mutual understanding.
I smiled slightly. "Looks like the real partnership's forming now."
Suzune glanced at me. "Don't sound so smug. You're still part of this."
"Wouldn't dream of missing it," I replied.
Ayanokōji leaned back, eyes half-lidded. "Then let's see how far Class D can really fly."