The first group discussion ended like a stage play where no one remembered their lines. Class A walked out like aristocrats refusing to speak to peasants. Ichinose's smile barely hid her frustration. And the rest of us… we were left to read between invisible lines.
I stepped out of the meeting room just as the door closed behind me, already feeling the sterile cool of the ship's air conditioning replace the tension in that room.
My phone buzzed.
From: Airi Sakura"U-Um… Soshi-kun, are you busy right now? If you have time, can we talk? I'm at the bow of the ship. It's getting a little crowded here."
Airi's messages always carried a nervous kind of warmth — hesitant punctuation, little pauses that made her feelings obvious even through text.
I typed back,
"On my way. Don't worry about the crowd."
The bow of the ship was quiet compared to the bustling mid-deck.The wind was strong — it carried salt, warmth, and the faint laughter of students scattered around the pool area.
Airi stood by the railing, holding her phone like it might fly away if she loosened her grip. She was wearing a casual white blouse that fluttered slightly in the wind, her hair brushing against her cheeks.
When she noticed me, she smiled — small, shy, and genuine.
"Ah, Soshi-kun! You really came…"
"Of course," I said, walking up beside her. "You said you wanted to talk. What's up? You look like someone just told you we're having another island test."
Airi laughed nervously. "No, nothing like that. It's just…" She hesitated, lowering her voice. "This new exam feels so… complicated. I read the rules three times, and I still don't get how we're supposed to find the VIPs."
She took a deep breath and then handed me a folded sheet of paper.
Group: Cow
Class A: Yasumi Sawada, Naoki Shimizu, Haruka Nishi, Kenta Yoshida
Class B: Yume Kobashi, Yui Ninomiya, Norihito Watanabe
Class C: Hiroya Tokitō, Yūji Nomura, Mariko Yajima
Class D: Kanji Ike, Airi Sakura, Ken Sudō, Chiaki Matsushita
"This is my group," she said. "I didn't want to show it at first, but I figured… maybe you could tell me what you think."
I skimmed through the list. I already knew most of these names — Sawada was quiet but intelligent; Tokitō and Nomura were Ryūen's men; and Ike and Sudō… well, they were Ike and Sudō.
"I see," I said slowly. "Quite the mix."
Airi watched me anxiously. "Do you think it'll be okay? I don't want to cause trouble for anyone."
"You'll be fine," I said, pocketing the paper after a moment's thought. "But I'll help you when the time's right."
"Eh?"
"I already know who the VIP is in your group."
Her eyes widened. "R-Really!? How—"
I smirked slightly. "Let's just say patterns aren't that hard to notice when everyone else is panicking."
Airi blinked in confusion, then pouted softly. "You're always like this, Soshi-kun. You say something mysterious and then smile like you know everything."
"Maybe I just like keeping you guessing," I teased.
Her pout deepened, but the nervous tension in her shoulders seemed to ease. She looked back out at the waves, the sunlight reflecting in her eyes.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "It's strange, but when you say that, I feel calmer."
I chuckled. "Then it's working. Don't worry about the test. Just play your role, and when the time comes, I'll make sure Class D benefits."
The wind carried her soft voice as she whispered, "Okay…"
Later that afternoon, the Rabbit Group meeting room.The air inside was tense again, though slightly less icy than before.
Ichinose was already there, smiling brightly as if she could will cooperation into existence. Yukimura and Sotomura were reviewing notes. Machida, of course, sat with his arms folded and an invisible crown over his head.
Karuizawa fiddled with her phone, glancing at the clock every few minutes.
At 1:00 PM sharp, the monitor flashed, and the second discussion began.
Ichinose stood immediately. "Let's make better use of this meeting time, everyone! We only have an hour, and I think we can at least agree on a few basic things, right?"
Yukimura adjusted his glasses. "I agree. It's important to identify potential VIPs early before we lose track."
Karuizawa, without looking up, muttered, "But can we really figure it out just by talking? The VIP's probably pretending to be normal anyway."
Machida snorted. "Exactly. And talking just increases the risk of slipping up. The smart thing to do is stay quiet."
Ichinose frowned lightly. "That's… not very cooperative, Machida-kun."
He shrugged. "It's realistic. Whoever the VIP is, they'll keep their mouth shut and let others trip over themselves. They'll get 500,000 private points without doing anything."
Ichinose crossed her arms. "That could apply to you too."
Machida smiled — the kind of smile that didn't reach the eyes. "Perhaps. But Class A doesn't need the points. We're already guaranteed 100,000 monthly. We don't need pocket change."
His arrogance echoed in the room like static.Ibuki rolled her eyes in the back corner. Yukimura sighed audibly. Ichinose tried again, but her optimism was met with polite silence.
Through all this, Kiyotaka sat quietly, observing Karuizawa.Her fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled her phone. Not nervous — distracted. She was texting someone. Her usual dominance in conversation was replaced by short, awkward glances at Ichinose and Machida.
She's hiding something, Kiyotaka thought. But not for herself.
When the one-hour mark arrived, the monitor blinked again.
Discussion Period Over. You May Leave.
Class A students immediately stood and exited.Ichinose sighed in defeat but quickly masked it with her usual calm smile.
As he got up, she called out, "Ayanokōji-kun, what about you? You haven't really said much during these meetings. Any opinions on the exam?"
Kiyotaka paused by the door. "I'm the type who prefers to sit back and relax in an exam like this," he said evenly. "You learn more by listening than talking."
Ichinose tilted her head slightly, her smile soft but probing. "That's a very… mysterious way to put it."
Kiyotaka simply nodded. "That's me."
As he left, his thoughts continued in silence.Ichinose hides her real intentions well. Too well. Cooperation might not be her goal after all.
After leaving the room, Kiyotaka noticed Manabe and her two Class C friends heading toward the elevator.He followed casually, hands in his pockets.
"Hey," he called out when they turned the corner. "You're from Class C, right?"
Manabe turned, eyes narrowing. "What do you want, Ayanokōji?"
He smiled politely. "It's about Karuizawa. You were right earlier — I saw her push your friend at the café. She seemed upset about something afterward."
The girls exchanged glances. "Really? So she did do it?"
Kiyotaka nodded. "I thought you might want to know. It looked accidental, but… she didn't apologize. Maybe talk to her later before it gets worse."
"Thanks," Manabe said flatly, though suspicion gleamed in her eyes.
They entered the elevator. As the doors closed, Kiyotaka's reflection stared back at him — expression calm, unreadable.
Sometimes lies build better truths, he thought.
When I finally finished my own detour, I returned toward the meeting area and spotted Ibuki leaning against the wall, scrolling through her phone.Her expression was pure irritation — probably from being stuck with Ryūen again during group prep.
I grinned and approached. "Well, if it isn't my favorite Class C spy. Planning world domination, or just sulking?"
Ibuki glared immediately. "Why are you always talking to me? Don't you have your own class to babysit?"
"I do," I said cheerfully. "But they don't glare at me like you do. It's cute."
Her jaw tightened. "You want to die?"
"Maybe later. But for now, how about a game?" I leaned in slightly. "Let's guess who the VIP is in your group."
She raised an eyebrow. "You think I'd tell you that?"
"No," I said, shrugging. "But I'm curious what you think. My bet? Ryūen made one of his pawns take the role so he can manipulate everything from outside."
Ibuki crossed her arms. "Hmph. You talk like you know everything."
"Not everything. Just enough to make people nervous."
For a moment, she said nothing. Then, unexpectedly, she let out a small laugh — short and sharp. "You're impossible."
"Glad to hear it."
Her expression softened for half a second before she turned away. "You're annoying. Go bother someone else."
I grinned. "See you later, Ibuki-chan. Try not to fall in love with me again."
Her face went red instantly. "I NEVER—!"
Before she could finish, I dodged backward and jogged off, laughing as her furious voice echoed behind me.The crew members nearby gave us strange looks.Totally worth it.
As night fell, Kiyotaka sat in his cabin, the hum of the ship vibrating through the walls.
His notes were spread out — every group composition, every personality pattern, every behavioral shift.The Zodiac Test wasn't about intelligence. It was about control.And those who panicked… would feed the ones who didn't.
Horikita's group was predictable.Ryūen was dangerous.Ichinose was kind — too kind.And I… was unpredictable even to him.
He stared at the ceiling. "Soshi always inserts himself where he doesn't belong. Yet every time he does, the balance shifts slightly…"
Kiyotaka closed his notebook. "Maybe that's why he's useful."