The afternoon sun streamed through the ship's wide corridor windows, painting the white walls with a faint golden hue. The ocean outside shimmered like liquid glass, calm yet endless — a deceptive calm before the next storm of the exam.
Kiyotaka Ayanokōji arrived at the Rabbit group's meeting room exactly ten minutes early. His expression was its usual unreadable calm, his posture perfectly relaxed yet alert — the kind of balance that made people forget how dangerous he really was.
He took a seat in the corner, scrolling through his phone idly, while the faint hum of the ship's engine filled the background.
Moments later, the door opened. Kei Karuizawa stepped in, her blonde hair tied neatly, her eyes darting around before landing on Kiyotaka. She sighed softly and sat near him, tapping her screen with nervous fingers.
After a moment of silence, she looked up. "Hey… Ayanokōji-kun."
"Yeah?"
"Are you… the VIP?"
The question came so suddenly it almost caught him off guard. Almost.
"No," he replied immediately.
What surprised him wasn't her question, but how easily she accepted the answer. No double-checking, no hesitation — she simply nodded, relaxed, and went back to her phone like she trusted him completely.
He studied her quietly, expression unreadable. So that's how it is…Her trust wasn't rational — it was emotional. And for Kiyotaka, that kind of trust could either be a powerful weapon… or a dangerous weakness.
But for now, he decided to let it go. This exam wasn't about truth — it was about understanding who could be useful, and who could be dangerous.
The Rabbit Group Meeting
Within minutes, the rest of the Rabbit group arrived. As usual, the students from Class A — Machida, Takahashi, and the others — distanced themselves from the rest, sitting together like nobles at a royal court. Karuizawa stood up from her seat and joined them, sitting next to Machida, who greeted her politely.
"If anything happens, Karuizawa-san, don't hesitate to ask," he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Th-thank you," she said quickly, visibly comforted by the illusion of protection.
Meanwhile, Ichinose Honami from Class B stood near the table, her warm smile as radiant as ever. "Well, since we're all here and can't exactly discuss much, how about a little game?"
She placed a deck of cards on the table. "It'll help us relax — and maybe learn a bit about each other."
Sotomura from Class D immediately perked up. "Oh! That sounds fun!"
The other Class B students nodded, and soon laughter filled the room as they began to play. Even Kiyotaka joined, though he didn't particularly care for games — he understood what Ichinose was doing. She wasn't here to have fun; she was observing everyone's reactions, behavior, and tone. Every card played was another data point for her to analyze.
He noted that she was good at reading people, but not flawless. She smiled easily, but there was a layer of sincerity that made her predictable — unlike someone like Ryūen, who thrived in chaos.
For an hour, the group played cards, small conversations overlapping with the soft shuffle of the deck. And then, just as the clock hit the hour mark, Ichinose stood up.
"Well, that's our time. Let's end here for today," she said cheerfully.
As the students began to leave, she caught Kiyotaka's gaze. "I'm going to see Katsuragi about Class A's strategy. Want to come along?"
Kiyotaka nodded slightly. "Sure. Horikita's in the same group, so it'll save me the trouble of finding her later."
They arrived at the Dragon group's room and waited patiently. For ten full minutes, the door remained closed — Ichinose didn't seem annoyed; she simply smiled softly and leaned against the wall. Kiyotaka stood beside her, silent as ever.
Finally, the door opened, and Katsuragi Kōhei appeared — his tall frame and composed demeanor giving off an aura of authority. He stopped upon seeing Ichinose.
"Class B's leader, huh. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to talk about your strategy," Ichinose said politely. "I think the 'no communication' approach might hurt everyone in the long run. We should work together to make sure the exam benefits all classes."
Katsuragi crossed his arms. "That strategy is designed to protect my class. Cooperation sounds nice, but only until betrayal begins. Class A doesn't need that risk."
"I understand," Ichinose said, still calm. "But don't you think unity could lead to—"
"It's idealistic," he interrupted. "You'd do the same if you were in my position."
Ichinose's smile faltered slightly, but she nodded. "You're probably right."
Satisfied, Katsuragi gave a curt nod and walked away, his footsteps fading down the corridor.
Kiyotaka glanced at Ichinose. "You're not giving up that easily, are you?"
"Of course not," she said, brushing back her hair. "But sometimes, forcing an answer only closes more doors. I'll wait for the right moment."
He respected that — her ability to remain patient despite setbacks.
The Dragon Group Room
After nearly half an hour of waiting, the door opened again. Kushida Kikyou emerged, her usual bright smile in place.
"Ah! Ichinose-san, Ayanokōji-kun! You're here too?" she said cheerfully. "Kanzaki-kun and Horikita-san are still inside with Ryūen-kun. You can go in if you like."
The two exchanged glances, then stepped inside.
The room's atmosphere was heavy, charged with the presence of three distinct personalities: Horikita Suzune, Ryūen Kakeru, and Kanzaki Ryūji. Ryūen leaned casually against the table, grin in place, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Well, look who decided to drop by," he drawled. "Class B's idol and Class D's mystery man. What a pair."
Ichinose smiled politely. "We're just here to talk."
Ryūen chuckled. "Perfect. I've got a proposal — how about we crush Class A together?"
Suzune's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Ryūen pushed off the table and began pacing. "Simple. I already know every VIP in Class C. If the three of us share information — Class B, Class D, and Class C — we can coordinate to beat Class A into the ground."
Ichinose frowned slightly. "That's… risky."
"Risky?" Ryūen grinned wider. "That's how you win big."
Suzune's tone turned sharp. "You think anyone would trust you after what you've done? You'd betray us the moment it benefits you."
Ryūen laughed. "Of course I would. That's what makes this fun."
Ichinose shook her head. "I can't accept. My classmates were hurt because of your actions. I won't put them through that again."
Ryūen's smirk faded for just a second before returning, this time sharper. "Suit yourself. When you're left behind, remember who offered you a hand first."
With that, he turned and left, the door closing behind him with a dull thud. Kushida followed soon after, her cheerful tone fading as she disappeared down the hall.
Silence lingered for a moment before Kanzaki sighed. "That guy's insane."
Suzune crossed her arms. "He's reckless, but not stupid. He probably already has something planned."
Ichinose nodded. "Still, I can't take that kind of risk."
Kiyotaka remained quiet, watching the conversation unfold. Suzune eventually excused herself, leaving the room with her usual brisk step.
Ichinose turned to Kiyotaka. "Mind walking with me for a bit?"
He nodded. "Sure."
They left the Dragon group's room together, the corridor quieter than before. I spotted them from the end of the hall, leaning against the wall with Ibuki at my side — I'd dragged her along, much to her annoyance.
"Why are we here again?" she muttered, arms crossed.
"Curiosity," I said with a grin. "And because I have thick skin."
"You mean no shame."
"Semantics."
She rolled her eyes but didn't walk away, which meant she was at least a little curious too.
Ichinose stopped near the deck doors, the soft hum of the sea audible through the glass. She turned to Kiyotaka, her usual smile gentler now.
"Ayanokōji-kun," she began. "I wanted to ask if Class D would consider cooperating with Class B. We could help each other find the non-VIP students first — that would make things easier for both sides."
Kiyotaka studied her. "You're… being surprisingly open about this."
"I like to be honest," she said simply. "It's easier to trust people that way. And besides…" She smiled faintly. "I'm not the VIP."
He blinked. "You're just telling me that outright?"
She nodded. "Yes. I don't want to win by lying. I want my class to win fair and square."
For the first time, Kiyotaka looked mildly surprised. "You're different from most leaders."
Ichinose chuckled softly. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Kiyotaka, after a brief pause, said, "Neither Yukimura nor I are the VIP. But I can't say for sure about Sotomura or Karuizawa."
"That's fine," she said. "We'll figure it out together."
She then called her classmate, Hamaguchi, who joined them a few minutes later — a calm and reliable-looking guy. After Ichinose filled him in, he nodded. "I'm not the VIP either."
"Good," Ichinose said. "That narrows things down."
I nudged Ibuki. "See that? That's how honest leaders talk."
Ibuki crossed her arms. "You wouldn't know honesty if it bit you."
"Ouch. You wound me again, Ibuki-chan."
"Stop calling me that!"
Ichinose turned slightly, amused by our exchange. "Miyamoto-kun, Ibuki-san — you two are always together, huh?"
Ibuki instantly went red. "W-we're not—! He just—!"
I laughed. "She's shy, that's all."
Kiyotaka sighed quietly, but there was a trace of amusement in his eyes. Even in moments like this, he was observing everything — Ichinose's reactions, mine, Ibuki's embarrassment — collecting data like pieces of a puzzle.
As the group finally disbanded for the evening, the sky outside had turned into a swirl of orange and violet. Students moved along the corridors, laughing, plotting, whispering — every word another step toward victory or defeat.
Ichinose and Hamaguchi headed back toward Class B's section, while Kiyotaka turned the other way.
I stayed behind on the deck, leaning on the railing beside Ibuki, watching the fading sun. "You know," I said softly, "people like Ichinose… they make this school seem less rotten."
Ibuki looked at me. "You think she'll win?"
"Maybe. If honesty doesn't get her killed first."
She frowned. "That's a weird way to put it."
I shrugged. "Truth doesn't survive long in this place, Ibuki. But it's nice to see someone try."
She was quiet for a moment. Then, almost too softly, she said, "You're not as stupid as you act."
I grinned. "Careful, that almost sounded like a compliment."
She turned away, hiding her face. "Shut up."