Perhaps because it was winter, and this was a remote woodland area, it was only around four in the afternoon yet the sky was already showing signs of twilight. Another half-hour or so and darkness would probably fall.
Yukio jumped down from a tree and took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands. Vines on the tree had left behind dust and grime, and he found it uncomfortable not to clean it off.
In just one afternoon, he had already familiarized himself with the entire terrain. It was time to head back. On his way, he saw no other students—whether from his own sector or an adjacent one, everyone else had already returned.
Walking alone in nature gave him a sense of serene satisfaction, possibly because it felt novel. People do tend to favor natural landscapes when they travel, or maybe it was simply the unrestrained freedom—like roaming a boundless grassland or drifting on a calm, blue sea. That feeling of the sky is high and the earth is broad, and you can wander in any direction can be unforgettable for those used to city life.
But then.
"Hm?" His pleasant mood was slightly disturbed. Yukio, who was walking fairly fast, spotted a female student up ahead, limping as she tried to make her way back.
It was Matsushita Chiaki, from D Class—long chestnut hair, the ends slightly wavy, a style he recalled seeing once or twice during the Workplace Special Exam. She looked like she had twisted her ankle or something.
If it were truly the middle of nowhere and a girl got injured, he wouldn't mind offering a hand, because who knows what sorts of dangers might appear? But they were at a forest-school facility, so presumably the environment was safe. She could hobble back on her own without too much risk, even if it took a while, probably before dark.
But seeing Matsushita's figure gave him an idea: if Matsushita was hurt, she might need to visit the nurse's office. And this forest-school site definitely should have a school nurse from their staff stationed here. That would present a chance to see if Hoshinomiya was around.
In truth, Yukio had no particular desire to meet Hoshinomiya per se, but he did suspect this exam might need to utilize her. After all, he'd seen two compact printers unloaded from the bus by school employees that morning…
So the injured Matsushita might be the perfect excuse. Escorting an injured classmate for medical care would be perfectly natural and raise no suspicion from others. At worst, Matsushita might wonder, "Why's he being so helpful all of a sudden?"
Better to spin some cover story that made Matsushita let her guard down.
"Hmm, seems she doesn't have a phone," he noted. Yukio stepped up quickly. He saw Matsushita hobbling forward in a pained shuffle, basically not so much walking as inching along. Her left foot would push forward, then the right foot would catch up; it plainly was not a minor sprain. Despite the cold, a thin sheen of sweat had formed on her smooth forehead.
She heard footsteps behind her, turned too fast to look—and pain shot through her ankle as her balance wobbled. She nearly fell right against Yukio.
He wasn't about to do a cliché catch her in his arms, murmur a gentle 'Are you alright?' Instead, he calmly put a hand on her shoulder, a slight shove to help her stand upright again.
Matsushita, heart pounding from that near-fall, clutched at him for a moment, then exhaled in gratitude. "Thank… thank you, Yukio-kun. We came out here for stamina training, so nobody brought phones—would've been cumbersome while running—and now I've no way to contact anyone."
She gazed at him pleadingly. "If it's not too much trouble, could you help me walk back? Sorry about this…"
Despite class rivalries, her tone showed no hostility. She was perfectly sincere, head bowed in earnest request. This was quite in character. Given her upbringing, presumably wealthy, she had also been taught that if you truly needed help, you should simply ask for it; you could always repay the favor later. Trying to endure alone, hurting yourself worse, would be pointless.
So the moment she spotted Yukio, relief flooded her. She wouldn't have to spend forever hobbling back. With assistance, she wouldn't aggravate her injury.
Yukio was perfectly willing. He'd actually wanted an excuse to meet the nurse. So this was practically when you're sleepy, someone hands you a pillow.
"No, that'd be too slow. Another half hour, it'll be dark." He strode two steps forward, crouching down. "Climb on."
Matsushita froze. "Yukio-kun is… this kind?" This was surprising. He was known for cornering D Class multiple times—like in the midterm when he led his entire class to exploit them. She'd expected he might grudgingly let her lean on him or something, but kneeling down to give her a piggyback ride was beyond her imagining.
And ironically, the harshness of his earlier actions made it feel more believable now. "He's just going to haul me back?" Matsushita thought. "He isn't normal, but… does he seriously want nothing in return?"
She was no narcissist and had no illusions he might be romantically interested. So if not that, what was his game?
"Why're you dawdling? Hurry up," he said, impatience in his voice.
That actually put her more at ease. 'Yes, this blunt manner is more like the Yukio I know.' She might suspect him of some ulterior motive, but she also needed help. She'd accept it for now and worry about it later.
Matsushita gave a little nod, pressing herself gently against his back and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Yukio braced his palms under her thighs, hoisting her up. The action caused her feminine assets to nudge against his back, making Matsushita swiftly bury her flushed face in the hollow of his shoulder. Meanwhile, he noted that she was unexpectedly well-endowed. He merely kept such observations to himself, outwardly calm.
"Don't get the wrong idea, and don't overthink it," he said, adopting a borderline villain monologue tone as he carried her.
"Eh?" Matsushita was puzzled. She knew there had to be a hidden motive, but was he really about to come right out and say so? Shouldn't they both quietly pretend otherwise?
"Guess I'll just tell you," Yukio said smoothly, improvising a half-truth. "It's not that I'm playing saint or want your gratitude. I'm carrying you for another reason."
She stiffened. Of course, she had suspected as much. But him openly stating it was… unusual.
"Let's call it a frontal assault, so to speak. You can't really stop me," he continued in a steady voice, "Matsushita, you're basically leading D Class now, scoring a couple of solid results. And that means I have to remain on guard. So this is how I'll deal with you."
He paused a moment, then went on: "Just imagine the rest of your class seeing me piggyback you in. Then imagine how you fail the upcoming exam. Will your classmates still let you keep the top spot? Won't they start thinking there must be some… secret deal between us?"
"First there was Hirata, then Horikita, now you. By that point, D Class might not mind replacing you with some new figurehead if they start suspecting you and me hooking up. Get it?"