After school on October 20th.
It was the day after the special exam had been announced, yet Class C carried on with its usual peaceful daily routine.
Some students headed to their clubs as always, others hung out with their regular groups, and a few deepened their bonds with the partners they'd been paired with. Everyone had their own way of spending the time.
Amidst all that, Ishizaki was the only one fidgeting restlessly.
The tough-looking Ishizaki—mid-170s in height—wore a grin that didn't suit his intimidating aura at all as he approached the desk of Kamukura, the person he respected most.
On the way, he scanned the classroom to confirm the presence of today's star, Ryuen—but the man himself was already gone.
Relieved that there was no risk of the surprise being spoiled in the classroom, Ishizaki made his way over to Kamukura.
Kamukura was currently talking with Ishizaki's friend, Albert Yamada.
As Ishizaki drew closer, he could hear their voices, but since the two were speaking in English, he couldn't understand a word.
Admiration welled up inside him for Kamukura, who could so casually do things he himself could never manage—but he pushed the feeling down, knowing he had to focus on the matter at hand.
"Kamukura-san, good work today. Did you manage to check Ryuen-san's plans after school?"
After the greeting, he cut straight to the main point: Ryuen's schedule for the day.
Today was Ryuen's birthday.
Ishizaki had already made all the preparations, but if the man himself had other plans, everything would go to waste—so he needed confirmation.
"Albert confirmed that Ryuen-kun is completely free all day today."
At Kamukura's words, Albert nodded in agreement, and Ishizaki breathed a sigh of relief that nothing had come up at the last minute to keep Ryuen away.
"Then all that's left is to celebrate big! The cake's gonna be okay, right?"
"I bought everything we need yesterday. I'll head back and start making it."
"As expected of you!!"
The day before, Ishizaki had called Kamukura out to Keyaki Mall and asked him to handle the cake; they'd purchased the ingredients then and there.
Incidentally, Ishizaki had footed the bill not only for the cake materials but for tonight's dinner as well, so he'd spent a considerable number of points.
As a result, he was now committed to a strict frugality regime until November rolled around.
"What about decorations and stuff…?"
"We still have the ones we used for Ibuki-san's birthday party earlier. Those should work fine."
The venue would be Kamukura's dorm room. It was sparsely furnished and kept impeccably clean—perfect for hosting a party.
"…Today's Ryuen's birthday?"
Ibuki, who had been getting ready to leave, joined the conversation once her name was mentioned. Her seat was right in front of Kamukura's, so she'd apparently heard everything.
"Yeah! You should come too, Ibuki! Of course, you'll need a present, though!"
"…Depends on the time. If it's right after I get back, I can't make it."
"You got plans or something?"
"I promised Shiina I'd go to the library with her today."
Ibuki's plans involved hanging out with Shiina.
Kamukura recalled that just yesterday, Shiina had recommended a book to Ibuki; today they were probably going to borrow it.
"Not turning it down outright isn't like you. I figured you'd make a face and refuse since it's Ryuen-kun's birthday."
"…Well, I do hate the guy, but he celebrated my birthday, so I feel like I owe him one. I hate owing people, so I guess I'll return the favor."
Kamukura found himself convinced by the very Ibuki-like reasoning.
"Then bring Shiina along too! The more the merrier, right?"
"I'll invite her. But Shiina doesn't like noisy places, so I don't know if she'll come."
It was only natural that the quiet-natured Shiina would prefer places where she could feel some peace and quiet.
"That sounds nice. I'd like to come too."
"Wah!? Shiina, since when were you—!?"
Ishizaki jumped at the sudden voice of Shiina, who shouldn't have been part of the conversation.
She had apparently joined at some point, and everyone except Kamukura reacted the same way Ishizaki did.
"As long as I bring a present, I can join, right?"
Albert nodded on behalf of the still-stunned Ishizaki.
"Then would it be all right if we go to the library first, buy a present afterward, and then head to Kamukura-kun's room?"
"That works. Plan to arrive around then."
At that answer, Shiina's face lit up with a smile that seemed wrapped in pure happiness.
"I'm so glad I'll get to eat Kamukura-kun's cooking again."
"If you pay the points, I'll make as much as you want."
"…You're actually charging us?"
"Of course. My cooking isn't cheap enough to be eaten for free. Rather, you should all recognize how incredibly fortunate you are to eat it without bringing a wad of cash."
Ibuki looked visibly taken aback, but even she—who rarely cared much about food—couldn't help but become obsessed with Kamukura's dishes.
It sounded like exaggeration, yet deep down she acknowledged they were truly fortunate.
In reality, Kamukura possessed the talent of an Ultimate Cook and wielded world-class culinary skill.
Even in this environment with imperfect facilities and ingredients, he could still draw out flavors among the best in the world.
"Kamukura, can you really make any kind of food?"
Among them, Albert—who rarely relied on Kamukura's cooking—asked the question in English.
Albert cooked for himself, so he seldom ate out or had others cook for him.
"Of course. If you'd like, I can make you something anytime."
"Yes, please. I'd love to know the recipe if possible."
Remembering that Albert was someone who cooked frequently and had asked about recipes before, Kamukura simply replied, "Fine."
Albert, unusually expressive, showed joy on his face as he said, "Thank you."
Normally, those who possessed Ultimate talents did not readily teach their skills to others.
Most people with such gifts tended to carry considerable pride in their abilities.
Even Teruteru Hanamura—the Ultimate Cook with his problematic personality—would not easily share recipes with fellow chefs.
Yet Izuru Kamukura harbored not a shred of pride.
Thus, despite understanding the value of talent better than anyone, he would give away knowledge without expecting anything in return.
"I'll get started on preparations, so I'll head out first."
With the conversation wrapped up, Kamukura stood from his seat.
That served as the signal for everyone else to begin moving.
Ishizaki and Albert would help Kamukura, while Shiina and Ibuki would borrow their books and then shop for presents.
They parted ways at the classroom door, each heading toward their respective destinations.
...
The clock had ticked past 6 PM, and the preparations for Ryuen's birthday celebration were finally complete.
With no proper dining table like in an ordinary home, they arranged the dishes on the desk and cleared spaces to sit on the floor, the bed, or wherever else they could.
It was modest for a party, but in a single dorm room, this was the most they could manage.
Even so, Ishizaki felt a deep sense of fulfillment at having pulled it off.
"Excuse us."
A woman's voice came from the entrance, and there stood Shiina and Ibuki, still in their school uniforms.
Each held a bag that was clearly a present, so they'd met the entry requirement.
"I can see Shiina's is a book, but… Ibuki, yours isn't seriously…"
A wrapped book was exactly the kind of choice you'd expect from Shiina.
Ibuki, however, was carrying an absurdly large bag.
"Yeah, this one. A snake-like character suits Ryuen perfectly, don't you think?"
Ibuki smirked as she flaunted her gift.
Visible through the thin plastic was a plush dragon roughly a meter long.
Its green, scale-like skin and cream-colored belly evoked a serpent, but the face was what really stood out.
Shark-like fangs, two distinct nostrils, long green whiskers extending sideways, and horns that resembled twisted tree branches.
It was a dragon, or rather… a ball.
"It's Shenron!!"
Ishizaki blurted out, his face deadly serious as he pointed.
"…How much did that thing cost?"
"300 points. I won it at the arcade."
It was less than a tenth of what Ishizaki had spent on ingredients, but a gift was a gift.
Swallowing his irritation, he moved the conversation along.
"What'd you get, Albert?"
Albert pulled his present from a rather flashy bag.
It was an assortment of protein powders.
Knowing Ryuen was serious about working out, Albert had picked several varieties to match his tastes.
"And you?"
"Mine… well, mine and Kamukura-san's is the whole party! I covered the costs, and Kamukura-san did all the cooking!"
Ishizaki declared with a triumphant grin, earning an exasperated look from Ibuki.
"…It's all in the phrasing, isn't it?"
"Now, now. It's true that Ishizaki-kun put this entire gathering together, so he's not wrong."
Unlike Ibuki, Shiina was genuinely supportive of Ishizaki's "gift."
"It smells good."
Albert glanced toward the kitchen as he spoke.
His words drew everyone else's attention, and soon they all noticed the delicious aroma drifting through the room.
"You can call Ryuen-kun over now."
Kamukura emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron.
Ishizaki took that as the signal that the food was ready. He pulled out his phone immediately and dialed Ryuen, holding it to his ear while waiting for an answer.
"How's the cake looking?"
"All that's left is to assemble it."
"…Assemble? You mean plating it?"
While Shiina mulled over the vague response, Ibuki pressed further.
"There's that, but I mean assemble it literally."
"You didn't make some massive wedding-cake-sized thing, did you?"
"I didn't go quite that far. The decorations, however, might rival one."
"…Aren't you taking a simple birthday a little too seriously?"
"I happened to be in the mood to make something sweet. If that's the case, there's no reason to hold back."
Ibuki's gaze shifted to the refrigerator, where the cake was currently chilling.
She was endlessly curious what he'd created, yet at the same time tormented by the conflicting feelings of anticipation and the near-certainty she'd end up looking foolish in the face of Kamukura's talent yet again.
"…I'll hold you to it."
Either way, they were going to eat the cake.
Even if it turned out so spectacular it felt criminal to cut into it, reminding herself that it would be eaten in the end freed her from overthinking.
Recalling the melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece from her own birthday, Ibuki felt genuine excitement welling up from deep inside.
"────That's way too much trouble, there's no way, Ryuen-san!"
Just as Ibuki finished sorting her thoughts, Ishizaki's voice rang through the room.
From his panicked tone and the snippet of conversation, it was clear Ryuen was refusing to come.
"I'm begging you, Ryuen-san! Just come to the elevator on the first floor right now! I'll even treat you to dinner!"
'Troublesome things are troublesome.'
The voice leaking from the phone was sharp and prickly, as though brushing away an annoyance.
At that response, Ishizaki looked ready to burst into tears.
He seemed so fragile he might drop the phone altogether.
The plan was hitting a wall at the worst possible moment. They'd gone to all this effort, but without the guest of honor the party would fall flat.
"No helping it, I suppose."
Even Kamukura found the prospect of Ryuen not showing up rather dull.
He'd taken the trouble to prepare elaborate dishes, only for them not to be tasted.
It was no different from a no-show reservation at a restaurant; even if it didn't anger him, some form of sanction felt only fair.
Kamukura signaled for Ishizaki to hand over the phone.
Wanting to preserve the surprise, Ishizaki silently pleaded with his expression alone: get him here by any means necessary, just don't let him know I'm involved.
With his extraordinary analytical ability, Kamukura correctly interpreted the signal no ordinary person could have read.
And then—
"Hey, Ryuen! If you don't come, I'll tell the entire grade you're still a virgin!"
He delivered the line in Ishizaki's voice… and immediately hung up.
Silence blanketed the party venue.
No—with the very real possibility of a corpse appearing soon, "funeral parlor" might have been the more accurate description.
"Here."
Kamukura placed the phone directly into the hand of the stunned, vacant-eyed Ishizaki.
The talent he'd employed was that of the Ultimate Imposter.
For Izuru Kamukura, perfectly replicating someone's voice—vocal cords and all—was mere child's play.
"…W-What the hell did you just do!?"
Ishizaki's trembling finally erupted, his emotions rocketing past the boiling point.
He seized Kamukura by both shoulders and shook him desperately.
Kamukura allowed himself to be shaken without resistance, showing no particular concern.
"You conveyed to me that any means were acceptable, so I simply selected the most efficient one available."
"I didn't convey anything! …Well, okay, I thought it, but this is way over the line! I'm gonna get murdered after this!"
"You insisted on keeping it a surprise, which meant I couldn't reveal my presence. This was the solution. Though, he'd likely already seen through the setup, which is why he was refusing your invitation in the first place."
Ishizaki's eyes went wide at Kamukura's staggering remark.
"…Huh? He figured out it was a surprise? How could you possibly know that!?"
"You were wearing a delighted expression all day today. Even without super analytical ability, anyone could have read your mood."
"…I-It showed that much on my face?"
Ishizaki rarely ever viewed himself objectively, so he had no way of recalling what his face had looked like all day.
People, surprisingly, pay close attention to others. No matter how indifferent they might be, as long as they can see, any change will catch their eye.
Even that utter free spirit, Kōenji Rokusuke, was no exception.
For Ryuen, seeing one of his most obedient followers beaming all day—and knowing it was his own birthday—made the guess child's play.
"…No, wait a second. If he already knew it was a surprise, then there was no need to use my voice at all, right!?"
"It was still the most efficient method."
"You're totally lying! I may not be smart, but even I can tell that was a lie!"
For once, Ishizaki had landed a direct hit, catching Kamukura off guard with an unexpected counter.
Still, Kamukura silenced him with a stare.
As expected, Ishizaki faltered and shut his mouth. Shiina watched the noisy exchange with a gentle smile.
Though she disliked loud places, seeing people she considered friends interact like this was genuinely enjoyable for her.
Ibuki, too, felt a quiet sympathy for Ishizaki while secretly rejoicing that the party would go ahead as planned.
She never let it show on her face, but there was no mistaking that a change had begun in her lone-wolf nature.
And then—
"…What means 'doutei'?"
Albert hadn't understood the Japanese word.
At that bombshell question, the party venue fell silent, as though another ice age had descended.
"Kamukura-san, I'm counting on you."
"You're telling me, of all people, to take responsibility?"
"You're the only one here who speaks English, so you're the obvious choice."
"…I do think Kamukura-kun has an obligation to explain this one."
Ryuen's most loyal subordinate, determined to pin all the blame on him.
The Ultimate Hope, desperately trying to flee from the hassle.
A mischievous lone wolf eager to tease Kamukura over a rare mistake.
A literary girl whose rich vocabulary left her perfectly aware of the meaning.
And one very mature-looking first-year boy quietly waiting for his chance to explain amid the chaos.
Just as Kamukura reluctantly prepared to speak, the doorbell rang as though to reset the entire atmosphere.
"I'll get it. As today's star, let's put the small talk on hold for now."
Seizing the escape route, the Ultimate Hope cut the conversation short with his trademark reflexes and headed to the door.
He opened it without even checking the peephole.
"Yo, Kamukura. Ishizaki's in here, right? …He is, isn't he?"
The visitor was Class C's king, Ryūen Kakeru, wearing his signature distinctive grin.
The instant he recognized that voice, Ishizaki's face took on a serene, almost enlightened expression, like a bodhisattva on the verge of nirvana.
Reading the emotion lurking behind the smile from Ryuen's low, emphasized tone, Kamukura understood Ishizaki's feelings perfectly and nodded without hesitation.
"Please, come in."
Kamukura guided Ryuen into the room with the poise of a first-class butler.
Every dorm room shared the same layout. There were no unfamiliar places left.
Yet Ryuen was today's guest of honor. Offering this much service was effortless for the Ultimate Hope.
"…Tch. So that's how it is."
The decorated room. The appetite-stirring aromas wafting from the kitchen.
The presence of not only Ishizaki but Shiina, Ibuki, and Albert as well.
As Ryuen stepped deeper inside, he instantly grasped why he'd been summoned.
"Ryuen-kun, happy birthday."
Shiina approached with her present and offered the words of celebration.
By bravely stepping up as the icebreaker, she calmed the previously tense air and properly ushered in the start of the party.
The energy in the room soared to its peak.
"…Kuku. I'll go ahead and thank you."
With his familiar laugh, Ryuen accepted the gift.
That smile somehow carried a rare warmth—nothing like the grin of a tyrant.
If you took it as embarrassment, though, Ryūen Kakeru was simply acting his age—a perfectly ordinary sixteen-year-old boy with nothing strange about him at all.
.
.
.
As an aside, Ishizaki did end up getting solidly punched by Ryuen, and Kamukura properly taught Albert the meaning of the Japanese word.
***
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