Chapter 106: The VIP Exam Begins
Sakura Airi often took care of him and made him bentos, not a big deal.
Kushida Kikyo, since dropping her angelic facade, had lost many friends. It wasn't wrong for him to eat her bento out of responsibility.
Kamuro Masumi had always helped him, and in some ways, he owed her. Eating her bento was a way to repay her, no problem.
But Karuizawa Kei, why was she here? And holding the one thing Hikigaya least wanted to see right now.
Karuizawa froze, clearly realizing she'd stirred up trouble as all four stared at her intensely.
But she was Karuizawa Kei. The more intense the situation, the more confident and haughty she became.
She walked lightly to Hikigaya's side, picked up a spoon, and placed the bento right in front of his chest, claiming the prime spot.
Perhaps triggering a passive skill, Hikigaya couldn't resist eating the food offered to him.
To the three other girls, though, her act of directly feeding him crossed a serious line.
Karuizawa said nothing, tactfully setting the bento aside before leaving.
She left with a parting, "Make sure to eat my bento, okay?"
Admittedly, though she was there for only a few seconds, she dealt a heavy blow to the three girls. That scene made them desperately wish they'd done it themselves.
Sakura: "Hachiman, you need to explain what's going on between you and Karuizawa."
Kushida, stone-faced: "I heard she's Hirata's girlfriend. Why's she so close to you? Are you two having a hidden affair?"
Kamuro, blushing: "Scumbag! You're such a flirtatious scumbag!"
Hikigaya didn't know how to explain. He couldn't tell them Hirata and Karuizawa's relationship was fake, could he? And if he said she just came by wanting to be friends, he doubted the three fuming girls before him would believe it.
Alright, another unsolvable problem.
Sakura grew more anxious, even pressing herself against Hikigaya. "Hachiman, say something! I don't believe you're the type to go after someone else's girlfriend."
Kamuro: "Who knows? Some people act one way on the surface but are completely different inside. They seem indifferent but might be secretly desperate."
Kamuro, if you're blushing yourself, don't say stuff like that.
Looking at her flushed cheeks, Hikigaya couldn't help but retort internally.
Kushida: "Looks like we need answers. I'll go find Karuizawa, she can't have gone far. You two watch him. Don't let him escape."
For the first time, the three girls stood united. They had no objections to Kushida's proposal, standing on either side of Hikigaya's bed like they were guarding a prisoner.
Hikigaya let her go. He really had no choice with two fierce girls staring him down.
After Kushida left, Sakura pulled up a chair, sat by his side, and murmured, "I've known for a while that you have a lot of female friends, Hachiman. But even so, I won't leave you. Maybe I'm just one of them to you, but to me, you're absolutely the only one."
"Even if I'm just one of many, as long as I can make you care, I'm satisfied."
Her words were only audible to Hikigaya and herself. Her cheeks were bright red, clearly embarrassed by what she'd said, and Hikigaya was naturally shy too. Words like that were impossible not to make anyone blush.
But…
Sakura Airi had always given her all for him, and Hikigaya Hachiman was fully aware of that.
[Ebina Hina: "Hikigaya, Japan practices monogamy, so don't get any weird ideas."]
[Hikigaya felt a sharp pain in his thigh but maintained a straight face, saying, "Idiot, of course I know."]
[In truth, everyone understood what Sakura meant. She was saying she wouldn't mind being Hikigaya's mistress, but…]
[How could something like that happen? Not only would Japan's laws never allow it, but Hikigaya himself absolutely didn't see himself as a man worthy of someone entrusting their life to.]
[Sakura still had a long road ahead. Was it really okay for her to be like this? What would happen if one day she lost him?]
[These thoughts crept involuntarily into Hikigaya's mind.]
[Yukinoshita Yukino, watching Hikigaya sink into thought, frowned slightly, then let out a soft huff. "Instead of thinking about this, why don't you focus on how to raise your Class C's standing?"]
[Yuihama Yui: "Yeah, yeah, Hikki, I think the next exam's coming soon, and you guys will be at a disadvantage again."]
[Hikigaya: "Even if you say that…"]
[Hayama Hayato: "No way, they wouldn't start another exam until you're back at school, right? Unless this school really pulls surprises every time."]
[Hikigaya: "I think you'd better not jinx it like that…"]
Soon after, Kushida Kikyo dragged Karuizawa Kei back. Whatever happened between them was unclear, but facing Kushida's fierce expression, Karuizawa seemed genuinely scared.
Hikigaya didn't dwell on it. After all, most people would be intimidated by that version of Kushida. It was Kushida, after all.
Karuizawa kept her head down, occasionally glancing at Hikigaya. From this angle, he looked like an emperor, flanked by two guardians, interrogating Karuizawa like a criminal.
Of course, the actual atmosphere wasn't that terrifying. At least Sakura and Kamuro Masumi were relatively gentle, as long as Karuizawa explained her relationship with Hikigaya honestly.
Sure enough, unable to withstand Kushida's cold stare and the trio's coordinated pressure, Karuizawa spilled everything that happened that day.
When they heard that Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa's relationship was fake, Sakura was completely stunned. Kushida, however, wasn't surprised at all, as if she'd seen through it long ago.
Kamuro: "So, you set your sights on this guy?"
Karuizawa, buckling under the pressure, nodded slightly, then shook her head. "But I really just want to be friends with Hikigaya-kun."
Sakura: "No way, I won't allow it. There are so many good guys in our class. You can pick anyone else, why does it have to be Hachiman?"
Karuizawa, hearing this, grew annoyed. "Hikigaya's not yours. I just want to be friends with him, is that not allowed? I just think he's easy to talk to and seems really smart."
Sakura wanted to say, "Hachiman is mine." But with so many people around, she held back, though a quiet resentment slowly welled up inside her.
To her, Karuizawa was clearly treating Hachiman like a tool. With so many guys in the class, her reason for choosing Hikigaya couldn't just be about friendship.
Karuizawa waved her hand casually. "Anyway, that's all I've got to say. Believe it or not, you can't stop me from making friends, right?"
That left the three girls with no comeback.
Hikigaya didn't know what to say. They say three women make a drama, but four? This shura field was unbearable to watch.
One wrong word, and he'd offend multiple girls. He couldn't even imagine what would happen then.
Plenty of people in this world turn love into hate, and Hikigaya had no desire to end up like that.
Kamuro: "Friends, huh? Fine, we won't stop you from being friends. But sending a bento as a friend, isn't that moving a bit too fast?"
Karuizawa froze for a second or two but quickly shot back, "Oh? And what's your relationship with Hikigaya-kun? If I remember correctly, you're from Class A, right? At least we're classmates visiting him. What about you?"
Now it was Kamuro's turn to be stunned. She hadn't expected this girl to be so sharp. She couldn't exactly reveal that Sakayanagi Arisu sent her to monitor Hikigaya, could she? But now…
She had no excuse?
"I'm… pursuing him."
"Huh?"
"What did you say?"
"Kamuro-san…"
Hikigaya felt his brain shrink for a moment before completely shutting down.
He'd rather go back to the deserted island exam than deal with this. What was going on?
Since Karuizawa entered the room, this was the first time it fell silent, a long, heavy silence.
Finally, Karuizawa's smile broke the quiet.
"So that's how it is. But as a pursuer, aren't you meddling a bit too much? We're just friends."
Kamuro, throwing caution to the wind, declared, "Since I'm pursuing him, I have to guard against sneaky people like you and keep an eye on nearby enemies. Being cautious about you is perfectly reasonable."
The four-way standoff had turned into a two-way confrontation. Sakura, like Hikigaya, was completely stunned, while Kushida watched the two with an icy expression.
At that moment, all five of their phones buzzed simultaneously. Hikigaya grabbed his and read the message.
"A special exam is about to begin. Please gather at the designated time and room. Being more than ten minutes late will result in punishment. Please assemble at Room 204 on the second floor at 18:00 today. The process will take approximately 20 minutes, so please resolve personal matters beforehand and set your phone to vibrate or turn it off before arriving."
Hikigaya instinctively checked with Sakura, who wasn't part of the fight. Their messages were nearly identical, except for the time and location.
Karuizawa, however, exclaimed that her time and room matched Hikigaya's.
Karuizawa: "Looks like it's fate, Kamuro-san."
She said nothing more, giving Hikigaya a meaningful look before leaving first.
Of course, she mostly didn't want to keep arguing with Kamuro.
Kushida checked her message, confirmed it was different from everyone else's, and left. Her assembly time was the latest, and she naturally wanted a companion, but for her now, that was far from easy.
Sakura, after cleaning up Hikigaya's dishes, returned to her room. Her assembly time was earlier than his, so she had to head to the exam site immediately.
That left only Kamuro and Hikigaya in the room.
Hikigaya, head aching, glanced at Kamuro, only to be met with a glare. She hadn't fully recovered from her earlier words. "What are you looking at? You didn't take it seriously, did you?"
"No, no…"
"Good. I just couldn't reveal the mission the princess gave me."
"So, Sakayanagi told you to bring me a bento?"
Kamuro froze for a second or two, then stammered, "Not exactly… but since I'm looking after you, making a bento is only natural. Don't overthink it."
"The bento was good, just a bit of a waste…"
"You're such an idiot."
"About the exam, do you any thoughts?"
Kamuro asked while being puzzled. The exam was so sudden. Just days after the last special exam, another one started, and it seemed completely different from the previous ones.
First, it was still only for first-year students, as the cruise only had first-years. Second, the exam seemed designed around the possibility of students leaking questions to each other, since the exam times varied, meaning those who went first would see the questions first.
The school couldn't have overlooked this. Did that mean leaking questions was pointless?
In any case, they'd have to see the exam firsthand to understand.
[Class 1-D…]
[Ike Kanji: "Too much information! So, Karuizawa and Hirata's relationship was fake? I always saw them as the perfect couple!"]
[Hirata: "At this point, there's no need to hide it anymore."]
[Karuizawa: "I didn't expect a video would expose it. How ridiculous."]
[Yukimura: "Pretending to be a couple isn't a big deal. It shows neither of them wants to date, which avoids a lot of trouble."]
[Of course, the guys thought that way, but the girls didn't. They felt Karuizawa and Hirata's fake relationship was to secure her status as the class's female leader.]
[Though no one said it aloud, a subtle sense of sympathy began to sprout in their hearts.]
[Sotomura Hideo: "I'm so jealous of this guy's shura field. How does he get so many romantic encounters? First Sakura, a top-tier idol, then Kushida and Kamuro, and now Karuizawa."]
[Yamauchi Haruki: "The worst part is he doesn't even realize how lucky he is. Ugh…"]
[Sudo Ken: "This guy's sharp in every other way, but when it comes to emotions, he's clueless. Or… is he deliberately clueless?"]
[Sudo felt Hikigaya wasn't oblivious but afraid to make conclusions. "It's like he's constantly testing the relationships around him, verifying them. Until he's sure, he won't acknowledge them."]
Hikigaya's exam time arrived quickly. He didn't dawdle, but before he left, Karuizawa came to find him. Since they were assigned to the same room, meeting up first made sense.
So that was what her meaningful look meant.
They arrived at Room 204 together. They weren't early, so a few familiar faces were already there: Sotomura Hideo and Yukimura Teruhiko sitting beside him. Come to think of it, those two were roommates during the exam.
Sotomura: "You two came together?"
Yukimura: "What a rare pairing…"
Karuizawa was known in the class as a difficult, domineering woman. To the guys, she was always trouble. Though she had some influence, there were those who opposed her.
Like during the last special exam, when her bathroom issue nearly caused a rift. To most of the guys, she was selfish, only caring about herself and often stirring up trouble.
Hikigaya: "We just bumped into each other at the door."
Karuizawa added, "At Hikigaya's room door, that is!"
As expected, she's trouble…
After the four sat down, the exam time hadn't yet started, and the teacher hadn't arrived.
Five minutes later, Class A's homeroom teacher, Mashima Tomonari, arrived right on time. He sat in front of the four Class D students and began reading the rules with a straight face.
The following is the explanation of the exam:
This special exam divides all first-year students into 12 groups, with the exam held within each group. The purpose is to test thinking ability.
In society, individuals should possess three core skills: action, thinking, and teamwork. Only those with all three qualify as outstanding talents.
The previous deserted island exam prioritized teamwork, but this exam focuses on thinking ability, a test of deep, deliberate problem-solving, clarity in addressing issues, preparation for unresolved challenges, and the ability to use imagination to create new value.
These skills will be useful in the future. The 12 groups correspond to the 12 zodiac signs, and Hikigaya's group is the Rabbit, with 14 members: three boys from Class A led by Machida Koji, three from Class B led by Ichinose Honami, four girls from Class C including Ibuki Mio, and the four from Class D present here.
In this special exam, each group's outcome has only four possible results, no other outcomes are possible. The exam is structured to result in one of these four scenarios.
For clarity, materials detailing the outcomes have been prepared, but taking them out or photographing them is prohibited. Confirmation must be done here.
The exam revolves around the "VIP student" in each group. By submitting answers to the school in the specified manner, one of the four outcomes will inevitably result.
The exam will start at 8:00 AM, all students will receive a message, and the selected "VIP students" will be informed of their status.
The exam runs from tomorrow until 9:00 PM four days later, with one completely free day in between.
Group members must gather twice daily at designated times and places for one-hour discussions, with the content determined by the group.
From 9:30 PM to 10:00 PM on the final day is the "answer period," during which answers to the exam results are accepted via text message. Each person has only one chance to submit.
Answers are only valid if sent from one's own phone to the designated email address.
The "VIP student" cannot submit answers via text. Answers regarding zodiac groups other than one's own are invalid.
At 11:00 PM on the final day, a detailed exam result message will be sent to all students.
Outcome 1: If everyone in the group, excluding the VIP student and their classmates, answers correctly, all group members receive private points, and the VIP student's classmates also receive companion private points.
Outcome 2: If one person in the group, excluding the VIP student and their classmates, fails to answer or answers incorrectly, the VIP student receives 500,000 private points.
Outcome 3: If a non-VIP student submits an answer to the school before the exam ends and answers correctly, their class gains 50 class points, and the correct answerer receives 500,000 private points. However, the class of the identified VIP student loses 50 class points, and the group's exam ends. If the VIP student's classmates answer correctly, it's deemed invalid.
Outcome 4: If a non-VIP student submits an answer before the exam ends and answers incorrectly, their class loses 50 class points, the VIP student receives 500,000 private points, and the VIP student's class gains 50 class points. If the answer is wrong, the exam ends, but if the VIP student's classmates answer incorrectly, it's deemed invalid, and the exam continues.
These are the only four possible outcomes. The exam is anonymous, with only group results and class point changes announced at the end. The identities of the VIP student and answerers are not disclosed, so as long as one stays silent, there's no risk of being exposed after the exam.
(End of this chapter)