7.2
Narrator: MC
I left the meeting in a complete rush, thoroughly irritated, without saying goodbye to anyone. It might be a bit rude of me, but I couldn't help it. And the reason for this is entirely due to one single person.
Hoshinomiya-sensei.
I had a clear objective for this exam. To be completely a second Koenji and correctly guess the VIP right after the first exam meeting. That way I could relax from this simple special exam for the rest of the time, while secretly helping Hirata and Kushida guide them toward complete victory in this exam, but those plans had been ruined.
Now I have to juggle things, I have to complete all the meetings while I have to think of a strategy to get the Cow group to achieve Result 4, while making all other groups achieve Result 3, excluding the groups where the other VIPs from our class will be. The Dragon group in which the person who would be the VIP: Kushida. And the Rabbit group in which the person who would be the VIP: Karuizawa.
Why do I say this? Well, the reason for my thought process is the addition of Mako Amikura. I ordered alphabetically according to the Japanese system in my mind. Since VIPs are determined by a logical rule: when the surnames of group members are arranged in the kana phonetic table, the VIP matches the corresponding animal in the Chinese zodiac.
Gojūon-jun. Fortunately, since Ike could write and speak in Japanese. I inherited his linguistic and writing skills. And in that ordering of the group known as cow or ox, the result that came out was the following:
1. Mako Amikura
2. Kanji Ike
3. Yume Kobashi
4. Chiaki Matsushita
5. Haruka Nishi
6. Hiyori Shiina
7. Naoki Shimizu
8. Ken Sudō
9. Airi Sakura
10. Yasumi Sawada
11. Hiroya Tokitō
12. Norihito Watanabe
13. Mariko Yajima
14 Kenda Yoshida.
And since the cow group is number two in the order of the Chinese zodiac. Then, the VIP, therefore, will be me. Kanji Ike, honestly, I categorized it as bad luck and yes it could be seen that way from a certain perspective, but by the way Hoshinomiya-sensei was looking at me discreetly, I was sure that she had once again altered the group members.
She couldn't manipulate the VIP's freedom at will, but she could choose for certain people to go to certain groups and, although I'm not sure if she knew I would end up as VIP, I still know with certainty that she bet on the possibility of me being the VIP. Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen Amikura. Just that one person added to the group made my initial plan completely fall apart.
Yume Kobashi was no longer the VIP of the group; therefore, I couldn't choose Result 3 for the Cow group. Now I'm the VIP and now I have to defend myself until the last meeting. And although I could achieve Result 2, simply by staying quiet, it was a result I wasn't satisfied with, so I'm going to choose Result 4. To keep the private points and 50 class points in the process.
The only good thing about being the VIP is that I don't have to worry about the other remaining VIP from our class. Kushida, Karuizawa, and I were the best VIPs we could have gotten as a class. Kushida achieving Result 1. Kiyone achieving Result 4. And I'll also go for Result 4.
And fuck the Class B alliance. I was going to try to respect the alliance for the moment, like I did in the island exam, or I would have gotten a better deal with Class B, but after this move by Hoshinomiya-sensei I'll make Class B lose 150 points. Sue me, I'm a human being and I can be absolutely petty when I want to be.
So if I can make it work. We'll win 150x3 equals 450, if Kiyone and I achieve Results 4, then just in this exam we'll win 550 points and each class would lose 150 points for guessing each VIP. Class A would lose 50 more points for incorrectly guessing the rabbit group. And if I accomplish my goal, another class would lose 50 points.
That would leave the following scores:
Class A: 1220 - 200 equals 1020.
Class B: 891 - 150 equals 741.
Class C: 572 - 150 equals 422.
Class D: 395 + 550 equals 945.
We would manage to advance to Class B. Furthermore, even if we subtract the other 50 from Class A, we would still be 25 points short of surpassing Class A. But being Class B, we would be allies with Class D which would be Ryuen's, in the sports festival. Which I don't know what to think about that.
But all of this is just an assumption and an illusion for the moment. Whether I can achieve it and carry it out is another matter. That leads to another thing.
Hiyori Shiina.
Of all the students who could be in my group, it had to be her.
Shiina Hiyori was, without a doubt, one of the most dangerous students in Class C—not because of brute force or intimidation like Ryuen, but because of her intelligence and observation skills. In the novels, she had proven to be surprisingly perceptive, capable of reading between the lines and deducing information that others would overlook.
She was a literature lover who used her knowledge of narratives and human psychology to understand people on a deep level. Quiet, kind, but absolutely lethal when it came to social analysis.
And now she's in my group. Great. Absolutely great.
Because if there was anyone capable of deciphering my deception or reading my intentions behind my plans to keep the VIP, it was her. And if she finds out—if she connected the dots about me being the VIP—all my plans would go to hell. And I couldn't achieve Result 4.
I couldn't underestimate her. Not for a second.
I would have to be careful. Very careful. One wrong word, a suspicious reaction, and she could start connecting the dots.
I have to keep her busy, I decided. Distract her. Give her false clues if necessary. Whatever it takes to prevent her from reaching the correct conclusion.
Although... there was also a possibility.
If I played my cards right, maybe I could use her intelligence to my advantage. Make her think she was following a legitimate trail when in reality I was guiding her toward an incorrect conclusion.
It was risky. Very risky. But it was better than letting her investigate freely.
Shiina Hiyori, I thought with a mixture of respect and apprehension. You're going to be my biggest challenge in this exam.
"Ike-kun!"
Matsushita's voice abruptly pulled me out of my thoughts.
I stopped dead in my tracks, turning around to see Matsushita quickly approaching down the hallway, with Sudō and Sakura following her closely. All three looked vaguely concerned—well, Sakura looked more nervous than concerned, but that was normal for her.
"Are you okay?" Matsushita asked when she reached my side, tilting her head with genuine curiosity. "You left there as if the place was on fire."
I rubbed the back of my neck with one hand, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that..." I paused, considering how much to reveal. "Apparently I really do have bad luck."
All three looked at me with confused expressions.
Sudō was the first to speak, scratching his head. "What do you mean by that?"
Shit. I shouldn't have said that out loud.
I quickly shook my head, dismissing the comment with a wave of my hand. "It's nothing. I was just thinking out loud." I changed the subject before they could press further. "Anyway, what do you think about the exam? Pretty complicated, right?"
Matsushita studied me for a moment longer—her eyes narrowing slightly with suspicion—but decided to play along.
"It's... strategically complex," she admitted after a moment, crossing her arms while considering the question. "It's not like the island exam where everything was physical and straightforward. This is completely mental. Psychological, even."
I nodded, appreciating her precise analysis.
"Furthermore," Matsushita continued, her tone becoming more thoughtful, "Depending on how the groups turn out, the result could vary. If group members desire cooperation versus betrayal. Group benefit versus personal benefit. And everything depends on correctly identifying the VIP."
She's definitely analyzing this in depth, I noted mentally. As expected from someone who hides her true intelligence.
Sudō snorted, crossing his arms with a grumpy expression. "Honestly, all that 'reasoning ability' and 'teamwork' crap sounds like pure bullshit. In the end, this is just another game where the school makes us fight each other."
He wasn't wrong.
"But," Sudō admitted reluctantly, "I guess at least we don't have to run around an island or sleep in uncomfortable tents this time. So that's an improvement."
Sakura, who had been quiet until now, spoke with a soft and hesitant voice. "I-I... think it's a bit scary."
We all turned to look at her.
She shrank slightly under our attention, her hands clasping in front of her nervously. "I mean... having to trust people you don't know. Or decide whether to betray them. And knowing that any decision you make could hurt your class..." Her voice trailed off.
There was a moment of silence as we all processed her words.
She's right, I admitted internally. For someone like Sakura—shy, socially anxious, struggling with group interactions—this exam must be absolutely terrifying.
"Hey," Sudō said surprisingly gently, giving Sakura an awkward pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much. The four of us are in this together, right? We'll watch each other's backs."
Sakura gave him a small grateful smile, though she still looked nervous.
Matsushita nodded in agreement. "Sudō is right. We have to work together to achieve our goals. We don't know the other group members' agendas, and they're strangers to us, so we need to proceed with caution."
Well, I thought with irony, except that I know several of them from the novels, though not all, obviously. But that's a small detail I'm definitely not going to mention.
"Anyway," I said aloud, crossing my arms casually, "do you three completely understand how the exam works?"
Sudō shrugged. "More or less. Basically we have to guess who the VIP is, right? And depending on when and how we do it, we get different results."
"That's... an extreme simplification," Matsushita commented with mild amusement, "but technically correct."
Sakura nodded shyly. "I-I think I understood most of it. Although... some of the specific rules about when answers can be sent and what classes can do what... that was a bit confusing."
I'm not surprised, I thought. Hoshinomiya-sensei bombarded us with a lot of information in very little time. Even I had to make an effort to process everything and refresh my memory, and that's despite the fact that I already knew how the exam worked beforehand.
Matsushita looked at me directly with her eyes, showing that sharp intelligence she normally hid behind her facade of a normal girl.
"Do you have a plan?" She asked bluntly.
I raised an eyebrow at her direct question. "Why do you think I have a plan?"
Matsushita didn't hesitate. "Because during the entire explanation, even though you were on your phone, I'm sure you were processing information. I saw how your eyes moved over the pamphlet, plus how you made that last analysis about Result One being, I have to admit I was a bit impressed."
She paused.
"You're not as careless as you pretend to be, Ike-kun. At least not lately."
Well, it's not like I was trying to hide it. But I'm surprised she's paying too much attention. Though I don't blame her, I'm too cool. I thought with arrogance and amusement.
I considered my response carefully. Matsushita was smart—very smart—and clearly suspected I was hiding my true capabilities. Denying completely would only make her more suspicious and more curious.
Instead of answering her directly, I turned to Sudō.
"Sudō," I said casually, "do you think I have a plan?"
Sudō blinked, clearly not expecting me to turn the question back on him. He scratched his head, considering it for a moment.
"Uhh... maybe?" He responded with a noncommittal shrug. "I mean, you made that long analysis about why Result One is hard to achieve. That sounded pretty smart. So... I guess I somewhat agree with Matsushita."
Great. Even Sudō is starting to notice.
I let out an exaggerated sigh, running a hand through my hair with feigned frustration.
"Okay, let's say—just for the sake of argument—that I have a plan." I looked at all three of them directly. "Would you follow it?"
The three exchanged glances with each other.
Sudō was the first to respond, shrugging again. "I guess it depends on the plan. But yeah, I'd probably follow you. You've proven to be pretty reliable lately."
Sakura nodded shyly, her voice barely audible. "I-I... trust you, Ike-kun."
That was... unexpectedly sweet, I admitted internally, feeling a pang of guilt for all the manipulation I was planning to do. But I told myself it was for the good of the class.
Matsushita studied me for a long moment before speaking.
"I'm always willing to listen to a plan," she finally said with her tone carefully neutral. "Especially if it comes from someone who has proven to be more capable than they appear."
There was weight in those last words—a hint that she knew I was hiding something, but that she was willing to work with me anyway. Apparently not caring about my reputation.
Matsushita Chiaki, I thought with growing respect. You're definitely someone I need to keep a close eye on.
After all, I had already planned to have allies. And she could be a good ally and a natural follower. I always found it amusing that despite her intelligence, Matsushita was more of a follower than a leader. She could contribute to plans and execute plans, but she herself couldn't make complex plans without help.
Though that could change with the right guidance. I thought briefly.
I smiled—a genuine smile this time, not the arrogant one from before—but then shook my head.
"It would be best to wait until they send us the email with the VIP identification," I explained, adopting a more serious tone. "Then we can act depending on whether someone from our class was chosen as VIP or not."
I paused, making sure everyone was following.
"Because depending on whether one of us is chosen, the path to take will be different. If none of us four is the VIP, we can work together to identify them among the other ten members. But if one of us is the VIP..."
I left the implication hanging in the air.
Matsushita nodded slowly, understanding immediately. "Then that person would have to decide whether to reveal their identity to the group or keep it secret. And the rest of us would have to decide how to handle that information."
"Exactly," I confirmed.
Sudō frowned. "Wait, but if one of us is the VIP, shouldn't we just tell each other? We're from the same class, aren't we?"
"It's not that simple," Matsushita responded before I could. "Even though we're from the same class, we shouldn't reveal we're the VIP at the first opportunity, or we could risk the VIP being revealed even if it's not intentional, and if that happens: we run the risk of someone from the group—someone from another class—sending an early answer and betraying. Remember Result Three."
"Ah, shit," Sudō muttered, the realization hitting him. "You're right. This is complicated."
Sakura looked even more nervous now, if that was possible.
"So... what do we do?" She asked in a small voice.
"For now," I said firmly, "we wait. Tomorrow at 8:00 AM, the VIP will receive their notification. If any of us gets the VIP we won't tell any of us, or anyone, for the moment. After the first meeting ends and we know the capabilities of the other members of our group a bit, we can plan our next move. Understood?"
"Yeah, I think I understand," Sudō nodded with a thoughtful frown.
Sakura nodded shyly, Matsushita just had a thoughtful look.
Then I turned specifically to Matsushita.
"Matsushita-san, I need you to do something for me."
She raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Get all the names from the other groups," I said directly. "All twelve. As complete as you can."
Matsushita blinked, clearly not expecting that request. "The other groups? Why?"
I didn't respond immediately, considering how much to reveal.
"It's just a hunch that I'll explain later," I finally said, keeping my tone deliberately vague. "But I think the names of members from other groups will be very important. Trust me on this."
Because if I can get the names of all the groups, I can verify the gojūon-jun pattern in all of them. And if the pattern remains consistent...
...then I'll know for certain who each VIP is.
And that gives me tremendous power. And with the VIPs in my hands I just need to figure out how to send them in each group.
Matsushita studied me with those analytical eyes of hers, clearly trying to decipher my reasoning. But after a moment, she nodded slowly.
"Okay. I'll see what I can do."
Good girl. I joked in my mind to myself, with a mocking smile.
"Anyway," I said aloud, gesturing vaguely toward the stairs leading to the upper decks, "it would be best if we met after the first meeting ends tomorrow. There are too many unknown variables right now."
Matsushita nodded in agreement. "Makes sense. Once we see how the first meeting unfolds, we'll have a better idea of group dynamics."
"Meanwhile," I added with a lighter smile, "we should enjoy ourselves and not think too much about the exam. We're still technically on vacation, aren't we?"
Sudō laughed at that. "Yeah, 'vacation.' With an exam that could make our class lose massive points if we screw it up."
"Minor details," I joked, waving my hand dismissively.
Even Sakura let out a small giggle at that, looking slightly less tense than before.
"Hey, Ike," Sudō said suddenly, slapping me on the shoulder. "Want to go eat with Yamauchi and me? That idiot is probably already in the cafeteria stuffing himself."
I considered the offer for a moment. Honestly, spending time with Yamauchi wasn't exactly my idea of fun—the guy was loud, immature, and frankly annoying most of the time.
But it was also important to keep up appearances. Ike and Yamauchi had been friends—or at least close acquaintances—and distancing myself too abruptly would raise suspicions.
Besides, I admitted internally, I could use some food. All that information made me hungry.
"Sure," I said with a smile. "But if Yamauchi tries to steal my food again, I'm throwing him overboard."
Sudō laughed loudly at that. "Deal!"
We turned toward Matsushita and Sakura, who were watching us with varying expressions of amusement (Matsushita) and mild relief that the tense conversation was over (Sakura).
"See you later then," I said with a casual farewell gesture.
"Enjoy your meal," Matsushita responded with a polite smile, though her eyes still showed that analytical curiosity. "And Ike-kun..."
I stopped, looking at her over my shoulder.
"We'll talk more after the first meeting," she said firmly. "There are... some things I'd like to discuss with you."
Oh? Now I'm definitely curious about what she wants to talk to me about. Maybe I can use that private conversation to get her on my side.
But aloud, I just nodded casually. "Sure. Whatever."
With that, Sudō and I walked away, leaving Matsushita and Sakura behind as we headed toward the stairs.
As we walked, my mind was already racing again, processing everything that had just happened.
Matsushita definitely knows I'm hiding something, I concluded with certainty. But she doesn't know exactly what. Yet.
I would have to be careful with her. But this was an opportunity I couldn't miss with her, who knows when I'll have another opportunity with her.
And then there's Shiina Hiyori...
That was another completely different problem. A problem I would have to face in the first group meeting tomorrow.
Fourteen people. Four different classes. Three days. And me as the VIP.
This is going to be...
I left the thought unfinished as Sudō started chattering about something—probably basketball or food, the only two topics he cared about.
I let him talk, nodding occasionally in the appropriate places while my mind continued working in the background.
Result Four, I reminded myself. That's my goal. Trick someone into sending an incorrect answer before 9:30 PM on the last day.
500,000 private points for me. 50 class points for Class D. 50 class points lost for whoever betrays.
Simple in theory.
Extremely complicated in execution.
Especially with people like Mako and Shiina in my group—both are smart enough, although Shiina was much smarter—that doesn't mean I have to underestimate Mako. If Hoshinomiya-sensei had interfered to put her in our group, it must have been for something.
First I'll observe what actions each of them takes. Depending on what they do, it will define whether I act or not to try to distract them, all while thinking of a way to deceive them.
And at the same time, I need to identify who in the group is impulsive enough—or desperate enough—to risk an early betrayal.
And manipulate them into putting the wrong VIP, and if it's from Class A, even better.
A slow smile formed on my lips at the challenge.
This is going to require every ounce of cunning I have.
But if I succeed...
If I truly succeed...
Class D will take a massive leap forward. And I'll pocket half a million points in the process.
It's worth the risk.
"Hey, Ike?" Sudō's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Are you listening?"
I blinked, realizing I had been completely lost in my own thoughts for the last few minutes.
"Ah, sorry," I said with an apologetic smile. "I got distracted thinking. What were you saying?"
Sudō rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I was saying we should get that grilled meat they serve on deck nine. I heard it's incredible."
"Sounds good," I agreed easily.
As we continued walking toward the cafeteria, I let my worries about the exam temporarily fade to the back of my mind.
For now, I could relax. Enjoy a decent meal. Act like the normal, careless Kanji Ike everyone expected.
Tomorrow—when that email arrived at 8:00 AM confirming my status as VIP—then the real game would begin.
But for tonight...
Tonight, I can just be a normal student having dinner with a friend.
Enjoy it while it lasts, [******].
Because once that exam starts tomorrow...
There will be no more breaks until it's all over.
And with that final thought, I followed Sudō toward the stairs, leaving behind the silent second deck and all the complications it contained.
At least for now.
.
.
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