"Th-this… D-don't you think this is too much?" Karuizawa stuttered nervously, trying to avert her gaze but too afraid to look away.
"Does it matter?" I asked.
"O-of course it does! You're literally telling me to strip!?" she exclaimed.
Yes, I was forcing her to reveal the secret she desperately wanted to keep hidden from everyone. I had known about it from the very beginning. In a sense, my actions might seem unnecessary or pointless, but I saw their importance.
"You told me you'd do anything, didn't you?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I… uh, I…" Karuizawa's voice trailed off, unsure.
"Are you having second thoughts, Karuizawa?"
"N-no! I'm not! I-it's just—"
"Then show 'it' to me," I ordered.
My goal wasn't to make her expose 'that' for its own sake. Rather, by forcing her to obey, I wanted to establish absolute control over her. She was at her most vulnerable and likely to give in to the pressure. And she did…
"U-ugh…"
With a defeated expression, Karuizawa squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the hem of her shirt, lifting it up.
"…"
There, on her beautiful pale skin, was a grotesque scar. A deep scar, clearly from a life-threatening wound inflicted by a sharp blade. This wasn't mere bullying—it was attempted manslaughter.
"So, this is your 'reason'?" I asked.
"Ugh…" she groaned in discomfort.
I had my hypothesis about how she ended up like this. Despite her personality, Karuizawa Kei was undoubtedly a cute girl. During middle school, she probably overshadowed others with her beauty. She must have been bullied out of jealousy and hatred. One of the more extreme bullies likely decided it was better to just eliminate her—and they stabbed her.
"It's crazy how you're still attending school."
"Wh-what?"
Anyone weaker would have become a recluse, or even gone so far as to take their own life. She always dressed modestly, even when swimming, wearing a school swimsuit rather than something revealing like the other girls. I couldn't blame her.
If I hadn't changed, I'd still be wearing long sleeves in the summer to hide my scars, just like her.
"Heut!" I touched the scar on her skin.
The spot must have been sensitive, because her body flinched violently as my fingers brushed over it. The texture was rough, surprisingly similar to my own scars. Judging by the position of the wound, it had been dangerously close to vital organs. A few inches lower, and she wouldn't be standing in front of me today.
"Scars are grotesque, but that doesn't make them ugly. It just means you survived."
"Wh-what are you… you…?" Her eyes widened in shock, as though my comment had caught her off guard, sounding almost like mockery.
"I'm giving you an opportunity." I gently pulled her shirt back down, covering the scar. "I'll protect you—better than Hirata or Machida ever did. In return, you just have to follow my orders."
"That's—"
Despite how much she had irked me in the past, all of her behavior had been a smokescreen to hide behind. But after this, I'd ensure she wouldn't need that anymore.
"All I need is people to operate the way I want. For that, I need your social skills."
Regardless of what I'd done before, maintaining the same momentum without unity would be difficult. Karuizawa controlled half the girls in the class. Her influence made her as valuable an ally as Horikita.
"What are you trying to…?"
"Enough."
I was done explaining. Any more indulgence, and I'd lose the upper hand. The less I said, the more intimidating I would appear. The less she would resist.
"First order of business: guide your group to victory in this exam."
"How am I supposed to help lead them to—?"
"You're the only person who hasn't submitted their identity to Horikita."
Though I hadn't directly stated the keyword, Karuizawa knew exactly what I meant. She met my eyes, the truth sinking deep within her heart.
She tried to feign confusion, but I saw through her act. It was useless.
"I could just order you to show me your email, so stop wasting my time and listen carefully. Don't test my patience." My glacial tone left her visibly shaken.
"A-alright! Fine. So, what do I need to do?" she huffed.
The plan was successful. Karuizawa Kei was now an asset. We were nearing the final stage of the zodiac arc. Now, it was time to make some final preparations.
"Tomorrow, an hour before the exam. Meet me."
🄾🅄🅃🅂🄸🄳🄴🅁
I left Karuizawa behind. She'd been instructed to leave a few minutes after I did to avoid suspicion. She also needed time alone, to process the strain I'd put her through.
I checked the time on my smartphone—six o'clock. The sun would set in half an hour. Students would soon gather on the top deck to enjoy the evening scenery. I was headed there as well, but for a different reason.
「 I understand. I'll wait there. 」
After reading the message, I turned off the screen and pocketed my phone. The fifth deck was crowded as expected, though not as much as during lunchtime.
I noticed familiar faces among the crowd—couples, friend groups, and loners alike. I wasn't bothered. My mind was preoccupied with the mental map of everything that still needed to be done.
A few steps later, I saw Horikita in her gym uniform, sitting on a bench. She tried to stand when she saw me, but I motioned for her to stay seated.
"Good evening," she greeted.
I nodded slightly before sitting beside her.
"The test ends tomorrow. How are things on your end?" I asked.
I didn't expect much from her, but still…
"I'll win," she said flatly.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm not sure who might be listening, so I won't go into detail. Just trust me. Everything will be fine."
"Mm…" I hummed, though I didn't mean it. I hunched forward, resting my elbows on my knees, trying to get comfortable.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked. "I thought we agreed to avoid unnecessary contact."
"I heard you, Ichinose, Kanzaki, and Ryuen had a heated argument last night."
"Did Ayanokouji-kun tell you?"
"Someone else. But what was it about?"
"Nothing worth mentioning." She gave me a dismissive answer.
I stared at her in silence, pressuring her to spill more. It worked.
"Ryuen-kun proposed we cooperate to target Class A by sharing VIP names," she sighed.
"And your answer?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
No, I didn't. Even if she had joined forces with Ryuen, it would still be a losing strategy, considering what had happened to Katsuragi back on the island.
"Do you see any potential in his plans?"
"His plans are scattered. At this point, all he has left are overconfident bluffs, but—"
"...but?" I pressed.
"Nothing, it's… um… I feel like we're missing something. I did everything alright, but still-"
It was clear she was doubting herself—or rather, she was wary of Ruyen. Perhaps she was concerned about Ryuen, who was hot on her pursuit.
"You know, you can't keep being scared of Ryuen forever," I said.
She looked at me. "Judging by how you phrased that, I'm guessing you can do something about it?"
She didn't seem to have any expectations of me, but her surprise was evident when I nodded.
"I've brought Hirata to our side. Expect more cooperation."
"I don't particularly want that," she remarked.
"I'm not asking you to interact with him. He'll be handled separately. You just need to focus on your role."
The trust we'd built from the Sudou case to the island exam was paying off. Hirata would do anything as long as it seemed for the best.
"I don't really like how you are openly admitting to using your classmates and operating from the shadows so freely."
"It's a precaution. I also have someone in another group you'll need to work with in the future."
Aside from managing my own group, I was monitoring the groups that had the most impact on the test, namely the Dragon and Rabbit groups.
"Okay, I REALLY don't like this. I don't want you to just go around and recruit people as you see fit."
I sighed. "This is a calculated decision. I'm thinking beyond this exam, for long-term results. That person will be useful in more ways than one."
"I have an idea of what you're thinking, but… Fine." Horikita let out a defeated sigh.
Horikita's thought process was complex, and yet simple. She wanted the betterment of the class, but she was yet to understand the importance of working together. That will eventually be fixed. I can fix her.
By the way…
"Lend me your phone for a second." I said.
She gave me a confused look, as if I'd asked for something as mundane as a mechanical pencil.
"Why?"
"I need to send a message."
"Can't you use your own phone?"
"I need yours for this." I clarified.
She seemed hesitant but handed it over. I immediately went to Lime and added a new contact with the memorized number. Fortunately, the person was online and responded immediately. Then I did what I needed to do.
After erasing the conversation from Lime, I handed the phone back to Horikita.
"I would've appreciated it if you weren't this secretive with your plan," she said.
"It's best if we don't influence each other's plans." I denied her request.
"Right."
"Don't worry. You'll see soon enough."
"You always say that," Horikita replied flatly.
Yes, I always did.
"At any rate, let's meet back here after the test is over."
I glanced at the time. It was half past six. The sun was setting on the distant horizon, as though it were being consumed by the vast sea. The chatter from the crowd near the bow was beginning to fade as night approached, likely because students were either heading back to their cabins or dispersing elsewhere.
"I wonder how many traitors will come forward in this test," Horikita mused.
"Still thinking about what happened with the Cow Group today?"
"Yeah, but I can't imagine we'll see a repeat of that. In the end, the most likely outcome is that the VIPs will slip away, and time will just run out."
Horikita briefly averted her eyes—a small, unconscious gesture that people often made when they were worried.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing. It's just... something about this test doesn't make sense. But there shouldn't be any mistakes. I definitely shouldn't lose," she replied, her tone betraying the anxiety she was trying to suppress.
I could see that some of her worry was finally surfacing. Even if I tried to comfort her, she'd probably brush it off and claim it was unnecessary. So instead, I decided to offer a dose of reality.
"Horikita."
"Hm? What is it?"
I closed my eyes, let out a sigh, and then responded.
"Don't expect too much from this test."
🄾🅄🅃🅂🄸🄳🄴🅁
Day 4, 8:00 PM.
Final meeting:
「The discussion period has begun.」
That simple monotone voice from the microphone signaled the start of the final discussion that would determine everything.
The room had always been tense throughout the test, but tonight felt different. It was suffocating. The tension inside the room was palpable, like a rubber band stretched to its limit, just waiting to snap. No one had moved or spoken yet, but I could feel it—the stagnant electricity in the air.
Suddenly, I felt a gaze burning into me. At first, I thought it was Yamamura, who usually kept to herself. But when I turned slightly, I caught the sharp eyes of Himeno from Class B locked on me. Her sharp eyes were cold and calculating. She quickly looked away, snorting quietly, as if dismissing me.
I took a deep breath, exhaled, and broke the silence.
"So... we've made it this far." I tried to keep my voice steady despite the growing tension. It was important to stay calm.
"Yeah... but we still don't know the most important thing, do we?" Amikura from Class B jumped in, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
There was no need to clarify. Everyone knew what she was referring to: Who is the VIP?
The room stirred. People shifted uncomfortably in their seats, and the pressure mounted. Amikura's eyes darted around the room, searching for any clue, any sign of weakness. It was obvious Class B was desperate—more proactive than the others in figuring it out.
"We've already said it before." Shimizu sighed, leaning back in his chair. "We're not giving out any information. You really think we're going to help the traitor betray us?"
Yamamura, as quiet as always, nodded beside him.
"Are you serious?" Yonezu snapped, frustrated. "You're just going to sit there and do nothing? You think that's going to work out for you?"
Shimizu didn't even blink. There had been countless discussions like this already. His silence spoke volumes. It was pointless to reiterate the same arguments.
"Look, we don't have time for this back and forth," Asaka from Class B said, leaning forward with her arms crossed. "We need to figure out who the VIP is tonight. If we don't, we won't get a single point. Are you really okay with that?"
Shimizu raised an eyebrow. "Even if we figure out who it is, do you think they'll just admit it? No one's going to willingly out themselves. It's a trap."
"Shimizu-kun has a point," Satou added, scratching her head. "No one's going to stand up and say, 'Oh yeah, I'm the VIP.' It's stupid."
"This whole thing is a waste of time," Kinoshita from Class D finally spoke up. "We're all looking out for our own groups. No one's going to be honest, and we're just going in circles."
Asaka's frustration boiled over. "Then what? You want us to just sit here and fail?"
Kinoshita shrugged. "What's the alternative? Accuse random people and hope someone slips up? Yeah, that'll go over great."
Kamuro leaned back on her seat, furrowing her brows, "We've made our position clear. Class A isn't getting dragged into this mess. You can keep shouting if you want."
Asaka slammed her hands on the table, standing up. "You think you can just walk away from this? We're all in this together, whether you like it or not!"
Kamuro didn't flinch. "That's your problem, not ours."
She wasn't wrong, though. Class B was not after the class points—rather they were aftter the private points. But class A was already getting more than plenty every month. So, they weren't as desperate as class B.
But this is confusing... I mean, class B was also getting a generous amount every month... So why?
At any rate, I watched as Asaka's hands shook, her anger was understandable. The clash between Class A and Class B was escalating, and Class C and D were caught in the middle.
Amikura, sensing the room standing on the brink of chaos, stepped forward, trying to calm the situation. "Guys, we can't afford to let this turn into a shouting match. Time is not on our side."
Asaka's voice was shaking with desperation now. "Then what do we do? We can't just sit here and fail!"
Kamuro sighed, clearly losing patience. "Look, even if we wanted to help, which we don't—there's no point. No one is going to admit they're the VIP, especially now that we're this close to the deadline."
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of her words settling over everyone. No one had any answers. The entire test had been building up to this, and now, at the final moment, it seemed like they were on the verge of failure.
"I'm done with this." Kamuro turned to leave the round table, but Asaka grabbed her arm.
"You're not walking out of here, Kamuro-san. Not until we have answers," she growled.
"…."
Kamuro looked down at Asaka's hand, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Get your hand off me. Now!"
Asaka hesitated for a moment before releasing her, clearly realizing she had overstepped. Kamuro brushed off her sleeve almost as if Asaka's touch had dirtied it.
"You can play this game all you want, but Class A isn't interested. We'll abstain, whether you like it, or not,"
"Even if this ends up making you seem suspicious?"
Kamurao smirked after listening to Asaka's provocative words.
"Feel free to vote any of us, if you can," she said, turning her back on the group and walking toward the sofa. Yamamura and Shimizu silently followed her.
Asaka opened her mouth to shout after her, but before she could.
"Calm down," Amikura interjected, trying to maintain a level tone. "Throwing names around won't help. We need to think this through."
"Do we even have anything to work with?" Mori spoke up for the first time. "We don't have enough information."
"Look, if we don't get our act together, we'll lose everything," Oda said with a strained but steady voice. "We can't give in to fear."
Amikura nodded, glancing around at each of us. "We need a plan. What if we try to figure out who has been acting strange?" Her suggestion hung in the air, drawing skeptical looks from the others.
"Strange? That's everyone here," Kinoshita shot back, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Nice try, but that's a dead end."
"So, we have literally no clue who the VIP might be?" Yonezu's voice rose, the frustration evident as he ran a hand through his hair. "We've spent all this time speculating without any solid leads!"
"If only we hadn't agreed on pushing the date to the finale." Asaka said while giving off a hostile glare toward class A who initially suggested the idea.
Kamuro, now settled on the sofa, scoffed dismissively. "It's not like any of us are going to just hand over the information. We're all here to protect ourselves. Why would anyone risk exposing themselves as the VIP?"
Asaka's face flushed with anger. "You think just walking away from this makes you safe? You could end up losing just as much if you don't at least try!"
"Ah, here we go again." The ever-smiling Amikura was rubbing her temple in frustration.
I leaned back in my chair, observing the escalating chaos as the group's tension peaked. And I knew I had to intervene before the situation spiraled completely out of control.
It was the perfect time to make my move.
"Everyone," I said, my voice cutting through the chaos. Immediately, the room fell silent as my voice settled in. Their gazes shifted toward me, filled with judgment and curiosity.
"What if we take a step back? Instead of jumping to conclusions or pointing fingers, maybe we should focus on the VIP's likely motives instead?" I proposed, my voice cutting through the rising noise. "We need to understand why they'd choose to reveal themselves or stay hidden."
The group fell silent again, the weight of my words settling in. I could see them grappling with the realization—fifty thousand private points or fifty class points on the line.
"Go on," Amikura who seemed pretty intrigued by my suggestion pressed me to continue.
"The VIP would likely prioritize self-preservation above all," I explained. "If we create a safe environment.. one that seems like we're all in this together… they might feel encouraged to reach out anonymously after the cooldown period."
"So what? We just sit here and wait to lose?" Kamuro raised an eyebrow.
"We've got a window after the test ends, thirty minutes before the final submission. We don't need to expose the VIP now. The VIP can decide who they trust anonymously and use that window to submit their name safely and reach the intended outcome. No pressure, no chaos."
If the VIP managed to stay safe until the submission period, the traitor would no longer be able to betray even if they wanted to. So, if the VIP by any chance chooses the wrong person, there'd still be no risk.
The room was attentively listening to my suggestion. Mori, Satou, Kinoshita, and Oda exchanged glances, trying to estimate the risk.
"I think I understand what Aozaki-kun is trying to say," Kinoshita nodded.
"And if the traitor uses that time to make their move?" Asaka asked cautiously.
"Then they'll have nothing to work with," I said immediately. "If we don't expose the VIP now, we avoid giving the traitor anything concrete. They'll be forced to guess just like the rest of us."
Shiina, who had been quietly reading dragon tattoo, flipped her book close with a soft thud. Her brow furrowed slightly as her curiosity piqued. "That would make sense… but only if you were sure there's no risk from the VIP."
While the other's perceived that as a genuine question, I could sense the hidden undertone behind her words. Without a doubt, she was testing me. On the corner of my eyes, I noticed Himeno nervously tapping her fingers on the table. Her unease was obvious now. She didn't speak, but her anxiety was clear as day.
My heart raced, but I kept my expression impassive, knowing that any sign of distress would only feed the panic. I needed to calculate every single word that'd come out of my mouth. One mistake, and it'd be over.
"The rules are clear." I met Shiina's gaze. "The VIP wins regardless if the name is guessed or not. The only danger is if someone submits their name before the timer runs out. If we wait until the final moment, we keep everyone guessing—including the traitor." I gave her an indirect dismissive answer.
Shiina tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable, but she said nothing further.
The room fell silent for a moment, My suggestion was hanging in the air. It was admittedly a risky move, proposing to do nothing—but I could see the cogwheels turning in everyone's head. It was a suggestion that could either save us all... or crush us down.
"I think Aozaki-kun is right," Satou shifted slightly in her seat. Her eyes darted between me and Shiina, before she spoke again, "If we don't start making real progress, we're going to fail by default. It's not just about finding the VIP—it's about not making the wrong call."
Amikura nodded. "If we accuse the wrong person, the VIP wins anyway, right? And if the traitor makes a wrong guess, they lose. It's risky for anyone to jump to conclusions."
Asaka, still visibly tense, folded her arms tightly across her chest, her voice trembling with frustration. "But we can't just sit here doing nothing. If no one makes a move, we're back where we started."
Oda stood up, glancing at the clock on the wall, his tone sharp. "So, what are we doing here? Are we going with Aozaki's plan, or not?"
"Maybe... we're approaching this wrong." said Asaka with an undertone of skepticism. "You mentioned the traitor has to act quickly to win. They'd have to submit the VIP's name before the thirty-minute cooldown is up. So why suggest a plan that gives them more time to think? It sounds... counterproductive."
"But if no one knows for sure, wouldn't it be better for everyone to wait? Maybe no one should act until the very last second, that way we're all on equal footing. Maybe... that's the safest route?" Satou leaned forward.
For a brief moment, the room was quiet again. The weight of the decision hung over everyone, the pressure climbed with each passing second.
"I agree with the anonymous approach," Mori was the first person to formally agree with my proposal.
"I'm with Aozaki-kun on this one." Satou raised her hand next to her while looking at me, smiling.
The next person to raise their hand on my favor was Oda, "This is the safest option out of all. So, I think it's worth a shot." he said.
"If the VIP is listening, please only reveal yourself after the cooldown. We're all counting on you." said Amikura before raising her hand.
Then Kinoshita, Albert, Himeno, Yonezu, even Shiina who was suspicious of me earlier..
"Alright," Yonezu muttered with a relaxing demeanor. "Let's see how this goes."
"I don't know if I like this," Asaka turned to her classmates with wide eyes. "Do we really want to leave everything to chance?"
"It's risky, but we're out of options." Yonezu exhaled slowly in reluctant agreement
Seeing her classmate's willingness to take the risk, Asaka took a deep breath, and calmed herself. "Fine.. I guess if we go down, then we might as well go down together."
That was almost everyone from the round table. This only left a group of three who hadn't given their votes yet—
"What?" Kamuro asked when all the gaze suddenly fell upon them.
"Nothing." said Yonezu with a dismissive tone. It was obvious that they wouldn't comment on this even if we pressed, even though they'd been the one's going for this strategy from the very beginning.
"We still have some time left, so... Should we just go back to doing whatever we did in our previous meetings?"
Suddenly, a thought struck me. I leaned forward and raised my voice "No. What if we all share something personal? Something that might connect us? The VIP might feel more inclined to respond if we make ourselves vulnerable and form a bond."
A murmur of surprise rippled through the group. "That's… actually not a bad idea," Satou admitted.
"Oh, you're cleverer than you look, Aozaki-kun." complimented Amikura while smilingly nodding. "If we show we're human, the VIP may relate and choose to reach out."
"That is an overexaggeration, but I do appreciate the compliment." I muttered.
Yonezu nodded, his demeanor relaxing slightly. "Alright. We can give it a try."
"Okay, so does it have to be something embarrassing, or—?"
"We should do rock paper scissors to decide who goes first and who asks."
"Aren't we like.. more than five people here?"
As they spoke, I watched Shiina closely, gauging her reactions. She was listening intently, her eyes never leaving the speaker, as if piecing together the puzzle before her. Albert was literally the only person who hadn't said a single word, not just during this meeting, but the entire test. Himeno, the other silent one, leaned her back against the chair, but said nothing. She was clearly more interested in watching the show than to participate. But I knew better.
Yamamura, on the other hand, still remained unreadable, glancing over at me from time to time as if waiting for my next move. I simply shrugged it off, fully aware of what the true purpose of all of this the entire time.
"...I always felt like an outsider," Mori confessed, her voice breaking slightly. "I've never been good at making friends. Especially because of my Kogashima accent."
"I can relate to that," Mori chimed in, her voice softer than before. "It feels awkward when people don't properly understand, and you have to repeat it."
And so, one by one, they began to share their stories, their fears, and aspirations.
Time passed by in an eyeblink. The final seconds ticked away, but the room didn't feel the tension anymore. The more they shared, the more tension from previous discussion dissolved, and the energy shifted from desperation to camaraderie. They were having fun conversing with each other, so much that they'd forgotten about the time limit.
I stayed silent, allowing their vulnerability to fill the space while maintaining my composed exterior. All of their heart-poured words were nothing but noise to me. Because everything I did for the test, it was all for this moment.
"Thirty seconds." I checked the timer on my phone.
I closed my eyes and began the countdown in my head. Before long, it was already time.
Three… two… one…
「The discussion period has ended.」the monotone voice rang out, marking the conclusion of Rat group's Zodiac Test.
[E: Okay.. erm.. yeah. I'm late…. Teehee~
Before any of you cast a curse ritual hoping for my damnation, let me make my excuse..
Ahem! *coughs…
I am lazy as fuck—and so are you. Do not dare try to debunk this fact. You know it in your soul!
So as one lazy person to another… Let me tell you a secret brother… I kissed your mother.
Sorry… I'm writing this at 3:44 Am while prepping for my Modern Architecture mid-terms exam. I'm probably not thinking in a linear direction.
So! How'd you like it? Truth to be told, I had to lose a lot of braincells trying to write this chapter. It was the hardest.. and I mean it.. the hardest I've ever written a chapter out of all previous fifty chapters. Not because of the lack of plot or anything…
It's probably obvious that us fanfic writers don't get paid to write these chapters.. And it's even less rewarding when nobody has anything to say about the things I write. I mean, even a criticism would hurt my ego and make me motivated to do better and dab on my critics. But there is none. Honestly, at some point I basically thought, 'Fuck this fic' and wanted to write an original work. Because that way, I'd be able to experiment more with how I write scenarios. Like the fragments I wrote earlier was the most fun I'd ever had, but it got the least amount of attention. That honestly demotivated me unlike anything else. I started to feel like—and I guess still feeling like.. Writing isn't fun anymore. I guess it's no longer a hobby when it turns into a chore.
Ha~ that's enough ranting for now.. I get it, nobody's forcing me to do shit.. And I don't blame anybody. I'm just trying to articulate my frustrations in this small corner of this small poor written fan-fiction.
Anyways.. life update.. Nothing to report except for disappointments.. but I am trying many new things in the midst of this. For example.. maybe I'll try this YouTubing thing with Character Ai.. Basically rizzing anime waifus with my writing.. Who know's what'll happen? (Fuck, I'm rambling again.)
I won't give up.. I'm a stubborn ass bitch! But I don't think I really did anything to prove my capability of keeping my promises. That's why for now, I'll promise to properly finish till volume 4 with this long format writing style.. but after that—we'll cross the bridge when we get there.
Anyways.. before I write any more depressing weird shit, I'll go to sleep. Thanks for reading my work as always… truly. To me, all of you are like my friends and brothers that I never had. I'll see ya in the next chapter.. Ciao ;]