After listening to Koenji's lecture, Hikigaya returned to the deck to cool off.
He had spent too much time in the hot springs, and after a long sauna session as well, he was beginning to feel lightheaded. If he didn't cool down soon, he might actually pass out.
But then again, what else could you expect from the heir of a powerful conglomerate? Koenji was the quintessential playboy, after all. Despite how productive the past hour had been, Hikigaya couldn't shake the feeling that he was learning some questionable habits.
"So this is where you are, Hikigaya-kun."
A voice called out from behind him, and Hikigaya turned to see Shiina, who looked more radiant than usual.
…Radiant?
Hikigaya was caught off guard by her appearance. Before he could fully process it, Shiina beamed and walked over to him, almost as if she was eager to show off something.
"Hey, Hikigaya-kun, can you tell me what's different about me?"
"Hmm… let me see."
At her prompting, Hikigaya examined her more closely. Her skin seemed to have a healthier glow, and it appeared more supple than usual. Maybe she had just come from a beauty salon or something.
"Your skin looks better?" he ventured.
"Yes! I just had a spa treatment!" Shiina exclaimed, her smile widening. "You should join me next time, Hikigaya-kun. It works wonders."
"But I'm a guy…"
"So what? Guys can go too, you know?"
Shiina tilted her head, genuinely puzzled by his hesitation.
How should he put it? She had that air of innocence about her, the kind that was almost too powerful, especially when she wasn't even trying.
As Hikigaya was contemplating how to navigate this conversation, a sudden announcement blared through the ship's speakers.
"We would like to inform all students that if you have some free time, please gather on the deck. We are approaching an island, and you will soon witness a very significant sight."
Come to think of it, the official reason given by the school for this trip was that they owned a small island in the south, which was the destination for this excursion.
Most students wouldn't care much about the announcement, their minds occupied with thoughts of how to enjoy the remainder of the trip. But those with a bit of insight would likely have noticed the weight behind the words.
"Hikigaya-kun, they mentioned a 'significant sight' in the announcement."
"Yeah, that's not a phrase they'd use lightly."
As expected, Shiina immediately picked up on the curious phrasing, clearly understanding that the sight might have something to do with the upcoming exam.
Hikigaya had only heard about an uninhabited island so far, so he didn't dare to let his guard down. He focused his attention on the horizon, scanning it intently.
After a few moments, a small landmass began to take shape in the distance, barely visible beyond the horizon. As the island came into view, students from other classes started crowding onto the deck, drawn by the sight.
"Shiina, should we move somewhere else? It's getting a bit crowded here."
"Sure, sounds good."
Shiina wasn't fond of crowds either, so she readily agreed to Hikigaya's suggestion. They gave up their prime viewing spot and moved to a quieter area.
However, Hikigaya's real reason for stepping aside wasn't to escape the crowd but to keep a closer eye on a certain someone.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
The sound of Sudou's voice rang out nearby, and the person he was confronting was none other than Totsuka Yahiko—the same Totsuka who had provoked Hikigaya in the cafeteria not long ago.
The scuffle began when Yahiko had shoved Ayanokouji, and Sudou, ever the loyal friend, had stepped in to defend him.
Honestly, Ayanokouji was taking his act as a meek, low-key student way too far. Just a bit of the assertiveness he'd shown when facing the student council president wouldn't hurt, would it?
"Hmph! This school is ruled by strength. There are no human rights for Class D. Defective products should behave like defective products. Remember, we are the noble Class A," Yahiko declared, his voice dripping with arrogance as he spewed a string of nonsensical words.
Class D's students, though visibly displeased, didn't dare to voice their frustrations and reluctantly retreated from the ship's bow, much like they were being chased away.
Throughout the entire exchange, Katsuragi Kouhei, another leader of Class A, remained silent, standing at the bow, fully focused on observing the island ahead.
Yes, this was the guy Hikigaya had set his sights on.
The ship had drawn much closer to the island in the meantime, though it bypassed the dock and began circumnavigating the island instead.
It seemed the intention was to give the students a full view of the island by circling it.
As the cruise ship sailed on without slowing down, Hikigaya became increasingly attentive, splitting his focus between monitoring Katsuragi and taking in the features of the island.
The island was dotted with small cottages, caves, waterfalls, and even a tower, with rivers and roads weaving through the landscape.
It was clear that this was an artificial island, carefully designed to ensure the students wouldn't face any life-threatening dangers.
As for Katsuragi, Hikigaya noticed that his gaze frequently lingered on a cave in the center of the island.
I see…
"This ship's speed around the island is rather unusual," Shiina remarked. "Hikigaya-kun, it looks like this trip might be coming to an end."
"Yeah, it seems that way," Hikigaya replied with a nod.
"What a shame. I was hoping to visit the spa with you," Shiina sighed softly, her disappointment seeming genuine.
"...Yeah, that's a real shame."
Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a bit awkward, silently thankful for the distraction the exam provided.
But to his surprise, Shiina then smiled and added, "Fortunately, the exam should only last about a week. Let's go together afterward."
"Huh?"
Just as Hikigaya was caught off guard by her suggestion, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from behind, giving off a distinctly hostile vibe.
Without thinking, he instinctively sidestepped out of the way.
Immediately after—
"Ow! That hurt!"
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
Hikigaya barely managed to suppress a chuckle. Totsuka Yahiko had deliberately tried to shoulder-check him, only to miss and slam straight into the railing with a loud thud.
It looked painful just watching it.
"Damn it! Why'd you dodge?" Yahiko demanded, his face flushed red with embarrassment, as the muffled snickers around them fueled his frustration.
"I was just making way for you," Hikigaya drawled lazily.
"I thought you were so eager to get on the island that you might jump overboard and swim."
"Hahaha!"
The bystanders could no longer hold back their laughter, bursting into open amusement.
"You bastard! A mere Class D scum dares to look down on me!"
Yahiko, fuming, lunged to grab Hikigaya by the collar, only for Hikigaya to evade him once again.
"Seriously, are you an untamed monkey that never learns?"
Hikigaya muttered in exasperation. This guy was supposed to be in Class A, for heaven's sake. How could he behave like this? And to top it off, he even shared the same last name as his angelic Totsuka. That was unforgivable!
"Do you have any idea who you're messing with? This is our Class A territory!" Yahiko yelled again, spouting more nonsense.
Throughout the entire commotion, Katsuragi hadn't said a word, remaining focused on the island and completely ignoring the ruckus. The other members of Katsuragi's faction were trailing behind Yahiko, seemingly more concerned about him losing in the confrontation than stepping in to stop him.
Hikigaya suddenly found himself developing a strong dislike for both Katsuragi and Class A as a whole.