Kushida glanced at Hikigaya with a puzzled look and whispered, "Hikigaya-kun, is something wrong?"
Instead of answering, Hikigaya tilted his head toward Shinohara and the others, who were still caught up in a heated argument without offering any constructive solutions—just endless complaints.
"Eh? Are you asking me to go over there?" Kushida asked, pointing at herself in surprise.
"Yeah, it's too hot to stay here."
"...Hehe, I suppose you're right."
For some reason, Kushida suddenly gave a knowing smile, casting a glance at Hikigaya as if she'd figured something out.
—Wait, did she misunderstand something?
Hikigaya only wanted to get the campsite set up quickly and proceed with his plan. He didn't intend for anything else. However, before he could stop her, Kushida had already rushed over.
"Excuse me, Shinohara-san, may I say a few words?"
"Kushida-san?"
Seeing Kushida step forward, Shinohara immediately stopped talking, and the others waited quietly for her to speak.
"Regarding the bathroom issue, as a girl, I agree that it's a bit excessive."
"Right? It's just too much, isn't it?"
Shinohara exclaimed, but her excitement was short-lived.
"However, it's unavoidable."
Shinohara, thinking Kushida had come to support her, was caught off guard by the sudden shift.
"We can't hold it for a whole week, right?"
Kushida said with a helpless smile.
"But... but I can't accept using cardboard boxes or anything like that! And besides, the boys will be around! It's gross!"
Shinohara stammered, her frustration spilling out as she accidentally voiced her deeper concern.
"Are you kidding? Who's going to watch you?"
"Exactly! We're not perverts!"
The boys, clearly insulted, started firing back at Shinohara. Some even muttered insults about her appearance.
In truth, Shinohara wasn't ugly, but compared to some of the other girls in the class, she didn't stand out. Especially when compared to the beautiful and angelic Kushida, Shinohara might as well have been a witch.
It was no surprise the boys sided against her.
"Shinohara-san," Kushida said seriously, "I don't think anyone would do such a thing. But if you're worried, you could ask another girl to stand guard. You can't just accuse people without evidence."
"Ugh... well... I still can't accept it!"
Shinohara retorted stubbornly, but her words were met with exasperated glares, particularly from the boys. Although some of the girls agreed with her, no one was willing to speak up.
"So, are you saying you'd like to drop out, Shinohara-san?" Kushida asked, blinking innocently.
"Wait, no! I didn't say that!"
"But you just said you couldn't hold it for a week. And damaging the environment is against the rules, you know?"
"Eh?"
Shinohara froze, and the chuckles from those nearby clued her in on how she'd just been cornered. Her face turned red in embarrassment.
But then, Kushida changed her tone. "Still, I do understand how tough this is for you, Shinohara-san. It's not easy for the girls... Oh, I've got it!"
Suddenly, she clapped her hands as if struck by a brilliant idea.
"Hirata-kun, I remember Mashima-sensei saying we can use test points to buy supplies. Could we get something like a portable toilet? Is it mentioned in the guidebook?"
Everyone's attention immediately shifted to Hirata.
"Yes, actually," Hirata nodded, "The guidebook says we can purchase a temporary toilet. It's a flushable one, too."
"Really?!"
The girls, including Shinohara, were thrilled and about to run over to check the guidebook, but Kushida stopped them.
"No rush. We can check later. Standing here is exhausting, right?"
It was true. There was no shade by the shore, and some students were already groaning from the heat.
"The most important thing right now is finding a campsite. The other classes have already moved on."
Kushida's reminder brought everyone back to reality—they were the last class still lingering on the beach. However, Shinohara still seemed hung up on the bathroom issue and wanted to resolve it.
"Um, Hirata-kun..."
"Alright, let's get going!"
Kushida quickly cut her off, turning and speaking as if nothing had happened.
"It's a bit embarrassing, but boys, could you please set up the tents for us? I'll help carry the bags!"
"No problem! Leave everything to us!"
The boys shouted in unison, energized by Kushida's words and eager to take on the task. At that moment, Sudou emerged from the makeshift tent, looking refreshed.
"Yo, looks like we're ready to move out?"
"Sudou, we're heading into the forest to find a campsite. Want to come along?" Ike volunteered, clearly trying to impress Kushida.
"Wait a second," Hirata intervened quickly, "It's dangerous to just charge into the forest."
"It'll be fine." Ike waved him off impatiently.
"If I find a good spot, I'll come back right away. Besides, we can't just stand around here forever, right?"
"True, but if possible, please try to find a spot near a river with level ground," Kushida added, showing her support for Ike's plan.
"Don't worry! I've got this!"
Encouraged by Kushida, Ike thumped his chest confidently, then paused, curious.
"Kushida-chan, you sound like you know a lot about camping."
"Yep! I went camping with my family when I was younger, so feel free to ask me anything," Kushida replied smoothly, though Hikigaya doubted the truth of it.
"Really? That's awesome!"
Ike began to boast about his own camping experience but was quickly drowned out by the other boys praising Kushida.
"Kushida-chan is amazing!"
"The other girls just complain. Kushida's the only reliable one."
The boys' flattery continued, pushing Ike out of the conversation entirely.
"Come on, you shouldn't say that. This test requires everyone to work together," Kushida smiled warmly, clearly enjoying the praise. Hikigaya, however, noticed her glance in his direction for a brief moment.
...Was that just his imagination?
Soon enough, everyone was assigned their tasks. Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudou set off to scout for a campsite, while the others began hauling the gear.
"By the way, did Sudou clean up after using that temporary toilet?" One of the girls asked nervously, pointing toward the makeshift facility.
Ideally, Sudou should have removed the plastic bag and absorbent materials after using it. But when he'd walked out, his hands had been empty...
Under the scorching sun, the odor wafting from the tent was probably overwhelming by now. Faced with the unavoidable issue, everyone's eyes turned toward the one person who remained expressionless through it all.
"Uhh..."
Ayanokouji glanced around and realized he had unknowingly been selected as the sacrificial lamb. It felt like some sort of ancient ritual. With Sudou already gone and his friends Ike and Yamauchi having left as well, Ayanokouji, their usual ally, was the only one left.
Hikigaya had been enjoying the show, but he suddenly noticed Ayanokouji looking his way.
Was he serious...?
"Um, Hikigaya, would you mind helping..."
"Kushida, I'll join the scouting team!"
Before Ayanokouji could finish his sentence, Hikigaya bolted, cutting him off.
There was no way he, an ordinary student, could handle such a monumental task. Better to leave it to the best candidate!
The truly ordinary one! [T/N: Did I add this line?]
"Huh? Hikigaya-kun, you're going too?" Kushida asked, curious.
"Yeah, there's something I need to check," Hikigaya replied, nodding slightly.
"If you find a good spot, start a campfire. The smoke will help the others find their way and avoid getting lost."
"Got it! Leave it to me," Kushida responded with a smile, not pressing him on what he needed to check.
Then, she leaned in slightly and whispered, "I did well back there, didn't I? Shinohara really is both ugly and dumb."
"...Yeah."
Hikigaya inwardly rolled his eyes. He'd only wanted to get things moving, not spark some rivalry.
But to Kushida, it seemed like Hikigaya held a strong dislike for Shinohara and her group. With the "Three Idiots" already subdued, Kushida probably felt the need to prove her worth by taking down Shinohara.
Ah, girls are terrifying.
Hikigaya sighed quietly and decided to let it go. There were more important matters at hand.
He approached Koenji, who stood on the edge of the group, and asked, "Koenji, interested in guiding me? I'll pay you 100,000 points."