Hikigaya immediately pulled out a pen and paper from his pocket when he heard a noise coming from the staircase. He pretended to jot something down, acting as if he had been diligently recording notes the whole time.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing over there? That's our Class A base!" a panicked voice shouted from behind him.
Turning around, Hikigaya saw three students, one of whom was none other than Totsuka Yahiko. Of course, Yahiko had shown up, just as Hikigaya had anticipated. There was no way Katsuragi would give up such a prime hiding spot, and the only unknown variable had been when Yahiko would make his appearance.
"Oh, my bad. Didn't mean to intrude," Hikigaya replied calmly, hastily tucking the items back into his pocket. He then made a show of trying to leave, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
But Yahiko stepped in front of the ladder, blocking his exit, and the other two boys flanked him on either side, effectively cutting off any escape route.
"Hikigaya, I never would've guessed it'd be you," Yahiko sneered. "I don't know how you managed to find this place, but you've trespassed into our Class A territory."
"And? I'm just having a look around. I didn't touch anything, and that's not against the rules, is it?" Hikigaya replied, waving his hand dismissively. "If this place belongs to you, I'll leave. Now, move."
He attempted to push past them, but Yahiko shoved him back.
"Hey, what's your problem?" Hikigaya asked, frowning.
Yahiko ignored the question and turned to his companions. "I saw him stash something just now. Let's check him out and see if he's carrying anything suspicious."
"What? You've got to be kidding me!"
Hikigaya snapped, feigning outrage. Internally, he couldn't help but feel how utterly dull his opponents were. This whole situation reminded him of his past run-ins with Class A. They were always so self-assured, so convinced of their superiority, that they forgot their limitations. And, just like before, they immediately jumped to body searches.
The girls in their class were no different… Why was everyone so obsessed with searching people's bodies?
Maybe it was a way to feel superior.
"You don't have a choice," Yahiko said smugly, his nose nearly pointing skyward in arrogance. "There are three of us and only one of you. You really think you can get away?"
This place had only one way in or out—a ladder. In Yahiko's eyes, Hikigaya was trapped. Funny enough, Hikigaya felt the same way.
"This isn't an act of violence, so you understand where we're coming from, right?"
One of Yahiko's companions added with a sinister grin, "Even if we rough you up a bit here, no one would know. So you'd better cooperate."
They had a point. While the rulebook forbade violence, theft, and destruction of property, they were on an unmonitored island. With hardly any surveillance cameras around, it would be tough to prove anything even if they did get physical.
Hikigaya sighed, lowering his head as if in resignation.
"Heh, knew you'd come around," Yahiko chuckled, clearly enjoying this display of submission. He stepped forward, beginning a thorough search of Hikigaya, roughly patting him down as if he were a suspect. Yahiko's touch wasn't exactly gentle—it was clear he was relishing the opportunity to retaliate.
After an unnecessarily forceful search, Yahiko only found a pen and a piece of paper on Hikigaya. The paper had a map scribbled on it—one that outlined the Class A base.
"So, you've been secretly mapping our base, huh?" Yahiko glared at him.
"It's just an assignment I was given by my class. You've seen it. Now hand it back," Hikigaya said, reaching out for the paper.
Yahiko slapped his hand away. "Are you stupid? Why would I give this back to you?" He waved the map tauntingly. "This belongs to us now. Know your place. You're in Class D—you should stay at the bottom where you belong. Don't even think about trying to take down Class A."
One of the other students chimed in, "Ask him if Class D is planning some kind of scheme."
Hikigaya's expression shifted into something akin to disbelief.
"As if," Yahiko scoffed. "Those idiots in Class D can barely pass their exams, let alone scheme against anyone."
For once, Hikigaya silently agreed with him. Class D couldn't organize a plot even if they tried. They were too busy tripping over their messes to worry about anyone else.
"Fine. Don't let me catch you snooping around here again. Let's go!" Yahiko barked, casting one final glare at Hikigaya before motioning for his companions to follow him.
Hikigaya watched them leave, slightly amused. He had expected to be kicked out of the area and wait until they left to regroup with Matsushita, but Yahiko had just walked away on his own.
Interesting.
It suddenly dawned on him—Yahiko must have decided that since their hideout was compromised, even if they chased him away, it wouldn't be safe anymore.
They'd abandoned the spot entirely.
Seems like Yahiko had picked up a thing or two from Katsuragi, learning to be cautious. Or maybe it was more likely that Katsuragi had explicitly told him not to occupy any base if students from other classes were nearby, even if they hadn't been discovered.
Yahiko may have been arrogant, but he was still obedient to Katsuragi.
After waiting a few moments and ensuring the coast was clear, Hikigaya motioned for Matsushita to come out from her hiding spot.
"Did you get the shot?" he asked.
"Take a look," Matsushita replied, handing him the digital camera.
Hikigaya flipped through the pictures, scrutinizing each one. He had to admit, that Matsushita had a knack for photography. The angles were perfect, capturing not just the scene but Yahiko's entire search process in sharp detail. Every shot displayed his face, leaving no room for doubt.
With these photos in hand, presenting the evidence to the teachers would undoubtedly expose Yahiko's wrongdoings. There'd be no way for him to deny it.
"'Any acts of violence, theft, or property damage towards other classes will result in immediate disqualification,'" Matsushita recited as if reading his mind. "That's the rule you're banking on, isn't it, Hikigaya?"
She had him figured out.
But Matsushita wasn't done. With a sly smile, she added, "Though, I'm guessing your goal isn't just to have Class A disqualified, right? That would be too easy, wouldn't it?"
Hikigaya gave her a dry look. "Matsushita, you're smiling like a villain."
She pouted in mock indignation. "You're the real mastermind here, Hikigaya-kun! Besides, I bet you're planning to turn Class A into your cash cow, just like you did with Class C."
"No, I'm just seeking compensation for my emotional distress," he retorted.
"Right, you and your carefully chosen words," she teased. "So, when are you going to start your famous negotiations?"
Hikigaya noticed a peculiar edge to her tone when she mentioned negotiations, almost as if she were mocking him. Then again, he was quite adept at them.
"Maybe in a few days—around the sixth day," he answered after a pause.
The exam was scheduled to last until noon on the seventh day. Negotiating with Katsuragi right before the final stretch would give them the upper hand. After six grueling days on the island, Class A would be too tired and too close to victory to offer much resistance.
"Wow, you're ruthless," Matsushita remarked, taking a playful step back as if she were scared.
"Whoever crosses you is unlucky... but honestly, they deserve it. The way those Class A guys act like they're above everyone else—it's infuriating!"
Hikigaya couldn't help but nod in agreement. Class A's arrogance had gotten under Matsushita's skin as well. She didn't interact with them often, but their superior attitude was hard to miss.
They were the self-proclaimed elites, and they rarely mingled with students from other classes. Given the school's unique system, no one could challenge them either—not when graduation prospects and even monthly living stipends were worlds apart between the classes.
But after seeing Class A up close, Matsushita realized they weren't all that impressive. Some of them were no better than Shinohara and her gang, blissfully unaware they had already fallen into Hikigaya's trap.
"Alright, we should head back," Hikigaya said, glancing at his watch. It was just about time for lunch.
"You're right! I bet Kushida-san's getting impatient. Let's pick up the pace."
"Wait, what?" Hikigaya's steps faltered at the mention of Kushida.
Why would Matsushita bring her up out of nowhere?
"Oh, didn't I mention? I asked Kushida to cover for me," Matsushita replied innocently. "I couldn't think of a good excuse to ditch Karuizawa and the others, and she just happened to walk by. I told her I was going to explore with you, and she agreed to help."
Hikigaya felt his stomach drop. "And... she didn't ask why you wanted to go with me?"
"Nope," Matsushita chirped. "I just said I wanted to hang out with you, and she was fine with it."
That bombshell of a statement sent Hikigaya reeling. Matsushita seemed completely unfazed as she continued, her grin widening.
"Oh, and Kushida told me to pass along a message: 'Have fun out there, but don't forget to come back.'" Her smile turned wicked. "You two must be close! It's impressive how well you get along, even with all the drama between the boys and girls in the class."
Matsushita's words cut like a knife, her sweet tone contrasting with the unnerving smile plastered on her face.
Hikigaya felt his sanity slipping.
Please, Matsushita, could you stop smiling like that while saying such terrible things?
Suddenly, he found himself no longer in a rush to return to the camp. For some reason, staying hungry didn't seem so bad anymore.
Everything had been going according to plan: Class A had fallen into his trap, and a hefty payday was practically guaranteed. But despite it all, he couldn't muster any satisfaction.
Could it be? Was he... beyond the trivial pursuit of money, now a person of higher moral standing who saw wealth as mere dirt?
Yes, that had to be it.
It wasn't because of Matsushita's unsettling mood or the looming confrontation that awaited him back at camp, right?