The second day of the Special Exam had reached the afternoon, and the third group discussion was underway. However, due to the pervasive distrust between the groups, the discussions were largely unproductive. Many students had lost their motivation to even participate in the exam.
For instance, in Hikigaya's group, the Rooster Group, most members were either mindlessly scrolling through their phones or engaged in idle chatter. It was clear no one cared about the exam anymore.
It wasn't much better in the other groups.
Class A, renowned for their unity, seemed calm or even passive, likely because they were in the lead. Class B, on the other hand, was determined to win this round, constantly trying to spark discussion.
Unfortunately, apart from Class A, Class C wasn't very cooperative either. Following Ryuen's orders to the letter, they acted more like tools than individuals, unwilling to take any initiative.
As for Class D... well, there was nothing new there.
Hikigaya, bored out of his mind, passed the time by replying to messages from Shiina and Kamuro on his phone. Given the exam and the fact that they weren't in the same group, he had been deliberately avoiding them on the ship, which seemed to have left them a bit miffed.
But honestly, there was no reason for them to be upset.
It was all for their good, after all. Students were more sensitive during exam periods, and any suspicious behavior might attract unnecessary attention, especially from B-Class, who had recently dropped in rank. Their nerves were frayed, and even the slightest suspicious movement could lead to accusations.
As a result, Hikigaya had been bombarded with messages from both Shiina and Kamuro, subtly demanding his replies.
Seriously, when would software companies finally get rid of the "read" feature?
At this rate, Hikigaya mused, his texting speed would soon rival Yui's. Back when they were in the club, he couldn't understand how she could spend the entire hour chatting away on her phone. Now, he was beginning to see the appeal.
But then again, wasn't he in the middle of a discussion? Perhaps he should engage with his group for once. After all, what harm could it do to exchange a few words with them?
"Hey, you two," Hikigaya mentally chided the absent Shiina and Kamuro, "stop slacking off with your phones!"
But then again, expecting Shiina and Kamuro to socialize with strangers in this setting was probably asking too much. Let them chat away—it wasn't like it mattered.
"Busy, aren't you, Hikigaya-kun?" Matsushita's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Not really," Hikigaya muttered as he kept typing.
Matsushita shot him a peculiar look, likely finding the sight of him glued to his phone a bit unusual.
"So, what did you have for lunch?" she asked, clearly searching for something to talk about. "I went to that Japanese restaurant on the lower deck with Karuizawa and the others. The grilled mackerel there was amazing—fresh and so fatty!"
"I haven't been there yet," Hikigaya replied absently.
"Really? Aren't you hungry? It's almost two o'clock."
Hikigaya shook his head. "Not really. I slept in, so I had a late breakfast."
"Geez, even if it's summer break, you shouldn't slack off too much." Matsushita's words sounded like the typical advice of a model student.
And yet, wasn't she slacking off herself? Though, considering her recent exam scores, she had improved a little. Not drastically, but it seemed she was trying to gradually reveal her true potential, rather than showing a sudden spike in performance that might attract attention. It was probably a calculated move—making her improvement seem like the result of steady effort.
Hikigaya had no choice but to revise his thoughts. She wasn't trying to be his mom—no, she wasn't even acting like a sister!
After all, his actual mom never bothered with things like this. It was always Komachi keeping him in line.
Man, he missed home.
Just as Hikigaya was sinking deeper into his melancholic thoughts, Matsushita shifted her attention to another group member.
"Sakura-san, what did you have for lunch?"
She likely felt it would be rude to leave Sakura out of the conversation, despite their lack of interaction. After all, they were in the same class.
As for Sudou? Well, he was fast asleep, as usual. That guy was no concern.
Ah, typical behavior from the social elite, Hikigaya thought. Always worrying about including others. But for loners like him and Sakura, there was no need for such unnecessary attention.
"Eh? M-Me?" Sakura was startled by the sudden question, her voice shaky as she fumbled for a response. She lowered her head even more, a picture of shyness.
What a timid girl.
Then again, it wasn't surprising. Matsushita was part of the social elite in their class, while Sakura was an outcast, plain and almost invisible. The gap between their social standings was vast.
Hikigaya could empathize. He'd been in a similar position in middle school, when Hayama, the king of the social elite, had deigned to speak to him. It had been... humiliating.
Damn, why was he thinking about such unpleasant memories?
"No need to be so nervous. I'm just curious about what kind of food you like," Matsushita pressed gently.
"I… I guess I like… fish dishes?" Sakura stammered.
"Oh, then I recommend the Japanese place on the lower deck!" Matsushita beamed, once again promoting that restaurant. Was she getting kickbacks from them? Of course not—everything on this ship was free.
Still, Hikigaya's interest was piqued. If the food was that good, he might check it out after the discussion. His stomach was starting to grumble, anyway.
Finally, the announcement signaling the end of the discussion rang out, and the students began filing out of the room in small groups. Hikigaya lingered, deciding to hit the restroom first.
"Heh, if it isn't the dead-eyed loner. What, are you here to take a dump too?"
"...What."
Hikigaya couldn't believe his luck. How was it that he kept running into Ryuen, even in places like this?
It had to be a coincidence. Ryuen didn't have superpowers… right?
[T/N: Ryuen's Hikigaya sense is tingling.]
As Hikigaya's mind wandered, Ryuen's face twisted into a sinister grin.
"Word on the street is you're doing pretty well in the Rooster Group, aren't you?"
"Doing well?" Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you referring to? I don't recall doing anything noteworthy."
"Playing dumb again, huh?" Ryuen chuckled, half-amused, half-contemptuous.
"You managed to fool those idiots pretty well, claiming you're not interested in class competition and that you're sitting this exam out. And the fools believed you."
"I wasn't lying," Hikigaya replied, utterly confused.
What was this guy even talking about?
"Heh, that's not for you to decide." Ryuen sneered. "You're good at putting on a show, I'll give you that. But it's a shame—you didn't heed my advice."
"Advice?"
He must have meant that tricky guy, Hiroya. But Hikigaya still couldn't figure out the connection.
"The assassin I planted in your group has seen through your real identity."
"Wait, what?"
"Come on, stop pretending. It's pointless."
Ryuen took a step closer, his gaze locking onto Hikigaya's.
"You're the VIP, aren't you?"
Hikigaya frowned. "I told you yesterday, didn't I? I am the VIP. Did you forget overnight? What are you, a goldfish?"
They said a goldfish's memory lasted only seven seconds.
Sure, that was probably a myth, but for now, he'd pretend it was true. He had no desire to give Ryuen a science lesson.
"Tch, there you go again."
Ryuen's expression darkened, but a mocking glint remained in his eyes.
"You can stop playing dumb now. My informants have confirmed it—you're the VIP."
"What game? I've never denied it," Hikigaya shot back.
"Whatever you say doesn't matter anymore," Ryuen said, his grin widening. "Still, watching you struggle like a cornered rat is entertaining. Keep it up—I might even let you off the hook if you amuse me enough."
"Ugh, you're so annoying."
Hikigaya sighed, thoroughly fed up. He pulled out his phone and opened the official message from the school, turning the screen toward Ryuen.
"Here. Look closely. Does it say I'm the VIP or not?"
Ryuen's eyes widened.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"
Ryuen stared at the screen, his gaze fixed on the clear message: "You have been selected as the VIP."
There was no way the message could be faked, and Ryuen had been caught completely off-guard by Hikigaya's straightforwardness.
For a moment, Ryuen was utterly speechless.