Kayden had just shared the details of the special exam on the island with Nazuna and Fuuka. Both were astonished by the magnitude of his strategy.
Nazuna: "Jesus, I'm speechless. How could you plan all of this?"
Fuuka: "Actually, it wasn't so much planning as it was improvisation based on the information I was receiving. I'm quite surprised, to be honest."
Kayden: "You're right, Fuuka. I improvised as I went along and with the information I gathered. Maybe I was just lucky with some factors in my favor, that's all."
Nazuna: "What you did in that exam puts Miyabi's efforts in the first year to shame."
Kayden: "And what about Nagumo?"
Nazuna: "Well, it's nothing compared to what you did. It was simply a method of uniting the classes with a points deal and a bit of pressure on the others. That was all."
Kayden: "I see. I guess Nagumo's approach wasn't very pragmatic, more like direct, similar to Ryūen."
Fuuka: "Oh, was that Nagumo's tactic?"
Kayden: "Aren't you participating in the exam too, Fuuka?"
Fuuka: "No, it was too tedious, so I withdrew on the first day."
Kayden: "Sounds like something you would do."
Nazuna: "By the way, Kayden, how is the ranking after the results?"
Kayden: "Class A has 1435 points, Class B has 1049, Class C 557, and Class D 310 points. That's how the points stand now."
Fuuka: "It looks like your class has quite an advantage now."
Nazuna: "True, I wonder how much further it will expand."
Fuuka: "If it's Kayden we're talking about, it'll probably reach 2000 points before the year ends."
Nazuna: "2000 points sounds pretty tough, but considering his performance in the first exam, there might be a chance."
Kayden: "2000 points, huh. To achieve that, there are many variables to consider, such as whether the upcoming exams will allow for such points and how active the other classes will be."
Fuuka: "Do you think you can achieve it?"
Kayden: "Maybe. I can't give a definitive yes or no at the moment."
Fuuka: "I see."
Kayden: "By the way, Fuuka, were you satisfied with my performance?"
Fuuka: "Well, if I say that my panties are wet, does that give you an idea?"
Nazuna: "Fuuka-chan! What are you saying?!"
Fuuka: "The truth."
Kayden: "Haha, I suppose I'll take that as a compliment."
Kayden: "By the way, girls, although I'd love to chat more with you, I need to get some rest."
Nazuna: "Alright, sorry for calling you the same day your exam ended."
Fuuka: "We were very curious."
Kayden: "No problem. Well, goodnight to both of you. We can talk again tomorrow."
Nazuna: "Okay, goodnight."
Fuuka: "Goodnight. Dream of me."
Then, Kayden ended the call and went to sleep. It wasn't that he was particularly tired; he just wanted a moment of peace and quiet before heading back to his room and falling into a deep sleep.
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I woke up around 8 in the morning. I had slept quite well, considering I wasn't very comfortable during the island exam. When I got up, I noticed that my roommates, Kanzaki, Hamaguchi, and Shibata, were still asleep. They were probably exhausted.
I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and got dressed to go eat. I was starving; I hadn't eaten enough during the exam, and I burned more calories than I ingested. I had probably lost weight.
As I left the room, I headed towards the back of the boat, where there was a small restaurant. It was a quiet place since almost no students went there, and that's why I liked it.
When I arrived, as expected, the place was almost empty. There was only one person there, and her presence surprised me. It was Kikyou. I decided to call her by her name from now on, as I like to tease her. I approached Kikyou from behind to surprise her, as she was distracted with her phone, making it quite easy.
Finding myself behind Kikyou, I decided to slowly run my hand from her lower back to her neck.
Kikyou: "Hiiii!" —she exclaimed, making a strange yet charming sound. She quickly turned around, surprised.
Kikyou: "You again!" —she said, frowning with disdain.
Kayden: "Good morning, Kikyou," —I greeted her with a playful smile.
Kikyou: "It was good until you arrived," —she replied with an irritated tone.
Kayden: "Come on, don't be so hard on me, Kikyou," —I said, making an exaggerated suffering face while wiping away a fake tear.
Kikyou: "You deserve it!" —she retorted, clearly unwilling to give in.
Kayden: "Seriously, what are you doing in such a secluded place?" —I changed the subject, ignoring her response.
Kikyou: "What? Can't I have a bit of peace?" —she looked at me, clearly defensive.
Kayden: "It's not that. It's just that you always seem to be surrounded by people."
Kikyou: "People I don't like at all," —she said, her voice as cold as ice.
Kayden: "So why do you mingle with them if you don't like them?"
Kikyou: "It's a necessity to maintain my status," —she replied with a mix of resignation and determination.
Kayden: "So you force yourself to be someone you're not just to keep your position?"
Kikyou: "Yes, and so what? Is there something wrong with that?"
Kayden: "Well, yes, it seems pretty stupid to me," —I said, raising an eyebrow with skepticism.
Kikyou: "Stupid? Why?" —her tone reflected surprise and a hint of challenge.
Kayden: "Because doing something that constantly causes you more problems than it solves seems like a bad move."
Kikyou: "Forgive me, Mr. Perfect, but unlike you, I'm neither the prettiest nor the smartest girl. I have to do whatever it takes to be indispensable, to stand out among everyone else."
Kayden: "And that seems like a good example of narcissism," —I commented with a casual but firm tone.
Kikyou: "Narcissism?" —Her gaze became challenging—. "I'm just doing what I think is necessary to survive in this environment. Not everyone is lucky enough to be naturally talented or popular."
Kayden: "Well, we all have our battles. But pretending to be someone you're not can wear you out. Don't you get tired of maintaining that façade?"
Kikyou: "Sometimes. But it's the price I have to pay to be on top. Don't you do something similar to excel in your own challenges?"
Kayden: "Not exactly. I prefer to face problems as they are, without disguises. I think authenticity has its own value."
Kikyou: "Is that what makes you so confident?" —she asked, her tone mixing curiosity and skepticism—. "Aren't you afraid that people will discover your flaws too?"
Kayden: "Of course I have flaws, but I'd rather people know about them than hide them. I'm not perfect, and that's okay. Perfection is an illusion that often serves to hide insecurities."
Kikyou: "Hmm, maybe you're right. Although most people don't see it that way. Perfection often seems to be the only way to stand out."
Kayden: "And if being perfect is the only way you see to stand out, you might be missing other ways to shine. People often appreciate sincerity and authenticity more than a flawless façade."
Kikyou: "I doubt that anyone would like the real me. That's why I create another personality that everyone likes."
Kayden: "Kikyou, don't think you're special. We all have masks that hide something from us. No one is 100% transparent. You're not the only one who does it, and there are people you can genuinely connect with."
Kikyou: "People who might like me? Don't tell me you're one of them, right? If you say that, it's because you want me to let my guard down around you and then make me feel accepted so I'll fall for you. That's your plan, isn't it?"
Kayden: "Wow, you really create some interesting scenarios in your head, Kikyou, but it's not like that. To be honest, I don't like people like you." —Her face went from annoyed to surprised, clearly not expecting that response.
Kikyou: "If you don't like me, why do you bother me then?" —Her anger increased.
Kayden: "Because I enjoy seeing your reactions."
Kikyou: "You're a real bastard, you know that?" —she said with more anger.
Kayden: "A very handsome one, don't you think?" —I replied with a smile.
Kikyou: "And I'm the narcissist." —she said, rolling her eyes
Kayden: You said that yourself at the beginning, didn't you? Besides, I know I'm at the top of the rankings for the most handsome and popular guys.
Kikyou: You know about those rankings?
Kayden: Yes, Mako showed them to me a while ago. —He smiled, recalling the moment. I started calling her that because she asked, saying it wasn't fair to call Honami by her name and not her, since we spent a lot of time together.
Kikyou: Now I understand that direct attitude of yours.
Kayden: It's part of my charm. —He winked at her with complicity.
Kayden: By the way, Kikyou, tell me a bit about how the island exam went for you.
Kikyou: Don't make me remember it. It was awful. Sleeping with that bunch of bitches next to me almost made me vomit —she said, making exaggerated hand gestures.
Kayden: Don't tell me you were sleeping in the same tent as Horikita, right? —He asked, knowing how much she hated her.
Kikyou: Oh God, no! I'd rather sleep in the open air than share a tent with that idiot —she replied, with evident disdain.
Kayden: You might hate her, but it seems like she did a good job in the exam. Though, to be honest, I didn't notice her presence when they announced the results.
Kikyou: She left because she got sick.
Kayden: Who took over leadership after Horikita left?
Kikyou: No one in particular. We managed as best we could. She withdrew on the 6th in the afternoon, and since then we were improvising —she said with a tone of resignation.
Kayden: I see... —He wanted to probe more into the dynamics of her class, but at that moment his phone started vibrating. Not just his, but Kikyou's as well.
Kayden: What could this be? —He wondered as he checked the content. It was a message from the school: "You are requested to attend Room 4 at 20:40. Attendance is mandatory."
Kayden: Kikyou, did you also receive a message from the school?
Kikyou: Yes, did you too? —She responded, curious.
Kayden: Yes, it's about a meeting I have to attend. What about yours?
Kikyou: The same. What room and time were you given? Mine says Room 8 at 20:40.
Kayden: Room 4 at 20:40. It looks like the school isn't going to let us rest.
Kikyou: Don't tell me it's another special exam... —She complained, frowning.
Kayden: It's quite likely.
Kikyou: How tedious... —She muttered, letting her face drop onto the table with evident frustration.
Curiosity overtook him upon seeing her reaction, and a thought crossed his mind: What if he touched her hair? He decided to try. To his surprise, she didn't say anything when his fingers gently touched her hair, so he continued doing it. He had developed a certain fondness for touching girls' hair, probably thanks to Himeno.
Moments later, they decided to order something for breakfast. To his surprise, Kikyou stayed with him to eat. He hadn't expected that, just as he hadn't expected to be summoned to another possible test so soon.
Well, we still don't know if it's another special exam, but no matter what it is. If it gives me a chance to earn points, I'll strive to get them.