Deep into the forest, Makida and I guided the other four towards Class C's campsite. While I know the general direction of their place based on Kanzaki's instructions, Makida apparently found the path leading there.
"It's just around here," he said.
"By the way, Ayanokouji-kun. We found some fruits while running around the forest, but you told us to keep our bags as vacant as possible. Is there any reason for that?" asked Onodera.
"Ah, that..."
"Will the peeps from Class C give us some stuff or something?" added Okitani.
"Hmm... Maybe you guys will understand when we get to it. But for now, I can tell you that we're not getting physical things from Class C. Just information," I explained as they nodded in response.
After passing through the large tree stumps, we finally reached the pathway that Makida was talking about. I noticed that those broken trees were intentionally cut that way— most likely for landmarking purposes. It really gives you the feeling that a spot is nearby.
Regardless, tracks of people could be noticed along the soil. If we walk a little farther, Class C's campsite should be waiting for us.
"It's a shame that I didn't get to talk to Ryuuen-kun myself. But, to be honest, I'd rather familiarize the forest than stay there just to get intimidated by the pressure," said Matsushita, who was walking side by side with me.
"Well, Ryuuen is pretty intimidating, but you should probably get used to it. Most of the tutors should be as composed and cool-headed as Horikita. After all, our academic achievers and class spokespersons are Ryuuen's main targets," I replied.
"Really? Talk about scary... Well, it didn't really matter. I kinda got what sort of person Ryuuen-kun was just by hearing his brief exchange with Horikita-san." Matsushita shrugged with a smile.
"Ehhh, nothing less from the one who's been relentlessly waging psychological warfare against me." I looked at her with a smirk.
After hearing my response, Matsushita froze in place. I continued walking as if nothing happened. I basically said that I was always aware of the mind games, straight to her face. She must've been really alarmed internally, and I found that reaction of hers to be quite amusing.
I could barely hear Onodera ask her "What's the problem?" as she replied with a simple "Nothing, it's alright." before laughing wryly.
As I tread further, it didn't even take half a minute before we finally reached Class C's base camp.
"Woah..."
"Class C is amazing."
"Their base looks really nice!"
"Look at those hammocks."
"It seems like they've even exceeded our expectations," said Horikita.
"Yeah, I guess this is what you'd expect from the original Class B," I replied.
It's a really well-made campsite that prioritizes efficiency and practicality.
"Oh, Ayanokouji-kun, Horikita-san, you're here!" As expected, Ichinose was there to receive us. Seeing her approach us with a bright and beautiful smile, we, of Class B, instantly felt welcome.
"Hi there, I'm Ichinose Honami. Nice to meet you." Ichinose introduced herself to my classmates without hesitation.
While Matsushita and Onodera were excited to finally meet her, Makida and Okitani got inevitably flustered. Getting to speak with the Ichinose Honami of Class C must've felt incredible for them. After all, one might argue that she's the most popular first-year student alongside Kikyou.
"You guys seem to be doing pretty well," I said.
"Ahaha, I guess so. It was all thanks to my classmates' efforts. It was really hard at first, but we made it work somehow," she replied with a smile.
"Horikita, can you discuss our class's point usage with Kanzaki?" I asked, before turning towards the other four. "You guys should listen in, as well. In the meantime, I'll discuss some things with Ichinose regarding the other classes."
They didn't seem surprised by my instructions. A small conclave between two leaders shouldn't be out of the ordinary.
"Is that okay with you, Ichinose?" I asked.
"Oh, sure," she nodded before calling out to some of her classmates. "Kanzaki-kun, Yume-chan, Sayo-chan! Can I ask you to guide Horikita-san and her friends around the camp?"
The three seemed to be helping some students with setting up a new bonfire pit. I guess their roles are independent like Hirata, Horikita, or me.
"Sure thing, Ichinose," Kanzaki agreed without any complaints.
"Ah, isn't that Ayanokouji-kun? Hey there!" Andou smilingly waved at me. Of course, I responded in kind, albeit without a smile. I didn't see Minamikata or Amikura with her so they must be doing their tasks elsewhere.
"I'll be counting on you guys to report what you've learned. Horikita, don't leave out any details. Tell them everything we've done thus far." Of course, we'd omit the part where we reveal our assigned leader.
"I understand. Leave it to me," she nodded.
As they walked into the main area of the campsite, Ichinose and I proceeded towards the forest.
"It's been a while."
"Yeah, I haven't talked to you since before the finals," I replied.
"We chat online pretty frequently, though," she chuckled.
"Ah, you're right."
Our friendly exchange set up a nice and informal atmosphere.
"You guys popped out from an unexpected part of the forest. Let me guess; you came from the beach, didn't you?" she asked with a grin.
"Yeah, specifically, from Ryuuen's camp."
"Ahh, I thought so. They're pretty crazy, aren't they?"
The two of us approached an outlying hammock suspended between two trees.
"This place is out of the camp. Why are there a couple of hammocks set up?" I asked.
"Yonezu-kun and Shibata-kun are staying here. They said something about guarding this pathway against possible intruders," she replied.
To be honest, this is a nice place to stand guard. The atmosphere isn't too hot, and the trees are easy to climb. And apart from people, they must also be wary of animals.
"Wanna sit?" she offered.
"I'm fine."
"Alright then."
After I declined, Ichinose decided to sit on Yonezu's hammock herself.
"It's a nice fit for one person," I commented.
"If you try hard enough, two people can sit here, you know?"
Ichinose inched sideward as if to free up some space. She patted the small area beside her while looking at me.
"We'll be squeezed together if I sit with you. Don't you think people would find that to be a bit inappropriate if they see us?" I scratched my head, acting a bit embarrassed.
Knowing how smart Ichinose was, it's possible that she was just trying to tease me. But if she wasn't, then I guess it's her airheadedness doing work. She definitely has those tendencies sometimes.
"Ahaha~! I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Geez, you didn't have to be so flustered, Ayanokouji-kun." Ichinose waved her hand with a chuckle.
Her pinkish cheeks indicated that she didn't know the implications of her previous words until I pointed them out. Or at least, that's what I got from observing her.
The effect of my conversation with Matsushita is making me feel disgusted with myself. I'm being too self-conscious about what girls think of me as if I'm hot stuff... Might as well progress the conversation.
"So, what did you think about Ryuuen's actions?" I asked.
Those guarded eyes indicated that Ichinose was in leader mode now. The casual chat was over.
"To be honest, I can't really say anything else. I wasn't there, so I would base my opinion on my classmates' descriptions. From what I can tell, it seems like they spent most of their points on the first day."
"They most likely did. I don't know how much we can trust Ryuuen's words, but he told us that they've spent all of their points as of earlier."
"Everything?" Ichinose winced in confusion.
"Yeah."
"What will they do after that?"
"Well, one of our classmates, Kouenji, retired on his own."
"Eh? Is he alright? Also, your class should've gotten the penalty for it, right?"
Hearing me say something that didn't have anything in relation to our topic on the surface must've made the cogs in Ichinose's brain turn.
"Yeah, he didn't even tell us. According to Chabashira-sensei, Kouenji stated that he felt unwell. We scouted out the forest together yesterday and that wasn't the case at all."
"That sounds pretty rough..."
"Well, he managed to do it despite feigning sickness."
"So you think Ryuuen-kun will do the same after their beach party is over, right?"
Ichinose's unsurprised expression told me that she had already come to that conclusion before I even finished.
"Exactly. They're pretty much out of the race now. If Class D doesn't retire, none of them will last until the final day."
I turned towards their base camp which fundamentally looked different from ours. However, it had the same cozy feeling to it.
"You've been leading your class well, Ichinose."
"For now, I guess. I considered everyone's opinions and thankfully, some of the kids in our class are familiar with the outdoors. They were lifesavers, to be honest. I can't simply take the credit."
"But they managed to get their thoughts out properly because you rallied everyone together."
"Isn't that the same with Class B, then? You're their leader, right?"
"I mean, I guess I am. But my role isn't the same as yours. If it's getting the class united, Hirata's the man on the job. I don't have the same type of charisma that he has."
"Oh, you've talked about him before. Some girls in my class have a crush on him."
"That's to be expected. He's Hirata, after all."
"You respect him a lot, huh?"
"I do. He's a role model for me, especially with social interactions."
"You're great at talking, though. You're a good listener, too."
To be honest, it's not that I'm a good listener. I just subconsciously analyze the other person's problems and present possible solutions. I can't really connect with them emphatically, which is generally what a genuinely good listener should be.
I have a lot of friends, but that's because I was leading the class from the forefront. Engaging with everyone was necessary. I can't manually befriend each person like how Kikyou, Hirata, and Ichinose do it. I'm not at their level in terms of social skills.
"Pardon me, Ichinose-san? I'm sorry to interrupt. Do you know where Nakanishi-kun is?" asked a male student in a rather reserved voice.
Ichinose and I heard his footsteps, but we didn't really see him until he reached our location.
Class D's Kaneda Satoru. The moment I saw him, some things started to become clear.
"Ah, Kaneda-kun. I think Nakanishi-kun headed down to the northern shore. Why do you ask?"
"I thought I'd offer help. Is that unnecessary?"
"Oh no, not at all. I'm really happy that you feel that way. Can you head over and follow Chihiro-chan's group then? If you tell them I told you to do so, it'll be okay."
"Okay, thank you very much."
And with that, the student headed off in another direction.
"Hmm..."
"Are you curious? That's actually Kaneda-kun, from Class D. I haven't asked him about his initial situation yet, but apparently, he'd been in some kind of dispute with Ryuuen-kun. When we found him wandering around the forest, he said he'd get by on his own, but I couldn't just leave him."
Seeing my pondering expression, Ichinose filled me in on the details.
"I see, it's just as Ryuuen told us then."
"Oh, do you know something about him?"
"Well, our class also picked up a Class D student yesterday."
I told Ichinose about Ryuuen's clash with Ibuki and how we let her stay in our base camp.
"Ahh, I see... Kaneda-kun had a bruise on his face, too. It seems like they couldn't do anything to resist Ryuuen-kun's tyranny."
It was a show of straight-up violence. Despite her lighthearted tone, Ichinose's eyes hardened as if strengthening her resolve to protect her classmates.
"Well, if Class D really does retire, Kaneda and Ibuki can just retire with them."
"That's true. Even if they end up with zero points, at least they don't have to feel out of place by staying on the island with another class. They can just enjoy themselves back on the ship. Ahh~, how enviable."
While the two of us observed the Class C campsite from a distance, I took the chance to ask her about Class A.
"Hm? You wanna know about Class A?"
"Well, any information about them would help, I guess."
They've probably taken control of the western part of the island. The most noticeable and obvious location that will surely be related to them is that cave. If their strategy was to explore the entirety of the island's western region, that cornfield might remain untouched until today or even tomorrow. However, it's also possible for them to come across it. It's also why I chose to stay silent, only telling Horikita about the corns. I didn't want to keep the class's hopes up only to find out that Class A had already harvested everything. I couldn't really rush with taking over it when our base was just barely functioning.
"Well, if you go back south, you'll notice an opening heading west. Turn right there and head straight to reach the cave. If they haven't found a better place to camp, that's probably where their base is."
"Ohh, I see. Have you noticed anything about them?"
"Hmm... Well, I went there myself to investigate, but I don't know for sure. It's because they're so thoroughly defensive... or rather, secretive."
"Secretive?"
"I can't really explain it. If you go there yourselves, then you might get what I'm saying."
"That's true. Thank you, Ichinose."
"Ahaha, it's fine. I didn't really know anything too useful. In fact, I think Class C is actually on the receiving end of the help. I should be the one thanking you guys."
"Well, Even if we're in different classes, being in a cooperative relationship isn't too bad. Worrying about one less class is better than seeing everyone as enemies."
"You're right! My classmates also see you guys as allies. But of course, if we're pitted against each other in a direct competition, we won't back down, you know?"
"It's the same with us. We won't be defeated easily," I nodded. "Well, for now, I guess I can offer you a suggestion."
Hearing those words, Ichinose nodded with an understanding smile.
"This is about the additional rules, isn't it?"
"It seems like we were thinking of the same things."
"Yeah... To be honest, it would be nice if we could find out other classes' assigned leaders. But after some thinking, I figured that it was just too risky. There really isn't any other definitive method to go about that rule without engaging in espionage or deception."
"So, what do you say? Does a truce sound good?"
"Sure! I think it's better to protect those 50 points for now."
We chatted for a few more minutes before getting back inside the camp. Apparently, the representatives of Class B and C were finished deliberating information.
"How did it go?"
"We've gotten a lot of useful knowledge!" Onodera exclaimed with a grin.
"We have to thank everyone from Class B, too. What you've shared with us will be very helpful." Kobashi nodded while expressing her gratitude.
"It seems like it went well, Ayanokouji-kun." Ichinose smilingly nudged me with her elbow.
"Yeah, thanks a lot. We've taken too much of your time, Ichinose. We'll go ahead now."
"Alright! Come by if you need anything!" Ichinose waved happily.
"Thank you, Horikita-san, and the rest of you," nodded Kanzaki.
"Bye-bye, Ayanokouji-kun and all of you!" Andou's arms swayed enthusiastically.
The six of us bid them a short farewell before heading outside of the premises.
"We've obtained some practical intel, Ayanokouji-kun. Do you want to hear about them while we walk?" asked Horikita.
"Hmm... Alright. But, I think we need to make good use of our time. I want the five of you to go back and share everything with Hirata's group. While you guys do that, I'll investigate Class A's whereabouts."
Their expressions turned serious as soon as I mentioned Class A. As the class behind them, they were our greatest obstacle to our goal in this school.
"Do you want us to go now?" asked Makida.
"Not yet. We'll head somewhere else before you guys go back."
If one's class is coordinated, they might be able to get everything in order during the second day, at best. Since the cornfields were basically in the center of the island, it's just a matter of time before either of the classes stumbles upon it.
Horikita and the others summarized what they'd learned from Class C.
They made use of the well, which was the main lifeline of their base camp. It was an invaluable asset for their bathing and drinking water.
They've spent 70 points in total on some standard items. Using the dense amount of trees, they've converted their need for more tents into hammocks instead. Apart from the Hammocks, what interested us more was their purchase of a Water Shower. It cost 15 points which was 5 points cheaper than the Shower Room (or Temporary Shower).
They found an area with good vegetation where both fruits and vegetables grew in numbers and used the nearby beach to catch fish. Not only that, their use of the vinyl sheets was much more practical than our idea. Apparently, they just stacked them on top and next to each other to make a mat that was basically the same as ours. However, since their vinyl sheets would end up untouched, Class C could just return them without a problem.
"And lastly, they've also sprinkled water around their base to counteract the heat," said Matsushita.
And with that, their report was finished.
"I see... Then I guess it's better if we hurry up then. We'll be able to save 5 points if we can inform Hirata about this. We were actually planning to buy a shower room, but a water shower would be the better option since we have a lot of natural water."
As they nodded in agreement, we finally set foot on the path that Kouenji and I took yesterday.
"Is there anything special here, Ayanokouji?" asked Okitani.
"Well, it would be very hard for anyone to notice what's out of place at first glance," I replied.
Even Horikita and Matsushita were looking around with a difficult expression. After they followed me towards a wall of tall grass, Horikita finally realized what was going on. She must've remembered our conversation from yesterday.
When we busted through the array of thick bushes, a new variety of greenery with a mix of yellow finally entered our eyesight.
"Woah, look at this!"
"It's corn!"
Phew. As expected, it seems like no one has found this place yet. If I were to take Class D out of the equation, Class A would be busy with exploring the western region and Class C would have the hardest time coming here since they'll have to go around the mountain.
"This was the place that you told me about yesterday, right?" asked Horikita.
"Yeah, it seems like no one has found it yet," I replied.
Okitani and Makida approached me excitedly.
"There are fifty-two ears of corn in here, Ayanokouji."
"Our bags should be more than enough to carry all of these!"
We harvested the corn with great vigor. I left my share of the load unharvested since I'll be returning here later after visiting Class A. After taking everything, it was finally time for us to split up.
"Ayanokouji-kun," Matsushita called out. "Can I come with you instead? I promise not to drag you down."
Horikita didn't react in any particular way, but the other three were relatively surprised. Normally, something like this would have a romantic connotation whereas Matsushita's main reason for asking this was because she likes me. It's not strange for Onodera and the others to think that. Of course, Matsushita should expect reactions like this before asking me.
If she didn't care about the consequences, then this might also mean that I was the guy she was talking about earlier.
However, if I were to eliminate those thoughts, there's a big chance that Matsushita might've just wanted to learn about Class A's situation firsthand. Yeah... You know what, let's just go with that... I'll stop the disgustingly self-conscious thoughts.
Alright, c'mon Matsushita, clear things up before any misunderstandings form.
Uh... Matsushita...?
I waited a few seconds for Matsushita to justify herself, but she chose to stay silent instead.
What is this girl— Is she actually...
...
Alright, I'm overthinking this. I'm getting way too mentally stressed by her words and actions. I'll just say yes and move on.
"Ohh, sure. But you should probably empty your bag before we leave," I replied.
"Alright! I wanted to check out Class A for myself, too. I wonder how the 'strongest class' is doing?" Matsushita approached me with an audacious smirk. It was utterly audacious.
At that point, I understood what just happened.
"You have one copy of the map, right?" I asked Horikita.
"Yes, we'll be fine on the way back. You and Matsushita-san should be careful as well."
"We will~! Goodbye, everyone! We'll see you later."
And with that, Matsushita and I were left all alone in this artificially cultivated cornfield.
She stared at me while raising an eyebrow. Matsushita was currently wearing what most people would call a 'shit-eating grin'. Well, I say that, but she still looked incredibly pretty with that smile.
"Alright, alright, you win this time, Matsushita." I raised my arms in resignation.
"Hehh~... Well, to be honest, I wouldn't really call that a win. Your expression was as calm as ever," she pouted.
"But I'll still admit, my mind was quite panicked because of you."
"Ehe~, I got you there, huh?"
"Yes, yes. 1 point for you, 28 points for me," I teased back.
"W-W-W-Wha-?! Y-You counted all of them-?! You were that into it?! Are you thinking about our conversations every time? Do you like me or something?" Matsushita's composure instantly cracked.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Matsushita. I just subconsciously remembered," I shrugged.
"Liar! There's no way someone would remember those details vividly if it wasn't stuck in their head. And it's not even clear whether we're engaged in psychological warfare, you know?" she protested.
I adjusted my bag and walked towards the path to the cave.
"H-Hey, wait for me, Ayanokouji-kun!"
Matsushita was actually right, in a sense. I wasn't really 'into it' per se. I just find our conversations interesting most of the time. And every time she tries to break my cool, I always have a little bit of fun flipping her attempts right back at her. That's why those moments are pretty much etched into my mind.
But of course, I wouldn't tell her that.