Since this was a training camp, sharing rooms was inevitable.
When Kaoru and the others arrived at their room, Kouenji Rosuke had already claimed the best bed.
"Hey hey, sneaking in to grab the best spot before everyone else is pretty underhanded, don't you think?"
Faced with Ishizaki's accusation, Kouenji lay comfortably on the bed with his hands behind his head and legs crossed, showing no intention of responding.
Ishizaki gritted his teeth but didn't push further—this group wasn't under his authority anyway.
"So it's bunk beds... I'm not really used to this kind of setup," Hashimoto remarked, patting the upper bunk near the door.
"Though it somehow feels nostalgic."
"Did you have training camps before?" Kaoru asked.
"Sort of. We had study trips in middle school—went to Hokkaido back then," Hashimoto replied as he lazily climbed onto the bunk.
Meanwhile, Ishizaki also climbed onto the opposite upper bunk.
"Uh, shouldn't we at least discuss this first?" Moriyama Akimi said, dumbfounded.
"Do whatever you want, but let me make one thing clear," Kaoru stated. "Aside from quarreling, fighting, or skipping activities, you're free to do anything."
"Pfft—what's the point of saying that?" Ishizaki burst out laughing.
"Like what Nagumo said earlier, I don't know what you're thinking—whether you plan to cooperate with me or team up against me. But if I determine you're disrupting the exam, I'll have no choice but to nominate you for expulsion."
The room fell silent at Kaoru's words.
After a pause, Ishizaki grumbled, "If that's the case, why didn't you just join your Class A group?"
"Because I'm rich," Kaoru declared matter-of-factly. "I have enough Personal Points to avoid expulsion, so it doesn't matter where I stay."
"Tch!" Ishizaki turned away, refusing to engage further.
"Ahahaha, I must say I quite agree with Mitoma Boy here. A peaceful environment is important," Kouenji chuckled before settling back into silence.
Eventually, the remaining members chose their beds.
Kaoru took the lower bunk by the door—right below Hashimoto.
After resting for a while, Hashimoto suddenly spoke from above.
"So boring. Should've brought something to play with."
"Life without phones is torture," someone agreed.
"Isn't it about time for dinner?"Ishizaki sat up from his bed. "To be honest, I haven't eaten anything besides breakfast today. Having to leave at six in the morning is brutal!"
As he spoke, he climbed down from the top bunk, where his classmate Albert slept below.
"Albert, get up quickly! We're going to eat!"
Albert was an international student from Africa, usually quiet and reserved.
It took Ishizaki calling his name several times before he finally responded.
"Does he even speak Japanese?" Hashimoto Masayoshi asked.
"Of course he does! How could he study in Japan without knowing Japanese, right, Albert?"
Ishizaki glanced uncertainly at Albert.
"..."
Seeing the tall, dark-skinned man remain completely silent, Hashimoto grew even more doubtful.
...
In the usual cafeteria setup, the division between grade levels was clear.
Upperclassmen wouldn't approach underclassmen, and underclassmen wouldn't mingle with upperclassmen—everyone had their own designated areas.
However, the situation had now descended into chaos.
Kaoru could see many upperclassmen and underclassmen moving together, likely due to being in the same group, gathering to share information.
Although the cafeteria here was also quite large, having four or five hundred people packed inside made it somewhat suffocating, with dense crowds and noisy chatter filling the space.
As Kaoru carried his tray, searching for a spot, someone tugged at his sleeve from the side.
"There's space here."
Following the girl's voice, someone suddenly bumped into him, pressing a soft, ample chest against him.
"Whoa—!"
"Be careful."
Kaoru quickly steadied Ichinose, who stood before him, her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment.
"Thank you..."
With his help, Ichinose regained her balance. "B-but, I'm still not used to being affectionate with Kaoru in crowded places."
'Affectionate? There wasn't really any room for that just now' Kaoru thought in confusion.
Nevertheless, Ichinose soon brightened up, her small hand gripping the hem of his clothes.
"Ehehe, Kaoru, come this way with me!"
Not far away, Karuizawa silently retraced her steps.
"Not going over?"
Kushida smirked mischievously beside her, startling her.
"Huh? G-going where?!"
A flicker of panic flashed in Karuizawa's eyes. "There's no space left there! Let's find somewhere else!"
With that, she quickly retreated with her tray to her group of close friends.
"What were you just talking to Karuizawa about, Kikyo?"
"Nothing~ Let's hurry and find a seat too, Mako!"
"..."
Unaware of the commotion on the other side, Kaoru was pulled by Ichinose to her group of friends—Amikura Mako, Shiranami Chihiro, and the others—but there was also an unfamiliar face among them.
The girl had long twin tails, a hairstyle that should have been lively and playful, but her lifeless eyes gave her an icy, striking beauty instead.
The corners of her eyes tilted slightly upward, and her small lips were pressed tightly together, as if she were utterly disinterested in everything—or as if someone owed her a million dollars, leaving her perpetually sullen and impatient.
Though dressed warmly for winter, glimpses of her snow-like skin were still visible.
Her soft figure was wrapped in a snug vest, her modest chest not as full as Ichinose's but with its own charm.
Below, she wore a pleated skirt, her slender legs sheathed in black tights that traced the curves of her slightly plump thighs.
Kaoru noticed her immediately.
Like Amikura Mako, she radiated numerous desires—though so perverse that he briefly considered abandoning the idea of fulfilling them.
"Kaoru, you haven't met Himeno Yuki yet, right?"
Seated beside him, Ichinose introduced her companion.
"Himeno is part of our group now and will be joining us from today onward!"
Actually, they had met before.
Kaoru noticed Himeno Yuki glancing away with disinterest.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mitoma from Class A."
Though reluctant, Himeno still muttered a quiet "hello" in response.
"Ah, Himeno is such a handful." Kobashi Yume pouted slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with this somewhat antisocial classmate.
"Hahaha, you shouldn't speak about your classmates like that."
Ichinose smiled, though she seemed a little worn out.
Could it be because of the group assignments?
Kaoru had a strange expression.
Someone as popular as Ichinose probably had every girl in the class wanting to team up with her.
Yet, while trying to form groups, she also had to find ways to reassure her classmates—after all, leaving their comfort zones could make the girls uneasy.
Just then, he felt a light tap against his calf.
The person sitting across from him happened to be Amikura Mako.
---------
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