"How did things go, Yukinoshita...?"
After we returned to camp, I found that Yukinoshita had already come back from visiting Class B's camp.
Well, dealing with them was probably easier than dealing with Class C.
"It went well..." Yukinoshita said as she made space for me to sit beside her.
The camp was already mostly empty. Most of the students had gone off to perform their tasks, whether fishing, gathering resources, or collecting firewood...
No, collecting firewood is my job... I should do it once I'm done here.
"So, what's the situation with Class C...?"
"Better than ours. They spent all their points on entertainment. Ryuen even said he has no intention of participating in this exam..."
"So what Ibuki-san said was true..." Yukinoshita said with a quiet laugh.
"Yeah... she delivered Ryuen's message perfectly."
"Does he plan to gain points just by guessing the leaders...?" Yukinoshita said with a weary sigh.
"Something like that..."
Hiding himself in the forest after pretending to return to the ship could slightly lower the enemies' guard while he investigates the leaders of all four classes. Meanwhile, nobody would guess his class because, to them, he already withdrew.
That's probably how he sees things...
"So what is Class B doing...?"
It was important to know the methods the other classes were using in this exam.
"Their situation isn't that different from ours... they're just trying to survive."
Of course, not every class would live a luxurious life.
"There's also a student from Class C staying with them..." she said.
So Ryuen didn't stop at sending just one student to us.
"How is he being treated there...?"
I didn't know how the students of Class B treated him, but I doubted it was much different from our situation.
"They welcomed him among them... he's helping them with their work as well," Yukinoshita said.
Hah... if he's helping them with physical labor, then why doesn't Ibuki help us too? At least she could gather firewood.
Can we trade them?
Send us the other student and take Ibuki instead.
This isn't fair...
Though if his situation isn't very different from ours, maybe that makes us even somehow.
"Also... we formed an alliance with them..." Yukinoshita said as she placed her hands inside her jacket pockets.
"An alliance?"
"Yes..."
I didn't process Yukinoshita's words immediately while scratching my hair with my finger. I never expected a scouting trip like this to end in an alliance.
"I assume you understand what could happen..." I said while reaching toward a tree branch.
"Yes..." Yukinoshita nodded as if she fully understood the situation.
The class points are extremely close. If we seriously compete in this exam while Class B doesn't, the rankings between the classes could change...
That's why this alliance could eventually become uncomfortable for both sides.
"Besides, I wasn't the one who proposed it... Horikita-san asked, and Ichinose-san liked the idea."
So the other side liked the idea even more.
I suppose things like cooperation suit Class B, while something like betrayal probably isn't possible for them.
If all we need to do is avoid searching for their leader, and they do the same for us, then that's acceptable.
Yukinoshita pulled a small device out from her pocket.
"Here..."
I looked at her small hand holding a walkie-talkie.
"Ichinose-san gave this to us so we could stay in contact..." Yukinoshita gently handed it to me, and I stared at it while holding it between my hands.
"Ryuen had the same device..." I muttered quietly.
"The purpose might be the same as ours. Contacting another class, or..."
"Communicating with his subordinates..." I completed Yukinoshita's sentence while looking at Ibuki, who sat alone beside the river.
The only problem with that theory was that when she came to our camp, she wasn't carrying anything. No bag, nothing.
Maybe she hid it somewhere outside our camp.
If Ryuen intends to handle this exam in his own way, then there has to be another one of these devices somewhere on this island, probably sitting on his table.
I handed the device back to Yukinoshita so she could hide it again.
She carefully returned it to her pocket.
"We need to wait for their first move..." Yukinoshita said while hugging her knees.
"Right..."
As long as Ryuen kept pretending to fool around, there was nothing we could really do.
"Don't tell Horikita about any of this..."
"Alright."
Horikita isn't stupid, but she's far too straightforward... It's better to hide this from her for now.
Come to think of it, where is she now?
"Where's Horikita...?"
"Horikita-san and Hirata-kun went to Class A's camp..." Yukinoshita answered.
Hmmmm... so they really intend to scout every class.
"But how do you know where the other classes are...?" I raised an eyebrow, unable to understand that specific part.
"Yesterday, I sent a few students to explore the island, and they reported their locations back to me," Yukinoshita said proudly while puffing out her chest.
Well, that makes sense.
I stood up to leave, but stopped and looked down at Yukinoshita from above.
"Is Horikita okay...?"
"I don't know, but she's a stubborn girl..."
Yukinoshita was right. Even if she wasn't fine, she would keep pretending otherwise.
I'll deal with that later.
Right now, I'm drenched in sweat from the heat. I'll wash my face in the river.
I fully opened my tracksuit jacket while heading toward the river.
With every step closer, I could hear cheers and shouting from the students.
What are they doing?
When I reached the river, I saw Sudou, Yamauchi, and Ike splashing around in the water, while Ayanokouji, who had recently joined them, sat beneath a tree and watched.
"Ken, stop throwing it so hard..." Ike scolded his friend while teaching him the correct method.
They weren't playing.
They were fishing.
"Dude, I don't know how hard I'm supposed to throw it..." Sudou said while scratching the back of his head.
"Didn't I teach you yesterday..." Ike said as he approached to help him again.
"Man, he doesn't get it. That's why he's bad at studying..." Yamauchi said before bursting into laughter.
What a pointless exchange.
I tried to ignore them, then knelt down to wash my face, but the moment I touched the water and made a sound, the voices of the three suddenly froze.
Did a crocodile swallow them or something?
I wiped my face with my sleeve and glanced toward them.
They were standing there like statues, staring at me.
Huh? What's this?
I dipped my hands into the cold water again and began scrubbing the stains on my jacket.
I won't bother with them. They can do whatever they want.
But for some reason, I felt someone running toward me.
I quickly raised my head again and saw Sudou rushing toward me.
What does he want?
"Hey, Hikigaya, how are you..." Sudou said with an awkward smile.
"Hmm... fine," I answered while focusing on the mud stain on my shirt.
"Ah... that's good. I just wanted to tell you... uh, don't worry. I'm watching them carefully. If they even think about doing anything, I'll punch them hard..." Sudou said while cracking his fingers.
Hah... what is he talking about?
I looked up at him, unable to understand what he meant, until I saw his friends behind him standing stiffly while pretending to use the fishing net.
Does he think I'm wary of them or something?
"Sudou, I don't—"
I tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but Sudou interrupted me immediately.
"We won't repeat the same mistake. That's a promise..." Sudou said while clenching his fist tightly against his chest.
I tried to respond, but the words failed me.
As if my entire dictionary of sarcasm and sharp remarks had suddenly run out.
All I could do was shrug my shoulders.
"That's good..."
Sudou smiled again before returning to his friends and shouting loudly at them.
What a strange guy.
I adjusted my jacket on my back after deciding not to clean it anymore.
The dirty stains can stay where they are.