It was time to board the ship.
Someone once said that once you've passed an exam, there's no point in dwelling on it. The results were already set—overthinking would only be a waste of a perfectly good mood.
For the students of Class B, maintaining that "good mentality" wasn't difficult. At least, not until thirty seconds after stepping onto the ship.
On the second-floor deck at the bow—where the sunlight poured in generously—a golden-haired figure lounged on a beach chair, soaking in the ocean breeze.
Clad in nothing but a pair of briefs, his sculpted physique gleamed under the sun, exuding an effortless confidence.
Hearing the commotion from below, the figure lazily tilted his head, peered over the railing, and, with a voice as rich as it was infuriating, called out:
"Yo, everyone! How was the survival experience on the uninhabited island?"
There was no mistaking him—Kouenji Rokusuke. The same Kouenji who had conveniently withdrawn from the exam on the very first day, citing poor health, only to retreat to the comfort of the cruise ship.
The moment Sudou locked eyes with him, all rationality flew out the window.
"Kouenji! Do you have any idea that we lost thirty points because of you?!"
His fury detonated. With no hesitation, he flung his bag aside and stormed up the stairs.
Yamauchi and Ike Kanji, practically itching for a fight, followed right behind, eager to jump in once things escalated.
Hirata, ever the mediator, rushed after them, desperately trying to prevent a disaster.
Then came Kushida Kikyo. Then the others.
By the time the chaos reached its peak, nearly the entire class had swarmed the deck. An actual fight seemed unlikely—not unless someone like Yokinoshita Haruno gave the order for thirty people to dogpile Kouenji and turn him into paste.
Kure Ragna left the deck without a word, making his way back to the cabin. After securing the package in the dormitory, his feet carried him toward the chairman's exclusive bedroom, almost on instinct.
The moment he pushed open the door—
"Oh~"
A wave of rich aromas greeted him—pizza, steak, pasta, buttered bread—each scent mingling into an irresistible invitation. His stomach clenched in response. He had been up since five in the morning, and it was already past nine. The hunger was starting to get to him.
At the center of it all, a certain white-haired girl sat gracefully on the edge of the bed. Beside her, a metal dining cart stood, draped in a pristine white tablecloth, overflowing with a decadent feast.
In one delicate hand, she held a layered tiramisu. In the other, a small silver spoon. Her legs, wrapped in white silk stockings, dangled freely, swaying ever so slightly.
Noticing his return, Sakayanagi Arisu tilted her head, lips curling into an amused smile.
"Welcome back," she mused. "It seems you had quite the adventure on that uninhabited island."
Kure Ragna raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You already know?"
He hadn't returned to the cruise ship last night, choosing instead to camp on the island. Naturally, he hadn't had a chance to report back.
Arisu chuckled, absentmindedly twirling the spoon between her fingers. "Just a little deduction~"
She rocked her legs slightly, as if savoring his curiosity.
"Yesterday evening, I saw Katsuragi-san and three others from Class D being carried back. A little inquiry revealed they suffered from general paralysis and heart rhythm disorders—classic signs of aconitine poisoning."
She took a slow bite of her tiramisu before adding, "And Ryuen Kakeru? Beaten to a pulp. I hardly needed to think too hard to connect the dots."
A knowing smile danced on her lips.
Kure Ragna exhaled, shaking his head with a smirk.
"So that's how it is. And here I was, planning to share the details myself when I got back. What a shame, such a shame."
Arisu simply giggled. "Well then, let's move on to more pressing matters—"
She drew out her words, deliberately letting her gaze drift—from the dining cart, to the bathroom, before finally settling back on him.
"Shall we eat first? Take a bath first? Or…"
The last part went unspoken, but with Kure Ragna's mastery of lip-reading, he caught it instantly.
—Eat me first?
A classic dilemma.
Most protagonists would hesitate, look away, or let the scene fade to black, leaving the rest to the audience's imagination.
But Kure Ragna wasn't one of them.
Without hesitation, he strode forward, sweeping Arisu into his arms before she could react. A startled gasp escaped her lips as he turned sharply toward the bathroom.
"I think we can do one and three at the same time," he mused. "Then two and three together after that. Sound good, Arisu?"
She let out a soft sound—half protest, half something else.
"…So greedy," she murmured.
The door clicked shut behind them.
If Kushida Kikyo had proven to Kure Ragna that bathing together was not only inefficient but also an outright waste of time, then Sakayanagi Arisu had taken it a step further—showing that even something as simple as eating could achieve the same result, given the right circumstances.
From nine in the morning until well past lunch, Kure Ragna had been with Sakayanagi Arisu.
To be honest, if it were up to him, he wouldn't have minded staying longer—perhaps reading a book with a certain white-haired girl or even taking a nap.
But considering he had already vanished for most of the morning, remaining absent any longer might stir unnecessary drama. Reluctantly, he decided to step out and survey the situation.
As it turned out, his timing was impeccable.
Just as he emerged onto the deck, a familiar noise drifted from the steps above. Looking up, he saw a group of girls from Class B descending.
Not all of them—just a handful.
Leading the way, as always, was Kushida Kikyo, accompanied by Wang Meiyu, Matsushita Chiaki, and a few others.
Among them was Karuizawa Kei, though she seemed… off.
Her movements were mechanical, her eyes distant and unfocused. The usual spark in her gaze had been replaced with something hollow.
"Ah! Kure Ragna, what a coincidence~" Kushida chirped, stepping forward with a bright smile.
Without hesitation, she slipped her arm through his, leaning in close as she took a subtle breath, as if confirming something.
"Just had lunch?"
"Yeah," Kure Ragna replied casually. "After you all went to interrogate Kouenji, I went back to take a bath and then grabbed something to eat."
"I see."
Their conversation was smooth, familiar—almost effortless.
At the back of the group, Karuizawa Kei stirred. Her eyes, which had been dull moments ago, flickered with something akin to hope at the mention of his name.
But as soon as she looked up and saw the easy intimacy between him and Kushida, her body stiffened.
She barely managed to suppress a sharp inhale before looking away, her expression unreadable.
"Hey, since we've got nothing planned, why don't we go see a movie together?" Kushida suggested brightly.
"A movie?" Kure Ragna considered for a moment before nodding. "Sounds good. I've got time to kill."
"Uh… actually, if it's a movie, I think I'll pass," Matsushita Chiaki suddenly interjected.
Maya Sato was quick to agree, as if seizing the perfect excuse. "Yeah, same here. I just remembered I have something to do this afternoon. A movie might take too long."
Kushida pouted but relented easily. "Aw, that's too bad. Maybe next time."
"Oh, and us too..." Wang Meiyu added hastily.
Though she usually went along with Kushida's plans, this time, she seemed keen on stepping away.
As someone who understood the nuances of social dynamics, she had already noticed the subtle shift in Kushida's attitude toward Kure Ragna.
And if Kushida's intentions were clear, then as a good friend, she knew better than to interfere.
However, not everyone caught on so quickly.
"Huh? Mei Yu, do we have plans this afternoon?" Inokashira Shin blinked in confusion.
Smack.
Before she could finish her thought, Wang Meiyu lightly tapped her forehead. The confused expression on Shin's face shifted instantly into one of exaggerated pain.
It was rare to see Wang Meiyu, who usually carried an air of frailty, act with such force. Dragging Shin aside, she leaned in and whispered with a serious expression.
"Listen, anyone who interferes with love will be kicked by a donkey."
"…Why a donkey?"
"That's not important! The point is, we shouldn't interrupt Kure Ragna and Kushida. Got it?"
"O-okay…"
And just like that, Wang Meiyu and Inokashira Shin made their exit, leaving behind only three people—Kure Ragna, Kushida Kikyo, and Karuizawa Kei.
"Looks like they're all busy this afternoon," Kushida mused, feigning disappointment before quickly perking up. "Well, no big deal. There are still three of us. Shall we go?"
"..."
Kure Ragna glanced down at Karuizawa Kei, who had remained silent throughout.
Despite Kushida's invitation, Kei made no move to follow. Instead, she took a deep breath, bracing herself before speaking.
"I… I'm not feeling well. You two go ahead without me."
She turned before they could respond, her steps quick and unsteady as she hurried toward the entrance of the cabin. Even without looking back, it was obvious—she was running away.
Kushida frowned slightly. "Is she okay?"
Kure Ragna sighed. "What do you think?"
"Oh? Feeling guilty?" Kushida's voice turned teasing as she tilted her head playfully. "If you're that worried, why don't you go after her?"
"That's not it." He shrugged. "Kei and I only had a fake relationship. She told me she'd announce our 'breakup' at the start of the new semester."
"Really!?" Kushida's surprise was genuine.
"Yeah."
A wide grin spread across Kushida's lips. "That's perfect. Honestly, I've had enough of Ike Kanji and those two brain-dead idiots, Yamauchi and Sudou. They act like desperate dogs, and I can't shake them no matter how hard I try. Now, I can finally cut them off completely."
"Cut them off? Weren't they useful before?"
"That was before," Kushida said bluntly. "You can't marry an idol. And even if you could date one, it'd have to be in secret. But now that my position in class is secure, I don't need them anymore."
Kure Ragna nodded in understanding. "Got it."
"Alright, enough about them. Let's go watch the movie."
Without another word, Kushida laced her fingers through his, pulling him forward like they were already a couple.
Not far away, hidden beneath the stairs, Karuizawa Kei crouched down, hugging her knees as she tried to steady her breathing. She hadn't expected it to hurt this much.
She had lost. And she knew it.
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