After their early morning jog, Kaiser and Shinoa returned to their rooms. Shinoa's cheeks were still warm, her heart racing as she lay on her bed.
"I didn't know Kaiser could be such a love guru..." she muttered, burying her face in her pillow. His words from earlier echoed in her mind, especially the part about love being pure and selfless.
Meanwhile, Kaiser was staring at the ceiling in silence.
"Raku... I wonder if I'll ever see you again."
A faint smile crept onto his face—bittersweet and distant. Memories of his childhood friend still lingered like a soft breeze brushing through his thoughts.
Just then, the camp announcement blared through the speakers.
"Attention students: Day Two of the wilderness survival exam is beginning now. All students, please assemble in your assigned groups."
Kaiser grabbed his gear and joined his teammates—Shinoa, Rukia, Hiraku, and Raju. Their group looked a bit mismatched, but they shared one thing in common: everyone wanted to survive and win.
Shinoa leaned closer to Kaiser as they walked toward the meeting point.
"Will you go jogging again tomorrow?" she asked, casually but with a tinge of hope in her eyes.
"Yeah. Why?" Kaiser replied without looking at her.
Shinoa glanced sideways at Rukia, then boldly declared,
"Then I'll go with you. From now on."
Rukia immediately turned toward them, her eyes narrowing.
"Did you take her with you this morning... like you used to with me?"
Her tone was teasing but edged with jealousy.
Shinoa shot her a glare.
"He's not your property, Rukia."
Kaiser sighed and stepped between them.
"Will you two stop it? We've got a survival test to handle."
The group quieted down, albeit reluctantly.
Their mission was simple: survive in the wilderness for seven days using limited resources provided by the school. Each group had been issued a set of survival gear—tents, cooking utensils, and a special multifunction badge. This badge acted as a communicator, tracker, and map display using holographic projection.
"Alright," Kaiser announced, taking leadership.
"We need to gather everything we can to survive. Water, food, firewood, and shelter materials. Let's split up and get started."
Shinoa stepped forward.
"I'll find dry firewood for cooking."
"I'll catch fish," Rukia said confidently, turning to Kaiser.
"Wanna join me?"
"Sure." Kaiser agreed without hesitation.
Rukia threw a triumphant smile at Shinoa, who glared back silently.
"I'll get spices and flavoring!" Hiraku chimed in.
"Food tastes better with soul!"
"Guess I'll look for mushrooms and other wild ingredients," Raju shrugged, adjusting his bag.
The group split up. Kaiser and Rukia made their way toward the riverbank with a fishing net and a makeshift spear. The air was fresh, birds chirped in the distance, and the soft rustle of trees accompanied their quiet steps.
As they began fishing together, Rukia glanced at Kaiser, her voice low.
"So... do you have any romantic feelings for anyone?"
Kaiser blinked.
"Not this question again..." he muttered internally.
He sighed and looked out toward the flowing river.
"No. Right now, I don't. My focus is on my goal. Until I achieve it, I can't afford distractions."
"But..." he continued, his tone softening,
"When I finally fulfill my promise, I know people won't be waiting around for me. Time moves on. But I can't betray the one promise I made to myself."
"Promise?" Rukia asked, intrigued.
Before he could answer, a voice called out nearby.
"Excuse me!"
They turned to see a young girl with long blonde hair and piercing red eyes. She wore a uniform from Holy Saint Academy—the sister school to Holy Cross. She looked slightly lost, holding a small holographic map in her hand.
"Do you know where Group 12 is stationed?" she asked politely.
Kaiser gave her directions quickly. But as he spoke, his expression froze.
The voice... the face...
"She looks exactly like..."
Before he could finish his thought, someone shouted from the distance.
"Raku! Over here!"
The girl smiled, thanked Kaiser, and ran toward her group.
Kaiser stood in stunned silence. Rukia, noticing his expression, tilted her head.
"What's wrong?"
"...Didn't she look just like her?" Kaiser said quietly.
"Who?"
"Chitoge Raku."
Rukia's eyes widened slightly.
"The girl we met in the elementary school?"
Kaiser didn't respond immediately. He just looked off in the direction the girl disappeared into—lost in thought, and perhaps... in memory.