"Then, let's start the negotiations."
I follow Ryuuen-kun to one of the karaoke rooms.
It's perfectly soundproof with no surveillance cameras—the ideal spot for private conversations. This is the place he always uses when he doesn't want anyone overhearing.
"Before we get to the main point, Ichinose. How exactly do you plan to win this exam? Tell me."
Four students sit on the L-shaped sofa.
In a place meant for entertainment like this, it wouldn't be strange for someone to start singing, but the tense atmosphere makes it impossible.
"We'll win by bringing out the full strength of our class. That's why we've been practicing hard for the sports festival every day. And as you already know, we're targeting Class A."
"Specifically?"
"We'll go after every event we have a shot at. For example, the cavalry battle. If we systematically take down Class A's riders in the upper group, their overall performance will drop, even if only slightly."
Ichinose speaks with a somewhat resigned expression.
"...You'd call that naive, wouldn't you? But no matter how you look at it, the sports festival ultimately comes down to athletic ability.
Even with the best strategies, what matters in the end is individual physical prowess and unity in the team events."
"It's naive, sure, but not wrong. Athletic ability varies from person to person, and that unity you're all so fond of—it can't be dismissed this time.
Tug-of-war, ball toss, three-legged race. Those all demand cohesion. On that front, I'll give you credit for your class's strength."
He says this as a disclaimer, then snorts derisively.
"Looks like you failed too."
"...Failed? What do you mean?"
Ichinose answers without changing her tone.
"Don't play dumb. You're soft, but you're not careless.
You know perfectly well what's crucial for crushing a single class in this exam."
Ryuuen-kun narrows his eyes, staring as though he won't let his prey escape.
That crucial element is the participant pairings.
A slow runner paired with someone even slower can still place decently. A fast runner dropped into a slower group for an easy win can create an overwhelming gap.
A single pairing can completely alter the outcome.
And the thing that makes those pairings possible is—
"—The participation table. It must have occurred to you the moment you decided to focus on destroying Class A.
But since that bastard Katsuragi is handling it, you couldn't get any information from the table."
"...Spot on."
Ichinose's shoulders slump.
It seems she had also planned to attack Class A through the individual events.
But with Katsuragi-kun—who excels at airtight defense—managing it, she still hasn't managed to obtain the information.
"S-so that means you failed too, Ryuuen-kun?"
"With Class A, yeah."
"...Which means you got Class D's participation table..."
"Exactly."
When Ichinose falls silent, Ryuuen-kun grins broadly, clearly pleased.
To check for any hint of a lie in his demeanor, Ichinose fixes him with a deep, piercing stare, not moving a muscle.
Then she places a hand to her glossy, pale pink lips and sinks into thought.
"So your goal this time is to thoroughly crush Class D. Is that correct?"
In Ichinose's place, Kanzaki-kun asks the question.
Ryuuen-kun laughs as he answers.
"That's right. But—if you agree to certain conditions, I wouldn't mind crushing Class A for you as a bonus."
Ichinose and Kanzaki both react with a slight twitch.
"Does that mean you're willing to cooperate for this exam?"
"That's what I said."
Only one of Kanzaki-kun's eyebrows rises as he keeps his arms folded.
He knows exactly what kind of person Ryuuen Kakeru is, so he's weighing the decision carefully.
Cunning, ruthless—this man never hesitates to resort to underhanded tactics. If they teamed up with him, what would the risk-reward ratio be?
The answer is obvious.
"I can't trust you."
That's the inevitable conclusion.
Betrayal lingers in his mind. It's hard to trust a man who might suddenly stab you in the back.
"Relax. I've already prepared a contract."
"What?"
Ryuuen-kun pulls a single sheet from his folder and places it on the table.
He jerks his chin, motioning for them to read it.
---
[Contract
The condition is Class B shall pay Class C 800,000 private points per month until graduation. (This contract remains in effect until one of the signatories is expelled.)
If this condition is accepted, Class C is forbidden from taking any hostile action against Class B going forward.
Additionally, Class C must pledge support to Class B during the sports festival and the upcoming special exam.]
"...Are you serious?"
Kanzaki-kun glares at Ryuuen-kun with sharp, unrelenting hostility.
I don't know the exact contents, but the reaction tells me enough.
It's probably something along the lines of cooperation in exchange for points.
"It's just inter-class cooperation. Why would we have to pay such an enormous sum?"
"Hah? You think I'd cooperate for nothing?"
This man would never do anything without something in return.
He has zero interest in the trust earned through selfless cooperation.
"Besides, with this contract, Class C will never become your enemy again. Depending on how hard you work and how capable you are, I might even get you promoted to Class A."
"That's a bold claim. You haven't forgotten the benefits of graduating from Class A, have you?"
Ichinose directs a pointed stare at Ryuuen-kun, but he deflects it with a smile.
"Kuku. I'll just hand that over. I've got my own way of doing things."
He flashes a wide, tearing grin and lets out an amused chuckle.
Kanzaki-kun shoots a resentful glare at the display, while Ichinose closes her eyes again to think.
"So, what's it going to be? Accept the contract or not?"
"There's no way we'd accept something like this!"
"Weaklings stay out of it. I'm talking to Ichinose, Class B's representative."
Ryuuen-kun intensifies his glare and slams his heel onto the table with a loud thud.
It's a crude gesture, but it vividly showcases Ryuuen Kakeru's ferocity.
"—We won't accept it."
Honami Ichinose opens her eyes and states it clearly.
As expected, that light in her eyes truly represents hope.
"I can't condone your methods. Still, I'm grateful you arranged a proper place to talk this time."
She points directly at Ryuuen-kun and meets his gaze head-on.
"But we have our own way of doing things. And your way hurts people far too much."
"Hah, way too soft. You really think you can win just by playing nice with everyone?
Your chances of winning as the white team in this sports festival are pretty slim. The gap with Class A is just going to grow wider."
"Even so, I have no desire to win by hurting anyone."
A clash of values. The outcomes they seek are completely different.
Ryuuen Kakeru will use any means necessary to win.
Honami Ichinose wants to win without hurting a soul.
A realist and an idealist. Victory is the priority for one; safety for the other.
There's no objective answer to which is better—only the leader of the group can decide that.
Yet it's precisely because they differ that the future changes.
Lofty ideals are only respected after they've been proven.
In that case, I hope they see theirs through.
The future they create might even surpass my predictions.
"I see. Then the negotiations are over."
Ryuuen-kun stands up.
Kanzaki-kun instantly shifts into a stance ready for action.
He's preparing in case the talks turn violent.
But that moment never arrives.
"Let's go, Kamukura."
"Go on ahead. I still have something to discuss with them."
"Hah? Discuss what?"
Ryuuen-kun asks warily.
He suspects it might be related to the sports festival.
"It's personal."
"You can't keep secrets from me."
"Investigate all you want."
Ryuuen-kun's gaze sharpens further. The faint killing intent in it is almost pleasant.
"...Fine. But you're paying for the room."
He relents.
At worst, he could have stayed for the conversation, but it would definitely have turned ugly.
He leaves the private room without another word.
"Then, shall we begin the discussion about Shiranami Chihiro?"
After readjusting my posture, I bring it up.
Ichinose's eyes flash with anger.
It's clear she still hasn't forgiven that incident.
I still don't believe there was anything wrong with that strategy.
It was simply the optimal move to win. I merely used the pieces available to me.
However, I've been taught that it isn't.
It's not only Hajime Hinata's warning. This action is also out of respect for the words of the girl who calls me her friend.
In the Uninhabited Island Special Test, the one I hurt wasn't only her.
—Shiranami Chihiro was a victim too.
"I heard she developed androphobia."
"...Yes. Time is slowly encouraging her recovery, but the deep wound in her heart hasn't healed yet."
The rumor I'd caught wind of was true.
The cause was unmistakably Ryuuen-kun and me—a consequence of slotting in the pieces required for victory.
Even knowing this truth, no feeling of pity arises in me, nor any sense of guilt.
Silence settles over the room.
Since the conversation is moving too slowly, I push forward all at once.
"I don't consider the strategy used in the Uninhabited Island Special Test to have been wrong."
"...You bastard."
Kanzaki-kun glares at me.
Ichinose narrows her eyes in the same way, but I continue regardless.
"However, it's a fact that people were hurt by it. I want to consider how I myself will face that reality."
When I lay bare my thoughts, Ichinose's eyes widen.
"So that means… you want to apologize?"
"In the usual sense of the word, yes."
At my reply, Ichinose furrows her brow and lets out a troubled groan.
Her gaze drifts, as though she's struggling to decide.
"It's pointless. This guy doesn't think that strategy was wrong at all. What meaning could there be in an empty apology like that?"
"I used to think the same. Yet I've learned that whether one apologizes or not makes a considerable difference."
Kanzaki-kun's voice is low, anger plain on his face.
Before he can heat up further, Ichinose takes the baton from him.
"It's not just a matter of apologizing, though. Do you have sincerity?"
"Reflecting on my own actions and apologizing for having cornered her more than necessary—does that count as sincerity?"
"Yes. That definitely counts as sincerity."
For the first time today, Ichinose speaks with a bright expression.
Her face changed the moment she glimpsed the possibility that I might apologize.
"...Hey, Ichinose. What are you thinking?"
"He's trying to correct his mistake. If so, I want to help."
"That's obviously a lie! Have you already forgotten what this guy did during the cruise ship exam!?"
Kanzaki-kun raises his voice a little, attempting to persuade her.
Ichinose doesn't flinch; she fires back with force.
"But a mistake has to be corrected when it still can be!"
Kanzaki-kun is momentarily stunned by her intensity and tone.
Her eyes burn with strong conviction. It's clear her emotions are running high.
"...Kamukura-kun decided of his own will to fix his mistake. We should respect that and give him the opportunity."
"...Once someone commits a mistake, they lose trust. Regaining that trust requires time.
That's why I can't trust this guy. There's a high chance he'll do something awful to Shiranami again. If a similar situation arises, he'll just repeat the same thing."
"I understand what Kanzaki-kun is saying. But if he weren't truly reflecting, he wouldn't have brought up this conversation in the first place."
The two fall into an argument.
Kanzaki-kun is slightly overwhelmed by the forceful will shining in Ichinose's eyes.
Naive.
Just as Ryuuen-kun says—she's far too soft.
I only said I wanted to talk. Yet she's leaped ahead, trying to fix my supposed mistake.
She's kindness taken to excess.
"Besides, there are mistakes in this world that can't ever be undone."
Ichinose lowers her tone, speaking as if to admonish.
"When you make a mistake, you regret it, you torment yourself, you keep wishing over and over that you could fix it.
There are things that never disappear for the rest of your life… For example, if you commit a 'crime,' you have to carry that feeling alone in your heart forever.
But what Kamukura-kun did can still be made right. Yes, it was terribly cruel, but he had no choice if he wanted to win."
"...So you believe we should give him a chance to reform?"
"Yes. Kanzaki-kun—do you think trying to correct a mistake is wrong?"
"That's not what I think. Trying to correct a mistake isn't wrong, and that determination is admirable. But granting a chance at rehabilitation to someone who may be hiding malice, someone whose remorse is uncertain—that's different.
He'll just repeat the same error anyway. In the end, there's even a chance he'll walk the same path as a 'criminal.'"
Emotion clashes against emotion.
What was meant to be a casual discussion has turned into a heated debate.
Because both are worked up, the focus is starting to drift.
"No. A person who tries to correct their mistakes won't become a 'criminal.'"
"It's about possibilities. I'm not saying it always happens. What I'm saying is simply—wait a little longer."
Reformation takes time. Kanzaki-kun has judged that since I show no sign of reflection, contact is dangerous.
Yet if it were genuine, heartfelt reformation, he would endorse it.
Hence—wait.
The calm one is unquestionably Kanzaki-kun.
If anything, Ichinose has grown too heated. It's unlike her, who always puts her classmates' safety first.
"It seems we've reached a conclusion."
At my words, Ichinose—now calmer—appears to begin grasping Kanzaki-kun's point and falls silent.
"I understand your intention. But that comes after more time has passed."
His gaze doesn't waver.
The person named Kanzaki Ryūji seems to be part of the very framework supporting Class B.
If he continues to grow—if he becomes someone capable of properly supporting Honami Ichinose—that would fall outside my predictions.
Truly an interesting possibility.
"Understood. Then I'll take my leave."
I stand, exit the room, stop at the register, and pay the entire bill.
...
After days of relentless practice, only five days remained until the sports festival began.
A pleasant breeze was blowing, and the temperature had finally settled into that of late September, so the actual event promised to be held under very comfortable weather.
"From now on, I'm announcing the pairings for every event and every competition. I'm only saying it once, so listen carefully."
It was after school.
Ryuuen-kun stood at the podium, glancing at the participation table as he began speaking.
The order for individual events, the people assigned to recommended events—everything was a final confirmation of the pairings we had already decided.
But there were no major changes.
In other words, Kushida Kikyou hadn't betrayed us, and we had obtained Class D's participation table exactly as planned.
"That's all. Now, let's talk strategy."
With that distinctive smile—somehow eerie—Ryuuen-kun continued, participation table still in hand.
"This time, our target is Class D. I've arranged your pairings to give us the advantage against them."
A faint stir rippled through the room.
No one understood how he had managed those pairings.
"Shut up. I'm not taking questions."
With just that one sentence, the classroom fell silent.
The voice of the crane. In his case, it was closer to the growl of a beast.
"Here's the specifics on how we'll crush Class D—I'll teach you right now. It's not complicated. All you have to do is destroy Horikita Suzune."
Among the students capable of holding Class D's reins, she was the one who required the most caution.
There was more than enough evidence to consider her more troublesome than Hirata Yōsuke or Kushida Kikyou.
"One of the leaders who can unify Class D. Kuku—when you want to destroy a group, you start by taking out the head."
An organization without a conductor is nothing more than a disorderly mob. Cohesion vanishes; cooperation becomes nonexistent.
"Listen up. I'm going to give you the plan for framing and crushing Horikita.
First, every single one of you—your job is to beat Class D in the individual events. Etch the fact that they lost to Class C into their minds, and keep piling on stress and pressure."
"...If we fail, is there some kind of punishment?"
"Figure it out, Ibuki. I set the pairings, Kamukura trained you—there's no way any idiot here could lose.
But if there is… right?"
Ryuuen-kun looked at me.
He signaled with his eyes for me to speak.
"I won't do anything."
"Motivate them. There are fools here who believed your words and put in effort this time. Your voice will hit harder than mine."
Ryuuen-kun beckoned me to the podium with his finger.
I had only provided light practical support, but what he said wasn't wrong.
Overall athletic ability had visibly improved.
Even in the 100-meter dash, the smallest improvement was at least 0.3 seconds faster, and in tug-of-war or the three-legged race, their diligent efforts had paid off—their breathing and movements were starting to sync.
Taking all that into account, and tailoring it to Ryuuen-kun's preferences,
I delivered encouragement in the form of a threat.
"Please win. Otherwise, I will abandon you. There is no reason to waste time on those who possess neither talent nor the will to exert effort."
After finishing, I returned to my seat.
When I glanced back at Ryuuen-kun from my desk, his cheeks were twitching with amusement.
"...Kukuku. That's how it is. Back to the plan. We'll crush Suzune in the individual events. Yajima, Kinoshita—you two will be paired with her. Don't let her take first place. And drive her mentally into a corner."
The two girls whose names were suddenly called flinched, then looked at Ryuuen-kun.
Both were track and field club members, so their physical abilities were outstanding. Even Horikita, with her high athletic prowess, would find it hard to win.
"For the group cavalry battle, target Suzune the same way. Surround her with several cavalry units and corner her.
The rest—especially the highly mobile cavalry—take out the weak riders from the other classes first. That racks up more points and makes the field easier to control. Of course, if you lose purely on strength after that, it's execution, got it?"
"...Hey, Ryuuen-kun, can I confirm something?"
When Yajima raised her hand, Ryuuen-kun allowed it.
"Is it really true that we'll be paired with Horikita-san in the individual events?"
"What, scared of losing?"
"No, not at all."
Ryuuen-kun's voice carried a slight threat, low and menacing.
But even that faint fear vanished, replaced by a confident expression as Yajima declared it outright.
Ryuuen-kun seemed satisfied with her response.
"Kuku. Looks like I can count on you. As a reward, I'll explain the details—including how we managed the pairings—later."
He promised information disclosure as compensation for testing her.
That information, which everyone was surely curious about, was strictly confidential. Only I, Ichinose, and Kanzaki knew it, so there was no risk of leaks.
The two from Class B wouldn't snitch to Class D either, not when victory was on the line.
"That's everything. Dismissed."
Ryuuen-kun kept only Yajima and Kinoshita behind and sent the rest out.
Some students had club activities after school, so the classroom quickly grew busy with people leaving.
"...Hey, is this really okay?"
Amid the noisy classroom, I caught that voice.
A timid tone.
It was Yabu Nanami speaking to Manabe Shiho in that frightened voice.
I turned my gaze toward them and listened.
"We don't have a choice. If we don't do this, we'll get expelled."
Manabe accepted a mobile device from Yabu.
Her fingers moved quickly to unlock it, making it clear the device belonged to her.
"But if Ryuuen-kun finds out..."
"...It's still better than being expelled."
Yabu's eyes glistened with tears; Manabe wore a frustrated expression.
The two quickly left the classroom afterward.
"Kamukura, what are you looking at?"
Ibuki called out to me.
She looked in the same direction, but Manabe and the others were already gone.
She couldn't predict what had just happened.
She truly excelled at maneuvering. Her judgment was swift, and so was her action.
Anyone but me would have missed the traces of what she had done.
"Nothing."
The mobile device passed to Manabe, the words exchanged between the two.
And Yabu's seat was near the podium.
I had a rough idea of what was going on. Yet I let it slide.
—At this stage, someone had planted a spy in Class C.
That fact alone accelerated my thoughts.
Who had contacted Manabe Shiho? What was their goal?
How would this unforeseen development affect the future?
Just considering it sparked a faint anticipation for the outcome of what had been a boring sports festival.
"Let's head back."
"...You're not plotting something, are you?"
"No. I'm merely looking forward to the future."
I gathered my things and stood.
When I glanced at the window, the curtains were slightly parted.
Sunlight streamed through the gap, illuminating my feet that had been in shadow.
***
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