After the first session of the special exam ended, the students scattered throughout the ship to spend their free time until evening, when the second meeting would begin.
I decided to kill time until then as well, so I headed toward one of the ship's simple cafés to drink some coffee and relax for a while.
Today's meeting had been exhausting.
Especially since every student placed in my group was a troublemaker.
Dealing with them wasn't easy.
The only good thing was how easy they were to provoke.
They rushed forward without thinking.
The only exception seemed to be Kanzaki.
He stayed detached from everything happening around him, which was only natural.
He was Class B's top student.
His sharp perception made being around him annoying.
He observed everyone constantly.
For some reason...
I had the feeling he was especially wary of me.
I entered the small café to satisfy my daily coffee needs.
After picking up my order from the counter, I looked around for an empty table.
Fortunately, most of the seats were available.
The students preferred taking this opportunity to visit the more luxurious cafés on the ship that served premium drinks and desserts.
"Hikigaya-kun..."
A girl's voice interrupted me before I could reach the farthest corner of the café.
I turned toward the source of the voice and found a long-haired black-haired girl quietly sipping coffee.
Sitting across from her was a brown-haired boy with an irritating face.
"Ah... hello..."
I muttered as I walked toward Horikita and Ayanokōji.
I wasn't sure whether Horikita calling my name counted as an invitation...
But whatever.
I'd invite myself.
I placed my coffee on the table and pulled out a chair before sitting down.
"So... what are you two doing here?" I asked while carefully pouring sugar into my cup and stirring it with the plastic spoon.
"Ayanokōji-kun and I were discussing the special exam. I thought you might be useful," Horikita replied with her usual serious expression.
Her entire life revolved around exams, planning, and strategies.
Was she actually alright?
Maybe I should have a word with her brother about this.
For a moment...
I'd thought she was simply spending some peaceful time with Ayanokōji.
"I'm not useful. I'm not a vegetable."
I took a small sip of my coffee.
Mother always said vegetables were useful because they contained vitamins.
Since I didn't contain vitamins...
I wasn't useful.
"Please stop..."
Horikita pressed a hand against her forehead, as though she already regretted calling me over.
I tried swallowing the coffee...
But the moment it reached my throat, I grimaced.
Damn it...
I specifically told them to add extra sugar this time.
"Tch..."
I raised my head and looked at Ayanokōji.
He was calmly drinking his coffee.
There were still sugar packets sitting on his saucer.
Well...
That should be fine, right?
I reached over to grab one.
The instant I moved—
He immediately set his cup down and snatched every last sugar packet before I could touch them.
"Huh...?"
"What was that? Are you a cat?"
I looked back and forth between him and the now-empty saucer.
Seriously...
That reaction wasn't normal.
"Stop stealing my sugar," he said while moving it farther away.
"False accusation."
I slapped the table dramatically.
"It's not stealing."
"It's borrowing."
"Do you not understand the difference?"
What a stingy guy.
"I don't lend sugar."
He sighed dramatically.
"Tch..."
"Sugar is unhealthy anyway."
"You shouldn't consume so much."
"So hand it over."
"No."
Ayanokōji calmly took another sip of coffee without even opening his eyes.
"Ugh..."
I clenched my teeth in despair.
There was no way I could walk back to the counter and ask for more sugar.
I just couldn't.
This wasn't fair.
What exactly wasn't fair?
The fact that he'd refused to give me his sugar.
"Would you two stop acting like children? Aren't you supposed to be high school students?" Horikita sighed as though scolding a pair of elementary school kids.
"He started it," Ayanokōji answered expressionlessly.
Horikita let out another defeated sigh before sliding one of her own sugar packets toward me.
"Here."
"Ah... thank you very much."
I bowed my head deeply in gratitude.
Before she could change her mind, I hurriedly poured the sugar into my coffee and stirred it.
For some reason...
Horikita kept staring at me with her lips slightly parted.
As though she'd just witnessed something unbelievable.
"What?"
She quickly regained her composure after hearing my voice and shook her head.
"Nothing."
"I just didn't expect you to thank me so sincerely over something so trivial."
Something trivial...?
Did she consider saving someone's life trivial?
"Of course I'd thank you for your generosity."
"Besides..."
"I hate stingy people."
I looked straight into Ayanokōji's eyes.
"Not that I'm referring to anyone in particular."
I raised the cup and took another sip.
The moment the sweetness touched my tongue...
Happiness flowed through my body.
As expected...
Ayanokōji ignored my words with his usual indifference.
"You're really strange."
"I honestly can't decide whether you're smart or just an idiot."
"Sometimes I wonder why Yukinoshita-san trusts you."
"It's not necessarily trust."
I shrugged.
"Even the way you talk is strange."
"Have you ever participated in a weirdness competition?"
A sarcastic smile appeared on Horikita's usually expressionless face.
She actually seemed to be enjoying making fun of me.
"What's with that?"
"Stop learning sarcasm from Yukinoshita."
I frowned at her.
Yukinoshita was corrupting the students of this school.
At this rate...
Everyone would start enjoying making fun of me.
"I'm not learning from anyone."
Horikita sighed before briefly glancing toward Ayanokōji, who was silently watching from the sidelines.
"You're even corrupting the people around you."
"At first I thought Ayanokōji-kun was a serious person who couldn't joke around."
"But now he's acting like an elementary school kid whenever he's around you."
What was that supposed to mean?
Was I the one corrupting people now?
"Yeah."
"You're right."
"I'm the worst."
I returned my attention to my coffee, deciding to ignore her nonsense.
"Really...?"
Ayanokōji looked around as though trying to understand exactly what she'd meant.
Horikita sighed in defeat before taking another sip of her coffee.
"Is there anything you're actually serious about?"
"I'm good at wasting time."
I leaned back comfortably in my chair.
I could spend hours absentmindedly staring into space.
That kind of skill required more than practice.
It required talent.
"Hmm..."
Horikita clicked her tongue before placing her cup back on the table.
I couldn't tell whether she disliked my answer...
Or simply disliked the coffee.
Probably the coffee.
This café really wasn't very good.
"Hikigaya was pretty good at the arcade games the other day," Ayanokōji suddenly said, deciding to join the conversation.
"Huh?"
"Did you suddenly become talkative?"
I looked at him sarcastically.
How childish.
Why didn't anyone lecture him?
Was I the only one who got lectures around here?
"Video games aren't that impressive."
"My brother was good at them too."
Horikita blushed slightly.
What a perfect older brother.
I wouldn't even be surprised if the student council president had gone to the moon before.
"That's normal."
"One day you hear students at school talking about video games."
"You get curious and ask your parents to buy you a console for your birthday..."
"And then they refuse."
I spoke while tears almost formed in the corners of my eyes.
If it weren't for Komachi...
Father would've rejected the idea completely.
"So that's how it works..."
Ayanokōji muttered as though discovering something entirely new.
"Hey, Suzune."
"Having fun with your friends?"
A rough voice suddenly shattered the peaceful atmosphere filling the café.
"I told you not to call me by my first name."
Horikita immediately frowned.
Ryūen had entered the café together with Albert.
"Fufufu..."
"Don't make such a scary face."
"Tell me..."
"Are you the VIP?"
He pulled out the chair across from Horikita and sat down while Albert remained standing behind him.
I quietly moved my chair aside to make room for Albert.
Although...
He ignored the empty seat and continued standing behind his leader like a bodyguard.
There was no way Ryūen would leave now.
He'd stay until he felt he'd annoyed us enough.
Meanwhile...
Horikita looked like she was barely stopping herself from exploding.
"You'd have to be an idiot to think I'd tell you that so easily."
"Why don't you answer first?"
"Are you the VIP?"
Ryūen smiled mischievously at her calculated response.
"If you want me to answer..."
"I don't mind."
"But everything has a price."
His eyes drifted toward my coffee.
I immediately covered the cup with my hand.
Didn't he understand the meaning of privacy?
"Tch..."
Horikita clicked her tongue after Ryūen successfully provoked her once again.
His victorious grin widened before he turned toward me.
"What about you?"
"Are you the VIP?"
He brushed his hair back, revealing those beast-like eyes.
I took another sip of coffee while seriously considering his question.
It was actually a pretty good one.
"What kind of answer do you want?"
"The truth."
His smile made it obvious he was enjoying this conversation.
I thought about it for a moment.
If he wanted the truth...
It would be unfair not to give it to him.
"I'm not the VIP."
I answered seriously.
"Hikigaya-kun! What are you doing?!"
Horikita slapped the table in alarm.
"Relax, Suzune."
"The last person I'd believe is this con artist."
Ryūen laughed arrogantly.
"Whether you believe me or not..."
"That's your choice."
Once I'd given my answer...
Believing it was entirely up to him.
Ryūen laughed loudly while rhythmically tapping the table with his finger.
"I heard you've been doing whatever you want in your group."
"You could say I'm just trying to lighten the mood."
I glanced toward Albert, hoping for his opinion.
As usual...
He remained silent.
"Fufufufu..."
"I wish you'd been in my group."
"I would've put a leash on you."
"No thanks."
"The group I'm already in is annoying enough."
Seriously...
How had the school managed to gather all those people into the same room for an entire hour?
It made no sense.
"Enjoy yourself."
"This exam belongs to me."
"See you, Suzune."
Ryūen stood up and headed toward the exit.
"Tch..."
Horikita clenched her fist in frustration after he completely disrupted the atmosphere before casually leaving.
"Is he in your group?"
"Yeah."
"He never stops provoking everyone."
"As expected of Ryūen..."
Horikita sighed.
"I heard your group is full of difficult people too."
"At least things are still peaceful."
When all the troublemakers are gathered into one group...
As long as nobody throws someone out of the window...
I'd say everything was under control.
"I'm sure Yukinoshita-san can handle them."
Horikita spoke with complete confidence.
Well...
Yukinoshita was good at keeping people under control.
Although provoking her was rare...
It wasn't impossible.
Still...
No matter how capable she was...
Every special exam would always have its own problems.
Even if Ryūen wasn't present in every group.