Morning sunlight spilled across the cruise ship's wide corridor windows, streaking gold against the deep blue sea outside. Students filed between lounges and meeting rooms, their voices low, tired from the strain of the ongoing exam.
Suzune Horikita walked at a brisk pace, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji trailing a step behind her. She turned sharply, eyes narrowing with irritation.
"Ayanokoji-kun," she began, her tone colder than usual, "why didn't you stop Koenji yesterday? As his roommate, wasn't it your responsibility?"
Kiyotaka's expression didn't change. His hands stayed in his pockets as he replied flatly, "There was no point."
Her eyes flickered with disbelief. "No point?"
"Even if I'd interfered, he would have found another way to sabotage the exam. Koenji doesn't follow reason. Stopping him yesterday wouldn't prevent him from acting tomorrow. You should focus on your group instead of worrying about mine."
Suzune clenched her jaw but said nothing. She turned her gaze away, staring down the hallway where clusters of students gathered.
"…I won't lose," she murmured, almost to herself. "Not to Katsuragi. Not to Ichinose. Not to Ryuen."
As if summoned by her words, a confident voice echoed behind them.
"Well, well. What a passionate declaration."
Both Suzune and Kiyotaka turned. Striding toward them with a crooked grin was Kakeru Ryuen, hands tucked in his pockets, flanked by Ibuki. His steps carried the swagger of someone who already owned the floor.
"Horikita," Ryuen said smoothly. "Have you decided how to sniff out your VIP yet?"
Suzune's eyes narrowed. "That's not something I intend to tell you."
Ryuen chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Heh. I figured as much. Shame, though. I've already started narrowing it down."
Suzune crossed her arms. "Impossible. Unlike Katsuragi or Ichinose, you don't have the network or support to gather that kind of information."
"That's where you're wrong." Ryuen leaned closer, his grin widening. "Making friends and gathering intel are two completely different things. And I don't waste time with friends."
Ibuki smirked beside him, arms folded.
Ryuen continued, voice sharp and confident. "I've already cracked the fundamentals of this little exam. Class C will win, overwhelmingly. All it depends on now… is how quickly I push."
Suzune frowned. "And what exactly are you doing?"
"Simple," Ryuen said, his tone almost casual. "I don't need to know the exact VIP. I just need to know which class they belong to. Once I do that, I can break down the possibilities, group by group."
Suzune's lips tightened. "…And how do you plan to confirm that?"
Ryuen leaned back, smirking. "By force. I'm checking my classmates' phones one by one. They can't lie if I'm staring at their mail with my own eyes."
Her eyes widened. "That's against the rules. You could be expelled."
Ryuen's laugh was sharp, cruel. "So what? Expulsion's just a scarecrow. As long as I get results, rules are meaningless."
But Suzune caught it—if Ryuen had already succeeded, he would have reported his results to the school. The fact that he was still prowling meant he hadn't nailed the answer yet.
"You don't know," Suzune said firmly. "If you did, you'd have acted already."
Ryuen's smirk flickered, but only for a second. He waved a hand dismissively. "Believe what you want. Oh, and the Monkey group ending yesterday? Doesn't concern me."
With that, he turned, striding off with Ibuki. His laughter trailed after him.
Once Ryuen disappeared, silence hung in the corridor. Suzune exhaled sharply.
"…That man is dangerous. But reckless."
Kiyotaka tilted his head slightly. "He's still probing. Not cornered yet."
As Suzune shifted her weight, Kiyotaka crouched suddenly, eyes scanning the base of the nearby chair. His fingers brushed under the seat and pulled free a small device.
A phone, screen dark, recording app still open.
Suzune's eyes widened. "A recorder…?"
"Looks like Ryuen left it." Kiyotaka's voice was calm, but his eyes narrowed. "He wanted to capture our reactions."
Immediately, Suzune straightened, her voice raised deliberately. "Anyway, Ayanokoji-kun. Make sure you do everything you can to uncover your group's VIP. If we can't use this exam, Class D will stagnate."
Kiyotaka slipped the recorder into his pocket without another word. "I'll try my best."
He pulled out his phone for a brief moment, holding it casually in his hand. The display lit up just enough for Suzune to glimpse.
A name. Karuizawa Kei.
Suzune's eyes sharpened. "You already know?"
Kiyotaka's voice dropped to a murmur. "I only found out yesterday. Thanks to Miyamoto."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She gave a small nod, then turned sharply on her heel. "Don't fall behind, Ayanokoji-kun."
She disappeared into the hallway's crowd.
When Kiyotaka returned to his cabin, the atmosphere was heavy. Yukimura sat alone at the edge of his bed, head in his hands, phone discarded beside him.
He glanced up when Kiyotaka entered. His expression was bitter.
"…We're doomed, aren't we?" Yukimura muttered.
Kiyotaka said nothing, waiting.
"We're stuck with Karuizawa and Sotomura in our group. Meanwhile, Dragon group has Katsuragi, Kanzaki, Ryuen… all the top representatives. It's unfair." Yukimura's fists tightened. "How are we supposed to compete with that lineup?"
His voice lowered, hesitant. "…What Miyamoto said yesterday. About Karuizawa being the VIP. Was that true?"
Kiyotaka met his eyes, his tone even. "I'm not going to answer. Instead, I'll ask you something. Do you trust Miyamoto?"
Yukimura froze, startled.
"Do you trust him," Kiyotaka repeated calmly, "as your boss?"
Slowly, Yukimura's shoulders dropped. "…I do."
His voice was quieter now. "But I still asked Karuizawa myself. She denied it. Of course she would. Still…" He sighed, burying his face in his palms. "I can't take her word at face value. Not when this exam could swing everything."
Kiyotaka didn't reply. His silence left Yukimura stewing in his own thoughts.
The room's tension was broken suddenly by a chime. Both their phones buzzed at once.
Kiyotaka unlocked his, reading the notification.
School Announcement: "Cow Group has rescinded their participation. Their exam is concluded."
Yukimura jolted upright. "What—?! Already?!"
Kiyotaka's gaze flickered over the message, unreadable. His mind pieced the connections immediately.
Somewhere on the ship, Miyamoto had already moved.
The wind swept across the bow of the cruise ship, tugging at Airi Sakura's hair as she clutched her phone nervously. The ocean spread endlessly before her, but she wasn't looking at it. Her eyes stayed fixed on me.
"I-I just… I don't know what to do, Miyamoto-kun," she whispered, hands trembling. "This exam feels impossible. I don't want to drag everyone down…"
I gave her a small, reassuring smile. "You won't. Trust me."
She blinked, uncertain.
"You're in the Cow group," I said, tone calm and deliberate. "And I already know who the VIP is."
Her breath caught. "You… you do?"
"Yes." I nodded. "Yume Kobashi. Class B. She's the one."
Her eyes widened, panic and disbelief warring in them.
"H-how can you—"
I shook my head gently. "Don't ask how. Just know that when the time is right, I'll tell you what to do. For now, keep calm. Don't doubt yourself."
She hesitated. Her fingers tightened around her phone, then slowly she nodded. "…Okay. I'll trust you."
Later that evening, as Cow group gathered, tensions were simmering. The usual suspicion, the uneasy glares—it all built toward stalemate.
And then, Airi's phone buzzed with a message. She opened it, heart pounding. My words were there, sharp and simple:
"Submit your answer now. Yume Kobashi. Don't hesitate."
Airi's breath shook. She hesitated only a second before her trembling fingers sent the confirmation.
And in that instant, the balance broke.
School Announcement: "Cow Group has rescinded their participation. Their exam is concluded."
The shockwaves spread across the ship immediately.
Yukimura stared at the message on his phone in disbelief.
"They ended it early…? But why? Who—"
Kiyotaka leaned back against the wall, expression calm as ever. His mind was already three steps ahead, analyzing the new shift in the board.
Meanwhile, in another part of the ship, I leaned over the railing, watching the waves crash below.
One more piece off the board. One more chance to control how the game unfolds.