Just like the boys' Beach Flag Showdown, the girls' side followed a lottery-based head-to-head elimination format. Ryo arrived just in time to catch the match featuring Sakayanagi Arisu. Although he wasn't sure how many rounds had already passed, it was perfect timing.
Sakayanagi's silver hair wasn't long enough to require tying up like Horikita Suzune or Ichinose Honami, so her hairstyle remained the same. The light pink tones of her swimsuit complemented her hair color nicely, and the twin sheer layers of her skirt fluttering at the waist naturally drew the eye.
She gave off the kind of vibe that made one instinctively want to hand her a pink inflatable kiddie float.
Of course, Ryo couldn't say that aloud. He simply waved from the sidelines to cheer her on.
Objectively speaking, Arisu should've had an advantage in this event. Her petite frame meant lower resistance when springing up or digging into the sand, and she seemed less prone to tripping.
As Ryo mulled over random thoughts, the whistle blew, signaling the start of the match. Arisu, once again, found herself in that awkward moment where her brain responded faster than her body. Luckily, her opponent was just another girl participating for the sake of it. Both hesitated for a beat before launching toward the flag.
The ocean shimmered under the morning sun, its waves a sapphire blue. White foam crashed against the rocks near the shore.
Within that serene backdrop, Arisu powered forward, calculated the distance, and leaped toward the flag. But her opponent, who had longer limbs, jumped at the same time. By a hair's breadth, the other girl snatched the flag before Arisu's fingertips could reach it.
The whistle sounded again. Sakayanagi Arisu's Beach Flag run was over.
It had probably lasted less time than it took her to put on the swimsuit.
A bit disgruntled, Arisu jogged toward Ryo, leaving a neat trail of little footprints in the sand.
Now that she was closer, Ryo noticed more details about her swimsuit: Though it was a one-piece dress-style suit, the abdomen featured semi-transparent gauze that revealed her tiny belly button. Below that, her slender, ivory-toned legs peeked out.
Ivory as in baby elephant ivory, of course.
"Ryo, are you done over there?" Arisu asked, oblivious to Ryo's wandering thoughts. She seemed quite cheerful now that she had more time alone with him.
"Yeah. First place. I got 800 points and 2 liters of water. We won't have to worry about hydration today," Ryo replied, bringing his attention back.
Considering each participant got 500ml of water just for entering, and with the bonus he secured, their group was pretty well set for the day—even if Horikita and the others didn't place well.
"How's my swimsuit?" Arisu wasted no time shifting the topic.
With her hands behind her back, she leaned forward slightly, tilting her face up with hopeful eyes.
If it had been Ichinose Honami—or even Horikita Suzune—pulling this move, Ryo might have looked away in embarrassment. But now, he could meet Arisu's gaze head-on, which somehow added weight to his compliment.
"I think it suits you really well. It gives off a fresh and charming vibe."
Luckily, Ryo had prepared beforehand and answered smoothly:
"If I'm not mistaken, that's one of this year's trendiest styles. It reminds me of something Sakamoto Yuji once wrote in 'Quartet': When you want someone to notice you, you either act like a cat, a tiger, or a rain-drenched puppy. This swimsuit nails the 'mystery cat' type perfectly."
"The upper and lower exposure is low, but the semi-transparent abdomen and layered skirt give a dreamy, veiled allure. It's a very charming design."
"You wear it beautifully, Arisu."
Arisu hadn't expected such a detailed response. But honestly, she hadn't even heard the middle part. Ryo's first and last compliments were more than enough.
Everyone loves hearing sweet words. The only difference between sincerity and flattery is who says them.
Now slightly flustered, Arisu glanced down. She hadn't been paying attention to the gauzy midsection of her swimsuit, but now that Ryo had pointed it out, she couldn't help but notice her exposed belly button and slim waist.
"If Ryo thinks it looks good, then it is good," she murmured.
Just then, Ichinose Honami stepped up for her match.
Ryo's eyes sharpened, and his breath caught.
This was a tiger. Straight-up dominance.
Even a seasoned mind like Ryo's couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
However, her opponent made him frown: Kamuro Masumi from Class 1-A.
Back during the school term, Kamuro had been caught stealing and used by Ayanokoji as a pawn—until Ryo stepped in.
Despite her attitude, grades, and personality issues, Kamuro's physical ability was top-tier. Among all the girls in the year, she was near the top in athleticism. That's why Katsuragi had pulled her into his elite group.
Ryo scanned the crowd, but saw no sign of Katsuragi Kohei. His shiny head should've been easy to spot.
While Ryo scanned the students, the match began and ended quickly. Kamuro, who shared Horikita's B+ level physique, easily bested Ichinose and advanced.
And just like that, Ichinose joined Ryo and Arisu.
"I saw you, Ryo. You got first place, right?" she beamed, brushing sand off her swimsuit. She tugged slightly at the chest area and gave it a little shake.
"Y-Yeah," Ryo answered stiffly.
"I think I got sand in my hair. Ryo, could you brush it off for me?"
Raising her head, Ichinose ran her hands through her shimmering rose-gold hair. Her voice was confused and innocent, but her posture—chin tilted up at just the right angle—was dangerously cute.
So there really were girls who could be both tigers and rain-soaked puppies.
Arisu, sensing Ryo was short-circuiting, quickly stepped in:
"Ichinose-san, let me help you."
"But Arisu, you're not tall enough. It'd look silly if you stood on tiptoe or jumped."
Ichinose declined sweetly, then took Ryo's hand and placed it on her head.
Meanwhile, on the other field, Horikita defeated her opponent in record time.
As Kamuro passed her, she inexplicably shivered.
The sun had just risen. Why did it suddenly feel cold?
-------------------------------------
[Beach Flag Showdown Girls' Top Three Announced: 1st – Horikita Suzune, 2nd – Kamuro Masumi, 3rd – Nishino Takeko. Please collect your physical rewards from the supervising teacher.]
Carrying a 2L bottle of water, Horikita Suzune strode back toward the group.
"Seems like I should've just lost early and joined you all," she muttered.
Noticing how cheerful the three others appeared (from her perspective), Suzune's tone was even colder than the chilled mineral water she held.
"That's not true! I was watching your matches the whole time," Ryo quickly raised his hand in defense.
Suzune shook her head. She didn't seem very pleased. Without bothering to grab a paper cup, she unscrewed the large water bottle and began sipping directly—though she maintained hygiene by holding it a few inches from her lips, drinking in small sips.
The physical exertion from her intense rounds had clearly taken a toll, especially since she went all out each time, hoping to wrap things up quickly.
Because she wasn't drinking directly from the bottle, a few drops of water naturally trickled down her cheek, slid along her slender neck, trembled at her throat, and finally disappeared beneath her collarbone.
She knew what she was doing.
...No, there's no way Suzune is that calculated, right?
Ryo stole a glance at her. Her violet-red eyes were gently closed, but her trembling lashes betrayed her awareness of his reaction.
When did Suzune learn to play these kinds of games?!
Ryo was appalled—once upon a time, this girl was the very definition of straightforward. Now she was clearly scheming. With impeccable timing, he decided to break the tension:
"Suzune, that swimsuit looks really good on you... haha."
"Is that a compliment to yourself?"
Suzune paused mid-sip, cracked open one eye, and replied with a hint of sarcasm. "You picked it out for me, remember?"
"Even so, what matters is the person wearing it. The choice has nothing to do with me... probably."
Feeling the intense gazes of Ichinose and Sakayanagi piercing his back, Ryo quickly raised his watch and adopted a serious tone:
"A new task just popped up. Since we're done here, we should head to the next one immediately."
"I already checked," Sakayanagi said flatly, bursting his bubble. "All the nearby tasks involve water or the beach. So keeping swimsuits on as we walk along the coast makes the most sense. Saves time changing too."
"There's an [Open Water Swimming] task right next to us, but it's for boys only," Ichinose chimed in cheerfully. "Ryo, you're up, right?"
[Category: Physical]
[Task: Open Water Swimming]
[Only one male participant per group. Starts when eight participants register or after one hour.]
[1st Place: 1200 points, one standard card upgrade]
[2nd Place: 1000 points]
[3rd Place: 800 points]
[Participation: 200 points]
This was a full 2km swim in open water. Compared to other physical tasks so far, this one ranked among the toughest. But the rewards were equally enticing—even just showing up earned 200 points.
Still, swimming in the ocean was vastly different from swimming in a pool. And today's waters weren't exactly calm.
However, since the school had approved the task, it meant the area had been properly surveyed and cleaned. Lifeguards and rescue boats were surely on standby, so safety wasn't a concern.
"No problem," Ryo nodded confidently.
Thanks to his excellent physical conditioning and several fitness-related talents, swimming 2km was barely a challenge.
With their next destination confirmed, the group mobilized quickly. Concerned about catching a chill, Ryo had the girls rinse off using the free beach-side facilities before changing into regular clothes and heading out.
The venue wasn't far, and since most groups had opted for other tasks, the crowd was manageable. Ryo's group registered easily.
Many students didn't consider this task worth the effort. The high rewards were tempting, but the risk of fatigue or injury meant most groups preferred simpler challenges that could yield more than the 200-point participation prize.
But as Ryo scanned the area, a familiar face caught his eye.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
This would be their first direct clash since the uninhabited island exam began.
Their last encounter—at the trivia task—had them solving problems independently, with little tension.
Inside the changing tent, the two boys silently began undressing, changing into their swim trunks.
And then—
They both inhaled sharply.
For the first time, Ryo saw a flicker of shock in Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's usually emotionless eyes.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To Read Advanced Chapters, and support this novel, please join me on [email protected]/geats2000
(Note: Replace "@-" with "a" on your web browser.)