The afternoon sunlight filtered through layers of leaves, scattering warm patches of light across Class B's camp. Having finished lunch, the students sat in small groups beneath the shade, their faces brimming with contentment and leisure. Shimiya Kuki leaned against a palm tree, resting with his eyes half-closed. The sea breeze brushed softly past, carrying the distant whispers of the waves and the nearby laughter and chatter of his classmates.
"Shimiya-kun, today's grilled fish was absolutely delicious!" A short-haired girl passed by and gave him a thumbs-up, her eyes curved into crescents with a smile. "The sauce was seasoned perfectly. I never thought simple grilled fish could taste this good!"
Another boy passing by stopped as well and eagerly added, "Yeah! I wonder what delicious food we'll have tonight. We're already looking forward to it!"
Shimiya gave a slight nod, his expression calm as he merely said, "I'm glad it suited everyone's tastes." Shimiya only nodded faintly, but inwardly, he felt that lunch had barely been passable.
The crude outdoor cooking equipment and limited seasonings were far inferior to the fully stocked set in his dorm room. Salt, pepper, soy sauce, mirin, plus a few basic spices—that was all they had. Perhaps because they were on a deserted island, everyone had naturally lowered their standards for food.
He sighed softly, his gaze drifting unconsciously toward the distant beach. There had indeed been a small incident during lunch today, and the result was that they had gained one more diner. At that moment, that extra diner was playing volleyball on the beach with Ichinose and the others, dressed in a bright yellow bikini beneath a sheer white beach cover-up.
Hoshinomiya-sensei's chestnut hair was tied into a high ponytail that swished lively with her agile movements. Her form as she leaped up