"Thank you. If you find any clues, please tell me right away. Don't tell anyone else."
"Don't tell anyone? ... Are you trying to cover up the truth?"
"Cover up the truth? You could put it that way. I don't want the class to split apart over something like this. I don't want to see that happen."
Hirata clenched his fist, then relaxed it. He smiled at Kiyotaka and said,
"Then I'm counting on you. I should get back to work."
Kiyotaka watched Hirata walk away. The whole mysterious affair made him narrow his eyes.
Could it really be that simple?
Ibuki's Repayment?
When Kiyotaka returned to camp, he found the boys and girls gathered together again.
"We have to move the boys away! Having them camp right next to us makes us girls feel really uneasy. We need to move our campsite farther from them!" the girls shouted.
"Fine, we'll move away. But you can carry the tents yourselves!" the boys retorted.
"We'll carry them ourselves, then! I'm sure Hirata will help us, right, Hirata?" Karuizawa said, looking at him pleadingly.
"I... All right. I'll help."
Hirata sighed and nodded.
Horikita, standing among the girls, shook her head. Seeing how things had developed, she stepped forward with a helpless look.
"Now that things have come to this, moving the campsite is unavoidable. But I can't feel comfortable with Hirata doing it alone."
"What's there to worry about? He's Hirata!"
"But he's a boy, isn't he?"
Horikita met Karuizawa's gaze without flinching.
"Well... Then what do you suggest?"
"I don't feel comfortable with Hirata coming and going on the girls' side by himself. But if there's one more person, they can keep an eye on each other, and the work will get done twice as fast."
"Is there anyone else among the boys who fits the bill?"
"Yes! Him!"
Horikita pointed at Kiyotaka, who had just returned and was looking completely bewildered.
"If it's him, I suppose that's acceptable. He usually keeps to himself and seems harmless enough."
Karuizawa glanced at Kiyotaka and reluctantly agreed.
In the end, Kiyotaka somehow found himself assigned to the girls' side, doing the heavy lifting.
As they took down the tents, Hirata turned to Kiyotaka with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Kiyotaka. I dragged you into this, too."
"It's not your fault. If Horikita hadn't asked, I wouldn't be here."
Hirata laughed awkwardly.
"Haha, doesn't that just prove Horikita trusts you?"
Kiyotaka looked up at Hirata, unimpressed.
"Your girlfriend said I was some invisible, harmless guy, too."
Hirata immediately looked embarrassed.
"Hirata, could you come over for a moment?" a girl called from across the river.
"But I'm in the middle of—"
"It's fine. Go ahead. I can take care of what's left," Kiyotaka said, glancing at the remaining work.
"Thanks. I'm counting on you."
Hirata set down what he was holding and left.
After he was gone, Horikita appeared beside Kiyotaka.
"Sorry, Kiyotaka. I made you do all this extra work, but I really don't trust Hirata."
Kiyotaka glanced at Horikita before replying.
"What, do you suspect him? He seems like a decent guy to me. He really is kind."
"There's a difference between being kind and pretending to be kind. Most people act differently from how they feel to hide things and put themselves first. You do that too, don't you?"
Kiyotaka sighed helplessly.
"Maybe Hirata really is exactly what he seems. There's no need to be so suspicious of people."
"Hmph. Who knows? I don't believe him, anyway."
"Forget about him for now. How are you feeling? Your temperature was much closer to normal yesterday. Are you still planning to push yourself?"
Horikita fell silent for a moment before answering.
"I've been pushing myself for four days already. You didn't say I was unwell when you were picking on me, did you? I'm fine. I can manage most activities now."
Kiyotaka chose to ignore part of what she said and stared blankly.
"Ah... Good to hear you're feeling better."
Horikita gave a cold snort and turned away.
"Acting all tough. Bleh."
That evening.
It was Kiyotaka's turn to patrol. His main task was to check whether the area was safe.
When he reached the stream, he heard a strange sound and moved closer.
Once again, they found themselves staring straight into each other's eyes.
This time, Kiyotaka sighed with practiced resignation and said,
"Go on, then. How do you want to fight?"
Kiyotaka would never have imagined that Ibuki would skip bathing with the others and come to the stream alone. And, as luck would have it, he had run into her again. By now, he had given up resisting and simply braced himself.
But Ibuki wasn't angry this time. She didn't even try to cover herself. She just stared straight at Kiyotaka.
"I know a lot of people in your class think I stole the underwear. Do you think it was me, too?"
Kiyotaka waited for a long time, but Ibuki didn't attack. Instead, she asked him that strange question. He answered without hesitation.
"I don't think it was you. You're innocent."
At his words, a glimmer of hope appeared on Ibuki's somewhat dejected face. She looked at Kiyotaka, her cheeks flushing, then spoke.
"You've peeked at me bathing so many times. Isn't that because you enjoy the thrill? I could give myself to you, as repayment for bringing me back and saving me from having to sleep rough."
"I'm not—"
Before Kiyotaka could finish, Ibuki stepped toward him. In the secluded darkness, they drew close and kissed.
Why had Ibuki done it? She didn't know herself. Some thought inside her insisted that this was what she had to do—that it was the only way to secure a better future. And Kiyotaka was the means to that future.
Seeing that Kiyotaka wasn't responding, Ibuki pressed closer, making it clear that she was willing to let him take the lead.
As Kiyotaka touched her gently, Ibuki felt the warmth of his hand and let out a soft murmur.
"Mm..."
At the sound, the emotions she had been suppressing seemed to burst free, and a strange sensation spread through her.
She began to move without thinking. Then, as though under a spell, she paused, considered it briefly, and made her intentions clear.
"Ah! This is..."
Overwhelmed by the moment, Ibuki couldn't help crying out. Then she looked away shyly, only to find herself unable to tear her eyes from him.
Her lips parted unconsciously as she swallowed.
The heat and tension made it feel as if her heart might leap out of her chest.
Seeing that things had gone this far, Kiyotaka stopped overthinking and guided her down, telling her to brace herself.
In that deeply embarrassing position, she was completely exposed to his gaze.
Everything was as Kiyotaka had seen the previous time. His earlier compliment that she was well-shaped hadn't just been meant to rile her up.
He'd been telling the truth. Her figure was unusually slender, and Kiyotaka couldn't help admiring it.
"Mm... That hurts."
Ibuki groaned, her brow furrowed as she bit her lip.
Kiyotaka took his time, allowing her to adjust before continuing slowly.
He kept at it conscientiously for nearly two hours before finally stopping.
Ibuki was caught between pain and pleasure, but she didn't want Kiyotaka to hear her, so she tried to keep quiet. Every so often, though, a soft moan escaped.
Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore. She hadn't expected it to last so long. Even after she had been swept up in the moment again and again, Kiyotaka still showed no sign of stopping.
"Ayanokoji... I can't keep going. Please... stop."
At her words, Kiyotaka began moving with renewed intensity. As warmth washed over her, Ibuki was overwhelmed; she trembled uncontrollably. After a while, she finally relaxed, breathing hard.
But Ibuki was athletic, and she soon recovered enough to hop back into the stream and wash herself.
When Kiyotaka realized no notification had appeared in his mind, he shook his head helplessly.
"So her heart still isn't with me... Is this going to be another long process?"
As Kiyotaka sighed, Ibuki had already climbed out and gotten dressed.
"Ayanokoji, I've repaid you for taking me in. From now on, I don't owe you anything."
With that, Ibuki picked up her toiletries and headed toward camp.
"What am I, a tool?" Kiyotaka muttered with a self-deprecating smile as he watched Ibuki walk away.
When Kiyotaka returned to camp, Kikyo quietly sidled up to him and brushed a hand over him.
"Kiyotaka~ I just saw Ibuki walking a little strangely. Don't tell me you made that much progress already?"
Kikyo gave Kiyotaka a teasing look.
Kiyotaka already felt like a tool, so Kikyo's teasing irritated him. He gave her a hard smack on the backside.
"Don't get smart with me. Keep it up, and I'll make you regret it!"
The slap was so hard that Kikyo yelped. She covered her backside with one hand and her mouth with the other, then gave Kiyotaka a reproachful look.
"Why'd you hit me so hard? My poor backside's going to swell up. How am I supposed to take care of you like this?"
Kiyotaka couldn't help laughing at her antics. He flicked her on the forehead.
"Quit being such a little troublemaker and get some sleep."
"Bleh, you pervert."
Kikyo made a face and darted away like a rabbit, afraid he would smack her backside again.
Kiyotaka shook his head and returned to his tent to get some rest.
Horikita's Weakness
On the fifth day of the exam, the sky gradually darkened beneath thick clouds, which blocked out the sunlight. The breeze grew stronger, and the leaves rustled in the wind.
Distant thunder rumbled across the sky, seeming to warn of the storm to come. The humidity steadily rose, making the air feel stifling.
On the horizon, a dark-gray wall of clouds was already spreading rapidly toward them.
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