Class D's Counterattack

Just like being caught in the rain, the former will definitely make sure you notice, while the latter won't, and might not even realize she's getting wet.

However, the current Karuizawa Kei shows no trace of her past self, while Ichinose Honami is still hesitant. The former has broken through and then rebuilt, while the latter has broken through but not yet rebuilt.

Judging from their experiences alone, both of them resolved their overt inner conflicts after the simulation. Karuizawa Kei's conflict was with school bullying, Ichinose Honami's conflict was with theft. However, unlike Karuizawa Kei, Ichinose Honami's growth was almost negligible, and she even carried the additional burden of "killing Kitagawa Ryo" compared to the past.

Because no matter how many times it happens again, Ichinose Honami's family is still the same family, and her mother is still the same mother.

Expressing love to parents directly is a difficult task for most children.

But in reality, hatred, or rather dissatisfaction, is also incredibly difficult to cultivate.

This is especially true for Ichinose Honami.

So even now, Ichinose Honami can only, and dares only, make the smallest changes within an invisible circle.

[Ichinose Honami wouldn't truly hate someone].

This statement is actually correct, because Ichinose Honami will ultimately blame everything on herself, which is also the source of the abnormality that Kitagawa Ryo noticed.

The ultimate outcome of self-torture is self-destruction.

"I can answer that question."

Kitagawa Ryo feigned nonchalance, but his pupils subtly glanced at Ichinose Honami's trembling lips, which were about to speak again.

"What I hate most are people who overestimate or underestimate themselves."

This statement completely shut down Ichinose Honami's answer.

"After all, no one is truly an omnipotent angel, nor are they a prisoner born with original sin."

This is the original text I wrote to Ichinose Honami during the simulation.

Ichinose Honami also noticed this, and she finally slowly closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

Kitagawa Ryo waited quietly for Ichinose Honami to calm down, then smiled and drew another card from the deck of truth cards.

"That doesn't count."

"One more time."

Kitagawa Ryo held up a brand new 'Truth or Dare' card and read the words on it aloud:

[Please tell me about the happiest thing that happened between you and the person sitting opposite you.]

Ichinose Honami's seat opposite Kitagawa Ryo.

Sitting to Kitagawa Ryo's right Sakayanagi Arisu pursed her lips imperceptibly.

Because the one Kitagawa Ryo was holding was the very one whose position she had specifically noted down beforehand – the 'truth' one.

Moreover, the question above is not the one Kitagawa Ryo mentioned at all, but rather the more amusing one. "Please name the body part you are most dissatisfied with."

"I'm biased towards all of you."

Sakayanagi Arisu recalled the words Ichinose Honami had said to Kitagawa Ryo not long ago.

However, Ichinose Honami obviously wouldn't know this information. Perhaps because Kitagawa Ryo's words "[Let's do it again]" collided with some past memories, her furrowed brows finally relaxed.

"There are also many happy things..."

As she spoke, Ichinose Honami secretly glanced into Kitagawa Ryo's eyes. Rather, for her, aside from that one accident, all the time she spent with Kitagawa Ryo was a happy one.

"If you can't think of the happiest thing right now, you can mention a few more memorable ones."

"Anyway, there's still plenty of time tonight."

Kitagawa Ryo casually leaned back on someone's backpack and said this.

His eyes were fixed directly on Ichinose Honami across from him.

But to everyone's surprise, Ichinose Honami talked for almost two hours before finally stopping, seemingly still wanting to continue.

She used the most trivial and insignificant sentences to describe a very simple thing, as if she were sculpting some extraordinary work of art.

Ichinose Honami was talking about how, back when she was working part-time as a mascot handing out flyers outside a coffee shop, she ran into Kitagawa Ryo again and received a cup of hot cocoa from him.

In short, it can be summed up in just one sentence.

However, Ichinose Honami broke down even the smallest movements into countless details, with each detail giving rise to even smaller details, creating a complex and intricate narrative.

She remembers it all too clearly.

This even made Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu feel like they were sitting on pins and needles.

This was the second time tonight that the two of them had felt this way. The last time was when Ichinose Honami used her almost terrifying insight to find the loophole in Kitagawa Ryo's words.

The two women exchanged a glance. From tonight onward, their views on Ichinose Honami would undergo a complete transformation.

"It's getting late, how about we play one last round?"

"We have to get up early tomorrow to relocate; the second round of lockdown measures is about to begin."

Kitagawa Ryo listened very carefully throughout, and after Ichinose Honami finished speaking, he smiled and shook the dice box in his hand, making a suggestion.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't manage my time very well."

Ichinose Honami quickly apologized, but after recounting a rather pleasant memory, her mood improved, and her eyes were full of smiles.

"Let's have another round then."

"Can."

Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune nodded in unison. Although Ichinose Honami and Kitagawa Ryo's story was moving enough, they were not just readers listening to the story, but rather a part of it.

With various thoughts swirling in their minds, the four of them rolled the dice faster than usual.

The final results were: 10 points for Sakayanagi Arisu, 7 points for Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu, and 6 points for Kitagawa Ryo.

"I won again."

Sakayanagi Arisu raised her arms and stretched her body, but the visual effect wasn't enough to make Kitagawa Ryo look away. She tapped her cheek.

"Let Ryo be punished this time."

"Then I'll choose Truth or Dare."

Kitagawa Ryo knew he couldn't escape this sooner or later, so he decided to just go all out.

"If everyone chooses 'truth', this game might as well be renamed 'Truth and Truth'."

"Let's see what Liang's punishment is like."

Sakayanagi Arisu was pleased to see Kitagawa Ryo choose Truth or Dare. Just as she was about to draw a card she had marked beforehand, Kitagawa Ryo preemptively picked up the Truth or Dare deck, shuffled it again with remarkable ease, and then presented it to Sakayanagi Arisu, giving her a slightly mischievous, quick wink with his left eye.

"Let's see what cards Arisu gets!"

Sakayanagi Arisu then realized that Kitagawa Ryo had seen through her little tricks, and the smile on her face froze slightly. She had no choice but to randomly draw a card of dare.

[Share knees with the first person of the opposite sex on your left for three minutes.]

"The first person of the opposite sex on my left."

"Isn't that Suzune?"

Horikita Suzune, who had been almost invisible during the game all night, subconsciously moved closer. The text on the card was indeed this.

What does "sharing a lap pillow" mean?

"So, you give me your lap for three minutes, and I'll give you my lap for another three minutes?"

Kitagawa Ryo tentatively spoke.

"Oh."

Horikita Suzune nodded in agreement, then quite decisively flopped to the side, lying on Kitagawa Ryo's lap, and looked up to ask:

"Is that so? It's a bit off-putting."

"Is it possible that my knees weren't flat on the ground?"

Kitagawa Ryo sighed. He was sitting cross-legged, and Horikita Suzune was lying down like that. It would be strange if it wasn't uncomfortable.

With his right hand, Kitagawa Ryo gently lifted Horikita Suzune's head, then straightened and laid his legs flat.

"Okay, that should do it."

Kitagawa Ryo, with interest, gathered Horikita Suzune's hair, which had spread out while she was lying down, back together:

How are you feeling?

Hotaru used to love lying on his lap like this, so Kitagawa Ryo didn't feel anything unusual about it, but he found the perspective of looking down at Horikita Suzune a bit novel.

"More comfortable than a sleeping bag."

As Horikita Suzune said this, she naturally closed her eyes.

"Two minutes left."

Sakayanagi Arisu and Ichinose Honami were keeping time with their watches, their expressions serious, as if they were at some kind of scientific research site.

Amused by their reactions, Kitagawa Ryo shook his head with a helpless smile.

"So, even though it's lying on your lap, why is it always called a lap pillow?"

Ichinose Honami suddenly thought of this question.

"Because in the earliest days, the meaning of the word 'knee' included the 'thigh,' I think it was in the Man'yoshu. At that time, people didn't have as clear an understanding of human anatomy as they do now."

Kitagawa Ryo nodded and explained the issue.

"However, lap pillows are now often associated with ear cleaning."

Recalling the time he shared a lap pillow with Karuizawa Kei at the hotel, Kitagawa Ryo added another comment.

"Alright, three minutes are up!"

Sakayanagi Arisu clapped her hands and announced it, seemingly not listening at all.

Under the watchful eyes of the two, Horikita Suzune could no longer linger. She could only straighten up and address Kitagawa Ryo:

"It's time to cool off."

"Good."

Kitagawa Ryo didn't stand on ceremony and simply lay down on Horikita Suzune's lap.

You can feel the muscles tense up for a moment, but then they Matsushita, leaving only a soft touch and warmth.

This was probably the closest physical contact Horikita Suzune and Kitagawa Ryo had ever had.

Unlike when she was lying on Kitagawa Ryo's lap, Horikita Suzune now felt strange all over her body, especially her legs which were pressed together, which had a strange, tingling sensation.

Not knowing where to put her hands, Horikita Suzune simply placed them over Kitagawa Ryo's eyes. But then she realized her action seemed to be criticizing Kitagawa Ryo's gaze, so she quickly spread her fingers and massaged Kitagawa Ryo's temples, while lowering her head slightly and asking softly:

"How... are you feeling?"

A few strands of hair that had fallen down because he was looking down tickled Kitagawa Ryo's cheek. He half-opened his eyes and found Horikita Suzune's purplish-red eyes through some of the obscuring parts.

"Of course it's comfortable."

"It has a very distinctive Suzune sound."

A gentle warmth emanated from the palms covering my eyelids, and I could feel the fingertips lightly touching the area near my temples.

Unlike her previous reaction when he used the phrase "Suzune's unique style," Horikita Suzune simply gave a relieved smile this time.

Because 'unique' means 'special'.

"Three minutes! Three minutes!"

"Time's up! Time's up!"

Sakayanagi Arisu and Ichinose Honami helped Kitagawa Ryo up with one hand each.

That's all for tonight.

Kitagawa Ryo glanced at the time, yawned, and stepped out of the tent.

"Good night."

He turned around, nodded to the three of them under the starry sky, and spoke.

This is the fourth night of the Uninhabited Island Special Exam, Night of Truths and Promises.

Chapter 164: Class D' s Counterattack