We'll split it 80/20 afterward! / I can't even imagine what the girls will talk about tonight

"Oh, by the way, why is Senior eating with Suzune? After all that happened yesterday, won't the other students in the same group have any objections?"

"That's fine. After all, people who are willing to be my friends won't care if I associate with First Year students. They only befriended me because of Nagumo, so they won't treat me any better just because I don't come over. Anyway, I'm used to it."

Asahina Nazuna seemed to be in a pretty good mood. Although breaking up with Miyabi Nagumo had indeed reduced her number of 'friends' in her second year, she was still much happier than before. At least she no longer had to worry about considering her own position in interpersonal interactions or unintentionally hurting others. After all, given her previous status, any words of comfort she offered might have been seen as her being hypocritical.

"Asahina Nazuna took good care of me today."

As always, Suzune remained oblivious to matters of the heart, much to Horikita Manabu's dismay. Completely oblivious to the interaction between Asahina Nazuna and Kitagawa Ryo, and never considering why the other was suddenly paying attention to her, Horikita Suzune was still preoccupied with her competition with Sakayanagi Arisu. She confidently addressed Kitagawa Ryo:

"I've already convinced Matsushita and Onodera in the class, and I'll soon be able to lead the entire Third Group. The formula for victory has been established."

"Um... should Suzune say 'we'll win' again?"

Chapter 404: We'll split the profits 80/20 afterwards!

In Kitagawa Ryo's view, Horikita Suzune had already fallen into the other party's trap from the moment Sakayanagi Arisu proposed the bet on the group's performance. After all, this Special Exam included individual scores and rankings, but Arisu cleverly set the competition to be based on the performance of each other's groups.

The current competition Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune is essentially about the class Leader position that was created after he and Ichinose Honami transferred to the class. If Suzune is now being swayed by Arisu to focus on the outcome of this Special Exam, that is, the performance of her group, even if she wins the bet, her support rate will most likely be Arisu than Arisu's.

To put it simply, Sakayanagi Arisu never truly cared about the outcome of this match with Horikita Suzune. What she actually wanted to achieve was to take advantage of the fact that every girl group was feeling restless and tormented to increase the support of the girls in the class as much as possible.

In fact, while he was chatting with Ichinose Honami and Karuizawa Kei, Kitagawa Ryo had already noticed Sakayanagi Arisu's actions. Contrary to what she said, she didn't come over because she couldn't wait for him to come to her. Instead, she went to the girls in Class A of Honami's Second Group, namely Sato, Shinohara, and Wang Meiyu, and chatted with them with smiles for a while before slowly walking over.

To put it bluntly, even if Horikita Suzune succeeds in surpassing Sakayanagi Arisu in the group score, her popularity among the girls in Class A won't increase much. After all, they are more influenced by emotional factors than by purely rational judgments. Honami used this tactic to avoid much criticism after transferring classes.

Moreover, aside from the girls in Class A scattered across other groups, Horikita Suzune might not even be able to gain much favor with Matsushita Chiaki and Onodera Kayano in her own group. This can be considered the second overt scheme of Sakayanagi Arisu's bet.

Because each group is composed of students from four classes of equal grade, and once Suzune wants to pursue the overall performance of the group, she will inevitably ignore or even abandon the feelings and interests of her own class. Arisu threw a frame called "collective" into Suzune's mind, making her almost forget that this so-called collective and group will only last for seven days.

She will eventually have to return to the Class A. At that time, even if Matsushita Chiaki avoids stirring up trouble, Onodera Kayano will most likely complain to the other girls about what happened in this Special Exam. Compared to Sakayanagi Arisu's actions of comforting and helping everyone, Suzune's popularity in the class will naturally decline further.

Of course, since he had stated his neutral stance of absolutely not getting involved beforehand, even though Kitagawa Ryo had already figured out Sakayanagi Arisu's plan, he couldn't take the initiative to remind Horikita Suzune. He could only wait and see when the other party would realize it, since Suzune's level was indeed a bit lower than Arisu's.

Back when he was in Class A, the other person only needed to follow along as a subordinate and complete the tasks they were supposed to do. There was no need to cultivate any sense of the big picture or vision. Now that Suzune is suddenly going to fight against Arisu, it's normal for her to stumble a couple of times first. He was already prepared to lend her a shoulder to lean on or a hug.

And so, without any intention of discussing the Special Exam with Horikita Suzune, Kitagawa Ryo quickly changed the subject, enthusiastically discussing with her how to make today's breakfast and the improved techniques of the school's recipe. As a result, they lost track of time while chatting, and with Asahina Nazuna, who was very good at picking up the conversation, they talked non-stop until the end of lunch.

Like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl after their annual reunion, Kitagawa Ryo could only helplessly wave goodbye to Horikita Suzune, who was somewhat reluctant to part.

After lunch, there's an hour for a nap, followed by afternoon classes. Like the morning classes, they're held in a large, tiered classroom. However, this time the topics are related to 'social skills' and knowledge about further education and employment. It feels like a topic that third-year Student Council nearing graduation would care about. Nevertheless, Kitagawa Ryo tries his best to get the other members of his group to listen attentively and take notes, vaguely sensing that there might be Written Exam in the Final Exam.

After the afternoon classes ended, the day concluded with meditation. After a fulfilling day with a clear beginning and end, the cafeteria was undoubtedly much quieter during dinner time. Everyone seemed reluctant to talk and instead focused on eating, planning to return to their dormitories early to rest or go to the bathhouse for a shower.

"To be honest, it's been a long time since I've taken a bath in a communal public bathhouse like this."

Just as Kitagawa Ryo and Amasawa Ichika were eating and chatting, they suddenly heard another student next to them casually remark.

"Indeed, after all, the dormitories at school all have private bathrooms. But taking a bath in winter should be quite comfortable, just like soaking in a hot spring."

"You're quite good at comforting people, but just thinking about how crowded it is inside gives me a headache, and I feel uncomfortable even taking a bath there."

"Hmm... let's go there early then, to avoid the rush hour."

"Okay, wait until I finish this bite of rice."

After glancing at the two students who hurriedly got up and left, Kitagawa Ryo asked Amasawa Ichika with some curiosity:

"Did you take a bath in one of these public bathhouses before Ichika?"

"No, so it feels quite novel."

Amasawa Ichika shook her head, and her two ponytails swayed along with it, making Kitagawa Ryo feel an involuntary urge to reach out and hold them.

Did you wash this before it cooled down?

"This is the first time too."

Looking at Amasawa Ichika, who seemed completely unconcerned about taking a bath in the public bathhouse, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but think of Karuizawa Kei, or more precisely, Megumi with those glaring scars on her abdomen from school bullying.

Although a long time has passed, he still clearly remembers that the other person was always very resistant to exposing this scar to others, let alone a public bathhouse, and would even try every means to avoid swimming pools in the summer.

However, there's no need for that now.

Noticing Kitagawa Ryo's suddenly averted gaze, Amasawa Ichika leaned closer, a little mischievously.

"Hey, Ryo, what are you thinking about? You're not thinking about us girls taking showers or anything, are you? It's only the first day of the Special Exam, Ryo, are you already... sigh"

"You should just eat your food."

He casually used his chopsticks to grab a piece of meat, effectively silencing Amasawa Ichika. Kitagawa Ryo rolled his eyes, giving off a vibe that suggested a child who would start tearing off the roof tiles if not disciplined for three days.

"By the way, how's Ichika doing on set?"

"It's alright. It's quite fun to annoy Kushida. I don't have to run for class Leader or anything, so I can do whatever I want. The others have to appease me, since I can get points for the group."

After chewing and swallowing the meat that Kitagawa Ryo fed him, Amasawa Ichika took another sip of his miso soup and casually shared his thoughts on the Special Exam.

As someone personally certified by Sakayanagi Arisu as someone who is actually quite happy living like this, Amasawa Ichika doesn't actually show many characteristics of being from the White Room in any aspect other than her physical abilities. However, Kitagawa Ryo doesn't think that's bad either, and he likes Ichika's personality just the same.

Of course, Kitagawa Ryo was also aware that the other party would only show this attitude in front of him most of the time. If she really got emotional for some reason, it was hard to say what might happen. After all, Kitagawa Ryo always felt that the three girls in his final simulation were not normal people. Each of them actually had a rather extreme or even pathological side.

"But when I take a shower tonight, I'll probably hear the group compliments again, since Kushida will definitely be showing off to everyone while saying, 'Hey, actually you have a pretty good figure too.'"

"Wow, there was this kind of step too?"

"Of course! Actually, we were already getting ready last night when we were going to sleep. The things girls talk about in the Girls' Dormitory are always more exciting than what guys talk about. And these days, girls are really anxious about their appearance and body shape. After listening to all that last night, I even wanted to learn how to do makeup."

"I think Ichika looks great right now, there's absolutely no need for her to be like this."

"That's true. After all, I would never deny that I'm an invincible young beauty, unlike Arisu."

"Why are you mentioning Arisu again?"

"Because the girls were chatting last night, and they seemed to be talking about whether Ryo and Arisu felt like they were committing a crime when they went on their date."

"... Is this really not Ichika?"

"I have no reason to fabricate stories about Arisu. The outcome between us was already decided on the cruise ship. Besides—she probably still doesn't know that Ryo first said good morning to me a few days after winter break before going to see her, right?"

As she spoke, Amasawa Ichika gave another sly smile:

"Hehe, I'm going to find Arisu when I take a shower tonight and compare myself to her properly."

Is there really any need to compare things that are so vastly different?

"Let Arisu be a little annoyed and anxious too, for a little while."

As if she had thought of something interesting, Amasawa Ichika blinked her fluorescent eyes, deliberately lowered her voice, and asked:

"But speaking of this, it seems like you guys are more prone to anxiety about this kind of thing... Wow, thinking about it that way, it feels so cruel."

Kitagawa Ryo, who understood the other party's meaning perfectly in an instant, simply nodded slightly:

"Yes, so I plan to wrap myself in a towel before going in."

"I think this kind of attempt to cover up the truth will only make other people more curious."

"I'll hold out as long as I can. After all, I'm not the kind of pervert who gets excited or proud when I show myself to men."

"It means that if you're with me, you'll have..."

"Eat your food properly, and don't move your feet around!"

After enduring countless suggestive remarks, Kitagawa Ryo finally finished dinner and strolled leisurely back to his dormitory. He couldn't help but ponder when Ichika had developed this personality. After all, since he officially "indulged" in sex last Ichika, the number of times Karuizawa Kei and Yuki had been intimate with him combined probably didn't equal the number of times Ichika had done so. Ichika was a master of various games, including night raids, morning greetings, and role-playing. If this Mixed Training Camp hadn't been in a dormitory, Kitagawa Ryo suspected that Ichika might have come to "spoil" him in the middle of the night like on the Uninhabited Island last year.

All I can say is that if Hotaru were there, she would probably say, "Please watch the video," and then replay the experience of the last simulation from Amasawa Ichika's perspective (see the side story: The Chaser of Two Rabbits).

"Hey, the captain's back. How about we go take a shower together?"

As soon as Kitagawa Ryo pushed open the door to the dormitory of the Third Group, he saw that several boys had already taken their changes of clothes and were ready to go to the public bathhouse. The few who were not there had eaten early and gone ahead. The one who greeted him was Hashimoto Masayoshi from Class C, with Yamada Albert, Watanabe Norihito and Miyake Akito next to him. It seemed that they planned to go together.

"Okay, wait a moment, I'll get the clothes."

Since he was indeed planning to take a bath anyway, Kitagawa Ryo readily agreed. He quickly took his change of clothes out of his suitcase, and the group walked out side by side toward the public bathhouse.

"Yamada, you don't need to wear sunglasses to take a shower inside, right? It's quite foggy there."

Upon entering the bathhouse, Miyake Akito noticed Yamada Albert, who was still wearing his signature sunglasses, and thus offered a reminder.

"It's okay, I applied anti-fog gel."

In response, Yamada Albert simply adjusted his sunglasses nonchalantly, indicating that there was absolutely no need to worry.

While everyone was focused on Yamada Albert's sunglasses, Kitagawa Ryo quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He then lifted the curtain of the bathhouse and entered the steamy interior. He was surprised to find that most of the boys inside were dressed exactly like him. It seemed that everyone was quite shy about showing themselves in front of so many people, which relieved Kitagawa Ryo.

However, Kitagawa Ryo's good mood didn't last long. Just as he finished showering in the shower area and was about to soak in the pool for a while, the corner of the bathhouse suddenly became lively. It seemed that Amasawa Ichika's prediction was about to come true. Just like the girls, the bored boys would not miss such an opportunity to compete.

Just as Kitagawa Ryo was about to observe for a while and then retreat at any time, not wanting to get involved in this fight that seemed like something Student Council do, another burst of enthusiastic and incredulous exclamations erupted from the other side, even including many of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's names.

The next instant, another familiar voice reached his ears.

"Ten thousand Private Points! Anyone want to bet me that I can find someone here even more skilled than Ayanokoji!"

It was a Ryuen who wished to remain anonymous.

Chapter 405: I can't even imagine what the girls' late-night chat will be like tonight (5k5)

As it turned out, Ryuen Kakeru wouldn't let go of any opportunity to earn Private Points, and the amount he proposed was also well-considered. After all, ordinary students didn't have the financial resources of their class Leader. Ten thousand Private Points was a bet that was just right—a little painful but still respectable. Therefore, some students quickly and readily placed their bets. Then, like loyal guards attending a king's procession, they surrounded Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and began their inspection tour, their eyes gleaming as they searched for the challenger that Ryuen Kakeru had pointed out.

You know what, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka really is wearing the Emperor's New Clothes right now.

However, being the White Room's Masterpiece, even in this incredibly embarrassing situation, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't disgrace the White Room. His expression remained perfectly calm, though it's possible he simply hadn't reacted at all.

In fact, he knew perfectly well who the person Ryuen Kakeru was talking about who could surpass him was. After all, back in the Uninhabited Island Special Exam last year, he and Kitagawa Ryo had seen each other once while changing clothes in the locker room during the swimming assignment in the sea. Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, it still left a deep impression on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Sure enough, the student Ryuen Kakeru was pointing to was Kitagawa Ryo, who was sitting in the corner wrapped in a bath towel.

Upon seeing such a large group of people marching towards him, Kitagawa Ryo felt a pang of jealousy. Just as he was about to confront Ryuen Kakeru, who had stirred up trouble, he saw the other man smiling and giving him an eight-two gesture.

"So it's Kitagawa from Class B?"

"That seems reasonable. After all, with so many rumored girlfriends, he must have some strengths."

"Actually, I think his face is enough..."

"Am I the only one who cares about why Ryuen knows so much about Beichuan?"

After confirming that the challenger designated by Ryuen Kakeru was indeed Kitagawa Ryo, the other First Year boys around them began to whisper among themselves. Then, they all eagerly turned their gazes to his waist, wanting to see his true face beneath. The intense gazes gave Kitagawa Ryo goosebumps.

Just then, Ryuen Kakeru, never one to shy away from a good show, continued to stir up the atmosphere, as if he were just adding fuel to the fire.

"Let's have some cheers--"

At first, only the boys in Class D responded, but later most of the boys in the bathhouse joined in the commotion, chanting Kitagawa Ryo's name in unison. Anyone who didn't know better would think they had stumbled into a boxing or wrestling match.

At this point, Kitagawa Ryo had no choice but to get up and fight.

It wasn't about the thousands or tens of thousands of Private Points, but rather the outcome of the match against Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, although that sounds rather strange.

There's really no other way.

Because his mood was indeed a bit complicated, the idea of casually saying a few interjections like "ya-re ya-re" was completely forgotten, and Kitagawa Ryo simply took off the bath towel wrapped around his waist.

The continuous jeers suddenly subsided as everyone focused intently on the comparisons, and it wasn't until a while later that belated discussions could be heard.

"Really? I thought Ayanokoji was already the best in the land, but who is this guy's subordinate?"

"It's Kitagawa, who surpassed Nagumo, the Student Council President, and whose topics consistently rank among the top on the campus forum's trending list."

"I heard that a woman's erogenous zone is around seven centimeters."

"No, buddy... saying things like that to comfort yourself at a time like this only makes you look more pathetic."

Just when Kitagawa Ryo thought the farce was about to end, perhaps because of the bet on Private Points, or perhaps simply because he wanted to see more of the world, one of the Class C boys who had bet with Ryuen Kakeru still stubbornly expressed his dissatisfaction:

"As we all know, the comparison should be based on the lengths after the comparison."

Then, he started spouting nonsense about how there are two types of this: one is unremarkable before the blood rush but Strength to Carry a Tripod afterward, and the other is just a little head-raising thing. For a moment, the bathhouse was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"Alright, alright, how can we let them stand up and compete again? If either of them could actually stand up in this situation, I'd be running away in fear right now."

Soon, Ryuen Kakeru impatiently waved his hand, rejecting the boy's suggestion to have another match.

"Stop trying to renege. Everyone's watching. And honestly, we'll all have to use this thing eventually, won't we? In that respect alone, Kitagawa is Ayanokoji of Ayanokoji."

At this point, the other boys present all gave knowing, enigmatic smiles.

However, Kitagawa Ryo and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, the students involved, had no intention of playing with them anymore. They each went into the pool and continued to soak in the water. After all, their First Year had a set time limit for bathing, and there were second and third-year students waiting for them.

"Why are you playing this kind of boring game with them?"

"I was pulled away by my classmates as soon as I got to the bathhouse, and by the time I came to my senses, this was what happened. There was nothing I could do."

Perhaps due to the somewhat awkward Matoba, especially after what had just happened, after exchanging a pointless greeting with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, the two fell into silence once again. Nothing else particularly noteworthy happened for the rest of the time, and the First Year boys quietly ended their bath time for the day.