Cruise Ship

Today is the day of the first semester final exams.

A strange atmosphere, a mixture of tension and anticipation, permeates the classroom early in the morning.

Although Chabashira Sae had already clearly stated that the results of this exam would not affect Class D's class points, the extra reward she announced a few days ago acted like a shot of adrenaline for the class.

Chabashira walked calmly to the podium, her gaze sweeping across the room, her voice clearly breaking the silence: "To reiterate, for this exam and the final exams in July, if every student in Class D passes," she paused slightly, seeing that everyone's attention had been captured, "then, during the summer vacation, the school will organize a trip for our class to a private island surrounded by blue seas, to experience a... dreamlike life."

"Oh--!!!" As if a spark had fallen into a haystack, the classroom was instantly ignited! Especially the group of boys gathered in the back, who erupted in deafening cheers almost simultaneously.

Chabashira's description of a "dreamlike life" instantly materialized in their minds: scorching sunlight, golden beaches, and... girls in various swimsuits leaping across them.

"Hooray!"

"Island! Swimsuits!"

"Beach! The ocean!"

"A free vacation!"

Voices rose and fell, mixed with excited, strange cries.

The most excited were Ike Kanji, Yamauchi Haruki, and their peers.

Ike pounded his desk in excitement, while Yamauchi stood up with a "whoosh," raised his arms, and used all his strength to shout the slogan he had prepared: "Brothers! The opportunity is here! For the dream island! Let's go all out!"

His face was flushed with excitement, as if victory were already within reach.

It wasn't just this group of hormone-fueled boys who were excited; even the other Class D students, who were accustomed to tight points and a frugal life, couldn't help but fantasize about the blue sky, white clouds, coconut groves, and a leisurely vacation without having to count every penny.

After all, this might be a rare, luxurious experience in their high school life.

Of course, alongside the excitement, small, realistic annoyances were quietly brewing.

A few girls exchanged glances, their lips curling with a hint of helplessness.

Come to think of it, the school does have swimming lessons, held in the largest public pool on campus, with boys and girls in the same class.

But this only exacerbated certain problems—the behavior of some boys by the poolside was truly too "prominent," and the kind of unmasked, naked gazes that seemed to pierce right through people made the vast majority of girls feel disgusted.

On top of that, some boys would gossip about the girls behind their backs, and even went as far as making boring bets like a "bust size ranking."

This directly led to many girls refusing to wear swimsuits that showed off their figures during regular swimming lessons, or simply finding various excuses to skip class.

Except for... Kushida Kikyo.

Kushida, the universally acknowledged "little angel," always wore a sweet smile and didn't seem to mind those gazes, always wearing a modest swimsuit to class with everyone else.

She was also quietly packing her things at this moment, a soft, habitual smile on her lips.

However... deep down? Perhaps she, too, felt troubled or even disgusted by those unmasked, burning gazes.

After all, no matter how good the disguise, it is difficult to completely erase instinctive feelings.

Thinking of this, many boys also knew in their hearts that even if they managed to go to the island, the girls in their own class would likely still not wear swimsuits.

People like Ike and Yamauchi whispered privately that their targets would probably have to shift to girls from other classes who were more "daring"...

On the podium, Chabashira Sae watched the chaotic scene, her brows furrowing imperceptibly before she returned to her usual cold expression. She tapped the podium heavily with her fingers: "Quiet!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it had great penetration.

The noisy waves of sound in the classroom quickly subsided.

"Alright," she picked up the test paper bag, "keep the fantasies in your heads. Now, focus all your energy on the exam in front of you. Prepare to begin."

As the final bell for the exam rang, the last trace of tension hanging over the students of Class D vanished.

Regarding passing, an atmosphere of near-certainty permeated the classroom.

This was not blind optimism, but solid confidence—thanks to the recent efforts of Hirata Yosuke, Kushida Kikyo, and Horikita Suzune, the study atmosphere in the class had improved significantly, and there had been organized reviews for the final exams. Everyone was convinced: for Class D, passing the final exams as a whole was a foregone conclusion.

In the hallway during the break, when Ike Kanji shouted, "See you at the island for summer vacation!", he was met with a chorus of knowing smiles and relaxed nods.

This "power of review" was the key they had earned themselves.

Hoshino Kanade tidied up his stationery while casting his gaze out the window, as if he could see that vast blue ocean through the glass.

Finally, the exam that could earn points had arrived, though the island exam wouldn't be easy to perform well in...

The "bitter days" of being deprived of class points and living frugally for several months had long since left a deep mark on the students' hearts.

The lack of daily pocket money, the careful calculation when buying any personal item, the embarrassment of borrowing points and being unable to pay them back... these realistic hardships were instantly magnified into a stark contrast in the face of the fantasy of a "free private island vacation," which in turn transformed into an even more intense longing for the "paradise life" that was about to come.

Until this moment, having boarded this luxury cruise ship that far exceeded their expectations, standing on the deck that looked brand new, and breathing in the clear sea breeze, the excitement that had been suppressed since the end of the exams, mixed with a bit of anxiety, finally erupted completely, turning into solid, overwhelming joy.

"Whoa--! It's actually real! Chabashira-sensei didn't lie to us!" Shinohara Satsuki rushed to the railing, pointing excitedly at the distant horizon, her face filled with pure joy.

"It's ten times more luxurious than I imagined!" Karuizawa Kei also revealed a relaxed smile, her tone filled with wonder, "I thought it would be, at best, one of those ordinary ferries... does the school really have that much money to spend?"

Hirata Yosuke smiled as he looked around at his classmates' leaping figures and said gently, "Regardless, this is the result of everyone's hard work. For the next few days, please enjoy yourselves!"

"Ha! Enjoy? Of course I'm going to enjoy it!" After Ike Kanji shouted his signature "This is awesome," he still couldn't calm down. He jumped on the deck in excitement, almost bumping into a waiter carrying drinks, "It's like a dream! A private island! I declare that from this moment on, Ike-sama's vacation life has officially begun!"

It wasn't just the boys; most of the girls also swept away the gloom brought on by the awkward situation during campus swimming lessons.

Escaping the school environment, which was constantly filled with judgmental gazes, and finding themselves amidst this truly free and vast expanse of sea and sky, their reserve seemed to relax significantly.

Although the topic of swimwear remained a sensitive zone, the wonderful anticipation of their upcoming time on the beach was genuine and pure.

Kushida Kikyo gathered with several other girls, pointing at pictures of the island in the cruise brochure and excitedly discussing potential snorkeling and beach barbecue activities, her sweet smile as consistent as ever.

Although... when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a few boys in the distance huddled together, pointing and whispering at girls from other classes passing by, the curve of her smile faltered subtly for a fraction of a second, before returning to a state of flawless perfection.

The luxury liner steadily cut through the clear sea, leaving a long white wake behind it.

Students gathered in twos and threes in every corner of the deck; some leaned against the railings, greedily soaking in the boundless blue; some curiously explored the facilities on the upper decks; while others held cameras, excitedly recording this ocean scenery they were seeing for the first time in their lives.

Their specific imaginings of the island life they were about to land on—beach volleyball under the sun, laughter around a bonfire, strolling through coconut groves, or even potential secret adventures... these thoughts were like the foam rising at the stern of the ship, constantly fermenting and ascending.

Expectation shone in everyone's eyes, and the fatigue of body and mind had long since been blown away by the sea breeze.

This cruise ship was steadily carrying all of Class D toward that island paradise filled with the unknown and surprises.

For them, having just finished a hard battle and struggled for a long time with financial scarcity, whatever awaited them ahead surely wouldn't turn into another hard battle, right?

Probably.

Today was the day of the first semester final exams.

The classroom in the early morning was permeated with a strange atmosphere mixed with tension and anticipation.

Although Chabashira Sae had clearly stated that the results of this exam would not involve changes to class points, the extra reward she had announced a few days ago had injected a shot of adrenaline into Class D.

Chabashira walked calmly to the podium, her gaze sweeping across the class, her voice clearly breaking the silence: "To reiterate, for this exam and the final exam in July, if all students in Class D can pass," she paused slightly, seeing that everyone's attention had been drawn, "then, during the summer vacation, the school will organize our class to head to a private island surrounded by blue seas to experience a... dreamlike life."

"Oh—!!!" As if a spark had fallen into a haystack, the classroom was instantly ignited! Especially the group of boys gathered in the back of the classroom, who erupted in deafening cheers almost simultaneously.

Chabashira's description of a "dreamlike life" instantly materialized in their minds: scorching sun, golden beaches, and... the various girls in swimwear leaping upon them.

"Long live!"

"Island! Swimwear!"

"Beach! Ocean!"

"A free vacation!"

Voices rose and fell, mixed with excited, strange cries.

The most excited were undoubtedly Ike Kanji, Yamauchi Haruki, and their peers.

Ike Kanji hammered the desk in excitement, while Yamauchi Haruki stood up with a "whoosh," raised his arms high, and shouted the slogan he had prepared with all his might: "Brothers! The opportunity is here! For the island of our dreams! Let's go all out!"

His face flushed with excitement, as if victory were already in sight.

It wasn't just this group of hormone-fueled boys who were excited; even the other Class D students, who were accustomed to meager points and a tight lifestyle, couldn't help but fantasize about the blue sky, white clouds, coconut shadows, and a leisurely vacation without having to count every penny.

After all, this might be a rare, luxurious experience in their high school life.

Of course, amidst the excitement, small, realistic annoyances were quietly sprouting.

Several girls exchanged glances, their lips curling with a touch of helplessness.

Come to think of it, the school did offer swimming lessons, and they were held in the largest public pool in the school, with boys and girls in the same class.

But this only exacerbated some problems—the behavior of some boys by the pool was truly too "prominent," and that naked, undisguised gaze that felt like it was trying to pierce through people made the vast majority of girls feel chilled.

On top of that, some boys would privately comment on the girls, and even make up boring bets like a "bust size ranking."

This directly led to many girls refusing to wear swimwear that showed off their figures during regular swimming lessons, or simply asking for leave under various pretexts.

Except for... Kushida Kikyo.

The universally acknowledged "little angel" Kushida always wore a sweet smile, seemed not to care much about those gazes, and always wore appropriate swimwear to attend class with everyone.

She was also quietly packing her things at this moment, her lips curled into her usual soft smile.

However... deep down? Perhaps she would also feel troubled or even disgusted by those undisguised, burning gazes.

After all, no matter how good the disguise, it is difficult to completely erase instinctive feelings.

Thinking of this, many boys also knew in their hearts that even if they managed to go to the island as they wished, the girls in their own class probably still wouldn't wear swimwear.

People like Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki were privately discussing that their targets would probably have to shift to girls from other classes who dressed more "boldly"...

Chabashira Sae on the podium looked at the chaotic scene, her brows furrowing imperceptibly, before returning to her usual cold expression. She tapped the podium surface heavily with her fingers: "Quiet!"

The voice was not loud, but it was extremely piercing.

The noisy waves of sound in the classroom quickly subsided.

"Alright," she picked up the test paper bag, "keep the fantasies in your heads. Now, focus all your energy on the exam in front of you. Prepare to begin."

As the final bell for the exam rang, the last trace of tension shrouding the students of Class D vanished into thin air.

Regarding passing, a sense of near-certainty permeated the classroom.

This was not blind optimism, but real confidence—thanks to the recent efforts of Hirata Yosuke, Kushida Kikyo, and Horikita Suzune, the study atmosphere in the class had improved significantly, and there had been organized reviews for the final exams. Everyone was convinced: for Class D, passing the final exams as a whole was a foregone conclusion.

In the hallway between classes, when Ike Kanji shouted boisterously, "See you on the island this summer!", he was met with a chorus of knowing smiles and relaxed nods.

This "power of review" was the key they had earned themselves.

Hoshino Kanade organized his stationery while casting his gaze toward the window, as if he could see the imagined azure sea through the glass.

Finally, an exam where points could be earned had arrived, though an island exam wouldn't be easy to perform well in...

The "hard times" of being deprived of class points for months and living frugally had long since left a deep mark on the students' hearts.

The scarcity of daily pocket money, the careful calculation required for purchasing any personal item, the embarrassment of borrowing points and being unable to pay them back... these realistic hardships were instantly magnified into a sharp contrast when faced with the fantasy of a "free private island vacation," subsequently transforming into an even more intense yearning for the "paradise life" that was about to begin.

Only now, having boarded this luxury cruise ship that far exceeded expectations, standing on the pristine deck and breathing in the clear sea breeze, did that excitement—which had been suppressed since the end of the exam and tinged with a sense of anxiety—finally erupt completely, turning into solid, unadulterated ecstasy.

"Wow! It's actually real! Chabashira-sensei wasn't lying to us!" Shinohara Satsuki rushed to the railing, pointing excitedly at the distant horizon with pure joy on her face.

"It's ten times more luxurious than I imagined!" Karuizawa Kei also revealed a relaxed smile, her tone filled with wonder. "I thought it would be, at most, one of those ordinary ferries... Is the school really spending this much money?"

Hirata Yosuke smiled as he looked around at the jubilant figures of his classmates, saying gently, "Regardless, this is the result of everyone's hard work. Please, enjoy the next few days to the fullest!"

"Ha! Enjoy? Of course I'm going to enjoy it!" After shouting his signature "This is awesome," Ike Kanji still couldn't calm down. He jumped around on the deck in excitement, nearly bumping into a waiter carrying drinks. "It's like a dream! A private island! I declare that from this moment on, the vacation life of Lord Ike has officially begun!"

It wasn't just the boys; most of the girls had also swept away the gloom brought on by the awkward situation during the school swimming lessons.

Removed from that campus environment filled with judgmental gazes and placed amidst this truly free and vast expanse of sea and sky, their reserve seemed to have loosened significantly.

Although the topic of swimwear remained a sensitive zone, the wonderful anticipation for the beach time ahead was real and pure.

Kushida Kikyo gathered with a few girls, pointing at pictures of the island in the cruise brochure and excitedly discussing potential snorkeling and beach barbecue activities, her sweet smile as perfect as ever.

Although... when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a few boys in the distance huddled together, pointing and whispering at girls from other classes passing by, the arc of her smile faltered subtly for a fraction of a second, before returning to its flawless state.

The luxury liner steadily cut through the clear sea, leaving a long white wake behind it.

Students gathered in twos and threes in every corner of the deck; some leaned against the railings, greedily soaking in the boundless blue; some curiously explored the facilities on the upper decks; others held cameras, excitedly recording the magnificent ocean scenery they were seeing for the first time in their lives.

Their specific visions of the island life they were about to land on—beach volleyball under the sun, laughter around a bonfire, strolling through coconut groves, or even potential secret adventures... these thoughts were like the foam rising at the stern, constantly fermenting and bubbling up.

Expectant light shimmered in everyone's eyes, and the fatigue of body and mind had long since been blown away by the sea breeze.

This cruise ship was steadily carrying all of Class D toward that island paradise full of unknowns and surprises.

For them, having just finished a tough battle and struggled for so long in material poverty, whatever awaited them ahead surely wouldn't turn into another tough battle, right?

Probably.