Island

The salty, chilly sea breeze swept across the deck as students from Class D gathered in small groups along the railing, excitedly pointing at the silhouette of the island gradually coming into view in the distance.

Shiina Hiyori's silver-gray hair was gently lifted by the wind. She walked with a light gait through the somewhat noisy crowd, heading straight toward Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona, who were leaning against the railing and gazing into the distance alone.

This ease in crossing class boundaries caused the surrounding Class D students to focus their gazes on her involuntarily—even though everyone knew that this beautiful girl from Class C had a certain degree of personal friendship with Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona, seeing her step into the "enemy class" territory so naturally still caused a slight commotion and curious whispers.

Shiina Hiyori seemed completely unaware of the surrounding gazes, or perhaps she was already used to them.

She arrived in front of Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona with light steps, a smile on her face that was brighter than usual and carried a hint of anticipation, and asked directly, "Kanade, Kiyona, do you want to spend the upcoming 'vacation' together?" Her voice was not loud, but it was clear, carrying her unique, soft, and sweet tone.

Kiyona withdrew her gaze from the sea and turned to look at Shiina.

There was no expression on her face; she simply nodded calmly. "Sure." For her, there was no reason to refuse this invitation—whether out of personal trust in Shiina or a relaxed expectation for the "vacation" itself.

At this moment, although they had their suspicions, they, like the other classmates immersed in the illusion of a "dream trip," all thought that only sunshine and beaches awaited them ahead.

Hoshino Kanade's gaze slowly withdrew from the vast sea level and finally settled on Shiina Hiyori.

He keenly captured that sense of anticipation in Shiina that was brighter than usual; this proactive invitation was undoubtedly a revelation of her true inner feelings.

Shiina Hiyori, a girl who was usually accustomed to being alone, was now able to take this step forward and propose to accompany the three of them, which was of extraordinary significance.

Moreover, Hoshino Kanade knew in his heart that this journey was by no means a simple vacation.

Two consecutive special exams were waiting for them, and the short vacation time after that was more like a reward for this arduous journey.

Shiina's invitation undoubtedly provided him with an excellent opportunity.

Acting with Shiina... Hoshino Kanade calculated quickly in his heart, this way I can logically break away from the main force of Class D and avoid unnecessary disturbances. And when they learn the rules of this special exam, they will naturally think that this was a strategic choice I made to prevent Class C from identifying the leader of Class D. Everything can be cleverly packaged as a necessary layout made "for the final victory of Class D."

Even setting aside these deep-seated considerations, enjoying this rare time for the three of them with Kiyona and Shiina was something Hoshino Kanade had dreamed of.

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift into a gentle and clear arc, his eyes filled with sincerity and warmth, and his voice was softer than usual. "Of course, Shiina. I'm looking forward to spending this upcoming time with you both."

"Then it's a promise!" Having received a positive reply, the smile on Shiina Hiyori's face became even brighter, as if she had set down a small burden.

She waved her hand gently and, without lingering, turned and left the Class D area with the same light steps she had arrived with, her silver hair tips swaying slightly with her movements.

Watching Shiina Hiyori's departing back, and thinking of Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona, companions who could be considered outstanding in appearance even in Class D—especially the way Kiyona's cold temperament complemented Shiina Hiyori's quiet beauty—a thought involuntarily surfaced in the minds of many Class D boys: Spending time on a picturesque island with two beautiful girls of such different styles... this is a plot that only exists in novels!

"Damn it—!" Not far away, Yamauchi Haruki witnessed the whole thing, and the envy and jealousy in his heart almost turned into substance and gushed out.

He grabbed his hair hard, feeling as sour as if he had stuffed a lemon in his mouth. "That guy Hoshino... why is he so lucky!"

Beside him, Ike Kanji was also beating his chest and stamping his feet. "Exactly! Shiina is a rare quiet-type beauty from Class C! And Kiyona too! It's so enviable!"

This intense sourness stimulated Yamauchi Haruki, and a plan he had been hesitant about in his mind suddenly became clear and urgent.

He turned sharply to his best friend, lowering his voice with the determination of burning his bridges. "No! I can't wait anymore! The plan to confess to Kushida must be moved up! Right here on this island! I can't watch others enjoy their youth anymore!" He was afraid that if he waited any longer, he would be so jealous he'd "fall apart."

"Attention, students." The broadcast that suddenly sounded on the ship broke the strange atmosphere of Class D. "If you have time, please gather on the deck. We are about to see the island. I presume you will see a very meaningful landscape in the short term."

The voice was flat and rigid, but the content carried a deliberate, almost coaxing tone. "Must," "meaningful"—these words seemed abrupt and subtle among the daily instructions given to students.

The students of Class D exchanged confused or indifferent glances, but this sudden call and the promise of a "meaningful landscape" still drove most of them to walk toward the railing involuntarily.

Curiosity and a slight expectation of the unknown overwhelmed their doubts.

They leaned against the cold metal railing, casting their gazes in the direction indicated by the broadcast—that deep, ink-blue horizon.

Without waiting too long, at the end of the telescope-like field of vision, a gray-green silhouette quietly pierced the monotonous horizon.

At first, it was just a blurry bulge, like a mirage.

But as the ship moved steadily forward, the outline quickly became clear and three-dimensional—it was a continuous mountain ridge covered with vegetation so dense it was almost dark green, the coastline was rugged and steep, and huge black reefs jutted into the waves like jagged teeth.

Under the scorching white sun, the full view of the island was revealed without reservation—primitive, steep, and far from the "vacation island" with beaches and coconut trees that many had in mind, exuding an oppressive feeling that warned people to stay away.

"Uh... is this the 'meaningful' landscape?" Ike Kanji grinned, pointing at the steep rock wall. "Looks like a place from a wilderness survival show."

"It feels so desolate..." Karuizawa Kei's voice dropped, her previous anticipation replaced by a faint sense of unease.

Kiyona pointed her slender fingers at the island outline becoming clear outside the porthole, her voice dropping even lower, almost a breath against Hoshino Kanade's ear. "The vegetation is deliberately kept primitive, but the rock cut surfaces and slope corrections exceed natural thresholds," she swept her sharp gaze over several areas with obvious signs of artificial modification. "It doesn't look like a vacation at all; it should be another exam." Her tone was certain, based on detailed analysis, without a hint of doubt.

Hoshino Kanade was not surprised. He swept his gaze over the island, memorized it, and nodded slightly, answering, "Yes, I think so too." His voice was equally low and clear. "The 'meaningful landscape' the broadcast mentioned, I'm afraid the true meaning lies in showing us the island's geographical features during this voyage. Conducting preliminary terrain reconnaissance on the ship is preparation for the upcoming exam."

The two exchanged a tacit look and reached a consensus instantly.

They moved away from the surrounding classmates who were still in a state of excitement, stood in a relatively quiet corner of the deck, and began to discuss in low voices under the cover of the railing.

Shiina Hiyori, a girl who usually kept to herself, had now taken the initiative to step forward and request to accompany the three of them; the significance of this was extraordinary.

Moreover, Hoshino Kanade knew in his heart that this journey was by no means a simple vacation.

Two consecutive special exams were waiting for them, and the brief holiday that followed felt more like a reward for the arduous journey ahead.

Shiina's invitation undoubtedly provided him with an excellent opportunity.

Acting with Shiina... Hoshino Kanade calculated quickly, this way, I can logically detach myself from the main body of Class D and avoid unnecessary disturbances. And when they learn the rules of this special exam, they will naturally assume it was a strategic choice I made to prevent Class C from identifying the leader of Class D. Everything can be cleverly packaged as a necessary layout made "for the ultimate victory of Class D."

Even setting aside these deeper considerations, enjoying this rare time as a trio with Kiyona and Shiina was something Hoshino Kanade had dreamed of.

The corners of his mouth curled into a gentle and clear arc, his gaze filled with sincerity and warmth, and his voice was softer than usual: "Of course, Shiina. I'm looking forward to spending this time with you both."

"It's a promise, then!" Having received an affirmative reply, the smile on Shiina Hiyori's face grew even brighter, as if she had set down a small burden.

She waved her hand lightly and, without lingering, turned and walked away from the Class D area with the same light, brisk steps she had arrived with, her silver hair swaying slightly with her movements.

Watching Shiina Hiyori's retreating figure, and then thinking of Hoshino Kanade and his companion Kiyona—who could be considered outstanding in terms of appearance even in Class D, especially with Kiyona's cold temperament complementing Shiina Hiyori's quiet beauty—a thought involuntarily surfaced in the minds of many Class D boys: Spending time on a picturesque island with two beautiful girls of such different styles... this is a plot straight out of a novel!

"Damn it--!" Not far away, Yamauchi Haruki had witnessed the whole scene, and the envy and jealousy in his heart were about to erupt into reality.

He tugged at his hair forcefully, feeling as sour as if he had stuffed a lemon into his mouth, "That guy Hoshino... how is he so lucky!"

Beside him, Ike Kanji was also beating his chest and stamping his feet: "Exactly! Shiina is a rare, quiet-type beauty from Class C! And Kiyona too! It's so enviable!"

This intense bitterness stung Yamauchi Haruki, and a certain plan he had been hesitating over in his mind suddenly became clear and urgent.

He turned sharply to his best friend, lowering his voice with the determination of someone burning their bridges: "No! I can't wait anymore! The plan to confess to Kushida must be moved up! It'll be on this island! I can't just watch others enjoy their youth anymore!" He was afraid that if he waited any longer, he would be so jealous he'd "fall apart at the seams."

"Attention, students." The broadcast that suddenly sounded on the ship broke the strange atmosphere of Class D. "If you have time, please gather on the deck. We are about to see the island. I expect you will see a very meaningful sight in a short while."

The voice was flat and robotic, yet the content carried a deliberate, almost coaxing tone. "Must," "meaningful"—these words seemed abrupt and subtle among the usual daily instructions given to students.

The students of Class D exchanged confused or indifferent glances, but this sudden summons and the promise of a "meaningful sight" drove most of them to walk toward the ship's rail involuntarily.

Curiosity and a slight expectation of the unknown outweighed their doubts.

They leaned against the cold metal railing, casting their gazes in the direction indicated by the broadcast—that deep, ink-blue horizon.

They didn't have to wait long; at the edge of their binocular-like field of vision, a grey-green outline quietly pierced the monotonous horizon.

At first, it was just a blurry protrusion, like a mirage.

But as the ship moved steadily forward, the outline quickly became clear and three-dimensional—it was a continuous mountain ridge covered in vegetation so dense it was almost ink-green, with a rugged and steep coastline where massive black reefs jutted into the waves like jagged teeth.

Under the scorching white sun, the full view of the island was revealed without reservation; primitive, precipitous, and far from the "vacation island" with sandy beaches and coconut trees that many had imagined, it exuded an oppressive feeling of "keep out."

"Uh... is this the 'meaningful' sight?" Ike Kanji grinned, pointing at the steep rock walls, "It looks like a place from a wilderness survival show."

"It feels so desolate..." Karuizawa Kei's voice dropped, her previous anticipation replaced by a vague sense of unease.

Kiyona pointed her slender finger at the island outline becoming clear outside the porthole, her voice dropping even lower, almost a whisper brushing against Hoshino Kanade's ear: "The vegetation is deliberately kept primitive, but the rock cut surfaces and slope corrections exceed natural thresholds," she scanned several areas with obvious signs of artificial modification with a sharp gaze, "It doesn't look like a vacation at all; it must be another exam." Her tone was certain, based on her analysis of the details, without a shred of doubt.

Hoshino Kanade was not surprised; he scanned the island, committing it to memory, and nodded slightly, replying: "Yes, I think so too." His voice was equally low and clear, "The 'meaningful sight' the broadcast mentioned—I fear the true meaning lies in showing us the island's geographical features during this voyage. Conducting a preliminary terrain reconnaissance from the ship is preparation for the upcoming exam."

The two exchanged a tacit look, reaching a consensus in an instant.

They moved slightly away from the surrounding classmates who were still in a state of excitement, standing in a relatively quiet corner of the deck, and began to discuss in low voices under the cover of the railing.