Fantasy

The scorching sun baked the fine, soft white sand, and the waves washing over our feet still carried a lingering chill.

Chabashira Sae stood before the students, holding an electronic clipboard. Her expression was as stern as ever, creating a subtle contrast with the school-issued gym uniform she wore, which was identical to the students'.

It felt less like the start of a dream vacation and more like the signal for a boot camp.

"We will now begin roll call for Class D," Chabashira-sensei's voice was crisp and formulaic, cutting through the roar of the surf. "When your name is called, please acknowledge and respond!"

She began calling names in order, her gaze sweeping over every student who was supposed to be present.

The air around us was indeed devoid of any vacation-like relaxation; instead, it was filled with an indescribable tension.

However, perhaps the azure sea and sky before us were too deceptive, or perhaps the lingering expectations in our hearts outweighed our doubts, as many students still wore relaxed, even somewhat careless, expressions on their faces.

After all, without ironclad evidence slammed right in front of them, people are always more willing to believe what they want to believe.

"Haa—" Ike Kanji, not far from Hoshino Kanade and the others, poked at the sand with his toe in boredom and let out a long sigh. "I really hope this roll call ends soon... let's get to the free time already! We've got such a beautiful ocean right in front of us!" His complaint represented the inner thoughts of many; they were still eagerly anticipating this so-called "free time."

Soon, the roll call for Class D concluded, and the other classes had already finished theirs as well.

Just then, a lighthearted figure, completely out of place with the current atmosphere, hopped onto the simple white podium set up in the middle of the beach—it was the homeroom teacher for Class A, Hoshinomiya Chie.

Since she also served as the school infirmary doctor, she rarely had much contact with students from other classes.

Her outfit today was truly cool and cute: her medium-length, slightly wavy hair was ruffled by the sea breeze, and she wore a casual sun-protective cardigan over a form-fitting sports tank top, paired with fitted athletic shorts that revealed her well-proportioned, slender legs.

This appearance, overflowing with youthful vitality, made her look more like a student than a teacher, instantly capturing the attention of the vast majority of the boys in the crowd.

From the moment she stepped onto the stage, many held their breath, their gazes glued to her as if pulled by a magnet.

Hoshinomiya-sensei didn't mind those stares at all. She first brushed back her wavy hair, then beamed at the crowd below. Naturally, she gave a signature playful wink toward several directions and even struck a cute pose, shouting energetically: "Yahallo~ Is everyone doing well?"

A wave of even louder cheers, mixed with excitement and catcalls, erupted from the crowd.

Yamauchi Haruki stared blankly, his soul seemingly drifting away as he muttered, "Okaa-san... I feel like the third moment of love at first sight in my life has just arrived..."

Ike Kanji, standing next to him, scoffed, though he had to admit that Hoshinomiya was indeed very cute.

However, Mashima Satoshi, the homeroom teacher for Class B, was not so relaxed.

This tall, lanky English teacher, known for his rigorous teaching style, furrowed his brows. He was filled with objections as he watched Hoshinomiya's overly casual—and perhaps even "moe-style"—behavior on stage.

He believed this was truly beneath the dignity expected of a teacher.

His lips moved a few times, but ultimately, considering that Hoshinomiya was the homeroom teacher for Class A and he was only for Class B, he could only stand to the side with his arms crossed, his expression even sterner than usual.

Hoshinomiya Chie completely ignored the low pressure radiating from Mashima-sensei, adjusted the microphone, and spoke with a voice still sugary and light, though her words began to veer off course:

"First of all~ on behalf of all the teachers, I am so, so happy that everyone was able to arrive safely and smoothly at this super—beautiful little island today!" She spread her arms, making a gesture as if to embrace the sea.

"But~" her tone shifted, carrying a hint of minor regret, "on the other hand, although it is only one student, it is super regrettable that she cannot participate in this trip due to health reasons. I hope she gets well soon~" A look of genuine pity appeared on Hoshinomiya's face.

Ike Kanji, down in the crowd, let out a soft scoff: "Ha! There's actually an idiot who got sick enough to miss out on a good thing like this? How pathetic... it's definitely her own fault." A few voices around him echoed his sentiment with a sense of schadenfreude.

Before the cruel truth was revealed, this combination of a "luxury cruise + private island" looked like a top-tier gift no matter how you sliced it.

They never dreamed that this "sympathy" would soon turn into a massive boomerang, slamming right back into them.

Then, Hoshinomiya-sensei tilted her head slightly, scanning the crowd with those innocent, cute eyes that sparkled like little stars, and from her 37°C cherry lips, she spat out words cold enough to freeze every fantasy:

"Alright~ so next up—☆" She intentionally drew out her tone, then revealed a playful, devilish smile, "I have a very important announcement to make! (ﾟ▽ﾟ)"

"We are about to begin this school year's—first! Major! Special exam!"

The cute movements and the energetic girl-next-door tone hit the beach like a bolt of lightning.

"Huh?!" "What?!" "Wait... an exam? What's going on?" "A special exam? Now? Here?" "Are you kidding me!"

Instantly, cries of disbelief and questioning erupted from the groups of students from all four classes. The faces of those who had just been fantasizing about beach volleyball and sunbathing stiffened; shock, confusion, and even anger instantly replaced their relaxation. For those still immersed in the dream of a vacation, this turn of events was nothing short of a slap in the face!

However, humans are sometimes so good at deceiving themselves.

Even when the facts were staring them in the face, they would always hold onto a final shred of wishful thinking until the "evidence" was undeniable.

A luxury summer vacation hosted by the school out of "goodwill"? Looking at it now, it was clearly just a fantasy, a mere reflection of flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water.

Hoshinomiya Chie acted as if she didn't see the commotion below, or perhaps, this was all part of the intended effect of her words.

Her smile remained unchanged as she pronounced the "death sentence" in her cutest voice:

"The duration of this exam is~ exactly one week starting from now! It will end promptly at 12:00 noon next week, on August 7th! (´▽`ʃƪ)"

She held up a slender finger and shook it playfully.

"And during this one week~ all of you~" her voice dropped slightly, carrying a hint of mysterious seduction, yet she spoke of an even crueler reality, "will have to spend a group life of loving and helping each other on this... uninhabited~ island that belongs solely to our school!"

"--That is the entirety of this exam!"

"Living... on an uninhabited island?" A student repeated the keywords, their voice trembling.

Hoshinomiya-sensei nodded vigorously, as if confirming the rules of an interesting game: "That's right, that's right! Simply put, it's wilderness survival~ Everyone has to set up camp here, solve various problems on your own, and help each other out!"

She paused, then added as if she had just remembered something: "Oh, right, right! Let me tell you a secret: the content of this exam isn't something I just made up! It was designed based on real-life, super~ impressive training programs that big corporations use to train their employees! (◕‿◕✿)"

She held up a finger to emphasize: "So, it is very, very practical! And super—realistic! Everyone must take it seriously! (ง •̀_•́)ง"

"Living on an uninhabited island? Staying here? Right here on this beach? In the forest? Aren't we supposed to be staying on the luxury cruise ship?" A student who had finally processed the information cried out, their voice filled with panic and disbelief.

The sea was still as blue as ever, and the sun was still as bright as ever, but in their eyes, this paradise had instantly transformed into a jungle exam site fraught with danger.

The scorching sun baked the fine, soft white sand, and the waves lapping at our feet still carried a lingering chill.

Chabashira Sae stood before the students, holding an electronic clipboard. Her expression was as stern as ever, creating a subtle contrast with the school-issued gym uniform she wore, identical to the students'.

It felt less like the start of a dream vacation and more like the signal for a boot camp.

"We will now begin roll call for Class D." Chabashira's voice was clear and formulaic, cutting through the roar of the surf. "When your name is called, please acknowledge and respond!"

She began calling names in order, her gaze sweeping over every student who was supposed to be present.

The surrounding air truly lacked the relaxed atmosphere of a vacation; instead, it was filled with an indescribable tension.

However, perhaps because the azure sea and sky before them were too deceptive, or perhaps because the lingering expectations in their hearts outweighed their doubts, many students still wore relaxed, even somewhat careless, expressions.

After all, without ironclad evidence smashed right in front of them, people are always more willing to believe what they want to believe.

"Haa—" Ike Kanji, not far from Hoshino Kanade and the others, poked at the sand with his toe in boredom and let out a long sigh. "I really hope roll call ends soon... let's get to the free time already! Such a beautiful ocean is right in front of us!" His complaint represented the inner thoughts of many; they were still eagerly anticipating the so-called "free time."

Soon, the roll call for Class D ended, and the other classes had finished theirs as well.

Just then, a lighthearted figure, completely out of place with the current atmosphere, hopped onto the simple white podium set up in the center of the beach—it was the homeroom teacher for Class A, Hoshinomiya Chie.

She also served as the school infirmary doctor, so she rarely had contact with students from other classes.

Her outfit today was truly cool and cute: her medium-length, slightly wavy hair was ruffled by the sea breeze, and she wore a casual sun-protective cardigan over a form-fitting sports tank top, with well-fitted athletic shorts below that revealed her toned, slender legs.

This appearance, overflowing with youthful vitality, made her look more like a student than a teacher, instantly capturing the attention of the vast majority of the boys.

From the moment she stepped onto the stage, many held their breath, their gazes glued to her as if pulled by a magnet.

Hoshinomiya didn't mind those stares at all. She first smoothed her wavy hair, then beamed at the crowd below, naturally winking playfully in several directions and even making a cute gesture. "Yahallo~ Is everyone doing well?" she shouted, full of energy.

A wave of even louder cheers, mixed with excitement and catcalls, erupted from the crowd.

Yamauchi Haruki stared blankly, muttering as if his soul had left his body, "Okaa-san... I feel like the third moment of love in my life has just arrived..."

Ike Kanji, standing next to him, scoffed, though he had to admit that Hoshinomiya was indeed very cute.

However, Mashima Satoshi, the homeroom teacher for Class B, was not so relaxed.

This tall, lanky English teacher, known for his rigorous teaching style, furrowed his brows. Watching Hoshinomiya's overly casual, even "moe-style" behavior on stage, he was filled with objections.

He believed this was truly beneath the dignity expected of a teacher.

His lips moved a few times, but ultimately, considering that Hoshinomiya was the homeroom teacher for Class A and he was only for Class B, he could only stand to the side with his arms crossed, his expression even sterner than usual.

Hoshinomiya Chie completely ignored the low pressure radiating from Mashima, adjusted the microphone, and spoke with a voice still filled with sugary lightness, though her words began to veer off course:

"First of all~ on behalf of the teachers, I am so, so happy that all of you students were able to arrive safely and smoothly at this super—beautiful little island today!" She spread her arms, making a gesture as if to embrace the sea.

"But~" Her tone shifted, carrying a hint of minor regret. "On the other hand, although it is only one student, it is super regrettable that she cannot participate in this trip due to health reasons. I hope she gets well soon~" A look of genuine pity appeared on Hoshinomiya's face.

Ike Kanji, down in the crowd, let out a soft scoff. "Ha! There's actually an idiot who got sick enough to miss out on a good thing like this? How pathetic... it's definitely their own fault." A few voices around him echoed this with a sense of schadenfreude.

Before the cruel truth was revealed, this combination of a "luxury cruise + private island" looked like a top-tier gift no matter how you sliced it.

They never dreamed that this "sympathy" would soon turn into a massive boomerang, slamming right back into them.

Then, Hoshinomiya tilted her head slightly, scanning the crowd with those pure, cute eyes that sparkled like little stars, and from those 37°C cherry lips, she spat out words cold enough to freeze all their fantasies:

"Alright~ so next up—☆" She intentionally drew out the tone, then revealed a mischievous, devilish smile. "I have a very important announcement to make! (ﾟ▽ﾟ)"

"We are about to begin this school year's—first! Major! Special exam!"

The cute movements and the energetic girl-like tone struck the beach like a bolt of lightning.

"Eh?!" "What?!" "Wait... an exam? What's going on?" "A special exam? Now? Here?" "Are you kidding me!"

Instantly, shouts of disbelief and questioning erupted from the groups of students from all four classes. The faces of those who had just been fantasizing about beach volleyball and sunbathing stiffened; shock, confusion, and even anger instantly replaced their relaxed demeanor. For those still immersed in the dream of a vacation, this turn of events was nothing short of a slap in the face!

However, humans are sometimes so good at deceiving themselves.

Even when the facts were staring them in the face, they would always hold onto a last shred of wishful thinking until the "evidence" was undeniable.

A luxury summer vacation hosted by the school out of "goodwill"? Looking at it now, it was clearly a fantasy as fleeting as a reflection in the water.

Hoshinomiya Chie acted as if she didn't see the commotion below, or perhaps that was exactly the effect she wanted her words to have.

Her smile remained unchanged as she pronounced the "death sentence" in her cutest voice:

"The duration of this exam is~ exactly one week starting from now! It will end promptly at 12:00 noon next week, on August 7th! (´▽`ʃƪ)"

She held up a slender finger and wiggled it playfully.

"And during this one week~ all of you~" Her voice dropped slightly, carrying a hint of mysterious seduction, yet she spoke of an even crueler reality, "will have to spend a communal life of love and harmony on this... uninhabited~ island that belongs only to our school!"

"--That is the entirety of this exam!"

"Living... on a deserted island?" A student repeated the keywords, their voice trembling.

Hoshinomiya nodded vigorously, as if confirming the rules of an interesting game. "That's right, that's right! Simply put, it's wilderness survival~ You all have to set up camp here, solve various problems yourselves, and help each other out!"

She paused, then added as if she had just remembered something: "Oh, right, right! I'll tell you a secret: the content of this exam isn't something I just made up! It's designed based on real-life, super~ impressive training programs that large corporations use to train their employees! (◕‿◕✿)"

She held up a finger to emphasize: "So, it's very, very practical! And super—realistic! Everyone must take it seriously! (ง •̀_•́)ง"

"Living on a deserted island? Staying here? Right here on this beach? In the forest? Aren't we supposed to be staying on the luxury cruise ship?" A student who had finally processed the information cried out, their voice filled with panic and disbelief.

The sea was still as blue, and the sun was still as bright, but in their eyes, this paradise had instantly transformed into a jungle exam site fraught with danger.