The Puppy Paparazzo, Kamuro

By the afternoon, the cruise ship had reached Uninhabited Island—a privately owned island of the school, specifically used to provide students with all sorts of bizarre exams.

This exam would not only test the students' ability to survive on Uninhabited Island, but also involve cooperation and competition between classes.

The August sun scorched the beach. The students had barely stepped ashore in high spirits when the cruise ship's broadcast began:

"The rules for the Uninhabited Island exam will now be issued." (Brief introduction)

First, they had to survive on the island for seven days. The school would provide tents, flashlights, and toiletries, but food and water had to be purchased or obtained in the wilderness.

The school would issue each class three hundred temporary points. They could be used no differently from regular points, and any points remaining after the exam would be added to the class points. Rule violations would result in point deductions.

There were also "bases" on the island. Occupying one would earn one temporary point, and an occupation remained valid for eight hours. In other words, they had to check in once every eight hours.

Check-ins were conducted using a card held by a designated leader. Unless under special circumstances, the leader could not be changed.

Class D unanimously chose Horikita Suzune. Since Sakayanagi could not participate and Sakamoto declined, Class A nominated Katsuragi. Katsuragi had yet to decide who would hold the card.

"Ah, why is there another exam?"

"Wasn't this supposed to be a vacation?"

The students wailed.

Hearing that, Sakamoto immediately thought of how much more outrageous the coming days would become.

What vacation? In a few days, this would fast-forward into a real-life Mortal Kombat match. Let's see if you'd still be scared then.

A sudden chill ran down his back.

"(｡ì_í｡)"

The moment he disembarked, Sakamoto came under the gaze of a certain purple-haired girl. Her staring made him feel uncomfortable all over.

"Is something wrong with your eyes, Kamuro?"

"N-No, no."

Kamuro hurriedly denied it, but whenever Sakamoto turned away, he could feel her watching him from behind.

When Sakamoto looked back, he saw Kamuro standing off to the side with puffed cheeks, kicking at the sand and pretending to look at seashells.

Helpless, Sakamoto looked at Kamuro's trembling eyelashes as she tried to act composed.

"Kamuro, did Sakayanagi ask you to do this?"

"Ah! O-Of course not! (ﾟ⊿ﾟ)ﾂ"

Kamuro looked utterly awkward, but her expression clearly said, "I'm not telling you that Sakayanagi told me to monitor you without leaving your side."

Sakamoto: "..."

Why do I get the feeling Sakayanagi sent you here to do hard labor, and you're actually pretty happy about it? Silly kid.

And Sakayanagi, that young lady, was way too vindictive. He had only played the mysterious type once—meaning silently drinking coffee without saying anything—and now she had him watched this closely.

Fortunately, Katsuragi began organizing the Class A students and assigning tasks.

One group would set up tents in the camp and gather firewood and the like, while the other would survey the island's terrain and search for food.

Katsuragi had already set off with his follower, Yahiko.

Sakamoto was assigned to scout the island's terrain.

He took a slip of paper from Yamamura Miki, who was in charge of assignments.

Thinking he could finally shake off Kamuro, Sakamoto unfolded the slip. Three names were written on it.

Sakamoto Junichi, Machida Koji, Kamuro Masumi!

"Hello."

Kamuro Masumi suddenly appeared before Sakamoto like a rabbit, casually displaying the little slip of paper in her hand.

"Looks like we're lucky. We got assigned to the same group."

I seriously suspect you rigged this.

"Um, well... Machida says his stomach is upset, so he can't take part in the scouting task."

Yamamura jogged over, her little face flushed red as she told Sakamoto that they were down a member. For now, only two people could carry out the task.

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

Kamuro Masumi deliberately put on an indifferent expression, but her two pointed ears stood straight up as she memorized every word Yamamura said.

Is that so? You little schemer, girl. You're trying way too hard to pretend you don't care.

Sakamoto smiled unconcernedly.

"The scouting mission is starting." He turned and walked toward the dense forest, followed by hurried footsteps and the crisp crack of crushed shells.

Kamuro followed about a meter behind him, running and hopping like a little beast trailing after its mother.

Deep in the forest, damp air carrying the scent of decaying leaves rushed toward them. Sakamoto used a branch to push aside bushes tangled in spiderwebs, recording the terrain and observing their surroundings.

The forest path was rugged, and Kamuro Masumi behind him nearly slammed into his back.

"Be careful." He abruptly turned, and a vine-wrapped branch brushed across Kamuro's ankle. The girl stumbled into the crook of Sakamoto's arm. Beneath their dew-soaked clothes came a heartbeat like pounding drums, impossible to tell whose chest it trembled from. The scent of rotting leaves suddenly seemed cloyingly sweet, but Sakamoto spoke the next moment and ruined the atmosphere.

"That's the second time."

"Sorry."

Kamuro hurriedly backed away, though the tips of her ears had turned crimson.

Honestly! Why am I so clumsy?

Kamuro had already begun blaming herself for her clumsiness, wishing she could stomp her foot hard.

"Listen, there's running water ahead..."

Sakamoto was fully focused. His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, his voice three shades lower and huskier than usual. After listening carefully for a while, he pointed in one direction.

"Southwest. Within one kilometer."

"Huh? How could you tell?"

Kamuro was curious. The water sounded faint, which meant it was far away. From so far off, how had Sakamoto determined the direction of the stream?

"Look at the terrain over there. It's lower than here, and the vegetation in that area is obviously denser. Plants absorb high-frequency sound waves, so it's easier to find a water source in this direction."

Following the sound of water, the two quickly found a small stream.

The dense forest near the babbling water blocked out the sky. Sakamoto's handsome profile flickered between light and shadow beneath the mottled tree cover as he stood on high ground surveying the terrain. Nearby, the sound of Kamuro Masumi stepping on a dry branch was close at hand.

She had never seen scenery like this before. The stream was so clear that she could see every movement of the fish.

Kamuro stood atop a raised mound, bending over to admire the flowing stream. She even took several steps forward for a better look at the creatures in the water.

She completely failed to notice that the earth beneath her feet was loose.

Suddenly, the soil collapsed. Losing her footing, chunks of dirt rolled down in all directions, and Kamuro cried out as her body involuntarily slid downward.

Sakamoto grabbed the back of Kamuro Masumi's clothes, leaving her suspended in midair. Soft earth and tumbling stones splashed across her body as she flailed in panic, kicking about like a puppy caught by the scruff.

"Don't move." Sakamoto's voice was low and calm. He exerted a little force with his arm and pulled Kamuro back up.

Kamuro landed on her butt on solid ground, her heart pounding and her face bright red. This time, she was genuinely frightened. Looking down at her ankle, she found several scratches already seeping blood, along with quite a few bruises on her body.