The cruise ship slowly pulled in to shore. The students erupted into chatter, gathering by the railings in twos and threes to peer outside and try to figure out why the school had brought them to this isolated island.
Apart from the rolling forests and the quiet beach, there were hardly any modern facilities in sight.
Quite a few students exchanged puzzled looks, a trace of unease beginning to rise in their hearts.
Just then, the ship's loudspeaker sounded again, its tone clear and unquestionable.
"Students, please proceed at once to the open area on shore and gather there to await your homeroom teachers' explanation of the Special Exam rules."
The announcement continued, "All personal belongings, including mobile phones, must be left in your rooms. Taking them outside is strictly prohibited!"
The announcement repeated over and over, its sound waves echoing across the quiet deck.
Although the students whispered among themselves, they eventually returned to their rooms one after another and put down the things they had brought with them.
No one dared to disobey the school's instructions lightly. It was one of the most important things they had learned during this semester.
"Do you think the school's preparing some kind of surprise for us?"
Ike excitedly pushed his way to the front of the line, his eyes shining as he looked toward the distant beach, as if he could already picture a grand welcome with a lavish party.
"Maybe, Ike." Sudo drew out the words on purpose, a hint of teasing in his voice.
"But it looks like your expectations might be a little too high."
Ike ignored Sudo's teasing and excitedly pumped his fist.
"Ha, I knew the school wasn't that stingy! An entire island! Maybe they brought us here to give us a super-luxurious vacation!"
Ike's enthusiasm rubbed off on a few students around him. Others nearby began talking quietly, guessing what kind of resort the island might have.
But as they eagerly discussed it, Onizuka merely gave a cold laugh, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Maybe they're the only ones who can still laugh..."
Onizuka secretly sneered to himself, his gaze passing coolly over Ike.
How long would their excitement last? Would they still be able to laugh a few days from now?
Onizuka headed to the restroom to take care of some personal business first.
When he returned to the meeting point, the scene before him made him raise an eyebrow in helpless resignation.
The teachers aboard the ship were short-staffed, and the checks before disembarking were strict. The students had also been divided into lines by class and were being checked one by one.
The sun was directly overhead, its scorching rays beating mercilessly down on the deck and making the air feel stiflingly hot.
Class D was naturally in the last group, and the lines ahead were already packed together, winding into a long queue that seemed to have no end.
He looked around and saw that students from every class were mostly standing on the deck in the heat, waiting to get off the ship.
Some had umbrellas or hats, but they still couldn't hide their impatience.
Onizuka scanned the area, his gaze finally settling on Sakura, who was standing near the front of the line.
She was rising onto her tiptoes slightly and waving at him, signaling for him to hurry over.
Onizuka couldn't help chuckling as he walked up, took a tissue from his pocket, and gently wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead.
"This really is a lot of trouble," he said softly, with a hint of teasing. "You don't have to stand out here in the sun with everyone."
Sakura looked up at him in surprise, a trace of confusion on her face.
"We have to wait for the teacher to call our names before we can get off..." she replied softly, hesitating.
Onizuka shrugged indifferently and pointed to a shady spot nearby.
"Don't worry. We'll still hear them call our names from over there. Come on. You don't want to get sunburned."
Sakura was persuaded and nodded. The two of them went beneath the deck's shadow, finally escaping the direct sunlight.
In the cool shade, Sakura relaxed considerably and couldn't help letting out a soft sigh.
Onizuka was enjoying a brief moment of leisure when he suddenly heard a low, calm voice beside him.
"Onizuka, could we talk?"
Onizuka turned around and saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. He stood there with his usual detached expression, but there was an unmistakable depth in his eyes.
Onizuka raised an eyebrow slightly, then glanced at Sakura, who was sitting beside him and nearly asleep.
Why did these people keep interrupting his precious leisure time? Sakayanagi had done the same, and now Ayanokoji was doing it too.
He lowered his head and said softly to Sakura, "Wait here and don't wander off. I'll be right back."
Then he stood and followed Ayanokoji toward the interior of the ship, until they reached a quiet corner of the cabin.
There was almost no one inside the cabin. In the silence, the ship's faint engine noise was all they could hear.
Onizuka leaned against the cabin wall, hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on Ayanokoji with an unconcerned expression.
"So, Ayanokoji," he said softly, wearing his usual smile.
"What important matter did you have to discuss with me at a time like this?"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka narrowed his eyes slightly and studied Onizuka through the dim light in the cabin.
"Onizuka, although I know you've always had your own plans, this situation is different." He paused, his tone still calm, carrying an unmistakable weight.
"I hope you'll focus your efforts on Class D. It would be good for everyone."
His voice was low and unhurried, with a subtle note of guidance.
Onizuka raised an eyebrow in surprise, seeming amused by those words.
"That's unusual, Ayanokoji. Haven't you always been a proponent of staying out of things? Since when did you start acting like you 'care about the class'?"
Despite Onizuka's teasing, Ayanokoji remained expressionless, his gaze calm and steady.
"Well, I have my own reasons," Ayanokoji said calmly.
"Anyway, I know you may have been in contact with other classes before, but for this exam, I hope you'll at least avoid causing trouble. You might even consider the interests of Class D as a whole."
For a moment, Onizuka couldn't make sense of what Ayanokoji meant. It seemed Ayanokoji was deliberately concealing something, but had no intention of explaining it more clearly.
"Ayanokoji, as a member of Class D, of course I'll put Class D's interests first. You really don't need to emphasize that to me."
His words were brief, and he made no attempt to hide that he wanted to end the conversation.
As soon as he finished speaking, Onizuka prepared to turn and leave.
They still had plenty of time, but he felt there was no need to continue the conversation.
However, just as he lifted his foot, Ayanokoji quietly shifted a step to the side, positioning himself directly in front of Onizuka like an invisible wall blocking his way.