As the bell rang to end the first afternoon class, the competition at the swimming pool also came to a close, and the winners were decided.
There was no suspense in the girls' group: Chisato Nishikigi took first place.
She was full of energy and had an exceptional knack for sports. In the water, she was in her element, easily defeating the other girls and earning a five-thousand-point reward. She was so excited that she bounced around beside the pool.
The boys' final came down to Mazumi Mami and Katsuragi Kohei.
Although Mazumi Mami had planned to hold back a little and "give" Katsuragi Kohei the win to maintain his persona, Katsuragi Kohei clearly had his own considerations.
In the final, he didn't go all out. Instead, he deliberately kept his speed in check and ultimately finished just behind Mazumi Mami.
"Congratulations, Mami. You deserved the win."
After climbing out of the pool, Katsuragi Kohei offered Mazumi Mami his hand, his tone sincere.
Mazumi Mami instantly understood what the other boy was trying to do. Just as Katsuragi Kohei had said before, he wanted Mazumi Mami to become class leader.
That meant the necessary "aura" and "victories" were part of building a leader's image.
In their classmates' eyes, a leader who could also come out on top in athletic competitions was undoubtedly more persuasive and appealing.
So Mazumi Mami accepted the result with ease and shook Katsuragi Kohei's hand. "You let me win, Katsuragi. You swam really well, too."
The two exchanged smiles, their understanding clear without a word.
Mazumi Mami also received the boys' five-thousand-point reward.
During lunch break, the enticing aroma of food drifted through Mazumi Mami's dorm room, 601.
After discovering that the room's kitchenette was fully equipped, they had decided to cook for themselves. It let them ensure their meals were tasty and nutritious, while adding a little more privacy and warmth to their lives.
At that moment, Runa Inoue and Chisato Nishikigi were busy in the kitchen. The clatter of spatulas and the sizzle of food blended into a comforting background hum.
In the living room, Mazumi Mami and Walnut sat across from each other, with several prepared side dishes laid out before them.
Walnut took a small sip of juice and looked at Mazumi Mami, her tone carrying a hint of teasing.
"That bald guy... Katsuragi Kohei. He's got a good eye and plenty of 'ambition.' He spotted how remarkable you are at a glance, young master. Instead of competing, he actually brought you the victory himself."
Walnut said.
Mazumi Mami smiled and picked up a piece of cucumber salad with his chopsticks. "All I can say is that his powers of observation and judgment are impressive. He also knows how to read the situation and put the bigger picture first. If the others in class who have ideas of their own could be as sensible as him and cooperate instead of resisting, we could bring Class A together much faster."
"More haste, less speed, young master."
Chisato Nishikigi came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of glossy stir-fried beef. She set it on the table lightly, her eyes curving into crescents.
"We're already doing great! It's only the second day of school, and you're practically the heart of the class already. You've even dealt with Katsuragi, a potential rival. We're way ahead of schedule!"
Chisato Nishikigi said.
"Chisato's right."
Runa Inoue also came out carrying a large plate of fragrant fried rice, a hint of gentle warmth in her violet eyes.
"Besides, swimming class today was a great opportunity. We had a lovely time chatting with quite a few of the girls in class and exchanged contact information. We've made a start on fitting into the girls' social circle. That'll help us keep up with what's going on in class and consolidate our support."
Runa Inoue said.
"That's good news."
Mazumi Mami took the fried rice and began serving it into four empty bowls. "Still, rather than saying we're 'infiltrating from within,' we're already part of this group. We just need to build connections naturally."
"Anyway, everything's moving in the right direction."
Walnut summed up, picking up her chopsticks as well.
"There's still soup and vegetables in the kitchen. Swimming takes a lot out of you, so we should eat more and get our strength back."
Chisato Nishikigi turned and went back into the kitchen.
"That's right, young master. You should eat plenty, too."
Runa Inoue looked at Mazumi Mami with concern.
"Sure. Everyone, eat up."
Mazumi Mami nodded and handed each of them a bowl of rice.
But as he picked up his chopsticks to begin, he noticed that none of the three girls had touched their food. Instead, they were all looking at him, something hidden in their eyes, their cheeks faintly flushed.
"What's wrong?"
Mazumi Mami asked, puzzled. "Is the food not to your liking? Or is there something on my face?"
"Ahem..."
Walnut cleared her throat. Her blue eyes wandered, and her fingers unconsciously twirled a lock of hair. "Young master, um... you haven't forgotten what we agreed on, have you?"
"Exactly!"
Chisato Nishikigi immediately chimed in. Her cheeks were even redder, but she tried to sound indignant. "I even went out of my way to prepare ingredients that are supposed to nourish your vitality and restore your energy! You didn't notice our 'thoughtful efforts' at all, young master?"
Runa Inoue lowered her head slightly, the tips of her ears turning red, but her voice remained clear and earnest. "Young master, it's time for us to draw lots. To decide... decide who goes first... and spends the night with you..."
The last few words were barely louder than a whisper, but in the quiet living room, everyone still heard them clearly.
The air seemed to freeze in an instant, filling with a heat that mingled embarrassment, anticipation, and nervousness.
Mazumi Mami's chopsticks stopped in midair, and, for once, a hint of awkwardness appeared on his face.
He cleared his throat. "Ahem... I thought I might be able to put this off for a little while. And what did you mean by preparing those 'nourishing' things? Just so we're clear, my constitution isn't like an ordinary person's. You..."
He paused, finding it difficult to say aloud. "You might not be able to handle it."
The three girls' faces turned even redder.
Walnut mumbled, "W-we learned all this from the palace matrons... It's just advice based on experience... We only prepared what they told us to..."
"People with special abilities really do have constitutions and recovery rates that can't be judged by ordinary standards..."
Mazumi Mami tried to explain, but when he saw how determined the girls looked despite their embarrassment, he knew there was no avoiding this.
"Oh, never mind. Just host the draw first, young master!"
Chisato Nishikigi pressed her palms together in a pleading gesture, trying to break the awkwardness with her usual cheer. "If we keep talking about it, I'm going to be so embarrassed I'll crawl under the table!"
"...All right."
Mazumi Mami sighed and put down his chopsticks. "We'll draw lots to decide the order first. But as for when... I think it'd be better to wait until the weekend, or a holiday when we have more time. After all..."
He rubbed his nose, his voice dropping. "You might need time to recover."
"W-well, that's true..."
Runa Inoue quietly agreed. Imagining the possible "aftermath" made her face burn even hotter.
"Then I'll send the drawing program to our private group chat. It'll be completely random, fair, and impartial."
Mazumi Mami took out his phone and tapped through a few things.
"Mm..."
The three girls each took out their phones as well, nervously watching their screens.
Before long, the results appeared on their phones:
First: Chisato Nishikigi
Second: Runa Inoue
Third: Walnut
The living room fell silent for a moment. The three girls stared at the results, stunned.
They had all acted enthusiastic before, even encouraging one another. But now that their order had been set in black and white—
Especially when Chisato Nishikigi saw that she was first, the mix of intense embarrassment, faint anticipation, and uncertainty left them speechless. They could only stare at their phones, their cheeks so red they seemed ready to drip blood.
Mazumi Mami watched their reactions, then glanced at the result on his own screen. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
An intensely awkward yet suggestive silence filled the room. The only sound was the faint bubbling of the soup pot in the kitchen.
Just as the atmosphere reached its most delicate point, the dorm's broadcast system suddenly played a lilting prelude, followed by a clear female voice:
[Announcement, announcement. The new semester club recruitment session will be held today at five p.m. in the First Gymnasium. First-year students interested in club activities of any kind, please gather at the First Gymnasium on time. I repeat...]
The announcement broke the stillness and gave the four of them the perfect excuse to turn their attention elsewhere.
"L-let's eat first!"
Mazumi Mami spoke up, trying to sound natural. "The food's getting cold. The rest... can wait until after we eat, or another time."
"Mm... y-yeah, that's right."
Chisato Nishikigi came to her senses and hurriedly picked up her chopsticks, but her gaze still wandered, unable to meet Mazumi Mami's eyes. After all, she was first.
"Right, let's eat and get our strength back."
Runa Inoue lowered her head, focusing intently on the rice in her bowl as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.
"Ahem... Let's eat, let's eat."
Walnut tried to hide her inner turmoil behind a composed expression, but the tips of her ears betrayed her.
The four quietly began their meal, the sounds of chewing and the soft clinks of chopsticks against bowls replacing their earlier conversation.
Yet the unspoken promise and lingering tension, along with the drawing results they had just seen, still hung over everyone like invisible threads. They made the atmosphere at dinner especially delicate and hard to put into words.
The announcement about the club session might bring new activities and choices, but certain more private "matters," concerning the progress of their relationships, had already been laid on the table. There was no easily avoiding them anymore.