"Before we disembark, there are a few things you need to know."
The summer sun was as merciless as ever. Shortly before the ship was due to dock, everyone was gathered on the deck. Each class of forty students had its own section, and with the sun beating down on the deck, no one could escape the heat. Some people were already starting to complain.
"Seriously, can they hurry up? It's unbearably hot."
"Exactly. Why couldn't they tell us whatever it is inside?"
People in the class began to grumble, mostly the girls.
Chiba Yu stood among them, quietly waiting for Chabashira-sensei to make her announcement.
He did his best to keep a low profile, hoping to pass the time in peace, but someone clearly had other ideas.
"Hey, hey, what do you think the school's planning this time? I just can't believe they really brought us here to visit the island. Or maybe it's another Special Exam?"
"...What's with that look?!"
Karuizawa Kei felt offended by the way Chiba Yu was looking at her, as if she were some rare treasure.
Chiba Yu thought for a moment, then said vaguely, "Nothing. I just think it's amazing that you can actually think that fast sometimes."
Karuizawa Kei: "..."
"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you saying I usually don't use my brain?"
Chiba Yu was speechless. He really had meant to compliment her for once.
Just as Karuizawa Kei was about to say something else, Chabashira suddenly shouted, "You have half an hour to get rid of anything you don't need. We'll gather again in half an hour, then disembark in order from Class A to Class D. That's all!"
"Great. Now it really feels like we're about to take some kind of Special Exam. Sigh..." Karuizawa Kei sounded resigned.
"We still can't be completely sure it's a Special Exam. You could try to stay positive."
Karuizawa Kei shot him a look as if he were an idiot, so Chiba Yu promptly shut his mouth.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, the four classes had disembarked in an orderly fashion under their homeroom teachers' supervision, then lined up by class.
The sunlight fell across half his face, hot and scorching.
After plenty of discussions, our class had more or less concluded that this probably wasn't an ordinary vacation.
"Ahh! We came here on vacation, and now they're suddenly telling us we have to take some weird exam. Just thinking about it makes me want to die!"
"Look on the bright side, Ike. Maybe this is just a routine gathering, and once it's over, they'll let us do whatever we want?"
"Are you an idiot? There's no way that's what's happening!"
Ike and Sudo began bickering, and the noise around them grew louder.
The students standing nearby listened to their exchange. They knew it was unlikely, but deep down, they still hoped Sudo was right. After all, they were on vacation. Who wanted to take an exam now?
"Enough. Quiet down. What I'm about to tell you is very important, so listen carefully." Chabashira Sae stepped in to break up the argument, holding a watch in her hand with a stern expression.
"From now on, all of your student IDs will be confiscated. In their place, you must wear this watch. Anyone who removes it without permission will be punished."
After explaining the rules, Chabashira took out the class roster and called roll, one student at a time. Only after confirming that everyone was present did she step back to join the other homeroom teachers.
"I'm starting to feel a little nervous," Karuizawa Kei suddenly said to Chiba Yu from just behind his shoulder.
"Judging by how they've arranged things, the school must have considered everything else too. We probably don't need to worry about safety."
"...That's not what I'm worried about. It's just that everything's so serious now. This exam is probably going to be really hard."
"So you do worry about class exams sometimes. I thought you didn't really care about that sort of thing."
Karuizawa Kei flushed bright red and shot back indignantly, "What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I haven't contributed anything to the class?! ╰(‵□′)╯"
"No, that's not what I meant at all."
"Then what did you mean?!"
"..."
"Beeeep—"
Just then, a loudspeaker blared, drawing everyone's attention.
A tall, middle-aged teacher in a white shirt slowly stepped forward, apparently about to make an announcement.
Chiba Yu recognized him as Mashima Tomoya, the homeroom teacher of Class A. He was said to be strict when it came to managing his class, and demanding of his students, though not genuinely unpleasant. All in all, he had both good and bad points.
"First of all, I'm glad everyone arrived here safely. On the other hand, it's unfortunate that one student is unable to take part in this activity due to illness."
Unfortunate, huh...? Maybe the student who couldn't participate because of poor health had actually made the smartest choice.
Chiba Yu knew who the student was: Sakayanagi Arisu, a strong contender to become the other leader of Class A.
She was a difficult opponent, even for Chiba Yu...
The next second, a voice as cold as ice rang in their ears.
"Now, we'll begin this year's first Special Exam."
"No!!!!"
"This is all your fault, Sudo! Happy now? The exam's really starting! My vacation!"
"Special Exam?" Some students groaned, while others looked puzzled by the term.
As soon as the exam was announced, all the classes grew restless. They had expected it, but now that it was official, anxiety and tension still washed over them.
"The exam will last one week. You'll live together on this Uninhabited Island, and from today onward, you'll have to make every decision for yourselves."
"You'll spend a week on this Uninhabited Island as a class. The school will provide each class with a fixed amount of starting supplies. Whether you're making a fire, preparing meals, or finding food, you'll have to make your own arrangements and decisions."
"Once again, you are not allowed to board the ship without permission during the exam. Anyone who breaks this rule will be punished."
"The exam will last one week and end at noon seven days from now. During that time, you'll spend the days together as a group. That is the theme of this exam—freedom!"
The inevitable had come at last. This real-life deserted-island survival challenge shattered every student's lingering hope that things might turn out differently, and dragged every class into this so-called struggle for "freedom."
This was the decisive exam that would determine whether they could enjoy a peaceful rest of the term. If getting through one exam could make next term a little easier...
As if a thought had just occurred to him, Chiba Yu narrowed his eyes as he gazed up at the crimson sun hanging high overhead...