Because of Kushida, Chiba Yu had successfully escaped the miserable fate of becoming the leader.
After everyone finished discussing it, Hirata contacted Chabashira-sensei.
"One last reminder: the class leader's identity is crucial. You aren't allowed to change leaders at will unless there's a special reason. Are you sure you've finished discussing it?"
Chabashira's repeated reminders only strengthened Chiba Yu's conviction about what this exam was really testing.
"Yeah, we've made our decision, Chabashira-sensei."
"...Understood. Then tell me who you've chosen." Chabashira fell silent for a moment, then nodded expressionlessly.
After carefully giving Chabashira Horikita's name, they received instructions that she would bring them the registered card later. Then she left with the leader card.
About half an hour later, Chabashira returned to Class D's campsite and handed over the leader card bearing Horikita's name.
"Beep!"
With everyone gathered around her, Horikita successfully claimed the base, officially making it Class D's base.
Now that their base was settled, the next step was to pitch the tents and arrange the necessary camping gear.
Chiba Yu carried large stones he'd picked up in the woods and arranged them in a circle, leaving an open space in the middle where they could build a fire.
He didn't want to lift a finger, but if he started slacking off completely now, he'd immediately become the center of attention. That would make it much harder to conserve his energy later, when he needed to.
Hirata was helping everyone pitch the tents, while Karuizawa directed and divided up the work among the girls. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly.
But Chiba Yu knew this was only the beginning.
The moment personal interests clashed with the group's would be the beginning of the group's collapse.
He just hoped nothing went wrong later.
While everyone was busy, Hirata found Ayanokoji Kiyotaka carrying a bundle of weeds.
"Ayanokoji, could I talk to you for a moment?"
Ayanokoji stopped walking. "I'd like you to go collect some firewood before it gets dark."
Ayanokoji agreed and said he'd pick up some extra while he was at it.
Hirata pointed out that it was too dangerous to go alone, and promised to find someone to go with him. Chiba Yu heard every word.
Especially when Ayanokoji said he'd find someone to go with him, a sense of foreboding surged over Chiba Yu like a tide.
In an instant, Chiba Yu and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's eyes met.
"Crack! Crack!"
As his feet sank into the damp forest soil, Chiba Yu bent down to pick up a fallen branch no one else wanted and let out a deep sigh.
Long story short, Horikita had turned down Ayanokoji's invitation to collect branches, so Ayanokoji had to find another partner.
Maybe it was fate. The two "kindred spirits" who'd both been slacking off met each other's eyes.
Figuring that slacking off was slacking off wherever he did it, Chiba Yu gave up resisting.
To his surprise, Yamauchi, who should have been helping out at the campsite, had come along too.
Chiba Yu still remembered that Sakura Airi had originally wanted to come with them, but changed her mind when Yamauchi joined.
That had made Chiba Yu take notice.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka really was a sinful man.
Sensing a puzzled gaze, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka suddenly looked up and met Chiba Yu's eyes.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds, then silently looked away.
As they quietly picked up branches, Yamauchi suddenly slung an arm around both Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's and Chiba Yu's necks and said with a smirk,
"Ayanokoji, Chiba, I'm planning to go after Sakura. Girls like Kushida are way out of my league. What do you think?"
Chiba Yu and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "..."
"So you went to all the trouble of coming out here with us just so you could ask for our advice?" Chiba Yu asked, his eyes as dead as a fish's.
"Heh, I figured Ayanokoji knows Sakura a little better, so I thought I'd get him to help me out."
Chiba Yu: ...So I'm just an afterthought?
"A girl like Sakura should be easy to win over if I act like a guy who can take good care of her, right?"
Yeah, right. If winning girls over were that easy, so many people wouldn't be single. Besides, the girl you're chasing doesn't even like you.
Even Chiba Yu knew that a simp got nothing in the end, so he'd never considered pursuing a girl. As for dating, he wouldn't even dare think about it.
The three of them walked back carrying branches. Along the way, Yamauchi kept sharing his ideas and asking Ayanokoji for advice. Chiba Yu couldn't understand why someone who'd never dated would ask another person who'd never dated for advice—especially when that person was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Listening to Yamauchi chatter endlessly beside him, Chiba Yu found it unbearable. He was about to tell him to quiet down when he felt the other two stop walking.
Confused, Chiba Yu stopped too and looked in the direction they were watching.
Under a large tree ahead, a petite girl with blue hair and a tracksuit sat crouched, looking battered and exhausted. She hugged her knees tightly.
Faced with this strange sight, the oblivious Yamauchi immediately darted around Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and ran toward the girl. "Hey, what's wrong—thud! What are you doing?!"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka lowered his head and grabbed Yamauchi by the shoulder.
Wincing in pain, Yamauchi immediately turned around and glared at Ayanokoji. Seeing that, Ayanokoji seemed to realize something and let go. "It's nothing."
With no one else stopping him, Yamauchi hurried over to check on her. "Are you okay?"
Unexpectedly, the girl responded rudely. "It's none of your business. Leave me alone."
As they spoke, Chiba Yu noticed something off.
It was too deliberate. The conspicuous injuries on the girl, the place where she'd appeared—everything was just a little too convenient, as if someone had... arranged for her to be there.
And... Chiba Yu noticed something else strange. His eyes began to drift downward despite himself.
Forget it. Why bother thinking about all these troublesome things? He should just mind his own business.
While Chiba Yu was thinking, the conversation between Yamauchi and the girl gradually came to an end.
Chiba Yu also learned a few new things.
The girl was from Class C. Apparently, she'd objected to Ryuen's orders, and the two had gotten into a fight. She'd lost, and Ryuen had driven her out of the class.
Watching Yamauchi take it upon himself to bring the girl back to their base, Chiba Yu recalled a famous saying: You should never let your guard down around others.