Karuizawa, go play with Chiba with peace of mind.

The so-called strong have always been born lonely.

The clamor of the crowd and the hypocrisy of conformity have never belonged to those who stand on the heights. The weak are accustomed to clinging to companions, using the safety of the pack to mask their own incompetence; the mediocre drift with the tide, using the noise of the crowd to fill the void within their hearts.

Yet, the truly strong never require the understanding or approval of others. They bear cold gazes and criticism alone, settling, enduring, and sharpening their blades in corners where no one is watching. They do not crave like-minded souls, nor do they expect resonance; they flatten the path ahead with their solitary journey and tower over all living things with their silence.

Loneliness is never a shackle for the strong; it is their innate medal of honor.

Koenji is a person who, in my impression, always performs actions that defy my understanding.

He does not care about the class's evaluation of him, firmly believing himself to be the most perfect man. He acts according to his own whims, completely indifferent to the opinions of those around him; it would be no exaggeration to call him the biggest problem child in Class D at the moment.

And now, due to Koenji's unauthorized departure, Class D lost 30 personal points right at the start. Because of this, everyone is currently harboring a sense of resentment, especially those who were already dissatisfied with Koenji, who have begun to curse him openly.

Despite this, the exam must proceed as scheduled.

With the arrival of the second day of the exam and the completion of the eight-o'clock morning roll call, the members of Class D began their respective tasks.

Some went to search for food, while others went to scout the surrounding area to see if there were any suitable base camps to occupy; after all, every additional base camp would yield extra points.

In all fairness, if this were a normal school, Class D's performance at this moment, while not exactly stellar, would at least be at a passing level.

Watching everyone busy with their own tasks, Chiba Yu sat on the hammock he had just set up, blankly raised his head, and began an exercise known as "contemplating the philosophy of life," commonly referred to as—zoning out.

As if he were intentionally lowering his own presence, everyone busy working subconsciously ignored him, or perhaps they all knew he was there but, for some reason, chose not to disturb him.

High emotional intelligence: Chiba-kun must have his reasons for doing this.

Low emotional intelligence: A lazy person is likely still a lazy person even if they move, so it's better not to call on him.

Just as Chiba Yu was immersed in this atmosphere thick with "philosophy," a push against his back and a sigh interrupted his thoughts.

"Sigh~ just how long are you planning to sit there?"

Chiba Yu turned his head, and upon seeing that familiar high golden ponytail, he guessed the identity of the person who had arrived.

"If you aren't going to help Hirata, what's the point of coming over here to pester me?"

Karuizawa Kei narrowed her eyes slightly, placed her hands on her hips, and leaned forward, their gazes meeting in the air. "So you actually know you should be helping? Everyone is busy with their own work, but you—you're just hiding here being lazy."

Chiba Yu defended himself with a blank expression: "I am not being lazy. I am actually carefully observing the work of every classmate to ensure that I can step in immediately if they make a mistake."

After hearing this, Karuizawa wore an expression of disbelief. She pondered for a long time without finding a single word to refute him, eventually settling on a look that said, I really give up on you.

Karuizawa Kei: I have never seen someone talk about being lazy with such righteous indignation; it's truly miraculous.

Under Karuizawa Kei's "I'm defeated by you" expression, Chiba Yu slowly stood up and brushed the leaves off his pants and shirt.

Seeing Chiba Yu suddenly stand up and look as if he were about to leave at any moment, Karuizawa asked curiously, "Are you going out?"

Chiba Yu looked helpless. "Since you all complain that I have nothing to do here, I might as well go out for a walk. It can count as scouting while I'm at it; I'm idle anyway."

"...You know, this sudden display of wanting to contribute to the class doesn't suit you at all."

"No, that's just because you don't understand me."

No one understands me, not in the past, and not now...

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Chiba Yu walked toward Hirata.

After explaining that he was going out for a walk, Hirata wore a gratified expression while handing over a small notebook containing a simple map.

"Stay safe. If you run into trouble, come back first, and we'll solve it together."

"..."

Chiba Yu really wanted to ask why Hirata had suddenly started radiating the aura of a mother hen. If possible, could you please put away that gratified look that says you're watching your own child finally grow up!

Chiba Yu avoided Hirata's gaze, gave a quick acknowledgment, and hurried away.

There was no helping it; Hirata's expression looked far too strange. He truly lived up to his reputation as the "half-father" of Class D...

After ensuring he hadn't forgotten anything, Chiba Yu prepared to set off.

"Wai... wait a second!"

Hearing that familiar voice, Chiba Yu turned his head helplessly. "What is it now?"

"...What kind of attitude is that!" Karuizawa said with puffed-out cheeks.

"Hir... Hirata said that if you go out alone, it'll be troublesome if you run into danger. It's best if someone goes with you," Karuizawa said, turning her head away in a tsundere manner.

Chiba Yu was a bit surprised. "If you leave, what if there's something in class that needs you to handle—"

"Hehe~ don't you worry, Chiba-kun. Everything that needs to be done is already finished. Karuizawa doesn't have anything to do right now, and besides, if anything happens, isn't Hirata still here?"

"Yeah, yeah! Besides, it's not safe for you to be out there alone. If someone is with you, you won't have to worry about so much."

"That's right, that's right! You two go ahead and have fun."

Watching the few of them singing in harmony, Chiba Yu was dumbfounded. No, where did you all even pop out from?!

Seeing his friends jumping out one by one, and with their words clearly implying something else entirely, Karuizawa couldn't help but blush and shout, "You... you guys, that's enough!"

"Oh, come on, come on. Karuizawa is already getting embarrassed."

"Exactly, exactly. If you push them too far, who's going to make up for the sweetness I'm missing later?"

With Karuizawa wearing an expression of helplessness and "despair," Chiba Yu turned and walked away.

"Hey?! Seriously, at least wait for me!"

Under the playful gazes of the group, the two figures gradually drifted into the distance.

"Hey, hey! Do you guys think there's actually a chance for them?"

"I think it's very likely. Didn't you see how red Karuizawa's face got just now!"

Listening to the chatter of Mori Nene and the others, Matsushita didn't join in. Instead, she watched quietly in the direction the two had left, a smile gradually appearing at the corners of her lips—a smile completely different from before, one that was impossible to read...