Not a Vacation?

"Ah~ The sea breeze feels so good~ Don't you agree, Kei?"

The gal with pink hair that fell just past her shoulders said with a smile.

"Ah... ah, yeah."

Startled by the call, Karuizawa Kei gave a slight shiver and quickly came to her senses.

Her thoughts had been immersed in old memories, so she hadn't paid much attention to what was happening around her. Being addressed so suddenly sent a trace of panic through her heart.

She steadied herself and answered reluctantly.

Sato Maya tilted her head slightly. Her pink hair swayed gently in the sea breeze, and her eyes held a hint of curiosity and concern.

"Hey~ Is something on your mind, Kei? Is it related to love? Don't tell me you had a disagreement with Hirata-kun?"

Karuizawa's heart stirred. She quickly suppressed her memories of middle school and turned her gaze away without showing anything, looking toward the roiling sea as she smoothly changed the subject.

"It's nothing. Come to think of it, Maya, isn't the sea breeze on the cruise ship a little cooler than you expected?"

"Emmm—yeah~ It feels really nice... Speaking of which, Hoshinomiya from Class A is totally my type~ And there's also Ayanokoji from our class..."

Before Sato could finish speaking, the sound of "tap, tap, tap" came from the corridor behind them.

The two of them turned around and saw Hoshinomiya Rinyu supporting Sakayanagi Arisu as they passed by.

Hoshinomiya and Sakayanagi also noticed Sato Maya and Karuizawa Kei diagonally ahead of them.

The corners of Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes curved slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

She quietly withdrew the arm Hoshinomiya Rinyu had been supporting and firmly gripped her cane with one hand. The cane touched the deck with a soft knock.

She took a step forward, as if preparing to leave.

Hoshinomiya Rinyu caught her by the hem of her clothes and quietly whispered something into her ear.

The two of them left Sato and Karuizawa's view.

"D-Did we just see something?"

Sato Maya's mouth formed an "O" as she asked in shock.

Following her gaze, Karuizawa happened to catch Hoshinomiya raising her hand to straighten the beret on Sakayanagi's head before giving it a gentle pat.

Sato Maya was completely dumbfounded.

She had just been about to say something when—

"Ding~"

The two girls' phones suddenly rang.

A message was pushed to everyone's devices at the same time. It was a notice from the school.

"Huh~? Wasn't this supposed to be a vacation? Why is there a special exam?"

Sato Maya couldn't help crying out as she looked at her phone screen.

She had still been immersed in the scene she had just witnessed between Hoshinomiya Rinyu and Sakayanagi Arisu, and the surprise in her heart hadn't faded yet. This sudden notice gave her another shock.

She blinked and read through the email several times, unable to process it for a moment.

The email informed everyone that the cruise ship's destination was not merely a sightseeing spot, but an uninhabited island.

A seven-day special survival exam would be held on the island.

Supplies had to be purchased with points exclusive to the exam. The gains and losses of each class's points would directly affect its class ranking.

Karuizawa Kei stared at the words on the screen and slowly spoke. "So it's an uninhabited island exam. The school didn't leak even the slightest hint before we boarded."

"So we're about to go ashore and survive in the wilderness for a week?"

Sato frowned as she scrolled through the screen, reading the basic introduction to the exam. "We'll compete as classes, and we have to fight over points, too."

"Let's go back to our rooms and rest for a while. Once we reach the island, the detailed rules will be announced after we land."

The two girls left the deck.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka emerged from a corner.

He glanced at their backs without saying anything, then quietly left the area.

The cruise ship continued forward. Before long, the outline of a dark green uninhabited island slowly appeared on the horizon.

The anchor dropped, and the gangplank was lowered. The students from each class boarded the beach one after another and lined up along the open shore.

The teachers responsible for overseeing the exam stood before the students. Representing them, Mashima Tomoya announced the complete rules of the Uninhabited Island Survival Exam.

"This Uninhabited Island Survival Exam will last seven days.

Each class will be provided with 300 points exclusive to the exam. They can be used to purchase survival supplies such as tents, drinking water, food, and medicine. When the exam ends, any remaining points will be directly converted into class points.

Several bases are scattered across the island. Successfully occupying a base will earn additional points. Ownership of a base can only be maintained for eight hours. Once that time expires, other classes may compete to claim it.

Attendance will be taken at eight in the morning and eight at night every day. Five points will be deducted for each absent student.

Violent seizure, deliberate destruction of another class's supplies, and harming others are strictly prohibited. Any violation will result in a substantial deduction of points, while serious offenders will be expelled immediately.

During the exam, each class will choose its own campsite and plan its own actions."

As his voice fell, an uproar rose across the beach.

The students of Class D looked flustered as they discussed in low voices how to conserve their points.

Class B discussed and debated the location of their campsite.

Ryuuen Kakeru stood among the students of Class C, a domineering smile curling at the corners of his lips as he began sizing up the other classes.

Over in Class A, Katsuragi Kohei immediately gathered his classmates, quickly divided them into teams, and prepared to enter the jungle to investigate the bases.

Sakayanagi Arisu stood on the beach, leaning against her cane. The sea breeze brushed through her hair as her violet eyes swept across the restless crowd, a faint smile resting on her lips.

Hoshinomiya Rinyu stood beside her and gazed toward the deep, dense jungle. "Seven days of wilderness survival. We'll be competing over supplies, information, and the cohesion within each class."

"Exactly," Sakayanagi replied softly. "Ryuuen may try every possible method to create chaos. Class D is already riddled with internal fractures, so there are opportunities to exploit everywhere. Katsuragi prefers to play it safe and preserve our points, but we don't have to follow his approach completely."

"Understood. Are you sure you'll be all right staying alone on the cruise ship?"

Hoshinomiya Rinyu looked at her with concern.

"There's no need to worry, Hoshinomiya-kun. My body was never suited to traveling through an environment like this. Staying on the cruise ship is already the best choice for me."

Sakayanagi lowered her head slightly. The tip of her cane gently tapped the warm sand beneath her feet, while the faint smile at the corners of her lips remained.

"That's not what I meant. I'm asking about you..."

Hoshinomiya Rinyu sounded a little anxious.

Sakayanagi seemed to finally realize that what Hoshinomiya truly worried about was not her arrangements for the special exam, but her personally. Her smile unconsciously grew brighter.

She couldn't help laughing. Her violet eyes turned toward the boy before her, and her tone was exceptionally gentle. "You don't need to worry about that, either. I'll take good care of myself. Besides, there are staff members on the cruise ship." Her words sounded almost like she was comforting him.

"Do your best in the exam, Hoshinomiya-kun~"

Hoshinomiya seemed embarrassed by her soft laugh. The tips of his ears warmed slightly. Just as he raised his eyes and was about to say something, he suddenly noticed several gazes directed their way.

A short distance away, several Class A students were secretly looking over, their eyes clearly filled with gossip.

Hoshinomiya paused and lowered his voice.

"...L-Let's not talk about that for now. Be careful while you're alone on the ship."

Sakayanagi saw everything and smiled even more deeply, but she didn't continue teasing him.

She nodded lightly, her tone regaining some of its gentleness.

"Mm, I will. And Hoshinomiya-kun, do your best on the island, too."

......

......

......

P.S. I changed some of the plot to fit the occasion, so please be understanding, everyone. QwQ

I somehow ended up updating every two days without realizing it, hehe.

Thank you for all your support, dear readers. Please urge me to update, support me out of love, and add the book to your shelves!