It was already the third day since the Uninhabited Island Exam had ended.
Everything aboard our Luxury Cruise Ship was peaceful. Nothing had happened.
But no one believed the exams were over-everyone was waiting for the school to spring the next test on them.
Yet the expected storm never arrived. Instead, life aboard the ship really did feel like summer vacation, peaceful all around.
Gradually, everyone relaxed and began enjoying this rare stretch of leisure to the fullest.
"Takahashi, you're not going either?"
"Yeah, I don't feel like swimming right now."
"Come on, since when were you as thickheaded as Ishida? Is swimming really the point of going to the pool?"
"I know what you mean. I'm just... too lazy to move."
"Exactly. You have no sex drive."
"Oh, screw you," Takahashi Ren said with a laugh.
Once they grew close, they stopped watching what they said.
"Haha, I'm off." With that, Toba Shigeru darted away.
"Are you planning to stay in the room the whole time?" Ishida came over and asked.
"Why? Have something in mind?"
"I heard several couples have gotten together on the ship these past few days." Ishida looked serious. "Maybe if we go for a walk, we'll stumble into an opportunity too."
"I never thought I'd hear that coming from you." Takahashi Ren gave him a somewhat surprised look.
"Hehe." Ishida was a little embarrassed.
"You know me. I've always let things take their course."
He leaned against the headboard, his tone languid. "But if that's what you're after, why didn't you go with Toba Shigeru just now?"
Ishida fell silent for a moment, then said sullenly, "If I went with him, he'd just keep making fun of me."
"He does usually fool around, but if you explain it to him seriously, he won't mess around when it counts."
"Maybe."
Then Ishida moved a little closer and lowered his voice. "By the way, there's something... about Shiraishi in our class. People are saying she's had that kind of relationship with a dozen or so guys."
Shiraishi. Takahashi Ren hadn't expected to hear her name from someone else, much less in gossip like this.
Ever since that day, he and she had exchanged nothing but a few lukewarm "good mornings" and "good afternoons."
"Any evidence?"
"No." Ishida spread his hands. "We don't even know who started it."
"Oh." Takahashi Ren's response was flat, as though it had nothing to do with him.
"You're not interested in this sort of thing?"
"It's not that I'm not interested. It's just a baseless rumor. Hear it, then move on."
"That's true." Ishida nodded. "Shiraishi usually seems pretty quiet, after all."
Takahashi Ren said nothing.
Some time later.
"Wahahaha-my subjects, your emperor has returned!"
The voice erupted from the far end of the hallway outside their room. Before its owner appeared, his arrogant laughter had already crashed into the room.
Who else could it be?
Toba Shigeru strode through the door and lifted his chin. "You two traitorous ministers, hurry up and greet your emperor!"
Takahashi Ren looked at him in puzzlement.
"Did something good happen?" Ishida asked.
"Heh heh heh. You'll never guess."
Toba Shigeru carefully cradled his left pinky as though it were some priceless treasure.
"Come on, tell us," Ishida urged.
"Guess who I just ran into at the pool?"
"Someone who'd get you this excited... Kushida?"
"Wrong."
"Who, then?"
"Shiraishi."
Shiraishi again. Takahashi Ren's brow twitched slightly. It was the second time today. Could it be a coincidence?
"And then?" Ishida leaned forward slightly. "What happened between you two?"
"Ahem..." Toba Shigeru suddenly grew bashful. "During this chance encounter, a strand of Shiraishi's lovely hair gently brushed against my left. Pinky. Finger."
"Huh? That's it?" Ishida's shoulders slumped, disappointment all over his face.
Takahashi Ren felt a little let down too.
Still immersed in his own world, Toba Shigeru brought that pinky close to his nose, his face entranced.
"The faint fragrance of her hair still lingers. A tiger in the heart, yet gently sniffing a rose. This is exactly what that means."
Ishida was silent for a few seconds before turning to Takahashi Ren and asking, "Where do I donate?"
"Don't bother." Takahashi Ren glanced at Toba Shigeru. "Looks like he's beyond saving."
Just then, all three of their phones blared at once.
The shrill, piercing ringtone was the alert for a school-wide notification. It would sound aloud even with the phone set to vibrate, which showed how urgent it was.
Immediately afterward, the ship's public address system came on too.
"Attention, all students. The school has sent you an important email. Please check your phones immediately and follow the instructions..."
"They mean the email we just got, right?"
"Probably."
Takahashi Ren opened the email, and lines of text filled the screen.
"A special exam will begin shortly. Students must assemble in their designated rooms at the specified times. Anyone more than ten minutes late will be penalized. Please assemble in Room 201 on the second floor by eight o'clock tonight..."
The special exam the students had been so "eagerly awaiting" had finally arrived.
"What time and place did you two get?" Takahashi Ren looked up and asked.
"Seven forty, Room 203 on the second floor," Ishida replied.
"Same." Toba Shigeru waved his screen, already back to his usual self.
"It looks like this exam will be held in groups," Takahashi Ren said.
"Oh? How can you tell?"
"Because mine says eight o'clock, Room 201."
"Nani?"
"What the heck did you say?"
Ishida and Toba Shigeru both froze.
The next second, both pairs of eyes snapped to the email on Takahashi Ren's phone screen to confirm they hadn't misread it.
"Seriously, what's the school doing?" Toba Shigeru complained. "At least sort the groups properly."
"Takahashi, what are we supposed to do without you in this exam?"
Ishida grabbed Takahashi Ren's arm, looking as though half the sky had collapsed.
"Aren't you two being a little dramatic?"
"We mean it."
"All right." Takahashi Ren pulled his arm out of Ishida's grasp. "Being in different groups doesn't mean we can't contact each other. Think a few steps ahead when something comes up, and if you really aren't sure, we can discuss it together."
"I guess that's true."
"Still," Ishida said, putting away his phone, "this exam really makes no sense."
"After surviving in the wilderness on the Uninhabited Island, you still have any illusions about this school?"
Toba Shigeru rolled his eyes. "They're never going to give us a normal exam here."
"But this time, I just feel like something's off."
"We'll cross each bridge when we come to it." Toba Shigeru waved a hand, looking utterly unconcerned. "No problem can stump us Three Musketeers."
"Leave me out of your boasting," Ishida said, distancing himself with a blank expression.
"Seriously." Takahashi Ren glanced at them both. "If you put even some of the effort you spend bickering into working together, you wouldn't need to ask me about certain things."
Both were at a loss for words. They exchanged a glance, and neither replied.
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