Late July.
The vast ocean stretched endlessly in all directions, shimmering under the bright summer sun. A luxury cruise ship sailed slowly across the water, cutting through the waves with effortless grace.
The first semester had ended, and to reward the students, the school had gone all out—chartering an entire cruise ship for them to enjoy.
Cinemas, theaters, swimming pools, restaurants, and indoor entertainment rooms—everything was available. Most facilities were even free of charge. It was an experience beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Simply inhumane.
There had been some conflict between Class C and Class D, but Hikigaya had heard that Class D emerged victorious.
Not that it mattered to him.
At this moment, he was seated in the café on the top floor of the cruise ship, basking in the peace and quiet.
"This is amazing. Just amazing. I have to show this off to Komachi after graduation," Hikigaya muttered to himself, making a victory sign and snapping a selfie with his phone.
A luxury cruise experience like this would make Komachi green with envy. Unfortunately, taking selfies had its limitations—finding a good angle was tricky. It would be great if someone could take a proper photo for him.
Of course, he wouldn't think about such unrealistic things.
Besides, one must always remember: Nothing in this world is free.
The reason he had chosen to spend his time here was simple—his dormitory was shared with three other people: Kanzaki, Genmitsu Shibata, and some guy named Watanabe or something.
Hikigaya wasn't fond of crowded places.
The café on the top floor was an ideal retreat. The ship had so many places to explore that hardly anyone came up here, allowing him to enjoy some well-earned solitude.
Aside from sleeping in his dormitory, he had spent most of his time here.
Of course, during the quieter hours at night, he also wandered around the ship alone, going on what he called "adventures."
As he continued taking pictures—
"Hm? What's going on?"
A strange sensation crawled up his spine. He turned around abruptly, scanning the area behind him.
Nothing.
Lately, he had felt as if someone was watching him. However, every time he looked back, he found nothing out of the ordinary.
His counter-surveillance skills were not exactly top-tier.
"Is it just my imagination?" Hikigaya muttered, scratching his head.
It wasn't like he had offended anyone—except maybe the clerk at the camera store. But that guy got fired, so it shouldn't be an issue anymore.
At that moment, an announcement rang through the cruise ship's speakers.
[Attention all students: If you have time, please gather on the deck. We are approaching an island, and I believe you will witness something very meaningful soon.]
Curious, Hikigaya walked to the railing. He was already on the deck, so he didn't have to move far.
A lush, green island came into view.
From a distance, he couldn't quite judge its exact size, but it didn't seem particularly large.
"Kachak."
Hikigaya took a few quick photos, capturing the sight as the cruise ship slowly sailed around the island and approached the dock.
[We are about to land on the isolated island owned by our school.]
[Students are asked to change into their sportswear within thirty minutes. Please check your required bags and luggage, bring only your mobile phone to the deck, and leave all other personal belongings in your room.]
[Additionally, students may use the restroom for now. Please take care of any needs before disembarking.]
That last part raised a red flag.
What does 'for now' mean?
Are they seriously telling us we might not be able to use the restroom later?
That's terrifying.
"Yep. No such thing as a free lunch," Hikigaya muttered to himself, shaking his head.
He turned around and headed back to the dormitory.
Inside, Kanzaki, Shibata, and Watanabe were already packing their bags.
"Ah, Hikigaya-san! Welcome back!"
Shibata greeted him with his usual bright enthusiasm. "You heard the announcement, right?"
"Yeah."
Hikigaya walked over to his bed, which was on the lower bunk near the entrance. He had no idea if it was by mutual agreement, but no one had fought him for it.
"This won't be easy," Kanzaki remarked, his expression serious. "Since it's an island, I don't know if we'll be staying there or if this will be some kind of endurance test."
Though they didn't have concrete information, the students of Class B had some guesses.
"I hope it's an outdoor survival test."
Watanabe sighed. "I'd be great at that."
"How is that possible? This is a school trip."
Shibata chuckled. "Besides, if anything happens, we can just leave it to Ichinose."
"True."
Watanabe nodded. "Kanzaki, you're close to Ichinose, right? Did she say anything about this?"
"No," Kanzaki replied, shaking his head. "I just went with Ichinose to get to know the students in Class D. You know how she is—she keeps a friendly distance from everyone."
Hikigaya listened as he packed his bag.
If this really was a survival challenge, then Watanabe's enthusiasm was completely misplaced.
"Anyway, we'll find out soon enough."
Shibata picked up his backpack and turned to Hikigaya. "Are you done packing yet?"
Why was he being singled out? Did they expect him to go with them?
"It'll take a little longer."
Hikigaya had been hoping they'd go on ahead, so he could take his time and move at his own pace.
"Well, in that case—"
Watanabe slung his bag over his shoulder with a grin. "Since Hikigaya got back later than us, let's help him out."
"Good idea!"
Shibata walked over and started folding a spare set of sportswear for him.
Are these guys for real?
Is group action really necessary for something as simple as packing?
"Fine, fine."
Hikigaya sighed in resignation.
With their help, he finished quickly, and the group made their way to the deck. Most of the students were already gathered. Kanzaki and the others immediately joined Ichinose's group.
Hikigaya, on the other hand, maintained his distance, standing slightly away from the crowd.
This was only the second time he had seen so many students gathered in one place—the first being the opening ceremony.
The four classes were clearly divided.
Class C and Class D were noisy as usual, while Class A and Class B remained composed.
"Alright, students, please disembark in order, starting with Class A," the teacher announced. "Additionally, mobile phones are not allowed on the island. Please hand them over to your class instructor before getting off the ship."
Hikigaya handed his phone to Hoshinomiya Chie. The moment he did, the teacher gave him a playful wink.
"Hikigaya~ sensei is always watching you~" she teased.
"Ugh…"
Hikigaya forced a dry laugh and quickly walked away.
If it weren't for the fact that she was a teacher, she'd actually be pretty cute.
But knowing Hoshinomiya-sensei, her real message was probably something along the lines of:
"No slacking off, or I'll report you to your parents."
In other words—
She had very high expectations for him.
Even before the test had started, he was already being watched.
Too difficult.
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