Chapter 106 Our Class A is Far Ahead!
"Leaders of the other classes?
Hmm~ We aren't going to guess those."
Ichinose Honami gave a sheepish smile and said with a hint of helplessness, "Our class has put all of its effort into just solving the problems of daily life these past few days. We truly have no energy left to investigate the situations of other classes."
'A strategy of maximum self-sufficiency to save as many points as possible, huh?'
Setting the strategy itself aside, that level of unity alone was astonishing! Had it been Class D or Class C, they likely would have fallen apart on the first day. Even those so-called "elites" in Class A wouldn't be able to achieve this.
"Ichinose-san, if I told you that I might have guessed Class A's leader, what would you do?"
Hikigaya folded the dried towel neatly and put it away.
"Hikigaya-kun has a nice habit of tidying up housework...
Eh? Hikigaya-kun knows the leader of Class A?" Ichinose Honami's eyes widened in astonishment. "But, why?"
"It's just a guess, not a guarantee."
Hikigaya spoke the truth. Since he hadn't seen the Class A leader's keycard, he couldn't be one hundred percent certain.
"So, why are you telling me, Hikigaya-kun?" Ichinose Honami's expression turned subtle, and her palm instinctively rested against her chest.
"Could it be... because of our relationship...?"
"No, I just have a personal grudge against Class A."
Hikigaya quickly explained: "Anyway, Class A's leader is Yahiko. As for whether you fill that name in or not, you'll have to judge for yourselves."
"Fine. Tomorrow I will write down the name of Class A's leader, Totsuka Yahiko."
Without a moment's hesitation, Ichinose Honami made the decision almost instantly.
"Wait, Ichinose-san? Don't you want to think about it more carefully? Is it really okay to make such a hasty decision?"
This left Hikigaya completely stumped.
'I say it and you just believe it! If I said you were going to be my wife ten years from now, would you believe that too?' Hikigaya really wanted to retort.
"I believe in Hikigaya-kun."
Ichinose Honami beamed a smile, her eyes staring at him intently.
"For some reason, Hikigaya-kun always gives me a sense of 'deja vu,' a feeling that makes me trust you instinctively."
Hikigaya's gaze faltered slightly, but he maintained a stoic expression.
"That's just your imagination."
"No, my intuition has always been very good~" Ichinose Honami winked at him playfully.
'Talk is talk, but why are you looking over here again?'
But whatever. As a man, there wasn't anything on his body worth others peeping at anyway.
"The clothes seem about dry."
Hikigaya took his clothes off the fireplace; they felt warm and cozy. Though there was still a bit of moisture, there was no need to be so fastidious during outdoor life.
"The rain outside has stopped, so I'll take my leave now."
"Eh? Is Hikigaya-kun leaving so soon?" A trace of reluctance appeared on Ichinose Honami's face.
"I wanted to talk to Hikigaya-kun more."
'This kid... she's just being polite, right?'
"Don't worry about it. Once the exam is over and we're back on the ship, we'll have plenty of chances to chat."
Hikigaya intended this as a polite social response. To his surprise, Ichinose Honami's eyes lit up upon hearing it, and she nodded happily.
"Mhm! Then it's a promise. It's a deal!"
'What 'promise'... wasn't that just social pleasantry? Or did I misunderstand something?'
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Class A Camp.
"It's finally the last day."
"In this special exam, our Class A will emerge victorious!"
The Katsuragi faction was cheering and celebrating. Although the members of the Sakayanagi faction couldn't stand them, as students of the same class, winning the exam would
ultimately benefit them all. A small number of people even felt their resolve waver, calculating whether they should defect to the Katsuragi faction.
"Popping the champagne at halftime isn't a very good habit, Katsuragi-kun."
Hashimoto Masayoshi leaned against a stone bench, a playful smile in his words.
"Hmph! We're at the very end; how is this halftime?!"
Yahiko spoke with an arrogant and triumphant air, followed immediately by a harsh accusation toward Hashimoto: "Hashimoto, you bastard, why did you take the rain gear from Class B's base this afternoon without permission? It caused us to lose 50 points for nothing!!"
"Wasn't I over at Class B for reconnaissance?
Who knew it would suddenly rain so hard? I had no choice but to take their umbrellas.
It was the weather—an act of God."
Hashimoto Masayoshi's explanation seemed logical, but anyone with eyes could tell he was intentionally causing trouble!
"You guy, don't think I don't know what kind of crooked ideas you Sakayanagi faction people are cooking up! You're just jealous that we in the Katsuragi faction are getting high scores!" Yahiko criticized loudly.
"Don't say that, Yahiko.
We are all students of Class A; there's no need for factional conflict."
Katsuragi Kouhei proactively extended an olive branch to the Sakayanagi faction. "Though our philosophies differ, our goal is the same: to graduate from this school as Class A.
I hope that from now on, Class A can unite and move toward our common goal!"
Hashimoto Masayoshi countered: "To be united, we need a strong leader. Katsuragi, do you think you have the ability to do that?"
"Verbal debate is meaningless; the data is the ultimate truth."
Katsuragi Kouhei took out a small notebook and began to settle the accounts one by one: "Through cooperation with Class C and using transferred supplies, we have completely preserved our initial points."
"Regrettably, Sakayanagi was absent due to her health, which cost 30 points. And Hashimoto, your unauthorized use of another class's supplies cost 50 points."
Katsuragi Kouhei intentionally pointed out the two people responsible for the deductions to damage the prestige of the Sakayanagi faction.
"Furthermore, I have already obtained the identities of the leaders for Class B and Class D!
In tomorrow's guessing segment, we will gain 100 points!
In this special exam, our Class A's score will reach 320 points!"
As soon as he said this, the Katsuragi faction cheered for victory again! Even a few people from the Sakayanagi faction couldn't help but join in.
"In addition, the points for occupying bases will be converted into Class Points after the exam. It is estimated we can get around 150 points.
In other words, by next month, our Class A's points could reach a maximum of 1,590!!"
1,590 Class Points was an absolutely heart-pumping number. Each person could receive over 150,000 individual points per month. Although according to the treaty, each person would have to deduct 30,000 points to give to Class C, compared to the gains, that small amount of points was nothing.
It had to be said that Katsuragi Kouhei's calculations were very well-laid.
"Our Class A will be far ahead of the other classes!!!"