Class B camp.
"Ichinose."
Kanzaki's eyes were sharp as he lowered his voice: "What was that about? Do you know?"
"Yeah."
Okakura Asako said with some confusion: "Why would someone from Class D give Hikigaya coffee?"
"That would require spending Class D's private points, right?"
Kobashi Yume was also puzzled.
The people around them showed confused looks as well. Someone from another class sending coffee to their classmate.
No matter how you think about it, it's suspicious.
But to do it so openly was also somewhat unusual.
"That."
"Oh, that. I know."
Ichinose smiled sweetly: "Hikigaya used personal points to buy some MAX coffee from Class D. He seems to really like drinking that."
Because Class C's Kaneda was present, Ichinose shrewdly chose to hide the truth.
"I see."
Kanzaki nodded, involuntarily clenching his fist.
Okakura Asako was still a bit confused: "But why did he trade with Class D? He could have just used our class points."
"Yeah."
Someone else nodded.
They didn't doubt Ichinose's words at all.
However.
It was just a pack of coffee.
If Hikigaya had asked, they believed Ichinose wouldn't have refused.
After all.
They could have just bought the coffee on the first day when they were buying drinking water.
"He..."
Shirami bit her lip, a bit unwilling, and spoke the doubt everyone had: "Does he not see himself as a member of Class B, or does he not trust us? I feel a bit sad."
Once this was said.
The members of Class B fell into silence. Himeno Yuki also glanced toward the boiler imperceptibly.
This was the only logical guess.
Hikigaya didn't realize.
His actions of "not wanting to affect Class B" were simply incomprehensible to the others.
"That's not the case."
Ichinose waved her hands frantically: "He just doesn't want to waste a single bit of class points because of himself. Actually, Hikigaya is a very responsible person, and he does his assigned work very well."
Pause.
"Is that so?"
Shirami Chihiro's expression finally relaxed. Ichinose breathed a sigh of relief; she would have to wait until the exam ended to explain properly to everyone.
Kaneda, on the side, shifted his gaze.
He didn't expect that such a united class would also have a breakthrough point.
Close to midnight.
The Class B students were washing up.
Hikigaya was still sitting honestly by the boiler; he had to wait until the very last person was finished.
"Yo, Hikigaya."
Shibata, the "normie," walked to his side and smiled brightly: "I came to see if there's anything I can help with here. Is there anything I should watch out for?"
"Are you joking?"
Hikigaya was a bit speechless.
For such a simple job, what could there be to watch out for?
This must be the helper Ichinose provided.
However.
He didn't expect it to be Shibata.
He was athletic and good at communication.
The fact that he didn't mention Ichinose directly was probably out of consideration for Hikigaya's self-esteem, which conversely proved the fact that he looked down on the task of boiling water.
He remembered this guy was in the mobile team, specifically responsible for assisting everywhere.
But.
This guy indeed didn't slack off. In Hikigaya's impression, he always took on the heaviest work.
It's just.
He had never been here once.
"Well, it's summer vacation; isn't it good to joke around?"
Shibata threw dry wood into the fire to boil water, then carried the water to the boys.
The two worked in mutual silence.
It wasn't until an hour later that the group finished washing.
"So hot."
Shibata pulled at his sports uniform to let the wind in with one hand while wiping the sweat off his face with the other. He said with a complex expression:
"I didn't expect boiling water to be so hard. It's impressive you managed to stick it out alone until now."
"I guess."
Hikigaya replied casually while washing his face.
Actually, even if this guy hadn't come, he could have continued. But he decided to accept the other's kindness anyway.
"Actually..."
For some reason, Shibata's voice suddenly became serious: "Hikigaya, you don't need to be so modest. Whether it's what happened at the start of school, hearing that the Student Council President has his eye on you, or being able to handle this job alone."
"You are undoubtedly an excellent person."
"You suddenly..."
Hikigaya looked sideways, only to find that the usually cheerful Shibata was looking at him with an unprecedentedly serious gaze.
"But."
Shibata punched him lightly on the chest and smiled: "I won't lose to you!"
"No..."
Hikigaya said speechlessly: "I wasn't even competing with you."
"Eh?"
Shibata was stunned for a moment: "You haven't noticed yet?"
"Noticed what?"
"Level."
Question.
Hikigaya turned back to continue washing his face, wondering what riddles this guy was suddenly throwing at him.
"Hmm..."
Shibata pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Forget it if you haven't noticed. It feels a bit unfair to her to say it out loud."
"What do you mean?"
Hikigaya looked at him again with confusion.
He only just realized—how does Shibata feel like a "riddle man" (mystery-monger)?
"Splash."
Shibata poured cold river water into the boiler and changed the subject: "You go wash first, I'll boil the water for you."
"Oh."
Hikigaya turned and left.
The relationship between the two wasn't that great to begin with; in fact, he disliked "normies" like this. Since the other didn't want to say, he wouldn't ask further.
The next morning, the third day of the exam.
Class B camp.
In front of the boiler.
Hikigaya was still boiling water with total focus.
Shibata seemed to only come to help during peak water usage in the morning and evening; he had to rely on himself for the rest of the time.
"Everyone."
"The Class C people have all gone back to the cruise ship."
Just then.
A scout who had just returned to camp shouted loudly.
"What?"
Ichinose stepped forward with a serious expression: "Hamaguchi-kun, are you sure?"
"Yes."
The guy named Hamaguchi nodded seriously: "I saw it with my own eyes. The Class C people returned to the cruise, leaving behind a pile of trash."
"They actually don't plan to take the exam."
"What is Class C thinking?"
"Won't they get zero points this way?"
Class B instantly became lively.
Nearby, Kaneda's face turned extremely ugly as he clenched his fists in silence.
"Kaneda-kun, are you okay?"
"Unbelievable, there are actually people like that in the world."
"Yeah, it's all Ryuen's fault. You don't need to worry, Kaneda-kun."
Several Class B girls stepped forward to comfort him.
Their own class had given up on the exam; as a member of Class C, Kaneda must be feeling miserable.
"I'm fine, don't mind me."
Kaneda looked away with a pained expression, seemingly trying hard to suppress his anger.
"After all, I knew Ryuen was that kind of person long ago. I only hate my own incompetence, being unable to resist his tyranny."
Kaneda spoke through gritted teeth.
"It's not your fault, Kaneda-kun."
Someone smiled bitterly: "Sorry, Kaneda. Before this, I was even suspecting you might be a spy."
"It's okay, that's only normal."
Hearing this, Kaneda shook his head bitterly.
Watching this scene, Hikigaya frowned.
This isn't good.
Ichinose only told her deductions to a few people. Most Class B students are unaware, so it's easy for them to feel sympathy for Kaneda and let their guard down.
It wasn't hard to understand.
After all, if more people knew.
Their behavior would surely show some abnormalities.
As long as the few of them responsible for the cover-up stayed alert.
There shouldn't be a problem.
There was surely a consideration for Kaneda's feelings in this; after all, nothing is harder to accept than a sympathetic reception.
Ichinose had also refused to use the method of changing the leader. All they could do was hide the truth with everything they had.
But.
Will it really be that simple?