Chapter 22 - Advantage
"Oh, Ayanokouji-kun!"
Ichinose's mellow voice echoed through Class B's base camp as I stepped out of the undergrowth. She flapped her hands around with a dazzling smile and jumped off the dead tree she sat on.
It still felt surreal that they accepted everyone while an exam like this took place, but that was part of Ichinose's charm. Unfortunately, it was also a unique character trait that certain people wouldn't hesitate to exploit.
"Hey guys."
My gaze swayed over the surrounding students, who had also turned around upon hearing her sudden exclamation. They received me with heartwarming expressions, as per usual, while I surveyed the camp and stopped on a certain cerulean-haired girl that should have had no reason to be here.
Ibuki Mio, one of Ryuuen's henchgirls, or rather, Ryuuen's sole henchgirl, leaned against a lush towering tree and glowered at me with a rather negative complexion.
Kikyou had described her behavior as tomboyish, and I could see where her impressions stemmed from.
She wasn't much taller than my queen and even their hair was similar in length. The biggest differences between them were two medium-sized mounds on her chest and the violet eyes which adorned her attractive face. I couldn't see much due to the thick jersey, but her proportions seemed to be a little poorer than Karuizawa's.
Damn you, Ike...
I began to ventilate my clothes by pulling the collar back and forth.
This feeble action didn't reduce my body temperature, which kept climbing due to the certain thoughts that crept into my mind. Despite my best intentions, I was decaying from inside, slowly rotting away like a bad apple.
There was no saving me anymore.
"Yo! What brings you here? You missed us, right? Be honest."
Shibata flung me out of the disrespectful, obscene thoughts I had about the poor girl and offered me some of their water reserves. His teeth sparkled in the setting sun as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with an exhausted expression.
The extreme climate on the island seemed to sap on his strength, even though he was used to physical strain during warm days from his repeated training sessions in the soccer club.
Thank you. I won't ever forget this...
"Oh, yeah. That too, of course." I grabbed the half-emptied water bottle and took a small sip. "I might overstay my welcome by asking, but would you guys mind if I stuck around with you every night? Your spot is the closest one to the first on my route, so I could save some stamina if I start from here."
Instead of receiving an answer, I found myself in the crossfire of forty-one pairs of widened eyes. Shibata's look reflected nothing but bewilderment while the rest watched me with aghast expressions. Ichinose's and Kanzaki's minds were obscured by a thick layer of confusion because they had deemed it improbable that I would continue to occupy the spots after their stern warning.
The seconds passed by, but the situation hadn't improved at all.
"Did I say something weird?"
"Eh... no... of course not." A dry laugh escaped Ichinose's pursed lips. "It's just that we hadn't thought of renewing our spot until tomorrow morning. You know...? Because everyone would be asleep?"
She played it off as if nothing had happened while Kanzaki narrowed his eyes, speculating and contemplating on where he had made a mistake. They had been assured that Chiaki would stop going for the reoccupations, since they hadn't seen the loophole in the rules and were puzzled that their expectations hadn't been met.
"Oh, well... we can't do that or we might lose some of our spots. Chiaki said that I should keep up my rotation as long as I can because we could stock up on points with no real downside."
Revealing this much should assure them that their previous conclusions had been dead wrong. I wasn't sure if they would realize that the rules harbored an interesting loophole, since their class consisted of optimists that wouldn't think over such intricacies like Ryuuen might.
They would, however, recognize that Chiaki's behavior was off.
"Hey Ayanokouji-kun, are you sure that you want to run through the forest at night? If you slip and hurt yourself, then no one can help you. This is seriously dangerous, but it's your call, I guess. Just be careful, kay?"
Himeno walked up to me with wide strides and slid the water bottle out of my palm in one swift motion. She shook the cylindrical container, which caused some refreshing splashing sounds, before her supple lips wrapped around the rim, where my own had rested just a few seconds ago.
Her smooth, feminine throat bulged repeatedly as the translucent liquid poured down her esophagus. Before long, her shimmering, damp lips broke away. She exhaled, rejuvenated by the fluid, and turned towards Shibata as her moist, warm breath vanished a few centimeters short of reaching my nostrils.
Damn you, Ike...
"That's mine. Moriyama-kun has yours."
"Sorry." The boy glanced at his female classmate and clasped his hands before he spun around with restored vigor. "Moriyama! I just gave away Himeno-san's drink because of you! At least tell me if you take mine!"
I scratched my cheek, distracted by her hyacinth-colored orbs.
"My apologies, I guess."
"There was no way you could have known. You are forgiven."
She threw me a generous smirk and winked.
A short moment later, she spun around and strode off towards her friends. They continued munching on the berries they had picked up and began to whisper among themselves. It didn't seem like she cared much about this so-called indirect kiss we just shared, unlike a certain other person who was distressed by the scene.
"Well, Himeno-chan is right, though. If you run around during the night, Honami-chan would be so worried that she might not sleep. I don't even want to think about you getting hurt. She might start crying, you know?"
Their beautiful, well-developed class leader peered at Himeno and me while covering her blushing crimson-colored face. The shade intensified as her body reacted to Amikura's insidious taunts, before the entirety of Class B began to chuckle in amusement.
"Wha — M-mako-chan! That's not at all true, Ayanokouji-kun! W-wait. No. I didn't mean —"
Her flustered complexion and the stuttering made the whole situation worse, but I didn't understand what they were fretting about. It was normal for someone as kind as Ichinose to be worried for a friend. Even a cold, insensitive girl like Horikita would feel anxious during my nightly trips.
Probably.
Some time passed, but I hadn't received an answer for my previous inquiry since they were too occupied with their pranks on their adorable figurehead. Amikura was the worst of the bunch, as usual, but she had no bad intentions with her shenanigans, which is why I wasn't worried about either of them.
Ibuki Mio, the sole exception to this otherwise cheerful gathering, stared at me with narrowed eyes. I decided to be daring and glanced at her for a moment, before a faint smile appeared on my lips.
She averted her gaze almost immediately, as if she couldn't stand looking at me any longer.
Were my smiles really this bad?
Kikyou had reported that my practice was coming along, but this situation just now had suggested an alternate version of events. Maybe she had meant that my attempts at smiling weren't awful for someone with my standards, as I had difficulties expressing myself the way I wanted to due to my prior indoctrination.
"A-anyway, Ayanokouji-kun..." Ichinose smoothed her hair and panted as if out of breath. Neither her slurred speech nor the fact that she covered her lips helped me to understand her any better. "You can stay as long as you want, even if you decide to spend the night here..."
"... which I would pre—" A loud thud rang through the camp. "Ahhh, Honami-chan! Don't hit meeee!" Amikura ran off, chased by Ichinose, who held onto a random stick she found near her feet. "Tasukete kudasai!"
Their classmates observed this situation with little reaction, as their light banter was a common occurrence every time we went somewhere together. This cat-and-mouse game sufficed as punishment for the little devil named Amikura Mako. She deserved a beating for the trouble she always caused, especially when Chiaki was with us.
"Hey Shibata, what's up with those jokes?"
"Ehh... Ahaha..." He stepped backwards, breaking a random branch. Due to this sudden noise, a nearby bird flapped its wings and flew off with an annoyed chirp. "Wait! Did you hear that, Ayanokouji-kun? That was the call of an incredibly rare specimen! Sorry, I have to go!"
The boy's eyes lit up with a strange luster before he dashed off and vanished into the forest.
Huh...
I didn't know that Shibata was a birdwatcher, or that any rare avian species roamed around here. Even though he wasn't able to answer my question, I hoped that he could find the feathered rarity he was looking for, since this island seemed to have a lot more going for it than I had thought.
Maybe I hadn't given it a chance to work its magic on me.
Kanzaki, whose mistrust rose exponentially, eyed me with a suspicious gaze.
He was also worried about me running through the woods at night, but his growing doubts left him unable to treat me the same as before. His behavior would change again, depending on the conclusions he arrived at, as well as the outcome this exam would bring.
It was indisputable that Ichinose and he weren't seeing eye to eye.
She, naïve as she was, chose to trust me without hesitation, while he, a careful and inherently cautious man, did not. There was no right or wrong in either of their beliefs about people, just a clash of opposing ideologies.
I began to mingle, hoping that someone would explain Ichinose's reactions to Amikura's behavior, but no one seemed willing to supply me with an answer. The cheeky girl in question was occupied with running for her life, so there was no way I could ask her for an explanation.
Amikura fled from a beet-red Ichinose, who was flailing around with the branch she had picked up, while I ambled towards Kanzaki in order to prompt a reaction in either direction. Unfortunately, he left after we exchanged trivial pleasantries, saying that he needed to consult about their camps development with a few other students.
Alone once again, my gaze swayed over to the stranger in this familiar gathering. I wandered over towards the tall tree she was resting under as a kind smile surfaced on my face.
"Hey, I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka from Class 1-D."
Due to my repeated practice sessions with Kikyou, I was prepared for moments like this. Even though I wasn't able to replicate her way of addressing people as masterful as I wished to, I believed that I made huge progress compared to April in terms of my general presence and overall bearing.
According to her reaction, however, I seemed to have grimaced and barked at her in disgust and pure antipathy.
"Tch."
She turned away, revealing the left side of her charming face, which had been covered by her arm before. Ibuki's cheek was swollen and about to turn into a dark-red bruise that looked much worse than the one that adorned Shinohara's visage.
"Are you okay? This looks painful."
I reached out my hand but stopped mid-air, as the girl glared at me with a ferocious, almost intimidating expression. She had no qualms about baring her fangs, despite her moody and reserved behavior.
"The hell do you want, huh? Leave me alone and mind your own damn business."
If Ryuuen had sent her here to spy on Class B, she was doing a bang-up job.
"I just wondered what happened to you. Is it wrong to be worried for a fellow schoolmate?"
"That asshole Ryuuen happened. Are you happy now?"
"Ryuuen? I've met him when I renewed the spots, and he was really kind. Some of his classmates blocked my way and shoved me around, but he helped me by telling them to leave. Why would he hit a nice girl like you?"
Her violet, quivering orbs widened in surprise after this idiotic statement.
"Who the fuck hit you in the head? That piece of shit a good guy? Me being a nice girl? Gosh, what is wrong with you? Urgh. If you really want to know, I disagreed with him and he beat the shit out of me for it. Now piss off already. You are annoying and frustrating to deal with."
The girl held eye-contact throughout her answer, which indicated that she told the truth.
"I'm sorry if I have somehow offended you. I didn't mean it."
She clicked her tongue as I turned away from her with a lowered head.
"Ibuki Mio, 1-C."
My whole body spun around upon picking up on her soft, hesitant words, believing that she would like to talk some more. This positive sentiment swiftly vanished from my mind as her pleasant expression warped into a displeased frown as soon as she noticed my instinctive reaction.
"What are you looking at now? It wasn't nice to meet you, so piss off already."
Speak about sharp tongued.
She didn't even manage to look at me anymore, which was a clear indication that she didn't like me very much. I had no clue what I had done to incur her resentment, but I hoped that I could rectify her misconceptions about me someday.
Despite her tomboyish behavior, she was really cute.
I placed the bundle of small, dry branches I had gathered on the ground and walked over towards a silver-haired girl that hid behind a dense thicket. She might have tried to conceal her presence, but that was pretty hard with a bright red jersey when everything around us was green or brown.
A small, rose-colored bruise throbbed on her cheek while the tear droplets in her lavender spheres dripped onto the soil.
Her act was well thought-out because an untrained eye would have assumed that she had cried a lot, to where even her tears had run out. I had been in this situation myself due to my own insubordination, so I could understand how she might have felt if all of this hadn't been an elaborate setup by a certain someone.
"Is that you, Shiina-san? What happened?"
I covered my tremblings lips in disbelief as my eyes contracted due to the shock of seeing my precious schoolmate in such a state. The sheep that followed me around noticed my strange behavior and strolled over to my position with apprehensive looks.
"Did you say something, Kikyou-chan?"
"What's wrong, Kushida-san?"
These cheap parasites always stuck to my ass, but that was the price for being popular and loved by everyone. At least they weren't as disgusting as that piece of human filth Yamauchi, or this fucking imbecile of a rapist store clerk.
God, only thinking about this vermin makes me want to beat the crap out of someone.
"Kushida-san?" Shiina glanced towards the three of us with a mournful, lethargic voice. "N-nothing happened, Kushida-san... I just fell while gathering... berries." She nodded and averted her gaze again. "I'll be fine, really. Please don't worry about me."
Her pitiful attempts at deceiving us were easily seen through.
This wasn't only the case for me, but also the brainless leeches to my right.
It wasn't difficult to spot her lies since she had no container to gather fruits and had to look around the area for a believable justification to be here. If mushrooms had sprouted behind me instead of the thicket filled with maroon berries, then her answer would have been a different one.
In the worst case, she would have searched for dry branches or something.
Kiyotaka had warned me that this Ryuuen guy might send someone over to keep an eye on us, so I wasn't surprised that such a situation occurred. I didn't expect this someone to be Shiina, but her appearance wouldn't change my current objective.
She had to be taken in, no matter what.
If Matsushita, who wouldn't fall for such a trick, blocked my attempt, I was even allowed to fight her.
The devil's queen was more important than a mere girlfriend, after all.
I didn't mind dragging her through the mud if she forced me to, since I would have the moral high ground in this scenario. The respect she had earned from our classmates would plummet, depending on the severity of her disapproval. She would have to comply and follow my lead as long as I disguised my subtle deformation as concern over a cherished schoolmate.
"Shiina-san, what happened to your face? It looks like someone hit you..." I glanced at my companions, who wore appalled expressions upon catching sight of her injury. "Why don't you come with us for now? We can make some space for you, even if you can't go back to your class. Right, everyone?"
I pivoted around with my usual bright, angelic smile.
If even one of these pesky flies had some opposing thoughts, they would immediately shut their damn traps upon seeing such an exemplary, almost divine display of purehearted apprehension and the genuine affection I harbored for one of our acquaintances.
"Yeah, Shiina-san. Come back to our camp with us."
My flock acknowledged my statement as God's will and reiterated my invitation before holding out their hands to the lone Class C girl, who was still hesitant to accept our help. She seemed unwilling and torn about the trouble she would without a doubt cause, but eventually forced herself to agree due to their kindhearted smiles.
Her adorable, innocent behavior would work on most people in our class. Kiyotaka's girlfriend, however, would most likely be able to see through her charade and at least assume a potential setup due to the way Ryuuen had operated during the whole Sudou fiasco.
The golden-eyed devil himself wouldn't be fooled either.
It was easy to pull Hirata to my side if I bring her back to our camp looking like this. Matsushita would be unable to exile Shiina without damaging her reputation and the relationship with our goody-two shoes of a white knight, since we wouldn't be able to endure to send her off in such a precarious state.
I didn't know what Ryuuen planned, but I couldn't care less about his petty tricks.
Kiyotaka would handle every unexpected attack that came our way. There was no need to worry about anything with the devil on my side. As long as I did his bidding in the shadows of our radiating class leaders, he would protect me and preserve the happy, carefree life I sought to live.
Certain things couldn't be seen in the sun, after all.
"A-are you sure? I really don't want to intrude, or worse, start an argument if your classmates disagree. I couldn't fault them for their mistrust since I was part of the class that had tried to frame... one of your friends."
Did she just forget his name?
"Nonsense, Shiina-san! You are always welcome. None of us would be cruel enough to send you back to someone who might have beaten you up like this. Please, you can trust us."
Once again, I brandished the most dazzling smile in my repertoire of twisted masks and reached out towards the troubled spy on the ground. She took my hand with a faint look of happiness as I pulled her up with a firm yet gentle tug.
The other sheep familiarized themselves with the new black-woolen arrival, as I bent over and picked up the branches I had put aside prior to engaging the enemy.
"Let's go back to the camp, everyone!"
After this chance meeting, I led my flock back to the campsite, where my other classmates prepared everything for the upcoming evening. Boys and girls alike greeted me with ecstatic expressions as our group broke through the shrubbery surrounding the clearing before I could even open my mouth.
Hirata and Matsushita stood beneath the tree where we had gathered the mushrooms, while the others kept building things that would prove useful for the days to come. Ike and Sudou, for example, were constructing some kind of contraption to grill the fish they had caught over the fire.
I still couldn't believe that this fucktard was useful.
The one person who frustrated me the most wasn't even Kouenji, but that mendacious bitch of a teacher, who was relaxing in a fucking five-star mansion of a pavilion while reading a novel. I felt the need to smash her damn head in with it just by looking at her, but Kiyotaka still needed this whore, so I appeased myself for the moment.
Roll call was still a few hours off, so it was safe to surmise that Kiyotaka would come back and meet with our spying friend before the day ended. I had no clue what he did at the moment, but I assumed that he was preparing everything for the remaining days.
As long as I served and followed my king without question, he would take care of me.
There was nothing to fear if he was on my side.
Even though he was a monster in human skin, capable of... everything he had put me through, he had also never let me down when it mattered. Not even once. It was a given that I would feel anger at what he did to me; that I would have been fuming in rage when I had to watch Sakura being molested by that clerk.
But I couldn't deny that I was pretty happy because of him.
"Huuh..."
I peeked towards the ground near the cave where he sat this morning.
He might not have been around right now, but I felt like his mysterious presence still lingered in the surrounding area. I knew that I shouldn't, but I felt safe when he was around me, because I had realized that there was no one who would pay more attention to me than him.
Just what the fuck is wrong with me?
"We are back!"
Kushida-san's energetic voice reverberated through the busy camp as she stepped out of the dense forest. Following her were the two girls from our class who had decided to accompany her, and someone else I hadn't seen before.
The stranger was a silver-haired girl around Mii-chan's height.
My initial impression, which was solely based on the way she carried herself, was that she seemed like a rather calm and reserved girl that would keep to herself. She wouldn't be as outgoing as Kushida-san or Karuizawa-san, but also not as timid around strangers as Sakura-san.
If I had to compare her to someone in our class, then Kiyotaka would be the closest match.
As their group of four walked over, I noticed that the girl's right cheek was bruised. Her injury didn't look as bad as Shinohara's, but it was safe to presume that she had been beaten by someone. Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed her during the roll call on the beach, so I wasn't sure from which class she originated.
If I had to take a guess, however, then my first instinct would consider her part of Class C.
My assumption wasn't based on something she had done, but on the actions a certain someone in her class would have taken against her. Ryuuen wouldn't hesitate to slap or thrash one of his classmates who might have disagreed with him, according to the reactions of the three expelled students.
Hirata-kun, with whom I had just discussed next steps, also noticed our new arrival and peered into my eyes with a curious expression. I nodded, informing him that we would postpone our chat for the moment, before the two of us strolled towards Kushida-san and her entourage, who had just discarded the firewood.
"Kushida-san, do you know what happened to her?"
The most trusted boy in our class displayed his usual compassion for the pains and troubles of others with a quivering, apprehensive voice. His ashen face sunk as he noticed the faint swelling on the girl's cheek.
It was difficult for anyone to see a young woman being treated like this.
After Yamauchi-kun's expulsion, he tried to resolve the conflicts that arose in such a manner that every involved party would be satisfied with the outcome. When the situation about Sakura-san came to light, he was troubled and began to take note of the smallest changes in each of our classmates.
I couldn't tell if he had been this kind of person from the beginning, or if Yamauchi-kun's sudden demise had flipped a switch in him, but he hadn't forgotten how unforgiving and cruel this school would be. Right now, he wasn't only mindful of her circumstances, but also worried about the person who had slapped her.
These conflicting thoughts would someday devour him, but I didn't know what I could do to help.
"We found Shiina-san in the forest while gathering branches. She sat on the ground with tears in her eyes and that's when I saw the bruise on her face as well. I couldn't just leave her out there like this. Hirata-kun, Matsushita-san... she said that she fell while collecting berries, but..."
Kushida-san bit her trembling lip, unable to finish the sentence that lingered on the tip of her tongue.
The conclusion she had arrived at was too painful for someone as gentle and loving as her to fathom, which caused the troubled expression on her face to resurface. It wasn't difficult to discern that the girl had lied to my classmates, since the handprint on her reddened cheek was still visible.
"Shiina-san, right? I'm Matsushita Chiaki and this is Hirata Yosuke." I presented my partner with a gentle, welcoming smile. "Why don't we take a seat over there for a moment to warm up?"
The assumed Class C girl peeked at one of the neighboring campfires and nodded.
It might not have been dark yet, but a bright, blazing flame would give off comfort that would make her feel secure, especially under these circumstances. The evening air was still hot and humid, but she must have been feeling cold due to the fear of not knowing whether she would make it through the night.
The girl squatted down with trembling, pale hands and began to warm the rest of her exhausted body at the fire while Hirata-kun and I sat down on the opposite side. Kushida-san observed this scene for a moment and walked off as Shiina-san's lips parted.
"Matsushita-san, Hirata-kun, I'd like to introduce myself properly once more." She stood and gave a light, yet elegant, bow, emitting a different vibe from what I had heard from Class C so far. "I'm Shiina Hiyori, a student from Class 1-C and terribly sorry to intrude on you under such circumstances."
Substantial amounts of dirt and soil had amassed on her smooth fingers and underneath her nails. This could have happened as she raced away from their camp in order to escape Ryuuen and his followers. Sakura-san also stumbled a few times when we went out to gather corncobs, so it wasn't too far-fetched to believe that Shiina-san lost her footing as well.
There was also the faint possibility that she had hidden something nearby, but for now, I liked to think of her as an innocent victim before I jumped to any conclusions.
Kushida-san ambled towards us with a bottle of pre-boiled water and a few berries, which she handed our guest with her usual captivating smile. She and Hirata-kun were some of the kindest, most thoughtful students in this school, and I couldn't be more thankful for their support.
"Thank you very much, Kushida-san. I'm grateful for everything you have done. If you hadn't called out to me... I doubted that I would have had the courage to ask someone for help."
The bright, almost dazzling expression that surfaced on her face was genuine and radiated pure kindness. There was not a single sign of deceitfulness or duplicity when she had addressed us either, which caught me by surprise.
Maybe Ryuuen had really thrown her out?
"You don't need to thank me, Shiina-san. Everyone would have acted this way." Our benevolent classmate turned towards Hirata-kun and me for a moment. "I'll help Mii-chan and the others with the tents because they seem to have difficulties setting everything up properly. If you need anything, please call for me. I'd like to help in any way I can."
"It was the right decision to bring her here, so thank you."
Our angel nodded and strolled towards the cave.
Both Hirata-kun and I knew that he was much better suited for dealing with interpersonal disputes, which is why I was relieved that he began his line of questioning after she left.
"Shiina-san, did someone in your class do this to you?"
The girl caressed over her injured cheek and shook her head.
"No... I told Kushida-san already, I —"
"Please, Shiina-san. You don't need to lie to us. I know it might be difficult since we are in different classes, but you can trust me. I don't want anyone to be expelled ever again. Neither of us should fight with each other."
Hirata-kun's interruption was forceful, yet compassionate. He took great care to assure the girl that he didn't plan on using this opportunity to deal with Ryuuen and harbored the sincere wish to help them without further suffering.
She must have realized that her attempt at deceiving us wouldn't be fruitful, but she kept clinging onto the faint hope that we wouldn't keep digging, since her own class would be in trouble if the story became known.
The Class C student averted her gaze towards the ground and nodded.
"Was it Ryuuen-kun?"
Her two violet almonds opened wide, which was more than enough proof for the two of us to solve this puzzle ourselves. She noticed her mistake and looked away again while biting onto her lip.
I understood the trouble she had found herself in, because she couldn't tell the teachers about this physical abuse due to the way this school was structured. Ryuuen's followers might even lie to the faculty to protect their own interests, which would give him an alibi and worsen her situation.
She was a prisoner in her own class.
"Do you want to go back to the ship? We could walk with you."
Hirata-kun's offer was kind, but not one she had the luxury to accept.
Shiina-san shook in denial and burrowed her head in between her trembling knees.
"If I leave this island before the test is over, then Ryuuen-san will..."
I bobbed my head while the boy beside me clenched his fists in frustration.
Even though this poor girl was afraid and should feel a strong aversion towards Ryuuen, she had added the suffix '-san' behind his name, which demonstrated how much influence this man had inside his class.
From what I had gathered so far, Shiina-san was a compassionate girl that took great care to behave with proper etiquette around others. It was quite difficult to picture her among such violent classmates that wouldn't hesitate to do anything as long as they gained an advantage.
A fitting quote popped into my mind, one I had just recently discovered thanks to Horikita-senpai.
'It is better to be feared than to be loved, if one cannot be both.'
This was yet another excerpt out of Niccolo Machiavelli's 'The Prince'.
After the incident with Sudou-kun, I found myself interested in this book, which was supposed to be written for royalty as some sort of guide on how to behave and rule over one's subjects.
It drew me in to such a degree that I went out of my way to borrow a copy for our trip.
Ryuuen acted similar, like a proper tyrant, which is why his followers feared and thus listened to him. Most of his companions were still loyal, despite the three students that had been expelled because of his failed ploy for this simple reason.
Fear was a powerful deterrent and Shiina-san should be in a similar state.
Had this been Fumei's plan all along?
If I portrayed this doctrine onto the current class leaders, then Ryuuen was feared while Ichinose was loved. I didn't know enough about Class A's leader, but I assumed that Horikita-senpai wanted me to be 'both'.
This would also explain why he had me expel the Class C students.
"I understand your predicament, and we don't mind giving you a place to sleep if you want to stay with us. It might not be very comfortable since we are crammed into two tents, but it's better than sleeping all alone in the middle of the forest."
It wasn't this poor, innocent girl's fault that she had to share a class with Ryuuen.
Even if she was sent by him, this decision would bring me closer to being 'loved' by my classmates. They already feared me due to what I had done, so I couldn't lose sight of my other qualities in the process.
"But... aren't I bothering you? Your classmates will surely distrust me because I could be recognized as an enemy. I don't want to be responsible for any disputes between you guys."
She kept looking downward, guilt-ridden about her presence.
"Nonsense. Watch." Hirata-kun and I stood up as I winked at her. "Hey everyone, could you stop what you are doing for a moment and come over? Hirata-kun and I have an announcement to make."
With both of us backing this decision, no one would dare to disagree if they had planned to object at all.
The boys were... morons, for the lack of a better term. They would be beyond happy with taking her in after seeing such a cute schoolmate. We girls would feel some sort of companionship, even though few of us could fathom what the poor Shiina-san had to suffer through.
It didn't take long before everyone except Kouenji gathered around the campfire.
If I had wagered all my points on him retiring after a few hours, I would have lost all of them. He was far too flippant and surely thought of this whole exam as a hassle, so I had already prepared countermeasures for his withdrawal. Yet even after almost one day, he still swung through the forest like Tarzan.
"This is Shiina-san from Class 1-C. She will stay with us for the rest of this special exam. Ryuuen-kun kicked her out of their camp, so she has nowhere else to go. I know this is sudden, but think about her circumstances as well."
A short silence ensued as everyone regarded her with dubious looks.
"Oi, that bastard. How dare he hurt such a cute girl like Shiina-san!"
"This imbecile! Are you feeling alright Shiina-chan?"
"Do you need a blanket? Are you hungry? Thirsty maybe?"
"This Ryuuen guy really did something like that? Wow, what a dick."
"You are welcome here anytime, Shiina-san."
The girl in question backed up in surprise after multiple loud shouts rang through the forest.
From this subconscious reaction, I could gleam that she wasn't accustomed to large groups. She reminded me of Kiyotaka, but he had been much more uncomfortable back then. I suspected that the two would become good friends if they happened to talk to each other during our stay.
I snickered to myself before my ears picked up on another person's weird mumblings.
His quiet words should have only reached a handful of boys aside from me, but the contents of his short monologue made me shudder and pale in revulsion.
"Shiina-tan? Cute face... check, beautiful hair... check, adorable smile, check... But she's not 2D... Maybe I could commission someone...? Yes... Need to find a good artist that can capture... perfection."
The class split into their respective groups and headed back to complete their chores after this short announcement. The still overwhelmed girl glanced at me with glittering eyes before a gentle smile spread over her face.
"Thank you very much, Matsushita-san. I would also like to apologize for what Ryuuen-san tried to do back in June, even though some of my companions had been expelled. They have no right to complain since they had brought this on themselves, but it was still a shock for everyone since none of us knew what he had done."
"I understand your thoughts, but I stand by my decision, even if some of my classmates didn't like the way I resolved this situation. If I hadn't shown Ryuuen-kun that I would bite back, then he would have kept trampling over us."
The girl nodded, wearing a conflicted yet accepting expression.
"Since you were kind enough to take me in, I'd like to show my gratitude. If there is any way I can be of service for the remainder of this exam, I'd like to offer my assistance by gathering resources, cooking, or helping with something else."
"Mhh, if you want to help, then you can ask one of the girls. Most of them are gathering berries, mushrooms or branches for the fires while others keep pre-cooking the water for the upcoming days. Just offer your support wherever you feel necessary, and help yourself to some berries or drinks when you are free."
She could also support the boys, of course, but I wanted to keep her as far away as possible from Sotomura-kun, just to be on the safe side. I didn't think that he would do anything to her, but sometimes expressing one's thoughts was more than sufficient to cause severe mental damages.
"Alright. I will make sure to earn my place in this camp."
Shiina-san beamed and walked off towards Kushida-san, who she was acquainted with.
Hirata-kun and I decided to finish our discussion later, since a few questions had come up in the meantime. He walked towards Yukimura-kun, and Miyake-kun, who occupied themselves with the boys' tents while I checked on Ike-kun and Sudou-kun who had just finished building their makeshift skewers for the fish.
They impaled our dinner and began roasting them over the bonfire as Karuizawa-san and her entourage cleaned the berries from dirt and prepared the mushrooms with the cooking pot over one of the free campfires we had set up.
The girls had planned to cook some kind of mushroom soup, but I had my doubts about their success. We were missing a ton of ingredients for proper seasoning, so it was difficult to prepare something decent with water.
"Hey Ike-kun, about the mushrooms... which one did you say we couldn't eat?"
He looked towards Mori-san before he tightened the skewer on the contraption he had built.
"The ones under the tree over there. They won't kill you or anything, but they can cause bad infections. We should show them to everyone at least once, so that they know which ones we better leave alone."
Ichihashi-san stood to the side and tilted her head before her gaze stopped on the small mound beneath the tree.
"Can't we just burn them, then?"
"Are you crazy? If you burn them, they might spread toxic fumes or something. It's better to just throw them into the forest, or even bury them if we have enough time. I don't trust this Ryuuen person at all since he hit Shiina-san. He might use them for something shady if we don't hide them."
"Ehh?"
"That's a valid point, I guess."
"Then what about the berries? You told us to wait for a bit after you mentioned that you weren't sure. Did you have a sudden, useful revelation for us?"
Ishikura-san let out a chuckle after Maezono-san's joke.
"Oh, right." Ike-kun pulled up the sleeves of both of his arms and scrutinized his skin. "The yellow ones are fine, but we shouldn't eat the smaller red berries. Rubbing them over my skin caused irritation after a mere hour, so we shouldn't ingest them. They look similar to the edible ones that are also red but slightly bigger, so we should be especially careful. Let's bury them with the mushrooms later."
I glanced at the assortment of poisonous edibles before memorizing their appearance.
If there was any alternative, I wouldn't harm Kiyotaka, but I had to be prepared in case I couldn't find a gentle way to get him off the island in six days. Now that he went for his second trip, my decision was set in stone. If I had no other choice but to poison my boyfriend, then I would make sure to take care of him and apologize properly for not planning things to the end.
Fumei wouldn't have told him to renew the spots if there wasn't a normal way to let him retire. He might be a horrible brother, but he wouldn't expect me to poison my boyfriend when I was supposed to be loved and feared.
Right..?
Two warm hands covered my eyes from behind, and I couldn't help but display a beaming smile.
It wasn't difficult to work out who this person behind me was, because none other than my adorable boyfriend would have been brave enough to do this.
"Kiyotaka?"
"Wow, you are good."
My monotone voice was unable to convey the surprise I felt.
Kushida and Ichinose were easy to distinguish from others due to their ridiculous breast sizes, but I shouldn't have been that easy to recognize from behind.
Unless...
I peered down my frame to make sure that nothing was pressing into her, which left me puzzled about how she knew that I had been the person who shrouded her two beautiful chalcanthite orbs. With nothing else to go on, I assumed that it boiled down to something simple like, 'No one else would do that'.
"We should visit Class B's camp together next time. They'll also be happy to see you again."
"Sure, let's go tomorrow. I would have loved to accompany you today, but I'm just so busy with all the organizational matters, the food, drinks and even our sleeping places. There's so much to consider. It's exhausting."
My lovely girlfriend heaved a sigh and slumped into my embrace.
"You are doing great. I'm proud of you, Chiaki."
I spun her around and began to rub her shoulders from behind since they felt somewhat stiff. She let out a few satisfying hums and leaned back into me before closing her eyes.
"Mh... yes. That's the spot."
Her sensuous, satisfied moans were barely audible as they escaped her smirking lips. I kept massaging the beauty in front of me and tilted my lips towards her neck.
"Kiyotaka... e-everyone could be l-looking..."
Chiaki's voice quivered, her words swallowed by her soft breath. My lips caressed over her smooth nape before they traveled sideways around her neck until I eventually reached her delicate cheek.
"Didn't you say that I could act when I wanted something?"
"Don't use my w-words against me, Kiyobaka..."
An enticing giggle escaped her lips before she turned for a passionate kiss.
Her warm, moist tongue wrapped and slithered around mine, which was everything but helpful at the moment. My body temperature rose further as I reciprocated her seductive gesture and felt over her curvaceous hips before reigning myself in.
"If we continue, our classmates will smother me in my sleep."
"You started this..."
"You don't mind? Wow, you are cruel..."
Chiaki's soft laughter traveled through my ear canal as she peered into my eyes.
"What I wanted to ask before we drifted off... How did it go with Ichinose-san?"
"They said that they would be fine with me sleeping over, so I'll leave our camp after the evening roll call and come back at night to be here for the morning one. This way, we won't lose a single window or any points for absences." I peeked towards my classmates for a moment. "I'm really glad you are here, though. I wouldn't want to know what they'd do without you taking charge."
"I'm also glad you are here." My girlfriend leaned forward to embrace me before planting another kiss on my lips. "I wouldn't have been capable of trusting anyone else with the card, even if you hadn't snatched it. I figured that you were fairly capable back when we had swimming classes, but I didn't expect you to be this amazing."
"Well, no one really asked, so I said nothing." I took her hand and caressed over her smooth palm. "But you need me now, so I'll be doing my utmost to please you."
"Mhh... you are pretty good with that, even without all the running and sweating."
The two of us spent the remainder of our time catching up with each other and revisited the whole Shinohara situation now that we had a few quiet moments for ourselves. I glanced around while we talked and noted all the visible changes that had taken place during my absence.
Horikita, for example, moved towards a small fire further into the cave's entrance.
Ryuuen's spy had appeared, just as expected, and mingled with the rest of our classmates. Kikyou hovered around her with her usual lively aura and introduced her our classmates. She did a great job at making her feel at home, which didn't surprise me in the slightest.
Sae had finished pitching the enormous tent she had all to herself, which was kind of mean if we were reasonable for a moment. Her temporary housing had two entrance areas and a sleeping section in the middle that provided space for at least four people.
This was nothing short of overkill for a single teacher.
"Dinner is ready."
I sat down beside Chiaki as the whole class assembled around the campfire, forming a large circle. A few stragglers sat further away due to space constraints, but they were the ones who weren't fond of such large gatherings like Sakura, Yukimura and Miyake.
Ike's roasted fish looked appetizing, despite my previous doubts about his abilities. The fish weren't huge or anything, but the smell was still mouthwatering, which was the complete opposite to the so-called 'mushroom soup' that Karuizawa and the others had prepared.
Mushroom water would have been a more accurate description.
Sudou plopped down behind Ike to keep Sakura company while still being able to chat with his friends. Hasebe, the girl who had eyed them on the ship, sat close by and observed their interactions with a keen eye. My gaze drifted off for a moment before Kikyou's words rang through my mind.
'Mommy milkers', huh?
"I caught that one and that one."
Okitani's proud voice danced over our heads as he pointed towards two of the fish.
One of them had already been ripped apart by Sudou, while the other was carefully dismantled by our new arrival, Shiina Hiyori. Students like me, who took care of the physical labor, had dibs on the fish since they hadn't caught enough for everyone. Hirata had probably gifted her this fish due to the act she had put on for them to gain access to our class.
Even out here she behaved exemplary, just like back at school.
Shiina possessed this elegant lady-like mannerism, which was further accentuated by her overall cute appearance. She was a rather reserved student who would rather spend her time reading in the school's library or in the tea-ceremony club than to go shopping with friends.
According to the senpai Kikyou had questioned, she was a popular newcomer.
"How many did you catch, Satou?"
"Hehe... I got six!"
Satou jumped up, basking in glory, before high-fiving Karuizawa, who wore a beaming smile as well. The others began to make fun of Okitani's cocky statement from before, after they realized that their female classmate had managed to catch thrice the amount he had gotten hold of.
I wasn't a fisherman myself, but securing six fish as a first-timer was more than just impressive. If one considered the time it must have taken Ike to instruct them, they should have had even fewer chances to catch a large number.
Their private teacher revealed a faint smile before he returned to the Professor and Sudou, who were fooling around. Sotomura had apparently caught nothing, which amused our delinquent and his companions to no end. Sakura also chuckled from time to time as she kept nibbling on the roasted fish he had secured her through his privileges.
Satou Maya, huh?
I bit into my own and shared some with Chiaki.
Ike might not have any romantic interest in her and just wanted to cheer up an unhappy classmate, but I couldn't rule out the possibility that something had caught his interest. Helping them out wouldn't benefit me in the slightest, so I decided to watch over any developments for now.
"Just you wait until I leveled up my fishing skills. I shall bring a bountiful harvest tomorrow!"
Hondou's and Okitani's thunderous roars disrupted the quiet evening after listening to the Professor's outlandish statement. The girls hadn't picked up on his joke and moved away from them with queasy expressions.
He was joking, right?
Hirata and his fellowship of berry gatherers distributed their self-made juice, which they had procured from mushed fruits. They had apparently prepared them with the pre-boiled water bottles in which they had put some berries before mashing them with a branch until it was drinkable.
It wasn't difficult to do and tasted much better than plain water.
The tense atmosphere from noon was nowhere to be found, which assured me that Chiaki, Hirata and Kikyou had handled everything to utmost satisfaction. The girls even put some berries and mushroom water on the side for Horikita, who was still sleeping her fever off.
Hopefully she won't complain about the 'soup'...
Chiaki and I enjoyed my fish and some berries, which we fed each other from time to time. Since it was one of those couple things, we were being glared at by the boys for our lovey-dovey behavior. Karuizawa and Hirata were also cheered on by the girls but managed to talk themselves out of this uncomfortable situation.
Some time passed, and Ike stood up.
He was done with his meal and made an announcement in a somewhat ashamed tone.
"Ahem, so... I'd like to apologize for my behavior from before. I was too stubborn about the toilet. I wanted to save points without thinking about how the girls might feel without certain items around. It's a bit late for that, but I realized that I would have waged a small war against the girls to spend as little points as possible if Matsushita-san hadn't intervened."
I peeked at my girlfriend, who shook her head with a faint smile.
Should we lie him down beside Horikita?
"Why are you apologizing so suddenly?"
Sudou tilted his head as he pulled a few fish bones out of his oral cavity. Sakura paled, shocked by his nonchalant attitude, while Hasebe grimaced after she bit into one of her mushrooms.
"Sitting around the bonfire with you guys, well... I remembered the first time I went camping with my family. The toilet was awful. There were bugs and insects crawling around everywhere. The tent, the sleeping bag, the toilet and even my damn shoes... I was so disgusted by all those insects and the dirt that I really hated it. It was pretty unfair of me to demand the same from the girls, for which all of this should be even worse. So... I'm sorry."
He scratched his cheek and averted his gaze from everyone present.
If this Ike had attended the classes instead of the other one, then my brain might have survived this school without lasting damages. I didn't know if it was the current amiable atmosphere, or the way he reminisced about bygone times, but I wanted to learn more about the person called Ike Kanji.
My troublesome classmate had already proven his worth under specific circumstances, but to analyze and realize one's own shortcomings accurately was not an easy feat to accomplish. Saying them out loud and apologizing to around forty people was even harder.
"I'm sorry for earlier too..." Shinohara paused as her gaze wandered towards me and the sleeping Horikita. "I wasn't at all... what's the word... solution oriented. Despite my best efforts, I wasn't ready to make concessions or adjust to the current situation we have found ourselves in. Not only did I keep pushing and complaining, I also looked down on a sick classmate while doing nothing beneficial myself. But I want to change that. Someday soon..."
The few who hadn't yet heard about today's events glanced around with puzzled expressions. I heaved a sigh and was about to get up as Shinohara's voice once again echoed through the surrounding area.
"Ayanokouji-kun, you don't have to apologize for what you said. You defended your friend and in the end... e-even if I don't like to admit it... you were r-right with some things you said."
Karuizawa and the other girls stared at her in astonishment.
My remarks had been harsh and cruel, but she stood proud, admitting her mistakes, even promising improvement. Yet, I couldn't care any less about her newfound conviction because I had already determined the fate that awaited her after she dared to badmouth Horikita.
Shinohara Satsuki wouldn't survive at this school.
"This special test is a first for all of us, so I understand everyone's confusion. But thanks to Matsushita-san's leadership and the deal we made with Ichinose-san, we created a strong foundation for this special exam. Ayanokouji-kun as well, is giving his utmost to occupy and hold all the spots for us. We are all doing our best, so let's beat this exam with a lot of points!"
"I agree! If we keep working together like this, we will definitely come out on top!"
Hirata must have been inspired by those sudden confessions and rose to lighten the mood with his usual optimistic flowers of speech. Kikyou wouldn't miss such an opportunity to support our classmates with her breezy attitude, either and promptly joined him.
Class D cheered in agreement despite the doubts that should have surfaced in some of their minds. Even they must have noticed that the points I was earning were doomed, but nobody had mentioned anything.
Chiaki hadn't disappointed them until now, which was why they had faith that she would create yet another miracle.
"Ibuki-san, do you want something to eat?"
"Huh? No. Just leave me alone."
Our visitor glanced at me with an annoyed expression and turned away after saying her piece.
She was still in a bad mood because of Ryuuen-kun, which didn't surprise me. Both of them seemed to have difficulties in managing their boiling emotions, if her injuries were anything to go by.
I placed some fruits next to her before I made my way back to the campfire.
She might have said no, but this didn't mean that she wouldn't be hungry later. Ibuki-san seemed to be uncomfortable with receiving kindness, but she would have to deal with us for now if she didn't want to live in the forest all by herself for the next couple of days.
"Oh, it's Ayanokouji-kun!"
Shibata-kun waved the thin branch he was about to add to the fire, which promptly began to burn in his hand. He realized his mistake and put it back into the pit with a mortified expression.
"Yo!"
A light smile appeared on my face after his usual charming greeting.
The lively flame crackled, popped and sizzled as Shibata-kun pushed the burning branch deeper inside. Kanzaki-kun, who was still unsure about Ayanokouji-kun's intentions, greeted him with his usual smile as he told his careless classmate to be more attentive. Himeno-san, who did unspeakable things, glanced over and waved at him, before returning to her discussion with Chihiro-chan and the others.
"Sit with us!"
I couldn't help but swallow my saliva upon noticing Mako-chan's wicked smirk. If it was her, she was definitely up to something nefarious concerning Ayanokouji-kun and me.
Wait, this was terrible...
"Sure."
In a matter of seconds, everyone moved their seating position, which opened up enough space for a certain someone to sit right next to another designated individual — me. Even though they knew that I would never act on my feelings as long as he was in a relationship with someone, they kept pushing me to stay close to him.
"Mako-chan..."
A weeping voice escaped my quivering lips after I noticed her reveling face.
The handsome Class D student walked over to join our small gathering and plopped down beside me. We sat side by side in such proximity that our bodies rubbed against each other if we weren't careful.
Despite my better judgement, I had hoped that he would feel aware of my presence. He must have noticed their strange movements, which led up to this situation and might have even realized that I liked him.
How could someone as observant as him not?
I pushed these negative thoughts away and opened my mouth.
"Where do you plan on sleeping?"
"I thought of making myself comfortable near the fire until it's time to go. I would feel horrible stealing your limited space in the tent. It's just a few hours anyway, and I don't want to wake everyone when I leave."
"We wouldn't mind, you know?"
Kanzaki-kun remained true to his word and treated Ayanokouji-kun the same as usual, even though he still mistrusted him and the cryptic message he had left us. I had assured my classmate of his sincerity, yet I couldn't help but be concerned about Hoshinomiya-sensei's words, which rang through my ears like a constant reminder.
No, she was just nervous about our first exam.
Ayanokouji-kun would never willingly betray my trust or our friendship.
I knew this in my heart.
"You guys are too kind, though. It's not much space as is and I would only intrude on your well-deserved rest. I'm more than just okay with the campfire, so please don't worry or feel bad about letting me sleep outside."
"Well, you are free to barge in any time."
Hamaguchi-kun chuckled and threw some fruits into his mouth.
"You are also free to barge into Honami-chan's tent any time."
"Mako-chan!"
The resounding laughter of my classmates rang through our camp while my face flushed in an even deeper crimson color. Ayanokouji-kun, who had taken her statement as a mere joke, had a light smile on his lips.
"Just kidding."
She raised her hands and shook her head, as if this was enough of an apology.
It embarrassed me to no end that everyone in Class B knew of my infatuation for him. Every single excuse I could have come up with to convince myself that they may not have realized it yet vanished from my mind after their sudden stunt around the campfire.
My concerned gaze stopped on Chihiro-chan, who had only recently poured her heart out to me.
I was troubled about what this development might mean for our class.
If she began to dislike Ayanokouji-kun because of my feelings for him, I could never forgive myself. Chihiro-chan, just like the rest of my classmates, wanted everyone to be happy, but I felt horrible about how everything had played out.
An important friend of mine was hurting, due to the feelings I had for someone else.
There was no use in ignoring my affection towards Ayanokouji-kun, as it only worsened my desire to be closer to him. Yet, I felt responsible for Chihiro-chan's happiness, in a certain sense.
Would I be able to help her somehow?
I never asked when and why she had developed these deep feelings for me, but I realized that these weren't easy questions to answer. Now that I experienced these emotions first hand, I was just as perplexed as she must have felt.
When did I start to see Ayanokouji-kun as more than a friend?
Was it during my birthday party, or had it begun before? Could it have been the time we talked about love behind the gymnasium as I waited for Chihiro-chan to arrive? Or had it been those sincere words that still reverberated in my mind?
I remembered every single one of our interactions, but I couldn't point at any specific event where my feelings had changed from zero to one. It was a slow process over the past few months as I got to know him better than anyone else.
Our first meeting was by pure chance, as he ambled into our classroom by accident.
He might have been a little dorky, which was charming in his own way.
His face, despite being void of emotion, signaled that he had messed up and wanted to hide in his shell as fast as possible. Hoshinomiya-sensei's extroverted aura didn't help, so I was glad when I saw him a little later in the cafeteria, joking with his friends.
We hadn't known each other for long when he encouraged me to join the student council, saying that they would be foolish to reject me. Even though they had done just that, I kept trying and eventually found my place in their midst.
My approval hadn't been his doing, but I never forgot that he had believed in me.
Ayanokouji-kun had been hesitant to meet up with my classmates when I invited him, but still trusted my judgement, despite his fears. He was always kind to everyone and slowed down to match my pace whenever we strolled around together.
He was dependable and took time away from his class matters when I struggled with an imminent confession. They had a lot going on with Sudou-kun and during the midterms as well, but he always managed to meet up with us, going as far as trusting me with important information I shouldn't possess.
Without his words, I wouldn't have grasped how cruel I had been to Chihiro-chan, either.
Even though we were part of different classes, he looked out for me and was fun to hang out with. His singing might be horrible, but these small quirks were just as captivating as his usual gentleness. Despite being confessed to himself, he waited by the gymnasium to make sure that I was doing okay because he knew how painful this situation had been for me.
Then, on my birthday, he had gifted me with the best present I had ever received.
To top it all off, there was his smile.
This small, simple muscle movement that made my heart pound straight out of my chest.
I could never forget this one time when his usual impassive look broke.
If I kept listing what I loved about him, then I would be occupied with talking until he left for his round.
Ayanokouji-kun glanced over to Ibuki-san for a moment, before his concerned gaze swayed towards Hoshinomiya-sensei, who was watching us from afar. She wasn't allowed to interfere in the exam, but she was always around in case we had questions she was allowed to answer or if we wanted to purchase more items.
Her eyes narrowed into slits upon noticing his lingering stare.
"Could we talk in private for a moment?"
Again, my heartbeat sped up, causing me to fear for my life.
He had a girlfriend he was pleased with, and as long as this was the case, I could only wait and be happy for them. Still, I couldn't help but feel aware of his looming presence after hearing these words.
"S-sure."
My classmates noticed my miserable stutter, which confirmed once more that I had utterly fallen for this handsome brown-haired boy. They all revealed light smirks as he stood up and wandered into the forest.
I stood to follow him while my classmates kept talking to each other. Their voices grew fainter until they vanished between the chirping insects and the calming breeze that whistled through the forest.
We didn't walk far until he stopped at a place that felt private and comfortable.
Ayanokouji-kun sat down and leaned against a thick tree before tapping the ground beside him. I pushed all the crazy thoughts out of my mind and made myself comfortable next to him, hoping that he would start talking before he could hear my thundering heartbeat.