Chapter 116: VIP Students Exposed
The fourth and fifth discussions for the Rabbit and Dragon Groups passed smoothly under Class B's control. This calm progression made even Class A think the exam might end with no changes, a boon for them, atop the four classes, but not for others. For Class D, already far behind, if Ryuen Kakeru didn't break through, they'd only grow more passive.
Surprisingly, despite the irreconcilable conflict between Manabe Shiho's trio and Karuizawa, even in Hikigaya's eyes, after the fifth discussion, Karuizawa mustered the courage to approach them. She apologized for the incident with Rika, offering to apologize to her face-to-face.
Manabe's trio was stunned, assuming it was the victor's arrogance. They ignored her, believing their expulsion hinged on Hikigaya, so Karuizawa could afford to act magnanimous.
In truth, Karuizawa genuinely wanted to bid farewell to her old, barbaric self, the domineering, self-satisfied girl who manipulated others for her goals. She wanted to declare her departure from that.
Perhaps manipulating others was her strength, a key to her influence, second only to pretending to be Hirata's girlfriend. But…
She wanted a fresh start.
Manabe's trio gave perfunctory responses, eyeing her with disdain, unsure of her intentions until the end.
From a distance, Hikigaya, witnessing it all, quietly admired Karuizawa's growth.
Perhaps if she'd taken this step earlier, she could've handled her relationships without him. But it wasn't too late. Now awakened, she'd only grow further.
Karuizawa walked over, teasing Hikigaya with a seductive gaze. "Well? Like what you see?"
"Even if you say that…"
"Like it or not?"
Karuizawa was domineering, unlike other girls he'd met. Her possessiveness and need for affirmation were intense, perhaps tied to her past. It might not be a virtue, but Hikigaya couldn't dislike it.
"I don't dislike it…"
"You're so stubborn. One day, I'll pry that mouth open…"
Under the Rabbit Group's gaze, Karuizawa boldly declared her intent to claim Hikigaya.
If there was one thing Hikigaya couldn't get used to, it was her disregard for the setting. She openly displayed her affection in public, something he couldn't handle.
Not only was he a marginal class figure, but he also wasn't great at socializing. In group discussions, he often went mute.
So, when she made that declaration, he was speechless.
He wasn't the only one. Manabe's trio, Class D's Sotomura and Yukimura, Ichinose's group, and Machida, who'd been clung to yesterday, were all stunned.
Yukimura and Sotomura's minds exploded. Wasn't the difficult Karuizawa supposed to be Hirata's girlfriend?
Machida was furious. This manipulative woman had been cozy with him days ago, then treated him like air, now saying this in front of him? Was she making him a clown?
Manabe's trio were frustrated but they couldn't speak. To them, Karuizawa was clearly pulling Hikigaya to her side to deal with them, a scheming move.
As for Ichinose…
She forced a smile, smoothing things over. To outsiders, nothing seemed amiss.
This was after the fifth discussion. Hikigaya tried not to dwell on the details, as the exam's critical moment was approaching.
He focused on coordinating with Ichinose's strategy, as Class B held the current VIP students.
As the bell rang, everyone filed in. Class A's members, as usual, sat at a side table, as if it were their home.
Once everyone arrived, Ichinose greeted them. Compared to prior discussions, this one moved faster, being the last, tension was high.
Only Class A's members remained detached, as if it didn't concern them.
The most anxious were Manabe Shiho and her two companions. Even Ibuki Mio couldn't fathom their urgency. Since their incident hadn't been exposed, they desperately needed to identify the VIP student to make amends and beg Ryuen Kakeru for help.
It was rumored that, despite losing to Hikigaya Hachiman multiple times, Ryuen had a decent relationship with him. This was unverified, possibly a rumor, but it was their only option.
As the discussion began, Hikigaya spoke up: "For Outcome 1, I think we all want to achieve it. It's the way for everyone to win."
Ichinose Honami nodded, casting a deliberately puzzled glance at Hikigaya. "Hikigaya-kun, do you have any ideas?"
Hikigaya inwardly admired her. As Class B's leader, she seamlessly played along with a mere glance, acting as if they hadn't coordinated, a natural actress.
Hikigaya seized the moment. "I'm embarrassed to say, if I had a good plan, I'd have shared it already. At this point, there's no great solution. If we all refrain from reporting, we all benefit. Right now, only the VIP student gains."
Ichinose nodded, looking at the others. Manabe's group obediently nodded, glancing at Hikigaya.
Ibuki, arms crossed and visibly annoyed, still agreed with the sentiment.
In Class C, though Yukimura and Sotomura weren't close to Hikigaya, they nodded since it was their class's idea. Karuizawa Kei, of course, needed no mention.
Hikigaya pulled out the swapped phone and opened its message. "At this point, showing our phones is the only way to know who the VIP student is. From what I know, their messages are unique."
Ichinose nodded eagerly, her smile blooming. "I agree. I don't want those massive points to slip away."
She opened her phone, revealing a message identical to Hikigaya's.
Yukimura and Sotomura placed their phones on the table, showing their messages. Karuizawa did the same with her swapped phone.
Manabe's group, with their fate in Hikigaya's hands, complied meekly, placing their phones down without objection.
Though still displeased, Ibuki reasoned that since she wasn't the VIP student, she had nothing to lose and placed her phone on the table.
Except for Machida and his allies, who stayed out of the discussion, everyone's phones were on the table, none showing VIP student messages.
However, Hamaguchi Tetsuya, sitting beside Ichinose, hesitated. Adjusting his glasses, he took a deep breath. "I'm actually the VIP student. I hope everyone keeps their word. I want us to win together."
With everyone's eyes wide, he placed his phone on the table.
"Dear student, you have been selected as the VIP student. Please participate as a group member and begin the exam."
The message was clear. Machida, who'd been silent, smirked. "Ichinose, you pushed for Outcome 1, yet the VIP student's in your class. How Ironic."
Hamaguchi: "Hikigaya's proposal is the only way for us all to win. Our class could've won alone, but I shared this for trust and to achieve victory together."
Machida cursed inwardly, calling Hamaguchi a fool, but kept a supportive expression. As an outsider, he couldn't interfere without risking his reputation as untrustworthy.
Since reporting was anonymous, he could act freely once he left the room.
Manabe's group thought the same. More anxious than Machida, they smiled and agreed to "keep their word," but feared others would report first.
If Machida needed to report to Katsuragi Kohei for action, Manabe's group had lost all reason.
In the final ten minutes, Hamaguchi earnestly preached unity and trust, but everyone was just going through the motions, hiding their true intentions.
When the bell rang, the exam ended. Machida's group lingered, planning to leave slowly, while Manabe's group rushed out, citing a bathroom break.
Yukimura and Sotomura were anxious to leave, seeing Class A and D's eagerness, but Hikigaya gestured for them to stay.
Yukimura held back, mindful of Class B's presence, but Sotomura asked bluntly, "What are you waiting for? Are you giving those points away?"
Hikigaya didn't respond. Karuizawa, unable to stand him being wronged, stood up. "Sit down when he tells you to. Trust him, and stop whining."
Yukimura: "Karuizawa, I usually tolerate you, but with the class's interests at stake, I can't."
Hikigaya glanced at them calmly. "Doesn't matter. You can't change the outcome or affect the exam."
The rules stated that if a class's own member was a VIP student, reporting another class's VIP student early was invalid.
Yukimura wasn't dumb. Hearing Hikigaya and seeing Class B's calm demeanor, he understood. "You planned this from the start?"
"Not exactly. It's not even a plan, just a last-minute idea, barely a strategy."
Sotomura, seeing Yukimura sit calmly, was baffled. "Huh? What's going on? We're not reporting Class B?"
Yukimura: "Sit down, Sotomura. Just watch the show."
Under Yukimura and Karuizawa's pressure, Sotomura gave up resisting and sat quietly, though he was the most confused in the room.
Machida's allies had written Hamaguchi's name on their phones, awaiting Katsuragi's confirmation to send.
Minutes later, Katsuragi's reply came: "Observe quietly."
Machida's ally looked puzzled. Machida was anxious too, the VIP student was practically confirmed, and if they didn't report, Class D's trio would beat them.
Machida: "Katsuragi's no longer the leader. Forgot his island failure? His leadership's just nominal now."
His ally, fed up, hit send. Their hearts raced, but the reply minutes later crushed them.
"Someone already reported…"
Six words shattered their hopes. Manabe's trio had submitted Hamaguchi's name first.
Though they failed to report successfully, Machida felt relieved yet uneasy. Something felt off, too easy, too obvious. The stakes were huge; a wrong bet could sink Class A irreparably.
Regret mixed with relief as they concluded the exam.
Manabe's group, having just submitted Hamaguchi's name, received a message from Ryuen: "The Rabbit Group's VIP student is Karuizawa Kei."
Their hearts stopped, unable to hear their own beats. They prayed Ryuen's message was wrong, a misjudgment. Otherwise, they'd been completely played by Classes B and C.
With Hikigaya holding their fate, facing this situation left them dumbfounded, unsure of what to do.
Simultaneously, other groups ended their exams. Some couldn't resist temptation, reporting VIP students immediately, while others held back, trusting Ryuen's answers after deliberation.
[Horikita's Class…]
[Horikita, bewildered, couldn't grasp the situation. "Who won this exam? And how did Ryuen know the VIP students of the Rabbit Group and others?"]
[Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, calm, analyzed the situation. "He probably figured out the exam's rules. The school wouldn't randomly assign VIP students. That would favor Class A's silence tactic. The winner depends on who's patient versus who isn't."]
[Normally, impatient people dominate society, believing what they see and hear. But this school's elite, often leaders in their previous schools, were different.]
[Until results were announced, it was hard to say, but the outcome wouldn't vary much.]
[Yukimura: "I didn't expect Ryuen to match Hikigaya. Unbelievable."]
[Hirata Yosuke, after pondering, shook his head. "Ryuen probably edged out a win. He's no longer a tyrant, but his courage is top-tier. Only he'd take such a gamble."]
[Yukimura: "Based on the situation, it's at best a tie. How's it Ryuen's win?"]
[Hirata: "You forgot Class A, who didn't fight. Our class and Ichinose's can't target them, but Ryuen can guess their VIP students directly."]
[Realization hit. But then…]
[Ike Kanji: "No way, Class A's dropping to last again? Why'd I say 'again'? But seriously, they're falling to Class B!"]
[Shinohara Satsuki: "Yeah, I thought Class A was unbeatable, but now… Class B's rising to A, and A's dropping!"]
[Everyone was excited. Though they weren't rising to Class A, seeing the reigning champion fall sparked confidence. If Class A could drop to B, then C or D wasn't impossible. Beating them wasn't a pipe dream.]
[Ayanokōji, watching the video, didn't want to shatter their enthusiasm with the harsh reality of strength gaps.]
[Why could Class B rise to A? Why could Class A fall so quickly? It was because Class A lacked that person. With her, even from Class D, they'd reclaim dominance fast.]
[Class C was the same. Without Hikigaya, Horikita's class would plummet, no joke. Some saw it as a team effort, but in the face of absolute strength, it was one person's game. It sounded arrogant, but it was true.]
[Ayanokōji swallowed these harsh words, choosing not to hurt them. One day, they'd realize how absurd their current beliefs were.]
[Thankfully, this class wasn't hopeless. With proper control, Hikigaya could lead them to Horikita's dreamed position, though it wouldn't be easy.]
[Sakayanagi acknowledged him but wouldn't hold back in a showdown or yield her spot. That's Ayanokōji's view of her. When that clash came, who'd win? Honestly, he had no clue.]
[Underdog's comeback or champion's reign? Either way, it'd be a spectacle. Best of all, Ayanokōji was just a spectator, his favorite role.]
(End of this chapter)