After the remote island exam ended, all students returned to the cruise ship to rest for three days before continuing to the next exam.
"Hum~ hum~ hum~~"
Karuizawa Kei hummed softly while carrying a food tray. Together with her gyaru group, she intended to go to the cafeteria for good food. Clearly her mood was very good.
After all, Class C achieved a great victory this time. Not only did they occupy first place, their points also jumped to 71,800 personal points. That meant they would no longer lack food and drink.
"What are we eating today, Chiaki?" Kei asked Matsushita Chiaki.
Chiaki, who was also carrying a tray, showed a polite smile. "We can eat anything, Kei, but we'd better not waste points too much."
Because the time on the cruise ship coincided with the point distribution schedule, points for this month had already been distributed. Along with that, the school removed the free meal facility on the ship. After all, all students had money now, so there was no need to make it free anymore.
"Well~" Kei complained, looking dissatisfied. "What's wrong with it? This month we got 71,800 points, once in a while being luxurious doesn't matter, right?"
"Exactly!" Sato Maya approached and chimed in. "Once in a while splurging is okay, right? We have this many points."
Chiaki sighed and smiled resignedly. "Alright, it's up to you what you want to eat."
"Yay!" Maya showed an expression as if her plan succeeded, then did a high-five with Kei to celebrate.
"So what are we eating? I heard the spicy lobster for 2,600 points is very delicious, want to try?"
"Sure, after all we have lots of points." Kei agreed.
The gyaru trio went to the luxury ordering window. There they passed by Class D students who also intended to order in the luxury area.
Manabe Shiho brought three of her friends, intending to splurge too because their class managed to get over 60,000 points.
Kei didn't pay too much attention. She just focused on the spicy lobster that had only one last portion. She immediately rushed forward and accidentally bumped Shiho until she fell to the side and her tray flew to the floor.
"Ah, sorry." Kei said briefly without remorse. She didn't care and kept trying to fight for that last portion of spicy lobster.
Chiaki, standing behind them, furrowed her brow and reminded her kindly. "Kei, you bumped someone until they fell, you should apologize properly."
"Huh? Didn't I already apologize earlier? Besides, the lobster is almost gone! We'll discuss that later."
Kei clearly didn't care and kept calling the staff at the order window until she successfully got the last lobster portion.
Shiho rubbed her painful buttocks, picked up the stainless steel tray that fell, and looked at Kei in front of her with an unfriendly gaze.
Usually she was the one who bullied others; when had she ever been bullied like this?
Shiho gripped her tray tightly and walked full of anger toward Kei's direction. Clearly she was exploding.
"Hey! You, that girl over there, what's your meaning?"
Kei had just finished taking her food. When she turned around, she heard the voice behind her and answered impatiently. "Didn't I already apologize? What else do you want?"
Veins appeared on Shiho's forehead. "Is that the proper attitude when apologizing? You bumped me until I fell, don't expect this matter to end just like that!"
Kei also furrowed her brow. "Then what do you want?"
While talking, Kei backed up near her friends, specifically next to Chiaki and Maya. Clearly she felt tense and wasn't as calm as she appeared.
Chiaki sighed and stepped forward, intending to explain on Kei's behalf, but Shiho raised her hand to cut her off.
"Let her apologize herself, you don't need to!" She shouted while pointing at Kei.
Kei felt offended and retorted, "What the heck? I just accidentally bumped you, doesn't mean I did it on purpose. You just want to pick a fight, right?"
"Hehe~" Shiho laughed coldly while squeezing the tray in her hand, as if ready to hit at any time. She was the hot-tempered type who would take revenge on the spot.
Seeing the situation beginning to get out of control, Hirata who was eating in the cafeteria immediately came to mediate.
"Sorry, my girlfriend has troubled you." he said while bowing and apologizing to Shiho.
At this time they were formally a couple, so Hirata had to step forward to protect Kei.
Actually the reason they were dating was only to provide enough protection for that girl. Considering that in middle school Kei had been a victim of bullying, she formed a fierce personality to protect herself.
Seeing Hirata's attitude so humble, Shiho found it difficult to say anything more. That girl's boyfriend had already bowed and apologized to her; what else could she do?
Shiho scratched her head irritably. "Alright, don't let it happen again."
"Thank you!" Hirata said it with full gratitude and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness... the problem wasn't prolonged."
However, suddenly Kei seemed to experience a trauma reaction (trigger). She suddenly exploded.
For her, seeing Hirata debase himself like that reminded her exactly of the incident when she was bullied in middle school.
She remembered when she bowed to apologize but others instead poured mineral water on her face. Without thinking twice, Kei threw the food tray in her hand right at Shiho's face.
Shiho, who had just intended to leave, was immediately hit by the tray on her face. Although it didn't hurt much, it successfully provoked her anger to the maximum level.
She turned around, and this time no one could stop her. She grabbed Kei's hair and raised her big fist, ready to punch.
Kei just realized her fear now. She immediately closed her eyes with her body trembling violently. Right when that punch almost hit her, Hirata immediately held Shiho's body from behind.
Chiaki and Maya immediately approached Kei who was already crouching on the floor trembling with fear.
Seeing her friend like this, Chiaki felt helpless. She had to find a way... she couldn't let Kei keep behaving like this.
Meanwhile, Maya didn't think too much. What she knew was her friend was being bullied and she had to protect her, no matter who was wrong.
Maya rolled up her sleeves, ready to get involved in that commotion. As a friend, she was clearly very loyal.