girls who know about your past. If
we can't get to them, then perhaps someone else. If that doesn't work, then
—" I began.
"Th-then what?"
"Probably some unnecessary human being from Class D."
"You do understand what you're saying, don't you? Getting someone
expelled isn't that easy," Karuizawa replied.
"You don't think so? That's not really true. I actually have the option
available right now." Fingers wrapped tight around the object Karuizawa had
handed me, I drew her attention to my hand.
"Wait, don't tell me. Is that what it's for?" she asked, incredulous.
"Depending on the situation, I could get someone expelled in a single
stroke. Right?"
"B-but wait. Why are you talking about this? You went all out trying to
save Sudou-kun earlier, right?"
It was true that I'd rescued Sudou from the threat of expulsion.
However, that was before I was forced to commit to reaching Class A. As
Horikita once said, I had to prepare for the eventuality of cutting off people
who dragged us down.
"Even though you saved Sudou-kun, you're going to kick him out?"
Karuizawa asked.
"Oh no. I have no intention of getting rid of Sudou. His physical skill
will be quite valuable to Class D," I replied. There weren't many other
students in the whole school with comparable abilities, including Kouenji.
185
"But what will happen to our class points if someone is expelled?"
wondered Karuizawa apprehensively.
"The best option would be to expel someone from another class, of
course." However, if a student from our class was expelled, fear would
motivate the survivors to struggle mightily. That wouldn't be the worst thing.
"You're awful, you know that?" said Karuizawa.
"Surely you already realized that about me?"
"I guess."
I'd threatened Karuizawa. My actions had verged on assault. I couldn't
imagine that she considered me a good person.
"How about consulting Hirata-kun?" she asked.
"I have concerns about that. Hirata still isn't someone I can fully trust,"
I replied.
"Huh?"
"You know about his past?"
"Oh, yeah. He told me about it when I told him what happened to me.
His friend tried to commit suicide by jumping, right?"
That was right. Hirata had told me that he still carried that regret
around with him, which was probably true.
"Do you really believe that his friend's suicide attempt turned him into
a student who'd be placed in Class D?" I asked.
"Huh?"
"That can't be the only reason for the school to assign a highly
intelligent and immensely popular student to our class. Don't you agree?"
Placement in Class D would have been understandable if Hirata had poor
attendance, or low grades like Karuizawa, but that didn't appear to be the
case.
"Wait. You asked about my past because..."
"I wanted to understand Hirata's situation. Past trauma doesn't equate
to getting placed in Class D," I replied.
Confirming things with Karuizawa had convinced me that she was
186
someone I could trust. However, Hirata wouldn't be easy to deal with. I'd
need to discreetly figure out whether he was telling the truth or lying.
"You keep trying to gather information by poking and prodding, but
you're not telling me anything," grumbled Karuizawa.
"Hmm?"
"You're not normal, like, at all. Something definitely happened to
you."
"Nothing really happened to me," I replied.
"That's a lie."
Nothing had happened. I wasn't bullied in the past like Karuizawa, and
I hadn't had a beloved friend attempt suicide like Hirata, either.
"I can tell just from your eyes. You look like you could kill someone
without hesitation."
"Nothing that dramatic took place in my past."
There really was nothing. So little had happened to me that I had
nothing to talk about. My life was a blank slate.
Karuizawa's eyes locked onto me. She probably couldn't help but
wonder what her future contained. Holding onto that fear could most
certainly prove useful.
However, she'd asked me what I intended to do. Almost as if
answering that question, I clenched my fist tighter. As I did so, I heard the
plastic in my hand bend and crack.
"H-hey!"
I walked to the garbage bin and tossed away the bits of plastic.
"I won't expel anyone from Class D. It's about time for me to get back
to the group. Thanks for today," I said.
"Okay..."
"Let's head back, then."
As the pool closed, students started to flood into the locker rooms.
Which group you belonged to seemed to determine when you headed back.
There were groups that left before closing, like Ichinose's, groups that left
187
just when the closing call came, and groups that remained in the pool until
the very last second. I wondered which groups would make it back the
fastest.
We quietly watched the other students as they walked away. After
some time, the area was deserted, except for some lifeguards.
"You're still not heading back?" I asked.
"You already know the answer, so why even ask?" Karuizawa lightly
patted the spot on her rash guard right above her scar. She looked desperate.
Still, it wasn't like she could go home without changing. She had to wait until
she was the last person in the locker room.
"It would be fine if you just wore a school-issued swimsuit, right?" I
asked. No one would notice her scar.
"Ugh, swim with one of those on? No way. They're too lame. I already
hate having to wear one during lessons."
Apparently, the world of girls was crueler than I thought. Even an
unfashionable bathing suit could demote you on the social ladder.
"Do you like swimming?"
"Huh? Well, I don't hate it," she said.
"How about taking a little swim now? There aren't any students
around. The only people here are lifeguards, and they look busy cleaning up."
Karuizawa pondered the idea. After all, it was better than the crowded
locker rooms.
"I'm okay," she muttered.
"Come on."
"No, I won't 'come on.' I told you, I don't want to."
"Even if someone sees you, you'll be fine, as long as you're wearing
the school swimsuit."
"That's not the problem. Why do I have to show you my swimsuit?"
she huffed.
188
189
So, that was what held her back. In that case, I thought perhaps I
should use a slightly more aggressive method.
"That's an order."
Karuizawa glared at me.
"You seriously are the worst. I absolutely hate you." She scowled.
"You decide whether to obey me or not. So, what'll it be?"
"I understand," she replied.
Karuizawa reluctantly did as instructed, pouting with dissatisfaction.
She removed her rash guard and left it on a chair. I inspected her in her
swimsuit. Karuizawa stood with her back to me, not turning around.
"Maybe this will be the only thing I can wear swimming for the rest of
my life," she muttered. She was still terrified that her scar would draw
people's attention.
I closed the distance between us and grabbed her arm.
"Wh-what are you—?!"
I shoved Karuizawa into the pool. Splash ! She crashed into the water.
When a lifeguard heard the noise, she shouted at us with a megaphone.
"We're closed! Please leave right now!"
"Pwah! What'd you do that for?!" Karuizawa shouted.
As she peeked angrily out from the water, I offered her my hand.
"Did you have fun?" I asked.
"Being pushed in isn't exactly fun, you know."
Karuizawa took hold of my outstretched hand. Then, without warning,
she pulled me into the water. I didn't resist at all, taking care not to crash into
her when I fell. The resulting splash, even bigger than before, would certainly
anger the lifeguards. Karuizawa laughed as they rushed over to us.
When I tried to surface, she held my head down and pushed me deeper
underwater. Even though the situation was childish, seeing Karuizawa enjoy
something ended up making it worthwhile.
190
6.8
A fter we finished swimming, I was rather thirsty. The rest of our
group must've felt the same way, because as dusk fell and we walked back to
the dorms, one of Ichinose's friends said, "Hey, Honami-chan. I think I want
ice cream. How about you?"
"Yeah. Sounds good," Ichinose replied. Even after a refreshing swim,
the heat was oppressive. "How about we take a little detour before heading
back?"
There were no objections. We entered a nearby convenience store, and
everyone rushed to the ice cream. Horikita had been conflicted over whether
she wanted something to drink, but now it looked like she wanted ice cream,
too.
"I'll have this one! Ultra Choco Monaka!" shouted Ike, pulling out an
ice cream three times larger than normal. It was nearly four times the price of
a regular ice cream, too.
That seemed wasteful, but I supposed if it made him happy, it was
probably fine. Sudou and Yamauchi wanted shaved ice, while Ichinose chose
a popsicle. Even in a standard convenience store, the group's individual
quirks and tastes were clear.
Sakura, standing behind me, looked around hesitantly.
"What are you getting?" I asked.
"Um, I-I... Wh-what do I pick, I wonder?" she stuttered.
Sakura stood on tiptoe and desperately struggled to look inside the ice
cream freezer. Honestly, even I could barely see. When Ike and the others
finally left, I felt Sakura push against me.
"What should I do?" she muttered. Her hands shook, as if she were
flustered.
"You don't like ice cream?"
"Oh no, I like all kinds. I've probably eaten everything here before,"
she replied, pointing toward the right half of the case. Horikita, who'd also
191
remained by the freezer, chose her ice cream and went to the register.
"Hurry up, or you'll get left behind!" Ike called.
Given how sensitive Sakura was, hearing that only made her more
flustered. "Um, umm... Sorry. I'm the type who takes forever deciding things
like this."
"There's no need to panic. He's just messing around. I haven't decided
yet, either," I told her.
"What are you going to have, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Me?"
I shifted my attention from Sakura and looked into the freezer.
Honestly, everything looked the same.
"I think I'll have this."
I picked up a standard soft-serve ice cream, the kind that coils around
and around. Some of the soft serve had chocolate mixed in, but I'd leave that
for next time.
"W-well, I'll have that too, then. It's delicious," Sakura replied.
It felt as though I'd forced her to choose that, but if Sakura was
satisfied, then it was probably fine. After we paid and left, everyone gathered
in front of the store and began to eat. I opened the package and scooped some
ice cream, letting it melt in my mouth.
"This is...really good," I said quietly.
The sweetness and coldness shivered through my body. This could
become a habit. It was honestly revelatory. Who knew ice cream would be
this delicious? Eating too much of it could be bad for you, though.
"Whoa, you sure are enjoying that. It's almost like it's your first time
eating ice cream," observed Ichinose.
"Anyone would think it's delicious. Especially in this heat," I replied.
That should've been obvious.
"Well, I suppose. It's just...you're eating it like it's something you
really love. This is the first time I've seen you make a face like that."
"That's because he has a face like a doll. His expression never
192
changes," said Horikita, interjecting on my behalf. Well, she was sort of like
a doll herself in that regard.
Horikita and Ichinose began to chatter happily about the second
semester, which was about to start.
"Hey, Ichinose. Your popsicle looks pretty rough."
"Gah! You're seriously right!"
Ichinose's popsicle was melting in the heat. Flustered, Ichinose licked
what was dripping and then stuck the popsicle in her mouth.
"Mmph, famks bery mug," she muttered through a mouthful of
popsicle.
Was she saying, "Thank you very much"? It seemed that way. Even as
it melted, the popsicle did look delicious.
193
6.9
"W hew! What a long day. I'm beat. This was fun, huh?" asked
Ichinose.
"Yeah. It was nice to talk to Horikita-san and Sakura-san. We should
hang out again!"
The Class B girls seemed satisfied with how they'd spent their last day
of vacation. Sakura, who looked a little more relaxed, even managed a small
grin. On the other hand, Ike, Yamauchi, and even Sudou looked anxious.
After quickly saying their farewells, they rushed into the elevator.
"We'll come hang out in your room later, Ayanokouji."
They left it at that.
"I wonder what's up with them? I thought they were in high spirits
today," said Kushida.
"They seemed especially strange. Perhaps a certain someone knows
what happened, though," said Horikita.
They both glanced at me, but I refrained from commenting, for my own
reasons.
"Okay, then. See you at school, Ayanokouji-kun."
"See you tomorrow."
After parting with Kushida and Sakura, only Horikita and I remained in
the lobby. I thought she'd stayed behind to avoid Kushida, but even when
another elevator arrived, Horikita didn't get on.
"You're not going up?" I asked.
"What about you? Would you like to take a little walk?" she asked.
"Sure."
Horikita and I walked along the tree-lined path while looking at the
sky, now dyed the color of sunset.
"Surprisingly, I had fun today. I suppose a day off every once in a
while isn't so bad." That was an unexpected statement, coming from
194
Horikita. She spoke slowly, her still-wet hair fluttering behind her. "We start
the second semester tomorrow. I'm sure even bigger challenges await."
"Yeah, probably."
This wasn't an ordinary school. Countless unknown hardships—like
the survival test on the island, or the test of deception on the cruise ship—
undoubtedly lay in wait for us.
"I've thought a lot during summer vacation. About the things I've
done, and the things I was able to do," Horikita continued.
"And what do you think now?" I asked.
"That's a secret. If I told you, you'd laugh."
She dodged the question, although I didn't know why. Maybe she was
embarrassed by what she'd been about to say.
195
Chapter 7:
Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudou's
Summer Vacation
(Extra Stories)
W hat should a man aim for in life? If you asked men from all over
the world, you'd probably see a pattern emerge: find a partner and make love,
produce offspring, raise those offspring. Amusement parks, movies, and
video games are all very well. However, the plethora of entertainment options
available to us these days is just a blip in the grand scheme of human history.
Nearly all living beings have sought to pass the torch on to the next
generation since ancient times.
However, young high school boys have no understanding of what it
means to bring forth the next generation. Instead, they simply seek any and
all immediate available sexual gratification.
"Now then, I'd like to hold a strategy meeting regarding Operation
Delta."
Ike, from Class D, knelt on the floor. He used his clenched fist to wipe
the sweat that began to trickle down his forehead. "I'd lay my life on the line
for Operation Delta. Haruki, how about you?"
"I feel the same as you, Kanji. If this operation is a success, I won't
even mind dying!" Yamauchi shouted.
Sudou, who'd silently observed so far, chimed in. "Honestly, I'm
against it. I'll make a decision after I hear you out."
"So then, Ayanokouji, you're joining in too, right?"
"Is it okay if I turn on the air conditioner?" I asked. No good would
come of the room reeking of sweat.
"Sure. It's hot."
They'd denied my first request to switch it on—something about
"setting the mood"—but since we were meeting in my room, I'd had enough.
"Why is it always, always my room?"
196
"Didn't I tell you before? It's because you have the neatest, cleanest
place. Other people's rooms have tissues and shed hair and junk everywhere,
and they're dirty. There ain't even enough room to put a foot down in
Yamauchi's place."
"Sudou, your room's the same, right? I mean, you got clothes and
underwear and stuff all over."
I wished they'd think about tidying up, rather than comparing their
levels of filthiness.
"You know, no matter how much time passes, this room still doesn't
feel lived in. Nothing's changed since enrollment, y'know? How about, when
you get some points, you go out and buy something?"
"The next thing you buy should be carpet, dude. Carpet . My ass hurts,"
said Sudou, sitting on the floor. He'd made similar statements in the past.
"I can't just go out and spend precious points."
For some reason, Sudou kept hounding me. "We got points for the
island test, thanks to Suzune. Someone as useless as you shouldn't hoard
points," he shot back.
"That's definitely true. Actually, with Horikita on our side, it's just a
matter of time until we get up to Class C's point total, right?"
Things had changed since our hopeless situation back in May. Now,
with a fresh new surge of points, we were closing the gap between us and the
upper-level classes.
"Come on, guys. Let's think about the tough stuff when we're in
second semester. Right now, it's Operation Delta."
"Are you guys seriously doing this?"
"Very seriously. I mean, this is the prime of our youth, right? Or are
you saying you don't like Operation Delta?!"
"Call it whatever you want, but it's basically just peeping. Right?"
"To peep at girls' naked bodies... What's wrong with that?! That's
youth!" Ike shouted.
Actually, it was a crime, and a horrible one at that. It was the kind of
thing that would land Ike on the news if he were ever caught in the act.
197
"What'll you do if the girls find out? They'll be worse than angry, you
know." I tried to discourage the three.
Sudou seemed to sense my doubts, because he voiced the same
concerns. "It's dangerous, like Ayanokouji says. This isn't the same as
changing into our gym clothes in the classroom, back in elementary school,
or peeping at the bath in some old-fashioned inn during a junior high field
trip."
"Don't worry. The supercomputer known as Ike Kanji-sama devised
this plan," said Ike. He got up and confidently, arrogantly, began to explain
it.
"When will we be peeping, and from where? Those are your questions,
right? Don't worry. I've thought everything out. Please calm down, and just
listen to what I'm about to say. First, we will carefully select our target. It
would be a complete waste of energy if we ended up half-assing the operation
and peeping on some uggo. Also, we'll choose from the girls in Class D. You
can only achieve maximum arousal by seeing the naked body of a cute girl
you know in everyday life," said Ike.
"I agree, but none of us have really taken things to the next level with
any of the girls, right?"
"It's okay. We'll just get ourselves to the next level. You must achieve
these kinds of milestones yourself," replied Ike. He tapped his phone and
turned the screen toward us. "Did you forget? The pool's been open since
yesterday!"
"R-really? Okay then, yeah. If that's true, we can peep! Right? I've
never been there before. The pool, I mean," Haruki yammered.
Looking at Ike's phone, I saw a notification saying that the pool was
open for public use for the last three days of summer vacation. Operating
hours were from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
"I get that inviting the girls to the pool means they'll have to change
into swimsuits. But I don't see how that's going to give you an opportunity to
peep," I said.
I'd never gone to the special swimming facilities before, but there
would likely be surveillance cameras. If a suspicious man approached the
women's locker rooms, staff would confront him.
198
Ike remained calm, arms crossed. His expression didn't change.
"Damn, dude. That makes me sad. Do you really think I'm so stupid that I
wouldn't think of something like that? I've been making preparations for a
long while now, dreaming of this day."
"A long while? Okay, then, tell me this crucial peeping method,"
snapped Yamauchi, unable to stomach more of Ike's boasting.
"Oh, you want me to show my hand, eh? All right. Feast your eyes on
this ," said Ike.
He'd actually drawn up a map of the facility. Sudou and Yamauchi
gasped in apparent wonder, and I was surprised, too. The map was even
pretty detailed.
But something was odd. The handwriting on the map was different
from Ike's.
"Check it out. The special pool is at least twice as big as the one we use
for our classes. As you would guess, there are surveillance cameras."
The pool was a large-scale facility with locker rooms for men and
women. Naturally, the locker rooms were on opposite ends of the hallway.
The surveillance cameras' locations were marked on the map.
Diverging paths separated the locker rooms, similar to men's and
women's baths. Even if we took a single step toward the girls' locker room,
we'd be noticed. On top of that, since it'd be the last day of summer vacation,
there'd probably be a lot of people around. Our chances of success were slim
to none.
"I mean, I don't think we're gonna be able to just stroll over and peep.
Here's the crucial point: the ventilation route that runs along the floor. That
vent connects the men's and women's locker rooms. What's more, they divide
the lockers by year, from first-year to third-year students. The men's and
women's lockers rooms are connected by their respective year, which means
the first-year men's room is connected to the first-year women's. It's a
miracle!"
I understood. If things went according to plan, we'd be able to see the
girls change through the vent.
However, could the vent fit a person?
199
"The vent's fifteen centimeters high and forty centimeters wide."
"No one could pass through that."
"Heh heh. I took everything into account. We also have this!"
Ike pulled out a small toy car out of his bag. An antenna stuck out the
top.
"RC!"
A radio-controlled car that you could move freely via remote control. A
camera was installed on the car's roof. It was linked to a small display on the
remote control. After Ike put in some batteries and started it up, the camera
feed appeared on the remote. It wasn't high-resolution, but it was enough.
Ike really had been preparing for a while.
"This should fit into the vent. After that, all we need to do is move the
car while watching what's on the camera. We can even save the images on
the memory card!"
Ike had concocted his plan in the depths of deepest darkness. I
wondered just what terrifying things he imagined on a regular basis. This was
a criminal act, thank you very much. Not even Yamauchi could be okay with
this.
"Oh! Awesome! Dude, this is perfect! Right, Ken?!"
So, Yamauchi agreed. He was happily, gleefully going along with it.
"Guess so. Kinda feels over the top, doesn't it?" asked Sudou.
"What do you mean?! This is perfect!"
It was certainly true that we could probably get away with this without
being noticed. Really, Ike had taken meticulous care in his preparations. I
hazarded a guess.
"Did the Professor have a hand in this peeping operation, by any
chance?" I asked.
I could hardly imagine that Ike came up with this all by himself. An
RC car wasn't cheap.
"H-how did you—?!"
None of this was Ike's forte. Besides, only someone who knew the
200
locations of the surveillance cameras and ventilation routes could dream this
up.
"Damn it. Guess there's no hiding it. You've found me out. You're
right, I asked the Professor. Shit, dude, and after all the trouble I took to make
you think I planned the whole thing." Ike groaned.
"So, what's the plan?"
Booted back to square one, Ike started explaining again.
"First, we'll invite the girls we want to peep on to the pool tomorrow.
Then, we'll enter the locker rooms at almost the exact same time they do. Got
it? Inside, we immediately go to the vent in the back. If someone is using that
spot, Sudou will threaten them, and make them move. After that, we pull out
towels, act like we're going to change, and form a human wall around the
vent so that no one else can see. Then I'll remove the hatch and insert the RC
car. I'll operate it, so I need you guys to hide me. I'll stop the car right in
front of the girls' locker room, and start recording. Once we've determined
that they're done changing, we'll get the car back out," explained Ike.
The steps were relatively simple and easy to understand. However,
some parts felt a little iffy. I couldn't just ignore them.
"So, I threaten people who get in our way, and make them move. I also
need to make sure people don't get close to us, right?" That role was
appropriate for Sudou. Given his reputation, other students probably wouldn't
approach us casually.
"You guys see just how incredible Operation Delta is?" asked Ike.
"B-but, Kanji. This is a crime, dude. Like, the sin is gonna weigh
heavier on me than the actual peeping."
"You're certainly right. It's a crime. Strictly speaking, that is.
However, think about your past. You've committed crimes before, right?" Ike
gloated.
"Huh? The hell does that mean? What crime did I ever commit?"
Sudou snapped.
"Let me ask you this, Ken. If you're aggressive, and hurt someone,
that's a crime. Right? If an adult punched someone, the news would report it,
wouldn't they? And you've used violence before, haven't you?"
201
"That's... Fightin' and violence are two different things," answered
Sudou.
"Well, I've never been violent in my life," said Yamauchi.
"But, Haruki, back in elementary school, didn't you once lick that
girl's recorder? The girl you had a crush on? And you sniffed her gym
clothes, too. Or did you not do those things?" pressed Ike.
"Ugh..." Yamauchi seemed to be recalling an unpleasant memory.
"If an adult did those same things? Crime!" shouted Ike.
"Th-that's true."
"In other words, it's different when it's another minor peeping on, and
secretly photographing, girls without their knowledge. If we don't do this
now, when can we?!"
His convincing rhetoric pierced Yamauchi and Sudou's hearts. It was
enough to cleanse them of guilt over committing a criminal act.
"You in, Haruki? Let the chips fall where they may," asked Ike.
"Y-yeah. Okay, I'm on board," said Yamauchi.
"You guys sure about this? Seriously, it is illegal," I repeated.
No matter how much Ike tried to sugarcoat it, a crime was still a crime.
"Look, I've been saying this for a while now, Ayanokouji. Licking a
flute is a crime, and directly peeping on someone changing clothes is also a
crime. Secretly photographing someone without their knowledge is a crime.
But this is what youth is for! Boys peeping on girls getting changed don't go
to jail; we only get a warning. That's what I mean! You get it?" Ike repeated.
"I'm not interested," I replied.
"Still, you're cooperating. If you three form a wall, we definitely won't
be spotted," said Ike.
He was really going to do this, even if I backed out.
"All right. I'll cooperate. But promise me one thing, Ike. This plan is
risky. If we're caught, we're going to get more than just a slap on the wrist.
So, success or failure, promise me that Operation Delta is the only time you'll
try this. If you don't, I won't cooperate, and I might report it to the school,
202
too."
If I just flat-out objected, Ike and the others would carry out the crime
regardless. By placing a condition on my offer to cooperate, I could ensure
that this was a one-time event.
If we were discovered, Class D might actually come apart at the seams.
We needed to understand that.
"All right already. I get it. I don't think it's good to try doing
something like this multiple times, anyway," Ike whined.
"That's fortunate, because you'll be staking your future high school
career on this," I replied. Then I added, "Let me suggest one thing. If the pool
opens up at 9:00 A.M., then it'd be best to arrive right on time. If we get there
first, nabbing the spot in the back of the locker room will be simple."
"I see! Let's go with that!" Ike agreed. "A red-blooded young man's
just gotta peep! Let's do this, fellas!"
And that was the story behind Operation Delta.
203
7.1
O n the day we went to the pool, we were the first people to enter the
locker room. We went all the way to the back and spread out our towels. The
boys who entered afterward were lost in their own conversations and paid us
no attention.
"Hurry up, Ike," urged Sudou.
Sudou spread his towel and pretended to change while Ike crouched in
front of the vent. Ike took out the RC car and screwdriver set that he'd
wrapped in the towel and removed floor vent's metal fittings. He immediately
put the RC car inside the vent and started operating it.
The RC car came equipped with a pen light. It rolled forward,
transmitting footage of the path ahead, which the monitor displayed faintly.
"D-damn it! Just like I thought, it's dark!"
With only the pen light for illumination, the visibility on the monitor
was getting worse. Even so, the RC car moved forward, little by little, toward
the light that lay ahead. Even if we went too far, there were metal bars in
place that would stop the car, so we weren't worried about it falling.
"All right, just a little farther!"
The monitor now displayed the locker room. Although the image
quality was terrible, we could see Horikita and the others clearly.
"Wh-whoa!"
Ike's (or rather, the Professor's) plan had succeeded brilliantly. Class D
students, as well as Ichinose, were visible. If we watched, we'd be able to see
them changing in real time.
"Hey, show me too, Kanji. I can't see it at all, dude!"
"You idiot! Show me, too!"
Sudou and Yamauchi kept up their demands. At this rate, there was no
way we'd avoid drawing suspicion.
"You can record this, right? Isn't it better not to push your luck? People
are gonna get suspicious," I warned.
204
"D-damn, you're right. I guess, right now, it's better for us to just get
changed," muttered Yamauchi. He clicked his tongue and grimaced in
frustration. Even if we didn't peep through the monitor, the memory card was
recording and storing everything.
Ike manfully endured the temptation. He put the remote control in his
locker and focused on changing.
"H-how many minutes should I wait, I wonder?" he asked.
"I'd like to keep it there for twenty minutes, at the very least."
If we pulled the car too quickly, we wouldn't see the girls changing.
On the other hand, if we took too long changing, that might arouse suspicion.
This would undoubtedly be the longest twenty minutes of these guys' entire
lives.
"I'll go on ahead," I told them.
"W-wait a minute, Ayanokouji! Are you betraying us?! If you ask us to
show you afterward, we're not going to!" snapped Ike.
"That's not it at all. If twenty minutes pass without a single guy coming
out of the locker room, the girls will get suspicious."
"Ugh. Yeah, I guess you're probably right. Okay, do a good job out
there."
"Got it."
Leaving the other three guys to recover the RC car, I went ahead
toward the pool.
205
7.2
A t the exact same time that I left the men's locker room, something
happened in the girls' area. It was the kind of spectacle those three idiots
longed to see. The camera recorded all the sounds and images.
"This is kind of neat, isn't it? Using the school pool outside of class, I
mean," said Kushida, putting her bag in her locker.
Ichinose, who was changing right next to Kushida, quickly grabbed her
clothes. "Yeah. It feels kind of like when you go to the public pool just to
goof off," she replied.
"Ichinose-san, you have such an amazing figure. You're so well-
proportioned," said Kushida, sighing as if lovestruck.
Ichinose, seeming a little embarrassed, looked over at Kushida. "You
have a great figure too, Kushida-san. I wouldn't compare us."
Ichinose clearly won in terms of chest size, but Kushida could hold her
own. Meanwhile, Sakura kept her distance from the other two as she started
changing. Even being around other girls made her deeply self-conscious.
Unlike in swim class, though, her salvation was the rash guard that would
completely hide her upper body.
"Ichinose-san, could you please not stare at me?" said Horikita,
noticing Ichinose's passionate gaze.
"Oh, sorry, sorry! It's just... How do I put it? Your skin is so flawless
and clear, Horikita-san. I was entranced. I thought I'd admire a cute girl, as a
fellow girl, you know? Kikyou-chan, you agree with me, right?" asked
Ichinose.
"Yeah, Horikita-san is really cute," replied Kushida.
"......"
Horikita resumed changing with a beleaguered sigh.
"You know, you did come out with us today. I didn't think you'd be
interested in something like this," said Ichinose.
"I'm not here because I like this kind of thing. Sometimes you just
206
have to grin and bear it, regardless of your wishes," said Horikita.
207
208
"Hmm? That's kind of confusing, Horikita-san."
Naturally, Horikita couldn't tell anyone how Ayanokouji had called in
a favor to make her come along. She would take the humiliation of trapping
her arm in a water bottle to her grave.
"Why don't you try changing without talking to me?" she retorted,
instead of explaining her comment.
Rejected by Horikita, Ichinose looked around for her next target. She
sighted Sakura, sneakily hiding in the back of the locker room.
Even though Ichinose wasn't familiar with Class D's internal politics,
she could easily tell that Sakura needed gentle handling. Ichinose wouldn't
push enough to make her uncomfortable, but didn't want to completely
ignore her, either. Sakura might be shy, but Ichinose was sure she could open
up to people she came to trust over time. If that were true, Ichinose could
eventually become friends with Sakura as well.
"It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it, Sakura-san? I suppose,
since we're from different classes, we don't run into each other all that
often," said Ichinose.
"Y-yeah, I suppose so," replied Sakura.
"Honami-chan, you already know Sakura-san? That's surprising," said
Kushida, feeling doubtful of the relationship between Sakura and Ichinose.
"We know each other from a while back. Right?" said Ichinose.
"Y-yes," said Sakura, looking more rigid than expected. She avoided
eye contact while she spoke.
Ichinose gave Sakura's body a quick glance, without staring too
openly. Sakura's facial features really were cute. She was slender, but still
had some meat on her bones, and her breasts looked like something you'd see
on a magazine model.
With those looks, Sakura could probably have become the most
popular girl in the school if she'd just been a little more outgoing.
"That reminds me, Honami-chan. You were with Kanzaki-kun today,
too. Could I ask you a little about that?" said Kushida.
"Huh? What about Kanzaki-kun?" replied Ichinose.
209
Sakura, recognizing that this was her chance to escape, shifted away
from Ichinose.
"Well, a girl in our class is interested in Kanzaki-kun. I wanted to ask
you a few things," said Kushida.
"Wow. Kanzaki-kun is surprisingly popular. Girls in our class seem to
like him, too. But I don't think he's dating anyone right now," said Ichinose.
"I see. In that case, I think I'll tell her to call him."
"Yeah, yeah. Kanzaki-kun will like that, I think. Probably."
"Why 'probably'?" Kushida laughed at getting such a vague answer.
"He's a man of few words, you know? Which is fine, I suppose, but he
completely lacks assertiveness. I don't understand him well," added Ichinose.
"I see. I guess he is hard to interpret, isn't he?"
At that point, Ichinose seemed to notice that everyone else was almost
done changing. "Whoa, we need to catch up!"
She started pulling her clothes off quickly, without grace, as if she were
a boy. Her breasts jiggled. Even Horikita, who was trying not to show any
interest, shifted her attention for a moment.
"When did you get those breasts?"
"Huh? You mean, when did they get big? I guess in my third year of
junior high. They just kept growing bigger and bigger. Why?" asked
Ichinose.
"Oh, I understand. That must be why you don't know what to do with
them." If Ichinose had developed rapidly, in under a year, it was no wonder
that she still hadn't adjusted to her body's changes.
Ichinose finished putting on her swimsuit and grabbed her locker key.
"All right! All done changing!" she shouted at the other girls lagging behind.
"I'm going on ahead!"
Ichinose left at a run, her excitement to get to the pool clearly bubbling
over.
"She's like a human typhoon, isn't she?" said Horikita. She was neither
praising nor criticizing Ichinose, just making an observation.
210
Horikita wasn't speaking to anyone in particular, but Kushida
responded. "When Ichinose-san is around, everyone seems to smile."
Horikita glanced briefly at Kushida, but didn't answer. Meanwhile,
Kushida's attention shifted to someone who'd just entered the locker room.
"Oh, Karuizawa-san? Good morning! You came here to hang out?"
asked Ichinose.
"What a coincidence! We're here to swim, too." Kushida couldn't hide
her surprise. Karuizawa almost never swam during class.
"Heh."
With that brief response, Karuizawa and the two girls who entered with
her headed toward the lockers all the way in the back of the room. She
touched the grating across the vent, and it came off without much effort. That
wasn't due to her superhuman strength. Someone had entered the locker
room yesterday and carefully unfastened all the screws with a Philips
screwdriver.
"Ugh. They're seriously doing it. These guys are the lowest of the low
—complete perverts," Karuizawa muttered.
She found the RC car up against the vent opening. Its camera's
gleaming lens captured the girls' locker room at an excellent angle. The light
next to the monitor glowed a faint red, which meant the camera was in the
middle of recording.
Doing as Ayanokouji had instructed her ahead of time, Karuizawa
removed the memory card. She replaced it with a new memory card with no
data, and put the car back in the vent.
"That takes care of that." Soon, the RC car would return to its owner.
"He's the only one who really..."
As exasperated as Karuizawa was by the guys' grossness, her thoughts
turned to the only person who acted to stop them from carrying the plan out:
Ayanokouji. If Ayanokouji hadn't done something, her classmates, and even
girls from other classes, would've had their naked bodies seen without their
knowledge. Even worse, those images would've been saved forever.
"Kei-chan, is everything okay?"
Sonada, Karuizawa's classmate, spoke behind her. Ishikura, the third
211
girl, also looked at Karuizawa with an uneasy expression.
"Ah, yeah. Thanks. I'm good now."
Karuizawa had used her friends to shield herself from view as she bent
down to the vent, just like the guys had done in the other locker room. She'd
even procured the keys to all the nearby lockers beforehand, so people would
see them marked as full, and not use them. Now, Karuizawa calmly and
carefully returned those keys one by one, taking care not to look too nervous.
She didn't explain what she was doing to her friends. They were people
who obediently followed instructions without requiring explanations. They
were not strong-willed, and they feared being ostracized. Karuizawa kept
such people around on purpose.
After she finished changing, and confirmed that no other Class D
students were around, Karuizawa thanked the girls she was with.
"I have a little business to take care of later. Will you two be here?"
"Ah, yeah. We were thinking of swimming. Right?"
212
7.3
A fter swimming to the point of exhaustion, I left the pool and went
back to my room. When I arrived, three excited guys were waiting in front of
my door.
"You're late, Ayanokouji! Hurry up and let us in!" Sudou, his patience
gone, kicked my door. That would only annoy my neighbors and draw the
dorm manager's attention.
"Hurry up, Ayanokouji!"
I opened the door. A bunch of guys unable to contain their arousal
pushed it from behind. Ike held the memory card he'd recovered from the RC
car. On that memory card were images of the girls changing—or so the guys
thought, anyway.
Pushing ahead of me, they turned on my computer without permission.
"I-If there are some incredible pictures, let me copy them."
"Wait, guys. First, I need to confirm somethin'. You guys don't got any
right to see Suzune's naked body."
"Calm down, you two. We're all in this together. Heh heh heh!"
They no longer paid any mind to me, impatiently waiting for the
computer to turn on. Since it'd been an exhausting day, I sat down on my
bed.
"If you could give that back to me after checking the contents, it would
be a big help," I told them.
"The hell, Ayanokouji? What are you trying to be all mature for? You
want to see, too, right?"
"If you want to turn back, now's the time," I warned them.
"Ah, I get it. Well, if you're going to act like a good little boy, you
definitely shouldn't look. Heh. Or maybe I'm just not going to show you,"
said Ike. He stood in front of the computer screen, arms outstretched as if to
block it from view.
"Ain't no guy alive who's not excited about seeing a naked woman. Be
213
honest," said Sudou, already relaxing, as if this were his room. I didn't really
feel any need to go to such lengths to look at a naked woman, however. It
wasn't worth risking expulsion, at the very least.
"Huh?! Wh-why-why is nothing there?!" screamed Ike.
The computer loaded the data from the Professor's memory card—only
there wasn't any data saved on it. The RC car had never recorded properly.
"N-nothing. The data..."
"Wait, that can't be true. I-I mean, it was recording, right? Right?"
The three clicked on the folder, opening it over and over in a panic.
There was no data, though. Karuizawa had taken out the real memory card,
and replaced it with an empty one. No matter how hard the guys looked, they
couldn't find a file that didn't exist.
"Why isn't it there ?!" shouted Ike.
And with that, an act of sabotage annihilated the ambitions of those
three idiots.
214
Postscript
H ey, it's been four months! Kinugasa here.
I sneakily attended a recent party for some game industry people.
When I was there, a company president greeted me. He said, "Kinugasa-san,
I played your games back when I was a student!" That certainly made me feel
the passage of time.
Yeah, let's not think about that too deeply.
This book depicts the events that transpired at the end of summer
vacation, after the test's conclusion back in Volume Four. It sort of sets the
stage for Volume Five with the appearance of some new characters. I put a
swimsuit scene in the main story, and got some amazing fanservice with the
illustrations! Unfortunately, as a result, my editor also rebuked me.
The group of girls surrounding Ayanokouji is becoming more
pronounced. Maybe one of them (or even a character to be introduced later)
will develop a more romantic relationship with Ayanokouji.
Starting in the next volume, we'll finally learn something about
Ayanokouji's past. With the emergence of new rivals, and a new special
exam, the situation will become more chaotic. There are students who want to
reach the top by working with their classmates. There are those who want to
win by themselves, relying on their own power. Finally, there are those who
use others to get ahead. These three kinds of characters will begin to reveal
themselves as the story progresses.
Also, the first volume of the Classroom of the Elite manga is now on
sale! My heart is pounding, since Volume 4.5 of the light novel is on sale at
the same time. I'm going to buy a minimum of three books! One for reading,
one to display on my shelf, and one to preserve!
I am extremely grateful to you, Yuyu-sama and Ichino-sama. There
were only men in the manga's first volume, which must have made it a tough
job, but all the illustrations were exceptional. Perhaps you resent me because,
with Tomoseshunsaku-sama, I'm putting in more and more beautiful female
characters? Please channel that resentment into drawing more attractive,
uncouth male characters (blargh). I look forward to continuing our
215
collaboration on the manga!
Oh, and lastly, there are actually a few bonus stories after this
postscript. What's the true motive behind Ayanokouji's mysterious actions?
The three idiots' terrifying plan is revealed!
216