When we landed at Shinchitose Airport, we began lining up in the airport's lobby.
The buses to Haneda were boarded as a class, but from now on the group conduct finally begins.
Mashima-sensei is in charge of group number 1 to 5, Chabashira-sensei is in charge of groups 6 to 10, Sakagami-sensei is in charge of groups 10 to 15, and Hoshinomiya-sensei is in charge of numbers 16 to 20.
"Once the group is all gathered, you can decide on the seating. Please discuss and decide which seats will be whose."
My group, group 6, has 8 fixed seats granted to us.
The 8 of us will decide where to sit in these 8 seats.
By the way, the seats are in two rows of two seats on each side from the beginning of the car.
As I am in group 6, I walked over to the area led by Chabashira-sensei.
"It looks like we're in a group together, Ayanokoji-kun."
The one to call out to me like that was Kushida from the same class.
"Looks like it. So are you really fine with whoever you get grouped with?"
"Basically, yes. Well... I'm not so welcoming of Ryuen-kun, however."
I don't know to what extent they showed their true nature, but Ryuen and Kushida should have joined hands for a time. With that reason, he may be a difficult partner to deal with.
"I'm sure he's not a scary opponent for you any more. You've never been the type to be afraid of anyone, anyway. Even if he were to make a careless remark about you, it would have no influence on your classmates, so."
"I know. It's Ryuen-kun, who's aiming for Class A. He could threaten me at some point.
I was worried if I can handle it, but I think it might be easier now."
Even if his true nature is exposed, it won't affect many people. It seems that Kushida also has created such a resolve.
"Kikyou-chan~!"
As they emerged from the crowd of students, a boy and a girl from the Ichinose Class raised their hands.
It's Watanabe Norihito and Amikura Mako.
Kushida, of course, seems to be good friends with Amikura too and they joyfully took each others' hands. On the surface, they're acting like best friends, but when I think that Kushida is probably unmoved on the inside, this scene makes quite the spectacle
.
"Let's have some fun for the next 5 days."
After Watanabe called out to me, I lightly raised my hand and replied so. We haven't interacted with each other before, so this should be a good opportunity to get to know his personality.
Half of us are here now. The next one to show herself was Nishino, followed a little later by Ryuen.
"Good morning, Nishino-san. And you too, Ryuen-kun."
Taking the lead, Kushida spoke up with a smile. Watanabe and Amikura followed up too.
"...Hi there."
The girl called Nishino seems a bit awkward, not having interacted with Kushida and Amikura that much.
On the other hand, Ryuen did not reply to anyone in particular, and stopped a distance away.
"Now it's just Kitou-kun and Yamamura-san left, huh?"
"If it's those two, they've already come."
"Huh?"
When I pointed behind Kushida, they noticed that the two had quietly lined up together.
As soon as he showed himself, Kitou glared at Ryuen with a silent pressure mixed in.
Yamamura, on the other hand, approached with her gaze downcast, looking at no one in particular.
"It looks like we're all gathered, so let's quickly decide on our seats."
At a time like this, having a presence in the group that can take the lead like this is a big factor.
If there is a problem, I am a little concerned about what Ryuen, who serves as the leader of Class C, would say, but...
Surprisingly, however, he did not particularly seem to be interrupting. Either he has no intention of commanding other classes, or perhaps he thinks that there is no need to go out on matters as small as where we will sit.
"Isn't it the best for the boys to be with the boys and the girls to be with the girls?"
Taking advantage of the fact that Kushida took the lead, Amikura proposed so.
"What do you think, everyone? No disagreements?"
No one spoke out in objecting about the boys and the girls sitting separately.
Neither Nishino nor Yamamura seemed to care about it.
On one side, the boys would not be able to complain in the slightest about Amikura's statement.
If they clumsily disagreed, a composition where the boys want to sit with the girls would be formed.
"Then we can have the girls discuss with the girls, and the boys with the boys, right?"
After saying so, Kushida began skillfully separating the boy's side. It would have been easier to let Kushida make the decision on how to divide us, but... I suppose it cannot be helped.
Watanabe and I naturally gathered together, but Ryuen and Kitou did not move a step.
"What should we do, Ayanokoji? This feels like there's going to be a big problem."
"Yeah."
"I'm fine with anyone, you know, but I can't see myself talking with Ryuen and Kitou."
"Can you see me talking with them?"
"Huh..? Umm... Well… It's better than putting those two together, right?"
I could not be happy about the compared subject matter being what it is. Personally, I feel like I can get through this without being wrapped up in trouble if I sit with Watanabe, but... As I was starting to think that I should just go ahead and make a decision, Kitou approached me without making a sound.
"As long as I'm not next to Ryuen, I have no complaints."
He blurted out the most troubling statement, then returned to his original position.
"...What should we do?"
"If you force those two to be side by side, it's going to be a disaster..."
Having easily imagined this situation too, Watanabe nodded his head in dismay.
"Then... We have no choice but to separate ourselves. Where do you want to be?"
"I'm fine with any seat. Sit wherever you'd like, Watanabe."
"Wherever I'd like, huh..?"
Faced with two choices that made him want to hold his head, Watanabe pondered for a moment before giving an answer.
"I'll just go with Kitou, then. I mean, that guy seems calm in general, so. If I don't turn hostile intent towards him, I don't think that he'll do anything to me."
Indeed, Kitou is not as ominous as he looks. I have a clear image of him being harmless to all except those hostile to him.
[TL Note 10 : Jinchiku Mugai, lit. harmless to humans and animals.]
Well then, I should make sure I greet them too. The school trip is long, with 4 nights and 5 days.
"You may be unwilling, but as long as there aren't any problems, I'll be next to you during the school trip. I want to be considerate and give you the window seat, so are you alright with that?"
"Whatever."
For now, he seems as quiet and meek as a borrowed cat.
[TL Note 11 : Karitekita Neko, lit. "borrowed cat". Expression used to mean someone who is acting quiet and meekly like a cat not in its own house.]
If he thought it through, it would be no strange thing for him to be absent from the school trip without permission, but he's earnestly participating, which is impressive of Ryuen.
"You ain't misunderstanding things, eh, Ayanokoji?"
"Misunderstanding?"
"The preliminary battle between me and Sakayanagi has already begun, you know."
After saying so, Ryuen gave a glare to Kitou. Kitou, on the other hand, is also glaring back as if he was expecting such a gaze to come towards him.
"I see. This school trip will inevitably lead to exchanges with the other classes. So you're saying that this is a great opportunity to look for gaps in each other?"
"It's a good opportunity to see what kind of guy Kitou is. Depending on the situation, I'll crush him right away."
It's a disturbing statement that makes it hard to believe the trip to Hokkaidou will be joyful and enjoyable.
I suppose this won't end as just a simple trip. That being said, was Sakayanagi's group number 4? I recalled in my mind the members who were allocated to number 4.
It's Tokitou Hiroya and Morofuji Rika from the Ryuen Class.
The second term is not over yet, but, heading towards the end of the school year, there's nothing wrong with starting to look into each other already. If we end up clashing with the two classes that have prepared for battle, it will be quite the challenge.
When the school decided that the group's discussion was over, they began to lead the way. I gave Ryuen the window seat in the bus, and I sat next to him.
There was a lively atmosphere inside the buses travelling on a class-by-class basis, but it was now silent like a lie.
A group designated by the school mixing with different classes. Not all students are close friends, so I suppose it will take some time for them to open up and be able to talk casually.
As if proving this, half the students riding on the bus were separated by class and not by gender.
This is an inevitable example of what happens when you can't take the initiative like Kushida and decide who you'll sit next to.
Still, all of the students wanted to enjoy the trip. About 30 minutes after the bus' departure, most of the introductions were over, and the group's conversation started widening outside just one's own classmates.
Then, when it was explained that we can use karaoke, one of the boys started singing with a microphone in his hand.
"I felt the same thing from that first year as I do from you. Do you know him?"
I did not think Ryuen would ever speak to me during the trip, but such words flew from the side with no warning.
With the posture of his elbows, he's speaking as if talking to himself without even looking at me.
"What if I say I have nothing to do with him?"
"That can't be true. He was beating the damn teachers away just to get to you."
It's true that with that, it doesn't look like we're unrelated.
"I just know him a bit. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So I shouldn't care about him? I can smell something fishy from over here."
"There's no point in turning your eyes towards a first year. Isn't the important thing getting up to Class A?"
"I'll do whatever I want. This may be useful for beating you to death one day."
I see. So rather than having an interest in Yagami, he's keeping an eye on him because he thinks that this may be a weak point for me, who is standing behind him.
Well, it will not become a weakness, but I won't deny that it's a troubling factor.
"It's enough to make some crazy guys drag a first year along. Further, the damn school even took a stance of tolerating it. I feel like for a moment, I saw the true identity of a suspicious bastard like you."
"That's a shame, though. Yagami isn't here anymore."
"It's true that he's out, but isn't there still a girl from first year called Amasawa left? I can just play with her."
It seems that Yagami somehow left behind a little information.
If I remain silent, there is a high enough chance that Ryuen will start to mess with Amasawa. In a one on one fight, I'm sure Amasawa would not fall behind. But, in the case of Ryuen, it won't end with that.
It's easy to imagine him to persistently keep clinging for an opening, and repeatedly trying to make contact.
Of course, in normal times, Amasawa would have the ability to react to this to some extent, but now that Yagami has been expelled, the situation is unstable.
"Whatever. Anyway, there's still some time before I'll fight with you."
Ryuen, seeing my thoughts and replying as such. There's a lot I want to say, but it is true that he would focus on the Sakayanagi class which is certain to get to the end of the school term, rather than the Horikita class with which there is no knowing when a battle will materialize.
"By the way, Ryuen, there's one thing I want to ask. I've been thinking about it since this morning, actually."
"Huh?"
I put my hand out and reached into the netted pocket in the back of the seat in front of me.
Then, I took the black plastic bag set there.
"I've been wondering what this bag is for."
"Huh?"
He suspiciously came close to me, and laughed with his nose.
"It's a bag to use when you puke, right? Are you fucking with me?"
"I see. Indeed, I suppose there is a possibility of puking if you get nauseous in cars."
So this is what is commonly known as an etiquette bag.
"It wasn't set up in the bus to the Uninhabited Island Special Test. I guess it isn't used commonly."
We've gotten on buses many times until now, but it's the first time something like this was in the pocket. I suppose this is for us as much as it is out of consideration for the bus company.
I'm sure it would be very hard to clean up if someone clumsily spread their vomit all over the seats or the floor. I've come here after looking into a variety of things, but there are still numerous things I don't know about. I suppose it is expected that I will encounter the unknown if I leave the school.
"You're a weirdo as always. Are you telling me you're some rich kid that's never rode on a bus?"
[TL Note 12 : Bonbon, a child from a rich family in Kansai dialect]
"It is true that I don't have that much experience."
I've seen a lot of children vomit because of semicircular canal disturbances, but they weren't in an environment where they would be allowed to throw up into bags like these.
[TL Note 13 : Inner ear canal]
I'm not thinking with the premise that it's okay even if you puke, so I'm not being unreasonable.
I have experienced the sensation of motion sickness a few times myself, but I should keep in mind that there are such useful things in this world.