Bab 14: Cruise Ship Special Exam: Second Part
The first day of the Cruise Ship Special Exam concluded with the Rabbit Group at an impasse.
The prestigious Class A students remained tight-lipped, while Ichinose of Class B spearheaded discussions, urging cooperation between all classes (A, B, C, and D) to find the VIP.
This strategy aimed for the most favorable outcome – a conclusion that wouldn't affect class points but would award significant private points to each member.
Despite Ichinose's efforts, the meeting ended without a decision.
Following this unproductive meeting, Ayanokouji received a message from Sakura, requesting a meeting at the ship's bow.
(Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's POV)
Reaching the ship's bow, I found Sakura waiting for me, a hint of nervousness evident in her posture. She turned towards me, her face breaking into a hopeful smile.
"Ayanokouji-kun," she greeted, her voice tinged with a touch of excitement. "How did the group meeting go?"
I met her gaze with a neutral expression. "Uneventful," I replied, my voice devoid of any emotion.
"Oh," she replied, her smile faltering slightly. "I see. Well, I was hoping to hear about it."
My gaze remained impassive. This wasn't about satisfying her curiosity, but about keeping her focused on the task at hand. "Tell me about your group," I said, changing the subject. "Who are your teammates?"
Sakura brightened slightly. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a slip of paper and unfolded it before me. "We're the Cow Group," she explained, pointing to the designated symbol at the top. "Here are our members."
I scanned the list she presented: a mix of names from all four classes. "Unfamiliar faces, I presume?" I remarked, my voice devoid of inflection.
"Yes," Sakura admitted, a hint of shyness creeping into her voice. "I don't think I know anyone from the other classes."
"Interesting," I mused, more to myself than to her. The lack of pre-existing connections could be both a challenge and an opportunity.
"But…" Sakura continued, her voice taking on a slightly breathless quality. "During the meeting, everyone tried to talk to me!"
My eyebrow rose a fraction. This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. "Everyone?" I echoed, urging her to elaborate.
"Yes! Not just the boys, but even Yume Kobashi and Yui Ninomiya from Class B!" A hint of disbelief tinged her voice. "They said they were… fans! From when I used to be a gravure model under the name Shizuku!"
A flicker of surprise coursed through me, quickly masked by a neutral expression. So, Sakura's past was catching up to her. It was a potential complication, but also an opportunity for exploitation.
"That's good," I stated calmly, my voice devoid of any judgment. "Continue talking to them. The girls, and the boys as well, if possible. Get to know them all."
A surge of excitement washed over Sakura's face. "You mean… I can be useful to you if I just do that?" she stammered, her voice trembling slightly.
"Indeed," I confirmed, my voice a low murmur. "This is your first assignment."
The weight of my words seemed to settle on her shoulders. She straightened her posture, a determined glint flickering in her eyes. "I… I understand," she declared, her voice stronger than before. "I'll do my best to gather information, just like you asked."
I calmly nodded.
Sakura, eager to please me, had readily accepted her mission. She would act as my eyes and ears within the Cow Group, gathering information and potentially influencing them from within. A pawn perfectly positioned on the game board.
"Good," I said, my voice flat. "Keep me updated."
With that, I turned and walked away, leaving her alone on the bow of the ship.
Soon after I left, I felt a presence approaching from behind. Yamauchi, his face flushed with a mixture of annoyance and entitlement, blocked my path.
"Ayanokouji," he barked, his voice laced with suspicion. "What were you doing with Sakura?"
The question was predictable. Yamauchi likely saw my interaction with Sakura as an opportunity to gain access to her newfound popularity. I met his gaze with a stoic indifference.
"A brief conversation," I replied simply, my voice devoid of any emotion. "Nothing of importance."
He scoffed, unconvinced. "Yeah, right. You promised you'd get me her contact info."
Ah, yes. The promised "gift" from the island. I had never intended to fulfill it, but it now served a purpose. "Unfortunately," I said, feigning regret, "I wasn't successful."
Yamauchi's face contorted in disappointment. "What do you mean?" he whined. "Did you even ask her?"
"Of course," I lied smoothly. "But she said… well, she said you should talk to her yourself tomorrow morning. She'll give you her answer then."
A flicker of hope ignited in Yamauchi's eyes. This outcome, while unexpected, suited my needs perfectly. It would keep him occupied, chasing a non-existent reward, while Sakura, unknowingly, would be further isolated from the rest of Class D.
"Really?" Yamauchi stammered, barely containing his excitement. "She actually said that?"
"Indeed," I confirmed, maintaining my neutral expression. "So, if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to."
Yamauchi, his mind preoccupied with the false promise of Sakura's contact information, mumbled a distracted response and moved aside.
With Yamauchi dealt with, I retreated to my cabin. The encounter served as a reminder of the potential complications within Class D itself. Yamauchi's opportunism highlighted the need for further control over Sakura's interactions. To that end, I drafted a message on my student ID, detailing my next instructions for her.
"Yamauchi will request your contact information tomorrow morning," I wrote, my tone neutral and factual. "Provide it to him at that time." This initial concession served a dual purpose: it placated Yamauchi and allowed Sakura to establish a preliminary connection with a classmate.
However, my goal wasn't limited to Yamauchi.
"In addition," I continued, "you should begin sharing your contact information with other students from Class D, at your discretion." This was where the true manipulation would begin.
The message sent, I waited for her response. It arrived almost instantly.
"Can I give them my backup email instead of my main one?" Her question indicated a flicker of apprehension, a subtle resistance to complete openness. It was a predictable hesitation.
"Acceptable," I replied with a single word, my message devoid of judgment. She needed a sense of control, a way to limit unwanted intrusions.
"A secondary address will suffice. Just ensure everyone receives your contact details."
This step would allow me to monitor their communications, gleaning insights into Class D's internal dynamics while remaining undetected.
I continued typing, outlining the boundaries.
"There is no need to respond to every message you receive, particularly from the boys," I instructed. "If they become bothersome, you have my permission to block them."
Her newfound popularity, while advantageous, needed to be managed. Excessive attention could disrupt my plans.
My response seemed to alleviate her concerns. A quick reply arrived, a single word accompanied by a whimsical emoticon that betrayed her underlying excitement. "Okay!" it read, followed by a smiley face with hearts for eyes.
~~
(Third Person's POV)
The Rabbit Group meeting concluded with the same lack of progress as the previous day.
Ayanokoji returned to his dorm room, where his usual roommates, Hirata, Yukimura, and the eccentric Koenji, were present.
A bombshell dropped moments later.
Hirata, to Ayanokoji and Yukimura's surprise, revealed that two Class D students had confided in him – Kushida Kikyo from the Dragon Group and Minami from the Horse Group – both designated VIPs in the special exam.
This unexpected information shifted the dynamics within the room.
Adding further chaos to the mix, Kouenji, in a display of his characteristic arrogance, declared his boredom with the exam.
With a flourish, he sent the name of the Monkey Group's VIP to the designated school address, effectively ending their participation in the test.
Moments later, a school-wide email confirmed the Monkey Group's dismissal.
The room fell silent, the weight of Kouenji's impulsive act hanging heavy in the air.
Ayanokoji, however, kept his gaze impassive, his mind already calculating the implications of this new development.
New strategies needed to be formulated.
A single detail snagged Ayanokoji's attention – Kushida Kikyo, his pawn, was the VIP of the Dragon Group. This crucial piece of information had been deliberately withheld from him by her.
A cold glint flickered in his eyes.
Reaching for his phone, he composed a message for Kushida, requesting a meeting in an unusual location: the deserted fourth underground level switchboard room.
It was a place students rarely frequented, offering a secluded space for their conversation.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone