Students without lunch hurriedly rushed to the cafeteria or convenience store and then returned to the classroom.
About 10 minutes after the lunch break started, 37 classmates, excluding Kōenji, had gathered in the classroom.
Of course, they were there to discuss the approaching special exam.
The plan was to eat and discuss simultaneously to effectively spend time.
There were several important topics, but the first one was to properly understand the special exam and be able to confront it, as Horikita mentioned earlier.
The other was probably the selection of the leader. It was expected that few would object if Horikita, who has done most of the work as a de facto leader, were to run for the position, but she did not speak up herself since the discussion had just begun.
Although she wasn't the type to run away from important responsibilities, she probably wanted to listen to the other classmates' opinions first. There might also be others who wanted to nominate themselves.
However, even if Horikita didn't speak up herself, others would consider nominating her as the leader.
"Horikita-san, I have one question before we begin our official discussion. If we ask you to take on the role of the leader in this special exam, would you accept?"
Yōsuke took the initiative to ask a question that the class likely wanted to know. Instead of an unexpected student suddenly volunteering to become the leader, it would be safer to nominate Horikita, who was likely to produce reliable results, early on—for the sake of the class.
However, everyone's thoughts may not have aligned with Yōsuke's.
In the unanimous vote special exam, as the person responsible for changing the policy and causing confusion in the class, Horikita gave a strong negative impression.
But as expected, Yōsuke showed no signs of such feelings.
"If I'm nominated by many, I have no intention of refusing. But in this special exam, while the leader carries great responsibility, there's also a rule that excuses them from the risk of expulsion or leaving school. If there are other potential candidates, I would like to listen to their ideas."
On the other hand, Horikita didn't want to rush decisions. Because she understood the nature of the exam, she wanted to be careful in her judgment.
This time, the leader bore the responsibility of strategizing and nominating, as well as the privilege of avoiding expulsion.
They should assume that none of the 37 people present wished to be expelled.
Then, it was possible that someone might show more capability than Horikita and benefit from the privilege of not dropping out, enough to wield their leadership effectively. But in most cases, this wouldn't happen—it was an idealistic scenario.
In the end, the reality was that only those who wanted to secure their safety by becoming the leader would come forward. Even if someone volunteered for the role of leader for self-preservation, it was natural that the class wouldn't recognize that individual.
After all, responsibility, preparedness, and the confidence to win the class over were demanded of the leader.
"Is there anyone here who wants to be the leader? If so, please tell us."
Horikita, who had moved to a position on the podium where she could see the whole class, asked this question.
The classroom fell silent right after, and the students just looked at each other as time passed.
After waiting for about 30 seconds for a nominee to appear, Yōsuke nodded.
"I guess that's the correct answer. To be honest, I don't think the leader's exemption from elimination or expulsion is a great benefit. If there's no other student who can take on such an important responsibility for the class, I would really like to leave it to you, Horikita-san. What do you think?"
Since there were no other candidates for the leader's position, Yōsuke was trying to persuade Horikita to make a decision early on.
Although there was no rush, deciding the leader was an important matter.
A response was expected from Horikita, but her reaction was slightly delayed as she had been looking at her phone screen.
It seemed like she was paying attention to the conversation, as she finally responded after closing her screen.
"Yes, of course, I intend to. I showed a reserved attitude to hear other people's opinions, but I always intended to take on the role of the leader. If there are no objections..."
"Hold on a second!"
It's decided. The leader will be Horikita. Just as when such an atmosphere was beginning to form, Maezono raised her hand despite hesitating.
"I think there may be a little room for discussion..."
Yōsuke momentarily stiffened, but he quickly regained his composure, keeping a smile on his face.
Normally, he wouldn't show any weakness, but today was different.
This caution was likely due to the special exam possibly leading to someone's expulsion.
"Certainly, I think Horikita-san is reliable. It's greatly appreciated that she's willing to take on such a responsible role as a leader. However... we can't afford to lose this special exam, right? If we rank last and have an elimination, that person will be expelled from class. Therefore, shouldn't we appoint the person who would give us the highest chance of winning as the leader?"
If she had said that she wanted to be a leader to ensure safety, Yōsuke would likely have immediately dismissed it. Yet, this seemed to be a question of Horikita's ability as a leader.
"Surely, as you said, it would be best if the person who would give us the highest chance of winning becomes leader, but wouldn't Horikita-san make the appropriate decisions to win?"
Yōsuke believed that Horikita was the best fit for the role. So, without any hesitation, he responded.
"I don't doubt Horikita-san's abilities at all. But is she really the best option? I think there's some room for discussion. Can't we find someone who can make better decisions in the class?"
Without pointing to anyone in particular, Maezono appealed to her classmates, including Yōsuke.
Yōsuke managed to maintain his smile as he nodded several times, but he stumbled over his reply.
Maezono's question was reasonable but rather awkward. It had the potential to spoil the atmosphere.
During this, Ike, who didn't seem to be thinking deeply, reacted unexpectedly.
"So, Maezono, do you have someone better in mind? I don't get it."
"Calm down. It's just my personal opinion, but can I mention it?"
Maezono, who agreed with Ike, seemed to have someone in mind.
Nobody had the right to stop her from speaking, so she continued.
"During the unanimous vote special exam, Horikita-san changed her opinion due to the flow of Kushida-san's expulsion, right? The person who should've taken responsibility at that time should've been a student who continued to vote against it. But I just have a feeling that she didn't stick to it where she should have. This time, the leader decides everything, right? And choosing who to expel from the eliminations is something we can't ignore. Ah, for the record, I don't mean to say that her decision was wrong. Although not all problems were resolved, the fact that Kushida-san is still in the class is a big plus."
She emphasized that she didn't dislike Kushida for no good reason and spoke carefully.
Naturally, even having her name mentioned probably annoyed Kushida.
She had more chances to take off her mask lately, but for now, she was still smiling.
But whether that smile was warm or not was another matter…
Above all, Maezono seemed to doubt whether Horikita was decisive and whether she deserved to be trusted.
"I'm just caught up on our leader's decisiveness. Putting aside who else might be the best fit for now, is Horikita-san really the best person to entrust with this exam?"
She proposed that they should reconsider whether it was a good idea to leave it to Horikita.
If asked whether Horikita's decision-making ability was perfect at present, the answer would be no.
I think it was a good question that should be welcomed. This was also important for Horikita. It was an opportunity to absorb the evaluations and thoughts of those around her.
However, it was surprising to see Maezono so eloquently throwing doubt on Horikita's ability.
"I see... that's a hard truth. Indeed, at that time, I hesitated. I refused to follow the wishes of the class majority and made a personal decision. There's no denying that it's a fact."
Hasebe, who had been maintaining a stern expression, showed a momentary clouding on her face but didn't go so far as to glare at Horikita. She would understand by now why Horikita had made such a tough decision at the time.
"I know that I have many immature aspects. I can't declare that I'm the best choice for the leader. Nevertheless, right now, no one else is stepping up to take the role."
"Even if no one has come forward, there may still be recommendations. If you ask other people, including myself, they may be able to give you more suitable candidates. Isn't it worth asking?"
"I see—a recommendation. Of course, there might be some in the class who think someone else would be better than me. But I have already asked the class once. If there was a student who wanted to be a leader, they would have raised their hand. Is it okay to leave the decision to someone who doesn't nominate themselves?"
"But—"
"Or should we ask Kōenji-kun, who is the only one who hasn't participated in this discussion? He has a sharp edge and can undoubtedly make decisions."
She said as if refuting Maezono's opinion.
Kōenji certainly possessed strong individuality that could answer any question.
Maezono seemed a little irritated for a second, but she was unable to come up with a counterargument and stuttered.
"Your thinking is correct too. I agree with the opinion that we should search for someone stronger and faster in good decision-making. So after listening to what you just said, I am asking the whole class. In this special exam, students who are confident that they can lead and guide the class to victory, please raise your hand. If someone emerges who I think is more suitable than me, I would gladly give up the leadership role."
It was clear that she was referring to me, and some people turned their gaze in my direction, but of course, I didn't move. I have no intention of taking away the opportunity for Horikita to grow as a leader.
And Horikita understood more than anyone that I stubbornly didn't want to nominate myself.
That was why she merely suggested finding someone in the class with strong decision-making abilities.
You couldn't fight with just the strength you kept within yourself.
Indeed, unless you were so confident that you raised your hand, you couldn't be entrusted with this special exam.
"Certainly, as Horikita-san said, we can't make someone who doesn't nominate themselves a leader."
Maezono withdrew her opinion in the face of a valid argument, and the situation settled down.
While it may seem repetitive, Maezono's remarks weren't unnecessary or reprehensible. It was essential to prevent the bias that classmates should make Horikita the leader.
Once again, it was whether Horikita was the most suitable leader for this class or not. As long as we could arrive at that answer each time, there was no need to worry in that regard.
And when that question disappeared entirely, that was the moment when Horikita grew into a leader recognized by everyone in the class.
"It seems like we can move forward at last. Let's get back to discussing what this special exam is. We should also continue eating. Everyone stopped eating because of the tension."
Perhaps due to the tense atmosphere, many students hadn't made much progress with their lunch. At Yōsuke's words, some people hastened to eat again.
Then, Horikita and Yōsuke took the lead in explaining the overview and rules of the special exam.
While Horikita was speaking, Yōsuke continued eating, and while Yōsuke was speaking, Horikita did the same.
Including what they couldn't hear during Chabashira-sensei's explanation, by the time they moved into the second half of the lunch break, all students had deepened their understanding.
And when the flow of exchanging opinions began, Sudō spoke somewhat forcefully, as if he had been thinking about something all along.
"What're we going to do about the guy who isn't here, Kōenji? Do we have to protect him? That's what we promised, right?"
Kōenji achieved the feat of being the sole person who placed first in the deserted island exam under the pretext of an advanced payment until graduation. In return, he gained the right to complete freedom. This meant unconditional protection for Kōenji. Of course, this special exam also brought the risk of dropping out or expulsion to Kōenji.
This promise was made just before the deserted island exam, and many classmates heard about it. After the test, Horikita explained it, so it was a fact known to everyone.
"A timely topic. I just received a polite email that said, 'It goes without saying, but I'd be in trouble if you don't protect me from expulsion.'"
As she answered, she showed her classmates the actual text on her cell phone screen.
"That's the worst, right!? It means we'll be forced to have four protected slots!"
If the attackers were to realize that Kōenji is always protected, of course, they'd avoid targeting him. But even if they avoided him, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be attacked. If we were to keep our promise, we must keep protecting him.
"Don't jump to conclusions. We can't say for certain that we need to constantly protect him. We'll think of some countermeasures. I won't discuss it in detail now, but don't worry too much."
This part involved strategy, so we couldn't casually discuss it here.
If the discussion became heated, it would be time-consuming, and lunch break alone wouldn't be long enough. Considering the remaining time, Horikita only reviewed the necessary points and answered questions related to them.
Also, for the discussions related to strategy, Horikita indicated that they should be carefully conducted from the standpoint of information leakage.
While ideas were welcomed as they came to mind, they were not to be exchanged in public places, such as classrooms and corridors where people pass, or on cell phones, where records can easily be left.