2-2 chp4 part 2

Summer vacation was soon approaching, and it was now July 6th. The entire group, apart from Akito, who went to his club, gathered by my seat near the classroom door. This was because we had agreed to go to Keisei's room together later.

"Ayanokouji-kun, can I talk to you for a second?"

As we were leaving the classroom, Kushida called after me.

"What's up?"

Since the number of times Kushida had come to talk to me had decreased a lot lately, this sudden call could only be called a surprise.

Our relationship for now only consisted of me transferring a fixed percentage of my points to her according to our contract. Since the class's individual point earnings were consistent every month, I gave them to her without a second thought.

"Actually, a 1st year student told me that he wanted to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun... But is this a bad time?”

Kushida looked at Haruka and the others in the group, embarrassed at the sight, and continued

"He asked me to arrange a meeting with you. It'll take about an hour. ”

"What, what?? Don't tell me she's confessing?"

Airi panicked upon hearing Haruka’s interruption.

"Eh? Ehhh?! Is that true?"

"If that's the case, I don't think we can allow them to meet."

They spoke their minds out loud and even decided my fate for me.

"... Is that the case?"

Anyway, I decided to check with Kushida first.

"Eh? Ah, that... It's actually a boy that wants to meet you... Sorry."

Kushida apologized, with a troubled expression.

No, you didn't need to apologize for that at all.

Although it wasn't something like that to begin with, I still felt relieved.

"Isn't that great? It's good to communicate with the 1st years, right?"

"Right, after all, our group is really bad at interpersonal relationships. It wouldn't be a bad thing if Kiyotaka could meet up with a 1st year."

Forget what the 1st year said, since both parties are telling me to go now, I’ll have to meet him. Airi grew relieved after hearing that it wasn't a confession, and wanted me to go. Now, I had no reason to refuse.

"I see, what should I do?"

"Thanks! Well, I'll just tell them you said yes."

Kushida took out her phone to send a reply.

"Then we'll go for now, let’s meet up later yeah?"

After a brief talk, the members of the Ayanokouji group went back to the dormitory.

"Sorry about this."

Kushida apologized to me as she held her phone to her ear, though it hadn’t connected yet.

"It's not a big deal. Nobody in the group'll have any cause for complaint."

The 1st year boy picked up the phone shortly after.

"Ah, hello? Ayanokouji-kun said that you could meet him now. Uh-huh, ah, is that so? Then we'll just wait here."

Kushida hung up in less than ten seconds.

"He seems to be heading this way already, so let's just wait here, so that we don't miss him, okay?"

The 1st year student who wanted to meet me seemed to be on his way over.

"So, you're already on good terms with the 1st years?"

"Eh? It's July already, it's been a long time..."

"... That's true."

It's been over three months since the 1st years joined the school. On an unrelated note, the sun was burning bright outside the window in the hallway.

It will soon be time for the cicadas to begin singing their cantatas.

Even though it had only been three months in my socially awkward perspective, it was more than enough for Kushida to form friendships with the 1st years.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you've made friends with some of the first years, right?"

I mean I should’ve, but I haven’t been able to make any.

"There's no one I can call a friend."

"That's, so... I see... There's no need to rush. It's just the beginning of the year."

Anyway, focusing on that would make me feel empty. I have spoken to a few first years occasionally. However, that hasn't done anything for my interpersonal skills.

Due to the uncomfortable atmosphere, the dialogue between us came to a halt at some point.

As I was thinking of how to respond to Kushida, the 1st year appeared in the corridor

"Kushida-senpai."

Appearing from the corner was Takuya Yagami, who had graduated from the same junior high school as Horikita and Kushida. Due to his appearance, the awkward atmosphere dissipated and Kushida let out a smile.

"Yagami-kun is the one who wanted to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun."

"It's the first time we have met, Ayanokouji-senpai, thanks for taking the time to come here."

Because it was a 1st year who had greeted Kushida before, I had a faint idea about him.

"I think it was... Class1-B, right?"

"Yes. I'm Takuya Yagami of Class 1-B."

I've seen Yagami before, but I've never spoken with him till now. We’re finally having our first conversation before summer comes.

Apparently, he had assumed leadership of Class 1-B, but exactly how far did he reach? A good-natured person who treated people well. Add to that a high academic ability, and you get someone who was very popular.

"Why don’t we go to my room to talk? I recently got my hands on a pretty rare black tea, and although it takes time to steep, it's delicious!"

Yagami suggested that we should definitely go to his room if we could.

Since I didn't usually drink black tea, I was slightly interested.

It's just that, would we finish in an hour? It seemed improbable.

"Ah, sorry Yagami-kun, but actually, after this, Ayanokouji-kun has to meet up with his classmates in an hour, so can we try to keep this short?"

Kushida noticed that it might take some time, so she explained my situation to him.

"I see, that's fine. Let's talk at the cafe in Keyaki mall then."

Although a bit disappointed, Yagami readily agreed after understanding the situation.

"Then, let's go Ayanokouji-kun."

I slightly nodded, and decided to go to the Keyaki mall with Kushida and Yagami.

"So, the special exam on the uninhabited island is about to start. I heard that you guys had the same special exam last year."

"Yeah. It was pretty tough."

"Could you tell me about the rules and what happened? Since we have no experience as 1st years, we want to at least gather some information beforehand."

"That's fine... But I don't know if it’ll be of any help. The rules this year are completely different from last year’s."

"I know. The rules of the uninhabited island exam that the 3rd year senpais took at the time also seemed to be different from the rules of the exam you took, Kushida-senpai."

"Oh, so the 3rd years also took the uninhabited island exam."

"Like you guys, they all took it in the 1st year. In the past, the uninhabited island exam was only conducted once during one's time at the school--- Is this year an exception, or has that rule changed?"

It seemed like Yagami had more information than we did.

"Are you surprised? About how I have information about the 3rd years."

Yagami asked me, who had been quiet all this time.

"It's because I joined the student council. I asked President Nagumo about the uninhabited island survival exam two years ago, and he kindly told me. At that time, they were divided into 4 groups within the class, and a total of 12 groups competed."

The rules for their special exam were different from the rules we had been given.

Apart from a few similarities, the different years essentially took different special exams.

"Maybe there's a hint concealed within the uninhabited island exam the 2nd years took."

Even if Kushida and I had kept Yagami in the dark, it wouldn't have mattered. There was no need to deliberately hide it from him and it looked like Kushida was going to tell him.

As expected, Kushida started to explain to him in detail about the uninhabited island exam last year.

I listened in silence as I followed them.