Horikita Suzune herself still had no clue about the so-called pattern of the "VIPs."
In fact, when she received Shimizu Akira's ssage this morning, she felt a bit unconvinced. She had specifically tried to re-organize and deduce it once more, but her mind remained a chaotic ss; she hadn't analyzed a single useful clue.
Fortunately, today was a day off after all, and she temporarily pushed the annoying matter of the VIP pattern to the back of her mind.
Lifting her eyes to glance at the ti, it was already 9:00 AM sharp, half an hour away from her eting with Shimizu Akira.
Turning around to prepare to head out, the sound of a conversation coming from the dorm made her unconsciously pause her steps, her gaze falling upon Kushida Kikyo.
She saw Kushida chatting warmly with their roommate, Wang i-Yu:
"i-chan, how about we go for a massage together in a little while?"
"Sure, sure!" Wang i-Yu agreed with a smile, then followed up curiously, "I feel like you've been in a particularly good mood lately, Kikyo, always smiling. Did you encounter sothing happy?"
"Mhm!" Kushida said happily, "I tried sothing I've never done before. I didn't expect the experience to be so good; it was quite a surprise!"
Sothing she had never experienced before?
What had this woman done now?
But on second thought, she imdiately cald down.
What did what she do have to do with her!
She could never forget the look of the other party when she had suddenly dropped her disguise and revealed her true face during their last private conversation.
This current cheerful and jumping appearance was probably just another act.
Horikita Suzune thought this in her heart, but she had no intention of speaking out about the true face of Kushida she had witnessed that day.
Firstly, she was not the type of person who enjoyed gossiping; secondly, even if she said it, no one would believe her.
'That woman probably doesn't know that I'm going to see Shimizu Akira next!'
The thought suddenly flashed through her mind, and a trace of inexplicable pleasure rose in the depths of Horikita's heart.
After all, anyone could see that Kushida Kikyo liked Shimizu Akira very much. If she were to find out that Horikita was eting Shimizu Akira alone, there was no telling how angry she would get.
Thinking of this, she no longer delayed. She walked quickly out of the room and soon arrived at the fourth-floor stairwell.
Just as she pressed the elevator button, the doors opened with a "ding." A purple-haired girl stood inside the elevator, her face expressionless and tinged with a bit of coldness.
Horikita unconsciously glanced at her.
She didn't know her, but she had to admit the girl was very cute, with delicate features—especially those beautiful legs, which she imagined boys would like very much.
Interestingly, despite her cold expression, a joy similar to her own was hidden in the depths of the girl's eyes.
The purple-haired girl's murmur happened to drift into Horikita's ears:
"Next ti I should buy more black stockings... who told that guy to like both black stockings and feet? eting like this once, doesn't it waste a pair of black stockings?"
Horikita's steps paused slightly.
Hmm? She glanced at the other party inconspicuously.
Did she just co back from a date with a male student? Looking so cold on the outside, her actions were unexpectedly bold.
Only then did she notice that the stockings on the girl's legs seed to be a bit torn.
The male student she was dating... his preference for feet was perhaps a bit too intense.
At least in Horikita Suzune's view, things like wearing black stockings were still too early for her current self. Today, she had clean, bare legs without any decoration.
She didn't think more about the girl's affairs; after all, the eting with Shimizu Akira was the important matter.
She walked into the elevator, pressed the floor button, and soon arrived at the agreed-upon lounge.
Standing outside the door, a thin red flush unexpectedly crept onto her cheeks.
In fact, over the last two days, she had secretly watched many romance movies and finally had so hazy understanding of the intimate relationship between n and won.
Horikita Suzune secretly cheered herself on: Today, she would be bold as well!
She had even prepared herself, wanting to try doing sothing a step further.
Taking a deep breath to suppress the throbbing in her heart, she raised her hand and gently knocked on the lounge door.
The familiar sound of footsteps soon ca from inside the room, followed by a "click" as the door was pulled open.
When Shimizu Akira saw Horikita standing outside the door, he was sowhat surprised. "Five minutes earlier than the agreed ti. It seems you are very punctual."
Horikita felt the heat in her cheeks surge upward again. She quickly averted her gaze and spoke with forced composure: "I just didn't want to waste ti."
Saying that, she slipped sideways into the room.
"There's no ti to lose, let's begin," Horikita Suzune coughed lightly and said seriously.
She had always disliked dragging her feet and only wanted to cut to the chase as quickly as possible.
"You said before... that holding hands and shaking hands are things only elentary school students do. I don't deny it." Her tone was solemn, but the tips of her ears were secretly heating up.
"So, for our next step, it should be the turn for... ahem... a hug!"
After saying those two words, she could almost hear her own heartbeat.
In her view, going from holding hands to hugging should count as a significant step forward—at least, that's what she told herself.
After all, this was just the beginning.
However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she was still startled by her own boldness.
She subconsciously lifted her eyes to look at Shimizu Akira, only to see that he was clearly stunned for a mont.
Could it be that Shimizu Akira was frightened by her bold behavior?
Horikita Suzune slightly lifted her chin. "You don't need to be surprised; this is a decision I made after careful consideration."
She paused and added, "Don't look at like that. I am occasionally capable of making bold moves."
"Pffft... Hahaha!"
Responding to her was Shimizu Akira's uncontrollable laughter. He laughed until he was bent over, his whole person becoming relaxed.
He really couldn't help it.
This appearance of Horikita pretending to be sophisticated was exactly like a codian who was taking the stage for the first ti but insisted on playing the role of a romantic lead.
Bold? Was Horikita Suzune bold?
Clearly, in the past two days, whether it was her or Kamuro who had just left, both had had much more intimate contact with him than a hug.
This person was clearly so restrained that even the tips of her ears would turn red at key monts, yet she insisted on putting on an act of being completely at ease in front of him!
"You're laughing at again!" Horikita Suzune's face darkened, her voice carrying clear displeasure.
Shimizu Akira finally managed to stop his laughter.
"No, no... I'm not laughing at you... I just think that you announcing you want to hug with such gravity is really quite sudden! You really are so literal."
"Is there a problem with that?" Horikita Suzune crossed her arms, her brow furrowing slightly. "Everything should have a clear plan and steps. From holding hands, to hugging, to..." She paused, skipping that word.
"This is a logical progression."
"But feelings aren't an exam; you don't need to answer the questions step-by-step." Shimizu Akira took a step forward, looking at her slightly flushed cheeks.
"Moreover, things like hugging usually aren't done by announcent, but by feeling."
"Feeling?" Horikita showed a sowhat confused expression. "What do you an?"
Shimizu Akira didn't answer directly. He just took another step closer, close enough to see her lightly trembling eyelashes.
"Like right now," he said. "Would you want to hug ?"
Horikita Suzune was montarily speechless. She was indeed thinking.
Thinking about whether this distance had already entered the so-called personal space, thinking about what the light flickering in his eyes represented, and thinking about whether her accelerating heartbeat was normal.
"I..." Just as she spoke, Shimizu Akira had already naturally opened his arms and gently took her into his embrace.
This hug was brief and warm, ending as soon as they touched.
Horikita hadn't even had ti to carefully experience the flavor of it before it was all over.
"See, it's that simple." Shimizu Akira took a step back and looked at her calmly.
"No need for declarations, no need for plans. When you want to do it, just do it."
Horikita Suzune stood frozen in place, as if still savoring that sudden hug.
A few seconds later, as if she had finally reacted, a look mixed with surprise and realization appeared on her face.
Frankly, what appeared in her mind at this mont were the scenes from those romance movies.
Those male and female protagonists indeed embraced naturally like that.
An overly deliberate sense of ceremony would instead make her feel at a loss.
Like what Shimizu Akira did just now—casual and frank—the feeling it gave her was... just right.
This realization made her purse her lips slightly, her gaze unconsciously following Shimizu Akira's retreating figure.
A strange kind of courage sprouted quietly in her heart. If this was "feeling," then perhaps she could follow it as well.
"I understand," she said suddenly. "So, can I experience it one more ti now?"
This ti it was Shimizu Akira's turn to be slightly startled.
He looked at her eyes, which were filled with seriousness, and said sowhat helplessly, "How can there be a prior application for this kind of thing..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Horikita Suzune had already taken a step forward. Sowhat awkwardly yet firmly, she reached out her hands and gently wrapped them around him.
This hug was different from the one before.
She carefully pressed her cheek against his shoulder, able to clearly feel the body temperature coming through the fabric and the shallow rise and fall of his breathing.
The scent belonging to Shimizu Akira drifted faintly around the tip of her nose.
Hugging really didn't need a reason. The mont bodies touched, heartbeats would naturally synchronize.
A few seconds later, she took the initiative to release her hands. As she stepped back, the tips of her ears were still flushed red, but her tone had recovered its usual coolness: "Alright, today's welfare segnt ends here."
Shimizu Akira couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. "Are you sure it's mine? And why does it sound like it was your welfare ti?"
However, speaking of which, this girl who was usually ticulous was currently using her unique, almost academic research-like thod to cautiously explore the mysteries of emotion. The process was clumsy to the point of being a bit cute, but also unexpectedly interesting.
Horikita Suzune's body stiffened slightly. Just as she was thinking about how to respond, both of their phones rang at the sa ti.
The screen simply displayed a notification from the school:
"The exam for Horse Group has ended. Students of Horse Group do not need to participate in the exam further. Please act carefully and do not disturb other students."
"Again?!"
Horikita Suzune's brow furrowed slightly as she subconsciously began a tally in her mind.
Monkey Group, Ox Group, Rooster Group, Tiger Group, Horse Group—counting this ti, it was already the fifth group to be reported.
Now, in the entire exam, only seven groups remained in their original state.
She lifted her hand to pick up her phone, and as expected, the class group chat was already in an uproar.
ssages jumped out one after another, mostly complaining about Koenji's self-assertion.
Since the second day, after he had made a "good" start, he had reported one or two VIPs early almost every day, leaving all the classes in unrest.
But fortunately, none of this had anything to do with Class D for the ti being.
Class D's known VIPs were all scattered in other groups that hadn't been reported. In other words, these five groups that "fell" were all from other classes.
Thinking of it this way, it could be considered a blessing among misfortunes.
"Except for Monkey Group, I really don't know which class the VIPs in the other four reported groups belonged to," Horikita Suzune muttered to herself in analysis, resting her chin on her hand.
"One ca from Class C, one from Class A, and the remaining two were from Class B."
As soon as she spoke, Shimizu Akira's voice followed.
Horikita snapped her eyes toward him. "How would you know?! Wait—could it be you who directed this from behind the scenes?"
Shimizu Akira shook his head and directly denied it: "It wasn't . It was most likely done by Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A."
He paused and explained, "In a previous eting, Ichinose accidentally revealed a flaw, and Sakayanagi seized the opportunity. As for the other two groups, she probably purposefully chose the wrong VIPs; she intentionally had her people do that. You should know that Class A has always been split into the Sakayanagi faction and the Katsuragi faction. The two factions fight fiercely; this is rely her thod of suppressing the Katsuragi faction's power."
Horikita Suzune fell into deep thought.
She had heard about the conflict between the Sakayanagi and Katsuragi factions long ago.
Looking at it this way, although Sakayanagi Arisu was physically weak and unable to participate in this sumr's deserted island exam or the VIP exam—and had temporarily handed leadership of Class A to Katsuragi Kohei—she didn't intend to give up power completely.
Instead, she was acting secretly through her subordinates, wanting to take the opportunity to weaken Katsuragi Kohei's influence in the class.
Hearing Shimizu Akira's aning, she indeed had a hand in this VIP exam.
One must know that the price of choosing the wrong VIP is a deduction of 50 class points.
After understanding this layer, Horikita frowned again and followed up: "But since her goal is to deduct points, why did she specifically target Ichinose-san of Class B? That way, Class A's points wouldn't change. It doesn't make sense at all."
"If you're asking , I don't know either." Shimizu Akira shrugged helplessly.
How would he dare to say that the "Little Princess" gave him the reason "I'm jealous that Ichinose didn't put in any effort on the deserted island last ti"? That sounded perfunctory; he always felt Sakayanagi wasn't telling the whole truth.
But he still organized his thoughts and spoke his conjecture: "However, doing this isn't necessarily aningless. At least when the exam results co out, she can use this matter to 'praise one and step on the other,' highlighting that even if she wasn't on the ship, she could accurately guess the VIP.
It's a fact that Sakayanagi Arisu wants to seize power, but she would never sit idly by and watch her own class points at the bottom; it wouldn't be good for her subsequent consolidation of status. Lowering Class A's points isn't her real goal; making the Katsuragi faction completely unable to recover is her true intention."
"Wait!" Horikita Suzune seed to have suddenly figured sothing out. "If Sakayanagi really guessed the identity of Class B's VIP long ago, wouldn't the three VIPs from Class B be directly out of this special exam? After all, Koenji already directly reported Class B's VIP correctly. That's equivalent to confirming Sakayanagi's judgnt!"
"Most likely, all of them were guessed correctly," Shimizu Akira replied.
It was the sa saying; after all, the opponent was Sakayanagi Arisu.
With her IQ, since she could pluck out six unusually silent ones from so many groups, and since the range for the VIP in each group had already narrowed down to three or four people, locking onto the accurate candidate wasn't difficult at all. If she couldn't even do that, it wouldn't match her level.
By the way, Shimizu Akira only realized in hindsight why Sakayanagi Arisu had specifically interspersed early exit news from other classes in the middle: it was actually to reduce outside suspicion toward Class A.
If two Class B groups were to exit one after another without any buildup, the intention would be too obvious. It would be easy for people to associate it with soone deliberately targeting Class B.
By letting groups from other classes take the fall first and then slowly advancing the plan for Class B, she could hide from public view while achieving her goal.
This was also Sakayanagi Arisu's cleverness.
"In this way, Class B has suddenly had 150 class points deducted." Horikita Suzune's tone was flat, showing no sympathy.
That was Class B, after all, not Class D.
Although the two classes were currently in a cooperative relationship, it didn't an she truly viewed the other party as a comrade.
Shimizu Akira held a similar thought.
Those he knew well in Class B were, in the end, only Ichinose Honami.
Ultimately, it was Class B themselves who had first revealed a flaw.
One could not bla others.
Now it seed that the strategy of Class A and Class C to remain still was instead more brilliant. At least it avoided the risk of the VIP being deduced by other classes due to overly prominent performance within the group.
"Could it be... that you have already figured out the VIP pattern?" Horikita Suzune keenly grasped the most critical question.
"Yes, it's already solved." Shimizu Akira nodded calmly.
After confirming with Kamuro Masumi tonight that she was the VIP, and combining that with the information on the three VIPs he had mastered earlier, he then cross-referenced the list of all group mbers. It took him less than an hour to derive the complete pattern.
The thod for determining the VIP was essentially using the twelve zodiac signs as a frawork, and then arranging them according to the sequence of the first character of the mbers' surnas in the Japanese syllabary (Gojūon).
Taking Rabbit Group as an example: Rabbit is the fourth in the twelve zodiac signs, corresponding to the fourth person in the syllabary order of the group list. Kamuro Masumi was determined as the VIP exactly this way.
Similarly, Kushida Kikyo of Dragon Group also fit this pattern.
And that seemingly ordinary grouping list initially released by the school should be the initial hint given by the school to the students.
Horikita Suzune lightly pursed her lips, her expression complex.
In this special exam, it seed she had lost to Shimizu Akira once again.
If her brother found out about this, he would surely praise him greatly.
At this ti, her phone sounded with a notification.
She picked it up to look.
A friend request popped up from an anonymous account:
[The traitor of Class D will et secretly with Ryuen Kakeru at a breakfast shop tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM.]
Below was attached precise positioning information.
Horikita Suzune was slightly startled.
Wait! Who was this anonymous person?
Why would they specifically reveal this news to her?
Thinking carefully, Class D indeed hadn't caught the mole lurking in the class yet.
She pondered for a mont, sat down on the sofa, and gestured to Shimizu Akira.
When he approached, she turned the phone screen toward him.
To her surprise, Shimizu Akira's expression remained calm after seeing the ssage, as if he weren't surprised.
This made her sowhat puzzled.
After all, she had always suspected Kushida Kikyo was that internal traitor.
Since the last deserted island incident, this conjecture had taken root in her heart.
The leakage of information on the two VIPs was very likely Kushida Kikyo's doing.
But Shimizu Akira's reaction at this mont was perhaps too composed... could it be that he wasn't worried about Kushida's situation at all?
She tried to ask the other party for the source of the information through the friend request, but the anonymous account already showed as offline, with no response.
Horikita Suzune held her phone, falling into deep thought.
"Should we go take a look?" Shimizu Akira asked.
"It's just waking up early; it is necessary to go and confirm." She lifted her head to reply.
-
-
-
The last day of the special exam, 5:30 AM.
Shimizu Akira, Horikita Suzune, Ike Kanji, Sudo Ken, and Hirata Yosuke appeared one after another at the entrance of the breakfast shop shown by the positioning.
Ike Kanji gave a large yawn and greeted vaguely: "Morning, everyone..."
"Dammit! Today I must see for myself exactly who that traitor is!" Although Sudo Ken had dark circles under his eyes, his tone remained full of montum.
Hirata Yosuke advised gently: "Everyone, don't get excited yet. This could also be a piece of false information."
Horikita Suzune unconsciously frowned.
In fact, she wasn't the only one who had received the anonymous ssage yesterday; Hirata, Ike Kanji, and Sudo Ken had all received the sa content.
"Whether the information is true or false," Horikita spoke calmly, "we will know once we listen carefully when they talk."
The few people walked into the restaurant, which hadn't officially opened for business yet, and went straight to find the owner.
Since Horikita Suzune had already pre-paid 30,000 personal points yesterday, the owner nodded understandingly and let them through.
She turned to Shimizu Akira: "Shimizu-kun, give a call."
"Okay." Shimizu Akira took out his phone and imdiately dialed her number.
Horikita walked to the seats in the adjacent area, briskly took the napkin box from the table, and after clearing out so napkins, she placed her phone inside and casually stuffed a few napkins back as a disguise.
"Woah?! Horikita, this move is pretty good!" Ike Kanji widened his eyes.
There was no pride on Horikita Suzune's face; this thod was actually learned from Shimizu Akira.
During the deserted island exam, that person had once used a recording pen hidden in a plastic bag to complete a bugging.
While planning last night, she was thinking that if the traitor really t with Class C, she had to catch them red-handed.
By keeping the call active for recording, adding Hirata Yosuke's presence as a witness, and with Ike Kanji's ability to spread news through his big mouth—once the mole was caught on the spot, their reputation would surely be ruined. At that ti, even Hirata wouldn't be able to protect them.
"Horikita-san, how can you be sure Ryuen Kakeru and the others will sit in this position?" Hirata Yosuke asked.
"I paid an additional 30,000 points to the waitress and showed her Ryuen Kakeru's photo. At that ti, she will specifically guide the other party to sit here." Horikita's tone was calm.
Again, learned from Shimizu Akira.
During that exam on the seventh day on the deserted island, she conjectured that Shimizu Akira had similarly ensured everyone gathered on the beach at 8:00 sharp by paying points to bribe the staff.
Ultimately, in this school, personal points are almost omnipotent.
As long as it doesn't touch the bottom line of the special exam rules, purchasing this kind of service is completely within the allowed range.
"Let's go." She nodded slightly to the owner, who understandingly led them to the adjacent private room.
After the few people entered the room, Horikita Suzune turned to Shimizu Akira: "Shimizu-kun, please set your phone to silent mode and turn on the speakerphone. That way, our conversation here won't be transmitted to the other end of the phone."
She paused and added, "Additionally, the sound insulation of this wall is very good—I tested it specifically last night. Even if we talk normally, the room next door won't hear a thing."
"Amazing, Horikita-san!"
"This plan really is step-by-step and too comprehensive! This can be said to be foolproof!"
The few people couldn't help but once again praise her ticulous arrangents.
Shimizu Akira was accustod to this.
He naturally turned on the speakerphone and placed the phone on the table.
They waited quietly.
At 6:05, footsteps finally ca from next door.
With a sound of people taking their seats, the conversation between two boys ca through clearly:
"Big brother Ryuen, I'm hungry. Should we order so breakfast first?"
"Ishizaki! Endure it! Don't do anything unnecessary!"
"Boss, who exactly do you think that traitor in Class D is?"
"It should be a woman, otherwise why would they specifically request to bring Ibuki along."
"Holy crap! What that email said was actually true!" Ike Kanji couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.
Even with his IQ, he could hear it.
Class D indeed had a mole, and they were about to et with people from Class C!
Judging from the content of the dialogue, the speakers were clearly Ryuen Kakeru and Ishizaki Daichi.
The conversation on the other end of the phone continued.
"There's also a high possibility it's a man! Maybe it's so guy who took a fancy to or Shiina on the deserted island last ti. Aren't n all like that?"
"You're really humorous, Ibuki. If you said Shiina, I'd believe it."
A few minutes later.
"Boss! Soone entered the shop! Why would anyone else co at this ti besides us? Could it be this guy?" Ishizaki Daichi was the first to discover the situation.
"Wait... how can it be a guy?" Ryuen Kakeru's voice was tinged with obvious bewildernt.
"Hmph! I told you long ago it could be a male student! You two eyeless guys, hurry up and go to the ophthalmology departnt!" Ibuki Mio counterattacked triumphantly.
"It's actually a man?!" Horikita Suzune was similarly sowhat incredulous.
It actually wasn't Kushida Kikyo?
If it wasn't her, then who else would betray the class?
Coincidentally, Ryuen Kakeru on the other end of the phone seed to ask the question in her heart for her:
"Do you know this guy? Ibuki, you should have seen him when you were a mole in Class D before."
"That guy..." Ibuki Mio's voice ca clearly, "seems to be nad Yamauchi. He was the one who brought and Shiina back to Class D at the start, and he stared at us for a long ti with that disgusting gaze! His reputation in the class is very poor; he's basically excluded by everyone. He didn't even get a share of the class barbecue. If he's the traitor, it's actually quite logical."
Horikita Suzune only felt a buzzing in her head.
Wait... the traitor wasn't Kushida Kikyo, but actually Yamauchi Haruki?
What exactly was going on?!
She unconsciously looked at Shimizu Akira beside her, only to find that his expression was as usual, as if he had known everything long ago.
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