...LIGHT NOVEL ILLUSTRATIONS...

Synopsis

From the popular creator duo comes the fourth volume of the new school revelation!!

The first part of the special test on summer vacation ― Survival on the deserted island had finished successfully. The stage moved to group battle on a luxurious cruise ship. The test content in the second half has changed ― Brain game, where mind power will be put to the test. All students from A-Class to D-Class were divided into 12 groups named after 12 zodiac signs, each group has to discover a "VIP" person that exists within other groups.

While the students were surprised by how the exam was disrupting the mindset of competition between the classes, the elite students from each class like Katsuragi and Ryūen had grasped the aim of the exam and begun moving behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Kiyotaka noticed something uncommon with his classmate Kei Karuizawa from the same group――?! "I'm―――a parasite, a weak creature that can't live alone." Settlement of the past can't be buried.

Comes the fourth volume of the new school revelation!!!

CHAPTER 1: KARUIZAWA KEI'S SOLILOQUY

In the end, nothing changed even after I came to this school. No,that’s wrong… Maybe I never had any intention of changing. For better or worse, it’s always been the same for me. After all, I understand myself better than anyone else.

I know everything about myself, including my strengths and weaknesses. I know that none of the boys or girls like me. Even knowing that, I’ve never thought to change.

But it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t hurt me anymore. Because for some reason, I want them to feel that way.

As I got out of the shower, I stood and looked at myself in the mirror—completely *****, drops of water trickling down my skin. How many times had I thought about smashing the mirror to pieces? Every time I saw that old wound on my side, it was like diving back into my disgusting past.

Dizzy and nauseated, I gripped the sink and vomited.

Why did I have to have to go through such an awful experience? Why do I have to suffer like this? Why, why, why? I’ve asked that question for a long time now. Words don’t mean anything. The past can’t change. No one can change it. God is cruel. My life was destroyed because of that nightmarish day. I lost my youth, my friends, and even myself.

I have to fix that mistake. No matter how much people hate me, it’ll be better than suffering like that again. I don’t need youth. I don’t need friends. The most important thing is protecting myself. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m a parasite, a weak creature that can’t survive on its own.

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Yahallo Minnasan! Wilysha_Purple♡desu!

Please check out the light novels I've already uploaded and posted which are the volume 1 to 3. Just visit my timeline.

I here included the synopsis and chapter 1 since I can't upload this chapter if I could not reach 500 words unlike before (new rules have been set by Mangatoon).

Just like what I said before, I'll write the story/novels in different book of each novel so that we can prevent confusion of which one should be the first novel should we read. I've experienced this before so I don't want you, readers, to experience the same thing I had.

I hope you'll enjoy reading this.

I am not seeking for attention, I'm totally fine and happy when someone will just read this.

Disclaimer. I don't intend to infringe copyrights. For these arts and story, will be fully credited to its rightful author and artist.

Hope you also support the author to their official platform or buy their raw.

Lastly, please kindly don't report. Stop preventing others from free reading. Remember, you choose to read this and not me, so all the faults is yours.

That's all, domou arigatou gozaimasu!

It’d been three days since the end of that special test on the island. No other exciting events had occurred aboard the luxurious cruise ship that the Advanced Nurturing High School had provided for us, and we were enjoying the respite.

It went without saying that time spent on a deserted island had caused a bunch of young, rambunctious students like us to lose our minds. We, the guys, were basically beasts—sex-starved carnivores. While we watched the girls chattering and dilly-dallying like herbivores, the boys waited for an opening like the predators that we are.

This luxurious cruise ship, equipped with everything, felt like a dream come true. This trip let us forget everything unpleasant. It wouldn’t have been strange to fall in love here. Rumor had it that many couples had come together on this trip.

Unfortunately, that wouldn’t happen to me. I lived a mostly solitary life.

The test hadn’t changed my situation… No, that wasn’t quite true. My environment had begun to change. Against my will, I’d been tasked with a major course correction. I’d originally come to this school for a certain reason.

“Contact with anyone outside is forbidden until graduation.”

That rule was the reason I entered. However, a certain man had been forcibly trying to establish contact with me. Chabashira-sensei, my homeroom teacher, told me that. Then Chabashira-sensei threatened to expel me from this paradise should I refuse to work toward Class A. Although I’d done nothing scandalous, a powerless creature like me had no choice but to accept. I didn’t know whether she was lying or not. Therefore, I had to assume it was the truth.

However, I didn’t intend to dance to my homeroom teacher’s tune forever. While I collected the necessary information, I considered that I might need to take action. A little devil perched on my shoulder whispered softly in my ear: It’s better to get them before they get you. I wondered about the many ways I could force her to resign. Hmm.

That troubling thought lasted only a second, though. My mind returned to its normal, blank way of thinking.

“Sigh. If only I had the power to rotate the earth on its axis myself…”

If I could do that, I’d be able to live freely, without having to worry about the small things. I looked out the window and daydreamed about Dragon Ball. Three days had passed since the end of the test. Immediately after our survival test’s conclusion, most of the students had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. They’d treaded lightly in case the school was up to something.

But there were no signs of anything malicious. All was gentle and peaceful, as if summer vacation had truly started and this was now an actual fun, pleasant trip. The students began to relax, and behaved as if the test really were over. They thought this second week was purely a vacation. Everyone became increasingly lax.

Despite our outward calm, we maintained a sense of readiness. People who know how to relax can be effective.

“Hmm? You haven’t been in the room all this time, have you?”

Hirata Yousuke, one of my cabin roommates, shook me from my reverie while I gazed at the sea. “I don’t really have any reason to go out. I don’t have anyone to hang out with, either.”

“That’s not true, though. I mean, you have Sudou-kun and the guys, and Horikita-san.”

It was certainly true that such people had categorized me as a “friend,” and I reciprocated. But those at the bottom strata of the “friends” category are treated differently from other, higher-ranked friends. When someone wants to hang out, low-level friends are only invited ten percent of the time. Naturally, I was that lowly friend.

“You might make more friends if you were a little more proactive, Ayanokouji-kun. Though I suppose it’s none of my business.”

Hirata was very popular and admired by many students. All the girls adored him, and he had a girlfriend named Karuizawa. A man with so much happiness probably couldn’t understand the pangs of loneliness.

“You’re a solid guy, Ayanokouji-kun. I think you might just need the right opportunity.”

I didn’t need such kind-hearted yet cruel words. I didn’t need to hear girls say things like, “Oh, but I’ve heard you’re great,” because if I responded with, “Well then, let’s go out,” they would reply, “Well, I don’t know about that…” I didn’t need that. I spend time by myself because I can’t make friends or get a girlfriend. You freaking idiot.

“I’m planning to meet up with Karuizawa-san and the others at 12:30 to have lunch. Do you want to come with? I think it’ll be really fun.”

“Karuizawa and others?” I asked.

“Yeah. There are about three other girls. Want to come?”

I had to think about that. To be perfectly honest, I’d wanted to interact with Karuizawa for a while now. However, there wasn’t any need to hurry. Besides, if there were other girls, forget about being able to even initiate conversation. I couldn’t imagine I’d be able to liven things up. In fact, I’d probably have a dampening effect.

“I’ll pass. I don’t think I’m on especially good terms with Karuizawa’s group.”

Since the end of the first semester, the relationships in our class had been firmly established. How would I go about building friendships with other people at this point? I could already picture Karuizawa and the other girls’ disgust.

Even though he didn’t fully understand my fear of other people, Hirata sat next to me. “I can understand that you’re feeling hesitant. That’s exactly why I want you to rely on me.”

Hirata wore that eternal, optimistic smile of his. While it was a welcome offer, I shook my head.

“You only have about ten minutes before you have to meet them. It’d be better if you just left me here.”

“There’s no need to hurry. Besides, I like spending time with you.”

To an outsider, my words might have sounded like an excuse, but I was honestly satisfied with the current situation. Back when I had just started school, I’d wanted to make friends. I’d wanted to be able to make a hundred friends, but naturally, everyone settled down into their own separate factions. It was only a matter of course.

Even though I’d only been able to talk with the three idiots Horikita, Kushida, and Sakura, my school life wasn’t all that bad. I really believed that. But Hirata wasn’t the type to leave someone be if he saw they were alone.

“Well, how about just the two of us have lunch together, you and me? Would that be okay?”

Just the two of us alone. Sitting on the bed together. Hirata turned to me with a serious look. If he lightly pushed me down, things would get out of hand. “Well, I don’t particularly dislike the idea, but… Didn’t you already promise Karuizawa?”

“I can eat with Karuizawa-san and the others any time, but I haven’t really had many opportunities to eat together with you, Ayanokouji-kun.”

Normally, a guy would do anything to get the chance to eat a meal with a girl. Typical male thinking. However, Hirata seemed able to prioritize eating with another guy without hesitation. It was enough to give me doubts. Perhaps he swung “that way.” Hirata was an effortless multitasker, but he never did anything without reason. “I’d feel bad if Karuizawa blamed you later, though.”

I tried to gently turn him down, but it seemed to appeal to his conscience. I wondered if Hirata considered me a trembling newborn fawn that couldn’t even take its first step. “Don’t worry. I don’t think Karuizawa san’s the kind of girl to hold a grudge.”

No, no. Karuizawa definitely seemed like that kind of girl. Even though she pretended to be nice in front of Hirata, she was domineering with other ladies. I wondered if Hirata had categorized her as not being “that type of girl.” It reminded me of that teacher from Yomawari Sensei, who showed mercy to bad students.

“Okay. I’ll turn Karuizawa-san down for today.” Hirata pulled out his phone to call Karuizawa. I tried to stop him, but Hirata shot me a look. “Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“I can eat just about anything, I guess. Though I’d like to avoid heavy food if possible,” I muttered.

The cruise ship had many restaurants. The offerings ranged from junk food like ramen and hamburgers to French cuisine. Since it was still daytime, I wanted to eat something light if possible. I heard Hirata flatly tell Karuizawa that he was cancelling their plans over the phone. I couldn’t hear Karuizawa’s voice clearly, but Hirata abruptly hung up.

“Are you really okay with this?” I asked.

“Of course. Well then, shall we go to the deck? If we’re just having a light meal, eating there should be easier.”

Hirata opened the door, as if to guide me, while I relaxed in bed. Hirata was being his usual concerned self, but taking me out when I wasn’t really that enthusiastic was odd. It seemed kind of forceful for Hirata, especially since he could normally read any situation well. He likely had some kind of ulterior motive.

“Thank you for helping on the deserted island. I’m sorry I didn’t thank you enough for helping to find the culprit, Ayanokouji-kun.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I wasn’t even useful. Horikita found the underwear thief.”

“Even so, I’m grateful to you for helping.”

Speaking of the underwear incident, I had something I wanted to ask. I looked around to confirm we were alone, then broached the topic. “Did Karuizawa get her underwear back?” I asked.

“Yeah. When she heard Ibuki-san was the culprit, things went smoothly.”

Karuizawa had her underwear stolen on the island, and for a while there’d been an uproar. Because the underwear was in a guy’s bag, the relationship between the guys and girls of Class D had been in a precarious state. But Hirata put his quick thinking to use, and concealed the underwear. Because of this, things had cooled down. I was really glad. It had been an extremely delicate operation, so I was impressed. I’d half-believed that Hirata would bungle returning the underwear, despite his skills.

Hirata’s quiet and peaceful resolution to the underwear fiasco proved that he was steadily climbing the stairway to adulthood. We took the ship’s elevator to the deck on the top level. Many of our classmates appeared to be enjoying summer vacation to its fullest. Both guys and girls could be seen in the pool in their bathing suits, boldly frisking around. The heavy, fraught mood that weighed on us during the test had lifted.

This display of wanton indulgence came from the students’ liberated desires, which had been suppressed back on the island. We didn’t need to use points for any of the facilities on the ship, or for food and drinks. Everything was free of charge. No one had to restrain themselves. You needed to borrow things like swimsuits and other equipment, but that was about it. It was heaven.

By the time we reached the restaurant, over half of the seats had already been taken. We slipped past the crowd and secured two empty seats.

“Honestly, there’s something I’d like your advice on.” Hirata spoke in a slightly apologetic way as he looked down at the menu.

“Advice?” So he did have an ulterior motive, after all. That was probably why he’d wanted time to eat with me. Well, I was grateful. I didn’t sweat the reason for an invitation.

“I’m not really the best person to come to for advice. Can you give me the short version?” I wasn’t exactly a great talker or listener, but he had likely selected me for a reason.

“I wondered if you would act as a bridge to help reach Horikita-san. After all, Class D will have to come together and work hard in the future, and I think Horikita-san will be indispensable.”

So that’s what he wanted to talk to me about, huh? When I nodded, Hirata continued with confidence.

“The other day, Class D got a major boost thanks to Horikita-san. Class morale has shot up, and more than anything else, the number of people who idolize Horikita-san has increased. This is a big opportunity.”

“Well, I suppose so.”

Horikita Suzune was a student in Class D, and the first friend I’d made upon starting school. I was her first friend as well, but she was a solitary, standoffish person. She was an honors student, highly accomplished both in literary and martial arts. Her weakness was her aloof, independent personality. She didn’t involve herself with anyone due to her high-handed attitude, and she wasn’t very good at socializing.

“That’s why I think she should try and get along with everyone right now. If she cooperated with us, I think we could get up to Class C, and then B… No, we could even reach Class A.”

From anyone else it would have sounded phony, but Hirata had been singing Horikita’s praises since we started school. He’d been aware of her potential from the start, and didn’t seem to dislike her at all. I wouldn’t mind helping him out. The task was simple. I could at least bring Hirata and Horikita closer together, but that probably wouldn’t lead to a permanent solution.

“But even if I can bring you both together, things won’t be that easy. Horikita is difficult.”

If I asked her to soften her approach, she’d turn me down. If Horikita believed I was trying to manipulate her, things could end in disaster. She would distance herself even further. Her response to Kushida’s push for friendship in the café during our first semester was proof of that.

“Yes. I do understand, of course. Horikita-san only opens herself up to you, Ayanokouji-kun. I don’t want to force her confidence. That’s why I wanted to tell you my intentions, so that you can talk to her. Then, pretend I never spoke to you.”

So I was supposed to be the Horikita whisperer, huh? I would be the go-between, delivering Hirata’s opinions to Horikita. If I did that, Horikita would enter into an unseen partnership with Hirata, and never realize it.

“If I thought she’d listen to me, things would be simple enough. But it won’t be that easy. I usually just go along with whatever Horikita says. I’ve never really forced my opinion on her. If I just suddenly start voicing strong opinions, she’ll probably find it suspicious. If she finds out it’s your opinion,

I think she’ll shut down completely.”

“But I can’t come up with anything else right now. I don’t think I have the confidence to speak with Horikita-san, let alone persuade her. This is my last resort.”

“Don’t you think it’s a little soon for last resorts?”

Hirata clearly wanted to join forces with Horikita, but he’d have to face her directly. I understood it was difficult, but so was coordinating groups of people. Horikita would probably agree. No one else in our class cherished friendship and community the way Hirata did.

I was still uncertain about his proposal. It seemed like he’d lost his nerve and was doubting himself. Hirata had also been acting strangely back on the island. This wasn’t a trivial matter.

I ordered a light sandwich and a drink. Students swam in the pool nearby, and others were eating while still wearing their bathing suits. Everyone appeared to be having fun. If Ike and Yamauchi were here, they probably would’ve foregone the food and feasted their eyes on the girls instead. Hirata didn’t pay any attention to the girls at all, but focused squarely on me.

“Yeah, you may be right. Like you said, Ayanokouji-kun. My plan was really short-sighted.”

He recognized his error in judgment and gave an honest, flexible response. Another of Hirata’s many charms. But his desire to work together with Horikita was so strong, he showed no signs of giving up.

“I should probably reconsider how to do this. Horikita-san seems very fastidious and hypercritical. How do you manage to get along with her, Ayanokouji-kun?”

Hirata wanted to become Horikita’s friend before establishing a working relationship. I thought facing her directly was the right thing to do. It was constructive, and I wanted to lend a hand, but…

“Well, in truth, I don’t think I’m on especially good terms with Horikita. Recently, I wondered if we could even be called friends.”

“But it does seem like Horikita-san gets along well with you alone, Ayanokouji-kun. You’re special to her.”

Special, huh? Hard to believe that someone with over forty friends would say that to someone barely acquainted with one person. Or perhaps it was because he was able to get along with over forty people that Hirata felt frustrated at missing a connection with one particular student.

“There’s no need to get impatient, right? The first semester’s only just ended.”

Bonds between people must fundamentally strengthen over time. Sometimes, you can place people together under sudden, harsh conditions, like the test on the island, and watch those bonds strengthen overnight. Of course, while you might see instant improvement via that method, those bonds can often be fragile.

“Horikita isn’t the type to make friends easily.” I wanted Hirata to understand.

“That’s probably true.” Hirata appeared slightly remorseful. Perhaps he felt like he was rushing things again. “I wasn’t thinking about her feelings. I was just thinking of myself.” Hirata shook himself from his reverie. Again, he smiled. “Sorry. I invited you out to eat and made it all about me. Well, let’s eat, shall we?”

With that, we started eating our recently-arrived food. However, Hirata looked up and seemed to notice someone approaching us. He shot me a nonplussed look.

“Ah, so you’re here after all, Hirata-kun. Let’s eat lunch together!” Karuizawa approached us, leading a group of girls. She sounded happy and carefree.

“Um… Karuizawa-san, I thought I canceled our plans…”

Hirata stumbled over his words, looking unsure. Meanwhile, Karuizawa and the girls pulled out the chairs from another table, pushed me away, and circled Hirata. Our lunch went from peaceful to noisy in seconds flat. I wasn’t much of a talker, but I wasn’t really concerned.

I was used to dealing with situations like this. It was probably time for me to use the special skill I’d acquired since school began, my “Speedy Escape.” I grabbed my food and got up quietly, without making a sound. Hirata’s eyes met mine for a moment, but the girls closed ranks and he disappeared.

Maybe this was one of the select disadvantages of having so many friends. With so much time devoted to others, you didn’t really get any time for yourself. Even if Hirata had issues weighing him down, he couldn’t talk about them with Karuizawa and the others. Instead, he held them unspoken in his heart.

After Karuizawa monopolized Hirata, I decided to return to my room. I didn’t have anyone else to hang out with or talk to, anyway. I took the stairs rather than the elevator, and returned to my room on the third deck. When I got there, I noticed some wet blotches scattered about the hallway floor. The blotches appeared to head toward my room. When I followed the trail, I discovered an elegant man striding through the corridor, nude from the waist up, wearing nothing but a bathing suit.

“S-sir! Please don’t walk through the hallway while you’re still dripping wet!”

A young bellhop hurried toward the man, apparently eager to control this emergency situation. The bellhop was already holding out a towel, overly prepared, like he always walked around with a strategic towel ready.

“Ha ha ha! It appears you’ve found me, eh?” the man said.

“Yes, I’ve found you. This is the fourth time. I’ve already told you, please dry yourself off after you leave the pool. If you don’t, you’ll disturb the other passengers.”

Apparently, this man was a repeat offender. That explained the bellhop’s prepared towels.

“Disturb? But I’ve no memory of disturbing anyone. I don’t dry myself off with a towel on principle ever since reaching the age of reason. Haven’t I already said? ‘A fine man, dripping with water,’ hmm?”

Yes. The man was Kouenji. He slicked back his wet hair, scattering droplets of water. The bellhop hurriedly used the towel to dry the spots on the carpet and wall. Kouenji stopped. I wondered if he found the bellhop’s flustered behavior amusing.

“Do you have a pen and paper on hand?” he asked.

“Huh? A, uh, oh…due to the nature of my job, I do walk around with a notepad and pen, but…” The bellhop, clearly unsure where the conversation was headed, fearfully took out a ballpoint pen.

“Did you know that a prominent celebrity’s signature can accrue an unexpectedly premium value over time? Abroad, some autographs are valued in the millions to even the tens of millions.”

“And…what of it?”

After Kouenji finished scribbling something on the notepad, he ****** it back at the bellhop. It was far away, but I was able to make out the name “Kouenji Rokusuke.”

“Wh-what is this?”

“Isn’t it obvious? A signature. Even though it’s written on such a cheap notepad, it will certainly hold tremendous value in the future. I’m presenting this to you as a token for your troubles. Please receive it gratefully and safeguard it.”

Apparently Kouenji believed the bellhop would receive this with gratitude, or perhaps a sense of awe-inspired devotion. But no one in their right mind would want this. If anything, his ballpoint pen and notepad were worth more.

“Please don’t look so suspicious. I am the man who will carry Japan’s future on his back. At that point, I intend to vacation upon a larger ship, but I’m prepared to wait until then. Of course, it will be a luxury liner of significantly higher quality than the common ship upon which we are now riding.”

Well, a luxury liner was still a luxury liner. Personally, I’d be satisfied as long as it wasn’t fated to sink like the Titanic. Kouenji guffawed, seemingly satisfied. The bellhop, completely dumbstruck, continued staring at the wet spots on the floor. He had completely lost the will to keep trying to stop this man.

Kouenji was alone all the time because our classmates steered clear of him, disgusted by his incredibly selfish personality. Many of our classmates had already experienced the same treatment as this poor bellhop. Hirata would probably try to speak with him, but he’d most likely be brushed off as well. Kouenji was like poison. Anyone who encountered him, friend or foe, suffered for it.

In order to avoid being dragged into something so bothersome, I slunk past the two of them. Getting too near a person of such high rank would be dangerous.

“Oh ho? Why, if it isn’t little Ayanokouji, hmm? What a coincidence.”

Ugh. Kouenji called my name. There was no way he was actually calling me, right? The instant the bellhop noticed that Kouenji’s attention had shifted over to me, he appeared elated. I’m finally free! is what his look seemed to say.

No, no. How could a crew member act like that? He ought to continue serving the customer, no matter how annoying the customer was. It was like someone releasing their pet into the river without permission. Especially if that fish was a ferocious, invasive species like Kouenji, which would devour all the native fish in the river until there was nothing left.

“Do you want something from me?” I asked.

“No, no, I’ve no real business with you. I’ve simply acknowledged you because we are schoolmates. Also, though we are certainly not alike in terms of position, you are my roommate.”

Kouenji flipped his hair once again, scattering more water, which splashed my face and uniform. Of course, he didn’t seem to have the faintest clue what he was doing to his victims. Despite what was happening to me, the bellhop watched this tragedy unfold with a grin. Oh yes, yes, I sympathize with the pain you’re feeling…not, he seemed to say.

“Well, I will excuse myself. Please do take care in the future.”

The bellhop delivered that parting shot as he made his escape, having fulfilled the bare minimum for his role. Of course, I didn’t exactly want to end up alone with Kouenji, either.

“What were you talking with Kouenji about?” I asked.

For an instant, the bellhop’s expression changed to a look of anger, but when Kouenji turned around, the young man’s smile returned. He was like Asuraman or something.

“Oh, um. Well, as you can see, he was wet. I tried to offer him a towel, and—”

“So, in other words, you were giving him a warning. I must have interrupted you, so I’ll be on my way and let you get down to business.”

I passed the ball, if you will, a blazing fastball that crushed the bellhop and gave me a chance to escape.

“This bellhop came to give me a warning?” Kouenji cried. “Ah, no. Well, that is to say…”

I managed to escape from Kouenji and headed back toward my room. “But I’ll just bump into Kouenji again there, won’t I?” I murmured.

My room would become less of a sanctuary and more of a hell. I’d been alone with Kouenji several times during our trip, and every experience was unbelievably uncomfortable. Wanting to avoid such an awkward atmosphere, I turned around. I wouldn’t return to my room just yet. I’d head back to where Hirata and Yukimura, my other roommates, would be.

A map of the ship was on a nearby signboard, and pretty easy to understand. The fact that the map had been placed in a gilded frame might’ve been overkill, but also made it seem like something you’d find on a luxury liner. I drew a route that’d let me kill a bunch of free time, and immediately hopped onto the elevator. I got off on the second deck.

The ship had nine decks in total, plus a roof. The fifth deck was above ground, while the fourth deck was below. The first deck housed both the lounge and banquet area, while the rooftop had the pool, café, and other facilities. The third and fourth decks were for guest rooms. The guys were on the third deck; the girls on the fourth.

The guys and girls, teachers included, were neatly divided. However, there weren’t any special restrictions on our movements, so a guy could easily wander through the girls’ area. We were probably prohibited from staying on the girls’ level or coming into the area after midnight, though.

The ship also had various kinds of entertainment options, such as movies and a live theater venue. These were everywhere, from the first underground level up to the third underground level. On the fourth underground level—the lowest level at the bottom of the ship—was some kind of switchboard breaker room. That particular level was irrelevant to the students.

The lounge was open twenty-four hours a day. We were free to go there no matter how late it was, but a notice from the school urged us to refrain from going there as much as possible. As I walked through the second-level area, I noticed that the atmosphere felt quite different. The rooms were vacant, and I couldn’t tell what they were used for. So few students were in the hallways that it appeared deserted.

Just then, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw that I’d received an email. A certain girl was calling me. It was convenient, since I’d planned on killing time anyway. With no reason to reject her, I took the call with pleasure.