"Based on the general revision that will happen with the intention of enforcing the seriousness of the all-known seasonal festival, I want to, first of all, wish for possible cooperation in making the event peaceful and challenging at the same time. What we are striving to achieve is a fair competition while staking considerable rewards nonetheless."

It took me just a brief moment to realize that this was the person who I came across back in February...

Around the time where heavy rain fell down upon me and yet, while unpardonably walking back to my dorm, after some questionable actions, I encountered this person.

Never did I imagine that, out of all the people, that would be the student council president.

1 pm. Cafeteria.

Unremarkably, the whole event was pure boredom. For those who were massively enthusiastic about the whole thing, it wasn't as unremarkable as I am seemingly perceiving it to be yet for me, it was exactly like that.

However, there was something that each student would have to do tomorrow, without missing.

Regardless, since it's lunchtime, I am with the usual group, which consists of myself, Hyunda, Yulia, Arkalee, and Sana.

Honestly, this has been happening for a while now, but every lunch we just group up and have the most random talks ever.

"Ugh, that was the longest explanation ever! 2 hours!"

Unhappy about the realistic circumstances, Sana lashed out at all of us.

"Maybe it was really necessary though! The upcoming exam is something we should all try hard to win over! Don't you think so, Hyunda?!"

Proposing a different perspective, Arkalee attempted to brighten up the mood swiftly.

"Supposedly."

Yet Hyunda just replied monochromatically.

Almost no emotion was in his words. As that was always the case whenever he would speak.

"S-Supposedly?! You said you were going to try, remember!?"

Arkalee quickly freaked out upon hearing Hyunda's response. Hyunda had already told me days ago that he was intending on failing this exam because he didn't have the necessity to win this exam.

"Of course. I will totally give my absolute best. You can obviously count on that."

Unless he changed his mind about his previous words, I'm taking that as sarcasm.

"Daniel. Wanna go for a walk?"

Suddenly, Hyunda re-directed his words right back to me and stopped talking to Arkalee. Given that we aren't doing much and the fact that I could use a conversation with him in general, I decided to go with a positive answer.

Yet, before I could even reply...

"Hahaha, sorryyyy, that's really not happening, Hyunda."

"And why not? It's just a walk."

Obnoxiously eliminating any possibilities of me replying back to Hyunda, Arkalee interfered without a second thought.

I'm sorry, but what the fuck? I'm starting to think that she has something against me. Or am I overthinking things?

"You know, Hyunda's right. Freedom once in a while is a good thing."

Yulia decided to intercept Arkalee's opinion, strangely enough. Odd for Yulia to say that though. She gives me little to no freedom.

"Um, I'm trying to have a conversation here."

Coldly, Arkalee replied in a harsh tone.

"O-Oh, my bad there..."

No, what the hell. Why is Yulia backing off? Arkalee's the one being persistent for literally no reason.

"It's not your bad though. Arkalee, what was that just now?"

"Sorry, what?"

Arkalee looked perplexed for a second as soon as I retorted back at her in Yulia's place. This was by no means a white-knight move, I do just not understand what Arkalee's trying to achieve here.

"I am asking what was that. By 'that', I mean why are you denying that Hyunda and I go for a walk? Also, no need to speak rudely to other people."

"Guys... I think we should all calm down."

Sana was reasonably disturbed by the possibility of us engaging in a dramatic situation, but I wasn't going to stop.

"No, there's no reason to calm down. Each and every single one of you needs to learn that we also have our talks and share stuff and just because we are absent once, in a while, it doesn't mean we are doing what you girls probably think we are doing..."

Because I fucking know this is about cheating and that's just fucking wrong.

Usually, I would not concern myself with another person in this matter, but I'm entirely certain that Arkalee's just acting like this due to her crush on Hyunda.

Can't she control it? This is developing to be somewhat psychotic.

"Hahaha, you're so funny, Daniel. So, why aren't you in a circus? Hm?"

What the fuck did this bitch just s--

"Arkalee, be at the regular place when it's 1:45 pm. Daniel, let's go."

I was about to explode, but the way Hyunda cut in made me lose my rage instantly.

"R-Regular place? What do you mean...?"

Arkalee's pathetic and embarrassing behavior baffles me in a stupid way. How the hell are you so obnoxious but you are so selective to the one you love?

No sense of equality whatsoever.

"Think about it."

Yulia didn't mind this for some reason and thus, Hyunda and I left the cafeteria.

Whenever something involves Hyunda, Arkalee goes slightly nuts about it. Even when we are leaving the cafeteria and Yulia and Sana are chatting with one another, Arkalee, on the other hand, only looks at the figure of Hyunda and nothing more.

"Dude... You should stay away from Arkalee. I got a bad feeling about her..."

Although I said that to Hyunda, he didn't seem to be phased whatsoever. Does this guy even feel anything?

A girl is going nuts over him yet he looks like he's in another world. This odd sensation of mystery surrounding his aura is cryptic.

"What do you think about Sana? She's pretty cute, right? Who doesn't love brunette girls? Every virgin's favorite."

Dodging my last question without a single trace of caring, Hyunda just fired off those questions right at me, while we aimlessly ventured around the campus as per usual.

"What is this about...?"

Why Sana out of all the people to talk to...? What's gotten into him?

"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking that from a physical appearance perspective, Sana looks somewhat idealistic, don't you think? Or am I exaggerating when I say that?"

Sana is...

"No, you're not exaggerating, I suppose. She's really pretty from that perspective. And she's capable of holding interesting conversations regarding intriguing subjects. So, I would go as far as to label her as someone with an enjoyable appearance and a likable personality. Though, that last statement is somewhat conditional."

By conditional, I'm referring to how Sana is convulsively emotional and has shown signs of going as far as threatening which I don't like.

"You seem to have a solid opinion of her already. That speeds up the process then."

"What? Process?"

It's common sense by now that I can't exactly predict what Hyunda's thinking but I can't help but be curious all the time.

"Yes. It's essential to kill your relationship with Yulia. I can't tell you the full process but I'll need you to contribute regardless. If you do, as I initially said, I'll put an end to this relationship of yours through my own methods. So, will you cooperate?"

I get where Hyunda is coming from, but...

"Pass... I don't want to be hung up with so much responsibility. This relationship with Yulia is responsibility without me wanting to, so if something that involves a big deal of responsibility ever happens again, then I might not----"

"It won't involve any responsibility. You just have to do one simple thing. You can have my word for it."

Oh, then...

"Sure... Is it really necessary though?"

"Strictly speaking, yes. You are an essential piece for this to work. Well, since you have given me permission, I'll tell you now. I need you to be caught cheating on Yulia."

..................

"Are you serious? Like, really? It can't be another way?"

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I feel like this wasn't a coincidence at all. This topic has been broadly lighted and discussed intensively throughout our conversations in the past few days.

"The ends justify the means. By the way, don't think that I am going to give you some massive responsibility. Here is the deal, I need you to get to Sana's soft side. Can you do that? Or is it beyond you?"

This is the third time he has mentioned Sana in this conversation...

"No, it's not beyond me. We are capable of holding solid conversations. Just this morning we debated a romantic topic."

"Seriously? That's even better."

But why is it better...?

Hyunda's leaving me with questions after questions with little to no answers.

"So, here is the thing. During the festival time, you need to kiss Sana."

"Huh!? Are you serious, man?! I'm not doing the same shit I did with Yulia! Nah, bruh. Out of the question."

I swear, if Hyunda's reasoning for getting me out of my current relationship with Yulia is that I need to be romantically attached to someone else, then I am not doing it.

"Except it's not the same thing. With Yulia, you took a more deep approach. That's not what I am asking. I am asking that you kiss Sana. That's it. You can just let it slide as an accident and the misunderstanding is gone."

Honestly... I'm starting to think I'm developing some sort of PTSD after this tremendous lack of freedom recently.

I hope that's not the case. And...

"And for that kiss to happen, I need to let Sana softened up first...?"

"That's exactly it. However, the timing can't be just any time. I will give you the correct timing my texting you when to do it. If you want this to succeed thoroughly, then you should follow my lead."

He seems completely serious about this, without a doubt.

There's just something I can't seem to understand yet.

"But why Sana? Is there a specific reason?"

"For me to answer that question truthfully, I'll have to ask. Are you attached to Yulia in any conceivable way? Romantically speaking, do you feel something for her? Even a tiny bit?"

I don't see a reason why I should lie here. Actually, 99% of the time, if not 100% of the time, I am truthful to Hyunda.

How do I say this... It feels like I'm speaking to someone who is omniscient or just holds a higher ground when it comes to understanding things that I don't necessarily primarily understand in the first place.

"Nothing. Is there something wrong with me though? I just don't feel anything for her and I feel like it's my fault for lacking emotion."

The fact that I am not even slightly bothered by Yulia upholding romantic feelings for me while I don't love her at all, bothers me.

"Why are you bothered with that? Lack of emotion is for the strong. The more stoic you are, the more resistant you become. To everything. However, given that you have said what I really wanted you to say, I'll tell you why I went with Sana."

Lack of emotion is for the strong...? I never saw it that way. It's true that certain emotions just make you feel more vulnerable and exposed but I never thought that they were considered strengths.

I only thoughts of them as weaknesses.

"Sana's arguably Yulia's best friend. Being cheated on by your boyfriend and your best friend should be the ultimate nail in the coffin."

That is evil...

"How is that gonna work out though...?"

"You don't need to know. The whole thing is far too detailed and I don't think it's worth bothering you with all the details. Also, in case you are feeling reluctant about approaching Sana because you don't know much about her, seek Kawahara and Kuzan."

Um, why....?

For the record, I'm not offended that Hyunda won't tell me the whole thing because as long as it's just a kiss, I'm literally fine with it. I don't mind talking to Sana.

Debating ideas seems pretty cool and it's not just something I can do with Yulia, for instance. We have never been that open to each other in the first place.

"Why Kawahara and Kuzan...? Unless... Kawahara probably told you, didn't he?"

"No, he didn't. But Kuzan went out of his way to tell me, so I know about the stupid project. Kawahara's methods aren't exactly to my liking. He bothers with the little details way too much. But, you need to know those little details about Sana, and Kawahara and Kuzan might just have them."

Kuzan is connected to Hyunda due to the King's Den. Speaking of the King's Den, we haven't managed to recruit another member yet. Although, Hyunda doesn't look that bothered by that.

Maybe he has something in mind?

"Alright, got it. I'll speak to them about this. By the way, were you serious about what you said back then? About passing the exam?"

"I was being sarcastic for obvious reasons. Or do I need to explain why I was being sarcastic?"

As I thought, he really was being sarcastic to Arkalee. But, just why does he hang out with Arkalee so much?

"No, I got it. But, Hyunda, why Arkalee out of all the people?"

"You'll one day understand. If you still remain there that day."

"Huh?"

What did Hyunda mean by that...? I get confused so many times that it's ridiculous...

"That aside, what's your plan for this exam? Are you going to go all in or are you going to go for the bare minimum?"

"To be honest, I still have no clue how the festival will work? Do you?"

Aside from the fact that there are far more attraction stops around the school more than usual, all I know is that we will have to participate in all the events yet how exactly will that work?

"You didn't pay any attention to the explanation, did you? Neither did I, but I already knew how it would work, since the speech was a mere revision. Here is what you need to know first. Throughout the whole upcoming week, you will have to sign up in all the events. If you go inside the other blocks that aren't the ones you know such as A, B, C, D, E, and F, there are multi-purpose rooms open for the sake of serving the entirety of the themes. In other words, students have to enter the rooms and sign up. By signing up, you are automatically queued. However, the festival will take one full week and the classes won't be dismissed. So, you don't have to stress it."

"But Hyunda, do I need to sign up right now?"

Because if I do, then I have to hurry up. Since we are all forced to participate in the 50 events, the sooner I get it done, the better.

Also, I'm glad Hyunda went out of his way to say all of that information. Just like me, he didn't give any fucks regarding the speech but the thing is, since he already knew about it, he didn't have to care.

"Only if you want to. However, just what exactly is your aim in the upcoming exam? What are you hoping to achieve? Is it just positive results or is it something more?"

"Well... Positive results should be my top priority. Do I need to bother myself with anything else?"

"Technically, no."

Technically? Why is Hyunda being so discrete?

"But, just in case you might want to increase your chances of winning, you should pick your opponents."

"Hm? Pick my opponents? How is that even possible? Isn't the competition random?"

"Daniel, is that what you think? There are over a thousand students in this school and you think that the competition will be random? No way that's true. But, that's something for you to figure out. I've got to be somewhere else now."

Parting ways with me, Hyunda left me behind to be somewhere else, which is probably where he said he would meet Arkalee later on.

After that, a few hours went by and the classes were done for the day.

Therefore, I went to the place where I knew I could find both Kawahara and Kuzan. However, to my surprise, Kawahara was the one who invited me to the hideout.

Hideout. 7 pm.

"The feast is fucking near. The culmination of anguish and salt will collide with this movement that will trigger the living shit out of those six! Alright, pay close attention, all of you! For I, am about to lend you my grand wisdom!"

I don't think this guy needs any introductions by now since there is only one single soul in our class that speaks out this enthusiastically while cursing at the same time.

The blonde-haired individual with black chokes on his hair's edge, who also has a formidable built, back on his supreme desk, spoke to me, Kuzan, and Rayazaki.

Lazing on the good old couch, I extended my legs and stretched the living hell out of them. Kuzan was paying attention to Kawahara to an absurd extent while Rayazaki was silently observing what was about to be said.

"While the SYG project was just a test, what is about to happen, is the true pinnacle of what true men strive to become. The apex of rudeness and savagery amongst men. The transcendence of alphas! The zenith of the concept of chadness!"

Just a test? So the SYG project wasn't even something remotely serious in the first place? Man, why did he go through all that effort just for a single test?

"Ohhh!!! I'm so hyped master!"

"Damn right you are, Kuzan! So, listen up! By tomorrow, the entries will be open, since the festival only starts tomorrow and here is how we are going to torment the living shit out of these fucks! You see, with the vast number of students our school has, they can't just uphold all the competitions at once! Which is why they will most likely follow something very simple. Rayazaki, how do you think they will distribute all of the events fairly for everyone?"

Whenever Rayazaki is mentioned, I can't help but recall what he was like back when we had our first fight.

His rash impulsiveness alongside my meek attitude provoked that brutal clash. And even though it feels like it's been a long time, it's only been two or so months.

Yet now that I look at him, he looks serene, calm and collected, contrasting his past outlooks.

"Wouldn't a division be reasonable here? I don't know the exact number of students in this school, but if it's a little above a thousand, then there should be hours for the competitions and specific days for the respective competitions. Everything at once feels far too messy. Plus, we don't know much about it, outside of the themes."

While Rayazaki handed out his opinion, I simply took a sip of the tea that Kuzan had done for me before we reached the beginning of this conversation.

Not too sweet nor too sour. The ideal balance, I think. Still, the tea is way too hot, which caused me to blow against its atmosphere for quite a while.

"Division is something that should be taken into consideration as a method, but I think it's something far greater than just mere division. Each student can sign up for a contest regarding a theme by signing up in the respective location of the theme's room, yet the student that signs up will probably be queued. That's where not only will division come in, but so will selection."

"Wait, what did you mean by selection just now?"

Hyunda's words brought to life my inner curiosity and I couldn't help myself when Kawahara said that.

"I am saying that the school doesn't have a way to make this competition random, so here is what they will most likely do: once a certain quota is achieved, the competition will begin. By quota, I am talking about the number of students allowed in that respective time and place. It's bound to be limited and those who sign up first will be taken into priority. Regardless, we don't know this quota. Not to fret though. The quota is actually irrelevant!"

That does make sense, but why does Kawahara bother to explain so much without actually getting to the point straight away?

It would be so much easier if he didn't tl;dr every single person in existence whenever he has the chance to.

"Which brings up the main point. What is relevant here? How will we personally crush every single one of these fucks? By 'fucks' I am talking about the six pests. With over 50 events, they can take their sweet time to pick a time to avoid us. But, what if we go around it the other way?"

Kawahara's assuming that they will just pussy out in fear. He views himself so greatly that he doesn't believe in the possibility of them just not going against our flow in the first place.

"Let me put it bluntly like this. If they directly confront us, we crush them. However, we should assume that this won't go the way we want us to. Which is why we will make it go our way."

"Okay, but just what is this 'way' you speak of?"

Maybe I'm just really impatient today or something, but I asked that anyway.

Nonetheless, Kawahara didn't take that as an offense and flashed a smirk in response.

"This 'way' goes by the name of stalking."

Seriously...

"Oh! Master, we are going to stalk who!?"

"Those six limp-dick pussies. Ain't none of them escaping the stalking purgatory I got ready for them."

So much aggression. Why does Kawahara treat everyone so rudely? I understand that you declared war on them, but to think that you harbor this much hatred just because they are against you.

"As I have mentioned, only those that are signed up will participate in that respective event at the respective time. And considering that they can just use the other events to their advantage to dodge us, instead of letting them come to us, we will come to them. Alternatively speaking, we are going to stalk the living shit out of our targets until they cave. Sign up in the same events as they. Beat them in every single one of them! Losing is not an option!"

Oh, I see now... I wasn't quite understanding what Kawahara was concretely talking about but now that he went in-depth, it's easy to comprehend.

"So you are saying that we have to follow our respective targets and participate in the same events as them? But what if they choose not to participate at all?"

"That's not an option, Rayazaki. Simply for the sole reason that crybaby Ryoken is too edgy to let go of his ego and he's thirsty for some payback. By the way, Dan, Ryoken is all yours. He's been your initial target and that will not change."

.............

"Why couldn't we just do this from the start? What was the purpose of the SYG project even?! None of us achieved any positive results! It wasn't going to work in the first place!"

Slightly mad, I lashed out a bit of my anger. Kawahara's nonsensical actions are bothering the hell out of me.

"I know it wasn't going to work in the first place. That's why it was just a test. If I actually wanted to, I could've made the project work by giving you three proper guidance yet I limited myself with my speech. Now, it's different. I will instruct every single one of you personally with instructions that must be followed starting tomorrow. How to approach your target and how to mess with their psychology."

I can't tell if Kawahara is being serious or just devoid of his arrogance completely.

For the benefit of the doubt, before Kawahara could go on, I stopped and issued my own personal issue first.

"Wait, before we start, I gotta ask something to both you and Kuzan..."

"No, one thing at the time. We'll have a long nice discussion, since this will take a very long time, Dan."

Oh god... Is Kawahara gonna make us go through hell, also known as having to go through his long-ass explanations without a single light at the end of the tunnel?!

That smirk of his tells it all...

"P-Please make it short..."

"Hahaha, of course! All right, everyone, let's mosey."

Ultimately delivering that iconic sentence, Kawahara doomed us to this excruciatingly long session of arguments that took place right before the festival began.