April 11th. 8:30 am.

As I arrived in the usual classroom, I noticed two differences.

The first one was that no boys were at sight and the second one was that Yuka-sensei was here instead of Basara-sensei.

An ominous silence was present throughout this hollow classroom. No noises came forth like they normally would.

Or at least, until Yuka-sensei went to the center of the podium and started to finally say something.

"Good morning...! As you all can see, there are no boys at sight and that will be the case until it's the end of the month."

Hearing this, left me skeptical for a certain reason.

"Um.... why though?!"

Arkalee, impatient, deliberately interrupted Yuka-sensei without a second thought.

Regardless of this, Yuka-sensei kept her relaxed posture and didn't get irritated.

"Well, Arkalee, that's because the girls and the boys will be conducting separate special exams. Both in different locations as well."

?

"To be more precise, the boys right now, aren't here in school. They are somewhere far away----"

"Where?!"

Despite all the glances she was getting, Arkalee did not back down and just kept on aggressively firing questions of self-interest like that.

Though, I do know why she's acting like that.

"Ehh... Well, you see... I'm not allowed to actually tell anyone about this."

"Why not...?"

The one who said that was Hinagiku, who was carefully looking at Yuka-sensei until now yet we all looked back at Yuka-sensei, as we were massively curious as well.

However, essentially for different reasons. As for me, I need to know where you are, so I know what you will go through and how you will out skirmish this upcoming special exam.

"Er, Hina... The thing is... It's not as if I can't actually tell anyone but that brute homeroom teacher of yours made me vow that I wouldn't!"

"How brute! Sensei, if you want to tell us, then do so! Basara-sensei doesn't have anything to do with your own entitled opinion!"

"Ah, Aki! You totally understand!"

The typical talk went on for about five minutes and only then did Yuka-sensei finally tell us where the boys were partaking the exam.

"It's on a deserted island!"

"A deserted island...?"

A portion of us, yet not me, spoke in wonder.

"A deserted island?! Who came up with this nonsensical exam?! How is that even legal?!"

Once again, Arkalee decided to assert her opinion brutally, even going as far as getting up from her seat just to express her anger.

How dependent.

"Um, Arkalee, why does this matter to you? You've been acting like this is some sort of big deal. It's probably not as bad as you think, ya know?"

Kanawari, somewhat sick of Arkalee's endless whining decided to intervene and questioned Arkalee from across the classroom, where she stood up in the front seats.

She's probably not aware of the reason as to why Arkalee's whining in the first place.

"How is it not a big deal!? Who in their right mind places someone on a deserted island?! That makes no sense!"

"...That's true. That idea is far too illogical. Sensei, how did that even get admitted in the first place?"

Speaking in agreement, Shizuku spoke to Yuka-sensei, with a puzzled look on her face.

But, the latter shrugged in response, thus implying that she was as clueless as we were.

"I honestly don't know! Because it wasn't me who organized their exam. Your homeroom teacher is responsible for their special exam, not me."

So this means that Yuka-sensei is responsible for our special exam.

The reason for our separation was basic. There are different gains in an observation that revolves around individuals of the same gender. A blend would be contradicting, so I suppose I can see the idea here.

"And for this reason, I will say this right now, any sort of questioning regarding the boys will result in punishment. And yes, I'm mainly talking to you, Arkalee. If you can't control yourself in class, then I'll have to apply certain methods."

"......."

Though angry, Arkalee wasn't as illogical as I originally thought.

Initially, I thought that she would take Yuka-sensei's words as an offense and would flat out argue yet that was not the case.

She simply laid her head on her table and did nothing else but fall into depression.

On another note, this is extremely bad for me. Because you are out of my observation.

In other words, I will only be able to see you when the end of this month withers.

Nonetheless, this doesn't necessarily mean that nothing can be achieved.

I'll conduct an investigation on every single girl here and see what sort of clues I can take that will lead to your identity.

"Okay! First of all, I want you all to gather in groups of three! Essentially, you eleven will form four overall groups! You have one minute! Those that aren't gathered in a group of three will be placed in a group of my own choice. Of course, one group will contain only two people, so, with that said... Begin!"

Without any explanations whatsoever, Yuka-sensei went out of her way to say those explicit words to us.

As I took a small glance at every single girl in class, they barely knew what to do. Except for a few who were already taking initiative, such as Akimiyashika and Lus.

If you didn't show up and cut my boredom, then I wouldn't bother to do anything. I would ultimately just stand here, in my seat, with my arms crossed, bored out of my life.

However, that will not happen. At all. This is not the time to be anti-social.

One group will have fewer members than the others. That itself already tells me that I have to take immediate action.

Thus, I got up from my seat and picked up my own group's members quickly.

They both didn't decline and that allowed me to form my own group in less than thirty seconds.

"Mhm...! Looks like I will not have to select any group myself! The groups are the ones that are written on the frame!"

Group one is composed of Akimiyashika, Hinagiku, and Ikkiri. No surprise there. I always see those three together.

What came as a surprise was a volunteered group, or rather, a pair that instead of opting to choose another person to their group's addition, simply went with two elements, thus forming group two, consisting of Lus and Kanawari.

A group that seemed like a forced group that was formed just to avoid partial selection was group three. This group's members are Tateyana, Shizuku, and Gale.

Lastly, my group. Me, Arkalee, and Sana.

All in all, it's extremely obvious as to why there was a group that had to go with two members only, even if they both were vastly fine with that option. Rather, more than fine, from their happy looks on their faces.

In order to quickly dispel the silence within this room, I spoke with vigor.

"Sensei, how is this relevant to the special exam?"

No explanation was established previously. This was bound to happen and since no one bothered to step forth, I decided to take independent action.

Already on her desk's seat, after folding through her own personal documents, Yuka-sensei at last spared a glance on me transiently before speaking.

"The special exam has not yet begun, Yukishiro."

"Then what's the point of forming groups if it's not relevant to the special exam?"

Of course, I was already aware that this didn't necessarily need to link itself to the special exam, this is for another alternative purpose.

Yet it seems as if my powerful words filled with staggering aggressiveness in them were starting to be viewed as spiteful, as I certainly could feel hateful side glances slowly being placed on me.

"It's actually related to the special exam, sweetie."

"Oh? I see. Thank you very much!"

That barely told me anything at all. Except not really.

If forming these groups will hold a point later on, then thorough conduction is far too necessary, so to speak.

Furthermore, it's not only about conduction. It's about evaluating the potential purpose of future situations that will be based on these groups' formation.

As I allowed my own thoughts to submerge one after another quickly, I also realized that this selection already told me something that was obvious from the start.

We were all allowed to choose our members freely. Is this freedom of choice intentional or not?

If not, then what does it mean, exactly? I'm not gonna wait around and wait for an answer.

So, I once again unleashed an impertinent manner-like question to Yuka-sensei.

"Sooo, why bother to allow us to choose these groups and not you, sensei? What, is this about 'choice' or 'freedom' or something rubbish like that?"

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"Can you please be quiet? Your lack of manners is utterly disturbing."

"Aw, what's the matter, Akimiyashika? Someone asks the necessary questions and the first thing you do is to criticize that person?"

"Necessary? You don't get to decide that. Respect the order that sensei has prepared for us, Yukishiro."

So dumb.

"Why should I? You're all so afraid to talk! The obvious questions should be asked! And for the record, I don't recall ever asking you a question, Akimiyashika."

"I don't need you to ask me something in order to entitle my own opinion! I speak freely."

"Ah, how great of you! Marvelous. So?"

"Your sarcasm is terrible. You should get better at it if your intention is to be mean and pointless. If Yuka-sensei truly wanted to let us know the content of your questions, she would tell us. Yet she isn't, for a reason. And if you think that it's alright to extort information like this, then your train of thought is flawed and wicked."

Bitch.

You think you are so righteous just because you defend someone, don't you, Akimiyashika?

"Look at the hypocrite talking! You speak about such righteousness and how my train of thought is flawed and wicked but the fact that you are here should be enough evidence that you are no better yet you, despite that, still believe otherwise!"

"Aki's not a hypocrite! You don't know what that word means, at all. Aki simply defended Yuka-sensei's actions and you, instead, decide to switch targets and attack Aki for no reason!"

And of course, Hinagiku, in order to protect the clique's leader, poses an angry expression while attempting to intimidate me from afar.

Such a shame that it doesn't phase me at all as my permanent mocking smirk is adjoined within my lips.

"No reason? Shut up. I made a question to Yuka-sensei and Akimiyashika decided to interrupt for her own personal reasons. Don't you dare say that it was for no reason, annoying little bitch!"

"....What did you just s----"

"Enough!"

Although Hinagiku was getting up from her seat, Yuka-sensei slammed the documents onto her desk, thus casting a vital silence in this almost-chaotic atmosphere.

"No questions will be asked about this. Instead, I'll now address the task that each group will do for the next hour."

With no further arguments, our attention was entirely focused on the task that Yuka-sensei had just written on the frame.

"You're only allowed to talk to the ones within your group. Should this rule be broken, the principal's office awaits you. Understood?"

"Yes!" x11.

Not that my intention was to ever argue in the first place, I'm just feeling so damn bored without you around.

The passion isn't present. I can't enter my realm of mind where I intertwine my undying fiery passion with your alluring mysterious existence.   

Instead, on the north-east side of this classroom, here I stand, with my two group elements that each have practically different looming looks to them.

Arkalee's with her head face down right now.

Sana's looking semi-gloomy, which is surprising, considering the fact that throughout the past week, she had been far too sad.

As a matter of fact, her state of mind was so shattered that Basara-sensei even allowed her to recover a few days inside her own room.

Yet now... She's trying to remain positive. It's not a forced smile that she's wearing, but it's an attempt to show happiness.

Sana is further showing a state of wonder, as even with my gaze on her, she's simply looking at the environment outside of the window.

That's incredibly strange.

Your best friend suicided a while ago. You should be massively fragile right now, so, how come you are showing symptoms of a healthy mind?

"Sana, you're not sad anymore?"

Upon hearing my words, it took her a while to come back to the current moment, as she averted her gaze from the scenery outside and sharply looked at me.

Then, instead of speaking, Sana looked down for a second and seemed to reminisce something.

"...Of course I am..."

"Really? You looked happy a while ago. You were on the verge of smiling. Did something good happen lately?"

"Good...? Um, mayb---- No, no... It's nothing..."

She was without a doubt going to say maybe.

What exactly happened? I need to know.

You are a source, after all.

"Ehhh, you can tell me. Just between you and me. Arkalee's all knocked out because her charming prince isn't here."

"..."

Sana, in response to my last words, put on a semi-envious expression.

Yet that only lasted short transience.

"It's nothing... I'm not happy. It's your imagination."

No, it's definitely not my imagination.

Just a few seconds ago, you were borderline smiling.

That itself is the sign that something massive happened.

"I'm not convinced, Sana. I know that smile... Who is he?"

"Ah, no. It's not like that. Don't misunderstand, please."

This time, with a completely serious expression, Sana told me off.

She wasted no momentum whatsoever in telling me that I was wrong, almost as if she was absolutely sure that it was not what I was implying.

Yet, in her mind, what exactly did I imply?

"What am I misunderstanding though?"

"Ugh, it's nothing, okay?! Leave me alone."

"Oh... Sorry, did I hit a nerve? It wasn't my intention to upset you, Sana."

"It's fine, Yukishiro. I can't stay sad forever. After all... --No, never mind. Okay! Let's start this!"

Although Sana spoke with bubbling enthusiasm, Arkalee, nonetheless was still with her face down on the table's surface, refusing to speak at all.

Sana, however, didn't take this and started to touch Arkalee's back to see if Arkalee was actually awake.

"Arkalee, wake up..."

"........."

Given that Sana was being far too soft, I decided to take a different approach and dropped all my sharpener's shavings on top of Arkalee's head, which woke her up as soon as she started to feel them on her hair strands.

"W-Who did this...?!"

With tears on her face, Arkalee desperately erased all the shavings from her hair strands far too quickly.

"I did. You ignored Sana. Also, what's with the tears?"

"..A-Ah...!! W-Why...?! How am I going to live another day?!"

A stream of tears came forth thus duplicating the quantity of crystal-like tears that Arkalee had on her face a short while ago.

"Um, breathe. Eat. Drink... That's all you need to do... You're exaggerating far too much, Arkalee... There's no need to be this dramatic."

I'm impressed Sana told Arkalee off that easily. Though, it is true.

Arkalee's being far too dramatic.

"Easy for you to say."

"...What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't have a boyfriend, how would you know how I feel, Sana? The same goes for you, Yukishiro."

"True."

What Arkalee just said, though aggressive, is true.

I don't have a boyfriend but that's simply because I have absurdly unrealistic standards and so, I never actually bothered to go on a quest for love.

I'm far too confident about my own ability to remain emotionally stable even without the love of someone else.

After all, there is no such person in this mediocre world that can ultimately meet every single one of my standards.

...

Or so I used to think. Your existence does make me wonder.

"Y-Yeah, you're right, Arkalee, hahaha... So, let's start the task, alright?"

"Yup, I'm with Sana here, Arkalee. So... Who will start?"

"Well..."

With Arkalee being the last one to speak, after whipping her tears with her blazer's sleeve, we three looked at the frame, and there, we once again, read the task.

'Assuming that there is someone behind Yulia's suicide, discuss, with your group, who the possible suspect might be.'

Such simple words were written on the frame yet every time I look at them, I get exasperated far too quickly.

The suspect is not even here... You are currently on that deserted island, supposedly.

Regardless, ultimately, after we three crossed glances with each other, in this small space with our tables adjoined to one another, in the shape of a triangle, our conversation would start.

But before that could happen, Sana murmured a few words first.

"...Did you really had to put it like that... How offensive..."

"Sana?"

"Hm? Right, right! Let's... get started."

Sana has been acting far too weird in these past minutes.

Something is on her mind yet she refuses to speak about it.

This has happened before... I recall I couldn't get a proper conversation with Sana because your external influence was already permanent within her. 

Are you telling me that you are one step ahead yet again?

"Um, wait, before we do get started, I have to ask something..."

Raising her hand up high while simultaneously looking towards Yuka-sensei's desk, Sana was looking forward to getting her attention just so she could speak.

And so, without speaking, Yuka-sensei traveled all across her desk which was in the far north in comparison to our location, which to her, would be far south.

"Hello! What can I help you with, Sana?"

"Ah, thank you for attending me..."

"No problem, sweetie."

"Okay, so... Is the claim that I will make about who the suspect might be my group's claim or my own? Also, how do we come to a consensus? What if our opinions all differ?"

In other words, Sana was asking if her individual answer would matter more than the group's answer.

And alternatively, how we would come into an agreement in case of disagreement.

"That's up to all of you. If there is a disagreement, then the one that has the better argument should be able to make the rest see how she is more correct than the rest. Debate, in other words."

"Okay, thank you. Um, last question. Does the suspect have to be a boy or a girl? Because I don't think it makes a lot of sense to throw guilt at a boy if he's not here."

Sana's reasoning for this is the boys' current absence.

That alone is reasonable, however, not quite...

Why should their absence be relevant in the first place? This isn't any sort of apprehension. This is simply a discussion.

Or does Sana have the wrong idea?

Or...

Maybe she wants me to get the wrong idea?

"It can be either a boy or a girl. We are aiming to identify the suspect here."

"How?"

Impertinent and far aware of it myself, I asked that.

"Sana said that was the last question. Therefore, I'm not answering that! Good luck in the debate though!"

Currently, as I watch Yuka-sensei exit the scene, I feel slightly angry.

I'm feeling angry because Sana said 'last question' and as much as I like to think that she was doing that out of good manners, I can't help but feel like that wasn't the case at all.

Thus, I threw another question at Sana.

"Sana, just a while ago, why did you say 'last question'?"

"Why...? Because I don't think it's a good idea to waste Yuka-sensei's goodwill. Especially after what you did..."

"Is that all the reason? There isn't any other additional reason to place those specific two words in your sentence?"

"...No, there isn't."

"Really? Are you sure? Think about this deeply, I deplore you."

"No, Yukishiro, there isn't... You're really doubtful, you know? Do you even trust anyone?"

"Ah, that was my bad, Sana. I was just really curious. Please don't think of me like that, alright?"

"...Sure."

Like hell I'm swallowing that.

You're free to call me doubtful or whatever you please, but, Sana, the fact that you used such a bad reason as 'the boys' absence' for your argument, isn't buyable at all.

If you hadn't used that argument in the first place, then nothing would've changed. The boys being absent never had anything to do with it.

As I already said to myself, this is a discussion, not a trial, where you get to accuse someone, and potentially, that individual will get punished for being the suspect.

In this discussion, we use words, arguments, and debate over the suspect. Why does their absence suddenly matter?

It doesn't...

"Ah, maybe Sana's just an airhead and didn't think thoroughly about her own words and so, she's just confusing you. You are overthinking."

The common thought. The mediocre assumption. The proof of a person that does not know how to be intelligent.

Do you think I'm dumb? DO YOU?!

I noticed from the start. As soon as Sana used that pathetic excuse for her argument, I already knew.

That she was trying to divide who I would suspect by supposedly making me think that the suspect selection method would be ultimately divided down by gender.

Sana, you attempted to make me think that it WOULD make more sense to prioritize suspecting a girl over a boy.

That's just too bad. Because I already knew that the suspect is a boy.

"Fufu..."

But that's simply not all.

Sana, you did this for a reason. You are attempting to cover his existence from me!! You devilish wretch!!

Even when you are absent, you are applying your own power against me by making others distort my beliefs!

So you do acknowledge my existence! All that effort to send you a message, and thanks to that I got your attention and you are already fighting back!

"Yukishiro...?"

Arkalee called me out, as she witnessed my vastly wide grin being formed due to my thoughts merging deeply with one another, even in the face of these two.

"Ah... Sana?"

"What?! You've been so persistent today..."

Borderline pissed off, Sana wasted no time in telling me those spiteful words.

Perhaps at the sight of my smile, that hit a nerve. Though, I just have to let her know something.

"You can't hide him from me."

"...? Okay? So, who starts? I've asked this question a few times already..."

Strange. She was so swift when replying to that. Almost as if she didn't care whatsoever.

Is that you acting extremely well or did I just miss the mark...?

No, no. I couldn't have. Sana's a primal source to that event.

Therefore, I'm ultimately better off assuming nothing that big yet from her.

Though, she was undoubtedly covering for you.

Aaaahhhhh, you give me so much mental stimulation!

"Hello? Heeelllloooo? Geez, it's one thing to be doubtful but it's another to be such an airhead. Okay, I'll go first..."

"Wait, Sana... Are you okay with talking about this...? We will be discussing who supposedly was behind Yulia's suicide..."

"...It's not easy for me, Arkalee... However, it is what it is. Some go while some supposedly stay..."

Sana's words are the equivalent of homonyms... They might be far too simple on the surface yet the more I attempt to look into them, it does make me think that you are behind them.

"Okay... As far as I know, no one here resented Yulia."

I suppose it's time to play a little game, for fun.

Since you aren't here, I have to entertain myself.

"Hm? That's not quite right, Sana."

"Eh?"

"If you were to ask me, in this classroom, right now, there should be plenty of girls that resented Yulia. You and Yulia, a while ago, both agreed about something. For example... Who was it that you and Yulia placed the blame for what had happened to Ikkiri not so long ago...?"

"Um, Yukishiro, don't speak that name."

Arkalee, out of nowhere suddenly told me that. Yet I could not comprehend why.

"Why can't I?"

"Just don't, okay?"

"That's nonsensical. Names are used as a method for identification."

"Look, just call her whore, that will do."

"...No. Deal with it. So, Sana, did you get what I was trying to imply?"

"Hold on a damn second! I'm serious about this! Don't say her name!"

Why is she so persistent?

Well, thankfully, Sana stepped in and undoubtedly put a sense of order in Arkalee, who was close to jumping the gun on me simply because I said Ikkiri.

"Arkalee, she doesn't mean to say it in the way that you are thinking. Relax already... You aren't going to last with that amount of stress..."

"....It's hard."

"So, Sana?"

It would be bad if Sana somehow thought that I had forgotten about the question that I had made.

However, she clearly didn't, as her reply was far too swift.

"I see your point. Though, would Ikkiri actually be the one...?"

Ikkiri is a terrible suspect and my point makes absolutely no sense.

So, with that in mind, let's see how far you'll go with your acting, Sana.

You like to tease me, don't you?

These lies; I'll cut them down and make them holy.