Saiki didn't want any of this.
Winning first place was already enough trouble.
Now he'd defeated the student council president…
*"All because he charged at me like that…"* Saiki thought.
"But seriously, what was that move? I've never seen anything like it," Fuka pressed.
"I… trained in martial arts," Saiki repeated.
"Wow. Martial arts can do that? I might have to study it more," Fuka said, laughing.
Saiki was at a loss for words.
*"If she studies martial arts, will she figure out my powers?"*
"You're full of surprises, Saiki. What's next for you?" Fuka asked, smirking.
"If possible, I just want to spend the rest of my high school days in peace," Saiki replied.
"A peaceful high school life? That doesn't quite match your actions. You, who were once unknown, suddenly topped the most challenging exam. That alone ensures your future won't be peaceful," Kiryūin pointed out.
"You're right," Saiki sighed.
He'd been drawing too much attention lately, which was becoming a nuisance.
"But did you really aim for first place in this exam just to avoid Nagumo bothering you in the future?" Kiryūin asked curiously.
"Yeah," Saiki nodded reluctantly.
The truth was something he couldn't reveal.
Besides, Saiki wasn't sure what Kūsuke's motives were either.
Was this exam truly a showdown?
And why did it make him even more noticeable at school? Was that the goal?
Saiki was puzzled, but there was nothing he could do now.
"By the way, Saiki, how do you feel about life at this school?" Kiryūin asked.
"Feel?" Saiki was caught off guard.
Horikita had asked a similar question earlier.
Reflecting on his high school life so far, Saiki felt there were always strange troubles around him.
But honestly, he didn't dislike it.
At least there were plenty of desserts to enjoy at school, even if they cost personal points—still cheaper than buying them outside.
There were other factors too.
"I've had three carefree years, but there's a slight regret about school life. If this school had a system to retain students, I might consider staying longer. It wouldn't be bad," Kiryūin said with a smile.
"Saiki!" Just then, Kiriyama appeared beside him.
"You're early. We can start now, but let's talk somewhere else—it's not private here."
"Kiriyama, do you have something to say that I shouldn't hear?" Kiryūin asked, turning to him.
"I just want a quieter place to talk, that's all."
"Quieter? Yet you chose a crowded pool to meet. That's absurd, don't you think?"
"So, should I have said, 'Talking near you ruins my mood'?" Kiriyama frowned, openly showing his dislike for Kiryūin.
"Oh, so you do care about my feelings," Kiryūin laughed.
"Just tell me what you're going to say to him."
"I refuse. It's none of your business."
"None of my business? We'll see about that~"
"What do you mean?"
"Saiki and I are dating. Can you still say it's none of my business?"
"?!" Kiriyama's face froze in shock, staring blankly at Saiki.
*What? Saiki and Kiryūin are dating? How is that possible? Who could tame that crazy guy? Sure, Kiryūin's looks are top-tier, but her personality is a nightmare for dating.*
*But if it's Saiki… he's been hiding his strength, and his true identity is mysterious. Even Tsukishiro seems to favor him. Maybe that's why Kiryūin's interested… not impossible.*
*And during the exam, Kiryūin teamed up with Saiki from the start—unlike her usual lone wolf behavior. Could they really be…?*
Kiriyama's mind raced.
Though skeptical, he couldn't rule it out entirely.
*You're actually buying this nonsense?* Saiki thought, about to explain, but Kiryūin beat him to it.
"Haha, Kiriyama, I was joking. You're boring, but your reactions are entertaining."
"You…" Kiriyama's brow twitched, his annoyance growing.
But he said nothing more and walked away.
"Saiki, say hi to Kiriyama for me," Kiryūin waved, signaling Saiki to follow.
He caught up with Kiriyama on the pool deck above.
"Kiriyama-senpai, what did you want to talk about?" Saiki asked, already knowing the answer.
Kiriyama's mind was fixated on one question: *Who is Saiki Kusuo?*
"I'll be blunt: Saiki, who are you?"
"I don't understand."
"You hid your strength at first but defeated Nagumo in every challenge, even beating him in the final wrestling exam. No ordinary student could do that."
"I studied martial arts."
"Martial arts can't explain this. And how did you beat Nagumo in the other challenges?"
"Luck, like in the rock-paper-scissors test. It's a game of chance."
Saiki said flatly.
"..." Kiriyama was speechless. The rock-paper-scissors challenge had always bothered him.
It was luck-based, yet Saiki won every round and took first place.
It made no sense.
No one could win every time, no matter how skilled.
*Actually, someone can. He's right in front of you,* Saiki thought.
"Never mind that. Saiki, did you know Tsukishiro before he became chairman?"
"No, I met him after he took office."
"Then why did he call you that day?"
"How do you know Tsukishiro called me that day?" Saiki countered.
"I…" Kiriyama was stumped.
That night, he'd planned to restrain Saiki, but Tsukishiro's sudden appearance ruined it.
He couldn't reveal that.
"You were planning something that day, weren't you?" Saiki pressed.
"I… I wasn't surrendering to Nagumo! I was looking for a chance to defeat him!" Kiriyama insisted.
But his inner thoughts betrayed him.
He had no intention of beating Nagumo now; he just wanted to use this chance to reach Class A alone.
"It's because you ignored my orders, Saiki. I told you not to interfere, but you…"
"Is that so?" Saiki's gaze sharpened, cutting Kiriyama off.
Kiriyama's words stuck in his throat.
In that moment, he felt a pressure even greater than Nagumo's.
And remembering Saiki's connection to Tsukishiro, he realized Saiki had influence at this school.
He couldn't afford to provoke him.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going," Saiki turned and left.
Kiriyama watched his back, unable to stop him.
Both Horikita and Nagumo valued Saiki highly—for good reason.
Now, Kiriyama understood why.
After the island exam, Nagumo had become dejected, all because of Saiki.
So, what was his next move?
Continue resisting Nagumo… or surrender completely?
"Saiki… just who are you?"
....
Summer break on the cruise ship ended, and students returned to school for their second year.
In the first class, Chabashira briefed them on the new semester.
"This semester has many events. First, the Sports Festival in October. Rules differ from last year, but the physical challenges remain the same. Not much has changed."
"In November, we'll host the first-ever Cultural Festival at Advanced Nurturing High School. Details will be shared later, but start preparing now."
To prepare for the upcoming sports festival, physical education classes were increased to several sessions per week in September. For the cultural festival, the class allocated one hour of discussion time each week.
Upon hearing the term "cultural festival," the entire class seemed to grow excited.
"Of course, midterm and final exams will proceed as usual during the events," Chabashira Sae announced.
"Details about the sports festival will be shared later. For now, let's focus on the cultural festival."
"Many external guests will attend the cultural festival. You'll compete against all other classes in the school, with sales revenue determining the winner. You can request any number of items from the school, but the budget is limited. Check your tablets for the detailed rules."
After Chabashira finished speaking, information about the cultural festival appeared on every student's tablet.
Cultural Festival Guidelines:
Each second-year student receives 5,000 points for initial expenses, exclusively for festival preparations. These points can be used freely within the specified limits.
Additional funds may be awarded for outstanding contributions to the student council or club activities. Details will be announced later.
Initial expenses and extra funds will not affect final sales results. Unused points will be reclaimed.
- Classes ranked 1st to 4th receive 100 class points.
- Classes ranked 5th to 8th receive 50 class points.
- Classes ranked 9th to 12th receive no points but also face no penalties.
"Finally, a competition without intense pressure," Saiki muttered to himself.
Even if the class ranks low, there's no punishment. This allows students to immerse themselves in the cultural festival atmosphere rather than focus solely on competition.