—
I woke at nightfall, moonlight filtering through the shoji screens and casting soft patterns across the tatami mats. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes; maybe I’d gotten a little caught up in everything.
Groaning softly, I sat up on my futon and rubbed my temples. The room was still, the quiet breathing of sleeping classmates filling the air. We’d been placed five to a room and were gender-separated, organised alphabetically by surname. That left me in Room 4B with Akira Futaba, Sophia Gracia, Natsumi Hashimoto, and Anastasia Ivanova.
A strange mix. Aside from Natsumi, who I knew from the festival committee, no one spoke much. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk anyway.
I slipped on my slippers and quietly left the room. After washing my face and drying my hands in the bathroom, I wandered to the communal kitchen. The lights were dim but enough to see the counters and sinks lining the wall.
At the far end, leaning casually against the counter, stood Ran. She was dressed in a loose hoodie and sleep shorts, with a glass of water in her hand. Her eyes met mine as I entered.
“Can’t sleep either?” she asked.
“Something like that,” I said, grabbing a cup and filling it at the faucet.
We stood in silence for a moment. Ran rinsed her glass, wiping her hands on the hem of her hoodie, then turned slightly toward me.
“How does it feel,” she asked, “having a target on your back?”
Of course, she was referring to what Marcus brought up earlier.
I stared into my cup, watching the water ripple. “Not sure,” I admitted. “But I’ll manage. It’s nothing new.”
“Oh? That so?” Ran tilted her head. “Care to elaborate?”
“Rather than that,” I said, setting my cup down, “I’ll just ask outright.”
She raised a brow.
“Are you working against me in this exam?” I asked.
Ran chuckled, pushing off the counter. “Aren’t we all?” she said, dodging the question.
“You know what I mean,” I replied, stepping closer, not confrontationally, just to hold her attention. “We’re classmates. Trust is supposed to mean something. But who’s to say a classmate can’t screw you over the first chance they get?”
She paced slowly. “I might not like you much, but even I can see your value to our class.”
There were only a handful of people who didn’t fall for the persona I wore, and Ran was definitely one of them. Whether it was sharp instincts or just a natural distrust, I couldn’t say. We didn’t interact much, but there was something about her that I found both entertaining and intriguing.
“If that’s the case,” I began, “then maybe we should—”
“I’ll pass,” she interrupted, raising a hand. “It’s not you—it’s me. This is the first special exam, and I want to see how far I can go on my own. Call it an experiment in self-reliance.”
“Alright,” I said with a nod. “In that case, you don’t mess with me, and I won’t mess with you.”
She chuckled. “Deal,” she said, then walked out of the kitchen.
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When she left, I traced the rim of my cup as I leaned back against the counter, then drifted to the window, gazing into the deep blue night.
After a while, I returned to the room and slipped back inside. Everyone was still asleep. I glanced at Natsumi, curled beneath her blanket.
“Hmmm,” I murmured under my breath, lying back down on my own futon and folding my hands behind my head, staring at the ceiling as my thoughts drifted.
I closed my eyes, hoping for a bit more rest before sunrise.
—
—
The day began early as our group quietly prepared for departure. I’d shelved last night’s chaotic bathhouse talk as nothing more than a strange blip. There were more important things to focus on.
We left around 8 a.m., heading toward Site K at J7. I hadn’t explained my decision to replace Kamaye with Kameko yet, but that could wait. For now, earning her trust came first.
That was why I walked beside Kameko as we made our way along the trail. She didn’t say a word, her eyes fixed ahead, and I didn’t push her. Sometimes, silence built more trust than words.
When we arrived, the team immediately set up and swept the area for hazards. Then I called everyone together.
“Alright, before we get into plans for the day, I want to clear the air,” I said. “I promised Kameko I’d bring her into our team.”
“Huh?” Amara said. “You could’ve told us that ahead of time.”
“I know, and you’re right. I should have.” I admitted. “We ran into each other on the third day, talked, and made an agreement. It felt like the right move at the time.”
Priya crossed her arms. “Is that so?”
Amara sighed and looked at Kameko, who stood off to the side of the group. “Even so, a heads-up would’ve made things smoother.”
I could tell Amara had more on her mind, and it was not anger, just concern. But now wasn’t the time to press it. I gave her a small nod and turned back to the group. “If that’s all, let’s move on to today’s plan.”
Meeting Kameko’s gaze, I said, “Time to honour your side of the agreement.”
She nodded and stepped forward, taking the tablet. Her fingers traced across the digital map before she spoke.
“A11 and O9,” she said calmly.
I leaned in to confirm the coordinates, then nodded. “Got it. Thanks. I’ll figure out our approach from here. For now, I’m assigning roles.”
I turned to the group. “Kameko, cover the southeast. Amara, the northeast. Tylan, the northwest. Priya, you’re the anchor at the centre.”
“What about you?” Kameko asked.
“I’ll stay back and monitor positions,” I said, pulling out the handmade grid map and Kamaye’s walkie-talkie. I handed them to her. “I’ll coordinate and handle any blips in this area.”
I scanned their faces for hesitation, but none came. “Alright,” I said, straightening up. “Move out.”
They headed off in different directions toward their zones.
—
—
Two hours had passed, and I was monitoring my teammates’ positions on the map. Kameko had just reached a nearby blip and earned us ten points when the crunch of footsteps snapped me to alert.
A lone figure stepped into camp.
“Seems she was right,” the girl said, scanning the area.
“Akira,” I breathed. “How did you find us?”
“Tomiko tracked your movement patterns,” she replied with a shrug.
So she really did catch on, huh?
“I advise you to leave. Tell Tomiko not to start trouble here.”
“I have orders to take your totem. If you’ve got a problem with that, take it up with Tomiko,” she said flatly. “No hard feelings, Diya-senpai.”
Her eyes flicked to my bag, where the totem sat just beneath the flap, and then she bolted. My boots tore into the earth as I lunged, intercepting her just before she could reach it.
She lunged at me; her fist shot forward in a straight jab. I raised my forearm just in time, absorbing the impact with a deflection that sent her momentum off-kilter just enough to throw her off balance.
Akira twisted sharply on the ball of her foot, her momentum swinging into a pivoting roundhouse aimed at my ribs. I spotted the gap in her stance, the opening to counter. One sweep to her planted leg, and I could drop her. But I hesitated.
I stumbled, nearly dropping to one knee, but caught myself. She surged forward with a flurry of strikes. I brought up my arms in a loose guard, blocking what I could, but several punches broke through, hammering my shoulders, ribs, and gut as I skidded backwards through the dirt.
Not yet.
I dug my heel into the ground and launched a desperate side kick, catching her thigh and forcing her back a step. It wasn’t much, but it bought me a second. I spat blood, the metallic taste burning my throat.
Akira's stance shifted again. Her shoulders loose, weight low, right leg coiled.
I knew what was coming.
A roundhouse.
Her kick cut through the air like a blade. I barely got my arm up in time, but it wasn’t enough. The kick crashed into the side of my head, and the world spun violently. My vision collapsed to a blur as I hit the dirt face-first, pain ringing through my skull.
Footsteps.
Fabric rustling.
A soft clink.
The totem.
My fingers twitched, but the rest of me wouldn’t move.
Then, nothing.
Darkness closed in.