The pool was quickly cleared out as Nagumo and his friends began to increase in number.

If they wanted to talk to me directly, they would send a messenger to me if I left them alone without contacting me.

I interpreted the fact that they didn’t do so at the moment as an indication that they had no intention of setting up a place to talk.

Anyway, it’s not nice to keep drawing attention to myself. In order to escape, I went to the locker room to change my clothes…

“Ayanokouji-senpai!”

Nanase finds me in the aisle and runs up to me with a happy look on her face.

It’s not that unusual to see someone two days in a row, because on a ship with a fixed destination, you’re bound to pass students you know repeatedly outside of your cabin.

However, the way she appeared reminded me of the scene I saw yesterday.

“Can I have a moment of your time?”

She seemed to be checking my surroundings lightly to make sure I wasn’t with someone else.

She may not have been able to initiate the conversation before since she was working with Ishizaki yesterday.

However, I nodded my head, a little confused by the strong pressure and the close distance.

“Actually, I’m not sure if I should report this, but, uh, there’s something that’s been bothering me.”

“Something that’s been bothering you?”

The cheerful sign disappears from the cheerful Nanase as she makes a serious face.

Nanase speaks in a whisper, paying attention to her surroundings.

“There’s one thing I didn’t tell you, senpai. If I tell you, you might get angry…….”

I might get angry? I wonder what she is talking about.

“Well…”

Nanase tried to speak as her whisper became even quieter…

“Oh, is that Ayanokouji-kun?”

Nanase hurriedly distanced herself when a voice she didn’t recognize called out to her.

It was Ichinose’s classmate, Yume Kobashi.

In my school life, I wouldn’t even say hello to each other.

However, in the uninhabited island test, I spent the same time, albeit for a short time.

That seemed to have changed our relationship.

“Oh, am I bothering you? I think maybe I’d better wait.”

Noticing Nanase who was hiding behind my body, she said that apologetically.

“No, it’s fine. I was just asking Ayanokouji-senpai about something I didn’t understand.”

“Are you sure?”

Nanase nodded twice vigorously, as if it wasn’t as serious as she made it out to be just a while ago.

“I’ll call you again when I have more time, senpai.”

The only thing that seemed certain was that it was not something that just be told in front of any student.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you talking to her. She’s a first year student, right? Did I offend her perhaps?”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that. So what do you want from me?”

“Actually, the girls in my class are having a party tonight. I was wondering if you’d like to join us, Ayanokouji-kun. I wanted to thank you for helping me with Chihiro-chan.”

It was an invitation.

However, the keyword “girls from the class” stuck out strongly.

“What kind of people are going to participate?”

I felt scared and tried to confirm, but Kobashi tilted his head saying Hmmm…

“We’re still working on it, I guess. Don’t worry so much about it, there are no weird kids.”

It’s not that I’m afraid of strange members joining, but I don’t think she understands.

“It’s only students from your class, right? Isn’t it strange that I, a stranger, should join?”

“Really? Not at all! What do you think, won’t you join us?” [tl note: uwu]

I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not. There are not many people in Ichinose’s class that I can talk to intimately. To be honest, I wasn’t too keen about it.

I’m not sure I’d be able to have a good conversation with Ichinose, especially now.

It’s a little painful, but I need to decline here.

“No, I think I’ll pa…”

Seeing me about to reject her invitation, Kobashi puts her hands together in earnest.

“Please! Think of our encounter here as a part of destiny, ‘kay?”

It becomes hard to refuse when she puts it like that, but I couldn’t give in so easily.

It’s obvious that if I let things go as they will, nothing good will come of it.

“You mean…… this is my responsibility, is that correct?” [Ayanokouji]

“What?” [Kobashi]

“No, it’s okay. I’ll report this to everyone in my class. I’ll say that I invited Ayanokouji-kun, but my way of inviting was so poor that I got refused.” [Kobashi]

“Wait, how did it come to that” [Ayanokouji]

“Then will you come?”

“…..That’s…..”

“So you won’t come —- Ah if only I could invite you in a better way… I’m so sorry everyone”

“I’ll be troubled if you get so depressed.”

“You just have to show up. Just come. Besides, Honami-chan will also be there…”

Once again, she put her hands together with more vigor than before.

At this point, it seems like there is no retreat.

“Okay. It’s fine if I just come for a little bit, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, thank you! Oh, but it’s a secret to Honami-chan to attend today’s celebration party, okay?”

She smiled so brightly that it was hard to believe that she had been depressed and sad just a moment ago.

It’s been said that women are born actresses.

But why not tell Ichinose? That part stuck with me a little.

“Why not tell her? I’d like to have everyone’s permission for me to participate.”

If there is even one student who refuses to participate, I’d be glad to know about that.

This way, I can say no to them again in good faith and for a good cause.

“Because that’s….. Isn’t it better if we keep Ayanokouji-kun’s presence as a surprise?”

I don’t think this surprise will turn out as well as she imagines.

I’m not going to go too far into it because my classmates already seem to have a lot on their minds when it comes to me and Ichinose.

“Okay then, I’ll see you in room 5034 at 8:00”

“Room 5034 is …… the party is going to be in someone’s room?”

I thought we would be using a rest area or a deck. The room number meant that the girls were sleeping there, not the boys.

“Is there any problem with that?”

“No … it’s just, I just feel like it’ll be a little hard to blend in…”

“That’s not true. Right?”

Kobashi’s recurring “right?” is so convincing that I was pushed into a corner.

[TL note: Kobashi uses “-ne~” again and again at end of her sentences to persuade Ayanokouji]

A retreat was being robbed of me more and more.

“Then I’ll be waiting! Be sure to come! Okay?”

Perhaps she was satisfied with the outcome, Kobashi walked away quite quickly.

“I give up *sigh*”

It’s not the right time to talk to Ichinose face to face yet, but… Since it is with a group of people together I suppose it’ll be fine. Besides if it is a celebration party, I’m sure that not a few boys will participate as well.