"Ayanokouji-Kun."

I was walking to the forest when Hirata called me. Although it wasn't shown on my face, I was scared till death because of it.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, can we talk for a minute?" Our class leader asked.

"Sure, what's up?" I turned my face to him and hid my sweaty hand in my pocket.

Hirata came closer with softly smile.

Shit---Smile?

"Please, Hirata. I will do whatever you want me to do!" I said with instinct. Hirata raised his eyebrows with confusion.

"Hm. What are you talking about, Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"Oh, so you won't threaten me or something?"

"Of course, not! I just want you to help something."

I sighed with relief. I thought Matsushita and Chihiro gave me PTSD. Every time I saw something like softly smiling, I became panicked that that smile owner would do something scary. I would never trust a friendly smile anymore.

"So what do you want me to help?"

"Um. I want you to investigate this case. " Hirata said. "The underwear thief."

I was surprised that Hirata asked. After I thought again, it was kinda made sense. As long as we couldn't find the culprit, our class would still break. Hirata who loved his class more than his wife would never let it happen.

"Hm. Why do you have to ask me?"

"Because you and I are the only ones who can cross among two sides. Since I will be very busy. I think you can find the evidence easier than me."

Understandable. There was no reason to deny so I nodded as accept. Hirata almost jumped after I did.

"Thank you, Ayanokouji-Kun. Thank you so much!" Hirata seemed to be as happy as he won the lottery. "Oh, if you know who is the culprit, don't tell anyone. Tell me first."

If the culprit was in our classroom, the cleavage would get worse. In that case, Hirata might want to solve everything silently.

"Okay. But don't hope too much. " I said.

Hirata smiled and walked back to the camp.

I waited until He was gone before sighing with relief.

I took Karuizawa's out of my pocket. It was dirty because of mud. I wonder if I should tell him about this.

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Along the side of the river, from headwater to downstream, was dominated by our class. So no one but class D could use it. This was the best place for washing the stolen panties.

After finishing the tents moving, I went to find the panties that I threw away. And find out it was covered by mud and soil. I decided to wash it.

Why did I have to do it?

I wanted to do some good things, because since we started the exam. I did a lot of sin. Participating in Koenji's murder, lying to everyone about him, hitting those class E, and of course, hiding the truth about this underwear.

Oh shit, Was I that bad?

-10000000 social credit---I mean Poonya.

I sat on the riverside and then I just realized that I didn't have any washing powders. Ah, what idiot am I?

"It isn't like the washing powders will flow from nowhere. " I mumbled.

Then, I saw something floating along the river.

It was a bag of washing powders.

Actually, There was a body floating in the river too, but I decided to ignore it.

"Noice!" I grabbed it from the river before started hesitating. What if this bag belonged to another class? If I used it, would it be considered stealing?

Then, I saw the note on the bag.

This bag of washing powder isn't owned by any class of ANHS.

Okay, it was weirdly specific though. But okay.

I tore the bag and poured the powder on Karuizawa's underwear. I put it into the river and started rubbing it.

As I looked at the stream, my stream of thinking started flowing.

Who was the culprit?

Who stole this underwear and hid it in Ike's bag?

And How he or she did it?

My first suspect was Ibuki for sure. But I didn't know how she did.

I was pretty sure I could know who was the culprit by just randomly guesting him. But Hirata wouldn't accept the answer if I didn't show him any evidence.

I sighed, I would find the evidence by chance anyway.

My stream of thinking was stopped after I heard the water splashing.

I stood up and looked in the voice's direction. The sound source was around five meters far from me. I couldn't see anything because it was hiding by the tree.

Therefore, I walked closer.

Then, it appeared before me.

The most important power of H.A.R.E.M. protagonist.

The girl without any cloth was bathing in the river. She had purple eyes and long blond hair. Her pretty face looked so relaxed.

She was the owner of the underwear which I holding.

Karuizawa Kei!

Of course, since this fiction was still for kids. Her hair, somehow, always hid her secret points. If the hair didn't work. The light or smoke would come from nowhere.

But for me, who was a protagonist, would see everything while your poor audience wouldn't see anything.

No. Kamesumichajara Veramani Sikkhapathangsamatiyami. No horny!

"No horny---" I mumbled.

Karuizawa heard me and turned her face to me.

"Ayanokouji----"

"Yeah, that's my name. Have a good day. "

I tried to walk away but Karuizawa got close to me and grabbed my shirt. Her face became red, not because shy but anger. I thought she would hit my face or something.

But she asked me instead.

"Do you see something?"

Shit, here we go again. Where were these Vietnam flashbacks come from?

Before I could answer her or keep my hand away from her breast, she saw the underwear in my hand.

"My panties!" She screamed and grabbed it from my hand.

Her tears flew from the corner of her eyes. She looked at me with eyes of disgust.

"I can---"

"You psychopath rat thief!" She said slowly. Karuizawa pursed her lips.

She walked away from me and started wearing her cloth.

"If you don't tell anyone about it, I won't tell anyone that you steal my underwear."

She said with a low tone of voice.

Don't tell anyone about it

"About---what?" I asked with curiosity.

"Don't act dumb! You know what I'm talking about!" She screamed and ran away into the forest after finishing her clothing.

Leave me standing alone in the forest without I could explain the truth.

Did I miss something? Because according to the research, after being H.A.R.E.M. protagonist, your brain would lose its efficiency without a reason.

Of course, there was an exception for someone, such as Uexxxi from the first generation who got the third place in the middle entrance test or Ixxxgami from the second generation who was good at calculating and deciding although he wasn't that good about studying. (He was the first failure of our project, so he was very unlucky too.)

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When I returned to the camp, I heard some arguing voice from the girls' tents.

I decided to hide behind the tree and kept silent.

Karuizawa was there, confronting her friend; Sato, Mori, Matsushita, and also her rival, Horikita.

"I can't accept Ayanokouji-Kun to come into our area!" Karuizawa said.

"Nonsense. Karuizawa-San. You have been talking for two minutes but I haven't heard any good reason yet. " Horikita said calmly.

"I don't trust him, this's the good reason."

"The same reason as before we accept him. Do you think Ayanokouji-Kun is untrustable?" Horikita asked the last sentence to Sato, Matsushita, and Mori.

"I don't think so. " Sato shook her head. "Come on, Karuizwa-San. I checked his bag, all of his cloth, and also his underwear twice. And I didn't find something that looks like your underwear."

Everyone looked at her. "You did what?"

"Nothing."

"I agreed with Sato-San. " Mori said.

"Do you think he is the thief, Karuizawa-San? What makes you think so?" Horikita asked her.

Karuizawa pursed her lips and tried to avoid looking at Horikita's eyes.

"I--I didn't say something like that. I just think he shouldn't enter the female's area. No evidence prove Ayanokouji-Kun isn't a culprit."

"There is no evidence that proves Hirata-Kun isn't a culprit too."

Karuizawa squinted. "Ayanokouji-Kun is different from Hirata-Kun. I know he isn't a decent man like he tries to act."

Horikita sighed.

"Is there anything related to your insulting of Ayanokouji-Kun in the second month of the semester?"

She probably referred to what happened after I rejected Karuizawa's request in front of the library.

Karuizwa's face became red with anger. "I--"

"A-A-A-A-A-A-A-Ya-Ya-No-No-Kouji---Kun c---can---can't b---be a----cul---c-c-c-c-p-p-prit----"

The girls heard a little noise and turned to Sakura who shook like there was an earthquake around.

Karuizawa looked at her with a scary sight.

"Pardon, miss. Ah, can you translate it into Japanese, please.?"

"Huh. Use your brain too, Karuizawa-San. Sakura-San spoke with Morse code." Horikita said. "She said I want Snoodoodle. What is Snoodoodle?"

Sakura shook her head and decided to show her notebook instead.

Ayanokouji-Kun can't be a culprit.

Karuizawa wore her glasses and put her face forward to the notebook.

"Ayanokouji-Kun can't be the culprit---Ahha. " She mumbled as reading the notebook. "Okay. It's time to change my glasses. " She took off her glasses, wiped them, and put them into her pocket.

"Hmm. Interesting. Why did you say that?" Karuizawa seemed to see her new prey. She wouldn't win a fight against Horikita, so fighting with a weaker enemy like Sakura was better.

"Hm. Why do you know Ayanokouji-Kun isn't a culprit? Hm. Hey. Hey. Say something, say something."

Sakura hid her face behind her notebook.

H---He isn't that kind of person.

"How can she stutter in her notebook too?" Karuizawa mumbled. "Oh, isn't it too unreasonable?"

Karuizawa came closer to Sakura.

"Or do you like him? Hey, come on. Say something. Sakura-San." Sakura almost cried but Karuizawa pushed her to the tree.

"Come on. Ayanokouji-Kun isn't here, right? If you like him, I'll help you. Do you want it? Say something--"

Behind Karuizawa. Sato and Matsushita looked a bit uncomfortable but they didn't say anything.

I was going to walk out to help Sakura but then----

"Ike! What happen!?"

"Kanji-Kun!"

Many classmates ran toward Ike who collapsed on the floor in the man's space. The blood was bleeding from his nose.

"Yuri---Kabedon. " He mumbled. "Goodbye world. Goodbye Satsuki. I will wait for you at the milky way."

"Kanjiiiiiii!!!!!!" Shinohara screamed.

I thought Ike interpreted Karuizawa's action in a wrong way.

But it was lucky for Sakura. She used that change to run away from Karuizawa to the forest.

"Tch. " The class's queen clicked her tongue. "I'm just kidding. What a sensitive."

At first, I thought about following Sakura. But then, I saw a group of guys run follow her, screaming "Shizuku-Chan!!!! Don't be so sad!!!!". I decided she would safe in the forest.

The most important thing now was dealing with the one who scared my little Sakura.

I walked out of the forest, walking toward Karuizawa.

"Please continue our conversation, Karuizawa-San. " Horikita said, she didn't notice me yet. "What makes you think Ayanokouji-Kun is the culprit? If you can tell me, I will make sure Ayanokouji-Kun ger what he deserves."

"I didn't say he is the culprit. I just can't trust him." Karuizawa sighed as surrendered. "Fine, forget it."

She walked away from the girl's group, then she saw me. Karuizawa flinched.

Before I would say anything.

"I didn't tell anybody, okay?" She mumbled before walking away.

When she said that, I just realized.

If she told them that she saw me holding her underwear in the forest, she would convince them to cancel my privilege, or even convince them that I was the culprit.

But she didn't say.

"If you don't tell anyone about it, I won't tell anyone that you steal my underwear."

I recognized her words. Karuizawa probably thought that I was holding some of her secrets, and that secret was big enough to make her fear until couldn't say who was the culprit. Something more important than her underwear.

But I couldn't remember what I got from her.

However, it wasn't my business. I had to talk with her about Sakura.

I turned around and walked to follow her. But at the moment, I saw something laid on the floor.

I grabbed it and saw. It was a pink ribbon with the cat doll. I raised my eyebrows. Why did this girly think was on the floor?

"Ah, Ayanokouji-Kun. You find my Chi-Chan!" Sato said happily behind me.

"Hm. Is this yours?" I handed it to Sato, she took it with excitement.

"Yes. I tie it with my bag. Um. I think I tie it tight enough. I guess I have to be more careful. Thank you, Ayanokouji-Kun."

"it's fine. But it's dirty because of mud. Do you want me to wash it? I have a washing powder."

Sato shook her head immediately.

"No need. If you wash it, you will wash your smell too."

Her face became red when she realized what she said. "Forget it! Thank you again, Ayanokouji-Kun!" She ran away.

I shrugged my shoulder. Some girls liked to smell their crush. I understood her. I also smelt Hirata's pillow after we woke up.

Ah, I almost forgot Karuizawa. I looked around to find her.

But she was gone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sixth day came with a gloomy atmosphere.

The boys and girls didn't have any interaction except while we finding the food. And the virgin boy almost committed murder Ike since when he slept, we always sleeptalked about how he missed Shinohara.

"For real, Kanji. Please tell me the truth. Do you date with Shinohara?" Yamauchi asked.

"What? No way! Satsuki isn't ready yet. She said she would think about that after we had secure jobs."

"We're talking about dating not marrying. "

"Yes. I'm talking about dating. What do you think I'm talking about?"

Yamauchi didn't know how to answer, me either.

Shinohara was just like Ike. Last night, I went to the toilet and saw Shinohara was standing aside from the river, groaning.

"Oh, Ike. Ike. " She said. "Why are you male? If you are a girl, we can live together.

What's in a pronoun? That which a sailor refers his ship.

Either he or she would sail in the sea;

So Ike would, were he not He call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes."

I was pretty sure if he became a female, Ike would be more excited about his romance life than this.

Because of that, Yamauchi who was sick with those lovebirds denied joining Ike's team on the 5th day's operation. And joined my team instead. Another reason was Sakura was on our team too.

Actually, I planned to go with Horikita alone to dominate the territory. (I denied it the first time she asked me but I changed my answer as soon as I saw the compass on her hand.) But Sakura asked to go with us, followed by Yamauchi.

"If we have more people, I'm sure we will be safer," Horikita said as permission.

On that day, we walked around the island. Luckily, no one saw us. But Horikita still let Sakura, Yamauchi, and I surround the machine to hide it from other classes' eyes.

Yamaichi found the chance to be closer with Sakura. Of course, I wouldn't let him do this.

"Sakura-Chan! What do you think to do after this test?" Yamauchi asked greedily while we walking in the forest. Sakura who hardly talked with the man acted awkwardly and didn't know how to reply.

"Sakura, can you help me hold this bunch?" I asked her, Sakura nodded and walked toward me so she could leave Yamauchi. I gave him a sight as warn.

But Yamauchi didn't notice that.

"Hey, Ayanokouji. Why did you interrupt me? You said I need to be closer with Sakura first, didn't you?" He whispered to me.

"I said that. But I didn't mean you act this aggressively. " I answered.

"So help me. " Yamauchi said. "Help me be closer with Sakura."

"Why do I have to do that?"

"Come on, at least I confronted my father to help her. I deserved the reward!"

I was going to tell him that helping someone with hidden agenda didn't deserve the reward. The purest Poonya was the Poonya that you did without wanting something in return.

But I stopped my word immediately.

Because if I said that, I would basically condemn myself.

Don't help someone because you want to help. Help someone because you want to get Poonya in return. Of course, helping without wanting something will increase your Poonya very much. But if you do that, you will become a kind person.

In this world, a kind person has the same meaning as a weak person.

When that time comes, the time that your good luck is someone's bad luck.

A weak person will be too weak to chase that luck.

That man's words were still resonant in my head.

"Fine. " I sighed. "How about the dinner? After we finished this exam, I will arrange dinner and invite you and Sakura. On that dinner, I will be your wingman."

Yamauchi smiled widely.

"I love you, Ayanokouji!"

"If you don't stop saying that, I will change my mind. I can't give Sakura to someone who sware his love to somebody else."

Yamauchi laughed and whistled with relief. I thought I could let him away from Sakura for a while.

But that dinner would be arranged no matter what. I had promised it.

Talk about my promise, where was Horikita?

I turned my face behind and saw Horikita was walking slowly following us.

I slowed my footstep to be closer to her.

"Horikita, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Where is the next territory?" She asked while gasping. Her face seemed to explode if I touched it.

Okay, This was enough.

"When do you decide to confess, Horikita?"

She stopped for a while before saying without looking at me. "What are you talking about?"

"Confess your love to me---Of course, I mean your illness."

"I still don't know what you are talking about."

This stubborn girl. I sighed and touched her forehead.

It was as hot as a boiling pot.

Horikita tried to escape from me. But she couldn't. This was the evidence that she got cold.

I and Hirata had known it since the test started, but we didn't say anything because we knew Horikita wouldn't accept it.

"I'm fine. Ayanokouji-Kun. " See.

"Musavata Veramani Sikhapathang Samathiyami."

"What does it mean?"

"Don't lie. " I said. "I knew you are sick."

"How do you know?"

"Plot convenience."

"Okay. Understandable." Horikita looked at me. "I can handle it, Ayanokouji."

"Are you sure?" I asked her with concern.

"Sure. I'm Horikita Suzune, remember. I endure for six days and I will endure until the last day, If I retired now, we would lose 30 points. I can't do it."

And when it was about the class's points, I knew Horikita would do what she said.