COTE : Backed By Black Technology System

After another ten minutes or so, the bus slowly came to a stop, and the students began waking up one by one. Some, however, hadn't fallen asleep at all. 

Seeing this, Kanda Shuichi gently nudged Kushida. 

"Hey, Kushida, wake up. We're here." 

After a few seconds, Kushida Kikyo slowly woke up, lifting her head from Kanda Shuichi's shoulder. 

Looking at the groggy Kushida Kikyo, Kanda Shuichi rubbed his stiff shoulder. 

"Everyone, gather your things and get ready to get off!" 

While most of the students were still half-asleep, Chabashira Sae stood at the front of the bus, shouting through a megaphone loud enough to wake everyone up. 

The bus instantly filled with groans and complaints, though a few students excitedly pulled open the curtains. 

As the curtains were drawn back, bright sunlight streamed into the bus, filling it with dazzling light. 

After getting used to the environment, Kanda Shuichi saw a massive cruise ship docked by the shore. The gangway twisted back and forth twice, clearly showing how enormous the ship was. 

"Everyone, get off the bus in order, and don't forget your personal belongings." 

Once off the bus, nearly everyone was stunned by the sight of the giant luxury cruise ship. Some students even took out their phones to take pictures. 

Even Sakura Airi, who was usually quite shy, brought out her precious camera and started snapping photos. 

After a brief moment of excitement, the students were guided by the teachers to board the ship using the gangway. 

Each student boarding the ship received a manual from the staff that explained the ship's features in detail. 

Besides the many comfortable rooms, the ship had a variety of restaurants, a theater at the stern, a swimming pool on the third deck, and even a game arcade. 

After skimming through the manual, Kanda Shuichi was most interested in trying out the high-end massage spa to ease his fatigue. 

The school was definitely rich—chartering such a ship for 14 days at sea would cost at least several million yen. Or perhaps the ship itself was owned by the school. 

The dormitory assignments were already decided back at school, with three people per room. Hirata, worried about Kanda Shuichi's health, took the initiative to invite him to share a room. 

As a result, Kanda Shuichi, Miyake Akito, and Hirata Yosuke ended up in the same dorm. For the record, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Koenji Rokusuke, and Yukimura Teruhiko were placed in another room. 

After tossing his bag onto the sofa, Kanda Shuichi flopped onto the soft bed. 

Even though it had only been a short time outside, Kanda Shuichi still felt that the heat was unbearable. Stepping into the air-conditioned comfort of the room immediately relaxed him. 

"Ah! I feel alive again." 

"Shuichi, you're overreacting. It's not like you were going to die out there." 

"It's called exaggeration. Don't you get it?" 

While the two were bantering, Hirata received a request for help from a classmate. After apologizing to the two, he left the room. 

"He's really busy, huh?" 

"Yeah, but that's Hirata for you. A reliable guy." 

Feeling the exhaustion spread, Miyake Akito seemed to catch Kanda Shuichi's mood and also flopped onto the bed. 

Not long after, they felt a slow, gentle rocking sensation, which soon stopped. The two realized the ship had left the port and was heading toward the southern island. 

Perhaps because the room was too comfortable, their conversation trailed off, and both of them ended up falling asleep. 

When Kanda Shuichi woke up, an hour had passed, and it was already past 9 a.m. Hirata wasn't in the room, probably off helping someone again. 

Seeing Miyake still sound asleep, Kanda Shuichi stretched and left the dorm. On his way to the deck, he ran into Sakura Airi, who was taking pictures with her camera. 

"What a coincidence, Sakura." 

"Ah! Oh!" 

Startled by Kanda Shuichi's voice, Sakura Airi fumbled with her camera, almost dropping it into the sea. 

After barely managing to grab hold of it, she sat down on the deck with a big sigh of relief. 

"Uh, sorry, looks like I scared you." 

"No, it's okay! It's not your fault." 

Seeing Sakura shake her head anxiously, Kanda Shuichi smiled and extended his right hand to her, as if it were a casual invitation. 

"I'm planning to go check out the view. Want to come along?" 

"Ah, yes!" 

She reached out, placing her hand in his, and felt his strength as he helped her up.

We're holding hands. I'm holding hands with Kanda! 

Sakura's face turned slightly red, but Kanda didn't think much of it. She was always shy, so she was probably just not used to such direct gestures. 

"Hoooonk~~~" 

The long sound of the ship's horn echoed. By the time the two of them emerged from the lower deck, they were greeted by the sight of the endless ocean. 

Kanda Shuichi had never been out to sea before. While he had seen the ocean from the shore, that was still on solid ground—this experience of being surrounded by water on all sides was completely different. 

The sheer scale and magnificence were incomparable to standing on a beach.

The cruise ship had ten levels, with the largest deck as the first level, divided into five upper levels and five lower levels. 

Instead of joining the crowd on the first-level deck, Kanda and Sakura Airi sat under an umbrella on the second-level deck, watching the lively crowd below. 

"Woooohoooo! This is amazing!" 

Excited students couldn't hold back their enthusiasm, shouting loudly to release their feelings of joy. 

According to Chabashira-sensei, they wouldn't reach the island until the next morning, so the entire day would be spent on the ship. 

Thankfully, there was no seasickness—this felt pretty great. 

Kanda Shuichi looked at the distant clouds and the seagulls flying nearby, enjoying the refreshing sea breeze. He couldn't help but feel that his life was worthwhile. 

In the past, he probably wouldn't have had the chance to go on such a free and relaxing trip. 

"A lot of the girls in our class went swimming with Ike. Sakura, are you not planning to join them?" 

"Huh? I… I'm not good with crowded places." 

She lowered her head as she spoke. 

"I see. But you should try to get used to it. People can't live in their own world forever—it'll cause problems sooner or later," Kanda said, chatting casually with Sakura Airi. "At the very least, you should have one or two close friends who can support you when you're feeling vulnerable." 

Hearing this, Sakura Airi opened her mouth several times, wanting to say something. But seeing Kanda Shuichi gazing at the ocean, she held her words back. 

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