Kure Ragna couldn't remember the last time he had anticipated a text message so eagerly.
Maybe it was after completing a mission, waiting for the final payment from an employer? The thrill of seeing a hefty sum suddenly appear in an account that had previously been at zero, now that was satisfying.
But this time, it was different. Before, he only had to keep an eye on one phone. Now, he was monitoring four at once.
At precisely eight in the morning, Kure Ragna woke up in the chairman's exclusive bedroom, stretched lazily in the full-size bed, and immediately reached for his phone on the nightstand.
The first thing he checked was his own text message.
The screen lit up with a new notification, still fresh—received less than a minute ago.
[After careful selection, you have not been chosen as the preferential candidate. Please act as part of a group and participate in the exam. The exam will begin today at 2:00 PM and last for three days. Students in the Rabbit Group, please gather in the designated room on the second floor.]
So, he wasn't selected.
Kure Ragna, who had already theorized that the selection process wasn't random but based on specific criteria, wasn't particularly surprised.
Next, he checked Yukimura's phone.
Since it was locked with a password and his fingerprint didn't match, he could only view the preview on the lock screen.
[After careful selection, you have not…]
Good enough. It meant Yukimura wasn't chosen either.
He moved on to Waimura's phone. Same message. But something else caught his attention—the wallpaper was filled with illustrations from Fangwenshe's latest visual novel. A true otaku through and through.
After three unsuccessful draws, he had little hope left.
But then, he picked up Kei Karuizawa's phone.
The screen lit up automatically with the raise-to-wake function, revealing a different notification.
[After careful selection, you have been chosen...]
His brow lifted slightly.
He instinctively pressed his finger against the fingerprint scanner. The lock screen disappeared, and the message expanded.
She still hadn't deleted his fingerprint?
That was unexpected.
It was Kei who had initially insisted on registering each other's fingerprints, saying that other couples did it, so they should too. It was a precaution to prevent suspicion.
But now that they were about to publicly announce their breakup, why hadn't she removed it? Was she planning to wait until after the exam?
He pushed aside unnecessary thoughts and focused on the message.
Aside from the key difference—[You have been chosen as the preferential candidate]—the rest of the message was identical.
So, Kei was the chosen one in their Rabbit Group.
Just as he was about to exit the messaging app, his eyes caught something unusual.
The inbox was clean—only a few exchanges with classmates and some automated bill reminders. But the draft box?
99+ drafts.
Kure Ragna narrowed his eyes. Usually, people saved a few unfinished messages if they weren't sure how to phrase something. Three or five drafts would be reasonable.
But 99+?
How many messages had she written but never sent?
Shaking off his curiosity, he backed out of the app and locked the screen.
"Mmnn…"
Before he could put the phone down, a pair of slender, delicate arms slipped around his neck from behind, pulling him close.
"You're up?"
He turned, catching sight of the petite white-haired girl beside him.
"Mm…"
Still groggy from sleep, Sakayanagi Arisu burrowed against his chest, rubbing her cheek against him like a spoiled kitten before settling into a comfortable position.
"Well?" she murmured. "Were you chosen?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Through the thin fabric of her nightwear, he could feel the subtle vibrations of her voice against him.
To be fair, if Kushida Kikyo had been the one lying on him right now, there wouldn't be any movement at all. She was completely flat.
"Are you thinking something rude?"
Arisu looked up, narrowing her eyes.
Kure Ragna immediately denied it.
"Of course not."
"Then what were you thinking about?"
"I was just confirming that Kei Karuizawa is the preferential candidate in my group."
"Ah, your fake girlfriend?"
Arisu tilted her head.
"But is it really okay for you to tell me that?" she smirked. "I heard that if someone finds out the preferential candidate in advance, their class loses points."
"…Aren't you not even taking this exam?"
Kure Ragna leaned back slightly, eyeing her.
That was right—Arisu had skipped the uninhabited island exam, and she was skipping this one too.
"Not participating doesn't mean I can't share valuable information."
A playful smile curled her lips.
"Morishige from my class is in the Rabbit Group. He's under Hashimoto's command. If I send just one text message…"
"Then I'll make sure you won't have the strength to hold a phone for the next four days."
He flipped her over, pinning her beneath him, his voice low with mock warning.
Arisu's cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes sparkled with amusement and excitement.
"Oh? Then it seems I should send more messages."
She leaned closer, voice dropping to a sultry whisper.
"Or—"
Her fingers traced along his back, teasingly light, before she whispered in his ear, "Why not start now? It just so happens that I still have one last pair of clean white silk suspenders in my closet…"
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