Prologue: Shiina Hiyori's Monologue

Feeling the sea breeze brush against my skin, my thoughts drifted back to that day.

Beneath the sunset sky, those moments I shared with Ayanokōji-kun in front of the school building─── a place that should have been nothing out of the ordinary.

Yet for me, it became a beautiful, irreplaceable, undeniably precious memory.

But in the end, I couldn’t take that final step.

Those simple words─── “I like you”─── never made it past my lips.

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But I believe that was for the best.

After all, Ayanokōji-kun and I were from different classes... We were enemies.

If our class were to lose this special exam as well, if the gap widens any further…

That would become the final turning point, deciding whether we could ever reach Class A.

I already understood that.

I myself had made a major decision─── a path I chose with full resolve.

To defeat Ayanokōji-kun.

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To make him take a loss.

To make that happen… What do I have to do?

What am I even capable of doing?

I saw both a path to survival and a path to ruin simultaneously in this special exam.

And yet───

A painful ache rose unbidden in my chest.

Gazing out over the vast ocean, I stood there alone, quietly staring into the distance───

I couldn’t help my class, and it seems like I'm going to lose this final battle as well.

I'm sorry, Ryūen-kun.

I'm sorry, Ayanokōji-kun.

Please forgive me for being so miserable.

And please, take care.

Please...

Even if we end up far apart, my feelings will never change.

In this empty world, all alone…

I will keep watching quietly by myself, until the whistle signaling the end echoes across the sea───

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