That night, Ayaan was sitting in front of his new laptop, typing quietly.
The screen displayed information about various students from the first-year classes.
Meanwhile, Anshuman was lying on the couch.
After a long silence, he spoke.
"We need some pawns of our own."
Ayaan didn't look away from the screen.
"Then we'll start tomorrow."
Anshuman sat up.
"You already have a target?"
Without answering, Ayaan turned the laptop toward him.
A map of the shopping district appeared on the screen.
A red mark was placed on a building near the party area.
"We're going there tomorrow."
Anshuman frowned.
"The party area? Why?"
Ayaan closed the laptop.
"For our first pawn."
Anshuman grinned.
"Now you're speaking my language."
The next day, the two arrived at the party area.
Many students were gathered there because of summer vacation events.
Ayaan sat at an outdoor table and looked across the street.
"There."
Anshuman followed his gaze.
A girl was standing near a café entrance.
She appeared calm and confident.
"Who is she?" Anshuman asked.
"One of the top students of the former Class 1-D."
Ayaan continued,
"Academically excellent. Influential among her classmates. She often acts as a representative when class decisions are made."
Anshuman looked impressed.
"So what are we doing with her?"
Ayaan stood up.
"We're separating."
"What?"
"You'll approach her."
Anshuman blinked.
"Why me?"
"Because that's the plan."
Anshuman pointed at Ayaan.
"You're more handsome than me. You should do it."
Ayaan's expression didn't change.
"Just follow the plan."
Anshuman sighed dramatically.
"One day you'll explain these things."
"No."
"Of course not."
Ayaan sat back down.
"Go."
Anshuman shook his head and began walking toward the girl.
As he approached, she noticed him and raised an eyebrow.
Anshuman smiled casually.
"Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"I'm new to this area. Do you know where the best café around here is?"
The girl looked surprised but pointed toward a nearby building.
"That one."
Anshuman glanced at it.
"Thanks."
Then he smiled.
"Actually, since you seem to know the area, would you like to join me for a coffee?"
The girl stared at him for a moment.
Meanwhile, from his table, Ayaan watched the entire interaction without showing the slightest emotion.
To anyone else, it looked like a random conversation.
But for Ayaan, this was merely the first move of a much larger strategy.
The girl looked at Anshuman for a moment before smiling slightly.
"Oh, okay. But why are you inviting me for coffee?"
Anshuman scratched the back of his head.
"Because you helped me. I'm just showing my gratitude."
The girl laughed softly.
"You're pretty good at flirting, I think."
Anshuman burst out laughing.
"Haha! That wasn't flirting."
"Sure."
"It really wasn't."
The girl shook her head, amused.
"Whatever you say."
The two walked into the café together and found a table near the window.
From outside, Ayaan quietly observed the café entrance before turning his attention back to his laptop.
Inside, the conversation continued.
The girl introduced herself.
"My name is Rina."
"Anshuman."
"I know."
Anshuman blinked.
"You do?"
"Most students know who you are."
"That's a little scary."
Rina smiled.
"Your class became famous after moving up from 1-D to 1-B."
The waiter arrived and took their orders.
After that, they continued talking.
Unlike many students, Rina was easy to talk to.
The conversation quickly shifted from classes and exams to hobbies and summer vacation plans.
At one point, Rina tilted her head.
"So why were you really looking for a café?"
Anshuman grinned.
"I actually was looking for one."
"Convenient answer."
"It's the truth."
Rina laughed.
For the next hour, the two chatted casually.
Meanwhile, outside the café, Ayaan occasionally glanced toward the window.
He wasn't interested in the conversation itself.
He was observing something else.
Who approached the café.
Who noticed Anshuman.
And most importantly, who reacted when they saw one of the top students of the former Class 1-D spending time with him.
To Ayaan, information was often more valuable than points.
And sometimes, the fastest way to gather information was simply to let people believe something was happening.
Eventually, Anshuman and Rina left the café together.
As they stepped outside, Anshuman spotted Ayaan waiting nearby.
Rina followed his gaze.
"Your friend?"
"Yeah."
Ayaan closed his laptop.
The first move had been made.
Now he only needed to see what kind of reaction it would create among the students watching from the shadows.
As they stepped out of the café, Rina's eyes landed on Ayaan.
She froze for a moment.
"Wait..."
Anshuman looked at her.
"What?"
She pointed toward Ayaan.
"Is that really Ayaan from Class 1-B?"
Ayaan looked up from his laptop.
"It is."
Anshuman raised an eyebrow.
"Why are you acting like that?"
Rina looked between the two boys.
"You seriously don't know?"
"Know what?" Anshuman asked.
Rina sighed.
"He's the crush of some girls in my class."
For the first time in the conversation, Anshuman looked genuinely surprised.
"What?"
Ayaan's expression didn't change at all.
Rina nodded.
"I'm serious."
Anshuman immediately started laughing.
"Haha! Ayaan, you're popular."
"I don't care."
"Of course you don't."
Rina looked amused by Ayaan's reaction.
Most boys would have reacted differently.
Ayaan simply closed his laptop.
Then he asked,
"Who are they?"
Rina immediately shook her head.
"No chance."
"Why?"
"A crush is a crush."
She crossed her arms.
"I'm not revealing their names."
Anshuman grinned.
"Come on. Tell us."
"No."
"Just one."
"No."
Ayaan stood up.
"It doesn't matter."
Rina stared at him.
"That's your response?"
"Yes."
Anshuman put a hand on his forehead.
"Do you know how many boys would want that information?"
"I have more important things to think about."
Rina laughed.
"You're exactly like the rumors say."
Ayaan glanced at her.
"What rumors?"
"That you're calm all the time."
Anshuman immediately answered.
"That's not a rumor. That's just Ayaan."
The three began walking through the shopping district together.
As they talked, Rina became increasingly surprised.
The famous Ayaan she had heard about wasn't arrogant, dramatic, or mysterious.
He was simply... Ayaan.
Meanwhile, Ayaan was quietly analyzing something else.
Rina had casually revealed that students from other classes were paying attention to him.
That meant information about Class 1-B was spreading faster than he expected.
And information, in this academy, was never harmless.
The three continued walking through the shopping district.
After a while, Ayaan stopped in front of a restaurant.
"Let's eat."
Rina hesitated.
"Um... I don't really have much money with me today."
Ayaan replied calmly,
"Then I'll pay for today's meal."
Rina looked surprised.
"You don't have to do that."
"It's fine."
Anshuman laughed.
"See? This is why people like him."
Ayaan ignored the comment and walked inside.
The three took a table near the window and ordered their food.
As they waited, Rina found herself glancing at Ayaan from time to time.
The rumors she had heard about him didn't quite match reality.
He wasn't trying to impress anyone.
In fact, he seemed completely unaware of the effect he had on people.
When the food arrived, the conversation shifted to classes, summer vacation, and the academy.
Eventually, Ayaan paid the bill exactly as he had said he would.
As they left the restaurant, Rina smiled.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"You know, you're actually very sweet."
Anshuman immediately started laughing.
"Ayaan, did you hear that?"
"I heard it."
"And?"
"And nothing."
Rina shook her head, amused.
Later that evening, after returning to her dormitory, Rina opened her phone.
A small group chat with a few of her close friends from her class was active.
She typed a message:
I met Ayaan from Class 1-B today.
The chat immediately exploded.
WHAT?!
THE AYAAN?
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Rina smiled and continued typing.
He's not what I expected.
He's actually pretty nice.
A few seconds later, more messages appeared.
Tell us everything.
How did you meet him?
Was he really wearing those new clothes everyone was talking about?
Rina laughed.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the growing discussion, Ayaan was back in his room working on his laptop.
Across the dormitory, Anshuman was lying on the couch.
"You know, Rina definitely likes you."
Ayaan didn't even look away from the screen.
"That's your assumption."
"It's an obvious assumption."
"Then keep it."
Anshuman sighed.
"One day you're going to understand normal human interactions."
"No."
And with that, Ayaan returned to his work while Anshuman wondered how someone could be so intelligent and yet so oblivious to certain things.
The next day, a sudden announcement was sent to every first-year student.
"All students must gather in the Main Hall immediately."
The message caused confusion throughout the academy.
Summer vacation had only recently begun, and nobody expected an official assembly.
Soon, students from Classes 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D filled the enormous hall.
Ayaan, Anshuman, and Kira sat together while discussing what the announcement could be about.
Rina was seated with the students of her class nearby.
The hall gradually became silent.
Then the doors at the front opened.
The Chairman walked onto the stage.
Every student immediately straightened their posture.
The Chairman looked across the hall before speaking.
"Students."
His voice echoed throughout the room.
"I hope you are enjoying your summer vacation."
A few students exchanged nervous looks.
Whenever the Chairman appeared personally, it usually meant something important was about to happen.
The Chairman continued,
"However, your vacation will not be entirely free."
Groans could already be heard from some students.
A faint smile appeared on the Chairman's face.
"As part of the academy's curriculum, a special examination will be held during summer vacation."
The hall instantly became quiet.
Special examinations were never simple.
The giant screen behind the Chairman lit up.
A picture of a remote island appeared.
Many students widened their eyes.
The Chairman announced,
"The next special examination will be..."
He paused.
Then the words appeared on the screen.
Uninhabited Island Survival Test
The entire hall erupted.
"What?!"
"An island test?!"
"During summer vacation?!"
"You're kidding!"
The Chairman raised his hand, and the room quickly became silent again.
"For two weeks, students will live on a designated island."
The shock only grew.
"You will be responsible for managing resources, earning points, completing tasks, and competing against other classes."
The screen changed again.
Several rules appeared.
Basic Rules
Students will live on the island for 14 days.
Each class will receive a starting amount of points.
Points can be spent on supplies, tools, food, and other necessities.
Additional points can be earned through challenges and missions.
Rankings will be determined by total points at the end of the examination.
The highest-ranked class will receive a substantial reward.
The students immediately began whispering.
Anshuman leaned toward Ayaan.
"This sounds fun."
"It sounds troublesome."
Kira sighed.
"Fourteen days on an island..."
The Chairman continued.
"More detailed rules will be explained tomorrow."
Then his expression became serious.
"There is one final thing."
The hall became silent once more.
"This examination will affect class rankings significantly."
Immediately, every student focused on the stage.
Ayaan's eyes narrowed.
"So that's the real purpose."
The Chairman nodded.
"Prepare yourselves carefully. The Uninhabited Island Survival Test will begin in three days."
With those words, the meeting ended.
Students immediately began discussing strategies, supplies, and possible alliances.
As the crowd began leaving the hall, Ayaan remained seated.
Anshuman noticed.
"What are you thinking about?"
Ayaan looked at the image of the island still displayed on the screen.
"An island test during summer vacation..."
He paused.
"Class 1-A has probably already started preparing."
For the first time since the announcement, Anshuman's smile disappeared.
Because if Ayaan was right, then the battle for first place had already begun.
After the announcement, the Chairman explained an important detail about the Uninhabited Island Survival Test.
"All supplies must be purchased using your own private points before departure."
The hall immediately became noisy.
"What?!"
"We have to spend our own points?"
"That's unfair!"
The Chairman ignored the complaints.
"Food, water, tools, tents, medicine, and other equipment will be available for purchase. The choices you make will affect your performance on the island."
As soon as the meeting ended, students rushed to prepare.
Over the next two days, the students bought everything they thought they would need.
Ayaan carefully planned every purchase.
Anshuman mostly followed Ayaan's recommendations.
Kira bought practical supplies and emergency items.
Rina did the same with her classmates.
Soon, departure day arrived.
All first-year students gathered at the academy harbor.
A large cruise ship was waiting for them.
The students boarded and watched as the academy disappeared into the distance.
The ship's horn sounded.
The voyage had begun.
Ayaan and Anshuman were standing on the deck when they noticed a commotion near the entrance.
A tall student had just boarded.
He was noticeably muscular, handsome, and carried himself with an unusual level of confidence.
His brown hair moved slightly in the sea breeze as he walked past everyone without paying attention to them.
Anshuman raised an eyebrow.
"Who's that?"
Ayaan looked at the student.
"I don't know."
A nearby student answered.
"He's a transfer student."
"A transfer student?" Anshuman repeated.
The student nodded.
"He joined Class 1-B yesterday."
The tall student continued walking as if the entire ship belonged to him.
Anshuman laughed.
"He looks like he owns the place."
Ayaan observed him carefully.
The student's physique suggested intense training.
More importantly, he seemed completely unconcerned about the upcoming exam.
"What was his name?" Anshuman asked.
The nearby student thought for a moment.
"Koenji."
"Koenji..."
Anshuman looked at the newcomer again.
Koenji suddenly stopped and glanced toward the ocean.
Then he smiled.
"What a magnificent view."
Without another word, he continued walking away.
Anshuman blinked.
"That's an interesting guy."
Ayaan remained silent.
"Interesting indeed."
Several hours later, the cruise ship finally slowed down.
Students rushed to the railings.
In the distance, a large island appeared.
Dense forests covered much of its surface.
Rocky cliffs surrounded parts of the coastline.
The island looked both beautiful and dangerous.
The loudspeakers activated.
"Attention students. We have arrived at the examination site."
Excitement spread throughout the ship.
Some students were nervous.
Others looked eager.
Ayaan calmly watched the island grow larger as the ship approached the shore.
Anshuman grinned.
"Looks like our summer vacation just got a lot more interesting."
Kira stood beside them.
"Interesting isn't the word I'd use."
Nearby, Ryan was talking with several classmates while Rina studied the island carefully.
Even Koenji seemed interested now, though he wore the same confident smile as before.
The ship finally reached the dock.
One by one, the students stepped onto the island.
The Uninhabited Island Survival Test had officially begun.