“Dude... How did you return? You’re out all night... Did they not catch you coming here?”
As the guy I found awake among the three guys in our tent, Hino who saw me casually returning from outside looked at me doubtfully. He looked like he just woke up and was still wondering if he was dreaming. But upon getting off the sleepiness clouding his judgement, he pointed at me baffled at the sight.
“Why will they catch me?” I answered in a nonchalant tone as I returned to my futon that was untouched after I left.
Judging from what he just said, the guy possibly woke up last night. He figured out from my empty futon that I truly enacted my plan to sneak out.
In any case, since he’s the only one awake at this time, I decided to just pretend I never left at all. Or rather, I’m too lazy to explain everything to him.
Truthfully, my return to this area was actually easier than sneaking out last night.
Even when my return got delayed because I decided to spend more time with Maaya, having to navigate not through the darkness made it easier for me to find a route wherein I didn’t necessarily need to return via the entrance of our area. I sneaked inside from that one side I used to evade the surveillance.
It's not easy, of course. I had to carefully trudge into bushes and thistles while also avoiding muddy spots or wild animals.
By the time I managed to see the roofs of our tents from afar, I first cleaned up my pants of any trace of my rough journey back here. Furthermore, I left behind the flashlight and insect-repellent lotion that I brought with me.
I was planning to pick it up later when it wouldn’t be suspicious.
Furthermore, given that they had to stay awake throughout the night. Most of the Camp Managers were already losing focus.
When I managed to slip in and navigate close to the nearest cabin, I put on an act of walking backward, much like that one TV for a menthol candy that I saw in the past, making it look like I was trying to sneak out instead of going back in.
One of the Camp Managers who spotted me hurriedly called me out, asked for my reason for trying to sneak out, and scolded me when I said I wanted to pee in the woods.
Yeah. I had to exaggerate it a bit to make it more likely something a high schooler my age would think of doing in this kind of situation.
That Camp Manager rolled his eyes at me before laughing as if I made a great joke.
In the end, he allowed me to go back to our cabin to take a piss and escorted me back to our tent.
It worked in my favor too since I also like to refresh myself after my perilous and well-rewarded journey to see my precious girls.
Anyway, since I wasn’t sure if someone was already awake, I naturally waited for him to go away before I entered which would bring us to this present.
That turned out to be a good decision. If the Camp Manager heard Hino’s ramblings, everything I’d done would be meaningless.
Was that clever? I don’t know... Maybe that could be counted as. But for me, as long as it worked, I didn’t need to question it anymore.
Now, what’s left is to ensure that none of these three guys will rat me out later.
“You’ve just woken up, Hino. If you’re wondering... I returned way earlier. I just took a leak.” I continued with a straight face.
Considering his expression immediately twisted into confusion, I was right with the guess that he had just woken up. He wouldn’t be able to argue that I just returned unless someone testified that they hadn't seen me returning earlier.
Taking a glance at the two cucks who were still snoring in their sleep, I bet they still have to think twice before speaking against me.
I mean, I did hand them food for thought before I left last night. If they digested that well then... I might see a decline in their hostility towards me.
But if not, then I’ll just have to put them more in despair... I might be able to see Kazuha-nee sooner than I think or... get to know Fukuda’s sister and childhood friend...
Ah. Let’s be civilized and shelve those thoughts for now.
“I-is that so? But you did sneak away, right? Did you manage to...?”
“Heh. What? Hino, do you want to hear a juicy story from my escapade?”
“F-forget it. You look like you’re going to swing at me if I said yes... But you must be successful.”
“You’re good at reading, huh? But yes. I succeeded. You can say nothing is impossible for me.”
I went to give him a tap on his shoulder, a little acknowledgement of how he easily stepped back and stopped his attempt.
No matter who, I would never disclose what I did with my girls... Those are our treasured memories, after all. Only an idiot will brag about how he got lucky with someone to feed his ago.
I detest those idiots at the same level as I detest cowards. But well, I detest most guys in general anyway so that’s a useless thought.
“That’s quite reaching, Onoda...”
“You don’t believe me?”
Ah. It’s understandable. That sounded too conceited, after all. Who am I to say that nothing is impossible?
“Uh. If it’s you, it’s a little convincing after seeing everything you did yesterday...”
“Never mind that. I’m only boasting there. I know that there are some things I will be unable to accomplish. I just got lucky last night.”
“Y-yeah. You’re indeed lucky.” Hino laughed awkwardly.
He stopped questioning me from there and soon, silence returned in our tent.
Since there was still time before Sawano and the rest of the Camp Managers returned for the start of our camp’s second-
day activities, I let the time pass while drinking the tea that I failed to drink last night and also resting my exhausted body.
Since they could deliberately change the content of the activity just like last night’s dance, the schedule Shiina showed me might also divert to something else.
Half an hour later, Ogawa and Fukuda woke up. And of course, they’re shocked seeing me lying down on my futon.
I thought they’d ask me like Hino but the two left the tent as though they were escaping from me.
At this time, a lot of the boys were already awake so even if someone left the tent, they wouldn't be scolded anymore.
Another hour later, Sawano along with his group of Camp Managers showed up to take over.
However, there’s a piece of amusing information that he delivered to us.
“Great! Looks like you all behaved last night and no one dared to sneak out.”
“Last night, someone was caught among your peers at the other hill. He tried to sneak into the girl’s area. Do you know the punishment for that? He will be retiring for the rest of the activity and whatever bonus academic points that he can receive for participating will also be revoked.”
And there you go… Just like I thought. I’m not the only one who has the same idea of sneaking out
But with this, it’s quite frightening that luck remained on my side, no? I passed all the hurdles to meet them and even slept in one of the tents. While the other guy was caught, perhaps without even accomplishing his goal.
Anyway, I could feel Ogawa, Fukuda, and Hino’s eyes focusing on me when they heard that.
As always, I brushed that off and acted the same as before; unbothered.
