Classroom of the Elite: Checkmate 15

Chapter 15 - Focal Point

On the next morning, my classmates busily exchanged information with each other.

The different groups that had formed met up with the other ones and went over who they had already talked to and which students were still missing. Some of them even made notes and compared them with everything else they knew so far.

I glanced towards Sakura, who sat in her chair and behaved inconspicuous, as always.

Apparently, Chiaki hadn't talked to our witness just yet, since she acted as if nothing was out of place. If she had been questioned about her involvement, she wouldn't have been this calm and might even have stayed home today.

Maybe she wanted to give her some space before she brought down the hammer?

On the other side of this ongoing incident stood the combination of Chiaki, Kushida and Hirata, who could also be referred to as 'light triad'. They persuaded most of their classmates to help Sudou, and a large majority of them stopped badmouthing him. Instead of complaining, they chose to help him to the best of their abilities.

I, for one, couldn't believe how naïve they were, but what did I know?

Even though the three of them tried their utmost, other students in our class still concentrated on all the points they were missing out on, especially when they compared our current situation to Class A. There were still enough people who didn't believe Sudou, like Yukimura, for example, but he did his best to protect their points by swallowing his pride.

"... I'll defend our points, even if it's the last thing I'll do. I'm going to save them, everyone!"

That was the end of Ike's grand speech.

I was overjoyed that I had only realized that he was talking after his monologue was almost over, or my brain might have received even more severe damages than it already had. It rather concerned me that I found Chabashira-sensei's cold attitude stimulating yesterday, but there wasn't much I could do.

Those guys were really rubbing off on me the wrong way.

"I understand how you feel, Ike-kun. But the most important aspect is to treasure our friends as much as possible. Our class ranking and points are only secondary."

"What Hirata-kun says is reasonable, but I still want my points. The students in Class A get over 100.000 points this month. Do you guys even know how many clothes and accessories we girls could buy with that amount? It sucks, seriously."

Karuizawa rested her legs on her desk, while her boyfriend tried to appease the masses. The whole class was bummed out after listening to her opinion, since she had indiscriminately mentioned the stark contrast between us and Class A.

"Why couldn't I have been in Class A from the start?"

"Yeah, I wish I started out in A, too."

"It would have been really nice starting in A or B, right..?"

Such hopes and dreams were voiced one after another.

Human nature was quite cruel in that regard. The more they talked about this problem, the more it would bother them in the end. If they didn't stop soon, resentment and other such thoughts would kick in and turn towards Sudou, who was at fault for this current predicament.

The delusions our classmates had seemed to have a positive effect on my neighbor, since she couldn't help but let out a few scornful snickers from time to time. Aside from these 'interactions', if one could call it that, she ignored all of them and kept reading Dostoevsky's 'Demons' in silence.

'One cannot love what one does not know.'

This quote, which originated from the book she was reading, summarized her entire struggle at this school. She had not yet learned something very important, which she would need to achieve in order to survive here.

Horikita Suzune had no intention of helping Sudou and the others.

I didn't particularly mind her opinions and convictions, because the decision to get her expelled would get easier every time she disappointed me like this. The only downside was the deduction of class points, but I could handle the loss of a mere hundred.

"It would be awesome if there was a secret trick to reach Class A just like that." One of my classmates flicked his finger on 'that' to prove his own point and heaved a deep sigh.

You're in luck Ike. There is a way to reach Class A instantly.

"You're in luck Ike. There is a way to reach Class A instantly."

Wow, that was scary.

Chabashira-sensei walked into the classroom and regarded the dumbfounded boy with a bored look.

"Wait. What?"

"There is an alternative way to reach Class A without using class points."

Even Horikita glanced up from her book after she had heard the words 'reach Class A'. Her brain turned from draft into listening mode as she bookmarked the page she had stopped at and pulled out a small notepad.

"Don't joke with us, sensei."

"Have you guys already forgotten that Matsushita bought a point for Sudou's English test? It's the same procedure with a class transfer. As long as you pay enough private points, you can transfer into a class of your choosing."

She's such a tease...

All of my classmates, including Horikita, fixed their reverent gazes onto Chabashira-sensei, who divulged information they deemed impossible. Kouenji was the only student that didn't react in any capacity, which proved my initial assumptions about him.

"S-seriously? How much would that cost?"

That smile...

These disgusted eyes...

... she loved tormenting them, didn't she?

"Twenty million. Do your best to conserve points and you may transfer to any class you desire."

Her devious yet enthralling grin didn't fade as she put her class in front of such a hopeless task. There was no way anyone in this class, aside from Kouenji, could stock up on enough points to purchase such a transfer.

"Twenty million?! That's impossible!"

Everyone complained. Some of them even thought that she was joking since they considered gathering and saving up such a massive amount unreasonable.

What did they expect? A free pass to Class A?

"Of course it is expensive. We are talking about Class A, after all. That's the whole point in the school system. Even though no one successfully transferred classes before, it is possible to do so."

"Chabashira-sensei. What was the highest number of points a single student saved up?"

After listening to our homeroom teacher and receiving such a treasure trove of knowledge, Horikita began to dig further into this new possibility that had opened up before her. Saving up twenty million points could be her way out of this defective class, and more than enough proof that she was worth attending this school, despite her brother's misgivings.

All she ever wanted was Horikita Manabu's recognition, and those points were her entry ticket to such a future.

"A student from Class B saved up twelve million points around three years ago. The student was expelled, however, since he was engaged in a large scale fraudulent operation."

Kushida, who had entered the classroom with a few friends some time ago, glanced towards me with wide eyes for the fraction of a second. She was confused and bewildered by Chabashira-sensei's words, since she had seen an even higher number with her own eyes when I showed her my phone a few days ago.

"Fraudulent operation?"

Chabashira-sensei leaned against the nearby wall and shrugged upon listening to Shinohara's question.

"He took advantage of the newly admitted first-years and scammed them out of their points. His plan was to gather the twenty million points necessary and skip ahead to Class A. But the school wouldn't overlook such reckless actions and expelled him."

In other words, the student wasn't careful enough about covering his tracks and ended up shooting himself in the foot.

Amateur...

This response was in line with what I had already known about this school, so there shouldn't be any lies or deceptions in her words. As long as nobody could prove otherwise, a student could get away with anything at this school.

Just like in the outside world.

Chiaki, who had also listened with interest, glanced at Chabashira-sensei and gave a small nod. According to the latter's reaction, this was some kind of sign the two of them had agreed upon since she suddenly changed the topic.

"That reminds me. None of you have gotten any points from club activities, have you?"

I want to exchange secret signals with them too...

"Points for club activities? What do you mean, Sae-chan-sensei?"

Ike and the others perked up their ears.

Shinohara's eyes sparkled in anticipation, as she was one of the few people who were part of two clubs. I doubted that she could gain our class points in the cooking or volleyball club since she wasn't well versed in either, but her pupils still exuded a hopeful aura.

Aside from her, we had some promising students who might turn this into an advantage for the class.

Sudou in the basketball club was the most obvious contender, which is what Chiaki must have planned. Then there were Hirata and Onodera from the soccer and swimming club, respectively. Both of them were skilled in the sport of their choosing and would prove useful in the future.

Another useful student was Miyake Akito.

Kushida couldn't find out much about him since he was rather closed off, but the senpai's in his club spoke highly of him and his abilities. According to them, he took part in prefectural competitions before joining this school, which proved that he would be a valuable member during tournaments and similar events.

"Exactly what it sounds like. Individuals may win class or private points depending on their efforts, participation or success in club activities. For example, if Sudou became a regular, he would receive corresponding points. If he did well in the tournament, he would also receive points and so on. The same goes for Hirata in the soccer club and everyone else. Even the calligraphy club is no exception from that."

This batch of new information took everyone by surprise. Their resolve to help with Sudou's current predicament rose, because his presence as a regular in the basketball club would help our class in the long run.

Even if he only earned private points this way, Sudou could supplement his own or other student's scores with the amount of points he would receive. Not only would his athleticism come in handy in special exams, but his love for basketball would bring our class additional points as well.

If he used them wisely, at least, which is where his future anchor point would come into play.

Sudou couldn't be trusted to take care of these points on his own just yet, since he would purchase useless stuff or help his friends if they were out of points. But as long as someone like a kind and loving girlfriend was watching over his shoulder, once the time came, everything would work out.

Chabashira-sensei's words were an immediate incentive for everyone to help him, because my classmates realized that his activities could affect our points, and due to this, our class.

Chiaki was really crafty...

One just had to wonder how she knew that clubs would award students points depending on their performance.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier? We could have all joined clubs and made a bunch of points."

"You have already realized that this school is usually fair, yes? What do you think would happen if someone halfheartedly joined a club? First, he wouldn't gain any points, since there is no way someone lazy would put in the effort to stand out in a club setting. Second, what if your efforts were subpar? Would you get kicked out of the club? Lose private points? Lose class points? Do you see how your question isn't making any sense?"

This time, it was Chiaki who spoke up.

From what I could gather, the two of them had made some deal in the background. I didn't know if she needed to pay points for Chabashira-sensei's services or if she managed to persuade her some other way, but she was pushing everyone into helping Sudou while showing them how valuable he would be to our class in the future.

Even students who only cared for themselves would think twice about leaving him to rot, since they would gain something from their assistance in the long run. It didn't matter if her reasoning about losing points was wrong, since only a few of our classmates would question what she said. Most would take her words as a fact due to the correct calls she had made during the last few days.

Time and time again, Chiaki had proven that her understanding about this school and its rules was superior to everyone else in this class. Even complete idiots would have understood this by now.

Her judgment, coupled with the backup from Hirata, Kushida and the other girls that Karuizawa was in control of, meant that most students would take her statements as factual without talking back.

Chiaki had set herself up as a class leader without showing a single flaw or insecurity during the execution of her plans, which was not only impressive, but would have been hard to accomplish for anyone else in class.

Hirata and Kushida, for example, wouldn't have been able to talk back against people. The former wanted everyone to be heard and happy, while the latter wanted to be loved by them without fail. Horikita was smart and resourceful enough as well, but she didn't have the support of her class due to her cold and brisk attitude.

My assumption that Chiaki could handle Sudou's case without my help grew more and more.

She may not be as capable as some others in certain areas of expertise, but an evaluation for Class B wouldn't be out of place for someone of her caliber, if it weren't for her inherent, distant behavior towards most people she surrounded herself with.

She wasn't nearly as bad as Horikita, of course, but aside from our group, she talked little with anyone else until she had revealed herself and stepped into the spotlight. This action seemed to have given her a push in the right direction, as she started to warm up to certain other people.

Chiaki still had a long way to go, but she was also making steady progress to invalidate her flaw.

I felt blessed and honored that I was one of the first individuals she chose to interact with, and I knew that I would always remember these days fondly, even after they had long past.

Even after she and everyone else had already forgotten about me...

Ike couldn't say anything as both Hirata and Kushida kept nodding in understanding after listening to Chiaki's explanation. Even if they weren't included in her plan beforehand, those two were smart enough to perceive that her reasoning was perfectly sound and was most likely correct.

Their reactions were rather predictable, so I was more interested in another girl's thoughts about this matter.

Horikita was done scribbling into her notepad and was about to continue with her book as I turned towards her.

"I heard from Kushida that you weren't interested in helping Sudou before. Does that new piece of information change anything for you, or are you still stubborn?"

She regarded my teasing with a deep sigh and shrugged.

"Well, I acknowledge Sudou's existence, albeit a little. I still don't think that I will need to help, however. From where I'm sitting, Matsushita-san seems to have everything under control, just like you said. If I don't have to help him because someone else would, then I won't. It's that simple."

Horikita had a similar outlook as me. As long as she wasn't needed, she wouldn't help.

Our respective reasons, however, were different.

While I wanted to savour my limited time in this school and play around with my chess pieces to my heart's content, she wanted to reach Class A more than anyone else. Horikita was the one who had to go all-out to reach her goal.

I did not.

From what I had gathered through Kushida so far, no one in this school, no matter which year, would be a threat to me.

There were a few interesting pieces, of course, but none that endangered my livelihood.

"Do you think she already found the witness?"

"Chiaki mentioned nothing, so I'm not sure. Maybe Sudou was just imagining things and there was never a witness. Who knows?"

She shot me a quick glance and turned to face forward again.

"The witness is Sakura-san."

If I hadn't had full control over my muscles, my mouth would have dropped wide open.

My outward expression hadn't changed, but I was excited upon listening to the sweet words that left her hypnotizing lips. I was surprised that Horikita, of all people, could be this observant, and managed to single out Sakura as the witness, even though she had kept a low-profile throughout our time here.

It was inconceivable how she made me veer between hope and hopelessness every time we had a chat.

Sometimes I thought that expelling her from this school before we had received points would have been most beneficial. If I had gotten rid of her then, we wouldn't have lost any points. But other times, like now, I was glad that I hadn't pulled the trigger just yet.

Had the fact that I enjoyed our banter anything to do with my decision?

Was this why I gave her a chance to change?

Humans needed time to adjust and evolve, so I gave her time. The deadline to her demise, however, wouldn't move anymore. If she wasn't good enough for my roster when the time arrived, I would eliminate her without mercy.

"How'd you know?"

I tried to act surprised, but it didn't work out too well.

"When Matsushita-san was asking for the witness, Sakura-san looked down instead of around the classroom. In a class of thirty-nine people, she was the only one who wasn't curious about who might have observed the incident. Her behavior leaves only one logical conclusion."

"Well, if you already know that, shouldn't you tell the others?"

"You can tell them. I'm not interested."

Before I could inquire about anything else, the bell rang, marking the beginning of homeroom.

Since Horikita had informed me about Sakura's 'secret', there was no reason for me to leave Chiaki and the others in the dark about her findings. As soon as classes ended, I walked towards the group of three who were already discussing next steps.

"Yo Chiaki, Hirata, Kushida."

""Yo Chi~a~ki~.""

Some girls to our right squealed in a high-pitched tone as they threw glances at the girl in question. This friendly banter was a daily occurrence, ever since we were on a first-name basis.

"C-come on... are you really going to keep this up? You girls are the worst..."

Chiaki's embarrassment was visible not only through her pout but also the light, red shade that surfaced on her face.

Karuizawa and the others stuck out their tongues and teased Chiaki further, while Hirata and Kushida greeted me as well. After they had enjoyed her delightful reactions for a few more minutes, they went their own ways and kept searching for the witness.

"Sorry about that, Kiyotaka. They are always messing with me..."

"Your reactions are adorable, so I don't mind at all."

"A-adore..." I could have sworn that her complexion grew even more crimson, but that was almost impossible. "A-anyway, what brings you here, K-kiyotaka? Want to grab a bite with us?"

"Um, yeah sure. But there's something I have to tell you beforehand. I know who the witness is."

""What? Who?""

Both Hirata and Kushida were surprised while Chiaki kept calm and was only stunned for a short moment.

Our knight in shining armor was both amazed and grateful, since we could be able to end this whole incident with the witness, while Kushida was astonished that I had lent them a hand despite my previous claims.

"It's Sakura."

The following reactions came as no surprise.

Chiaki smiled while Hirata was probably already thinking about how and when to talk to her. Kushida just gasped and kept up her cover in front of our two classmates.

"Good work Ayanokouji-kun."

"Yes! Great find, Ayanokouji-kun!"

"Ah... I did nothing to help, though. Horikita was the one who told me that Sakura was the witness just now. I was as surprised as you are when she informed me of her hunch."

"Horikita-san, huh..."

Kushida peered towards my neighbor with a confused and saddened expression. A dejected laugh left Hirata's lips, as he as well, was torn about what to do about this outcast of a classmate. He wanted to support her, but couldn't do anything if she didn't want to be helped.

"Well, first things first. We need to be careful with Sakura-san. She is extremely shy, so I think only one or two people should ask her about the incident. If we walk up to her with a group of four, she will only get spooked."

"That's a good point, Hirata-kun! Sakura-san would probably run away or be too nervous in front of us, especially because this concerns Sudou-kun, who we all know to be short-tempered. Maybe I should talk to her alone since I'm a girl too?"

Chiaki shook her head.

"Thank you, Kushida-san, but this wouldn't work. I think that Kiyotaka and I should talk to her."

Why me though?

"Hirata-kun is right. Because Sakura-san is very shy, Kiyotaka needs to be there for sure. He also didn't have many friends, since he was homeschooled before coming here, so he can somewhat relate to Sakura-san. Even though they are not the same, there should be some overlapping concerns and thoughts that could help him connect with her. Kiyotaka was also reserved until he got to know all of us better. He kind of still is, but you guys know what I mean. Both Hirata-kun and Kushida-san are too popular. To be frank, Sakura wouldn't be able to deal with you, especially because there are so many students around you all the time. She would feel overwhelmed by your presence alone."

Our white knight and Class D's angel nodded in understanding.

Even though I didn't like the fact that I was drawn into this whole mess, Chiaki's conclusions were spot on.

"Mhm. I get what you mean. Like if we were talking with her and some of our friends suddenly come up to us in greeting. This would put her in an uncomfortable position. Right, Hirata-kun?"

"Yes, I agree. Matsushita-san, Ayanokouji-kun, we'll leave Sakura-san in your hands."

The triad, which was now in agreement on how to proceed, nodded.

My bored, lifeless gaze met Chiaki's lively smile and I couldn't bring myself to decline.

Since there might still be other witnesses, we decided that it would be wise to keep asking around. There was also the problem that Sakura was a Class D student, which wasn't ideal for a witness. If she had no definitive proof like pictures, audio, or even a video, it would be just as difficult for the school to believe her.

She might have more rapport with the faculty than Sudou since she was quietly biding her time here, but she was still a Class D student and needed those points as much as everyone else.

Sakura, as well as the rest of Class D, would lose out on points if Sudou was found guilty.

This must have been the reason that Chiaki hadn't acted on the information beforehand. Now that Hirata and Kushida were made aware, however, she needed to try, at least.

Our meeting ended after ironing out the finer details.

It was concluded that Chiaki and I would talk to her tomorrow after classes.

"Well, since we are done now, should we grab something to eat together?"

Hirata's bright smile was as blinding as it had been on the first day I had met him, even though he went through a rough patch because of Yamauchi's expulsion.

Kushida looked downwards and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I already have an appointment with a friend." She then glanced at Hirata with a knowing smile. "Now that I think about it, Hirata-kun, didn't you want to eat with Karuizawa-san today?"

"But Karuizawa-san is —" Hirata stopped, before he nodded as well. "Right... Now that you mention it, she said that I should join them after we were done with our talks."

I didn't believe any of it.

Before Hirata agreed to Kushida, she kept nodding, as if she was prodding him towards something.

This smelled fishy.

"The two of us will leave then, Matsushita-san, Ayanokouji-kun!"

Kushida gleamed while dragging a beaming Hirata along. Both of them waved us goodbye and had unusually big smirks on their faces. When I turned around to face Chiaki, she was as red as a ripe tomato.

I must have missed something...

Definitely.

"S-seems like it's just the two of us, Kiyotaka."

"I guess. So, where do you want to go?"

"Mhm, I don't know. You decide."

She stuck out her tongue and successfully burdened me with such an important decision. Her following smile was kind but weaker than usual, which revealed once again that she felt tired and exhausted. Chiaki tried her best to hide her current state, but there was no way that I wouldn't pick up on it.

Dealing with these things must have put a huge burden on her.

"Okay. Let's go."

I said and grabbed my bag before leaving the classroom.

Surprised, she snatched her own and followed me with a perplexed expression.

"Where are we going?"

This was a valid question after I led her up the stairs instead of down, towards the cafeteria or shops. I didn't bother explaining as the two of us kept staircase after staircase behind us.

A few moments later, we reached the rooftop, which was just as serene and relaxing as yesterday.

I typed out a quick message to Chabashira-sensei to stay clear of the rooftop for today as we ambled towards the center. Chiaki looked around with a puzzled expression and tilted her head towards me.

"What are we doing here?"

"Sitting."

I sat down and tapped the ground beside me.

Even though Chiaki was confused, she followed my lead.

Her expression soon changed into a surprised smile as she realized that the ground wasn't as cold and uncomfortable as it looked. This was thanks to the sun, which kept warming the roof like a natural heater.

I unpacked the bento I had prepared this morning and placed it between the two of us. A moment later, I handed her two replacement sticks I kept in case something happened to mine.

"Itadakimasu."

"W-wait. I couldn't... this is... yours."

"It's more than enough for both of us. Also, I'm the one who offered it to you, so let's enjoy our meal together."

She fumbled around for a few moments before giving in. All I could hear in between her fidgeting was a confused, yet happy sounding whisper.

"Bento... His Bento..."

Chiaki's feverish expression flared up upon taking her first bite, indicating that I had met her taste, which made me glad. There would have been nothing more embarrassing than her not enjoying the food I prepared.

I hadn't expected that I had to share my bento, but I didn't mind this change of plans.

"My god! This is sooo good! Thank you... but what did I do to deserve this? How can I pay you back for such a tasty meal?"

Her current expression was nothing short of breathtaking. This alone was more payment than I could have asked for, since she gifted me with happy recollections that would always stay by my side, no matter where I went.

This genuine, bright smile and her sparkling ocean-blue eyes as she ate my bento would always remain in my mind as a treasured, once-in-a-lifetime memory.

As long as I was here... as long as I was free, I wanted to experience as much as possible.

"You don't have to pay me back. Your adorable expression is more than enough compensation. As for the reason; you seemed tired. I figured that all of this is weighing on you, so I thought you deserved a timeout once in a while. The roof is empty and comfortable because of the sun, and no one will bother you. If you use your bag as a pillow, you could even take a short nap after our meal." My lips drew a light smile, this time for certain. "I'm glad that the meal isn't a letdown... I thought it might be a bit lacking."

Her eyes opened wide in amazement and awe. I could see my reflection in her pupils, which reassured me that I did indeed smile. I was assured that I was not an emotionless, cold husk, but a living, breathing human being.

Maybe, just maybe, I felt something like happiness.

"No! It's great! It's perfect! I love it! Hyaaa."

I didn't know why, but she squealed and folded her arms over her head to hide her crimson-colored face.

The two of us enjoyed our bento and kept chatting about the most useless things. Since I knew how much she usually ate, I stopped after a few more mouthfuls and told her that I've had enough before assuring her that she could have the rest.

Apparently, this was called a white lie.

I would be hungry until evening, but I didn't mind at all.

Once we were done, I grabbed the empty box and put everything back into my bag.

"Mhhh~ that was great! Thank you Kiyotaka."

"Now..." I patted her bag twice. "... get some sleep."

Her delighted face turned crimson as she began to fumble around.

"Wha-... There's no way I can just sleep. I'm also not tired either so —"

"You don't have to push yourself so much when you are with me." I tapped her bag again. "You've been busy, right? You look exhausted too... Why don't you take a short nap? Nobody is going to bother you here."

Chiaki averted her gaze as those words traveled over the empty rooftop. Her lips parted before closing again without producing a sound as she caressed over her fingers.

Was she looking for a reason to decline?

I wouldn't mind if she rested in her room instead of here, but I couldn't be sure if she would really sleep or still work on Sudou's case, despite saying otherwise. She was exhausted, and I didn't want her to overwork herself. Chiaki knew this as well, or she would have refused already.

"Please?"

A deep, exasperated breath escaped her lungs as she raised her lowered head.

"It's not like I could say no... to you..."

The latter part of her sentence was quiet, but it was still audible, which she didn't seem to have realized. Somewhat reluctant and ashamed, she placed her head on the bag and closed her eyes.

Her quick breathing and elevated heartbeat slowed down, and she grew more comfortable as time passed. Chiaki must have fallen asleep eventually, as her body relaxed and entrusted herself to the warm caressing of the sun.

"Mhmmm... Kiyotaka..."

Was it considered impolite to ignore a sleeping person?

I had never been in such a situation, hence I wasn't sure how to behave. According to her breathing pattern and muscle relaxation, she was sleeping soundly. Her calm voice also indicated that she had a good dream, or something similar.

"Yes?"

In the end, I answered, on the off-chance that she somehow remembered that I didn't reply to her.

"I... really... like... you..."

With those four words, she moved closer and rolled her head onto my chest.

Even though she was fast asleep, she knew exactly where I was.

"... a lot..."

I was pretty sure that this was a secret I wasn't supposed to hear, which is why I left it at that.

Chiaki was still dormant and didn't know what she had just said or done. The only thing I could do right now was pretend to be asleep when she woke up on my chest. This way, it wouldn't be too embarrassing for her.

But she liked me, huh?

A small, innocent smile appeared on my face.

Or did it?

I raised my hands to my face and traced over the outline of my lips. Even though I really wanted to know if I had smiled, I couldn't figure it out. My fingers, or rather the contours over which they drew, couldn't find any changes in expression.

Maybe I was just too slow to react?

That might have been it.

What should I do with this information?

How was I supposed to behave from now on?

How would I answer if she decided to tell me her feelings while sentient?

I didn't expect so many questions to turn up after just a few simple words.

The loudest and biggest of them all, however, was why.

Why would such a cute, adorable girl fall in love with a callous and cruel monster like me?

"Mhhhhm."

I felt rather drowsy as I came to.

The bag I had been lying on was much more comfortable than anticipated. Despite my prior statements that I hadn't been tired, it didn't take long to fall asleep after our meal.

Our meal, huh...

A big smile formed on my face.

Even though I felt somewhat embarrassed by sleeping next to him, Kiyotaka was correct with his assumption that I needed some rest. This quiet, warm and all around pleasant spot was perfect.

Usually, I wouldn't have been so exhausted just from taking care of the class, but I had to spend a lot of time running around and preparing things beforehand in order to keep Sudou-kun safe and get everyone to help him. It might have looked effortless from an outsider's perspective, but this brief respite of serenity was everything I could have asked for in these circumstances.

Especially because I got to taste Kiyotaka's cooking.

Gosh, his food was sooo good!

I felt warm and cared for by just thinking about him, so I reached out to the bag I was lying on to prop it up and snuggled my head further inside to vent my happiness without squealing.

Both actions took place simultaneously and gave me a different feedback than I had anticipated.

The bag was unusually big and muscular and moved up and down in slow but steady intervals. I could also smell Kiyotaka's scent even better when I began to burrow into it.

My eyes shot open in surprise.

Two pairs of legs revealed themselves in front of me, both of which were resting right beside and somewhat on top of each other. A moment later, my hand gripped his uniform as my brain short-circuited.

The sun was warm, there was no doubt about this, but at that single moment, I felt much hotter.

I was relieved that I couldn't see my expression or the color of the skin on my face, since I was sure that I had once again turned into a tomato. This wasn't even a question, a hunch or a feeling, but an absolute fact.

The only reason I hadn't screamed in embarrassment or scrambled away from him in shame was because my whole body had shut down after waking up from sleeping on his chest.

On. His. Chest.

He wasn't awake when this happened, right?

He hadn't seen me smiling to myself while I was snuggling into him, right?

Even though it was dangerous to stay like this any longer, my body refused to listen to my commands.

It wouldn't move.

No — I didn't want it to move, because I wanted to stay like this, even if it was just a second longer.

Every time my eyes fluttered open, my heartbeat sped up.

Every time my head bobbed up and down because of his breathing, I felt happy.

Every time I took a breath, his sweet fragrance made its way through my nostrils.

Kiyotaka wasn't using any fancy perfume or something along those lines, but his inherent odour was nothing short of mesmerizing. I just couldn't believe that someone could smell this amazing by simply existing.

After this roller coaster of emotions, I couldn't deny my feelings for him any longer.

I had truly and utterly fallen for this handsome, brown-haired boy.

When my mind and every fiber of my being told me to let go of him and get up before he awoke, my heart decided that I wasn't ready to move on, because my body wanted to feel his warmth just a little longer.

After an intense battle, I regained control over myself and raised my head.

With a never-ending uneasiness, I turned towards his face and sighed in relief as I caught sight of this unmeasurably adorable sleeping face.

I slipped away from him with minimal movements and glanced over the roof.

The sun was already setting, which meant that we must have slept quite a long time.

I was both relieved and disappointed after escaping this situation without waking him up.

Because of his perfect poker face, I would probably never be comfortable or confident enough to tell him how I felt, since I was too scared of his answer. My biggest fear was that our relationship as it was now could change if he didn't feel the same way about me.

I wasn't brave enough and Kiyotaka seemed like the sort of person who wouldn't reveal his feelings, unless he was 100% sure that he would get a positive answer. But I didn't know what I could do to show him my affections without being too obvious for the worst-case scenario.

"Kiyotaka?"

My quiet voice vanished in the surroundings.

Aside from my beating heart, only a slight breeze and his shallow breathing could be heard.

Despite my better judgement, my fingers advanced towards his cheek on their own. I began to caress over his smooth face and smiled like an idiot as I blew away the messy strands of hair on his forehead.

In the end, I didn't know how he felt about me.

Would he be happy if he woke up now?

Would he be apathetic like usual, or would he have gifted me with this rare, charming, and absolutely breathtaking smile after waking up and glancing at my face?

I didn't know the answer to any of these questions.

All I could do, all I was currently capable of, was to approach his cheek.

Since my own strands of hair would tickle him if they fell onto his face, I tucked them behind my ear before bending forward. In my trance, I barely noticed my heartbeat, which sounded like a car-engine as it drummed against my chest.

After plucking up all my courage, I granted him my very first kiss.

"Sakura-san?"

"Wh-what?"

Chiaki and I headed towards Sakura after school the next morning in order to persuade her to share anything she had seen about the incident. I had never heard her voice before today, since she was one of the girls who hadn't introduced themselves.

It was quiet, yet pleasant but somewhat insecure.

Her tone had a certain innocent yet enticing charm to it, at least if one knew about the other face of Sakura. Otherwise, she would seem like a scared little cat, which had a certain appeal as well.

"Could you spare us a moment of your time?"

Our class leader was, of course, the person who took care of this conversation. I only stood beside her, lending a helping hand if I needed to. That was her strategy, at least.

Mine was different.

"S-sorry. I... I have plans, so..."

Sakura was feeling uncomfortable as she scratched her cheek. She stuttered and spoke in a quiet and hasty tone, which proved that she wasn't good at talking to people.

Even Kushida couldn't crack this girl in order to gather information about her.

The things I knew now were a team effort and would have been impossible to find out if it weren't for my observations and Kushida's vast social abilities and knowledge in this sphere.

"It won't take long, I promise. I just wanted to ask about Sudou's case."

"N-no. I... I don't know... anything. Please... can I... leave now?"

Chiaki bit her lip, since she didn't know how to talk to Sakura.

I took her hand and squeezed it upon noticing her frustration. Since I knew how she felt about me, it was a quick and safe sign to inform her that it was alright and that I would take over.

My adorable classmate reacted with a flustered face.

"I'm sorry that I ambushed you like this. Of course you can leave."

As per usual, she had this special, older sister smile on her face.

Sakura had no problems coping with such a kind and pleasant farewell either.

"T-there is nothing to a-apologize for. S-see you."

The scared squirrel rushed out of the room with quick and purposeful steps. I gave Chiaki a light nod before following the girl through the hallway.

We were a considerable distance away from the classroom and other people when I decided to call out to her.

"Sakura?"

Her whole body trembled as she heard her own name. Upon turning around, her eyes widened before her feet shifted into a ready position to run away from me.

"Please don't run. I don't want to talk about Sudou, I promise."

The current distance between us amounted to around five meters.

According to the anthropologist Edward T. Hall, this was the public zone.

Since the two of us were quite far apart, I had to raise my voice if I wanted to talk to her. Sakura recognized this as well and didn't see my increased volume as me getting angry or anything similar.

Instead of realizing the uncomfortable nature of this moment, she would feel bad for me. A normal person wouldn't be bothered by something like this, but Sakura, who wasn't very well versed in human interactions, would think of herself as a nuisance due to her insecurities, which gave me a stronger position during our conversation.

Her feet stopped halfway while turning, but she made no efforts to revert her previous movements, which showed that she wasn't quite ready to believe me just yet.

"Is it okay if I come closer? I'd feel silly yelling through the hallway."

I scratched my cheek to show her that I was feeling just as uncomfortable as she did.

The psychological term for this deceptive action was mirroring.

Usually, this happened unconsciously, as an individual would mirror behavior, movements or speaking patterns. Here, I could consciously use this to build rapport with Sakura, and let her know that I was also feeling conflicted and distressed.

She nodded, whereupon I inched closer until I reached the social zone.

I kept pushing forward until I was around two and a half meters away from her.

"That's a great camera. A Nikon D3500, right?"

"Y-yeah."

Her worried eyes turned bright and widened in surprise that I had recognized the camera she used.

Without Kushida's reports, I wouldn't have been able to increase my affinity with her this easily. Thanks to my prior knowledge about her likes and dislikes, I could prepare for our confrontation.

In her eyes, she had found someone like-minded. Someone who enjoyed photography, or something similar.

"I love taking pictures of nature. What about you?"

"E-everything, really."

She said little, but it was a step in the right direction. Not only her eyes had changed, but her voice also developed from stark insecurity to cautious excitement.

Once again, I wore a mask.

This time it wasn't Hirata or Karuizawa, who I had used to my advantage before, but Kushida, or even Ichinose, who were remarkably social and didn't have trouble connecting with people. What helped them was their great interest in a lot of things that others cared about, genuine or not.

If I could bond with someone over certain topics the other person would get excited about, it was easier to talk to them.

This was what I had learned from these two fascinating women.

Even though I didn't particularly like or dislike the White Room, it offered me a unique, objective point of view towards this world. Back in the white hell, I felt myself stagnating. But here, I was accumulating personalities, which I could use to brighten my horizon.

The current lessons in the White Room or in this school were completely useless to me, because I could do anything I needed to do physically and academically.

But the more people I got to know during my lifetime, the more facets I would gain.

'Only a fool wouldn't use his innate abilities.'

In some sense, the old man's words were correct.

I absorbed books, knowledge and physical lessons like no one else, so why would I stop there?

The more people I devoured, the better I could use their innate abilities to move my pieces. I understood the way they thought, carried themselves and would act, so that I could make their abilities my own.

Even though I was still not as proficient as Kushida in social interactions, I was improving.

I was evolving slowly but purposefully, because I deemed it necessary to advance myself further.

"Before arriving at this school, I was homeschooled for a long time. It was boring, but I loved taking pictures in my free time. These few fleeting moments were the only times I felt some sense of..."

"...belonging? Uhh, I... I'm sorry. I didn't m-mean to interrupt y-you..."

"Yeah... I guess belonging is a fitting description for what I felt. Those times... I still cherish them even though I managed to grow out of my shell. Somewhat... at least."

This story existed for the single purpose of drawing her into the conversation. Every single word that left my mouth was a lie. Neither Sakura nor anyone else had to know this, however.

All I needed was her growing interest in me.

"W-why did you stop? T-taking pictures, I mean."

"There is not much nature around here, unfortunately. Not without civilization right around the corner. I don't particularly enjoy taking pictures of buildings or people. Trees, forests, animals, landscapes, the ocean and its inhabitants, or other such scenic views... I really enjoyed taking pictures of... freedom."

Even though we didn't know each other very well, she connected with me through our troubles and experiences, which felt similar to each other by design.

"I'm really sorry if Chiaki came on too forceful. She meant nothing bad by it."

"N-no. It's j-just I... I'm too..."

Insecure? Scared?

That was fine... Sakura.

People needed time to change, and so did you.

I will protect you...

... until I need to rip you apart.

So don't worry about anything. There was no need to struggle, because you wouldn't be able to escape either way. Not after you became a part of my plan. Not after I put my bloody claws into your flesh and made you mine.

If you don't resist the course I envisioned for you, it will hurt much less.

In other words, Sakura... don't delay the inevitable and just be a formidable pawn for me.

"The hallway... the view outside the window... I love taking pictures of such scenic views, even if some of those scenes are nothing special in everyday life."

She couldn't finish her initial sentence, but opted to progress the conversation in a different route.

"So general landscapes or scenic views are your speciality, huh? What about people?"

Sakura wouldn't think anything strange of this question since I had included animals in my previous explanation. Since I was talking about nature, it was obvious to ask about the inhabitants of forests and such. In her case, she talked about civilization, so asking about human subjects was a given.

"Huh?! Th-that's a secret. I... I mean it's e-embarrassing."

Her cheeks changed from a healthy pink to a deep crimson as she thought about the pictures she took as Shizuku. As a shy, anxious girl, she would feel uncomfortable about being asked about such sensitive topics by a man.

"No need to be flustered. I'm sorry if I asked a question that you felt was too personal. I meant nothing by it."

She glanced at me before averting her gaze towards the ground in shame.

"N-no! It's just... Will Sudou-kun be okay?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure Chiaki can manage. I'll tell everyone that you saw nothing. Is that alright with you?"

Her body shuddered in response as her head jerked up to meet mine.

"B-but... I... —"

"It's okay. I know. But they don't need to if you feel uncomfortable. We'll just keep it a secret, alright? As long as you are okay with your decision, I am as well. Chiaki will find another way to save him."

Once again, she lowered her head as this guilty conscience weighed her down.

This feeling was the goal all along.

Sakura would either work up the courage to confess to our classmates that she had indeed seen something, or silently feel bad for her whole life. The closer the deadline of Tuesday got, the worse her regrets would become.

She was timid, yes, but she was also an incredibly sweet and innocent girl that wanted nothing bad to happen. It was only a matter of time until she came around and spoke up for Sudou.

Her general behavior had a certain charm to it as well, which could easily bewitch a lot of guys who were into such girls, if she were a bit more like Shizuku, her other persona.

"Th-thank you, Ayanokouji-kun. You are a good person."

Sakura flashed me one of the most beautiful smiles I had seen to date.

Her expression wasn't forced or a false mask she used to play around with people, but her genuine reaction towards my kindness, which made it even more fascinating than Kushida's. It was also such a rare sight that the value of a single delighted smile eclipsed those of the latter's by far.

Unfortunately for her, she couldn't have been more wrong about me.

After saying my farewell, I walked back to the classroom to gather my materials and grab my bag. Chiaki and the others who knew about our plan were waiting for me.

"So how'd it go, Ayanokouji-kun?"

The first question came from Kushida.

Horikita, who sat at her desk and needed a rather long time to gather her materials, perked her ears to listen in as well, but had no intention of moving from her desk. Sudou and Ike also stood near the triad and were interested in what Sakura had said.

"She was nearby, but she had seen nothing. There was a commotion, so she ran away because she didn't want to have anything to do with it."

"So a total bust, huh?"

Quite a bust, yes, Sudou.

He lowered his head and slumped over someone's chair. The mood of the other's wasn't any better after receiving this disheartening news.

"We still haven't asked all the other students. There is still a chance someone else saw it as well, right?"

"Yes, Kushida-san is right. We shouldn't give up hope just yet, everyone!"

Kushida and Hirata tried to lift the mood, but even Sudou began to lose hope. Horikita let out a ridiculing chuckle as the two of them tried to grasp onto the last possible straws.

My neighbor packed her bags and stood before striding over to our group.

"Ayanokouji-kun, do you want to head back together?"

Not a single person who listened to her sweet voice could believe her words.

Even though we frequently walked back together, we never talked about it. We just 'happened' to wait for each other before leaving when the other person wasn't occupied with someone else. None of the others should have noticed this, which would make her sudden invitation even more surprising.

I placed my hand on her forehead to check up on her temperature.

She didn't seem to run a fever, but I could conclude through this rash action that Chiaki was mad.

"I don't have a fever. I just want to talk to you about something."

Horikita wouldn't want anything troublesome now, would she?

"You guys sure are close, huh?. I still vividly remember the painful arm lock you put me in yesterday when I accidentally touched your shoulder. How is this differential treatment fair? My shoulder still hurts like hell!"

Ike seemed to have had a run-in with the devil while Chiaki and I were sleeping on the rooftop.

Both of them seemed rather agitated about my hand, which rested on her forehead. Sudou didn't seem as bothered, but still somewhat dissatisfied. Chiaki pouted with an angered expression and stared daggers at Horikita from behind Kushida.

"Do you mind?"

"No, sorry."

I let go of her forehead and walked back to my desk to grab my bag.

Ike kept lamenting about how this was unfair, while Horikita and I left the room after I said my farewells. My two dumbfounded and three dissatisfied friends couldn't wrap their heads around what had happened.

"It's so hot... Why are we here anyway?"

I turned to the side to glance at a person who didn't seem to mind this scorching heat at all.

"I just wanted to check for security cameras, but it seems like there are none around here."

"Security cameras?"

Horikita nodded.

"Yes, like in the classroom, for example. I figured if we had a few in every classroom and outside the school building, there might be some in the hallways and staircase as well."

"Mh, so you do want to help Sudou, despite saying otherwise. That's some adorable tsundere behavior, according to my research."

She glanced over with a dark expression.

"Haven't I told you to stop mingling with those people? They are poisoning your thoughts, Ayanokouji-kun. I'm neither a tsundere, nor am I adorable. Aside from that —"

Her phone vibrated before she could finish her sentence, whereupon I regarded her with a smirk.

"Should we go visit the electronics store to fix your phone? It seems to be prone to errors."

"Would you lend me your hand for a moment, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Horikita smirked and reached out her own, while the other covered a certain painful object.

"I don't think we are at that stage of our relationship just yet, so I have to decline. That being said, the security cameras were good thinking. I didn't know we had any in the classroom, though."

Horikita heaved a sigh as she realized that I wouldn't fall for her 'trick' and pocketed her compass.

"Naturally." Her matter-of-fact reply rang through the searing corridor as she brushed her hair back. "How else would the teachers know what the students were doing behind their backs with such precision? Do you remember how Chabashira-sensei had specific numbers for every single offense in the classroom?"

"Now that you mention it, that was indeed weird. How did you even notice that?"

"Well, Ayanokouji-kun... some people don't daydream during lessons." She glared at me with a twisted smile. "Additionally, Kushida-san said something about the cameras in our classroom while you were away, but it seemed like she hadn't made the connection that there could also be cameras all around the school grounds."

How did she know that I daydreamed?

Cute, cute, cute, cute...

She didn't react to my pitiful attempt to trigger her esper senses, so I gave up and returned to the important parts that had surfaced during this conversation.

If Kushida disclosed something about the cameras, Chiaki should have taken her hint into consideration as well, but neither she nor anyone else was here to check. Or had she considered this beforehand and came up empty-handed?

I knew that looking for cameras out here would be futile, but at least I could ascertain their thinking patterns.

"Well, since we are done here, let's go back to the dorms."

"So that's it? You're done helping Sudou?"

"I was never helping him, just looking out for viable clues I happened to stumble upon. I won't go out of my way to help him, not anymore. Previously, I thought that saving them once would open their eyes, but it seemed like I should have just let them get expelled. At least we would have lost fewer points, since we didn't have any to begin with."

Her reasoning could work, if she could back up her claims.

If I were going all-out, there would be no need for most of the people in my class. Sudou was a nice reserve to have, but also not needed. Horikita, however, isn't even near my level of abilities, which is why she will need to count and depend on other people.

Unfortunately, she seemed unwilling to learn.

"Let's go back then."

We ambled towards the staircase and were about to turn a corner when I bumped into a particular student that came striding towards us in a fast pace.

The camera in her hand dropped and crashed onto the floor with a loud thud.

I could have caught it, but saw no reason to intervene, since this accident might enable me to spend more time with her. If I could get to know her better during that time, she would be more useful to me in the future.

"Ah! N-no...!"

"Oh, Sorry."

Before even apologizing, she hunkered down and kept pressing the power button. She kept tapping on it in a daze, but it didn't turn on, whereupon her worries grew exponentially.

"No... no... please..."

After squeezing the button down dozens of times, she reseated the batteries in a last ditch effort to save her camera.

Reality, however, was cruel.

"I'm sorry Sakura, that was my fault."

She glanced up like a lost puppy with her camera in hand. A few small tears gathered in the corners of each eye, which were about to release a whole flood.

"No, I was... without looking. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, really. We were both at fault then, alright? But your camera... it doesn't look very good."

Horikita watched this whole exchange with a bored and somewhat haughty expression. Her interest in Sakura had vanished after I told them that she saw nothing that could help us.

My nervous classmate looked down and clang to her broken camera.

"Since it's partly my fault that you have to get it repaired, should we go together? We don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable, but I feel terrible about running into you like that."

Once again, I was pushing forward with my Kushida persona. I needed to be careful not to change too drastically since Horikita's watchful eyes gazed over both of us.

"I..." She sounded as if she wanted to decline, but stopped before doing so. After a few seconds of silent contemplation, she bobbed her head. "O-okay. Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun."

I had anticipated that she would decline and already mapped out the rest of this conversation, but it seemed like that this was no longer needed. We exchanged numbers and decided to talk things over tomorrow before we went our separate ways.

"You were awfully nice, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Is that a crime? Do you think your cold, blunt and heartless demeanor would have worked any better?"

"For staying out of trouble? Yes. I remember you saying you quite disliked it."

Horikita eyed me with a suspicious glint.

"It was a simple calculation. If anyone saw that I made a cute girl cry, then that would have spilled more trouble than accompanying her to the store. That's one of the reasons why I am so nice to you. I'm worried about my social standing, you know?"

My favorite neighbor, she was my only one, so I had none other to choose from, chopped me in the side.

"You do realize that there is no one around, right? And since when do you have a social standing, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Someone could surely jump around the corner any second now."

Horikita leaned back and crossed her arms while regarding me with a sceptic gaze.

"I doubt that someone would just —"

At that moment, as if the heavens had decided to punish Horikita for her usual rude behavior, a strawberry blonde girl jumped around the corner with a bright smile on her face.

"Heya, Ayanokouji-kun and... his girlfriend-san? Are the two of you on a date?"

Ichinose tilted her head after uttering such an innocent, yet dangerous, question.

I couldn't help but reveal a smug smile towards Horikita, who looked incredibly annoyed by this whole situation. Not only did someone jump around the corner, she had also been called my girlfriend, which she wasn't too fond of.

"We're not on a date."

"I'm not his girlfriend."

We both opened our mouths at the same time.

If one concentrated enough, it was possible to understand both parties. Horikita, for example, understood which deceptive words I had spoken and grazed my head.

Ichinose laughed since she assumed that I was messing with her.

"I already figured as much. This place is a little too hot to be a date spot."

Was it, though?

I wasn't sure about that.

Depending on the things you were going to do here, this place could be pretty comfy.

"Ouch!"

"You thought about something stupid, didn't you? I've seen it in your eyes. They are changing when you are being an idiot. Don't even think about talking your way out of this."

Horikita was truly one of the scariest girls I've met until now.

Class B's leader couldn't help but giggle again while she was listening to our skit-like exchange.

"You two really are close, huh?"

"We are."

"We are not."

"Ouch!"

This time, she not only chopped into my side but also stepped on my foot to punish me for this transgression.

"Putting our relationship aside for now, what are you doing here, Ichinose?"

"There is no relationship to put aside. Could you stop messing with me, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Ichinose's cheerful laugh dwindled as she tried her best to calm down.

"I heard that your class was in trouble, so I thought I'd look around and give you guys a hand."

Horikita raised her eyebrows and eyed Ichinose with suspicion.

Her scepticism wasn't warranted, but this much was proof enough that she didn't know what kind of person Ichinose was. Or maybe she just didn't care, which might very well be the case.

"And why would you give us a hand, just like that? From the good of your heart?"

Why did she sound so sarcastic?

It came as no surprise that she was blunt and quick to judge, as always, but I hoped that the two of them could talk with each other without blood flying everywhere. This wouldn't be a problem for Ichinose, but I wasn't so sure about Horikita.

Even if Class B's leader was usually kind and relaxed, she wouldn't back down from a fight if she felt the need to advocate for her beliefs. A good example was her action back in the library, when she stood between Sudou and that Class C student without batting an eye.

"Ayanokouji-kun and I are friends. So why wouldn't I try to help his class if I can?"

"I can't help but think there's an ulterior motive."

Ichinose's captivating smile didn't waver, even though she was accused of something ridiculous.

"Ulterior motive? Do you think we are working in the shadows to undermine Class C and D? Do you need to be that on guard? All I'm planning to do is lend a helping hand to a friend. If you are not interested, you can leave anytime."

"So that's your plan? To coax the unsuspecting Ayanokouji-kun into revealing something he shouldn't?"

Unsuspecting? Me?

The strawberry blonde girl didn't seem hurt or otherwise affected by such a cruel accusation.

"I'm sorry that you think that way. And I really hope you can work through those problems." That was all she had to say about Horikita before she turned towards me. "Do you want to fill me in? It's okay if not. I'd understand."

I glanced towards Horikita, who seemed to be finished with this conversation.

After cursing my misfortune and hoping that my neighbor wouldn't kill me later, I told Ichinose everything we knew so far. My classmate might have called this foolishly trusting someone whose intentions I didn't know, but that was far from the truth.

Ichinose was one of the safest people to talk to in this entire school, because she had not a single bad bone in her body.

"Are you certain that your classmate is innocent?"

"To tell you the truth, we're not. But all we can do right now is look for witnesses and hope for the best possible outcome. Even though I'd love to help him, it'll be quite troublesome to convince the school that he's innocent."

Ichinose flashed me a thin smile.

"I'd like to help with that. If it's okay? More people are always better in such a situation, right?"

"And why would a student from Class B readily help us? What do you expect from us in return?"

Horikita cut into our conversation like a mother bear protecting her cub.

Was she worried about me?

"I already told you that I'd like to lend Ayanokouji-kun a hand. It would set a bad precedent if the party that lied won, no matter if it was your classmate or the Class C students."

"You want to lend him a hand, yes? Let's say that Sudou was at fault and you learn the truth about that. What would you do? Lie to help your friend? Wouldn't that also set a bad precedent for yourself?"

"Of course, I hope that my interference proves helpful to him and his class. But if your classmate really is at fault, then I won't be hiding that either. Ayanokouji-kun has said it himself: you guys have been looking for witnesses for a few days already and turned up with nothing so far. If you can't prove Sudou-kun's innocence, then your classmate will be suspended either way. With our help, you might have a fighting chance, if he is innocent, like he claimed. There are no disadvantages for your class since we are providing our help for free."

"So, after everything is said and done, you are only helping yourself. Either Ayanokouji-kun is thankful to you for supporting him, or you are hammering the nail in Sudou-kun's coffin. Am I wrong?"

Ichinose shook her head without losing the smile on her face.

"You don't seem capable of thinking that some people simply act out of goodwill, do you? I don't have a single ulterior motive in offering my help."

"That's what you say. But I still can't see a single demerit for you. There are only positives to be gained, which is why I'm not interested in working with you, an enemy. That being said, I'll take my leave now. Be careful of this woman, Ayanokouji-kun. She is not your friend."

After such a statement, Horikita strode off.

Both Ichinose and I stood in a daze until she had moved so far away that her steps were barely audible. The strawberry blonde girl wore a conflicted expression and smiled wryly in response to her harsh words.

We both stood still until the last echo vanished.

"Sorry, Ichinose. Horikita is just... not very good with people. She's not a bad person, so don't take what she said to heart. I really appreciate that you are trying to help us, and I believe Sudou thinks the same way."

"Ah, it's alright, really. The heat in this building really is something else though... maybe she was just overheating." Ichinose smiled upon cracking such a joke and took out a cute panda handkerchief before wiping the sweat off her forehead. "It's been a while since we last met up, right? The midterms were really something."

"Oh, yeah. But we all survived, so everything is fine. Your class seemed to have had some trouble this month though, according to your points at least... Is everything okay? Can I help?"

"Don't worry about us. It's nothing we can't handle. Thank you for your concern, though. Say, Ayanokouji-kun, are many students in your class this prejudiced against other classes?"

I glanced upward, pretending that I was thinking about her question.

"Some, I guess. But I bet you already met most of my classmates, so I wouldn't be surprised if you knew better than I did. Horikita is not like the other students in Class D. She's mostly minding her own business and doesn't really let anyone too close to her."

"That sounds lonely, but at least she seems to be quite fond of you." After a short pause, which showed how affected she was by Horikita's poor standing in class, she clapped her hands to regain some of her lost vigor. "What do you say, want to meet up for karaoke someday this week? I'll need to ask the rest of my class, but as far as I know, most of us should be free on a day or two."

"Yeah sure. That sounds good. It's been a while since I saw everyone."

We ambled back towards the dorms while chatting about the last week and other trivial matters. Ichinose demonstrated some of the moronic things Shibata was up to while moaning about Amikura's never-ending teasing.

I could only wonder about Class B's class climate, which seemed much warmer and more comfortable than what I was used to seeing in Class D.

"That reminds me, what do you think about our summer break, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Do you mean the vacation on the tropical island?"

"Mhm, that one."

She excitedly bobbed her head while making small hops over the square-shaped paving tiles without touching the grooves. Her assets were generously bouncing around, which really distracted me from the matter at hand.

More than I'd like to admit.

"This may sound weird, but it sounds too good to be true. Chabashira-sensei's announcement reminded me of the time she told us that we'd be receiving 100.000 points each month."

"You think so too, huh... I think it's going to be a turning point."

Her cheerful expression changed into one of worry and discomfort of what might happen between the classes during this mysterious vacation.

"A turning point?"

"Yup. I believe there might be some kind of hidden task or something. With only class points from the midterms and clubs, it would be impossible for some classes to regain their deficit or overtake another class."

Ichinose was far more open about this topic than anticipated. She told me straight up that she believed that something like 'special exams' might exist, even though this wouldn't benefit her one bit.

"Mh, now that you point it out. I guess it would be impossible for Class D to make a comeback otherwise."

"Hey Ayanokouji-kun..." She stopped, struggling to voice the question that had been on her mind. My movements came to a halt, since Ichinose had also stopped walking or jumping over the pavement. "You don't have to answer, but do you know anything about any past midterm exams?"

Her hesitance to seek for confirmation was understandable. She wanted to know more about the papers I had sent her anonymously, since she also believed that the message was my doing after she realized that Class D got a large point boost during the midterms.

Establishing the connection that the tests might have originated from Class D wasn't too far fetched for someone as smart as her. Since I was friends with a majority of Class B, she must have figured that I was the most probable sender.

"You mean the old test questions, right? Kushida got them from a third year or something, I think."

"Yeah, those... we got them as well, but they were sent to me anonymously by a student."

"And now you think it was one of us?"

"I think so, yes. I exchanged contact information with almost everyone, so it wouldn't be hard to send me something anonymously, even if I hadn't given out my number to this specific person myself."

She might have been withholding her suspicions about me since I decided to keep myself hidden for now, or I severely underestimated her social abilities and she knows so many people that it was hard to narrow anything down.

"Did you guys use them as well?"

"We did, but mostly as a last resort. Even though we kept cramming the narrowed down materials, some of my classmates had difficulties with certain topics or specific math questions, so we memorized the solutions, hoping that they would really appear in the test. Our trust in these papers was definitely worth it. We got a higher average than Class A, after all."

As expected, my theory was correct, and Chiaki managed to figure it out rather quickly as well. I was glad that she took this first step without my interference, as this would make my work a lot easier. If Chiaki could handle most of the problems coming our way, I would get to spend more time like I wanted to.

"Do you think it's fine to share this information with me just like that? I mean, your friend said it herself. I'm basically an enemy, not to be trusted."

"Enemy, huh..." I gazed towards the sky while Ichinose nervously fumbled around with her fingers. "I don't think that you are an enemy. So isn't it fine? We are not only friends, but I believe that a lot can be gained from mutual exchange between two or more classes."

A light smile formed on her face before she averted her eyes. Her cheeks turned into a light pink as her lips parted.

"Hey... has a girl ever confessed her feelings for you?"

What now?

I checked my surroundings to make sure that she was still talking to me and not someone else who coincidentally walked past us, because Ichinose wasn't a person to joke about something like this.

If she asked me out right now, I would agree in a heartbeat, even though that something like this would probably never happen. She was worried yet curious about my answer, so I assumed that someone had confessed to her or was very obvious about going to, at least.

"Do I look like a guy who's ever had a girl confess her feelings to him?"

"Well actually, yes..."

She played around with her fingers, as if she was uncomfortable talking about such a topic.

Wow, really?

That surprised me more than it should have.

She wasn't entirely wrong since Chiaki basically confessed her feelings by kissing me while I was 'asleep', but I was still surprised that even someone as outgoing and social as Ichinose believed that girls would announce their feelings to me.

"Did someone confess to you?"

"Huh? Oh, mh... could you spare some time tomorrow after class?"

"Sure."

Standing beside Ichinose, I didn't know what the future would bring.

I wasn't sure if I was or would ever be ready to have a girlfriend, even though I'd like to understand these feelings some day. To experience love and youth, maybe that was a part of the dream that Matsuo had asked me about.

If he were to stand before me now and repeated his question, I doubted that I could answer him.

But I was sure that I would do so in time.

Even if he was no more.

After our lessons the next day, I went over to our meeting spot at the school entrance.

It wasn't hard to spot Ichinose, since a sea of students kept greeting and talking to the girl, who exuded an aura of pure comfort and kindness. Gazing at her from afar like this, I felt like a cheap closet pervert.

She really was criminally cute. I wouldn't be surprised if she had stolen a lot of hearts already.

With a light smile on my face, I made my way around her.

Ichinose's head swung from her left to her right. Sometimes she even tiptoed to look over the other students who obstructed her sight.

My charming schoolmate was earnestly looking for me, so I couldn't keep her waiting for much longer, right?

"Buh!"

"Uwaahhh!"

The strawberry blonde gummy bear jumped back in surprise, which drew the surrounding attention towards us. I've gotten much better with scenes like these due to Class B's help, so I wasn't as uncomfortable as I once was and felt brave enough to scare one of the most beautiful girls in this school without feeling out of place.

After a few heavy and deep breaths, to calm herself down, she began to laugh.

"Ayanokouji-kun no baka!"

I tilted my head to the side with an innocent smile on my face.

"So, where are we going?"

She put her small, still shaking hand over her heart before drawing one last calming breath.

"Follow me."

We walked for a bit until we reached the backside of the gymnasium.

This seemed like a proper place for someone to confess their feelings. I even saw scenes like this in manga before.

W-wait...

"Now then..."

A rather nervous Ichinose took yet another deep breath and faced me with a serious expression.

Wait, wait, wait. What?

I wasn't ready for such a situation.

Give me some time, would you?

What was I supposed to say?

How long should I wait with my answer?

What about Chiaki?

Would I have time to think about it, or would she expect a reply right here?

Would it be weird if I just straight up said yes before she finished her sentence?

"I think..."

There was no need to panic, no need at all.

I'll just listen to her and accept anything she says.

Wait...? What?!

"... I like you! Please go out with me!"