Chapter 2

"I have bad news for you all today."

It took sensei those few words to ruin everybody's moods.

"There was a bit of trouble the other day. Him over there, Sudou, and some class C students were involved in an incident. To say the truth, it was a fight."

I glared at Sudou, and he averted his gaze. I wasn't the only one though. Many of the students directed their angered or confused gazes towards him.

Last night, Sudou came to my room, asking for help but I didn't give him a fraction of my time, as I redirected him to Horikita. Wait… how did he know which room was mine?

Sensei then explained that, depending on how this case unfolded, Sudou might be suspended and the class points may be deducted. I didn't have a problem with the former, the latter on the other hand was something entirely different.

"Uh… why hasn't the matter been resolved already?"

Hirata-kun asked

"The complaint was raised by class C. They said it was a one-sided fight. However, when we asked Sudou, he said that their claim was not true. He said that the class C student called him out, looking for a fight."

What she said fit with what Sudou had told me.

"I wasn't wrong. It was self-defense."

Sudou's shout to prove his innocence only earned him glares from the students.

"Tatsumaki-san."

Sensei called me out. I glared at Sudou. He must have mentioned that I was there.

"Yes, sensei?"

I could feel the gazes of my classmates falling on me when I responded. They were murmuring about something, but fortunately I couldn't hear them. If I did, I'm sure I would have blown a fuse.

"Sudou claims you were there at the scene. How true is that?"

He had gone and added me to his mess. He really needed to be more considerate of the other party before he spoke.

"Well, sort of."

"What do you mean?"

As they say, the truth shall set you free. I explained that I was passing by when I saw Sudou coming from the Special Annex Room. How when I tried to go there he wouldn't allow me, and how I saw those three beaten up boys come later.

"But what about the other person!?"

Sudou asked. I looked at Airi from the corner of my eye and she had flinched when Sudou said that. Someone like her wouldn't be able to bear the kind of attention she would garner.

"What other person?"

I feigned ignorance for her sake. She looked up, visibly confused and I ignored her. I would talk to her later.

"Don't mess with me damnit! There was another person!"

Sudou stood up from his desk and yelled at me. I don't know if he was trying to intimidate me, but I wasn't scared. I didn't give him a second thought as I said,

"I did not see another person. All I saw was Sudou-kun and those three class C students. If there was another person, I missed them."

I then sat down quietly.

Kushida then stood up.

"Please, is there anyone apart from Tatsumaki-san who something? Please tell us so we can help Sudou-kun."

Every student looked at her. Every student except for Airi who kept her head down and her back hunched. There were no responses.

"Too bad Sudou, but it seems like no one here was a witness other than Tatsumaki-san."

"…. Looks that way."

Sudou looked disappointed as he sunk down into his desk.

"In order to look for a witness, each teacher is informing their class about the situation."

"Hah!? You told everyone!?"

So the school spread the news already. They wanted to find any evidence if possible.

"Damn…!"

"Anyway, that's all. We'll most likely get a final decision by next week Tuesday, taking the presence or absence into consideration. Homeroom is now over."

Sensei left the room and Sudou followed after her. I would say it was the right choice. Somebody would have definitely angered him.

"Hey, isn't Sudou the worst?"

Ike spoke up. Ironic how the first person to bad mouth him was his own friend. I think my lips slightly curved upwards at the thought of that disgusting human nature.

"If we lost points because of Sudou, doesn't that mean we're going to have 0 points again?"

The classroom then turned noisy.

The enraged students were angry about how their points were just going to disappear. As usual, I stayed quiet and tried to zone out all the unnecessary chatter.

"Hey everyone, can you hear me out?"

Kushida stood up, and gained their attention of every student in the class. I have to admit, it was sort of scary how much control she had over the class.

"As sensei said, Sudou-kun was involved in a fight. But Sudou-kun was dragged into it."

Kushida immediately went to Sudou's defense. When I kicked him from my front door last night, he must have gone to Kushida and not Horikita. She spoke like she was already aware of the situation, whereas when I stole a glance at Horikita, she looked surprised.

"Kushida-chan, by saying 'dragged into it', does that mean you believe Sudou's words?"

She then explained exactly what I had already said to sensei.

"So Tatsumaki-san, do you have any idea about this other person Sudou said he saw?"

"I'm sorry but I didn't really see much. In fact, I didn't see the fight. I just saw those three beat up boys, but I believe Sudou's words. It makes absolutely no sense that he would get into a fight with three people and come out unscathed. They were definitely up to something, though it's unfortunate he couldn't tell."

"So you are saying it's possible that Sudou was led to beat up those boys just for this whole situation?"

My sitting partner Horikita asked

"It is possible, although I don't know what they could gain from that."

"Do you think they wanted to get rid of all chances of him joining the basketball team before they did?"

"It's possible, but why go through such extremes for something so trivial?"

It seems Hirata-kun noticed the conversation between Horikita and me, because he moved towards us and said.

"If what you are saying is true, then I want to help resolve this case as soon as possible."

"Same here~"

Kei followed behind him

"Ok everyone, can I ask you to ask your friends for help in this matter?"

Kushida asked the class

"Ok then, I'll ask some of my senpais in soccer club."

"I'll ask around as well."

Oh? Those 3, huh? Let's see how they will resolve this, no?

Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke and Karuizawa Kei. They were sort of like the class' figure heads. Whatever decisions they made were final.

From the corner of my eye, I glanced at Ayanokoji and Horikita. I was also sort of interested in what they would do to prove Sudou's innocence. At least with these five at work, I knew I didn't have to participate in helping out. Next problem was Airi.

I looked at her hunched, cowering figure.

Will she help Sudou? Or will she leave him be for her sake?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

During lunchbreak, Kushida and Ayanokoji had invited me to go to lunch with them. Seeing that pair, gave made me wonder and curiosity had overwhelmed me so I went with them.

Now sitting on a lunch table were me, Kushida, Ayanokoji, Horikita, and the trio of idiots.

I looked at my pork lunch set, then at the people I was on the table with. I looked around the cafeteria and I could see Maya and the girls sitting somewhere having the time of their lives. Did I really need to be here?

I picked up my tray and tried to leave, but the angelic, Kushida grabbed my wrist and with a smile, said,

"Tatsumaki-san, please. Could you just spare us a few minutes?"

I shouldn't have accepted Kusida's invite. I was just interested in what she wanted to talk about. Now here I am, about to have lunch with the very people I wanted to avoid. So, why not just finish this talk as soon as possible?

With a sigh, I sat back down.

"Let's get this over with already. Why am I here?"

I asked a question.

"Since you are the only thing as close to a witness we can get, you have to be here."

"Huh? So you are planning on clearing Sudou's name, Horikita? That's so uncharacteristic of you."

"I don't remember us being close enough to know what is and what isn't characteristic of me."

"Yea yea. Moving on, I already told you all I could. Can't I leave?"

"I don't remember saying I was going to get involved in this matter."

Oh? She isn't getting involved?

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

Sudou asked.

"It means what it means. I don't really feel like helping you out of this."

She bluntly rejected him.

"The most important thing to class D in order to rise up is to take back the points we lost as quickly as possible. However, because of you, we probably won't be able to get any points. In other words, you've just messed up that plan."

"Wait a second. It's probably true, but I'm seriously not the one at fault! I only hit them because they provoked me first. You can ask Tatsumaki, she was there!"

"No I wasn't! Stop saying that!"

I retorted.

"Then who saw the fight?"

"How the heck am I supposed to know?"

"You keep saying they started the fight, but it's nothing more than a trivial difference. Were you not aware of that?"

Horikita interjected.

"Trivial my ass. It's completely different. I'm not one to blame!"

He doesn't even know how to talk to those trying to help him. This Sudou character is every bit of a delinquent I made him out to be.

"Is that so? Good luck."

Horikita grabbed her lunch and stood up.

"Are you not going to help!? Aren't we friends!?"

"Don't make me laugh. I've never considered you as a friend. I feel most uncomfortable when I'm with people that don't realize how stupid and foolish they are. Goodbye."

With a sigh, she left.

Well, that was my cue.

"Speaking of friends, mine are waiting for me over there. See ya!"

I grabbed my own tray and left them to their devices.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After school, the class was divided into groups

I had been invited by Kei and Hirata-kun to help them in their investigation and I had no choice but to say yes to Kei and the girls. Personally, I came up with an excuse to be pardoned from having to go through the turmoil of helping that useless fool, but peer pressure was scary. I didn't even get the chance to complain. They just dragged me along.

So now we were going around class by class, asking if they had seen anything and had eventually stopped by the soccer club.

"Oh, that's right. Hirata-kun, don't you have club practice today?"

I got closer to him as he looked at the field.

"Oh? I decided to take today off. Helping the class is more important."

The heroic Hirata responded, ever so valiant. It was no shocker all the girls were after him.

"So we're here to ask your friends from soccer club?"

"Well yeah."

Just then, some guy called out to us.

"Yo, Hirata!"

I looked in the direction on it was a guy I had never seen before, wearing a jersey. He was probably one of Hirata's soccer buddies.

"Oh, Shibata. How you doing?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. And I see you skipped soccer practice to go on a date with your girlfriend."

He must have been referring to Kei.

"Oh no, I'm dropped by for something else."

Hirata responded with a joking tone.

"Speaking of which, you never told me you were going out with the smartest girl in our grade. I would have been asking for her number."

Eh? But Kei isn't the smartes- Oh, I now see what he was talking about.

Without a doubt he was referring to me. I mean, who else would he call the smartest girl in our grade? I wanted to deny that, but if I did, would I seem too proud? If I didn't I would just be creating an unnecessary misunderstanding too. I glanced at Hirata and he understood what I meant.

"Oh sorry, Tatsumaki-san and I aren't dating. My girlfriend is Karuizawa-san."

He said, while pointing to Kei who was busy talking to the other girls about the sweaty soccer players. I never could understand what was so attractive about sweaty stinky guys.

"Oh, you were talking about me?"

I feigned shock.

"Oh, she's modest too. Pleasure to meet you. Name's Shibata So. You can just call me So."

He stretched his hand forward for a handshake and I replied in kind.

"Tatsumaki Shiro."

"So you guys here about the Sudou case?"

"You know about that?"

"Well yeah. Hoshinomiya sensei told the class this morning."

"Oh yea, Sensei said all homeroom teachers were made to inform their classes, didn't she?"

I told Hirata and he nodded.

"So do you know anything about that?"

"Sorry, but I've got nothing. Although, I wasn't surprised to hear that, that Sudou guy got into a fight with three of them."

"Really? Why?"

"Well, I don't know if it's rude, but he's kind of known for being a delinquent."

It's not rude at all. In fact it's the truth, I wanted to say, but I ultimately kept my mouth shut and listened to their conversation. Until Kei and co joined us.

"Hey, Hirata-kun. Who is this?"

She asked while pointing to Shibata… erh, So-kun.

"Oh this is a friend from soccer club. Shibata So, he's in class B. Please treat him well."

"Shibata, this is Karuizawa-san."

"Ah, so you're the rumored girlfriend. Pleasure to meet you."

"Y-yea, same here."

Her face was turning red when he said that.

Shibata was then introduced to Mya, Chihiro, Shinohara and Mii-chan.

Suddenly his phone dinged and he looked at it. He looked shocked for a moment but went back to his original expression. I doubt the others would have noticed it, however, my eyes were quick.

"Anyway, I'll tell you guys if I find anything. I've got to go, see ya."

He waved us off and left.

"That was sort of odd, wasn't it?"

Chihiro pointed out. Her quick eyes were scary.

"Hmm? What's so odd?"

Kei asked. I guess she wouldn't really notice.

"Ok let's keep on searching you guys, maybe something will come up."

Hirata suggested and the girls swarmed him.

I looked at my phone and it was almost 5 pm. The appointed time.

"Sorry you guys, but I gotta go somewhere."

"Hmm? So to the secret boyfriend, I see?"

Maya teased.

"Oh, shut up!"

I responded. I don't know why, but these girls started a story about me seeing a secret boyfriend.

"Oh, no need to be shy Shiro-san, you can go on your date."

"Oh, knock it off."

"What's this about a secret boyfriend?"

Hirata joined in on the conversation.

"It's nothing, don't mind them."

"Oh Hirata-kun, you didn't hear?"

"Hear what?"

"That Shiro has a boyfriend?"

"Oh? Could we meet this mysterious boyfriend?"

He joined in on the teasing.

"You guys are just… ah."

I pouted and walked away. Those girls!