Chapter 23

Horikita's POV

I glanced around me at the group I was walking down a school corridor with and had to stifle a sigh. How in the world did I find myself here? Was the question stuck in my mind.

I thought back to everything that has transpired so far today. When I woke up one of the first things that I, and no doubt many of the other Class D students, noticed was that 0 private points had been deposited into our accounts.

When Chabashira-sensei arrived, she was immediately interrogated by the students for a reason as to why their points were not updated - after ignoring sexual harassment from Ike-kun, that is.

Chabashira-sensei went on to call our class 'stupid' and 'defective' before explaining that our class's results are reflected in the points that you receive and that due to our ninety-eight incidences of absences or late arrivals and three hundred ninety-one incidences of talking or using a cell phone in class, we had lost all 100,000 points we were going to receive.

Hirata-kun had tried to speak up on behalf of the class, but Chabashira-sensei mercilessly shot him down and mocked him, saying that by now we shouldn't have to be told how to behave. She also said that the school cannot disclose the methods behind their student evaluation, making the situation even more incomprehensible.

After that, the bell rang which prompted Chabashira-sensei to move on to the next topic and stick a rolled-up sheet to the blackboard. On it, classes and numbers were noted down in a column format.

Class Point Standings:

Class A - 940

Class B - 650

Class C - 450

Class D - 0

Class E - 310

I felt another wave of confusion add to the already huge reservoir of confusion I had in my brain. Class E? Wasn't there only supposed to be four classes? I looked around the class, who now looked even more dumbfounded than before, and it seemed that people were torn between two different questions that they wanted to ask.

Eventually, Hirata-kun spoke up and questioned why the difference in our points was so large, to which Chabashira-sensei explained that we had been assigned from classes A to D based on merit - in other words, all the defective students were placed in the lower classes, which created this discrepancy.

I couldn't help but feel infuriated when I heard this. I had no doubt that I was an excellent student, I was confident that I had made no mistakes during the interview and also got high marks on the entrance examination. What the hell am I doing in this class?

Chabashira-sensei then explained how we could gain class points in other ways and could be 'promoted' to a higher class if we surpassed them in points. But then, that begs the question...

"Excuse me, Chabashira-sensei, but why is there a fifth class written on the sheet? Weren't there only supposed to be four?" I asked.

Chabashira-sensei simply smirked. "Yes, while it's true that there are usually only four classes, this year is an exception. Class E is a special class consisting of only seven students. All of these students were judged to be exceptional, even when compared to the best of the students sorted into Class A. Because of this, a special class was created as an experiment, to see if superior talent could overcome the disadvantages they face in terms of resources and social networking. You may have noticed that Class E has more points than you do. This means that, starting from tomorrow, you are all going to be demoted to Class E, which is now the lowest class for this year."

So, the school had decided to conduct a test of sorts, using a small influx of students they deemed to be far beyond even the best of the rest of the student body. I was starting to get very irritated hearing about all these things like evaluations when I was stuck in this class of misfits. Not only that, but we were going to be demoted from our position within the first month - even 'tragic,' was not enough to describe my situation.

"A test class of 'exceptional,' students, eh? They can't be that exceptional if they've already lost a majority of their class points." Kōenji-kun spoke up, appearing mildly interested in the developments.

"As I said, we cannot disclose how the students are evaluated. Let me personally assure you, though, that the students in that class are far beyond what any of you could even dream of reaching."

"If it truly was a class of exceptional talents, then a perfect being like myself should've also been placed in there. Therefore, I've decided that you're talking nonsense, sensei-chan." Kōenji-kun reverted back to his flippant attitude as he rudely addressed Chabashira-sensei.

After that, Chabashira-sensei put our pop-quiz results on the blackboard and drew a red line above seven of the students' names with a red marker. She explained that at this school, anyone who fails an exam will have to drop out, which prompted a lot of concerned wails from my idiotic classmates.

During the break, my classroom erupted into chaos. Hirata-kun and Kushida-san managed to calm the class down, but people were still far from happy. I analysed the notes I had jotted down about our class points and such before ultimately deciding I had to go and visit Class E myself.

Just as I was about to leave, however, I was stopped.

"Horikita-san? Where are you going?" Kushida-san called out to me.

"I'm going to go and see Class E with my own eyes." I curtly responded and moved to leave once more.

"If that's the case, do you mind if I come with you? If there's a class we haven't met yet, then I want to make friends with them!"

"It's not like I can stop you anyway." I replied coldly. I don't have any interest in the company of defectives like you, Kushida-san.

"I've also decided to come along - be glad. However, I won't permit anyone else to join us. Such a large group would be an ugly existence." Kōenji-kun, the narcissist, decided to accompany us.

I sighed and, bearing the stares of my classmates on my back, left the classroom with Kushida-san and Kōenji-kun in tow. Nobody actually knew where Class E was located which meant that I would have to spend quite some time in the company of these two. How unfortunate.

Just when I thought that things couldn't get any worse, I ran into two of the worst people I could've possibly ran into. Noticing me, they walked over with smiles on their faces and forcibly attached themselves to our group.

"Ah, Suzune, are you perhaps on your way to Class E as well?"

"Don't call me that, Ryūen-kun."

This disgusting man, Ryūen-kun, didn't seem to care about the girl he had left behind. She made her way over to us, the sound of her cane clacking against the ground drowned out by Ryūen-kun's boisterous voice. Nevertheless, her smug smile didn't waver all the way until she finally reached us.

"Fufu, this is quite the interesting gathering, isn't it?" she remarked without a tint of annoyance in her tone.

"No, compared to someone like me you're all dull and boring creatures. But out of goodwill, I suppose I shall grace you all with my presence and accompany you on your little hunt." Kōenji-kun declared as arrogantly as ever.

I screamed internally at being stuck with this group but managed to keep my external composure. I had to swallow it and stick with this group because if I split off from them, I wouldn't be welcome to join again should they find Class E before I do.

"So, you're saying you're above us all?" I asked Kōenji-kun fiercely, but he just laughed.

"Fufufu, that's right. There is no reason for a transcendent being like myself to pay any attention to irrelevant insects like you, Horikita-girl." I felt my eyebrow twitch as Kōenji-kun mocked me, but otherwise managed to keep a straight face.

"Sorry to interrupt your flirting, but do any of you idiots actually know where Class E is?" Ryūen-kun cut our interaction short.

"I have an idea of where it might be," Kushida-san responded with a cheery smile, as per usual. "I think it's on the floor above here."

"Fufu, the floor above here? No students ever have any reason to go up there." Sakayanagi-san commented with a faint laugh.

"Kuku, then that's obviously why nobody has found them yet, isn't it? Try using your head a little, princess." Ryūen sneered.

"At least my position is actually comparable to that of a princess unlike you, Ryūen-chan, the boy who can't even keep his class under control."

"Hmph, that was only when that Lelouch bastard took it upon himself to step into my territory. I soon put all of the disobedient ones back in their place. Besides, what kind of princess has her people split in half because of a rival faction? I wouldn't call you a princess, more of a crippled--"

Just when I thought that the Class A and Class C representatives were going to a quarrel forever, Kushida-san and I were saved by a most unexpected voice resounding across the walls of the corridor.

"Look at the children arguing over who has the better toybox - your existences are hardly beautiful. I have a date soon, so how about we kindly get a move on?"

I briefly wondered whether Kōenji-kun actually had a date or not. He certainly was quite popular among the second and third year girls so I had no reason to doubt him, but at the same time I'd felt that he'd only said that to shut Ryūen-kun and Sakayanagi-san up. Either way, I found myself grateful for his intervention.

"Fufu, then why don't you lead the way, Perfect Existence-san?" Sakayanagi-san asked, her smug smile still on her face.

"Of course. You all should be ecstatic about being led by someone as great as me. Just make sure you can keep up, Little Girl." With that, Kōenji-kun turned his back to us and began briskly walking towards the end of the corridor, where the stairs to the next floor were located.

I was certain that Kōenji-kun was walking faster than normal just to provoke Sakayanagi-san but didn't pay it much attention. Sakayanagi-san didn't seem to be all that bothered either, if at all. Ryūen-kun and I matched Kōenji-kun's pace, whereas Kushida-san didn't seem to have the heart to leave Sakayanagi-san behind. What a touching, fragile kindness.

We walked up the stairs and down the above corridor at a quickened pace, stealing glances into the various rooms we passed. As I expected, all the rooms on this floor were staff rooms and utilities - nobody would have any reason to think there'd be a classroom up here.

We reached a corner and, as I turned it, I noticed the room. A simple classroom with just seven desks, its nameplate reading 'Class E.' Ryūen-kun and Kōenji-kun also looked like they instantly recognized it and Ryūen-kun smiled upon seeing it but. Surprisingly, they chose to wait for Sakayanagi-san and Kushida-san, who had only just made it to the top of the stairs on the other side of the corridor, before entering.

I patiently waited with them and, after around a minute, Sakayanagi-san and Kushida-san finally caught up with us. I'd expected Ryūen-kun or Kōenji-kun to say something in contempt but they both said nothing. Just what was with these guys?

"I must thank you for waiting for me. I apologize for my slow pace." Sakayanagi-san bowed to us.

"S-sakayanagi-san! There's no need for you to--" Kushida started but got cut off.

"Of course I would wait for you. A perfect human like myself is above petty, repulsive things like mocking someone's illness." Kōenji-kun somehow found a way to compliment himself, even when saying something reasonable.

"Kuku, shall we enter, then?" Ryūen-kun nodded at the door.

I turned my back to them and approached Class E. I planted my hand firmly around the doorknob, but a surge of hesitation hit me just as I was about to open the door. Why is that, I wonder?

"Are you going to open it, Horikita-san?" Kushida-san asked in a genuine voice.

"O-oh right, of course." I mumbled, shoving open the door.

A group of five people had just burst into their classroom during their break, but the seven Class E students just turned to look at us as if they'd been expecting a visit. Then, I locked eyes with someone so unexpected that I couldn't hide my surprise.

"A-Ayanokōji-kun?!" I sputtered in disbelief