Classroom of the Elite:SS Collection

Despair (Horikita suzune)

The whole class was in a state of chaos and panic. Something we had never ever thought of had happened. Two students from our class had transferred to Class D - Ryuen's class.

Those two were...

"I never thought Ayanokoji will betray us like this!" Sudou banged his desk.

"Not to mention, when we are so close to our final special exam!" It was Ike-kun who said that.

....Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Karuizawa Kei.

The two of them had transferred to Class D right before our final examinations of the second grade.

All of the students were panicking right now since they had lost two students of this class. Except for Koenji-kun, of course. He was on his seat, smiling, as if he had seen all this coming from a mile away. If he had known this was bound to happen, why didn't he try to stop him or at least tell me about it? Although I felt something resembling anger in my head, I knew it was pointless to say anything to him. The fault lies with me. I had failed to take this possibility into consideration. I admit it.

But, even though I admit it, what else am I supposed to do?

"Horikita-san, are you all right?" It was Hirata-kun who asked that to me.

I had been trying my best to appear calm but guess Hirata-kun noticed the faint trembling of my body.

I didn't respond to him. If I were to answer that I was fine, it would be a lie. And if I did be honest, it would make my classmates even more worried. I was the leader. I needed to be calm. But, there was no way I could. Not under these horrifying circumstances.

Most of our classmates were panicking or angry at Ayanokoji-kun and Karuizawa-san but there were a few like me, Kushida-san, Hirata-kun, and Matsushita-san who were more than just panicking and angry.

I can't say for sure for others but as for me - I was scared. Of what was happening around me. I fervently wished that it was all just a dream. It would be fine if it was a nightmare as well. But, unfortunately, it was the reality. It was a reality even more nightmarish than a nightmare.

Most of the students may not realize just how big a loss it is that Ayanokoji-kun, along with Karuizawa-san, had transferred class. I had seen him up close. I have spent time with him. And I have managed to see glimpses of his fearsome abilities that he had managed to keep hidden while pulling our class up from the shadows. The reason we had managed to come thus far was without a doubt, Ayanokoji-kun. And now that very pillar of our class, had turned against us. 

"Don't worry Horkita-san. We will manage to do something, somehow. And we will show that bastard hell!" Someone yelled.

Don't speak to me right now. I don't know who was that but if he knew the reality he wouldn't be able to speak like this right now.

The noise all around was becoming too much for me.

I got up from my seat.

"Where are you going?" Sudou-kun asked.

"To the bathroom."

He looked at me suspiciously but didn't stop me.

As I went out of the class and walked down the hallway, I came across him. Ayanokoji-kun. He was walking along with Ryuen and Shiina-san. 

When I spotted him, I froze in place.

They also noticed me. Without uttering even a single word, as if they were communicating telepathically, Ryuen and Shiina-san passed by me, leaving Ayanokoji-kun alone.