Classroom of the Elite: Ichinose of Class-D

Chapter XXIII - She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

I find it very unlikely that Ichinose is already in a confrontation, nor would Ryuuen be as bold to do anything at the moment. Especially towards Ichinose who is very well known, people will have found out about any predicaments she's in very quickly if that is the case.

"I guess we'll have to see then, huh?"

"Maybe."

Leaving it at that, I left the classroom. I don't really intend to do anything as it might just be Horikita's superstition but if she doesn't appear tomorrow, then there perhaps is a problem.

With that, the school day passed without any trouble. People left the classrooms and made their way to Keyaki Mall or the dormitories. As for me, I chose the latter and went back to the dorms. Same as before, nothing of interests happened on the way there. It wasn't until the end of the second day though, there was a noteworthy affair. Just as yesterday, Ichinose wasn't at school.

Packing up my things for the day, I was about to leave but Horikita, like yesterday, stopped me from leaving.

"Ichinose-san isn't here today either." she said.

"Have you tried asking anyone other than me?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

I developed the feeling that if I asked her seriously, Horikita might've done something unpredictable so I chose to take route I determined to be the safest choice.

"Never mind," I replied, "How about Hirata? Do you think he knows anything?"

"I.. I find that unlikely."

Despite my thoughts yesterday, this wasn't a problem I can solve all that easily and the reason for that is simple. The situation only formed based on Horikita's assumptions and therefore, not a problem I feel the need to act upon. It is not only a waste of my time but it is also one that can lead to further problems in the end if I choose to investigate. If this same thing prolongs for, let's say a week for argument's sake, then it most definitely isn't a false inference.

Nothing else to say, I left the classroom. Walking out through the doors, I was stopped again but by this time, it was Matsushita.

"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun!"

"Matsushita," I greeted.

"So you know how Honami-san hasn't been here at all since yesterday?"

"Yeah, and since you're here, do you know anything about it?"

Though I would've liked for Matsushita to tell me about Ichinose's situation by herself, beating around the bush will get me no where so I got to the heart of the matter.

"Mhm, well, to tell the truth.. she's been, uh, sick?"

Matsushita didn't sound too sure about her answer but I didn't want to question it and decided to take her word for it. If Ichinose is truly sick then all the suspicions up to this point have been meaningless and a wasted effort. At the very least though, we now understood why she has been absent today and yesterday.

"So anyways, do you think you can visit her..?" Matsushita asked me.

".. You're joking, right?"

"Uh, nope, not at all."

I sensed the seriousness in Matsushita's voice when she asked that. First and foremost, this request is rather absurd, I don't see why she or one of Ichinose's other friends could visit her. Secondly, unlike her previous inquires, Matsushita didn't have the usual playful attitude she held whenever she asked me for something, it was more on the genuine side as if this is the one thing I absolutely cannot deny.