Classroom of The Elite: A New Masterpiece

Chapter 56 - The Beginning of the End

"That's wrong," I managed to reply back.

"Wrong? Well, let me enlighten you then. About the cruise ship exam."

"H-huh?"

Ryuuen's devilish smile disappeared.

"Manabe and her gang wanted to get back at you, right? But there was no time or place for them to do so on a boat that was teeming with students. So why would you go to the lowest floor alone?"

"B-because..." Yousuke-kun had asked me to. I was depending on him at that time. That's the only reason why I went.

But suddenly, Manabe and her friends showed up...

"Do you really think it was a coincidence? It's not like Manabe could follow you around all the time. Them showing up was inevitable."

So.. I was tricked? Yousuke-kun tricked me into that...

No...

That wouldn't happen...

"Ah, you see it now, don't you? 'X' contacted Manabe and set you up. He tricked Manabe by using her hate for you against her."

Looking back. It was strange how Yousuke-kun never showed up, but Kiyotaka did.

"'X' set you up and let Manabe bully you so he could use it as blackmail against her. You weren't saved by 'X', you were used."

I was used?

"Is 'X' here right now? Do you think they ever truly cared about you? Or that they'd keep their promise to you? You were merely a tool for them, nothing more."

Had I been caught in Kiyotaka's trap from day one? He made me believe he saved me. That I was his partner and that he would protect me.

"There's still one way to save yourself," Ryuuen crouched to my level.

His name.

Kiyotaka's name.

"That's right, just their name. And it will all be over," Ryuuen said as if he could read my mind.

It was simple, saying "Ayanokouji Kiyotaka," and all my pain, anger, and suffering would go away.

My lips started to part, but no sound emerged. It was too cold to speak.

"Take your time. Just give me the name."

"K..."

"K...?" Ryuuen repeated.

"K... ta..." Slowly, more sounds were squeezed out of my mouth.

"A little more," Ryuuen inched closer to my face.

"C-cut it out. I'll never say it," the words flowed from my mouth now. "No matter how many times you ask... I'll never tell you."

Ryuuen's smile instantly vanished from his face. With those words, I had made my choice.

"Even if I lose everything... No matter how much you put me through," these words weren't Ryuuen's or Kiyotaka's. But my own. "I'll never give you the name."

"Are you sure? Even though 'X' is using you, you're deciding to protect them?" Ryuuen asked once more.

My once blurred mind and vision had sharpened back to reality.

"I'll never give it to you!" I don't know why I was doing this. But I was proud of myself.

"Fine. I don't want to do this, but I have no choice. You have my respect. Despite all you've been through and the one person you trusted betraying you and not selling them out. I'm honestly impressed."