COTE: Self-Preservation

Y2V2: Dealing with Expulsions

"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, you are hereby expelled," Chabashira said with a tense expression.

So that's how it is, huh, Tsukishiro? Alright then.

The 40,000 point purchase I had made was simple. 'Is it possible for me to buy a point for someone else?'. There was a possibility the school wouldn't allow me to buy a point since I got 500/500, but I knew for a fact that the person I'm partnered with wouldn't. If they ended up getting 0/500, I'd just buy a point for them, and I'm safe. Luckily, Chabashira had said yes, I could.

That exam was easy to get out of. It took a minor purchase, barely an inconvenience.

But I get it.

That was the preamble. The set-up.

This was the real attack Tsukishiro had for me.

"W-wait, sensei...!" Horikita exclaimed.

The tension in the room was palpable. As if the air had frozen and the outside world was nonexistent. The only thing that existed was this class. Every single eye was on me.

And all I could do was raise my hand.

"Sensei, why is that so?" I asked her calmly.

Yosuke looked at Chabashira in a daze, "Y-yeah, sensei, there has to be a mistake here, right...?" 

Haruka and Airi looked at me worryingly. The latter looking as if she was going to cry. Akito and Keisei didn't look at me, rather, they just seemed to be trying to process it all.

"To answer your question, Ayanokouji, the school has deemed you of cheating in this exam. Come with me to the reception," she said without looking me in the eye.

It was clear that this change only happened after the phone call. 

Horikita cocked her head to the side, but she merely grit her teeth.

Not a single person could speak. There was nothing but bated breath within this isolated classroom.

Except for...

"This is so stupid! C'mon, cheating on a special exam? No one's stupid enough to do that!" Kei complained.

I turned to face her, and I met her shaken eyes. I had told her to brace herself for today, but I didn't want to tell her entirely because she'd be needlessly worried if it didn't come to pass.

I raised my left hand lightly, "It's fine, Karuizawa."

Kei grit her teeth and looked away. I'm sure seeing this happen was hard to deal with for her, but she wasn't alone. I suppose I wasn't entirely a revenant, huh?

"Let's go, sensei," I told her, stepping out of the classroom.

* * *

"Ayanokouji, why is this happening?!"

Chabashira and I were walking side by side to the reception, so naturally, she'd be asking such a question. It was a little loud, though.

"Tsukishiro played a part in it. I don't know what exactly he's created to frame me, but there must've been some evidence involved. If he had nothing and simply forced it, it'd be easy for me to get out of this."

Chabashira glanced at me with a baffled expression, "Get out of this?"

"Sensei, the year's just begun, do you think I'd bow out so early?"

Her expression softened. I suppose she found some comfort in my words, but in all honesty, I don't know the true level Tsukishiro's gone to for this.

The caller's information gave me some information such as a heads-up, so at least I could think clearly.