"But even if we told anyone about your true nature they are unlikely to believe us. I don't even have interest in your nature or past" I asked her.
She just laughed and said, "It's true that you can't expose me even if you wanted to. Because I can expose you anytime. Though people might not believe because of your gloomy look you keep exhibiting. But they are most likely to believe the angel rather than the loner."
"Then why include me in your to expel list?" I asked her. Of course, I had no problem if she planned to expel me because I don't actually care. But I needed to know more about kushida. I needed to understand her modus operandi before planning what to do with her.
Expulsion was a good option for me but that would be a double-edged sword. First of all, she is quite popular meaning she knows many people. She is known as a trustworthy person in the year. So, if a condition arises where we have to make an alliance with another class, then she would be our trust and negotiating chip in the negotiations.
So as much as I want to expel kushida, I can't. At least not till, Horikita becomes the leader of the class. At this moment matsushita doesn't know what's right and what's wrong, she is just being manipulated by kushida.
"Because you are getting closer to Kamuro Ayanokouji." As she spoke those words, I remembered my conversation back during the three-legged race. When I understood kamuro's situation and kushida's connection to her.
"I warned you didn't I. Stay the fuck away from her Ayanokouji." Kushida said in a threatening voice.
I just kept silent waiting for her to continue.
"You think I haven't seen you with her. But you are just leading her. You think I can't see that. If her heart breaks one more time, she might not be able to take it anymore." She said in pure hostility.
I looked at her with amusement. She actually cares a lot about Kamuro.
"Why do you think that I will break her heart" I asked her.
At this she started laughing and turned towards the table. Then I realized, it was the same cup from which ibuki drank coffee some time ago.
"Could you please call that bitch hiding in the kitchen Ayanokouji Kun."
I sighed having been discovered and looked at the hallway. There stood ibuki, now glaring at kushida.
Kushida just gave her an angelic smile, "Eavesdropping is certainly not admiring, isn't it Ibuki san?"
Ibuki shot an even more nasty glare at her.
"What the hell are you on about from all this time. What is this about hurting that Kamuro girl?" She asked. It seems she isn't well acquainted with Kamuro. Well, Kamuro had in reality interacted with almost six students since she had entered the school. She was serious on staying a loner.
Kushida just grinned and said, " And why do you think Ill tell you anything. By the way Ayanokouji did beat you hard that day. That must have really hurt right. Go and cry to your mother..."
At this ibuki became angry on hearing the word mother and rushed at kushida. I could have stopped her but I had no reason to as it was between both of them. She punched kushida hard on the face.
Kushida's eyes darkened when she felt the stinging pain of her face. Her face was now that of seriousness.
Ibuki spoke with venom in her words, "So all this time you were a good person huh. Seems you were a bitch all along Kushida. Just show the people your real self. Just how bad of a person you are. Stop acting, it's so disgusting"
Kushida looked over at ibuki with a serious look.
Ibuki threatened her, "If you bring my mother again in our fight I'll kill you for real."
Kushida stood up and grinned, "It seems you are quite close to your mother huh. Yeah I can understand. I too am close to mine. She is the only one who hears me. She is the only one who understands me. I'm sorry for bringing your mother in the fight. "She said while bowing.
Wait did kushida just apologize to ibuki? The punch must have hurt really bad I guess. But the look on her face didn't show any fear or pain. It showed genuine guilt. It seems she loved her mother a lot.
Then kushida turned to ibuki and said,
"Ibuki san, no person is perfect. Every human heart has a demon inside it. The sooner you accept this fact the better chance you have of surviving in this world."
With that she left leaving a stunned ibuki behind. I sighed, it seems me and kushida did have something in common.
Unlike Ibuki, me and kushida were not distorted from the harsh reality of the world.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Time Skip (Next Day in the class)
I sighed as I saw matsushita walking over to me during the class.
"Hello Ayanokouji Kun, how is your day,"
"Oh matsushita, it's as always."
She giggled, "Ayanokouji Kun could you tell us about your actions during the sports festival? I mean you did go on an impressive run against the school council president."
She is too troublesome. I looked over at kushida who was looking in her book and was smirking. The attention of the whole class went over to us.
"I guess I just wanted to contribute to the class." I said wishing she just left me alone.
"I see, but if you had run like that in every race we could have won. Are you perhaps not using all your talents Ayanokouji Kun?"
"But aren't you the same matsushita san?" A voice interrupted the whole class.
Everyone turned to look at Horikita. Matsushita narrowed her eyes and looked at Horikita in confusion. Even kushida turned her attention towards the scene.
I looked at Chabashira sensei who was just smirking at from beside the podium. I sighed, what was I thinking when I made a deal with her.
"Aren't you holding back too matsushita san?"
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Third Person POV
At this matsushita's eyes widened but she quickly masked her expression with a calm one. There was no use for Horikita's claims if she can't prove it.
"I have no idea what you are talking about Horikita san." Matsushita said calmly.
Then Horikita came closer to her and asked, "Are you sure about that matsushita san?"
"Yeah I'm definitely sure about that Horikita. There is nothing I can gain from lying to you can I?" She said in a strong tone.
Horikita smirked.
At this matsushita flinched. Something was definitely wrong. Matsushita looked at Ayanokouji who was just staring outside the window. Matsushita inwardly cursed; something was definitely not right. Horikita looked too confident.
Horikita chuckled and went over to her desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. A feeling of nostalgia hit the class. This was all same as the day when Yamauchi was exposed by matsushita.
But this time, it was matsushita the one who was on the edge of a dagger. The next few moments might be the moments which decide her fate.
With that Horikita showed the paper to matsushita. Matsushita paled on seeing it.
"Matsushita san, you scored 59 percentile in the first test since entering the school if I'm not wrong. Then in the midterms you scored 62 percentile with a satisfactory average in every subject."
Matsushita just kept quiet and looked at the paper in her hands. How was this even possible. There was no way Horikita could have gotten her hands on those. Weren't these supposed to be classified.
"So then how can you explain your 2nd Rank in the entrance exam among all the students who gave the test."
Matsushita was holding the sheet with entrance examination ranks and marks of every student who were now attending ANHS first year.
Ayanokouji sighed and remembered her conversation with Chabashira Sensei a day back,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Flashback (Ayanokouji POV)
After Ibuki left I changed my clothes and started to make my way towards a specific location. Horikita must be already there.
And I was right she was looking irritated. When she saw me she gave a menacing glare?
"Ayanokouji Kun, perhaps I should discipline you a little. You are thirteen minutes late."
"Sorry, I got caught up in some things." I replied.
She sighed and rubbed her head, "So why did you call me out here?" She asked me.
"I needed you for something, please follow me." She sighed but still followed me.
As we were on our way, she started speaking. "Ayanokouji Kun, I..I" She said but paused.
I looked over at her. She was looking down.
"What's the matter Horikita? You look tense."
"I'm sorry Ayanokouji Kun. I.. I wasn't able to say anything back to matsushita back then. I..I'm sorry."
She stopped. I sighed looking at her.
She started speaking, "I've always been so incompetent. Even during the uninhabited I was useless to the class. During the sports festivals too, the class lost because of me. I'm sorry Ayanokouji Kun. I....I'm really sorry." She looked down. She looked ashamed of herself.
Ayanokouji made his way towards her. He lifted her chin so that she was facing him,
" Horikita if you think you are incompetent why do you think I am still relying on you?" I asked her. Horikita couldn't answer anything, just kept staring at me.
"Because Horikita it doesn't matter to me how many more times you fail. I would always be there watching your back. So Horikita do watch my back in return."
I left her and continued on my way. I turned to look at her and she was smiling to herself. I shrugged, I will always prefer her over matsushita and she needs to understand that.
We finally reached in front of the staff room of Chabashira sensei. Horikita looked confused but didn't question him. Inside she was, doing her work. Chabashira Sensei looked at her students and smirked, "How unusual to see you meeting me on your own accord Ayanokouji."
I just shrugged and looked at Horikita who was beyond confused. I sighed and turned towards Chabashira sensei, "Sensei, about this recent issue in the class what do you think about it?"
Chabashira sensei just laughed and said , "If I'm too be honest you are fighting like kids. Is there even a reason for this stupid feud."
I then asked her, "Sensei what do you think causes a conflict?"
Sensei looked at me and answered, "If I have to answer than my answer would be Misunderstandings. People misunderstand each other most of the times most of the times. They never try to understand the opposing party. They go to any height to fulfill their selfish desires."
"Its not wrong but its not entirely correct either Sensei, I believe the reason of conflicts most of the time is far beyond simple misunderstanding. The root of every conflict is inequality."
Yes its true, even in the recent feud in the class. Kushida's feeling of inferiority played a role. The reason why matsushita is trying to expose me because she feels she in inferior to me and wants to use me for reaching class A.
"It has always been like this sensei. We see people fighting for equal rights now days. Why is that so. Because they feel that their value in society is less than the people who enjoy equal rights and a good lifestyle."
Chabashira sensei and Horikita were just staring at me with disbelief. Well, nobody expected me to be this philosophical I guess.
"What are you onto Ayanokouji?" Chabashira Sensei asked me.
"What do you think we need if we want to end the conflict which is going on in this class Horikita?" I asked Horikita who was looking confused.
"We need to end the root of the problem I guess but how can one remove inequality?" Horikita answered and also asked a question.
"Yes you are correct Horikita we need to eliminate the main problem. As to how, there is no way to remove inequality from the society. Inequality will continue to exist as long as human emotions exist."
Yes that's the truth. There is no scenario possible where everyone is living in harmony enjoying equal rights.
I continued as I removed my private points card from my pocket, "But we can try to make it equal cant we? Sensei the day we entered this school, you told us didn't you? That every student is to be treated equally?" Sensei nodded in response.
I then said, "Then the student council had access to the results of the entrance examination didn't it? So, don't you think we deserve to have it too? Because me and Horikita Manabu are students and are hence to be treated fairly"
Silence, that was the only thing present in the room. It was broken by Chabashira, "You are really interesting Ayanokouji. It is indeed true if you put it that way, but you know it right student council has certain privileges."
I just kept quiet. Even if this plan failed I had another plan with me but that was a very risky gamble so I focused on this plan.
"Fine I'll let you have it, but do you know how much does it cost?"
I looked at her and asked, "How much?"
"4 million points, think you can pay it." As I heard those words I immediately knew she was lying. Because she looked to be smiling a little too much while saying that.
I had only 1 million and found out Horikita also had the same amount as me.
We were about to give up when Chabashira sensei called us, "But I can make an exception for you two."
I looked at her, she was still with that nasty grin of hers.
"If Ayanokouji agrees to help this class reach class A. I'll think about it." She spoke.
What?
"Sorry but I have no interest in doing whatever you are suggesting..." was what I was saying but Horikita interrupted me,
"Sensei he will indeed cooperate with me." She shot me a glare.
I sighed, well no use thinking about it too much. Chabashira sensei doesn't know much about my abilities so I can definitely fool her.
As we exited the staff room with the results in Horikita's hands. Her eyes widened when she looked at something.
"She was holding back this much?" Horikita wondered loudly.
It seems its your time to be cornered one, Matsushita Chiaki.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Flashback End (Third Person POV)
I looked back to Horikita and matsushita who were now standing just beside me
"So, what do you say matsushita san. I'm waiting for your explanation."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A.N. Sorry for the continuous POV shifts