Misaka Mikoto POV
"This ends your final exams for this semester. I'm proud of your hard work. You did well," Sakagami-sensei said some comforting words before leaving the classroom.
We simply stayed there for a few moments in complete silence. Yabu and Morofuji hadn't even showed up for today's exams basically confirming their expulsion and the loss of two hundred class points. Not only that, but all of us knew that we had lost the special exam against Class B.
Hell, I wasn't able to finish a single exam. Yeah, I would get the best results of my class and probably nothing below 90. But besides some exceptions, I doubted any of my classmates had scored above 50.
Yesterday, after the exams Ryuuen and I spent all night watching my copy of the conversation between Himeno and Hoshinomiya-sensei but couldn't find anything different. Maybe the key was really the email, but I couldn't convince myself that that was the case. It was Karma after all.
And this morning before the exams started, I handed the copy to Hiyori since she had asked me for it although I couldn't see what she would do with it.
All things considered, this had just been a disaster. Maybe we underestimated Class B since we have been taking points from them since the island exam. But I was careful to approach the exam appropriately, so, that there was no way we underestimated them.
I created most of the questions since Magane didn't have any enthusiasm on the exam and handed them to Ryuuen, Hiyori and Kaneda during our meeting the day after Ryuuen's birthday. They were free to use the questions as they wanted; as long as it didn't compromise us, of course.
I also told Ryuuen that those questions were my gift for his birthday and let it at that; I had no reason to celebrate his birthday. From what Nishino told me, Ishizaki, Albert, Hiroya and some of the guys had taken Ryuuen to the bowling that was next to the movie theatre on Keyaki Mall.
We kept a strict surveillance in some key places and found that meeting between Himeno and Hoshinomiya-sensei and we had revised the video of that meeting again and again to make sure we understood it.
We didn't take any measure to prevent an expulsion and that had been a mistake. Up until now, we had been keeping ourselves to playing the game of the special exams, allowing a status quo as to not have any students expelled. But now two of my classmates had been expelled and it had to be Karma's doing. Yabu wasn't completely stupid, she wouldn't have cheated on the exam...
"Not a single one of you is going to say something?!" Hiroya shouted standing up from his chair, his tone full of anger. All eyes turned in his direction. "Two of our classmates were expelled and Class B completely crushed us!"
"Hiroya-shi, we cannot be sure of that—"
"Of course we can, Kaneda! You just have to look at our performances. Why don't we all try to predict our scores? Huh?! I'll start. I'm confident my scores are between 48 and 56. Now, who's next? Ishizaki—?"
"Kukuku. What's this about Hiroya?" Ryuuen questioned as he laughed.
"What's this about?! This is about you making us fall to Class D! You said you'd take us to Class A but—"
"Aren't we just a few points away from Class B?" Ryuuen asked.
"For now, but with all the points we're gonna lose we're going to fall next month."
Ryuuen waved his hand dismissively.
"Oh, no need to be hasty. We have plenty of time. And in this school things change faster than your allegiances."
"My allegiances?" Hiroya asked not understanding. "What are you saying?"
"Kukuku. Just a comment. You said that we were going to lose the exam, didn't you?"
"Yeah and what of it? I just spoke the truth."
"Are you sure, Hiroya? Kaneda, Shiina and I reviewed Magane and Mikoto's questions and they were quite difficult. Class B shouldn't have any reason to have a great performance... Unless someone sent the questions to them, that is."
"Hah! You completely lost your mind, Ryuuen!" Hiroya exclaimed mockingly. "You're seriously saying I'm a traitor?"
"Kukuku. As I said, it was just a comment, you're free to take it as you will."
"There's like five students in this class that saw those questions we submitted, if someone sent them to Class B then you can be sure it's not me," Hiroya defended himself. "Are you all okay to continue like this?! He's supposed to take us to Class A, but Chikujoin and Misaka have been saving him time and time again. Are you fine with this Manabe? Two of your best friends got expelled because of his negligence! Morofuji had one of the best academic abilities in the class and Yabu had her club activities."
Manabe turned her gaze towards Ryuuen for a second and then looked down at her hands unsure about what to do.
"I-I don't—"
"Manabe, just tell us what you think," Hiroya tried to obtain and answer from her.
"Kukuku. Stop pressuring the girl, Hiroya. Can't you see the poor thing is grieving?" Ryuuen mocked.
As if that was his limited, Hiroya approached Ryuuen's desk and smashed his fist against it.
"Is this a joke to you?! Two of our classmates got expelled and we're going to lose three hundred points because of your shitty strategy! This class needs another leader. Someone that actually can take us to Class A." Hiroya finished resolutely meeting Ryuuen's gaze fully.
"Hoh~? And who would that be Hiroya? You?"
"No. Not me," he turned to face me. "Misaka's been saving Ryuuen since the year started. You all know that. I believe she's the best option to lead our class."
There were a good number of nods and even a few voices like Minori's that supported Hiroya.
I let out a sigh. It wasn't the moment for our class to enter this pointless discussion. And I honestly thought Hiroya had forgotten his ideas of overthrowing Ryuuen...
"I'm sorry, but I also helped with the strategy. If you blame Ryuuen for our loss, you can blame me as well," I declared hoping this would suffice to shut Hiroya's claims.
"Kuku, you see, Hiroya. Mikoto's on my side—"
"And Chikujoin-san?!" Yamashita exclaimed standing up abruptly.
"...Saki-chan! What are you—"
"Hiroya-kun's right, Shiho-chan. Nanami-chan and Rika-chan's expulsion is Ryuuen-kun's fault! And if Misaka-san doesn't give a damn about it then fine. She can be her childhood friend's whore for all I care!"
I blinked twice at her comment. Did she just call me Karma's whore?
"Hey! Don't just go insulting Mikoto!" Minori stood up as well slamming her desk strongly with both her hands.
"Oh, look who's going to defend her! The girl who wasn't useful at all the only time her shitty abilities were useful!" Yamashita mocked Minori.
"And what the heck have you done for the class, Yamashita?" Mariko questioned harshly.
"Oh, I may not be the great prominent member of the class but at least I'm not dragging us down like the girl who breaks her fucking leg the only day of the year her running abilities are of any use or the girl who holds back just because she's afraid to take any kind of responsibility!" Yamashita replied with complete venom as she insulted me and Minori. She walked over to Magane's desk near the window. "What do you say, Chikujoin-san? Could you take the leadership of the class?"
"Sorry, not interested... It's far more entertaining to watch you fight. So, please continue," Magane said calmly.
Yamashita tried to slap Magane, but she grabbed her wrist right before Yamashita's palm hit Magane's cheek.
"Do that again and I cut your hand off your arm, Sa-ki-chan~," Magane's sweet voice didn't match her wicked smile at all.
Shivers ran down Yamashita's spine and I noticed that most of my classmates felt similar to her. And they had reason to, just hearing her was enough for me to know that Magane wasn't joking... Besides the fact that she only did what entertained her, I knew almost nothing about her; Nao's report on her was one of the most lacking among all the reports she had handed us. After all this time and as it became more important to know more about the other students, it had become obvious to me that Nao had given us reports that weren't complete at all but that didn't matter anymore, confronting her about it at this point was ridiculous.
"Ugh! What's the problem with you all?! It's as if not a single one of you wanted to reach Class A!" Yamashita complained addressing the whole class. "What about you Shiina-san? Kaneda-kun? You two are quite capable as well."
"That's a great idea, Yamashita," Sonoda joined in "Since Misaka and Chikujoin refuse the position you are the best candidates."
"That's seriously your way of trying to convince someone to accept a position?" Nishino asked almost in disbelief. "Telling them the other options didn't accept and they're the next best thing?"
"Yeah! Besides, Ryuuen-san almost got us to Class B. A stumble like this one is nothing for him. We just have to trust him!" Ishizaki defended.
"Ohh, for crying out loud!" Hiroya exclaimed. "Stop defending him! We are all aware that he's a tyrant. He's been oppressing us, and we just accepted it because of results that were somewhat acceptable!"
"And those somewhat acceptable results almost got us to Class B!" Ishizaki argued.
"That's the keyword idiot!" Manabe shrieked finally deciding to speak. "Almost! Sure, we're six points away from Class B but next points we're going to fall to Class D and that's a fact! And Nanami-chan and Rika-chan got expelled because of that idiot" she pointed at a grinning Ryuuen.
"Hmm... I wonder how Yabu got those answers for the exams questions, though..." Mio stated frankly.
"And what are you implying now, huh?!" Manabe followed by Yamashita approached Mio who stood up from her desk defiantly.
"What? Afraid it may be true? That your little friend was actually a traitor that got what she fucking deserved?" Mio mocked with a smirk.
"Come on girls. Remember the cameras are still there," Hiroya intervened stepping between Manabe, Yamashita and Mio as he pointed at one of the cameras in the corner of the classroom. "How about we do a vote? See what the class as a whole thinks? I'll accept to let Ryuuen keep the reins if the majority agrees—"
The door opened abruptly causing a loud sound that got everyone's attention instantly and cut Hiroya's phrase.
I mumbled a curse the moment I saw Karma enter the classroom.
"Yo!" he greeted with a friendly smile and raising his hand amiably. "How're you doing Class C?"
"Kukuku. We're doing great Akabane. Tell me, what brings you here?"
"Are you sure?" Karma asked tilting his head and completely ignoring the use of his last name. "I could hear yelling from the hallway."
"Ryuuen-san asked you a question, Akabane!" Ishizaki stood in front of Karma.
"Oh, I just wanted to pay a casual visit," Karma shrugged. "See how's the class I just crushed and all. Did you discover who my spy was or are you still on the stage where you throw the blame at one another?"
A series of gasps was heard all over the classroom as this new information worked as a confirmation of the existence of a spy they hadn't really believed in until now.
Shaking my head slightly, I stood up as well.
"If you just came here to make my classmates panic over false information I'd like you to leave Karma," I said in a serious manner.
"False information?" he asked, his friendly smile turning into a smirk. "But it's the truth, Mikoto. I had a spy that handed me all four hundred questions you and Magane created on a silver plate~. Oh! I have an idea!" he snapped his fingers and went over the blackboard, taking a marker her began writing something on it.
He wrote three simple words that visibly gave a sense of nervousness to my classmates as whispers were heard around the classroom.
"Find. The. Spy," he slowly pronounced the words he wrote on the blackboard before turning to face the whole class. "A great group activity, don't you think? It's important for groups like yours to do this kind of activities. Helps with bonding, you know?" he finished, a beaming smile on his face.
"Kukuku. That's indeed a great idea, Akabane. You can be sure we'll use it..."
"I'm glad you like it, Ryuuen. But are you sure you don't want me to just give you the answer?"
"Tell us then," Hiroya said. "Who was this spy you had?"
"Yeah! It was Yabu, right?" Ishizaki followed. "That's why you expelled her!"
"You're going to continue with that, Ishizaki?" Manabe questioned. "We already established that it was someone near Ryuuen-kun's circle!"
"Huh?" Komiya stood up now. "When have we established that? You're being ridiculous Manabe."
"Well, maybe the expulsion of her beloved friends is affecting the functioning of the little brains she has," Mariko said scornfully.
"That's going too far, Yajima!" Yoshimoto intervened for the first time.
"Too far?" Minori questioned. "Yoshimoto-kun, we've been insulting each other since Sakagami-sensei left and you just decided to intervene now? What is it? Don't tell me you like Manabe~"
"T-that's not—"
"Uhhh~ I wish so badly I had popcorns right now," Karma lamented.
"You're still here?" Mio asked with disgust.
"Of course," Karma said bluntly. "I want to see the fruits of my hard labour."
"Okay that's it," Nishino shook her head repeatedly not being to stand Karma anymore. "Come one, time to leave, get out..."
"Eh? Hey! Come one. I just wanna—"
"Don't care, get out."
Nishino began pushing Karma towards the door.
"Hey! Don't do that— Okay, fine— Fine... I'm leaving," Karma said as he was now next to the door, Nishino standing by his side, crossed her arms and looked at Karma raising an eyebrow waiting for him to leave. "It was fun destroying you Ryuuen."
"Kukuku. In that case how about another match one of these days, Akabane?"
"As much as I'd liked to accept, I'm done with you and your class. But don't feel discouraged. I'm sure that with some goodwill and hard work you'll be able to stop being Class D one day. It would be pitiful to let the class of defectives graduate above you after all."
With that, Karma walked out of the classroom, looking in my direction and addressing me a roguish smile.
As soon as the door closed behind me, the classroom went into mayhem.
Everyone began shouting and arguing, accusing each other of being the traitor, of working for Class B, that Nishino was dating Karma in secret, that Manabe sold Yabu and Morofuji in exchange of a transfer to Class B, that Karma stole the questions from Ishizaki because he was too idiot to notice, people accusing Ryuuen of not noticing the existence of the spy, and so on.
Karma's intervention had only worsened everything. Not only had he acknowledged the existence of a spy in our class, but he also installed in everyone's minds the thought that we would be the defectives now.
On her seat, Hiyori had a look of distress on her face not knowing what to do to calm the situation in the classroom.
"Okay, okay, Shut up!" I yelled silencing everyone. "Guys, I understand you're frustrated but we have to keep to an idea. We cannot just change things completely at the first stumble."
"So, you're saying that we should stay working under Ryuuen's dictatorship?" Yamashita questioned. "No because if that's what you're suggesting then you're even more stupid than we all thought."
"Okay, that's enough. I'm gonna kill her," Yajima began walking over to Yamashita, but Albert quickly stood up in front of her.
"NO FIGHTING," he said.
Since Ryuuen wasn't doing anything to stop all the arguing, Albert was accepting it, but he wouldn't accept any type of physical conflict.
"Come on, Albert!" she complained. "At least let me take that smile off her fucking face."
Albert shook his head slowly.
"NO FIGHTING," he repeated.
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
We all turned towards the podium where Ryuuen was standing, a smirk on his face.
"Why don't we do what our dear classmate Hiroya suggested earlier?" he commented. "A vote. Three options. Those who want to continue with me as the leader. Those who want another leader. And those who don't give a damn~"
We agreed to his proposal, although, I suspected that last category was created just for Magane.
"And to make it better, everyone will come to the blackboard one by one and write their vote. That way we all may know who follows which faction. I'll start."
After saying that, Ryuuen approached the blackboard and wrote down the three categories. Then, he added a vote to the category that supported his dictatorship.
We continued one by one. Surprisingly, Mio, Kanoya and Hiyori opted to follow Ryuuen. Magane as expected put her vote on the 'don't give a damn' section making her the only person to vote for that option. I voted for following Ryuuen as well, obviously. Ryuuen had potential, I just had to keep betting on him.
The votes were tied to seventeen in the two main options when Kaneda's turn came. He picked up the marker and went over the Ryuuen option to give his vote to that one. However, he hesitated for a moment and leaned over the new leader option.
"I'm sorry, Ryuuen-shi," he apologised and gave his vote to the new leader option.
Ryuuen just laughed as the last two students voting gave their votes to the new leader option.
The final results were 17 votes for the option of continuing under Ryuuen's leadership. 20 votes to the new leader option. And one vote to the don't give a damn option. That made thirty-eight votes for the thirty-eight students that now composed Class C.
They had the majority but with the exception of Kaneda, we had the most prominent members of the class.
I let out a frustrated sigh.
You couldn't satisfy yourself with a simple victory, could you Karma?
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV
"You were right, it's pretty good," I told Kei as I picked another doughnut from the box on the table.
Kei and I had bought a whole box with different flavours just a moment ago in one of the stands of the food court of Keyaki Mall which was where we were right now.
Now that the exams were over we had come here with Yousuke, Chiaki, and the others but somehow Kei and I found ourselves alone and decided to come here to wait for the others since Kei had contacted Yousuke and had agreed to meet us here.
"I told you, you'd like it," she said drinking from her cherry vanilla milkshake. "I still can't believe you never tried doughnuts, though."
"I had a strict diet I guess..." I shrugged.
"We've been here for like eight months, Kiyotaka," she pointed out.
"That's true enough... But maybe I was waiting for you to invite me," I tried to make a joke.
Kei's face quickly reddened hearing my words and she almost jumped from her seat in surprise.
"H-How can you say that?" she exclaimed controlling her voice as to not let all the people present in the food court hear her. "And not even changing your expression!"
"Relax," I said. "It was just a joke."
"Hmpf!" she scowled. "It better be. Remember I have a boyfriend."
She was obviously referring to Yousuke, who was pretending to be her boyfriend to ensure Kei's positioning on the class hierarchy. Although that relationship wasn't that necessary anymore since her positioning in the class was well secured; even more so now that Kushida's true nature had been revealed.
"Sure, you do have one..."
"What's that suppose to mean?" she raised an eyebrow and pointed at me with her milkshake.
"Nothing," I raised my hands to show I had no hostile intentions. "Won't you eat any doughnuts?"
"No. Unlike some people, I do try to not eat whatever," she shook her head giving a brief glance at the five remaining doughnuts on the box.
"I won't tell anyone if you eat one or two, you know? I can keep a secret," I told her since she appeared to want to eat one despite her reluctance.
"I know... It's just, I try to not eat too many snacks and the like but.... Ugh. Fine. Only one," she said after a moment.
She took the only chocolate doughnut that remained and began to eat it happily.
"...What?" she asked looking at me.
"What?" I asked in return.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned. "You aren't having lewd thoughts or something, are you?"
No. I was looking at the chocolate doughnut slowly disappearing from existence, but I couldn't tell her that... It wasn't that the other four doughnuts weren't good, they just weren't chocolate.
"What would you do if I said yes?" I asked.
A slight flush appeared on her face and after mumbling a "whatever", she continued eating her doughnut.
I held back a sigh and took a raspberry filled doughnut.
"I-In any case what you did was impressive," Kei wanting to bring up another subject spoke slowly.
"What I did?" I asked not understanding her comment. "I'm just eating doughnuts," I showed her my doughnut that now had one bite.
"I'm not talking about doughnuts, Kiyotaka!" she exclaimed. "I mean Kushida-san. I don't know how you convinced her, but she hasn't revealed any secret so far."
"Oh, you mean that," I nodded understanding. "Well, I didn't do anything special. We just talked a bit."
"Yeah, I know full well what talking with you for a bit is like," she said with a chuckle.
"Well, you too did well," I complimented truthfully.
Kei had done a splendid work during this special exam. Not only had she attended her study sessions diligently but had carried out her tasks magnificently.
"Hmpf. I did, didn't I?" she puffed her chest proudly. "But I don't like that you used Chiaki-chan to give me orders."
"You two were partners in the exam and were together during a good number of study sessions," I said. "And don't worry she doesn't know anything about your past. Just that you work for me."
Kei nodded in understanding and finished her chocolate doughnut.
"But, babysitting Koenji-kun was a hassle. Really, the guy doesn't understand about limits. Although the look on Chabashira-sensei's face when I handed the questions was priceless. At first, she couldn't believe it and was completely convinced that I went there to ask for guidance or something," she finished laughing visibly amused as she recalled the moment.
"Did Koenji do something?" I queried raising an eyebrow and ignoring her comment about Chabashira-sensei.
"Just his typical sly remarks. I mean... I think he tried to hit on me, but I'm not sure. I can't tell when that guy is talking seriously or just joking," she shook her head exasperated. "Why the question, though? Is Kiyotaka worried about me?"
"Didn't you say you have a boyfriend a moment ago?"
She leaned back on her chair.
"That's not the point..." she crossed her arms. "I mean, you said you'd protect me," she mumbled softly.
"I said something like that?" I asked tilting my head a bit to the side.
She let out a chuckle and gave me a slight tap on the left arm.
"You're an idiot," she said calming down. "But seriously, you saw those expulsions in Class C?"
I nodded. I had obviously heard about it. The fact that a Class C student had cheated during yesterday's exams had quickly spread and there were already rumours that this student had been a spy that got the questions after reaching an agreement with Class B. After any event that had or appeared to have some significance, rumours somehow spread among the students with a speed that still amazed me.
"Did you have anything to do with that?" Kei raised an eyebrow.
"How could I have done something?" I queried.
"You asked Karma-kun, or Misaka-san or something. How am I supposed to know? I'm not the one that comes up with plans."
"I have no power over Karma or Mikoto to make them do something like that. Besides, why would I?"
She smiled and looked at me in the eyes as if mocking my pitiful lie.
"I heard Yabu-san and Morofuji-san were the two students expelled."
"I heard that as well."
I tried to make her understand that she should stop talking so lightly.
"I just wanted to thank you, Kiyotaka...," she mumbled addressing me a beaming smile as if a huge weight had been taken off her back. "In any case, why don't we go celebrate?" she said in a more light-hearted manner taking the conversation away from her theories on who planned the expulsions.
"Celebrate?" I asked curiously taking another doughnut. "What's there to celebrate?"
"Our victory, of course," she commented happily as she stood up and drank the rest of her milkshake. "Let's go to the bowling. I've never played."
"But shouldn't we wait for the others? They might arrive soon..."
"The others? I'll just tell Yousuke where we're heading. They'll meet us there," she replied dismissively.
She quickly ran towards the trash can, threw her empty cup of milkshake and returned running in the same way. She closed the box of doughnuts, grabbed the one I was eating from my hands and took a bite.
"Let's go, Kiyotaka," she announced and turned as to begin leading the way towards the bowling.
I had never played bowling, so I had to admit that I was curious about it, I understood the main idea of the game and it sounded quite easy. We just had to throw the ball and knock down the pins, after all. It couldn't be that hard.
I stood up and just as I was about to follow Kei, a voice called out to us.
"Kei-chan! Kiyotaka-kun! Finally."
Arriving right in front of us, Chiaki quickly approached us. Behind her, Yousuke, Satou, Mori, and Shinohara approached us at a slower pace.
"C-Chiaki-chan, guys, you arrived," Kei commented in a slightly nervous tone.
"Yes, Kei-chan. We finally found you," Chiaki's gaze went from Kei towards me.
"Well, we got split at some point, I suppose," Kei laughed. "We visited a lot of stores after all."
"The important thing is that the group isn't split anymore," Yousuke said with a kind smile.
"Is that a doughnut you're eating, Kei-chan?" Mori queried puzzled.
"And what were you going to do?" Chiaki inquired.
"Go to—"
"To find you, of course," Kei interrupted me. "We were going to search for you. But now that we are together how about going to the bowling? We can play a while to celebrate our victory over Class A, don't you think?"
"Are you certain we're going to win, Kei-chan?" Shinohara asked.
"Of course. Even if we didn't do outstandingly great, Kiyotaka took care of the questions we submitted."
"That's right," Satou clapped her hands happily. "As long as Ayanokouji-kun works for the class there's no way we'll lose."
"I agree, we'll win this exam," Chiaki nodded. "And for the bowling, I think it's a good idea."
As the others accepted to go, Kei handed me the box with the remaining doughnuts and hugged Yousuke's right arm as she continued eating my doughnut.
Once everyone had agreed to go to the bowling, we began to make our way there and celebrate what probably was our victory over Class A.
Tomori Nao POV
I walked out of the post office that was on the first floor of Keyaki Mall happily giving slight jumps.
The package I left to the attention of the president of the school journal should have enough for a pretty interesting article.
It had been so frustrating when I turned over the page of the first exams only to realise those weren't the questions Kushida had sent me. Sure, Chiaki and Kiyotaka knew about Kushida being my spy but the first one couldn't do anything about it and the second one had agreed to let me use Kushida as long as I knew there were limits....
Limits, he just wanted to keep his new protegees unharmed.
I had given Kushida instructions to get the right questions since Kiyotaka wouldn't have allowed for her to be in close contact with the exam questions. Just like Sakayanagi, he had been so open with the fact that he would create Class D's questions but just like Sakayanagi, it was obvious he was lying. And when I received Class D's questions from Kushida, it became obvious that Kiyotaka didn't create them. She had done great work... Too great even. I should have known.
They had probably played Kushida despite the precautions I told her to take, but that had no relevance anymore. It was just the confirmation that Kushida had no more use. Well, her last use was whatever turmoil she could cause in Class D now that I had exposed her true nature. Naturally, I had taken precautions as to not risk the post in the forum with the video being traced back to me. It was unlikely that the school or Matsuo would try to trace the person who posted it, though. They would just unpublish it or something along those lines.
Judging from everyone's reactions and the different conversations in the group chats I was a part of everyone's performance on the exams was definitely below sixty. No one would fail, that was sure; but we had no idea if we had won the exam or not.
To think Kiyotaka actually wants me to trust him...
I clenched my fists.
Why couldn't it be as simple as to accept?
Kiyotaka was right, of course. I was completely lost at first but while I was teaching Yahiko, I read a lot of psychology books in the library to better understand what this feeling I had was. With better insight on the theory, I also compared my reactions and attitude when I was or interacted with Yoshi or other people to those when I was with Kiyotaka. This comparison allowed me to see that my behaviour really changed when I was with him and that despite my efforts to not let my feelings dictate my conduct.
This had let me to conclude that I was, in fact, in love with Kiyotaka. However, beyond the theory, I had no idea of what that meant nor was eager to find out.
... Well, that was a lie.
I wanted to understand, I wanted to know.
I always admired Kiyotaka. He struggled for six months but then found a way to become the best. He was the Masterpiece. The one that went through the exercises and tasks as if they were not that big of a deal. Over time, some of the students began to resent him. Not only was he the son of the man that put us there, but he also had the guts to be the best. We couldn't even have the satisfaction of seeing the son of the owner struggle.
But I never saw it like that.
The others, they never understood it
Kiyotaka wasn't trying to excel to humiliate us. He had no desire to make his father proud. He didn't have some petty ambition to become number one for the sake of being number one. He just didn't care.
His father, the instructors, the other students; all of that was meaningless to him. The only that mattered was to survive.
He was like any student the White Room in that regard. Our own individual survival above everything. The only difference with Kiyotaka was that he never cried about it, he never complained nor whined. He accepted reality and faced it fully.
That was why I admired him. Because he understood what truly mattered. Because he understood how things functioned.
And while I was taking out some students every now and then in order to survive, I became a witness. I witnessed first hand how the Masterpiece was created. Born not from the tests, the exercises and whatever the White Room threw at us; but from his own will and desire to survive.
Unlike Karma, Rin, Tsukasa and so many others in our generation, I had never opposed him before. I had realised how ludicrous it was to do so. It had never been a clash between an unstoppable force and an unmovable object. There wasn't any unstoppable force in the White Room that could overthrow Kiyotaka.
So, I just focused on my survival, I approached Rin the very same day our training with weapons was announced and climbed up through the ranks as more and more students were disposed of.
The last one being Rin when we were twelve years old. She hadn't actually been disposed of, though. Ayanokouji-sensei came personally to fetch her one day during our thirty-minute lunch break and she followed him. And yet, I had been so afraid that she might be disposed of that I completely lost it. I knocked down a guard, escaped and began running through the white hallways for what it has always seemed to me like an eternity when it couldn't have been more than five minutes.
When I finally joined them, I found them talking with a tall man wearing a black cassock that appeared to be a priest.
That had been the last time I had seen her. And she didn't even turn back to look at me.
I spent the next two weeks in isolation for knocking down a guard and entering unauthorised areas.
That gave me a lot of time to think things through. I had grown too attached to Rin and she had left. Just like that. How could I be so foolish? Of course, Rin had left. It had never been about us, about bonding, becoming friends, sisters and whatever.
It was about survival.
About what benefited us.
She had the opportunity to leave and left. There was nothing more to it but what mattered and what didn't. No hard feelings... The category feelings fell in was clear. The category I fell in was clear.
All the things the instructors told us hit me during that isolation. I hadn't learned anything new, though. I had merely remembered something I had forgotten.
Trust. An empty word that required a lot of effort to gain but that had no meaning when the moment of truth arrived. Most people in this school were too prompt to trust. A little help with some books, storing club material or studying for an exam and they could very well see you as the most trustworthy person in the entire globe... I couldn't blame them for it, though. It was natural for people to want to see the good in others, to want to have someone you could rely upon.
It must be a nice feeling to have, after all.
I would lie if I said I didn't wish to feel it myself. Discover this unknown feeling along with someone that was the same as me. The one that understood me and my past, that I had known and looked up to ever since I could remember. Besides, being the one that made him recover his emotions and learn things like love would be the best victory I could have.
And he was right, it wasn't like me to think I couldn't do something.
But that couldn't be.
I wasn't as naïve as to accept when I was certain Kiyotaka would throw me just like Rin. I wouldn't let history repeat itself. I still have some dignity left.
"Nao!"
"Huh?" I turned back to see that my friend Miki had called out to me. "Do you need something Miki?" I queried puzzled.
With a move of her head, she gestured for me to follow her. Intrigued, and having no reason to refuse; I followed Miki for a while until we arrived at the rest area. She approached the vending machine selling snacks and bought some candies.
"Do you want some?" she inquired offering me some of her candy.
"I'm fine, Miki. Thank you," I refused politely. "Do you wanted to talk about something?"
She shrugged at my refusal and began eating her candies. Seating in one of the benches, she tapped the place next to her signalling for me to sit down as well which I did.
"Here's where you and Ayanokouji-kun kissed, right?" she asked bluntly.
"... It is. Why?"
"Curiosity," she shrugged. "You sorted out your feelings?"
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
"What are you after, Miki?"
"I'm not after anything, Nao. You just haven't been yourself."
"Don't be ridiculous," I waved my hand dismissively. "I'm still the same Nao—"
"I've been tailing you ever since the special exam was announced and you didn't notice even once."
"Huh?"
I looked at her, a completely perplexed expression on my face. Miki has been following me? And since the exam began? How? How's that possible? It shouldn't be possible. A normal student shouldn't be able to stalk me without me realising. Granted, Miki had a thin presence and after me, she was the best at tailing someone in our class; her academic ability was also outstanding, she had the fourth best grades in the class. But still, what's wrong with me?
"E-even during Kiyotaka's birthday?"
"That's your first question?!" she questioned exasperated.
Was that a problem? My conversation with Kiyotaka was quite compromising in regard to our past. Although, I suppose that Miki must have interpreted it as me asking if she saw me alone with my crush.
"No," she sighed. "I followed you until the karaoke but when I saw what you were going to do, I left. I try to avoid Ayanokouji-kun as much as possible."
"You do?" I inquired still a bit puzzled.
"Mm. I prefer not to take any risks. The full extent of his abilities is still an unknown to me. Besides, judging how you're head over heels for him, I doubt we've seen everything."
"I'm not head over heels for him," I protested.
She gave me a look as if asking if I was serious. I sighed in defeat.
"Okay, whatever. I like him," I recognised. "Happy?"
She nodded slightly and ate another candy.
"Very."
She didn't appear happy at all. She had her usual bored face.
"And what now? Are you going to tell Sakayanagi?" I questioned.
"That's my job, Nao. You know Sakayanagi."
I let out a dry laugh.
"It makes me feel kinda pathetic, you know?" I grumbled. "That one of my best friends has more faith in Sakayanagi than me."
"I'm sorry for that. Truly," she apologised. "I simply don't believe you're our key to graduate from Class A."
"Don't worry. I understand. You think I'm best as a second."
In her eyes the best thing for the class was for me to work as Sakayanagi's second so our class had better chances to function as it's supposed to.
She nodded.
"I also want my friend back, though. So, if you're in the mood for it; how about a movie?"
Once again, I looked at her baffled. Miki wasn't the most sociable person in the class.
"You are asking me to hang out?"
"I suppose so. Isn't that what friends do?" she asked eating another candy
A thin smile appeared on my face, and I accepted happily. Like me, Miki usually was at a loss with all this friendship thing, the difference was that she didn't pretend to understand it.
I spent the rest of the afternoon with Miki, Chikako and Koharu whom we meet at the movie theatre. We watched a comedy movie that I didn't find that funny but had a few good moments. After that, we went out to dine and had a lively conversation over various topics that didn't really matter.
It felt good.
I arrived at my room near nine p.m. and from my bag, took out a file that I had recovered from the school archives. Since I was now the vice-president of the student council, access the archives was far easier.
I let the file on the table and let myself fall on the chair in front of the it.
I'm sorry Kiyotaka. But I can't let things as they are.
_________________________________
This is it for Volume 6.
What are your thoughts? Did you like it? Are there things you didn't like? The SS should clarify some things.
Thank you for reading.
There are still the four SS. Here are the titles: The Key. The Will to Grow. A Favour to My Friend. We Love Corinth.
Class Rankings on December 1:
Class A: 915
Class B: 575
Class C: 569
Class D: 350
This is right before the changes of the special exam.
I'm counting Morofuji's and Yabu's expulsions as one because of the partner system. That's why their class losses 200 class points instead of 400. And to clarify something which I don't think it's completely clear. An expulsion costs 200 points and a drop out 50. Or do you prefer it if there's no penalty for dropping out? I don't think it has clearly been established in the LN besides some references but correct me if I'm wrong.
Also, do you want me to remain some time without publishing anything and then publish the entirety of V7 in one go or do you prefer it if I continue as of right now with one chapter every few days?