[Classroom Of The Elite] Ayanokoji X Horikita

The Consequences of Heart

It was after our date when I saw her. Her head was drooping below her shoulders, as if dwelling on a certain problem she could not handle. I walked toward towards her, out of curiosity at first, but then realized it was a good chance to organize a meeting with the older brother of Suzune, Horikita Manabu.

“Akane Tachibana, if I'm not mistaken.” She looks up at me. The first thing I see is hopelessness in her eyes. “I believe you are the girl who sticks around the president.”

She proceeded to look down at the floor once again, overlooking my existence.

“Did something happen?”

“Don't talk to me, Ayanokoji-kun.”

“I won't relay the information you send to me, rest assured.”

“I couldn't care less about that... just go away.”

She didn't bother looking at me. Prying into this case was the least I should have done, but I dug further.

Because I had a feeling that I was linked to this problem in some sort of way.

“Tachibana, I did not come here to comfort you, nor lend you help. I come here to ask you a favour.”

She finally looks up. “A favour?”

I nod, “I want to meet up with Manabu tomorrow at the latest. If you can't do so, then forget what I said.”

She narrowed her eyes, “What do you want with the president?”

“Nothing much. I felt an urge to tell him something regarding a problem within the year, that caused a bit of controversy.”

“Hm, I guess I could contact him. But why do you need to see him tomorrow at the latest?”

“Because the climax of the controversy will reach on Monday. I'd like to resolve things before it is too late.”

The lies I uttered had not been planned, more like improvised.

She looks at me with an unconvinced face, “Fine... I’ll set one up for you...”

I’m sure she did not trust me, but was forced to realize my story was plausible.

Coincidentally meeting her that day, saved up a lot of trouble.

Because that brings me here, to the present, face to face with Manabu.

The next day

“Oh, there you are Ayanokoji.”

“Good morning.”

We meet outside the first-year dormitory, just as we had planned the day prior. I had not informed him of the details of this arrangement, as I told Tachibana that I would prefer telling him myself face to face. Now that I stand in front of him, I can finally tell him about my lingering unease.

“Let's go into my room and talk, it's quite cold today.”

“I suppose it is...”

And so, we settle in my room.

As I sit in front of him, I sense a feeling of tension looming in the air, deriving from his presence. His presence had always exuded some sort of tension, however today, it multiplied drastically.

It is obvious to see that Mr President was undergoing a problem of his own.

I decide to pounce on this assumption.

“I can see you are having trouble, Manabu. As if the trouble exceeds that of the capacity of yourself, is that not right?”

He looks at me with sharp eyes, “I came here to listen to your story, so if you can get to the point and end this quickly, I would appreciate it.”