Starting in class B: Ayanokouji Kiyone

Arc 1 chapter 7: ...and in with the new

(A/N can't be bothered to do the trial so timeskip)

This was astonishing. They had actually got themselves a witness, with photograph proof that she was there. Her name was Sakura Airi.

Due to there still being a lack of clear evidence, however, class D had been given 3 more days to find evidence.

Maybe now I could help them.

I went up to Kushida.

"Kushida-san, do you have the contact info of the three boys in class C?"

It was past 15:40. With classes over for the day, I went to the special building. This had become increasingly hot and humid as the summer wore on. If things proceeded as planned, then the person I was expecting should arrive soon. Shortly thereafter, three guys showed up, all grumbling about how unbearably hit it was. They appeared happy, though, wearing optimistic expressions.

That was because the three of them had received emails from none other that Kushida Kikyou. Had the message contained an invitation to go on a date? Or perhaps, even more insane, a romantic confession? They were probably dreaming of such things. When they saw me, their fantasies were crushed.

"What's going on? Why are you here?

Apparently they remembered me from the student council room. Ishizaki, the group's leader, stepped forward as if to intimidate me. He was rather forceful when no one was around to see.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Talk to us? Why would we want to do that? Had the heat scrambled your brain or something?"

Ishizaki, who clearly was affected by the heat, grabbed his shirt and flapped it.

"No matter what you do, you can't hide the truth. Sudou called us over here and beat us up. That's our answer. Now he needs to quietly accept his punishment."

"I have no intention of arguing. That would be a waste of time. I fully understand that neither class C nor class D will retract what they claimed yesterday."

"So why do this? Are you going to abduct us so we miss the trial? Or are you going to have a bunch of people surround us and threaten us with violence? It'll be just like that time with Sudou."

Oh. That was a rather interesting idea, but it would only work as a stopgap measure. Such threats wouldn't work on these people. Quite the contrary; they looked like they'd welcome it. If they were the victims of another attack, they'd probably find a way to make their situation even more favourable.

"Just give up. See ya later."

Understanding that Kushida would not be coming, the three turned and tried to leave, but one other person stood in their way.

"I think you guys might want to reconsider that idea, actually."

Ichinose, who'd been waiting for all of the players in this drama to appear, quietly stepped forward.

"I-Ichinose?! What are you doing here?!"

The class C boys were shocked. Given the unexpected appearance of a goddess, their shock was reasonable.

"What do you mean? What if I said that I'm here because I'm involved with this case?"

"Ichinose, you're a celebrity."

"Ha ha. Well, I guess I'm well known among the member of class C."

Since the class C students hadn't expected her to be involved, it looked like tension was rising between them. They were clearly starting to lose their composure.