Starting in class C: not completely defective.

Arc 9 chapter 1: a familiar face

"Director Sakayanagi has been arrested?" I asked, astounded at the information I had just received.

My colleagues reactions were varied. Mashima grimaced, Hoshinomiya frowned, and Chabashira looked almost as surprised as I was.

"Calm yourself, Sakagami-santhat's not what I said, exactly. I said he has been placed under temporary house arrest for reasons that I cannot disclose to you at this time," said the school counsellor, the one responsible for the hiring of a new director.

"What happened? Why did Sakayanagi-sensei get arrested?" Hoshinomiya asked.

"Like I said, Hoshinomiya-san, I cannot disclose that information to you," the counsellor said.

"Do you know when he will be reinstated?" Mashima asked.

"Not for definite. However, I can say that he will be reinstated immediately once he has been released."

"Who have you hired as an acting director?" Chabashira asked.

"Well, you see..." the counsellor was interrupted by a knock at the door. She went to open it.

"Ah, hello acting director Akito," she said, bowing.

Akito? Could it be?

"Ah, greetings, Hoshinomiya-san, Mashima-kun...hey Sae-chan...it's been so long since I've seen all of you. Oh, you're still here, Sakagami-senpai?" Said Samuel Akito, a man I had not seen in nearly 20 years.

The room was frozen in time. Everyone was feeling some different kind of emotion when seeing their classmate again.

"Akito-kun...am I to understand that you will be the acting director?" I asked.

"Right on the money, Sakagami-senpai. How does it feel to have a boss that's younger than you?" He asked, trying to provoke some kind of reaction from me.

I wouldn't make that mistake. I knew exactly how this man operated. He would spin a web of lies, forcing you to react. In the end, you would only end up hurting yourself.

Behind him was a girl in a pinstripe business suit and a tight skirt. She wore a red top that was straining to hold back her large—ehem—her well developed figure. She had light beige hair, tied in a twist at the back. She was wearing a surgical mask and sunglasses, so I couldn't see her face.

I felt as though I had seen her somewhere before, but I can't quite remember where.

"Ah, yes...my assistant. I believe that you're acquainted with her. Please, take off the mask and glasses. Reveal yourself to them," he said, and the girl followed his orders.

Now this I was not expecting...

The following day was Tuesday, March 2nd.

It was my job to announce the supplementary special exam to class A. I wondered how they would handle it.

I looked out across the classroom, and I found that I needn't worry. We had many capable people in here, so the loss of a single student wouldn't impede the class as a whole.

I could feel a sense of tension and anxiety coming from the students now, as I brooded upon my thoughts.

"Um, did something happen?"

Ryuuen, the person who kept order in this class, took the initiative to speak up. I didn't answer him right away, but remained silent. In the past, I'd always mercilessly launched into an explanation of whatever test they were facing, no matter how harsh it was. Given that, it didn't take long at all for the students to understand that something was off about the situation.