COTE: Last Elite Standing

Episode 8: Conversation with my adversaries..

Ayanokoji PoV

" You don't mind if I chill here for a bit, right?" Ryuuen casually said before taking a seat in our table.

I do mind, actually.

Is what I intended to say if he hadn't just sat down immediately. I thought I'd enjoy my lunch break but I have a hunch that I probably won't....

" Nor do you mind me sitting as well, Ayanokoji-kun?" Sakayanagi asked in a sweet manner, although I can tell that she would've sat down anywa-

Annd....she already took her seat. I felt like each time these people further ruin my beloved lunch break, a small percentage of my life force gets forcibly drained without my consent. The girl who accompanied Sakayanagi also sat down to the right of her.

" Ayanokoji-kun, may I sit down?" Unlike the previous two, Ichinose kindly asked and waited patiently for my answer. Thank goodness.

" Yeah." I decided to just let sit her down so this confrontation can be done and over with.

" Let me get straight to the point." Ryuuen takes a bite of his food before continuing, " You really played me, didn't you, Ayanokoji?"

" I am unaware of what you're trying to imply. Would you please enlighten me further?" I decided to reply with a hint of sarcasm, though I doubt anyone noticed since my voice usually stays monotone.

" Heh, you fucker." He seemed amused by my persistence in avoiding the topic, " All right then. I'm saying that you really played me like a fiddle. Voting Hirata during round 5? That was something I didn't expect, and I was suprised to say the least." He points his fork towards me with a grin as if he's figured me out.

" I thought that was the end of suprises, however, you proved me wrong again by eliminating all the class murderers in one round. I've been thinking about it and I came to one conclusion that made sense."

" And pray tell, what might it be?" I ask.

He laughs. " You took multiple voting slips and wrote down all the class murderers on each slip. You took advantage of the fact that the director never explicitly stated that within the rules and thus you took the chance. "

Before I could say anything to respond to his conclusion, Sakayanagi spoke first.

" You seem proud of such an obvious conclusion, Ryuuen-kun. " She remarked.

" Hoh? Does it look like I'm proud to you, Sakayanagi? Besides, you talk big game but weren't you completely useless to your class?" He made a remark of his own. Provocation versus Provocation.