Unveiling the Mastermind - Classroom of the Elite Reaction

Sudou's Trial - Confrontation/Saving Sakura

I noticed a change as soon as I set foot inside the classroom. Sakura, who usually made it to school just in the nick of time, was already sitting at her desk. Had she come here early for any specific reason?

Horikita also looked shocked to see Sakura. Moreover, Sakura's body language itself... Well, she looked the same as usual, but I felt like she was sitting up straight, as if ready for something. It was such a subtle difference that you couldn't really call it a change. It was so minuscule that if you told me I was imagining it, I would say you were right and drop it.

"I've always sensed something...off about him. Maybe this is what it was? He really does subconsciously analyse people, just like that second-year said. Horikita-kun was also so interested in him as well, but would he really hold him in such high regard based on that possibility? No, he wouldn't do that, so there must have been a reason" Tachibana thought, engrossed in finding out more about Ayanokoji.

Just as we were about to pass Sakura's seat, she looked up. Instead of a proper greeting, she meekly raised her hand. For someone like Sakura, that seemed an appropriate response.

That's what I thought, until—

"Um... Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun. Horikita-san."

"G-good morning..."

That was the first time Sakura had given a morning greeting. I was so shocked that my response stuck in my throat. Our eyes didn't meet, but she still desperately tried to squeeze out the words.

"Looks like you really had an effect on her, Kiyotaka," Akito said with a grin.

"I'm not the one who deserves the praise," I said. Really, I hadn't done much at all. I had also been surprised by Airi's determination.

"What's with her?" Horikita muttered.

"Maybe because of what happened yesterday, she took a step forward on the path to adulthood?"

Sakura, who rarely spoke in front of others, had boldly given testimony in a tense environment. She'd likely taken the opportunity for some self-reflection.

"That trial was really tough," Airi admitted with a sigh.

"You were incredible, though, Airi!" Haruka praised her, "Without you, Horikita-san couldn't have done anything,"

"No, you heard what they said," Airi shook her head, "M-my testimony wasn't really that helpful..."

"Maybe it didn't help win the trial, but it was enough to cause doubt. If you hadn't come forward, we may have lost without being able to put up a fight. Right, Kiyotaka?" Keisei turned to me.

"Airi's testimony gave us a platform. Without it, it would have been much harder to save Sudo," I agreed. Of course, there were other ways around the issue, but the doubt caused by Airi coming forward piled the pressure on the Class C students.

"So, whatever you and Horikita-san did, Airi helped by coming forward, then?" Haruka asked.

"Yeah, that's right,"

"See, Airi. You helped a lot!"

"R-really...?" She didn't look convinced.

"Just watch, you'll see," I said.

"People don't change so easily. Trying to change yourself is virtually impossible."

Horikita's brief but realistic statement shattered the lovely image I'd created. As I was no idealist myself, I thought Horikita was mostly correct. There was no truly major difference between today's Sakura and yesterday's.