COLLISION, assassination classroom

CHAPTER #003. RUMORS TIME!

     The students of Class 3-E were scattered around the classroom and the rest of the building during their recess period, having quiet conversations amongst themselves while munching on their lunches. It had been a few days since the shocking assassination attempt made by their newest classmate. In addition to being the first student to actually harm their target, most were apprehensive toward him due to his background. A transfer student from the main building being in their premises instantly put them on edge, being so accustomed to the discrimination and harsh words thrown at them by those from other class sections.

From his desk, Shiota Nagisa blatantly stared at the brown haired male who was assigned a seat behind Okuda. It was hard to imagine their former vice president, the image of kindness and serenity, up here in this deteriorating building. He wondered if the male was harboring secret feelings of contempt at the situation.

"What are you looking at, Nagisa-kun?" Kayano Kaede questioned from beside him, turning sideways in her seat to peer toward the back of the classroom. Nagisa jolted, unaware he'd been so focused on their newest classmate.

"Takano-san is famous in the main building." Nagisa explained, "I'm just wondering how he feels about being transferred here. It's not exactly the greatest place to be after being in the star section." Kayano squinted at the aforementioned brown haired male, "How'd he get sent here in the first place if he's from the Class A?" She murmured in confusion, not having been a student of the institution in her previous years. Nagisa looked surprised at her being so direct as it was the question that was on everyone's mind.

On the other side of the blue haired male, Nakamura Rio overheard some parts of their conversation and leaned to chime in. "I bet it's because he got caught red handed. We all heard the rumors of what happens when you're on his bad side. Someone probably pissed him off good." The blonde student side-glanced the male in question then covered the side of her mouth as if it would hide the words she would say next.

"Though he's popular for being kind to everyone, he's also notorious for being a cruel bully." Nagisa hesitantly nodded in agreement with his classmate's words, while Kayano was shocked at the revelation. That sweet, soft spoken male wearing an oversized sweater on the other side of the room had such a reputation — with that sort of face?! Impossible.

"Bully?! He looks so gentle though?!" Kayano exclaimed in a loud voice, drawing the attention of her peers. Nagisa and Nakamura darted out of their seats to clamp a hand over her mouth, but the damage was already done.

The trio watched in trepidation as Takano Hajime peered up from his comic, pulling out his wired earpiece to glance around the room in confusion. Kayano held in her breath as the brown haired male shot a closed-eye smile toward Okuda, who blushed a furious red and turned around to face the front of the class. An anxious "Mph!" leaving her lips. Ever since Hajime's sudden assassination attempt that frightened the soul out from the female, the brown haired student had been extra gentle in approaching her.

Kayano pushed away the hands on her mouth as the male sighed and returned to his comic, long lashes fluttering against the rise of his cheekbones. She peered at her classmates, "There's no way that's a bully. I don't believe it!" Nakamura shrugged, while Nagisa scratched his cheek and looked down at his notes on their target's weaknesses. It was only a couple of pages long so far, but he hoped it helped in the future.

"He's not the regular type of bully that uses their fists to bust your face in, if that's what you mean." Nakamura commented, "He's the other type." Nagisa bit his bottom lip, wondering if it was right to spread rumors that weren't confirmed to be true. Especially when the person in question was a few feet away from them. He glanced up at Kayano, who was puppy-eyed and confused, then sighed reluctantly.