A Simulated Reality (COTE reacts)

INTERMISSION & Chapter 1.4: Against The System (Reaction)

Ayanokouji POV

Bam—!

The sound of the classroom door shutting itself resounded loudly, and yet it didn't distract the others from the boiling silence in the room.

It didn't take long for the respective classes to return to their own classrooms for a short break. And I, certainly, was dragged by my class for a talk.

I could have escaped and walked away, only to return later when the viewing starts again, but a better part of my mind realized that would just delay the inevitable.

I might as well solve them as quickly as possible. If Class D were anything, they were persistent.

The concept of tricking or lying didn't even last long in my mind, considering they most likely already believed everything they heard or seen.

"So," coughed Hirata awkwardly. "I'm sure everyone is curious about... Ayanokouji, and has a lot of questions to ask."

"A lot is an understatement," said Yukimura coldly. "...If he didn't hide anything, we wouldn't have been at the bottom rank at the beginning."

Beside him, Miyake seemed to be troubled and looked at my direction with an apologetic face.

"How are we sure the viewing is true to begin with?" countered Kei, gathering all attention to her. "I mean—you really believe someone like Ayanokouji is as smart as that? There's fiction and—"

"On the contrary, not at all. I prefer that it isn't actually true," scoffed Yukimura. "But the Director himself said so. And even if it was fake, what reason would the government conduct a grand-wide trickery to target Ayanokouji?"

A good point. Even if the viewing was for all of intents and purposes, false—there was the underlying question, for what purpose then?

Either way, to them it would mean that something was up with me.

"—Aren't you his friend?!" Kei raised her voice. "Shouldn't you be trusting him, or helping him? Not being the one attacking him?!"

Yukimura gripped his fist, the words striking a nerve on him. "That's none of your business at all! In the first place, if he considered us as friends, he wouldn't hide his ability from us, don't you think so?"

"Ah, so him being better than you struck your fragile ego?" snickered Kei. "You and your—"

A distance from them, Hirata seemed to under great struggle, until his expression calmed. As though making an important decision.

Yukimura seemed to be angered further and was about to respond, but a sudden shout from the class leader silenced everyone in the room.

"Enough!" shouted Horikita coldly. "This is pointless. We aren't here to fight and argue!"

That brought a silence to the room, making both Kei and Yukimura click their tongues in annoyance.

As though finding it the best time to speak, Hirata suddenly stepped in.

Hirata, to everyone's surprise, was calm. No, not just calm. It was calmness that suffocated everyone in the room.

"Guys, remember what we've discussed before coming here? Let's not fight. I know it's hard to control our emotions... after that. But we're here to resolve everyone's doubts and issues... so we can continue to cooperate as a class again,"

"Even if you say that," countered Ike, not realizing the mine he stepped on. "What if our other classmates are also lying to us and holding back?"

"Well, we can't do anything about that. That's their choice." dismissed Hirata.