Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

V4: Chapter 3 - Breakfast

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

Before eight in the morning, I made my way towards the café Blue Ocean for breakfast. Barely any students went there at this hour so that was good.

Arriving at the café, I found one of the persons I had to meet seating on a table. I quickly joined him and seated in front of him.

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun," Hirata greeted me.

"Good morning."

"Sorry for not waiting for you earlier, I thought it would be better if I secured us a table," Hirata laughed nervously scratching his nape.

I took a quick look around and almost all the tables were free.

"It's okay," I responded. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get ready."

"Well, it's understandable since Koenji-kun monopolized the bathroom."

I nodded and saw the hour on my phone. It was already the designated time. As I was about to wonder why she was late the third member of our group appeared.

Greeting us, she sat down next to me.

"Matsushita-san won't come. She wrote to me a moment ago."

"Why is that Horikita-san?" Hirata asked.

Matsushita failing to attend was certainly curious. Not only because of her status as one of the leaders of our class but also because of her curious nature. She was certainly the Class D student that had implied herself the most in class affairs since school began, even more than Horikita.

"I don't know. Now, Ayanokouji-kun, do you have more details?"

"About what?" I asked.

"The other classes. Because of yesterday, we can start formulating hypothesis regarding Class B's strategy, but we know nothing of the other two."

"And why would I know anything?"

Horikita eyed me trying to see if I was playing dumb or not. I wasn't though. Why would I know anything about Class A and Class C. Perhaps she thought that I had spoken with Nao and Mikoto? But it wasn't like they would tell me their strategy.

She turned away and called for a waiter. We each ordered our respective breakfasts, I asked for a coffee and a chocolate along with a glass of water. Since, I hadn't been able to try Nao's drink yesterday, I thought this was a good opportunity to do so.

The waiter and Hirata sent me a confused look when I asked for those. Horikita just eyed me as if a third eye had suddenly pupped up on my face.

After the waiter left, Horikita spoke again.

"And what are we going to do for the exam? I would like to have the beginning of a plan before the first meeting."

"That would be ideal, yes. But aren't we starting with a handicap? Since Class B will know who our VIPs are?" Hirata asked.

I pondered his words for a brief moment before deciding to answer him truthfully. There was no need to give Hirata more stress.

"Karma won't share our VIPs with his class. He may inform Ichinose or Kocho but that's it."

"That doesn't answer my question, though," Horikita stated.

"Why are you looking at me like that? It's up to you and Matsushita to come up with a plan."