Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

V6: Chapter 9 - Enemy

Matsushita Chiaki POV

After the study session ended, everyone started to head back to the dorm.

Kushida-san left with a few of her friends in tow. She has been playing it cool for now, and as far as I was aware, Nao-san hadn't tried anything.

I stayed in the library to help Suzune-san pack all the material - Naturally, I made sure I had Karuizawa-san's phone with me. We had gone through a good number of the questions we had exchanged with Class B, and in all honesty it had been quite challenging for most of our classmates. We didn't complete the forty questions. Instead, we went through twenty, and only Suzune-san had managed to get them all right. I had no clue as to how was I supposed to solve the last chemistry exercise, so whoever came up with that question in Class B had my respect.

"You don't have to attend all study groups, Chiaki-san," said Suzune as we finished packing.

"It's okay, Suzune-san. I want to help the class," I smiled.

"Still. It'll be bad if you work too much."

My smile grew even more. The Suzune-san I met in the beginning of the year would have never worried about me or my health. At best, she would have thanked me for helping her with the study groups but that was it. I definitely welcomed these changes.

To think we were calling each other by our first names now. I only called Maya-chan and Kiyotaka-kun by their given names, but we really had become good friends since the sports festival. And when I proposed for us to call each other by our given names, I sincerely thought she would refuse. Just like she still refused to hang out in the karaoke or that kind of things with me and Maya-chan, but it was impossible to have everything, I suppose.

"Don't worry. I'll take rests.... Anyhow, Suzune-san, will you go to the karaoke tomorrow?" I inquired curiously.

"The karaoke? Why would I go?"

"Because it's Kiyotaka-kun's birthday, of course. Hasebe-san and the others are preparing a surprise party."

"I still don't see why I would go. I can wish him happy birthday if I see him or in class on Monday."

"And what about that gift you bought~?" I taunted with a sly smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said firmly. "Now, I'd like it if we catch up to Kushida-san."

"Heh~? Avoiding the question? Should I see what's that gift?" I queried taking a step closer to her bag which was on the table.

Her eyes widened and in an instant, the bag disappeared from the table.

She placed it on her shoulder and held onto it tightly.

"I-It's embarrassing, okay?"

The low tone of voice and slight flush on her face confused me. I didn't expect to actually see Suzune-san make such a face. I knew she respected Kiyotaka-kun a lot since he had proved time and time again how great he was. She didn't have any romantic feelings towards him, but she did look up to him as a model of excellence... even if Suzune always complained about how Kiyotaka-kun didn't like to use his abilities.

"Embarrassing? Why?"

"I didn't know what to buy so I just bought something simple. But now I think it's kind of ridiculous to offer something like that..."