Classroom of the Elite Volume 7.5

Chapter 1.3: The Arrow Of Love

Karuizawa Kei POV

Part 3

When I got back to my room I laid down on the bed, gripped my phone and
stared up at the ceiling. Just before I arrived back at my room, inside me, a
different anxiety had been spreading. The consultation from Satou-san.

The fact that she loves Kiyotaka. The story about wanting me to lend her a hand so she can become a couple with him. At the same time as I felt as a strange irritation, I could not help but also feel turbulent. If this case happened to be just a simple romantic affair, it might have been easier on me.

I had mustered up what wisdom I had in me, and I think I managed to back
up Satou-san. But more than anything else, what I'm curious about isn't the
romantic aspect of it. Is Kiyotaka going on a date with Satou-san out of interest in the opposite sex? That sort of thing. What if this doesn't have a "romantic objective"? Then that could become a huge problem.

I do feel like I'm overthinking this, but I don't know. In any case, the partner's
going to be Kiyotaka. I don't exactly understand what that Kiyotaka is truly
thinking of. What if he's not interested in this date as a member of the
opposite sex, but rather wants to learn more about Satou-san herself? A date
meant to determine whether or not she's a usable student. I imagined such a
thing.

Just like he made contact with me, the fact that Satou-san could end up being
the key to smoothing out Kiyotaka's school life, a part of me was terrified of
that. If Kiyotaka's gaze falls on her, I wondered if it would end up threatening
my existence. Depending on the circumstances, Kiyotaka who had been
acting as my shield up until now, would no longer be so. I pressed the call
icon, and brought up the keypad. Then I manually typed in a 11-digits
number.

"I haven't even memorized my own number and yet...........".

Before I knew it, Kiyotaka's contact number was carved into my head. Now
all I have to do is touch the call icon again and the call will connect. Even if I
called him, what am I even planning on asking? I asked that to myself.

Did you really think Satou-san would be easier to use than me? Something like that?

"What's that? That's just stupid.....".

Before I even start questioning him, it's almost like I want to be used by him.

That's not the case. It's just... I wanted to protect myself. Using the shield known as Kiyotaka, I just want to live on while protecting my status at this school. That's right, that's obviously the case.

"Why don't I hear it from him directly?".

Thinking that, I put force into the thumb of my left hand. But, hovering at a
distance where it's almost touching yet not quite so, my thumb won't move at
all. In the end, I wasn't able to touch the call icon at all.

"Hah. I'm like an idiot".

Why do I have to ask him something like "Are you done using me?" myself.
And just like that afterwards, my phone shook.

"Uwa!?".

On the screen, the 11-digits number I had typed in earlier was displayed. I
thought I had mistakenly pressed the call icon but that wasn't the case.