Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

V8: Chapter 13 - The Girls' Battle II

Kocho Shinobu POV

The final test would be the next day. The rest of the student body was busy gobbling down their dinner when I made contact with a certain someone inside our room. With everyone else in the cafeteria at the time, it was simple for the two of us to make contact.

"Look, Kocho. To be honest with you, I don't think you're seeing the current situation for what it is."

Standing before me was Kushida-san, a serious look in her eyes. In the cramped confines of the camp school, with eyes and ears everywhere, I couldn't neglect to keep tabs on her.

"I'm not seeing the current situation? What do you mean by that?"

"The situation of our group. I didn't want to be here. I'm not going to help you and those friends of yours. So, stop trying to befriend me. You and your kind words make me sick."

She spoke harshly, not even trying to hide her hatred for me.

But there was something more forceful than usual to the way she said it, almost certainly because she felt secure that I couldn't pull any tricks to make her help the group in our current situation. The threat of expulsion was an empty threat before someone that cared little for their fate. Personally, I welcomed her honesty, I didn't really mind her true nature being out in the open.

It must feel refreshing to be able to let your true feelings out.

"You seem to be acting on your personal feelings. And yet, you were placed here to serve your class's strategy."

"Yeah, you can thank that bastard Ayanokouji for that," Kushida-san huffed, crossing her arms.

"So, I must wonder what that strategy is. Karma-kun has been quite restless as of late. Perhaps he and Ayanokouji-kun had a disagreement and Class C might betray us?"

"Like I care. Enough already. I'll do whatever I want. If you want to call a vote and expel me at the end, then do so."

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I can't let this go."

Kushida-san was my primary concern if I wanted to avoid a catastrophe. Without completely sabotaging the group, she had been giving me headaches this past week.

And I had doubts about whether Karma-kun would save me if ended up expelled because of Kushida-san.

"I want you to trust me," I told her, deciding to get straight to the point. "A good performance would benefit the both of us."

Despite apparently taking what I said at face value, Kushida-san wore a thin smile on her face. But it wasn't a smile of agreement. I couldn't let myself be mistaken on that count.

"Unfortunately, there's no way you can convince me," replied Kushida-san flatly.

Kushida-san didn't trust anyone. She didn't make her decisions based on whether they advantaged or disadvantaged her; she simply didn't care anymore.

"You're clever. You're above average in both academics and athletics, and you have the best communication skills in our grade level... No, depending on how you look at it, you might even be able to say you're the best in the school. Even talking to you now, I'm impressed by your quick thinking. You could be an incredible asset to our group if you cooperated, at least a bit."

"Do you honestly not get that your know-it-all tone irritates me more than anything else? I can't stand that."

She was trying to cut our conversation short, as though saying that trying to talk to her any longer would just be a waste of time. I let out a quiet sigh.