Classroom of the Elite: Free Will

SS26: Tomori Nao - Chasing Ghosts

I was in that place once again.

The very place where every second had been a fight for survival.

It wasn't hard to notice I was back since most things around me wore that blank mark, that appalling colour, that absence of everything.

Looking around, I began to remember which room I was in, what time I was in.

The cafeteria, about four years ago.

There were only six of us in here and everyone was eating calmly in their own corner.

The sound of cutlery cutting and chopping food was the only thing that disrupted the blank silence in the room.

Although all tables available counted six chairs, not once had we sat together to share a meal. Why would we? It wasn't like we had anything to tell each other. If none of us wanted something, there was no reason for us to talk, there was no reason for us to acknowledge each other's presence.

Perhaps the glares Karma continuously sends Tsukasa are a form of acknowledgement. But even then, I could very well have this cafeteria all to myself and there would be no difference. The only sound that would be heard would still be the cutlery, cutting and chopping food.

A sudden screeching sound made me jump in my seat, disrupting the atmosphere for a moment.

I looked up in front of me and there she was, the exception to the emptiness of this place.

Her face, wearing that roguish smile that always irritates me.

"Can you not do that?" I voiced my annoyance.

"Well, it got your attention," she stated as she placed a bite of her food on her mouth.

"You could just call me."

"I tried, but it didn't work... so, I thought this was better. You seemed to be deep in thought," she reflected. "Something you wanna share?"

"Not really..."

"Come on," she pressed, leaning closer over the table. "It's me! You know you can tell me anything, don't you."

"...Yes?"

"Well, what makes you doubt? We've had this conversation already."

"Rin—" I said tiredly.

"Nao, we're in this together. You have nothing to worry about. You're gonna graduate and we're going to get out of here and travel and meet people and everything!"

If only that were true.

"You make it sound so simple."

"It is simple."

"It is not, Rin." I mused. "I... I don't know for how long I'll be able to keep up."

"Don't be silly. We're all going to graduate. The six of us."

I looked around once again to see that nothing had changed. Kiyotaka, Mikoto and Tsukasa were eating as if they were oblivious to their surroundings while Karma's eyes drifted between his food and Tsukasa. One comfortable at the top, another fighting for the third spot, while Mikoto was closer to becoming fourth after Karma's latest defeat. Rin, in front of me, was also quite comfortable with her second place in the overall ranking.

And then, I, sixth, barely able to finish the physical exercises, I was the punching bag in martial arts and training with blades. Sure, I was usually in the top three when it came to academics and logical exercises but that was far from enough. Even Mikoto who was just awful in tests involving logic and mind games could keep up thanks to her academics being similar to Karma's.