Classroom of the Elite: Checkmate

Chapter 33 - Good Bishop

Hirata Yosuke was a popular person.

Questioning the 'why' was irrelevant.

He was good-looking, kind and intelligent, even if his limitless innocence stopped him from reaching his full potential. His outstanding grades and the position as a regular in the soccer team had earned him a spot as one of the most prominent and coveted first-years in the school. It wasn't surprising that many girls in our grade and beyond had considered dating him before he and Karuizawa announced their romantic relationship in April.

Their admiration for him would grow even further if the truth about their bond were to be exposed. His girlfriend would lose her reputation, the respect of her classmates and the safe space in which she had holed herself up, while Hirata's prestige would soar due to the selflessness and compassion he had displayed for a fellow schoolmate.

But why would he limit himself like this?

Our highschool life was filled with beautiful girls, 'fateful encounters' and interesting opportunities. This school's special environment granted more benefits for adolescent teenagers in their prime than a normal one ever could.

Students had their own private quarters and none of our guardians were authorized to visit the premises. Neither males nor females had to share their rooms with a second or third assigned roommate for three entire years.

What would this mean?

That it would be impossible to determine whether a certain someone was sleeping in their own bed during the night.

Sexual intercourse was fair game as long as no one got pregnant, molested or raped.

Rumours surrounding Kouenji and his many flings with the third-year women had reached Kikyou as early as April, but nobody, including the staff members who were supposed to enforce the school's rules, paid attention to this clear violation of guidelines.

Why would he give up on such an opportunity?

Hirata got nothing out of his arrangement with Karuizawa.

He never received her love in an emotional or physical sense.

They walked around holding hands and she might cling onto his arm when they were on a 'date', but there was no affection between them - no passion or pleasure he could escape into when he craved human warmth. His boundless kindness would never allow him to take advantage of a girl in such a difficult situation, no matter how appealing she was.

Chiaki should have recognized this hoax as our relationship kept developing, but some truths were harder to grasp onto than others. She knew Hirata and Karuizawa too well and never considered that they could be a fake couple. The former had a heart as vast, vivid and bright as the sun, while the latter had no apparent reason to lie.

My girlfriend wouldn't doubt their words.

Despite all this, he had been placed in Class D.

What caused his defect?

Deep down, all humans were ugly and selfish.

Trusting another individual, no matter how good-natured they might be, was difficult. You always had to ask yourself whether the outcome would benefit the person you were putting your faith into, or you would risk immediate betrayal. Men and women acted in their own best interests first before considering the circumstances and pain of others.

Hirata Yosuke was no exception.

Our classmate in tarnished armor was an indispensable existence to ensure Karuizawa Kei's survival, but he never played the boyfriend for her sake. He did so for himself, to quench his misguided savior complex - to atone for a traumatizing incident that haunted him to this day and turned him into the honorable person we became familiar with.