Classroom Of The Elite Year 2 Volume 9

Epilogue: A Touch of Anxiety

The day after the closing ceremony of the second term.

The Special Test is over and the students' long awaited vacation is about to arrive.

Even though it isn't a long vacation like the summer vacation, it's still a happy time for most students.

Their hard work of studying day and night was rewarded with a direct win against A Class.

The students will certainly enjoy their winter vacation.

Everyone thought so, except one student in the class.

As she sighed with melancholy, Kei Karuizawa, the only exception, was at the Keyaki Mall with her best friend Satou Maya.

She's always been good at putting on airs, and remained calm at school and studied hard even after her fight with Ayanokoji.

Because of that, the people around had no way of knowing that she was still troubled.

Her best friend Satou was one of them, but she still noticed that the two were unusually distant recently.

However, she thought that it was to focus on studies rather than because of a fight, so she hadn't followed it up until this day.

"Haa..."

"You're sighing so much. The studies are over, so we should be having fun now. What happened?"

"Hm? Really? Oh, it's nothing, so."

Karuizawa, who had been trying to avoid being noticed up to this point, found herself repeatedly sighing, perhaps unknowingly, as she relaxed after her studies, tests, and other areas she was not good at.

"...Really?"

"Really, really."

Karuizawa firmly replied, but Satou still had her doubts.

"This is going to be a thoughtless question, but weren't you intending on making plans with Ayanokoji-kun?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, our break is starting tomorrow. Normally, you'd be hanging out together, right? Shinohara-san and Ike-kun also happily told me arm in arm that they were going to the movies."

She pointed out that it was strange for Karuizawa to invite her and not have any other plans.

While Karuizawa felt that she had failed, the reason she was showing this attitude was because somewhere in her heart, she wanted to ask Satou for advice.

Karuizawa nodded and walked past the café, which was starting to get crowded.

They sat down together on a bench near the resting corner on the second floor of the Keyaki Mall.

"Hey, Maya-chan. I need some advice..."

"Sure. Totally fine with me."

She wasn't displeased, but rather enthusiastic, as she had been waiting for this.

"I think my relationship with Kiyotaka is in a bit of a tough spot..."

"H-huh!? Really!?"

Karuizawa revealed her pent-up feelings after carefully checking that no one was around.

Satou was startled, not expecting this bomb to be dropped.

It seems that she didn't overreact on purpose, and started composing herself again while clearing her throat.

"Your relationship is in a tough spot... You mean you could be breaking up?"

"I don't think that'll happen, but... but... These days, I can't help but think that it might."