A Life Without Color

Chapter 15

The instructor went from desk to desk handing out exams. The fact that we'd all been chained to our desks for the first time since we'd arrived spoke to the seriousness of the situation. That man leaned casually against the wall in the corner.

"A word of advice," he suddenly spoke up, "Do your best on this exam, because the lowest scoring subject will be eliminated from the program." He stared directly at Sudou.

Not very subtle.

"Ike..." I heard Yosuke mutter behind me. It may have been an involuntary utterance, but it was one that all of them were thinking. Eliminated from the program like Ike. What did it mean? Where would they go?

Sudou had been the first one to publicly voice his doubts. From now on, the others would be more likely to consider the possibility out loud.

Sudou must be trembling in his boots right now. Even in this horrible situation, his human instinct to live another day would be pounding at his ribcage.

No point in flunking this one. I took a look at the questions on the page. None of it was even close to my capabilities. I guess to have a lowest scorer, they needed to make the test easy enough for anyone besides Kouenji and I to score above zero. I quickly filled out my test and raised my hand to signify that I was finished. Moments behind me, Kouenji did the same.

Looking around, it seemed to be mostly the same as usual. Sudou and Kei's faces were red with the strain of thinking so hard. Horikita was biting her lip, deep in concentration, furiously writing formulas and drawing graphs. The one person that was off was Yosuke.

Normally during a test, Yosuke affected a similar attitude to Horikita. He struggles to complete it but works vigorously and usually manages to get through a portion of the questions.

Today though, Yosuke didn't seem to even be attempting to answer. Something was different about him in general. He seemed calmer than usual. More serene. It was almost like he'd gone back to his old self.

I don't exactly like what I'm seeing here. I could try to stop him, but he'd only resent me for it.

The instructor snatched up the tests belonging to Kouenji and I, and nodded at one of the guards, who straightened himself up with a slight nod.

"Take them back to their room."

He rushed to comply, nearly tripping over himself to undo our restraints and yank us out of our seats.

"Careful there", Kouenji said to the guard who was hauling him by his elbow. "Move your hands up any higher, and I might have to insist that you buy me dinner first."

The guard flinched away like he'd been burned.

Interesting...

The guard holding onto me, a young man with a boyish grin barely hidden by a stern expression, reprimanded him.

"Get your head together, Negusha. If you get into trouble with the professor again, it's gonna be a problem."

Negusha, huh? Wasn't this the same guy that left us alone in the classroom when Ike had his panic attack? Seems like he hadn't gotten off Scott-free from that little mistake after all.

I'll have to remember to keep an eye on him.

_

This was my first night alone with Kouenji since I'd saved his life. I don't know what I was expecting. Probably not his heartfelt thanks. Maybe at least a little conversation? I was hoping we could start to talk things out. Lately, I've been having a lot of doubts about the way I've been treating him. At the beginning, I really did believe that I would be able to break him and remold him into an ideal tool.