CHANGED - Classroom of the Elite

44

"Nagumo begged me for my help the other day." Kiryuuin brought up on the roof top during lunch that day. "The day we didn't meet up."

"Really? What'd you reply with?"

"That he lost my interest quicker than paint could dry and that if he kept obsessing over your daily schedule, he would lose to me before he could even think about being a tyrant."

"Wow, aren't you protective?" Suzune replied, sarcasm rolling off her tongue with flowing ease as she painted her nails.

"Very." Kiryuuin grinned, before it twitched and morphed into confusion when she saw Suzune waving her freshly coated fingernails around in the air like a crazy Cricket fan. "... what are you doing?"

"Making it dry faster."

"That's not-" Kiryuuin tried to give a retort, but found no words, deciding to just shake her head and steal more of Suzune's lunch.

"Exactly."

---

Suzune was running errands at the mall when Kanzaki called out her name. "Horikita!"

"Hm?" She unwrapped her lollipop and shoved the wrapper in her shoulder bag. "Yeah? What's the problem?"

"I... I need you to clarify something for me." The class C student admitted, looking suddenly sheepish.

"Depends on what it is."

"Can we..." Kanzaki looked around them before leaning in and talking quieter. "Can we take this elsewhere?"

"... are you the reason behind class D doing so well? Or is there someone else?" He asked when they found a place out of prying eyes (except for the cameras, but he doesn't seem to be registering those right now.)

His eyes were pleading with her not to lie.

"Are you implying that my leadership skills aren't enough?" She wondered with a blank expression, staring into his soul. Kanzaki's face morphed into panic and before the poor guy could get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, Suzune waved him off. "I'm joking, calm down. And to answer your question, it was a group effort."

Kanzaki's gaze sharpened. She knew that he knew he couldn't refute her claim because it was literally the actual truth. For those looking on the surface, at least.

'One step for character growth, one step for mankind.'

"Is there any way for you to help Ichinose?" He suddenly blurted out.

Suzune cocked her head. "What way are you looking for?"

"... I know Ichinose trusts you a lot, probably more than me." He said, clenching and unclenching his fists as he kept trying to keep his composure. The guy needed a good movie night. "I want you to change the way Ichinose thinks."

"Do you know how she thinks now?" Suzune asks. "Do you know if she's begun changing her ways already?"

"... not exactly." Kanzaki admitted. "But no matter; all I know is that she's created a class of yes people. And I want to change that."

"Oh-kay." Suzune swiftly checks the time on her phone. She's got five minutes to spare. "Do you realize that she's probably feeling pretty exhausted from having to carry class C on her back for the past year and a half?"

"... yes." Kanzaki muttered, cheeks tinting pink. "I may have been a little childish about this whole ordeal."

"If you really want to change the way class C runs," Suzune took a swig of her lollipop and dangled it around her fingers. "Then just tell Ichinose your thoughts. As amazing as she is, she can't mind read, believe it or not. She'll listen to you; I know she will."