Classroom of the Elite (Ayanokoji Kiyone)

Volume 5 : The Showdown

Ayanokoji Kiyone POV

The last event of the second half, the 1200 meter relay that would bring the sports festival to a close is about to begin. Tensions are running high for everyone other than Class D.

Hirata : *sigh* "So this is the final event......even for this one we'll have to prepare a substitute—"

??? : *pant* *pant* "Sorry, kept you waiting! What's going on?"

A breathless person came back, with Horikita arriving soon after.

Hirata : "Sudou-kun, you came back!"

Sudou : "......Sorry, it took me some time to take a dump"

He had a bright and cheerful look on his face. However, quite a lot of students turned to look at Sudou coldly. Sudou took their stares head-on.

Sudou : "Sorry. All because I snapped, I ended up hitting you, Hirata. Also, I caused our morale to plummet. It's also my fault that Class D is in such dire straits"

Before anyone could blame him, Sudou said that and gave a deep bow. If Sudou had been the way he was just a while ago, he wouldn't have done such a thing even as an act.

I feel like something must have definitely happened.

Hirata, after a brief moment of surprise, laughed happily.

His cheek, which had swollen up a bit, looked painful. But he doesn't even seem to care about that.

Ike : "W-What's up with you, Ken? This is unlike you"

Ike unexpectedly cut in after seeing that.

Sudou : "I have to admit I'm in the wrong if I have done something wrong. Please let me apologize to you too, Kanji"

Ike : "It's not like it's your fault I lost or anything. I'm not good at sports......I'm sorry I wasn't of any use"

One apology led to another. The students who were glaring at Sudou too, have been unable to produce results the way Sudou had.

Sudou : "If you haven't decided on the substitute for the relay then please let me run"

Hirata : "There isn't a single student other than Sudou-kun we could leave it to. Right, everyone?"

The rules for the final event, the 1200 meter relay, requires that boys and girls be mixed. From each class, the runners must be evenly balanced between male and female.

Three boys and three girls each must run 200 meters.

Suzune : "May I ask for a substitute runner......? I won't be able to produce satisfactory results with this leg"

After Sudou's case wrapped up, Horikita requested that with an apologetic look on her face.

Sudou : "Are you fine with that, Horikita? You tried so hard to be in this relay, right?"

Suzune : "...It can't be helped. In this state, I'm not even sure I can win against Ike-kun. Sorry"

Ike whisper to me

Ike : "Nee~ Ayanokoji-chan, did I perhaps even do something bad toward her? Why did she look down on me too much?"

Kiyone : "No idea, maybe you just happened the right person that anyone here could vented to"

Ike : "What do you mean by that?!"

In this somber and grim meeting, after Sudou had done so, Horikita also gave a deep bow.

I wonder if she's ever been this honest up until now.

Both Horikita's heart and body have been thoroughly demolished by Ryuuen. The role of anchor she holds onto tightly, on this day at this time, is all because she had pictured herself by her brother's side.