Classroom of the Elite (Ayanokoji Kiyone)

Volume 5 : Epilogue

Horikita Suzune POV

Finally....

Ryuuen : "Ho~ So you didn't run away after all, Suzune"

Suzune : "I'll be damned if I run away here. Of course I'd come"

Ryuuen : "Your heart's in the right place. You've become a finer woman than you were before, Kukuku~"

I'm not pleased one bit even if he praises me in such a manner.

Suzune : "But before I talk with you...let's put an end to this farce already, shall we? Kushida-san"

Kushida : "E-Eh? F-Farce? What do you mean by that?"

In the school building bathed in evening light, I stared straight at Kushida-san.

Suzune : "I don't really mind you playing the good guy here but that's not what you're after right? This sports festival. You leaked the information. That's why Class C was able to pull it off so brilliantly. The fact that I'm here like this now with Ryuuen-kun is also for that sake...am I wrong?"

Kushida : "...Come on, where did you hear something like that from? Hirata-kun? Aya-chan?"

Suzune : "No. These are my own thoughts. I couldn't shake off that sense of unease. He's the only one here right now. Isn't it about time we confront one another?"

Kushida : "Confront each other? What do you mean?"

Suzune : "At the very beginning, I saw you on that bus trying to convince Koenji-kun to give up his seat. To be honest with you, I didn't recognize you back then. But I immediately remembered you afterwards...."

I looked Kushida-san in the eye. If she is indeed colluding with Ryuuen-kun, then she'll interfere.

Up until now, she hadn't done so because she didn't see a need to.

Suzune : "Kushida Kikyo-san. I remembered that a student like you had attended my 'middle school'"

Even she wouldn't be able to keep up her constant smile if I revealed something like that.

Right in front of my eyes, for the first time, I saw her change expressions.

But that led to yet another smile.

Kushida : "Of course you'd remember immediately. I was quite a 'problem child'"

After saying that, Kushida-san stopped speaking and simply lowered her eyes in silence.

Suzune : "I don't believe that phrase is quite accurate. You were not a problem child, just like how you are in Class D right now, you were a student everybody trusted in. But—"

Kushida : "Can you cut it out? Stop reminiscing about the past"

Suzune : "That's right. No point in talking about the past now"

Ryuuen-kun listened to our conversation with a smile as though he were enjoying it.

Kushida : "If we're on the same page then you understand, don't you? What I'm thinking about doing?"

Suzune : "Yes. I've already realized it. That you want me out of this school. But aren't you also taking a big risk? If I reveal the truth, you'll lose your current standing, no?"

Kushida : "Me? Or Horikita-san? It's clear who's trusted more. I guess it's what you'd call hedging risk"

Suzune : "But if it were revealed, wouldn't you be in trouble too? For instance, even if no one believes what I have to say, they will still harbor doubts. At the very least, you cannot deny the fact that we did attend the same middle school"