My New Life

Chapter 80: One Step Back

"AAAH!"

I sat up abruptly from my bed, just staring forward.

Where am I?

Why is it so dark?

Is this even my bed?

I threw off the covers, slowly getting down onto the ground.

I can't, where am I?

I looked around, trying to find some sort of light.

A buzzing sound echoed off next to me, and I flinched at the noise.

I looked to see what it had come from, and slowly felt my breathing calm down.

My phone.

I walked over to my desk, picking up my phone.

I turned the flashlight on, and let out a breath of relief as I recognized the room I was in.

"Hm?"

Water?

I brought a hand up to my face.

No, not water, tears.

I was crying?

Why?

I couldn't remember.

Whatever woke me up, I feel like it was something that hurt me.

I was calming down now, I was feeling better.

I say that, but the moment I took a step back towards my bed, I felt my legs buckle from under me, and I gripped onto the mattress to stop myself from falling to the ground.

Whatever it was, whatever it was.

*hic*

It was breaking me.

...

"What does Shizukana-kun think about this?"

I paid back attention to what was happening in the class.

Smiling, I stood up from my desk, not missing a beat.

"I think it's a good plan. I've said so before that Horikita-chan wants to lead the class properly, and so I'll follow her lead. I believe a good follower has the qualities to be a good leader, I have no objections to this plan."

Horikita nodded to me, and I winked back, sitting back down.

It's undeniable that Horikita has caused a wave in the class.

She's broken out of her antisocial shell to address the class as a whole, coming up with plans for us all to follow with Hirata's help.

However, it goes without saying that many in the class still view me as the class leader, right along Hirata.

It's important to elevate Horikita up to that position as well.

It's also important to slowly lower Hirata from his position.

I've noticed something about him that's worth looking into, he's unstable.

There were hints of it during the island exam, but since then I hadn't had the time to actually look into it some more.

I've had a little bit of time lately.

I'm not completely sure about what exactly Hirata went through in the past yet, but it's clear to me that he feels at fault for it, and is trying to atone for it. Whatever 'it' is, it's the main reason he's so adamant on team cohesion, and it's also the main reason he starts breaking down when everything goes to shit.