Classroom Of The Elite : { Necrotic }

Arc 2 : [ Mind Field ] Part 3 : { On My Mind }

Kushida Kikyo's Point of View

Many people always underestimate how important and useful the ability to perfectly conceal your emotions can be. But for the rare few that don't, like me, we have always been able to slip past the radars of the people 'close' to us, no matter how much they think they know us.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I can't make any real friends or ever had any. It's just that I'll never truly put other people over me, as ironic that is to admit with my fake self existing and all.

Used to... at least...

A mask crafted to please everyone, feeding my need to be validated by the mobs around me. The attention was addicting but at the same time, it ate away at my real self. This fake version slowly devoured every part of my life the more my cravings for validation grew.

But now, without the mob of people to feed me, my fake self died. That part of myself was useless now that my source of my addiction has been cut out.

All that attention... I'll miss it...

Under the safe roof of my dorm room, lazily slumped down on my couch in casual clothes, I endlessly flipped through channels that all covered the same news. The sun had gone down a few hours ago, meaning that my internal clock that signalled me to go to sleep would be in effect soon.

Letting out a groan, the boredom of my now extremely mundane life got to me.

Still beats having to be wary of fucking zombies all the time, tho... maybe I'll invite the girls over to watch movies tomorrow...

My eyes hazyily closed, the light in my vision slowly dimming the closer my eye lids got. Finally, they shut, putting my mind to sleep with the television running in the background.

"Hey, Kushida. Are you still awake?"

A voice from my front door woke me from my nap. I wasn't sure who it was because of my state, but It sounded familiar. I fixed my appearance and went to answer the door. They kept on knocking on the door, irritating my already slightly ringing ears.

Ugh... who's it now...

"Alright! I'm up! Learn some damn patience!" I shouted at the guest.

I furiously opened the door, being met with an unexpected sight. My eyes were torso level to my guest, making me slowly look up to meet their gaze. Short-Hazel hair, I was face to face with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. He was wearing the same battle armour he always wears nowadays. In one of his hands, he carried a bag of assortments I couldn't make out.

Has he grown taller...?

"Good evening, Kushida. Sorry for the abrupt visit." He spoke, the light of the dorm hallways illuminating his head.

"Tsk. Do you know what time it is? If I didn't know you, I would've closed the door on your face immediately."

"Does that mean I could come in...?"

I gave him a deadpan face before rubbing my temple.

"Fine... I can't just leave you in the cold now, could I? After all, who knows how long you've been waiting here for."

Ayanokoji usually isn't this pushy, rapidly knocking on doors or calling out to the residence, unless it's urgent or he's been waiting for a while already.

We sat at my coffee table, facing each other.

"So, what brings you here, Phantom-kun?"

"Phantom-kun?"