COTE: The Best Version of Me

Chapter 8 - Classroom of the elite

Ayanokoji POV

As soon as I walked through the silent hallway, the atmosphere around me seemed to announce that something was out of the ordinary. The sound of my footsteps echoed faintly off the walls, but there was a strange stillness in the air, unlike usual. When I approached the door of the room, the atmosphere was surprisingly different from before. It was as if this door was separating me from a storm.

I took a deep breath before opening the door. Something told me that the atmosphere inside the room would be charged, and even though I didn't know exactly what to expect, I was prepared. As soon as I pushed the door open and walked in, the difference in the atmosphere was palpable.

I was greeted by an unusual atmosphere. The air was charged with something almost palpable, a tension that seemed to hang over the students like a silent cloud. The usual sound of soft conversation and laughter that used to fill the room before classes began had been replaced by an uncomfortable silence. It was as if everyone was waiting for something, or perhaps trying hard to avoid confrontations that had already occurred.

My eyes quickly took in the details around me. Some of the boys kept their heads down, their gaze fixed on their desks, avoiding any kind of eye contact. There was a weight in their posture, something that betrayed discomfort or regret. The girls, although less tense, still maintained an air of uncertainty. Everything indicated that something had happened, something that I had apparently missed.

I walked down the aisle between the rows of desks, my posture calm, each step measured, unhurried. My presence seemed to go unnoticed by some, while others cast quick glances, as if they were curious but at the same time hesitant to look at me for too long. It was fascinating how a single change in the dynamics of the room could completely alter the mood, as if everyone was caught in a silent dance of tension and discomfort.

It wasn't hard to see that I was one of the reasons for this tension. The hushed conversations, the murmur of rumors, which I assumed were probably about me and Honami. It was a curious sensation, but to me it felt more like a distant challenge than a real concern. It didn't matter. Whatever they had said or assumed, it wouldn't change the way I conducted my actions or how I saw the world around me.

Eiichiro, my best friend, was sitting with his head down at his desk, his shoulders a little more hunched than usual. He, who normally radiated a light and positive energy, now seemed to be gripped by something heavier. The tension was visible in his posture, and it caught my attention immediately. Even without knowing the details, I could infer that he had been involved in something that had shaken him.

I slowly started to put the pieces together. The tense atmosphere in the class, some boys trying their best to avoid my gaze, and Eiichiro being shaken... was he defending me?

I continued my walk towards him, my calm and collected posture unchanged. While the others seemed caught up in their own worries, my thoughts remained clear. There was something almost... intriguing about observing human behavior in these moments. The way everyone deals with their own dilemmas, how some people's discomfort can be visible while others try to mask it with forced smiles or averted glances. I didn't judge them for it. It's part of human nature.

But seeing him like this... it was certainly unpleasant.

I reached Eiichiro's side. He didn't notice me right away, still lost in his own thoughts. Without hesitation, I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, a simple gesture, but it conveyed everything I wanted to convey. Eiichiro was my friend, and I knew he always tried his best, even if sometimes his emotions got the better of him. I didn't need an explanation.