Standing at the Top

Part 8 (Volume 2) and Poll Results

Kiyotaka POV

I finally approached the girl that has been following me. I snuck up to her and asked a question while preparing my phone.

"Why were you following me?"

She looked back surprised that I was there. Then she tried to calm herself and asked a question.

"What do you mean I've been following you?"

I opened my phone and showed her photographs of her looking in my direction. There were plenty of them.

"I took these in the cafeteria, library, the pathway to the dormitories, and even when you were eavesdropping earlier."

"How would you know that those aren't just coincidences?"

I was prepared for every question she could have up her sleeve. I even took measures while she was following me.

"How? I've seen you tail me multiple times when I went to a detour after school. I frequented places multiple times and I even switched detours. Now let me ask this again. Why were you following me?"

"Do you think I'll tell you?"

"No, but what if they never find evidence?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about me helping Class C instead of Sudou. You should know your situation by now. One misstep and your back to having zero points. Your class might not even try after that."

Sudou, Yamauchi, and Ike told me that this girl tried to tutor them at the start but they all refused her help. The only interactions with Class D were those three.

That means that she was either irritated that I helped them because she wanted them to fail after they refused, she was just curious as to why I helped, or that she was observing if I would help their class again.

But if she was irritated or was just curious, that would just leaf to her confronting me immediately instead of just tailing me and observing my actions. If the last one was true then we can assume that she is striving for her class to rise up at the very least.

She flinched after hearing what I said. However, it was only for a bit. She remained somewhat calm although she was sweating. These actions were peculiar.

"You have some sort of way to win the trial don't you?"

She was visibly shocked at what I said.

"How would you even know that?"

"Your reaction was what gave it away. If you had no way of doing that, your reaction would be bigger. However, since you are still acting quite nervous I know it wasn't a surefire way to win."

"My God....I don't even have the words."

Shock and confusion were shown in her expression.

"So, why were you following me?

I decided to ask nonetheless for confirmation.

"I was curious to why you would help those three."

"If you were just curious, then why tail me for the longest time?"

"....I was checking to see if you were willing to help our class again. Your meeting with Kushida-san and the others confirmed that for me." She said in a low voice.

"I see."

"But why help Sudou?"

"I guess I just wanted to help a friend."

"Are you really the type of person to do that?"

"What do you mean?"

"No..it's nothing."

"I assume you would stop following me from now on. By the way, what was your method of overcoming the trial? Was it through connections to the student council president?"

I heard from Hashimoto that the student council will be the judge of the trial.

"What? No...but how would you know about that?"

"You're name was Horikita so I just made a guess. Then, what was your method? I would appreciate it if you just met up with them earlier and told them that."

Horikita was still speechless. After a while, it seems that she wouldn't do anything so I left her alone. What a troublesome girl. I guess I'll just ask her some other time.

Horikita POV

Apparently, he's a lot more than he let's on. His skills in observation and deduction are top notch. On top of that, he seems to be able to make threats that have no escapes. To think that he was even able to corner me like that...If Class D were to fight against Class A, I feel as if they wouldn't even stand a chance to him. It would be absolutely necessary to bring him to our side at all costs.

*Poll results*
If you're wondering what was the delay, it was this...
This was just suffering. So with the rules and without the rules I put out the result won't change. But I still counted the invalid votes anyway...and checked for repeats...

Results:

With Rules (No repeat votes, first comment only)
Arisu- 58
Kamuro- 45
Honami- 6
Hiyori- 2
Suzune- 2
Kiryuiin- 2
No ships- 2
Chabashira- 1
Asahina- 1
Hashimoto- 1 wtf?
Sato- 1

Including invalid votes (no repeats)

Arisu- 72
Kamuro- 56
Honami- 7
Suzune- 7
Hiyori- 7
Kiryuiin- 3
No ships- 2
Chabashira- 1
Asahina- 1
Hashimoto- 1
Sato- 1

Just saying but I will still include moments of the characters who lost. The higher the rank the higher the chance.