I came, I saw, I lost! (Classroom of the Elite Fanfiction)

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Mornings in Class D were always lively because most of the students weren't the studious type. But today was different.

The usual noise was gone. Conversations were quieter, and even the ones who usually messed around weren't in the mood.

Sudo sat at his desk, arms crossed, eyes down. He didn't say anything, but it was obvious he knew. The class had chosen him over Sakura. Because of that, the class points they were supposed to get had disappeared along with her.

Horikita was silent as well. She had tried to save both of them, but in the end, only one could stay. No one was blaming her.

And then there was Hirata.

Normally, he was the one holding the class together, but now, he looked worse than anyone. His usual bright smile was gone, replaced by a vacant look. Even though he sat upright, his body language made it clear—he was barely holding himself together.

Then the door creaked open.

Kumagawa strode inside, flipping through the pages of a manga in his hands. He didn't look around, just walked straight to his seat, sat down, and continued reading like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Then, as if noticing something for the first time, he glanced up at the room.

『Oh? Everyone looks so gloomy. Did someone die? 』

No one answered. A few people gave him annoyed looks, but most of them just ignored him.

But not Hirata.

Hirata turned to Kumagawa, his expression dark. His usual gentle eyes were now sharp, filled with something uncharacteristic—anger.

『Huh. You're looking at me like I said something awful. Was it something I said?』

Hirata's fists clenched under the desk. He took a deep breath, his voice quieter than usual but trembling with frustration.

"Kumagawa-kun... can you not?"

『Not what? 』

"This isn't a joke."

『I never said it was. 』

Hirata slammed his hands onto his desk.

The sudden noise startled a few students. Even Sudo, who had been silent the whole time, flinched slightly.

Kumagawa, however, didn't react. He simply looked at Hirata with the same relaxed smile.

"You—! You act like none of this concerns you! Like losing a classmate is just some trivial thing!"

『It's not my fault. 』

Hirata shot up from his seat, grabbing Kumagawa by the collar.

"Enough!"

For a moment, the entire class froze It was uncharacteristic for Hirata to be angry—especially like this. He was always calm, always composed, the one who kept things together no matter the situation. Even when people argued, even when things got tense, he never raised his voice. That was just the kind of person he was.

『It's okay Hirata-kun, if you want to take out your frustration on me, go ahead. I don't mind. At least it'll make you feel a little better, right? 』

Hirata's grip tightened. His breathing was uneven, and his entire body tensed, like he was forcing himself to stay in control.

『I get it. Guilt is a nasty thing. You don't know where to put it, so you look for an easy target. It's okay, I don't mind being that target.』

His smile widened slightly.

『That's what friends are for, right? To carry your burdens when you don't know what to do with them. Since we're friends, I don't mind playing that role. 』

Hirata's hands shook. His grip loosened. And then, after a few tense seconds, he let go. He turned away, breathing heavily, and sank back into his seat. He didn't say a word.

The room remained silent.

Kumagawa straightened his collar, unfazed, then glanced at Hirata one last time.

『You can direct your anger at me anytime you want, Hirata-kun. Since I know you will never betray me, right? You will always save me, right? 』

Then, as if nothing had happened, Kumagawa sat down and flipped open his manga again, his eyes scanning the pages like he hadn't just thrown the entire class into disarray.

Ayanokouji, who had been watching everything unfold from directly behind him, finally spoke.

"...Why did you do that?"

Kumagawa didn't look up from his manga. He flipped a page, eyes lazily following the panels.

『Do what? 』

"Pushing Hirata like that."

Ayanokouji didn't respond right away. He had seen it clearly—Kumagawa had provoked Hirata on purpose, knowing exactly what buttons to press.

『Pushing him? That's a strange way to put it. I mean, what's the point of having a friend if you can't even use them when you're feeling like trash? 』

Ayanokouji remained silent. He only held Kumagawa's gaze for a few moments before shifting his attention elsewhere.

He still couldn't understand the person named Kumagawa. His actions were filled with contradictions.

He knew he could have saved Sakura, yet he didn't. And now, after doing nothing, he had gone out of his way to provoke Hirata, making things worse. There was no logic behind it—at least, not any logic that made sense to normal people. It was like he moved purely on impulse, doing things just to see how they would unfold, without any regard for the outcome.

Ayanokouji then noticed Horikita entering the classroom.

Unlike usual, she seemed strangely lethargic. Her steps were slower, her posture slightly stiff, like she was carrying an invisible weight on her shoulders. But the moment her eyes landed on Kumagawa—her exhaustion disappeared.

Anger burned in her gaze.

Right now, Horikita's anger for Kumagawa was likely at an all-time high.

Well, not that he could blame her.

Even a saint would struggle to forgive something like this.

『Man, Horikita-san, that's a scary look. Are you planning to stab me? Well, if you do, just aim for the heart—ah, but that's empty, so I guess it wouldn't do much. 』

Horikita didn't respond. She just kept staring at him like she wanted to erase his existence.

And honestly? She had every right to.

If there was a perfect example of the worst kind of person imaginable, Kumagawa fit the role effortlessly.

Ayanokouji observed them quietly.

Even if Horikita wanted to do something, there was nothing she could do. If she acted against him, her brother's reputation would be at risk. If she tried to expose Kumagawa to the class, her dream of reaching Class A would become a pipe dream.

And with Class D losing out on class points due to Sakura's expulsion, their situation was worse than ever before.

Horikita knew it too.

Kumagawa was a ticking time bomb. There was no telling when—or how—he would decide to do something next.

For a moment, she just stared at him, as if searching for some kind of answer. Then, she let out a slow breath and sat down in her seat.

"...Kumagawa, I hate you."

Her voice was steady, but there was no mistaking the weight behind her words.

Kumagawa blinked, tilting his head slightly.

『Really? How mean. I hate me too.』

Horikita didn't respond. She didn't even look at him anymore, she had already decided—talking to him was pointless.

『』『』『』『』『』

The class ended for today with nothing remarkable happening. Most of the students packed their bags and left quickly.

Hirata left first, not bothering to talk to anyone. His movements were stiff, almost mechanical, like a wind-up doll going through the motions.

Horikita stayed seated for a while, finishing her book before finally standing up and leaving without another word.

Kumagawa, on the other hand, remained in his seat, his head resting on the desk.

Ayanokōji, who had been watching him, finally spoke.

"You're not leaving?"

Kumagawa slowly lifted his head.

『...Ayanokōji-kun. Do you have any medicine for headaches?』

"If you're asking about headache medicine... shouldn't there be some in the infirmary?"

『Mm...』

Kumagawa avoided giving a clear response.

Apparently, going to the infirmary was too bothersome for him. He was like a child who didn't want to go to the hospital.

"If it hurts that much, then maybe you should just go home for today? Instead of going to the convenience store as usual."

By now, everyone in Class D was aware of Kumagawa's routine. Especially on the first day of the week—this was when his usual shipment of Weekly Shōnen Jump arrived.

『I'm not going, 』 he said, rejecting the suggestion outright. 『If I leave now, what will become of this school if I don't do my duty? 』

"I don't think anything will happen to this place just because you left early for one day."

『It can't be helped. I have no choice but to lie here and rest on this desk until tomorrow.』

"I didn't know you liked school that much."

『Ha ha ha. School is the one oasis in this tough, desert-like world, after all. If possible, I'd love to spend my life on school grounds until I'm 100 years old. 』

"Sounds like a pain."

『I'd love to build a penthouse on top of the roof and live there. 』

"Sounds like a crime."

『I'd love it if I were buried in the schoolyard.

"Sounds like a ghost story."

Ayanokōji sighed, giving up on trying to understand whatever nonsense Kumagawa was spouting.

It was just after the "go-home music" had played from the broadcast room when Kumagawa stretched and said, 『Mm, then time to go to the convenience store, 』 before casually heading out.

At the very least, he wasn't the type to ignore school regulations about closing hours. Much like every other student, Kumagawa properly followed the rules—when he felt like it.

It was way too random as to when he'd follow the rules and when he'd break them, and because his actions were so hard to read, it would probably be even more of a pain to try and take him on as an opponent.

Even now, as Ayanokōji watched him walk off, he couldn't tell if Kumagawa genuinely wanted something from the convenience store or if he was just going for the sake of it.

But Kumagawa himself didn't seem to care.

He walked leisurely, hands in his pockets, humming some off-tune melody as he made his way to the convenience store.

And then—

『Oh? Honami-chan. What a coincidence.』

On the way, he ran into Ichinose Honami.

Ichinose blinked in surprise before smiling.

"Ah, Kumagawa-kun! Are you heading to the store?"

『Bingo. What about you? Late-night snack shopping?』

She laughed lightly. "Something like that. I thought I'd grab something sweet before heading back."

『Sweet things, huh? You must really like them.』

"Of course! Sweets make people happy, don't you think?"

Kumagawa smiled.

『Maybe. But too much of them will rot your teeth, you know?』

Their conversation flowed naturally, like two ordinary classmates exchanging small talk. But Ichinose wasn't stupid.

She knew what kind of person Kumagawa was.

Ichinose maintained her bright, easygoing smile.

『Well, since we're already here, wanna go to the store together? I promise I won't do anything weird. 』

Ichinose tilted her head.

"Is that something you really need to say?"

『Of course. If I don't, people start assuming the worst about me. 』

"Uh-huh." She clearly wasn't buying it.

Still, she didn't reject the idea and ended up walking with him. They strolled toward the convenience store side by side, the warm glow of the streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement.

For a moment, there was silence between them. Then, Ichinose suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, Kumagawa-kun, have you ever been confessed to?"

『...Is that an insult? 』

Ichinose looked taken aback.

"H-huh? No, I was just curious."

Kumagawa stared at her for a moment, as if trying to gauge whether she was being serious. Then, he let out a chuckle.

『Well, I have been rejected twice. Does that count?』

Ichinose blinked in surprise. "Rejected twice...?"

『Yup. 』 Kumagawa grinned. 『Isn't that funny? I didn't even confess, but I still got rejected.』

"Wait... how does that even work?"

『Beats me. One day, two girls just came up to me and said, "I don't like you that way, so don't get the wrong idea." I hadn't even spoken to them before that.』

Ichinose stared at him, clearly unsure if he was joking or not.

"...That's kind of harsh."

『Right? But I lied, so that really doesn't count. But I do get rejected twice though. 』

"....."

Ichinose shook her head with and let out a sigh with a small laugh before suddenly looking thoughtful. After a moment, she spoke again.

"Hey, Kumagawa-kun, what do you think someone should do if they get confessed to out of nowhere?"

Kumagawa tilted his head, pretending to think about it.

『Hmm... That's a tough one. If it were me, I'd probably flip a coin. 』

Ichinose blinked. "Flip a coin?"

『Yup. Heads, I accept. Tails, I reject. Easy, right?』

She gave him a deadpan look. "That's terrible advice."

『I think it's pretty fair. That way, I don't have to think too hard about it.』

"So, if you got confessed to, would you flip a coin?"

『That depends. If they're a cute girl, I'd probably say yes.』

"...So, have you ever actually flipped a coin for something like that?" she asked.

『Nope. I don't carry coins.』

As usual, Kumagawa was spouting something incomprehensible. Then again, it wasn't like he had ever said anything that made sense to begin with.

For Kumagawa-kun, who repeatedly walked the tightrope of human relations in an outrageous manner, expecting a normal answer was pointless. He could give someone valid advice, only to contradict himself a second later.

It wasn't that he was lying—though he probably was—it was that his thoughts never seemed to stay in one place for too long.

Ichinose exhaled through her nose, shaking her head slightly as they continued walking. The convenience store was just up ahead.

The automatic doors slid open with a soft chime as they stepped inside, the artificial coolness of the air-conditioning washing over them.

"Well then, see you next time, Kumagawa-kun."

Ichinose gave a small wave, already making her way toward the refrigerated drinks section.

Kumagawa let out a chuckle, waving her off as he turned away.

Without hesitation, he made his way toward the magazine section. As usual, he would buy the newest Weekly Shōnen Jump release—one of the few constants in his life.

But when he arrived...

『Hmm? 』

The spot where his usual Shōnen Jump magazine should have been was empty. Instead, the shelves were filled with other, far less important books.

Kumagawa blinked. He stepped closer, crouching down as if the magazine might have simply fallen behind the others. He ran his fingers along the edges of the display, but the result was the same.

Nothing.

As he stared at the empty space, footsteps approached from behind.

It was the store clerk—the same one who had once stared daggers at him ever since that incident where he was framed for stealing a can of alcohol. At the time, the clerk had watched him like a hawk, as if waiting for him to slip up again.

But now, after so many repeated visits, the hostility had faded into something closer to reluctant tolerance. In fact, it was probably only Kumagawa who was consistent enough to show up at this exact time every week, without fail.

The clerk, arms crossed, sighed.

"You're looking for Shōnen Jump, right?"

Kumagawa looked up from his crouched position, offering a smile.

『Sharp as ever, Mister Clerk. Maybe you should become a detective. 』

The clerk ignored the comment. "The shipment got delayed this time. Some kind of complication with the distributor. Should be here by tomorrow evening."

『How will I ever recover from such a tragedy? 』

"Just come back tomorrow."

『Thank you for delivering such unfortunate news to me in person. It must've taken great courage.』

"...Just don't loiter," the clerk muttered before walking away.

Left alone once again, Kumagawa glanced back at the empty spot where his magazine should have been.

『Tomorrow, huh...? 』

He murmured the words to himself, an unreadable expression flickering across his face. Then, with a small chuckle, he turned on his heel and wandered toward the snack aisle instead.

『』『』『』『』『』

And just like that, tomorrow became today.

During lunch break, Kumagawa had nothing to do.

With the shippment in the evening, there wasn't much he could prepare in advance. He had already read this week's Jump upside down and backward, so that was out of the question.

Ayanokōji, as usual, was tailing behind Horikita—or more accurately, being dragged around by her.

With nothing better to do, Kumagawa made his way to the library.

As he stepped inside, the familiar scent of books filled the air. The library wasn't crowded, but there were enough students scattered around, either studying or pretending to study.

Kumagawa walked past them, heading toward the less populated section. He wasn't particularly interested in reading, but the quiet atmosphere was nice.

『Hmm... 』

His fingers traced along the spines of random books as he strolled through the shelves. He wasn't looking for anything in particular—just killing time.

Then, as he rounded a corner, he spotted someone familiar.

Sitting alone at a table was Hiyori Shiina from Class 1-C.

She was absorbed in a book, compeletely ignorning everyone around her.

Kumagawa tilted his head, watching her for a moment before casually walking over.

『Yo. 』

Hiyori slowly lifted her gaze from her book, blinking at him.

"...Hello, Kumagawa-kun."

『Reading something good? 』

"It's a mystery novel."

She closed her book slightly, showing him the cover.

『Mystery, huh? So, did you already figure out the killer? 』

"Not yet. But that's part of the fun, isn't it?"

『I dunno, I feel like skipping to the last page is faster. 』

Hiyori tilted her head, studying him.

"...That sounds like something a person who dislikes books would say."

『Oh, but I love books. Especially the ones with pictures. 』

"You mean manga."

『Same thing, isn't it? They both have words.』

She shook her head, clearly disagreeing but not in the mood to argue. Instead, she turned a page and continued reading.

Kumagawa leaned back in his chair, resting his arms behind his head, watching her.

The library was quieter than usual. Maybe because of the midterms coming up. Most students who came here actually needed to study, unlike him. He had no interest in exams, grades, or any of the things that made school "normal."

『So, do you come here a lot? 』

Hiyori turned a page. "Yes. I prefer it over the classroom."

Kumagawa tapped his fingers against the table, thinking. He wasn't much of a library person himself. Sure, he liked books—manga, mostly—but the whole "silent study" thing wasn't really his style.

『You ever think about reading somewhere else? Like, I dunno, outside?』

Hiyori finally looked up.

"I like the atmosphere here. It's peaceful."

『Peaceful, huh...』

He glanced around. A few students were huddled together, whispering about something. Others sat alone, scribbling in their notebooks. A couple of them occasionally peeked over at him and Hiyori, probably wondering why someone like him was even here.

『Well, that's enough pretending to be literate for one day. See you later, Hiyori-chan.』

It wasn't even five minutes.

Hiyori didn't stop him. She merely gave a small nod, eyes still on her book.

"...Goodbye, Kumagawa-kun."

Without another word, he left the library, stepping back into the noise of the outside world.

With nothing else to do, Kumagawa continued his way back to class. The rest of the day passed without anything remarkable happening. Teachers droned on about lessons no one really cared about, students either paid attention or pretended to, and lunch came and went as usual.

Kumagawa, for his part, spent most of the time either spacing out or doodling nonsense in his notebook.

By the time the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, the atmosphere in Class D was as sluggish as ever. Some students immediately packed up and left, others lingered behind, chatting or finishing up work.

『Ahh, another productive day of doing absolutely nothing. 』

As he stood up, he noticed Horikita glaring at him from her seat. She had been doing that a lot lately.

『Man, you're really holding a grudge. It's not good, you know, it's making you die quicker.』

Kumagawa only laughed before waving lazily.

『Well, later then. Try not to let your hatred consume you, Horikita-san.』

Ayanokōji, who had been watching from nearby, followed behind him slowly.

"Can you not try to antagonize her every so often?" he asked. "She always complains to me about you."

『Oh? Is that so?』 Kumagawa grinned, slipping his hands into his pockets. 『That's kinda funny, don't you think? Like a kid who eats something disgusting, gags, and then goes back for another bite. It's almost impressive.』

Ayanokōji gave him a blank look.

"That's not what I meant."

『Well, that's how I'm choosing to interpret it. 』

There was no point in trying to argue with him, so Ayanokōji simply let it go. They walked in silence for a bit before he spoke up again.

"...Are you heading to the convenience store?"

『Of course. Shōnen Jump should've arrived by now.』

"Is Shōnen Jump really that good?"

Kumagawa turned to him with an exaggeratedly shocked expression.

『Ayanokōji-kun... are you telling me you've never read Jump before? 』

"I've read books, but not much manga."

As they walked, Ayanokōji thought about it. Most of his reading had always been different from most people. He had never really considered manga as something worth investing time in.

"...Is it really that good?" Ayanokōji asked again, more out of curiosity than anything else.

『Why don't you read it and find out? 』

Kumagawa's words hung in the air as they continued toward the convenience store.

Ayanokōji didn't respond right away. It wasn't that he was particularly opposed to the idea, but the way Kumagawa spoke about it—as if manga was some grand, life-changing experience—felt a little ridiculous.

Then again, so did most things Kumagawa said.

As they walked, the school grounds had already begun to empty. Some students were still lingering, chatting with friends, making plans, or simply wasting time. Others were heading toward Keyaki Mall, either to grab food or just wander aimlessly until curfew.

The two of them entered the convenience store, the familiar chime greeting them as the automatic doors slid open.

Kumagawa wasted no time heading toward the magazine section, eyes scanning the shelves with the ease of someone who had done this routine countless times.

『Huh? Where is it? Did someone eat them?』

Ayanokōji glanced at him. "Eat... what?

『The new Shōnen Jump. It was supposed to be here by now...』

It was strange how Kumagawa could casually say something so absurd and act like it was the most natural thing in the world. Though, by now, Ayanokōji was used to it.

So, he had followed him here for nothing.

Letting out a small sigh, Ayanokōji turned away, deciding he might as well grab something from the snack section before heading back.

Just as he was about to turn away, he noticed something—or rather, someone.

A girl had approached Kumagawa.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice quiet, almost uncertain.

"U-Um... Kumagawa-kun..."

『Oh? What's up?』

Kumagawa turned to her, blinking in mild surprise.

"I... I wanted to talk to you. In private. If that's okay..."

Ayanokōji observed the exchange in silence.

It wasn't unusual for people to approach Kumagawa—though, usually, it was with complaints rather than requests. But this girl seemed different. Nervous. Shy.

『W-what should I do Ayanokouji-kun? Should I grab her boobs right now? It's a new situation even for me! 』

Kumagawa had just said something outrageous.

Ayanokōji didn't react, but the girl visibly flinched, her expression freezing for a moment before she quickly regained composure.

『Ah, my bad, my bad. That was just my way of saying hello. Please, continue.』

The girl hesitated, her fingers clenching the hem of her skirt.

"I... I just wanted to tell you something. I think it's better if we talk where no one else can hear."

With that, the girl quickly walked ahead, and Kumagawa followed after her without hesitation. He seems excited for some reason.

Ayanokōji watched them go, then looked back at the empty magazine shelf.

So, in the end, he really had come here for nothing.

『』『』『』『』『』

The next day, Chabashira arrived in class slightly earlier than usual. The moment she stepped in, the usual chatter among the students quieted down.

She made her way to the podium, with her usual emotionless face. But everyone could tell she wasn't here for a simple announcement.

"Before homeroom begins, there's something I need to inform you all about."

A pause.

Then, her gaze shifted toward a specific student.

"Kumagawa."

At the mention of his name, some students instinctively stiffend. Others exchanged glances, already expecting the worst.

"You're being accused of sexual assault and violence."

『Huh? 』

Kumagawa was not expecting this sudden development first thing in the morning.

『END』

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