COTE Y3V1 [Trial]

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TABLE OF CONTENT

1. The End of a Journey

2. Confusion

3. Confirming the Truth

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ILLUSTRATION

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1. The End of a Journey

I arrived at school a little earlier than usual, trying to keep my excitement in check.

Climbing the still unfamiliar stairs, I reached the floor where the third-year classrooms were. Soon, I saw the plaque on my classroom door—"Class 3-A."

I stopped and stared at the shiny plaque.

"So, I've finally made it..."

It still didn't feel real, but I knew this wasn’t a dream.

From Class 1-D to Class 3-A, the journey had been anything but easy.

There were happy moments, but also hardships I couldn’t forget.

Yamauchi, Sakura, and Maezono…

They left our class, and their sacrifices got us here. I must never forget that.

Back when I first entered this school, I had no clear goal.

I was just following in my brother’s footsteps.

But my brother kept his distance, always pushing me away.

Even so, as I went through school life, I finally understood his true feelings.

I realized that simply chasing after him and denying my own potential wouldn’t get me anywhere.

Now, I’m a part of the student council and was even chosen to give a speech at the entrance ceremony.

It feels unbelievable how far I’ve come.

And I can’t forget—Ayanokoji played a big role in this journey.

If he hadn’t been in my class, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

I would have remained immature, clumsy, and unable to connect with others.

He can be hard to read and sometimes even frustrating, but that’s just part of who he is.

That day, I set my sights on graduating from Class A—not just for my brother, and not just for myself.

I wanted to share that victory with everyone in our class, including Ayanokoji.

Because this place, Class A, is not something anyone could reach alone.

I must never grow complacent.

For now, the road to the top has only just been paved.

There’s still one more year of school left.

Right behind us, Ryuuen’s class is closing in.

Even though there’s some distance, Ichinose’s class and Sakayanagi’s former class are still formidable opponents.

No matter what, they’ll do everything they can to surpass us.

On the other hand, we must fight to stay ahead, to ensure they never catch up.

I exhaled and looked away from the plaque.

The time for celebration ends here.

It’s time to refocus.

With that in mind, I opened the classroom door.

Inside, a large monitor—acting as a blackboard—displayed the assigned seats.

"My seat is… the second row from the hallway, fourth from the front."

That would be my seat on the first day of Class 3-A.

And right next to it, in the first row, fourth seat from the front—Ayanokoji’s name.

"Sitting next to him again… huh."

The seating arrangement was different, but two years ago, we were seatmates too.

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2. Confusion

After the opening ceremony in the gym, the new third-year students returned to their classroom.

A few minutes passed, and just as the chime signaling the start of second period was about to ring—

"…That’s strange."

Horikita glanced toward the hallway several times, tilting her head in confusion.

"What’s up? Something bothering you?"

Sudou, seated diagonally behind her, asked with a hint of concern.

"I haven’t seen Ayanokoji since the ceremony ended. It’s already time for class."

Everyone else was in their seats as expected—except for him.

Even though there were no classes after this, he was supposed to be here now. If he was late without a valid reason, the school would take note.

Horikita knew from experience that one absence wouldn’t cause a major drop in class points. But this was the first day of Class 3-A, and Ayanokoji wasn’t the type to stand out or be careless like Sudou and Ike had been in the past.

That’s what made his absence feel unusual.

"Now that you mention it… but I’m pretty sure I saw him when we left the gym."

Sudou gazed upward, trying to recall his memory from less than 30 minutes ago.

"Yeah, I think so."

Horikita also remembered talking briefly with Ayanokoji that morning about their seating arrangement. He had seemed completely normal, with no signs of anything unusual.

"Maybe he just got a stomachache and is stuck in the bathroom?"

"I can’t say that’s impossible..."

The thought was a bit crude, but it was a reasonable possibility.

Still, something about it didn’t sit right.

Just as she was mulling over it, Sudou suddenly crossed his arms and nodded as if he had figured something out.

"Maybe he’s faking sick."

He smirked slightly, as if picturing the scenario in his head.

"Faking? Why would he do that?"

Horikita asked, puzzled by the unexpected suggestion.

Lowering his voice, Sudou leaned in.

"He just broke up with Karuizawa, right? Must be awkward facing her."

"Skipping class over something like that? Besides, he seemed fine this morning."

"Yeah, but maybe actually coming to school made it hit him harder—like a delayed gut punch. I mean, I’ve been through a breakup too… it messes with you."

Sudou met Horikita’s eyes for a moment before quickly looking away, a little embarrassed.

Having confessed to her during last year’s school trip, he was speaking from personal experience.

Horikita recalled that moment and the emotions he must have felt. It did feel a little awkward.

"…So that’s how it is?"

She had never thought of herself as being above anyone in romance. But no matter what, breakups always divided people into those who left and those who were left behind.

For Horikita, who still lacked much knowledge or experience in relationships, it was difficult to fully grasp.

Seeing her slightly conflicted expression, Sudou awkwardly scratched his head.

"Well, I’m fine now. I’m just saying, Ayanokoji might be more sensitive than we think. Dating within the same class can get messy afterward, y'know?"

He glanced toward Karuizawa.

"I mean, she’s been avoiding him all morning."

Horikita remembered how, until the end of the third semester, Ayanokoji and Karuizawa had shared a closeness that made it difficult for others to approach them.

But this morning, there was no sign of that.

Not just in terms of physical distance, but emotionally as well.

Perhaps relationships really do make human interactions more complicated than she had assumed.

"I get what you're saying, but they must have been prepared for that when they started dating, right?"

Horikita had no intention of meddling in their relationship, but she knew that not all breakups were smooth. Surely, they had considered the risks.

"That’s not how it works. Nobody starts dating while planning for the breakup. Even underclassmen have told me they struggled with awkwardness after splitting up."

Horikita glanced at Karuizawa, careful not to be noticed.

She sat near the back by the window, staring outside, looking somewhat downcast.

"I would have expected at least some level of risk management..."

Even if that were the case, it didn’t change anything.

Being absent or late just because things were awkward wasn’t excusable.

"But still… I don’t think that’s the reason."

Whether it was a stomachache or the emotional impact of the breakup, Ayanokoji had seemed completely normal that morning.

Of course, he could have been hiding it well, but that didn’t seem like his nature.

"Well, I’m just saying it’s a possibility. If he’s a little late, just cut him some slack."

"Once, sure. But if it happens repeatedly, we can’t ignore it as a class. Either way, we’ll find out soon enough."

Whatever the reason, Horikita was sure of one thing—Ayanokoji wouldn’t just disappear from school without a word.

The chime rang through the classroom.

The first thing Horikita noticed was their homeroom teacher, Chabashira, looking unusually flustered.

As she scanned the room, her face quickly turned pale.

Her strange demeanor immediately drew concern from the students. Her eyes were unfocused, staring blankly into the distance.

For a few seconds, she stood at the podium, saying nothing, simply looking—or rather, not looking—at anything in particular.

There was no strength in her gaze, only emptiness.

Even the most oblivious person in class would have sensed something was seriously wrong.

Horikita had intended to ask about Ayanokoji’s absence right away, but the atmosphere made that impossible.

Clearly, Chabashira’s condition was the more urgent matter.

"Sensei, are you okay?"

Before Horikita could act, Hirata spoke up first, trying to get a response.

But Chabashira didn’t react.

It was as if she hadn’t even heard him.

The students, who had been silently observing, began to grow uneasy.

"Um… Sensei?"

Kikuchi, who sat at the front, hesitantly called out.

Even from close range, there was no response.

She didn’t move.

Growing more concerned, Kikuchi stood up and waved a hand in front of Chabashira’s face.

Finally, the teacher seemed to notice.

Her eyes flickered toward Kikuchi… then drifted away again, this time landing vaguely in Horikita’s direction.

Or at least, that’s how it seemed.

But their eyes never actually met.

She was simply staring in that general direction, still distant and unfocused.

It was clear—Chabashira couldn’t hear them.

Was she unwell?

She had seemed fine before the opening ceremony, which made this sudden change all the more alarming.

Whatever was happening, they couldn’t ignore it.

It could be something serious.

As Horikita pushed back her chair and stood up to approach the podium—

"I'm... fine."

Had she heard them all along? Or was she only now registering their voices?

Though lacking energy, Chabashira muttered those words.

"You say that, but you clearly don’t seem well."

Hirata, relieved to at least get a response, pressed for confirmation.

"…That’s… no, really, I’m fine. It’s just…"

Chabashira trailed off, placing a hand on the podium for support.

She looked at Horikita again, but her eyes weren’t focused on her.

Instead, her gaze was locked onto the only empty seat in the room—Ayanokoji’s.

"Did something happen to Ayanokoji?"

Had he been injured on the way back from the gym? Or had he suddenly fallen ill?

That would explain Chabashira’s shaken state.

Maybe Horikita’s guess wasn’t too far off.

Her question should have reached Chabashira.

But instead of an answer, there was only silence.

A silence that hinted at something serious.

"Was it an injury? Or an illness?"

Growing impatient, Horikita pressed for an answer.

Chabashira shook her head slightly, indicating their assumptions were wrong.

So it wasn’t an injury or illness—at least, it wasn’t an emergency.

But then why did she look so grim?

"Come on, just tell us already! Something happened with Ayanokoji, right?"

Ike, sensing the tension but losing patience with Chabashira’s vagueness, urged her to speak.

Chabashira glanced at him, then scanned the entire class.

Her heavy expression didn’t ease their concerns.

"To be honest..."

She finally opened her mouth to speak—only to shut her eyes and fall silent again.

But she couldn't stay quiet forever. Taking a deep breath, she faced them again.

"I have something to tell you. Earlier this morning… No, just a little while ago, a student used their Private Points to exercise a right."

Her words were hesitant and unclear, leaving the class confused.

"Huh? What does that even mean? What did they do with their points?"

The vagueness only led to more speculation. Was this some kind of trouble caused by another class?

Then—

"It was Ayanokoji."

Chabashira’s grave tone filled the room.

"He exercised a right."

The class exchanged puzzled glances. What kind of right?

"…The right to transfer classes."

Before anyone could ask for clarification, she said it.

Ayanokoji had transferred.

But that made no sense.

A transfer would mean he moved to a lower class.

And more importantly—was that even possible?

"Chabashira-sensei, if this is a joke, it's not funny. Try considering how seriously we’re listening right now."

If transferring between classes were that easy, no one would struggle.

Everyone knew that moving to another class required 20 million Private Points—an impossible amount.

Some students started to believe Chabashira was joking.

"I agree with Horikita. More importantly, are you really okay, sensei?"

Hirata frowned. Not only was Chabashira's statement unbelievable, but it also contradicted common sense.

Was she feeling unwell, or was there something else?

"Could this be part of some kind of special exam?"

At almost the same time, Sudou crossed his arms and voiced a logical thought.

Given how bizarre Chabashira’s behavior was, a test where they had to analyze her words and actions seemed more realistic than the idea that Ayanokoji had transferred.

"I understand why you’re all confused. But… it’s the truth."

"Even if you say that—"

"Check the OAA. Look at the class roster."

Still refusing to back down, Chabashira instructed them to open the school app.

"This is going too far, even for a joke…"

Despite her skepticism, a sliver of unease crept into Horikita’s mind.

One by one, the students followed instructions and pulled out their phones.

The class list for 3rd Year A Class should have displayed all 39 students.

If Ayanokoji’s name was there, then this was all just some weird misunderstanding.

If it wasn’t—

Horikita’s finger hesitated as she scrolled up and down.

She looked again.

And again.

Ayanokoji’s name was nowhere to be found.

He had disappeared from the list as if he had never been in A-Class to begin with.

This kind of OAA update—Horikita had seen it before.

When Katsuragi Kouhei transferred.

When students were expelled.

"Just now, the OAA was updated. Ayanokoji’s data has... moved."

Chabashira’s words confirmed what their eyes saw.

"W-What are you saying, Sensei? That’s impossible…!"

Horikita’s voice trembled without her realizing it.

"As of today… Ayanokoji has transferred to Class C."

Chabashira finally said it.

There was no room for ambiguity anymore.

Ayanokoji had been absent since the opening ceremony—because he had already left this class.

"Eh?"

Horikita’s mind understood the words, but her body refused to accept them.

"What are you saying...? Ayanokoji-kun, moving to Class C...?"

"Sensei, that's a terrible joke. It's not April Fools' Day today."

Most students weren’t even half-convinced. They outright dismissed it as a lie.

"I don’t like these kinds of jokes either."

Badump, Badump, Badump.

"Sensei, you're really acting strange today."

Badump, Badump, Badump, Badump, Badump.

Stop.

Horikita murmured internally.

Why was her heartbeat so fast? So loud?

She understood, but didn’t want to understand.

Her heart pounded uncontrollably at this awful joke.

"I feel the same disbelief you do. But... it’s the truth."

Badump, Badump, Badump, Badump, Badump, Badump, Badump.

"That’s impossible. This has to be a mistake."

Horikita refused to believe it.

She pulled up the 3rd Year Class C OAA list.

If this were real, Ayanokoji’s name should be listed there.

But that’s impossible.

Absolutely impossible.

And yet—

His name was there.

Right in front of her eyes.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Horikita’s thoughts completely shut down.

"T-This is a lie, right, Sensei...? Ayanokoji-kun, moving to Class C...?"

Even Matsushita, usually composed, raised her voice in panic.

Some students gasped at her uncharacteristic reaction

.

"It’s the truth… It’s not a mistake."

Chabashira kept checking her tablet, as if desperately seeking another explanation.

Horikita wished she could stop time right now.

She couldn’t process it.

Ayanokoji had transferred.

No matter how many times she thought about it, it made no sense.

It shouldn’t have happened.

After all the struggles, after clawing their way up from Class D, they had finally reached Class A.

The next step was to defend their position for the remaining year, working together as a team.

And yet, he had left. For Class C, of all places.

What reason could he possibly have?

"B-But what about the Private Points? Even for him, 20 million is an absurd amount—"

"We don't know the details yet. But if the school has officially approved it, then he must have found a way to pay."

"Wait, if that's true, then Ayanokoji... Why? I don't get it."

"This makes no sense. We just reached Class A, and on our very first day, he moves to Class C? The class that just lost Sakayanagi?"

"What the hell is he thinking... Does anyone know anything?"

"No. I haven't heard anything from him recently." 

Akito replied, shaking his head.

"If even Horikita didn't know, then I doubt anyone else does.

Even Yukimura and Miyake, two of Ayanokoji's closest friends, confirmed they hadn’t been told anything

"Could it be because Karuizawa dumped him? Maybe he was too embarrassed to stay in the class?

"No way. Even if he was embarrassed, where would he get the money to transfer?"

"Maybe he begged someone to lend it to him? No, that doesn’t seem likely..."

"Does this mean... he betrayed us?"

"Wait a minute. He didn’t move up—he moved down. That’s not normal. It’s not like he’s riding the winning horse now... that Sakayanagi is gone. And it's not like he got kicked out like Katsuragi."

Shinohara’s voice carried uncertainty and Hondou echoed her confusion.

Nobody could imagine why Ayanokoji would do something like this.

Or rather, most of them never even considered the real possibility—

That Ayanokoji alone had the power to change the fate of an entire class.

Some might think he transferred because he wanted an easier life.

But in that case, staying in Class A and doing nothing would have been far easier than moving to a struggling Class C.

"I don’t understand. Dropping down a class is weird, but maybe Private Points were involved. If he was offered enough money to cover not just the transfer, but also his entire living expenses for the next year—"

"That would be even weirder."

Hondou cut in.

"Think about it. That would mean Class C was desperate enough to pay a fortune just to recruit him. But why him? Sure, he's been making some impressive moves lately, but still..."

Horikita felt her breath catch in her throat.

Even if she couldn’t grasp Ayanokoji’s motives, it was entirely possible that Class C—formerly Sakayanagi’s class—had made a move to acquire him.

And if their goal was to turn things around, then pulling Ayanokoji in might actually be the smartest strategy.

But would he really go along with something like that?

"That makes sense..." 

Kushida murmured, maintaining a calm and composed tone.

"But still—"

"Honestly, is this really such a big deal?" Ike shrugged.

"It’s not like we lost someone critical, like Horikita or Hirata.

"Kanji... You don’t get it."

Sudou muttered as he leaned forward.

"This isn’t just any transfer. You really think this won’t affect us?"

"I mean, come on. Even if he’s gone, it’s not that big of a deal, right?"

Several students seemed to agree, believing that Ayanokoji’s absence wouldn’t make much of a difference.

But Kushida shot them a look of disappointment.

"You guys have no idea how important Ayanokoji-kun really was."

"Huh...?"

"Just because it wasn’t obvious doesn’t mean he wasn’t contributing. In fact, I’d bet he’s been quietly helping the class all along. Isn’t that right, Horikita?"

Horikita hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes. Regardless of his reasons, if Class C wanted to recruit someone who could turn the tide for them, there’s no better choice. If he truly didn’t matter, then why would Chabashira-sensei look like that right now?"

Everyone turned to look at their homeroom teacher.

Chabashira, who had been listening to their conversation in silence, still looked completely stunned.

Shinohara and Hondou exchanged glances.

"Wait... seriously?"

"Horikita is right..." Yukimura admitted.

"If he hadn’t been in our class, we probably wouldn’t have made it to Class A."

"That doesn't mean he was the only reason, but... without him, things will definitely change. But why did he leave?"

No one had the answer.

If anyone in this room understood the full story—

Naturally, all eyes turned toward Karuizawa.

After all, she had spent the most time by Ayanokoji’s side as his girlfriend.

Maybe, just maybe, she knew something.

"Karuizawa-san, did he tell you anything?"

"…No."

Her voice was quiet.

"I really don’t know anything."

She didn’t even turn to face them.

Her usual confidence was gone, replaced by an expression clouded with unease.

Was it because of the transfer?

Or was she blaming herself for breaking up with him?

Horikita shook the thought from her mind.

This wasn’t the time for that.

If Ayanokoji had really transferred—

Then they had much bigger problems.

"If this was a mistake, we can still cancel the transfer, right?"

"Only if it was done illegally. But if that were the case, whoever was responsible would face severe punishment—including Ayanokoji himself."

Horikita clenched her fists.

"Then… could he have been forced? Or Threatened into transferring?"

That was the only explanation that made sense to her.

Because otherwise, this transfer should never have happened.

"We don’t know," Chabashira admitted.

"But one thing is clear—this is official. The school has already accepted it and Ayanokoji is no longer in this class."

Horikita bit her lip.

"But that doesn’t mean it’s over."

At that moment, Hirata spoke up, calm and composed.

"The first thing we need to do is accept reality."

“Reality…? What do you mean by that?”

“I mean exactly what I said. Ayanokoji has transferred to another class. That’s an undeniable fact. The school has already approved it and the proof is that he’s no longer here.”

“But that’s… that’s not real proof. Maybe he’s just feeling unwell, or maybe there’s been some kind of mistake…”

“As the teacher explained, even the OAA system confirms his transfer. No matter how much we don’t want to believe it, we have to accept it first.”

Hirata continued speaking calmly while Horikita found herself at a loss for words.

Kushida, observing the conversation, seemed somewhat intrigued.

“You’re awfully calm, Hirata. Whether it’s a transfer or an expulsion, a classmate has disappeared, yet you don’t seem shaken at all.”

Hirata had always been someone who deeply cared when a classmate was at risk of expulsion. Even after they left, he worried about them more than anyone else.

“A transfer and an expulsion are completely different things. Especially if it was his own decision. Besides, panicking won’t change anything. No matter how much we protest, Ayanokoji isn’t coming back.”

“That’s not like you, is it? Horikita still hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a mistake. Normally, you’d be the first to support her.”

Some students in the class were managing to stay composed, but Hirata was the most notable among them.

He had also been unusually passive, choosing to observe the class rather than immediately getting involved.

“What exactly are you trying to say, Kushida?”

Sudo stood up, dragging his chair back.

He suspected that Kushida was once again trying to stir up trouble in the class.

“I’m saying that without any real information, discussing this now during homeroom won’t lead to any clear direction. Right, Chabashira-sensei?”

Kushida tilted her head slightly and turned her gaze toward the hallway.

The other classes seemed to have already finished homeroom, as the hallway was getting noisier.

“…Yes, that’s true.”

The classroom had good soundproofing, so normal conversations wouldn’t be heard in the hallway.

However, if someone got close to the door, they might be able to pick up bits of the conversation.

There could be students outside eavesdropping with bad intentions.

Seeing this, Sudo nodded in understanding and sat back down.

“That concludes homeroom. However, I don’t want anyone harassing Ayanokoji about this. As of now, he hasn’t done anything against the rules.”

Even though she had just as many questions as the students, Chabashira, as a teacher, had to ensure that no one acted rashly.

As an adult, she had to give a proper warning.

“I agree with Chabashira-sensei. Not only from a rule standpoint but also because we don’t know the full story. If a large group of us suddenly approaches him, it could create unnecessary trouble. I’ll try to confirm the situation first, so please remain calm until then.”

“She’s right. And not just about Ayanokoji—make sure you don’t cause any conflicts with other classes either. If anything happens, report it to me or the school first. Understood?”

Realizing that continuing to stand in silence wouldn’t help, Chabashira firmly placed her hands on the podium, as if trying to ground herself.

---

3. Confirming the Truth

Since official classes wouldn’t begin until the next day, the first day of the new school year was over by around 11:30 AM.

Or rather, it had ended before I even realized it.

The shocking news that Ayanokoji had transferred—

I couldn’t believe it. No, I refused to believe it.

There was no way it could be true.

No way at all.

I kept repeating those words in my mind like a mantra.

But…

But no matter how much I wished otherwise, this wasn’t some misunderstanding or a bad dream.

It was reality, unfolding in real time.

I wanted to see him.

I didn’t want to see him.

To be honest, part of me was scared to face him.

No, that was a lie.

I was terrified.

Terrified beyond words.

As I struggled with my emotions, I looked down at my hands.

They were trembling.

Just thinking about it made my body shake.

My mind was trying to reject the thought entirely.

But… even so… I had to find out the truth from Ayanokoji himself.

I couldn’t just give up.

He hadn’t explained his reasons yet.

I couldn’t make any judgments until I heard it from him directly.

Maybe he was carrying a burden he couldn’t share with us.

I had to confirm it for myself.

Fueled by that one thought, I stood up.

“...Horikita.”

As if waiting for me to move, Hirata had approached without me noticing.

Sudo and a few other students were also watching.

“I’m sorry, but this will have to wait. I’m going to see him now.”

I didn’t have the mental energy for unnecessary conversations.

Without grabbing my bag, I walked out into the hallway with just my phone in hand.

A decent amount of time had passed since the end-of-day chime rang.

The hallways were already filled with students heading home.

But as soon as I stepped out, I sensed something strange in the atmosphere.

I didn’t know whether the teachers had made an announcement or not, but one thing was clear—

All the students in our grade already knew about Ayanokoji’s transfer.

The curious stares directed at me made that obvious.

Of course, those gazes carried all sorts of assumptions.

Some probably thought he was sent as a spy to another class.

Others might believe we forced him out.

Or that he betrayed us.

Baseless rumors were surely spreading like wildfire.

But right now, none of that mattered.

I didn’t even understand my own class’s situation, let alone Ayanokoji’s.

Without hesitation, I threw open the door to what was once Sakayanagi’s classroom.

If he was still here—

That was my hope.

But as I scanned the room, I unconsciously counted the desks.

Even though Sakayanagi had withdrawn from school, the number of seats hadn’t changed.

Still, that wasn’t the issue.

Only a handful of students remained inside, and Ayanokoji wasn’t among them.

“Shijo.”

Random MF from Class C

I called out to the closest student.

“You need something from me?”

“You already know why I’m here. Where’s Ayanokoji?”

“He left a few minutes ago. If I had to guess, he’s probably heading to Keyaki Mall.”

“I see. Thanks.”

That meant there was no reason for me to stay here any longer.

As I stepped back into the hallway, I immediately noticed some students smirking at me.

It was frustrating.

It was true that our class was caught in the middle of a mess, but their reactions made it worse.

I quickened my pace, pulling out my phone to call Ayanokoji.

The call rang, but didn't answered.

Was he not noticing it or was he ignoring it?

“Horikita.”

As I made my way toward the school entrance, Matsushita called out to me.

“Sorry, but I’m in a hurry.”

“I know. You’re going to see Ayanokoji, right? Let me come with you.”

She matched my pace, walking beside me.

“Why do you want to come?”

“...Because I want to know why he transferred. Just to confirm—this wasn’t part of your plan, was it?”

“Unfortunately, no. Transferring him to Ryuen’s class might’ve made strategic sense, but dropping him to Class C serves no real purpose. Now that Sakayanagi is gone, there’s no reason for him to join that class.”

“...I thought so. Which means Ayanokoji made this decision on his own, without telling anyone.”

“I don’t know. Maybe someone asked him to, or maybe he was forced…”

Could it be that "he" was offered a large sum of money?

For a moment, that thought crossed my mind—

But my brain immediately rejected it.

Ayanokoji wasn’t the type to be swayed by money.

And someone of his caliber wouldn’t transfer just because of some threat.

The reality I didn’t want to admit—

This meant that his transfer was something he had personally decided on.

The worst possible scenario.

“I don’t want to make assumptions. I need to hear it from him first. So, you should wait—”

“I would, but I want to hear his explanation with my own ears. I want to know if he had a real reason—one that makes sense to us.”

She was right.

I needed an explanation that I could accept.

Ayanokoji rarely spoke about himself.

Because of that, people often misunderstood him as incompetent or untrustworthy.

But in reality, he always put in the effort to help our class—even if he found it troublesome.

So there had to be a reason.

Something must have compelled him to act.

Maybe he sensed a hidden danger in Sakayanagi’s former class.

Or maybe… he was under immense pressure.

Maybe he had no choice but to go alone.

Like a hero in some movie.

Of course, that was just my wishful thinking.

But that wasn’t the point.

I just wanted him to talk to me.

No matter the reason behind his decision.

Leaving the class without a word—

That was something I couldn’t accept.

“Ayanokoji… why?”

Was I really that unreliable?

“…That’s ridiculous.”

Yeah, ridiculous.

Even I had to laugh at myself for asking such a thing.

To him, I was still just a child.

I wasn’t someone he could rely on.

“Horikita, are you okay?”

“I’m… fine.”

Matsushita looked at me with concern, as if she had heard my unspoken thoughts.

“It’s Ayanokoji we should be worried about.”

His transfer had already been finalized.

But there was still a chance—

A chance that this wasn’t what he truly wanted.

And if that was the case, we had to help him.

Not just me.

Our entire class needed to come together and use our private points—

To bring him back.

---

3.1

I arrived at Keyaki Mall based on what Shijo-kun had told me.

Following the directions I got from some random students, I made my way to the café.

If the information was correct, Ayanokoji-kun should be here.

What kind of expression is he wearing right now?

What is he thinking?

Suppressing my impatience, I finally reached the place.

At the far end of the café, I spotted Ayanokoji-kun, along with Hashimoto-kun and Morishita-san from Class C and Ichinose-san from Class D.

"There he is..."

"Yeah..."

He looked as composed as ever, conversing with those around him without a care.

"It's like he doesn't feel anything about transferring classes..."

It had only been about an hour since it happened.

Yet, he acted as if it was already in the past.

"First, we need to talk to him. Everything else comes after that."

Now wasn’t the time to jump to conclusions.

I forced myself to move forward, ignoring the heavy feeling in my steps.

Just as I was close enough to call out to Ayanokoji-kun, Hashimoto-kun, who had already noticed me, quickly stood up.

"Yo, Horikita. We're in the middle of a strategy meeting here. Got some business?"

I was fully aware that they’d treat me like an unwelcome intruder.

But right now, the only person I wanted to talk to was Ayanokoji-kun.

"I’d like to speak with Ayanokoji-kun."

"If you want to talk to our leader candidate, you'll have to go through me first."

"...Leader candidate? That's quite sudden."

"It’s not sudden at all. We've been waiting for this moment. Right, Ayanokoji?"

Hashimoto-kun smirked, seeking agreement from Ayanokoji-kun.

I wanted him to shut down such a ridiculous claim immediately.

But I couldn't bring myself to meet Ayanokoji-kun’s gaze.

Because I wasn’t sure I could handle whatever he was about to say.

"I won’t deny it. As long as Sakayanagi was around, it wasn’t even a possibility."

I didn’t want to hear that.

But I ignored it and pressed on.

"Why? Why would you transfer classes?"

"You’re getting ahead of yourself."

"Sorry, but I need you to be quiet right now. As the class leader, I have to understand the situation."

"I see. So you’re speaking as the class leader. Well, it’s only natural to confirm things when a classmate suddenly leaves. But that also means I can’t let you get the answers you want. After all, if you're struggling, that only benefits us."

Hashimoto-kun smirked.

He was right. From Class C’s perspective, turning me away was the smarter move.

"No need to glare at me. But by the way, what’s Matsushita doing here at such an important moment?"

He eyed her suspiciously.

Hashimoto-kun was always sharp. And as expected, he picked up on the detail that could cause trouble.

Instead of ignoring it, he deliberately stirred the pot.

How should I respond?

Just as I was about to think of an answer, Matsushita-san stepped forward.

"I'm just an observer. I’m here to gather information and report back, nothing more. Unlike Horikita-san, I don’t have any strong feelings about Ayanokoji-kun’s transfer."

She intentionally took on the role of the villain, making it easier for me.

I silently nodded in appreciation.

"I see. Yeah, I guess for most students, this transfer must seem strange. After all, there’s no reason for someone like Ayanokoji to move down to a lower class. The real question is, why would Class C even accept a student like him?"

That was the key issue.

Only a few people—like Sudo-kun and me—truly understood Ayanokoji Kiyotaka’s abilities.

Even Matsushita-san shouldn't know much about him.

Ayanokoji-kun glanced at me before shifting his gaze back to Hashimoto-kun, who had started sitting down again.

"What Matsushita said about being an observer is just a cover."

"A cover? Looked like Horikita was convinced, though."

"It’s a difference in perspective. To Horikita, Matsushita is just a regular classmate. But in reality, she’s far more perceptive than she lets on. She’s been evaluating my abilities for a long time—maybe even more than Horikita herself."

I turned to look at Matsushita-san.

She tried to maintain a calm expression, but I could see a hint of unease.

Had she known about Ayanokoji-kun’s true potential longer than I had?

That’s what his words implied.

"She probably thought she couldn't leave this matter to Horikita alone. So she came to see for herself—what I’m thinking, why I transferred. If you only looked at her OAA scores and daily life, she’d seem like just another honor student. But in reality, she’s one of the sharpest minds in Horikita’s class. She never shows her full potential, always working in the background. In fact, she’s probably analyzing this situation more calmly than Horikita right now."

"Wow, Ayanokoji-kun. You really think highly of me, huh?"

Matsushita-san tried to downplay it, but Ayanokoji-kun didn’t stop.

"It’s the truth. You’ve helped me before, staying behind the scenes when I needed it. Even with the matter of Maezono’s expulsion, you played a part. I’m just giving you the credit you deserve."

Ayanokoji-kun’s words made Matsushita-san visibly uneasy.

He had just exposed the connection they had kept hidden.

Was he trying to make it clear that she was no longer his ally?

Or perhaps, to him, revealing this didn’t even matter.

Ichinose-san, who had been listening with interest, rested her chin on her hand and smiled.

"I never knew you were that reliable, Matsushita-san. Looks like I’ll have to keep an eye on you from now on."

It felt like the ground beneath me was shaking.

Like I was losing my balance.

This wasn’t just uncomfortable. This entire situation was hostile.

"Ayanokoji-kun... what is your real reason for transferring?"

"You don't need to look for a reason. The fact that I moved from Class A to Class C is all that matters."

He turned away, ending the conversation.

I clenched my fists.

"You're not even going to explain? People will see you as a traitor."

Matsushita-san tried to push further.

"Most of them already do."

He didn’t care how others saw him.

This wasn’t about resolve or determination.

He simply didn’t think that way.

"I see."

There was no point in staying.

Nothing I said would change his mind.

And deep down, I had known that from the start.

If I really wanted to avoid this, I could’ve waited until we were alone at the dorms.

But I had come anyway, unable to hold myself back.

"Let’s go, Matsushita-san. It’s clear now—he’s our enemy. There’s no need to show any restraint from here on out."

Turning my back on him, I walked away.

But I wasn’t sure what I was feeling anymore.

A dull headache.

A dizzying sense of unease.

Something I couldn’t quite put into words clung to me as I left.

---

Translator Note

Thanks for reading. This was Extended Trial of Y3V1 that Kimirano has released.

I forgot to add honorifics... Well, it's become habit of mine reading Yen Press Translation.