Felix's Classroom Of The Elite

The next day, the meeting passed by pretty quickly without anything notable happening except for Manabe's attempts to flirt with me.

While having lunch, I received a message.

[Do you have any idea what happened to Hirata-kun?] It was from Horikita for the change.

[Are you worried about him?] Instead of answering her question, I asked her my own question.

[Don't be stupid, I am just curious since I heard that he shut himself inside his room without leaving except for the meetings. He also behaved really weird during today's meeting, this has never happened before.] *sigh* Tsundere alert here.

[Look Tsundere-san, you don't have to worry about him. He will overcome this by himself and if not...] I didn't finish the entire sentence to make her more serious about this situation.

[Who the hell is tsundere?! Does that mean it's your fault and what will happen if he fails?] It was easy to see even from the message that she was angry for a moment before switching to her serious side.

[Maybe...well, we better hope that won't happen. That's how I would explain it.]

[What really happened to him? What have you done?] She immediately replied after seeing the seriousness of the situation.

[I can't really tell you because it's not only about me but it also involves Hirata-kun. I can tell you a few outcomes...The best outcome is that when certain time passes he will become probably one of your biggest allies and helpers and the neutral outcome is that when certain time passes he will return to his old self. As for the worst outcome... you don't really want to know, believe me]

Stick to your own beliefs.

Accept the guiltiness you feel or be consumed by it entirely.

I really look forward to your development, Hirata-kun. I thought while coldly smiling at the vast sea illuminated by the sun rays.

[Just focus on your group and don't worry about him too much. By the way, have you noticed any suspicious behavior or moves from Kushida-san?] I still had no time to investigate Kushida due to investigating a lot of different spots on this ship for my plan with Karuizawa, so I asked Horikita who is with her inside the group.

[Ugh, I already told you that I am not worried about him and I never noticed Kushida-san doing anything suspicious]

(Horikita's POV)

Who the hell does he call tsundere?! I thought while gripping my phone with more force. I will teach him a lesson next time I see him.

But what really happened to Hirata... I looked up at the sky and my thoughts drifted into a recent past.

2 hours ago...

"Good morning, everyone" Someone entered the room and said with a dry voice.

I knew the person's voice but it was still hard for me to turn at that person after hearing such a dull voice without any emotions behind it.

I braced myself and turned at that person and saw Hirata stand there with big dark circles under his bloodshot eyes.

"Hirata-kun? Are you alright?" With a concerned face, I thoughtlessly asked him a question that I never thought I would ever ask anyone.

"It's ok, I can't drag down our group by missing out one of our meetings..." He said with an extremely ugly and forced smile. No...it couldn't even be called a smile.

He, the one who is always positive and has cheerful disposition actually said 'It's ok'. I know a few things about him just from observing him and he would say that he is alright or behave in an almost no different way than usually even if he was feeling truly depressed. That's who a student named Hirata is in my image.

Although Hirata said that he didn't want to drag our group down, during the meeting he was mostly absent-mindedly looking through the window.

Who could have caused him to be in such a state? Ayanokoji?

No, no, no. I immediately shook my head since he wasn't the one who would actively engage in conversations with his classmates.

It could be also someone from the other class but that doesn't make any sense since he looks like he is going through a lot inside his mind and I think that only someone close to him could cause something like that.

It was at that moment... A certain white-haired student with a cold ruby red eyes popped up inside my mind.

(Horikita's POV END)

This should be probably the best place where to lure both Manabe's group and Karuizawa. I investigate this place very carefully and after a few minutes of consideration, I decided to use it. It was the room located on the lower levels of the ship where students weren't really "allowed" but it was more like an unspoken rule because there was really nothing to do down here for us students and only crew of the ship had things to do here.

I also investigated how frequently crew comes into this room and I learned that they visit this room only in the evening. Of course, I don't take it for granted but every plan has its risks. In case they are discovered they can always make up an excuse, the crew isn't someone from the school after all. They have no responsibility to actually report small things like this to the school. I also chose this location because the signal here was extremely bad but it was only a small bonus, this bonus is more for Manabe's group rather than for Karuizawa.

*sigh* It is time.

[I am ready to arrange your meeting with Karuizawa-san] After a few minutes of hesitation I sent Manabe a message.

[Really?! Thank you a lot! Will you come too? ;) ] Reply came in a few minutes.

This was probably the first smart thing she did ever since she tried to seduce me. To ask me in the way that almost looks like inviting me...if I reply that I am too busy she will take my absence for granted. However, it seems that even though she tried to seduce me, she still doesn't fully trust me even after showing a few positive reactions to her advances.

[I would like to but I already promised my friends to go with them and this is the only day Karuizawa-san has some spare time. By the way, she won't be expecting you so take it slowly and give her time to adapt to the situation] This should be believable enough.

[I see...it's unfortunate that you won't be joining us but hopefully we will solve this conflict today]

After that, I sent her a message containing information about the place where they will meet Karuizawa.

I also contacted Karuizawa and she easily accepted to meet me there, unfortunately for her, she didn't know that the one who she meets there won't be me. It might look like I am heartless bastard betraying girl's trust in me but it's all for her well being in the future. Even I, myself have to force myself to actually do this but if this can truly help her for the price of her hatred towards me...I will gladly accept it. I am already prepared to be hated by her, I could make up a lie or excuse very easily but I won't because Karuizawa is one of the very few people I actually care about and I don't want her to think about me as a benevolent person when I am not.

...

I waited for them, hidden behind a few boxes right in front of the door to the room where everything will begin. Karuizawa already arrived there, much earlier than I actually asked her which only made me feel worse but I quickly pushed that feeling away.

"Haha, finally we will be able to take revenge for our Rika-chan" One of Manabe's friends said.

"Umm, you don't have to-" The girl spoke in a low voice. I never saw her with Manabe's group which must mean that she is Rika.

"Still, that guy named Walker is actually quite handsome, the only downside to him is that he is too stupid and behaves like most of the men." Another Manabe's friend interrupted Rika.

"Take it the way that you can make him your boyfriend and at least show around his appearance. That might raise your status a bit, haha" Manabe replied.

Disgusting. I spit on the ground next to me and any guiltiness I felt until now disappeared and was replaced by a hope that Karuizawa will actually teach them a lesson but even I knew that it was an only mere wish. I already know that she won't be able to use violence against them but as long as there will be any sign of struggling or resolve I will help her out. I didn't plan this to cure her trauma. Trauma can't be cured so quickly but there can still be shortcuts with great risks of course. But that doesn't mean that shortcuts only speed up the process, in this case, they can make her even stronger.

I noticed that her 'core' is extremely tough. Take for example Hirata's friend who attempted suicide after a few years of bullying. Karuizawa has a nasty scar on the right side of her torso which already tells that she suffered much more yet she endured it. I am not really someone who pities anyone and she might even be slightly at fault for being bullied, I don't really know her full story but I know that I can at least admire her for endurance. She even slightly resembles old me in some aspects.

...

I quietly followed after Manabe's group and started peeking and recording through the slightly opened door to be aware of the situation.

"Hello, Karuizawa-san, please meet Rika-chan, our friend here" Manabe introduced them with a cold smile.

"...W- what are you doing here?" Karuizawa was surprised when she saw them and her voice was slowly getting weaker.

"Rika-chan, is that the girl who pushed you?" One of the girls asked Rika, completely disregarding Karuizawa's question.

"...Y-yes" She said in a low voice, she was probably slightly scared because she knew what her friends intended to do.

"Why did you lie to us Karuizawa-san, huh? Are you actually enjoying bullying others?" Manabe bombarded her with questions as she kept on slowly walking towards her.

Karuizawa had anxiousness written all over her face.

They kept on talking for a while until Manabe finally mentioned me.

"What if I told you that the one who planned all of this is your good friend Walker-kun?" Manabe had a playful smile on her face.

"What? He- he would never-" Karuizawa kneeled upon learning this fact. Even I was surprised by this reaction. It seems that she trusted me even more than I thought.

After seeing her reaction, Manabe had a satisfied smile on her face but it didn't seem like she was planning to stop anytime soon.

She forcefully grabbed Karuizawa's hair and shoved her to the wall.

"Agh!" Karuizawa ġrȯȧnėd in pain when her back hit the wall, clutching her head to protect herself.

"Please..." She said in a low voice.

"What? I don't hear you!" One of the girls said and kicked Karuizawa into her brėȧst. Upon seeing this my eyes started to glow in threatening manner, I was slowly losing control so I had to bit my tongue. The pain finally woke me up. It's not like I want her to suffer but this is necessary for her development. I can just hope that she finds some strength in herself. Moreover, this is not the only test for her but also a test for me!

"How does it feel to be betrayed by your own friend, huh?" Manabe once again grabbed Karuizawa's hair and forced her to stand up.

There was only silence for a short time but I noticed a strange thing...She wasn't sobbing or groaning in pain anymore.

"shut up" Karuizawa quietly said while looking downwards so her expression wasn't clearly visible.

"Huh? What did you say?!" Manabe forcefully pulled her hair and asked in anger.

"I said SHUT UP!" Karuizawa shouted and looked straight into Manabe's eyes and then slapped her hand that was holding her hair.

"He wouldn't betray me! I don't trust you!" Karuizawa started shouting in a resolute voice.

"Y- You....bitch!" Manabe was startled by her determined face but she was still angry for Karuizawa slapping her hand away. She couldn't control herself and actually threw a punch towards Karuizawa's face.

After seeing the nearing punch, Karuizawa closed her eyes and put her hands before her face to stop that punch. But the punch never hit her.

"Walker-kun?!" Manabe shouted when she saw me standing right in front of her while holding her hand.

Upon hearing her shout, Karuizawa opened her eyes and when she saw me, they started to get wet.

Tch, shouting how you trust me and even crying when you see me despite guessing that I truly betrayed you is so....dumb.

But right now my focus was on somebody else...

I started to apply more strength to my grip and Manabe's face changed immediately to an ugly expression.

"Agh!! Stop it!! You are going to break it!" She started screaming while kneeling down.

"Don't worry, I will use just enough strength not to break your arm" I coldly said while showing them ruthless smile.

"Don't you have any shame?!! Hurting a girl!" One of Manabe's friends said with a scared expression.

"Shame? Girl? I am not discriminating...anyone who has the strength to physically hurt others should be capable of enduring a beating or two. And in case you have any thoughts about reporting this to school I would recommend you to stop them immediately" I said while showing them a video of them bullying Karuizawa.

"Yo- you recorded it?!" Manabe said in a pained voice.

"What a smart girl you are, Manabe" I mockingly said.

"Now get the hell out of here but remember...we aren't done yet!" I forcefully said and lightly kicked Manabe into the stomach but instead of clutching her stomach in pain, she clutched her hand I almost broke.

When they run out of the room while sobbing, I took a deep breath and turned around at Karuizawa.

"What they said...was it the truth?" She asked me while looking downwards but her voice was steady.

This is it...Maybe it would be better if she hates me after this. She was able to stand up against her ȧssailants which is already great progress. If she will actually forgive me I might become even more attached to her and I am not sure if that's a good thing or bad...

"Yes, I used both of you. Manabe and you." I didn't bother to say things like 'I did it for you', they are only excuses, it won't change the fact that I betrayed her.