Volume 16, Chapter 8: Horikita Suzune’s Choice, Part 1

After only a few minutes of listening to Ayanokouji-kun, the people around her made a 180 degree change in their evaluation of Kushida-san. Her friends were supposed to have a unity as strong as Ayanokouji-kun’s group. But now, for some reason, it seemed to be a very fragile relationship.

Even I, who knew of Kushida-san’s circumstances better than anyone else, now, if he were to ask me to nominate Kushida Kikyou for expulsion, I might’ve done so. That’s how tremendous the consequence of the conversation was.

I myself may have just caught a glimpse of the power that Ayanokouji-kun has before anyone else.

The class was like a hellish picture. The voting for Kushida-san, who would certainly receive the majority of the votes for her expulsion after this interval ends, would soon begin.

That was why this special exam would probably soon be over. Our class will be able to obtain 100 points while making a sacrifice. That will be a valuable asset in our quest for Class A.

But… Indeed, first of all, I would need to sort out the situation I’m in.

I’m sure that I am in the same flow of time as everyone else, but for me, the flow of time that ticks off even a single second was slowly but surely slowing down. The second hand of the analog clock, which didn’t look like something that would belong inside of our classroom, was getting slower and slower, as if it was about to fully stop moving.

On the contrary, my senses were getting sharper and sharper.

What is my purpose? I ask myself.

The answer, of course, is to graduate within A class. That is why class points were very important.

That much should be obvious. If that is the case, how much was Kushida-san’s worth?

It is difficult to give a clear evaluation to each student.

But if you were to ask me if she was worth at least 100 class points, I would say no right away.

Since this is the case, let me change my thinking.

If we were to fail this special exam, we would lose 350 class points.

If I could protect Kushida-san instead, could I calculate that her strengths will allow us to recover from such a handicap?

……I don’t think it’s absolutely impossible, but it’s difficult.

It wasn’t just just about her, it was about me as well.

It’s not worth losing 350 points for, so we should instead have Kushida-san expelled. This is a normal way of thinking.

Then what do I, Suzune Horikita want to do? What do I want to do with the student named Kikyou Kushida?

Do I want to help her? Do I want to cut her off with ease?

By focusing my attention, I transcend time and erase the concept of extraneous sounds.

Can I just leave everything to Ayanokouji-kun? Surely not. Then think again, What is right, what’s wrong, and is there anything that only I can do?

I acknowledge, respect and rethink the abilities of Ayanokouji-kun.

A ray of light shines through the darkness behind my eyelids.

───-Ah, that’s right.

Eventually, I arrived at one answer that I was certain of.

That Kushida-san will be expelled here and now.

That is “not the correct answer”.

And I became certain that I was the only person who could save Kushida-san here and now.

The time that had almost stopped thaws, and the second hand begins to move again.