Classroom Of The Elite: Excitement for the Genius

Chapter 12: Being popular is not easy~

Kiyotaka's PoV

Today is the first day of July. We haven't received any points from the school. It's not something I'm too concerned about, though, because I'm sure Chabashira-sensei will address it in class later.

It's been a few weeks since the midterm exams, and my calm and normal life has returned. Horikita's popularity and influence have grown since my speech for her, and she's now considered one of the most influential people in Class D, along with Hirata, Karuizawa, and Kushida.

Of course, being the center of attention also comes with its fair share of drawbacks. Horikita jabbed me in the arm with a compass needle as a sign of her affection - a classic tsundere move. Her actions have solidified her position as the class's tsundere, and our classmates seem to be eating it up. They see her as someone who acts cold on the outside but cares deeply for them on the inside.

Kushida, on the other hand, seems to be avoiding interacting with me as much as possible. I still don't know exactly what Shiroi whispered to her to make her so scared, but her behavior hasn't changed drastically despite the incident. It's as if she's trying to protect her image as the class angel, regardless of the drama that goes on behind the scenes.

As for myself, I enjoy my quiet life at school. Horikita and her posse keep things interesting, and I enjoy observing their antics from a distance. I may not have any major involvement in our class's daily life, but I'm content with my current role as an observer.

It's just another normal morning for me as I head towards the elevator. As the doors parted, I saw the familiar faces of Kushida and Horikita in front of me. 

Horikita's demeanor remained cold, as if she was still upset from the last time I made a tsundere joke about her. But Kushida, on the other hand, still seemed to be her usual self, with a brightly-smiling face and cheerful attitude as she waves at me.

"Getting in or not?" Horikita asks, not sounding too welcoming.

"I am. I will be getting in, if you don't mind." I reply, trying to keep the tension at bay.

As soon as I step into the elevator, Kushida greets me.

"Morning, Ayanokouji-kun. You've got a little bedhead going on in the back." she said, examining my hair.

"Morning, Kushida. And natural hair is in fashion these days, you know." I retorted, trying to make light of the situation.

Kushida laughed softly, "Hahaha. You're so funny, Ayanokouji-kun. Maybe I'll try out natural hair, too." she added, playing the part of the class's angel.

Despite everything, I continued to act as though I hadn't seen her true face, pretending to still be oblivious to her true nature. It was the safest way to operate for now.

I turn to Horikita and lean in to whisper, "I'm surprised to see you and Kushida together. Have you become friends now? Are you getting along?"

"You can save your bad jokes for someone else," Horikita replies, "She was waiting for me outside my door.''

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out into the hallway, where Horikita quickly sped ahead, leaving Kushida and I alone together.

"Aww... I was really hoping we could walk to school together," Kushida said in a sweet, innocent tone, but it was clear to anyone who knew her that her intentions were far from pure.

I know Horikita doesn't have the most advanced social skills, but I've seen her become more open and approachable lately. Perhaps she realizes that being personable and well-connected is a valuable skill to have, especially in a competitive environment like this school. But her sharp intuition must be telling her that something is off about Kushida, which is why she's keeping her distance.