Chapter 24

Seriously, this guy was evaluated as being good enough for a 'class of generational talents'? I became convinced that this school's evaluation was wrong. Maybe they had gotten Ayanokōji-kun and I mixed up somehow?

Horikita. What do you want?" he responded, looking bored.

I composed myself and took a moment to survey the room. I glanced from student to student, to see who I recognized and what immediately jumped out about them.

Ayanokōji-kun sat at the far side of the room beside the window. Next to him was a raven-haired boy with piercing amethyst eyes who looked thoroughly disinterested in our intrusion - judging by his appearance and attitude, he was Lelouch-kun. On his right was someone I didn't recognize. He had short, brown hair and deep emerald green eyes. He also seemed to be quite well-built, even when still wearing his clothes.

In the middle of the room was another student I didn't know. He had straight brown hair and brown eyes, and he was spinning a pen around in his hand. Objectively speaking, he was quite attractive. Seated beside him was a very odd-looking person. He had neck-length messy black hair and black eyes that unsettlingly stared back at mine. He was in a strange posture, perched on the edge of his chair instead of sitting in it. He is certainly a weird one, I thought.

The remaining two students were individuals that I had the displeasure of already being acquainted with - Sora-kun and Shiro-san. One month ago, they had burst into our classroom and, to tell a long story short, made a fool out of Class D. Irritatingly, it looks like these two have been judged as excellent by this school. I fought to keep my inner frustration in check.

"Nothing with you, obviously. I just wanted to come and see this stupid class for myself." I finally replied to Ayanokōji-kun's query.

"I see." he simply said.

"It seems like you all got quite monstrous scores on the pop-quiz test. I'd thought that I was the only one in this school to get a perfect score."

I turned to look at the sheet on the blackboard that Sakayanagi-san was referring to and couldn't stop my eyes from widening in shock. I felt like I could feel Sora's smug grin behind me as I glared at the scores stuck to the wall:

Ayanokōji Kiyotaka - 100

Shiro - 100

Sora - 100

Yagami Light - 100

Ryuzaki Rue - 100

Lamperouge Lelouch - 100

Kururugi Suzaku - 90

What this meant was that, if I took my pop-quiz test here instead, I would've had the lowest score in the class. I tightened my fist in annoyance. How does everything these guys seem to do get under my skin so much?

"What's wrong, Horikita? You seem somewhat vexed." The taunting voice of Sora-kun rang out from behind me.

"Just shut up, you stupid idiot." I snapped as I turned to glare at him. He paid no heed to my stare, though, and just laughed.

"You're calling me stupid? I take it that you got one hundred on this test as well, then?"

My words got caught in my throat and I couldn't say anything. After all, he did get a better score than me on this test. I had no right to call him an idiot.

"Of course Horikita-girl didn't, she's just a defect. If she was in this class, she'd have gotten the lowest score." Kōenji-kun commented mockingly.

"What are you saying, Kōenji-kun? I got the same score as Kururugi-kun which means I wouldn't have had the sole lowest score. Additionally, you also only got ninety points which means you're in no position to mock me." I retorted sharply, scowling at him.

"Fufufu, do you really think that I was taking this test seriously? If I, a perfect human, actually tried in this test, I would've easily gotten a perfect score. While it's true that we both got ninety marks, the difference is that you tried your best for your result whereas I barely tried at all."

Kōenji-kun claimed to have barely tried at all in the test and that we only got the same score because of that. I had no reason to believe him, of course, yet I still found that dealing with Kōenji-kun was exhausting. I looked at the Class E students and noticed that a few of them had raised an eyebrow at Kōenji-kun's declaration.

"Perfect human, you say? That's quite a bold assertion to make, but can you back it?" Sora-kun disregarded Kōenji-kun's statement with a chuckle.

"Don't tell me that you consider yourself to be above me? Don't get cocky just because you tricked my defective classmates with that card trick of yours, Sora-boy." Even when confronted with someone evaluated by the school itself as superior, Kōenji-kun's demeanour didn't waver.

"Do you really think you could outwit me in a match, Kōenji Rokusuke?" Sora challenged him with narrowed eyes.

"Ha ha, obviously. Besides, even if I couldn't then that doesn't make me inferior to you. In fact, mere games are the only things you're good at; compared to someone such as myself who is superior in all aspects, you are mediocre." Kōenji replied with a haughty laugh.

"Excuse me, Kōenji, but do you not consider that flippant attitude of yours to be a flaw in your so-called perfection?" The brown-haired boy with emerald eyes next to Lelouch said. Based on the facts, I assumed that he was Kururugi Suzaku-kun.

"Hah? Of course not, don't be ridiculous. My attitude is merely a reflection of my rightful position at the top of the hierarchy." Kōenji seemed to fully believe everything he said.

"Kuku, is this it then? I thought this would be a class of people who could actually entertain me, but you all seem pretty damn average to me. Right, Sakayanagi?" Ryūen said provocatively.

I turned to Sakayanagi-san and saw something unexpected. She was still staring dumbstruck at the scores stuck to the blackboard. Was she really that surprised that they got perfect scores? Or was there something more?

"Sakayanagi-san?" Kushida-san said, snapping Sakayanagi-san out of her trance.

"O-oh, right..." she mumbled in response.

Well this was certainly strange. I'd never thought that the 'princess' of Class A would act like this upon seeing a sheet of grades. What in the world has gotten into her? Whatever it is, it's probably pathetic, so there's no point paying it much thought.

"This must be why you were evaluated as a lowly Class C student, Ryūen. Did you really think we'd show you our hand this early just because you said you were disappointed? Don't make me laugh." Lelouch-kun sneered at Ryūen-kun.

"Look at you getting all cocky just because you spoke to me under the protection of a surveillance camera. Don't worry, little Lelouch, I'll soon have you along with the rest of your classmates bowing to me." Saying that, Ryūen-kun turned around and opened the classroom door.

"Well, this has been a rather spectacular waste of my valuable time. Looks like this class won't be getting me fired up after all." Kōenji-kun said that in a somewhat disappointed yet still conceited tone, before following Ryūen-kun out of the door.

"Fufu, I must disagree. I've found something, or rather someone, quite interesting thanks to this visit. I look forward to facing off against your class in the future, newly promoted Class D." Sakayanagi-san took a jab at me as she too took her leave.

I clicked my tongue in frustration as I also turned to leave the room. How the hell did that Ayanokōji-kun get judged so highly while I was placed in a place of defects? I'll have to go and get answers from Chabashira-sensei when I get the opportunity, I thought.

It looked like Kushida-san was staying behind to try and befriend the Class E students, so I shut the door behind me and departed. Honestly, what a pitiful conquest. Trying to make friends with everyone. I was almost sick then and there.

Ayanokōji's POV

May 1 came and went and, before I knew it, the school week was over. Lelouch and the others had started making a show of paying strict attention to the teachers now, which hopefully meant that our points wouldn't be jeopardized further. I noticed Lelouch in particular trying his hardest not to lose interest and doze off during class.

I was a little sleepy, myself. It was hard to stay awake just before lunchtime. Also, I'd stayed up late last night watching an online video. Ah, sleep would feel so nice...

"Hello!"

A voice like sweet, silver bells rang out as the Class D door swung open. Honestly, it still felt weird to refer to our class as Class D now after spending an entire month as Class E. In our classroom now stood a short and pretty girl with beige-coloured short hair. Her name with Kushida Kikyō, and she was one of the gems among the first-year students; kind and good-looking was apparently a killer combination.

"Ah, Kushida." I uttered in response on behalf of Class D.

Out of all the Class D students, I was the one who was closest to Kushida. I already had connections with her from before Class D (then Class E) was revealed, and Kushida had been taking advantage of our already existent connection to form relationships with the students of our class. Kushida bounded over to the teachers podium cheerfully and sat on it, looking over our class as her legs dangled down, rhythmically swinging back and forth.

"Can we help you, Kushida?" Light asked her politely.

Recently, Light had gained some popularity among the first-year girls. According to what Kushida had told me, I was in danger of being overtaken by him after the Class E reveal happened. It seems that after our class was revealed, Light had been free to be more outgoing towards the other classes and quickly formed a few social connections.

"Well, I'll put it bluntly. I want to ask for your help." Kushida said somewhat pleadingly.

"We'd be glad to help if we can, right guys?" Kururugi responded before anybody else could.

To be honest, I'd rather not involve myself in troublesome affairs just to help a student from another class, but it seems that the altruistic Kururugi Suzaku had other plans for us. Prompted by him, all we could do was nod our heads and hear Kushida out.

"So? What do you need help with exactly?" Lelouch sighed.

"Well, our class has started preparing for the midterms and Hirata-kun has made a study group, but there are still a few students who've refused to attend it; namely Sudō-kun, Yamauchi-kun and Ike-kun." Kushida explained the situation in Class E.

It seems that Kushida was worried about the three problem children. Ishihara-sensei had said that anyone who fails a real exam like a midterm would be faced with immediate expulsion after our pop-quiz test, so this was probably a serious matter for Class E who happened to have quite a few, how should I put it, "intellectually challenged" individuals.

"I was wondering if you guys could maybe help them. The only person in the school who was able to match the grades of this class is Sakayanagi-san, and she would never help us in Class E." Kushida said dejectedly.

I was pretty sure, no, I was almost positive that the majority of my classmates had no interest in volunteering to tutor a group of idiots. Kururugi was probably the only one that would willingly do such a thing - everyone else, like me, seemed to hate troublesome things. However, Kushida had a secret weapon. Even for people like me, her pleading gaze was near-impossible to resist.

"So, what you're saying is that you want us to teach them so that they don't get expelled?" Sora inferred, his grin slowly slipping away. "You know what, I'm willing to do it if you give me something in return, some favours perha--"

He never had the chance to finish his sentence as he was involuntarily made to scream in pain instead. From what I could make out, he had been struck mercilessly in the ribcage by Shiro, who wore a stern expression. Shiro was quite the possessive little sister, apparently.

"Kushida, I'll be straightforward. Did you come here expecting us to help you completely for free, out of goodwill?" I asked her. I had to discern what kind of person Kushida Kikyō was.

Last month, Kushida was the only one out of all the other classes to deduce our existence before it was revealed by the school. Her perception and vast network of connections was certainly a scary combination. If Kushida had come to our class for help expecting us to work for free, then she was more foolish than I thought