DECEMBER 26TH.
On this day, with no club activities, Sudō and some others from Horikita's class gathered at the Keyaki Mall café.
There were a total of eight people: Ike, Sudō, Shinohara, Matsushita, Mori, Wang, Maezono, and Onodera.
It was Maezono who proposed these students' gathering. She stated that she wanted to discuss something "important" regarding the future of the class. However, everyone initially scratched their heads at her request for several reasons.
Firstly, the topic was too rigid and serious to be raised by a female student like Maezono.
And secondly, key members of the class seemed to be deliberately excluded.
It was unclear why key figures such as Horikita and Hirata weren't invited.
They'd be indispensable for discussing the future of the class.
However, since the majority of the selected members didn't have any strong feelings against gathering, they accepted Maezono's invitation as a part of a fun activity, although Matsushita remained skeptical about it throughout.
Nevertheless, Matsushita didn't confront Maezono directly about her suspicions, and like the other six invitees, she pretended to merely show up at the meeting.
Perhaps because there was a relatively large number of people (eight in total), Maezono set the meeting location at the Keyaki Mall café.
By the time they reached their scheduled meeting time at 11:30, six of them, excluding Ike and Shinohara, were present.
Seeing the assembled members, Matsushita's doubts only deepened.
She questioned not only the selection of students but also the point of the discussion on the future of the class within such a public place.
To begin with, she didn't expect any substantial discussion from someone of Maezono's personality and ability.
However, she would've appreciated more effort in choosing the location for a meeting considered "important." Maezono, on the other hand, showed no signs of understanding or sympathy for Matsushita's concerns and simply bursted into loud laughter while discussing a TV show she had watched the previous day.
Matsushita was relatively close to Maezono and noticed she seemed livelier in recent days.
"Sorry to keep you waiting~"
Ignoring Matsushita's thoughts, Ike and Shinohara arrived late at the meeting location.
As the two of them held hands and appeared to be on friendly terms, they sat down on adjoining chairs that were arranged for them by the others.
"You guys are showing off your love in public during the day, huh? And you're late!"
While being dragged by the heat of their love, Sudō reprimanded Ike.
"Hehehe! That's not true. Right, Satsuki?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's normal. Sudō-kun, you're used to being late, aren't you?"
Even when they sat down, the two didn't let go of each other's hands, prompting Sudō to sigh.
"I haven't been late recently."
Although he replied as such, it seemed that his response didn't reach Shinohara and the others.
"Hey, those two..."
"Seems like it."
Maezono whispered, and Matsushita nodded.
The behavior of both parties seemed to have changed noticeably on either the 24th or the 25th.
They undoubtedly predicted that those two passed a certain line from their previous relationship. Rumors of a romantic relationship between the two were circulating during the school trip, but there was no definitive evidence.
With their current attitudes, their classmates would surely realize the truth soon.
"That Kanji guy..."
Sudō had been friends with Ike for a long time, and last year, they had often excitedly discussed what they'd do if they got girlfriends.
Sudō, frustrated at having been outdone, was so surprised that he heavily sighed as he saw them openly affectionate.
"What's up, Sudō-kun?"
Onodera, sitting next to Sudō, couldn't quite understand his complex feelings, so she whispered a question in concern.
"It's nothing. Anyway, it's good that our class is back to normal, right?"
"Yeah, it was tense until just a while ago."
Following the unanimous special exam, there were concerns that some friendships might've been shattered due to Kushida's ruthless exposé. Wang, whose crush on Hirata became well-known, was saved by Matsushita and her friends' support, while Shinohara, who had been ridiculed for her looks, had recovered completely thanks to her boyfriend Ike's support.
The fact that they could gather like this was proof that the relationships were gradually being repaired over time.
"Maezono, let's get on with it."
Unable to stand watching the lovey-dovey couple any longer, Sudō urged her to continue.
"That's true. Ahem, thank you everyone for gathering today."
First, Maezono expressed her gratitude to all seven of the attendees who came.
Initially, Maezono was aggressive and confrontational, with a bad attitude and language. However, over time, she had softened and became more relaxed.
At least, none of the members present seemed to dislike her at the moment. She had even become close friends with Wang and Satō.
Matsushita was also in a positive relationship with Maezono, but she didn't hold her in high regard.
"I've no issues with gathering, but why is it just us discussing the class's future? It's important, right?"
Sudō, who asked the same question, also shared Matsushita's doubt.
Feeling that her concern was voiced, Matsushita hoped for the conversation to progress.
"Now that you mention it, why?"
Ike and Shinohara looked at each other as if they were realizing the situation for the first time.
Matsushita, meanwhile, had a theory lingering in the back of her mind, but...
"Yeah, there's actually a good reason for that… I deliberately didn't invite Hirata-kun and the others. There's something I want to clear up before the third term begins."
Maezono talked about the purpose of the discussion after making it clear that it was a well-thought-out decision.
"What you want to clear up is regarding Ayanokōji-kun, isn't it?"
The person mentioned was their classmate. Excluding Maezono, the other seven people didn't particularly react, or rather, they didn't seem to understand why Ayanokōji's name was brought up.
"To be honest, perhaps it's problematic for me to say this, but I don't like Ayanokōji-kun. Rather—no, that's not quite right. I find him hard to deal with."
Having judged her expression to be harsh, she corrected herself after saying it.
"Hard to deal with? Why?"
Wang asked while continuing the conversation, accepting Maezono's candid evaluation.
"Ayanokōji-kun isn't a troublemaker, and he doesn't forcefully invoke interactions, right?"
Wang honestly didn't think Ayanokōji had done anything to give Maezono a bad impression.
"That's true, but I don't like dark and hard-to-get-along-with people... I feel like our wavelengths don't match, and it makes me feel uncomfortable, so I distanced myself from him, kind of?"
"So, you're saying it's a one-sided aversion?"
Matsushita, who had been silent until now, questioned Maezono.
"Uh... You might be right."
"Ayanokōji's more of a gloomy person, right? Like an introverted type? He's always quiet."
Ike agreed that Maezono's image of Ayanokōji wasn't entirely wrong.
Ignoring whether they liked or hated him, no one immediately denied that Ayanokōji's personality gave off a quiet and dark impression. However, just as they thought that...
"Things have changed now. At least, that's what I think."
The first one to object was Sudō.
"First of all, if he was really gloomy, there's no way he could be dating Karuizawa. Right?"
He didn't just deny it, but also provided the reasoning behind it.
"Well, I admit it was surprising that he's dating Karuizawa. But still..."
Ike's impression of Ayanokōji didn't change much, even though there were aspects that he agreed with.
"Lately, you've been talking to Ayanokōji a lot, haven't you? When did you guys become friends?"
Ike prodded, seemingly concluding that Sudō's defense came more from protective feelings rather than logic.
Sudō picked up a filled cup, frowning in response.
"Well, not just me, but you and everyone were playing quite a bit when we first enrolled, right?"
"Yeah, but that was because of our classmate-like relationship, and even then, we weren't particularly close friends. Were you really thinking he was your friend?"
"At that time..."
Sudō, who had been talking back until now, choked on his words when recalling their enrollment days.
As Sudō and Ike glared at each other, Maezono intervened in a hurry.
"Wait, wait, don't start a fight! We haven't even touched on the main topic yet. Since Sudō-kun recently started getting along with Ayanokōji-kun, I wanted to ask him about various things today."
The glaring stopped, and Sudō took a breath before replying.
"...Me?"
"Yeah. Among us, you seem to know the most about Ayanokōji-kun's recent situation."
Understanding there was no point in dragging the topic any further, Maezono slightly lowered her voice and started the discussion.
Still, to her friends who hadn't understood yet, she added.
"Ayanokōji-kun isn't just our gloomy classmate... I think he's hiding something."
Now everyone, including Ike and Shinohara, understood what Maezono wanted to say.
"Is today's gathering to discuss who Ayanokōji-kun really is?"
In response to Wang's words, Maezono nodded not once but twice.
"I excluded his girlfriend Karuizawa-san, of course, as well as her close friends like Satō-san and those who have more contact with Ayanokōji-kun, such as Hirata-kun and Horikita-san, as well as Hasebe-san's group."
"Why is that? I think it's better if there are more people who know the details."
"Do you really think so? I'm worried they might cover it up. I think either all or some of the people I just mentioned might know his true nature."
Maezono murmured her excuse, otherwise, things wouldn't make sense.
That was why she excluded students who, to her understanding, had a strong connection with Ayanokōji.
"So, why did you call me?"
"You can't have a smooth discussion if everyone's clueless about Ayanokōji-kun, right? I thought you'd tell us honestly."
Someone with information was also indispensable to further the discussion.
Maezono seemed proud as she said she'd chosen trustworthy people after giving it some thought.
"I think I get it now. But is it really necessary to be so cautious while talking?"
Shinohara was beginning to understand the situation, but she still found it a bit confusing.
"For now, yes. It's best if we can talk and find out there's nothing going on... I mean, Ayanokōji-kun's existence is obviously odd, isn't it?"
The attendees exchanged glances.
There was a moment of silence before someone unexpectedly backed up Maezono's opinion.
"...Honestly, there are some aspects that I find a bit mysterious too."
Wang hesitated but admitted what she felt.
"Right? I knew it!"
Glad to find someone who agreed, Maezono couldn't hide her joy.
"Mysterious? What exactly do you mean?"
Unsure of which point Wang was referring to, Shinohara leaned forward to hear her explanation.
"Ayanokōji's OAA is likely higher in reality than what the school has disclosed and evaluated, whether it's academic or physical ability."
"Speaking of which, what's his OAA like?"
Not quite aware of Ayanokōji's OAA themselves, Ike showed it to Shinohara on his phone.
"...It does seem odd. I can't accept that he's overall better than me."
Ike looked at the displayed OAA with a serious expression.
"No, that's just because you're no good, Kanji."
"Ever since it was introduced, his OAA has significantly improved. It could be that he's been working hard to develop his abilities like Sudō-kun, but there's no evidence of that."
Sudō, whose academic abilities had once been rated the lowest, being E, managed to improve his grades through daily study and an improved attitude, which was clear for the whole class to see.
On the other hand, no one had seen any signs of Ayanokōji's efforts. It seemed reasonable for Wang to find this strange as everyone suddenly became aware of his high test scores and sudden display of speed.
"So the conclusion is that he wasn't giving it his all?"
Maezono voiced something she'd been wanting to say even before gathering her friends.
"That is a possibility."
"So he's holding back?"
"Yeah, he wasn't serious the whole time, right?"
"What would be the point in that?"
"Maybe he just hates working hard?"
As each person had their own opinion, the discussion became more and more disorderly.
"Wait a minute. I understand what you're all saying, but it's not necessarily true, is it? Ayanokōji-kun doesn't seem to enjoy standing out, so there's a chance he was putting in effort secretly, right?"
Matsushita interjected, trying to stop the flurry of negative speculation. She pointed out the possibility that he'd been working on his abilities behind the scenes, just as Sudō had done in front of everyone.
If it turned out that he'd been hiding his abilities from the start, it would make a bad impression—as if he hadn't been contributing to the class. In that case, she wanted to steer the conversation in a more positive direction.
"When we first entered the school, he didn't seem amazing, but maybe he was desperately trying to improve himself. Look, I've been working hard recently, and making progress."
Ike said without thinking too deeply, wanting to support Ayanokōji.
"Do you really get it, Ike-kun?"
Maezono asked Ike, with a slightly angry tone.
"Wh-what do you mean? Yeah right—as if I don't know what I'm talking about."
"But did you notice that, during the recent special exam, Ayanokōji-kun managed to perfectly solve five questions?"
"Well, I did notice that... but weren't there others who got all of them right?"
Students like Horikita and Hirata, with academic abilities of B or higher, had perfect scores.
"The problems Ayanokōji-kun solved were more difficult than the ones Horikita-san and the others solved. I checked other classes' results, and even students with academic ability A made mistakes; it was a high difficulty level."
Maezono strongly argued that it couldn't be achieved with just a bit of effort.
"But, you know, he was good at math, wasn't he? Then it's possible, right?"
"Only one of the problems he solved was math. The others were two English questions, one chemistry question, and one modern literature question. It's not just one subject."
In gathering the seven people, Maezono had done her research beforehand and emphasized that Ayanokōji wasn't just strong in one specific subject.
"Maybe that's it—that's what I felt was a bit strange."
Wang, one of the better students among them, nodded in agreement.
"Considering that, the gap between the OAA and his actual ability seems even greater than I thought."
"Right? Right? Isn't it strange?"
Matsushita thought about interrupting Maezono's conclusion, but she held back. It would clearly be a stretch to say that the exam happened to cover the areas he had studied. If she defended Ayanokōji too much, it might've seemed like she was just protecting him.
In fact, Matsushita wanted Ayanokōji to contribute to the class in the future and didn't want him to unnecessarily accumulate disdain from the other students.
That was why she decided not to openly support him at that point.
"Maybe he just had a great hunch."
Matsushita was saved by Ike's innocent remark. While he wasn't bent on defending Ayanokōji, Ike naturally spoke for him, making it seem necessary to have him here.
"No, it's not just a hunch or a coincidence. Ayanokōji-kun should've always been good at studying."
Maezono clearly stated that it couldn't be explained by luck or coincidence.
"Are there any other reasons?"
Wang seemed interested in the truth, so she asked. Maezono lowered her voice again.
"I heard this from someone else, but... during the uninhabited island exam this year, there were tests held all over the island to get supplies and points, right? I heard that the academic tests Ayanokōji-kun participated in were extremely difficult, but he answered them all correctly."
The fact that he had high academic abilities since before the special exam in December acted as a credible truth in the discussion, although Maezono had mentioned that she heard it from someone.
"I don't know the truth... but yes. The image Ayanokōji-kun gave off at the beginning of our enrollment and now hasn't changed much... but somehow, the atmosphere around him drastically shifted. Hirata-kun seems to trust him a lot too. They call each other by their first names. I think he's the only one Hirata-kun does that with."
As someone who had been watching Hirata closer than anyone else and had feelings for him, Wang was most likely right. Everyone in the meeting listened to what she said with unspoken trust.
"Horikita-san is the one leading our class… but, behind the scenes, hasn't Ayanokōji-kun been involved more than once or twice?"
In response to Maezono's passionate plea, Onodera, Ike, and Shinohara nodded deeper in agreement.
Matsushita listened to the conversations and realized that, once again, her classmates were beginning to notice the potential Ayanokōji possessed.
Of course, this was because Ayanokōji had been acting more openly than he had in his first year, but the problem was the possibility of him being negatively perceived.
Considering this, Matsushita decided that it was time to move to a different position.
"Maezono-san's intuition might be right. Ayanokōji-kun has maintained average grades for a long time, so even if he achieves good results now, it won't immediately turn into an A or higher. But if he had been serious from the beginning, he might have at least had an A in terms of academics."
Even the skeptical Matsushita admitted this, and Maezono's face changed to a triumphant one.
"Sudō-kun, do you know anything special about him? Preferably something that we don't know."
Expecting an interesting response, Maezono asked the hesitating Sudō.
"What? Is there something? If there is, tell me."
A woman's intuition. Maezono caught onto his expression and pressed on. At the beginning of his second year, he witnessed the incident with Hōsen and felt something: a glimpse of Ayanokōji's strength.
Sudō wondered whether he should tell them about these events. Although the series of incidents were hidden to make it seem like they never happened, there was no need for him to keep quiet about Ayanokōji's abilities, right?
He questioned himself internally. If revealing the truth would cause problems, he should urge himself to keep silent.
"...That's right... You guys only pay attention to his studies, but I think his real strength isn't just his academic ability."
"What do you mean?"
"You guys saw it too, right? Ayanokōji's speed in the relay race. He's faster than me."
Although they never directly competed at full strength, Sudō admitted defeat before even trying.
However, at this stage, the surrounding people weren't too surprised; after all, they had already seen his extraordinary ability when he competed against the former student council president, Horikita Manabu.
"Well, that's true, but everyone knows that already, right?"
But what Sudō actually wanted to convey was different.
"Besides, he's not just fast. To be honest, it's a bit frustrating, but his overall athletic ability is better than mine."
"B-better than you!?"
Sudō continued, choosing his words carefully so as to accurately convey Ayanokōji's impressiveness.
"If I can beat him in anything, it's probably just basketball. And even then, I'd rather not play against him. I don't feel like I'd lose, but I have an inkling I'd be pushed to my limits as we play—like an intuition, I guess."
The fact that Sudō, who had the top athletic abilities in their year, was conceding defeat added a strange sense of reality to that unbelievable understanding.
"It would be amazing if it's true, but what's your basis for this?"
Excited yet skeptical, Maezono urged Sudō to provide a convincing explanation.
Deciding that he couldn't talk about the incident with Hōsen, he made up a story.
"I had a fight with Ayanokōji before. I got into an argument and tried to punch him, but I couldn't land a single hit. It's like... I could feel his impressiveness while fighting him."
Sudō lied while taking a sip of water.
During this time, he remembered the moment when he faced Hōsen. Sudō couldn't do anything against him, yet Ayanokōji dealt with him without any hesitation. And he calmly handled the terrifying situation of being stabbed with a knife.
Having witnessed a reality that made him realize he couldn't win even if they fought, Sudō's true feelings in his story made it more believable, and Maezono seemed convinced.
"I wonder if Karuizawa-san started dating Ayanokōji-kun because she realized he was more high-spec than Hirata-kun? ...If so, that's an incredible sense of smell."
Maezono expressed her candid impressions in a half-admiring, half-exasperated tone.
"Well, I did wonder before why Karuizawa chose to date Ayanokōji, you know."
It was something that couldn't be understood unless one experienced Ayanokōji's magnificence up close.
"If Karuizawa saw through it, it makes sense why she chose Ayanokōji."
But now, a different emotion rose in Sudō.
If so, there's no reason for Ayanokōji to make Karuizawa his girlfriend, he thought.
Setting aside her appearance, her personality wasn't overwhelmingly attractive.
However, this was his own completely subjective opinion, so he refrained from voicing it here.
"From your point of view, Ken, this is a pretty incredible assessment. Even after being told, I still don't quite get it."
Ike said, unable to feel anything even after Sudō explained himself.
"It's not unreasonable. After all, this is something you can't understand unless you experience it yourself."
"Indeed. So, what do you think we should do to understand his brilliance?"
Maezono asked Sudō, wanting to prove it somehow.
"Well, how about this… you suddenly attack him from behind."
"No, no, that's a sneak attack."
"Even with a sneak attack, you won't be able to hit Ayanokōji."
"I can do it if it's a sneak attack. But I won't do it because it's unfair."
"Do you want to give it a try from the front? It's got a 0% chance, man, 0%."
"Who knows? I'm pretty confident in my fighting skills."
Ike stood up and punched out with his right and left fists alternately.
He said, "shush," with his mouth, but there was no sharpness in his movements.
"You've never been in a proper fight, have you?"
Shinohara said exasperatedly, urging him to sit down because it was embarrassing.
"Ugh, shut up. I don't bully the weak."
"Alright, alright."
"Well, let's put aside the fight for now. If this is true, I'd really like Ayanokōji to go all out. If so, our class would be secure, and we might even be able to move up to Class A, right?"
If a significant contribution could be made using his academic and physical abilities, the class would benefit.
Ike mentioned that the situation should improve beyond the current state.
"That's true. As classmates, we should ask him to cooperate, don't you think?"
Wang expressed that if they had a strong ally in the class, they should definitely ask for help.
"I agree. After winter break, let's ask him directly."
Considering the situation, there was no reason anyone would object, and Shinohara immediately agreed with the statement.
The growing expectations for Ayanokōji—although this was something Matsushita had always hoped for, at the same time, she felt that they mustn't make a big mistake.
"Wait, let me give you a piece of advice. I understand the desire to depend on and feel reassured by Ayanokōji-kun, but it's best not to say or demand that in public."
"Why not? If we don't say something, he won't be proactive, right?"
Shinohara complained, saying that they wouldn't stand a chance if he went back to being the unnoticed student he was before.
"That may be true. However, we should also consider why he's been so quiet until now, shouldn't we?"
Sensing Ayanokōji's feelings, the passionate students softened their criticism.
For a while, Sudō, who had been a listener, seemed to be satisfied and deliberately drew attention with a cough.
"Yeah, if he didn't like standing out so much, provoking him unnecessarily could backfire."
"Yeah, wouldn't it be a loss if he became uncooperative? Like when he got all the answers right in that special exam; he's willing to help us."
Having explained the risk of forcing him into the limelight, Shinohara and the others seemed to feel the accompanying danger.
"I agree. If he's someone unpredictable when left alone like Kōenji-kun, it would be different, but he's not that type. I think it's fine to treat him as we always have."
As if to reinforce the point, Onodera strongly agreed with both Matsushita and Sudō and explained her reasoning.
In this gathering, all eight people shared a common understanding.
Ayanokōji was a skilled person beyond the OAA.
And from then on, as they expected him to show his skills, they wouldn't rush him.
However, only Maezono, who planned the gathering, had a different idea.
"Is it really okay like that?"
"Huh?"
"I understand that Ayanokōji-kun is an amazing student, but because of that, I feel scared, and creeped out. I mean, he specifically named Sakura-san, who was in the same close-knit group as him, to be dropped out, right? He also cornered Kushida-san... If Ayanokōji-kun puts his mind to it, he could even make someone in our class drop out."
The group had been absorbed in the conversation. Having gathered for over an hour, one by one, groups of students were entering and leaving the cafe.
One student, who arrived a few minutes before the first person appeared within the group, Wang, finished their drink and left their seat with an empty cup in hand.
"It was an unavoidable decision. Our class had no way to succeed other than to force someone to drop out due to Kushida's choices. Choosing the dropout based on the OAA standard without personal feelings is reasonable."
Sudō immediately countered, and everyone, including Ike, widened their eyes.
"What, did I say something weird?"
Maezono was puzzled at Sudō's panic.
"Rather than weird... "
Matsushita continued as if to take over.
"I've been feeling that you seem more intelligent in the way you talk and speak compared to a while ago. People do grow up, huh?"
"What? What's that about?"
"I mean, if it was the previous Sudō-kun, you wouldn't have been able to say words like 'personal feelings' or 'reasonable,' right?"
"Yeah, I agree," Onodera added.
"No, that's normal. How much do you underestimate me?"
"Doesn't that mean you've grown that much?"
Onodera showed a happy expression as if she was being praised.
"Stop joking around. Uh, what was it... Yeah, Ayanokōji isn't a bad guy."
Feeling embarrassed about being praised, Sudō awkwardly tried to return to the topic.
"I know. It was a test where someone absolutely had to drop out. But do you remember the previous exchange with Kushida-san? The relentless way he cornered her... It was emotionless... like a machine, you know?"
"Ayanokōji didn't want to do that either. He had no choice but to be ruthless."
Sudō still stood by Ayanokōji's side, defending him.
"In a similar situation, would you let Ayanokōji-kun make an emotionless decision again?"
"It's not that I rely solely on Ayanokōji, but isn't it necessary to make objective judgments?"
"Objective, huh? Do you think that's a good idea too?"
Maezono asked, vaguely glancing at Ike and Shinohara.
Students whose names were listed at the bottom of the class due to the OAA.
A premonition of the future that Ayanokōji would choose the next expulsion candidate.
"Well, it's true that Ayanokōji's approach is a bit... How should I put it? Having many friends is a respectable ability, and I want that taken into consideration too. If I were to be expelled, Satsuki would cry, and that wouldn't be efficient, right?"
"Absolutely not."
Shinohara clung to Ike's arm, refusing to let go.
"There's also the previous case where Hasebe-san had been incredibly distressed for a long time due to that situation..."
In light of this recent fact, even Wang's expression became clouded.
"In my opinion, right now, it's still fine. But… I definitely think we should avoid a future where Ayanokōji-kun becomes the class leader," Maezono said.
Those words expressed the invisible fears within her.
"There's no way Ayanokōji would become a leader. That's not his style, right?"
"Can't say that for sure. If he has the ability, I think he'll be recognized as the class leader."
"I would welcome it. If Ayanokōji-kun truly has the ability, I wouldn't mind him being the leader."
Matsushita, who prided herself on her excellence, believed that it would be ideal for Ayanokōji to eventually take charge of the class. Lower-ranking students would have to fear the risk of being expelled, but on the other hand, those in the upper ranks would have a sense of security knowing they wouldn't be expelled as long as they didn't disrupt the class order.
However, Horikita, who fought as their leader, was different. It wasn't impossible for her to be swayed by emotions. You wouldn't know what reason you'd be cut for, so you couldn't be too careful.
"I strongly oppose Ayanokōji-kun being the leader."
"Then what do you think would be ideal, Maezono-san?"
Matsushita expressed her concern to Maezono and wanted to know what she thought.
"Well, that's—"
She tried to answer in a hurry, but she stumbled on her words. Perhaps she didn't have a clear answer of her own.
"Isn't that why we're discussing like this? Because we don't know?"
She forcibly gave an evasive answer.
"Anyway, there's no way we can find the answer by discussing Ayanokōji-kun's approach any further. Also, no matter what anyone says, the current leader of the class is Horikita-san. If we want to delve deeper into this conversation, we need to invite her, right?"
Matsushita conveyed her stern words as softly as possible.
It wasn't that she wanted to argue with Maezono.
She didn't want to move the conversation centered around herself in that situation.
What they should do now was gather information and prevent actions that would hinder Ayanokōji from improving the class.
Although Matsushita understood the lower-ranking students' fear of his cold judgment, it didn't concern her.
She silently apologized in her heart.
"But... maybe there's something we could discover if we keep talking?"
Maezono still seemed hesitant to end the discussion, but after that, the conversation didn't expand any further, and the topic eventually shifted to the events on Christmas Eve.