COTE: Light Yagami in The Classroom of The Elite

---Notice---

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"Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing." ~George Orwell

"Knock, knock, knock." My hand struck the door in a steady rhythm. Had he not arrived yet?

My brief moment of worry was eased as a calm voice sounded from the other side. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Yagami," I responded simply. A moment later, the lock clicked, and the door opened to reveal Ayanokoji.

For a moment, he just stood there, staring at me. Finally, he spoke. "Would you like to come in?"

I gave a small nod. "Yes, I suppose that would be nice," I replied, stepping inside as he turned to allow me entry.

"Make yourself comfortable," Ayanokoji said, motioning toward the room. I removed my shoes and placed my bag down, seating myself in his computer chair.

"Thank you. I know my arrival was sudden. I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd sent me back where I came from," I said with a faint smile, watching his reaction.

"It's fine. Compared to my classmates barging in without notice, this is nothing," he responded, still standing and observing me with his usual calm demeanor. "Would you like water, or do you prefer tea?"

"Neither, I'm fine," I said. But before I could elaborate, Ayanokoji turned and headed toward the kitchen regardless.

"Pssst!" A soft hiss and a faint crack of air followed as I opened a can of tea I had retrieved from my bag. Noticing the sound, Ayanokoji glanced back toward me, his gaze shifting to the can in my hand. Without a word, I reached into my bag again and tossed him a second can.

He caught it effortlessly, looking at the can for a moment before giving a slight nod of acknowledgment. Finally, he seated himself across from me. "So, why did you come to see me?" he asked, his tone neutral.

"I'm curious," I began, leaning slightly forward, "what do you plan to do about Ryuen?"

"I'm unsure," he replied. Then, with a subtle shift in tone, he added, "Why do you ask?"

Ayanokoji's response essentially ignored my question, redirecting the conversation and taking control with his own. It was a subtle but deliberate move.

"Well, there's the fact that if Ryuen grows impatient with his hunt for you, I'll likely be forced to talk," I explained. "Right now, he's chasing you for his own entertainment. But if you don't partake in his little game of cat and mouse, he'll just make me talk."

"I suppose you're correct," Ayanokoji said after a brief pause. "Don't worry. I'll entertain him, so you have nothing to concern yourself with. Whether I let Ryuen learn my identity is another matter entirely, though."

His words carried an air of confidence, as though the idea of Ryuen uncovering the truth was more of an inconvenience than a genuine threat. It was clear he was more than capable of keeping Ryuen occupied.

I gave him a slow nod. "So, you haven't entirely given up on Class D, then? Entertaining Ryuen would likely require you to step back into your role as their mastermind."

"No," Ayanokoji replied, his tone steady but carrying a subtle hint of finality. "Two things can be true at once. I am done with Class D. Will I provide some sort of assistance to them in the future? Likely. But it won't be out of desire—it'll be out of obligation. So my stance from the previous special exam remains unchanged. I've lost interest in them."

It was the most emotion he'd displayed during our conversation; he was firm.

"I see. I understand," I said quietly, acknowledging his position. After a brief pause, I added, "Sakura is certainly interesting, isn't she?"

Ayanokoji paused for a moment, his gaze narrowing slightly. "You know," he began, his voice calm, "if you want to know something, you can just ask directly."

"Ah, yes. My apologies. It's a bad habit of mine," I said with a faint smile. "Anyways, can you tell me about Sakura?" I asked, leaning back slightly in my chair.

"You're habitually indirect? That's a peculiar trait," Ayanokoji muttered. Then, after a brief pause, he continued, "Sakura is a normal girl—or perhaps calling her 'normal' is overestimating her abilities. She's below average in intellect, lacks social skills, is uncooperative, and indecisive. But she does seem to have a talent for reading people. I can't say how accurate she is, but her instincts are definitely above average. That said, she's incapable of utilizing this talent of hers effectively."

I nodded slightly, unsurprised by his assessment; I assumed all that. "I expected you to say something along those lines. You know about Kushida too, I assume?"

"Yes. My encounters with her have been… unpleasant, to say the least," he replied, his words measured. "But at the same time, I wouldn't call her a bad person outright. Although, she's undeniably crazy."

I let out a light laugh at his bluntness before steering the conversation back to Sakura. "As you can imagine, I've read every student's evaluations and files. My sudden interest in Sakura comes largely because my talk with Ryuen reminded me of something. Her file includes an incident report—she was being stalked by an electronics store worker because he recognized her as an idol, Shizuku, right? I believe you were somewhat involved in resolving that incident, which is why I wanted to ask you about her."

Ayanokoji nodded. "Yes, that's correct," he said, offering no further details.

What kind of response was that? How he provided vague, evasive answers was irritating, to say the least. Ayanokoji rarely provided detailed explanations, leaving me with the frustrating task of crafting specific, pointed questions just to get him to talk. Meanwhile, he was undoubtedly extracting far more from me than I was from him during this conversation. Thankfully, I hadn't shared anything I valued too highly. Still, it was ironic—he'd accused me of being habitually indirect, yet his deflection was just as calculated. The difference is that I have an image to maintain, while he had the luxury of indifference.

"I see," I said finally, letting out a faintly exaggerated sigh.

"Is there something wrong?" Ayanokoji asked, tilting his head slightly as if to gauge my mood.

I remained silent for a moment before replying, "It's nothing… just that things are getting complicated."

He seemed to wait for me to elaborate, but I didn't bother. Instead, I stood, ready to take my leave.

"Wait," Ayanokoji said, stopping me just before I turned to the door. "Before you go, I'm curious. What was the true purpose behind your visit to Class D and your speech?"

I met his gaze, studying him briefly before thinking. "Honestly, believe it or not, there was no initial purpose to my visit to Class D, other than checking up on all of you, of course. As for the speech… While I had my motives, I also did it for the sake of Class D, as much as I did it for myself."

"For the sake of Class D?" Ayanokoji repeated. It wasn't surprising—why would I have any genuine reason to support Class D?

"Well," I replied after a pause, "I guess it's not just Class D. It's everyone—Classes A, B, C, and D."

"Everyone, huh?" he said, leaning back slightly in his seat. "That sounds ambitious. Well then, good luck."

His response was as mysterious as ever, leaving me unsure whether he believed me or not. But in the end, it didn't matter. His belief—or lack thereof—was inconsequential.

And so, I said my goodbyes and made my leave. I wasn't left alone for long.

"Ah, there you are," Ryuk said, his grin stretching wide as he floated toward me.

"You're finally back. So, were you able to learn anything?" I asked, not breaking my stride.

"Not much—it's only been a day, after all. But that's not my fault, is it? I've kept my promise," Ryuk said, his tone playful as always, knowing he'd paid up for one of the favors he owed me.

Whether Ryuk returned with useful information or not didn't matter much to me. He wasn't the type to help without justification. Even if he did uncover something valuable, there was a chance he'd keep it to himself just to prolong his entertainment. Still, I was confident I could persuade him if the need arose.

"That's fine. Honestly, I wasn't expecting you to be particularly useful," I said, continuing my walk across the dormitory buildings toward the outer dorms.

"Hey, that's not nice, Light. I did my very best, you know?" Ryuk replied, his grin unwavering. "Anyway, where are you off to now?"

"I want to visit one of my classmates," I said, stopping in front of a door. Glancing at the sky, I noted how late it was getting. Still, it didn't matter—this would be my last stop for the day.

With that in mind, I knocked on the door a couple of times.

"Who is it?" came a female voice from behind the door. Instead of replying, I knocked again, this time with more urgency. From the other side, I could hear hurried movements as she rushed to the door.

The sound of locks clicking echoed softly, and through the crack of the door, I finally saw who I'd come to visit—Ichinose.

(Image)

"Yagami? Why are you here?" Ichinose asked, peering at me cautiously through the narrow opening.

"I wanted to visit you. Are you busy?" I asked simply.

"Ahhh… no, I guess not," Ichinose replied slowly, opening the door wider. "Come in, then."

Following her lead, I stepped into her dorm. After removing my shoes, I made my way to her dining table and seated myself.

"Would you like some tea?" Ichinose asked, her tone polite yet reserved.

In response, I waved the can of tea I'd been drinking in front of my face. "No, I'm fine. I've had enough tea for the day," I replied with a light smile.

"I see," Ichinose said, pausing briefly before settling into the chair across from me.

The air between us was awkward, a quiet tension lingering in the room. But I had expected that.

"Are you upset with me?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Ichinose shook her head immediately. "Of course not. Why would I be upset?"

"To others, it may seem like you are acting normally, but to me, it feels strange. You don't seem like your true self," I responded, my gaze fixed on her.

"I told you, Yagami. I'm fine, really." Ichinose said quickly, her voice firm as she shook her head again, this time with a confident smile.

"You know," I began, leaning back slightly in my chair, "I'd understand if you were upset. I was harsh. Even now, I wonder if I went overboard during my game against you."

Ichinose's expression faltered slightly, but she remained silent.

"Katsuragi, Horikita, Morishita…" I continued, listing the names carefully. "They were the others I played against. I gave each of them an explanation for my actions. I even consoled them to some degree. But you? I left you to yourself. That was harsh of me, wasn't it?"

"I'm not upset," Ichinose repeated firmly, her tone unwavering.

"It must be hard," I said, my voice calm yet pointed, "to act as though nothing has changed when you go to class. Especially knowing you've failed those who placed their trust in you."

Ichinose's expression tightened, and she spoke again, her voice raised slightly. "Please stop, Yagami. I already told you—"

I cut her off smoothly. "So I understand if you feel cheated or betrayed. After all, that's essentially what happened. Unlike in my other games, I didn't win through small tricks. No, I betrayed you in every sense of the word. I took advantage of you."

Her eyes darted away for a moment before returning to meet mine. "I don't see it like that," she said, her voice firm. "I'm not upset."

"You can analyze all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm fine. Honestly," she added, her voice steady but with a forced edge.

"Fine?" I repeated, leaning forward slightly, narrowing my eyes. "Do you really think that? You've kept up your routines for the most part since we returned from the special exam, but I can tell something is bothering you."

"You're imagining things. I'm the same as I always am," Ichinose replied quickly, her voice regaining its steadiness.

I tilted my head slightly, studying her carefully as I changed my tone. "Yeah, you are right. You're a good actor, aren't you? The perfect faker. You smile at everyone, make them think you're perfectly okay. But no one can keep that up forever."

"I'm not acting!" she snapped, the sharpness in her voice betraying her. Almost immediately, she softened her tone, forcing a small laugh. "Why are you so insistent about this? I told you I'm fine."

I leaned back, giving her a moment of space. "You're right," I said casually. "Maybe I'm just overthinking it. After all, you've always been someone who can handle the weight of everyone's expectations, right? Even when they're blaming you for their failures. But then again, I guess it is your fault, isn't it? You had everything you wanted—everything Class C wanted—right in front of you, and you couldn't bring yourself to take it."

Her hands twitched on the table, but her expression remained composed. "They don't blame me," she said, though there was a slight crack in her voice. "They… they understand."

"Do they?" I asked softly, my voice cutting through the tension in the room. "Or is that just what you tell yourself to keep going? Class C could've finished the special exam with 773 points, and my Class B would've only finished with 928. But because you thought you were doing what was right, your class ended with 673 points, while mine finished with 1028. That's a 355-point difference compared to what could've been just 155. And you're the only one to blame."

Ichinose's lips tightened, and her gaze dropped for a fraction of a second before meeting mine again. Her eyes sharpened. "I don't need to justify myself to you, Yagami. I know what I did was right. The idea behind my actions was right. That's enough for me."

I gave her a faint smile. "And yet, you're still here, defending yourself to me. Why is that, Ichinose? If you're truly fine, why does this bother you so much?"

"It doesn't!" she shouted but immediately caught herself. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady her voice. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the edge of the table tightly. "I mean… it doesn't. You're just reading into things too much."

I watched her in silence for a moment, letting the tension build. Then, I spoke quietly, almost as if to myself. "I betrayed you, Ichinose. I exploited your trust, and I know you feel it—no matter how much you try to deny it."

Her shoulders tensed, her hands curling into fists. Her breathing quickened, and for a moment, I thought she might break. But instead, she slammed her hand on the table with a loud crack that echoed through the room.

"I'm not upset!" she yelled, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. Her eyes glistened, but no tears fell yet. "I'm NOT upset! Just stop it already! Stop trying to make me feel things I don't want to feel!"

Her hands clenched into fists on the table as she continued, her voice rising with desperation. "Why do you keep pushing me like this? Do you think I don't know how this looks? That I'm just pretending? I'm fine! I have to be fine! I don't have a choice!" 

Her breathing hitched, and her shoulders started to tremble despite her best efforts to hold herself together. "Do you want me to admit it? Alright! Maybe I'm not fine, okay? Maybe I've been trying to hold everything together, but I'm—"

She cut herself off, her voice breaking mid-sentence. For a moment, she froze, her shoulders trembling before she inhaled sharply and slammed her hand on the table. The loud crack echoed through the room as she yelled again, "Just stop it already! Stop acting like you know me!"

The room fell into silence, Ichinose's outburst hanging in the air. She froze as if realizing what she'd done, and her hands slowly slid off the table to rest in her lap. Her gaze dropped, and her shoulders slumped, the weight of everything pressing down on her; then, finally, a single tear traced a slow path down her cheek, followed by another.

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I hope this was a good read. I wanted to ensure that the second half was especially enjoyable, and I hope I was able to do that.

Anyways give me your thoughts.