Classroom of the Elite: Standing Firm in Class A — Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Sharing a TableYou're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

Kaedehara Tetsu stepped out of the shadowed alleyway, the lingering chill from his confrontation with Ibuki Mio melting away into his usual placid mask. The brief clash with the martial artist had been nothing more than a minor diversion. His true objective in taking this detour was to shake off a nuisance far more persistent than Ibuki.

Morishita Ai.

That girl’s sheer tenacity was something ten Ibuki Mios combined could never hope to match. Having narrowly escaped her orbit thanks to a timely summons from Kamuro Masumi, he had no intention of letting a stray encounter derail his actual agenda.

The bell above the door chimed as he entered Café Palette. A wave of warm air, thick with the scent of baked sugar and roasted espresso beans, washed over him. He spotted Kamuro Masumi immediately. She had claimed a secluded booth by the window, resting her chin in one hand while idly stirring the ice water in her glass with a plastic straw. She looked entirely relaxed, yet the slight narrowing of her eyes betrayed a simmering impatience.

Tetsu crossed the café and slid into the seat across from her.

“You’re late,” Kamuro said flatly, not bothering to lift her gaze from the swirling ice cubes.

“It couldn’t be helped. Accidents are entirely unpredictable.” Tetsu picked up the laminated menu, scanning it with casual interest. “For example, running into a rather bad-tempered wild cat on the way here.”

Kamuro finally looked up. Her eyes dragged over his features, a cynical curve forming on her lips. “Oh? Is that so? I’m quite interested in this ‘wild cat’ that just happens to rub up against people.”

Her gaze drifted lower, bypassing his face entirely to lock onto his right shoulder.

Tetsu followed her line of sight, feigning ignorance. “It was the kind of cat that walks on four legs, naturally.”

Kamuro suddenly leaned across the table, closing the distance between them. The faint scent of her shampoo cut through the café’s sugary atmosphere. Reaching out with slender fingers, she pinched a single, long strand of hair clinging to the dark fabric of his blazer.

It was a distinct shade of blue, catching the warm overhead lighting.

“Next time you decide to lie,” Kamuro murmured, dropping the strand onto the table, “remember to clean up the messy ‘cat hair’ you leave behind.”

Tetsu met her deadpan stare—a look that practically screamed he was already caught—and offered a helpless, dry smile.

“Ah! Kaedehara-kun and Kamuro-san! What a coincidence!”

Just as the tension between them threatened to freeze over, a bright voice shattered the quiet atmosphere.

The girl approaching their booth wore a smile as radiant as the afternoon sun, her mere presence seeming to illuminate the dim café. Ichinose Honami. Flanking her were two equally cheerful girls from Class B—Kobashi Yume and Shiranami Chihiro.

Spotting them by the window, Ichinose’s face had lit up with genuine surprise, prompting her to close the distance and initiate the greeting.

Tetsu looked up, offering a polite, measured nod. Kamuro merely cast a sidelong glance at the trio before returning her attention to the menu, thoroughly disinterested in the sudden injection of social pleasantries.

“Are you two here for the desserts as well? The matcha cake here is absolutely amazing! And you have to try the strawberry tart!” Ichinose beamed, freely dispensing her recommendations. “Since we’re all here, why don’t we sit together? We haven’t managed to find a table yet anyway.”

Her tone was entirely natural, carrying the easy warmth of an old friend.

Before Tetsu could formulate a polite deflection, Kobashi chimed in. “Yeah, yeah! It’ll be way more fun if we all hang out!”

Tetsu glanced at Kamuro. She remained silent, though her eyes tracked him warily from the periphery of her vision. He turned back to Ichinose, his smile perfectly crafted. “Of course. It would be our pleasure.”

Kamuro’s lips parted slightly, but she swallowed whatever complaint she had, offering her tacit consent.

Within minutes, the group relocated to a more spacious booth near the center of the café. Tetsu and Kamuro took one side, while Ichinose, Shiranami, and Kobashi squeezed into the opposite bench.

The seating arrangement itself was a quiet display of social dynamics. Shiranami practically glued herself to Ichinose’s side, leaving Kobashi to take the far edge.

“Speaking of which, have you guys heard about the school’s summer cruise trip? I’m so excited!” Kobashi was the first to break the ice, her expression brimming with anticipation. “I’m already trying to figure out what swimsuit to wear! Honami, do you think a bikini is better, or would a one-piece be cuter?”and support the real translator.Read at elysianreads.com This is a stolen translation. You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

“Hmm… Yume, with your figure, you’ll look great in absolutely anything.” Ichinose laughed softly, then shifted her bright gaze to the pair across the table. “Do you two have any plans for the cruise?”

“Probably just reading in my room,” Kamuro answered, her voice clipped and dismissive.

Tetsu gave a slight shrug. “I haven’t decided yet. I might just head up to the deck to get some fresh air and watch the ocean.”

As the waitstaff began delivering their orders, setting down plates of delicate pastries and tall glasses of iced coffee, the atmosphere loosened. The girls cycled through trivial topics—recent blockbuster movies, upcoming sales at the mall, and shared grievances regarding a particularly strict instructor.

Tetsu leaned back against the cushioned seat, content to play the role of a passive listener. He offered a stray word or two whenever directly addressed, but his true focus had already drifted from the mundane chatter.

His eyes settled on Shiranami Chihiro.

She was remarkably quiet. Throughout the entire exchange, she had only initiated conversation a handful of times. Yet, to an observant eye, every minute shift in her posture and every fleeting glance screamed of hidden depths.

When Ichinose enthusiastically painted a picture of a lively party out on the open sea, Kobashi and Kamuro offered their respective reactions. Shiranami, however, did not look at the speaker’s hands or the table. Her gaze remained rigidly fixed on the soft curve of Ichinose’s profile.

A waiter approached, carefully placing a towering strawberry parfait directly in front of Ichinose.

“Wow! It looks delicious!” Ichinose grabbed a long silver spoon, her eyes sparkling as she prepared to dig in.

“Honami, wait.”

Shiranami spoke up suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It looks like you got a little cream on the corner of your mouth.”

“Huh? Really? Where?” Ichinose blinked, instinctively raising the back of her hand to wipe her face.

“Not there… It’s right here.” Shiranami reached out, offering a crisp white tissue. As she pressed it gently against Ichinose’s cheek, her fingertips brushed against the other girl’s hand.

Shiranami flinched as if she had touched a live wire, instantly withdrawing her hand.

As Ichinose finished wiping her mouth, Shiranami’s eyes tracked the movement of the tissue, her gaze lingering heavily on Ichinose’s glossy pink lips.

Tetsu took in the entire silent exchange, his expression unreadable as he cataloged the heavy, unspoken tension.

“Chihiro, why aren’t you eating?” Ichinose finally noticed her friend’s frozen posture.

“Ah… I-I was actually thinking of ordering the exact same thing as you.” Shiranami’s eyes darted down to the half-eaten parfait, a deep hesitation warring across her features.

“Then how about you try some of mine?” Ichinose casually pushed the tall glass across the table. “You can just use my spoon. I really don’t mind.”

“Huh? Is that really okay?” Shiranami’s face instantly flushed a brilliant shade of crimson.

“Of course! We’re best friends, aren’t we?”

Ichinose smiled with absolute innocence. She scooped up a generous portion of the sweet dessert, leaned over, and brought the silver spoon directly to Shiranami’s lips. “Come on, say ‘ah’—”

Shiranami’s entire body went rigid. She stared at the spoon hovering inches from her mouth, her mind visibly short-circuiting under the sudden intimacy.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of the two sitting across from them, she leaned forward. Her lips parted.

She swallowed the sweet dessert, taking down all of her suffocating, unspoken feelings right along with it.You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.