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Chapter Text

Warning: This Fan Fiction Novel of Youzitsu may contain spoilers from the Light Novel. If you're a Light Novel reader, you can think of this as a standalone alternate timeline with canon characters and elements. If you're anime-only, read at your own risk.

Year 1 Volume 1 Cover

I was thinking of how I should go about establishing myself as a fresh high school student. As ideas come into my mind, the bobbling and shaking bus occasionally interrupts my train of thought.

I got slightly nervous about how the passengers of the bus became increasingly crowded with students wearing the same uniform as I am. Before I could go back into fantasizing about how I should introduce myself in class...

"Excuse me, but shouldn't you offer up your seat?"

A young, well-built blond man, that goes to the same high school as I am, was sitting down on one of the priority seats. A woman dressed like an office lady was the source of that voice. Beside her was an elderly woman who had been standing for a while now.

"That's a really crazy question, lady. Why should I offer up my seat? There's no reason for me to do so." His eyes remained closed and his smile was unwavering.

"You're sitting in a priority seat. It's natural to offer those up to the elderly," she replied.

"I'm a healthy young person who certainly wouldn't find standing inconvenient. However, I'd obviously expend more energy by doing so than I would be by sitting. I have no intention of doing such a pointless thing. Or are you suggesting that I should act livelier, I wonder?" Looking at the office lady with a single eye, the man rebutted.

"Is that supposed to be the attitude to take while talking with your superiors?" reproached the lady.

While the two of them engaged in something that I would call a pointless argument, I kept to myself for a brief second. I carefully thought about what I wanted to do after enrolling in this school. From Matsuo's kind intentions, it was clear that he wanted me to live a normal high school life. After all, "that man" took my entire childhood away from me.

At first, the obvious answer was to live in obscurity where I was free from trouble. I dislike trouble anyway, so it was a natural first choice.

However, this school seems like it's way more than it is at first glance. Therefore, I changed my mind. Matsuo granted me a chance to take part in this so-called "high school life". I'll at least test the abilities I got from the White Room and see how far I can go—of course, with the intention of trying to enjoy myself to the fullest.

With that in mind, I ground through the things that the White Room lacked and studied them to the fullest—and that is Social Interaction. Even as the sole survivor of the 4th generation, I'm still far behind in the knowledge about interpersonal relationships given the nature of the White Room. Therefore, I tried my best to cram as much information as I could as soon as I decided on my so-called goal.

For instance, the majority of young people that are around my age should supposedly be rich in hobbies and interests. Some of these were: fashion, sports, making lots of friends, being in a relationship, or the so-called "Otaku" culture; which includes liking things such as video games, light novels, anime, and manga.

That's only the tip of the iceberg. I only had little time on my hands, so I never really got in-depth with any of them. However, being aware of those things alone will be a very big help in how I would want to conduct myself in the near future.

There was a multitude of things that I needed to read up on about basic social interactions—not just those. And because this environment was a totally new battleground for me, it doesn't matter how book-smart I was if I can't put my knowledge into practice.

Personality-wise, I tried putting on some fake faces but figured that I wouldn't be able to keep them up for long. That's why I decided to just go with my real personality. I thought that it wouldn't really be detrimental to my future plans as a student.

I worked extra hard on understanding the social construct of what a typical high school society is supposed to be, as well as how classroom politics works in some ways. However, they were all very basic and shallow at most. For this, the best method is to learn by hand, which I am sure will not be a pleasant experience.

"Superiors? Well, it's obvious that both of you and the old woman there have been alive longer than I have. There is no doubt about that. However, the word 'superior' implies that you're referring to someone of a higher position. In addition, we have another problem. Even though our ages are different, wouldn't you agree that you have an impertinent attitude and are being extremely rude?" The blond man argued with grace.

Well, going back to reality, this situation will likely be my first step into this alien biosphere... but I'm more than willing to give it a try as a test for myself.

"Wha-?! You're a high schooler, aren't you?! You should just be quiet and—" I interrupted the office lady before things got out of hand.

"Um, excuse me. I'm sorry that I didn't notice you earlier. Please take my seat instead." I told the old lady.

"Oh, is that so, young man? Thank you very much!" The old lady replied with an aged smile.

There was visible discomfort on her face when the office lady and the blond man were arguing—most likely because they attracted the crowd's attention. The genuine look of gratefulness on her face was quite a pleasant sight. The elderly woman repeatedly expressed her gratitude before finally being guided by the office lady into my now-vacant seat.

Scene Illustration

I sneaked a glance towards the blond man who looked perfectly unperturbed, like what transpired just now was an event that didn't involve him in the first place. I was aware of the attention I just garnered, and truth be told, I was quite uncomfortable with it. I know that they looked at me like I was a very good person, but that was beside the point. I'm just not used to this yet.

Setting the negatives aside, I'd say it was a pretty good practice of social interaction. However, before I could mind my own business and wait for the ride to finish while standing, a cute voice rang from behind me.

As I slightly turned my head around, a pretty-faced, short-haired girl met my eyes.

"Good job on that one. Have you been a step behind, I'd be the one to speak up for the poor old lady's sake, you know?" she said, with a smile.

This girl was already standing at the start of her ride. With that in mind...

"Well, it was my fault for being absent-minded in the first place. I really wouldn't have noticed the old lady if it wasn't for that commotion. You were already standing, right? If I did notice, I might have offered you my seat too," I said, looking away at her.

"Wow. If it wasn't for your monotone way of speaking, I would've immediately thought you were hitting on me," she chuckled.

I tried to turn to her once again, but I didn't fully commit, only facing her general direction.

"I wasn't planning on doing so. I'm sorry if that's how I came off. It only felt natural to me, as a guy, to offer my seat to a girl." Or at least, that's what I read.

This is pretty hard. I only tried to sound friendly, but I guess lines like those are considered "hitting on someone"? I need to be more careful next time.

"Hehe, I see. I'm Kushida Kikyou, by the way. I'm in Class D starting this year. How about you?" I'm amazed. This girl is the complete opposite of me. Even I can tell that she's a natural when it comes to social interactions. It might be a good idea to establish some sort of friendly relationship with her as soon as possible. For now, I think that's pretty easy. After all...

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, also in Class D."It would be pretty rude to not face her while introducing myself, so I did. Talk about luck. A social expert like Kushida being in the same class as me was a godsend.

"Eh?! You're in Class D, too? What a coincidence!" Showcasing her adept social ability, Kushida managed to perfectly control the volume of her voice despite her genuinely surprised reaction.

"Yeah, what a coincidence," I parroted.

"Well then, nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. You can call me Kikyou if you want," she offered with a smile.

"I'd prefer to call you Kushida for now. It would be weird if I suddenly call you by your given name while you refer to me by my surname," I replied.

"I see. That's fine then," she chuckled cutely.

To be honest, I predicted her to press on with "Why don't we call each other by our first names then?" or something along those lines, but I guess I still can't grasp the mind of an expert social elite.

Not long after our talk, the bus ride came to a halt as we reached the gate of the campus.

This is it. This is the start of my high school life... As a White Room Student, I shouldn't be here, but thanks to Matsuo's advice, I made the impossible possible.

"Ayanokouji-kun, should we walk to our classroom together?" Kushida asked with an angelic smile.

Any man would be a fool were they to refuse such an offer.

I nodded in response as I walked towards her waiting figure.

Chapter Text

Whilst walking to our classroom, Kushida and I engaged in small talk. Being the expert between the two of us, of course, she's the one who spoke first.

"So, Ayanokouji-kun, do you know anyone from your junior high who's attending this school?" she asked.

This should be a pretty natural conversation, but it's a really bad topic for me. Because I did not attend junior high, I thought about making a fake backstory that I would stick with if these kinds of topics ever come up in a conversation. However, I immediately discarded that line of thinking because it was too risky. If I start this with a lie, I should be a hundred percent consistent, but that's simply impossible.

I don't know anyone apart from Kushida and myself. Should I name a random middle school, it'll be harder and harder to keep that lie up as time goes on, even with an elaborate backstory. With all this in mind, I just came up with a half-truth in order to solve all my problems.

"Unfortunately, no. I just came back from abroad, after all," I said, like a line from a script.

A half-truth indeed. The White Room was a facility located deep within the mountains. Even if it was somewhere in Japan, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it another country.

"Ehh, so does that mean I'm your first friend here in this school?" she asked with glittering eyes.

Safe... Things would've been more complicated if she asked me the name of the country.

"Probably. How about you?" I replied and asked.

"We're on the same boat! None of my junior high friends made it to this school, you see." Kushida clapped her hands once in excitement.

I expected her expression to turn melancholic in her last sentence, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"I see. Well then, I'm looking forward to getting along with you this year," I said.

"Same here!"

If I was a normal person, I would probably be head over heels for Kushida already. Her whole schtick of acting really cute and friendly would break any man's emotional defense. I'd be lying if I said that my heart isn't racing at this moment. As expected of a social elite.

The two of us reached the classroom in no time. Like what I read from my research, time goes by a lot faster when you're talking with friends. Is this what they meant by it?

Well, I'd probably have this sentimental belief if I wasn't aware of how dopamine releases make your internal clock or subjective sense of time faster...

"Well then, I'd like to know some of my new classmates for now. I'll talk to you later, Ayanokouji-kun!" Kushida announced with vigor.

She's really going at it, huh? I want her to give me some of that enthusiasm and confidence, if possible...

I walked toward the seat that bore my nameplate. It was at the back of the room, near the window. A good place to sit, generally. Looking around, the classroom was approximately sixty percent full. During this free time, I should be working my butt off with making friends as soon as possible, but as expected, I just can't seem to find the right timing.

Right before I forced myself to stand in order to blend in with the crowd, a girl sat beside me.

Oh, I remember her. Back on the bus, she was sitting beside me from the opposite aisle while reading a book. The girl simply sat upright after placing her bag on her desk. She gave me the impression of a hard-to-approach honor student.

"Is there a problem?" she glanced, noticing my gaze.

Now that I got a good look at her face, she was certainly beautiful. If anyone tells me that she was a year or two older, I'd probably believe them. She gives off the vibe of a cool beauty.

"Sorry. I thought I saw your face before. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you were riding on the same bus as me earlier, right?" I asked.

"You might be right. If my memory serves me well, you were the one who offered that old lady a seat. I suppose I should thank you for ending that noisy commotion," she replied with a sigh.

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, nice to meet you." I took this chance to introduce myself.

She paused for a second to stare at me. After a short moment, she sighed and opened her mouth.

"I'm Horikita Suzune," she replied.

Before I could decide on how to continue this conversation, I noticed the presence of someone at the classroom entrance.

"This seems like a rather well-equipped classroom. It would appear to live up to people's expectations, hmm?" Turns out, it was the blond man who argued with the office lady not too long ago.

"This seems like an unpleasant omen..." Horikita sighed once more.

Without paying attention to anyone besides himself, he sat on the seat labeled "Kouenji". It's like no one else was present inside the room. Apparently, the rude comments he made on the bus were accurate reflections of his opinions. His imposing nature prompted everyone in the classroom to draw away from him.

Oh crap. When I looked back towards the seat beside me, Horikita was already immersed in reading her book. I can see that she was reading Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Perhaps Horikita's taste in books was reflected in her personality. Anyway, I just missed my chance to befriend her due to the loss of conversational back-and-forth.

I can probably converse with her again if I try to talk about the book, but I think it's pretty disrespectful to interrupt her at this moment.

Alright. For now, I should survey every one of my classmates and plan on who I want to talk to when the chance arrives. I will base my choices on outward impressions. The top pick for the guys will surely be that one handsome boy in the front. Not only is he talking comfortably with his peers, but he also looks like he has the atmosphere under his control. For the girls, it would undoubtedly be Kushida. Other than her, there were a lot of other girls who initially looked like they were on the same level, but apart from the girl with waist-length blond hair, none of them seemed as natural.

While I was lost in thought, the first bell rang. At that precise moment, a woman entered the classroom. If I had to guess her age, a safe bet would be thirty despite her younger look. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, and paired with her suit and delicate features, she looked like someone who firmly believed in discipline.

"Ahem. Good morning to you, students. I'm the instructor for Class D. My name is Chabashira Sae. I usually teach Japanese History. However, at this school, we do not change classrooms for each grade. For the next three years, I will be acting as your homeroom teacher, so I hope to get to know all of you. It's a pleasure to meet you. The entrance ceremony will be in the gymnasium one hour from now, but first, I will distribute written materials with information about this school's special rules. I will also hand out the admission guide," she announced.

The students in the front seats passed the familiar documents to the students behind them. Eventually, they reach my hands.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School differed from other Japanese high schools in a few key ways. All students are required to live in dormitories located within the school's premises. Also, except for special cases, like interschool events, students were forbidden to contact anyone outside the school. Even then, you are only permitted to come in contact with other participants during the event. In addition to this; contact with your immediate family was forbidden without authorization. Naturally, leaving the school grounds without permission was also strictly forbidden.

On the other hand, the campus is equipped with many excellent facilities. With its own karaoke spot, theater, cafe, boutique, and more, you could easily compare this school to a small city, being more than 600,000 square meters in size.

This school also boasted another unique feature: The S System.

"I will now hand out your student ID cards. By using your ID cards, you can access any of the facilities on campus, purchase goods from the store, and so on. As you can already infer, it acts like a credit card. However, it is imperative that you pay attention to the points that you spend. At this school, you can use your points to buy anything. Anything located on the school premises is available for purchase," explained Chabashira-sensei.

I see... I think I have an idea of what's going on here...

Our points acted as a kind of currency. The absence of physical money would prevent a lot of financial troubles for students. Still, they are advised to keep an eye on their spending habits.

"Your student cards can be used simply by swiping them through the machine scanner. The method is simple, so you shouldn't get confused. Points are automatically deposited into your account on the first of every month. You should all have received 100,000 points already. Keep in mind that one point is worth one yen. No further explanation should be necessary." The classroom erupted after hearing her.

If it was my usual lax attitude, I would've done nothing other than praise the school and its budget. However, I can conclude that something else is going on here...

Chapter Text

A 100,000-yen monthly allowance was no joke. If students receive them unconditionally, it will surely pose future problems, even for a government as rich as Japan's. That's not even counting the cost of maintaining every top-tier facility inside the campus.

"Shocked by the amount of points you've been given? This school evaluates its students' talents. Everyone here has passed the entrance examination, which itself speaks to your value and potential. The amount you've received reflects the evaluation of your worth. You can use your points without restraint. After graduation, however, all of your points return to the school. Because it's impossible to exchange your points for cash, there's no advantage to saving them. Once points have been deposited into your account, it's up to you how to spend them. Do as you like. In the event that you don't want to spend your points, you may transfer them to someone else. However, extorting money from your peers is not allowed. This school monitors bullying very carefully." Chabashira-sensei finished.

As bewilderment spread among the students, Chabashira-sensei looked over the room.

"Well, it appears no one has any questions. I hope that you enjoy your time here as students-" Before she could turn around and leave, I raised my hand and called for her attention.

"Sensei, may I ask you a few questions?"

The cheering stopped as soon as they heard me. Every single one of my classmates' eyes was glued towards me, even Horikita.

"You're Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun, right? Feel free to ask your question. I'll answer anything that I'm permitted to," she replied.

I should probably get used to this by now. If I'm going to establish myself as an exemplary student, attention is a natural outcome.

"Firstly I'm concerned about the mechanic of transferring points. To make sure that no one gets scammed during a negotiation, is there a system that can avoid that?" I asked.

My question rose to a clamor among my classmates.

"I didn't think of that," said one guy.

"It's a good thing he asked that..." said one girl.

This question was a pretty good opener to get their undivided attention. I established a little bit of my practical thinking which would surely make them trust me, even if it's just a teeny-tiny bit.

"There is, actually. If negotiations with complicated conditions ever happen, you can make them foolproof by signing a memorandum. In short, a contract system. Any other questions?" answered Chabashira-sensei.

I predicted that they would at least have that system in place. At this moment, Chabashira-sensei's disinterested expression has changed to that of curiosity. But now that everything's set up, I'll amp it up to my main question.

"Then, can you please explain the details of the point system?" I asked in a neutral yet serious manner.

Once again, my classmates started to murmur. In my peripheral vision, Horikita was especially staring at me with quite an intensity. You could even say that she was glaring at me at this point.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that." Chabashira-sensei declined my question, but instead of looking apologetically or angry, she smiled instead.

"Why? Can you please tell us the reason?" I pressed on.

"No. Those are questions that are beyond my authority to answer." She looked at me with a smirk.

It's like she was challenging me to continue. 'Is that all? Make me spill the beans, boy' is what I infer from her expression.

"I see... Then, Sensei, you said that anything inside the campus can be bought by points, right?" I asked with the same neutral expression.

"Yes." That's the final nail in the coffin.

"Then... can I buy that explanation from you?" 

That question basically turned the murmurs of my classmates into audible gasps.

Towards those words, Chabashira-sensei's eyes lit up as she chuckled in response.

"Amazing, Ayanokouji—or should I say, 'as expected'?" She acted like a completely different person now. And also; 'as expected'? Does she know something about me?

"Anyway, the answer to your question... is yes." Chabashira-sensei's smirk widened a bit. "However for you to buy that information, mere private points won't be enough."

At this point, my classmates started catching on.

"Mere private points? What are you talking about, Chabashira-sensei?" The handsome guy that I was observing earlier asked with a concerned look.

"As I said, I won't say anything. However, I can give the whole class a choice. After all, this is something that involves everyone." She turned to my confused classmates and asked a loaded question. "Alright, Class D. I can't go into details, but if you were all listening carefully, Ayanokouji-kun here wants to buy some information using points. According to the school's rules, this is permitted. But, without getting specific, this will result in all of you losing a part of your allowance next month."

In an instant, voices of retaliation rang out.

"Hell no! I don't want anything to touch my hundred thousand yen!" The boy who sat in the chair labeled "Ike" yelled.

"The heck? Who cares about that explanation anyway? I wanna get outta here and spend my money already!" The boy that should be named "Yamauchi" cried.

Alongside the two of them, a bunch of fashionista-type girls were also complaining. Because of my previous observations of my classmates, I'd say that this was a predictable outcome. As I thought, my position right now feels really troublesome, but it's not like I can't get out of it. Let's just hope that they have enough comprehension to get what I'll be saying.

"Sensei, can I try to convince my classmates for a brief moment?" I asked.

"Sure. We still have a little over half an hour before homeroom ends," replied Chabashira-sensei.

After nodding, I turned a little bit so everyone could see my face from any angle. All of my classmates' attention shifted back to me. Some looked irritated, and some looked pissed. However, there were many who looked either scared or concerned. That's a good sign, at least.

"First of all, I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Nice to meet you all." I don't know if introducing myself was necessary, but doing it right now should etch my name into their minds. "All of you should also be wondering, am I right? Is it really possible for a school to unconditionally supply a 100,000-yen monthly allowance for every single student? Surely, some of you are skeptical."

That was a strong first argument for me. Even those who were too happy about getting such a large amount of money should be heading back from cloud nine now.

"Um, I agree with Ayanokouji-kun. Can we all talk about this for a second?" Kushida came to my rescue.

Her intervention is such a huge help in stabilizing the class's mental state. After all, she seemed to already get along with a bunch of our classmates from that short span of time before the first bell rang. As expected of her.

"Thank you, Kushida-san." This is the best payment I can give her; saying her name and making everyone aware of her too.

Although to be honest, it's only a matter of time before she is known by not just my classmates, but also students from other classes. That's a social elite for you.

"This is the first time we've all met. There's no way I can make you trust me fully, and that's fine. However, what Chabashira-sensei said earlier was the real piece of evidence that we needed. 'This will result in all of you losing a part of your allowance next month' she says. Isn't that weird? The system was explained to us like this school was a paradise. However, there's no way we can partake in all those privileges with no strings attached. My point is, firstly, from what she just said, it is indeed possible for our monthly points to decrease. And secondly, why would such a simple explanation fetch such a high price?" I explained.

I glanced at the handsome boy, indicating that I wanted him to take part in the conversation.

"Ayanokouji-kun, are you saying that there are situations that might lead us to lose our points?" he asked.

Nice follow-up, whatever-your-name-is-kun.

"Yes. Think about it. If asking for an explanation takes away points from the entire class, then that information must be pretty vital. I don't know every single one of you here, but I can tell that many of you are planning to spend your points on things involving your hobbies and interests, apart from daily necessities." A lot of them are still skeptical of my words, but almost everyone is putting on a wondering expression.

As usual, the boy named Kouenji was still sitting with his legs on his table, acting like this didn't involve him at all.

"The details of the class system are unknown. If we are unaware of what this point system is all about, we might make the mistake of being in a worse situation. This will be a shot in the dark, but if buying Sensei's explanation is the wrong choice, I am more than willing to compensate with my own points." As soon as I said the last part of my sentence, the uproar started once again.

"Ayanokouji-kun, I don't think you need to go that far..." said the handsome boy.

"Hirata-kun is right. Even I can tell that you're doing this for the rest of the class..." Kushida followed up.

So his name is Hirata, huh? I was thankful for their help because they were extremely useful at that moment.

There's little to no chance that I can convince a bunch of teenagers to appeal to my demand when it's obviously detrimental to them, especially since this is the first time they've ever met me. All I can do to increase my chances is to present them with some sort of evidence that it is more beneficial for them in the long run. Well, that works on my rational, smart classmates. For the slower ones like the boys named Ike and Yamauchi, who would probably think with their emotions, the assistance by Hirata and especially Kushida, was a lot more helpful.

Around this time, Horikita stood up and asked me.

"Ayanokouji-kun, how sure are you about all this?" A simple, but powerful question.

"I'd say about 99%. That's why I want to compensate with my own points if the 1% happens. I don't mind spending all of them each month to make up for each of our classmate's losses. I can sign a memorandum to prove my resolve on this."

I think that should do it. If the majority still decides to pass up on my suggestion to buy this key information, then all I can do is think up some other ways to get it.

"Alright. I'm with you on your decision." Horikita sat back down with her eyes fixated on me.

"Me too. I trust Ayanokouji-kun," followed Kushida.

"Is there anyone who objects?" Hirata asked the class.

With Horikita's strong attitude and Kushida's initial influence, followed by Hirata's question, the class turned silent.

"If... Kushida-chan says she trusts him, then I will too," said a soft-spoken girl.

"If things go wrong, you need to pay! Alright, Ayanokouji?!" Yamauchi shouted.

"I will. Don't worry," I replied.

Shortly after, every single one of them gave in to peer pressure and decided that they would "trust" me on this one.

"It seems like the whole class has come to a decision." Chabashira-sensei's smile was unwavering. "Ayanokouji-kun, consider your purchase complete."

Chapter Text

"Alright, Class D. Open your ears and listen carefully." Chabashira-sensei started with a stern tone.

Seriously, she acted absolutely indifferent towards our class when she first arrived, but now she's talking enthusiastically.

At that moment, every single student in our class looked serious, even the ones who gave the impression of incompetence and a lackadaisical attitude. Well, this may be a matter of life and death for their dream high school life, so I guess it's understandable.

"First of all, the points in this system can be classified into two. The 100,000 points that you have right now are called 'private points'. Meanwhile, there's also a little something known as 'class points'," said Chabashira-sensei.

The class started murmuring to themselves but immediately returned to silence once they noticed Chabashira-sensei's pause.

"Alright, let's continue. Every single freshman class, from A to D, is given 1000 class points at the start of the year because they passed the entrance exam. These class points are then converted into private points and are deposited into your accounts at the start of each month. With this in mind, you could conclude that class points are updated each month," she explained.

"Class points can indeed be decreased, but they can also be increased. In this school, we have what we call 'special exams', where each class will compete against each other. Based on your performance in these special exams, class points can either increase, decrease, or stay the same." Chabashira-sensei closed her eyes indicating the end of her explanation... No, she was waiting for questions.

"Se-"

"Sensei, may I ask a question? Oh, you can go first, Horikita." I was a split-second earlier and beat Horikita to the punch.

"No, it's fine, Ayanokouji-kun. You can go ahead and ask your question first." She politely refused my offer.

"Go ahead," replied Chabashira-sensei.

"Alright." I nodded to Horikita before standing up. "Are there any outside factors that can influence our class points other than the special exams?"

"You cannot increase your class points outside of special exams. However, you can definitely decrease them. For example, tardiness, absences, sleeping in class, not listening during the discussions, and using your phones during lessons. Those are all things that can decrease your class points. I apologize in advance, but the details of the math with the deduction of the points themselves are strictly confidential, so I won't delve into those." Chabashira-sensei answered straight. Surely, she was expecting that question. "Sigh... If I wasn't compelled to explain this bit, I would never want to do so. Like, you're all high school students. It's only natural to follow these common school etiquettes."

The whole class gulped. It was evident that a lot of them were planning to do exactly those things and focus on enjoyment using the money they had. They must be thanking me internally for making them dodge such a lethal bullet. To be honest, even I was severely surprised by Chabashira-sensei's revelations. This school really is something.

"You really saved their skins there, Ayanokouji-kun. I can only imagine the amount of class points we'd lose if we didn't take this gamble with you." Horikita said with a sigh.

"You can just consider it as me saving myself. Also, go ahead and ask your question now," I said, to which Horikita shook her head in response.

"My question was the same as yours." I see. So that was the case, after all.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you still have something on your mind, don't you?" Horikita said as she observed my thinking self, and she was absolutely right.

I nodded before raising my hand once more.

"Sensei, may I ask another question?"

At this point, the whole class was simply watching a conversation between me and Chabashira-sensei. While they can think of valid questions to ask, they can't quite formulate them at the same speed that I do. For example, there was a male student seated on the chair labeled "Yukimura", who certainly looked ready to ask a question, yet he backed out at the last minute.

"Sure, go ahead." There it is again. Chabashira-sensei's semi-sinister smile.

"What's the point of all this?" I asked a question that even my classmates didn't quite understand.

Audible 'huh?'s and 'what?'s can be heard all over the room.

"Finally. Alright, you slowpokes. For those who couldn't understand Ayanokouji-kun's question, I'll lay it all down for you. Firstly, what's the point of class points and private points apart from being your monthly allowance? And lastly, what's the point of competing with other classes through special exams?" Chabashira-sensei's smile widened as she uttered her next set of explanations. "You've noticed that the four classes are labeled as Class A, B, C, and D, right? Well, that's not just for appearances' sake. Class A is the most promising class, filled with the most excellent set of students that have entered the school this year. They are followed by Class B, C, and of course, you guys, Class D. It's just like the system you'd find in major cram schools."

When they thought everything started making sense, Chabashira-sensei's new revelations shattered their minds once more.

"Do you understand? In other words, you guys are the lowest of the low, the last bastion of failures- a bunch of 'defects'. Oh, don't be surprised now. Class D students have been referred to using that word for a while now." Chabashira-sensei waved her hand as if to tell us to not mind what she just said.

Yukimura, who had been listening silently, stood up in anger.

"What do you mean, Sensei?! Are you saying that I... we... are all defects and failures?!" Yukimura reproached.

"That's how the school judged and sorted you upon entry. Of course, you can be promoted and replace a higher class should you surpass them in terms of class points." Chabashira-sensei repeated her point.

Yukimura sat back down, but he absolutely looked like he wanted to say more. Of course, he wasn't satisfied with Chabashira-sensei's answer. Based on his appearance alone, he looked like someone who studies really hard. Well, that's a bit of a disrespectful assumption on my part. Just because he has glasses doesn't mean he's studious. It's just that it's the impression that his appearance and attitude gave me.

I looked at Horikita to probe if she was planning to ask a question about this revelation, and to my surprise, she turned to look at me around the same time I did. I nodded, prompting her to be the one to ask a question. I'm not sure if we're thinking of the same one, but I figured that I'd give her the chance to ask. She was considerate enough to check up on me, after all.

"Sensei, may I ask you a question?" Horikita raised her hand.

"Go ahead," replied Chabashira-sensei.

"This school boasts the highest rates of advancement in the whole country. Does that mean that as long we overtake Class C, we can guarantee our future?" asked Horikita.

So we were thinking of the same question, after all.

Hearing those words seemed like a wake-up call for most of my classmates. After all, getting accepted into a good college or directly into the workforce had been their main purpose for enrolling here.

"Nothing comes easy in this world, Horikita-san. If you want to achieve your so-called bright future, your only option is to overtake Class A. This school guarantees nothing for other students." Chabashira-sensei coldly answered.

For my classmates, those were the words of a grim reaper. Their dreams of a guaranteed future were immediately sunk down the drain the moment they realized their positions. Well, that's apart from Kouenji, who still didn't care about anything that was happening around him. He smilingly continued to polish his nails...

"What's with those faces? Weren't you all saved just now? If it weren't for Ayanokouji-kun's suggestion to buy all of this information using your class points, you would've been in the dark for the first month. I can only imagine the atrocious results of your blissful ignorance by then." Chabashira-sensei shrugged her shoulders after drawing attention to me.

"With someone like him leading this class, I believe you all got a big chance of taking over Class A in the future. To give reference to Ayanokouji-kun's display of quick thinking and intellect, no freshman in the history of this school has ever been able to figure out the point system's true purpose on the first day. While you may think it's an obvious strategy now, did you think that mediocre people like you would come up with his idea to try and buy information? From a teacher, no less." Geez, what a way to elevate me in my classmates' minds...

Right now, everyone inside the classroom has their eyes on me. With Chabashira-sensei mentioning it, the figurative position of a class leader would surely fall on me in the near future. This is not a bad start. Taking advantage of the silence...

"One last question, Sensei. How much did explaining the point system cost?" I didn't raise my hand, nor did I wait for Chabashira-sensei to give me permission to speak.

"200 class points." She gave a clear-cut answer. "If that's all, then I suppose I could dismiss the class now. Take the information I gave you this time and use it to your advantage. Don't let the deadweight morons hold you back. Don't forget to attend the entrance ceremony, ten minutes from now."

With those parting words, Chabashira-sensei walked out of the classroom with poise.

As soon as her figure disappeared, I looked toward Hirata who was also looking at me. I nodded and let his amazing social skills do their magic.

"Everyone, may I please have your attention?"

The entire class was completely silent after Chabashira-sensei left. They still seem to be in the process of digesting the information she gave us. Hirata clapped his hands in order to get their attention.

"I would've liked us to introduce ourselves since we don't know each other yet, but we only have less than ten minutes left before the entrance ceremony. As we've all heard from our teacher earlier, we can't risk ditching or arriving late in the entrance ceremony since it might risk us losing some class points... For now, I would like to hear your thoughts on the events that occurred just now, Ayanokouji-kun..." Hirata's smile was genuine yet strained. Surely, he was still concerned after hearing everything about this school's S-System.

I stood up and waited for everyone to face me. Well, it didn't take long.

"I'm sure many of you are wondering. After Chabashira-sensei praised my so-called intellect, why was I placed here in Class D? I would like to explain all of those in the near future, but for now, I would like all of you to hear me out." The atmosphere turned tense without my intention. "Firstly, as much as I would like to hold a class meeting in order to gather our thoughts as a class, we don't want Class C, B, and A to get suspicious of us, so let's wait until tomorrow. Secondly, we are the only class that holds this very important information. Should this leak to other classes, our only advantage will disappear instantly. Remember, we bought all of that information using 200 class points. Since everyone else has 1000 class points while we have 800, we're still dead last. There's no merit in telling other classes about what we learned today."

Most of them were nodding at my words while others listened intently.

"Lastly, this system tells us that our solidarity as a class will be the most important thing in the next three years. I hope we can work together as one team in all of the trials to come." I finished with a slight bow.

Despite my monotone way of speaking, the entire class was still moved. Hirata clapped his hands and everyone excluding a handful of people followed suit. Huh... Acting like this sure is an effective method to garner everyone's trust. It was a good thing that I prepared for this.

Now then, my next objective would be to get to know all of my classmates and take note of who to pay attention to. This way, I can effectively and fully utilize any of their abilities that would prove to be useful in the future.

Chapter Text

Not long after my speech, every one of us prepared to leave. As I got up, I immediately gave Hirata a look. He nodded and came to me as I walked in Kushida's direction. When she noticed us, she stopped talking with her friends and turned to me.

"Ayanokouji-kun, do you need something?" Kushida asked in a slightly serious manner.

"Is it alright if the three of us walk together on our way to the gymnasium?" I offered.

"I see. I don't mind," said Hirata.

"Alright. I'll go with you two." Surprisingly, Kushida also agreed.

The two of them could help me a lot in the future. Their looks and social abilities are both top-tier. I would like to get close to them as soon as possible.

"Mii-chan, Ruri-chan, Kokoro-chan... I'll be going ahead with Ayanokouji-kun and Hirata-kun for now. Is that alright?" Kushida asked permission from her friends.

"I-It's alright, Kikyou-chan. I bet it's something important so don't mind us," said the twin-tailed, blue-haired girl surnamed "Wang".

Around Wang, Kushida's other friends nodded in unison. How enviable. Kushida has such gentle friends. I looked at them and nodded my head, to which they responded with a slight bow.

"Everyone, let's all come to the gymnasium together. There shouldn't be any need to form lines while heading there, but let's observe proper behavior and etiquette when we reach the place." Hirata announced with an amicable tone.

As expected, it was the right choice to choose him. While only the students near his seat gave an audible reply, everyone practically agreed in their minds.

Hirata immediately spoke to me while I was walking.

"This is the first time that we've actually talked. I'm Hirata Yousuke. Nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun. You don't need to be formal with me, so calling me Yousuke is fine." He offered his hand, and I shook it.

"Nice to meet you. For now, I think I'll just call you Hirata. I'm not used to calling other people around my age by their first names, you see," I replied.

"That's totally fine," smiled Hirata.

If I was a girl, I would've already been smitten by that smile.

"Thank you for getting my signals earlier. Your and Kushida-san's assistance was the deciding factor in convincing the class." I thanked them with a nod.

"What are you saying, Ayanokouji-kun? I honestly think we barely helped. As Chabashira-sensei said earlier; if it wasn't for your quick thinking, who knows what could've happened to our class..." Kushida returned the praise to me. Not saying "class points" exhibited her superb awareness.

"Yeah... Thinking about it now, you really saved the entire class..." Hirata said.

"All's well and done now, so we can only move forward. We can't really talk about anything crucial while walking to the gymnasium since we'll be in close proximity to students from other classes soon. So for now, I think I just want to get to know you two a little bit better. Do you mind if the three of us exchange contact info?" I spoke as naturally as I could, but according to my research, getting the contact information of your classmates is a pretty hard and delicate ordeal. I hope they don't reject me.

"Sure! Have you been a step behind, I would have asked for yours instead, Ayanokouji-kun," smiled Kushida.

"Somehow, I feel a sense of deja vu..." I commented jokingly, not trying to make the same mistake as I did with Horikita earlier.

"Here's my mail address and number, Ayanokouji-kun. Wait, 'deja vu'? Do you two know each other from your previous school? I didn't see you guys talk to each other when you came inside the classroom earlier, but Ayanokouji-kun already knew Kushida-san's name." Hirata asked, noticing my comment.

"You're wrong about that, Hirata-kun. Ayanokouji-kun and I rode the same bus this morning. I first talked to him there." Kushida chuckled in response.

"Yeah, and Kushida said something about doing something had I been a step behind. That's a lot of somethings..." I joked while adding context to her words.

I pretended to not remember the specifics of that event. I called Kushida without honorifics, but I don't think it matters that much anymore.

"Hahaha. Ehh... So the two of you didn't go to the same middle school then?" Hirata asked, after laughing at my second attempt at cracking a joke. I don't know if what I said was really funny to him, but his laugh sounded genuine, so I'll just stop thinking about it.

"Nope, but I do know that Ayanokouji-kun came from abroad," Kushida answered proudly.

"That's unexpected. Which country?" Hirata asked with his mouth slightly agape.

"America," I answered immediately.

"Ohh, how was it there?" Hirata continued with his questions.

"I can't say anything but 'normal'. Enough about me though. What about you, Hirata? Tell us about yourself," I said.

It was a sloppy attempt to dodge the question, and I'm sure these two noticed it.

"Yeah, yeah," followed Kushida.

"Don't be relaxed now, Kushida-san. You're next, you know?" chuckled Hirata.

"Ehhh..." Kushida replied cutely.

"Well, first, I like soccer a lot. I think I'll join this school's Soccer Club whenever the student club fair starts," he said.

The three of us continued to talk about each other as we walked along the hallways. More and more students from other classes started blending in with us, Class D, as they headed towards the gymnasium. From an outsider's perspective, we probably looked like good friends who hit it off on the first day or old friends who reunited after graduating from junior high... Granted, I'm not as talkative as these two. Given my hasty preparation and zero experience, there's no way I can keep up with naturals like them. However, it's still a pleasant feeling.

Is this what it feels like to hang out with friends?

"Hirata-kun, did you know? The specific line that Ayanokouji-kun was talking about earlier with the deja vu was "Have you been a step behind, I'd be the one to speak up for the poor old lady's sake, you know?". You see, when we were riding the bus this morning, one of our classmates, Kouenji-kun, was arguing with an office lady," narrated Kushida.

While I was lost in thought, I suddenly heard Kushida drop my name. She's seriously gonna tell that story...? Well, whatever, I guess.

"Oh... He was the blond boy sitting in the middle, right? What were they arguing about?" Hirata asked curiously.

"Well, he was sitting on one of the priority seats with no intention of giving it up for a poor old lady." Kushida declaimed with a sad expression on her face.

"Seriously? With the imposing aura that he exuded in the classroom, I guess that's not an impossibility... However, that sort of behavior leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I can't say I like it." Hirata's expression didn't change much, but even I can tell how displeased he was upon hearing the story.

"Yeah... I tried to take action before things got out of hand, but before I could step in and help, Ayanokouji-kun got up from his own seat and offered it to the old lady!" she said, excitedly.

"As expected, you really are a good person, Ayanokouji-kun." Hirata gave me a warm smile.

"You guys give me too much credit. I just wanted the commotion to end. It was painful to watch their argument unfold," I said.

"See, Hirata-kun? Not only is he kind, but he's also super modest!" Kushida's enthusiasm didn't wane in the slightest. She even used my own words against me. As expected of her...

Our small talk continued for a short while until we reached the gymnasium to attend the entrance ceremony. 

Chapter Text

Nothing strange happened at the entrance ceremony. I took my time, subtly observing the students from other classes. It should be easy enough to take the spotlight, but according to Chabashira-sensei, everyone outside my own class can be considered an enemy. Of course, there's no need for open hostility. At the end of the day, we're still fellow high school students on the same campus. However, I should always remind my classmates to be extra vigilant when needed.

After all, in this school, you can't say things like "You're being too serious about this" or anything along those lines. Their futures are literally on the line.

Well, I say that, but thanks to my purchasing some information, only Class D is aware of how grave the situation is for those who aren't in Class A.

After the entrance ceremony, I have one major criticism for my classmates, especially Ike and Yamauchi. They were too restless. If there had been a student who exhibited the same vigilance that I did, they might have noticed my classmates' stiff behavior.

Students dispersed as soon as they got out of the gymnasium. Some went to the mall, called Keyaki Mall, while some went to the dorms. I thought about heading to the dorms to check out my room but...

"Ayanokouji-kun!" Kushida called out to me.

She wasn't alone though. She ran up to me with her friends in tow. Wait a minute... did they increase?

"Kushida, do you need something?" I asked.

"Well, my friends were wondering if they could exchange contact info with you as well..." Kushida asked with a smile.

"K-Kikyou-chan, we told you not to say it like that!" exclaimed a girl with shoulder-length brown hair.

"Ah-haha... I didn't know how else I could phrase it. My bad." Kushida laughed guiltily while scratching her head.

"That's perfect. I was wondering how to get the contact information of my other classmates, so I guess this is a good start," I said, holding out my smartphone.

"Um, my name is Inogashira Kokoro... Nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun." So the brown-haired girl is named Inogashira Kokoro.

"I'm Onodera Kayano! Nice to meet you!" An enthusiastic short-haired girl introduced herself right after.

"Um, my name is Wang Mei-Yu, but you can call me Mii-chan. Nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun..." The twin-tailed girl with blue hair is named Wang—I mean Mii-chan.

After them, three more followed. They were Azuma Sana, Nishimura Ryuuko, and Ichihashi Ruri.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm looking forward to being in the same class." I bowed slightly.

For some reason, they kept staring at me.

"You're right, Kikyou-chan! Now that I get a closer look at him, Ayanokouji-kun really seems like he's super easy to talk to," said Onodera.

"Huh? What do you mean?" As a hatchling when it comes to social interaction, I have no idea what those words really mean.

"You don't get it, Ayanokouji-kun? Everyone thought you were nothing but a mysterious and quiet person, and then, you showed us a great display of intellect. You even saved the whole class with it. Combine those two and you get a rather-hard-to-approach-super-smart classmate," answered Kushida.

"I'm not sure I understand, but I see... Well, it's not like I don't want to talk with people. I'm just not good at it, I guess. And somehow, the look on my face adopted that same feature," I replied.

"Well, your way of speaking may sound monotonous right now, but with enough practice, you'll eventually get out of there!" Onodera gave me a thumbs up.

"Hopefully... I don't want to be mistaken as a robot with no emotions," I responded.

The girls laughed. It was a simple joke, but I'm glad it was received well. I didn't sense any so-called "pity laugh" from them, so I'm satisfied.

"You tried to sacrifice yourself for the class's sake. There's no way you don't have emotions," said Mei.

"Yeah, yeah!" The other girls echoed.

After some more pointless small talks, I successfully got the contact info of my classmates. They were all girls though.

The only guy in my contacts is Hirata, so I need to work on that front, too.

Kushida and her friends invited me for lunch, but I politely refused. It's certainly a rare opportunity, but social interaction and attention really drained me. I've had too much of it in the short span of a few hours.

I decided to swing by the convenience store before making my way to the dormitories. Before I could reach the door, Horikita came out with a plastic bag in hand.

"Ayanokouji-kun..." Horikita uttered my name the moment she saw me.

"Horikita...-san." I hesitated, and now I look like a fool.

"Call me however you like. I don't mind," she said coolly.

"Then... Suzune?" Wow. I'm impressed with myself for having the balls to suggest that.

"Apart from that. I don't let people use my first name easily." Horikita leered at me.

"That was a joke. My bad, Horikita," I apologized.

"Your way of speaking really makes it hard to distinguish," Horikita responded, attacking my weak point. I'm inclined to believe that it wasn't intentional. Hopefully...

"It's just how I am. I can't do anything about it now, can I?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Anyway, how'd your shopping go?"

"I just bought some daily necessities," she replied.

"Well, it's always good to be early on those things. I guess I'll do the same then-" Before I could get the chance to say goodbye, Horikita interrupted me.

"Ayanokouji-kun... About earlier... I want to talk to you about it. Is that alright?" Horikita asked.

"I see. Let me buy a cheap lunch set for a bit. Are you okay with that?" I just assumed that she wanted to talk now. Her body language is crying 'ASAP' all over.

I wonder if it's a mix of panic and desperation.

"Yes. I'll wait for you," nodded Horikita.

She seems like a smart girl. Once I explain everything to the class tomorrow, I might need some extra brain to work with.

I walked in and saw another classmate. It was the red-haired guy who seemed pissed off all the time.

"Excuse me," I called out to him.

"Hah?" Geez, that's one scary expression.

"I'm Ayanokouji, from your class." I tried to sound as amicable as possible.

"Oh, it's you. What do you need?" Like a lightbulb flaring up inside his brain, his attitude turned a little bit gentler.

Huh. Is this the power of favors? It seems like even he felt a bit grateful for what I did during homeroom. He didn't act friendly, but at least he wasn't hostile.

"I just wanted to ask if what you bought is the cheapest ramen cup available. Because if it is, I'm also thinking of buying one," I said.

"Oh, this? I think so," he replied, putting on a thinking expression.

"I see. Thanks... uhh..." I tilted my head and slightly squinted my eyes.

"It's Sudou. I'm Sudou Ken." He seems to be looking at me with curiosity. Well, to be honest, that's ten times better than looking at me with killing intent.

"Thanks, Sudou. And nice to meet you." I waved my hand.

"Yeah, sure." He sounded a bit embarrassed.

After buying the said cup ramen, I immediately went out of the store. This is probably not healthy for me, but my boundless curiosity urged me to try this. It's the White Room's fault for not letting me try this sort of food.

"Who are you? I was already here. You're in the way. Get lost," barked Sudou.

When I got out, I saw three guys surrounding Sudou while he was sitting. His ramen wasn't opened yet... Was he waiting for me? Somehow, that made me happy.

"You hear this guy? 'Get lost,' he says. What a cocky little first-year punk." One of the guys mocked Sudou.

The three laughed in Sudou's face. Sudou shot up, throwing his unopened noodle cup to the ground.

"'First-year punk,'? You tryin' to make fun of me, huh?!" Alright. I can conclude that Sudou has an extremely short fuse. He seemed like the type to immediately threaten anyone or anything that crossed him.

Horikita, who was initially watching from the sidelines, immediately tried to take action. When she saw me head out of the store, she quickly approached me. Horikita seemed to have given me the main role and decided to act as the support.

"Sudou, I'm done buying my lunch." I pretended to be oblivious and called out to him.

"Oh, friends of yours?" One of the guys raised an eyebrow seeing me and Horikita approach them.

"Second years...? Uh, are there any problems, senpai?" I asked, innocently.

"Well, this punk was sitting on our spot so we told him to piss off." The guy who answered me shrugged with a smirk.

"Do you think I won't beat you up just because you're an upperclassman?" Sudou was increasingly getting angrier. This could be bad.

"I see," I said, turning to Sudou. "Well, I was supposed to invite you to my room for lunch, so there's no point in staying here."

Sudou became visibly confused by my words.

"Come on, Sudou. Pick up your cup ramen and let's get out of here." I looked straight into his eyes. Please get what I'm trying to say...

"Tch. But-" I repeated my words before he could say anything more.

"Come on, Sudou." I unintentionally increased the intensity of my tone.

That might've been a blunder. With Sudou's aggressive attitude, he might think that I'm picking a fight with him...

The upperclassman squinted their eyes and looked at me weirdly. However, their bodies instinctively stiffened with nervousness.

At the same time, Sudou looked at me with a surprised expression. His face slowly shifted into a frown... Crap.

"Sudou-kun, we'll only be wasting our time if we keep standing here. No one is really trying to pick a fight with you. These upperclassmen are just taunting you, and they won't stop unless you ignore them." Horikita spoke on my behalf.

Sudou seemed to remember what happened during homeroom because of Horikita's words. He finally got what I wanted to get across and clicked his tongue. He picked up his cup ramen and walked to our side.

I really hoped he would've gotten it without Horikita having to spell it out for him, though. I guess I expected too much.

"See you, Senpai(s)." I gave them a side glance.

"I initially thought you three were all Class D students. But apart from that red-headed moron, both of you seemed too composed. Are you from Class C, or perhaps, B?" One of the three guys glared at me.

Knowing what they meant, Sudou seemed just about done and ready to charge back in. It didn't help that they also called him a moron. Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, I blocked Sudou's torso with my hand and stopped his approach.

"What could you ever mean, Senpai? What does our composure have to do with being placed in a certain class?" I asked.

"Hey, dude, shut your mouth," scolded the other guy.

The guy I asked kept glaring at me in annoyance.

"It means nothing. Tch. My mood is sour now. Let's just get the hell outta here."

And with that, they left without further hitches.

"Well, that was something..." I commented.

"I owe you one, Ayanokouji, and your friend, too... I don't know what would've happened if you two didn't come to help me. I get pissed really easily, you see. Especially with guys like those." Sudou glared toward the direction where the three disappeared.

"It's fine. As I said earlier, class solidarity is important. And it's good that you're self-aware. Since you already know about your own problem, I want to ask you a favor to try and fix it," I said.

"Well... I'll try my best." Sudou scratched his head awkwardly.

He actually agreed. This wouldn't have been possible if I had been a nobody. Getting the limelight early on really helps a lot.

"Thank you. And sorry if I accidentally sounded hostile or demanding earlier," I apologized.

"Oh, that... Well, you've made it clear to me now that you weren't pickin' a fight, so it's fine. I was just surprised, and frankly, a bit spooked..." he said. "Especially..."

Sudou muttered something under his breath.

"I see. Well, with all that's said and done, do you wanna come to my room and eat lunch? I know I only used that story to back you up, but you can accept the offer if you want," I asked.

"Nah. I'll just eat here. It seems like you and this girl have something to talk about." He turned to Horikita.

"I'm Horikita Suzune. Nice to meet you, Sudou-kun." Horikita, who has been silent the entire time, took the chance to introduce herself with a cool, stoic expression.

"I'm Sudou Ken. Pleased to meet'cha." Sudou went ahead and opened his cup ramen, filling it up with hot water from the dispenser outside.

"See you tomorrow then." I waved at him, to which he gently waved back in response.

With that, Horikita and I tread toward the dorm areas.

Chapter Text

At the reception desk, Horikita and I received our room keycards, along with a handbook about the dorm rules for each of us. In addition to the basic things that we needed to know about our daily routines, there were also dates and times for garbage disposal, a notice to avoid making excessive noise, and notes about not wasting water or electricity.

"Amazing. I thought the school would deduct the cost from our points, but that doesn't seem to be the case at all," I muttered, with Horikita reading her own handbook beside me.

"They don't place any restrictions, even with gas usage," continued Horikita.

The two of us entered the elevator. According to my research, being stuck in an elevator will most likely lead to a big conversational disaster, but I didn't want silence between us. I'd like to keep talking while I can still think of something.

"My room is on the 4th floor. How about you?" I asked, pressing the number 4 button.

"It's on the 13th floor," she replied.

This school implemented co-ed dormitories, but of course, the rules stated that unsuitable romantic relationships were strictly forbidden. Well, that much is obvious...

After we reached the 4th floor, I turned to ask Horikita.

"Do you not want to check out your room before we talk? Once you enter mine, it'll be the first-ever room that you've entered in the dormitories," I joked. She criticized me before about the way I delivered my jokes. I'm prepared for the worst on this one.

"Do you think about things like those, Ayanokouji-kun? I'm not someone who dwells on something so trivial and sentimental. Besides, I ought to talk to you as soon as possible." Horikita coldly responded.

"I was joking, my bad." I scanned my keycard to unlock Room 401.

It seems like wanting to talk to me didn't mean Horikita wanted to make friends. I expected that much, but it's still a downer, to say the least.

Now that I think about it, Horikita didn't even mind that she was going inside the room of a guy. She might think I'm harmless, but that's not enough reassurance for the difference in our body size should I do something dangerous. Of course, I'm not planning to do anything, but I didn't even realize the implications of our situation until now. Given my initial evaluation of her, Horikita doesn't seem like an airhead. In fact, it's the opposite. 

I see. She knows martial arts—or at least, that's the guess I'm willing to bet on.

Halting my line of thought, the two of us finally entered. My room was twelve to thirteen square meters big.

"Let's talk while eating," I said, putting my bag on top of the bed.

I picked up the vacuum electric water heater and filled it up. After Horikita put away her school bag gently on the floor, she took out the cheap lunch set she brought from the convenience store and put it on the dining table.

"You can go ahead and eat first."

"Alright," she replied, accepting my suggestion.

I sat across Horikita and now we were face-to-face with each other. Looking at her again, she really was beautiful. If she was more outgoing and friendly, she could easily stand beside the likes of Kushida in terms of popularity.

"First off, what did you want to talk about?" I started.

She swallowed her food gracefully before answering.

"I want to know what kind of person you are. According to Chabashira-sensei, being placed in Class D means that you're a defective product of some sort. I personally don't agree with that. I pride myself as an exemplary student. They must have made a mistake. I assume that you feel the same?" she elaborated.

"Hmm... I didn't think my placement in Class D was a mistake or anything, even after Chabashira-sensei told us everything. My entrance exam scores were below average, after all," I said, looking at the water heater.

Oh, it's done.

"How many points did you score?" She asked after swallowing another bite of her food.

Huh? Does she expect me to answer that? The exam results were never revealed.

"Fifty across the board," I answered, pouring the hot water into my cup ramen. "Well, at least that's what I think. Maybe I'll ask Chabashira-sensei for confirmation."

"You actually answered..." she said, vexingly shaking her head. "Alright. If I assume that what you're saying is true, then you would've been smart enough to manipulate your own scores."

"I answered your question jokingly. There's no way for me to know what my scores really were."

"I guess that makes sense," she shrugged.

"And even I did, there's no such thing as me manipulating my answers. I might be sure about 60 questions for each subject, and I just deliberately secured 50 on a whim. But since the exam is worth 100 points, wouldn't that make me an average, if not a below-average student?"

"That's true, but did you really find the exam difficult?" she asked without delay.

If she's set on thinking that I'm a smart student, then there's no reason to make myself seem unintelligent in front of her. Doing that might become detrimental in the near future.

"Well, not really. The exam was easy enough for me, so I tried scoring all-fifties and see how it goes." Before she could ask why, I decided to deflect the question back to her. "How about you? You don't seem like someone who took the entrance exam lightly."

I opened it up and the smoke carried a nice aroma. I wonder what this would taste like. I'm kind of excited.

"Of course. I'm sure I scored well on the entrance exam... but they still put me in Class D. They must've made a mistake... Unless—" she gasped, finally catching on.

"Do you finally get it?" I asked. "I'm sure some of our classmates are dissatisfied because they think they scored well, too. However, Chabashira-sensei insisted that the sorting of students wasn't wrong in the least."

"They didn't just base it on the entrance exam itself, did they?" she muttered.

I nodded, slurping my first serving of cup ramen. Delicious.

"Think about it clearly. Chabashira-sensei sprinkled hints about the true nature of this school. She repeatedly stressed our doomed futures if we graduate in Class D. It makes sense from a futuristic standpoint since the workforce wouldn't readily accept a flawed graduate. That's probably why the statistics on this school's advancement rate were so high, focusing the sample size only on Class A students," I explained before slurping my noodles.

"What could possibly be my flaw...?" Horikita wondered with a pained expression.

"I only met you today, so I can't really say... But if I had to guess, maybe it's because of your demeanor?" This was a risky route to take. As much as possible, I'd like to avoid offending any of my classmates.

"What do you mean?" She glared at me.

"Well, I personally admire your calm and cool demeanor, but you give off the impression of someone who prefers to be alone." Even without my knowledge of human psychology, I think it's still the impression she would give me.

"I prefer to be alone," she replied sternly.

I hit the mark, huh?

"Well, if you look at it from the perspective of a company owner, they wouldn't want to employ someone who can't work with others now, would they?" I explained before sipping some of the soup.

"That's- That shouldn't be the case..." She tried to defend herself, but it slowly made sense to her. She ate another spoonful as she frowned.

"You wouldn't be so naive to think that you're the most intelligent student on the campus, right? If a number of Class A students, who are just as smart and capable, can work effectively with others, there's no doubt that they would be chosen over you." With that, I grabbed the cup with both of my hands and consumed the remaining soup.

Thanks for the meal.

Around that time, Horikita also finished her meal.

"Is that really the case...?" She still seemed to deny what I said. Well, I don't have any evidence for my claim. She's free to believe them or not.

"Are you against the idea of making friends?" I got up, putting away my mess in the sink.

"Frankly, yes. As I said, I prefer to be alone," she replied instantly.

"But you do want to advance to Class A, right?" I asked, looking her directly in the eyes.

"Of course. Now that I have some knowledge about this school's true nature, that will be my main goal," answered Horikita.

Sigh... As she is now, Horikita's nothing but a double-edged sword.

"I see." I crossed my arms before continuing. "Then forgive me for my harsh words, but I think you might want to refrain from acting stuck-up, lest you become a liability to the class."

At this point, she needed to hear it. In the future, I don't want to work extra by stopping unnecessary, childish arguments driven by pride.

"T-That's... I'll think about it... As you said earlier, the solidarity of the class will be the most important thing in this school..." She really seemed to take my words seriously.

That's a good thing. Horikita should be an academically competent student. That's what her confidence in her entrance exam results tells me. If that confidence isn't unfounded, then she might become a useful person for Class D's advancement in the future.

More importantly, Horikita didn't bark back at me even as I said some provocative things. It goes to show how she doesn't see me as someone below her.

After an awkward moment of silence, I decided to ask Horikita if she had any more questions for me.

"Anything else?" Given her tense reaction, I might have sounded a little bit too sudden. Horikita was still thinking about what I just said.

"Do you really plan on advancing to Class A?" Horikita asked hesitantly.

"Haven't I made that clear already?" I answered back with a question while tilting my head.

"You questioned me before I could ask why you slacked off on your exam. What was your reason for that?"

I'm impressed by her perception, but unfortunately, I don't want to talk about my past.

I came to this school to start again—No... In this school, I can begin entirely anew. I wouldn't let my origins get in the way of my high school life.

"I'm not obliged to answer that, am I?" I narrowed my eyes a little bit.

Given her sharpness, making up a lie would be too risky. However, telling her some truths about me would yield the same risk.

"Isn't that a bit hypocritical? I thought you prioritized the class's solidarity. How can we trust you if you're keeping secrets?" asked Horikita.

"Then, are you alright with laying everything bare to me? What are your true objectives? Why do you want to advance to Class A? What motivates you? Will you tell me everything about your past?" 

"That's not necessary now, is it?" Horikita bit her lip.

"Exactly. I'm not looking for a friendly relationship with the class here. I'll help them advance, but that doesn't mean they need to know everything about me. And besides, we've just met today. Why don't we get to know each other a little better first before sharing personal stuff?" I said.

To be honest, that was a half-lie. I wanted some friends, but focusing on that would be a bad move. I'll take my time in exploring that area.

Horikita only stared at me with a curious glare. Another brief moment of silence ensued. This time, Horikita was the one who broke the ice.

"Sigh... I suppose I'll go now. This has been a fruitful conversation, Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita didn't sound sarcastic at all. That's a relief.

"Alright. See you tomorrow." With that, Horikita walked out of my room and left.

When I finished cleaning after myself, I surrendered my body to the bed.

"What a day..." I muttered.

I like this school. I chose it for one fundamental reason. People were not allowed to contact students without permission, even if they were friends or immediate family. I greatly appreciated that.

I was free. Isn't freedom simply the best? I almost didn't want to graduate. For me, passing or failing didn't really matter. I simply wanted to test myself.

At first, I was just thinking about taking the backseat, not drawing attention to myself. However, this school turned out to be pretty interesting. 

I wonder how far I can reach while utilizing the abilities given to me by "that man".

My body felt far from tired, and excitement still overwhelms my mind. This new life of mine... I'll enjoy it to the fullest.

Chapter Text

The second day of school came. I entered the room and found my classmates acting like how they did on the first day. When Hirata saw my humble figure, he immediately greeted me.

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun." Hirata waved his hand.

"Good morning!" Some of the girls who were talking to Hirata greeted me too.

"Good morning," I replied.

I noticed that almost everyone looked at me when I arrived. From their perspective, I'm probably on Hirata's level in the social hierarchy so they can't openly talk to me without feeling pretentious. I need to do something about that.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you're here! Good morning!" Kushida ran up to me excitedly.

I sure am a lucky man to have such an angelic girl as a friend.

—?!

I sensed killing intent... Well, I did, but it's just from my male classmates, who clearly want to score on Kushida.

"Good morning, Kushida. What's up?" I said.

"Oh, nothing... Well, uh—I was wondering if you'll talk to the whole class later. As you can probably guess, I think most of us are still not a hundred percent clear with the situation..." Amazing. Kushida's goal was probably just to greet me. However, she immediately thought of something so as to not make the atmosphere awkward.

"I will. Don't worry. But for that, I'll need your help along with Hirata. I can't possibly keep the whole class intact without you two." I reassured her.

"Leave it to us!" Kushida nodded with a smile.

She waved her hand while scooting back to her friends.

"Good morning, Horikita." I greeted my seatmate without looking at her.

"Good morning." Horikita did the same as she kept her eyes on the book she was reading.

As much as I wanted to stay seated while looking outside the window, I should probably work on getting to know my other male classmates. I stood up, much to Horikita's indifference. I walked towards Sudou's seat when I noticed that the owner had arrived.

"Sup', Sudou." I tried to act casually.

From the way Sudou acted yesterday, I think it would be a bad idea to be as formal and amicable as Hirata.

"Oh, Ayanokouji, what's up?" Sudou looked with a slightly surprised expression.

"Yesterday was something, wasn't it?"

Having only talked to him once, I can't possibly think of anything else other than the events yesterday. However, that's fine. After all, my talking to Sudou is just one part of my plan.

"Oh, yeah... Those upperclassmen were a bunch of assholes, weren't they?" Sudou clicked his tongue upon recalling those memories.

"Based on what they said, I guess we can really believe what Chabashira-sensei told us yesterday."

"Yeah... Class D... and class points, huh?" Sudou felt quite unsettled.

"Hey, Sudou!" Three guys approached us.

"Oh, Ike, what's up?" greeted Sudou.

Finally.

With Sudou as the middleman, these three will try to get to know me. That's probably what they're thinking. That's fine. After all, my plan was exactly just that.

"Ayanokouji? You're buddies with Sudou?" Ike asked.

"Yeah, why?" I admitted.

"Yeah, right. I'm friends with Ayanokouji. You got a problem with that?" Sudou added with a proud tone.

"Huh? Why would I?" says Ike. He then extends his hand to me. "I'm Ike, Ike Kanji. Nice to meet ya', Ayanokouji."

"Nice to meet you, Ike," I replied, shaking his hand.

"I'm Yamauchi Haruki. You can always come to me for love advice!" Yamauchi proudly slapped his torso.

"I'm Hondou Ryoutarou. Nice to meet you," said Hondou.

"Nice to meet you, guys. So you're also friends with Sudou?" I nodded.

So far so good...

"Pretty much. Almost everyone was avoiding him due to his scary face, but I, for one, am kind-hearted enough to realize that he's not a bad guy." Ike's flamboyant expression ticked Sudou off.

"Hey!" Sudou yelled.

"Well, Sudou's has a really short fuse. He would almost always get into situations where he'd pick a fight when we were wandering around Keyaki Mall yesterday," said Hondou.

"Good thing I'm strong enough to stop him!" Yamauchi flexed his biceps before slapping them.

"Keyaki Mall, huh...? It's unfortunate that I never got the chance to go there yesterday. It was quite the depressing first day of school for me." I muttered with a sigh.

Saying this should show them that I'm just a normal guy with normal social needs. Their preconceived notion of me as an unapproachable social elite should disappear instantly. Once that happens, they should start acting buddy-buddy with me.

"Well, well, Sudou aside..." grinned Yamauchi.

"Yeah, yeah... Say, Ayanokouji. What's up with you and Kushida-chan?" Ike whispered, wrapping his arms around my shoulder.

That was fast.

"What's up with us?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Are you two dating?" Hondou questioned me straight.

"Oh, even I'm curious about that," added Sudou.

Somehow, I knew it would come to this. I can capitalize on their interest to get closer.

"Ah, no. We're just friends." Since I'm not that used to socializing with others, I can't possibly know what's the best response here. That's why I opted for a safe option; telling the truth.

"Really? You're not lying, aren't you?" Ike put on a skeptical expression.

"Traitors will not be tolerated, Ayanokouji!" Yamauchi closed his fist in retaliation.

The way they're acting is really familiar...

Oh, I remember now. When I was researching high school norms in media like manga, I've encountered students acting like these three. They were background characters most of the time though.

"I'm simply telling you the truth. Besides, it's just the second day of school. There's no need to rush these things," I said.

"W-Wha-?! So you're saying that you have plans?" Yamauchi and Ike were shocked by my words.

"So you do have a crush on Kushida-chan." Hondou nudged me with his elbow.

Seems like my statement has been severely misunderstood.

"Kushida is attractive. She'll surely be one of the most popular if not the most popular girl in our year, so I can understand where you guys are coming from. But as unbelievable as it sounds, I don't see her that way," I explained.

"Isn't that just an elaborate excuse? There's no way we can just simply believe that." Now Yamauchi was the one who nudged me with his elbow.

"Don't hound Ayanokouji now. You see, I'm kind of the same. I won't actively go after her, like you two idiots, but if she's the one who gets close to me, then I'd happily oblige. Am I right, Ayanokouji?" Hondou explained haughtily.

I nodded.

Of course, I wanted a girlfriend like any high school guy.

"The hell'd you say, Hondou?! There's no way Kushida-chan would try to get close to you!" barked Ike.

"And you're just as much of an idiot as us!" followed Yamauchi.

"Don't lump me with you guys! If I hadn't done anything, you two would have bought that PS Vita and your precious points would've been down the drain!" countered Hondou.

"Shut up! You were also drooling in excitement when we went window shopping yesterday!" Ike bit back.

The three of them started arguing in a comedic fashion. It was quite the sight in an early morning.

"They sure are lively," I commented.

"The hell? They're just a noisy bunch that needs to shut up. And that's such an old man's line, Ayanokouji," replied Sudou.

"Is it?" I asked, not expecting an answer.

Not long after, the first bell rang. All of us quickly went back to our seats, right before Chabashira-sensei waltzed inside the classroom.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, everyone," greeted Chabashira-sensei, with her usual poker face.

Standing behind the podium, Chabashira-sensei scanned the entire class.

"Hehhh... Look at you, sitting up straight with such serious expressions. You're already acting like students befitting of Class A." Chabashira-sensei was praising us, but her sarcastic tone made it all clear that we were actually being mocked.

"The higher-ups were really shocked when I reported what happened yesterday, you know? If any of the other class advisers find out about you guys, they would surely become wary." Chabashira-sensei's tone suddenly dropped. "I'm also under investigation right now. As you can see, there's always the possibility that I willingly shared that information with you guys. Such actions are strictly against the rules and could get me fired on the spot. However, once they go through all of the evidence, I'm sure we'll be fine."

Evidence, huh? I'm guessing it's the security cameras that are scattered around the classroom walls. They're not especially hidden, but I don't think everyone's noticed them yet.

"Sensei." Hirata raised his hand.

"Yes, Hirata?" Chabashira-sensei gave him a side glance.

"Is it alright for you to tell us these things?" asked Hirata.

"Of course. I wouldn't make the careless mistake of sharing confidential information, even if it's for my own class's benefit. At the end of the day, rules are rules." Chabashira-sensei answered smoothly.

"Well, with that being said, I have another thing to clear up." With her hands plastered on the podium, Chabashira-sensei looked like quite an authoritative figure. "There was one detail about the S-System that I left out yesterday... No, it's more appropriate to say that I completely lied about it."

The stiff look on my classmates' faces turned stiffer.

"There's actually another way to earn class points apart from special exams." Chabashira-sensei said.

"-?!" The entire class reacted a bit violently, but they didn't utter any words. It only took a second before they calmed down again.

"What's with those looks? The special exams are already the icing on the cake. This one's nothing revolutionary or unique, really." Chabashira-sensei commented with a smirk. "Like any normal high school, we will be having midterms and final exams. Depending on your performance, you can earn up to 100 class points."

"That's quite a lot..." Some of my classmates murmured.

"Don't get too happy now. If you score high on your test, that's all fine and dandy, but should any of you fail... then that student will immediately be expelled." Chabashira-sensei didn't smile this time.

Does that mean she's actually concerned about us getting expelled? But wasn't she mocking us just a little while ago? I can't understand her at all...

"Expelled?!" With a bombshell of that level, my classmates finally exploded.

"T-That's ridiculous!" Yamauchi and his friends were the ones making the loudest ruckus.

"What's there to panic about? Remember that this is only your second day in school. The teachers who will follow me after homeroom will only give you the course outlines for their subjects. It's not like you've missed entire lessons already, right? If, say, Ayanokouji didn't buy the information on the S-System, then I'm sure that the especially undisciplined defects in this class will neglect their academic duties and slack off. If that were the case, panicking would be completely justified. Stop acting like children when you already have an overwhelming advantage," Chabashira-sensei elaborated.

That explanation calmed most of them down. If they listened to class discussions from the very start, getting high scores on the exams wouldn't be too hard with a little studying.

"That's all for now. I'll be back later for our Japanese History class. Since it almost took me a whole period to explain the S-System yesterday, I suppose I'll give you some time to mingle with each other. Goodbye." Chabashira-sensei, carrying her usual clipboard, walked out of the classroom and left us to our own devices.

Not long after, Hirata stood up. I envy him for having no hesitation in doing such a thing.

"Everyone, can I have your attention for a bit?" called Hirata. "Before we discuss anything regarding the S-System, is it alright if we heed Chabashira-sensei's suggestion? I really would like to get to know everyone."

He probably looked like a hero, especially to those who can't express themselves well.

I've already memorized all thirty-nine of my classmates' names and faces. After subtly checking every name on each seat, all I had to do was wait for the owners to arrive and match the faces.

"Why not~?!" said Karuizawa.

"I'm in!" followed Shinohara.

Almost everyone agreed to the idea. I looked towards the left-most side of the room only to see Sudou's uninterested look. Meanwhile, my neighbor, Horikita, also seemed like she couldn't care less.

Just like how I anticipated it. It's a good thing that I sent a text to Hirata and Kushida in advance.

"Then, I'll go first. My name's Hirata Yousuke. Back in junior high, a lot of people called me Yousuke, so feel free to use my first name. I guess my hobby is sports in general, but I especially like soccer. I'm planning on playing soccer here, too. Nice to meet you, everyone," said Hirata.

With that effortless self-introduction, Hirata's popularity must've increased by two or four times within the class.

"Well then, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves, starting from the front. Is that okay?" asked Hirata.

After that, my classmates introduced themselves one by one. This may not be the best method to look for actual information about them, but it gave me a good glimpse of their personalities.

"I think it's my turn now," Kushida said timidly.

Everyone cheered. That adorable appearance charmed half of the class's boys. Even my heart started to race.

Kushida stood up, faced everyone, and then opened her mouth.

"My name is Kushida Kikyou. None of my friends from junior high made it to this school, so I'm alone here. I'd like to get to know all of your names and faces right away and become friends as soon as possible!" said Kushida.

Scene Illustration

While most of the students had only said a few words of introduction, Kushida continued to talk.

"My first goal is to become friends with everyone. So, after we're finished with introductions, I'd love for you to share your contact information with me!" She continued with a big smile on her face.

"So, after school or during vacations, I want to make all sorts of memories with a lot of people. Please feel free to invite me to lots and lots of events! Anyway, I've talked for a long time, so I'll end my introduction here." Kushida finished off with her angelic aura emanating across the room.

The way she said her last sentence felt like she knew I was critiquing everyone's introductions. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

After everyone's applause came to a halt, the introductions continued. A short while passed by and it was finally his turn.

"Excuse me, can you introduce yourself?" Hirata addressed the boy in the center seat of the room.

It was Kouenji.

"Hmph, fine." He smirked like an aristocrat, displaying his impudent attitude.

Kouenji didn't stand up. He merely shifted his crossed legs before introducing himself.

"My name is Kouenji Rokusuke. As the sole male heir to the Kouenji conglomerate group, I will soon be tasked with carrying Japan into the future. I sincerely look forward to making your acquaintance, ladies." He aimed his introduction solely at the opposite sex, rather than the entire class.

While some of them admired his wealth, a lot regarded him as nothing but a weirdo.

"Starting today, I will mercilessly punish anyone who makes me uncomfortable. Please exercise proper precaution so that you may avoid that." Kouenji finished with a proud grin.

"Um, Kouenji-kun. What exactly do you mean when you say 'anyone who makes me uncomfortable'?" asked Hirata, who looked uneasy at the word "punish".

"I meant exactly what I said. If asked to give an example, well... I would say I hate ugly things, for instance. So, if I saw something ugly, I would do just as I said," replied Kouenji, flipping his long flowing bangs with a fwish!

He sure left an impression.

Well, half of the class still needs to go. We should move forward. That's probably what everyone was thinking.

After more introductions from my other classmates, it was finally my turn...

"Ayanokouji-kun, go for it!" cheered Kushida.

A lot of the girls seemed rather interested, which surprised me to some degree. I've simulated this situation inside my mind a couple of million times already. 99.999% of those simulations ended in absolute disaster. But then again, the remaining 0.001% is just wishful thinking on my part. It's practically a guaranteed catastrophe.

Whatever... I can't really do anything at this point, can I? I stood upon and faced my classmates.

"My name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I hope you haven't forgotten my name yet." I introduced myself in a joke-like manner.

Everyone simply stared at me...

Crap... As I thought, it was a blunder. None of my classmates laughed. I just want to die in a hole right now...

"There's no way we'll forget your name, Ayanokouji-kun. You're already dubbed as Class D's savior." Hirata broke the painful silence.

I'm grateful... Thank you, Hirata. But why did they take my words seriously? It was supposed to be a joke. It was my tone, wasn't it? Sigh... This is one of those moments where I wished my natural tone was that of someone like Ike.

But this is a do-or-die situation. If I retreat with a boring backup plan, it won't end well for me.

"You're my friend, Hirata. It would make me cry if even you forgot my name," I tried to crack a joke once more—this time, with a vibrant and goofy ring to it.

"Isn't that cruel, Hirata?!" Yamauchi protested with a comedic expression.

I forcefully improved my tone. It certainly sounded dynamic enough. Yamauchi, who probably got my joke, followed up.

"Hahaha! What the heck?" Satou laughed along with some other girls.

"T-That won't happen, I swear!" Hirata responded in a panic.

It caused a chain reaction which made the majority of my classmates laugh out loud.

"I was kidding." I shot back with my usual monotone while segueing towards the rest of my self-introduction. "I liked to read books when I was a kid. And while I've never played any sport, I think I'm pretty okay when it comes to running. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all."

It was a mandatory move to say something about myself. Given my demeanor, I'd say that those two things are common enough to be considered the safest option.

"You dodged a bullet," Horikita commented as I sat.

"More like a natural disaster..." I replied before hurling her comment back at her. "It's your turn now, Horikita. You won't be forced to do anything, but I recommend you take this chance."

I probably sounded like someone encouraging his friend, but underneath my monotonous, boring tone... was a threat. If Horikita can sense it, she could either obey or disobey.

The cold sweat forming on Horikita's silky white face indicated that she did... Horikita looked very angry, glaring at me like a mother bear inside its hibernation nest, and I was an intruder.

"Fine... But remember, you owe me this moment, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll collect my debt later." Horikita said, filled with indignation.

Once again, Horikita didn't disappoint me. She didn't obey or disobey. She disregarded the whole threat and made it a deal instead. With that, Horikita Suzune stood up to introduce herself in front of the class.

Chapter Text

Horikita was beautiful. Even if she didn't socialize during the first day, her appearance alone garnered quite the attention. It was even more so when she got involved in the conversation with me during the 'information purchase' yesterday. That's why the anticipation of the whole class was understandable.

"I'm Horikita Suzune. Nice to meet you." As cold as ice and as cool as a zephyr, Horikita ended her introduction with two short sentences.

Our classmates were nothing short of confused. After making eye contact with him...

"Alright, let's proceed..." Hirata continued facilitating the introduction.

"You really sent that home, didn't you?" I commented.

"I did what you want. You'll pay for this later." Horikita replied with a terrifying glower.

And now I'm the one who's getting threatened... explicitly. I expected her to loathe events like these, but I didn't think she'd detest them that much. Well, her anger is reasonable. I'll just explain myself later.

It wasn't long until all thirty-nine of us finished our introductions. With Kushida and Hirata taking the lead, everything panned out seamlessly. After the hard-fought self-introduction of Sakura, it was finally time to move on. Now, the last person to introduce himself was none other than Sudou Ken.

"Sudou, it's your turn now," I called with a bit of volume.

"Hah? Why should I? I'm not a child anymore," grumbled Sudou.

Of course, the class wouldn't know how to react if he said things like this.

"Ah, well. There's really no harm in telling us anything about yourself, right? As your friend, I'm really interested in your hobbies. First of all, you're really tall. And even I can tell that your body is well-built. I'm sure everyone in the class is curious," I answered.

"What? Leave me alone..." Sudou was a bit surprised and shaken.

However, the previous anger on his face was slowly disappearing. Good. It's your turn.

"That's right, Sudou-kun. I've always wondered if you played any sport. Do you mind telling us what you do for fun?" Kushida asked with her all-too-powerful angelic smile.

"Your hair looks slick too, by the way," Onodera added, pointing a finger at the side of her hair.

A bunch of girls in Kushida's friend group murmured as if they were interested in what Sudou had to say. Sudou was probably not used to positive attention. Without a doubt, he would feel good about this.

"Hnnng-! How is Sudou getting attention from all the girls?!" protested Ike.

"You lucky bastard!" Yamauchi tagged along, as usual.

Ike and Yamauchi's disgruntled noises were blessings in disguise. They would only serve to boost Sudou's ego more.

"W-Well... If all of you really insist, then fine..." Sudou finally cracked.

"You can do it!" Kushida continued to cheer along with her friends.

"My name is Sudou Ken. I've played basketball since elementary school and I'm planning to continue playing here. Nice to meet you." Sudou said with a slightly flustered expression on his face.

"Ohh... Basketball, huh?" Okitani murmured.

"We have a soccer star, and now a basketball star?" commented Mori.

"Is Class D actually a powerhouse?" Karuizawa did the same.

Sudou awkwardly scratched his head while sitting down.

Seems like it went well. It would've been bad if Sudou became an object of hate this early on. He will, without a doubt, distance himself from the entire class if that happens. However, this is just a temporary fix. The problem here is Sudou's nature itself. Unless he fixes it, troubles like his dispute with the upperclassmen yesterday will happen again. Things will become especially dangerous once his behavior affects the class.

"Well, we sure took our time, didn't we? Thank you for participating, everyone. I'm glad that we got to know each other, even if it's just a little bit. We'll be together for the next three years, so I hope we can all get along," declared Hirata.

"Yeah!"

"Agreed!" Most of my classmates celebrated.

That was too close. The atmosphere wouldn't have been this lively if Horikita and Sudou refused to introduce themselves.

Chabashira-sensei's announcements and reminders took five minutes while our introductions took forty-five minutes. We have ten minutes left before the next teacher arrives.

"Once again, I'd like Ayanokouji-kun to take center stage. If any of you have questions regarding the S-System, we will try to answer as much as we can." Hirata, who acted as an emcee, set the stage for me, the speaker.

I stood up and walked towards the podium. Being able to establish this kind of relationship with the current Class D is an enormous advantage. Given how rowdy and boisterous they seemed on the first day, no one would care about me standing here right now. They're all teenagers, after all. However, it seems like they also realize that their futures are on the line. That's a good start for shaping my classmates into helpful and useful allies.

Resembling Chabashira-sensei's figure from earlier, I started laying out some of my thoughts."I'm sure all of you are aware of this already, but I want you to remember that our advantage will only last for a month. In the coming 1st of May, class points will be revealed to the other classes, officially starting the interclass race for points." That was probably a good starting point.

"As I mentioned yesterday, the class's solidarity is important. However, before we help each other, we need to help ourselves first. I'm sure all of you are aware of your own capabilities. If we were to believe what Chabashira-sensei said about the class sorting, then we would be the worst class in our year," I said, noticing the pained and dissatisfied expressions of my classmates. "However, she also called us defects. In other words, we are flawed. If we look at it from the opposite perspective, our weaknesses are apparent, but we also have our own strengths."

Despite my dull and toneless way of talking, everyone was listening intently.

However, giving pep talks like this is still making me quite uncomfortable. If I didn't prepare a manuscript in my head, I wouldn't be able to speak this clearly.

It's not like I have a choice, though. If I talk in a logical and rational way, everyone would just think of me as a robot with little to no emotions. The relationships of Class D students must be cultivated first. Only by that time can I stop giving uncharacteristic speeches that would suit people like Hirata or Kushida more.

"Like the way I used it yesterday, it seems like points have a multitude of purposes. This is all just speculation, but I think that with the right amount of points, we can overturn something as bad as an expulsion," I said.

"What-?!"

"No way..."

"Isn't that awesome though?"

"That would surely be expensive." The class started murmuring.

"Once again, this is all just speculation. We can confirm everything once we get to ask Chabashira-sensei next time. Going back to what I said about strengths, I think most, if not all of you are not satisfied with being placed in Class D. Is that right?" I asked.

With my vision of the entire room, I saw a lot of people nodding. However, I chose to ask Yukimura.

"Yukimura-kun, why do you think the school was wrong about placing you in Class D?" I questioned Yukimura's assessment of himself.

He stood smoothly and answered me right after fixing his glasses.

"First of all, I don't think I did badly on the entrance exam... No, I didn't just 'not do badly'. I am confident enough to say that I did excellently. Additionally, I am a hundred percent sure that my interview went well." Yukimura presented his argument like a valedictorian.

"Certainly. I wouldn't dare doubt you on that. However, do you remember what Chabashira-sensei said yesterday? 'This school evaluates its students' talents'. She didn't say anything that emphasized our entrance exam results and academic abilities in particular," I rebutted.

"What? So you're saying that I really deserve to be in Class D?" Yukimura's expression turned unsavory.

My classmates started to become worried. Hirata and Kushida, who were on standby, got ready to take action.

"I wouldn't say that. At the end of the day, our places in Class D are just the subjective opinions of this school's higher-ups. Thank you for sharing your side, Yukimura-kun," I replied.

"I-I see..." Yukimura was at a loss for words. He probably didn't know what to feel about what I just told him.

"As you've all heard, each of us should have our own strengths. Take Yukimura-kun for example. His excellence in academics will surely be useful for our class," I continued. "On the other hand, let me ask Sudou from the back."

"What? Me?" Sudou raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Do you think you're as capable as Yukimura-kun when it comes to studying?" I asked.

"Hah? I don't care about studying. There's no way I'm as smart as him." Sudou was quite displeased with my question.

"But as you said earlier, you've been playing basketball since elementary. Your athleticism is clearly reflected in your appearance. So, when the time comes when the class needs someone with overwhelming athletic abilities, Sudou Ken will be Class D's top pick. Isn't that right? After all, this school has an unknown element called 'special exams'," I explained.

"I-I see... If that's the case, then..." Sudou replied nervously.

This induced some gasps of awe from my classmates."Those are some great insights, Ayanokouji-kun!" exclaimed one girl."He's so smart..." said another girl."You're so far into the future, Ayanokouji!" yelled Ike.

Apart from Horikita, who glared at me with skepticism, Kouenji, who continued combing his hair, and Sakura, who was too shy to make any noise, all of my classmates briefly cheered.

"Well then, since the time is almost up, I'll end this off by asking a few favors from all of you. First, please refrain from acting conceited or arrogant just because we have a slight advantage. Second, I hope we can continue following the basic school rules so as to not decrease our points. And lastly, I want everyone to take studying seriously from now on. If any of you isn't confident in your ability to study, please ask for help from capable people like Kushida, Hirata, Horikita, and Yukimura-kun," I said.

I didn't know how capable Kushida and Hirata were in studying. If I'm wrong, they'll probably correct me later and I'll have to apologize.

I finished off with a slight bow. And just like that, the second bell rang.

Really, I want to hand off these speech duties to someone else as soon as possible. That's what I honestly thought.

Chapter Text

As expected, we spent the rest of the morning running through the course objectives in our respective subjects.

Starting tomorrow, homeroom will only last for five minutes. I can't talk to the whole class like I did these past two days...

As I was thinking about these things, lunch finally came.

"Ayanokouji-kun! Do you wanna eat lunch with us?" At first, I thought it would be Kushida and her friends. But, I heard a completely different set of voices.

When I turned my head, there were three girls who walked up to me. They were Satou Maya, Matsushita Chiaki, and Mori Nene.

It was common sense to confirm whether their invitation was really towards me, but that would put me on the receiving end of the conversation. Since my vision and hearing were healthy enough, I'll just assume that the invitation was for me.

"Sure, but can I invite someone?" I asked.

"Oh, of course," replied Satou.

I walked towards Sudou's chair.

"Hey, Sudou. Wanna come with me? I'll have lunch with Satou and her friends," I whispered.

Satou and the others were a bit surprised when they saw me invite Sudou.

During the first day, most of Class D avoided him due to his scary face. Fortunately, the self-introductions lessened their prejudice against him a bit.

"Hah? Why me?" The person in question, Sudou, was shocked too.

"Well, I'm not used to being around girls, especially when I'm the only guy. C'mon man, you're the only one I can ask," I pleaded.

"W-Well... If you really insist." Sudou shyly sneaked a glance towards Satou and the others.

As expected, Sudou was also interested in girls.

I was one step ahead of Ike (and his friends) in inviting Sudou because they spent some time chatting. As the five of us walked out of the door, they could only gasp in jealousy upon seeing Sudou and me with three cute girls.

"Oh, so it's Sudou-kun," Matsushita said.

"My bad if I'm intruding. It's just that Ayanokouji here can't help but be nervous when he's alone with girls." grinned Sudou.

"Wow. You didn't have to expose me that hard," I replied.

"Ahaha! Nervous? Ayanokouji looks anything but nervous. What are you saying?" asked Satou.

"I know, right? Ayanokouji-kun always has this calm aura around him," added Mori.

"Sudou, they're talking about me. Flex your muscles to grab their attention or something," I joked.

"Huh? Should I?" Sudou asked obliviously. He didn't get my joke.

The three chuckled in response.

"You two are funny. Are you friends from junior high?" Mori asked.

"Not really. How about you three?" And the conversation continued on.

It wasn't long until we reached the cafeteria and ate. I had to carefully navigate the conversation due to how volatile Sudou is, but I'm glad everything went fine. All three of them were pretty easy to talk with. We even got their contact info.

"Later, Ayanokouji-kun, Sudou-kun."

"Yep, it was fun."

The three waved at us. Sudou and I lightly bumped our fists without looking at each other.

Right after I sat down on my chair, music played through the speakers all around the campus. Then, a sweet voice was heard announcing something.

"At five PM Japan Standard Time today, we will be holding a student club fair in Gymnasium No. 1. Students interested in joining a club, please gather in Gymnasium No. 1. I repeat, at—"

Student club fair, huh? Should I join something?

"Hey, Horikita. Do you plan on joining a club?" I asked my seatmate who just finished eating her sandwich.

"I'm not interested in joining a club," she answered sternly.

"Well, to be honest, I'm the same. But, I still want to check it out. Are you free later?" I asked.

"Are you asking me to go with you?" Horikita's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, but it's fine if you have plans." Of course, I won't force her.

"No, I actually don't have any plans. However, I'm more concerned about you. You were invited by Satou-san and her friends earlier, right? There's a high chance for you to get invited again later. It doesn't even have to be them. Practically everyone in our class is interested in you like how they're interested in Hirata-kun or Kushida-san. It's not the same, but it's still similar," explained Horikita.

"I won't deny that possibility... But I can just decline their offer, right?" I replied.

"You'll... decline them?" Horikita was genuinely surprised. It's like the idea itself was ridiculous. I'm not a Yes-Man, you know?

"Yeah," I nodded.

"I see... Fine. We'll head to your dorm right after. I'll make you pay for what you've done to me earlier," she said.

I didn't do anything to you, though.

"Don't say anything that can be misunderstood. And what do you want, anyway?" I asked.

"Isn't that obvious? I want more information." Horikita said with quite some force behind her words.

"Hey, let me remind you, Horikita. I don't hold any credible information and all of the things I've said thus far were nothing but speculations and sloppy deductions," I shrugged.

"I know that much. I'm probably the only one who's skeptical about the things you spouted earlier. I'm still not a hundred percent convinced about being flawed. The main information that I'm looking for is your plan for Class D's future," Horikita said with a frown.

Well, at least she's somewhat convinced.

"Fine." 

It's a done deal then. I'll show her something good while we're at it.

Chapter Text

"Then, I'll go ahead near the place for the basketball club. See you tomorrow, if not later, Ayanokouji." Sudou waved at me.

The reception area will be opened a bit later, but I guess Sudou wanted to camp near them to register early.

"Yeah, sure. Good luck," I responded.

"Alright. You too, Horikita." Sudou waved at Horikita before turning around to run.

"Don't get into fights, Sudou-kun. Yo-" I swiftly put my hands in front of Horikita. When she looked at me in confusion, I just shook my head in response.

"I won't!" Sudou yelled without looking back.

"You're lucky Sudou was too excited for the basketball club. Your unwarranted comment would've pissed him off," I told her.

"I was just reminding him-"

"You didn't have to," I interrupted, looking into her eyes.

I didn't have to explain anything. Given how sharp she is, Horikita should get what my eyes were saying. "I know him more than you do.", "You don't get to tell him what to do either." I didn't know if my tone was harsh, but I felt like I didn't need to sugarcoat things too much when I was with Horikita.

"I see... I'm sorry..." This was a first. I expected her to apologize with a defiant tone. But in stark contrast to my expectations, Horikita looked genuinely apologetic. Now I'm obligated to give her an explanation or else, I'll feel bad.

"I know more than anyone just how much Sudou can damage the class if he gets out of control. I'm doing everything I can to prevent any of that from happening. Don't say nor do anything unnecessary or you'll just get in my way," I scolded—kind of.

"So the reason you're... Just who are you...?" Horikita muttered, perplexed.

Right now, Horikita probably concluded that I'm trying to "fix" Sudou under the guise of being friends. I really do want to make friends with him, you know?

I walked forward before talking once more. "Anyway, there are more people here than I expected."

Nearly all of the students assembled there were freshmen. There were about a hundred people waiting around. We stood near the back of the room and waited for the fair to begin. While waiting, we glanced over the pamphlet that students received upon entering the gymnasium. The pamphlet contained detailed information about club activities.

"I wonder if this school has famous clubs. For example, something like karate," mused Horikita.

"As expected, every club seems to operate on a high level." I started scrutinizing the fair around us.

Of course, this school couldn't be a top-tier institution for every sport. I can see that clearly.

"The equipment here is luxurious, it puts professionals' stuff to shame. Oh, but it looks like they don't have a karate club, after all," says Horikita.

"Were you interested in karate, Horikita?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Not really. I just studied it a long time ago," replied Horikita.

The way she says that... Horikita's words were suited for someone who was actually excited about the karate club. The tone and content of her speech don't add up sometimes.

"Thank you all for waiting, first-year students. We will now begin the club fair. A representative from each club will explain their function. My name is Tachibana, the student council secretary, and the club fair's organizer. It's nice to meet you all," announced the petite third-year named Tachibana.

Representatives from each club quickly lined up on a stage. It was quite a diverse crowd. The club representative included everything from burly athletes in judo uniforms to students dressed in beautiful kimonos.

"What did you even want to check out in here, Ayanokouji-kun? Don't you think this is just a waste of time?" complained Horikita.

"You're probably right. This is just a show to get as many new members, anyway. Even I can feel the lack of passion, not from the ones on stage, but from the audience. And it looks like the club representatives couldn't care less as long as they succeed in advertising," I replied.

"More members means more budget, which leads to better equipment. That's just the way it is," added Horikita.

"The so-called 'phantom members', huh?"

I turned to leave but Horikita remained in place.

"Horikita?" It was as if she couldn't hear me at all. She kept staring intensely at the stage.

At first, I thought she was focused on the baseball club's speech, but they were just the same as the others. And then, I realized whom Horikita was looking at after her gaze remained unchanged as the representatives of the baseball club walked off-stage.

A slender person with sleek black hair stood in front of the microphone. Wearing his glasses, he stared at the crowd with a seemingly piercing and calculating gaze. He calmly scanned the venue and looked at the first-year students. To everyone's surprise, he didn't start talking after doing so.

The voices of the audience started to grow. Some of them even made fun of him. The crowd laughed, but the student wasn't fazed at all. Then, the laughter died. He continued staring at the spectators with an apathetic expression that resembled someone. Meanwhile, Horikita's fervent gaze didn't change for even a second.

After thirty seconds or so, he finally spoke.

"I'm the student council president. My name is Horikita Manabu," he said.

Ah. Now things make a lot of sense.

"The student council is looking to recruit potential candidates among the first-year students to replace the graduating third years. Although no special qualifications are required for candidacy, we humbly ask that those considering applications not be involved in other club activities. We generally do not accept students involved elsewhere." His tone was soft, but the atmosphere he created was too thick and heavy.

Consistent silence conquered the entire gymnasium.

"Furthermore, we in the student council do not wish to appoint anyone who possesses a naive outlook. Not only would such a person not be elected, but he or she would also sully the sanctity of this school. It is the student council's right and duty to enforce and amend the rules, but the school expects more than that. We gladly welcome those of you who understand this." he continued.

Horikita Manabu's speech was very eloquent. He finished his piece without stopping or stuttering. One can clearly get the impression that he is the one who's at the top of this school.

But, I wonder if I should run for the student council. My goal is to utilize my abilities, but I don't have anything concrete in mind other than reaching Class A. Hmm, I should think about this.

"Thank you all for coming. The club fair has ended. We will now open the reception area to anyone interested in signing up. Also, registration will be open until the end of April, so if any student wishes to join at a later date, we ask that you please bring the application form directly to the club you wish to join." Thanks to Tachibana's laid-back tone, the tension in the air dissipated immediately.

"..." Horikita, however, wasn't budging in the least.

"Do you want to talk to him?" I asked.

"What?" Oh, she finally responded.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but... Horikita Manabu is your brother, right?" It would be embarrassing if I turned out to be wrong, though.

"Y-Yeah... He is..." Her tone was as strong as ever, but the volume and flow were lacking.

"Well, why don't you chase after him? Do you want me to come with you, or should I just wait here?" I suggested some options.

To be honest, I'm kind of curious about the student council president himself.

"No... I think... I'll just find him next time. He must be busy as the student council president," Horikita replied, averting her eyes.

That might be the case.

I wonder what their relationship is like, though. With the way her brother delivered himself, surely, he isn't fond of Horikita's placement in Class D.

"Alright, come with me then. We'll head to the teachers' faculty," I said, to which Horikita nodded in response.

Since she didn't ask why nor object to the idea, she might have some personal business there as well.

Chapter Text

"Excuse me." I knocked before opening the door. "Is Chabashira-sensei in here?"

No, I can't see her anywhere.

"Ara? Who's this, who's this? Oh, there are two of you. Are you Sae-chan's students? Oh, dear me. Where are my manners? I'm Hoshinomiya Chie, in charge of Class B." The teacher who responded to us had wavy, shoulder-length hair that made her appear very mature. On the contrary, however, she was extremely talkative and gave the impression of a happy-go-lucky person.

Horikita noticed that I was not having the best time dealing with her and decided to take the reins.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei, my name is Horikita Suzune, and this is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun. Both of us are from Chabashira-sensei's class, Class D. Do you know where she is? If you do, can you please tell us? We happen to have some questions about clubs and stuff." Horikita was perfect for the job. She didn't cut any corners in asking what we wanted.

"Oh, I see. Horikita-san and Ayanokouji-kun, huh? Well, Sae-chan's most likely on her favorite smoking spot; the rooftop. It should be closed for students around this hour, but..." Hoshinomiya-sensei leaned closer to us. "I think you'll be fine if you have Sae-chan with you up there."

Horikita and I nodded to each other.

"If that's the case, then we'll go ahead now. Thank you very much, Hoshinomiya-sensei." Horikita and I bowed.

"Take care now. Tell Sae-chan I said hi!" she said towards our fading figure.

It was currently around six in the evening. When we arrived at the rooftop, we saw Chabashira-sensei's figure gazing towards the lit-up streets around the school building. She didn't stop smoking even as we got closer.

"What are you two doing here? It's way past school hours, you know?" Chabashira-sensei asked as we opened the door, which didn't produce even the slightest of sounds.

Chabashira-sensei didn't seem particularly surprised to see Horikita and me, giving the two of us nothing but a side glance.

"I just wanted to clear up a few things, Sensei," I started. "When you said 'As expected' yesterday, what did you mean by it? Do you know anything about me?"

"Heh...? You're asking me with Horikita on your side? Are you fine with that, Ayanokouji?" smirked Chabashira-sensei.

"I'm confident that you don't know anything important, that's why I'm fine with Horikita listening right now. I just wanted to know what you know," I said.

"Hahaha! Truly a bizarre kid! Very well, Ayanokouji. I shouldn't make this hard for you since it's something personal. You're right. I don't know anything important. The only reason why I kept my eye on you from the start was that Chairman Sakayanagi asked me to 'take care of you'." Chabashira-sensei answered in a heartbeat.

"Are you sure you can just drop names like that?" I asked.

"Oh, sure, why not? I'm fairly certain that he'll try to meet you soon, anyway," replied Chabashira-sensei. "So? Anything else?"

Chairman Sakayanagi, huh?

"I've seen a lot of students in the club fair earlier. Are you sure you're not keeping something important from us, Sensei?" I continued.

"You noticed that, too? Hm, alright. All of the other classes were indeed informed apart from you guys. Anyone who joins the club may have the chance to gain benefits—specifically private points—if they do well." Chabashira-sensei responded with a grin.

"Wouldn't it be better for Class D students to know that? I think having more sources of income apart from class points is a good thing in general," asked Horikita.

"Knowing your class, I'd advise you to let them continue their ignorance on the matter. What use would they be for the club if they go in with nothing but private points in mind?" answered Chabashira-sensei.

"That's just the second purpose, isn't it, Sensei? After all, you even stressed the words; 'if they do well'. Horikita, imagine if one of our classmates join a club just for points. If he or she doesn't take it seriously, what would they do if there are repercussions? For example; if they quit or get removed before a certain amount of time inside the club, their private points, or worse, their class points, may take a hit," I elaborated.

"I see. It only makes sense since you get rewarded if you do well. The Concept of Reward and Punishment, huh?" Horikita says while thinking to herself.

I can see Chabashira-sensei smiling at our conversation.

"Another thing, Sensei. I'm curious about the investigation on you, and why you were so confident." I pressed on.

"Oh? Now we're going there? Very well." Chabashira-sensei's smile didn't waver.

"The security cameras wouldn't really help in the investigation, wouldn't it? At the end of the day, visual evidence is useless because they can't hear us. Security cameras with built-in microphones and hidden audio bugs for teachers or students are still forbidden by the law. The former may have been an option if this was a private school, but unfortunately, it isn't." I continued talking with Horikita and Chabashira-sensei's gazes focused on me. "If I were to make a guess, I'd think that they would have no choice but to check on your past records. Well, it's a given that they've already done that before hiring you here, but double-checking, triple-checking, or even digging deeper is still a necessity."

"Don't beat around the bush Ayanokouji. Horikita's getting restless, you know?" Chabashira-sensei teased.

"I'm saying that if your records are clean, then it all comes down to your motives. At first, you acted incredibly indifferent and distant towards Class D, but the moment I acted to save them, the word 'excitement' was written all over your face," I answered. "You even went so far as to lie about the midterms and final exams just to have the "I didn't even tell them everything" alibi. But of course, it didn't help you, did it? After all, you already told us about the 'special exams'. Those might have been the main reason why they started this investigation in the first place."

"I told you before, right? No one has ever done what you've done. Of course, they'd conduct an investigation—"

"I won't buy it, Sensei. Sure, the novelty argument is strong, but the school had this system for a long time now. There's no way it can be caught off-guard by a random student buying out the information from a teacher. I'm still inclined to think it's the special exams you told us about yesterday. Preparing for that months before it can actually happen is too much of an advantage." Sensei's expression was a bit dark, but her smile was still noticeable. "So, Sensei, please correct me if I'm wrong."

"Sigh... You really are different, Ayanokouji. Fine, you win. You're right on all fronts. Really now, you didn't even have much information to work with, but you still managed to deduce everything this far." Chabashira-sensei knows that I wasn't done, so she asks. "But Ayanokouji, what's your point? What's the deal with this exposé fiasco?"

"I just wanted to ask one simple question from you, Sensei. Horikita, based on what you've heard, what do you think is my question?" I turned to Horikita, who was carefully digesting everything.

"I'm not sure... However, if my guess is correct, it should be; "Do you want us to overtake Class A?", right?" Horikita asks for my confirmation.

"You're a bit off, Horikita." I stopped to look at Chabashira-sensei before continuing.

"It's "Just how obsessed are you with Class A?", right, Chabashira Sae-sensei?"

Chapter Text

"Obsessed?" Horikita became slightly confused.

"Chabashira-sensei told us about the special exams, which wasn't supposed to be mentioned when we paid for her information. Her current attitude towards the class isn't easy to read due to her frequent mockings, but her indifference is completely gone. And lastly, Chabashira-sensei is being awfully cooperative with us. Too cooperative, even," I said. "I suppose the decisive piece of evidence I need will be from Chairman Sakayanagi's mouth, but I don't have it right now. I'm only around 75% sure about this.

"You think you've figured everything out, Ayanokouji?" Chabashira-sensei asked with a smirk.

"I'm not that conceited, Sensei. If I said anything wrong, then again, please correct me," I asked, closing my eyes.

Horikita was looking back and forth between Sensei and me at a slow pace.

"What do you think, Horikita? Do you believe in everything that Ayanokouji has said thus far?" Chabashira-sensei turned her attention to Horikita.

"I honestly can't tell. Ayanokouji-kun's arguments are shaky at best. As he said, there is no decisive evidence. However, you, yourself, are suspicious, Sensei," replied Horikita.

"Oh, please. You don't have to try so hard to act skeptical. It's fine to act impressed when it comes to Ayanokouji. After all, he's completely right. I want Class A. I want you guys to become Class A," admitted Chabashira-sensei.

"Do you understand, Horikita? I don't know how long Chabashira-sensei has been teaching in this school, but it's clear that the past Class Ds she's handled before were all subpar. This year is different, however. There may be a lot of defectives, but we still have wildcards like you, Hirata, Sudou, and Kushida. There are also unknowns like Kouenji. In short, we have a chance to rise on the ranks," I explained.

"I can understand that students who graduate in Class A will have bright futures, but what's in it for the teachers? Are there special rewards?" asked Horikita.

"You're exactly right, Horikita. Teachers are also evaluated by the performance of their classes during graduation. And of course, the better classes' homeroom advisers will be rewarded accordingly—" I interrupted her.

"That doesn't matter. I don't think Chabashira-sensei cares about those rewards in the least. I'm guessing that it's all for a personal reason," I said.

"You've been saying; "You think-", "You're guessing-", and things like that from the start. Ayanokouji-kun, you're simply speculating things—" 

Now it's Horikita who was interrupted by Sensei.

"Horikita, his speculations were all on point, weren't they? This is one's not an exception. I do have my own personal obsession and reason for reaching Class A, but that's not for you kids to know about. Just remember that I'm on your side as long as Ayanokouji works his way there." Chabashira-sensei shrugged her shoulders.

I thought so... "Sigh... Well, that's all for my business with you, Sensei. Horikita, it's your turn." I turned to Horikita for the first time.

"Oh, I thought Horikita was just your spectator," teased Chabashira-sensei.

"Sensei, I'm not satisfied with my placement in Class D. I'm sure I did well on the entrance exam, and I don't remember making any mistakes in the interview. So, why? I would like to know the reason for it," asked Horikita with a serious expression on her face.

"I was prepared to be asked that question for a while now, so I have my answers ready. Telling students about their entrance exam results isn't normally allowed, but I can make an exception for you, Horikita. To be honest, I'm impressed. You had the third-highest overall result for your entire year. It's the same with Yukimura, who also scored amazingly. Both of you did perfectly well on your interviews, too." Chabashira-sensei clapped softly.

"Then why...? If Yukimura-kun and I are superior students, why are we in Class D?" Horikita, who was both confused and angry with what she just heard, asked strongly.

"Horikita, who decided that smart students are the superior ones?" Chabashira-sensei's expression suddenly turned serious.

"W-What..." Horikita muttered reflexively.

"Well, that's all I can tell you. I can't say anything further." With that, Horikita turned to glare at me.

"Do you believe my theory now?" I asked, to which Horikita responded with a click of her tongue.

"Oh, Ayanokouji's figured it out and has told you about it already? What's with that, Horikita? You didn't even need to ask me at all, did you?" Chabashira-sensei said in a slightly mocking tone.

"I acknowledge Ayanokouji-kun's intelligence, but that doesn't mean he's a superior student. I believe that I can do better than him in academics, and I'm confident enough in my athletic abilities." Horikita said with indignation.

"Oh, really now?" Chabashira-sensei looked at me with a curious smile, probably because she also had no idea what the extent of my abilities was.

"Well... I'm sorry, Horikita. But I don't think you can beat me in either of those. And you should know that I don't need to brag or lie about this. If you don't believe me... then I guess we can try competing in the first early quizzes and physical tests," I said.

"Are you serious...? Fine then, we'll see who's superior when the time comes," she says, but her confidence definitely took a hit when I told her that she couldn't beat me. I don't think I sounded arrogant because I was simply stating a fact. She must've sensed that I was just telling the truth.

"Well then, if Yukimura or any of your other classmates have a problem with their placements, just tell them what I told you here today. In this school, we value the talents and potential of our students. We don't focus on one aspect alone. We try to nurture everything so that you can become an upstanding citizen in the future." Chabashira-sensei said, as a matter-of-factly.

"Thank you for your time, Sensei. Horikita, let's go?" I asked.

"Yeah... Let's go." Horikita followed me after bowing lightly towards Chabashira-sensei.

Not able to bear the silence, Horikita instantly asked me when we reached the third floor.

"Were you really not lying? Are you that confident in your abilities?" Horikita asked with a glower.

"Yeah. For reference, I can easily ace the entrance exam if I want. Or wait... maybe that's too light of a reference... Horikita, do you know if 𝛾 is rational? Do you know the answer to 𝜋+e? How about the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture, or perhaps the Riemann Hypothesis?" I asked.

"What in the... I... I can guess that those are mathematical concepts, but no... I don't. I don't know them. Why would you suddenly ask that?" Horikita became even more confused.

"Those are some of the math problems that remain unsolved to this day. I've reached a level where I've learned everything about math that I have nothing left to ponder about but those unsolved problems. Does that make a good reference of my academic abilities to you?" I asked with my usual monotonous voice.

"That's just... ridiculous... Do you seriously think I would believe that...?" Horikita gasped.

"Of course not. You're free to believe whatever you want." I continued to walk, turning my back to her.

Horikita and I continued walking our way to the dorms. When we reached the lobby, I started talking before we jumped into the elevator.

"Do you still want to talk in my room?" I asked.

"No... I think I'm good for today. I need some time to think about the things I've learned from our conversations..."

"I see. We'll just continue tomorrow then," I responded.

Oh, I almost forgot.

"By the way, Horikita. Is it alright if I ask for your contact info?" I immediately started trying to grab my phone.

"Oh... That's fine." Horikita said yes without much commotion. I'm glad. Knowing her, I thought I was going to get brutally rejected.

After I got a hold of her info, the elevator door suddenly opened because we'd reached the fourth floor.

"See you tomorrow, Horikita." I gently waved my hand.

"Yes. See you tomorrow." Horikita responded, but she only stared at me with her usual cool expression.

I would probably head down again later to buy some food. I changed my clothes and lay on the bed for a bit.

"7:32 PM, huh?" I muttered under my breath before plugging my phone to charge.

High school is pretty nice, isn't it?

I honestly thought that to myself. I wonder what else I could learn here. It would be great if I made more friends—not just from my class. But if I want to do so, my time is limited. Once the first month is over, we'll be at each other's throats. Making friends outside the class around that time will be drastically more difficult.

Sigh... On second thought, high school is pretty hard, isn't it?

Chapter Text

It's day three of my time here at the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

The class behaved well during the lessons, and I asked Sudou during lunch once again. This time, we were with Kushida's group. It's a good thing that Sudou isn't acting as obstinately as he would be due to my presence. Kushida and her friends were a bit scared at first, but when I started complimenting Sudou's unexpectedly gentle nature, he responded to meet those expectations. Everything seems to be going well for him... at least for now.

After our afternoon periods, Sudou hurriedly ran to his club.

"Later, Ayanokouji!" He waved his hand at me.

"Yeah. Good luck." I waved my hand in response.

"You've been getting along really well with Sudou-kun, huh?" commented Horikita.

"Don't suddenly appear behind me," I replied.

"I have something important to talk to you about." She went straight to the point.

"Sure. Let's go to my room then." I grabbed my bag and started walking outside.

"Uhm, Horikita-san. Can I talk to Ayanokouji-kun for a second?" Kushida ran up to me and asked.

"You don't need to ask for my permission. I'm not his owner." Horikita replied with quite a venomous tone.

"Okay... Ayanokouji-kun, is it alright?" Kushida turned to me. Wait, so I'm a second priority?

"Sure, is everything alright?" I said.

Kushida leaned in at whisper-distance. W-Woah... She smells nice...

"Are you close friends with Horikita-san?" she asked.

"Not really. We're just neighbors," I answered straight.

"Well, you see. My goal was to be everyone's friend, right? Horikita-san refused to be my friend and said she didn't want my contact info..." said Kushida, with a melancholic smile.

"You want me to be a middleman between you guys?" At least, I think that's what she's getting at.

"Yes! Exactly! Is it alright, Ayanokouji-kun?" Knowing Horikita, she might not like it. Do I need to refuse and take on the heart of a demon?

"I'll try my best," I replied on reflex. How can I refuse when you have such a cute expression?

"Thanks! Well then, I'll contact you later so we can talk about our plan of action." Kushida waved her hand goodbye. Right now, I can say that I am a happy man.

That's weird... I can feel a lot of looks towards Horikita and me. There were definitely boys among them, but most were girls...

I quickly messaged Hirata. I pressed the send button the moment we reached the hallways.

(14:32) [Why were our classmates staring at the two of us?]

Not even ten seconds passed before Hirata finally replied.

(14:32) [Apparently, a lot of the girls in our class were wondering if you and Horikita-san are dating each other.]

(14:32) [I see.]
(14:32) [Well, we're not, but that's for them to confirm. Thanks, Hirata.]

(14:32) [No problem.]
(14:32) [See you tomorrow, Ayanokouji-kun.]

Sigh... It was like that, after all.

"Do you want to start talking while we walk?" I suggested.

"I prefer to talk about my topics when we get to your room. However, I'm fine with engaging in idle talk, as long as they aren't pointless." Not pointless? Isn't that idle talk by nature...?

"Hmm. Well, for starters, have you made any friends? If you haven't yet, do you plan on making some?" I asked.

"I've told you before. I don't need friends... However, I respect your opinion, Ayanokouji-kun. That's why I will ask you. Why are you insistent on having me make friends?" Horikita looked me straight in the eye.

"You're strong, Horikita, in terms of determination. And based on what Chabashira-sensei said yesterday, you should be pretty smart. I thought of you as someone who can become a key member of Class D. You have a sharp sense, especially of what other people may think," I evaluated. "If someone like you fails to have at least one or two allies, the only outcomes I can think of is either self-destruction or fading into obscurity."

"I have thought about it... However, even if I were to follow your advice, I'm not exactly adept at making friends..." Horikita said, pondering her words with a hand on her chin.

"Those are just reasons that you would accept. What if my main reason for that advice is just me wanting to be friends with you? Would you accept me as your friend?" I turned to her.

"Well... What constitutes friendship, anyway...?" Horikita was visibly flustered by my question.

"Definitions, technicalities, nuances... You don't need to think about those. As long you think of me as a friend, and I'm the same, then we're friends. It's as easy as that." I answered.

Wow. I'm talking like an expert here, but I'm a zero-experience novice too. Those are just some of the sentimentalist dialogues that I've researched. They seem to be working well on someone like Horikita.

"I see..." Horikita continued thinking.

On our way to the dorms were a number of students who were greeting someone.

"Goodbye, Class Rep Ichinose!"

"Good work today, Class Rep Ichinose!"

Class Rep...? I closed my distance from this Ichinose person with Horikita on my tail. She was a very beautiful girl with long, light-pink hair...

"Excuse me. Are you the one they're addressing when they say "Class Rep"?" I asked without hesitation.

"Eh? Uh, yes...?" The girl was caught off-guard by our sudden appearance.

"Ah, my bad for suddenly asking like that. I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, from Class D." After introducing myself, I looked at Horikita, who easily picked up on my signal.

"I'm Horikita Suzune, from Class D, too," said Horikita.

"Ahh, so you guys are in the same year! I'm Ichinose Honami, from Class B. Do you need something?" she asked, tilting her head.

"I was just curious. Are there class positions assigned for students normally? You see, our homeroom teacher has a bad habit of keeping some details from us, so I thought we might've been in the dark with this, too," I elaborated.

"Ahaha! Don't worry about it. You're not in the dark at all. This is just something that we of Class B decided on our own. It makes some things like assigning people for fairs and festivals easier. For formality's sake, we also have positions like Vice Class Representative, Class Secretary, and so on." Ichinose answered wholeheartedly.

"I see. Thank you for answering my sudden question," I nodded.

"Oh, sure. Wait, your name is Ayanokouji-kun, right?" Ichinose suddenly tried to confirm my identity.

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing. Kushida-san and I became friends yesterday, you see. She mentioned your name when we were talking about friends. She said you were her first friend. Is that true?" She poked me with her elbow while asking.

That's one sleazy expression... and she smells nice. Do girls always smell this nice?

"Well, I think so. We met on the bus, and we both didn't have friends when we enrolled here, so you can say that we're each other's first friends," I narrated.

"Ehh, that's so cool... And somewhat romantic." Ichinose said with a yearning expression.

Are girls into those kinds of stuff, after all? Is it not a myth?

"Well, if you're gonna continue until we reach the topic of me and Kushida going out, then I'll say it in advance. There's nothing going on between us," I said.

"You catch on surprisingly fast, Ayanokouji-kun!" Ichinose responded with an exaggerated shocked expression, putting both of her hands in front of her mouth.

Well, you did just mention the word "romantic"... The way girls think... I can't predict them at all.

"Is she the reason why Kushida-san isn't your girlfriend?" She asked, looking at Horikita, who was indifferently listening to us the whole time. "Oh, but I apologize in advance if I'm wrong."

"Yes, you are wrong. There's nothing between me and Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita answered with a slight glare.

"I see. Then, I'll apologize again, Horikita-san." Ichinose lightly bowed with a smile.

"I can't really blame you, Ichinose-san. After all, it is a common assumption whenever you see two people of the opposite sex walking home together," said Horikita.

We talked with Ichinose for a few more minutes before a student she referred to as "Chihiro-chan" came forward and asked for her.

"I'm not going to ask whether there was a point to our conversation with Ichinose-san because knowing that it's you, I'm sure there was. However, please tell me, Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita suddenly asked me as we neared the dorms.

"Ichinose gave you the impression of someone on top of the social hierarchy, right? At the same time, she didn't seem aware of it. Those kinds of people tend to be the most honest and straightforward," I explained. "I would say that she's the safest option for an ally outside the class thus far. It was a great coincidence."

"You intend to make friends with our enemies...?" Horikita inquired.

"This is just a high school, Horikita. There's no need to treat everyone outside Class D with such blind hostility. Of course, it's good that you're not letting your guard down. I'm also taking into account the possibility of special exams where we ally with everyone in our year against other students in the higher years," I elaborated.

"That's... certainly a possibility. I didn't even think of that. Chabashira-sensei didn't really say anything specific about these special exams, did she? They could be virtually anything, and we could be in trouble if they catch us by surprise," added Horikita.

When we reached my room, I immediately opened the door and put my bag on the bed.

"Want a drink?" I asked.

"It's fine, I'm not thirsty or anything." Horikita refused. Well, I'm the same, so I guess I'll just sit on the bed for now.

Horikita borrowed the chair from my desktop computer and sat on it.

"So, what did you want to talk about first?" I started.

"Because of the lack of evidence, I can't really ascertain anything whether it would be how we were sorted in this school nor the true mechanics of the S-System. That's why I'm prepared to trust you, Ayanokouji-kun," said Horikita. "I will believe your hypotheses about these matters. Chabashira-sensei already stressed it for me, and there really isn't anything we can do about our class placement at this point."

I can see the resolve in her eyes... This girl really wants to reach Class A.

"I see. I also want to aim for Class A. Since our goals align, then you can consider me your ally," I said.

"Thank you," Horikita continued. "About our class, I want to make countermeasures for the exams. As Class D students, I'm sure there will be a number of students in our class who'd do poorly in academics. I think we should do something about that."

"A study group would be the easiest and most efficient solution. I don't see why we need an alternative for it," I answered.

"Yes. A study group is indeed the way to go. We can decide on who the tutors are once we get to see the abilities of our most capable classmates. Of course, I will try my best to tutor anyone who needs my guidance."

"I don't know about that. What if they're doing so bad that their academic abilities are only comparable to that of a junior high school student?" I mused.

"That's ridiculous. Those students might be better off getting expelled then. They would only serve as a liability to the class," said Horikita, with a glare.

"But what if those exact students have abilities that they would not lose to others? For example, what if that student's math scores were horrendous, yet their English scores were worthy of being a tutor?" I asked. "Let's also put their positives outside of academics. What if their exam scores are bad overall, but they are extremely athletic? We have Sudou, who seems to be exactly like that. Do you think expelling them would still be a good option? And if talking in class decreases our points in some way, how much do you think it would cost us if one of our classmates gets expelled?"

"You're... right," said Horikita.

"You need to stop thinking like that, Horikita. They're your classmates, not your pawns. If you think of your friends as tools, then it won't end well for you. Sure, it might work for some people. But I've judged you to be someone unfit to think like that. Of course, that's just my personal opinion."

What a hypocrite.

"You don't need to clarify your position, Ayanokouji-kun. I've already decided to give you my trust. I'm fine with being criticized by someone as intelligent as you." Horikita said with a somber tone, like someone who has admitted defeat.

"Will you start telling me compliments like those in the future? If yes, then I guess I should start getting used to them," I joked.

"It all depends on what you show me. I won't hesitate to criticize you back should I witness any blunders on your part," sneered Horikita.

"Sure," I replied. She didn't get my joke, did she?

After two seconds of silence, I noticed that Horikita was staring at me intensely.

"Ayanokouji-kun." She called out to me before I could say anything.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I would like to give you a small piece of advice..." said Horikita.

Her tone was pretty heavy. Just what kind of advice will she give me?

"Please be careful with Kushida-san..." she said, not breaking eye contact with me.

Chapter Text

"Hmm... Why?" That should be the obvious question to ask, right?

"I know you're friends with her, but even someone as smart as you wouldn't be able to see through her act that easily. That's why I'm asking you to be careful," replied Horikita.

"Kushida is acting? Hmm... Would you mind explaining this further?" I asked.

Kushida was a kind and bright person. Not only is she cute and attractive, but she's also friendly and outgoing. If one were to pitch Kushida's personality to someone who hasn't met her, they would probably say that she's "too good to be true". If Horikita isn't lying, then... things might just get more interesting.

"She and I attended the same junior high. Although we didn't get the chance to be in the same class during that time, I've heard of Kushida-san's name. She was basically the same person, even back then. People would rally around her, and she would respond to their friendliness in kind," narrated Horikita. "However, during our final year in junior high, a big incident happened in Kushida-san's class."

"A big incident, huh? Do you know the details about it?" I asked.

"I don't, actually. I was too focused on the entrance examination for this school. The only things I knew were that the class became dysfunctional and that Kushida-san was the cause of the incident," Horikita answered with a sigh.

"Dysfunctional? How so?"

"From what I heard, boys started punching each other and girls hurt each other both verbally and physically. It all happened without any regard for authorities like teachers," she explained.

That's an overwhelming amount of hate.

"I see... Is that everything you know?" I tried to confirm.

"Yes. That's it. I don't know how Kushida-san did it, and the specifics of what she's actually done to start it in the first place. I'm not exactly treating her as an enemy, but I just don't want to get involved with her. I also need you to be at least aware of that incident. That way, you won't get the rug pulled right under you," replied Horikita.

"I'll need to investigate this further. It's not that I don't believe you, but Kushida is still my friend."

"Do you have a plan?"

"I'm making one right now... However, it would probably violate your wish." I glanced at Horikita.

"How so?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

"You need to get involved with her."

"Is it really necessary?" Horikita slightly tilted her head.

"As things stand, yes. I still don't know anything concrete about Kushida. She'd get suspicious if I started asking questions all of a sudden. If I'm going to reveal what I know, then I'd need a card that I can play against her," I explained. "Truth be told, Kushida asked for my help so that she can become friends with you. I think it's a good idea, even after hearing this."

"Why would it be a good idea? I get that cooperation is key, but we would not see eye to eye. It'll bring more chaos than order, will it not? You're not telling me to act all buddy-buddy with her, are you?" Horikita raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not. All I want is for you to give her your contact info. Also, please don't talk to her in a blatantly hostile manner like you did earlier. Even if she's just 'acting', there's no need to bark at her when she's not doing anything to you. Don't worry, I'm not asking you to hang out with her or anything," I replied.

"If... it's only that much, then I guess I can comply." Horikita's face clearly told me that she didn't like the idea, but I'm glad she agreed.

After that, we talked about the lessons that the semester will cover, and some notable features that some of our classmates might possess. Time passed by quickly. The two of us noticed that it was almost five o'clock.

"Horikita, before you go, can I ask you a question?" I suddenly addressed Horikita as she stood.

"Yes?"

"Do you consider me as your friend?"

Horikita turned away while looking down, thinking about what to say. Does she not want to, after all?

"If you really insist, then... I don't mind. Goodbye." Horikita briskly walked outside and shut the door.

To her, I might have sounded like someone who actually knows how to make friends. To be honest, I hope I really did. I want someone to share my troubles with, like any other normal teenager out there. However, my troubles aren't so normal that they can be shared with anyone. Not at all.

At the end of the day, maybe I'm the one who needs friends.

The sun was just starting to set. Sudou should be finishing his club activities around this time along with the students participating in clubs.

Hm? I received a text from Hirata.

(18:47) [Ayanokouji-kun, is it alright if I come to your room later? Something important came up, and we need your opinion on the matter. I'll be heading there with someone. If you agree, how about 8 PM later?]

Something important, huh? If it's Hirata saying it, then it must be true. Or at least that's what I'd like to think.

(18:47) [Sure.]

And sent. Well, I can't waste my time thinking about that right now. I'll go buy some basic tools and ingredients for my own kitchen. Living on convenience store food shouldn't be too good for a growing student like me.

Chapter Text

"I guess I should look up some recipes online and practice cooking..." I thought, looking at my purchases.

It didn't take long until a new message popped up.

(19:34) [Ayanokouji-kun, good evening!]

(19:34) [Are you busy?]

It was Kushida.

(19:34) [No, not really.] 
(19:34)  [You wanna talk about Horikita now?]

(19:34) [Yes!]

(19:34) [Do you have anything in mind?]

(19:34) [Well, it's still just the first week.]
(19:34)  [For starters, why don't you just ask her directly one more time?]
(19:34)  [If it doesn't work, then we'll see what we can work with from there.]

(19:35) [You think I won't make her angry?]

(19:35) [Well, knowing her as a seatmate, she might just ignore you.]
(19:35) [ But if you try acting determined instead of being overly nice, then she might consider it.]

(19:35) [Ehh.]
(19:35) [You know her quite well.]

She put on a jealous tone. This will be a slippery slope into the topic of my relationship with Horikita, and I don't wanna talk about that.

(19:35) [Not really.]

To prevent that, I'll shift her attention to something else.

I checked the clock. Since I still have a little bit of time before Hirata and the other person gets here, I decided to give Kushida a call.

"Hello? That surprised me, you know? You suddenly decided to call," said Kushida.

"My bad. I just thought it would be more efficient," I answered.

"Ah, no, no. You don't need to apologize or anything... In fact, I'm actually quite happy. We don't get to hang out after school at all, so I'm glad we can talk like this outside of class, even if it's just a phone call," she narrated.

"I see. Well, I just thought it would be a bother to you if I asked to hang out since you have a lot of friends. I guess talking like this is fine, from time to time," I said.

"Ahaha. Don't say that. I'd love to hang out with you again, along with Hirata-kun or Sudou-kun," she replied, chuckling.

If this is considered acting, then it's really, really good.

"By the way, I talked with Ichinose-san earlier. She seems like a key figure in Class B." I changed the topic.

"Oh, so you met her, huh? Among the other classes, Class B was the easiest to get close to. A lot of them were really friendly. I'm guessing that it's mostly due to Ichinose-san's influence," said Kushida.

"They were calling her 'Class Rep', so I got curious and approached her," I added.

"Oh, did you now? I thought you talked to her because she looked cute~," Kushida replied with a teasing tone.

"You're a lot cuter than her, Kushida—if I said that, would you consider me to be hitting on you?" I asked. That was a popular line in the current entertainment media. I never thought I'd get to use it at all.

"Geez, you could've just said it as is! Now I feel stupid for feeling happy!" she yelled.

"Sorry, I'm just not used to these things. Since you're good at socializing, I thought it would be fine to ask you," I replied.

"Hmph," she pouted, probably. "Well, if you really aren't aware, then I don't mind telling you a few things. Mainly, it's obvious that you'll say that to a girl you like. However, you can also use it to tease your female friends. It will depend on you how you say it, and the look on your face while doing so. That advice wouldn't help you much though, since your expression and tone are pretty much unchanging."

Ouch. She was telling the truth though.

"That's true. Thanks for telling me." I'm really grateful that Kushida's my friend. I wouldn't have known these things if it weren't for her.

Some part of me still wanted to deny what Horikita said about her.

"No problem!" she said.

The two of us talked about a few pointless things, like how friends usually would. Apparently, Ichihashi started hanging out with Karuizawa and Shinohara a lot more than them. Also, Mori, whom they initially thought was hard to get along with like the formerly mentioned two, was actually pretty friendly.

"Uhm, I hate to end it here, but I promised to call Kokoro-chan around this time. I'll see you tomorrow, Ayanokouji-kun," apologized Kushida.

"It's no problem. We've talked about our plans with Horikita, anyway. Good night, Kushida," I replied.

"Bye-bye." And then she hung up.

That was my first phone call, and it was with a girl. Is this what they call youth...?

Just as I was thinking about those things, I heard a knock. I checked the clock on my phone and saw that it was already 7:58 PM in the evening. It's time, huh?

I gently opened the door and saw Hirata with... Karuizawa Kei? Well, that was unexpected.

"Good evening, Ayanokouji-kun," said Hirata with a smile.

"Good evening." On the contrary, Karuizawa had a pretty somber expression.

"Come in. Feel free to use any chair. You can sit on the bed if you want, too. Do you guys want a drink?" I offered.

"Oh, we're fine. The two of us had coffee before going here." Hirata politely refused my offer.

After they got comfortable, Hirata immediately spoke.

"I'm sure you're wondering about why we're here, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll leave the explanation to you, Karuizawa-san. Don't worry, I'm sure Ayanokouji-kun will be able to help us sort this situation." Hirata said to Karuizawa.

She seemed hesitant for a brief second but she decided to face me anyway. That expression isn't something you'd see from the 'normal' Karuizawa. Whatever it is that's on her mind, I'm about to find out.

"Ayanokouji-kun, can you promise me that whatever we talk about inside this room will stay in this room?" She asked me with a desperate tone.

"I see. If it's something that we're supposed to keep to ourselves, then I promise," I replied.

Since Hirata trusted me on this, it's only natural for me to respond in kind.

"Thank you..." After a long sigh, she continued. "Well, you see... I was bullied."

Karuizawa's expression contorted upon saying those words.

Bullied? Is someone bullying her right now? Or is she talking about her past?

Either way, this was a surprise. I didn't do anything but stare at her. Seeing that, Karuizawa went on with her story.

"I was severely bullied in elementary school. I've suffered from verbal and physical abuse... I got hounded by my own classmates, punched, kicked, spit on, whatever it was that you can think of..." Karuizawa narrated, with her eyes visibly getting moist. "My desk was always vandalized, and their day wouldn't be complete without spilling large amounts of dirty water over my head in the bathroom... It was hell..."

"When I enrolled in this school, I finally got away from all of that. No one knows me... But I'm still scared that the same things might happen..." she continued.

The topic of bullying was very delicate. I can see genuine fear and anxiety in Karuizawa's expression, so I'll try my best to be sensitive about this.

"I see... I'll believe you, Karuizawa-san. However, why did you approach Hirata? Do you have anything in mind?" I asked.

Hirata answered for her.

"Karuizawa-san suggested that the two of us should get into a fake relationship. However, I didn't think it was a good idea, so I insisted on getting your help on this matter," said Hirata.

I see. So that's what she's going for.

"You're wrong on that, Hirata. Karuizawa-san is actually on the right track. The only problem is that it's too early." I turned to her.

"I-I actually planned to approach Hirata-kun after a week or two had passed, but I was afraid. Shinohara and the others started talking about confessing to either Hirata-kun or you, Ayanokouji-kun," narrated Karuizawa.

Wait, something's wrong. Confess to me? As much as I wanted to delve into that topic, this wasn't the time for it. I'll put that statement on the back of my mind, for now.

"I was scared that Hirata-kun might get a girlfriend immediately, that's why I made this pre-emptive move," she explained.

"But why me?" Hirata asked the main question.

"Right now, that's still a valid question. However, once a week or two has passed, you'll be one of the most popular males in our year, Hirata. I can guarantee that. You will be the best option for Karuizawa-san's plan. She'll use your popularity to boost her own social status. That way, any thoughts of bullying from others will practically vanish." I looked at Karuizawa straight in the eye. "Plus, she's already acting like a strong-headed girl, anyway. She'll be totally fine in the future. Am I right, Karuizawa-san?"

After making a few blinks, she finally answered.

"I've been thinking about this since the first day, but Ayanokouji-kun... You're so smart that it kinda creeps me out," said Karuizawa. "Not in the disgusting way, or anything like that, of course. But you're kinda scary, in a sense. It's like you can figure everything out."

"I don't know if that's a compliment, Karuizawa-san," I replied. Well, I don't care either way.

"You don't have to worry, Karuizawa-san. Ayanokouji-kun is a kind person. I'm sure he'll use his intelligence for the good of everyone. Isn't that right, Ayanokouji-kun?" Hirata asks for my confirmation with a smile.

"Yeah. You don't have to worry. Your secret is safe with us." I assured her.

With that, she turned to Hirata and asked once more.

"It doesn't have to be now, tomorrow, or next week. But please, Hirata-kun, protect me... I don't want those things to happen to me ever again," pleaded Karuizawa.

Well, isn't that nice? That kind of plea will surely get a yes from someone like Hirata.

"It's a good idea, Hirata. However, it's still your decision," I said.

After hearing my honest thoughts on the matter, Hirata could only smile.

"You don't have to look that anxious, Karuizawa-san. If Ayanokouji-kun says it's a good idea, then I'd gladly accept your request. And personally, I'd like to do everything I can to save you." Hirata answered gently.

"Thank you..." Karuizawa thanked him with a visible expression of relief.

"So, when will you two start going out?" I started the discussion.

"How about two weeks from now, on a Saturday? The story goes like this; Hirata-kun takes me out and confesses to me before the end of the day," suggested Karuizawa.

"It seems like you've already thought this out, Karuizawa-san," commented Hirata.

"I have, actually. I've been thinking about this plan for a couple of days now." Karuizawa, who felt tense this whole time, finally smiled.

"I see. Well, I just wanted to ask. Did you ever consider Ayanokouji-kun as an option? I think he'll be popular in the near future as well." Hirata... Seriously, why would you ask that, of all things?

"I actually did consider Ayanokouji-kun. Well, only the two of you were the possible options in Class D, anyway. I figured that you're just the better option, for this plan specifically, Hirata-kun. Ayanokouji-kun didn't join a club, and his personality isn't as bright and outgoing as you." explained Karuizawa.

"She's actually right, Hirata. I would've suggested you anyway, even if Karuizawa-san chose me since my initial plan is to go incognito for the first few months."

"Eh? You do?" Hirata seemed reasonably surprised.

"I'll talk about this in detail with you, Karuizawa-san, Horikita, and Kushida next time. I want the four of you to hear about my plans for our class in the future," I explained.

"Wait, why am I included?" Karuizawa-san was visibly confused.

"You'll be Hirata's girlfriend in the near future. Your influence inside and outside the class will skyrocket. And just from talking to you this evening, I don't think you're as dumb as you make yourself out to be. You'll eventually get a hold of the girls in our class. I'm sure of it," I answered.

"Hey! Who're you calling dumb?!" she pouted and hung up on that comment.

"I understand, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll leave the planning to you, but remember, we'll always have your back. Thank you for listening to us tonight." Hirata bowed, showing his gratitude.

Seeing this, Karuizawa stopped acting angry and bowed as well.

"Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll try my best to cooperate in the future... as long as you protect my secret," she says.

"Sure."

"Ah, Ayanokouji-kun, let's exchange contact info," Karuizawa called out with a grin.

"Alright," I replied, grabbing my phone.

"Hmm~? Are you sure it's fine to just accept it like that? Won't Horikita-san get angry~?" she teased.

"No, she won't. There's nothing going on between us." I responded with my classic monotone voice.

"There isn't? You've been together after school for two days straight now. And some of the girls from our class saw you together after the entrance ceremony. There's no way you two aren't a thing," insisted Karuizawa.

"We're really not. That girl just wanted to talk with me about getting to Class A. And she's my seatmate. It's not weird if we're close to each other, anyway," I said.

"Well, the girls were going crazy about it. They said they got beaten to the punch... Fufun~. I'm sure they'll celebrate once they know the truth." Karuizawa laughed deviously. "But I'll shatter their dreams and brag about getting your contact info first!"

This again? I understand if it's with Hirata, but this is me she's talking about. I'm still a bit confused as to why I'm apparently popular with the girls.

"What? You have that annoying expression where you look like you don't know what I'm talking about..." Karuizawa grimaced at me. She's unexpectedly sharp.

"I actually don't. I refuse to assume anything, so please tell me what's going on," I asked.

"Seriously? Sigh... Well, first of all, you're already attractive on the outside. After showing the entire class how smart you are, it's only natural for girls to get attracted to you," explained Karuizawa. "Hirata-kun has his own charms, but yours is entirely different. At least, that's what I heard from my friends who were crazy about you. I can't really explain it myself."

Crazy? That's a pretty strong word...

"Don't look so scared. You're not gonna get kidnapped, you know?" joked Karuizawa.

"Fine, fine..." After showcasing my abilities, I calculated that I'd be regarded highly by my classmates... However, it came with unexpected results like these... "It's getting late. You two should go now."

Hirata, who was just watching the two of us with a gentle smile, snapped back into reality.

"You're right. Let's get going, Karuizawa-san," said Hirata.

When I went to see them out of the door, Karuizawa turned to me and bowed once more.

"Ayanokouji-kun, thank you for tonight. I'm counting on you..." she said.

"Don't worry. Hirata and I will do everything we can for you. Just don't make trouble for the class," I replied.

She nodded. And with that, the two of them exited my room. I'm alone once again. This day was quite eventful as well...

Getting Karuizawa-san on my side this early was a pleasant surprise.

Once I stabilize the class, I can start doing some recon on other classes. If this school distributed its students the way I think it did, then there would surely be at least one threat from each class...

Chapter Text

"Ayanokouji-kun, Sudou-kun! Wanna have lunch with us?" Karuizawa Kei calls out to us from the front.

I turned to Sudou with a meaningful look. After he nodded, I just shrugged my shoulders in response.

In the cafeteria were eight people sitting at a long table including me. Hirata, Sudou, Karuizawa, Shinohara, Sonoda, Ichihashi, and Maezono. Five girls and three guys. I don't really know what to feel about this, but it's a new group for Sudou. It's the last group he needs to mingle with before he gets a stable position in the class.

After we ordered our food, the eight of us started eating normally. Of course, Karuizawa and her gang started chatting with us.

"Isn't it amazing? Like, we have our class's soccer hottie, basketball ace, and genius on one dining table!" Karuizawa started. 

She's impressive. As I instructed, she elevated Sudou without singling him out. Sudou became slightly flustered while Hirata just answered with a smile. Also, "genius"? We haven't even had our first test yet.

"It's pretty fun, too. All of them have, like, completely different personalities from each other. You wouldn't think that any of them are friends," added Maezono.

"Well, Sudou-kun and I haven't really talked much, but as someone who also likes sports, it'd be nice if we could become friends. What do you say, Sudou-kun?" Hirata instantly took that opportunity.

"Well... Since you're Ayanokouji's friend, then I guess I don't mind being your friend, too. We're all in the same class, after all," replied Sudou.

This is perfect. Under normal circumstances, Sudou would've just lashed out at Hirata. However, the atmosphere is so nice and gentle that even he was influenced by it. Of course, it wouldn't have been enough if it weren't for the past three days of non-aggression.

"I'm really surprised about you, Sudou-kun. During the first day, there were a lot of rumors about you picking fights at Keyaki Mall. The girls in our class were quite scared of you. But as it turns out, you're not that hot-headed at all," said Ichihashi.

"Oh... Well, those rumors are true. I would've been in a lot of trouble if Ike and the others didn't stop me." Sudou explained with a guilty smile.

"Ohh, that's interesting. But in my opinion, you'd be a lot cooler if you played things out with a stoic expression... For example; like how Ayanokouji-kun does it." Sonoda turned to look at me.

"Exactly! He's usually really quiet, but he speaks so well when it matters. I'll never forget what happened on the first day of school. He looked so cool." Ichihashi followed, giving me a weird look.

"I see..." Sudou whispered while staring at me with a curious gaze.

"Hey, hey! Hirata-kun is getting left out! He's the hottest out of the three of them, you know?!" Karuizawa protested. 

She saved me there... I didn't even know what to say.

"Well, that's a matter of course. I've been hearing a lot of girls in Class C and B talk about Hirata-kun right from the first day," said Shinohara.

"You give me too much credit," Hirata said before continuing to eat.

"Nah, you're just too humble, Hirata," I commented.

"Right?! Hirata-kun's overwhelming with humility." Karuizawa added.

Minutes passed and we finally finished eating. The eight of us got to know a bunch of things about each other in quite a roundabout manner. I wonder if that's how it usually goes for conversations between high school friends.

So far, none of them are really fit for anything apart from Karuizawa. I guess I can leave those four girls alone, for now. I'll be counting on Karuizawa to handle them when the time comes.

I received a text the moment we arrived in the classroom. It's from Kushida.

(12:42) [It seems like you're here now, Ayanokouji-kun.]
(12:42) [Horikita-san just finished eating her lunch, too.]
(12:42) [I'll ask her now so please look after me.]

(12:42) [Good luck, Kushida.]

I gave her a thumbs-up when she looked at me. She replied with her own thumbs-up, which looked very cute because of her determined expression. Well, if it's her, I'm sure she can do it. The result is already set in stone, anyway. As I thought about it, Kushida walked up towards Horikita's seat and got her attention.

"Is there anything you need, Kushida-san?" Horikita asked with a slight glare. 

Kushida was surprised by this. She expected Horikita to turn her away immediately, and in a harsher manner too.

"Uhm, Horikita-san. I know you refused me yesterday already, but I really want us to be friends! For starters, is it alright if I get your contact info? I-It's fine if you refuse, really. I'm not forcing you," said Kushida.

Since it's almost time for the next period, most of us are already inside the classroom. The only ones who were really paying attention were Kushida's friends and me. If everyone was looking at them, Horikita would've felt much more uncomfortable. Kushida picked a really good time.

"I didn't expect you to do it today, but I figured that you'll ask me about this once again. I wrote everything on this piece of paper. If you really insist, then I don't mind giving you my contact info. However, I would appreciate it if you don't invite me as often to any get-togethers." Horikita replied with a sigh. "I wouldn't strictly call us friends, Kushida-san. However, you're free to call me that if you want."

Kushida was visibly perplexed by what she just heard. But, she was clearly happy with the result. I was also impressed with Horikita's willingness to cooperate.

"T-Thank you, Horikita-san! I didn't expect you to have such a considerate and gentle side." said Kushida. Well, I wouldn't say "gentle".

"If that's all, then it was nice talking to you, Kushida-san," Horikita said, trying her best to not sound arrogant.

(12:45) [Good job, Horikita.]

I texted her.

(12:45) [I felt disgusted from start to finish.]

She replied without looking at me. Well, I guess it's only natural when you know the conversation is nothing but a farce. And it must've felt extra unsettling for her since she firmly believed that Kushida was just acting.

When the bell rang, our afternoon periods went on without a hitch. As expected, our class is behaving optimally. There are a few problems like the flippant attitudes of Ike and his friends or the too-reserved Sakura, but other than them, I believe I've shaped up the class pretty well after four days.

Well, I guess I have some time for a breather. It wouldn't hurt to hang out with some friends after school.

I need to remember that right now, I have the privilege to enjoy my peaceful high school life, away from that place, and away from that man.

Chapter Text

When the dismissal bell rang, I walked up to Sudou and asked.

"Heading to your club?"

"Oh, Ayanokouji. Yeah, I am. We'll have practice matches with a few senpais today, so I'm really excited," replied Sudou.

"I see. Do you mind if I watch you for a bit?" I asked.

"Huh? I mean, I don't mind, but don't you have anything more important to do?" Sudou was curious about my sudden suggestion, which is reasonable.

"Not really." 

I need not say more. To be honest, I just really want to watch Sudou do his club right now. Even if I have an agenda in mind, it shouldn't be boring at all.

"Well, let's go then. I'll tell the senpais that I have a friend who wants to watch," he grinned.

A few of our classmates greeted us goodbye. Of course, we responded in kind.

After we got to the second gymnasium, Sudou asked permission for me. Of course, the seniors were lenient and said yes. After all, I'm also a potential member of the club. I sat in the bleachers' area and had a clear view of everyone.

"Yo, Ayanokouji! Tell me if you decide to leave, alright?!" Sudou yelled from the court.

I raised my hand as if to say "I got it" and Sudou continued with his practice. As I thought, it wasn't boring at all. I didn't know anything about basketball, but even I can say that Sudou was amazing. There were even times when he'd do those so-called "dunks". The senpais were visibly impressed by him.

A couple of hours passed and it was finally time to wrap things up. The first years were usually the ones to clean things up, but the seniors decided to cut them some slack for today.

"Good work today!" Everyone exchanged courtesy.

Sudou and I walked out of the gymnasium and headed for Keyaki Mall.

"Man, that sure was tough! The senpais in this school are pretty strong!" Sudou said, clad in his uniform. His jersey sure looked wet. If he's practicing this much every day, his athleticism is only natural.

"Those two other first years were giving you weird looks though," I commented.

"Ah, Komiya and Kondou, huh? They're from Class C if I remember correctly. I always felt that they were kinda hostile, but they haven't really done anything yet. I'll beat their asses up if they pull anything funny though." Sudou laughed while clenching his fists.

"Sigh... It would be better if you didn't. The trouble it would cause will be humongous," I sighed.

"W-Well... I guess that's only natural," he said. So he wasn't joking, after all?

"You know, Sudou, I won't tell you what you should do, but as a friend, I'd like to give you some advice. I don't know where you're from or what you've been through, but your actions affect the class now," I said.

"Hey, I know that much. I'm not actively looking for trouble, you know?" Sudou replied in a displeased tone. He must despise the act of getting lectured.

"I really appreciate that, and I'm sure everyone in the class does, too. But, what if the other party provokes you themselves? I'm sure you're already aware of this, but your patience is extremely thin, you know?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"Well... I've always been seen as a violent outcast from a young age, and it's not really far from the truth. You can even say that it's actually just the truth. I guess it just became natural to me... Y'know, beatin' other people up when they get to my face," narrated Sudou. "Basketball courts were the only places where I can have a cool head..."

Sudou looked up to the sky, seemingly trying to recall stuff from his old days.

"You're amazing, Sudou. I can't really tell how much since my knowledge in basketball is close to nonexistent, but I've been comparing your performance with everyone on the court. You're levels above them, in my honest opinion." I commented.

"Thanks..." Sudou scratched his cheek in response to my genuine compliment.

"That's why it would be great if I could see you play until graduation, or even beyond that." I turned to him with a serious tone. "This school is harsh with its punishments. If you get into disputes where violence is involved, you'd probably get suspended, or at worst; expelled. As your friend, I don't wanna see that happen."

Sudou looked at me with a gentle yet somewhat guilty expression.

"I can see that you've been working hard to keep the class together in your own way, Ayanokouji. In basketball, I can only rely on myself and blame myself for everything. But, with you, it should be pretty frustrating if the class harmony gets disrupted by a few troublemakers," he said. "As your friend, I don't want to be one of those people... I know I can't change myself easily, but I'll try my best to stay out of trouble."

Saying that, Sudou held out his fist towards me. I did the same and we fist-bumped.

"Thanks. Take your time. We all gotta start somewhere," I replied. "I'll be relying on your athletic abilities when the time comes."

I'm there'll be a time when Sudou will become a vital part of the class... This preparation would be well worth the time.

Before we reached Keyaki Mall, Sudou suddenly turned around and asked me.

"Ayanokouji, I've been thinking about this for a while now, but you're extremely athletic—no, you're extremely strong, aren't you?" Sudou looked at me with a serious pair of eyes.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"When I lost it during the first day, I was fully ready to charge at those three upperclassmen. I didn't hold back on my strides at that time. But, you stopped me, didn't you? And with a single hand, too. It felt like I just bumped into a really hard wall... That shit calmed me down completely."

I see. Well, I didn't really think much about that time. I just wanted to prevent Sudou from getting into an all-out brawl. I must've instinctively used all of my strength.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm wimpy." I don't think playing dumb is the answer here. Sudou would just feel insulted at that point. "But I haven't really compared my strength against anyone. If that's your take on the matter, then I'll believe it."

"Heh, you're not only smart, but you're also pretty strong... You're incredible, Ayanokouji." Sudou laughed.

"Well, even if that's the case, I can't climb up to Class A without you guys helping me. I'll be counting on you in the future," I replied.

"You got it," Sudou responded with a thumbs-up.

After we grabbed a drink from Keyaki Mall, Sudou and I went straight back to the dorms. My evening was well spent on text conversations with a bunch of girls. Karuizawa's friends, in particular, were quite forward in asking me about the types of girls I'm attracted to. Well, not that forward since they were disguising their questions with the classic "asking for a friend" schtick.

"Kushida, huh? Well, I guess buying what I need will cost some points. I'd need Sotomura's help if I want the best price-for-quality options," I muttered. "But if I wanted to be sure, I'd probably need those, too. I wonder if I can find some inside the campus."

If Horikita was telling the truth, then Kushida's matter should be of utmost importance. If I don't handle it perfectly, it might spell disaster for Class D...

Chapter Text

Finally, it was Friday. As usual, classes went on without a hitch. After Chabashira-sensei addressed some things in our afternoon homeroom, Hirata and Kushida immediately went in front to get everyone's attention.

"Everyone, may we have a little bit of your time before you go?" asked Hirata.

Apart from Kouenji, who got up from his chair and walked out of the door, everyone sat down and listened. He's currently the biggest enigma in this class.

I instructed Hirata, Kushida, and Sudou to ignore him even if he left. That way, we can proceed without any unnecessary commotion.

"So, Hirata-kun and I have a quick suggestion. I'm sure all of you are aware of this and might be using it already. I'm talking about the chatting app on our phones." Kushida says, raising her phone screen for everyone to see. "I've heard from Ichinose-san that they already have a group chat with everyone in their class. I think it would be a good idea if we do the same."

Everyone instinctively grabbed their phones. At that moment, Karuizawa's group made their move.

"Yeah! Let's get everyone in one group chat! That way, we can easily talk about things without worrying about eavesdroppers!" Karuizawa started, making sure everyone inside the room heard what she said.

"It's about time!" followed Shinohara.

"Let's do it!" added Sonoda.

Due to their wonderful display of interpersonal skills, Hirata, and especially Kushida got everyone into the class group chat. Well, everyone besides Kouenji.

Apparently, it was a common practice for students to make an official group chat for their class. If that's the case, then I guess it was only a matter of time before ours was formed.

Since I was free the entire afternoon, I decided to stroll around the campus. As expected, everything's really of the highest quality.

I finally went inside the so-called "special building". It was definitely uncrowded and used only for some clubs. It's quite a sizeable building, too. Well, what can I say? This school is basically a place of affluence.

Coming down from the third floor, which didn't have any security cameras installed, I decided to head for Keyaki Mall.

Huh? A person? I tried to hide but immediately threw the idea after seeing who it was.

Sakura Airi, a girl from my class. She was currently taking pictures of herself, not wearing her glasses or her blazer. She wasn't wearing her pigtail hairstyle and didn't have her usual demeanor, either. She's like a completely different person.

I waited until she finished her current round of picture-taking. After that, I finally decided to show myself.

Seeing my approaching figure, Sakura panicked and immediately made a run for it.

Anticipating this, I dashed in her direction and caught her wrist. I took extra care to hold my strength back so as to not hurt her by accident.

"Kyah-?!" she yelped.

"Uh, Sakura? You're Sakura Airi, right?" I asked. "I'm Ayanokouji. We're from the same class, remember?"

She turned to me instead of continuing to run. This might be the only advantage of my dull tone. If I sounded as energetic as Ike or Yamauchi, Sakura would probably yell and ask for help. I felt her resistance wane a bit after I identified myself.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to grab you like that. I kind of panicked when I saw you run out of nowhere," I explained, gently releasing my grip on her wrist.

"U-Uh... Uhm..." Sakura stammered.

"Are you perhaps displeased to be seen in here?" I asked.

"N-No! It's not like that... I'm not really keeping this a secret to anyone... I-It's just that... Uhm-" She's really nervous, isn't she?

"Well, first of all, calm down. We're the only ones here, anyway. For starters, why don't we grab something to drink? There's a vending machine right around the corner if I remember correctly."

Sakura seemed surprised by my words, but she meekly nodded in agreement anyway.

The two of us sat on a staircase connecting the first and second floors.

"Here," I said, handing the orange juice that Sakura requested.

"Thank you..." she accepted sheepishly.

"It wouldn't be fair if I just keep asking questions, so I'll speak first," I said. "I was strolling around the area because I was curious... Well, that's about it. What about you, Sakura?"

She flinched slightly after I asked the question.

"Well, I... I like taking photos... You must've seen it too but... I especially like taking photos of people," answered Sakura.

"That's interesting. I've noticed it for the past few days, but you don't really talk to people much. I think making friends is a good solution if you want to take pictures of more people," I babbled.

Well, there I go again—advising people to make friends as if I'm good at it.

"I'm not... really good with talking to people... so..." Sakura replied, with her voice getting progressively softer.

"Ah... I see. I understand that, Sakura."

"Eh, you do? Don't you have many friends, Ayanokouji-kun? Like Hirata-kun... or Kushida-san and Horikita-san..." she asked.

"Well, I guess you could say that. But, I'm actually just really lucky, you know? If it weren't for certain events, I would be nothing but an outcast in the class," I narrated. "I'm not good with talking to people nor do I have any redeeming features. Meanwhile, you look pretty nice with your hair like that. It makes you look more approachable."

I noticed that I might've made the same mistake as last time right after I finished speaking.

Sakura must've gotten put off with the last parts of my reply. It would've been okay if we were close, but if she thinks I'm hitting on her after we just met, then it's pretty much game over. I took Kushida's advice to heart, so I'd remember these things.

I should clear it up before it's too late.

"Ah, I didn't mean that in a weird way, Sakura..." I said.

Sakura was just staring at me the whole time. It's like she was observing my struggle. Before I could say anything, she giggled cutely.

"You're funny, Ayanokouji-kun," said Sakura. "I didn't think you were someone who'd worry about those things."

"Well, Kushida already gave me an earful about being careful with my words. I just don't want people to misunderstand what I'm saying," I explained.

"I see... Now that you've told me that, I guess it makes sense that you think you're also bad at talking to people," replied Sakura.

Small conversations, to be specific.

Seeing someone's vulnerable side would make you more comfortable around them. It seems to be working well. Sakura stopped stuttering and her nervousness was almost completely gone.

"Well then, I was originally headed to Keyaki Mall. Are you gonna continue taking pictures of yourself?" I asked.

"Uhm, yes..." Sakura replied.

"I see. I hope you get great photos. If it's alright, I would appreciate it if you show them to me sometimes." 

That would've been the perfect time to smile, but my indecisiveness ultimately led to me losing the chance to do so.

"I-I'll try-! Goodbye, Ayanokouji-kun..." Sakura shyly waved her hand to me.

I don't know if my first interaction with Sakura was right, but at least it wasn't a complete disaster. In fact, I even got her contact info.

I texted Karuizawa and confirmed that she was with Hirata and her friends. I met up with them to hang out. Since the attention was divided between me and Hirata, Karuizawa had more chances to build up her relationship with Hirata in the eyes of outsiders. Of course, Hirata cooperated, giving Karuizawa a bit of extra attention.

Even if I wasn't too great at conversing with the girls, they didn't seem to dislike me by the end of it. In fact, I was asked to hang out with them again on the weekend. Of course, with nothing else to do, I accepted. 

However, I actually want to spend my Sunday with Kushida. After all, I wanted to know her more.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Yamauchi!" Ike greeted enthusiastically.

"Good morning, Ike!" Yamauchi responds with the same amount of energy.

While these two always arrive on time, it was definitely strange for them to arrive this early. With huge grins on their faces, Ike and Yamauchi called out to each other as soon as both of them got to the classroom.

"Whew, man! I was looking forward to today so much that I barely slept last night!" said Ike.

"This school is just the best, isn't it?! Well, the class points and the S-System aside, isn't it awesome that we get to have swimming classes with girls?!"

They were right. Even by the standards of a regular high school, this event was rare. Horikita, Kushida, and every other girl in our class will be showing off a lot of skin. It only makes sense that the boys were excited.

Well, Ike and Yamauchi were probably too excited. The girls slowly backed away from them as if trying to not catch a transmissible disease.

"Professor, will the plan be in motion?" Ike asked Sotomura, who was initially fiddling with his laptop.

"Professor", huh? Considering his expertise in things like technology, I guess it was an appropriate nickname. With his chubby build, he'd probably look like a young professor if he wore a coat.

"Why, of course, Ike-dono. I believe everything will go smoothly. We'll get our hands on those records," answered Sotomura.

"Perfect! Oh man, I can't wait!" Yamauchi celebrated.

"Hey, what did you guys mean by record?" I asked softly while approaching them.

"Huh, Ayanokouji? Hmm? Why should we tell you? You might just snitch on us." Ike asked with the expression of a veteran skeptic.

"Yeah! You're close with girls, right?" Yamauchi added.

"Do I look like someone who's close to girls? Those were all because of Kushida and Hirata's social powers. I wouldn't hold a candle to you guys if it's with talking to people—let alone girls..." I replied.

Ike scooted over and scanned me with his eyes.

"Well, that might indeed be true. You seem like the type of person who'll stay quiet in a social gathering," mused Ike.

I probably will.

"Now, now. It wouldn't hurt to add the class's genius to our plan, right? I believe that with Ayanokouji-dono's intellect, he might even find improvements to our plan!" Sotomura excitedly cut in.

"What are you guys planning anyway?" I asked.

"Professor will pretend to be sick. That way, he can observe the girls' boobs from the side and record their sizes." Yamauchi whispered in a ragged voice.

"He might even get pictures if we're lucky," Ike added, with a creepy grin on his face.

"Alright, count me out. I don't wanna be hated by my peers just yet," I replied, putting my arms up in the air.

"C'mon, dude! This might be your only chance to get some juicy information on the girls!" Yamauchi implored.

It seems like Hondou, Miyamoto, Makida and some other guys are also in on it, albeit not as involved as these two.

"While I won't join you guys on this noble quest, it's not like I'll get in the way. Just be careful about being accused of sexual harassment," I said. "Especially you two, Ike and Yamauchi. You guys are already branded as perverts by the girls, you know?"

"W-Wait! Are we really?!" Yamauchi asked with a panicked face.

"Shit!" Ike agonized before asking. "Wait, how'd you even know that?"

"Insider information," I replied, pointing a finger to my head. "I might not be close with the girls, but I still hear a bunch of stuff when I hang out with them."

Ike and Yamauchi gulped in awe and amazement.

"We'll squeeze more of that information outta you someday, Ayanokouji!" Ike protested.

"Sure," I replied, not even looking at them. "Professor, I need your help on something."

In the end, I decided to use his nickname, much like Ike and the other guys.

"Oh? I wonder what the one and only Ayanokouji of Class D needs help with?" he asked.

"Well..." I told him the information I needed. Fortunately, it was easy to make him believe a fabricated excuse when he asked for my reason.

"Thanks, I'll follow your advice to save up a bunch of points," I said.

"I don't know why you think it's worth it just to keep those boys in check, but who am I to judge the great mind of the class genius?" Professor shrugged his shoulders.

I'd appreciate it if he stopped calling me the class genius or whatever, though.

After Sudou arrived, Ike and Yamauchi egged the two of us to join them again. Apparently, they were making bets on the girls' breast sizes... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested, but Sudou and I knew the risks of getting involved. In the end, we chose to do nothing but listen.

Sakura and Hasebe were among the top bets. I wonder how they'd react should they find out about this...

The morning classes finished and lunchtime came. Sudou and I ate with Kushida and her friends like it was perfectly natural. Of course, it was finally time for our swimming class when the afternoon bell rang.

"Alright! The pool!" The boys changed considerably fast. When we reached the 50-meter pool, all of us were in awe of how clean and clear the water was.

"Aren't the girls taking too long?" Ike looked around impatiently.

It took about four minutes before the girls finally arrived.

"They're here! Let's g—Huh?! What the?!" Ike put on an expression of extreme confusion.

As it turns out, only ten girls decided to participate in the swimming class.

"Where are they?! Where are the tits?!" Ike wailed in frustration.

"If you're looking for our other classmates, they're over there." I pointed at the observation deck.

Hasebe and Sakura can be both seen sitting there. Well, there goes their dreams of ogling the biggest breasts in class.

"Ah, this is bullshit!" cried Ike.

"I-It's fine, Ike! We'll make do with whoever's present!" Yamauchi consoled him with the same defeated expression.

At this point, I don't even want to be part of their conversation. Sudou and I can clearly see the revulsion in the girls' eyes.

"Ayanokouji-kun! Sudou-kun! You're already here! What are you guys doing there?" Kushida called out to us.

Scene Illustration

Along with Horikita, she and the other girls were all clad in school swimsuits. Kushida became the center of attention with her voluptuous figure. The sad expressions that Ike and Yamauchi wore instantly vanished.

"Kushida-chan!" Ike and Yamauchi yelled.

While the two of them fawned over Kushida, Horikita came over and talked to me. I couldn't help but look at her as well. Horikita's figure was absolutely pristine. She was definitely blessed with top-tier genes. I chose to stay silent because I might accidentally lose my life if I voice out my opinions on her current appearance.

I could sense that Karuizawa was currently looking at me. Perfect timing—because I actually needed her to do something for me. While Sudou's attention was on Ike and Yamauchi's shenanigans, I looked back at Karuizawa, which made her flinch. I gave her a meaningful look using subtle head movements. Thankfully, she got what I was trying to say.

"Sudou-kun! Woah, look at that build! Is it alright if you come here for a sec'?" Karuizawa yelled.

"Huh? You called me?" Sudou was surprised that Karuizawa suddenly called out to him.

During that time, I approached Horikita and walked away with her. Seeing that, Sudou felt that it was fine to leave me alone. Now, most of the girls were talking to Hirata and Sudou.

"Sudou-kun, that's some crazy amount of muscle!" Maezono followed Karuizawa's lead.

Ike, Yamauchi, and other guys were clearly envious of the attention that Sudou was getting, but it's not like they could do anything.

"Do you workout, Ayanokouji-kun?" Horikita asked.

That was an expected question, seeing how she was carefully observing my body for a while now. Meanwhile, I would be branded as a pervert if I did the same. Society really is cruel, huh?

"Not really... At least in recent times, I'm not," I replied.

"It's not noticeable when you're wearing clothes, but your muscles are really toned..." Horikita said, looking at my torso and arm muscles.

I don't really know what to say at that point. Fortunately, our teacher, Higashiyama-sensei, finally arrived. He was a macho-looking middle-aged man; the kind of guy who devoted himself to sports. He gathered everyone who was participating and grouped us up.

"Alright, although some opted to only watch along the sidelines, there's still quite a lot of you. I'll let you all do some warm-ups and practice swimming. After that, you'll compete with each other. Is that cool?" His huge smile didn't really put us at ease, but at least he wasn't here to go spartan on us.

No one ditched the swimming class. On the observation deck were four guys and ten girls. Participation was optional as long as we were present, so hopefully, we won't lose class points because of this.

I didn't really want to go all out, but I'll at least try to swim fast enough to get first or second place. My body's not in optimal condition anyway.

Chapter Text

I warmed up alongside Sudou, Hirata, Kushida, Karuizawa, and their friends. Horikita warmed up in another corner, alone.

Of course, Ike and Yamauchi spent their time staring at Kushida and the girls.

We were given ten minutes to play in the water for a bit. The pool was temperature-controlled so we didn't have any problems with the water being too cold. My body swiftly adjusted to the water's viscosity.

Hirata was playing with Karuizawa and some of her friends. Meanwhile, Sudou was... playing(?) with Ike and Yamauchi...? It looked like they were getting drowned though...

Anyway, I was enjoying my time, splashing water with Kushida and her friends. On the other hand, Onodera was having a fun(?) talk with Horikita. Because we were near them, I could barely hear the contents of their conversation.

"Your form was amazing earlier, Horikita-san! Did you compete during junior high?" Onodera asked excitedly.

"No... not really. I don't think that I'm particularly great at swimming..." Horikita's expression was cool as always. Although she didn't seem used to having these kinds of talks, I'm glad she's at least acknowledging the other person.

"You see, I've always loved swimming, so I can immediately identify a good swimmer just by looking at their forms. You're definitely one of them, Horikita-san." Onodera said with a smile.

"I see... Given your words, you're definitely the faster one, in my opinion, Onodera-san. I just learned swimming as a necessity, after all," replied Horikita. She's making good progress if she can give back compliments like that.

"Well, I definitely won't lose to anyone when it comes to swimming! You can count on me for that!" Onodera gestured like she was flexing her biceps.

While we were immersed in enjoying the water, our teacher finally blew the whistle.

There will be two races for the girls, with five competitors each. They will be placed according to their time in a very straightforward manner. Meanwhile, the boys will then have a similar competition. However, only the top two from each race will advance to the next round. After that, the top eight will compete for first place. All students in the top eight (separated by sex) will be safe from supplementary lessons. So, only the bottom two for the girls and the bottom eight for the boys will take them, along with those who didn't participate this time.

"Ayanokouji, let's compete in the preliminary round!" Sudou excitedly suggested.

"Sure," I replied.

Finally, our teacher blew the first whistle. Horikita and Kushida were in the same race. Their difference in speed became apparent immediately. In the end, Horikita finished first with Kushida coming in second.

"Not bad. 27.55 seconds for the first place and 30.89 seconds for the second place," he announced.

The boys cheered for Kushida and had their eyes glued on her wet body. The girls' jiggling butts and breasts caused some "accidents", prompting some of them to sneakily cover their crotches.

Of course, I also stared at the girls much like the rest. The only one who was avoiding visual contact with the girls' bodies was probably Hirata.

On a side note, I can't help but notice the domineering aura that Kouenji has been emitting since the start of this class. Wearing a red speedo, Kouenji smilingly observed the girls' competition with his arms crossed.

The girls were constantly showing expressions of discomfort whenever they looked at him. It's probably because their eyes would reflexively look at his crotch. That aside, Kouenji's physical constitution was amazing. He's clearly built better than Sudou. He'll probably be one of the fastest, if not the fastest student in our class.

When Sensei blew his whistle for the second round, Onodera took the lead by a landslide. She wasn't kidding with her words earlier.

"26.02 seconds for the first place and 30.75 seconds for the second place. Amazing results for the two of you," said Sensei. Onodera convincingly took first place with Horikita in second place. They were then followed by Matsushita and Kushida.

"Alright boys, line up! Get four asses in here!" called Higashiyama-sensei.

"I kinda don't want to swim yet..." I said with a tired expression.

"Hah? Are you pussying out, Ayanokouji? C'mon, let's do it right on the get-go!" Sudou implored.

However, before my decision could change, four boys were already in position.

"Kyah~! Go, Hirata-kun!"

"Hirata-kun, you can do it!" The girls' cheers rang, whether it was by the pool's edge or on the observation deck.

"Tch! I'll definitely show Hirata what's up when it's my turn!" Ike and Yamauchi grumbled.

"Heh, I'll beat Hirata once I get there," Sudou said confidently.

Hirata was not just a pretty boy. He was also well-built. His figure was probably the ideal one for a high school boy.

"Alright, ready!" Sensei yelled before blowing the whistle.

Hirata dove perfectly as his body cut through the water. He effortlessly swam across with speed, placing him ahead in the first round, with Minami following behind.

"Alright! It's our turn, Ayanokouji!" Sudou slapped my back. That hurt, you know?

"Fine..." Since it's just the preliminary round, I guess I can take it easy. I won't let Sudou take first place that easily though.

"Geh-! Sudou?! Nevermind, I'm dodging this round!" Ike backed off along with Yamauchi.

"Ayanokouji-kun, Sudou-kun, do your best!" Somehow, a lot of the girls cheered for us much like they did for Hirata. In my periphery, I can see Ike, Yamauchi, and some of the boys glaring at us with envious eyes.

"Ready!" And Sensei blows the whistle.

Water splashed as the five of us dove in. I wasn't perfectly used to moving my body at this point in time, but the comforting sensation of the water helped stabilize my form.

"Oh, incredible! 24.39 seconds for the first place and 25.12 seconds for the second place!" Sensei announced with vigor.

"Kyah~! What was that? That was amazing!"

"Ayanokouji-kun was super fast!"

"He looked so cool~!" Well, I finished first in our round with Sudou closely coming in second.

"What the hell was that, Ayanokouji?!" Sudou yelled at me.

"That was a close one, Sudou. Nice fight." I replied with a thumbs-up.

"Nice fight my ass! I expected you to be fast, but not that fast!" Sudou continued with a pissed expression.

"You can always get revenge on the final round. We're both in the top two, remember?" I said, holding out my fist.

"Tch, I'll destroy you next time," Sudou replied with a determined smile, bumping his fist against my own.

While the gymnasium was filled with the girls' cheering voices (for me), Horikita briskly walked in my direction. She finally stopped after arriving right in front of me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, facing her terrifying glare.

"What was that?" she asked.

"What do you mean "What was that"?" I threw the question back at her.

"..." Horikita continued glaring at me.

"I already told you, didn't I? I'm above you in terms of physical abilities. It's the same with academics.," I said straight.

"At this point, all I can do is believe you. The results are absolute evidence, after all." Horikita sighed with a frustrated expression.

"Don't mind it, Horikita. You're still an excellent student overall. Just leave me out of the equation when you compare yourself with others," I replied.

"No, it's fine. I'm not really angry or jealous about your abilities. I'm just... disappointed with myself, I think," she narrated. "I'm disappointed not because you're better... but because I hastily judged myself as someone superior."

"You don't need to, really. If you grew up seeing yourself ahead of everyone else, it's natural to underestimate others," I mused. Her initial arrogance hinted at that kind of past. Seeing that she didn't correct me, I must've hit the bullseye.

"You're... right..." Horikita looked down at her feet. Before she and I could continue our conversation, Kushida and her friends ran up to me excitedly.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you were amazing!" Kushida said with a huge smile.

"Ayanokouji-kun, that was hella awesome! Were you on a swimming team back in middle school?! You must be, right?!" Onodera was the most fired up of the bunch.

"Not really... I guess I'm just pretty fast," I replied, while awkwardly scratching my head. Onodera's energy was too much for me.

"Ayanokouji-kun is from America, so he must've been used to seeing fast swimmers!" Kushida said proudly.

"Woah, America!"

"That's the first time I've heard of that!" Well, I guess she spilled the beans.

Eventually, the third round resulted in Miyake and Ike winning the top two places. While he wasn't particularly special, at least he was a bit faster than average. He didn't really have any tough competition, so he barely made it in second. At the same time, Yamauchi finished last, one second behind the fourth placer.

"You betrayed me, Ike!" Yamauchi cried.

"Hehe! Well, don't sweat it, Yamauchi, it's only natural that you'd lose to me in terms of swimming. I'm actually built for this kinda thing!" Ike said with confidence. No one knew if he was telling the truth or not.

Of course, the inevitable last round came. Kouenji stood on the fifth lane with his flashy red speedo for everyone to see.

Some of the girls cheered for Miyake after he placed first. Kouenji waved at them, thinking that the cheers were for him.

"It's alright, ladies. Don't cause a commotion because of me. I belong to everyone, so please calm down." Kouenji announced with his eyes closed.

When Sensei blew the whistle, water splashed violently as Kouenji dove without reserve. His aggressive style definitely caught everyone off-guard. Kouenji was incredibly fast. He was most likely faster than me and Sudou.

"23.22 seconds! That's the record for the day! Congratulations, Kouenji. Good job on taking second place with 28.61 seconds, Makida." Sensei said with a grin.

"My abdominal muscles, back muscles, and psoas major muscle seem to be in good shape, as usual. Not a bad performance." Kouenji said as he went up to the pool. He elegantly swept his hair up with a smirk. The guy wasn't short of breath at all, as if he didn't swim in the first place.

And with that, the top eight for the boys was completed. Honestly, I couldn't care less about placing high. I'm already safe, anyway.

"Alright, you mermaids! I want to see you fight until the end. That's why I'll give an incentive to the guy who finishes first!" Sensei's grin got wider as he announced the prize. "I'll give the first placer a generous sum of 10,000 points!"

Everyone gasped.

"Of course, I'll give Onodera 10,000 points too, for placing first among the girls," he continued.

"Heh~? No fair!"

"I would've taken it seriously if you told us that, Sensei!"

Some of the girls complained.

"Oh, sure. There are a lot of extra lanes. Go beat Onodera's record and the points will be yours." Sensei replied without hesitation. Of course, the result wasn't surprising- the complainers shut their mouths.

Horikita didn't seem like she was attempting to do anything. I guess even she knows her limits.

Now, back to the issue at hand. At first, I didn't really care about the results of this final round. I'd even let Sudou surpass my time... But 10,000 private points is quite tempting, especially since I'll need to spend on something.

Kouenji's time was a little over 23 seconds. I think I can perform better than my first attempt if I tried, but beating Kouenji is an entirely different story. Even the coordination of my limbs felt rusty, after all. 

Well, all I can do is swim as fast as I can. Let's see how that goes.

Chapter Text

At first, Sensei only used two stopwatches on each hand for the top placers, but now, he assigned helpers to record all of our times with precision.

"Alright, I'm assigning seven of you to assist me in recording your classmates' performance. At the same time, I'll assign seven supervisors to confirm your timings. You can use the stopwatch function on your phone. I'll give one piece of advice for the time setters." Sensei grinned. "Don't think about anything else. Focus solely on the swimmer you're assigned to."

From the other side of the pool, I can see that Matsushita was assigned to me, with Miyamoto behind her. Meanwhile, Horikita was assigned to Koenji, who was standing beside me. Okitani was the one supervising her.

The assignment of the lanes went like this:

Lane 1: Hirata - Kikuchi, Kushida

Lane 2: Miyake - Yukimura, Yamauchi

Lane 3: Ike - Karuizawa, Satou

Lane 4: Makida - Higashiyama-sensei

Lane 5: Minami - Maezono, Shinohara

Lane 6: Sudou - Onizuka, Ueno

Lane 7: Ayanokouji - Matsushita, Miyamoto

Lane 8: Kouenji - Horikita, Okitani

"Let's have a fun swimming time, Ayanokouji-boy," Kouenji said without looking at me.

He must be confident then. Like me, Kouenji doesn't look like he's interested in competing seriously. But of course, he wouldn't just let himself fall behind. Alright, let's see what you got.

"I won't lose this time, Ayanokouji," Sudou said, focusing his sight on the finish line.

"Yeah. Good luck to us," I replied.

"Ready!" I focused my attention entirely on the whistle's timing. When the sound reached my ears, my whole body felt a small jolt of lightning. Finally, the cogs in my body started working with each other.

It's time to let loose.

Splash.

My diving figure perfectly nailed itself into the water. When I started using my limbs for propulsion, I could faintly feel Kouenji and Sudou's presence beside me. At the same time, the sound of my classmates' cheers entered my ears. Well, I don't have the luxury to care about any of those right now.

I swam with absolute consistency and finished the race. When my body rose from the water, so did Kouenji's. I don't know who won between the two of us.

"22.17 seconds," said Horikita, with Okitani nodding his head in agreement.

"Hmph," Kouenji once again swept his hair up in an elegant manner. What a monstrous amount of stamina. He didn't look tired at all. This time, he looked at me with a smile. "Impressive, Ayanokouji-boy. I can only applaud."

At that time, I was also gently swiping my hair. When I turned, Matsushita was frozen while looking at her phone. Miyamoto was the same.

"A-Ayanokouji-kun... Your time was... 21.91 seconds..." Matushita stutteringly conveyed to me. "I didn't miss the timing, right, Miyamoto-kun?"

"Y-Yeah... Your timing was perfect, in my opinion..." replied Miyamoto.

While all of those were happening, not only the girls, but the boys also cheered loudly.

"That was insane!"

"Those three were basically zooming in the water!"

"What is this?! The Olympics?!"

"Did Kouenji win?!"

"Didn't you see?! It was absolutely Ayanokouji!"

"It was so close that I didn't even notice the difference!"

"Kyah~! Ayanokouji-kun! You were amazing!"

"Hirata-kun, you were so fast, too!" Everyone was going crazy. Even the students sitting on the observation deck stood up and went closer.

When I looked in Sudou's direction, he was glaring at me in frustration.

"You even went faster, you bastard!" he barked.

"It would be an insult to you if I held back, right?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders.

"That's... You're right..." replied Sudou. "Ahhh, shit! Fine, you win, Ayanokouji! But remember this, when it comes to basketball, I'll make sure that you won't even score one point against me!"

Sudou yelled, declaring war.

"Nah. Let's not compete in basketball. I don't wanna be your punching bag." I snapped back.

"Hahaha!" Thankfully, Sudou's mood wasn't bad at all. "I'll challenge you sometime, so make sure to learn more about basketball!"

Our friendly banters didn't last long when Sensei dragged his huge body next to me.

"Haha! Ayanokouji, you got first place! Hold out your phone. I'll transfer the points now," he said with a grin, patting my shoulder with his huge hands. "Congratulations."

I'm surprised that things like these were allowed. Points really do drive the economy of this school...

The final standings were as follows:

1st: Ayanokouji - 21.91 seconds

2nd: Kouenji - 22.17 seconds

3rd: Sudou - 24.32 seconds

4th: Hirata - 25.11 seconds

5th: Miyake - 27.73 seconds

6th: Makida - 28.50 seconds

7th: Minami - 32.01 seconds

8th: Ike - 33.85 seconds

Sensei left us to play around using the remaining twenty minutes. The girls instantly swarmed me more than they did with Hirata. In fact, the boys did the same. They asked me all kinds of questions and my mind immediately went blank.

"Alright, everyone. You're all confusing Ayanokouji-kun. Please calm down." Thank you, Hirata. You're my savior.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Matsushita absent-mindedly staring at me. When I turned to look at her, she immediately averted her gaze.

"Ayanokouji! I heard you were from America! Were you on the national swimming team over there or something?!" Ike asked loudly.

"There's no doubt about it! Even if he's not, I'm sure Ayanokouji-kun competed in some tournaments, at least!" Onodera agreed with Ike.

"Uh... I guess I did some swimming back in the day..." Of course, I would answer vaguely. I don't want to fabricate a story if I can help it.

I've engaged in friendly conversations with a lot of my classmates afterward.

Even if Ike and his friends kept glancing in the girls' direction, they were genuinely talking to me and Sudou about the results. After that, a lot of the girls on the observation deck called out to me when I sat by the poolside below them. Of course, Kushida and her friends chatted with me, too. I've been thoroughly branded as the swimmer of the class alongside Onodera.

When the class ended, Sonoda and her friends invited me for karaoke. Of course, Karuizawa and Hirata will be there. At the same time, Kushida and her friends asked me to hang out with them too. Another offer came up as Sudou wanted to teach me some basketball. In the end, I humbly declined all of them. After all, someone already asked me first.

(14:54) [Being popular is hard, isn't it, Ayanokouji-kun?]

I was currently having a conversation with Mori Nene via text.

(14:54) [It's just the novelty. This will probably wane down tomorrow.]

(14:54) [Haha! I don't think so!]
(14:54) [But your ridiculous swimming speed aside, are you really cool with hanging out with us?]

(14:55) [Sure.]
(14:55) [You're the one who asked me first, anyway. And I always wanted to go to Pallete.]

(14:55) [Alright!]
(14:54) [I'll tell Satou-san and Matsushita-san that I got a yes.]

Apparently, Satou and Ike organized the whole thing, and Mori asked them if she could invite me. There will be six of us; three boys and three girls. At this point in time, I know that Ike and Yamauchi weren't acting at all. What they've shown thus far were their real personalities. While I'm a bit disappointed, it's pretty fun to hear their conversations.

I heaved a sigh of exhaustion as I slumped on my chair.

"How does it feel to be so popular?" Horikita asked curtly. Of course, she didn't look at me. She was currently reading the later parts of Crime and Punishment.

"Not so good. As a person who dislikes trouble, I can't help but get tired..." I complained.

"A person who dislikes trouble, huh? But you still agreed to hang out with a group, right? I thought you weren't a Yes-man," snickered Horikita.

"Oh shut it, Horikita. Why don't you come with us so I can talk to someone?" I asked, turning my head in her direction.

"What? There's no way. I can't even imagine myself hanging out with such a group." Horikita was... displeased...? Her words were certainly rude, but her expression wasn't really that of an upset person. It was more of a... neutral expression? An equitable expression? Unemotional? Detached? I honestly can't tell.

"Such a group? Ah, I can see where you're coming from. After all, Ike and Yamauchi are coming with us. But putting them aside, Mori and the rest are pretty okay. I think you can become good friends with them," I explained.

As usual, Horikita was quick to judge them in a negative light. She truly was a veteran loner.

"You were thinking of something rude, weren't you?" Horikita asked with a glare.

"No, not really," I replied, averting my eyes away from hers. Our conversation probably ends there. Or so I thought...

"Will it not inconvenience them if I go?" Horikita suddenly asks.

Wait, huh? What? Did she just-?

I was so caught off-guard by her words that the only thing I managed to do was stare at her with a dumbfounded look. That reaction proved to be a big mistake.

"Nevermind. I take back what I said. You can go have fun on your own," said Horikita.

Her tone was noticeably deeper, which indicated her anger. With unfortunate perfect timing, the dismissal bell rang. Horikita swiftly fixed her stuff before getting up to leave.

"Horikita—" I tried to call out but it was too late.

Seeing her retreating figure made me slightly depressed. I can't believe I messed that up...

Chapter Text

It's the 26th of April, the Monday of our fourth week in this school. The class has been doing alright after three weeks. Before our third period, I found myself reading back on some text conversations between me and Karuizawa Kei.

(21:56) [Hirata-kun did it.]
(21:56) [We're going out now.]

(21:56) [I see.]
(21:56) [That's good then.]

(21:56) [You've done well in establishing a stable foothold in our class, and after this, you'll probably be regarded as the girls' leader.]

(21:57) [Yeah...]

(21:57) [It'll be different with Kushida, who's more on the universal side of things with her kindness and friendliness, but I'm sure you'll be just fine.]

This conversation happened two days ago, on a Saturday evening. In the end, they chose to delay the plan by a week. It's probably for the best since Hirata's popularity was just hitting its peak outside the class. Hirata texted me about this, too.

(21:58) [Ayanokouji-kun...]
(21:58) [Wait, you know what, I'll just call you.]

That was the last message she'd sent since then. As for our call...

"Hello?" I asked.

"Sorry for my sudden call," Karuizawa said.

"I don't mind. Sorry if I was being too wordy with my texts. I'm just not used to it yet," I replied with an apology.

"It's fine. That's your well-established quirk, right? A lot of girls think it's cute—your lack of conversational skills, I mean," Karuizawa elaborated.

"Is that how it works? I thought it was just a negative trait," I mused.

"You really are a beginner when it comes to these things aren't you?" she snickered. "First of all, you're the class's academic genius, answering every question perfectly when asked by the teacher. To be honest, none of us will be surprised if you ace every written test or exam. And secondly... you're super-duper athletic... Like, super-duper..."

I stayed silent in the midst of her lack of vocabulary.

"On paper, you really are the ideal boy in our class alongside Hirata-kun. But unlike him, you're not that outgoing and friendly. You can even be considered gloomy at times," Karuizawa explained.

"That's exactly my point..." I think she just dissed me on the last part there.

"Yes, that's exactly the point. You two are different, but one's not better than the other. After all, girls have their own preferences, just like guys. On one hand, there are a lot who prefer a princely boy like Hirata-kun. On the other hand, a star student who's actually insecure about his social skills is also a hit among girls." Karuizawa seemed to be having fun while telling me this.

"Is that really how it works?" 

Of course, I'm also curious. The intricacies of modern social high school norms aren't something that I'm really familiar with.

"Yeah. What do they call it again? Ah, that's right! "Gap-Moe"! Yeah, that's it," she said. "Have you heard of it? You don't seem like you watch anime or read manga, so it might not be familiar to you."

Woah, that's great. I've actually encountered gap-moe during my research. I never thought I'd hear it again since a lot of the stories that use the concept seem unrealistic.

Well, the ironic thing is that it's being used to describe me...

"I've heard of it. It's the affection to the inconsistencies between two different or opposite characteristics of a person, right?" 

Now that I think about it, it's kinda like Karuizawa. On the surface, she's a strong-willed tough girl which gives you the impression of a bully. But on the inside, while she's still strong-willed, she's actually a very delicate and observant girl—most likely caused by the bullying she's suffered.

Then again, while it didn't look like she was lying about her past, it's not like I believed everything that she told us.

"Yeah, you're right... But geez, your knowledge of it seems like nothing but a definition pulled out from a dictionary..." And she was exactly right about that. "Wait a minute, we're going on a complete tangent! I haven't gotten to the main reason why I called you!"

"Which is?" I asked.

"Well... I just wanted to thank you and Hirata-kun... You know, for protecting me and stuff." Karuizawa said.

"It's no problem. You've been cooperating well, so I don't have any complaints," I replied. "If that's all, then why don't we end the call here? You just got yourself a boyfriend. Won't it be bad to be on a call with another man?"

"I don't really mind. It's just a farce, anyway." Karuizawa replied instantly before panicking. "Ah—Unless you're against it, of course!"

Well, that was completely unexpected.

"Not really."

After that, we did some friendly small talk. She told me about some of the girls in class. It's pretty much the same as how Kushida would tell me her stories. Of course, a lot of them are pointless stuff, but those pointless stuff were actually kind of fun to hear about.

Maybe this really is the essence of friendship, much like how Sudou would tell me about his club matters.

"Ah-! We've been talking for a while now. Let's call it quits for tonight, Ayanokouji-kun," she said.

"Sure. I had fun, Karuizawa," I replied.

And the call ended. I noticed that I got a bunch of texts from different people. Mori, Satou, Rino, Yokoyama, and some other girls. There were also a lot of notifications from Class D's group chat and the smaller group chats that I'm a part of, too.

Well, it's not like I have anything else to do. I'll try to chat with them while I can.

"You seem to be thinking about deep stuff." Horikita suddenly spoke while I was reminiscing about my weekend.

"Not really. Just some random stuff," I replied. 

In the end, the plan was a success. After they flaunted their relationship in public, rumors quickly spread. Karuizawa's popularity was instantly boosted. She was cute, anyway, so it's not like other girls had complaints apart from being a bit jealous.

Before we could continue our budding conversation, Chabashira-sensei entered the classroom.

"Alright, class. Today, we're going to have a short test. Please pass these to the back." Without any explanation, Chabashira-sensei's cold words reverberated across the room.

None of us reacted in a way that caused a commotion, but a lot of our classmates had nervous expressions.

"Since you already know about the S-System, it's alright for me to tell you more than what other classes are allowed to know. Frankly, this test is just a reference. There will be no risk involved because the results won't be reflected on your report cards. That's what we're supposed to say to our classes. However, you are different," she explained. "You can probably already guess that this test will reflect on your class points for May. This surprise test is taken by freshmen every year during the end of their first month."

Horikita and I instantly looked at each other. Her face indicated a little bit of panic. If she's telling the truth, then we're not that immune to the system even if we know about it. After all, even if no one misbehaves in our class, they can still opt to not listen to the discussions.

We only had preparations for midterms and final exams, so no study groups have been formed yet. In other words, the ones who are bad at studying are clearly in trouble.

In the end, we can only give this test our all.

"No cheating now. Harsh punishments are in line should you break the rules." Chabashira-sensei announced as she walked around the classroom.

After scanning the test, I noticed that a lot of the questions were too easy. With a rough estimate, it's about two levels below what we took in the entrance exam, in terms of difficulty. I answered everything quickly, but as I reached the end of the test...

As I thought...

The last three questions were too difficult for any students in our year. It's almost like they were put on the test by mistake. For now, I'll just answer them.

Finally, I was finished with the test. After doing a brief check, I'm pretty sure I answered everything correctly. I scanned everyone as they did the test. Hopefully, the results won't be too bad.

Chapter Text

All of us finished the test way before the time was up. Seeing this, Chabashira-sensei collected our papers roughly five minutes before the bell rang.

"Your fourth period is free. Use your time wisely, and don't make too much noise. In conjunction with this test, please be ready for your midterms at the end of May. Goodbye." 

With her usual detached expression, Chabashira-sensei walked out of the room.

Almost immediately, Hirata, Kushida, Horikita, and I stood up in succession. For the class, this much was normal. We've already been recognized as the four pillars of Class D. They paid attention to the four of us as we headed to the front.

"Everyone, I'm sure all of you are feeling uneasy about the test just now. But I'm sure we'll be fine." Hirata began the discussion.

"That's right! A lot of the questions were really easy, and even if the last parts were super hard, they can't really expect us to answer them correctly," added Kushida.

I can clearly see the anxiety of our classmates slowly whittling down. I glanced at Horikita, prompting her to speak next.

"The test was composed of easy questions ranging from the first to third-year junior high level. If you remember the lessons from back then, you can answer those questions with ease," Horikita explained. "There was one question about our initial lessons this semester per subject. Most of them were basics, so I believe they are doable."

Yukimura raised his hand.

"Yes, Yukimura-kun?" Horikita calls out to him.

"I agree with what you've said thus far, but not everyone is academically gifted. If those who struggle lag behind, it might bring trouble for the class." Yukimura stated as he fixed his glasses.

Some of our classmates' expressions tightened with worry and guilt. From Yukimura's expression, I can see that he's more worried about the class as a whole rather than the ones who are bad at studying in particular, which was understandable.

"You're absolutely right, Yukimura-kun. We've been thinking about this matter for a while now. This test just caught us off-guard," Horikita replied, before looking at me.

"We are aware that some students in Class D struggle with academics. That's why we have a proposal. The results in this test are inevitable so all we can do is brace ourselves. But setting it aside, we can at least prepare better for our midterm exams," I explained.

This was a great opportunity. Using this test as an example, we can drive our classmates to agree with us much easier.

"Everyone, we would like to form study groups. Is that alright with you all?" asked Hirata.

Almost instantly, Karuizawa answered his plea.

"I'm in! I struggled, like, super hard on the later parts of that test, and I don't really understand the lessons too well. I think a study group can help me a lot." Karuizawa chimed in before facing her friends. "You found it hard too, right? I think we can improve our scores with this."

"True! The teachers are great, but like, I just can't seem to understand a hundred percent of what they're talking about," followed Shinohara.

At that point, everyone echoed their opinions amongst each other. We didn't try to shut them up so they could make up their minds. When she thought the time was right, Kushida went in for the decisive question.

"So, everyone? Are you all in?" she asked, with a smile.

"I'm in!"

"Please take care of us!"

"I want Kushida-chan to teach me!"

"I want Ayanokouji-kun to teach me!"

"Count us in, too!" The class voiced their agreement. There were a few people who didn't engage in the discussion, but that's fine. I'll keep tabs on them to see what I can do to help. I'm sure the situation is hard for them as well.

"We'll discuss the details about the study groups after the test results have been tallied. We would like to divide the class efficiently and assign tutors for each small group," Horikita explained.

"Of course, we won't force anyone who isn't willing to join. It's completely alright if any of you would like to study alone," added Hirata.

The class listened intently until the end. Of course, Kouenji was just being Kouenji. The four of us didn't really mind him. Horikita, Kushida, and I were all aware of his personality right from the beginning. We convinced Hirata to leave him alone at the moment, so long as he doesn't inconvenience the class.

"Thank you for listening, everyone! I hope we can all work together as a class for the exams!" Kushida finished with a bow.

Using the final half-hour of the fourth period, cliques and groups chatted with each other.

"Sorry, Ayanokouji. I tried my best, but that test was just too hard for me. I have to admit, I can't even listen properly during discussions. It takes everything I have just to stay awake, you know?" Sudou apologized.

He was currently hanging around my seat. Horikita was also facing us.

"It's fine. I'll personally be the one to teach you. We'll work towards improving your test scores. Of course, you'll have to sacrifice a bit of your club time. Is that alright with you?" I asked with a gentle expression.

"I see... Hmm..." Sudou began to think. It's already a good thing that he's considering it.

"Sudou-kun, I advise you to take Ayanokouji-kun's offer, lest you get expelled." Horikita cut in with a stern expression.

"Wha-? I know that much!" Sudou turned to me before whispering. "Hey, Ayanokouji, what's up with Horikita? Why's she all prickly and shit?"

Of course, what he said was still audible to Horikita. Her eyes narrowed with a glare.

"Isn't she usually like that?" I replied with a question.

"Really? Wasn't she quite nice when we first met? She even introduced herself politely." Sudou mused.

She did. And given my first impression of her, I also found it strange.

"Isn't it rude to just boldly talk about the person right in front of you?" Horikita glowered at me before turning to Sudou. "And Sudou-kun, don't get any ideas. I thought you were close friends with Ayanokouji-kun back then. I only greeted you because I didn't want to leave a bad impression on him. He might've refused my request to talk with him otherwise. But now that we're a bit close, that doesn't matter anymore."

Man is she straightforward.

"By "close", you mean friends, right?" I asked in an audacious manner.

"That... Whatever..." Horikita looked away with a "hmph".

"The hell?" Sudou obviously got a bit upset.

"Don't mind her, Sudou. That's just her personality. Anyway, are you in?" I went back to the main question.

"Well, you said you wanted to see me play 'til graduation, right? I can't go about gettin' myself expelled this early." Sudou grinned with a thumbs-up. "I'm in. Teach me as fast as you can, a'ight?"

"Sure. But of course, that'll depend on your learning speed," I replied, with my own thumbs-up.

I can see Horikita sigh lightly- probably in relief. However, I'm sure it's not just Sudou. Our strategies will come into shape once we get a hold of everyone's tentative academic abilities.

"Ayanokouji-kun, before I forget, how did you find the last three questions? They were 2nd-year level in terms of difficulty, or maybe even beyond. Even I couldn't answer them with confidence," Horikita asked, looking straight into my eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I got them right," I answered while turning away.

"What...? I know you're an excellent student as you've been flawless during class discussions... But even if that's the case..." Horikita's composure cracked. "So you're saying you got a perfect score...?"

She must've not expected my answer.

"Most likely. You'll see when Chabashira-sensei announces the result," I replied.

"The fact that you can say that without a hint of arrogance... Just who are you?" asked Horikita with her eyes trembling.

"I don't know the specifics of what you're talking about, but isn't it safe to say that Ayanokouji's just that smart?" Sudou butted in.

"You don't understand, Sudou-kun..." Horikita pressed.

"Drop it, Horikita. I don't really like talking about my past. I would appreciate it if you stop," I said.

According to my research, people who don't like talking about their past are fairly common. I shouldn't sound too suspicious. Hearing my words, Horikita flinched gingerly. It's like she was snapped back to reality.

"I see. I'm sorry, Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita looked down as she apologized but immediately turned up to face me again. "However... I would sincerely appreciate it if you could tell me about yourself sometime in the future."

"I'll think about it." Even with that genuine request, she's still trying to trap me.

Horikita wanted me to counter back by arguing that "she hasn't even told me anything about herself". If I said that, a deal would instantly be formed with her saying that she'll tell me everything about her in exchange for the information she wants. I don't know what she has in store with her past, but that place isn't something an ordinary student should know about.

Horikita bowed lightly. Shortly after, the bell rang and all of us had lunch.

Chapter Text

May 3rd, Monday. 

Everyone was quietly sitting in their seats five minutes before the bell rang. All of us patiently waited for Chabashira-sensei. However, instead of being nervous, all of us were actually celebrating in the class group chat. After all, our points just got transferred this morning. Kushida's group was quite active, along with Onodera, Nishimura, Inogashira, Azuma, and Wang or Mii-chan as most of us call her.

"Good Morning." Chabishira-sensei waltzes in as the bell's sound is heard all over the campus. "Listen up, students of Class D."

All of us smiled in anticipation before Sensei continued.

"Or should I say... Class B?" 

Chabashira-sensei slowly uttered those words, as the expressionless look on her face changed into a small smile.

Each student had different reactions, but they were all positive in their own ways.

"Alright!" Ike and Yamauchi couldn't help but yell out.

A lot of the girls gleefully celebrated as they smiled at their friends. Sudou and I looked at each other and exchanged our usual thumbs-up.

"Congratulations. I'm sure the other classes are desperately wondering how you managed this feat, but it doesn't matter." Chabashira-sensei smiled as she plastered a poster on the blackboard using some magnets.

"Sensei... Are these the results... for each class?" asked Hirata.

"Yes, Hirata. As you can see, you guys jumped up by two classes. You're only a couple of hundred points behind Class A." Chabashira-sensei answered with a smile.

The points listed were as follows:

Class A(A): 940 cl

Class B(D): 720 cl

Class C(B): 650 cl

Class D(C): 490 cl

"Dang... They really aren't Class A for nothing, huh?" Okitani murmured.

"That's crazy! They, like, didn't even know about the S-System but still managed to maintain such a high score?!" Karuizawa exclaimed.

While we were happy about our results, we can't help but be amazed by Class A's staggeringly high number of class points.

"You were all judged with the same set of rules. I guess this is a good wake-up call to see how all of you differ from Class A. But of course, none of you can be called defects now." Chabashira-sensei was smiling, but her expression turned grim right after.

"However, let me remind you... Right here is what you may call a fluke," she said in a deep voice, pointing at our score.

With that, a lot of the students in Class B stiffened.

"Ayanokouji single-handedly brought you here. You might as well be in the low hundreds if it weren't for him. Remember, you were all sorted in this class because the school judged your defective traits as something not worthy of the higher classes," explained Chabashira-sensei.

This was exactly why I opted not to reveal my entrance exam results to the class. Horikita and Yukimura's results were a stark contrast to the argument that they support. Finally, Sensei was sternly revealing that our assortment wasn't strictly based on our entrance exam results.

After she spoke, Chabashira-sensei plastered another poster on the blackboard. We immediately knew that it was the results of the test last week.

"Unlike Class A, there are quite a few students in this class who clearly struggle in their academics," she said. "The exam had 20 questions in total. Each one was 5 points worth. Your class average is 71.5, which means that the passing grade was 35.75 or 36 points."

Chabashira-sensei drew a red line across the bottom part and addressed one student.

"Sudou, you scored 35 points, which means that if this were a real test, you would've been expelled," Chabashira-sensei said coldly.

Everyone was looking at Sudou with concerned looks.

"I... I understand." Sudou was visibly frustrated. Being singled out must've been humiliating.

Since the passing grade was dependent on the class average, we can conclude that the point distribution was evaluated based on that. After all, passing grades would normally be fixed, or based on the batch average. The class average was usually just for show... That's not the case in this school where classes compete with each other.

I made eye contact with Kushida before we subtly nodded to each other.

"It's alright, Sudou-kun! I'm sure you'll improve later on!" said Kushida.

"Yeah, Ike and Yamauchi scored 40 points, which meant that they were only one question ahead of you!" added Onodera.

"Hey! What's that about, Onodera?!" Ike protested with a surprised look on his face.

"Yeah, don't just diss us out of nowhere!" Yamauchi did the same.

"Well, it's true though. But that aside, this wasn't a real test. At the end of the day, we got good results for our class points. Don't sweat it!" Karuizawa joined in and rallied the other girls.

"Yeah, we even got promoted to Class B!" followed Ichihashi.

"Let's just do better in the midterms, Sudou-kun!" Mori said in turn.

Most of the class voiced their agreement. While I do think they're just being half-genuine, they helped maintain Sudou's, and by extension, the class's morale.

I turned to Chabashira-sensei and she looked back at me with a smirk, indicating that she knew what I was doing. Her expression told me that she wasn't willing to spoil my plan.

Sudou didn't expect the supporting voices of our classmates. Of course, that was exactly my plan, using Kushida as the matchstick to light the fire. Chabashira-sensei could've easily ruined this atmosphere by telling them to shut up, but she decided against it.

Sudou looked at me with a confused and flustered expression, to which I responded with a nod.

"My bad... I'll try to get better results next time." Sudou scratched his head with a slightly stressed expression.

I guess that ended well...

"Alright, listen up." Chabashira-sensei finally spoke. "Your midterms will be in three weeks. So try your best to prepare for that. Make sure to listen properly to your teachers. I'll leave the results in here so you can mull over them."

Chabashira-sensei turned to Hirata. 

"Hirata, remove this before your next teacher arrives. Give them back to me later in the faculty office."

"I understand, Sensei." Hirata nodded respectfully.

Chabashira-sensei briefly organized her belongings, as she was getting ready to leave. Before she walks out of the classroom, she turns to me with the same smirk.

"Good job, Ayanokouji. I'm looking forward to your performance in the future," she said, not giving me a chance to reply as she closed the door.

You don't have to tell me that.

When Sensei left, almost everyone got up from their seats to look closer at the results. Horikita and I stayed in our seats. It was visible from the back anyway, so she must've been satisfied with what she'd seen earlier.

"You really got a perfect score..." Horikita said with a grave voice.

"I—" Before I could reply, a wave of students approached my seat.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you're amazing!" Satou got to me first.

"You really are the class's genius! You got all of those super hard questions right!" said Mori.

Looking at the results, I was up there, sitting alone at the top with 100 points. Three people were tied for second place, scoring 90 points. They were Horikita, Yukimura... and Kouenji. I see. His academic abilities are amazing as well. The three of them managed to answer one of the difficult questions.

It's too bad since we probably can't assign him as a tutor.

Not long after, even Hirata and Kushida approached me.

"Incredible job on getting a perfect score, Ayanokouji-kun," Hirata said with a smile.

"Yeah, you guys as well. Getting 85 points was probably the limit for most students, even those of Class A," I replied.

"But you got a perfect score, didn't you? Which means you're waaay smarter than them!" Kushida joined in.

"Those questions were really hard, you know? I had to use up a hundred percent of my brain just to answer one of them." I responded in a joking manner.

"Don't lie to us, Ayanokouji-kun. 15 minutes didn't even pass before you finished the exam. You must've thought that the questions were too easy, right?" said Matsushita. 

Uh, I think you just dug your own grave on that one, Matsushita...

"Ehhh? How did you know, Matsushita-san? You must've been staring at Ayanokouji-kun the whole time!" Karuizawa immediately pounced at her.

"E-Eh?! N-No! What I meant was I was the same! I finished the test in 15 minutes, but of course, I skipped the last three questions since they were too difficult! And 15 minutes was just my personal time, anyway. Who's to say that Ayanokouji-kun didn't actually finish the test in 10 minutes?" Matsushita tried to salvage the situation.

However, it was futile. Karuizawa and Shinohara did nothing but give her smug looks.

"Now that I think about it, you're quite smart, aren't you, Matsushita-san? You were tied with Kushida, Hirata, Mii-chan, and a few others, scoring 85 points. If you finished the test in just 15 minutes, you must be an academic achiever."

I always looked at her as someone who didn't like trouble, similar to me. Since I now know her academic capabilities, I'll capitalize on them. This is a little payback for her attempt to shake me up psychologically.

"That's..." Matsushita smiled bitterly, which I found to be extremely amusing.

Horikita came in at the perfect time to rescue her.

"Ayanokouji-kun, I think it's a good time to discuss our plans for the study groups," Horikita said, approaching my crowded seat.

"Horikita-san is right. We probably can't go into details since our time is limited, but at least we can set up a meeting schedule with everyone." Hirata agreed, his words instantly taking over the atmosphere.

With their initiative and quick thinking, I'm sure everything will go smoothly.

Our one-time card is now destroyed. It's up to us to maintain this foothold...

Chapter Text

On April 16th, the Friday of the second week, I was in my room with four other people. I've gathered them all here right after class.

"Horikita, Kushida, Hirata, and Karuizawa-san, thank you for sparing some time for me," I said.

Right now, Hirata and I were sitting on chairs facing the bed. The three girls were all sitting on the bed itself.

I'm surprised that Horikita isn't sitting distantly from her seatmate, Kushida. And even if Karuizawa was the one beside her, I predicted that she'd do the same. It seems like her tolerance for the types of people she dislikes has grown a lot.

"Of course, Ayanokouji-kun. You wouldn't gather us like this if it wasn't something important." Hirata replied with a gentle expression.

I can tell from Karuizawa's eyes that she's struggling. On one hand, she can't act like her true self because only Hirata and I know of it. On the other hand, she can't act as bullish because she shows she'll butt heads with Horikita, which would waste our time. At the same time, she can't act too out of place... Kushida will definitely pick up on that.

Right now, it's too dangerous to share her secrets with Kushida. Firstly, she doesn't trust her. And secondly, she might become an enemy, given Horikita's early warning.

I've been investigating Kushida's movements for the past week and unfortunately, I haven't found anything concrete just yet.

"Can I ask what I'm doing here? I can, like, understand why you called Hirata-kun, Kushida-san, Horikita-san, but I'm not a capable student like them." Karuizawa feigned ignorance.

"That's a reasonable question, Karuizawa-san. Well, I actually called you all here not because of your capabilities as a student. What I'm after are your social skills," I answered.

"Huh? Do you want us to teach you about social skills? You can talk to others just fine, right?" Karuizawa responded.

"Karuizawa-san, I think Ayanokouji-kun is referring to something else. Why don't we let him finish?" Kushida wryly smiled as she talked to her.

"Hmm, fine then." Karuizawa finally decided to start listening.

Pristine acting, if I may say so myself.

"First, I would like to ask you one thing." I looked straight at them before uttering my question. "Do you think I should lead the class?"

They didn't react strongly but instead opted to think about the question. After a brief moment of pondering, Hirata was the first one to speak.

"I... think you should lead the class, Ayanokouji-kun. Your qualities are very excellent. If someone deserves to carve a path for our class, it should be you," said Hirata.

"I think... I agree with Hirata-kun. I'm not the smartest person in the class. Both Hirata-kun and Horikita-san are more academically capable than I am. But... if Ayanokouji leads the class, I'll do my best to support him as a close friend." Kushida said with determined eyes.

I remember the words that Horikita once said to warn me. Just how real were those eyes, Kushida?

"Isn't it fine? Ayanokouji-kun's, like, super smart and super athletic. Nothing can go wrong if he becomes the class's leader." Karuizawa joined in with a shrug.

"I have no complaints. If Ayanokouji-kun can bring us to Class A, then I'll do my best to cooperate." Horikita finally gave her verdict.

"I see," I sighed softly before continuing. "Then I'll issue my first command to all of you."

"Eh? Immediately?" Kushida asked with a genuinely surprised face.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I want the four of you to lead the class for me.

"Well, for now, at least. Depending on how the other classes respond, I'd gladly take my position back.

An awkward second of silence ensued, but Hirata saved me from my suffering.

"Care to explain what you meant by that, Ayanokouji-kun?" Hirata asked with a bitter smile.

When I looked at everyone's faces, I only felt more embarrassed. Kushida wore the same bitter smile as Hirata. Karuizawa's face was serious on the surface, but I noticed that she was actually trying to hold her laughter. Meanwhile, Horikita was just glaring at me.

"W-Well... You see, I lack presence, and I want to take advantage of that. After this month, classes will officially start competing against each other," I explained. "I don't mind being in the limelight, but I think it's more efficient if I work from the shadows... at least for now."

"I see..." Hirata already had a clue of what I was talking about from when we discussed Karuizawa's matters, but of course, he also feigned ignorance for her sake.

"So you're saying that you want to avoid attention from other classes?" asked Horikita.

"Similar to that. I'm not exactly trying to avoid attention itself. What I'm trying to do is avoid getting targeted early," I replied.

"Targeted? By who? And how would they "target" you exactly?" asked Karuizawa.

"Of course, you can make basic schemes like breaking the rules and throwing the responsibility to someone else. In this case, you'd choose a rule that would result in the suspension or expulsion of a student," I answered.

"T-That's horrible!" commented Kushida.

"Who would do something like that...?" Hirata asked with knitted eyebrows.

"I don't know... but I'm just trying to lock everything down. I'm not saying that I want to stay 'safe' on my own, while you guys become my scapegoat. That's just a terrible way to interpret this plan," I explained. "In fact, I don't actually mind being targeted. I believe I can fend off any scheme attempts given the right amount of time and preparation. I'd gladly take the lead role along with their crosshairs on me in the future. However, we can't be naive."

"I think I get where you're going, Ayanokouji-kun," Hirata spoke. "You want us to lead the class for you and act as decoys at the same time. Meanwhile, if any of us gets targeted, you'll do everything to stop the assailants yourself. Am I right?"

"Exactly," I nodded. "It's easier for me to ruin the enemy's plan if he's not aware of my existence. And it's not just about some cliche schemes... The biggest unknown factors for us, are the special exams... Those are what I'm most worried about."

Hirata caught on fast. It was also my way to check if any other class had that knowledge. 

"Certainly... We know nothing about it yet. If the midterms and final exams can get us expelled, it's not a stretch to think that these special exams can do the same..." added Horikita.

"That's definitely scary..." Kushida said with a frown.

"As Horikita said, if anyone in the class gets targeted, I'll do everything I can to protect him or her. I won't let anyone get expelled on my watch. Meanwhile, I'll trust you guys to temporarily propel the class forward using your own abilities," I nodded lightly.

"In other words, you'll put us in charge of the offense, while we leave the defense and counterattacks to you," Hirata concluded my plan using an analogy. "For now, at least."

"I'm glad you understand what I'm trying to achieve here. Of course, while no one's getting targeted, I'll do my best to assist you guys from the shadows."

For a brief moment, the four of them contemplated everything that they just heard.

"I'm all for it. I'll follow your plan, Ayanokouji-kun." Hirata agreed with a smile.

"I'm the same! We'll follow your instructions in the future as well, Ayanokouji-kun!" Kushida exclaimed.

"Don't overwork me, 'kay?" Karuizawa shrugged with a grin.

When we looked at Horikita, she did nothing but nod in agreement.

"Alright, I guess that's it, huh?" I stood up. "It's still just a little after four o'clock. I'll treat you guys to some drinks in Pallete."

"If you want to thank us, then there's really no need, Ayanokouji-kun. But if you're asking us as your friends, then I'm in," replied Hirata.

"Yey! We get to hang out!" Kushida celebrated.

"There's no reason to refuse some free drinks, is there?" Karuizawa said with a smile.

I turned to Horikita.

"Do you want to come with us?" I asked.

"I appreciate the offer, Ayanokouji-kun. But, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I have something else to do after this. Please enjoy yourselves," Horikita replied with a sigh.

"Ehh? It would've been fun if you come with us, Horikita-san!" Kushida pleaded.

"Maybe next time, Kushida-san," she declined with a cool expression. "Well then. I will have to go first. This has been a productive meeting, Ayanokouji-kun. Thank you for letting me participate."

Fortunately, she turned Kushida away without a hint of hostility or hate. Of course, I doubt she feels the same on the inside. It must've been really hard for someone like Horikita, who's everything but two-faced, to pull that off.

"See you, Horikita. See you on Monday," I waved.

After everyone exchanged their goodbyes with Horikita, she finally left.

"Well then, I think we'll have to change our clothes first. Let's meet up at the lobby around 4:30 PM. Is that alright?" Hirata, with his superior social skills, instantly whipped up a schedule like it was perfectly natural.

"Okay!" Kushida nodded enthusiastically.

"Sure!" Karuizawa did the same.

I nodded in agreement. The three of them finally left after we exchanged our own "see you later"s.

After taking off my uniform, I lay topless on my bed. It's unusually warm—Oh right, Horikita and the other two were sitting here just a little while ago... Somehow, remembering that made my heart race. It should be a normal reaction for a high school boy like me, right?

I noticed slight changes in the shape of my own body. I traced my fingers along the lines of my arm muscles and torso.

"My physical condition is slowly getting back to its peak. Those morning exercise routines seem effective," I murmured aloud.

Of course, it's still nothing compared to my physical fitness regimes back then.

With those fleeting thoughts, I got back up and prepared to leave.

Chapter Text

(22:03) [Are you alright with the students I assigned?]
(22:03) [I'm open to suggestions.] (Horikita)

(22:03) [Not at all, Horikita-san.]
(22:03) [I think they're perfect.] (Hirata)

(22:03) [I'm okay with the students assigned to me.] (Mii-chan)

(22:03) [Same here!] (Kushida)

(22:03) [I think I'll be able to teach the ones assigned to me.] (Yukimura)

(22:03) [Yes.]
(22:03) [I have no complaints as well.] (Matsushita)

Horikita just submitted the student assignments in the tutor group chat. She sure works fast.

"Ah..." I mumbled.

I was about to type my own reply but the sweat from my forehead dropped on the surface of my phone. I was currently doing one-handed push-ups while reading the messages in our group chat.

I sighed as I used the bed beside me to wipe the screen dry.

(22:04) [No problems here, too.] (Ayanokouji)

We had seven tutors, namely; Horikita, Kushida, Matsushita, Hirata, Yukimura, Mii-chan, and me. Four students were assigned to Horikita, Matsushita, and me. The rest were to teach five.

The four students assigned to me were: Sudou, Sakura, Miyake, and Hasebe.

I instructed Horikita to assign Sudou and Sakura to me, but I left the other two in her hands. Miyake and Hasebe, huh?

They're both pretty quiet. They don't tend to hang out with others that much. I've seen them together once, so at least they know each other.

On a side note, it was also my instruction to have Kushida teach Ike and Yamauchi.

(22:07) [Any particular reason why you assigned Miyake and Hasebe to me?]

I asked Horikita via text. It's also possible that she didn't have any reason at all, which would be fine too.

(22:07) [Their grades aren't a problem though improvements are welcome. But the main reason why I assigned them to you was their personalities, or at least my impression of their personalities.]
(22:07) [Those two usually keep to themselves. I would've assigned them to Hirata-kun or Kushida-san, but some other students would be more effective in their slots.]

Or so she explains. 

In short, they're students who don't need any immediate help. She assigned them to me so I could give Sudou and Sakura some extra attention. How considerate of her.

(22:08) [I see.]
(22:08) [Thanks for explaining, Horikita.]

Well, I hope we can all get along tomorrow.

It was already past nine o'clock. I decided to head down for a drink. After putting on some clothes, I reached the first floor and headed for the vending machine right outside the lobby.

"Oh?" A beautiful girl wearing a light pink sleeveless top with a sky blue ruffle frill skirt uttered as she leaned on the wall beside the vending machine.

"If it isn't Ayanokouji-kun~!" Ichinose Honami raised her hand to greet me.

"Good evening, Ichinose," I greeted back.

This is the second time that we're talking to each other directly. I'm glad she remembers my name.

"It's quite late. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could say the same to you," I replied.

I found it weird from the start. She wasn't drinking anything. And even if she had just recently finished her drink, she wouldn't be leaning on the wall with such a melancholic expression.

"Ahaha! I was just catching some air. The nightly breeze is quite relaxing, you know?" she answered with a grin.

"I see. I came here to grab a drink, and like you, I also planned to catch some air," I replied as I approached the vending machine beside her.

"Oh, is that so? Care to hang out with me for a bit then?" she suggested with a soft tone.

"Sure," I replied. "Want one? My treat?"

"Oh, sure. One matcha tea please," Ichinose replied, raising a finger.

After getting my canned coffee, I got Ichinose her matcha tea. I sat on the edge of a small concrete garden bed in front of Ichinose. She eyed my drink for a brief second before turning to ask.

"Do you know what I was thinking about, Ayanokouji-kun?" Ichinose asked with the same soft tone while opening her can.

Her usual happy self wasn't so apparent right now.

"If I were to guess, you must be thinking about the revelations on the S-System earlier," I asked before sipping my coffee.

"Ahaha... I guess it's a pretty obvious answer at this point. The class was in momentary chaos when everything happened. We never knew... that the S-System worked that way. And more importantly, we'd be branded as failures if we don't graduate in Class A..." she narrated.

"Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous," I commented.

"Right?! But Class D—" Ichinose looked down apologetically. "I'm sorry, I meant Class B... You guys are amazing. You jumped up two classes and overtook us."

They were the closest class to reach Class A but got overtaken after one month. Despite its negative effect on her own class, Ichinose didn't treat me with spite or hostility. She genuinely complimented our class instead.

"I guess we were lucky," I said.

"I could just praise how well-behaved your class is... but after Hoshinomiya-sensei explained to us how the sorting worked, it just didn't seem logical. Was there someone in your class who convinced everyone to refrain from violating the rules?" asked Ichinose.

"Hmm... If I were to think of the people who can do it, I'd say it's Hirata and Kushida," I answered.

"Oh, Kushida-san is certainly someone who's capable of doing that. And I also know about Hirata-kun. He's from the Soccer Club, right? A lot of the girls in my class are talking about him. If he's also a capable leader, then I guess it makes sense that he's so popular."

I nodded in agreement whilst drinking my coffee.

"How about, you Ayanokouji-kun? What are the things you're good at?" she asked.

"Hmm... I don't think I'm good at one thing in particular. If I were to think of something off the top of my head... I guess I'm good at running." It should be a pretty solid answer since it's also what I said in my self-introduction.

"Ohh~. Quite athletic, aren't you? We have someone who's good at running, too! His name is Shibata Sou-kun. He's in the Soccer Club with Hirata-kun," narrated Ichinose.

"I see. Given that he was assigned to Class B from the start, he must be innately better than me," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"Hmm~? Aren't you just being humble?" Ichinose bantered before asking a question that spelled my doom. "Oh! Now that I remember—When we had swimming class, a few weeks ago, the teacher said that someone from your class finished the 50-meter freestyle in under 22 seconds!"

"Oh... That." Since our topic was about sports, I guess this wasn't out of the question.

"Yeah! It's too bad that the teacher couldn't give us the exact time or the name of the student because of the school rules." Ichinose said before turning to me with a smile. "Do you know who it was, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Well, if I wanted to achieve the best out of this conversation, running away would do me no good.

"It would be good for my class if I didn't tell you. You'd know who to look out for if ever there's a competition in sports," I replied.

Ichinose's expression changes into that of shock and surprise.

"Oh... That's certainly reasonable. We're all against each other now, after all. I'm sorry for asking," she smiled.

However, I can also tell she's genuinely sad. Even if she had the hidden agenda of finding out the abilities of our class, it was evident that she just wanted to have some fun conversations with me. The competitive nature of the S-System hinders that.

"That's what I'd normally say, but you've told me about Shibata already. It wouldn't be fair to you if I didn't answer your question," I said.

Ichinose became flustered with my words. She must've thought that I felt some sort of guilt, which wasn't the case at all.

"No, no! You don't have to tell me if you think it's not beneficial to your class. Moreover, I babbled about Shibata-kun out of my own volition. You earned that information, Ayanokouji-kun." Ichinose hurriedly justified what I said in the beginning.

She's a really good person.

"It's fine, Ichinose. None of my classmates would really mind if I'm the one who tells you, anyway," I said.

"Eh? So you mean to say..." Ichinose caught on pretty fast.

"Yeah, I was the holder of that swimming record," I said, before drinking the rest of my coffee.

Well, so much for trying to avoid attention.

"Eh?! Seriously?! That's insane, Ayanokouji-kun!" Ichinose was visibly shocked, her gestures and expression; almost exaggerated. She'd spill some of her drink if it wasn't nearly as empty.

"I think I was just feeling it that time," I said.

Saying something like "it was a fluke" would just be humble-bragging at this point. My record was just too fast for that.

"W-What was your exact time? Is it alright if you tell me that?" Ichinose said with a nervous expression as if she was bracing herself.

"If I remember correctly, I think it was 21.91 seconds," I replied.

"You say you were just feeling it, but you nearly broke the world record... Ayanokouji-kun, are you that good at something else? Or are you just a swimming monster?" Ichinose asked with a big smile.

"Hey hey, you already got what you wanted. Don't go sniffing for more information," I joked.

"Ahaha! You might possibly be the most athletic student in our year! It's a shame that we'll be rivals," said Ichinose.

"Yeah," I replied, putting my empty can in the trash bin. "Let's head back, Ichinose. It's getting really late."

It was almost ten. It would be bad if we get spotted together at this point in time.

"Oh, you're right," Ichinose replied as she lightly patted the back of her skirt after getting rid of her own can.

We talked some more before the elevator stopped on the 4th floor.

"Thanks for hanging out with me, Ayanokouji-kun. See you tomorrow." She gently waved her hand goodbye.

"Same here," I replied.

Finally, I entered my room and thought about what happened.

Lying to Ichinose was the worst option I could take at that moment. After all, she has other means to find out the truth. So, I just turned the situation around by giving her the information in exchange for trust. As much as possible, I would like to become allies with Class C.

They would make a good shield against the new Class D, who have no choice but to go on the offensive. That way, we can focus on taking over Class A.

Chapter Text

"Yo, Ayanokouji. It's finally time, huh?" Sudou approached my seat.

After class ended, we showed the study group assignment to everyone. Of course, Kouenji strolled out of the classroom with his usual smile. After nodding to Sudou's words, I see the other three students assigned to me, approach awkwardly.

"Hey there, Sakura," I waved my hand. "Miyake, Hasebe, nice to meet you."

"Uh, Ayanokouji, you all said it was alright if we didn't attend the study group, right?" Miyake asked while scratching his head guiltily. "I don't really plan to ditch, but I have club, so getting a perfect attendance isn't possible for me."

"That's no fair Miyacchi! You have a club pass," pouted Hasebe.

Miyacchi? So they're close enough that Hasebe calls him using a nickname? That's quite surprising.

"I don't really mind. We're doing this to increase your exam scores, but it's still completely optional. It's also the same for you, Hasebe-san. It's alright if you don't attend. If you can study on your own, then by all means," I replied.

"Ah, I was half-joking about that, Ayanokouji-kun. Besides, I'd feel guilty if everyone else is working hard to get high scores while I'm sitting there with my average scores." Hasebe looked away before muttering. "I guess I just prefer spending my time alone."

"I have club too, Miyake, but I took some time off. Don't you wanna do the same?" Sudou asked curiously.

"Hmm... I don't think I need to, at least not for this midterm," answered Miyake.

"Huh. I guess that's reasonable. Since I got a failing grade from last time, I need more time and effort to study."

"Well, whatever your decisions are, I'll respect them. But if possible, I'd like all of you to give your best in this exam," I said.

"Of course! Let's get those 100 class points!"

At least Sudou was enthusiastic about studying. I never would've imagined that when I first met him. They all looked at him with wry smiles. If he's motivated then I'd consider this a good start.

"Hirata and Kushida's groups are studying in the classroom along with some other groups. Do you guys wanna relocate somewhere?" I asked. "Sakura, do you have a place in mind?"

"Eh? Ah—I-I don't particularly mind where we study..." Sakura, surprised that I addressed her, answered stutteringly.

"I want some peace and quiet. Is the library alright?" Hasebe suggested.

"I'm up for it," Miyake nodded immediately.

"Sure, I guess," followed Sudou.

I looked at Sakura and both of us nodded to each other. Alright, I guess it's the library then. They often play classical music in the background so it's quite relaxing for me, too.

Luckily, the corner-most table on the back wasn't occupied by anyone. After laying down our notes on the table, I began to distribute a bunch of papers.

"I prepared these questions for you. I'll see how I should teach you guys based on the results." I turned to Sudou. "Yours is a bit nonstandard, Sudou. Since you're lagging behind, I'll teach you differently than the others."

"I see... Gotcha!" Sudou was quite confused but that's fine.

As I listened to Mozart's Salzburg Symphony No.1, their pens danced on top of the paper I gave them.

After 20 minutes, they submitted their answers and braced themselves for my evaluation.

"Hmm... This is interesting. Hasebe-san and Miyake-kun, your scores on each subject are almost identical..." I said.

"Huh? Seriously?" Hasebe asked with a shocked expression.

"Yeah. Both of you got above-average scores in the sciences, but near-failing scores in language and history. You even got the same questions right and wrong..." I explained.

"Urk—I don't really know if I should be happy about that, given the second part," Miyake said with an awkward tone.

"But isn't that crazy, Miyacchi? We're totally the same," commented Hasebe.

"Sakura, your scores are well-distributed. You're not particularly bad at any subject but you need to improve all of them at the same time," I said.

"Oh..." Sakura reacted meekly to my evaluation. "I'll... I'll try my best."

"And for you, Sudou. I got some bad news," I said.

"B-Bad news?!" Sudou reflexively yelled.

"Shhh!" Miyake and Hasebe shut him up at the same time.

"My bad!" Sudou apologized whisperingly, which almost sounded like a hiss.

"Sudou..." I built it up as Sudou gulped in anticipation. "Your fundamentals are only at the primary level."

When Miyake and Hasebe heard it, even they couldn't help but slam the table in surprise. Their reactions were quite amusing. The blatant disbelief on their faces surprised even Sakura. At the same time, Sakura was also in shock with my evaluation of Sudou.

"Seriously...?! Dang... I guess slacking off in studies finally bit me in the ass..." Sudou clicked his tongue in frustration.

"It's fine, Sudou. I'll try my best to improve your score, at least enough to prevent you from failing."

"Yeah... I'm counting on you, Ayanokouji."

"Alright, for now, I'll give you some pages to study while I create a new set of test questions for Sudou. After that, we'll review what you've remembered and pick up our pace from there. You guys fine with that?" I asked.

All of them nodded in response. Good, we have some nice coordination going on here. If we keep going at this speed, we'll definitely make it in time for the exam.

After a couple of hours had passed, our group finally finished today's quota. When we stood up after preparing to leave, we noticed that the library was almost full. As I thought, it was a popular place when the exams were right around the corner.

I checked the time and saw that it was 5:56 PM. The five of us walked through the hallways as the sun set slowly, dying the floor with a shade of orange.

"Phew! Oh man, that session sure melted my brain!" Sudou said with a huge grin.

"Seriously dude? You were answering questions for 6th graders. How the heck did that melt your brain?" Miyake bantered.

"It can't be helped! And besides, you're bad at Japanese too, you bastard!" Sudou countered.

"You guys are getting along quite well. Not bad for the first day." I said.

Their heated conversation didn't look like it'll turn into a fight, but I'll prevent anything from happening regardless.

"Well, they're both blockheads. It's natural for them to get along." Hasebe haughtily made fun of them.

"The hell'd you say, Hasebe?! Just you wait, I'll get a better score than you and Miyake in Japanese!" Sudou snapped back.

"Hey, isn't that a bit cowardly? Why don't you compete with us in the sciences too? You choose; Math, Chemistry, or whatever." Miyake crossed his arms with a smirk.

"That's unfair! I'm bad in all subjects, so I can only possibly beat you guys in subjects that you're bad at as well!" Sudou argued.

"Hmph, fine. Let's accept the challenge, Miyacchi. Let's grab a bunch of points from Sudou while we're at it!" Hasebe smiled. "So, how many points are we betting?"

When he heard that, Sudou shut up for a brief second, looking quite intimidated.

"5,000 points..." Sudou said with a glare, but his tone was pretty tame.

"Hmmm~? Why not 20,000? or maybe even more?"

"Tch, alright, fine. 10,000!" he replied.

"Deal!" Hasebe and Miyake called it instantly.

"Ayanokouji! Make sure I score perfectly on Japanese!" Sudou looked back at me.

"That's up to you, idiot," I replied.

"C'mon, man! Back me up in here!" Sudou desperately looked for an ally.

"Well, if your motivation stays like this, you'll have a high chance of beating them," I said.

"Oh~! The class genius has calculated your odds, Sudou! Be happy!" joked Hasebe.

"Heh! I knew it, I had the potential!" Sudou smirked, clenching his fist in excitement.

The combination of those three turned out to be surprisingly lively. If Sudou's reputation in the classroom wasn't like this from the beginning, I doubt the two of them would converse with him so openly.

"How'd you find our session today, Sakura?" I asked the girl who was walking beside me.

"It was alright... I was a bit scared at first, but Sudou-kun turned out to be a pretty good guy—Miyake-kun, too."

"You can tell? You just met them for the first time, though," I asked.

I thought Sakura was the type of person who needs more exposure to a person before she can open up to them. If she easily judged Miyake and Sudou, then it might not be the case at all.

"I can... actually tell if a person can be trusted just by looking at their eyes," she said. "You know when you look at someone's eyes and it feels odd—like there's something different behind those eyes? That's how I feel a lot of the time... even if the person seems kind on the outside."

"Is that how it works?" I tilted my head.

"I-I can't really explain it... I've judged people like this since I was young. Most of the time, people's eyes scared me. That's probably why I can't talk to people, and more than that, I can't look at them in the eye..." narrated Sakura.

For the duration of our study session, I had Sakura sit next to Sudou, using my lesson plan as an excuse. Since they had the chance to talk, then it must've worked well. Of course, I made it so Sakura could converse with Hasebe and Miyake, too.

"I see... So Sudou and Miyake's eyes were that of the real good people?" I asked, to which Sakura sheepishly nodded in agreement.

"Your eyes are also like theirs, Ayanokouji-kun... Kind and gentle..." Sakura added with a slight blush. "Miyake-kun doesn't talk much, but he's pretty vocal when he's comfortable around the people he's with. Sudou-kun was a bit scary, but he's kind to those who are kind to him... Ah- and of course, Hasebe-san was kind to me, too."

I'm impressed. Sakura's perception is a lot better than I thought. She's surprisingly a good judge of character. That said, I think she can just sense if a person has an ulterior motive. It's probably the reason why I'm in the red. After all, I wouldn't really classify myself as "kind".

"Sakura, haven't you noticed? You're talking normally with me right now. You're even looking at me in the eye. If you can keep doing this, then you'll make more friends in the future," I commented.

"Eh-? Ah—... I-I hope so... It would still be really hard for me though..." Sakura looked down and muttered. "After all..."

Her voice was so soft that it would've been impossible to hear and understand if I hadn't tried hard enough. Is she hiding something...?

When we reached the shoe lockers, I stopped in my tracks to say goodbye to them.

"I'll be heading back to check on the other study groups," I spoke loud enough for the four of them to hear.

"Heh~? Come hang out with us, Ayanokouji-kun! These two idiots are just about to fight!" Hasebe called out to me while pointing at Sudou and Miyake.

"Don't fight, or I'll beat you up myself," I jokingly said.

Hearing my words made Sudou flinch.

"Tch—Miyake, let's stop. I ain't scared of anyone... but Ayanokouji will probably pummel me." Sudou softly whispered to Miyake.

He was genuinely nervous.

"Wha-?! Seriously? He's that strong?" Miyake was reasonably shocked, but he didn't doubt Sudou.

"You guys are exaggerating..."

"Sakura-chan, come! Let's head back to the dorms together!" Hasebe waved her arms to Sakura.

"U-Uhm, thank you for today, Ayanokouji-kun! See you tomorrow," Sakura bowed gratefully.

"Yeah, be sure to listen to the new lessons," I said, gently waving my hand goodbye.

"Later, Ayanokouji-kun!" yelled Hasebe.

Sudou and Miyake waved at me, as well.

I'm glad everything turned out fine. I had fun, too.

Chapter Text

The next few days of our study sessions went smoothly. We even had joint sessions with Horikita and the others. Their progress was fairly similar to ours. Hirata was especially glad that everything was going well.

Before we knew it, it was already Friday. Miyake was supposed to be absent to attend his club, but I managed to slip in a suggestion.

"How about this? Miyake and Sudou can go attend their club activities. We'll move the schedule from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. It's alright if you're a bit late. We'll have the meeting in my room if that's alright with you guys?" I asked.

"Oh, seriously? Alright!" Sudou exclaimed in joy.

"That's fine with me! I'll be there as soon as possible. C'mon, Sudou, let's bolt," replied Miyake.

"Bye-bye~!" Hasebe enthusiastically gave her farewell.

"Alright, I'll see you two later. I live in Room 401, so just knock when you get there," I said.

"Oho~? Didn't you send them away so you can have some alone time with us girls?" teased Hasebe.

As she said those words, memories came back to me... Hasebe Haruka and Sakura Airi; the two girls in Class B who were said to have the biggest... breasts.

"Not really. You can do whatever you want for the time being," I replied.

"U-Uhm, I want to hang out with Ayanokouji-kun!" Sakura looked like it took everything she had just to say that.

"Oh, you're surprisingly forward, aren't you, Sakura-chan~?" Hasebe turned to target Sakura this time.

"I-It's not like that, Hasebe-san... I don't really have anything else to do right now... So maybe we can do some extra studying?" Sakura's flustered expression probably looked adorable to Hasebe so she started clinging onto her.

"Hmm... You know what, I'll come with you. I'm worried that Ayanokouji-kun might do something bad." Hasebe smirked at me with a dubious look.

I'm really glad they got closer to each other. It's probably a great thing for Sakura to have a female friend as soon as now. I'm getting slandered, though.

"I won't..." I sighed in debility.

"I... I don't think Ayanokouji-kun is that kind of person..." Sakura spoke up to defend me. I'm thankful.

"Ahaha~, I'll still come along. At this point, let's just go have a study session. It'll help my competition with Sudou-kun, too." Hasebe chuckled deviously.

"Okay, let's go then," I said.

When we got to my room, Hasebe instantly jumped on my bed. I'm a bit flustered by her actions, but I'm happy that she's getting comfortable around a guy like me. Sakura looked around with a slightly baffled expression.

"Woah, are you sure this wasn't a vacant room? You haven't touched anything at all!" scolded Hasebe.

"I don't really need any decorations for my room or anything. I'd rather save my points," I replied, earning a weird look that said "What the heck?" from Hasebe.

I started gathering the study materials for them. I moved the small coffee table near my bed so we could begin our session. Using cushions, the three of us sat and got ready.

"Wait!" Hasebe raised her hand out of nowhere.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"Isn't this weird? Instead of studying, why aren't we using this time to get to know each other better?" Hasebe suggested. "Don't you agree, Sakura-chan?"

You're the one who suggested a study session, though...

"Uhm... Well, I think... that's also a nice idea," said Sakura.

"I thought you wanted to get ahead against Sudou?" I asked.

"W-Well, I guess I'll cut him some slack." She crossed her arms with a half-confident expression.

We've been studying properly for the past week. If they wanted to take a break by doing this, then I guess I'll allow it.

"Sigh... Fine, I'll indulge you on this. Is there anything you guys want to talk about?" I started the discussion.

Hasebe instantly looked interested. Meanwhile, I saw Sakura's expression brighten up a little.

"Hmm, why don't we start from the top? I'll go first. My first impression of Ayanokouji-kun was a quiet genius—intellectually, that is. And I almost hit the mark... until he whipped out his ridiculous athletic abilities." narrated Hasebe. "For Sakura-chan, I always thought you were the kind of girl who would curl up when talking to people, and I was kinda right, I guess."

Hasebe looked at me, indicating that it was my turn. Well, here goes...

"I guess my first impression of Hasebe-san was a quiet girl, and man was I wrong on that," I said.

Annoyed by my answer, Hasebe lightly punched my arm with a cute glare. 

"I guess most of the people in our class have the same impression of Sakura. You always kept to yourself ever since the start of our year, right?"

"R-Right..." Sakura smiled bitterly.

"But it turns out, you can be also quite talkative," I finished.

"Oh, you're right! We chatted a ton about cosmetics and clothes the other day! Sakura-chan was quite knowledgeable about them." Hasebe excitedly told the story.

"I-It's not that big of a deal..." Sakura became flustered as she tried to deny her knowledge of fashion.

Sakura has been described as "plain" by the likes of Ike and Yamauchi. If she's knowledgeable in fashion, then...

"Well, that aside, it's your turn, Sakura. Let's hear it." I passed the baton onto her.

"Uhm, okay. Well, I always thought of Ayanokouji-kun as a smart person ever since he saved the class on the first day. I was surprised to find out that he wasn't good at talking to people, like me. But, he's a very reliable guy." Sakura spoke with a smile.

"Ohh~? Is your heart racing, Ayanokouji-kun? Even my heart raced a bit." Hasebe tried to tease me as payback. It didn't really work, though.

"A-Ahh... Uhm-!" Sakura panicked after recalling everything that she just said.

"Well, I'm thankful for Sakura's words. It feels nice to be in the same boat as someone," I replied.

That was probably the only way for Sakura's embarrassment to disappear. She'd lose it even more if I acted too affected.

"Well, Sakura-chan? What about me?" Hasebe pointed to herself with eyes of anticipation.

"Uhm, at first, I was a bit intimidated. But I didn't think Hasebe-san was such a friendly person." Sakura continued. "I-It would be nice... if we could be friends-!"

"Eh?" Hasebe uttered with a dumbfounded look.

"Eh?" Sakura parroted.

"Sakura-chan... Aren't we friends already?" Hasebe asked while scratching her cheeks.

"Ehh?!" Sakura gasped in surprise.

"Ahahaha! I wouldn't act this closely if I didn't think so, you know?" Hasebe laughed.

The atmosphere got pretty lively. We proceeded to talk about Sudou and Miyake afterward.

Some time passed and I became Hasebe's target once more.

"Oh! Now that I have the chance to ask, Ayanokouji-kun... Who is it?" Hasebe asked with a suspicious smile.

"Who is what?" I looked visibly confused.

"Huh? I'm obviously asking about the girl you like." Hasebe rolled her eyes.

That question, huh? Even Sakura perked up and paid attention. Well, it wouldn't be girl-talk without love as the topic. It's unfortunate that I was dragged into said girl talk.

"I don't see anyone that way," I replied flatly.

"Eh? Not even a crush? You got Kushida-san, Horikita-san, Matsushita-san, or practically every girl in Class B to choose from excluding Karuizawa-san... Wait, scratch that. If I'm gonna be honest, I think you can even go for her if you want."

She just suggested that I could steal Karuizawa away from Hirata. They're just pretending to be a couple, but wouldn't that be rude if they were truly a couple?

"Even if that's true, I don't really have anyone I like right now. Besides, we're just in the second month of the school year," I rebutted.

"What do you mean?! Not that I support it or anything, but a lot of the students confessed on the first day, you know?! The first day!" Hasebe refuted back.

Well, even I was aware of that. I even saw some students confess their feelings for Kushida at some point. Of course, they got rejected nicely.

"H-Hasebe-san, you're getting too heated about this." Sakura tried to calm her down.

"Sigh... You're right. But it just seemed unrealistic for Ayanokouji-kun to not have a crush on anyone when he's so close to such cute girls," she shrugged.

It does seem suspicious, but I can't really do anything about it now, can I? It would be much more of a problem if I dropped a name.

I don't even know what the concept of love is apart from its textbook definition.

Chapter Text

Finally, I heard a knock. Two guys greeted me when I opened the door.

"Yo," Miyake raised his hand.

"Yo," I replied with an imitation.

Miyake high-fived my palm lightly as he walked in.

"Sup, Ayanokouji." Sudou follows with a grin.

"How was it?" I asked, closing the door.

"It was a'ight. The seniors were surprised when I appeared, but they welcomed me to practice regardless." Sudou narrated.

"Oh, you two are already here?" Miyake commented, seeing Hasebe and Sakura in their seats.

"Nope. We were here the whole time, hard at work!" Hasebe replied with a smug grin.

"Hmm... Maybe I should buy a larger table..." I muttered while looking at our cramped state.

"Eh? You don't have to do that, Ayanokouji-kun," said Sakura.

"Yeah. We can just use your dining table, anyway." Sudou added.

After we arranged our things on the dining table, the study session officially started. As expected, they were improving steadily. I've hammered a lot of fundamentals onto Sudou for the past week. Combined with his motivation, he finally reached the level of a second-year middle schooler.

"Hnnn~..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

After an hour passed, Hasebe stretched her arms with a rather feminine moan. Even in our periphery, the movement of her bountiful chest was noticeable. As guys, Miyake, Sudou, and I couldn't help but become conscious of her. After all, Hasebe was an extremely attractive girl. We tried our best not to lose eye contact with our papers. Reacting in any sort of way would mean instant death, hence we maintained our stone-cold expressions.

"Well, why don't we take a break and grab something at the convenience store?" Hasebe suggested.

"O-Oh, good idea," replied Miyake.

"Y-Yeah, I was gettin' kinda hungry, too." Sudou also agreed.

It was 6:30 PM. The five of us were clad in our uniforms as we headed out of the building. After buying what we wanted, our group walked slowly back to the dorms.

"Three sandwiches? What a glutton..." Miyake criticized Sudou's purchase.

"Shut up, Miyake! I told you I was hungry, didn't I?!" Sudou immediately got pissed off.

"This is yummy! Here, Sakura-chan. Have a taste." Hasebe handed her ice cream to Sakura.

"A-Alright... You can have a taste of mine, too." Sakura happily returned the favor.

At the moment, everything seems to be going well... Not just about our group, but my high school life in general. I have friends, and we're all working together towards a goal. If I'm gonna be honest, I've had more fun in the last one and a half months here than I ever did for the past fifteen years inside the White Room...

"What's with that look, Ayanokouji-kun? You want a taste of our ice creams, too?" teased Hasebe.

"If you want to have some of mine, just say it. You don't have to tease me like that," I replied.

"W-Wha-?! I didn't expect you to be such a self-conscious guy, Ayanokouji-kun!" Hasebe glared at me.

"Heh. 'You think I didn't notice? You were agonizing between choosing the flavor you bought and the one I bought. C'mon, Hasebe-san. Your motives were clear from the start," I teased back.

This was the first time I've ever tried to tease someone without stopping at the first exchange. Seeing Hasebe fume in silence, I guess it worked well.

"Grrr-! Your stupid monotone voice and deductive reasoning are making me look like the villain here!" Hasebe's mad expression was amusing, but she skillfully shifted them into something else.

"Sigh... Fine, you win this time, Ayanokouji-kun." Hasebe replied with an expression of defeat before swiftly grabbing my ice cream cup. "Now let me have some!"

In the end, the four of us, including Miyake, tried out each other's ice creams while Sudou munched on his sandwiches.

When we were nearing the dorms, Hasebe suddenly leaped ahead before facing the four of us.

"You know, I always thought I'd stay distant from you guys even with this study group thingy," narrated Hasebe. "I'm sure I would stay as a loner if I was assigned to Hirata-kun or Kushida-san's study group. But here, I felt really comfortable after a few days. Hey, Miyacchi! don't you feel the same?"

"Yeah, I get what you're saying. Hirata and Kushida-san—... they're just on another level, I feel. Well, I thought Ayanokouji would be the same, but he turned out to be a pretty chill guy." replied Miyake.

"Heh. Ayanokouji sucks at talking with girls, you know? Hey, don't you deny it, Ayanokouji! You always ask for my help whenever girls invite you out!" Sudou shouted at me.

"I'm not. It's the truth, after all. Thank you for always helping me, mister smooth operator Sudou-sama," I replied while shrugging my shoulders.

"Heh!" Sudou snickered, thinking that I genuinely complimented him.

Miyake and Hasebe laughed out loud in response. Even Sakura chuckled a little.

"Well, my point is... Why don't we make this group an official friend group? Apart from Ayanokouji-kun, all of us were just a bunch of loners, anyway."

"You're wrong on that, Hasebe-san. Despite my position in class, I'm just like you guys. You can consider me "a loner who's noticed by everyone" if that makes sense," I explained.

"Now that I think about it, you're not really in any other group, ain'tcha?" Sudou mused. "You get along with Kushida's group and Hirata's group, but I don't really see you stick with them."

"Their social skills are too high, after all. I just can't keep up," I said.

"Isn't this perfect then?!" Hasebe exclaimed with a smile. "From this day on, we shall be called 'The Ayanokouji Group'!"

"Does it have to be my name?" I asked.

"Why not? You're the one who brought us together, right?" Miyake poked me with his elbow.

"Do you mind being in this group, Sakura?" I turned to Sakura, who was quietly watching things unfold.

"Not at all." Sakura shook her head. "I'm happy to be part of this group."

"Oh! I'm getting all giddy and excited! Why don't we change how we call each other as a first step?" Hasebe advocated. "Miyacchi, what's your first name again?"

"It's Akito," Miyake replied before turning to Sudou and me. "If I remember correctly, it's Ken and Kiyotaka for the two of you, right?"

Sudou and I nodded in unison.

"Alright, I'll call you guys by your first names. You can call me Akito in return," he smoothly relayed to us.

He's different from Hirata, but Akito is a pretty cool guy, isn't he?

"Sakura-chan, your first name is Airi, right?" Hasebe asked, inching closer to Sakura.

"Yes... Please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't yours Haruka?" Sakura tilted her head with a smile.

Airi and Haruka, huh? Those are nice names.

"Oh! You remembered! I love you, Airi!" Haruka exclaimed, hugging Airi tightly.

Both of them were beautiful girls blessed with healthy developing bodies, so it's only natural for their sizeable chests to collide when one embraces the other. The three of us instantly looked away to avoid having any awkward thoughts.

"Ken... I feel like punching Kiyotaka right now. He's too calm," said Akito.

"Yeah, same. Just where is he hiding all those nerves?" Ken agreed.

"That's not it, you two. It just doesn't show on my face," I replied.

"That's a pretty useful face then." Ken bit back.

"Hey, you oafs!" Haruka called out to us. "I have an awesome idea! I'll call you by nicknames!"

"N-Nicknames?" Ken was surprised. He was obviously alien to the idea of nicknames, or at least those given by friends.

"Yeah!" Haruka grinned.

"Kiyotaka will be... Kiyopuu...? Kiyopoyo...? Hmm... How about Kiyomaru?" Before I could protest, Haruka raised her finger like she had a eureka moment. "Kiyopon! Your nickname will be Kiyopon! At the same time, Miyacchi will be Miyacchi, and Ken will be Kenchin!"

Well, there goes the first nickname I ever had. Kiyopon.

"Why the hell am I a vegetable soup (Kenchin-jiru)?!" Ken yelled in retaliation.

"Just deal with it, Kenchin! It's cute, isn't it?" Haruka's decision didn't seem like it could be changed.

"You didn't even change mine..." Akito complained.

While the three got noisy, I turned to Airi, who was smiling warmly at them.

"It's nice to meet you again, Airi." I exchanged courtesy.

"Same here... K-Kiyotaka...-kun..." Airi replied with flushed cheeks.

A friend group, huh? I guess it wouldn't be bad to have a place you can return to from time to time.

When we got back into my room, we used the remaining time to sum up everything we'd learned thus far. As expected, their scores increased by quite a good amount. Akito and Haruka are pretty much ready. They'll just have to prepare for the new lessons now. Airi needs a bit more improvement, but with our current pace, her results were more than enough. Lastly, I can probably prevent Sudou from failing at this point, but I'll try to improve his performance if time permits it.

After they all left, I talked with Hirata and the other tutors via group call. After hearing everyone's reports, we all sighed in relief at how well our class was taking this midterm exam.

Amidst all the positive events happening around me, I muttered a question that was probably brought on by that place, the White Room's effect on my way of thinking.

"I wonder when things will start to go wrong?"

Chapter Text

The following Monday night, I was finishing the study materials for the new lessons when I heard my stomach growl lightly in hunger.

"I could cook something, but I don't wanna sleep too late. 'Guess I'll just buy something at the convenience store..." I murmured to myself.

When I arrived on the first floor, I saw Horikita, still dressed in her uniform, walk out of the building. That's strange...

I didn't really need to hide. I can just call out to Horikita, but I decided to hide my presence and follow her anyway. The place around the building was well-lit, but she headed to a very inconspicuous place. After Horikita's sharp turn, I sensed another person with her.

"Suzune. I didn't think you'd follow me this far." A male voice could suddenly be heard.

I remember this voice. I've heard it before...

"I'm not the useless girl you once knew, Nii-san. I'll eventually catch up to you," replied Horikita.

Nii-san, is it? Well, that confirms my suspicion.

My instincts were telling me to stay hidden. His figure was hidden in the dark, but I'll be discovered if I try to move a muscle.

"Catch up to me, huh...? I heard you were placed in Class D, but you got promoted to Class B this May. That's certainly impressive," he commented.

"Yes, I'll definitely reach Class A," said Horikita.

"Hmph, you got arrogant after a fluke? Then, tell me Suzune. Were you the reason for your class's achievement? Were you the one who prevented the defects from falling apart?" he asked.

"I..." Horikita wavered. Her confidence instantly took a hit.

"As I thought. It's pointless, Suzune. You neither have the abilities nor qualities to reach Class A. Even if, by some miracle, your class reaches Class A in the future, I'd doubt the contribution you've given," he elaborated.

"That's not—..."

The person stepped closer to the docile Horikita and his appearance became clear from my hiding spot. It was Student Council President Horikita Manabu, Horikita Suzune's older brother. She tried to protest, but the elder Horikita grabbed her by the wrist. Horikita got pushed into a wall without any resistance whatsoever.

"The fact that you're my little sister remains. I would be humiliated if people learned that my own little sister is nothing but a defective failure. Leave this school immediately," he coldly ordered.

"I-I can't do that... I'll definitely reach Class A with my own abilities! I'll... I'll prove it to you!" she petitioned.

"How stupid..." The change in his grip was visible. This is dangerous.

I approached them as fast as I could. Before he could do anything, I grabbed his right arm and made my presence known.

"What? You..." He stared at his arm and slowly turned to me with a sharp gleam.

"A-Ayanokouji-kun?!" cried Horikita.

"You were about to throw your sister to the ground, weren't you? You do realize that the floor here is concrete, right? You might be siblings, but you should know the difference between right and wrong." I said.

"Eavesdropping is not an admirable quality," he replied.

"Fine, then let go."

"That's my line."

We glared at each other in complete silence.

"Stop it, Ayanokouji-kun..." said Horikita, her voice strained. This is the first time I've heard her voice like that.

Reluctantly, I released her brother.

?!

He instantly tried to backhand me in the face. I took a step back to avoid it. For such a lightly built guy, he was a nasty attacker. He then aimed a sharp kick at my unguarded spot, which I barely dodged. His attacks show that he's well-versed in karate. Even I can feel the impact of each blow, and they didn't even hit me.

Scene Illustration

He looked slightly confused but this wasn't the time to act passively. I had to get Horikita away from him. I dashed forward and released a teep kick to his waist. I made it fast but predictable. Horikita Manabu could easily dodge it, but he'd have to leap away from his sister.

"Hmph."

Contrary to my expectations, he didn't dodge but instead went for a Nikyo. He knows Aikido, too. When he caught my leg, I used the extra momentum to elevate myself off the ground, twist my body, and kick his head with my other leg.

"-?!"

Horikita Manabu got caught off-guard, so he had no choice but to let go of my right leg and dodge the left. He leaped back and fixed the position of his glasses. He looked at me with a smirk.

"You move excellently. Do you practice something? Taekwondo? Muay Thai? Karate?" He bombarded me with questions. Those martial arts are reasonable deductions. After all, I only used kicks.

Well, I guess that was over. At least, I have Horikita behind me now.

"Yes, I was taught piano and calligraphy," I replied. "I won a national music competition during elementary school, as well."

"You're in Class B, aren't you? What a unique boy, Suzune." He addressed his sister.

"I'm Horikita's friend," I declared.

"A friend, huh?" To both my and Horikita's surprise, Horikita Manabu had a genuinely shocked expression. "Is that true, Suzune?"

"He's..." Horikita was reluctant to say it. Somehow, that hurt.

"There you go again, confusing independence with solitude. That in itself shows just how much of a failure you are. And you, Ayanokouji... Were you the one?" he asked after scolding his sister.

"What do you mean 'the one'?" I feigned ignorance.

"Hmm... Well, no matter. Things might just get interesting with you around." he said.

With that, Horikita Manabu walked past the two of us and disappeared into the night.

So that was the student council president of this school. His presence explained some of Horikita's weird behavior.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yes..." she answered meekly before turning to me. "Did you hear... everything?"

"I think so. When I went down, I saw you walking suspiciously. I was kind of curious so I decided to follow you. I'm sorry if I meddled in your business. That wasn't my intention," I replied.

"It's... fine," Horikita muttered softly before falling silent. She leaned against the wall, looking down on the ground.

"Your brother was really strong. He doesn't lack ferocity." I tried to salvage the conversation.

"He's ranked fifth dan in karate and fourth dan in aikido," she replied.

So it was those two, after all. What a strong fighter.

"You also practice martial arts, don't you, Ayanokouji-kun? You must hold a dan rank."

"I told you, didn't I? Just piano and tea ceremony."

"You said calligraphy before," she glared slightly.

"I... did calligraphy in addition to those." It's true, though. If there were a piano here, I could probably perform "Für Elise" for her. I'm pretty confident with the other two, as well.

"Why don't you just tell me outright? What's the point of hiding it?" she snapped.

"Fine, I do practice martial arts. Just a little bit."

"After seeing those movements, you don't seriously think I will believe that, do you?"

"If I told you the truth, you wouldn't believe me anyway," I replied, turning away from Horikita.

"So you're saying that the truth is on the same level as the one you told me regarding your academic abilities?" she mused. "After seeing you almost break a swimming world record and seamlessly ace the surprise mock test... I don't think I have any choice but to believe you now, do I?"

Then, Horikita's expression turned melancholic.

"You've told me that you don't like talking about yourself, and I respect that. I won't pry on your life if you don't want me to... But even I'd feel displeased if you blatantly lie to me. If you really don't want to tell me anything, at least tell me straight."

Hearing her plea, I sighed.

"Karate, muay thai, taekwondo, aikido, jiu-jitsu, kung-fu, judo... and some others—I practice them all."

"That's..." Horikita braced herself for my ridiculous answers, but her shock couldn't be more noticeable. "How strong are you on all of them?"

"That's it. I refuse to tell you any more," I replied.

"I see... I understand, I'll stop asking now." Horikita sighed before looking back at me. "You saw a strange side of me."

"I didn't understand why you acted the way you did at first, but this coincidence opened my eyes to some stuff." I turned around and faced the direction of the convenience store. "However, you don't have to worry, Horikita. I'll definitely get you and everyone to Class A."

Horikita's eyes brightened as she looked at me.

"Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun..."

"But remember what your brother said. Don't confuse independence for solitude. No matter how capable you are, you won't survive in this school without relying on your allies," I preached.

After all, even I wouldn't be able to do it alone.

"That's..." Horikita bit her lip.

"We've been seatmates and friends for the past month and a half. In my honest opinion, you can change, Horikita," I said before walking away.

"I'll... try my best, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll show my brother... and I'll show you... that I'm someone worthy of Class A," she declared.

Her fixation on Class A is both a strength and a weakness.

I continued walking without looking back, letting Horikita ponder her words while watching my fading figure.

Chapter Text

May 14th, Friday.

Days went on, and the students were embraced by nothing but normalcy. Some might say that the mundane life of a high schooler is boring, but I'd argue that it's the best. This was the peaceful high school life I was hoping for.

I checked the tutors' group chat to reread some of our conversations. Things got pretty dicey after Chabashira-sensei announced something earlier.

(18:46) [How are things on your end?]
(18:46) [Is everything alright?] (Hirata)

(18:46) [Yes.]
(18:47) [I think everyone felt the same frustration as we did, but fortunately, they're still pretty motivated.] (Kushida)

(18:47) [That's a relief.]
(18:47) [How about the others?] (Hirata)

(18:47) [My group is fine.] (Ayanokouji)

(18:48) [Same here.] (Yukimura)

(18:48) [My group is also doing fine.] (Horikita)

(18:48) [So is mine.] (Matsushita)

(18:48) [Me too.] (Mii-chan)

(18:49) [I see... Really, that's a relief...] (Hirata)

(18:49) [But to think they'd change the coverage of our exam this late.]
(18:49) [It's pretty strange.]
(18:49) [There are only two weeks left.] (Horikita)

(18:50) [I'm sure all classes are on edge...] (Kushida)

(18:50) [I feel the same.]
(18:50) [But all we can do now is move forward.]
(18:51) [Let's continue our hard work, everyone.] (Hirata)

(18:51) [Alright, you got it.] (Ayanokouji)

(18:51) [I'll do what I can to improve them.] (Yukimura)

(18:52) [Yeah, I have Ishikura-san helping me too.] (Matsushita)

(18:52) [Yes!]
(18:52) [Nishimura-san has been a lot of help for me, too.]
(18:52) [She's so reliable that I sometimes forget I'm the tutor!] (Mii-chan)

(18:52) [Fight on! We can do this! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*] (Kushida)

The Ayanokouji Group's session finished early. After saying goodbye to my friends, I walked back to the classroom and saw the other groups.

"Ayanokouji-kun!" Kushida stood up as soon as she saw me.

The rest of my classmates who were also present in the room greeted me. From their seat, I can see Ike and Yamauchi glaring daggers at me.

"How are your sessions going?" I asked.

"It's going great. All of them are still pressured by the sudden change, but we're being careful not to cram carelessly," Kushida answered with a smile.

I sat at the back of the classroom near Kushida's group. Taking out the study materials from my bag, I started coming up with new questions for Ken and the others. I can comfortably hear the discussions of Kushida's group with the distance I took.

"Kushida-chan is so smart! I can't believe that was the answer all along!" Ike praised her vigorously.

"With Kushida-chan teaching me, I can probably aim for a perfect score!" Yamauchi bragged on.

"Hey, why don't you two shut up for a moment? I can't focus over here!" scolded Shinohara.

Makida and Azuma just smiled bitterly as they continued what they were doing. Their reactions told me that this was a common occurrence.

"E-Everyone, let's get our heads in the game, okay? I'm not as smart as Ayanokouji-kun or Horikita-san, but I'll try my best to answer anything you don't understand." Kushida's wry smile rejuvenated Ike and Yamauchi's sour expressions.

"You've been doing that from the start, Kushida-chan!" Yamauchi said.

"Yeah! There's no way you ain't as smart as them! I can already feel myself getting infected by your intelligence!" followed Ike.

Some minutes passed and it was finally time to wrap things up.

"Good work again today, everyone! Let's talk about our plans this weekend so we can relax with efficiency. Is that alright with you all?" Hirata asked everyone in the classroom.

"Yes!"

"We can get to hang out during weekends again!"

"Yey~!"

Of course, everyone in the class acknowledged his words with glee. With Hirata's own abilities and charisma, getting the class to act as one looked like an easy feat.

Finally, the only ones left in the room were Nishimura, Mii-chan, Hirata, Kushida, and me. We were all busy with making new sample questions to use for our next sessions. Kushida and I sat next to each other quite closely, to the point where our shoulders occasionally touched. I let her use my questions as references so she can finish her quota with speed. We chatted constantly like we usually did. If Ike or Yamauchi saw this, they would probably try to kill me.

"I'm finally done! Thanks a lot, Ayanokouji-kun! Your questions have been a huge help as usual!" Kushida thanked me with an angelic smile.

"No problem. Just tell me if you're having trouble with the tutoring. I'll help you anytime," I answered.

"Mn~! I'll be counting on you, Ayanokouji-kun! I'll head back to the dorms now," she nodded cutely. "Well then, I'll go ahead first! Hirata-kun, thanks for today, as always! Ryuuko-chan, Mii-chan, I'll see you tomorrow!"

And with that, we all waved Kushida goodbye.

I let two minutes pass, before standing up to head out of the room.

"I'll head to the bathroom for a bit." I gave the three of them a heads-up.

"Ah, sure, Ayanokouji-kun," said Hirata.

I checked the clock and saw that it was 6:39 PM. We asked permission to use the classroom until 7:00 PM, so we still had some time. I was looking out the window this whole time to check Kushida's exiting figure. She wouldn't go anywhere else but here if she really planned on heading back to the dorms. Also, two minutes was more than enough to reach the shoe lockers, change into our outdoor shoes, and exit the building.

It's the fourth time that this exact situation has happened. For the first three times, I checked every nook and cranny of the first three floors. I even spied near the girls' bathrooms to check if Kushida exits at some point. Now, there was only one place left to check before I could conclude that Kushida did indeed use the other exit on the opposite side of the building: The rooftop.

I ran as fast as I could without making any noise. When I finally reached the third floor, I heard the sound of footsteps going up towards the rooftop. If that was Kushida, she was either walking pretty slowly, or she briefly stopped and did something. Regardless, I decided to follow the person stealthily.

As expected, the door to the rooftop was opened by someone. Peeking through the small opening, I saw her approaching the edge. 

It was Kushida.

"Finally... It only took 37 days before I might actually get something," I muttered softly.

I wondered if she got permission from anyone since the door was usually locked after school.

I can't possibly hear her from this far. I've confirmed that the door won't make a noise if I open it back when Horikita and I come here to interrogate Chabashira-sensei. Kushida wasn't facing my direction, so I decided to completely hide my presence with the help of the night's darkness and enter the rooftop.

For all I know, Kushida might just be here to catch some fresh air. The other possibility is that she's here to meet with someone. Should the case be either of those, I'll just head back without question and continue on with my life.

However...

I had it ready in case something else went on. I put all of my strength into hiding my presence. I stopped breathing entirely, to the point where the sound of my heartbeat was probably more noticeable than my entire body. It was a necessary measure considering that I was just a couple of meters away from Kushida, who was facing the nightly scenery of the campus.

And then it happened.

"Ahhh, screw this!" Even if her volume was loud, the tone was so low that it didn't sound like Kushida at all.

"They're so gross! They're seriously so damn gross! Always trying to ogle me, always trying to get close to me—!" Kushida grumbled as if she was trying to put a curse on someone.

"Your ulterior motives are so obvious you damned perverts! Ike and Yamauchi, you two should just die!" 

Ike and Yamauchi, huh? I wonder how Kushida would react if she also knew of their wild fantasies about her.

"And that bitch Shinohara... Don't try to talk just because you're not getting praised, you minion! Go back to your co-lackeys and obey that head bitch Karuizawa!" she continued.

A part of me still wanted all of this to be a dream. After all, this was Kushida Kikyou; the angelic sociable girl, the one who brought the class together with me and the others...

And my very first friend.

But of course, I had to accept reality because it was right before my eyes. For all I know, she might've just pretended to be my friend.

"Agghh! All of this is that damned Horikita's fault! She must have intentionally assigned those annoying people to me!" 

She huffed and puffed as her voice came and went. The sounds gradually dissipated into the air along with the hateful words that she freely let loose.

Kushida turned around and saw no one there besides herself. Or at least, that's what I expected to happen because I left the rooftop before she had the chance to do so.

I ran as fast as I could and returned to Class 1-B's room, letting my slightly ragged breathing get noticed by the students remaining inside. This should be more efficient. The lack of oxygen in my brain after holding my breath for so long combined with my full running speed took a bit of a toll on my body. Even if they ask me about it, I have a foolproof story ready.

"Ayanakouji-kun? You took some time in the bathroom, huh?" said Hirata.

"You're panting quite hard... Are you alright?" Nishimura asked, tilting her head.

I can also see Mii-chan looking at me with a concerned expression.

"S-Sorry... I had to run as fast as I could... I thought I saw something back there..." I narrated with a nervous tone.

"A-A-A ghost...?" Mii-chan asked with a terrified expression.

"Maybe... but to me, it was more like a demoness," I replied.

A demoness, huh? Now I started thinking... How should I deal with this demoness?

Chapter Text

I successfully reached the 13th floor and made my way to Horikita's room. I rang her doorbell once and waited patiently. Some girls gave me curious looks as they walked past the hallway. I don't think I looked suspicious or anything, but their stares still wracked my nerves.

Not long after, Horikita opened the door.

"Good evening, Ayanokouji-kun. Please, come in," greeted Horikita.

"Excuse me for intruding."

Horikita's one-bedroom-and-kitchen room was minimally decorated like my room. I couldn't see into the bedroom area though.

"Have a seat," she said. "As you told me in your message, this will be about Kushida-san, right?"

"Yes," I replied, sitting on the chair she prepared for me.

I took out my phone and pressed the play button.

"Ahhh, screw this! They're so gross! They're seriously so damn gross! Always trying to ogle me, always trying to get close to me—! Your ulterior motives are so obvious you damned perverts! Ike and Yamauchi, you two should just die!"

"And that bitch Shinohara... Don't try to talk just because you're not getting praised, you minion! Go back to your co-lackeys and obey that head bitch Karuizawa—!" 

At that moment, I paused the recording and faced Horikita.

I debated whether I should include her bit in Kushida's venting but ultimately decided against it. There's no reason to spark more hate between them.

"This..." Horikita narrowed her eyes.

She was smart, so hearing such uncharacteristic hate from Kushida's mouth meant that I had the means to record her. Horikita was probably wondering how in the world I was able to do it.

"To be honest, I was starting to doubt you. I've been suspicious of Kushida for more than a month now, keeping tabs on her movements almost every day. But it took me this long to finally get something. She hid her other self really well," I narrated.

In reality, I focused more on making friends and tutoring my classmates, so it was hard to put any time into this investigation. And I really can't be too careful. Everything would've fallen apart if Kushida got even a small whiff of what I was trying to do.

"So, is this what you were talking about?" I asked.

"This... is also the first time I've ever heard Kushida-san speak of things like these. You should know that already. I told you that we didn't interact during junior high at all, didn't I?" Horikita replied.

"You're right," I murmured. "Sigh... Regardless, this is bad, isn't it?"

"Bad?" Horikita raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

"Hmm... It's fine. I'll do something about it." I stood up and got ready to leave.

"Wait, please tell me, Ayanokouji-kun." Horikita pleaded with a serious expression.

"Horikita, I need you to trust me on this. I'll give you an explanation once everything is over."

"You said that one person won't be able to do anything alone. I want to help you... however, I can."

I put my hands on Horikita's shoulder, which she didn't mind. Horikita continued looking straight into my eyes.

"I know you're anxious, and I appreciate your intention to help. But don't worry. I'll make sure everything's fine in the end," I replied.

"..." 

Horikita was still conflicted, but she didn't talk back.

"Horikita, you're the only one I can fully trust right now. I'll be counting on you if I ever need assistance. So I want you to trust me, too," I said.

Horikita looked down to the side with a displeased expression.

"You say you trust me, but..."

Horikita decided to not pry on my background, but she will always question my identity in her mind. Of course, she was right to do so. If I were in her position, I couldn't simply trust someone so blindly. Especially if that someone possesses abilities that are way beyond my own.

You never know when you'll get used as a pawn or as a sacrifice, after all.

"That has nothing to do with my trust in you, Horikita. It's just a personal thing... I don't know if it will ever happen, but I hope I can open up to you sometime," I said.

Horikita's eyes looked confused as they narrowed in vexation.

"Ayanokouji-kun... You say that I can sense what people think... but right now, as of this moment, I have no clue if your words are truth that I can wholeheartedly trust... or lies meant to manipulate me..." Horikita looked straight into my eyes.

She wants to trust me fully, but her instincts are telling her to take a step back and think again.

Horikita Suzune sees Ayanokouji Kiyotaka as an exceptional student. But, she also sees him as someone who's grounded by social norms—someone who wants friends—someone who wants to have interpersonal relationships—someone who wants a normal high school life.

Horikita sees me as an exceptional student... but she also sees me as nothing but a normal person.

If I didn't display any of my abilities, I would've already fully gained her trust, but she wouldn't respect me, and will hardly listen to my opinions. But since I did, the opposite happened. Even if Horikita respects me, she can't trust someone whose capabilities and motives are unknown. It was a dilemma that I couldn't escape from. Thus, her doubt was completely justified.

"To manipulate you, huh...? Do you really think I would do something like that, Horikita?" I asked.

"I... I don't know... You scare me, Ayanokouji-kun," said Horikita.

"I scare you?" I asked.

"I can't really explain it myself..." Horikita's breathing was disorderly.

"I see... You know what, Horikita, let's end it here for now," I suggested, lifting my hands off her slim, feminine shoulders. "My decision is final. I will move alone this time. I'll see you tomorrow."

As I left Horikita with those parting words, I exited her room and tread back to my own.

I'm sorry, Horikita. But I'm just an empty husk of coldness—a specimen of an experiment—a creation meant to win. I don't have compassion, nor do I abide by any established ethics. You, Hirata, Kushida, or everyone in Class B—you're all nothing but tools for me, and I loathe myself for thinking that.

Chapter Text

(20:20) [Can you spare some time for me tomorrow?]

(20:20) [Ayanokouji-kun!]
(20:21) [Sure, what time?]

(20:21) [Right after the study session.]
(20:21) [Is it alright if you come to my room?]
(20:21) [I want to talk to you about something.]

(20:21) [Oh, sure.]
(20:21) [It's something important, isn't it?]

(20:22) [Yeah... and private too.]

(20:22) [Alright, let's head home together tomorrow.]

(20:22) [Okay.]
(20:23) [Thanks, Kushida.]

(20:23) [No problem! o(^▽^)o]

If anyone were to read such a friendly conversation, they wouldn't be able to guess that it's actually the prelude to a potential war.

"Ayanokouji-kun!"

Kushida called out and waved at me as soon as I entered the classroom.

"Good morning," I replied.

Kushida went up to me and whisperingly said.

"About later... It'll be about the girl you like, am I right?" she teasingly asked.

"I... can't say anything right now—too many people," I replied.

"Hmm~? That's suspicious, Ayanokouji-kun," she smiled sweetly.

"Hey! What are you two talking about?" yelled Ike.

He and Yamauchi walked towards the two of us with huge grins. And with that, I left Kushida to the two of them. Ike will surely scold me about getting in his way to Kushida's heart, or something. Of course, Kushida happily kept them company, even if she abhorred them deep inside.

It feels weird knowing Kushida's true—Hmm... Now that I think about it, which even is Kushida's true self...? Well, 'point stands that she hates some of our classmates to the core. She might even hate me, too.

"Good morning... Ayanokouji-kun."

Horikita greeted me with a rather soft tone. It was quite the difference compared to her usual stern way of speaking. Horikita's current demeanor reminded me of the time when she was talking with her brother.

"Good morning, Horikita," I replied.

I hung my bag and sat comfortably.

"Is there really nothing I can do to help?" asked Horikita.

"Yes, I got it covered."

"I see..."

She looked pretty upset. Well, after Horikita Manabu berated her about not making any contributions to the class's betterment, I can't really blame Horikita's insistence on helping.

"Horikita, the best thing you can do to help me right now is to focus on what you're supposed to do," I said.

"I am. My study group has been functioning well and—"

"Are you friends with any of your tutees yet?" I asked, interrupting her.

"Friends? Why are you asking that?" Horikita's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, you're right. Sorry, that's none of my business. Let me rephrase the question. Are you at least on friendly terms with them?"

"I can't say..." Horikita pondered my question.

"What I meant by that is; are you at least criticizing them in a way that you won't hurt their feelings? After all, you're a very frank person, Horikita. You didn't hesitate to criticize me harshly back in April," I said jokingly.

"That's true... But those four... They're good students, in my opinion."

"Oh? Tell me about them."

"Hmm... Inogashira-san is having a hard time with the lessons in general, but she works hard to try and understand them. Okitani-kun is only a bit below average across the board, so he's not that hard to teach. Mori-san and Satou-san act carefree most of the time but they are fairly capable when they put their minds to it," she narrated.

"I see, that's great then. Unlike what you've said before regarding students who don't do well in their studies, at least you don't look at them as dead weight anymore," I commented.

"I guess I was a bit short-sighted before." Horikita turned away, returning to her cool, composed self.

She doesn't really need to become friends with anyone nor does she want to, given her personality. She can even look at them as pawns if she wants. But of course, Horikita understands that cooperation between classmates plays a big part in success in this school. That's a good starting point. It would only do more harm if I tried to push any of my fake ideals about making friends on her.

When our conversation ended, I got up from my seat to hang out with Ken and Akito.

A little while later, Inogashira and Kushida approached Horikita so I decided to take a peek. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but the gist of their conversation was pretty easy to get. Most likely; she wanted to ask Horikita something—probably about the study session. But Inogashira needed Kushida's company because she was either shy or intimidated by Horikita.

In the end, it seems like things worked out nicely. Horikita looked in my direction, probably sensing my gaze. I gave her a thumbs-up, but she replied with a glare before turning away. How cruel, I thought we were friends.

When the bell rang, classes went on as normally as they could. The Ayanokouji Group unanimously agreed to use the library for today. Akito and Haruka were doing well. Airi was slowly catching up to them. And finally, Ken reached the first-year high school level. Even if they were only about the most basic of fundamentals, I still consider it great progress. He won't have too many problems with learning the next-level stuff when we get there.

If I were to estimate their potential scores on the exam, Akito and Haruka would come out on top scoring at least 70 on their weak subjects and 80 or higher on their strong subjects. Airi would probably score at least 60 points for most subjects and Ken will surely hit the 50-point mark given his progress.

"Woah, I understand it so much better now! I love you, Kiyopon!" Haruka celebrated softly.

"Ehhh-?!" gasped Airi.

"Don't take her seriously, Airi. She's just being too casual with her thank you's." Akito said, clearing up a misunderstanding before it could form.

"O-Oh... So it was a friendly type of 'I love you'. I see!" she nodded.

"Boys do that a lot, but it still feels weird when a girl says it..." said Ken.

"Do you respond with an 'I love you too'?" I asked.

"Pfft-!" Haruka covered her mouth in laughter.

"Wow, that's some big-time loner question right there..." commented Ken.

"Get off me, Ken." I bit back with a deadpan face.

"I mean, you usually don't. But I guess you can for the sake of the joke," Akito replied while shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh, I see. Sorry for that weird question. I really just didn't know," I nodded.

"We know. But it's fine, dude. There's a first for everything," said Akito.

"Then, I love you too, Haruka... I guess." I tried to reply for the sake of the joke, just as Akito instructed.

The four of them stopped moving and looked at me. Akito and Ken had faces of pure shock while Airi was vehemently confused. Haruka, on the other hand...

"W-W-W-Wha—" Haruka's brain pretty much broke. Her face was red, too.

They misunderstood me again... Wait, no, it's different. I'm pretty sure that it's the fault of my dull tone again.

"I thought I could reply like that for the sake of the joke. My delivery ruined it again, huh?" I commented.

"Dang... You really just did that, didn't you?" Akito shook his head.

"It's really is your damn tone, idiot." Ken snapped at me.

I see. Maybe I should've smiled, but they would probably find that weirder. Hmm... Jokes really are tricky.

After analyzing the situation carefully, I can conclude one thing: I have made Haruka more conscious of me, albeit unintentionally. Since I sounded serious, Haruka couldn't help but get flustered even if she knew that it was meant to be a joke.

"Well, sorry about that, Haruka," I apologized.

"N-No, no... It's fine. I knew it was a joke, anyway... Yeah... A joke... Ahaha..." Haruka started talking weirdly, but as long as she understood, I guess.

Our study session continued with a slightly awkward atmosphere, and it was entirely my fault. Even after the air got cleared up by Ken's dumb antics, I could sense Haruka sneaking glances at me.

We finished up on time and left the library. When I saw my friends off, I went back to Class 1-B's room to pick Kushida up.

"Ayanokouji-kun! Let's go?" Kushida caught my arm.

"A-Ayanokouji?! What's this about?!" Yamauchi and Ike had exaggerated shocked reactions. Well, compared to the other girls who had the same reactions, theirs were pretty exaggerated.

"Oh, Ayanokouji-kun and I promised to head back together." Kushida was the one who replied. "We'll see you tomorrow, Sana-chan, Shinohara-san, and Makida-kun! Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun too!"

Kushida also took the time to give everyone inside the room a lively farewell. Of course, I did the same, even if it was the furthest thing from "lively". Hirata reassured us saying that he'll take care of closing up. What a great guy. Meanwhile, Ike and Yamauchi looked like they were about to cry.

And with that, Kushida and I left the building together. There's no turning back now, huh? If things don't go as planned, I might as well become the person Kushida hates the most.

Chapter Text

I checked my phone and saw a notification.

[25,000 private points have been successfully transferred to your account.]

Received from: Horikita Suzune.

Just in time.

"Do you wanna start talking about it, or should we wait until we get to your room?" Kushida asked with a smile.

"Let's just talk about it in my room. We might accidentally get heard out here... You never know. Someone could be eavesdropping from behind," I replied.

"Ahaha! There's no way! Look around us, the other students are merrily talking with each other. They wouldn't care about our conversation," she chuckled cutely.

"You're right... Well, for now, let's just talk about other things. How's your study session going?" I asked.

"Ohh. Well..."

Kushida and I started chatting about mundane school stuff. She shared a few interesting things about our classmates but they were useless gossip at best. But still, the fact that she knows this much just goes to show how wide Kushida's social network was. We talked about each other's day until we reached the dorms. Finally, the two of us exited the elevator and entered my room.

"It's been a few weeks since I've been in your room, Ayanokouji-kun," commented Kushida.

"Yeah, make yourself comfortable on the bed. I'll take a seat here," I said, sitting on the office chair in front of my desktop computer.

"So? Start spilling it~! I'm guessing that it's Hasebe-san or Horikita-san~! Or... maybe it's Sakura-san~?" Kushida happily started the conversation.

A small part of me is saying that I should just improvise the conversation and talk about girls instead. But of course, that's not possible at this point.

"Kushida," I turned to her with a serious expression.

"Y-Yeah?" Kushida acted like she was nervous while wearing an adorable face.

"After this... I wholeheartedly hope that we can still be close friends..." I said.

Kushida finally sensed that something was off. I wasn't going to talk about some girl and plan a love confession.

"What are you talking about, Ayanokouji-kun? Is everything alright?" Kushida had a weary expression, but of course, she still had the same angelic attitude.

"It's alright, Kushida. You don't need to keep that face up right now."

When she heard those words, Kushida's pupils dilated in shock.

"Ayanokouji-kun... What's the problem? Why are you saying such things right now...?" Kushida said with a concerned face.

Her incessant act didn't stop. She's determined to keep this up until the very last minute, huh?

"I'm just telling you the truth. Apart from the angelic and friendly girl that everyone loves, there's another side of you, isn't there?"

Kushida's eyebrow twitched and her lips trembled slightly.

"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. This is weird... What are you saying? This isn't like you!" Kushida's tone remained unchanging, but her composure started to crumble.

"Kushida... It's fine, really. You don't have to keep acting anymore," I said before continuing. "After all, I was there yesterday, when you let your feelings out at the rooftop."

Snap.

I felt something break inside Kushida. Her eyes, which were briefly hidden for a second, turned to look at me.

It was dark... and full of hate.

"You heard... everything?" Finally, Kushida addressed me in that deep and coarse voice.

"Yes, I heard your true feelings about Ike, Yamauchi, Shinohara-san... and Horikita."

"What do you want?" she asked me straight.

"I told you already, Kushida. I want the two of us to stay friends."

"Are kidding me? Are you that desperate to have me as a friend? I'm not the bubbly, perfectly kind girl that you know. I'm a two-faced bitch, right?! That's what you think, right?!" Kushida vehemently spoke with hate seething from her eyes.

"Whether you're a false saint, a hypocrite, or a fake, I couldn't care less."

"Oh? So you're one of those "I'll accept you for who you are" types? Are you trying to make me warm up to you? You want to be someone special to me? To be "the only one who knows the true me"? Is that what you're after? Hah, are you in love with me or something?" Kushida mocked my potential motives. "Quit your fantasies. This isn't some rom-com manga."

Was peace never an option...?

"That's quite narcissistic of you, Kushida. Do you really think I care about any of those?"

"Heh, so what then? What the hell are you after? My body?" she said, scoffing at me.

"Why? You'll give it to me if I tell you to?"

"Dream on! What? You'll try to blackmail me? You think anyone will believe your words?!"

"Well, not all of them will believe my words. But what if I use your words?"

"Huh? What you...-?!"

"Ahhh, screw this! They're so gross! They're seriously so damn gross! Always trying to ogle me, always trying to get close to me—!Your ulterior motives are so obvious you damned perverts! Ike and Yamauchi, you two should just die!"

"And that bitch Shinohara... Don't try to talk just because you're not getting praised, you minion! Go back to your co-lackeys and obey that head bitch Karuizawa—!"

"Agghh! All of this is that damned Horikita's fault! She must have intentionally assigned those annoying people to me!"

I held my phone with the speaker in full volume. With the distance between us, Kushida wouldn't be able to reach me. Even if she suddenly tried to grab my phone, it's not like I won't be able to react in time.

Kushida listened in shock. At this point, her mind must be a mess. She's using every single ounce of her brainpower to peer back on her memories. When did it happen? Why didn't she see me? Those questions must've been running through her head.

"How...?" she asked. "How? How? How? How...? HOW?!"

At this point, Kushida glared at me in pure rage.

"I told you, right? You never know. Someone could be eavesdropping from behind," I answered.

"Do you think I'd believe that? I was there, alone! I saw no one other than me!"

"It's fine if you don't believe me. I just told you the truth. Or do you have any other explanation for this?" I asked, slightly raising my phone.

"Tch..." Kushida's glare was as nocuous as ever, but other than hate and anger, there was anxiety—extreme anxiety. It's time for me to take advantage of that.

"Spread your legs," I commanded.

"What...?" Kushida asked nervously.

 Since she was in a kneeling position, the inner parts of her thighs would be revealed bit by bit... until everything could be seen.

"I'm one tap away from sending this recording to our class's group chat," I threatened.

"Wait! Wait—!" Kushida yelled in a panic.

"So? Are you doing it, or not? While you're at it, remove your top, too," I said.

Kushida's eyes started getting moist. They remained in contact with mine, full of fear, hate, and regret.

Right now, Kushida Kikyou was nothing but a sheep who was caught between the fangs of a wolf—helpless, scared... and in despair.

"So this is the true you, Ayanokouji-kun... You're worse than me, you fucking pervert. I'll absolutely make you pay for this..." Kushida slowly spread her legs. She cursed at me before touching her blazer's button. She was really going to take off her clothes.

"Stop," I said, interrupting her.

"-?!" Kushida was confused by my sudden order.

"I was testing you, Kushida. I was just trying to see how far you would go for your secret to stay hidden," I answered. "Now, I know that you hold your image, your status, and your reputation much more highly than yourself."

"Hah? What the hell do you want?! What's the point of all this?! Do you really think you can toy with me—that I would follow every single one of your orders?" Kushida asked indignantly.

"Yeah."

"..." Hearing my direct answer, Kushida could only stare back tempestuously.

"I know something about you. You know nothing about me. It's clear who's in control," I said as a matter-of-factly.

"Just... tell me what you want... I'm sick of this..." Kushida looked down on her bare thighs.

Despair was taking over her. She's slowly resigning to her fate.

"I want you... to tell me everything about your past," I said.

"My past...?" Kushida asked in confusion.

"Yes. Specifically, 'that incident'." Kushida stared back at me in shock. "What exactly happened? I want you to tell me everything in detail."

"Horikita... told you everything, didn't she?" she asked.

I see... Kushida was under the impression that Horikita knew everything. I guess I can try to take advantage of that.

"Yeah, but of course, the number of details she knew was lacking. That's why I wanted to hear it from the primary source, the main suspect herself," I said. "Lying isn't advisable, Kushida. Don't test me..."

"Tch... Fine! I'll tell you! If I tell you everything, you'll be satisfied, right?!" she aggrievedly asked.

"Yeah, I just want to understand what really happened," I replied.

She stared at me in resentment before letting out a long sigh.

"Ayanokouji-kun... you're the best at swimming, right? Better than anyone else..." Kushida started with a question.

"Not really. I'm fast, but I'm not the best in the world," I answered.

"I see, but I'm sure you can still understand what I'm feeling. You're valued in a special way, right? You're better than anyone in this school when it comes to swimming. You're also probably one of the smartest students in our year. Everyone's eyes are on you. You know those moments when people shower you with attention?"

Of course, I understood. People naturally desired the approval of others. Working hard enough to earn praise for accomplishments was fundamental to how human society functioned.

"I think I'm probably addicted to that feeling," said Kushida. "More so than normal people. I can't help wanting to show off. I can't help wanting to stand out. I can't help wanting to be praised. Whenever people show how much they admire me—how much they worship me, I can't help but think about how wonderful it is to be alive."

"But you can't be the best at everything," I commented.

"Yes, I know my own limits. No matter how hard I try, I won't be number one in academics or in sports, unlike you or Horikita. I absolutely, absolutely, absolutely hated losing. Coming in second or third won't satisfy my cravings. So I thought I'd do something that no one else could—I'll be nicer and kinder than anyone else."

So that was the root of Kushida's kindness, huh? She wasn't a genuinely kind and helpful person who treated everyone nicely. She was a two-faced narcissist who manipulated everyone by acting perfectly good.

"Thanks to that, I became popular with both boys and girls. I took pleasure in being trusted and relied upon. Elementary school and junior high were really fun," she narrated.

"But aren't you forcing yourself to do things you don't want to?" I asked.

"Of course, I'm forcing myself. It's extremely agonizing. Day after day, I'm under so much stress I that feel like I'm going bald. I've pulled my hair out and vomited from anxiety. But I can't let anyone see that side of me. That's why I continued to endure, and endure, and endure," said Kushida.

"You couldn't possibly keep that up for so long, right?" I narrowed my eyes, implying that I knew where this was going next.

"Heh, of course not. Horikita must've already told you, but my blog saved me. It was the only place where I dumped out my hidden stress. I could type all of my most painful secrets. Of course, I posted everything anonymously, you know? But I wrote the facts just as they were, and it made me so happy when I received encouragement from people I didn't even know. Then, one day, a classmate discovered my blog. Even though I hadn't named anyone, it was clear that my posts were all based on real events."

"I see, and that's how the incident started," I said, acting like I knew that much.

"Yeah, the next day, my posts were shared with the entire class. Everyone condemned me. I'd helped them so much, and yet they all turned on me. Selfish, right? The boy who'd told me he liked me actually shoved me. It was understandable, though, since I'd posted that his romantic confession grossed me out and I wanted him to die. The girl I'd comforted after she was dumped even kicked my desk. I'd posted in detail about why she was dumped and made fun of her. Over thirty students decided that I was their mortal enemy that day," narrated Kushida.

I see... So that was how...

"And the only way to make it through... was by revealing every single ugly truth to everyone." Fortunately, that last bit was easy to figure out because Horikita knew the results of Kushida's actions.

"Exactly, I revealed all my classmates' secrets. Who hated who, who thought who was a disgusting creep—I exposed truths I hadn't even written on my blog."

Truth was a weapon that could only be obtained through trust. It might seem harmless, and even good most of the time, but depending on how a person uses the truth, chaos will be a possible outcome.

"At that point, my classmates stopped being angry at me and started hating on each other. The boys got into fistfights, the girls pulled each other's hair and shoved each other over. The entire classroom descended into chaos and complete anarchy. It was honestly incredible."

It's like a scene straight out of a dystopian movie. I'm sure it was quite a sight to see.

"Because of everything I exposed, the class could no longer function. The school rebuked me, but my blog was anonymous, and all I technically did was tell my classmates the truth." Kushida spoke indifferently, but every word she uttered carried weight.

"It was my mistake to use the internet to vent my feelings. Everything you put up there is saved forever. That's why I stopped blogging. Now, I blow off steam by saying what's on my mind out loud when I'm alone."

"Just like yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, I still don't know how you managed to record me, let alone hear me, but I can't deny the evidence," she shrugged.

"You didn't lie to me about anything, right?" I asked, leaning closer. I carefully observed Kushida's response.

"What the? I didn't! Are you kidding me?! You already know that I didn't!" she replied in a panic.

Her worry stemmed from hopelessness, not lies. She really did tell me everything truthfully.

"Have you ever considered changing?" I asked.

"This is my reason for being. More than I love anything else in the world, I love everyone respecting and noticing me. When people trust me with their secrets, I feel joy that surpasses my wildest imaginations." Kushida announced with a genuinely twisted smile.

Knowing the anxiety, suffering, embarrassment, and hopes that people held within their hearts was Kushida's forbidden fruit.

"Boring, isn't it? But to me, it's everything." 

Her smile suddenly disappeared.

"I don't think it's boring, Kushida. I'm honestly envious of you..." I said.

"Huh? What do you mean 'envious'?" Kushida narrowed her eyes.

"You have a reason for being that you wholeheartedly embrace and embody... Me on the other hand..." I stopped.

"What is it? Can't you at least tell me that? I revealed everything to you, you know?" she asked with a glare.

"Do you really think you're in a position to say that?" I reminded.

"Screw you..." Kushida snapped back.

"You're a walking bomb, Kushida. Right now, you're pretty harmless because school just started. But once you start amassing everyone's secrets, you can pretty much do the same thing you've done back then. In other words, you'll be holding the entire class hostage. You must've been thinking of using that to threaten me back, right?"

Kushida's face contorted heavily. I seemed to hit her most vital nerve. This was her last resort—her final card in the future, but I revealed it all too easily.

"Tch... So what? You're gonna expose me now—so everyone can keep their secrets from me?" Kushida was displeased that I revealed her plan against me.

"That's honestly the best logical solution to this problem. But of course, you wouldn't want that, right? Not only will you lose your status and earn everyone's contempt, but you will also lose your reason for being. You want to prevent that as much as you possibly can to the point where you'll offer your body to me as a bargaining chip."

"Heh. If you were an idiot like Ike-kun, Yamauchi-kun, or any other guy in Class B excluding Hirata-kun, I would never submit my body. But... you're too dangerous. If someone as cunning as you were the one trying to corner me, I can only dream of finding a way out. I basically have no choice." Kushida laughed in self-deprecation.

After I easily revealed her only tangible escape plan, there was no other feeling left in her other than despair.

Unless she steals the phone while knowing the password, Kushida would still have to listen to their demands. But of course, they would be much easier to manipulate. She can probably pull something off before they can do anything to her.

"Don't worry. I was really just testing you earlier. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested, but I'm not the type of person to commit a crime." I said before asking. "I want to know about one more thing, Kushida."

"What? I thought we were done with this?" Kushida was clearly annoyed. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to answer all of my questions.

"You hate Horikita, don't you?" I asked.

"Huh? Of course, I do. That bitch told you everything, and she knows my past, too. I want her expelled more than anything," Kushida answered instantly.

"Hmm, since I know everything, I assume you feel the same with me?"

"The hell? That's obvious. You threatened me to reveal my taboo of a past. You ordered me to spread my legs and take off my clothes. I hate you more than anyone in this school," Kushida replied with a glare full of spite and resentment.

"What will you do then? You have no cards. I can easily break our verbal agreement and reveal everything at once," I said.

"That's... Damn it... Please, just tell me what you fucking want... Let's end this already..." Kushida bit her lip in frustration. She's acting tough, but in the end, the situation is still under my control.

"I'll propose the solution I made for this. But, you'll have to trust me."

"Trust you? Heh..." Kushida derided my words. "Well, I don't really have any other choice but to hear it, do I?"

I nodded.

"I'll keep your secret safe. In exchange, I want the two of us to become allies," I said.

"Hah? Allies? What are you...?" Kushida was visibly confused.

"I told you from the very beginning, right? I want the two of us to stay friends. I won't tell anyone about your secrets, and I'll show you my sincerity by deleting the voice recording after we sort everything out," I explained.

"You'll delete it?" Kushida was slightly invigorated. "Don't take me for an idiot, Ayanokouji-kun. You must have made a bunch of copies of it already."

Of course, her doubts were acceptable. However, the first spark of hope has appeared before her eyes.

"I knew you'd say that, and I can't simply deny the possibility. To offer you some peace of mind, I'll give you my phone so you can see that there aren't any recordings other than the one I took of you. You can even delete it yourself. I'll also let you check my computer for any possible copies."

"Are you... serious?" Kushida continued looking at me with skeptical eyes. The benefits on her side of the deal were simply too much.

"Yes, I am," I replied while navigating my computer. "I know that what I'm saying sounds too good to be true, but your only choice is to comply."

Kushida nodded and approached me to use the computer. After she checked everything, she finally deleted the voice recording from my phone. When I got my phone back, I showed her my current private point balance to make her believe that I didn't buy any hard drives.

I didn't mention that possibility until she gave it back. After all, if Kushida still had my phone, she might check and see the point transfer between me and Horikita. I already have an alibi even if she did it on her own, but knowing how much her emotions are fluctuating, she wouldn't be cerebral enough to think about it.

After checking everything, her empty eyes gained color again. The relief on her face was very noticeable.

"What... will you do about Horikita? She knows about my past too, right?" Kushida asked anxiously.

"I was actually lying earlier," I said.

"What? Lying?"

"When Horikita and I had a long talk back then, I manipulated her into talking about her junior high days. That's when I coincidentally found out about the gist of your past. That's also how I became suspicious of you since way back. But my point is—Horikita didn't know any details. That's the truth," I explained.

"She didn't know any details...?"

"Yeah, I just fooled you into telling me everything. So if you have a target, Horikita wouldn't be worth your time."

"But still! Even if you're telling the truth now, I can't possibly be satisfied with letting Horikita be!"

"Horikita doesn't care about you. There's no point in worrying about her."

"Still..." Kushida's concern was justified. In the end, Horikita still knows about the incident by itself and that Kushida was somehow the center of it. There's no guarantee that Horikita won't use her knowledge against Kushida in the future.

I decided not to throw Horikita under the bus. After all, it was more efficient for me if Kushida entirely stopped thinking of her as a threat. Kushida only hated Horikita because she knew about her past. She didn't have any deep-rooted grudge against her, so if I can take care of the main problem, Kushida should refrain from targeting Horikita, at least for now.

"Alright, I'll get Horikita's word on this. Don't worry, I won't tell her the details of that incident. And quite frankly, she doesn't really seem interested in it." Kushida should realize the weight of my words. "Should she do anything that endangers your secret, I'll do everything I can to expel her myself."

After thinking about my words for a brief second, Kushida nodded in agreement.

"Fine... Make sure to expel her if she does anything suspicious."

"Yeah, I will."

"What will you do about my plan then? I can continue following your demands right now, but once I get enough secrets at my disposal, I can still destroy the class in the future," Kushida asked with a grave expression.

"Then... shame on me, I guess?" I answered straight.

"What? Don't you have some sort of contingency plan against my potential betrayal?"

"Well, if you try to expel me or Horikita, then the two of us will just fight back. If you cause chaos by revealing everyone's secrets, then I'll have no choice but to work together with Hirata and Karuizawa to bring the class back together, no matter how hard it is and no matter how long it takes."

My real plan is to expel any hindrances, but I won't say that out loud...

"I'll also expose your past by then."

"Are you serious? You can easily win without consequences if you expose me right now. Once I decide to betray you in the future, all of us will just self-destruct. Everyone loses, including you," she explained.

"Yeah, you're right. And it'll be my fault for trusting you." I looked straight into Kushida's eyes.

"Trusting me, huh?" Kushida sneered at herself. Even she knew that trusting her was the worst move one could make.

"Yes... I want to trust you. Do you still not trust me, Kushida?" I asked.

"I..."

Finally, I will tie the last string.

I slowly took out something from my pocket. It was a very small cassette recorder.

"Well, if you still don't, your decision might've been right."

"Eh...? On your hand... Is that...? Did you just..." Kushida immediately knew what I meant by taking out the item.

"I recorded everything we talked about tonight, Kushida. Right from the moment we entered the room, to the time when I played the recording on my phone, including the moment where you revealed every single detail of your past to me, and up until this very moment... this recorder was taking in everything. It was my real contingency plan," I narrated.

When she thought everything was finally okay—When hope filled her heart again... Everything comes crashing down.

"No..."

"I asked a friend to transfer me the funds so I can buy this recorder. That's why nothing looked odd when you saw my private point balance earlier. It was an expensive buy, after all," I explained.

She could only stare blankly at the recorder that I was holding.

"Haha... So... you really planned to betray me in the end, huh?"

Kushida didn't even glare at me.

She just accepted her defeat. After all, her entire lifeline was recorded on that very tape.

Her past, her fake angelic self, and her hidden dark side—all of them were laid bare.

She hit rock bottom.

To Kushida, I was holding her whole high school life by the throat, ready to slash it with a knife and eliminate it forever.

Once that happens, she can either live in hell... or drop out.

When I peered into her face, tears started welling up.

However, it didn't take long before she noticed something odd.

"But why would you try to tell me this now? It doesn't make sense..."

I slowly opened the cassette recorder.

"I did plan to betray you... But Kushida, I've already made up my mind right from the start."

I took out the tape from the recorder and dropped it on the ground.

Smash.

The one and only tape that contained everything was now in pieces after I stomped on it.

"What are you-?" Kushida was perplexed by my actions.

I slowly grabbed the disordered films and tore them apart.

"I laid all of my cards in front of you and burned them all the way. My so-called contingency plan and only leverage against you is now in pieces," I said.

"Why...? Why?! I don't understand! You already had me twice!" Kushida furiously looked for answers.

Kushida Kikyou was distrustful by nature and she absolutely abhorred losing, more so than normal people do. That's why after getting bested twice, even she found it hard to accept that I was just giving her a free escape again.

"I told you... I just wanted you to trust me, Kushida. I don't care how you act in front of me, or how you act in front of people even if I know about 'the dark side' you're hiding from others. My only goal isn't to antagonize you at all," I said. "I want to be your friend and your ally.

"You're ridiculous!" Kushida's strained voice exclaimed in confusion. "You knew I wouldn't listen to you if you just revealed what you know without having the cards to lock me down. I don't know if you're telling the truth, and I don't think I can do anything to confirm that at this point... But if you are, then didn't you just set all of this up... to make friends with me?!"

"I don't know... I didn't have many friends back then—No, who am I kidding? I didn't have any friends back then. That's probably why I began to think like this." I said before looking at her straight in the eyes. 

"And that's probably why I don't want to lose the first friend I made."

The tears that Kushida tried to hold back finally streamed down her rosy cheeks.

"Damn it... Why should I be moved by those corny words? You're just a smart and athletic loner." Kushida started hurling insults at me while wiping her tears. "You're just a pervert... who tried to rape me. You're just a cunning bastard who manipulates others... You're just... You're just..."

I stayed silent as Kushida said what was on her mind. I didn't interrupt her as she let out the things she wanted to say.

She continued crying for a minute or two. After she was done, Kushida glared at me with an annoyed expression.

"Do you trust me, Kushida?" I asked.

"I do, idiot. Are you happy?" she replied scornfully.

"Thank you," I replied while staring at her.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

"There's nothing else to look at other than your swollen eyes and snot-filled face," I joked.

Kushida furiously threw a pillow at me.

"Whatever... I'll leave now. It's getting late," Kushida said coldly.

She got up from my bed and picked up her bag. I grabbed her wrist before she could reach the door.

"Kushida," I called.

"What now?" she asked, still trying to clean up her face.

"When you want to vent your feelings out, come here. I'll listen to you."

Thud.

Kushida punched me in the chest with all her might.

"If it wasn't for your monotone way of speaking, I would've immediately thought you were hitting on me," she said.

"I wasn't planning on doing so," I replied.

"Next time, don't you dare record me, or I'll really kill you," she threatened.

I simply nodded.

"Bye-bye, Ayanokouji-kun." Kushida looked away as she exited the door.

Chapter Text

As soon as Kushida disappeared, I took out my phone and called someone. When it rang, the other end immediately picked up.

"Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Horikita, everything's alright now."

"What? Did you confront Kushida-san already?" she asked in confusion.

"Yeah."

"And she agreed just like that?"

"Well... I have my methods."

"Come to my room. I want you to explain everything to me. I can come to your room too if that's what you prefer," she demanded.

"No, not right now. I'll tell you myself when I think it's the optimal time. I'll give you the points back by then as well."

"That's... Alright, I understand."

And then I hung up. I began to search for a number that I had a couple of weeks prior. When it rang, the other end also picked up immediately.

"Ayanokouji?" An older female voice can be heard.

"Ah, Chabashira-sensei. There's something that I need you to look up," I said.

After I convinced Chabashira-sensei to do what I asked for, I slowly sat down on my bed. I reached out under it and took out an item. The same item can be found under my office chair.

"Hmm... Seems like the bugs also got everything. Good. I doubt Kushida would target me or the class in the future, but there's a high chance she'll still try to get Horikita expelled. When push comes to shove, I guess I can just use these against her," I muttered.

The real reason why I bought an expensive cassette recorder that cost 20,000 points was to cloak the purchase of these two bugs. They both cost 2,500 points each. The difference between a 25,000-point total and a 20,000-point total wasn't that big, so as long as she didn't know each and every purchase I made from day one, there was no way Kushida could deduce the truth. Buying three bugs would also be an option because 7,500 points aren't that big either, but if I presented one to Kushida, she'd think that there might be more of them.

I don't really have to worry about getting found out eventually. Because as time goes on, this purchase will become virtually impossible to deduce.

Chapter Text

May 26th, Wednesday.

It's been two weeks since my confrontation with Kushida. I was currently holding the memorandum that was prepared for that night, rereading the details of each condition I put in. I would've taken this out if she still decided to doubt me in the end.

"I'm surprised Kushida didn't ask for something like this. Her mind must've been too occupied with worry and anxiety at that time..."

Kushida has been coming to my room every other day or every two days to vent her feelings. I just sit there and quietly listen to her. Of course, whenever she asks for my opinion, I just give a neutral answer.

Kushida and I have been acting the same as usual, and yet, I can't help but feel like we've become a bit closer since that night.

I sighed in reminiscence, folding the contract and putting it inside the drawer. I checked the group chats to see how everyone was doing.

"Hmm... The exam will be on Friday, the day after tomorrow. Based on Hirata's report, everyone's pretty much ready to take on the exam," I muttered. "I'm glad we made it in time."

But regarding Ken, it would be great if his score could hit the 60s. Well, because his foundation was so bad, I guess this much was expected.

I've been thinking about it for a few days now. Why would they suddenly change the topics for our exam when there are only two weeks left? The only reason I can come up with was to prevent some sort of foul play like cheating... which begs the question. How can we even cheat on the exam?

On the surface, it seemed like they wanted to discourage cheating... but something felt odd.

That mock test is surely a clue.

Until now, everyone still found that test bizarre for a few reasons. Chabashira-sensei implied that the test was used as a reference for our class points in May. However, that reason in itself was already kind of out of place. They could just give us a surprise quiz covering all of the lessons for the first three weeks. Instead, the questions were mostly on the junior high level, combined with those difficult higher-level questions at the end of the test.

"Hmm... What if those questions were the clues themselves?" I murmured before sitting up from my bed.

I'll look into this tomorrow. If my hunch is right, we can achieve the highest class average in the entire year. I'd want someone to accompany me, but who do I choose? Hirata and Kushida would stand out, so I guess it'll be Horikita.

I decided to sleep after sending Horikita a text.

On the next day, I prepared to head out after finishing my morning exercise routine.

When the elevator opened...

"Oh, Ayanokouji-kun!" Ichinose Honami was inside.

"Good morning, Ichinose," I greeted. "You're early."

"Ahaha, you're usually a bit earlier than me though. I see you walking ahead of me almost every morning," she said.

That's true. But of course, there are one or two days a week when I don't come to school as early.

"The midterm exams are right around the corner, huh?" she said.

"Yeah, how's your class doing?"

"We're doing great! Everyone's really diligent with their studies. Class C has worked pretty hard these past few weeks," Ichinose replied with a smile.

"Class B's the same. There are more students in our class who're lower when it comes to their innate academic abilities, but through Hirata and Kushida's leadership, everyone came together and studied rigorously," I narrated.

"So Hirata-kun and Kushida-san are the ones leading the class, huh?" Ichinose mused with a curious expression.

"Yeah, they're amazing."

"How about you, Ayanokouji-kun? Do you struggle in academics?"

"Not really. I'm not as clever as Hirata, Kushida, or as studious as our top students like Horikita and Yukimura, but I can score highly on tests," I replied. "You can call me book-smart or intelligent, I guess."

"Oh? So you're not only athletic, but you're also bright?" She praised me, putting her hands together with a clap.

"Nah, you give me too much credit. You were assigned to Class B after our admission, right? Surely, you're smarter than I am."

"I wonder about that~," she said, looking at me with a meaningful smile.

The two of us chatted on our way to the main building. The moment we drew near, Ichinose was instantly surrounded by other students. Apparently, they're her classmates.

"Honami-chan!"

"Honami-chan, good morning!"

"Good morning, everyone!" Ichinose gave them a warm greeting in return.

After buying a copy of a list containing the names and faces of every student in our year, I managed to memorize every single one of them. Chabashira-sensei said that as long as what I was trying to purchase contained nothing but names and faces, she'd allow me to buy it. I could probably coax her into giving me something with more information, but given her personality, it'll come at a very hefty price. So, I just bought a simple list for 15,000 points.

Right now, the three girls talking to Ichinose are Amikura Mako, Minamikata Kozue, and Andou Sayo.

"Oh, if it isn't Ayanokouji-kun!" Andou said, noticing me.

"Ayanokouji-kun, this is Amikura Mako-chan, this is Andou Sayo-chan, and this is Minamikata Kozue-chan." Ichinose introduced them to me.

"Good morning," I greeted.

"Heyo~!"

The three of them greeted me back with lively attitudes.

This is weird, though. Andou called my name out, and based on the other two's reactions, they also seemed to know who I was. How? Did Ichinose tell them about the swimming class?

"Honami-chan, are you and Ayanokouji-kun close?" Minamikata asked with a smirk.

"Well, we've talked a bunch of times. The two of us met up in the elevator by coincidence earlier, so we just decided to walk to school together," Ichinose smoothly narrated.

"I see. I thought something else was going on. Yume-chan and Hitomi-chan would panic, you know?" said Amikura.

"Eh...?" Ichinose smiled bitterly.

This is getting awkward. I should probably get out of here.

"Then, I guess I'll tread ahead."

"Hmm~? Are you not curious, Ayanokouji-kun? I'm sure you already get it, but some girls in our class have a huge crush on you." Amikura addressed me before I could escape.

"Why would they?" I asked, glancing back at Ichinose.

"Eh? I didn't tell them anything, Ayanokouji-kun. I swear!" She waved her hands in a panic.

"Ohh? What might you be talking about, Honami-chan?" Minamikata asked, inching closer to Ichinose.

"That's..." Ichinose looked back at me.

Sigh... At the very least, Ichinose didn't blabber about the swimming class. She really is an honest girl.

"It's fine, Ichinose. It's not something that would damage my dignity or whatever," I shrugged.

When I gave her the go signal, Ichinose turned to her confused classmates with a grin.

"Do you remember way back in April, when we had that swimming class?" She started with a question.

"Oh, the one where Shibata-kun and Kanzaki-kun went head-to-head?" Andou asked.

Shibata Sou and... Kanzaki Ryuuji, huh?

"Yeah! But didn't the teacher tell us something even more shocking? There was a student in Class B who almost beat the world record!" Ichinose narrated with a smile.

At that time, we were still Class D.

"Oh, I remember!" Minamikata replied, with Andou and Amikura nodding beside her.

"Well, that was actually Ayanokouji-kun," she chortled.

"Ehh?! Really?! Ayanokouji-kun is more athletic than Shibata-kun?! That's amazing!" said Andou.

"He's not just good-looking, huh?" Minamikata smirked at me while rubbing her chin. She was also nodding her head repeatedly, much like how a grandparent checks his or her grandchild's growth.

"Nah, Shibata-kun's in the soccer club, right? I may swim faster, but that doesn't mean I'm more athletic than him," I replied, denying their praises.

"Look, Ayanokouji-kun's terribly humble, too," Ichinose chuckled, whispering those words aloud.

"Isn't this bad for Yume-chan and Hitomi-chan, though? Once the girls from other classes know about this they'll have even more rivals!"

"Then don't spread it..." I said.

"Heh~? Well, if you forbid us from doing it, then we won't," she said.

"Then, I forbid you from telling anyone about my identity as Class B's mermaid or something," I joked.

"If you say so~!"

Thankfully, they easily agreed while laughing at my joke. I don't know if I'm getting better at jokes, but I sure hope so.

"I would've liked to go now, but my question remains unanswered. If Ichinose-san didn't tell you anything, how did you guys even know who I am?" I asked.

"Hahaha! Are you that scared of having people know about you, Ayanokouji-kun?" asked Andou.

This is bad. I might've pushed the question too hard.

"Not really. I'm just curious," I explained. "If it's someone like Hirata or Kushida, then I'd understand. But if the name of a nobody like me gets passed around, I immediately assume that it's brought on by some distasteful rumors..."

"Oh, I see! That would certainly make me uneasy," commented Amikura.

"But there's one thing you're wrong about, Ayanokouji-kun. You're not a nobody at all! Most of the girls in our year had their eyes on you for a long time now." Minamikata pointed at me.

"You're kidding, right?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Ahaha! Of course not~! Look!" Minamikata brought the screen of her phone in front of my face.

"Ranking charts?"

"That's right! You're a trend here, placing fourth in the hot guy rankings!" Minamikata announced as she zoomed in on my name.

What the hell is this...? For a second, I saw things like 'rich guy rankings', 'creeper rankings', and 'boys who should die'...

I glanced at Ichinose and saw her smiling wryly, watching everything unfold. Her expression looked a bit apologetic.

"As you can see, Satonaka-kun from Class A holds the first place, and Hirata-kun, your classmate, is in second place, with Hashimoto-kun, also from Class A, sitting in third place," she elaborated.

The fifth placer is also from Class A.

But dear lord... If I knew this thing existed, I should've just asked Kushida about it. My precious 15,000 points...

"I see. At the very least, I'm not known for some weird rumors," I said, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Hmm~? Be honest, Ayanokouji-kun. You're happy about what you've seen, right? After all, now you know that you're quite popular with the girls." Minamikata teased me with a smug smile.

"I think any guy in the top ten or top twenty would be happy," I said.

"Fufun~, don't dodge the question now." Minamikata poked me with her elbow.

"Fine. I'm so happy that I feel like bragging about this to all of my guy friends as soon as I enter the classroom," I said in the most monotone voice I could ever pull off in my entire life."

"Hahaha! What the heck?"

"You sounded far from being happy!"

They laughed, including Ichinose.

Since the five of us walked together as we chatted, it was inevitable that we'd grab some attention. I saw a bunch of students staring curiously at our strange little group. Surely, Ichinose was a well-known figure in our year, and since Amikura, Andou, and Minamikata are her classmates, they should share that popularity to some degree.

On the other hand, while I'm popular with the girls. A lot of the guys would start wondering what the hell I was doing, walking with four cute girls, including Ichinose Honami, and chatting with them like a close friend. After all, I'm still pretty much a nobody hailing from a different class.

"Well, this has been fun, but I'll go ahead now. Goodbye." I waved after we reached a certain hallway.

"See you later, Ayanokouji-kun~! Give us your contact info next time!"

She must've gotten really comfortable with me in the short time that we chatted.

Ichinose and the other two also said their goodbyes.

What a peculiar morning. It was fun, but peculiar nonetheless.

Chapter Text

I arrived at the classroom and found that there were still very few people.

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun," Hirata greeted.

"Good morning, Hirata," I replied.

Azuma, Ishikura, and Mii-chan also greeted me.

When I sat down on my chair, the calm and collected Horikita closed her book and faced me.

"So, what's with your message last night?" she asked.

"Hmm, the reason why I wanted you to accompany me was so I didn't have to explain too much. But it wouldn't be fair for you if I don't say anything."

"It's alright if you just give me the gist of what you're planning," she sighed.

"Frankly speaking, I think I found a trick for everyone to get a perfect score on the exam."

Hearing my words, Horikita's eyes instantly narrowed.

"What-? You can't possibly be talking about cheating, right?" Horikita asked with a perplexed expression.

"No, I don't think so. You'll see later."

"Just what in the world are you going to..." Horikita stared at me before pondering what I said.

When lunchtime arrived, Horikita and I went to the cafeteria without attracting too much attention.

Seeing me eyeing the people in line, Horikita probably wanted to ask some questions, but since I made it clear to her that explanations would come later, she just kept observing me.

When I saw the perfect target, I immediately followed them to their table. I sat beside him without warning and Horikita sat across the two of us.

"Good afternoon, Senpai. Do you mind if we ask you something?" I said.

"What the-? Who the hell are you guys?" He slightly flinched in surprise.

"I'm Ayanokouji from Class 1-B. Senpai, are you a second-year, or a third-year?" I asked.

He regained his composure shortly after hearing my introduction. Not only that, but he also seemed to be expecting us to be first-years.

"Third-year," he answered. "What do you want?"

"You're from Class D, aren't you, Senpai?"

"Yeah, so what?" He glared at me.

Horikita seemed surprised about me correctly guessing his class, but after a few seconds, she finally figured it out.

"Don't worry, Senpai. We're only here to offer you a sweet deal," I said.

"A sweet deal?" He raised an eyebrow.

Since everyone was minding their own business in the crowded cafeteria, my voice was drowned out by the noisy conversations of the students.

"The test questions for the midterm exams during the first semester of your first year—do you still have them? Or if you don't, do you at least know anyone who does?"

At this point, even Horikita stared at me in shock.

"Do you even understand what you're asking from me?" he replied with a question.

"Of course, I do. I don't think this kind of method would be considered cheating. We just want to use those old test questions for 'study purposes'."

"Why are you asking me?"

"Nothing special. I just thought you'd be easier to negotiate with since you look like you're struggling with your points. I can give you some points in exchange for those test questions." I said looking at his free vegetable lunch set.

"I don't have them, but I know someone who does. I can get the test questions from him and give them to you directly, but how much are you willing to give me?" he narrowed his eyes.

"10,000 points."

"Are you kidding me? I won't accept anything below 30,000," he said.

"Let me tell you something, Senpai. I thought of this strategy as a way to increase our class average, not to prevent anyone from getting expelled. We'll be totally fine even if I call this whole thing off," I said with a grave expression. "And you're not the only one we can negotiate with, so please don't get too ambitious with your demands."

Our positions switched in an instant. There's no way he can let this deal go knowing that others can take it.

"Tch, shit... Fine, 20,000..." He clicked his tongue in frustration.

"You didn't seem to understand what I said, Senpai. Fine, I'll settle for 12,000."

"Damn it... That's too low..." he was agonizing about accepting my deal.

I guess I can let him bite the carrot now.

"Hmm... How about this then? Do you remember the mock test that all of us were asked to take before May? I'll give you 18,000 points if you can include that."

His expression instantly changed after hearing my compromise.

"Alright-! I'll settle, I'll settle. I'll give everything to you directly in exchange for 18,000 points."

"It's a deal then. Don't rip me off, Senpai. Point transfers are always recorded."

"I know, I know. It's not like I wanna get in trouble, too," he said, acting irritated despite his obvious elation with how everything went.

I transferred 18,000 private points to his account and gave him my contact info.

After everything was settled, Horikita and I got up from our seats and proceeded to line up. That bit got me hungry. I wonder what I should buy.

"Ayanokouji-kun," Horikita called out to me as soon as the two of us sat in our respective seats. Her lunch set looks pretty appetizing.

Horikita usually makes her own bento. But since it's pretty rare for her to visit the cafeteria during lunch, I guess she decided to make an exception for today. I'm glad I specified to her that our business would be "during lunch at the cafeteria".

"Hm?"

"We're in a pretty inconspicuous part of the cafeteria. I believe there's no risk in explaining everything here?"

"Of course. Where do you want me to start?" I asked, stuffing a spoonful in my mouth.

"You can tell me everything at your own pace. Please don't leave out any details," she replied.

"Alright, I'll ask you a question then. What did you think of it—of what I did just now?"

"It was... pretty ridiculous. No ordinary student would think of getting old test questions from upperclassmen unless they're good friends with them," she said.

"Well, you're right. Some might even think that it's tantamount to cheating."

"That's what I'm concerned about."

"You don't have to worry. If the school really considered it cheating, they would've outlined it in the rules," I shrugged. "And besides, I knew everything was permissible during our first exchange. His composure indicated that bartering points like that is a common practice in this school."

"But... tomorrow's the last day before the exam. Even if the test questions turn out to be of use, they wouldn't be able to help us much, wouldn't they?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's why you can call this both an insurance and a gamble."

"I get the insurance part, but why a gamble?"

"I'm sure you're wondering why I went ahead and asked for the surprise mock test's questions, too."

"Yes, I was. Knowing you, it must be part of the strategy you came up with, right?"

I nodded.

"Didn't you find that test weird? If they were really going to use that test as a reference for our performance in the first three weeks, why would they use junior-high level questions mixed with three high-level questions by the end?"

"You're right, I was wondering about that too."

"It's about remembering the questions, Horikita."

"Remembering the questions?" Horikita pondered for a second before looking at me with a nonplussed expression.

"You figured it out?"

"A student won't be able to remember the questions from a test that they found easy and familiar... but extremely hard questions will surely remain in their minds," narrated Horikita.

"They even went so far as to put all three of them at the end," I added. "Once I get those questions from the upperclassmen—"

"You'll be able to compare them by checking the last three questions," she finished. "So you weren't aiming for the test questions to be simply similar. You wanted them to be completely the same. That's why you called it a trick to give everyone perfect scores."

"Excellent, as expected of you," I praised.

"Thank you, but Ayanokouji-kun, even if the questions from the mock test turn out to be completely identical, there's no guarantee that the midterms will be the same thing."

"Hence, a gamble," I said.

Horikita shook her head with a sigh

"When did you plan this?" she asked.

"I thought everything through last night, but I had my hunch ever since Chabashira-sensei announced the change in topics. It was a move that would yield the opposite conclusion from mine. If the coverage was 'suddenly changed', then the thought of using older test questions would've been useless because the content of the exam would also 'change'," I explained.

"Then how did you arrive at this conclusion?"

"I was thinking about how Ken, Ike, and Yamauchi even got admitted to this school. If their academic abilities were so poor, then they wouldn't be able to maintain their places here. After all, this school expels students who fail the exams without any exceptions."

"But just from that..."

"It's a good argument, but of course, it wouldn't be too convincing. What made me sure about this was Chabashira-sensei's indifferent attitude towards the three of them in particular. Both of us know how obsessed she is with Class A, right? If that was the case, she would be instructing us to keep an eye on those three," I explained.

"So you're saying that her indifference was a clue in and of itself? Chabashira-sensei was telling us that their poor academics don't matter because 'there is a way to make them pass'—is that what you've concluded?"

"Yeah, that's right," I nodded.

"I see... I understand. We won't know if your theory is right until we get the results, but I don't think you'll go through with this idea unless you're at least eighty or ninety percent sure, right? And besides, this is a low-risk, high-return plan." Horikita nodded before turning to me. "As usual, your ridiculous way of thinking amazes me, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Thanks," I replied, taking her words as a compliment. It would've been great if she smiled while saying that. Her cool expression only puts pressure on me.

"But at the same time, it daunts me too," she said.

"Why?" I asked, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"The way you harassed that upperclassman mentally was unnerving, to say the least," Horikita responded with a reluctant expression.

"The right situation calls for the right attitude. If I acted any weaker, he'll be harder to negotiate with," I answered. "Don't worry. My boring personality is my real personality."

"I see," she sighed. "I'll trust your words as an ally."

"Thank you."

After that, we headed back to the classroom, waiting for our end of the bargain. While I was hanging out with Akito and Ken, I suddenly received a message.

"Oh, wait a sec'. I'll talk to Horikita for a bit. The thing we worked on earlier finally showed some results," I explained vaguely.

"Aight'," Ken said with a grin.

"Sure. Do what you need to do, mister tutor." Akito was the same.

When Horikita saw me approach her seat, she looked at me with widened eyes, probably due to her feelings of anticipation.

"How was it? Were they the same?" she asked.

"Calm down, Horikita. I haven't checked it yet. We'll look at it at the same time," I said.

Horikita nodded in response.

I tapped the notification and images started appearing. They were questions for the midterm exams. Horikita and I didn't bother looking at them in detail. What we're looking for are the questions from the mock test.

"Here they are," I said zooming in on the last three questions.

"They're... exactly the same... down to the last letter." Horikita's lips trembled slightly.

"If the midterm exams follow the same rules, then we might just get the highest class average in the entire year," I said.

"You're right. Send them to me, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll distribute these questions to everyone after the last study session tomorrow."

"Yeah, that's what I was intending to do. We can't carelessly show these to them or their motivations to study will plummet," I nodded.

"Yes, and if we tell them that the test questions have a very high chance to be completely identical, they'd frantically memorize each and every answer with the hopes of breezing through the exam," she elaborated.

After saying those words, Horikita turned to me.

"Ayanokouji-kun... If you win this gamble, then your plan might just work," Horikita said with a smile.

This is the first time I've ever seen this girl smile genuinely.

Someday, I hope I can learn how to smile like that.

Chapter Text

I was mesmerized by Horikita's beautiful smiling face. When she felt that I was staring at her for an extended period of time, only then did Horikita realize that she was actually smiling.

"E-Eherm," she cleared her throat, returning to her cool and collected state. "Anyway, this is good news, Ayanokouji-kun."

It seems like Horikita wants to avoid talking about what happened just now. If that's the case, then it would be disrespectful of me to tease her about it, as much as I want to.

"Yeah, do you want to tell Hirata and the other tutors?" I asked.

"No need. The fewer people involved, the lesser chance for these to be leaked accidentally." Horikita answered with a serious expression.

"Do you not trust them?"

"That's a tricky question. It's not that I don't, but I won't ask for their help when I don't need to," she explained. "I have no problems cooperating with my classmates, even with someone like Kushida-san. Your words and abilities gave me a wake-up call, after all... But I think it's not a good idea to rely on someone else all the time."

Considering her "I don't like people" attitude during the first week, this mindset of hers isn't the worst development. But it would've been better if she could put more trust in someone like Hirata.

"That's true. Forcing cooperation between people isn't always the best option—I agree with you on that. You're someone who doesn't sugarcoat anything, so being friends with a thick-skinned guy like me is the only way to go," I joked.

"Thick-skinned? I see. I thought you were just a masochist back then." Her face told me that she wasn't joking at all.

"You didn't have to do me like that, Horikita." I tried to keep the conversation going, but Horikita had already turned away from me.

"In any case, I want you to send those test questions to me later. I'll let you handle the explanation part tomorrow." Horikita opened her book once more. "You can go chat with your other friends now, Ayanokouji-kun."

Horikita didn't have to be so adamant in shooing me away. But given that I saw her smile, I guess everything was worth it.

Time passed by and I'm now in my room. After sending the images to Horikita, I proceeded to chat with my friends until it was time to sleep.

When the next day came, Horikita and I finally decided to tell Hirata and Kushida about the plan. They promised to help us gather the class later. And when Chabashira-sensei left us after the last homeroom period, Hirata stood up and got everyone's attention.

"Everyone, I know we all agreed for this last day to be a self-study day, but there's something Ayanokouji-kun would like to say before you leave," he announced.

Hirata instantly attracted everyone's eyes and ears. Meanwhile, Kushida and Horikita divided the number of papers among the two of them so they could be distributed. I walked up and stood behind the lectern, facing the students of Class B.

"Everyone, what you're holding right now are old test questions given to me by a senpai," I declared.

"Huh? Old test questions?"

"Will we use these for studying?"

"Are the topics even the same?"

Everyone voiced their questions and opinions on the matter, but after giving the papers a quick scan, they noticed that the questions were very similar to the study materials that they'd been using.

To be honest, even I was amazed. According to Hirata and the other tutors, Horikita had the biggest contribution in terms of picking the topics that would most likely be on the test. Seeing the similarities between her sample questions and the old test questions, I can only praise Horikita in my mind for her amazing feat.

"Those test questions and the ones that will appear in the exam for tomorrow are most likely going to be identical or at least close to being identical," I said. "I advise everyone to memorize the answers for each subject."

The class erupted the moment they heard those words.

"Ayanokouji, are you serious?!" Ike cried.

"D-Doesn't that mean we can get a perfect score if we just memorized all of these?" Karuizawa said.

"The heck?! We wouldn't have needed to study our butts off if we had these from the start! Ahaha!" Yamauchi complained even as he laughed.

Everyone was celebrating. At this point, Kushida tried to give a copy of the questions to Kouenji, who decided to stay inside the classroom for some reason.

"Kouenji-kun, please take one if you like. I'm sure it'll help." She handed one set to him with a smile.

"Hmph, thank you for your concern, girl. But I will gently decline. I have no need for such things. I merely stayed to hear whatever beautiful things Ayanokouji-boy had to say." He stood up and grabbed his bag. "Since he did not disappoint me, I am now satisfied. Goodbye."

Kouenji exited the room with his usual elegant strides. Seeing him like this was a normal occurrence for Class B.

Hirata raised his hand to shift the attention back to me.

"Ayanokouji-kun, can you explain how you knew about this?" He finally addressed the elephant in the room.

I elaborated my theory similar to how I did to Horikita. Of course, I nitpicked some details that can be omitted, like specifying Ken and the others' poor academic abilities. As expected, everyone was incredibly shocked by my explanation.

"Y-You're insane, Ayanokouji!"

"How the hell do you even think of that?!"

"As expected of Class B's leader!"

"Ayanokouji-kun is such a genius!"

The boys praised me with vigor while the girls cheered in excitement.

"I only suggested this because I believe that everyone is ready for the exam by now. At the end of the day, what I said were all theories- speculations at best," I explained. "If you can afford to give this day up, please use all of your remaining time to memorize the answers to these questions."

"I'm sure everyone's more than ready for the exams now, Ayanokouji-kun! We'll try our best to memorize these answers and get a high score!" said Kushida.

"You got it, Kiyotaka. I won't let your hard work get wasted." The usually silent Akito spoke up for me as Haruka and Ken cheered behind him.

"Let's do this, everyone! Class B will aim for an all-perfect scorer!" yelled Ike.

"Yeah!"

What Ike said was impossible, but everyone cheered with him regardless. Our class has become quite lively, hasn't it?

Class B dispersed after getting their sets of test questions. When I got back to my room, everyone in the class group chat continued talking about me, showering me with praises and compliments.

"I wonder if this is what Kushida was referring to when she talked about being noticed by everyone," I muttered.

Someone like her would be over the moon about this, but I can't say I'm the same. Of course, I feel very happy that my classmates appreciate me, but not to the point where I would constantly look for their compliments and approval.

If I'm being completely honest, there's a point where I'd rather not get praised. As someone who innately dislikes attention, I'd need some time to get used to this.

When I got back to my room, everyone was talking about the answers we gave them.

(15:40) [This totally feels like a cheat sheet!]

(15:40) [But thanks to Ayanokouji, I don't feel guilty at all!]

(15:40) [I know, right?! Like, Ayanokouji-kun is so smart for thinking this!]

(15:40) [Heh, I'm gonna get perfect scores, for sure!]

(15:41) [You're not even studying yet!]

They should probably get on with the memorizing as soon as they can. 

(15:41) [Ike, Yamauchi, stop chatting and get on with your study materials. Lol.]

I chatted before closing my phone.

With all those said and done, I'm expecting my classmates to achieve very high results.

Chapter Text

May 28th, Friday.

"Good morning, Class B," Chabashira-sensei smirked seeing everyone's stiff appearance. "No absences, huh? Well, I guess that's only natural. Are you all ready?"

"Everyone has worked their hardest for the past few weeks, Chabashira-sensei. I don't think anyone in our class will fail," Hirata answered, carrying the thoughts and feelings of everyone.

"That's good, that's good." Her smile was unchanging as she nodded at Hirata's reply. "This midterm exam will be the foundation of your academics. After taking this, you'll have your finals in July. Do your best because the school will be rewarding you with a nice vacation during summer break if everyone passes."

"A vacation?"

"That's right, a dream vacation on an island surrounded by the brilliant blue sea," she answered.

It was a no-brainer that the boys immediately thought of girls in swimsuits.

"W-What is this pressure...?" muttered Ijuuin.

Even Chabashira-sensei stepped back from the obvious tension that the students exuded... which mostly came from the boys.

"Everyone, let's do our absolute best!" howled Ike.

"Yeah!"

Driven by Ike's misguided enthusiasm, the entire class's morale increased two or threefold. I was debating on whether I should cheer with them or not, but feeling Horikita's terrifying glare, I chose to stay silent.

Social Studies, Japanese, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English—those were the order of the subjects we will take.

After the questions for the first subject were distributed, I instantly scanned the paper to see if they were the same as the old ones.

I won the gamble.

Even if I didn't memorize everything to the tee, it was evident the old test questions were identical to what we were taking right now. The order and phrasing were slightly different, but the questions themselves were essentially the same. I glanced to the side and saw Horikita looking at me with a triumphant glare. "It's Class B's victory", I thought as the two of us nodded at each other.

I glanced around the classroom to see how my classmates were faring.

Almost everyone was smiling. They really did study the questions we gave them. Alright, time to answer the exam myself.

Time passed by and at last, we finished our Mathematics exam. Students can finally take a break.

"Hell yeah! This is a complete win for Class B!" Ike cheered with the boys.

"I could probably score 120 points at this rate!" As usual, Yamauchi's confident words reverberated around the group.

Meanwhile, the Ayanokouji Group was having a meeting around Airi's seat.

"How'd everyone do?" I asked.

"No problem~! Those test questions were a godsend, Kiyopon! We got this in the bag!" Haruka raised her hand for a high-five.

Of course, I responded in kind.

"I probably scored 90 or more points on every subject. Not only were those a big help, but Kiyotaka's study materials also made it a whole lot easier for us, even if we didn't get to memorize everything."

"That's true... If Kiyotaka-kun didn't teach us the way he did, I'd probably score a bit lower even if I had the test questions," said Airi.

Our eyes turned to Ken, who was frantically scanning the test questions for English.

"Ken, is everything alright? You were especially weak in English. Did you study the materials properly?" I asked.

"Ken's fine. He's just making sure that he didn't memorize everything incorrectly." Akito answered for him while shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh, yeah." Ken turned to us. "I was almost in trouble last night. Good thing Akito came over."

"Yeah, I thought I'd go to his room to do some last-minute studying together, but this idiot fell asleep while studying English. If I didn't call his phone over and over more than ten times, I would've been stuck outside waiting for no one."

"Pfft, what are you, Kencchin's girlfriend?" Haruka scoffed.

"Shut up," Akito rolled his eyes at her.

"I won't expect you to score too high, Ken. But you have to be careful. The class average will probably be a lot higher this time around, so the passing grade might be hard to reach if you mess up."

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Kiyotaka. Even if I can't understand most of these questions, I took the time to memorize most of them last night," nodded Ken.

When the bell rang, everyone finally took the last two exams. As expected, everything was still the same.

"Good job, everyone. You all seem confident in yourselves. I'm looking forward to the results." With that, Chabashira-sensei left the classroom carrying our test papers.

"Let's go! We're finally done!"

"Hey, hey, let's go shopping afterward~!"

"I'll reward myself by buying the latest game!"

Class B happily celebrated the end of our midterm exams. A lot of them invited their tutors out as a sign of thanks. Of course, Ike and Yamauchi happily went with the flow in order to ask Kushida on a date.

"Ah, I'm sorry Ike-kun, Yamauchi-kun. I have plans later. But, don't worry, your thanks are more than enough for me! It's been a pleasure tutoring you guys!" Kushida declined them with a huge smile.

"Kushida-chan, you're such an angel!" yelled Yamauchi.

"You're too kind for this world!" followed Ike.

I glanced at Horikita, wondering what she was doing, and what I saw really surprised me.

"Horikita-san, do you wanna come with us?" asked Satou.

"We'll have lunch in Keyaki Mall and do some shopping afterwards. Don't worry about using your points, we'll treat you on everything!" Mori declared with a smile.

"That's... I can't possibly..." Horikita's head was probably a mess right now.

"It's alright, really! Let us at least thank you for tutoring us." Satou insisted.

Horikita reflexively looked at me. At this point, all I can do is nod. In the end, it was still her decision.

"Then... I'll take you up on your offer. But, I'll only accept your treat during lunch," she replied.

"Ehh? You're not gonna go shopping with us? You're such a cute girl, Horikita-san. It would've been fun if we could buy clothes together while talking about our tastes in fashion!" said Mori.

"I'm really sorry, but I have to decline. I have something else to do later," Horikita answered sternly.

"Well, if that's the case, we'll just treat you big-time for lunch!" Satou reached a verdict cementing their plan.

It would've been great if she could become friends with the other girls.

I stood up and approached Akito, who was sitting in front of me.

"Wanna go ahead and grab lunch with the others?" I asked.

"Sure, I was just about to stand up as well," he answered.

The two of us invited Ken, Haruka, and Airi to Pallette. The Ayanokouji Group merrily celebrated the conclusion of our midterm exams. All we have to do now is buckle up and wait for the results.

Chapter Text

The day of the results finally arrived.

"Quiet down, students. Homeroom's about to start," Chabashira-sensei said as she strode inside the classroom.

At that moment, Ike raised a question.

"Sae-chan-sensei, we were told that the results would be out today, but when exactly?"

"Hmm, you're right. I was supposed to show you the results in the afternoon homeroom, but getting to it now rather than later isn't really a bad idea." Chabashira-sensei suggested.

It seems like she's already used to the nickname that Ike and his gang gave her.

Chabashira-sensei took out a poster and pasted it on the blackboard. She totally expected Ike's question, didn't she?

When she faced us again, Chabashira-sensei was smiling warmly. Anyone can tell that she was genuinely happy with the results.

"You've produced stellar results in your first-semester midterm exams. I have acknowledged your efforts wholeheartedly, Class B," she said.

"Ohh!"

"So high!"

"Look at those 100's!"

There were ten rows of students who scored 100 points in all five subjects. They included me, Horikita, Mii-chan, Kushida, Hirata, Yukimura, Matsushita, Professor, Nishimura, and Kouenji.

Impressive, he really didn't need those test questions. I guess his mock test results weren't a fluke.

"Congratulations to some of you who scored perfectly across the board. Not only that, I would like to commend everyone for passing with flying colors," she said.

"Hell yeah!" Ken cheered after seeing his scores.

"No one failed, huh? What was the passing grade, Sensei?" asked Horikita.

"Oh, you're curious? The passing grade this time was 44 points."

Ken still had the lowest overall score, but they were much higher than his mock test results. His lowest score, English, was still 68 points. Ken was a whole 24 points above it.

"44 points...?" Horikita muttered with a slightly confused expression.

"I can tell you how the passing grade is calculated." Chabashira-sensei grabbed a piece of chalk and started writing on the blackboard. "Each class will have its own class average score for each subject. Let's take the subject with the lowest average score, which is English. If we take every one of your scores, we'll get an average of 87.55 points. If we divide that by 2, we'll get 43.78 points. Round it off accordingly, and the passing grade for English would be 44 points. The passing grade for every other subject was also 44 points, which is convenient."

The explanation was easy to digest, so the class nodded understandingly.

"That makes sense," said Hirata.

Chabashira-sensei lets everyone enjoy their high exam scores. As our homeroom teacher, it was natural for Chabashira-sensei to be proud of her students.

"Well then, I guess that's it for the results. Take your seats and keep quiet because the next class will start soon," she reminded. "Goodbye."

When class ended, my schedule instantly became jam-packed. I was supposed to hang out with the Ayanokouji Group to celebrate Ken's survival. Then, at a later time, the tutors will be celebrating as a group, too. I haven't even mentioned the amount invites I got from my other classmates...

Regardless, the first hurdle has been overcome. I guess it wouldn't do any harm if I improved my interpersonal relationships even more.

Chapter Text

It's been a week since the entrance ceremony and I can say that everything's been fine so far. When our class found out the truth about the S-System, I'm sure each and every one of us panicked. The beautiful paradise that was the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School... actually held our futures by the throat.

As someone who was born into a well-off family, all I had to do was reciprocate the efforts of my parents by achieving academic excellence. We had mutual respect for our abilities in that regard and my kind parents had me grow up in an environment with no restrictions on my freedom.

In the end, I've envisioned many suitable futures for myself. Working as a flight attendant in an international airline or a major airport company, or simply marrying a financially capable man would've been satisfactory.

However, those changed when I entered this school because I could finally aim for much higher goals. It would be great if I could study at a prestigious university abroad. After that, countless opportunities would open up for me. Everything would've been smooth sailing from here on out, or at least that's what I thought...

There were a lot of 'would' and 'could' in my path to a good life, but of course, obstacles are inevitable. The S-System turned out to be a poisoned apple. I was assigned to Class D, which was actually a class for the so-called 'defects'.

For the past week, one thought still terrifies me. If it wasn't for him doing what he did on the first day, I can see our class's inevitable doom... I wasn't an idiot, but even I can grow ignorant. If Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun hadn't bought the information on the S-System, we would've been too complacent to even observe basic school rules. I can only shiver in terror when thinking about how low our class points would've been if we stayed ignorant... After being with my classmates for the past week, I can see that dark future happening.

"Sigh... What am I even thinking about?" I sighed.

"Yeah, I've been wondering about that, too." A voice reached my ears.

"Huh-? Ayanokouji-kun?" I panicked.

"Did I startle you? My bad." Ayanokouji-kun was calm as always.

The six of us were currently walking together on our way to Keyaki Mall. After doing some light shopping, we'll relax in Pallete. Well, that was the plan. Right now, Mori-san and Satou-san are talking with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun.

Fufun~. Those girls really look like they'd rather talk with Ayanokouji-kun instead. But I understand that they don't want to leave a bad impression on him by ignoring the other two. At the same time, they're making him seek them out. A smart move. Luckily, I acted pretty aloof today, so Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun might've found it hard to approach me.

Now that I think about it, while being friends with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun seems fine, and even fun sometimes, I just can't see myself entering a relationship with either of them. That would also be the case for most of the boys in Class D, which makes sense.

As someone who evaluates herself quite highly, I would like a capable partner.

"There you go again, Matsushita-san. Really, what are you thinking about?" Ayanokouji-kun asked softly.

"Oh? Why are you so interested, Ayanokouji-kun?" I asked with a smile of confidence.

"Those four really seem immersed in whatever their conversation is about. I thought it would be nice if we could talk about something ourselves. It's fine if you're too occupied with your thoughts, though," he explained.

"Too occupied with my thoughts? Who says that? Are you a psychiatrist, Ayanokouji-kun? Or perhaps a clinical psychologist?" I chuckled in response.

He's probably panicking right now. It'll be fun to see his composure crack with a little teasing. No matter how much of a critical thinker or academic genius Ayanokouji-kun is, I was confident in my ability to get in other people's heads. In other words, psychological warfare. On the surface, Ayanokouji-kun was an easy target because he didn't look like an expert conversationalist. I'll find out whether that's true or not.

"I'm not trying to say any trendy lines... You really just look like someone who thinks deeply about certain stuff," he said. "I was also curious about earlier. You were staring at me with a weird look on your face. I've always wondered; what you were thinking about during that time?"

Guh-! M-My one weakness... I can't believe he remembered that embarrassing moment.

Ayanokouji-kun was an impressive swimmer—no that's an understatement at this point. He was someone who was unmatched. When I was assigned to him, I was wholeheartedly excited because I knew he would rank among the top and it would be fun to time his performance. However, when Sensei blew the whistle, I was almost terrified at how fast he approached me.

In the end, he placed first, surpassing Kouenji-kun, who was favored to win due to his preliminary result. Of course, I didn't space out to the point where I forgot to time him properly. However, I couldn't believe what just happened and I thought I made some sort of mistake.

When I faced Ayanokouji-kun to tell him his time, I was quite... stunned. His toned body was wet, and it glistened as the droplets of water formed a puddle under him. It was one thing for him to be unbelievably fast, but he didn't even look out of breath. The face I saw as he slowly combed his wet hair with his hands looked incredibly... handsome.

His face has been on my mind since then, which resulted in my absent-minded staring when he got swarmed by our classmates. He was just so...

-?!

No, no... What am I even thinking about? Well, I don't want to sound defensive, but I don't have any strong romantic feelings for him or anything. But, I think it would be fine to say that I have developed a small crush on him—just a small one.

"Were you thinking about the results?" he asked.

That was basically a free run-away pass from absolute humiliation. If he genuinely meant to ask that question, then I'm lucky... But if he knew about my current mental predicament and chose to give me an escape... That would be... scary. I wasn't in his head. He was in mine.

"Uh, yeah. You didn't really answer anyone earlier, so I'll ask again. Just how did you swim so fast? In your introduction, you didn't say anything about liking swimming. But from that performance, it looked like you were training to be the best in the world," I explained. 

Perfect, now the conversation is all about him.

"To tell you the truth, I've trained rigorously in swimming when I was young. That's probably why I got so fast. I didn't mention it in my self-introduction because I never loved swimming in particular," he answered. 

That's fair... Still, I may not know what the world record is for the 50-meter freestyle, but even I can tell that his speed was almost superhuman. Well, there's no use in prying any further. If he's hiding anything regarding his past, I might just displease him.

"You were pretty fast, too, Matsushita-san. You even beat Kushida in the placements."

"I can't really say I got lucky, can I? Well, you see, I'm not that physically capable, but it's not like I'm a spoiled, sheltered girl," I explained. Of course, my choice of words was carefully handpicked.

"I see. If that's the case, then I guess your placement was well deserved." Ayanokouji-kun replied, with everlasting composure... 

Why isn't he asking anything about my family or my background?! Is it because he knew I would bounce the question back at him?

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka—I can't get a good read on him at all.

I've decided that from then on, I'll keep my eyes on him. Of course, it's not because I'm in love with him or anything like that... I mean, I'm not dumb, so I know it's possible that things might eventually be that way... But right now, I don't feel that strongly about him. It's more like I'm curious about who Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is. Just how far do his abilities go? I may be an excellent student, but it's highly likely that he's leagues ahead of me. If there are more students like him in this school, then I might rethink my self-evaluation of being in the top 10%.

Chapter Text

Group Chat Name: A.K. Fans

Total Members: 6

Males: 0

Females: 6

Class Distribution:

A: 0

B: 6

C: 0

D: 0

Names of Members:

- 2M1I1 (Admin)

- A2S

- DeKai

- Sawako

- Memento

- Nika0

Chatroom:

[Ayanokouji-kun was so handsome today, too!] (A2S)

[I know right!]
[I'll never get tired of looking at his face from my seat!] (Sawako)

[I'm so jealous of Hasebe-san!]
[I want Ayanokouji-kun to teach me too!] (A2S)

[I'm satisfied with my assignment, but getting taught by Ayanokouji-kun would be something else!] (Memento)

[But more than that, I want to know more about him!]
[He was super fast during swimming!] (DeKai)

[I feel the same!]
[I feel like he's becoming more and more mysterious.] (Nika0)

[Ehh?]
[Aren't you already so close to him, Nika-san?]
[You told us about it last time.] (2M1I1)

[That's true!]
[I even thought you'd ask him out at some point!] (DeKai)

[Ahaha...]
[You'd easily find out who I am if I did.]
[I'd be too embarrassed to act normally, no matter what the result is.] (Nika0)

[Haha!]
[I get that!] (Memento)

[But still, a lot of girls just started swarming him, you know?] (Nika0)

[I mean, isn't it just natural?]
[Like, Ayanokouji-kun is just too good for Class B, anyway.] (2M1I1)

[True!]
[He's super handsome, super smart, and super athletic all at the same time!]
[If he established himself outside the class, his popularity would increase by leaps and bounds!] (Memento)

[Wouldn't it be harder for us to approach him then?] (A2S)

[It'll be fine! We have the "classmate" advantage!] (Sawako)

[There are strong competitors from other classes though, like Ichinose-san, for example.] (Nika0)

[That's true!]
[She's super popular!] (2M1I1)

[She's really beautiful and has a great figure.]
[I've talked to her once before and, oh my god, she's such a nice person.] (Memento)

[Meanwhile, I can't even talk to him without blushing every other second.] (A2S)

[Same.] (2M1I1)

[His mature calmness is just too manly, even for me.] (DeKai)

[Ahh~!]
[I want to hang out more with Ayanokouji-kun!] (Sawako)

[He's such a mystery, isn't he?] (Nika0)

[That's part of why he's so cool!] (2M1I1)

Additional Group Chat Settings:

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Membership Settings:

- Male: Invite-only

- Female: Visible to all

Chapter Text

"Fuu..." I sighed deeply before finally pressing the doorbell.

After a couple of seconds later, he finally opened up.

"Kushida, come in," he said in his usual dull tone.

He's always been like this. Ever since I first met him, Ayanokouji-kun lacked personality in his voice. Everyone's first impression of him will always be a gloomy loner who doesn't know how to talk with other people.

The moment I entered his room, the stress I'd bottled up for the last three days resurfaced in my mind. I instantly felt weak and infuriated. This was also the reason why I'm in Ayanokouji-kun's room right now. I wanted to let out some steam.

After I removed my shoes, I saw Ayanokouji-kun standing there, waiting for me.

"You can go ahead and use the bed, Kushida. I'll just sit somewhe-"

I approached Ayanokouji-kun without stopping. I bumped into him, leaning my forehead on his broad chest.

"Kushida?" he asked.

"My bad. I just felt like absolute shit after today and it was really tiring..." I replied.

"I see," he answered, not saying anything else.

Leaning on him like this... feels really comforting. After a minute or so, I felt Ayanokouji's arm move upward.

"Pat my head and I'll kill you," I threatened in a deep voice.

"I'll do it anyway," He ignored my warning and proceeded to gently ruffle my hair.

"You'll ruin it, Ayanokouji-kun..." I was annoyed by his actions but was too tired to resist.

"You look really drained today, Kushida."

"Yeah..." I pushed his body aside and sat on the bed. "Sit beside me."

Ayankouji quietly complied and sat on the edge.

"It's so frustrating and annoying, Ayanokouji-kun..." I said. "Two days ago, when my group and Karuizawa-san's group here hanging out, it just felt so annoying!"

He did nothing but stare at me. His face shows no emotion, which would make anyone who sees it think that he's fundamentally indifferent towards everything he sees or hears.

"Some of the girls from their side started harassing Kokoro-chan and Mii-chan. Of course, they weren't blatant about it, but their passive-aggression kinda got out of hand. When I tried to mediate the situation by shifting their attention to something else, those bitches decided to turn on me!" I ranted.

"They started to throw their passive-aggressive jabs at me. I wanted to talk back and shut them up so bad! But I had to fucking endure everything until our groups separated!"

It's just the ugly truth of the interactions between girls. You can act arrogant when you have your reputation and friends behind you and still get away with it. To be honest, I'd probably act unreachable like Karuizawa-san, arrogant like Shinohara-san, or blunt like Maezono-san if I weren't the Kushida Kikyou I am now.

"I understand that their actions were driven by peer pressure and social norms, but at the end of the day, they still acted like bitches, and that pisses me off! Like, what? They don't get to act like that when they're not even as cute as me! Their ringleader, Karuizawa-san, just got a big head because she's Hirata-kun's girlfriend! Heh, and of course, the ugly ducklings would wag their tails for her because they can't make names for themselves! Damn it..."

I'm smart enough to judge that they're not bad people per se... But, at that moment in time, I wished for them to die.

When I looked at Ayanokouji-kun's face, his expression remained unchanging. He offered no comforting words nor did he defend the ones I was backstabbing.

"And then..." I went ahead and told him everything I kept inside for the past three days. My hidden thoughts about others, the way I made fun of them in my mind while acting nice, the disgusting creeps that I wish didn't exist, the other bitches that think they're cute when they're not—all of the putrid and vile secrets I've held in. I released them all and had Ayanokouji-kun hear everything.

After I finished my piece, slightly gasping for air, I lowered my head and leaned it on his shoulder.

"Let me cling to you, only for this moment. But don't get any ideas, Ayanokouji-kun. Just feel thankful that you get to see me like this; miserable and vulnerable. That's what boys like to see anyway, right?" I scoffed at him.

I expected him to bite back and deny whatever I was assuming but...

"It feels liberating, doesn't it?" he commented.

"What?"

"Ever since you were young, your mindset has already been like this, right? That's why you didn't trust anyone. They all thought they knew who Kushida Kikyou was, but you were keeping them at arm's length without them even realizing it. You didn't have anyone in your life who you can truly confide with your deepest and darkest thoughts. A classmate or friend would have a hold over you, so they weren't an option. A family member would reprimand you so they weren't an option either," he narrated.

Liberating, huh?

He's right... My blog was the wrong approach due to its innate risk and yelling everything out loud held the same amount of danger. It's what led Ayanokouji-kun to get an advantage over me in the first place.

"It certainly feels lighter in the chest to have someone listen to me without worrying about the consequences."

"I don't know if there's anyone out there like me, but I'm probably the only option you have right now, anyway. I don't really care if you badmouth or make fun of anyone, even if it's Horikita, Hirata, or my friends," he said.

"You really are cold, aren't you, Ayanokouji-kun?" I scoffed.

"As long as they're not in any danger, I couldn't care less."

This was why I decided to trust Ayanokouji-kun to some extent, even if he knew the entirety of my past. He was even better than me at keeping secrets. After all, my past, my true nature, and my real thoughts on other people weren't weapons for him to use. To Ayanokouji-kun, they were nothing but useless noises that he heard somewhere on the streets.

"What if someone else was badmouthing me? You said you didn't care about hearing people make fun of your friends, right?" I asked without acting cute, nice, or angelic.

On the surface, Ayanokouji-kun was the star student of Class B alongside Hirata-kun. And despite his gloomy appearance, he strives to become friends with everyone, trying his best to engage in conversations and other types of social interactions...

In reality, he was a cold, calculating, and cunning person who only values himself... and...

"Hmm, I'd probably tell you, if I remember it."

—and me, his first friend.

Chapter Text

Group Chat Name: A.K. Fans

Total Members: 9

Males: 0

Females: 9

Class Distribution:A: 0

B: 9

C: 0

D: 0

Names of Members:

- 2M1I1 (Admin)

- A2S- DeKai

- Sawako

- Memento

- Nika0

- Ui-tan (New)

- T0ka (New)

- Yuu-chan (New)

Chatroom:

[Eyo~!]
[Ayanokouji-kun made my heart flutter again today!] (2M1I1)

[Honestly, same!] (T0ka)

[I want him to stare at me like how he stares at Horikita-san.] (A2S)

[Now that I think about it, isn't Horikita-san's seat really enviable?!] (Memento)

[True!]
[I can only imagine my life if, like, Ayanokouji-kun is beside me everyday...]
[He's just so cool...] (Ui-tan)

[Ayanokouji-kun is really smart, too.] (Yuu-chan)

[I couldn't possibly score that high if it weren't for Ayanokouji-kun's strategy!] (DeKai)

[Ayanokouji-kun's intelligence is on another level, isn't it?] (Nika0)

[As each day passes, it feels like Ayanokouji-kun's becoming more and more unreachable...] (2M1I1)

[I think I'll just confess to him at this point.] (Sawako)

[Ehh, seriously?!] (DeKai)

[Gosh, I wish I had your courage.] (Ui-tan)

[I can understand that decision.]
[Many girls are getting a lot closer to Ayanokouji-kun lately.]
[I'm sure that includes some of us.] (Nika0)

[Yeah!]
[Apparently, their study group got really close.]
[Sakura-san and Hasebe-san are, like, leading in the race right now.] (Ui-tan)

[I still think Horikita-san's 'seatmate' advantage is better.]
[I see them talk a lot.] (T0ka)

[But isn't Kushida-san a lot closer to Ayanokouji-kun?] (A2S)

[It's pretty well-known that they were, like, each other's first friend in school.] (Ui-tan)

[That's so romantic.]
[I wish I had someone like that...] (Yuu-chan)

[As much as it makes me envious, aren't Kushida-san and Ayanokouji-kun, like, the perfect pair?] (Memento)

[Well...]
[They seem close.] (Nika0)

[Hmmm...]
[They're both quite the "unreachables" of our class.]
[Hirata-kun and Karuizawa-san were kind of the same, but they ended up together.] (T0ka)

[You think the same thing will happen to Kushida-san and Ayanokouji-kun?] (Memento)

[Now I can understand Sawaka-san's decision better.]
[She's certainly a tough competition.] (Ui-tan)

[Does Kushida-san even like Ayanokouji-kun, though?] (2M1I1)

[I mean, Kushida-san is really nice to everyone.]
[Are there any noticeable special treatments?] (Yuu-chan)

[I don't think so.] (Nika0)

[And then there's Horikita-san, too.] (DeKai)

[Like, Horikita-san is really hard to approach, but she seems to trust Ayanokouji-kun in particular.]
[Or at least, that's how I see it.] (Ui-tan)

[Do you think they're dating in secret?] (2M1I1)

[Ehhh...]
[That would be something.] (T0ka)

[While we're all united in admiring Ayanokouji-kun, we're still rivals in the end, huh?] (Nika0)

[Of course, but don't forget the other classes!] (DeKai)

[Alright, let's be honest here.]
[I think Ayanokouji-kun deserves the top spot in the hot guy rankings.]
[The girls outside our class are blind.] (Ui-tan)

[I think... I can agree.] (Yuu-chan)

[True!]
[Fourth place is too low!]
[I mean, I guess Hirata-kun deserves his spot.]
[He's Hirata-kun, after all.]
[But Ayanokouji-kun should be in the first place, at the very least.] (2M1I1)

[I admit that Satonaka-kun and Hashimoto-kun are good-looking, but Ayanokouji-kun, overall, is just on another level.] (T0ka)

[We don't even know if he's already using all of his strength!] (DeKai)

[If he's still not going all-out...]
[I won't even, like, know what to think at that point.] (2M1I1)

[I'd probably just confess and hope for the best.]
[My heart won't be able to take it if he turned out to be even more amazing than he already is~!] (Ui-tan)

Additional Group Chat Settings:

- Screenshots: Disabled

- Clear Cycle: Every 24 Hours, 6:00 AM

Membership Settings:

- Male: Invite-only

- Female: Visible to all

Chapter Text

May 24th, Monday. It was a normal evening. The Ayanokouji Group was busy studying in my room...

"Phew! That part was tough," said Ken, as he passed his paper to me.

Akito and Airi look pretty drained. Meanwhile, Haruka was already laying her cheeks on the table.

"Let's take a quick break. Rest your brains for a few minutes before we continue," I said.

"Oh, nice!" Ken celebrated.

"Thanks, Kiyopon!" Haruka thanked me, her cheeks still planted on the table.

"How's your club going, Ken?" I asked.

"Oh, it's going pretty great. Even if I took a lot of time off, the seniors were still quite tolerant of me," Ken replied with a smile.

"I see. That's good, then." I turned to Akito. "How about you, Akito?"

"Everything's good in the archery club, too. The seniors and instructors were very lenient."

"Is shooting bows that fun, Miyacchi?" asked Haruka.

"H-Haruka-chan, I think they shoot arrows, not bows," said Airi.

"Ah, is that right? My bad, ehehe." Haruka giggled.

"Haha, Airi's right. And I think it's not about fun. I mean I am having fun. I wouldn't do it if it didn't. But it calms me down more than anything. My mind is at its most focused when I'm doing archery," explained Akito.

"I wonder if that's how Ken-kun and Kiyotaka-kun feel when they're swimming or playing basketball..." Airi mused.

"Hmm... Maybe?" I answered.

"Well, Airi's completely on point in my case. I get pissed off really easily but when it comes to basketball, I tend to think logically way more than I normally do." Ken explained with a wondering expression.

"I hope you adopt that mindset in your everyday life. Even if you're alright to the people in our class, you still got a pretty bad reputation outside," I said.

"That's true. There were a lot of times when I needed to forcefully drag you away because you were about to lash out at some random student." Akito scoffed, giving Ken a side glance.

"S-Shut up! I'm trying my best, okay?!" Ken said with a slightly embarrassed expression.

"Now that I think about it, aren't you two the same—being former delinquents and all?" Haruka said.

"Eh? You were a delinquent, Akito?" Ken asked.

"Ugh... You know I don't like talking about that, Haruka." Akito sighed in exhaustion.

"So Akito-kun is good at fighting too?" asked Airi.

"I didn't expect that," I commented.

"Hahaha, isn't it fine to tell everyone, Miyacchi? You've changed already, anyway." Haruka tapped his back with a smile.

"Well yeah, I was a delinquent, but I wasn't really the top dog in our middle school or anything like that," he narrated.

"But you can probably still hold your own in a fight, right?" asked Ken.

"I guess so. I'm not a wimp like Ike or Yamauchi," Akito answered with a shrug.

"Hahaha! You really did 'em some. It's true, though. Those two would probably just turn tail and run during a fight. Add Hondou in there, too." Ken snickered with a huff.

"Ugh... All those perverts did back then was ogle my boobs..." Haruka looked like she just remembered something disgusting.

"I-I was wondering if Ken-kun and Akito-kun were to fight, who would win?" Airi, who didn't seem fond of talking about those guys, changed the topic.

"Oh, nice question, Airi. Wanna slug this out later, Akito? Just for fun." Ken smiled intimidatingly.

"I haven't fought anyone in months, but you should prepare to lose a tooth or two," Akito smirked back with a cool expression.

"E-Eh?! I wasn't—I didn't have that intention! I was just asking hypothetically!" Airi waved her hands in a panic.

"Haha, what do you think, Kiyopon?" Haruka asked me.

"I wonder. I don't really know their individual strengths so I can't tell," I explained.

"Fufun~. Then how about an arm-wrestling match?"

"Hah? Isn't that just a competition of brute strength? Even I'm aware that Ken is stronger than me on that front." Akito complained, but his lips shifted into a smile. "But I guess that's fine. I kinda wanna see how it goes."

"Woah! As expected of Miyacchi! He doesn't back down!" Haruka clapped her hands in amusement.

Airi and I just looked at each other and shrugged. I guess our short break will be extended.

After moving our things to the side, my dining table was now an arena for their battle. When the two of them got in position, Haruka raised her hand and readied the signal.

"Go~!" she said.

"Hrr-"

"Hnng-"

"Woah..." The three of us absentmindedly watched the battle unfold.

Ken's advantage immediately became apparent, but Akito was holding his own. Even if the position was tilted slightly in Ken's favor, Akito was still making it hard for him to win.

"Hggghh-"

"Grr-!"

Slam.

In the end, Ken still won.

"Sigh... I guess that was to be expected." Akito shrugged his shoulders.

"What the hell was that, Akito? You were insanely strong. If ya held on longer with the same amount of strength, I woulda ran out of stamina." Ken ranted with a smile.

"I told you I'm not a wimp," Akito smirked.

"Whoo~! How manly, both of you! How manly!" Haruka nodded her head repeatedly.

"You two were so strong... I feel like my arm would snap if I tried..." Airi commented in a slightly terrified tone.

"I didn't expect Akito to be that resilient. As expected from a former delinquent, I guess," I said.

Ken turned to me like he just remembered something important.

"Shut up, Kiyotaka! Fight me right now! I know you're strong, yourself!" he said with a furious glare.

"Oh, didn't you mention that last time—that Kiyotaka would pummel you if you fought?" Akito smiled at me curiously.

"Tch, I guess so. Let's test his strength right now." Ken glowered at me with a serious expression.

"Do I really have to?" I asked, knowing that it was a futile question.

"You can do it, Kiyotaka-kun!" Airi cheered timidly.

"Woah~! It's a Kiyopon versus Kencchin match!" Haruka raised her hand as we got into position.

"I'll kill you if you hold back even a little," threatened Ken.

"Fine... But stop glaring at me like that. It's scary."

"You're my rival, so even if you're also my friend, I'll be merciless," Ken said with a determined smile.

And with that, our match started.

"Go~!" Haruka yelled.

"Haaa-! Wai- Wha-?!"

Slam.

And I won.

I braced myself for Ken's initial push. After I felt him weaken, I instantly used all of my strength to slam his arm against the table and take the win.

If I immediately pushed as hard as I could and clashed with Ken's initial push, his forearm bone might've snapped in two.

"Whaaat-?!" Even the calm and cool Akito couldn't help but react.

"K-Kiyopon, you were that strong?!" Of course, Haruka was the same.

"S-So strong..." Even Airi's mouth was agape.

"Nice fight, Ken," I said with a thumbs-up.

"Nice fight my ass, Kiyotaka! I didn't have a chance!" Ken yelled indignantly.

"What the hell, dude...? You're insane..." Akito tapped my shoulder.

"Well, that's probably as far as I can go."

"It's more than enough, bastard! You can probably knock anyone out in a few punches!" said the annoyed Ken.

"Even you, Kencchin?" Haruka asked in surprise.

"Probably..." Ken answered with an unsure expression.

"I'm not that strong. It was my technique that beat you," I shrugged.

"Shut it. Technique or not, you beat me convincingly. You're just genuinely strong, Kiyotaka." Ken's angry expression turned into a grin.

"Now I can really believe what you said, Ken. Kiyotaka would most likely pummel us in a fight." Akito laughed bitterly.

"Hah, probably. I'll make sure to land a clean hit before that happens, though!" Ken said, clenching his fists.

At that moment, I felt Haruka and Airi's fixated stares. I think we should go back to studying now. I'm just about done listening to two delinquents talk about fighting me...

Chapter Text

Year 1 Volume 2 Cover

My life in the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School was great—it was amazing. As someone who wants to live a normal high school life, I am very satisfied with how things have been going for the past three months.

Fortunately, my initial fear of becoming a loner didn't come true. I've made lots of friends and have become close with many of them. I thank my socially adept friends like Hirata and Kushida for helping me connect with the whole class.

I've become fairly close with my one and only neighbor, Horikita. Although she still doesn't talk to anyone other than me, she tries her best to cooperate with others when the situation calls for it. Horikita was always a straightforward girl who didn't sugarcoat her words. However, I advised her to know the difference between being blunt and being harsh.

Sigh... I hope she can start opening up to others soon. I feel bad for our classmates who genuinely wanted to get to know her.

There's also the Ayanokouji Group. We're the kind of friend group that doesn't really observe the usual friend group norms. We hang out if we want, and we leave each other alone if we don't. Well, that's what our group was initially based on as a band of loners. But, the five of us have been really comfortable with each other, and it feels great to belong somewhere.

Having 694 class points, each Class B student enjoyed a round of 69,400 private points for the month of June. At first, we were worried about the decrease in our class points, but it seems like the other classes suffered all the same, albeit to varying degrees.

Right now, it is less than one week before the month of July comes around.

"It's starting to get pretty hot..." I complained, fanning myself with my uniform.

"Certainly, boys have it harder during this season," commented Horikita.

We don't have uniform rotations when seasons change, so boys, with their long, green pants were more vulnerable to heat. Meanwhile, the girls will have it harder during winter because the school prohibits them from wearing leggings under their skirts. And on a related note, both sexes were equally inconvenienced by their top-wears. After all, even in this heat, we were still required to wear our blazers.

"Do you plan to change your hairstyle, Horikita? Once the season comes around, I think a ponytail would help you feel a little cooler," I said.

"I can handle temperatures quite well, but that's certainly an idea," she pondered.

Now that I'm imagining it, I kinda wanna see Horikita in a ponytail...

"What?" she asked with a glare.

Oops, I guess I started staring at her without my awareness.

"Nothing," I replied, averting my gaze.

When the bell rang and class finally ended, Chabashira-sensei called for me.

"Ayanokouji, come to the faculty with me," she said.

I was ready to speculate on what this would be about, but before other theories came to mind, I remembered one person's name from way back.

"Kiyopon, did you do something?" asked Haruka.

I don't know if her worried expression was real or sarcastic, but I answered honestly regardless.

"I'm not sure. But you guys don't have to wait for me," I replied.

"Ken and I have club," said Akito.

"Haha, I guess it'll be just the two of us today, huh, Airi?" Haruka grabbed Airi's arm with a grin.

When our group split up, Chabashira-sensei led me into a hallway that no student would walk through.

"Is it time?" I asked.

"I guess you didn't forget." Chabashira-sensei gave me a side glance. "You're right, it is time. He wanted to meet you as soon as now."

She knocked on the door of the reception room.

"Chairman, I've brought Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun."

"Please, enter." I heard a man's voice from the inside.

When Chabashira-sensei escorted me in, a man, who looked like he was in his forties, greeted the two of us with an amicable smile.

"Good afternoon, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun. Forgive me for imposing on your time like this," he said.

"If you'll excuse me, Chairman." Chabashira-sensei bowed gracefully before finally leaving the room.

"Firstly, I would like to introduce myself. I'm Sakayanagi, the chairman of the school board. You must be wondering why I asked for you, right? Please, have a seat."

I sat down and saw that there was a cup of tea waiting for me.

"It's alright, Ayanokouji-kun. While your vigilance is impressive, you don't need to be so guarded in front of me," he said. "Well, that's what I wanted to say, but it should be impossible since it's obvious that I know something about you."

To be honest, I don't really feel like putting my guard up—at least in the physical sense. Chairman Sakayanagi didn't seem hostile towards me.

"You know who I am, right?" I asked a rhetorical question.

"Yes, actually. I've known you for quite a while now," he nodded. "Ayanokouji-sensei has always spoken highly of you."

Ah, so that's how that mechanism was removed.

"I see, so you also know my father."

"That's right. You can say that he's something like a mentor to me. We haven't met ever since I succeeded my father in this position, however," he narrated before sipping his tea.

"Then, I can also assume that you know about the White Room."

"Yes, I do. I've been there before, as well."

He's really taking this slowly. Perhaps I can go straight to the point while matching his pace.

"Chairman Sakayanagi, is it alright if I confirm something?" I asked.

"Oh, sure, go ahead."

"You called me here to talk about my admission, right? After all, you'd know that my father wouldn't be happy about it."

"Hmm... Well, I guess you're a bit off. I certainly knew that Ayanokouji-sensei would be opposed to your enrollment, but that's precisely why I made sure you were admitted if you pass the entrance exam and interview," he explained. "After all, as someone who shares my father's mission and views, we'll give any worthy student our education if they so desire."

Is that really the case...?

"According to my understanding; outsiders, even immediate family, weren't allowed to have any contact with the students until they graduated. I'll be honest and say that that was my number one reason for enrolling here. I wanted a peaceful high school life away from that man and that place," I narrated.

"Of course, I knew that. We've indirectly communicated through your entrance exams, right? You scored 50 points in every subject, indicating that you didn't want to stand out."

"Yes, that was my original goal."

"Ahh, I see... So it changed, after all."

"And that's also the main reason why you called me here, right?"

"Haha... As expected of you, I guess. You're right. I wanted to clear up some things," he said. "Why did you give up on living an obscure life? I even pushed your placement in Class D for that reason."

"As I said, that was my original goal... but I felt like I wouldn't be able to experience this so-called "high school life" to the fullest if I did things halfheartedly."

"Oh, is that right?"

"Yes, I decided to test myself against the real world by using this school as a simulation of sorts."

"Well, I can understand that viewpoint, but isn't the answer clear already? You are someone from the White Room, a specimen capable of feats that any normal person in this world could only dream of accomplishing."

"Please don't sell the students of your school so short, Chairman Sakayanagi. I'm sure there are a few students in this school that could pose a challenge to me."

"Hahaha, it actually terrifies me how you can say such arrogant words without a hint of arrogance," he laughed heartily.

Horikita said the same thing. Well, I guess that's understandable when you're just stating something factual.

"Well, we can probably skip all other layers and get straight to it." The light in Chairman Sakayanagi's eyes changed. "Can you please tell me what your goal is, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun?"

Seeing those eyes, I can only respond in kind.

"All of the things I've said were nothing but truths. I want to test myself and I want to live a satisfying high school life." I gave Chairman Sakayanagi a piercing look. "But other than those, I want to quench my insatiable curiosity. What is friendship? What is love? What is freedom? Even with the amount of things they've taught me in the White Room, there were a lot of fundamental concepts that I couldn't possibly learn in that environment."

Are people equal or not?

I've thought about it in length during that bus ride back in April. Modern progressiveness has been advocating such a thought.

"No, we are not equal." That is my answer to that question. People are inherently different, so they should also take on different roles. Equality does not exist. Because I managed to see the outside world, I could finally confirm that question with my own two eyes. 

There are many things in this world that I have yet to understand. My boundless curiosity is just waiting to be sated. 

"I see," he sighed. "I'll take that as you saying that you simply wish to learn. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything to overturn your placement at this point, even if you want to transfer into a higher class."

"It's fine, Chairman Sakayanagi."

"Haha, I see. Well, you can consider it a handicap. And you're right behind the promised Class A now, so I guess it didn't really matter. You figured out how to take advantage of the S-System on the first day, after all," he nodded in approval.

Finally, I took a sip of my tea.

"I guess you can go back now, Ayanokouji-kun. Please attend this school to your heart's content."

After I placed my cup down, I faced the chairman once again.

"If it's alright, Chairman Sakayanagi, I would also like some clarifications on a few things."

When he heard my words, I noticed an imperceptible change in the chairman's eyes.

Chapter Text

"Clarifications, is it?" he asked.

"Well, if it's going to be an inconvenience for you, then please forget I asked."

"Ah-haha. It's quite alright, Ayanokouji-kun. Please tell me your inquiries."

I took another sip of my tea before heading on to my first question.

"Earlier, you said that "you made sure I was admitted" if I pass the entrance exam and interview. I found that strange and incredibly incoherent. Even if you're the chairman of the school, you shouldn't be able to influence the admission of a student if their enrollment was solely based on their entrance exam and interview. That is, unless, they didn't really matter in the first place."

"So you're saying that I was lying about the entrance exam and interview—that all I needed were my own words to get you admitted? Well, I can understand that. After all, you're a special kind of student."

"It's alright if you don't want to confirm it."

"No, it seems like you already believe it to be the truth, so I'll just admit it. You're right, Ayanokouji-kun. Your entrance exams didn't really matter. When I saw your name in the list of enrollees, I made sure that you could attend this school," he sighed. "It's not like you weren't qualified, anyway."

"Thank you."

"Hahaha, no need to thank me now. I wouldn't neglect your desire to study here just because your origins are different from that of normal people."

"There's one more thing, chairman."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I may be a special case... but the matter of my admission here isn't really special, wasn't it?"

"What do you mean?" He cocked his head.

"A lot of students- no, all of the students in this school were already pre-determined to get admitted, is what I'm trying to say."

After hearing my words, the chairman's eyes narrowed, but his smile didn't break.

"Do you have some evidence to back this claim up?"

"I was placed in Class D, which was deemed to be the collection of defective students. I've always wondered why this type of class existed. This school is popular throughout the entire country and a lot of capable students enroll every year, numbering hundreds, if not thousands, or even tens of thousands," I explained. "However, the population is always 160 freshmen students per year, and I'd believe said system if all of them were the most capable 160 students that have passed both the entrance exam and interview. After attending this school for the past three months, it was pretty obvious that this wasn't the case at all."

The chairman continued listening to my explanation.

"I have classmates with academic abilities so low that average junior high school students would score better than them in our previous midterm exams. Their entrance exam results should've been at the bottom of the barrel, so how were they admitted if their chances of enrollment relied on it? The interviews, perhaps? I have a classmate who wore his personality like a hat. He was a destructive and violent student with little to no patience. His interview results should've been disastrous. Of course, his academic abilities were also atrocious. The only thing he had going for him was his superb athletic abilities."

"Then, wouldn't you conclude that we took note of that and allowed him to pass?" he mused.

"That statement only strengthens my argument. Apart from the mandatory medical tests that we needed to take in order to apply, there weren't any exams involving physical abilities. Your statement also implies that this school and their previous schools were in some sort of contact. After all, you wouldn't normally know much about a student's full capabilities and school history based on their application papers alone."

We stared at each other for a brief moment. Silence enveloped the room but I'm sure neither of us felt any pressure. At this point, Chairman Sakayanagi could only sigh.

"Alright, Ayanokouji-kun. Ever since you asked me about the entrance exams, I knew our conversation would eventually end up in this direction. You don't need to explain any further. After all, it seems like you already have an accurate idea of how admission works in this school."

"Not really. I'd still want you to clarify everything to me, but since I'm just a student, I can understand if you reject my request."

"No, it's alright. I'll still tell you what I can. After all, I believe that you'll keep everything to yourself."

I nodded. Chairman Sakayanagi took a good long sip of his tea before facing me once more.

"First of all, you were right about the entrance exams and interviews. They're nothing but a farce—a smokescreen if you will. We conduct surveys throughout the country and identify the most suitable candidates for enrollment. As you suspected, everyone's admission was already pre-determined. It doesn't matter if they get a zero on their entrance exam or insult the interviewer during the interview."

His words weren't that surprising. Students like Ken, Ike, and Yamauchi were admitted for some reason. There should've been a lot of enrollees who were worthier of their slots if we're basing it solely on overall merit.

"But dear lord, Ayanokouji-kun. You really are far above any student of your age. One simple mistake in my words led you to figure everything out... Sensei's education served you well, it seems."

"Probably."

"Will you be alright? Other students or even teachers would start getting suspicious of your origins if you continue showing your abilities," he asked.

"I've taken that into account, Chairman Sakayanagi. Unless they get the answer out of me directly, they wouldn't be able to guess the existence of a place such as the White Room. I don't intend to get my father in trouble or anything," I answered.

The chairman's next words earned my attention.

"I see... Well, your father has already contacted the school a bunch of times," he said.

"That much is to be expected."

"Yes, he wanted you to drop out immediately. Of course, the school didn't agree with this."

"As expected of an institution run by the government."

"Sensei is a powerful man. He won't stop until he gets you back."

"The only thing I can do is not agree with him. The legal matters are in your hands, Chairman Sakayanagi."

"Yes, I'll be sure to deliver. After all, you're a student of this school," he said. "I'm sure you still have some questions, but that's all I can tell you right now. In the end, you're still just a student. In time, you'll understand the kind of nurturing policy we strive for and the effect we hope it will produce."

I finally stood up and prepared to leave.

"Thank you for today, Chairman Sakayanagi," I bowed.

"I expect great things from you in this school, Ayanokouji-kun. I'm sure you'll have fun trying to overtake Class A," he said before chuckling.

"Is there someone in particular that I'm supposed to be worried about?" I asked.

"I'm not sure how she'll fare against you, but my daughter is quite capable," he smiled.

"Your daughter is in Class A?"

"Hahaha, don't worry. Her placement wasn't biased or anything. She was evaluated using the same set of rules."

"I didn't think that at all. I was merely interested."

"I'm sure you two will get along. She knows about your identity as someone from the White Room, after all."

That statement put a crack in my composure.

"I see..." I said as my eyes narrowed.

Fundamentally, our classes were still enemies. Depending on what kind of person the chairman's daughter is, she can use her knowledge about me as leverage. Of course, it wouldn't really cause any real threats. If she's smart, she wouldn't expose her knowledge of the White Room to outsiders. What I'm worried about is a completely different thing.

"You don't have to be too cautious, Ayanokouji-kun. My daughter will fight you fair and square."

I won't heed his words this time. I should be careful in dealing with this daughter of his...

"Alright, you may leave now. Please keep doing your best from now on."

"Please excuse me," I bowed once more.

As I stepped out of the reception office, I saw Chabashira-sensei waiting for me some distance away.

"How did it go?" she asked with a smirk.

"The chairman really made a mistake, huh?" I said.

"What?" Chabashira-sensei was visibly confused by my sudden words.

"He intended to help me live a life of obscurity because he judged that I didn't want to stand out. Class D, it's subpar students, and a teacher like you would've been the perfect place for that."

"A teacher like me?" Chabashira-sensei turned with a glare.

"Yeah, you were someone who looked indifferently towards the class standings. You didn't pressure your students into performing better. At least, that's what it seemed like on the surface. If I really decided to hide my abilities, I'm sure you would've done something to urge me to help. After all, you're aware that I'm more than what I'd seem. And of course, you desire Class A more than anyone," I explained.

Chabashira-sensei seemed displeased with my words, but I couldn't care less.

"Hmph, I wouldn't deny that, Ayanokouji. But you've made the right decision. I'm looking forward to your journey towards Class A."

"I want to make some things clear, Chabashira-sensei." I stopped walking, prompting her to turn back and look at me.

This time, I looked at Chabashira-sensei with cold piercing eyes.

"You may be using me as your ticket to Class A, but to me, your desire is nothing more than a byproduct of my goals. Since I'm already doing you a favor, please make sure that you can be of use to me, as well."

"Heh, those words aren't necessarily the most respectful, especially towards a teacher," she scoffed. "But sure. You've been giving me better results than I could ever expect. Buying the explanation on the S-System and getting those old test questions? Based on those feats alone, it's obvious that you're not an ordinary kid."

I thought I acted inconspicuously, but she still found out about the old test questions.

"I'm not against a symbiotic relationship."

"The true Ayanokouji Kiyotaka amuses me," she laughed before glaring back at me.

I walked in the opposite direction and never looked back.

Chapter Text

I was once living in a dark, lonely world—I was by myself—I was alone.

It was my fault, to begin with. Interacting with people was just too hard for me. I can't talk to anyone while making proper eye contact. I'm also horrible with crowds. I was nothing but a no-good girl.

I continued living in that dark, lonely world. After all, I was fine by myself—I was fine being alone.

I loved solitude.

However, even I am aware that one single person cannot live in isolation for all of eternity. I was at a loss for what I was supposed to do. I'm a hopeless person who can't even talk to strangers without stuttering.

That's why I adopted a persona. It was the solution I thought of and it also opened my eyes. If I acted out a different version of myself, my true self would be able to live peacefully in that dark, lonely world. While doing that, a question popped up in my mind. Is everyone else putting on a facade, just like me? Or are they showing their true selves to the outside world? I always thought that finding out the answers to those questions was something that I could only ever dream of. But everything changed when I attended this school.

I met them.

I met the people who can connect with me, the true me.

They were people that I could call friends. They were like the light to me—the ones who brightened up my dark, lonely world.

As I thought about those bittersweet thoughts and happy memories, I heard some noises coming from the other hallway.

"The hell do you want, Komiya, Kondou? And who's this?"

Ken-kun? What is he...? Those boys look unfamiliar. They were from another class.

"I heard you were being an arrogant bitch, Sudou," said the third guy.

"Heh, that's right, Ishizaki. Sudou's been acting pretty cocky lately."

"Now he's extra cocky just because the instructor talked about making him a regular."

They mocked Ken-kun, which would obviously make him angry. This is bad-! There are three of them so Ken-kun might be in trouble.

I-I should...

"Say that again, you assholes. Don't think that I'm scared of you just because I'm alone."

Oh no, Ken-kun didn't look like he was planning to run away...

Come on, Airi... Just please move your body... Your friend is in trouble...

I need to help Ken-kun...

But what can someone like me do?

Scene Illustration

"Tch. We'll put you in your place today." One of the guys ran up and tried to punch Ken-kun.

He dodged, but before could punch back-

"Ken-kun!" I called out from the top of my lungs.

"W-What the-?!"

"There's someone!"

The guys against him instantly panicked.

"Airi?" Ken-kun asked in surprise when he saw me.

"The hell? Is that chick your girlfriend, Sudou?"

I thought they were going to make fun of him, but their faces were full of worry.

"Hah? She's my friend," he replied. "Airi, get the hell outta here! I can handle these guys!"

That's not the point!

"D-Don't! P-Please stop fighting, Ken-kun!"

Kiyotaka-kun was afraid that something like this would eventually happen.

"Shit, what do we do, Ishizaki?"

"Damn it... This isn't gonna work. Let's get outta here."

With that, the three of them walked out of the special building at a brisk pace.

"Wha—Hey! The hell? Are you three acting afraid now, huh?!" Ken-kun yelled in anger.

"Ken-kun, p-please don't pick a fight!" I said.

He approached me after picking his bag up.

"I told you, Airi. I could've handled those guys alone. You didn't have to worry." He put his thumbs up with a smile.

"No... T-That's not it, Ken-kun. Kiyotaka-kun, Akito-kun- all of us always reminded you to restrain yourself from doing things like that, right?" Before I knew it, I was already scolding him.

This was the first time I've ever done something like this. I was caught up in the heat of the moment. I became scared. Ken-kun might get angry at me instead.

"That's-!" He scratched his head while looking away. "That's true... but it wasn't my fault this time! You clearly saw them throw the first punch, right?"

I nodded.

"Sigh... You know what, Airi, since you're already here, just come with me. Let's meet up with Akito. He's probably finished with his archery club now." Ken-kun turned around and walked away.

I didn't have the chance to decline.

"W-Wait a minute, Ken-kun!" I yelled, trodding after him.

As the two of us walked out of the building, I sighed after remembering that I didn't get any good pictures today. However, I'm happy that my friend didn't get hurt...

Chapter Text

"So you're saying that a guy named Katsuragi and a girl named Sakayanagi are leading Class A?"

"Mhm, but according to my friend, there seems to be some kind of rift between the two of them, to the point where one side is called the 'Katsuragi Faction' while the other is called the 'Sakayanagi Faction'."

So the chairman's daughter is the leader of Class A, or at least one of them, huh? Well, I guess that's not too surprising.

"I see... And a guy named Ryuuen is ruling Class D with an iron fist of some sort?"

"Yep~!"

"Ah, I see..." I pondered. "Hey, that tickles, Kushida."

Kushida and I were currently leaning on each other's backs. I was sitting on the edge of the bed while she sat in the middle. She was amusing herself by stepping both of her feet on the wall, using my back as her support to carry herself off the ground. Kushida's weird movements resulted in her hair hitting and brushing against my nape, which tickled me.

"Sigh... It was quite hard to get that information, you know? I had to manipulate the conversation without being too suspicious about it," she pouted.

"Knowing you, I'm sure you pulled it off without a hitch," I said.

"The girls in Class D lacked vigilance, so they were pretty easy. In Class A, however... I felt like my words and movements were under watch for some reason."

Kushida's network is really powerful. I can practically access any social information without putting myself on the frontline.

"Why do you want to know about the so-called 'leaders' of Class A and D now? Are you so bored that you want to go on the offensive yourself?" she asked.

"No, it's just that I don't know anything about them at all. If I move carelessly, I might get in trouble," I explained.

"Hmm... Really? I think if it's you, you'd win no matter who you're up against."

Kushida's voice was deeper than usual, but she didn't sound hostile. Judging by her tone, I can tell that she truly meant those words.

"You overestimate me, Kushida."

"Stop humble-bragging, idiot."

After a brief moment of silence, Kushida spoke once again.

"Are you sure about being on friendly terms with Class C? Ichinose-san is an excellent student, and her class is a monolith at this point. I don't think they'll overtake us that easily since our class average on the midterm exam was very high, but they're still just a mere 121 class points away from us," she said.

I nodded in agreement.

The best immediate course of action for Class B is to widen the gap against Class C. The four of us have talked about this before—about widening the gap through the Special Exams. Of course, we don't know when that will happen or what will happen, for that matter.

"I think it's fine. The two of us are pretty close with Ichinose-san and her class. Continuing a non-hostile relationship with them shouldn't have any immediate consequences. And it's not like we're keeping our guards down."

"I guess that makes sense. Having an ally is better anyway," Kushida said with a sigh.

Stretch.

Fold.

Stretch.

Fold.

I hunch forward whenever she stretches her legs and then lean back right after. Even if I wasn't looking behind me, our joint movements gave away what action Kushida was doing.

She was finished with her rant, so right now, the two of us just decided to hang out. It was a Friday, anyway.

"There's one thing that I wanted to address for a while, now, Ayanokouji-kun." 

She finally sat back down, comfortably resting her back on mine.

"Hm?"

"When will you start calling me by my first name?"

"Your first name?"

"You only got to know Miyake-kun and the rest of your friends during the study group assignment, but you're already so close that you call each other by your first names. Hasebe-san even got that nickname for you... The girls were in an uproar for a while because of that, you know?" she explained. "We may not hang out that often in recent times—being in different friend groups and all—but people won't really find it weird if we call each other by our first names at this point, right?"

"You're probably right. It's not like I'm against it or anything. I just haven't thought of it," I said.

"Then, I'll call you Kiyotaka-kun, and you should call me Kikyou!" Kushida—no, Kikyou cheered with a cute smile.

"Sure, Kikyou," I replied.

She nodded happily before finally standing up. I reflexively looked behind me.

"-?"

"Kyah-?!"

Since Kikyou was standing so close to me on my bed, my face accidentally bumped into her thighs when I turned my head around. They were incredibly soft and smooth. It's hard to believe that she was another person like me.

"Hey, what-?! Stop being a pervert! Taking advantage of me like this..." Kikyou glared at me.

She hastily paced down off the bed.

"Sorry, that wasn't my intention." It was an accident. All I can do is apologize.

"I know, pervert. But you're still a pervert," she said, sticking her tongue out to me.

"What..."

"Alright, I'll be heading out now. I need to talk with some of my friends after this."

I thought she was angry and offended, but apparently, that wasn't the case. The flexibility (or more like volatility) of this girl's mood is something else.

Kikyou grabbed her bag and put on her shoes like business was done.

"It almost feels like your only goal here was the first-name thing," I said.

"Hmph, of course, that much was obvious. The girls would start losing respect for me if the role of "the closest girl to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka" gets taken by someone else," she replied with a haughty smile.

So I'm a symbol of status now?

"Well, if we consider all the factors, I guess you are the girl who's closest to me."

"Mhm~!" she nodded. "And if only Hasebe-san and Sakura-san get to call you by your first name, that wouldn't be good for my image, right?"

"Yes, yes, I understand. Now get out of here," I said.

I grabbed Kikyou's shoulders from the back and slowly pushed her to the door.

"Ehh? Why are you so adamant about sending me away this time? Didn't you just enjoy the fragrance and suppleness of my thighs? How cruel!" she protested.

"That's why I'm throwing you out. I won't be able to calm down if you stay here," I said.

Those words instantly piqued Kikyou's interest.

"Really? Did I make your heart race? Are you flustered?" A rapid barrage of questions ensued.

"I'm just a normal guy. That much is natural, right?"

"Hmm~? Just say it straight if you're falling for me, Kiyotaka-kun~," teased Kikyou.

"I'm not. Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Ow-!" Kikyou cried after I softly flicked her forehead. "That was uncalled for!"

"Whatever, Kikyou. I'll see you tomorrow."

When she walked out of the door, Kikyou turned around to tell me one more thing.

"Thanks again for today, Kiyotaka-kun. Bye-bye." And there she goes.

When I laid my body on the bed, I checked the plans I'd made for this weekend.

"That sure is a lot..." I muttered.

- A meet-up with Horikita (Final Exam Prep)

- Hang out with the Ayanokouji Group

- Hirata and I tagging along on Karuizawa and her friend's summer outfit shopping

- Trying out a new game with Ijuuin, Profressor, and Miyamoto

and many others...

Chapter Text

July 1st, Thursday. 

It was the start of a new month, and the new class standings will be released to the students.

"Good morning, Class B." Chabashira-sensei came in with her usual despondent face.

Without wasting a moment, she pasted the poster displaying the class points of each freshman class.

"Sensei... Our class points have gone up, haven't they?" Hirata asked nervously.

"That's right." Chabashira-sensei lightly tapped the blackboard after she finished sticking the magnets. "Well, take a look."

Class A: 1004 cl (+94)
Class B: 789 cl (+95)
Class C: 663 cl (+90)
Class D: 492 cl (+82)

"Oh! We got the highest increase in points!"

"Ayanokouji-kun's strategy is the best!"

"We're getting there!" they cheered.

"Congratulations. Your class has once again closed its distance with Class A." Chabashira-sensei praised us with a satisfied smile.

All of us received 78,900 private points this morning—a big increase from the 69,400 points that we got in June. We discussed it in the class group chat and in the classroom earlier but of course, we could only be a hundred percent sure once Chabashira-sensei finally confirmed it herself.

"Yes, Horikita?" Chabashira-sensei entertained Horikita, who was raising her hand.

"Chabashira-sensei, I just found it odd that we were awarded points so quickly," she said.

"Ah, is that so? Well, you don't have to think too much about it. It might've been the school's way of rewarding the first-year students for passing the midterms," she answered.

"I see," Horikita sat back down.

The rest of the classes nodded understandingly upon hearing Sensei's response.

"The school can be kind sometimes, huh?" Ike commented with a grin.

"You can expect the same thing for your Final Exam at the end of July. The results of the test will be given right after getting checked, but the rewards might be given on October 1st."

So the points will be given one month after the exam is taken, huh?

At that moment, Matsushita also raised her hand curiously. She stood up after Chabashira-sensei acknowledged her.

"Sensei, is it alright if I ask Class A's class average for the exam?"

If she hadn't raised her hand, I would've asked that question to her later myself.

"If I remember correctly, theirs was 85."

Horikita and I immediately looked at each other.

"This is bad," we thought—or at least, I think we thought of the same thing.

"I understand... And these rewards came with the deductions, right?" Matsushita followed up with another question.

"Of course," Sensei nodded. "The same thing applies every month."

I observed my classmates after Chabashira-sensei gave her reply, and finally got an idea of who were the sharpest students in the class.

After another normal day, I was finally back in my room. I read the list that Chabashira-sensei gave me a while back—the list of first-year students with their names and faces.

"I thought the chairman would see through my act, but I guess that wasn't the case," I murmured.

Because of this list, I already knew about the existence of Sakayanagi Arisu, beforehand. I just didn't want him to ask unnecessary questions that would lead to suspicion.

What caught me off-guard was Sakayanagi Arisu's knowledge about me and the White Room.

Sakayanagi Airsu, Katsuragi Kouhei, Ichinose Honami, and Ryuuen Kakeru, huh? They were the big names of our rival classes. Once I get to know how they work, and how their closest companions work, I won't need to lurk in the backstage anymore.

I said that I would be able to act more freely in the shadows, but the opposite is actually much better in one condition: I must know about my enemies first. Once I do that, it won't matter even if they target me all they want. I can prepare and guard myself with little to no errors.

Snapping my mind back into reality, I remembered that I needed to prepare for my Sunday plans with my friends...

Chapter Text

12:32 PM, Keyaki Mall.

"Oh, Kiyotaka."

When I got to our meeting spot, Akito was already there, waiting.

"Sorry for making you wait," I said.

"Nah, I just got here."

For some reason, I felt like I was Akito's girlfriend with those words.

"Oh, look. It's Airi and Haruka."

"Hey, you two!" Haruka called out to us.

Haruka and Airi looked very attractive in their casual outfits. From an outsider's perspective, it must've looked like we were on a double date. Or at least, that's what my delusional, single self wants to say.

"Good afternoon, Akito-kun, Kiyotaka-kun," Airi greeted us with a timid voice.

Unfortunately, Ken was doing club stuff today, so he couldn't come with us. Even if it was a Sunday, he still works hard on basketball, probably to make up for the lost time.

After a short while, the four of us settled down to eat lunch in a sushi restaurant.

"Fuuu~! These are delicious. Kencchin is missing out!" commented Haruka.

"Oh, speaking of Ken, didn't he almost fight the guys from Class D?" Akito asked, looking at Airi for confirmation.

A fight?

"Ah... Yes, I was there when it almost happened the day before yesterday," she replied.

"Ken was prattling about how he could beat the three of them. He said he wouldn't be in trouble since they threw the first punch," he shrugged.

"Ehh, what Kencchin-thing to do and say."

"You stopped them, Airi?" I asked.

"I-I didn't really stop them... I just called out to Ken-kun and the three boys from Class D just left." Airi then proceeded to tell the story in detail.

I see... Komiya Kyogo, Kondou Reo, and Ishizaki Daichi, huh? According to Airi, it seems like a beef between club rivals... 

Wait, they stopped after seeing Airi...?

"You were all in the special building, right?"

"Yes..." she nodded. "I was trying to take some pictures when I heard them."

"Ah! So you got new ones, Airi? Show them to me later!" Haruka leaned in cheerfully.

"Seriously, that idiot. He might be good at fighting, but Ishizaki can probably hold his own with two other goons behind him," said Akito.

It sounds like Akito knows who Ishizaki Daichi is.

Of course, everyone in the Ayanokouji Group knows about Airi's hobby. That's also why Ken wasn't too shocked when he saw her there.

Anyway, it was a three-on-one. It happened in the special building. They panicked when they saw Airi instead of making fun of Ken or targeting her instead. They also left even with Ken provoking them on the way out. Something's odd here.

I needed that one detail before I could confirm my hunch.

"But still, isn't it amazing that Kencchin might be a regular?! He's just a first-year!" Haruka exclaimed.

"Yeah, whenever I catch him on the court, even I can tell that his skills are top-notch." Akito nodded in agreement.

Well, Ken is quite talented when it comes to sports, especially basketball.

After eating, the four of us watched a movie. Most of them were screenings of movies from four years ago, though.

We saw an interesting superhero movie that involved epic adventures in outer space and other planets. I'm glad I watched its prequel because the movie we watched was the second one. The Japanese dub wasn't available in theaters, so I spent our remaining hang-out time explaining the things that my three friends didn't fully understand.

"The Japanese subtitles were a bit scuffed on that part. Can you explain it to me, Kiyopon?" Haruka asked while indulging in her ice cream.

"Ah, the villain revealed that he was also the cause of the protagonist's mother's brain tumor. He was the one who planted it in her head," I said.

"I knew it! And I almost forgot that his mother died of cancer!"

"Ohh, b-but what about on the part where-" Airi also had her questions.

I explained some more things to them before we finally ran out of snacks to munch on.

"I'm sure the subtitles will be updated soon. It's just the first day, after all," said Akito.

"Hehe~. Good thing we had an English genius like Kiyopon for clarifications!" Haruka said with a smirk.

"Isn't Kiyotaka-kun a genius in everything, though?" Airi added.

"Ahaha! That's true!"

"Now, I'm not that worried about the final exams this month," Akito shrugged with a grin.

"Don't slack off on your studies now," I said.

"Hahaha! Of course, we won't~!"

I checked the clock the moment our plans were finished. It was already 3:43 PM.

"Airi, is it alright if you come with me after this? I want your help with something?" I asked.

"Eh? Me...? For what?" Of course, Airi got confused.

"We'll head to the special building," I answered.

Haruka and Akito instantly got interested.

"Oh, is our Kiyopon planning something?" Haruka grinned.

"I don't exactly know why you wanna go there all of a sudden, Kiyotaka, but it's about Ken's fight, isn't it?" Akito asked.

I nodded.

And with that, the four of us headed to the special building.

"This is the place?" I asked.

"Uhm, yes. This is it. I was initially hiding in that corner over there," answered Airi.

"Hmm... I see... I think I understand what's going on here."

"W-What you are thinking about, Detective Ayanokouji?" Haruka acted like a nervous news reporter, miming a mic near my mouth.

"Ken's encounter with those guys was deliberate and planned," I replied. "In other words, we're being attacked by Class D." 

"Eh-?! So it wasn't just a normal brawl between meatheads, after all-?!" Haruka asked in surprise.

"Hmm... I think I can get where you're coming from, but can you explain how you concluded it, Kiyotaka?" Akito thought of something on his own, but couldn't quite put everything together.

"Then before that, can you tell me anything about Ishizaki? You know who he is, right?" I asked.

"Ah, yeah. That guy was a troublemaker around our area back in middle school," he answered.

"I see... Then I guess everything fits," I nodded before trying to explain. "Firstly, there were three of them. Komiya and Kondou knew about Ken's nature—being clubmates and all. They brought Ishizaki to spur Ken into fight mode."

The three listened intently.

"According to Airi, Komiya charged in first to punch Ken. But something was odd about that. If they really wanted to teach Ken a lesson, they should've hounded him at the same," I explained before looking at Airi.

"So you're saying that they didn't intend to 'beat him up'?" Akito tilted his head skeptically.

"Yes, it's weak evidence on its own, but we'll return to it later. The next thing that I found strange was their reaction to Airi's presence. Normally, they'd use Airi to provoke him even more. But instead of doing that, they just left," I added.

"A-Ah, yes! That's what I thought back then, too! I thought they were going to make fun of us when they asked if I was Ken-kun's girlfriend... But their faces were full of concern," Airi nodded strongly.

"The last piece of evidence that I needed was the location itself. Come with me." I began walking towards the Chemistry Laboratory and other utility rooms.

"Every room on the first and second floors is equipped with security cameras. But, here, on the third floor, only a handful of rooms have them. And as you can see, none of them can be found in the hallways," I said, pointing up at some parts of the ceiling with unused power outlets.

I continued talking while the three of them looked up to check every inch of the ceiling.

"If you haven't noticed it yet, our rooms are also equipped with security cameras. They wouldn't be able to accurately assess our behaviors if there weren't any. The teachers can't do that while discussing the lessons."

"S-So that's why our points still drop by a lot..." Haruka said.

"You're guilty, aren't you?" Akito asked with a smug smirk.

"I-I can't help it sometimes! My brain shuts off during language subjects." Haruka replied with a guilty expression.

To be honest, I was surprised by our 26-point decrease in June, and it's not too good this time, either. Our class average during the exam was approximately 88 points. I don't know the exact metrics for the conversation, but if Class A only had 85 points, then the deductions were obviously the reason why we only had a 1-point lead during the additions.

According to Chabashira-sensei, each class gained at least a hundred class points before the deductions were applied. In other words, our deductions for this month were way more than last month.

"But going back to your investigation, Kiyotaka-kun... What were Ishizaki-san and his friends' goal?" Airi asked.

"Well, this is just my speculation, but if you add everything together... They called Ken to an inconspicuous place and tried to 'fight' him. They deliberately tried to throw the fight, letting Ken beat them up. Since there were no security cameras around, they could report what happened to the teachers and claim to be the victims even if they threw the first punch. Of course, it wouldn't work because Airi was there and she saw everything happen. She could counteract as Ken's witness. That's why they left instead of doing anything else," I said.

Airi and Haruka had perplexed expressions.

"The sanctions for violence should be heavy, right? Are they trying to get Ken expelled or something?" Haruka asked nervously.

"I wouldn't say expelled, but they might suspend Ken. It would also cut his chances to play as a regular."

"T-That would be bad! Ken-kun really wanted that spot, and if I remember correctly, our class points might be affected by a student's suspension or expulsion, right?" said Airi.

When I nodded in response, Akito tapped my shoulder.

"Wait a minute, Kiyotaka. As much as how amazing your deduction sounds, aren't you just being a bit paranoid? I don't know about Komiya and Kondou, but Ishizaki's an idiot. I doubt they could come up with such a convoluted and well-prepared plan just to mess with Ken," he said.

"That's what's even more dangerous."

"What do you mean...?" Akito narrowed his eyes.

"I told you before, right? Class D is attacking us, not just those three... In other words, they're under someone's orders, and that someone leads the whole class."

At that moment, Akito gave us a vexed sigh.

"Ryuuen, huh?" he said.

"Ryuuen?" asked Haruka.

The two girls became confused upon hearing an unfamiliar name.

"So you know him, too?" I asked.

"Well, his middle school was right next to mine. He's the leader there. Like Ishizaki, that guy is trouble, as well—just a lot worse." 

"E-Eh..." Haruka was creeped out by his words. 

"I already had a bad premonition when I saw his face at the entrance ceremony..." Akito furrowed his brows. "So he chose to cause trouble in high school too, huh?"

"I get that you knew him from back then, Miyacchi, but how about you, Kiyopon? How'd you find out that this Ryuuen is the leader of Class D?"

"Kikyou told me about it. She said that one of her friends from Class D talked about Ryuuen ruling their class," I explained.

"Kikyou?" Haruka and Airi muttered at the same time.

"So the reason why they left, even if Ken was grilling them verbally, was because their boss told them not do anything reckless. Damn... I guess what you're saying makes sense now, Kiyotaka... But I still find it hard to believe."

"Don't worry, I'm the same. Frankly, we have no concrete evidence to back up this claim apart from a few clues here and there. And it wouldn't make too much sense for Class D to attack us when Class C is the more obvious target," I said.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking." As Akito nodded in agreement, I grabbed my phone from my pocket.

"That's why I'll try to confirm if we're really the only class that's getting targeted," I said.

"Eh?"

When I found her number, I immediately pressed the call button. The other end picked up quickly. I put the call on speaker.

"Hello, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Ah, Ichinose, sorry for the sudden call."

The three watched in silence, with surprise and confusion all over their faces.

"Oh, it's fine. I'm just hanging out with a bunch of my female classmates in Mako-chan's room."

Since I couldn't hear anyone, she must've excused herself to receive the call.

"I see, then I'll make this quick. Did anybody from Class D cause trouble for you guys?"

"Eh-? Where did that come from?"

"Well, I noticed that you guys suffered quite a bit in June, so I thought something might've happened. And now, I just found out that some Class D boys almost tried to fight with my friend," I explained. "I was curious about whether they're causing trouble for you, too."

"A fight? It seems like you guys have to deal with your own problems too, huh? You're right though. We lost 77 class points last month, after all," she sighed. "I won't go into the specifics, but what they did almost split the class. Thankfully, a lot of my classmates worked together with me to bring everyone back together. To be honest, I think I should be thankful for that 'trouble'. Our class has become more united than it has ever been!"

"I see, thanks for telling me. If there's any trouble I can help you with, feel free to give me or Kikyou a call. Goodbye, Ichinose."

"Okay~! I'll be counting on you, Ayanokouji-kun. Bye!" I proceeded to press the end-call button.

That confirms our suspicions then.

"It seems like we weren't the only class that was targeted."

"T-That was Ichinose Honami-san from Class C, right?" asked Airi.

I wonder how Class D moved against Class A, or if they even did something with Class A at all? It's too bad that I don't have any deep connections with anyone there.

"You know her, Airi?"

"Everyone in our year knows her, Kiyopon! She's, like, the most popular first-year girl!"

"I'd argue that Kushida-san from our class is the same, but Ichinose has a different type of charisma," added Akito.

Oh... So that's their impression of Ichinose, huh?

"You're close with her, Kiyotaka-kun?" asked Airi.

"I wouldn't say 'close', but I guess you can call us friends. Some coincidences led to it," I replied.

"Wait, wait. Ichinose-san aside, you sound like you've anticipated this from the start, Kiyotaka." Akito was more interested in the contents of our call.

"Eh? You mean how Kiyopon mentioned their class points in June, right?"

"Yeah, I did," I answered. "When I saw their class points drop like that in June, I figured that Class D must've begun to move. I wasn't sure until now, though. It seems like we're on Class D's radar too. Of course, that's only if my theories about Ken's conflict were all true."

When everything came to light, Haruka and Akito just shook their head in submission.

"You never fail to amaze me, Kiyotaka..." Akito said.

"Kiyopon's smarts are on a different level..."

"Thanks for the compliment, but wasn't Airi the real MVP here?" I said.

"E-Eh?" Airi slightly flinched in surprise.

"Oh, that's right. If it weren't for Airi, Ken might've been in big trouble right now." Akito smiled at her.

Haruka snuggled close to her before asking the most vital question in this situation. 

"But Kiyopon, wouldn't they just change targets then?"

"You're right... That's exactly what worries me..."

"Yeah... Kiyotaka's amazing, but in the end, he's still just one person. Ken almost got in trouble under our watch," Akito said before looking at me. "Of course, I'm not saying that it's your responsibility if Ken got in trouble."

No, it should be my responsibility. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that I let my guard down.

Setting the negatives aside, however... Really, who would've thought? I intended to make Ken and Airi interact because their flaws complement each other... A wild boy and a timid girl—I got curious about how their natures would blend.

But, if they hadn't become friends, our situation right now would've been completely different.

"Well, there's no point in staying around in this place anymore. We got what we need," I said.

And with that, our group left the building.

Finally, I was in my room. I felt my phone vibrate from the inside of my pocket.

(16:12) [Kiyopon, are you free right now?]

It was Haruka. I had one last plan with Horikita, but that's a bit later, around eight in the evening. Since it wasn't even six, I guess I can say I'm free.

(16:12) [Yeah.]
(16:12) [What's up?]

(16:12) [Can I come to your room?]

(16:12) [Sure, but why?]

(16:12) [Ah...]
(16:13) [I just wanted to hang out, I guess! ᕙ(＠°▽°＠)ᕗ]

(16:13) [I see.]
(16:13) [I'll be waiting then.]

After a good ten minutes or so, I heard a knock on my door.

"Yo! Kiyopon!" 

Her energy wasn't drained in the least. 

She was wearing new clothes, something that was more casual than what she wore earlier. A white t-shirt under her red jersey jacket with a light-green silk skirt... It suddenly dawned on me that Haruka was the type of girl who looked very attractive no matter the type of clothes she wore.

"I have a few chips stocked in here. Wanna watch a movie or something?" I asked.

"W-Woah! You're quite the hospitable host when there's only one guest, huh? That's surprising..."

"What? I thought you wanted to hang out?" Of course, her comment left me confused.

"Ah—Hahaha... Well, the thing that was on my mind was just talking and stuff," she said.

"Oh... I see. That's alright. What did you want to talk about?"

As I was saying that, Haruka made herself comfortable and lay on my bed. Don't roll around like that when you're wearing a skirt.

"Wanna lay down beside me~?" she asked, patting the unoccupied area of the bed.

"Stop teasing me, it won't work," I shrugged, before sitting down on a chair.

"Ehhh? Well, I guess that's something Kiyopon would say~."

"So? Why'd decide to drop by?"

"Hmm... I think I just wanted to talk?" So she wasn't even sure...

I guess shaking my head was an appropriate reaction, so I did. With a curious expression, Haruka sat up and faced me in response.

"Kiyopon... You're not normal, are you?"

Chapter Text

"A-Ah-! What I meant was... You're completely different from normal people like me... or Miyacchi, for example," she clarified.

"What do you mean by different?" I tilted my head.

"Well, you're really smart and athletic. You're super strong, too."

"Ohh... I mean, Hirata's the same, right? Kouenji, too. And I'm sure there are some students in other classes who are like me. Not to mention the higher years," I mused.

"You're right... You're right but, there's just something about you that..." Haruka can't seem to articulate her thoughts. "It's like you're... more mysterious than anyone else—like you're still holding back..."

Is that something noticeable? It must be my demeanor if anything else.

"I see... I think you're just talking about my negative traits, Haruka. For example, I don't like talking about myself and I'm not that great at making casual conversations, so I might give the impression of aloofness and mystery. I also don't look motivated when doing anything, so it feels like I'm still holding back... And because I'm your friend, you might just be romanticizing those negative traits into something positive, which is understandable," I explained.

I ruthlessly rationalized Haruka's romanticism.

This might be what Chabashira-sensei was saying. My excuse right now was pretty reasonable, but it would only work on the people I'm close with, like Haruka.

"That's... You might be right... You're probably right... But somehow, I just get this feeling that—... It's like you're... unfathomable," she said, with a serious expression. "I'm sure Miyacchi, Airi, Kencchin, and everyone in Class B have already sensed it. Sure, there are a lot of exceptional students in this school, but you give off a different kind of 'exceptional' vibe."

"Is that so...? Well, I can't understand it myself. My perspective is distinctly different from everyone else's, after all."

"It's pretty weird though. You were popular in your younger years, right? Especially since you're a foreigner in America," she said.

I knew it would come to this...

"No... I didn't really have any friends."

"Eh?! Like, zero? I thought you were just exaggerating!"

I nod.

"Were you not showing your abilities back then like you're doing now, or something?"

"I guess so. I didn't really take school too seriously, so everyone left me alone. I had a pretty peaceful school life."

"You're a weirdo. You would've been extremely popular!" She comedically reprimanded me.

"Well, I didn't really know how to talk with people back then," I explained. "I just forced myself to socialize with others in this school. Even if I liked solitude, I can't possibly ascend to the higher classes without associating myself with you guys."

"Ohh... I see... That makes sense..."

It was better to say that I really had no friends back then. It would make the conversation more manageable. In the end, I had no choice but to be vague. However, my explanations should satisfy Haruka's curiosity.

"Why'd you wanna talk about all this?" I asked.

"Ah- Eh... That's... I just wanted to know you more, I guess." Haruka scratched her head. "Hahaha..."

That's fair. I already know so much about her, after all. That goes for most of my friends, like Matsushita or Karuizawa. Meanwhile, I haven't really talked about myself that much—for obvious reasons, of course.

I stared at her in silence. Because of this, Haruka panicked and tried to change the topic.

"By the way, Kiyopon!" she said. "You call Kushida-san by her first name now, huh? When did that start?"

"Ah, if I remember correctly, we agreed to call each other by our first names on Friday."

"I see, hahaha, I guess that's understandable. She's your best friend, after all!" Haruka said with a grin.

"I don't know if you can call us best friends, though. We're not even in the same friend group, right? But you can probably call her the closest girl to me," I said. 

I thought it'd help Kikyou if I reinforced her claim. But then again, it's not like Haruka can spread my words to the other girls in the class apart from Airi.

"The closest... girl..." Haruka muttered. "I see! Well, isn't that great?"

The Haruka I know would probably bite back with something like; "Ohoho. You actually have the gall to say that I'm not the closest girl to you? Aren't you getting full of yourself, Kiyopon?". But then again, this is one of the rare times when Haruka and I get to be alone together. Maybe she acts a bit differently when we're with the rest of the group.

"Well, enough about me. How about you? Did you have a lot of friends in middle school?"

Haruka blinked like a spell that was binding her suddenly got lifted.

"Oh! Fufun~, of course, I did. To be honest, I would've done the same here, but I don't really feel like getting close with some of the girls in our class," she laughed bitterly. "I love Airi, though!"

"I see." I get that Haruka wasn't fond of Karuizawa and her friends, but I wonder why she didn't want to be closer to Kikyou. Well, the two of them seem very friendly with each other in class, so I guess it's fine.

"Uhm, Kiyopon." Before I could ask my next question, Haruka suddenly faced me with a very serious expression.

"Yeah?"

"This would've been more fun if the rest of our friends were here, but I really wanted to ask you now," she said. "Do you... have a crush on anyone?"

"Hmm... No, I don't think so. We've talked about this before, right?"

"Well... You've got girls like Kushida-san who are very close to you, and it seems like you're good friends with Ichinose-san from Class C, too. I was sure that you'd at least come to like one of them," she explained. "I thought you were just too shy to say anything back then, so I didn't really believe you."

"I do find a lot of girls attractive, but I don't think I'm fit to be in a relationship just yet. And it's not like any of them would be interested in me," I said.

"Do you seriously think that? I'll punch you." Haruka glared at me while raising a closed fist.

"I get that my athleticism and academic abilities can attract people, but once they get to know me, they'd probably get bored."

That's right... Once the mystery is over, the show ends. What they'll get is an unexciting, dry slate of a guy. Some might get close enough to discover the wall between me and my inner self, but whether they can bust through that wall is another matter.

I sincerely hope that I can connect with someone deeply and truthfully... Maybe... Someday...

"Why... would you say something like that about yourself?"

"Don't worry, I'm not saying this to earn any sort of pity from others. I'm not upset or sad about it. My dull personality is just something that I'm aware of. If I were as good as Hirata or Ike in making conversations, then I'd probably feel more confident with myself in that regard," I said. "But it's not like I'm not satisfied with who I am now. I'm quite happy with my current self. And besides, I made good friends like you guys."

Those words were meant to ground me. I wanted to appear normal and relatable—someone who has his own worries and troubles. That said, they were also very true.

"So you're saying that you're just a normal guy, like Kencchin and Miyacchi?"

"Probably. I'm not really any different from anyone—at least I don't think so," I shrugged. "Ken would beat me in any ball sport, and I aspire to have Akito's demeanor. And those two's street knowledge is something I want to learn, as well. In the end, some people are just better at different things."

Hearing my words, Haruka's smile just widened.

"I see, I've learned a lot about you today, Kiyopon," she said as she stood from my bed.

"You're going?"

"Yep~!"

"That's not fair, though. I didn't learn anything about you," I said.

"There's always next time, Kiyopon~! We'll be together for a very long time, after all." Haruka ran to the door. "Bye!"

"Good... bye?" I didn't even get to respond.

What was that, all of a sudden?

After sitting on my bed, I took the time to reflect on myself.

What am I, even?

Personally, I never thought of myself as someone who's "interesting". If I was open about my past, and if I acted true to what my inner thoughts were thinking, then I'd just scare everyone away. So I discarded all of that and decided to hide them. But what's left of me, then? Am I not just a capable yet boring guy with a monotone way of speaking?

I'm able to create a completely new personality for myself, but everyone would just find it weird at this point. I've already made up my mind to stick with my real "personality" if I can even call it one.

That man and that room stripped away my humanity. I don't even know if I'm capable of smiling or laughing genuinely. Cold? Calculating? Cunning? I never asked for any of that. I never asked to be any of that. But I'm also aware that someone who's the complete opposite of me might be wishing for the things that I have.

It's just the nature of humans, I guess. You would always crave the things you don't possess.

Chapter Text

The mornings in Class B were lively. Everything seemed normal to everyone, and as far as they were concerned, the only thing that they needed to worry about was the upcoming final exam. After that, all of us will enjoy an extravagant summer vacation on an island paradise. Or at least, that's what Chabashira-sensei told us before.

After another normal day had passed, I decided to make my move. As usual, it's convenient that Chabashira-sensei has the tendency to leave earlier once everything is settled in the afternoon homeroom.

"Alright, that's all. Goodbye."

"Chabashira-sensei, I have something that I would like to announce. Is it alright if you stay a little longer?" I stood up and walked to the front.

"Ayanokouji? Hmm. Alright, make it quick," she answered.

Hirata and Kikyou were surprised, just like the rest of the class. They sat straight, waiting for me to say my piece. Horikita was the only one waiting for my signal. After all, I explained everything to her during our meeting. At the same time, Akito, Sakura, and Haruka also seemed to guess what was going to happen. I called them up to vouch for my words in Horikita's presence last night.

"Firstly, I would like to confirm something. Do all of you recognize me as Class B's leader?" I asked.

Well, before I make the announcement of stepping down, I should at least confirm if most of them even think of me as the leader. It would be pretentious to suddenly get to it without considering the others' opinions.

"Yes, Ayanokouji-kun. I think there's no other person in this room that's fit to lead the class more than you do," said Hirata.

"Yeah! You're the one who brought us this far, Kiyotaka-kun!" followed Kikyou.

"I know right? Like, you're the smartest guy in school. Of course, you're our leader." Karuizawa shrugged as if she just said something obvious.

"That's right!"

"I know you'll lead us to Class A, Ayanokouji!"

Eventually, almost all of my classmates parroted their words.

"I see. Then, I have a proposal. I've talked about this with Hirata, Horikita, and Kikyou, but I didn't tell them that I'd announce it today." I turned to look at each of them. "If possible, I'd like your help in explaining."

Chabashira-sensei didn't seem to know where I was getting at. She continued listening to my words in silence.

Hirata and the two girls stood up and proceeded to the front.

"I was surprised at first, but now I understand," started Hirata. "To put everything simply, Ayanokouji-kun will be stepping down as the class's leader."

Everyone's shocked reactions instantly became apparent.

"What?"

"What does that mean?"

"Why is Ayanokouji-kun stepping down?"

Some had concerned and anxious expressions. Of course, their confusion was understandable.

"Everyone, please let us explain." Kikyou got their attention with ease. "I can't break down the exact details, but one thing is clear: This is part of Kiyotaka-kun's plan so we can rise to Class A."

Muffled murmurs followed Kikyou's words.

"Kushida-san, allow me to elaborate." Horikita stepped in to help.

"Ah, yes. Please do, Horikita-san," replied Kikyou.

"Everyone, I don't think any of us have noticed it yet, but one class has started to move." Horikita turned to Sudou. "Sudou-kun, you almost got into a fight with three boys from Class D, am I right?"

"What the?" Ken was confused about how that came to light, but he calmed down when he realized that no one was reprimanding him or any of the sort. "Yeah... Komiya and Kondou called me to the special building. I went with them and saw a guy named Ishizaki, waiting. That bastard Komiya punched me, but I dodged. It would've been a full-blown fight, but my friend, Airi, called out to me. Everything ended there since they just left after that, for some reason."

Our classmates listened intently. Their attention was divided between Ken and Airi. Of course, this made Airi a little jittery.

"Thank you for giving us some context." Horikita shifted everyone's attention back to herself. "Now then, most of you might think that the fight was something normal or natural given Sudou-kun's nature, but according to Ayanokouji-kun, something else was going on."

Apart from my friends, everyone was nervous and confused, including Kikyou and Hirata.

"It was an attack by Class D," she continued.

"An attack?"

"How does that even work?"

"Huh?"

"What the heck?"

Of course, you wouldn't normally use the word "attack" in the context of a competition between two high school classes.

"We'll just give everyone a detailed explanation in the group chat later on. I've already made a document containing Ayanokouji-kun's investigation. His friends; Hasebe-san, Miyake-kun, and Sakura-san, were all with him during this investigation. They all vouched for him and his words," she said.

"Hmph."

At that moment, Kouenji stood up haughtily and left the room. Of course, most of us didn't mind him, even Chabashira-sensei.

"There's another piece of evidence that might help with Ayanokouji-kun's claim. According to Ichinose-san of Class C, they've also been 'attacked' by Class D. I'm sure some of you have noticed how big the decrease in their class points was in June."

Her words caused another uproar.

"E-Even Class C?"

"Is Class D getting desperate?"

"I'll end my piece here since we don't have much time," Horikita said as she looked at me.

Once again, I stood before everyone.

"We still don't know who the mastermind is, that's why I plan to investigate further. I would like to appoint Horikita as the temporary leader of Class B," I said.

Of course, my sudden proclamation garnered some mixed reactions. Even the person in question was confused.

"Ayanokouji-kun... I didn't hear about this," she said.

"I'm sure most of us can agree on how capable Horikita is. With Hirata and Kikyou acting as her supports, they can easily lead Class B forward. While I'm scouting out the potential dangers to our class, I'll still try my best to help the three of them from a more passive position," I explained. "I'll return to the position once I make sure everything's in order."

"I'm not against the idea." Hirata accepted it with a smile.

"I'm the same." I don't know how Kikyou really felt, but she happily followed Hirata's undertaking.

"I'm not sure if I got it right, but are saying that you're going to hide for a while?" Ike asked.

"That's basically the gist of it," I answered.

"So you're still, like, our leader... But from the shadows?" Satou mused.

"Probably...?"

"T-That so cool!"

"Doesn't that mean... Ayanokouji-kun will be like a secret weapon?"

"Or like a trump card!"

I expected more opposing opinions. I thought some of them might interpret it differently-- like how I might be using Horikita and the others as a scapegoat, but it seems like that wasn't the case. My reputation and credibility were a lot firmer than I expected.

"Ayanokouji-kun, can I explain my personal take on this plan?" Hirata approached the center.

"Sure. I'm just about done, anyway."

"Everyone, I want to make things clear. This plan was made because Ayanokouji-kun predicted that classes would start going after each other this way once the concept of class points was revealed. And with our quick rise to Class B, it's inevitable for the attention of other classes to be on us," he started.

"Wait, wait, wait. So you're saying that Ayanokouji anticipated this even before May?"

"Wow..."

"How is that even..."

Hirata continued despite the clamor.

"When the four of us talked about this, I didn't know why Ayanokouji-kun created this plan. But the more I listened to him, the more I was convinced." Hirata put his hands on the podium, cementing his demand for everyone's attention to his next words. "Ayanokouji-kun's goal is to protect everyone."

"Hirata... You didn't need to say that much..." I said.

I didn't even know the expression I made. Seriously, he's such a good guy.

"Ahaha, I'm sorry if I made you feel a little embarrassed, Ayanokouji-kun. However, I think everyone needs to know that your intentions are not just for your class's sake, but also for your classmates' sake," he said, before facing everyone with a serious expression.

"Class C's points suffered quite a bit. And as you've already heard, Sudou-kun just got targeted by Class D. We'll do our best to act as decoys so Ayanokouji-kun can intercept any schemes more effectively," explained Hirata. "And lastly, I'd like to advise everyone... Please be careful."

Our classmates were used to Hirata's princely demeanor, so everyone was on edge during the entirety of his stalwart speech.

At that moment, the dismissal bell finally rang.

"Horikita, send your regards to the class," I whispered.

"Do I really need to?" Horikita whispered back.

"Yeah, I'll be frank, apart from the great results of your tutees from the midterms, you haven't really shown anything to gain the class's trust. It's the best move to make if you want them to know that you're on their side."

With an exasperated sigh, Horikita moved forward after Hirata finished speaking. She glared at me before turning her face back towards everyone.

"Everyone, as per Ayanokouji-kun's instruction, I'll be looking forward to working with you. Please take care of me."

What a serious girl. If the entire class didn't already know her personality, they would probably brush her words off as insincere.

"Let's do our best, Horikita-san," cheered Kikyou.

"Horikita-san is super smart too, right? I think she'll be a neat leader," said Karuizawa.

"Woohoo! Go Horikita-chan!" yelled Ike.

I looked at Chabashira-sensei, indicating that the show was over.

"Hoh? It seems like the class has been functioning well for the last three months. It's great to see how unified the class is under the most capable students' leadership. You're almost as tight as Class C in terms of unity." Chabashira-sensei praised the class, to everyone's surprise.

Leaving us with those parting remarks, Chabashira-sensei exited the room.

Everything went back to normal, and Akito, who was sitting ahead, turned to face me.

"Kiyotaka-"

"Sorry, Akito. I'll head out for a bit. I have some questions for Chabashira-sensei." I stood up, leaving my bag behind.

The entire class watched me hasten my pace before finally disappearing from sight.

I trailed Chabashira-sensei from a certain distance. The moment we reached a hallway with little to no students, I approached her.

"Sensei."

"Oh, Ayanokouji? You did something amusing back there, but I don't get why I needed to hear it. Well, I have some ideas, but nothing is clear to me." 

She instantly got to the point.

"I'm not asking for anything that's beyond a teacher's abilities, but if possible, I'd like your help in lowering my chances of standing out," I said. "That's the reason why I wanted you to hear my so-called plan; to give you some context."

"Hmm... Interesting. Alright, since it's you, I'll do what I can," Chabashira-sensei answered with a smirk.

"I see, thank you," I bowed lightly.

This plan won't last long. Once my enemies start to investigate our class, they'll eventually find out about my athletic abilities through the swimming records. And of course, my academic abilities will come to light once they look over the results for the midterm exams and final exams. However, I don't think it will matter too much. After all, I just need to buy some time.

Chapter Text

"Ken, how'd your practice go yesterday? You finally met with Komiya and Kondou again, right?" asked Akito.

The Ayanokouji Group was having lunch in the cafeteria, as usual. Wednesday noons are just as effervescent as the two preceding days. Everyone around us vigorously chatted with their friends while eating.

"Heh, all they could do was glare at me. Those two won't be able to beat me in a fight anyway, even if that Ishizaki guy backs them up," Ken scoffed with confidence.

"Just don't fall for their provocations again. Things would've been bad if Airi didn't call out to you," I said.

"Yeah," Ken said before turning to Airi, who was beside him. "Thanks for that, Airi."

"I-It's fine, Ken-kun. I didn't think that my actions would have such an impact, anyway. I just panicked when I saw one of them punch you," replied Airi.

"But still, I owe you one," Ken smiled with a thumbs-up.

"How about not getting into fights in the first place, idiot Kencchin?" Haruka snickered.

"B-But what if they pick on me first? Of course, I'll strike back if they start the fight!" Ken tried to justify his hypothetical course of action.

Haruka looked at him like he was scolding a child.

"You know, Kencchin, you'd be so much cooler if you were as calm as Miyacchi or Kiyopon," she said.

"Wha-?!"

Haruka teased Ken a bit more before we went back to the classroom.

"Is this it, Haruki?! Is our moment finally coming?" Ike asked Yamauchi with overwhelming excitement."

"Yeah, Kanji! This is our time!" Yamauchi responded with the same vigor.

They were hanging out with Miyamoto, Professor, and Hondou.

"Are you really sure, Kanji? They might just be baiting you." Miyamoto asked with a skeptical expression.

"Hahaha, I wouldn't imagine Haruki, of all people, getting a message like that." Hondou chuckled haughtily.

"Shut up, you two! You're just jealous!" Yamauchi snapped angrily.

"Hmph. Don't lump us in the same group just because no one's interested in you two," added Ike.

"But gentlemen, as much as I couldn't care less about your 3D-Girl business, didn't Hirata-dono and Ayanokouji-dono warn us? According to my Neo-Akashic records, Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san are both from Class D," Professor stated using his strange way of speaking.

"Yeah, the timing is too convenient. Isn't Class D's plan obvious at this point?" Hondou shrugged.

"The hell?! There's no way. How dare you think ill of someone's feelings just because they're from another class?" rebutted Ike. "And I'm sure their timing is just a coincidence. I would reconsider it if the two of them are close friends, but they're not even in the same friend group."

"Yeah! And besides, they only told us to be careful. It's not like we weren't allowed to interact with them, right? It'll be fine if we just keep our guard up." Yamauchi snorted as if he just sealed the deal on a debate.

Someone who thought up that plan regarding Ken shouldn't be this impatient. Is it desperation, after all? Was I overestimating him? Is that the kind of person Ryuuen Kakeru is? He's not even being subtle at this point. It's like he's sending us a message.

Airi's interruption to his plan should've been accidental. He wouldn't think that someone is going up against him. He must be testing us.

I approached the five of them while waving my hand lightly.

"Hey, I heard you two talking about some girls," I said.

"Oh, Ayanokouji. These two idiots are getting all worked up just because some Class D girls started chatting them up," said Miyamoto.

"Yeah, it's obviously just Class D switching targets. These two are easy, after all." Hondou raised an eyebrow.

"What? You're here to talk smack about us too, Ayanokouji?" Ike wore a displeased expression.

"Yeah, we still haven't forgiven your betrayal last Saturday! You don't plan to get in our way now too, do you?" said Yamauchi.

I remember the commotion last Thursday morning, before class. It was right before Chabashira-sensei announced our points for July. Kikyou instantly greeted me as soon as she arrived in the classroom. That much was normal for everyone. However, since Kikyou started calling me by my given name, most of the boys were instantly irked, especially Ike and Yamauchi. They only shut up their mouths after Kikyou told them that it was her idea.

Well, the fact that they instantly shifted their attention to other girls the moment they got noticed by them was amazing, to say the least.

"Nah, I was just curious. Miyamoto, Hondou, Professor, I don't think it's nice to berate Ike and Yamauchi just because they're getting close with the girls from Class D. In fact, it could even work in our favor," I said.

"Huh? In our favor? What do you mean, Ayanokouji?" asked the confused Yamauchi.

"Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san, right? Once the two of you start going out with them, you can start extracting some information. Of course, I'm not saying that you two should go out with them solely for that reason. No need to share anything personal. Just be sure to tell me or Hirata anything that you think would be helpful to the class. "

"Oh! That did not even cross my mind, Ayanokouji-dono. It seems like we have been focusing too much on the danger, wouldn't you say?" said Professor.

"Well... I guess that could work?" Miyamoto and Hondou were still skeptical.

"G-Go out with them?"

"That would be nice..."

The two of them were on cloud nine while thinking about that outcome.

"Yeah, Yamauchi is right. You can mingle with them all you want as long as you're being careful."

"Heh! Hear that, you three? Even Ayanokouji supports us!" Yamauchi faced them with a smug smirk.

"Dude, they just started chatting with you last Sunday. They might lose interest after a week or so," said Miyamoto.

"We kept them interested for such a long time. That's a good sign!" Ike protested.

"Well, whatever your progress is, I'm looking forward to it, Ike, Yamauchi. You're smart enough to avoid trouble, right?" I said.

"Of course, leave it to us." Ike patted his chest.

"Yeah!" Yamauchi followed with a thumbs-up.

Well, these two might be easy targets for Class D, but that would also make them a flexible asset for me. They're not really significant to the class at the moment, so I can always just choose to abandon them if necessary. I also don't have to be careful about offending them because of my position in the class hierarchy. To be honest, I don't mind burning a few hundred points if I can get rid of the setbacks.

That night, Kikyou visited my room. After venting her frustrations, she seemed exhausted as usual.

"Sigh... Why can't some people just die or something...?" Kikyou whispered with a tired expression.

Like most times, Kikyou leaned on my shoulders while I patted her head, which was a bit strange given the content of her words. She also started to not mind my actions after a while.

"You need to stop spoiling me like this, Kiyotaka-kun. I'll start getting dependent," she said.

"I thought doing this puts you at ease."

"It does, that's why it's pretty addicting."

"Oh... That would be bad, I guess." I tried to lift my hand off of her hair but...

"Keep patting me," she demanded. Her tone was scary so I just complied.

"Okay..."

After Kikyou was satisfied, she sat straight before facing me.

"Alright, I'm fine now!" I will never stop being impressed by how she switches her personality with such finesse.

"Kikyou, can I ask you about some girls from Class D?"

"Oh? If my guess is correct, it would be Manabe-san and Kinoshita-san, right?" she smiled.

"Ah... As expected of you, huh?"

"I'm friends with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun too, you know?" Kikyou's expression suddenly turned grim. "They're trying to show off those girls to me more so than they're doing to their male friends, probably with the goal of making me jealous or something. It's honestly so pathetic and gross."

So they haven't given up on Kikyou yet? They're trying to gauge her reactions and decide from there? I don't know if that's their mindset, but at the very least, Kikyou didn't seem happy about it.

"It's so obvious that they're the ones getting targeted by Class D this time around. But of course, those virgins are too delusional to actually use their brains."

"That's why I'm trying to gather information. Forcing them to cut off ties with those girls would probably yield a bad result. I'll make my own plans for this."

"I see... Well, if it's you, then everything will probably work out in the end." Kikyou looked at me with a shrug.

Kikyou told me everything she knew about Kinoshita Minori and Manabe Shiho. As Ike said earlier, they're not in the same friend group. Apparently, Kinoshita is a spirited and athletic girl. She has a few friends in Class D, like Yajima Mariko, who's also sporty. Meanwhile, Manabe Shiho is somewhat of a gyaru, much like Karuizawa and her friends. Of course, Manabe's friends are similar to her in that regard.

Hmm... This is pretty tricky. I always intended to catch two fishes in one place and in one go, but I don't think it'll be possible at this point. Since Plan A won't work, then I guess it'll be Plan B. But as a result, I won't be able to use Kikyou.

"Well, that's pretty much it. I'm not that close to them yet, so I don't know if my knowledge would help much."

"No, it helped a lot. Thanks, Kikyou," I said.

"Is that all?"

"Yeah."

"What do you plan to do?" she asked.

"Hmm... I'm not sure yet. I'll ask for your help once I finish coming up with one," I said.

Kikyou stared into my eyes for a brief second before standing up.

"Alright," nodded Kikyou.

She thanked me before bidding farewell.

My plan is already complete. Sorry, Kikyou. I can't use you this time.

Chapter Text

"Miyamoto, Hondou, can I talk to you guys for a bit?" I asked.

"Hm? Ayanokouji?"

"Sure, what's it about?"

I've been closely involved whenever Ike and Yamauchi brag about their progress with the Class D girls. Though they rarely hung out during breaks, Kinoshita and Manabe were steadily getting closer to them. Or at least that's what they told us.

I led Miyamoto and Hondou to a pretty unimposing part of the building. Students who'd pass by could easily spot us, but our position made it so that eavesdropping would be impossible.

"Alright, I'll need your help." I got straight to the point.

"Huh?" Hondou tilted his head.

"This is about Ike and Yamauchi, right?" asked Miyamoto.

"Yeah, both of you are still skeptical about Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san. right? To be honest, I'm the same. Of course, I hope I'm wrong, but we can never be too careful."

"Heh, I knew you were in doubt too, Ayanokouji. There's no way that you, of all people, will let this obvious bait slide," Miyamoto shrugged haughtily.

"Hmm... I think I understand, but what can we do, at this point? We should've stopped them as early as Monday?" asked Hondou. "It's Friday now. Those two would cease at nothing just to get a girlfriend."

"No... If my instinct serves me well, Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san will confess either on the weekend or next week."

"Huh?! Confess?" Hondou flinched after realizing the amount of noise he made. "E-Eherm. Sorry... Anyway, I'd believe it if you said that those two will be the ones who'll confess... But Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san...?"

"Yeah... We've hung out with them and their friends a few times, and to be honest, I can notice their disinterest and disgust sometimes," added Miyamoto.

"Then, isn't that more proof? Remember, we're under the impression that they're just baiting Ike and Yamauchi. To be honest, one week should've been more than enough to make a fake confession believable. If they're really disgusted on the inside, wouldn't they want everything to end quickly?" I explained.

"-And execute their plan as soon as they can, huh? You say that, but do you even know what their plan is, exactly?" asked Hondou.

"Of course not," I shrugged. "But I have a few ideas. Firstly, they might just be trying to make fun of Ike and Yamauchi. It's messed up, but harmless in the grand scheme of things. I wouldn't be too worried if that's the case... But what if they frame them about doing something that they didn't do?"

"Hey, hey... That's some hardcore shit, Ayanokouji. You really think they'd do that?" Miyamoto was surprised by my words.

"Remember what they tried to do with Ken."

"Wait... Look at it from this angle, Soshi. It would be sad if Kanji and Haruki were just getting pranked... But Imagine if they get framed for committing sexual assault or something? It won't just cause damage to them, personally. The class might also get affected," Hondou mused nervously.

"Oi, they might even get expelled if that happens, right?" Miyamoto finally panicked a little.

"You can see the gravity of the situation now, don't you? Remember how crafty their plan was with Ken, right? Not to mention the amount of class points they made Class C drop."

"Damn... Class D is pretty wicked."

"So, what do we need to do, Ayanokouji?"

"Keep yourselves updated on Ike and Yamauchi's actions. If a confession is set in stone, find out the details, specifically, the time and place," I instructed. "If the location is good enough where you can eavesdrop without getting caught, you'll use your phones to record whatever you hear. Of course, if it's a normal confession, you can just leave them alone and continue with your day."

"I see... That could work. But what are you going to do if the setting makes it impossible for us to eavesdrop... like our location right now?" Hondou asked looking around our current place.

"Hmm... Since it's going to be a confession, the chance of that happening should be pretty low. But if it were to be the case, then I'd come up with something else. For now, that should be our initial plan," I replied.

"Alright, we're in. I'll take care of Kanji and Kinoshita-san. Ryoutaro will be in charge of Haruki and Manabe-san," chuckled Miyamoto. "But of course, there will be payment, Ayanokouji."

"Ohoho... Hell yeah, there is." Hondou smiled sinisterly.

"Oh, sure... What do you guys want?"

Alright, I'm ready for anything. If it's these guys, I'm sure they'll ask for something manageable.

"P-Put in a good word for us with Kushida-chan and the other girls, please!"

"Yeah... We don't really care about points since we have more than enough, but all of the girls' attention is on you, so you're our only chance!"

"Oh..." This was surprising, for sure... But luckily, it's within the realm of my expectations.

"I mean, the girls were split between you and Hirata, but ever since he and Karuizawa got together, the girls that liked him basically abandoned ship and turned to you." Hondou shook his head with a bitter smile.

"We felt really hopeless the first time, you know? After all, it's the Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. There's no way we'd win against you." Miyamoto nodded in agreement, but he faced me with a hopeful expression. "But you're not into anyone, right? If things continued that way, then we might get a chance with the others."

"I mean, I guess? Wait, alright... First, consider your request done. It should be easy enough. But I have to ask. Aren't you guys interested in anyone from the other classes?" I asked.

"Well, there are surely some beauties from other classes. Ichinose Honami from Class C is a prime example, or the rumored Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A... But c'mon, do you think we even have the chance to become friends with them?"

"Yeah... Trying to befriend guys from other classes is hard enough. With girls? Heh, average Joes like us could only dream from the sidelines. It's been that way ever since May came."

"I see, I get where you guys are coming from. I'll be sure to mention your names in a good way whenever I can."

"Hehe, thanks, Ayanokouji!"

Of course, I wouldn't have accepted if they wanted to do anything sketchy, but was a surprisingly wholesome request. 

That night, we made a group chat.

(18:23) [Oya?]
(18:23) [It sure is amusing for us to be summoned here.] (Professor)

(18:23) [I made this group chat to commemorate the budding youth of our dear friends.] (Hondou)

(18:24) [Haha.]
(18:24) [So, when are you guys confessing?] (Miyamoto)

(18:24) [The hell is this?] (Ike)

(18:25) [I'm planning on confessing next next week!]
(18:25) [Maybe on the 19th.] (Yamauchi)

(18:25) [Ugh.]
(18:25) [I don't want to confess on the same day as Haruki.]
(18:26) [That wouldn't make ours special. Maybe on the 23rd?] (Ike)

(18:26) [Good luck.] (Ayanokouji)

So they're planning to confess, after all. It's good that they wanted to take things slowly. If my guess is correct, then Manabe and Kinoshita will confess first. There's a 99% chance that they'll do it on the same day. After all, they can't sabotage the two of them on separate days. The first victim might warn the other. Or, they could just opt to frame one of them and let the other be. Of course, the more suspended students on our side, the better it is for Class D.

(18:26) [Isn't our relationship making a positive change for everyone?]
(18:26) [If it weren't for us, Kinoshita-chan wouldn't even become friends with Manabe-chan.] (18:27) [They said they didn't know each other before we decided to hang out together.] (Ike)

(18:27) [Yeah! We're spreading friendship everywhere.] (Yamauchi)

Of course, they'd play dumb. But I guess Ike and Yamauchi are too lovestruck to notice anything.

Everyone spent their days in peace while preparing for the final exam, and before we knew it, it was Monday.

"You're doing something, aren't you, Ayanokouji-kun?"

My friend and neighbor, Horikita Suzune, suddenly spoke to me.

"Hm? Doing something?"

"Hirata-kun, Kushida-san and, I talked about this. Kushida-san told us that someone is being targeted in our class and that you're trying to protect them. She also said that you have your own plans so we didn't need to pry," she explained.

"Ah, yeah. I wasn't really keeping it a secret. Everything's going according to plan, anyway?"

"I see. Well, if you say so," Horikita sighed. "But tell us if you need assistance. Hirata-kun said he's worried."

That's so like him...

"Are you worried about me too, Horikita?" I teased.

"No, not at all... If you, yourself, are saying that everything's going as you foresaw, then I have nothing to worry about," she replied, turning away from me with a nippy expression.

I don't really know what to expect, but hopefully, everything works out on the first try. It'd be annoying to do extra work.

Chapter Text

During the weekend, Ike went on a date with Kinoshita (on Saturday) and Yamauchi went on a date with Manabe (on Sunday). I tried to monitor their movements but as expected, a bunch of guys from Class D was patrolling around them secretly inside Keyaki Mall.

Miyamoto and Hondou were on standby. I was ready to give them the signal to move if I ever felt like either of the girls planned to confess.

At the end of the day, nothing happened, which was fairly expected since Ike and Yamauchi were the ones who asked them out on two separate days.

I was readying some things before a person knocked on my door. I hurriedly hid the items and received the guest.

"Good evening, Kiyotaka-kun," Kikyou greeted me with a smile.

"Come in, I've got tea and coffee."

"I'll have some coffee then."

Kikyou sat on my bed. She shared some of her frustrations with me, but they were much less than usual.

"What's with that look?"

"Ah, nothing. You didn't seem to have it as bad as the previous times."

"Oh, that? Hmm... I don't know. I just feel a lot better recently. I'm sure a large part of it is because of you, Kiyotaka-kun. Having someone... whom I can share my deepest thoughts with is much more extricating than I expected," she said.

"Is that so...?"

"Yep!" Kikyou nodded with a smile.

"Then, can I share some of my worries with you?" I asked.

Kikyou perked up and faced me.

So bright...

Well, she didn't really exude any physical form of light, but her smile was so wide that I reflexively winced.

"I've been waiting for this, Kiyotaka-kun! Come, tell me everything and anything!" Woah, she's really enthusiastic about this.

"I'm having second thoughts now. You might use my secrets as weapons, after all..." I joked.

Thud.

I stepped on a landmine. Kikyou punched me in the chest as hard as she could. It hurt a little, but that didn't really matter too much. What caught my attention was her displeased face.

"I won't... do that..." she said with a strained voice. 

It looked like she was about to cry.

"Sorry, Kikyou. I was just kidding..."

It seems like her trust in me has grown extensively over the last couple of months.

"Really?" 

Right now, Kikyou wasn't putting on her angelic act. As she mentioned earlier, she's becoming more and more dependent on me. It doesn't matter whether she's aware of this or not. Our relationship made it so that this was the natural progression of things. I knew this right from the moment Kikyou said she trusted me.

"Yeah, I guess I really shouldn't tell jokes like that when it's so hard to tell if I'm being serious or not."

"I just... I felt like you didn't trust me at all when you said that. And it just made me feel sad." 

I can't tell how genuine Kikyou's words are, but I have to act sincerely.

"Sorry." 

I trust Kikyou. I trust her very much. As long as her way of life doesn't change, as long as she continues to crave other people's praises and worship, the suffering she'd endure will never come to an end. And I'm the only one who can ease that suffering. As long as I can control her, she's the most trustworthy and powerful piece I can have.

"Well, your bad joke aside. Feel free to tell me anything that's bothering you. You're always the one who helps me. I would feel a lot better if I could pay you back in some way." Kikyou said while pointing her little finger towards my nose.

I nod.

"You see, Kikyou... I didn't really have to step down as the class's leader..."

"Huh? Wasn't that decision a part of your strategy?" she cocked her head wonderingly.

"I'll be honest. I think I can still fend off any schemes from other classes regardless of my position in class... But I really want Horikita, Hirata, and you to be the true leaders of Class B."

"Wait, huh? What are you talking about, Kiyotaka-kun? You're the only fitting leader for Class B! Sure, that Horikita is smart and all, but she's nothing compared to you. And Hirata-kun's pacifist attitude would just make our class a punching bag," Kikyou explained with an exasperated and worried expression.

"Of course, I know that there's room for growth. But, I want all of you to be able to stand up on your own. I know you guys can do it, especially with your help."

"What...? Why the heck are you saying this? It's like you're leaving us or something."

"I... Yeah, that might be right... I might leave you guys someday. And by that, I meant that there's a chance that I'll drop out," I said.

Kikyou was visibly shaken by my words.

"What... are you talking about, Kiyotaka-kun? Drop out? Why would you drop out?" she asked, her breathing slightly ragged.

I don't know what got into me, but I felt like I could open up to Kikyou... even if it's just a little bit. Before I knew it, I told her something that I never even planned on mentioning to anyone in this school.

"My father doesn't agree with my enrollment here. He'll do everything he can to get me out of this school."

"What...? So you enrolled here without his permission?" she asked. "But doesn't the school prohibit any form of contact with the outside? If what you're saying is true, then what can your father even do?"

"He's a powerful man, and he has the means to do it. That's all I can say. Of course, I don't want to drop out. I want to graduate with everyone... But if there's a chance where I'll have no choice but to do so, then I don't want the class to crumble." I looked at Kikyou straight in the eyes.

"That's... That's not right... You can't just..." Kikyou can't seem to accept what I'm saying.

Instead of prying further, she's more bothered with the fact that I might drop out.

"Objectively speaking, shouldn't that be a good thing for you, Kikyou? Horikita doesn't know the details of your past, and I'm the only one who really knows about your other personality. Once I'm gone, you won't have that lingering fear anymore-"

"That's not it! You can't drop out!" she yelled.

"Why?"

"You're-!" Kikyou seemed to realize that she was getting a bit too worked up when she looked into my eyes. She calmed herself before continuing. "You're vital for Class B's advancement to Class A. And even if I don't mention your overall benefits for the class, it'd be an inconvenience for me, too. You're the only person with whom I can share my real thoughts. What if someone else catches me... like how you did?"

No one would be able to uncover the truth once she puts her guard up, so that argument lacks potency. As I said, it's more beneficial for Kikyou to let me drop out. Saying such unselfish things isn't like her at all. It's one thing if she's acting right now, but none of her actions indicate that at all.

"Hmm... Don't worry about it too much, Kikyou. I'll do everything I can to stay here. And having Horikita grow with the rest of the class isn't the worst thing we could do. I think it's much better than solely relying on me."

"I see... You're right," she replied, her eyes cast downwards.

Before the silence went on for too long, I took the initiative to speak.

"I thought you hated me."

Kikyou glared at me with a pout.

"I was pissed at you before, okay? I still haven't forgiven you for being a perverted jerk... Telling me to spread my legs and take off my top..."

"Oh, yeah... Sorry about that," I scratched my head guiltily.

"Shut it. You let me punch you, so I guess I was a bit satisfied," she sighed. "I don't hate you, Kiyotaka-kun. Unlike the people that I have dirt on, I don't really see you as an enemy. You're my friend, like Kokoro-chan or Ryuuko-chan who are genuinely good girls."

"I see... That's good then. I really don't want you as an enemy."

"Same here. You're too smart for anyone to handle. I'd rather have you as a true friend," she shrugged.

Kikyou and I sat side by side on my bed. After she said those words, I lay on my back and sighed. Kikyou looks at me with a bitter smile.

"Let's talk about Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun's case instead," she said. "Is everything alright?"

I'm more than happy to share my progress regarding our current predicament.

"Don't worry. Horikita has already asked me about it, and same with Hirata, on the phone. I have things under control. Well, at least I hope I do."

"Oh... Are you worried about something?"

"I mean, if Ryuuen Kakeru really is their leader, then he's quite the schemer. I feel like he can see through my plans."

"Eh? If you're being serious, then isn't this bad?" Kikyou asked worriedly. "Is there anything that I can help you with?"

"Not at the moment. But if things get dangerous, I'll definitely ask for your help."

Kikyou nodded happily.

After talking about other things for a little while longer, Kikyou finally decided to return to her room.

"Thank you for today again, Kiyotaka-kun..." she said.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, Kikyou."

The worry in Kikyou's eyes was noticeable. She's still thinking about my words earlier.

When she left, I took out the items I hid in the drawer and put them inside my school pants' pocket.

Chapter Text

July 12th, Monday.

"I gotta give it to you guys. I can't believe your date was a success!" Miyamoto patted Ike's back.

"Heh, unlike Kanji, I have a lot of experience." Yamauchi bragged with a confident expression.

"Shut up, Haruki. I bet your hands were sweating all over."

"N-No, they weren't!"

Professor greeted me as I approached the five of them.

"My, if it isn't the Shadow Leader himself?"

Shadow Leader?

"Oh, that's a cool nickname, Professor!" Hondou jumped in.

"Heh, how about 'The Dark Hand Behind the Curtains'? Sounds pretty sick, right?"

"Oh! A wonderful suggestion, Soshi-dono. I shall add that to my database," Professor nodded in agreement.

"Stop calling me names so early in the morning..." I retorted.

I've been spending less time with the Ayanokouji Group, but I've explained the general idea of what's happening so my friends were fine with it. Frankly, I just want things to end quickly. We have our finals to worry about, for god's sake.

At that moment, a sound came from Ike's phone. Ike excitedly read the contents and his smile only widened after he finished.

"T-T-T-This is it!" he yelled reflexively.

"W-What the hell? What is it, Kanji?"

"Was it from Kinoshita-chan?"

"Look!" Ike turned his phone around so the screen would be clear for us to see.

(9:42) [Ike-kun...]
(9:42) [I have something to tell you after class. I'll be waiting for you behind Gymnasium #1. Please come alone. I'll be embarrassed if it's not just the two of us...]

Finally, huh?

"Holy shit, Kanji! She's gonna confess, isn't she?!" cried Yamauchi.

"I-I don't know! Probably?! Most likely?!" Everyone was getting swept up by the hyped atmosphere.

About a minute passed and Yamauchi's phone rang, too.

"K-Kanji, do you think-?"

"Ohh! Things are getting pretty spicy for you, huh, Kanji, Haruki?!" Miyamoto eagerly spoke.

Yamauchi showed us the contents of the message. They were fairly similar. However, Manabe asked him to come to the rooftop.

"I am happy for you, Kanji-dono, Haruki-dono," said Professor.

"Well, well. Let's not rush things. We never know what might happen..." I didn't want to be that guy, but they were getting too excited.

"What are you talking about, Ayanokouji?! These are obviously preludes to a romantic confession!" pressed Ike.

Apparently, they didn't even find anything weird about getting confessed to on the same day.

During lunch, I hung out with my friends along with Kikyou's group. The secret group chat that Miyamoto, Hondou, and I made was filled with shocked reactions from the two.

(9:51) [Holy crap!]
(9:51) [I can't believe it!] (Hondou)

(9:51) [You actually called, it Ayanokouji!]
(9:51) [You're insane!] (Miyamoto)

(9:51) [We can't be too sure.]
(9:51) [Let's just hope that these confessions will be normal.] (Ayanokouji)

(9:51) [Yeah, hopefully.]
(9:52) [But it's certainly weird.]
(9:52) [I didn't expect the two of them to confess at the same time.] (Miyamoto)

(9:52) [Dang...]
(9:52) [It's super likely that this is Class D's plot, after all.] (Hondou)

(9:52) [Get ready, you two.]
(9:52) [This entire plan relies on your stealth skills.] (Ayanokouji)

(9:53) [Heh, you can count on us.]
(9:53) [My lack of presence will finally come in handy.] (Hondou)

(9:53) [If they turn out to be normal confessions, then I'll just try my hardest to hold my laughter in.] (Miyamoto)

Hondou's role will be harder, for sure. If Manabe chooses a spot where they can see people entering through the door, then it would be extremely hard for him to get any decisive evidence. Anyway, all I can do is believe in them.

When the dismissal bell rang, I quickly approached the restless lover-boy duo. As a friend, the least I could give them was some sort of encouragement.

"Ike, Yamauchi." I wrapped my arms around their shoulders. "Both of you, your times have come. Good luck, I'll be rooting for you guys."

"O-Oh... Ayanokouji... Thanks, man..." Ike scratched his head bashfully.

"Ayanokouji, dude. Thanks..." said Yamauchi with a similar expression.

"Heh, got get 'em, Kanji, Haruki." Miyamoto gave them a thumbs-up.

"It sucks that you guys got a girlfriend earlier than me, but I'd cheer my buddies on regardless," Hondou said with a smile.

Professor acted like a mysterious person, only fixing his glasses with a smirk.

When the two of them ran off, Miyamoto and Hondou nodded their heads to me as they proceeded with our plan.

This is it. It's your move, Class D—It's your move, Ryuuen. I'll wait.

Ayanokouji went back to the dorms with his friends. Meanwhile, Miyamoto and Hondou went on their separate ways. Hondou walked inconspicuously until he finally reached the third floor. Amidst the wave of students, he successfully reached the decisive corner on the way to the rooftop.

Miyamoto, on the other hand, exited the main building and walked in the direction of the gymnasium. The two of them felt the thrill. The task that Ayanokouji gave made the two of them feel like trusted agents of Class B's secret leader. Miyamoto and Hondou put their phones out and launched the voice recording app.

-And that's when they appeared.

"Woah! Ryuuen-san's right! There really is someone!"

"He saw right through them."

"C-Class D students?!" Miyamoto flinched in surprise. He recognized one of the guys in front of him; Ishizaki Daichi, the one who clashed with Sudou.

One of them pinned Miyamoto against the wall, while the other grabbed his phone.

"W-What the hell?!" Miyamoto couldn't do anything as the student pinning him had more strength.

"Heh... You want to record stuff, huh, buddy?"

"Hey, give it back!"

"Sure, but tell me. Were you ordered by someone to do this?" asked Ishizaki.

"Huh? I just want to immortalize my friend's shitty reception of a girl's confession. What 'orders' are you talking about?" barked Miyamoto.

"Ohh... Ryuuen-san's bet was right, huh? Class B's leader really is something."

Ishizaki tossed the phone back to Miyamoto, who was set free by the other student.

"There ya go. Get your ass outta here. Don't spoil the fun that's about to begin," Ishizaki chuckled with a mocking tone.

"Tch..." Miyamoto could only glare at them in indignation. They didn't plan on making him pass through.

Seeing no way out of the situation, Miyamoto left the scene with haste.

Near the rooftop stairway...

"Oho? Seems like a rat came to play."

"You're from Class B, aren't you?"

"W-Who the heck are you guys?" Hondou instantly panicked at the sight of three unfamiliar male students.

One of them quickly grabbed Hondou and rendered him unable to move. The student then took the phone from his hand.

"H-Hey!" Hondou protested nervously.

He was terrified not only because he was outnumbered, but also because one of them was a largely built black male who didn't have the appearance of a high schooler.

"Oh... Ryuuen-san's right. He really did plan to record it."

"G-Give that back!" Hondou cried in a cold sweat.

"Who's your boss?" asked the student.

"Boss? The hell are you talking about, man?" Hondou feigned ignorance.

"Someone ordered you to come here and record stuff, right?"

"We're in a damn high school. I'm trying to play a prank on my buddy. Why do you guys even care?" he replied.

"Is that so?"

The student gave Hondou's phone back to him as the other guy let go.

"Here, don't get in our way. Get out of here."

They stared at Hondou, waiting for him to leave. At that point, he couldn't do anything but walk away.

Ike arrived at their promised location. There, Kinoshita Minori stood with her arms crossed.

"Sorry for making you wait, Kinoshita-chan."

"It's fine," she replied curtly.

"I-Is everything alright? Why did you call me here?" Ike asked nervously.

"Nothing much," Kinoshita responded without looking at him.

"Kinoshita-chan...?"

At that moment, Ike realized that something was off.

"Oi, Kinoshita. We finished shooing the recorder guy away."

Ishizaki arrived at the scene.

"E-Eh? What are you doing he-"

Smack!

Ishizaki walked up to Ike and punched him across his right temple. It was a direct hit. If Ike was any less fit, he would've been knocked out in an instant.

"Augh-?!" Ike cried in pain as his body dropped to the ground.

"Can we get this over with? I've been spending precious time on this guy for more than a week now. I have other things to do," Kinoshita said impatiently. She didn't like seeing this kind of stuff, so she tried her best to look away.

"Agh... W-What... K-Kinoshita-chan...? What's happening...?" Ike crawled up feebly. He seemed to temporarily forget the pain of Ishizaki's punch. He was more concerned about Kinoshita's attitude.

"Don't rush it, Kinoshita. We need to do one last thing."

"Fine, hurry it up."

The student with Ishizaki yanked Ike's weak body up. He punched his stomach once.

"Ugh-!"

Seeing him in this state, Ishizaki grabbed Ike's hands and used them to touch Kinoshita's shoulders and arms.

"There we go. We have the fingerprints on your blazer."

Ike's hands were forced to touch the chest area of the blazer.

The student laid Ike's body near the wall. He checked Ike's pockets and found his phone.

"No recordings whatsoever," he said.

If one's phone was recording, it can be seen from the lock screen. Ishizaki took a peek and nodded in confirmation.

"We don't have anything against you, Ike. But you guys got ahead of yourselves. Our boss needed to take some serious measures," said Ishizaki.

Seeing them walk away, Ike could only curse in pain.

"Damn it..." he whispered before finally losing consciousness.

On the rooftop, Yamauchi arrived and saw Manabe using her phone.

"Manabe-chan, I'm here! Did you wait long—Eh?! Who-?!" Yamauchi yelped in surprise.

Manabe stood by the tiny area beside the entranceway. Since the security camera only has a view of the open area up front, both sides were completely blind spots. Upon entry, Yamauchi saw a guy beside Manabe.

"Kukuku, our guest is here," the student said with a sinister smile.

"W-Who the hell are you, man? Why are you with Manabe-chan?" Yamauchi asked with a displeased yet nervous expression.

"Calm down, Yamauchi Haruki. Let's wait for the rest of the gang."

"The what? What the hell are you talking about? Manabe-chan, what is this?" Yamauchi turned to Manabe, who was busy fiddling with her phone.

"Tsk, can you not talk to me? It's really gross." Manabe didn't even bat an eye when expressing her disgust towards Yamauchi.

"What-?!" Yamauchi was shocked by Manabe's attitude. It was far from the Manabe that he had talked with for the past week.

"Ryuuen-san, we fended off the rat. We left Albert to guard the entrance."

Two of the three male students who confronted Hondou finally stepped foot on the rooftop. They ran up at a hurried pace, but that was all part of an act.

As it turns out, the person with Manabe was actually Ryuuen Kakeru. The rumored leader of Class D.

"Oh, good work, Kondou. Albert doesn't belong here. The place will be too cramped if he joins in," he said before widening his smirk. "Alright, hold him for me."

Yamauchi froze in fear and confusion after hearing Ryuuen's words. He stared at Manabe, who didn't even bother looking at him.

Kondou and the other student held Yamauchi on both sides. Ryuuen slowly approached Yamauchi.

"H-Hey! What are you guys-"

Smack!

Ryuuen punched him straight in the face without any hesitation.

"Aghhh-!" Yamauchi cried as his nose bled.

"That's no good, Yamauchi. Sexual assault isn't a cool thing to do. It might get you expelled, you know?" Ryuuen snickered with a dark yet ecstatic expression.

"Ugh..." Yamauchi was in a daze after Ryuuen's punch. He was on the verge of collapsing.

"Manabe, come here," Ryuuen ordered.

"Ugh, do I really have to? I can just take my blazers off and give it to you, right?"

"We don't want unnecessary fingerprints on your blazer, so shut up and do what I say. Or else, I'll have him touch your tits," threatened Ryuuen.

"Touch my-?! What the hell?! That's fucking gross." Manabe walked up unwillingly.

Ryuuen used Yamauchi's hands to touch Manabe in the same places that Ishizaki did with Ike's hands.

Ryuuen thoroughly checked each of Yamauchi's pockets. After looking at his phone, Kondou and the other student laid him against the wall.

"Let's get outta here," Ryuuen said with a grin.

Ryuuen and his entourage met up with Ishizaki, Kinoshita, and the other Class D students.

"Y-You're amazing, Ryuuen-san! You predicted their every move!" said one of them.

"Ryuuen-san, why didn't you let us press Miyamoto and Hondou for an answer? We could've found out the identity of their boss," asked Ishizaki.

"Idiot," answered Ryuuen. "We don't even know if they even have one. And even if they did, their identity doesn't matter to me just yet. I've crushed two students on their side. Let's see how they can handle that."

"Haha, seems like their rise to Class B was a fluke, after all. They had much easier targets than Ichinose's Class C. If it weren't for that unlucky arrival of Sudou's friend, he might've been out of the equation, too," said Kondou.

"These Class B students sure know how to use their phones. In this school where lies, subterfuge, and foul play are key, things like voice recorders are powerful. Once you scheme, one piece of evidence can destroy you," he explained.

"As expected of Ryuuen-san," nodded the other student. 

The student called Albert nodded with him.

At that moment, Ryuuen thought deeply. 

"I'm confident in my ability to see through people. I can guarantee that Yamauchi didn't expect any of the things that just happened, and the same should apply to Ike. We were overt with our plan, just like what we did to Class C. Hondou and Miyamoto, huh? Someone did receive my message, after all."

Chapter Text

"Ayanokouji! This is bad!" Miyamoto banged on my door.

"This is seriously bad news, man!" And of course, Hondou's with him.

When I got up from my bed to receive them, their panicked faces instantly greeted me.

"I-It's Class D! They were there!"

"Shit, they really were plotting something!"

"Wait... First of all, calm down. Tell me what happened," I said.

"S-So we tried to follow Kanji and Haruki as planned, but some Class D guys blocked our paths."

"Based on their words, it seems like our own scheme was seen through from the very beginning. They even asked us if we were ordered by someone."

"We played dumb, of course, but Kanji and Haruki are pretty much at their mercy now. They also mentioned a guy named Ryuuen. He must be Class D's leader."

"If what you're saying is true, then we're in deep trouble," I say after pondering their words.

"Shit, we need to hurry."

"It would've been different if either of us could put up a fight, but those Class D guys look like a bunch of meatheads."

"We shoulda roped in someone like Sudou..."

"No use in mulling over what's happened. For now, let's just try to wait for a few more minutes before contacting Ike and Yamauchi," I suggested and the two of them nodded.

Not long after that, we tried to text and call both of them... They didn't respond.

"Why aren't they-? The hell did those guys do to them? Did they confiscate Kanji and Haruki's phone or something?" asked Hondou.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Let's find them," I said.

Hondou and Miyamoto nervously agreed with a gulp.

We left the dorm areas and used an unorthodox path, trying to decrease the chances of having to encounter Class D students. If they really tried to frame Ike and Yamauchi and succeeded, they should be reporting what happened right now.

When we reached the area behind Gymnasium #1, the three of us witnessed an unconscious Ike sitting against a wall.

"Kanji!" The two cried.

I ran up to him immediately and shook his body.

"Ike, Ike! Can you hear me?" I asked.

"What the hell?! They punched him in the face!" Miyamoto glared at the bruise on Ike's right temple.

"Those Class D punks went too far! This is just plain violence!" howled Hondou.

I carried the half-conscious Ike up and had Miyamoto support him.

"Take Ike to the infirmary. Hondou and I will check on Yamauchi," I instructed.

"Alright, I'll leave him to you. Be careful," replied Miyamoto.

"You too."

Hondou and I walked briskly. When we finally reached the rooftop. we saw Yamauchi in a similar state.

"Shit, Haruki!" cried Hondou.

The two of us ran up to him. Like how I did with Ike, I checked up on Yamauchi's condition. His nose was bleeding. It was a direct jab to the front of his face.

"Those bastards..." Hondou clicked his tongue in anger.

We tread to the infirmary while supporting Yamauchi. We met up with Miyamoto and Ike. He was sitting on a bed while clutching his head.

"Ike, are you feeling alright?" I asked.

"Shit... We messed up, Ayanokouji. It was a ploy, after all."

Hondou and I laid Yamauchi down on the bed. Thankfully, due to the time of the day and the path we took, none of us encountered any students. Yamauchi slowly tried to sit up while groaning in pain.

"Ugh..." he moaned.

"Haruki..."

"I-It... was a guy named Ryuuen. He... He was the mastermind behind this. Sexual assault...? Are you kidding me?" Yamauchi had a hard time uttering his words.

"What did he do?" I asked.

"It's as you can see, right? He used Kinoshita and Manabe to bait us. And now this..." Yamauchi clenched his fists in anger.

"Miyamoto, Hondou. Leave the three of us inside for now. Contact Kikyou, Hirata, and Horikita. Tell them that it's an emergency," I said.

The two of them looked at each other and nodded with little hesitation. When they left, silence conquered the room. Ike and Yamauchi looked down resentfully.

"I didn't think that you two would get in trouble."

I broke the tension and tranquility, releasing my words with a pretty provocative tone. It totally sounded like I was blaming them.

"Seriously, Ayanokouji? We just found out that the girls we liked played us for a week before making us receive Class D's violence. Now we're gonna get framed for something we didn't do." said Ike.

"That's right... Is this really the time to drop more unnecessary pressure by blaming us? That's pretty insensitive of you," followed Yamauchi.

They looked at me with displeased expressions. I crossed my arms before sighing. It seems like they needed to hear it, after all.

"Unnecessary? Insensitive? Do you guys not realize whose fault this is?" 

Hearing me bite back was unexpected to them. They stiffened up with a glare.

"The fact of the matter is; you two were so hung up on the idea of getting a girlfriend that you didn't even notice the obvious trap Class D laid down for you."

Ike and Yamauchi were shocked by my blunt words.

"W-What the hell?"

"If you suspected them from the start, then you should've warned us!"

"Do you really think your desperate and pathetic selves would listen to any warning that I'd give? Based on your past behavior towards my friendship with Kikyou, I think you'd just lash out at me."

The two got even more upset as I continued offending them.

"Man, you're quite something else, aren't you, Ayanokouji?" glared Yamauchi.

"I didn't expect you to be an arrogant asshole. Do you think you can talk down on us just because you're smart and popular?" asked Ike.

"Am I really talking down on you right now? Am I not just telling you what the facts are?" I looked at them with cold eyes. "Why don't we talk about another topic then? You two were dumb enough to keep misbehaving whenever the teacher wasn't looking. You didn't even realize that a bunch of security cameras inside our classroom were monitoring everyone's behavior. Why do you think our points went down by a lot in June? You two were the biggest contributor to that."

The two flinched in shock.

"What the... How do you even know if that's the case?!"

"I asked Chabashira-sensei, of course. She even showed me footage as proof," I replied despondently. "And I've observed you two for the longest time. Apart from being the most unenthusiastic about studying, you two have the most undesirable reputation when it comes to attitude. Do you know how many girls have voiced their opinions to me about the two of you? Most of them are repulsed by your attitudes. Of course, some of them might be exaggerating, but you get my point, right? A lot of the girls in our class are grossed out by your behaviors." 

Cold sweat ran across their foreheads upon being confronted about those things.

"T-That's normal! We're just being high school boys!"

"Even if you don't admit it, you're just the same as us! We're just more open about it!"

"Are you hearing yourselves? Do you realize how disgusting your excuses are?" I gave them a side glance.

Without an answer, Ike and Yamauchi could only grind their teeth.

"Wouldn't you say that this is some sort of retribution? You two haven't done anything for the class. And now, just because there's a small chance for both of you to get a girlfriend, you threw caution to the wind and disregarded any possible consequences," I shrugged.

They continued to look down, unable to reply.

"I'm sure Kikyou and Hirata will help the two of you, given their personality. Horikita won't have a choice since she wants to reach Class A. If you two get suspended, or worse, expelled, then our class points will suffer heavily. Really, this is a calamity."

"Fuck, we get it! We messed up, okay?!" Ike couldn't bear to hear any more criticisms.

"Damn it! Sexual assault? We didn't do anything like that for fuck's sake!" Yamauchi resentfully howled.

"The odds are stacked against the two of you. The Class D students have probably reported the so-called 'incident'. Expect to be called out tomorrow and prepare for the worst."

"You're not gonna lend them a hand?" Ike asked with a glare.

Frankly, I kinda disagree with what Hirata said during my announcement of 'stepping down'. It wasn't really my goal to protect everyone. Why would I waste my time protecting liabilities like you two? We're in Class B, but you're still acting like defects. If you were in my position, do you think it's worth spending so much effort to save a couple of dead weight? Well, that's probably something that Horikita would agree on. And that "protection" goal was just Hirata's personal interpretation of my actions, anyway.

"Who knows? I think Horikita is capable enough to speak for you, but without any decisive evidence, you're bound to lose."

"Damn it... Are we going to get screwed over because of this?" Yamauchi's expression sunk.

"Do both of you at least admit that you're at fault? We wouldn't be in this situation if you guys didn't let your crotches do the thinking."

"Screw you, Ayanokouji, but damn it, you're right. In hindsight, we could've been more careful."

"I... Damn it... Yeah, my bad. I'll admit to whatever... I just don't want that shit-faced Ryuuen guy to get what he wants."

Well, at least they looked remorseful. 

I'll treat this as a test. If both of them continue to hold the class back in the future, then I'll have no choice but to eliminate them myself.

"I'll do what I can."

Not long after that, the door busted open and five people barged inside the infirmary.

Miyamoto and Hondou successfully brought Hirata, Horikita, and Kikyou. Of course, they needed to wear their school uniforms to be here.

"We've heard of what happened..." said Horikita.

"Is everything alright?" Hirata asked with a concerned look.

"Sorry, Hirata. My plan was compromised."

"Wait, your plan?" Yamauchi cocked his head.

"K-Kiyotaka-kun, can you explain everything to us? Right from the top..." asked Kikyou.

I nodded in agreement with Kikyou's words.

I explained how I asked Hondou and Miyamoto's help in trying to prevent the plot that we anticipated Class D would do. We turned out to be right, but Class D also saw through our plan.

"So you really did try to protect us, Ayanokouji..." muttered Ike.

After that, Ike and Yamauchi told us everything that happened to them in detail.

"Class D's Ryuuen, huh?" Horikita had a grave expression.

Kikyou stared at me worriedly.

"This is bad... We have to brace ourselves for tomorrow," said Hirata.

I don't really care if things go public, but it would be pretty annoying if it did. Unlike Ken's case, they thoroughly planned everything this time. I doubt we'd win even if we all work together. They have Ike and Yamauchi's fingerprints, while we have nothing but testimonies.

That's probably what Ryuuen is thinking right now.

Chapter Text

"Aren't Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun strangely quiet?"

"Is there a problem?"

"Well, I don't particularly mind it. It's honestly better than their usual obnoxiousness."

"Are those bandages?"

"Did a fight happen...?"

Ike and Yamauchi were stiff and nervous the whole morning. The bruises on their faces were also noticed by everyone. Since most of our classmates weren't aware of the catastrophe that was about to hit us, everything went on normally for the rest of the day.

"Ike, Yamauchi, come to the faculty with me." 

After our last homeroom, Chabashira-sensei called them out with her usual expression.

"Sensei, can we come along?" asked Hirata. Horikita and Kikyou stood up along with him.

"Oh, the class representatives? If you want to get involved, Ike and Yamauchi would have to give their consent," Chabashira-sensei replied as she looked at the two of them for confirmation.

"Yes... Please let them come," said Ike.

"Alright, let's go then."

When the five of them left, the class instantly erupted.

"Ayanokouji-kun, what was that?!" asked Satou.

"I knew something was up. Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun were acting weird all day..." commented Matsushita.

"Like, they were nervous as hell for whatever reason," added Karuizawa.

I got up and tried to fill them in.

"Everyone, do all of you remember that one case with Ken?" I asked.

"You mean the one where you speculated that Class D wanted to frame Sudou-kun for violence?" asked Okitani.

"Yeah. As it turns out, I was right. And now, Ike and Yamauchi are their targets," I nodded.

My words created an uproar.

"Hey, what the hell happened, Kiyotaka?!" asked Ken.

"Yeah, 'targets'? How...?" followed Haruka.

"Hondou and Miyamoto were involved too. I asked for their help so we could prevent anything from happening, but Class D predicted my plan... It's my fault," I replied.

"O-Oi... Why are you blaming yourself, Kiyotaka? What happened, exactly?" Akito was confused by my actions.

"N-No! You weren't at fault, Ayanokouji! You got everything right... We were just the wrong people for the job," said Miyamoto.

"Yeah... Those Class D punks tried to use—no they did use violence against Kanji and Haruki, and we got threatened with it." Hondou and Miyamoto took the blame for themselves. I thought they used this opportunity to look good in front of the class. However, I observed their expressions and judged their genuine self-disappointment. After all, their buddies were in danger of getting expelled now.

Since the class got even more confused, I got straight to the point.

"To give context to Miyamoto and Hondou's words, I assumed that they'd probably do something similar to what they did with Ken. They will isolate their targets, lead them into an inconspicuous place with no cameras, then fabricate the situation into anything they want," I narrated. "I'm sure everyone has noticed Ike and Yamauchi's behavior last week, right? With Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san from Class D."

"Yeah! They were really excited about those Class D girls."

"So they really thought they'd get themselves a girlfriend?"

"Like, isn't that pretty pathetic?"

"And gross."

"Hahaha, I know right!"

"And two of them at the same time? It's obvious that something was up."

Woah, I just asked for your observation. Calm yourselves, girls. But then again, it's not like I can't understand where they're coming from. Miyamoto and Hondou weren't fond of hearing their friends get badmouthed, but it's not like they can defend Ike and Yamauchi and justify their actions. After all, since we presented our theory on Ken's case, they should've been able to tell that something wasn't right with Kinoshita and Manabe's timing.

"Well, Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san used their confessions as cover to lead Ike and Yamauchi into their trap..."

I proceeded to tell them everything that transpired yesterday, up until the moment when the class representatives arrived to ask what happened.

"S-Sexual assault?"

"Isn't that pretty bad?"

"Are they gonna get expelled?"

Their confusion turned into worry. I'm sure some of them didn't really care about Ike and Yamauchi being in trouble. A lot of our classmates were more worried about our class points, but of course, they wouldn't voice their thoughts.

At that moment, Matsushita stood up.

"You seem to be taking the blame, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Yeah, it was my mistake. I didn't think Class D would turn the tables on us. I was careless," I replied.

Matsushita was frowning. Apparently, she didn't like my words.

"I... don't think any of us has the right to blame you, not even Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun. After all, you did what you had to do... and they brought this onto themselves, anyway," she Matsushita.

"That's right, Ayanokouji. They were at fault."

"They should even be grateful to you."

"Miyamoto-kun and Hondou-kun, too. You two shouldn't blame yourselves."

Our classmates decided to speak out their thoughts.

"I have to admit. Kanji and Haruki may be my friends, but if it wasn't Ayanokouji, Soshi, or my fault, then those two's stubbornness should be blamed for this..." said Hondou.

"I failed to help them back when we tried to prevent this thing from happening, so I want to do what I can now, but no matter how frustrating it is, all we can do is leave everything to Horikita-san," added Miyamoto.

He's right. Chabashira-sensei's meaningful look told me that Class D's plan is indeed in motion. Once the investigations start, only Horikita can act as Ike and Yamauchi's lawyer of some sort. It's all up to her now.

Inside the faculty room, the five of us stood in front of Chabashira-sensei who was sitting behind her desk. Ayanokouji-kun told us everything that we needed to know yesterday, but as expected, I would've felt a little better if he had been present.

"I assume that you have an idea of what has happened?" asked Chabashira-sensei.

"Yes, Class D accused Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun of sexually assaulting Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san. Is that right, Sensei?"

"You're right, Horikita. It's as you've said. Now tell me, is it true?" Chabashira-sensei looked straight into Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun's eyes.

"No! They lied. We didn't do anything."

"We're innocent, Sensei!"

"Hmm... I see." Sensei narrowed her eyes. "Well, regardless of the truth, you two are in deep trouble right now. The grievance procedure is almost finished. We've interviewed every student who was involved in the incident. The only ones remaining are you two, the suspected main assailants." 

Chabashira-sensei explained with her arms crossed.

"Sensei, what will happen after Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun are interviewed?" asked Kushida-san.

"We'll hold a hearing tomorrow, after class. You can bring one additional person to act as the defendants' representative. If you lose, Ike and Yamauchi will be suspended at best. Your class points would be compromised as a result."

"That's horrible... They didn't even..."

"Kinoshita and Manabe didn't want to make this public since they were afraid of the unnecessary attention. Based on their actions, it really felt like they were scarred. If you two really are innocent, then they're quite the actresses. Sakagami-sensei was especially convinced."

Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun could only look down in resentment.

"We'll leave it to you, Horikita-san... I don't think it'll be easy, but please do your best to help Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun," Hirata-kun pleaded.

If Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun are penalized, our class points will suffer. I'll do what I can to prevent that.

"I'll try my best," I nodded before looking at Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun. "Be consistent and only tell the truth. Don't say anything unnecessary."

"Yeah, 'will do."

"Alright..."

Since only the two of them will be interviewed, the three of us decided to head back.

"I wonder why Ayanokouji-kun didn't just tell them to avoid contact with Manabe-san and Kinoshita-san...?" I pondered.

"Kiyotaka-kun told me that it would yield a worse result since he thought Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun wouldn't be convinced. He also said that even if it was practically an obvious plot, there's still a chance they really were interested in Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun," answered Kushida-san.

"He also considered their feelings. That's why he opted to keep an eye on them in secret. Ayanokouji-kun was thoughtful... It's unfortunate that Ryuuen-kun saw through his plan, but Ayanokouji-kun's knowledge of Class D is limited so it couldn't be helped," added Hirata-kun.

"Even if it didn't show in his face yesterday, he must've felt responsible. He apologized and blamed himself," Kushida-san said with a worried expression. I always loathed her fake acts of kindness, but this time, I felt like her unease was genuine.

"If anything, it's Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun's fault," I sighed.

Somehow, everything still felt strange to me. Ayanokouji-kun wouldn't make such a sloppy plan. He isn't someone who could be seen through easily.

Chapter Text

The students of Class B had different opinions on Ike and Yamauchi's case, but because everyone believed what Hondou and Miyamoto had told them, at least no one thought that Ike and Yamauchi were guilty. The very next day, most of the guys asked the two people of interest about the incident. Even though some of their usual enthusiasm returned, of course, Ike and Yamauchi were still a bit stiff about everything. Not only were they at the risk of expulsion, but their reputation inside the classroom, especially with the girls, worsened even more. It was no longer just a matter of them being a couple of annoying perverts. This time, they put the class at risk. Ichinose's Class C was only 121 points away from us, after all. For example, if their suspensions cost us 60 points each, then we're in critical danger. Any more than that, and we're going to be demoted to Class C.

The class kept everything closed, especially after Hirata and the rest relayed to us what Chabashira-sensei told them yesterday. We already got Ike and Yamauchi to agree to let the class know about the incident during the 12th, anyway.

When class ended, Ike, Yamauchi, and Horikita proceeded to a conference room along with Chabashira-sensei.

Hirata spent some time with Karuizawa and their friends, so Kikyou and I remained in the classroom, waiting for the meeting to finish. We took two seats and moved them right next to each other (her idea).

"Are you worried about Horikita?" I asked.

"Huh? No, I'm not. Why would I be?" Kikyou replied with a glare.

"I see. So you're confident in her," I joked.

"I'll punch you, Kiyotaka-kun." The veins on her forehead were visible. Well, no, they weren't, but I felt like they were.

"I'm kidding. I am a bit anxious, though. She might not be able to bring her best out," I said.

When we asked Chabashira-sensei about the details of the so-called 'hearing', she told us that it would be held by the student council led by the student council president. Horikita instantly stiffened upon hearing that.

"President Horikita, huh? What's up with the two of them?" asked Kikyou.

"I don't really know. Maybe Horikita has some confidence issues when her brother is around. He's quite accomplished, after all," I replied with a shrug.

"That's true. Horikita-san was originally placed in Class D, so I guess that might've been something that she's insecure about."

After talking about Horikita, Kikyou and I caught up on stuff that was happening in our separate friend groups. In the midst of our conversation, she suddenly asked something strange.

"Do you want a girlfriend, Kiyotaka-kun?"

She wore an expression of curiosity, but her body language exuded nervousness and anxiety.

"I mean, as a normal high school boy, I guess I do?"

"T-Then... If a girl confesses their feelings for you... Would you accept them?"

Kikyou's restless expressions were so adorable that I thought she was doing her cute-girl act again. However, anyone can tell that her jumpiness is authentic. I decided to answer seriously instead of making a joke.

"Hmm... I think it still depends on who the girl is. I'd probably reject them if I didn't know anything about them. But of course, I'd still express my gratitude."

"Okay... But what if they're someone from Class B? You're close with all the girls in our class, right?"

Well, I'm probably friends with every girl in our class, but I'm not inclined to say that we're close.

"If they're a classmate, huh? That's pretty hard. Frankly, I would be speechless. I don't have any experience with things like romance, after all."

Kikyou listened intently.

"Why do you ask, Kikyou?" I think this should've been my first reply.

"I was just curious," she answered with a grin.

"It's just the two of us in here. You don't have to lie with such a cute smile." I narrowed my eyes.

"That's no good, Kiyotaka-kun. You can't easily call a girl's smile 'cute'. They'd surely get the wrong idea," said Kikyou.

"Don't dodge the topic by lecturing me. Answer my question seriously as I did with yours."

Faced with my steadfast interrogation, Kikyou could only moue.

"U-Ugh... I can't say it..." she pouted.

I stared at Kikyou while staying silent.

"Ah, fine... I think a girl in our class plans to confess their feelings for you soon. It's supposed to be a secret but here we are. Be sure to act accordingly when it happens, okay? And don't snitch on me!" she said.

"I see... Well, I guess that's fine. It's not like the girl you're talking about would be able to tell anything even if I don't act surprised. Everyone in Class B knows how I am."

"I-I suppose that's true."

"Is it alright if I ask who the girl is?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"Of course not. I already told you this much so just be satisfied with it. Everything was supposed to be a secret but you made me spill the beans..."

"You started this topic. It's technically your fault."

"B-But if I didn't say anything, you'd just suspect that I'm asking for myself!"

"You're probably right."

"See?!"

I wonder... If Kikyou hadn't decided to forge her perfect persona, would everyone still like this flawed girl in front of me? Since the answer is most likely no, I guess I have no choice but to accept the reality that this Kikyou will never come out on the surface. She'll be buried within the lies of her phony kindness and goodwill... and I'll be there to accompany her.

"Kiyotaka-kun..." Kikyou muttered my name while looking away.

"Hm?"

"If... I'm the one who asks you out... Would you say yes?" she asked.

"Yeah, I would," I replied instantly.

"-?!" Kikyou slapped my arm with force. "You're teasing me!"

Of course, Kikyou knew that I wasn't telling the truth.

"An eye for an eye. I told you; it's futile to try and get a reaction out of me. I don't have any romantic experience, but that won't make me an easy target for teasing," I said before looking away. "Even if I was embarrassed, you won't see it in my face if I try hard enough."

"E-Eh-?" Kikyou's upset expression suddenly became confused.

"Let's go. The hearing should be over by now."

I stood up and walked towards the door.

"Wait! What did you mean by that?! Are you actually embarrassed?" she asked.

"No, I'm not," I answered without looking at her.

"Ugh, that's not fair, you liar! Hey, don't leave me here!"

When Kikyou and I arrived at the place, we could still hear the voices from inside the room. We decided to stay and wait. From what I can make out of their words, it seems like they're finishing up. But before we could receive Horikita and the other two, a bunch of people arrived led by a familiar face.

"Oh? If it isn't Kikyou? I expected to see you here, but not with this guy. Where's Hirata?"

According to the list, this was Ryuuen Kakeru of Class D. Behind him were Oda Takumi, Nomura Yuuji, and Yamada Albert.

"Ryuuen-kun... Hirata-kun had other things to do..." she answered.

"Hey, you. You're Ayanokouji, right? You're one of the smartasses of Class D, and you're also a fast swimmer." Ryuuen addressed me with a smirk.

Knowing the main players of Class B isn't that surprising. Based on his words, Mii-chan, Matsushita, and Yukimura might also be on his radar. I can immediately tell that he isn't a simple person. He'll be able to tell a few things if I respond, but the same thing will happen if I choose to stay silent.

"Heh, interesting. Well, whatever. I'm here to fetch my classmates like you two. But still, I can't believe Ike and Yamauchi would pounce on Kinoshita and Manabe. If we weren't there, who knows what could've happened?"

"Ike-kun and Yamauchi wouldn't do such things!" Kikyou responded strongly, albeit with a soft voice.

"Hoh? Then you're saying that the two victims are lying? Aren't Kinoshita and Manabe your friends, too, Kikyou?"

"That's..."

"You're willing to condone Ike and Yamauchi's behaviors just because they're your classmates? Aren't you a girl, too? Can you really stomach those guys' actions?" Ryuuen bombarded her with questions. His words were heavy but they didn't match with his facial expression. He was smiling.

"That's enough, Ryuuen. The school will judge who's telling the truth," I spoke.

"You finally stopped acting like a mute, Ayanokouji?" he scoffed. "Truth, eh? I trust the school would make a fitting decision."

At that moment, the door finally opened. Kinoshita, Manabe, Ishizaki, and Kondou were the first ones to exit the room.

"Ryuuen-san," Ishizaki greeted with a nod.

"Oh, you guys. How did it go?" asked Ryuuen.

Horikita finally appeared with Ike and Yamauchi in tow. The moment he saw Ryuuen, Yamauchi instantly howled in rage.

"Ryuuen, you bastard!"

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to, punk?" glared Ishizaki.

"Yamauchi-kun, don't make yourself look any worse," scolded Horikita.

Seeing the same guys who ganged up on him that day, Yamauchi could do nothing but glower spitefully.

"Kuku, so you had Horikita Suzune speak for you, huh?" Ryuuen shifted his attention to Horikita and acted like Yamauchi was air.

"You must be Ryuuen-kun, right?" Horikita asked with a glare.

"The one and only," he smirked.

"Horikita-san, how did the hearing go?" Kikyou asked nervously.

"They will make a final decision after the next and last session on Friday, which will be the trial." she sighed. "I did the best I can do."

"I-I see."

Horikita acted like I was invisible.

Seemingly satisfied, Ryuuen snickered and turned around.

"I didn't expect you to prolong their suffering. Good work, Suzune."

"I don't know where you heard that from, but my first name isn't something that I want to hear out of your mouth," Horikita responded vexingly.

Ryuuen continued walking like he didn't hear anything. His classmates followed him closely.

When I took a peek inside the room, the elder Horikita was still discussing something with Chabashira-sensei and Sakagami-sensei. Secretary Tachibana was also with them.

"Let's go." I turned in the opposite direction and continued walking.

Judging from Ike and Yamauchi's expressions, the hearing didn't go too well for them.

"Ike, Yamauchi, I'll try to find some other way out of this, but don't count on it too much," I said.

"Ayanokouji..." Ike muttered while looking at me.

The two of them seemed to have mixed feelings about my words. They still remember the harsh words I threw at them in the infirmary.

"What are you gonna do, Kiyotaka-kun? Did you manage to figure something out?" asked Kikyou.

"Hmm... Not really. If negotiations are available, then that would be ideal."

Horikita did nothing but stare at me.

"I see... I hope everything goes well... I don't want to say that Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san are liars, but I want to believe in Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun's innocence," Kikyou said with a smile.

"Thanks, Kushida-chan..."

"You really are a nice person..."

Kikyou shook her head.

"If there's anyone you should thank, it should be Ayanokouji-kun and Horikita-san. They're the ones in action. Supporting everyone is the least I can do," she said.

Suddenly, Kikyou's phone rang. Hirata was calling her. She put the call in speaker mode so we could all talk to Hirata.

"Kushida-san? Is the meeting finished?"

"Hirata-kun! I'm with everyone right now. They can hear you."

"Oh, I see. That's great then. Can I talk to Horikita-san?"

"What is it, Hirata-kun?" asked Horikita.

"How did it go?"

"It's pretty bad. We couldn't do anything about Yamauchi-kun and Ike-kun's fingerprints. All I could do was delay their final decisions. Unless we find a witness from another class that contrasts their statements, getting sanctioned will be inevitable."

"I... I see..." I felt something strange with Hirata's tone. Normally, he'd try his best to be positive, but he sounded really downtrodden. Is it because we're nearly in checkmate? "Regardless, please tell me if I can lend a hand. I'll try to do what I can."

He didn't sound optimistic at all, but I could feel his resolve from the other end of the call. If Hirata's planning to do what I'm thinking he'll do, it might interfere with my plan...

"Kushida-san, Ayanokouji-kun, thank you for being there to support them. Ike-kun, Yamauchi-kun, we'll try our best to help you until the end."

"T-Thanks... Hirata." said Yamauchi.

"Yeah... Sorry about this, really." Ike clicked his tongue in frustration.

I'm sure both of them can sense how hard it is for us to be involved in this case where we're bound to lose. Because I gave them a reality check two days ago, they must be thinking that we're only doing this because we have to—that we think saving them is a waste of time for us. While this is true to some extent, I'm sure that's not the case for Kikyou and Hirata who are willing to help their friends even if their reasons and motivations are different. And right now, Horikita should be ingraining this incident into her memory, slowly normalizing it in her mind—that sabotaging another class's students is normal and should be expected.

Katsuragi and Sakayanagi are the leaders of Class A, and Ichinose is the leader of Class C. Their identities and roles are out there. Ryuuen must be thinking that Horikita or Hirata is the leader of Class B, but one thing is stopping him from being sure: The S-System. If they really were the leaders, then it would've been impossible for us to maintain such a high number of class points. It's not about how capable they are as a leader. It's about the class they've been assigned to. Ichinose, whose class functions similarly to ours, has fewer points. It's not a stretch to say that Class B, in terms of unity, is just a lesser version of Ichinose's Class C. If that's the case, then how are we the higher class? Even Ryuuen, who appears to control his class using tyranny, failed to maintain their points. The only exception was Class A, led by Sakayanagi and Katsuragi, who are still unknown to me. However, it's obvious that their methods worked. Ryuuen must be thinking that Class B is being led by someone similar to those two.

Of course, he's wrong. We're only in our current position because I bought the explanation using our own class points, and Ryuuen doesn't know that.

Regardless, I have to move soon.

(14:56) [I'll bring my main ordnance to your room at 7:00, correct?]

(14:56) [Yeah, thanks.]

(14:56) [It's no problem, Ayanokouji-dono.]
(14:57) [The idea of helping does put a smile on my face, after all.]

Chapter Text

Earlier that day...

"Everyone in here should be aware of the situation. That's what you told me, right, Ayanokouji?" asked Chabashira-sensei.

"Yes, I've explained everything to the class," Ayanokouji-kun replied.

"Alright then, Ike and Yamauchi will be coming with me later for the hearing along with Horikita. If you can't defend yourselves today, we'll have to treat it as a trial and make a decision right then and there. Sakagami-sensei and I will be there to aid the student council in presiding over the hearing," she explained.

The student council...? The hearing will be led by Nii-san? What will he think about this? Our class has gotten in trouble... and it's up to me to try and fix it... Will he think of me as a failure once again?

"Horikita? Are you alright?"

I didn't realize that I was absentmindedly staring downwards until Ayanokouji-kun called out to me.

"You're worried about your brother being there?"

"No, I'm..." I tried to deny it, but the tone of my voice told him otherwise.

"Get it together, Horikita. We can't show any weakness right now." Ayanokouji-kun uttered those words without looking at me.

"Yes, I know that..." That's right. I know that much... It's just that...

"Come to the last end of the hallway on the third floor later. I need to talk to you about something," he said.

When lunchtime arrived, I finished my meal before immediately proceeding towards the place Ayanokouji-kun talked about. I got there and saw his waiting figure. The small open window on the topmost part of the wall illuminated him in a very picturesque manner.

"You didn't ask Hirata-kun and Kushida-san to come?" I asked.

"No, you're the only one I need to tell," he replied.

"What is it?"

"It's about this case, of course. What do you think of it?" he asked.

I see... He wants my opinion, huh?

"It's a losing battle, Ayanokouji-kun. I racked my brain last night, thinking of any possible argument to save Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun... But it's no use. We don't have anything. They have concrete evidence, while we have nothing but logic to twist their statements. In the end, they'll be punished by the school," I explained.

There's no way out. We got completely caught off-guard. But seeing Ayanokouji-kun's calm expression, it doesn't seem like everything's lost... Or at least, that's what I'm hoping for.

"To twist their statements, huh? Well, if you can do that, then you don't have to worry Horikita. That's all we need."

"What? It'll do nothing but draw out this case."

"That's right, perpetuate it. It doesn't matter if it's next week, on Friday, or tomorrow. You just have to prevent them from making the final decision today. If you can do that, then we'll win." he said, looking at me straight in the eyes. 

Those were the eyes of someone who was telling the truth. Somehow, the anxiety that's been gnawing on me from the inside slowly disappeared.

But... we'll win? How?

"What are you saying...? Do you have some sort of plan?" I asked.

"I'll tell you everything once this is over."

This again...

"You've said that before, but you haven't told me anything."

"I'm serious this time. I'll explain everything to you after this, I promise."

I nodded. It's not like I have any other choice but to trust him. If there's anyone who can get us out of this situation, it's Ayanokouji-kun...

"I just need to delay them, right?"

"Yeah."

This is the perfect time to ask him the question that's been on my mind since this incident took place.

"Ayanokouji-kun... Did you really mess up? Did Ryuuen-kun really see through you?" 

He turned around and looked at me straight in the eyes.

"No, everything is going according to plan."

Ayanokouji-kun replied as if he were telling me something obvious.

I saw the image of myself reflected in his eyes. Those were the same eyes that disturbed me since the first month.

From that moment, I knew... Ayanokouji-kun had always been in control.

When we arrived inside the conference room, only Nii-san and her secretary were around.

"Oh, Sakagami-sensei and the students of Class D aren't here yet?" asked Chabashira-sensei.

"They'll be here shortly," Nii-san answered. "Suzune? I see... I'm surprised that Ayanokouji isn't with you. He's just as involved in this case, isn't he?"

I initially thought he'd ignore me.

"That's..."

"Well, no matter. Sit down and wait for the other party."

I'm freezing up again. I need to focus. I can't mess things up now.

Before long, Sakagami-sensei, the class adviser and homeroom teacher of Class D, arrived with four of his students. Ishizaki Daichi, Kondou Reo, and the two "victims"; Kinoshita Minori and Manabe Shiho.

They immediately put on faces of revulsion upon seeing Yamauchi-kun and Ike-kun.

"Alright, since everyone is here, why don't we start the meeting?" asked Nii-san. "We'll start with a quick breakdown of the incident. Tachibana, please."

"Yes." she nodded. "According to Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san, they planned to call out Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun on the same day. They wanted to convey their feelings of interest towards them without asking to be in a relationship. However, Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun couldn't accept this and tried to force themselves onto them."

"That's not true!" yelled Yamauchi.

"Be quiet, Yamauchi-kun," I warned him.

"But-"

"She told you to be quiet, Yamauchi." Chabashira-sensei followed with a cold glare.

Yamauchi responded with silence and Secretary Tachibana continued her report.

"According to Ryuuen-kun, Ishizaki-kun, Oda-kun, Nomura-kun, Yamada-kun, and Kondou-kun, they wanted to look out for their friends, hence, they followed them. Manabe-san and Kinoshita-san also stated that they were aware of their friends' presence, and they felt thankful for their concern. According to the six Class D students, they immediately charged in to rescue Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san when they saw Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun grab them by the shoulder. They said that something felt weird when they heard Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun suddenly raise their voices." She looked at the four Class D students for confirmation. "Did I get everything right?"

"Yeah, we knew Yamauchi and Ike had a reputation for being a couple of sleazebags, so we were initially against their feelings. But as the week passed, we saw that they were having a good time with them. The two even became friends even if they didn't hang out with each other, initially. Ryuuen-san had me and Nomura follow Kinoshita cuz' she was pretty athletic and could probably defend herself. The other four followed Manabe. In the end, they were terrified by Ike and Yamauchi's actions so we had to step in," said Ishizaki.

"I can attest to this. I have always observed the behavior of my students and Kinoshita-kun and Manabe-kun were noticeably livelier this past week. Manabe-kun also asked me for the rooftop keys, so I was aware of their confession that day," Sakagami-sensei added while shaking his head. "I never thought that such an incident would take place."

I don't believe that Sakagami-sensei was involved in any way. This could only mean that Ryuuen-kun has taken the teachers' impressions and perspectives into account.

"Alright, Tachibana. You can now proceed with Class B's statements," said Nii-san. Secretary Tachibana followed with a nod.

"According to Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun, they were both called out by their respective partners in different locations. They said that when they arrived there, the attitudes of Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san were completely different. In Ike-kun's case, Ishizaki-kun and Nomura-kun arrived shortly after he got to their agreed location, which was the area behind Gymnasium #1. Ishizaki-kun approached and punched him before taking his hands to touch Kinoshita-san's blazers. Yamauchi-kun was called to the rooftop and was punched and set up by Ryuuen-kun in a similar fashion. He also said that Ryuuen-kun was already there when he arrived. They have adamantly claimed to be innocent, and that everything was Class D's plot to sabotage their class points." She looked at us before asking; "Did I get everything right?"

"W-What...?" Kinoshita asked in dismay.

"Are you serious...?" Manabe had the same frightened expression.

"Hey, Ike, Yamauchi?! What's with this bullshit?!" Ishizaki lashed out.

"The hell do you mean by bullshit?! It's the truth!" yelled Ike.

"Ishizaki-kun, calm down." Sakagami-sensei said as he fixed the position of his glasses. "Sexual assault is a serious thing. It is beyond my comprehension to see youngsters like you come up with such convoluted lies after scarring two female students. I'm appalled, to say the least, Class B."

"Well, of course, you can say that, Sakagami-sensei. The evidence says it all," replied Chabashira-sensei.

"That much is obvious. Everyone in this room can clearly see how traumatized Kinoshita-kun and Manabe-kun are."

"I agree, I agree," nodded Chabashira-sensei. "But let's take the emotional and psychological stuff away for a moment and think about things logically. Is that alright?"

"Logically?" Sakagami-sensei narrowed his eyes.

"President Horikita, the defendants' group is allowed to speak now, right?" Chabashira-sensei turned to Nii-san.

"Sure," he nodded.

"Go ahead, Horikita. Tell us what you have in mind."

Keep it together. I have one job and I must do it right. I don't have time to think about anything unnecessary.

"Yes," I nod. "First of all, I assume that Hondou-kun and Miyamoto-kun have been interviewed as well? They were directly involved in this case, too."

"Yes, they have. According to their testimonies, they wanted to play a prank on Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun by recording their responses to what they all thought to be Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san's confessions. Miyamoto-kun stated that he encountered Ishizaki-kun and Nomura-kun while Hondou-kun encountered Yamada-kun, Oda-kun, and Kondou-kun. This was in conjunction with Yamauchi-kun's statement that Ryuuen-kun was already waiting on the rooftop with Manabe-san. They claimed to have been pinned down, and that their phones were taken from them, saying that the Class D student who took it deleted any prior voice recordings."

So they decided to hide Ayanokouji-kun's part, after all. But Nii-san still saw through that and assumed Ayanokouji-kun's involvement.

Regardless, this is bad. Class D can easily deny Hondou-kun and Miyamoto-kun's testimonies.

"Hah? That's a load of crap. We may have seen some first years on the way, but we didn't talk to any," said Kondou-kun.

He's right. Firstly, they were careful enough to pin them down without touching their clothes. Secondly, we can't use Hondou-kun and Miyamoto-kun's phones to search for fingerprints because it's been saturated by others at this point. We can't use fingerprints as evidence like they have. Lastly, their plan to act discreetly on Ayanokouji-kun's instructions backfired. We can't use witnesses to prove their involvement.

Wait... Witnesses?

"First of all, you can't immediately deny Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun's statements. The possibility of Class D fabricating the evidence is still not out of the question," I started.

"What are you saying? The school's investigation showed that their fingerprints were indeed found on Kinoshita and Manabe's blazers. We even saw the incident happen ourselves!" said Ishizaki-kun.

"I won't question the fingerprints, but it doesn't deny Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun's arguments. They claimed that the fingerprints were your doing—using their hands against their will to touch Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san's blazers."

"That's ridiculous! You don't even have any evidence for that!"

"Nor do you. We would immediately forfeit if you could give us footage or a voice recording. Do you have those?" I asked.

"What the hell? You're just arguing for the sake of arguing!"

"No. I think what I've said is considerably logical, given that Ike-kun, Yamauchi-kun, Miyamoto-kun, and Hondou-kun's statements match. It's also logical to assume that you used violence to incapacitate Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun to proceed with your plans. They've said that, too, right?"

They used the fingerprints as proof. We claim that those fingerprints were fabricated. Minutes passed and our arguments would turn full circle once again.

We're in a stalemate. However, we're still in a worse position. If they had a well-spoken person on their side, this would've been much tougher.

"This is stupid. We're not getting anywhere. President Horikita, why don't you just sanction them so we can get this over with? I want to protect my students from these kinds of incidents."

"Why are you in such a rush, Sakagami-sensei?" Chabashira-sensei asked with a smile.

"And why do you want to drag this out, Chabashira-sensei? As a woman, I don't believe that even you would condone the behavior of your students."

"Of course not. However, you must first prove that my students are indeed in the wrong. I wouldn't have opened my mouth if the evidence refuted the statements of Ike and Yamauchi. But isn't the opposite happening? Their statements are perfectly against the fingerprint evidence that you're using against them. Even without bias, I wouldn't discount their claims of Class D's fabrication plot."

"I can't deny that, but that's just because they knew about what they've done. With how well-spoken and quick-witted some of the students in your class are, I'm sure they had a hand in forging the perfect counterarguments against our own claims. After all, they were interviewed last and had time to prepare. Logic aside, I simply can't ignore the psychological effects that this incident has caused Kinoshita-kun and Manabe-kun."

"Well, I won't question the specifics since one party claims that they talked about confessing their feelings before getting assaulted while the other party claims that they weren't even given the chance to talk before getting punched and framed," Chabashira-sensei narrated. "However, you can't deny the weakness of the fingerprint evidence's potency because they only touched the arms, shoulders, and some parts around the chest area. No delicate body parts were violated at all."

"Of course, there weren't. Ryuuen-kun, Ishizaki-kun, and their friends acted immediately to prevent any further potential damage. Furthermore, we've already checked the rooftop footage, right? While nothing decisive was captured on camera, we clearly saw how rushed Kondou-kun and Oda-kun were when we saw their figures brush past the visible area. It clearly indicated an emergency."

The two teachers were engaged in a battle of wits and logic. They didn't show any openings...

"If I may interrupt..." Nii-san finally decided to speak. "The defense of Class B was fine, but in the end, sexual assault is still something that this school will not tolerate. Unless Class B can present us something concrete to deny Class D's claims that will back Ike and Yamauchi's testimonies, we'll still have to sanction them accordingly."

At that time, I spoke.

"We... have a lead. We'll find a witness outside of Class B that will confirm Hondou-kun and Miyamoto-kun's statements. We'll also try to find a witness that might bring light to the truth."

"Heh, you wish. No one else was there except for us," snickered Ishizaki-kun.

"Hmm... Alright. Based on everything we've heard, Class B is still at a disadvantage, but since you've claimed to have some sort of lead, we'll give you the entire Thursday until Friday at 4:00 PM where we'll finally have the trial in order to make a decision." Nii-san looked at us, the students. "You may now go."

I did what you asked for... With this, we'll win, right?

Chapter Text

That night, I had to call Hirata on the phone.

"Ayanokouji-kun? It's rare for you to call. Is everything alright?"

"Hirata, I'll get straight to the point. Are you thinking about confronting Ryuuen?"

"What? What makes you say that?"

"It's just a hunch. You sounded a bit different when you called us earlier... I thought you might try to do something on your own."

Even if I couldn't see him I'm sure that Hirata was wearing a surprised expression.

"That's-... Ahaha, I guess I couldn't hide it from you, huh, Ayanokouji-kun... Yeah, I am planning to talk to Ryuuen-kun myself... I mean, what options do I have?"

"Well, you're doing it precisely because you can't think of any other options, right?"

"Yeah... Sorry, Ayanokouji-kun. I think it's the only way to save Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun."

"I see... Then, Hirata, can you leave it to me and Horikita? The two of us will be the ones who'll confront Ryuuen."

"You and Horikita-san? Are you sure...? I mean, I can come along with you guys if you want."

"No... I know you're worried, but it'll be fine. You can trust us on this one. We'll definitely save Ike and Yamauchi."

After a brief pause, I could hear Hirata sigh in resignation from the other end.

"Alright... Please be careful of Ryuuen-kun. Contact me if you ever need help."

"Yeah. Thanks, Hirata. I won't let you guys down this time."

"I never thought you did in the first place. You're doing everything you can."

After our call, I released a small sigh of relief. Now, I just have to rope Horikita in and have her take the lead role in a small show.

When Thursday came around, I asked Horikita to come with me. We called Ryuuen to the Special Building and he happily obliged.

He sure is confident. I wonder how he'll act once he's driven into a corner...

I gave Horikita the rundown of my plan and had her listen to the recordings on my phone. They were two separate voice recordings containing everything that happened during the incident. In other words, the truth.

"What... is this? This is the plan you were talking about? How did you get a hold of this?"

Horikita instantly stiffened upon hearing everything.

"Don't worry, I'll explain the details when the time comes. Just be sure to act like everything was your plan, at least, in front of Ryuuen."

"Alright..." Horikita replied while trying to fix her expression. "I'll act as instructed."

Finally, Ryuuen arrived along with Yamada Albert and Ishizaki Daichi.

"Oho? It's just you two in here, or was I interrupting something? It's not civil to make out on campus just because there are no security cameras, you know?" snickered Ryuuen.

"You're finally here, Ryuuen-kun." Horikita addressed him, appearing unperturbed.

"Why did you call me here, Suzune? And what's Ayanokouji doing here? Is he your bodyguard?"

Horikita gave me a quick glance.

"I told you to not call me by my first name, but your brain can't even comprehend that." Horikita sighed before giving me a glance. "Anyway, I guess you can consider Ayanokouji-kun as my convenient helper. I didn't want anyone else to know about this, so I just asked someone who isn't too relevant to come with me."

"Heh..." Ryuuen's smile widened. "Alright, the fun is getting stale. What are you trying to accomplish by calling me here? Are you going to kneel and beg? That's a great idea, Suzune. I want to see that strong expression of yours crumble down into tears."

"Sigh. Your cheap provocations don't mean anything Ryuuen-kun. You've already lost."

"Oh...? You're saying some interesting things, aren't you, Suzune?" Ryuuen squinted his eyes and observed Horikita.

She took out my phone, which I'd given to her earlier, before speaking. At the same time, I also took out her phone and started recording.

"Hey, Ayanokouji? What's with that? I'm not a big fan of paparazzi, you know?" Ryuuen questioned my actions with a smirk. I was explicitly showing them that they're being recorded right now.

"It's just insurance. Knowing how you've worked for the past few weeks, it's not bad for us to assume that you might resort to violence, right?" Horikita answered for me.

Ryuuen raised an eyebrow before widening his eyes. Not just him, even Ishizaki and Yamada froze upon hearing the voice recordings that Horikita played.

"Oi, Kinoshita. We finished shooing the recorder guy away..." 
"E-Eh? What are you doing he-... Augh-?!" 
"Can we get this over with?"
"Agh...  W-What... K-Kinoshita-chan...? What's happening...?" 
"Don't rush it, Kinoshita. We need to do one last thing..." 
"Fine, hurry it up..."
"Ugh-!" 

"Kukuku, our guest is here..." 
"W-Who the hell are you, man?" 
"Why are you with Manabe-chan?" 
"Calm down, Yamauchi Haruki. Let's wait for the rest of the gang..." 
"The what? What the hell are you talking about? Manabe-chan, what is this?" 
"Can you not talk to me? It's really gross..."
"What-?!" 
"Ryuuen-san, we fended off the rat."
"Alright, hold him for me..." 
"H-Hey! What are you guys-... Aghhh-!" 
"That's no good, Yamauchi. Sexual assault isn't a cool thing to do. It might get you expelled, you know-? Manabe, come here..." 
"Do I really have to? I can just take my blazers off and give it to you, right?" 
"I don't want my fingerprints on the unnecessary parts of your blazer, so shut up and do what I say-"

"I'm sure you know what's going on by now, right?" asked Horikita.

Ryuuen's expression slowly turned dark. His smile came back before finally shuddering to a laugh.

"Hahaha... Hahahaha! I see! Amazing, Horikita Suzune! Simply amazing!" he laughed hysterically. "To think that you'd outsmart me like this... It's nothing short of incredible! Interesting, really interesting!"

"I would advise you to wipe that smile off your face. The situation's completely reversed now, isn't it?" asserted Horikita.

"Oh please. You don't have to scare me like that," shrugged Ryuuen.

"Hmph. Once I give this evidence to the school, it'll be all over for you and your classmates."

"R-Ryuuen-san, what are we gonna do?" Ishizaki asked with a panicked face.

"Hahaha, don't frighten the clueless ones, Suzune." Ryuuen's smile didn't fade. "Once you give the evidence? Don't make me laugh. You called me here because you never planned on doing that, right? If you really wanted to rat us out, you would've done so a long time ago."

"I see. You're quite smart, aren't you?" Horikita replied as if she expected his response. "You're right. I'm not here to have you and your classmates punished."

"Heh, so? What's your goal?" he asked.

"An extra hand."

"Hohh... Elaborate." Ryuuen asked with a curious grin.

"We want to reach Class A, obviously. However, I figured that it would be quite a challenge. So, in the future, I want your help if we ever need some. That's my real goal." Horikita looked at Ryuuen with cold eyes. "You're quite the underhanded person, Ryuuen-kun. So if you plan to betray us, don't make it obvious, lest I use these recordings to blow out your class points."

Ryuuen laughed at Horikita's bold words.

"I see... Hahaha! I see now. If you use these recordings now, Class D will surely suffer, but that's irrelevant to you, who's in the higher class. So, you'd rather use me as a weapon against Class A in exchange for hiding this evidence, am I right?" he scoffed.

"Your understanding mind is convenient. My initial condition plus Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san withdrawing their accusations-- Agree to them, and we'll have a deal. So, what do you say?" 

This role fits her perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better accomplice.

"Heh, you can use the evidence more than once. I'll accept if we sign a memorandum." Ryuuen proposed with a smirk.

"Very well, I've anticipated that already. We'll sign the memorandum in secret tomorrow, after your class's withdrawal."

Ryuuen was still smiling, but he couldn't reply.

"Be thankful, Ryuuen-kun. I was considerate enough to just keep this between me and Ayanokouji-kun. I never thought you'd walk right into my trap like that. I'd suggest you try to come after Ichinose-san, Sakayanagi-san, or Katsuragi-kun before challenging our class." Horikita turned around with a cool expression as her hair swayed. "Let's go, Ayanokouji-kun. We're done here."

After recording everything, I pressed the stop button and followed Horikita.

"Wait, Suzune," called Ryuuen.

Horikita was visibly shocked, but she composed herself before turning around.

"Give me a copy of the recordings," he demanded.

"Hmph, so you want to investigate the authenticity of the recordings? Sure, why not?" she shrugged.

"Heh..." Ryuuen's smile widened as he narrowed his eyes.

"Remember, I have the recordings along with the video evidence that Ayanokouji-kun recorded just now. I trust that you fulfill your end of the bargain... for your own sake," she said, giving him a side glance. "Farewell."

At that point, Ryuuen could only stare at our retreating backs. We've averted the crisis and obtained a new card on top of that. I've gained a significant understanding of how Ryuuen's mind works. The only ones left are Katsuragi and Sakayanagi.

Chapter Text

I'm not someone who cowers after a loss. In contrast, I just come back stronger and fiercer. That goes double towards opponents that I find interesting. I want to have a good time. I want to have fun. I want to crush someone who's worth crushing.

This school was the perfect environment to exercise control over others through competition with the presence of the class hierarchy. To be honest, being demoted to Class D didn't mean anything to me. I didn't really care if I didn't graduate in Class A. I just want to have fun.

That's why I was overjoyed—overjoyed with the fact that I had a reason to rise up. I want to crush the so-called "leaders" of each class and come out on top. I'll hunt them down one by one and have the greatest time of my life. Given how this school was structured, I'm sure they're worth my while.

"What now...?" Albert asked in English as he looked at me.

I have a mental list of whom I want to destroy. Horikita Suzune, the leader of Class B, tops that list right now. She thoroughly defeated me this time. I didn't expect to be one dancing on her palm. Or at least, that's what she wants me to think. Some things about what just happened didn't make sense to me.

"R-Ryuuen-san... Couldn't we have grabbed their phones to destroy the evidence by force?" asked Ishizaki.

"Nah. I don't know how, but it seems like they've managed to record everything. It'll be over if we try to do anything stupid. Do you seriously think that they didn't make copies already?"

"That's-! My bad..." Ishizaki clicked his tongue in frustration. "It seems like they hid other phones on their bodies."

"I was careful with checking Yamauchi's pockets, so even if you fucked up in checking Ike's pockets, this wouldn't have happened," I said. "Let's go. Let's relay our magnificent defeat to Manabe and the others."

I met up with everyone and told them about my encounter with Suzune.

"What?! They had recordings?!" asked Manabe.

"B-But I thought-" followed Kinoshita.

Kondou and the other guys appeared panicked as well.

"Relax, you lot. They won't use that against us if we withdraw from the case. We haven't lost anything, and we're not in trouble."

"But Ryuuen-san, you'll be forced to cooperate with them, right?" asked Ishizaki.

"That wouldn't matter. I'll make sure that our class won't get touched whenever that deal comes around."

Suzune got too overconfident with this win. She seems to be underestimating me. If our positions were switched, I would've used that evidence to thoroughly destroy her class to the point that they'd be nearly incapacitated. She doesn't treat me as a threat just because we're Class D.

But a weapon against Class A, huh? Not a bad plan, but a naive one. These three years are long, Suzune. I'll find a way to pay you or anyone who's with you back tenfold.

"Just how did they do it...?" Kondou mused.

"Heh, that doesn't matter now, does it?" I shrugged. 

To begin with, I was at a disadvantage since I attacked first without knowing who my opponent was. However, I won't make that excuse.

"So Class B also has a mastermind who can match up to Ryuuen-san..." commented Ishizaki.

"I'll devour Suzune soon enough. I won't let her bask in this victory for long."

There were a lot of questionable things about earlier. First, why didn't she call out to me before the hearing started yesterday? Second, she actually sacrificed her classmates just to create a card against me. Suzune appeared cold, but she didn't give me the impression of someone who does things as I do. And third, now she's treating me like her own card.

After Suzune sent me the copies of the recordings, I repeatedly listened to them...

I compared them to how an open recording would, but they were muffled in comparison. I proceeded to record my own muffled voice by stuffing my phone inside my breast pocket before comparing the two...

They're the same.

In conclusion, these recordings were taken behind clothes. Based on their volumes, Ike and Yamauchi were much nearer than us relative to the phones.

How the hell did they hide it? No... They didn't hide it. They didn't even know it was hidden. If they hid the phone in their underwear, for example, then they should've been part of the plan. Suzune couldn't possibly hide those phones without their awareness. But basing it on Yamauchi's reactions alone, I'm completely sure that he wasn't aware of the phone in action.

Even I can tell that these were phone-recorded voices... But if that really was the case, just how did Suzune do it?

Chapter Text

After exiting the building, Horikita turned around to look at me. Ah—no... She turned around to glare at me. Well, I guess my day wouldn't be complete without seeing this expression of hers.

"I'm sorry, Ayanokouji-kun, but I refuse to wait until Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san's withdrawal. I want you to explain everything to me today," she demanded.

"Sigh... The look on your face already told me everything," I shrugged. "I don't really have a choice, do I? Let's go to my room."

Horikita was surprised by my agreement, but she immediately nodded. After we got to my room, I prepared some tea for her before finally giving Hirata a call. I put it in speaker mode so Horikita can participate when necessary.

"Hello, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Ah, Hirata? We're done talking with Ryuuen. Ike and Yamauchi were indeed telling the truth. After some negotiation, they agreed to withdraw from the case."

"Oh, are you serious? That's great news!"

"Yeah, Horikita and I are hanging out in my room right now. You don't have to worry about us. Everything turned out fine."

"Our class will be overjoyed with this!"

"Yeah... It was all-"

"Hirata-kun," Horikita butted in.

"Ah, Horikita-san. I heard it went well."

"Yes, please relay the news to everyone and tell them that everything was successful because of Ayanokouji-kun's strategy."

It seems like Horikita's pride won't allow her to take the credit. Well, I don't really mind taking the credit this time.

"Strategy?"

"Well, is it alright if we keep the details of the negotiation? It's fine as long as our classmates know that we won, right?"

"Alright... But, Horikita-san, can I at least know how you two did it?"

Hirata's concern was understandable. I suppose I could tease Horikita a little bit while responding to this.

"That's...-"

"I had Horikita admit defeat to Ryuuen," I interrupted.

"What-?" Horikita glared at me.

"Admit defeat?" Meanwhile, Hirata was also quite confused.

"Yeah, I guess it's just his personality. Ryuuen was quite delighted after Horikita told him that we lost, saying that he'd let us off this time. Well, we won't tell you the details of how pathetic it was for the two of us... You know... Begging and all..."

"That's... I'm sorry, Horikita-san. I shouldn't have asked..."

"It's... fine... Hirata-kun..." Horikita replied while punching my arm repeatedly.

I'm quite amused by her current embarrassment. It would've been better if she had a cute, pouting face on, kinda like how Kikyou would do it.

"Alright, I'll deliver the news to everyone. Thank you, Horikita-san, Ayanokouji-kun..."

"Yeah."

After hanging up, I looked at Horikita's eyes and thought that they were more moist than usual.

"How dare you..."

She continued killing me with her eyes.

"Let's just consider that as me saying 'That's what you get for being stubborn.' and get on with it," I shrugged my shoulders.

"You better tell me everything..." she glowered.

I sighed before reaching out to my drawer.

"I'll start from the beginning then." I grabbed four items inside and showed them to Horikita.

"SD cards?" she asked.

"Yeah, two of these contain the recordings of the incident," I replied.

"But what about the other two? And whose phone did you use to record the other one? Miyamoto-kun and Hondou-kun were using their phones, too, right?"

"I didn't use two phones." I reached in for a couple more items. "I used these."

"Audio bugs... and a cassette recorder?"

"Remember when I borrowed 25,000 points from you? I used 20,000 of those to buy this small cassette recorded and the last 5,000 to buy these two bugs." Of course, the bugs only came with one SD card each so I had to buy a pair of new ones for this incident. I could've utilized the same SD cards, but I'd rather keep their uses exclusive. I have more than enough points to buy them anyway.

I grabbed my phone and transferred the 25,000 points back to Horikita.

"So you'll finally tell me about how you got Kushida-san over to your side?" she asked after glancing at the point transfer notification.

"Yeah. To put everything briefly, I deleted the recording I got from the rooftop on the 12th of May after having her listen to it. Consequently, I revealed to her that our entire conversation has been recorded by the cassette recorder... before I tore the tape apart myself."

Horikita was visibly shaken by my words. However, she was smart enough to get what I wanted to do.

"I can't believe it... So you revealed and destroyed two cards to make her trust you... But unbeknownst to her, you actually had one more..." Horikita said as her lips trembled slightly.

"Yeah," I nodded. "You don't know the details of her past, right? She opened up and shared them all with me. Everything was saved in these two SD cards. Of course, I'll keep them to myself."

"Don't worry. I'm not interested," she replied instantly.

"I know," I responded with the same urgency.

After that short banter, Horikita decided to change the topic.

"Kushida-san aside, you used those bugs again for this incident, right?" asked Horikita.

"Yeah. On the day of the confession, I planted these two under Ike and Yamauchi's collars when I put my arms around their necks to wish them good luck." I pointed towards the left and right sides of my neck. "I retrieved the bugs after we arrived at the scene. They were unconscious so it was easy."

"I see... But why did you have to wait until today?"

"You were surprised that I predicted it right? Ryuuen's last demand, I mean."

"When he demanded the recordings...? Then you-" Horikita gasped as if she figured something out.

"The sound quality of these bugs' microphones is fundamentally different from our phones'. I asked Professor—eherm—Sotomura for help. His laptop had the best software for audio engineering so I had him teach me some things about it. Of course, I kept him in the dark about my real purpose." I only knew some basic ideas about audio engineering concepts like equalization and dynamics processing, and I had to borrow his laptop overnight to do everything.

"So that's also why you had his laptop and returned it this morning..." pondered Horikita.

"If you're also wondering why I didn't ask for Kikyou's help this time, it's because of the involvement of these bugs. I don't want her to get suspicious of me anytime soon. In conjunction with that, I didn't want anyone else to know about the existence of bugs in this school."

I diligently searched around the campus to see if listening devices were available for purchase. I thought I'd end up with nothing, but I somehow managed to find some in stock in a very inconspicuous part of a very unpopular hardware store. Finding this rare type of cassette recorder was way easier in comparison. It only makes sense, though. The school wouldn't openly advertise the fact that tools for espionage can be bought at very affordable prices. If it weren't for my initial plan with Kikyou, the thought of scouring around for audio bugs wouldn't have crossed my mind.

"Are you sure that Ryuuen-kun won't suspect anything?"

"He'll probably think out some things in the future, but with the help of the slight sound tinkering, I managed to send Ryuuen on a wild-goose chase to figure out how you set up the phones, which never really happened," I continued. "And of course, Miyamoto and Hondou were the key pieces for my plan to succeed. With their actions, not only did Ryuuen think that everything was going according to his plan, but my 'failed' attempt to record everything using Miyamoto and Hondou also embedded the idea that we were solely relying on phones."

It's just like that one movie called Inception. I implanted an idea inside his mind which resulted in tunnel vision. I'm sure Ryuuen will unscramble the mystery with time, but it won't really matter by then.

"This is... just..." Horikita put a hand on her head like it was aching. "I have no words. How do you even think of this stuff?"

"Well, let's just say that my mind works better in an emergency," I joked.

"Emergency? You had everything solved from the start. I can only assume that you have more backup plans if this scheme of yours ever fails, right?"

"I had five or six backup plans on standby."

"You're kidding."

"I am."

Horikita slapped my arm in irritation.

It would've been funny if I really was kidding.

"Well, jokes aside, it's nice that this didn't go public. Class A and C wouldn't have a clue of what just happened unless Ryuuen tells them anything," I said.

"They decided to hide the incident to reinforce the idea that Kinoshita-san and Manabe-san were 'scarred' by the incident and wanted to hide it for their protection against unwanted public attention. In the end, that worked in our favor, too," added Horikita.

After taking the last sip of her tea, Horikita heaved a long sigh.

"I'm no match for you in terms of creating schemes," Horikita said with a side glance.

"Don't worry. I won't scheme against my allies."

She seemed displeased that I guessed what she was thinking.

"Well, as long as you can bring us to Class A, I'm willing to cooperate," she declared while eyeing me with suspicion.

"We're on the same side, so it would be better for us to trust each other."

"I can't bring myself to trust you fully simply because you're too cunning and unpredictable. The only upside is that you're not as obnoxious as Ryuuen-kun when it comes to attitude. But still, reaching Class A is our priority. You're the person that I will rely on the most in that regard."

"Yeah, I'll definitely get you guys there as long as I feel like it."

"As long as you feel like it, huh?" Horikita narrowed her eyes.

She didn't say anything careless. Feeling like I was about to reveal some of my inner motivations, Horikita chose to listen vigilantly. 

Alright, I can give her a heads up as soon as now, then.

"You see, I don't really care about reaching Class A. I'm only helping you guys because I feel like it. I'm just testing myself against this school to see how far I can go. Of course, it would be great if we graduate as Class A. I might make it as a successful civil servant or something."

"So depending on your mood... you might leave us be?"

"Hey, I don't want to be hated by my friends so I won't do anything detrimental to the class, unlike Kouenji. But, I'll probably chill back and do the bare minimum. I don't like to stand out and I hate trouble, remember? I just want to live a fun high school life."

"Well... I guess that's fair. But we can count on you to help us for now, right?" she asked with resolve.

"Of course. That was my plan, anyway."

"Us", huh? It's great that she's using that word in that context now. I'm sure Horikita will be in denial if I ever point it out, but at least, she's slowly developing into someone that the class can rely on.

I've known Horikita for three and a half months already. Based on my impression of her brother, Horikita might've been misunderstanding something very crucial. However, I'm not in any place to tell her that. Horikita must figure it out by herself.

Horikita and I used the remaining time to discuss the specifics of our contract with Ryuuen and Class D. When the time reached seven o'clock, Horikita insisted that she's overstayed for too long and decided to bid me farewell.

"Well then, thank you for today, Ayanokouji-kun. I benefitted a lot from this incident and learned how shrewd and sly you really are." Horikita patronized me with a cool tone.

"At least compliment me properly on the way out."

After she left, I checked the Ayanokouji Group chat. Airi wants to tell us something tomorrow.

Chapter Text

The next day, I arrived early at the classroom. As usual, Mii-chan, Nishimura, Horikita, and Hirata were the only ones inside the room.

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun," greeted Hirata.

"Good morning." Mii-chan greeted me as well.

"Good morning!" Nishimura followed suit.

"Good morning," I replied.

I'm not gonna lie, after a few months of being in the class's forefront, I've become more and more accustomed to my classmates' warm treatment.

After that incident with Ryuuen, I don't feel the need to hide anymore. Around this time, Sakayanagi Arisu, who's aware of my identity, would probably start to move. I don't know if her father told her about my enrolment here from the start, but given how significant our promotion was during May, it's safe to assume that I'm already on her radar.

There's also Katsuragi Kouhei. He's apparently leading a faction that's separate from Sakayanagi. At first glance, Class A seems to have some sort of internal strife, but given their consistent amount of class points, I'm inclined to suspect that it's part of some convoluted strategy. Whatever the truth is, I need to see it for myself.

"Good morning, Horikita," I greeted.

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun," she replied.

"You've prepared the contract, right?" I asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "I've taken everything you've suggested into account. Ryuuen-kun agreed with the terms when I sent it to him last night. Here's the form to get the class's signatures of agreement."

"Alright, good work, Horikita."

Last night, I messaged everyone in the class group chat that we wanted their signatures for a contract with Class D. I told them that the contract was about them agreeing to withdraw from the case. Horikita and I judged that deceiving the class wouldn't be detrimental in the future since the contract offered no downsides for Class B.

I slumped on my chair, laying my head on the desk. At that moment, I decided to move forward with my plans. I turned to Horikita with one thought inside my head.

Alright, let's overtake to Class A.

"I'll take the lead from now on. You guys support me from the back."

Horikita was surprised by my sudden announcement.

"You'll finally lead the class again? That's good news, but Class A is still an unknown variable to you. Do you have a plan?" she asked.

Horikita wasn't at all displeased that I'd taken back the position after one week. Instead, she was worried if my preparations were completed.

"Hmm... Maybe I can do something about Sakayanagi Arisu, but Katsuragi Kouhei is completely foreign territory to me," I sighed. "If I do anything reckless like Ryuuen and attack first, then chances are... I might get the rug pulled under me."

"That's true. So, why did you decide to come out today? You're not going to attack them now, are you?"

"Of course not, but I think there will be a good chance to do that soon. I want to rise to Class A as soon as possible and take a break," I said with a shrug.

"Take a break, huh? I don't think anyone will stop you, especially if you're the one responsible for bringing us to the top. Regardless of what it is that you're up to, I will cooperate. Do you plan to announce all of this to everyone, like before?" asked Horikita.

"Nah. They can find out for themselves. The delay would also keep the other classes from catching on too soon. It's fine if Ryuuen finds out though. He'll probably think of it as a joke, anyway."

The class still thinks of me as the true leader, too. Or at least, that's what Kikyou told me. And in the end, even if Ryuuen really does find out that I'm the real leader, it's not like I'm afraid of him.

"How about Hirata-kun and Kushida-san?"

"Oh, I haven't told them yet. I'll just give them a message later. It's not really a big deal."

The main reason why I had Horikita act as the class's de facto leader for a week was to solidify her position as someone who's second to me, in terms of overall capability. Well, I'd say that she's a bit lesser than Hirata because of his overwhelming social skills, but he's better suited as a supporter.

"Yaho~! Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun!"

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Yo, Ayanokouji!"

The classroom continued getting filled up and most of them greeted me, Horikita, or Hirata. The same thing happened after Kikyou arrived.

Class started normally but something weird happened during morning break.

"Ayanokouji, wanna have lunch with us later? Our treat," said Ike.

"Oh... You don't really have to treat me."

"What are you saying? Our butts got spared because of you, right? Take this as a thank you and apology from us," responded Yamauchi.

To be honest, I don't really know how to feel about this. However, it seems like they felt genuinely grateful, so I guess accepting their offer wouldn't be so bad. 

"Well, if you two insist."

When lunchtime arrived, I ate with Yamauchi, Ike, Miyamoto, Hondou, and Professor.

"I don't know how you and Horikita-chan did it, but you guys really saved us there!" Yamauchi laughed heartily.

"Yeah! I thought there was no hope!" added Ike.

"How'd you do it, Ayanokouji?" asked Hondou.

I don't really wanna answer that particular question, but of course, it's an obvious thing to ask.

"Fufun! I assume that it was another master plan by our shadow leader," Professor said with a strange chuckle.

"I'm too lazy to get into the specifics, so let's just leave it at that," I shrugged.

"Eh, no fun!" Miyamoto complained with a grin. "But it did feel nice to be in one of your plans, though. I really thought we would pull it off nicely the first time, especially when you predicted when the Class D girls would confess."

Apparently, Hondou and Miyamoto told Ike, Yamauchi, and Professor about my initial scheme. But contrary to what I told Horikita, I've actually relayed some things to Professor. It's nothing specific, but he got the gist of the situation. That's also why he wasn't too surprised about Hondou and Miyamoto's revelation.

"But man... To think that there would be someone who can match up to Ayanokouji's wits. That Ryuuen sure is dangerous," commented Ike.

"But Ayanokouji came out on top in the end, right?" Yamauchi said softly while clenching his fist. "I'll punch that guy back in the face someday."

Well, I guess it's fine to have them keep their guard up.

Suddenly, Ike and Yamauchi faced me with serious expressions.

"Sorry, Ayanokouji. We caused you and the entire class a whole lotta trouble."

"Yeah, everything you said about us was right. We were acting pathetically the whole time."

"It's fine, and I didn't dismiss you guys for the sake of it. You needed to know how the whole class saw you. It would do you good to gain some self-awareness," I replied.

The two of them sincerely admitted their mistakes and apologized to me. To be honest, I'm surprised.

While I don't expect them to contribute much, I can at least hope that they'll exercise prudence to avoid trouble in the future. I wouldn't count on it, though. Immaturity and ignorance aren't the same thing.

Our lunchtime continued with Hondou and Miyamoto hounding Ike and Yamauchi about the things I said to them that day. Professor laughed strangely in the background while spouting manga references that I have little idea of.

When we got back to the classroom, Ike and Yamauchi called our classmates' attention. To everyone's surprise, the two formally apologized to the entire class. The first ones to speak up were Hirata and Kikyou's groups. They said it was alright since everything turned out fine in the end. They most likely responded to ease the awkward atmosphere. After all, the class wasn't used to Ike and Yamauchi behaving like that. It was a good attempt to fix up their reputation by giving an apology, but the class wasn't so easily swayed.

"I'll be there shortly. Horikita and I just have to finish our business with Ryuuen," I said.

"Please be careful, Kiyotaka-kun..." Airi said to me with a worried face.

"Heh, you'd rather say that to Ryuuen, Airi. You know how strong Kiyotaka is." Ken crossed his arms confidently.

"Do delinquents decide things solely by competing in arm wrestling?" Haruka asked sarcastically.

"What? N-No..."

"Then there you go, idiot Kencchin," she replied with a smirk.

"Well, Kiyotaka can probably fight." Ken snapped back. "I haven't seen it tho..."

"Can you fight, Kiyotaka?" At that time, Akito spoke up and asked me.

"Yeah, I can protect myself just fine. You guys don't have to worry about us," I answered sincerely.

"Alrighty~! We'll be waiting in Airi's room. Remember, we won't start the serious talk until you come, Kiyopon!" said Haruka.

"I-It's not really anything serious..." muttered Airi.

After bidding farewell to my friends, I walked towards the Student Council Office and saw Horikita waiting in the hallway with Ryuuen.

"Oh? Your bodyguard is here, Suzune. What a way to spoil our fun."

"Seems like I'm not welcome here," I said.

"That's right. After all, you're just an insignificant character..." Ryuuen narrowed his eyes as he looked at me. "Well, unless you're not."

"Who knows?" I ignored Ryuuen's presence and knocked on the door.

"Come in," said the person inside.

Secretary Tachibana received us after coming in.

"You're here to sign the memorandum, correct?" asked the elder Horikita.

I took a copy from Horikita's hand and presented it to him.

"These conditions should abide by the school's rules, I assume?"

Horikita Manabu scanned each word with speed.

"Hmm... I always thought you were involved behind the scenes, but to think that you really were the cause of Class D's withdrawal along with this contract... I'm impressed, Ayanokouji," said the elder Horikita.

Well, I guess the secret is out then. Ryuuen should get the message by now. He pondered over Horikita Manabu's words with a sinister smile.

That said, he sure is amazing. To think that he understood that much just by looking at the contents of our contract...

"So Ayanokouji was the one who set everything up for you, Suzune?" he asked.

Horikita refused to answer. Well, it's not like I'm trying to hide anymore, so I guess it's fine. The elder Horikita only responded with a subtle understanding grin.

"Alright, I'll approve of this contract. Since this involves your entire class, I assume you at least have eighty percent of the class's approval?" he asked.

Ryuuen and I presented the signed forms to him.

"Good. As of today, this contract will be in effect. The student council will keep one signed copy." After the elder Horikita finished up the official process, he had Ryuuen and his little sister leave the room.

Of course, this surprised the two. I don't know what he's after, but I don't think there's any harm in having Horikita stick around.

"Is it alright if Horikita stays?" I asked.

"Very well. You may go now, Ryuuen Kakeru. Tachibana, please see him off," he ordered.

"We'll face each other again soon, Class B. I'm really looking to it." 

Ryuuen exited the room after leaving us with ominous parting words.

"So, what's the big idea?" I asked, not using the most respectful set of words.

Secretary Tachibana gasped in horror while Horikita looked at me in surprise.

"W-What guts—to speak like that towards the president!" yelled Secretary Tachibana.

"I have a proposal to give you." The elder Horikita replied as if he didn't mind my rather discourteous attitude. "I want you to join the student council, Ayanokouji."

The stiff expressions of both Secretary Tachibana and Horikita evolved into utter shock. Horikita wasn't the type of person who became jealous because I was acknowledged by her brother, but she probably wasn't expecting him to think of me that highly.

"P-President?! You just refused a student from Class A, didn't you...?!" said Secretary Tachibana.

I thought about joining the student council at the start of the year but ultimately decided against it after considering the fact that I wanted to sit back and relax for the rest of my time after testing myself and reaching Class A. I won't be able to do that if I join the student council. Duties would come creeping at me.

"Thanks for the offer, but I refuse," I replied.

"And he just refuses?!" she yelped.

Secretary Tachibana is pretty good at being an expressive tsukkomi.

"Would you like to give me a reason? You're not in any clubs, are you?"

"Yes, but it's a pain so I don't want to. Why don't you recruit your sister instead."

Horikita instantly glared at me with an anxious expression.

"We don't take in underqualified students," he replied, not even sparing her a look as he fixed his glasses in place.

"Then you're saying that I'm qualified, right? Why is that? I don't think I'm that superior in comparison."

"It's because I said so."

"I still refuse."

We stared at each other for a brief second before he finally looked away in disappointment.

"Then, it's a pity," he said with a short, almost imperceptible sigh. "You may go now. Tachibana, please see them off."

Secretary Tachibana, who looked like she was holding her breath the whole time, finally cleared her head and followed the elder Horikita's orders.

Chapter Text

"Why did you refuse?" Horikita asked as soon as we got out of the student council room.

"You heard my reason, right?" I replied with a question.

"But, I don't understand. You'll have a stable social standing in our year once you're elected as a member. You can also capitalize on your position whenever you or the class is in some sort of trouble," she elaborated. "The benefits outweigh the risks-"

"The trouble outweighs the benefits," I faced Horikita. "I refused because it's a pain. Maybe I'll consider it if there was really no other choice."

I don't have the energy to engage in this debate. Horikita Manabu already blew my cover for better or for worse, and based on Ryuuen's words, something big might happen soon. I don't really want to think about unnecessary stuff right now. And besides, I have somewhere to get to.

"I see..." she sighed in understanding. "But at least, you can focus on being Class B's leader."

"Yeah, I won't slack off on that part." I turned around and walked away. "I need to go meet up with Akito and the others. I'll see you next time, Horikita."

"Goodbye, Ayanokouji-kun. Thank you for today." Horikita thanked me with a stern but sincere expression.

I went straight to Airi's room since according to Haruka, they were hanging out while still wearing their school uniforms. Airi opened up as soon as I rang the doorbell. She was wearing an amaranth shirt and periwinkle cotton shorts. She was the only one wearing casual clothes.

"Welcome, Kiyotaka-kun," she greeted.

"Kiyopon~!"

"Oh, Kiyotaka!"

"Oi, Kiyotaka, what took you so long?"

Apparently, they passed the time by playing cards. After the Ayanokouji Group was completed, we waited for Airi's mysterious announcement in anticipation.

"U-Uhm... Please don't expect anything too surreal... It's nothing serious, I promise. I... just wanted my friends to know this part of me..." Airi spoke anxiously.

"Ah... Sorry, if it feels like we're pressuring you, Airi. It's the first time you've acted like this so we can't help but get excited." Haruka responded with a smile.

"Don't lump me with you and Ken," Akito commented calmly with his usual cool expression.

"H-Hey!" hissed Ken.

"Well, whatever it is, don't be afraid to tell us," I said.

"Alright..." Airi grabbed something from a hanging shelf and showed us the cover. It was a young men's magazine featuring a girl that seemed to be a gravure model.

Scene lllustration

"D-Do you know who this is?" Airi asked nervously.

"Hmm... I don't really read this kinda stuff, but I feel like I've seen that girl before..." mused Akito.

"Ohh..." Haruka stared intently at the cover.

"Ah-! That's Shizuka-! Oh, wait, I'm wrong, it's Shizuku! Shizuku!" yelled Ken. "Ike and his group showed me a magazine that's similar to that one last month. They were talking about this gravure idol in particular."

Airi grew increasingly tense as our friends gave their answers.

"That's you, isn't it, Airi?" I said.

She flinched in shock and skittishly looked at me.

"Eh-?!" The three yelped in surprise.

Haruka and the two guys scrutinized Airi and the girl in the magazine by giving them alternating looks. To ease their struggle, Airi slowly removed her glasses while letting her hair flow freely.

"Ahh-! It's you!"

"Ehh... It really is you..."

"Holy shit, that's wild!"

This totally feels like one of those silly moments from superhero stories where the main character finally reveals his or her true identity.

"U-Uhm, I-I just really wanted to share this with you... I thought it would be fine." Airi was fidgeting all over. It was clear that it took a lot of courage to tell us her secret.

"This is awesome, Airi! I can't believe I'm friends with an idol~!"

"It's amazing how you're the main feature in a magazine issue, too," Akito nodded with a smile.

"Ugh... I can only imagine the ogling faces of Ike or Yamauchi when they find out about this."

"K-Ken-kun... Let's not talk about them! And I'm not planning on telling anyone other than you guys, anyway..." replied Airi.

"We're happy that you've decided to share this with us, Airi. We'll keep this to ourselves if you don't want others to find out," I said.

"To be honest, if Ike and his gang weren't idiots, they would've already found it out."

Haruka leaned forward to cuddle with Airi like she usually does.

"Well, that means Airi's disguise was just too perfect!" she said. "The disconnect between your fashion choice and fashion knowledge makes sense now!"

"Amazing... To think that you're an idol, Airi..." Ken continued observing the pages with Airi's photos. "It just seemed weird how you're very cheerful-looking in these shots..."

Akito engaged with him and scanned the pages curiously.

"You're right... That's probably the main reason why the thought of Shizuku being Airi didn't cross our minds immediately," he said.

She increasingly became more anxious as they continued.

"You should've told me about your Shizuku persona much sooner. I could use some cheerfulness lessons from a professional," I joked.

If my guess is right, Airi was worried about our image of her suddenly changing for the worse. After all, revealing a completely different personality would make you seem dishonest and fake.

I preemptively turned that stigma around and prefaced her shy personality as the genuine one. It should lessen her anxiety a bit.

"Ehh?! I'm a cheerful person too, right? I can teach you!" complained Haruka.

"I want help from a professional. You're just a cheerful idiot, Haruka," I replied.

"That's true." Akito instantly agreed.

"Heh, idiot." Ken snickered with a smug grin.

"Wha-?! I'm just trying to be nice!" Haruka hugged Airi as she shed some crocodile tears. "Waah! Airi, they're bullying me!"

"K-Kiyotaka-kun, you didn't have to be so mean." Airi calmly scolded me.

Meanwhile, Haruka turned to us and stuck her tongue out.

That whole skit probably eased Airi's tense nerves.

After some more teasing and banters, Airi finally opened up and decided to share some of her stories with us. Apparently, one of the things that she desired the most was to be as jovial as her Shizuku persona, like how Kikyou is to everyone or how Haruka is to us.

"I was never really cheerful if you can even call it that. I just acted like how I thought I should... Whenever I talk to someone while looking them in the eye, I just hide how scared I am and continue smiling. During the photoshoots... I just make myself empty until everything ends," Airi sighed. "I don't think I can act like that outside of work, to be honest."

"Well, you can slowly work towards it. You're already used to how I'm acting, right? You'll be fine," Haruka said while waving her hand.

"You can practice with us if you want. Ken's pretty good at intimidating people, so if you get used to him, you won't be afraid of anyone anymore." Akito suggested with a smile.

"Wha-?! Tch... I hate to admit it, but Akito's probably right..." Ken reluctantly agreed.

"There's nothing wrong with the current you, but if you want to change, then there's no need to rush. Take things slowly if you need to," I said.

Those words came from the bottom of my heart. Airi and I were in the same boat. I wish to change as well, but like I said, taking things slowly is probably the best approach. She wore a warm smile the whole time, but she suddenly looked very nervous.

"U-Uhm..." Airi muttered as if there was something else bothering her mind.

"Is there a problem, Airi?" I asked.

"Ah, n-nothing... It's just that... I'm really thankful to have friends like you, Kiyotaka-kun, Akito-kun, Ken-kun, and Haruka-chan..." she replied with a simper.

"I'm sure everyone's glad to be your friend, too, Airi," said Akito.

"That's right! I've never even had female friends that are as nice as you and Haruka. So I'm the one who should be really thankful." Ken grinned happily.

"I love you, Airi~!" Haruka continued snuggling up to Airi.

Friendship, huh? It's quite a pleasant thing...

"Eh-?" Airi had a surprised expression.

"What's wrong, Airi?" asked Haruka.

"A-Ah... It's nothing. I just thought I saw Kiyotaka-kun smile..." said Airi.

"Eh?! He smiled?!" Of course, Ken's overreaction was top-notch.

"Did I?" I asked with a genuinely curious expression.

"Seriously?! Isn't that, like, the first time?!" If Ken wasn't here, Haruka's exaggerated response would've taken the prize.

"Hey, even I can smile," I replied.

"Well, I can imagine you smiling bitterly, but it's hard to picture the Ayanokouji Kiyotaka smiling warmly like how Hirata does..." Akito pondered.

At that time, I saw Haruka absentmindedly staring at me with a slightly flushed face.

We hung out a bit more before finally saying goodbye to Airi. She seemed really happy about being able to share something with us. Well, while the other three were very vocal about themselves, I haven't really told anything about myself. Maybe I'll do that one day.

When I got to my room, I got a call from Akito.

"Hello, Kiyotaka?"

"Akito? What's up?"

"You've noticed it too, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Airi, of course. It seemed like she wanted to tell us one more thing but held back in the end."

"Oh... That's true. I noticed that, too."

"I'm pretty sure Ken's the only one who didn't notice, but that's fine, I guess."

"What do you think about it?"

"Hmm... Well, we can't really force her to say anything, right?"

"Yeah. She'll probably tell us when the time comes."

After my talk Akito, I called Kikyou to check on something.

"Kiyotaka-kun? Good evening!"

"Did I interrupt anything?"

"No, no, not at all. Is there anything you need?"

"I'm just curious about a gravure idol called Shizuku...?"

Oh, I didn't consider my phrasing at all.

"Kiyotaka-kun... Are you perhaps... into that?"

"My bad, I just found something out about the said person, so I got more curious. That's all."

"Hmmmm...?"

"..."

"Well, whatever. But I know who Shizuku is. She became a well-known gravure idol right from her debut a couple of years back and was really popular afterward."

"I see..."

"She has a blog, too. You can check that if you'd like to see her activities. I'll send you the link if you want."

"That would help. Thanks a bunch."

"Wait, my computer is already open so I'll just send it to you now."

I heard some light thuds and clattering indicating Kikyou's movements. She was probably sitting on her bed. At that time, I also proceeded to boot up my computer. When the link arrived, I immediately opened it and saw a very personal yet professional blog site that was clearly made for a career. In the early days of the site's operation, Shizuku posted almost every day and replied to almost every reply from her fans. A lot of them were asking about her future prospects like T.V. appearances. She also amassed more than 5000 followers on Twitter. I also checked other idol blog sites for reference, but they all seemed pretty similar. However, her activities stopped after enrolling here, abiding by the "No Outside Contact" rule of the school which was to be expected.

"Kiyotaka-kun, I just checked her latest posts, and it seems like she stopped in early April."

"Yeah, I saw it too."

"Is she... a student here?"

Oh... I didn't expect Kikyou to arrive at that conclusion immediately.

"You think so?"

"Well, it's not just the date of her sudden break... Look at this picture. She posted it a few days before the day of the entrance ceremony."

Kikyou sent me an image of Shizuku wearing a casual outfit. Nothing seemed strange about it... until I looked at the background.

Scene Illustration

"We were given the option to move here a few weeks earlier if we wanted, right? Her room looks exactly like a typical girls' room on the upper floors."

So that's why it looked familiar.

"You're right. Good job catching on to that."

"Based on her data, she should be in our year, too... Kiyotaka-kun, figured out who she is, didn't you?"

"You're overestimating me, Kikyou. I didn't figure out her identity. She, herself, told me about it."

At this point, I had no choice but to tell her the truth.

"Ohh, popular as always, huh? Even an idol was willing to reveal her true identity to you. Isn't that romantic?" she teased. "Well, I'm sure she also asked you to keep it a secret, so I won't pry... That said, it's quite amazing, isn't it? There's an idol in our year..."

"Yeah... Sorry if I can't share anything significant with you."

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm already glad that you asked me for help."

"Thanks again."

"You're welcome!"

When our call ended, I continued checking out the comment section on Shizuku's more recent posts. A certain user caught my attention...

"I see... This is quite troublesome..." I muttered softly after piecing everything together.

Chapter Text

The Ayanokouji Group was doing fine with the past lessons, so I gave everyone a day off. Right now, I asked Airi if we could hang out in her room and she timidly accepted.

"Good morning, Kiyotaka-kun..." she replied, opening the door for me. 

She wasn't wearing her glasses and she also had her hair down. Her typical shy demeanor made her look like the middle ground between Shizuku and the usual Airi. She stared at me with a curious expression.

"Hey," I greeted. "You must be wondering why I'm here. Don't worry, I'm not going to give you some supplementary lessons since I think you're already fine. I just wanted to talk about something."

"O-Oh... You guessed what I was thinking," she chuckled cutely.

It's currently ten in the morning, and we really didn't have much to talk about when it was just the two of us.

"Haruka knows that you've been taking pictures of yourself, but you've never really shown your quote-unquote true face to her, right?" I asked.

"Yes... I mean, I've also shown a lot of my pictures to you, Ken-kun, and Akito-kun, but I was in my plain get-up the whole time," she narrated. "The only one who really knew about it was you."

"When we first met, right? I didn't know who Shizuku was, though."

It was also the reason why I immediately concluded that she was Shizuku when she showed us the magazine.

After some more idle talk, I finally decided to get on with the main topic.

"I checked your blog site last night. It seems like you stopped posting when school started," I said.

"E-Eh? You saw my blog...? T-That's really embarrassing..." Airi covered her face with her hands. Her body shook left and right in a very adorable manner. This was a side of Airi that only we in the Ayanokouji Group know.

"You really love your fans, don't you? You replied to almost every comment. I bet you were liking them all, too," I teased.

"Stooop!" Airi lay face-down on her bed, burying her face in the sheets.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

"Geez, Kiyotaka-kun, you're so mean sometimes..." pouted Airi. "Even though your face doesn't change."

Cute... If Airi acted like this with her Shizuku appearance, boys would instantly swarm her much like how they would Kikyou.

Well... I hate to ruin the nice atmosphere but...

"Although... I think some of your fans love you a little too much."

Airi froze. Her face contorted like she just remembered something unpleasant.

"Airi... Have you read those comments? Ah, if you have no idea of what I'm talking about, then forget I asked."

[Do you believe in fate? I do. I believe we will be together forever.]

[I can always feel you close to me.]

[You were even cuter today, weren't you?]

[Did you notice when our eyes met? I noticed.]

Delusional was the first word that came to mind, but I felt like there was something more to this superfan.

"U-Uhm..." Airi's eyes darted around the room.

"Last night, you were trying to tell us one more thing, right? I thought it was related to this."

"Eh? You noticed?" she asked in surprise.

"Akito and Haruka did, too, apparently. We were worried."

Airi bit her lip with an apologetic expression.

"It would've been fine if those comments were limited online, but the guy sounded like he knew who you were. Do you know him? Is he a student in this school?" I asked.

I didn't really have to be so forward, but Airi wouldn't say anything if I didn't question her. And unless I was wrong about how close we were as friends, she'd tell me upfront if she really wanted me to stop asking.

"N-No... He's not..."

It looks like Airi isn't too comfortable talking about this, sure enough.

"He's not a student? Then he must be an employee..."

At least I've confirmed that this guy does exist inside the campus.

"Um, Kiyotaka-kun, is it alright if we stop talking about this? I promise to tell you guys everything after I confront the problem myself."

Well, that was fast. Unfortunately, I didn't get enough information, but I don't want to hurt my relationship with Airi by asking any further.

"I see... I understand, Airi. Sorry for being pushy."

"I-It's fine. I'm surprised, though. So you have an assertive side sometimes, Kiyotaka-kun."

"I guess..." I replied.

Airi chuckled in response.

"If I told Haruka-chan, she'd surely get the authorities involved. Ken-kun and Akito-kun would most likely try to reprimand the person themselves... Kiyotaka-kun, meanwhile-- to be honest, I don't really know what you would do."

"Probably the same as Ken and Akito."

"You'd confront him as well? I just can't imagine you in a fight with someone, though." Airi mused curiously.

"Well, a lot of our classmates say that I look harmless. I don't know if that's a compliment, though."

"Yeah," she giggled.

Despite the cold atmosphere earlier, the two of us slowly managed to bounce back.

After talking some more, the time finally hit 11 o'clock.

"I have lunch plans with Hirata and the others. Wanna come along?"

"Eh-? That's with Karuizawa-san and the rest of her group, right? I-I'm good. I won't fit around them, that's for sure..." she declined. "Have a nice lunch, Kiyotaka-kun."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. I can even ask Haruka-chan out if she's available." Airi saw me off with a smile.

The most important piece is "when"... I have no idea when Airi will make her move. Because I confronted her today (on top of telling her that Akito and Haruka also knew about this), Airi's sense of urgency will kick in. There's a very high chance for her to do it today.

At Keyaki Mall, Karuizawa and I were the ones who ordered the food. Apparently, her friends wanted to interrogate Hirata about their relationship's progress.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you think I got the orders right?" she asked while staring at the tray she was carrying.

After scanning the receipt and looking over our food trays, I concluded that we had everything.

"Yeah, I think so. Let's head back," I replied with a nod.

The conversation was getting heated when we arrived.

"Eh?! You haven't kissed yet?!"

"That's seriously so shocking!"

"I thought Karuizawa-san was just hiding it!"

"Ah-haha... We don't plan to go that far just yet..." Hirata was smiling amicably as he denied their fantasies.

"How pure~!"

I thought this was going to continue, but their attention shifted back to me the moment I sat down.

"So, Ayanokouji-kun, are you going out with Kushida-san or what?" asked Ichihashi.

"Ooh! That's what I wanna know, too!"

"They're, like, super close. It's impossible for them to not be a thing."

The girls, even Karuizawa, enjoyed this topic a lot. They were all smirking in delight. Hirata kept smiling as if he understood my pain.

"We're just friends," I replied.

"Ehh?"

"Is that really true~?"

"The Ayanokouji Kiyotaka and the Kushida Kikyou of Class B? You're like a match made in heaven, though."

The girls voiced out their bummed reactions.

"Like, you can all sound disappointed, but you're actually happy that Ayanokouji-kun hasn't taken by anyone yet, right?" Karuizawa commented with a shrug.

"K-Karuizawa-san!"

"You didn't have to say that!"

They immediately got flustered after hearing Karuizawa's words. This particular exchange isn't really new to me anymore. We've been hanging out a lot since the start of school.

After lunchtime, Hirata was supposed to accompany Karuizawa and her friends to go shopping. Summer vacation is drawing near, after all.

I went back to the dorms and spent some time by myself. Well, all I really did was the usual; fiddling with my phone, chatting with friends, and all that.

After feeling like the food in my stomach had been properly digested, I proceeded to do some light exercise in my room, near the window.

It was almost three when I suddenly saw someone who looked like Airi exit the building. I was all the way up on the fourth floor so it was pretty hard to see.

I called Airi on the phone, just to be sure. But while the person I was looking at wasn't picking it up, neither was Airi. That person seems like she's headed towards the entertainment district where Keyaki Mall and most shops are located.

I called the dormitory management office for confirmation...

She's out.

"Thank you very much."

As soon as I ended the call, I immediately put on some clothes and got to the elevator. She'll get far, but I can probably catch up as long as I know the general direction of where she's heading.

When I got down to the lobby, I saw a girl who was just getting back from her own business. It was Karuizawa Kei.

"Ayanokouji-kun? Wai- Hey!"

I didn't have time to talk so I just ran straight past her. Karuizawa was probably surprised.

It wasn't long until I finally closed the distance from the girl I saw. As expected, it was Airi. She was at the back entrance of a camera store and repair shop called SIVCamera.

"Please don't contact me anymore!"

In front of her was a man who looked like he was in his thirties. So he was the one who wrote all of those comments?

"Why would you say something like that? You're my treasure... Ever since I saw you in a magazine, I've loved you. Meeting you again here, I felt like it was destiny. I love you... I can't stop feeling this way about you!"

"Stop... Please, stop it!" Sakura shouted. She took something out of her bag. Letters. It looked like there were more than a hundred letters...

"How do you know my room number? Why do you keep sending these?"

"Why? Of course, I would know your room number and send you letters. It's because our hearts are connected."

If I try to match the number of our days on campus, the number of those handwritten letters, and the date of the first creepy comment, it's easy to see that Sakura has actually been suffering ever since school started. And today, she finally found the courage to confront this man.

"Please stop it. It's bothering me!"

She tossed the bundle of letters to the floor, rejecting the man's unrequited love.

"Why... Why would you do something like that? Even after I wrote out my feelings to you!"

"D-Don't come any closer!"

The man closed the distance between him and Airi. The intensity of his pace made it look like he was about to attack. Latching onto Sakura's arm, he shoved her up against the store's backdoor.

"Hya-!"

"I'll show you just how much I love you now... If I do that, then you'll understand, Sakura."

"No, let me go!"

I started taking photos for evidence. I wanted to wait until something decisive happened, but I felt a presence approach our location.

"Why did she have to follow me all the way here...?" I muttered.

Well, whatever. These photos are probably more than enough.

I approached the two of them quickly and kicked the guy's side.

"Gah-?!"

The startled Airi fell in surprise. I yanked the coughing man's body by the neck and kneed him in the stomach.

"Ack-!"

"Karuizawa, you're there, aren't you? Can you take care of her?" I asked without looking in her direction.

"A-Ah- Eh... Uhh, okay..." Karuizawa probably intended to hide, but she's better off keeping Sakura company while I take care of this guy.

I released a left hook to his face.

"Ugh-!"

Ah-- I think I overdid it. A couple of teeth fell out... Well, I guess that much was fine.

I grabbed the half-awake man closely and showed him my phone.

"I caught you red-handed, old man. You were assaulting an underage girl inside the school campus. And it's the high school run by the national government, too. Your only option is to get out of this place for good, or your life will end as soon as tomorrow."

"W-W-W-Wha-?"

I leaned in slightly, whispering my next words.

"I can also end it right here and now if you want."

His expression was full of fear. His face was swollen and he was shivering all over.

"I-I-I-I-I-I u-u-u-unders-s-s-stand... I-I'll never-..."

I punched him in the face one last time as I let go.

"Agh-!" he cried as he fell to the ground.

"Scram."

The man ran back inside quickly despite his pitiful condition.

"Are you okay, Airi?"

I slowly approached the two dumbfounded girls.

"Kiyotaka...-kun..."

"You did well," I said.

"I guess I'm no good, after all... I couldn't do anything by myself in the end," Airi smiled bitterly.

"That's not true. You summoned up the courage to confront that man even if you were afraid."

I found her actions quite admirable.

"Wait, wait, wait. Excuse me? I'm here, too, you know?" Karuizawa, who was standing beside Airi, voiced her displeasure. "Can you at least explain to me what happened here?"

"K-Karuizawa-san... Uhm..."

"As you saw earlier, I beat up the guy who assaulted Airi."

Karuizawa cocked her head and eyed Airi. She probably understood how shy she was so she didn't continue asking questions.

"Well, whatever."

"Why did you follow me here in the first place?" I asked.

"T-That's because I never saw you like that! You looked like you were running for your life!"

I guess her curiosity was to be expected.

"Stop exaggerating things..."

When Airi got back to her feet, she suggested that we go back to the dorms. The three of us were definitely a weird combination, but it's the result of this silly coincidence.

After we got to the lobby, Haruka instantly ran to Airi, hugging her.

"Airi!"

"Haruka-chan..."

I decided to contact Haruka earlier and she worriedly received her best friend upon return.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Yes... I'm okay, thanks to Kiyotaka-kun."

"Kiyopon, what happened?" she asked.

"We can explain everything, but not here. You're making a fuss in the lobby."

"Ah-"

"Hasebe-san, can you two go ahead? There's actually something that I need to talk about with Ayanokouji-kun."

"Eh...?" 

"In private," she added.

"It's fine. Go ahead and call the others to your room. I'll follow right behind," I reassured them.

"Okay..."

When they left, Karuizawa and I proceeded towards a rest area on the way to the school building.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"A few things," she replied. "You were quite merciless earlier."

"My friend was in danger. I should at least do that much." Ken and Akito would probably do the same.

"Hehh... So you'd do the same for Hasebe-san? What about Kushida-san?"

"Of course, it's just the same for them. Well, it's better to hope that nothing happens to them in the first place."

"But what about-..."

"What about...?"

"U-Uh, what about your class leadership? I heard about it from Hirata-kun. Since you haven't told the class, I refrained from telling any of the girls yet," she asked, suddenly changing the topic.

"That's a sharp turn if I've ever seen one."

"Oh, shut it."

"Well anyway, it's true that I've taken the lead again. After that incident with Ryuuen, I realized that I was being pretty paranoid. There's really no need to hide in the shadows or anything like that."

"Paranoid? Like you were overestimating your enemies?"

"No, and I'm not underestimating them now, either. It's just that my initial methods are unneeded. It's just a school, after all."

If I was afraid of standing out, then I'd push my hiding strategy for as long as I can. Since that's not the case, getting attention for myself was an inevitable side-effect that I'd need to live with.

"Ohh... I don't really understand, but hearing you say that would really put everyone at ease.

"Nah, it's fine if the class doesn't find out right now. That's the same for Chabashira-sensei."

Teachers were another variable that I needed to be wary of.

"I get it, I get it. For now, I'll continue doing my part in controlling the girls. I could also give you some information if you want, but you already have Kushida-san for that, right? Her social network is quite bigger than mine, especially with boys."

"Yeah, I'll be counting on you."

I stood up since I thought the conversation was over, but Karuizawa continued to sit while staring at me.

"What?"

"You seem different."

"Different?"

"Uh... How do I say this... When I first got to talk to you with Hirata-kun, you had a really warm and friendly vibe, especially with your choice of words. That's despite your gloominess already." She pointed at me before continuing. "But recently, I felt like your words are getting sharper and sharper. You're giving me a colder vibe than usual..."

"Is that so...?"

"I mean, Sakura-san was probably overwhelmed by fear at that time, but as a spectator, I noticed how emotionless you were at using violence." As someone who experienced violence, Karuizawa had the grounds to say that. "It's like you're used to it-- fighting, I mean. Were you a delinquent in the past, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Hmm... I won't say that, but I've been in fights."

"You're from America, right? The fights there must've been intense," she said, looking like a curious kid.

"It's not that bad." I turned around and started walking back to the dorms. "Let's head back. Or are you staying here?"

"We're such close friends, but I still feel like I know nothing about you," she sighed while shaking her head. "Hey, wait-! I'll come!"

I ended the conversation briefly so as to not dwell on the topic of pasts any longer. I managed to save Airi but Karuizawa Kei also saw a strange side of me.

Chapter Text

"What are you thinking about, Kiyotaka-kun?"

Kikyou was currently sitting cross-legged on the bed while hugging a pillow. She noticed how I was staring blankly out of my closed window into the slightly brighter evening.

"Nothing. I just feel like something big will happen soon."

"Like the final exam?"

"Well, there's that, but it's been more than three months, right? Isn't it weird that the so-called "special exams" aren't happening yet?"

"You think something will be different with the final exam?"

"That's right... But there's also the summer island vacation."

"Wait, that?" Kikyou titled her head in skepticism.

I'm not really in the mood to lay out the scattered clues. Who knows? Maybe I'm just overthinking things, in the end.

"Dunno. I might be thinking too deeply about stuff. It just seemed like the idea of a paradise vacation is another one of the school's baits."

"Just like the monthly allowance, huh?" Kikyou shifted her sitting position into a seiza-like kneel. "Well, if it's gonna be a competition between classes, wouldn't it be our chance to beat Class A?"

"Maybe."

"And with you in our class, we won't have anything to worry about!" Kikyou smiled cutely.

"I can't fight against entire classes alone. Don't slack off."

Kikyou continued chuckling like she wouldn't be part of the battle.

Honestly, I'd choose to sit back and just watch Horikita or Hirata battle it out with the other classes. However, they probably won't do as well, objectively speaking. Horikita has the right mindset but lacks Hirata's influence. Meanwhile, Hirata is susceptible to getting tunneled into thinking about his own group exclusively. Other classes could easily attack us if that were to be the case. It would've been different if the two of them were hand-in-hand in terms of cooperation, but that would be hard for Horikita as she is now.

"You know I don't like trouble, right?"

"Uh-huh?"

"That's why I want us to rise up to Class A as soon as possible. I'm just trying to see if I can do it. After we reach Class A, it'll be up to you and the class to maintain our position."

"K-Kiyotaka-kun, don't pressure us like that."

"Nah, I believe you guys can do it."

"With pieces of baggage like Yamauchi-kun, it'll be extremely hard."

"Well... that's true. We've got inactive classmates like Kouenji, too."

Kikyou giggled as she hugged the pillow tightly. 

"Ehehe... Now that we're talking about this, it does feel like the normal high school life that we're all used to is about to get flipped over on us once again."

I'm enjoying my so-called "normal high school life". Since getting to Class A could cement that, then testing myself was a good primary goal. If the school wants to do something to test us as a class, then the foundations I've laid down should be more than enough to yield considerable results.

Chapter Text

"A-Ah-! What I meant was... You're completely different from normal people like me... or Miyacchi, for example."

"What do you mean by different?" Kiyopon tilted his head.

"Well, you're really smart and athletic. You're super strong, too." Somehow, complimenting him like this feels a bit embarrassing.

"Ohh... I mean, Hirata's the same, right? Kouenji, too. And I'm sure there are some students in other classes who are like me. Not to mention the higher years."

That's not what I'm talking about... Well, it is, but-

"You're right... You're right but, there's just something about you that..." I can't seem to articulate my thoughts. "It's like you're... more mysterious than anyone else—like you're still holding back..."

Ahh, dang it... Why can't I properly say what I want to say?!

"I see... I think you're just talking about my negative traits, Haruka. For example, I don't like talking about myself and I'm not that great at making casual conversations, so I might give the impression of aloofness and mystery. I also don't look motivated when doing anything, so it feels like I'm still holding back... And because I'm your friend, you might just be romanticizing those negative traits into something positive, which is understandable."

There he goes again... Explaining everything so soundly using reason and logic.

"That's... You might be right... You're probably right... But somehow, I just get this feeling that—... It's like you're... unfathomable," I said. "I'm sure Miyacchi, Airi, Kencchin, and everyone in Class B have already sensed it. Sure, there are a lot of exceptional students in this school, but you give off a different kind of 'exceptional' vibe."

"Is that so...? Well, I can't understand it myself. My perspective is distinctly different from everyone else's, after all."

There's no way Kiyopon can understand how other people see him. That's why I want to make him understand, but I just can't seem to do it...

"It's pretty weird though. You were popular in your younger years, right? Especially since you're a foreigner in America."

"No... I didn't really have any friends."

"Eh?! Like, zero? I thought you were just exaggerating!"

He nodded. So he really was a loner?

"Were you not showing your abilities back then like you're doing now, or something?"

"I guess so. I didn't really take school too seriously, so everyone left me alone. I had a pretty peaceful school life."

"You're a weirdo. You would've been extremely popular!" I reprimanded him.

"Well, I didn't really know how to talk with people back then," he explained. "I just forced myself to socialize with others in this school. Even if I liked solitude, I can't possibly ascend to the higher classes without associating myself with you guys."

This school encouraged competitions between classes, and the results were directly tied to our futures. I see. I think I can understand him a bit more now. Still, it's just a waste to hide your abilities when you have them. But knowing Kiyopon, I guess he just didn't want to stand out.

"Ohh... I see... That makes sense..."

"Why'd you wanna talk about all this?" he asked.

"Ah—Eh... That's... I just wanted to know you more, I guess." I scratched my head while trying to make an excuse. "Hahaha..."

He stared in silence which made me panic even more! I quickly tried to change the topic.

"By the way, Kiyopon!" I called. "You call Kushida-san by her first name now, huh? When did that start?"

Crap, why did I ask that of all questions? My inner feelings are leaking out.

"Ah, if I remember correctly, we agreed to call each other by our first names on Friday."

"I see, hahaha, I guess that's understandable. She's your best friend, after all!" I said with a grin.

"I don't know if you can call us best friends, though. We're not even in the same friend group, right? But you can probably call her the closest girl to me," he replied.

The closest... girl... Lucky her...

"The closest... girl..." I muttered. "I see! Well, isn't that great?"

T-That was bad... I almost thought out loud.

"Well, enough about me. How about you? Did you have a lot of friends in middle school?"

Ah, he's right. I've been interrogating him for too long.

"Oh! Fufun~, of course, I did. To be honest, I would've done the same here, but I don't really feel like getting close with some of the girls in our class," I laughed bitterly. "I love Airi, though!"

I don't want to associate myself with the likes of Karuizawa-san or her friends. I honestly don't think we can get along... I'm good friends with Kushida-san's group, but in the end, I still feel like an outsider.

"I see."

Arrghh! You know what, I'll just ask him outright! It won't be the death of me even if things go wrong.

"Uhm, Kiyopon..."

Kiyopon looked like he was about to ask me more things, but my curiosity couldn't help it anymore.

"Yeah?"

"This would've been more fun if the rest of our friends were here, but I really wanted to ask you now... Do you... have a crush on anyone?"

I asked it! Will Kiyopon think that I have some sort of motive behind it?

"Hmm... No, I don't think so. We've talked about this before, right?" Of course, he just answers me directly...

"Well... You've got girls like Kushida-san who are very close to you, and it seems like you're good friends with Ichinose-san from Class C, too. I was sure that you'd at least come to like one of them," I explained. "I thought you were just too shy to say anything back then, so I didn't really believe you."

They were all cute girls. Boys were crazy about them. It wouldn't be weird if it turns out that Kiyopon has a crush on any of them.

"I do find a lot of girls attractive, but I don't think I'm fit to be in a relationship just yet. And it's not like any of them would be interested in me," he replied.

What? I understand the relationship part, but his last sentence was just a bit too ridiculous and ignorant.

"Do you seriously think that? I'll punch you." I glared at him while raising a closed fist.

"I get that my athleticism and academic abilities can attract people, but once they get to know me, they'd probably get bored."

Kiyopon has been very vocal about his lack of conversational skills and dull tone. I've thought about this for a while now, but I don't think he's insecure about his personality flaws. He goes as far as to call himself boring, but it's not like he's bitter about it...

Still though... That's not true, Kiyopon... I don't think you're boring at all...

"Why... would you say something like that about yourself?"

His words inadvertently made me sad.

"Don't worry, I'm not saying this to earn any sort of pity from others. I'm not upset or sad about it. My dull personality is just something that I'm aware of. If I were as good as Hirata or Ike in making conversations, then I'd probably feel more confident with myself in that regard," he said. "But it's not like I'm not satisfied with who I am now. I'm quite happy with my current self. And besides, I made good friends like you guys."

He wasn't insecure about anything. As usual, Kiyopon was thinking about himself in a very logical way. That might also be the reason why I felt like he can act cold sometimes.

"So you're saying that you're just a normal guy, like Kencchin and Miyacchi?"

"Probably. I'm not really any different from anyone—at least I don't think so," he shrugged. "Ken would beat me in any ball sport, and I aspire to have Akito's demeanor. And those two's street knowledge is something I want to learn, as well. In the end, some people are just better at different things."

After hearing his words, I've finally made up my mind.

"I see, I've learned a lot about you today, Kiyopon," I stood up and straightened my clothes.

"You're going?"

"Yep~!"

"That's not fair, though. I didn't learn anything about you," he protested.

"There's always next time, Kiyopon~! We'll be together for a very long time, after all." 

I-I can't believe I just said something so embarrassing... I reflexively made a run for it.

"Bye!" 

I exited Kiyopon's room with quickened breaths.

My mind stayed blank until I got back to my room...

"Hah... What am I even doing?" I muttered. "I tried to look cute in front of him, but I wonder if it even had an effect at all...?"

I sighed once more.

Until now, I've never gotten into a relationship. But I would be lying if I said that I've never liked anyone.

When I was in elementary school I had one, in middle school I also had one. They were both senpais, two years older than me. Unfortunately, I've never talked to any of them. They were intelligent, handsome, good at sports—those types of all-rounded senpai.

More than liking, using the word "longing" in order to express my feelings would be more fitting. I tried to start a conversation with them countless times, but I never had enough courage to actually pull through.

That was a past where I couldn't even confirm whether it was love or not. The next time I harbor these kinds of feelings, I don't want to regret it again. I had been thinking like this all the way until now.

In short, the threshold for me to fall in love was a bit high, or maybe I wasn't interested in ordinary boys. As a living creature, this should be very normal. In brief, my ideal standards were extremely high.

But I don't get him... I don't get Ayanokouji Kiyotaka at all. I know he explained everything to me, and I know I should get what he was saying, but that feeling didn't go away. I still felt like something was hidden beneath his calm and cool expression.

I was interested in him. I want to know more about him. I want to spend more time with him. He was my ideal... No, he exceeds my ideal.

Unlike the longing I felt for my two senpais in the past, I can confidently say that I like him.

I like Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

This feeling... I won't let it go to waste—not anymore. I've regretted my past decisions twice, so I won't make the same mistake again.

Chapter Text

May 10th, Monday.

Class 1-B's room was filled up with students. Their bustling conversations echoed across the place. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was currently hanging out with his friends, Miyake Akito and Sudou Ken.

"Oh, Kiyotaka, Ken. Get this, I actually hit a bullseye last Friday," Miyake shared with a smile.

"That's pretty sick, eh? Ahh... I miss playin' basketball already. Can't you just implant yer knowledge into my brain, Kiyotaka?" asked Sudou.

"If I could do that, then I would've done so already," Ayanokouji replied with a shrug.

The noise gradually lessened but the three boys didn't really notice. The overall decrease in the sounds was caused by the girls. When they heard Ayanokouji's first name casually getting used by Sudou and Miyake, they were instantly intrigued. They abandoned their previous conversations and started whispering amongst each other.

"T-They're using Ayanokouji-kun's first name!"

"Oh my god! I want to, as well!"

"Kiyotaka... Such a cool-sounding name..."

"Ahh~, Kiyotaka-sama~!"

Apart from the girls' reactions, everything was fairly normal until their other friends, Sakura Airi and Hasebe Haruka, arrived at the scene.

"Oh, there you guys are! Good morning, Miyacchi, Kencchin, Kiyopon!" Hasebe greeted her three male friends with a smile.

The girls felt a disturbance in the force the moment they heard her.

"K-K-K-Kiyopon?!?!"

"What in the-?!"

"I'm so jealous!"

"I want to be tutored by him too! The amount of benefits is too much!"

"I wonder how she feels like, being so privileged."

The meek Sakura Airi bowed her head lightly and greeted the boys as well.

"G-Good morning, Ken-kun, Akito-kun, Kiyotaka-kun." It was her first time greeting boys using their first names with such feelings. At that moment, Sakura felt like they were really friends.

"Ahhh!!!"

"Even Sakura-san got ahead of us!"

"So enviable!"

"Kiyotaka-kun!"

"Kiyotaka-sama! Kiyotaka-sama! Kiyotaka-sama! Kiyotaka-sama!"

If it weren't for the other boys' loud conversations, the girls' whispers might've been audible to Kiyotaka himself.

July 1st, Thursday.

About half of the class were inside the room, feeling restless and happy. After receiving 78,900 points this morning, the students of Class 1-B began talking about it nonstop, both in the class group chat and in the classroom.

However, when the class's one and only Kushida Kikyou entered the room, the students' attention shifted to an entirely different topic.

"Good morning, Kikyou-chan!" greeted Mii-chan.

"Kikyou-chan!"

"Heya, Kikyou-chan~!"

Kushida was a very friendly girl. It was a natural occurrence for most of the class to greet her when she entered the classroom, much like the class's pretty boy, Hirata Yousuke, and their class leader, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

"Oh, Kiyotaka-kun, good morning!" Kushida greeted with a beam.

Ayanokouji was busy talking with his friends, but of course, he noticed Kushida's momentous entrance. When she greeted him so intimately, the atmosphere of the entire classroom froze.

"Good morning, Kikyou..." Ayanokouji greeted with a nod.

"O-Oh! First names! You two have gotten really close, huh?" said Onodera Kayano.

"Like, so clooose~!" followed Azuma Sana.

"Well, I guess it was only a matter of time. I mean, we call each other by our first names or nicknames too, right, since we're close friends?"

"You're right!"

"Ahaha, that's true!"

Ayanokouji's female friends, Hasebe and Sakura weren't in the room yet. They would've been surprised by this, too.

The other girls weren't as shocked compared to the time when the two of them called Ayanokouji by his first name...

"I guess this would've happened sooner or later..."

"I was shocked, but after thinking about it for a bit, I'm actually surprised that they only decided this now."

"I wonder if something happened to progress their friendship like this?"

However, the boys thought differently. Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji led some boys towards Ayanokouji's group, looking displeased.

"Ayanokouji, you snake! How dare you make moves on Kushida-chan like that?!"

"You did something behind our backs, didn't you?!"

The other boys didn't look as bothered, but of course, they were also curious (and envious).

"What? Why does it matter? It's just names," he mused.

"The hell? Why do you guys even care? You're not even that close with Kushida. Who're you to question what's happenin' with them?" barked Sudou.

"Wh-?! Don't involve yourself in this, Sudou. Ayanokouji has been in an alliance with us. We had a pledge!" said Ike.

"A pledge?" Even Miyake was confused.

"Yeah! You told us that you didn't like Kushida-chan, right, Ayanokouji? You broke that oath!" replied Yamauchi.

"First of all, that wasn't an oath or a promise. I just answered your questions. And my point still stands. I don't see her that way. I don't even see anyone that way..." Ayanokouji looked disinterested as he himself.

"As if we're gonna believe that! I bet this whole first name thingy was your idea!"

At that moment, Kushida approached them curiously.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. "I thought I heard my name, so I got curious."

"O-Oh, Kushida-chan we were just-"

"They're houndin' Kiyotaka because he's calling you by your first name or somethin'. I dunno, but they're noisy so it's annoying me," Sudou spoke with an irked expression.

"Wha—Sudou!" The boys panicked instantly.

"Ah... I was the one who asked Kiyotaka-kun for it... Is there any problem?"

"N-No! We just got curious so we decided to ask him about it. Ahaha!"

The boys backed off with dejected expressions on their faces. It seems like they were thoroughly defeated.

"Well, it's Ayanokouji, so I guess it's only natural." was the only thing they could think of to justify this defeat.

At that moment, Kiyotaka thought; "First names are a pretty big deal, huh?"

Chapter Text

A petite girl with short silver hair sat on her desk inside the classroom of Class 1-A. She was accompanied by three other students—one girl, and two boys. She was intimately holding her hat with a walking cane on her lap.

"You really won't come?"

"Fufu~. Will you miss me that much, Masumi-san?"

"Not really."

"I'll do what I can while we're there, princess," said the handsome boy.

"I'll be counting on you."

"I wonder if it's alright to give Class B a push. Katsuragi's hold would definitely fall if we make the biggest threat even more dangerous."

"Fufufu~. I wouldn't do that if I were you, Hashimoto-kun."

"Is there a problem with that suggestion??"

"Not really. I don't think it would matter much, anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"If my prediction is right, we'll become Class B after summer vacation."

"What?!"

The girl and the boy who was talking to the silver-haired girl were shocked by the sudden declaration. Even the silent boy turned to her in surprise.

"Oi, oi... Are you serious? Look, even Kitou is doubling-checking his hearing."

"Katsuragi-kun told us that Class B's advancement was a fluke, right? You didn't even refute him. So you don't think it was the case at all?"

"The idea of it being a fluke isn't really incorrect, but it's not entirely right, either. Katsuragi-kun isn't underestimating Class B at all, nor is he keeping his guard down. But as things stand, his conservative strategies will be our downfall—at least, for now."

"I've had my eyes on Class B for a while now. Apart from Hirata and a girl called Horikita, there really isn't anyone to look out for. There's Kushida Kikyou, who's very popular, and Ayanokouji, who swims really fast, but even with the four of them combined with a handful of smart students in their class, they're really not much of a threat."

"Fufu~... You'll understand what I mean soon, Hashimoto-kun," the girl smiled.

"Wait, wait... Alright, let's say that Class B really is that much of a threat. Are you not gonna do anything about it?"

"I can't really do much, can I? My condition prevents me from attending the upcoming trip, and Katsuragi-kun will surely butt heads with me whenever I come up with plans. It's better to have him lead the class and take the full brunt of Class B's attack."

"I didn't think Class B was the aggressive type."

"They're not, Masumi-san. They're probably as friendly as Ichinose-san's Class C. Class D's Ryuuen-kun is still the most aggressive, in my opinion. However, we're still Class A. In the end, we're everyone's targets. I don't doubt Katsuragi-kun's abilities, but there really isn't much that he can do."

"Aren't you just overestimating Class B?"

"Fufufu~! You might be right, Masumi-san. I might as well be. But I can't help it... I just... can't help it." The silver-haired girl chuckled excitedly. "I really want them to be that formidable... That way, it won't be a boring feat to trounce them completely."

The three calmed down when she said those words.

"Is it alright if I give Class D a hand in stirring up chaos then?"

"You can do as you please."

"Class B isn't formidable—far from it. He's the one responsible for their rise, and I'm excited to challenge him and him alone," she thought.

Chapter Text

Are the two of us friends? I'd like to think that we're friends. But isn't it presumptuous of me to think that, though?

Ahh~! It's not like me to get anxious about something as simple as being friends with another person. But somehow, it's different with him.

He was mysterious and unreadable—he was enigmatic.

For some strange reason, he gave me the impression of someone who's incredibly smart... and dangerous. That's how mystifying he was for me. We've been acquainted for so long now. It's not a stretch to call us close. But up to this day, I still look at him as someone equivocal.

"You really are oblivious to your own social standing, Ichinose."

As I was worrying about some unnecessary things, the voice of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun rang inside my ears.

"Eh?"

"Well, you're probably the most popular girl in our year, but you don't seem to be aware of that at all," Ayanokouji-kun uttered those words as he ate his sandwich. "You even hang out with someone like me."

"Haha, then aren't you the same as me? As Kozue-chan said before, you're too unaware of how popular you are, especially with the girls," I laughed wryly. "And about me hanging out with you—that's not something to be concerned about. I can hang out with any of my friends."

And to be honest, I thought I was the one who should be worrying about that. After all, I'm the one who's in the lower class.

"Do you have friends from Class A and D, Ichinose?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do. I think it's great to have connections from other classes. It makes cooperation way easier," I shrugged. "I don't get along with Ryuuen-kun, though."

"Well, after what happened to our classes, it's clear that he's quite the hostile guy."

"That's true. We just have to keep our guards up against him, huh?" I took a sip from my canned juice before asking. "About that incident with your classmates and Class D, how did Horikita-san manage to put out the fire perfectly? She's Class B's leader, right?"

I heard of the rough details from Kushida-san, but I'm kind of curious about the specifics. Unlike us, Class B didn't suffer any sort of damage. Horikita-san's leadership must've been superb. Either that, or she saw through Ryuuen-kun's plan.

"Hmm..." Ayanokouji-kun seemed to be pondering about something. "Well, I guess it's better for me to be honest with you on this, huh? It's not like I treat Class C as an enemy, anyway."

"Hm? What do you mean?" I asked, slightly tilting my head to the side.

"Well, Horikita was just acting on my orders. I'm the one who's leading the class as of now." Ayanokouji-kun spoke nonchalantly.

Eh?

"Wait, did I hear it right? You're the actual leader of Class B?"

"Yeah." Ayanokouji-kun looked away and bit on his sandwich. "Before I knew it, that's how the class treated me. I tried to verify it with everyone, and apparently, they all agreed, apart from Kouenji, who didn't really participate in class discussions."

I thought Horikita-san was their leader. At least, I'm sure that was the case a couple of weeks back.

"That's so cool! Now you really can't call yourself a 'nobody'!" Before I knew it, I got all excited on my own.

"'Guess so."

"Are you actually someone super amazing, Ayanokouji-kun? Should I ask to shake your hand?" I asked jokingly.

"I can't compare to the Ichinose Honami of Class C, still."

Ayanokouji-kun and I just continued putting each other on a pedestal with our jokes.

"So, what did you do? You beat Ryuuen-kun, right?"

"I can't really say that I 'beat' him. Ryuuen was just trying to stir some chaos. His methods were quite reckless, and he didn't really know who his enemies were. That was probably the reason why we managed to dodge any sort of crisis."

"Hehh... I see. That's still amazing, though. I wish I could've handled those problems as flawlessly as you did."

"Flawlessly is a big word, and you kind of helped me by confirming my suspicion way back when Ryuuen's target was Ken. I'm sure we'd be in trouble while your class would've been fine if Ryuuen's order of attack was reversed." Ayanokouji-kun explained seamlessly.

"Ahaha, you think so?"

"Yeah." Ayanokouji-kun finished his sandwich and stood up from his chair.

"Are you going to return?" I asked.

"Are you staying here? You can't run away forever, you know?"

"Yikes, you're right. I felt like time went by so fast. It was really fun hanging out with a fellow runaway," I chuckled.

Ayanokouji-kun and I met up coincidentally because of the same reason. Both of us wanted to be alone. He'd probably be somewhere more secluded if I didn't call out to him earlier, but now we're together again. This kind of thing has been common for the two of us lately. It's kind of refreshing, to be honest.

Anyway, that just goes to show how popular he is inside his class. Now, his position as their leader makes a lot of sense.

I feel strangely calm at the moment. Finding out that Ayanokouji-kun is the leader of Class B surely changed my image of him. However, I don't particularly feel skeptical or cautious of his behavior. He didn't really change how he talks or change how he presents himself to me. He's the same old Ayanokouji Kiyotaka that I've been friends with for the past three and a half months.

And now, I know that this boy beside me is a fellow leader with the same goal of guiding his class to the top. He may be our rival, but I hope he doesn't become our enemy.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a cold shiver ran down my spine.

Chapter Text

Group Chat Name: A.K. Fans

Total Members: 13

Males: 0

Females: 13

Class Distribution:

A: 0

B: 13

C: 0

D: 0

Names of Members:- 2M1I1 (Admin)

- A2S

- DeKai

- Sawako

- Memento

- Nika0

- Ui-tan

- T0ka

- Yuu-chan

- Kabe-don (New)

- Shizu (New)

- Doragon (New)

- Haato (New)

Chatroom:

[Welcome! (づ￣ ³￣)づ] (2M1I1)

[Aren't we growing a little too fast?] (Sawako)

[No way!]
[I'd say that there's too few of us.] (Doragon)

[Ayanokouji-kun deserves more fans! (๑♡⌓♡๑)] (Memento)

[To think that we're all classmates here...] (Shizu)

[Isn't it great?]
[All of us agree that Ayanokouji-kun is the coolest!] (2M1I1)

[Do any of you know if he has a girlfriend already?] (Kabe-don)

[Kushida-san?] (Ui-tan)

[I'm pretty sure that's not the case, though.] (Kabe-don)

[I've asked him in the past.]
[He denied it, and he didn't seem like he lied.] (Nika0)

[Confessing to him sounds pretty scary.] (Sawako)

[You told us you'd confess to him last time. (✧ω✧)] (Memento)

[I backed out! I'd surely be rejected!]
[If he's not even interested in a cute girl like Kushida-san or his beautiful seatmate, Horikita-san, then my chances are slim! ♡(˃͈ દ ˂͈ ༶ )] (Sawako)

[I'm sure he's interested in some way.] (DeKai)

[I caught him staring at Karuizawa-san one time.] (A2S)

[EEhh?! Wait, are you serious?!] (Ui-tan)

[That's quite the reaction, Ui-tan.] (2M1I1)

[Ah, well...]
[Doesn't Karuizawa-san have a boyfriend already?]
[If Ayanokouji-kun likes her too, then isn't that too unfair for the others?] (Ui-tan)

[Well, I always find myself staring at Ayanokouji-kun.]
[Maybe I was just mistaken about the person he was absentmindedly looking at.] (A2S)

[I think Ayanokouji-kun is just too busy for a relationship.]
[He's still the class leader like Horikita-san, and he's also a tutor.] (Haato)

[Being a tutor is hard, I'm sure.] (Yuu)

[That's true...] (T0ka)

[He's a genius, though! Ayanokouji-kun might find it easy.] (Kabe-don)

[I'm sure he's a great teacher, too.] (Shizu)

[All of us in here are pretty envious of both Sakura-san and Hasebe-san.] (T0ka)

[They're lucky, that's for sure. ෆ╹ .̮ ╹ෆ] (Kabe-don)

[I wonder if there's a chance for a change of study group assignment?] (DeKai)

[No!] (Shizu)

[What?] (Kabe-don)

[What?] (Yuu-chan)

[What?] (2M1I1)

[What?] (Haato)

[What?] (DeKai)

[What?] (Nika0)

[What?] (Sawako)

[What?] (Memento)

[What?] (Doragon)

[What?] (Ui-tan)

[What?] (T0ka)

[What?] (A2S)

[Aaaah... What I meant was... I'm happy with my group assignment. But I'm not explicitly saying that I'm in Ayanokouji-kun's group! I won't say that I am, but I won't say that I'm not.] (Shizu)

[That's still pretty suspicious, but okay.]
[We're not really into finding out each other's real identity, anyway. (⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃] (A2S)

Additional Group Chat Settings:

- Screenshots: Disabled

- Clear Cycle: Every 24 Hours, 6:00 AM

Membership Settings:

- Male: Invite-only

- Female: Visible to all

Chapter Text

Year 1 Volume 3 Cover

I woke at 4:30 in the morning to get ready. I met up with the Ayanokouji Group—Airi, Haruka, Akito, and Ken.

"Good morning..." Akito greeted us with a sleepy expression.

"Are you not a morning person, Miyacchi?" Haruka asked with a smirk.

"I don't know... I just didn't get enough sleep, I think," answered Akito.

After all of us had reunited with everyone in the class, Chabashira-sensei started a roll call. I immediately noticed that one of us was missing. Just before Chabashira-sensei could utter her name, Horikita finally arrived with her things. She wasn't really late, but she was still the last one to arrive in our class.

"Good morning, Horikita," I greeted. "It's strange for us to be ahead of you."

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun. You don't have to mind it. A minor setback happened when I was arranging my things—nothing to worry about," she replied.

"I see..."

I wasn't really worried or anything.

"Alright, head inside the bus for your class. We'll have to be in Tokyo Bay as soon as possible." Chabashira-sensei instructed.

The students of Class B loaded the bus. I sat three seats forward from the ones at the very back. Akito and Ken sat together behind me while Haruka and Airi sat together across them.

"Can I take this seat?" A cute girl with brown hair asked. It was my classmate and friend, Matsushita Chiaki.

"Sure, go ahead," I replied.

"Alright." Her gentle smile never fails to mesmerize me. It's one of the main reasons why a lot of the boys, even the ones outside of Class B, have a huge crush on her.

"Wow, you're pretty shrewd, Chiaki." The head of Satou poked out from the sear in front of us.

"Ohh, this is quite the pair." Beside her was Shinohara.

"You two went ahead and sat together. I had no choice but to find another seat, right?" shrugged Matsushita.

To her classmates' surprise, Karuizawa chose to sit with one of her female friends. Her group was a little bit to our front, with a lot of the girls in our class surrounding them.

Meanwhile, I saw Hirata talking with Yukimura, who became his seatmate.

"Alright, everyone. All classes are ready. The buses will depart now. We're expected to reach our destination a little after 6:00 AM. For now, just buckle up and relax during the ride," Chabashira announced before sitting in the front-most area.

I initially planned to take a nap during this hour-long journey, but engaging in conversations with my classmates was pretty fun, especially with my seatmate.

"We did really well in the finals, didn't we? Too bad we couldn't do your previous strategy with the old test questions," she said.

"Yeah... Sensei called me out and told me that she knew about it. Even if I wasn't reprimanded, we might get in trouble if I do it again," I replied.

"Everyone still worked hard, though. Sudou-kun came in last, as usual, but he didn't do as badly as we predicted him to. You're quite the tutor, Ayanokouji-kun," she chuckled.

"Nah, I might've just found it a bit easier to teach him because he's my friend." Ken was audibly having fun with Akito with their own conversation so I doubt he can hear my considerably embarrassing words.

"I still haven't forgiven you for making me one of the tutors, you know?" she smiled.

"You'll have to suffer with me, as someone who dislikes trouble, too," I joked.

"Hmph, I originally planned to live a laid-back high school life, you know? I didn't have the immediate expectations of my parents this time, after all."

Her calm and mature demeanor immediately tells me that she's just poking fun at me. I guess treating her words like a joke and trying to follow up on them was the right choice.

"The S-System rained on your parade, huh?"

"It certainly did. But considering how we're Class B now, I guess working hard for the class isn't a bad thing to do." Matsushita's expression turned somber. "The whole class talked about this last night. Every one of us believes you, Ayanokouji-kun. If your hunch turns out to be right, at least we won't get caught off guard."

"We're the only class who's aware. That's a considerable advantage." I replied.

"You think we can do anything to turn the tables on Class A?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, to be honest. If something does happen, I'm sure we'll all be starting on equal grounds. Depending on Class A's capabilities, we might not even shorten the gap."

"T-That's true... They were way ahead of us in terms of class average in the finals. Your strategy put us at the top during the midterms, but that's not the case this time."

"You're right. However, I still think we did really well even if we were a bit behind Class C. Everyone will improve if we keep this up, and you, with the other tutors, did your best to help the class."

"You should give yourself some credit, too, Ayanokouji-kun. You're not just a tutor, after all. You're back to being the class's leader, aren't you?"

"Who did you hear it from?"

"I noticed that something was odd with how Horikita-san was acting recently compared to the week when you announced to step down, so I asked both her and Hirata-kun about it. They told me that you're back on the forefront." Matsushita tilted her head before asking. "Why didn't you announce it to the class."

"There really wasn't any need for it. It's fine if everyone found it out themselves."

"That's true. I'm glad you're back, though. Not just me—I'm sure anyone in Class B would feel reassured if they heard about it."

"You overestimate me."

"With your flawless academic abilities and overwhelming athletic abilities, you can't blame anyone for looking up to you."

"I can't deny that."

After a very cute chuckle, Matsushita got called out by some of her friends. I closed my eyes and waited for the rest of the ride.

We arrived at 6:03 AM. The luxury liner, Speranza, left all of us in awe. It had nine decks and a rooftop, equipped with different facilities from pools to restaurants. The guys proceeded down to the third deck which housed their rooms, while the girls were expected to be on the fourth.

"It's a pleasure to become roommates with you, Ayanokouji-kun, Yukimura-kun, and Kouenji-kun," said Hirata.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Same here," Yukimura responded with a nod.

"I look forward to this wonderful luxury life as well. Please don't hesitate to admire my perfect beauty while we're at it." Kouenji announced, not even looking at Hirata.

Well then, I guess it's time to be settled.

Chabashira-sensei told us that we'd arrive a little before 8:00 AM. We have a lot of time to familiarize this cruise ship while waiting.

Chapter Text

A lot of the students were enjoying their time around the ship's bow.

"Shit, Ayanokouji, this is awesome!" Ike, along with Yamauchi and their other friends howled in excitement as they called me.

"It's a great scenery," I commented.

After hanging out with them for a few minutes, I reunited with my friends.

"Wow! This is so great~!" Haruka was also acting like a little kid.

"Let's take a lot of pictures, Haruka-chan," Airi asked all of us to join in for a brief photoshoot with her camera in hand.

"Isn't it great, Ken? You wouldn't have been here if you got expelled," Akito commented with a smirk.

"Heh, it's a piece of cake if I get serious. And besides, I got Kiyotaka teaching me. Every exam was a hundred times easier." Ken responded with a snort.

His average in the finals was a lot lower than his midterms, but at least he passed. 

"Oho~? Then why not compete with us again, Kencchin? Those private points from the midterm bet were amazing. It would've been nice to get some from you again. Right, Miyacchi~?" Haruka teased him with a smug expression.

"S-Shut up! We don't need to spend private points on this ship, anyway!" Ken was visibly shaken by that memory.

Because we were first years, we naturally had the lowest number of private points among all students. It would be hard to enjoy our time here if we're required to pay. This might've been the school's way of rewarding us.

I split up with them a few minutes after to check up on my other classmates. It seemed like everyone was having fun. Finally, I got to talk with my quote-unquote best friend, Kushida Kikyou.

"Yo, Kikyou," I greeted.

"Kiyotaka-kun, I was looking for you!" she replied with a smile.

"Yeah, same here. How are you finding this trip so far?" I asked.

"You sound like an employee who's trying to coax me into answering a survey," she chuckled teasingly. "I think it's incredible. I'm really glad I came to this school!"

Curse this monotone voice of mine, I guess. I'm glad I was wearing my school uniform. It would've been bad if people mistook me as a staff or employee.

"Where are your friends?" I asked after a depressed sigh.

"They're all over the place. Kokoro-chan and the others headed back inside the cabin earlier. They said they wanted to check out some of the restaurants."

We ate our breakfast in the lounge before we were able to roam around. It's natural for many students to be curious about the different types of cuisines on the ship after having tasted them.

"I see," I replied, resting my forearms on the railings alongside her.

"Doesn't this give you a romantic vibe?" asked Kikyou.

"I get what you mean."

Somehow, the atmosphere got a lot warmer with her question. My heart started racing...

"I'll ask this again, Kiyotaka-kun... but I'm being serious this time," Kikyou spoke without looking at me, adorning a gentle smile. "Do you want a girlfriend?"

"Why are you asking me now?"

"I just got curious again."

"I see. Well, it would be nice if I get a girlfriend, but I'm not desperately looking for one or anything like that."

For now, I'll take back the curses I hurled towards my monotone voice. It's really good when situations like these arise because I would never come off as nervous or shaken. But then again, it's not like I was nervous or shaken, to be honest.

At this point, I turned to Kikyou and saw that she was subtly biting her bottom lip. She was the nervous one. It all made sense after she asked her next question.

"Would you like it if I became your girlfriend then?" She turned to me and asked with a very serious expression. There was no hint of any teasing or deception this time.

"Of course, I would. You're cute, smart, and easy to get along with," I answered briefly. 

Kikyou slightly twitched after hearing my response, but I spoke before she could utter a single word of reply.

"But that's not what this is about, isn't it?"

Kikyou smiled bitterly in defeat.

"You really do understand me, Kiyotaka-kun."

"It's unfortunate, but it is what it is. It was quite rude of you to lead me on with that question, though."

"Haha~! I was just confident that you would know where I'm getting at." Kikyou gently struck my arm with her small and feminine fist.

"Well? Did my answer satisfy you?"

"If you didn't lie, then I am satisfied. At least I know that you think of me as girlfriend material." Kikyou grinned before drawing closer to me.

"No one in this world would think that Kushida Kikyou isn't girlfriend material," I explained. "Well, if we put aside the folks who held a grudge against you back in your middle school, then my statement would be true."

"Is that your way of making me feel better about myself?" she chuckled.

"You know how bad I am with these small talks. I don't know what I'm trying to say half the time," I joked in response.

"Well, whatever. If you do get a girlfriend, be sure to tell me, okay?" Kikyou smiled bitterly despite her obvious goal of teasing me. "Bye-bye for now, Kiyotaka-kun. I'll be going on ahead."

"Tell Nishimura and the rest that I said hi." I raised my hand and waved back slightly.

"'Will do~!"

And with that, I've become all alone in this weird part of the ship near the stern.

Kikyou asked me that question to confirm my feelings for her. I was honest and admitted that I thought of her as a girl. She didn't say anything about what she thought of me, but that didn't really matter. I understood Kikyou well enough to see through her intentions.

It was virtually impossible for Kushida Kikyou to be in a relationship with someone. It wasn't really a matter of feelings or anything. For her, that concept was out of the question due to the nature of her way of living.

Being loved by everyone was her everything. If she were to enter a relationship with someone, the number of guys who would love her and follow her blindly would definitely plummet. That might also be the same for the girls if the guy they enter a relationship with is admired by a lot of females.

I understood that fact, so I wasn't really fooled by Kikyou's honey-laced framing. If I didn't, I would've immediately thought that she was confessing her feelings to me.

And with that, I tread towards the fourth deck aka the girls' area. I arrived in front of a room that was supposed to be where Horikita was staying. Since I didn't see her anywhere earlier, it wouldn't be weird if she was actually inside their room right now.

"Horikita?" And so I knocked.

Surprisingly, there was no response. According to her roommates, they didn't feel like Horikita had any plans to go out. Is she perhaps...

Before I could complete my thought, I heard a bunch of footsteps arriving towards me from the inside of the room. The hallway was empty and silent at the moment, so it was fairly audible.

"Ayanokouji-kun?" As I expected, Horikita was inside the room. She opened the door and looked at me with a slightly confused expression.

"What were you doing?" I asked.

"I was reading a book," she replied.

"You were sleeping, weren't you?"

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Yeah, that fact that you were lying about reading a book was the evidence."

"How can you say that I was lying?" Horikita asked with a glare.

"You didn't even bother fixing your hair, specifically, your bangs. It's messed up and crooked, telling me that you were lying on your side."

Horikita reflexively fixed her bangs. Her brief but noticeably surprised reaction told me that I was right on the money.

"I guess you found me out," she pouted. "So, what of it?"

"Why were you sleeping?"

"Because I was sleepy."

"You're lying again, Horikita."

"What?"

I tried to touch her forehead with my right hand, but she slapped it away. I tried to do it again with my left hand, but she slapped it away all the same. If that's how this is going to be...

"What are you doing-?!" Her panicked reaction was justified.

I raised both of my hands which alerted Horikita. She tried to keep them away as she did half a second ago, but I moved to grab her wrists instead. I pinned her against the wall and touched her forehead with mine.

"Don't try to do something stupid like kicking me. It won't work. Just sit there for one second and let me check your temperature," I said.

This was the closest that my own face had been in contact with a girl's. I would be lying if I said that it's not making my heart beat faster. After all, Horikita was a very attractive girl. But right now, I need to complete my diagnosis.

"You have a fever," I concluded before moving my face away from hers.

"So what?"

"Don't be dumb, Horikita. We've talked about this last night. If something happens, you'll be a vital part of the class. I can't have you getting sick on my watch," I said, looking at her straight in the eyes. "We'll head to the pharmacy and get you some medicine. I know where it is."

At this point, Horikita understood my point. She meekly nodded in agreement.

After I let go of her, the two of us realized that we were outside the room, right on the fourth deck's open hallway. When Horikita and I looked to the side, we saw our classmate, Ichihashi Ruri, and her shocked expression a few meters away from us.

"Ah, I'm sorry if I disturbed you." She ran away, not even giving us the chance to explain.

"This is going to be a pain..." Horikita held the sides of her forehead as she shook them lightly.

I think it would've been fine if it was a girl from another class, but it just had to be one of ours... It was unfortunate, to say the least.

Chapter Text

"Feeling better?" I asked.

"Yeah... I think so," replied Horikita.

"If something's wrong, tell us. There's no need to act all tough on your own."

"I apologize. I initially planned to hold out until it goes away naturally, but I guess seeking help is still the better option. Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun."

Horikita thanked me sincerely.

"Do you want to head back and rest, or are you up to get some air by the bow?" I asked.

"I think we're almost there. It would be bad if I sleep and wake up late."

"Alright, let's go then."

When Horikita and I arrived at the port side of the bow, a lot of the girls in our class immediately approached us.

"Ayanokouji-kun, Horikita-san! This question might be sudden but... are you two dating each other?" asked Rino.

"I saw Ayanokouji-kun visit Horikita-san in the girls' suites earlier. From what it looked like, I think they were sharing a kiss." Ichihashi, the main culprit, addressed us happily.

"Kyah~! How sneaky!"

"They didn't even wait until we got to the island!"

Horikita tugged my shirt nervously. Even she can be overwhelmed by something like this, huh? That's pretty cute of her.

The girls donned knowing smirks after seeing her like that.

"It's a misunderstanding. Horikita and I are not going out," I said.

"Hehh~? Look at how sweet you two look right now. It's alright if you reveal it to everyone, you know?" said Maezono.

"Horikita's actually sick. She wasn't letting me touch her forehead so I restrained her and used my own forehead instead. It's really a misunderstanding. Horikita, show them the receipt."

"H-Here it is..."

Horikita gave me the small plastic bag containing the remaining medicine and the proof of purchase.

"O-Oh... So Horikita-san was actually not feeling well... I hope you're okay," said Ichihashi. "And you didn't kiss, after all?"

"We didn't and we wouldn't. We're not a couple." Horikita nodded slowly to cement our claim.

I expected their excitement to wane down, and it did. However, their smiles didn't let up. After giving back the receipt and telling Horikita to get well, they proceeded to ask about my plans.

"Well then, according to Ayanokouji-kun, no one would get angry if we invited you later, right?" Maezono leaned in close to me.

"Later?"

"At the beach house. We'd like to hang out with you. Is that alright?" she elaborated.

We were scheduled to stay in a luxurious beach house once we reached the island-- a fancy summer lodge if you will. Our luggage will be stuck there for a week. The said summer lodge should be pretty big to house all four classes at once. Or will there be some sort of rotation where some classes will stay on the ship? Well, that's an unnecessary thought right now as I was being asked a question.

"Sure, it's not like I have plans or anything," I answered.

"Great~! We'll see you later then. Bye, Ayanokouji-kun, Horikita-san." The five of them waved at us as they walked towards the starboard side of the ship.

"You alright?" I turned towards the silent Horikita.

"Yeah... I'm glad that the misunderstanding was cleared up." Horikita heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well, I'm sure it's been spread among all of our classmates, at least. I've been getting messages from my friends for a while now. It seems like the gossips have reached them."

"How troublesome..." Horikita shook her head.

"Yeah... It'll fix itself eventually."

At that moment, a public announcement was broadcast all over the ship.

"Attention, students. Please assemble on the main deck. You will be able to see the island soon. This is a good time to take in some rather significant scenery."

What a strange way of wording it...

"Ayanokouji-kun," Horikita called out to me with a sharp look.

"Yeah... As expected, something strange is up."

"Class B, huh?" An unfamiliar voice could be heard from behind.

"You are?" Horikita asked the person who addressed us.

"I'm Katsuragi Kouhei of Class A. Nice to meet you." His words were polite, but his expression was stern. I noticed that most of the Class A students were behind him.

He was a tall, bald boy with a serious countenance.

"I'm Horikita Suzune of Class B."

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."

With a slight bow, Katsuragi walked past us and positioned himself at the front-most part of the deck, around the helicopter pad. The Class A students seemed to be happily observing the now-visible island.

After a brief second, Hirata arrived to meet us.

"Ayanokouji-kun, Horikita-san, you're here."

"Hirata, I'm glad you came. You've noticed it too, right?" I asked.

"Yeah... It seems like we must be ready for something big."

The ship started to pick up its speed. It was way faster than that of a normal cruise ship-- around three times as fast.

"I see... So that's how this is going to be..." I muttered.

Horikita and Hirata were focused on observing the island.

"It's not just a simple deserted island, huh?"

"A lot of strange things are very noticeable."

But why? What is the purpose of letting us see these distinct places on the island? A considerable amount of time passed as I got drowned in my own thoughts.

"We will disembark in thirty minutes. Please assemble on the deck. All students should have changed into their jerseys. Make sure to check your designated bag and your luggage, and do not forget your cell phone. Please keep all other personal items in your room. There is a possibility that you will not be able to visit the bathroom for some time, so please do so now." Another PA was heard from the speakers.

As the island drew closer and closer, the students got more and more excited. Most of us went to change in high spirits. Our class assembled on the main deck as soon as we finished changing. Everyone was looking forward to paradise which was seemingly waiting for them.

"Is everyone ready?" Hirata asked the entirety of Class B. We weren't really lined up neatly, but we were in the same general area so it was easy to distinguish which class was with whom.

"I'm so excited!"

"This is it!"

A lot of the girls were giggling in anticipation.

"We will disembark now, beginning with the students from Class A. Cellphones are prohibited on the island. Please hand your phone to your homeroom teacher as you leave."

We began lining up in an orderly fashion. A lot of the students started complaining because of the heat. With no roof above us, there was no escaping the rising sun. The disembarkment process took longer than we initially expected. No-- that's what one would normally notice, but for us who were on guard of what might come, the teachers' actions are actually quite understandable.

Hirata and Horikita approached me while watching Class C and D's inspection as they got off the ship.

"They're being strangely cautious. It's way too strict to be a normal inspection." Hirata commented with a grave expression.

"The way they check everything... They even went as far as to confiscate our phones when they didn't even do that during final exams..." mused Horikita.

"If the school intended to have us play in the ocean, then this is certainly going overboard. Have our classmates gather near. Let's keep our heads focused."

Hirata nodded as he followed my instructions. Ike and his group who were initially noisy and filled with excitement had sharp expressions while waiting on standby. It seems like our talk stuck in their minds. Meanwhile, the girls started feeling weary because of our class's sudden guarded atmosphere.

"Alright, I will now start a roll call. Please respond loudly and clearly once you hear your name." Chabashira-sensei announced with her usual poker face.

After confirming complete attendance for the class, a tall male teacher stood on top of the prepared white platform. He was Mashima-sensei, Class A's adviser and homeroom teacher. Mashima-sensei teaches English and he was well-known for his rather stubborn disposition. His appearance might deceive a lot of people into thinking that he was the brawny type, but Mashima-sensei was actually quite intelligent. He'd even taught special courses in the past.

"I would like to say that I'm happy you've arrived safely. However, it's unfortunate that one of you was unable to participate due to illness."

A lot of the students started murmuring. Ike and Yamauchi, for instance, were whispering about how pitiful the student was. Whoever he or she was, I think trying to push themselves would've been the right move. This luxurious vacation was too much for anyone in our age to miss. Or at least, that's the opinion of the majority.

While Mashima-sensei was continuing his speech, I noticed that some adults in uniform were setting up some sort of special tent nearby. Computers and other equipment were transferred inside and laid around a long table. That was also the time when we finally noticed that something was wrong. The ominous feeling was confirmed by Mashima-sensei's subsequent words.

"Well then. We shall commence the current academic year's first special test."

Chapter Text

"Special Test?"

"Huh? What are they talking about?"

The murmurs got considerably louder. On the other hand, Class B turned silent—extremely silent.

"So you were right, after all, Ayanokouji-kun..." whispered Hirata.

Last night, the class group chat of Class 1-B was very active. All 39 students were online and participating in the chat. Despite the chaos, the main topic was the suspicion about this luxurious vacation.

(20:12) [There's a big chance that this vacation might turn out to be a special exam of some sort. Or at least a part of it will.] (Ayanokouji)

That statement started an entire conversation about what the class might do and not do if it turned out to be true. Ike messaged me, saying that he won't cause trouble for the class. It gave me the chance to give him some advice on what he could and should do. He told me that he'd talk with Yamauchi about it. Seeing the two of them now, it is nice to see that they're not running amok.

Not a lot of arguments were made apart from the fact that we'll still probably get the chance to have fun, which I didn't disagree with. I'm sure we'll still get the vacation we deserve... But for two weeks straight? I felt like it was simply impossible for there to be no catch at all. The class agreed to be on guard.

Anyway, it seems like my influence in the class was a lot firmer than I thought. Since I was ultimately right this time, they should start relying on me with class matters much like how they'd rely on Kikyou with their personal problems.

"The test commences now and lasts for one week, concluding on August 7th. This test will determine if you can live on a deserted island together as a group. In addition, I should warn you that this special test is both practical and realistic, designed based on real-world corporate training."

"Living on a deserted island? Does that mean we're not staying on the boat, but on the island?" Some Class C and D students voiced their obvious concerns.

"You are correct. During the test, you will not be allowed to board the ship without a suitably justifiable reason. It will be necessary for you to fend for yourselves on this island while you are here, from creating a place to sleep to preparing food to eat. Once the test starts, each class will receive two tents and two flashlights. You will be provided with one box of matches. There is no limit to the amount of sunscreen you can have. Each student will be provided with one toothbrush. As a special case, girls will be allowed to have as many feminine sanitary products as they'd like, without any restrictions. Please ask your respective homeroom teachers for those. That is all," explained Mashima-sensei.

With that, the teachers began distributing the said items.

Some students were making minor fusses, but everyone understood that there was no going back.

"This is pretty extreme. We'll have to act like island survivors."

"Two tents only? That's simply not enough..."

"What are we going to do about the food?"

"It's quite insane, to be honest..."

Mashima-sensei gave no sign that this was some kind of joke. If anything, he appeared surprised by what they've said.

"You may say that this is unbelievable, but that's because you've lived a short, superficial life. There is an actual, prominent company that holds training sessions on uninhabited islands," he said.

Some students seemed unconvinced, but Class B, in particular, remembered the things that Chabashira-sensei had said in the past when she revealed the S-System to us.

"Nothing comes easy in this world.", "This school guarantees nothing for other students."

Those words stuck into the minds of Class B students who were supposed to be branded as the defects in our year. Our main goal after enrolling in this school was to graduate in Class A and secure our future. However, that's also why the school wants us to experience a simulation of what might come in the future. I don't know how necessary this special test on a deserted island is, but we have no choice but to comply. With how brutal some workplaces are in the Japanese work industry, this special test should be tame in comparison.

"I assume you're all thinking something like; 'What does this test mean?'. Or perhaps some of you doubt the existence of such training programs. However, students who remain at such a base level of thought are unlikely to become anyone promising in the future. What is your basis for determining this to be 'unbelievable' or 'ridiculous'? You're just students. In my opinion, you're all equally worthless. What kind of insignificant person determines that they can criticize a leading company? That's bizarre. Were you a president in charge of one such notable business? If that's the case, then you might have some right to deny our claims. However, there shouldn't be any grounds for someone of your station to be able to do that." Mashima-sensei chided us while elaborating.

As students, we certainly thought that some parts of this so-called "special test" were unreasonable or unrealistic. But as Mashima-sensei has said, there'd be no basis for whatever opposing claims we have. It's just a difference in perspective. For the teachers, who were in the workforce, our reactions would be absurd. After all, they understood the point of this special test.

"Sensei, I have one question." Finally, a student from Class A raised his hand.

Mashima-sensei turned to him without saying a word.

"We were brought here under the pretext of going on a relaxing trip. After all, this was supposed to be our summer vacation. Don't you think that springing this corporate training on us out of nowhere can be considered unfair?" he asked.

"I see. I suppose that you're not wrong about that. I understand why you would be discontented," he nodded. "However, please do not worry. It would make sense for you to have complaints if you were being forced into a harsh situation. Even though we're calling it a special test, there's no need to think about it in such unhappy terms. In the coming week, you can go swimming, or hold a barbecue party. It wouldn't be a bad time for you to occasionally have a campfire with your friends, either. The theme of this special exam is 'freedom', after all."

"Huh?"

"A test... An exam... But we can have barbecue parties?"

"I don't get it. I'm so confused."

This should be a pretty good time to explain whatever catch is behind those words. Even the guarded Class A and B students were visibly perplexed.

"As a major part of this test, we've decided to distribute 300 points to each class. By using your points well, you might be able to enjoy this week's special test just as you would a normal trip. We've also prepared a manual just for that purpose." Mashima-sensei raised the booklet that he received from another teacher. "This manual lists all of the ways you can obtain points. It also explains where to get food, drinking water, and other necessities. If you want to have a barbecue, it explains how to prepare the equipment and ingredients. We also have numerous tools for you to be able to enjoy playing in the ocean to the fullest."

As Mashima-sensei finished his explanation, the students' grim expressions gradually faded.

"The way we use those 300 points will be at our own discretion. Is my understanding correct, Sensei?" The leader of Class C, Ichinose Honami, asked.

"That's right. It's possible to arrange for anything using your points. Of course, you must use them in a systematic approach with a solid plan. That way, you can spend your week without any difficulties."

If we could really get through the week using the points we had, then it might end up feeling like a real summer vacation rather than a test.

"Sensei, is there a catch to this special test? In the end, it's still some sort of exam. Is there something difficult that we need to overcome?"

"No, there's nothing difficult. Not only that, this exam won't have any adverse effects on your second semester. As your grade's coordinator, I can guarantee that."

"S-Sensei... You're saying that having fun for a week is also an option?"

"That's right. You're all free to do what you want. Of course, there are some bare minimum rules that you need to abide by as a group, but there shouldn't be anything difficult about that."

It was safe to assume that Mashima-sensei was telling us the truth. This also means that this so-called "special test" is essentially risk-free. Even though I didn't really understand the point of it, Mashima-sensei's next words clarified everything.

"When this special test period is over, each class's remaining points will be added to their total class points. Your point totals will reflect this change once summer vacation is over."

As he spoke, a gust of wind blew across the beach and kicked up a cloud of dust.

All of us were frozen in shock. The midterms and final exams measured our academic abilities. As the original Class D, our class had a lot of students who didn't do well in academics. And of course, losing points due to misbehavior was inevitable for all classes.

"Ayanokouji-kun..." Hirata muttered my name.

When I turned around to look at him, all of my classmates in Class B were also staring at me. I simply nodded in response.

This is a different playing field. Academic doesn't matter this time.

"Each class will receive one copy of the manual. If the manual is lost, you may have another copy. However, it will consume points, so please be very careful. Also, the student who was marked absent from this trip was from Class A. According to the rules of this special test, should any student have to leave due to illness, there will be a 30-point penalty to the class as a whole. Therefore, Class A will be starting with 270 points."

How merciless. The students of Class A were visibly upset. The other classes, including us, were shocked, too.

"You may now disperse." Mashima-sensei's final words rang inside our ears.

"Please proceed towards your respective class advisers to receive supplementary instructions." Another teacher's voice could be heard from the loudspeaker.

The classes started moving to different areas to gather up around their homeroom teachers. My classmates kept staring at me, awaiting my decision to start our class's move.

"I will now hand out wristwatches to every one of you. You are not to take them off until the end of the test. If you remove your wristwatch without permission, you will be punished. This watch doesn't just tell time. Its sensors also check your body temperature, your pulse, and even your movements. It's equipped with a GPS. Also, on the off chance that something bad does happen, this watch comes equipped with means to notify the school. If you find yourself in an emergency, please do not hesitate to push that button."

The distributor who supplied the watches had stacked them next to Chabashira-sensei. Class B was instructed to take out the watches from the boxes and put them on.

"The test has already begun. You can ask me for any clarifications, but I will not answer any questions that might influence your points or results," said Chabashira-sensei.

I don't know how true Chabashira-sensei's words were since a watch that can monitor our very movements seems quite far-fetched. Well, since we were allowed to roam around the island, the school needs to know about our conditions and whereabouts. After all, installing cameras on this island like how they did in school should be pretty difficult. The teachers won't be able to watch us with their eyes alone.

"Sensei, I understand that we're going to spend a week on this island, but is it even possible to get by without using any points?" asked Hirata.

I'm sure that question has been on the mind of every student. Good job on taking the initiative to ask that, Hirata.

"Hmm... Well, the school isn't involved in the test process at all. You must prepare your own food, water, shelter, and every other necessity to live properly. Thinking of solutions to resolve those issues is part of the test," she replied. "For now, why don't you try familiarizing the manual so you can start coming up with plans?"

Hirata was also one of the de facto leaders of Class B. Chabashira-sensei casually handed him the said manual.

"Read the last page. The penalties are listed there. The information that you'll find there will be extremely important to this exam."

The students of Class B huddled up closely. Hirata began to read the penalties, loud enough so everyone in the class could hear him clearly.

- Anyone deemed unable to continue the test due to significant deterioration in health or serious injury will be penalized by 30 points.

- In the event that a student has polluted the environment, he or she will be penalized by 20 points.

- In the event that students are absent during the 8 AM and 8 PM roll call, 5 points will be taken for each student absent.

- In the event that a student is found guilty of an act of violence towards another class, robbing another class, or causing damage to another class' property, etc., the offending student's class will immediately be disqualified, and the individual will forfeit all of his or her private points.

Of course, every class was subject to these penalties. The fourth penalty, in particular, was especially harsh. However, it was also perfectly reasonable. It should prevent other students from engaging in harmful behavior.

The other penalties would prevent us from sleeping our time away and littering all over the place. Essentially, it was a contest of restraint.

"As the theme of the exam is 'freedom', all of you are free to behave however you want as long as you abide by the rules and avoid the penalties. Be mindful of your health. Once ten students retire, all of your efforts will be for nothing. Retired students will not be able to return." Chabashira-sensei glanced at Horikita ever so slightly. Even I wouldn't be able to notice if I wasn't paying extra attention.

"Chabashira-sensei, can I ask another question?" Hirata raised his hand.

"Sure, go ahead."

"If, for example, our points are down to nothing, what will happen if a student's class is penalized?"

"Nothing. You will remain at 0 points for the rest of the exam. Mashima-sensei's words weren't jokes. This exam won't affect your class points negatively."

"Sensei, where will the roll call be held?" This time, it was Horikita who asked a question.

"Each class will be accompanied by their respective homeroom teacher until the test is over. If you've decided where you want your base camp will be, report it. I will hold the roll call wherever the base is set up. Think about it carefully, however. You won't be able to relocate your base camp unless you have a justifiable reason to do so. There will be no exceptions."

So Chabashira-sensei will act as our supervisor, huh?

"Sensei, since no one has mentioned it yet, where's the toilet?" asked Ike.

The girls were probably thankful to him. That question should've been on their mind this whole time, too.

"Oh, perfect timing. I was about to get to that."

Chabashira-sensei grabbed one of the boxes from the stacked pile. After peeling off the packing tape, she took some sort of collapsed cardboard.

"What's that...?"

"It's a basic toilet. Each class will be supplied with one. Please handle it carefully."

"We'll use that?!"

The girls looked at the simple toilet in utter horror.

"Don't worry, it comes with a single-button tent. No one would be able to see you when using it. You don't have to be wary about its build, either. These simple toilets are very well-made and can be used even during disasters," Chabashira-sensei explained.

"B-But still—that's just a cardboard box, isn't it?!"

"That's impossible!"

Chabashira-sensei continued talking as if she didn't care about the girls' concerns.

"I'll show you how to use it, so please commit this to memory."

Chabashira-sensei began to assemble the toilet. It seemed like she was familiar with setting it up. She took out a blue vinyl bag and placed it on the cardboard. She then laid a white sheet inside of it.

"This sheet is made of water-absorbing polymer. It covers and solidifies waste. It'll suppress the smell and make the waste invisible. By repeating this process, it's possible to get around five uses with one vinyl bag. These vinyl bags and sheets will be supplied to you in unlimited amounts. You can even change them after every use if you want."

The girls had no choice but to listen silently. In the end, it won't matter whether you're a boy or a girl. If you had to use it, you would use it. However, I understand that this is nowhere near the ideal toilet that we'd be willing to use.

"T-There's no way... There's just no way!"

"I can't possibly use that."

The girls started to reject the idea one by one. I observed Ike and the other guys to see how they were finding everything so far. A lot of them were looking at the girls in annoyance. On the surface, it does sound like the girls in our class were being naggy. However, as boys, we couldn't possibly know how difficult this situation is for the female gender. Like them, I chose to stay silent.

I'm already relieved that no unnecessary arguments were being made. I can tell that they were just waiting for Hirata, Horikita, or my instructions.

"Yoo-hoo~!"

All of us heard a piercing voice behind Chabashira-sensei. She was instantly alerted, but Chabashira-sensei acted a little too late. She was captured and hugged from behind.

Scene Illustration

"What are you doing?" Chabashira-sensei grunted.

"What~? Is it bad to be friendly? I honestly just wanted to see what you'd do," said Hoshinomiya-sensei, Class C's homeroom teacher.

Chabashira-sensei rolled her eyes in irritation.

"Whenever I touch your hair, it's always so smooth, Sae-chan~!"

"Don't you understand the school's rules at all? Eavesdropping on other classes when they are giving information is inexcusable."

"Aww, I'm just an unimportant teacher, though. Even if I did hear something, I'd never tell." Hoshinomiya-sensei continued snuggling up close to Chabashira-sensei before her voice got gentler. "But doesn't this feel like fate? I can't believe that we both came to this island together."

Fate? I don't know what Hoshinomiya-sensei was getting at, but Chabashira-sensei chose to ignore whatever she meant by it.

"Shut up. Just hurry back to your class."

"Ah! Aren't those Ayanokouji-kun and Horikita-san? It's been so long!"

Horikita and I gave her a slight bow. Hoshinomiya-sensei smiled and addressed me.

"Summer is the season of love. If you want to confess your feelings to a girl you like, perhaps it'd be more effective while standing before the beautiful ocean?"

"The ocean may be beautiful, but I can't afford to do that while attending to my duties in class," I responded to her joke with a serious reply. Well, I was hoping that she was just joking...

The entirety of Class B stared at us. It was especially bad since I'm sure most of my classmates were still under the misconception that Horikita and I were dating.

"You need to be more carefree!" Hoshinomiya-sensei gave me a thumbs up.

"Hey," Chabashira-sensei called out. "Should I report you to the school authorities for behavioral problems? Besides, I don't have any more time."

"Ooh, don't glare at me like that. Fine, fine, I get it. See you later~!"

Hoshinomiya-sensei walked away while waving at us. She also put on a totally-not-fake sad expression. At the same time, Chabashira-sensei instantly continued her explanations.

"Well then, allow me to elaborate on some additional rules."

The students of Class B gulped in anticipation. The words "additional rules" will surely be vital in this special test. Or at least, that's what we ought to believe.

"You'll be allowed to roam freely, but be extra aware of your surroundings because there are several designated 'spots' on the island. In these spots, there is what's referred to as the right of exclusive possession. The class that obtains those rights is entirely free to determine how they wish to exercise them. However, rights of exclusive possession are only valid for a period of eight hours after being invoked, after which they are automatically revoked. This means that another class can acquire those rights at that time. Also, you gain one bonus point if you occupy a spot once. However, that point is provisional, and cannot be used during the testing period. Therefore, bonus points are calculated and added to your total after the test has ended. Because the school is constantly monitoring you, there is no room for fraud. Please be aware of that fact."

Hirata handed the manual to me. After a brief scan, I've come to understand the basics of how occupying a spot works. Apparently, there was some kind of apparatus installed near each spot, one which showed the rights of exclusive possession. However...

"Misuse of a spot would result in a 50-point penalty, huh?" I muttered.

"Yes, you cannot occupy a spot that is possessed by another class. You must wait until their rights are revoked. Breaking that rule will cost you, so please be aware of that risk."

Forcibly occupying spots should've been one of the plausible strategies in this exam, but the final rule made it impossible.

Among the rules for the right of exclusive possession was the existence of a "leader". The details that explained how having a leader works were highlighted in the manual.

On the seventh and last day of the test, we had the right to guess the identity of the other classes' leaders during the final roll call. If we manage to get it right, our class will obtain 50 points for each correct guess. Conversely, the other class would have to pay 50 points as compensation.

Carelessly moving to acquire a spot would most likely lead to the identity of the leader getting discovered. However, those guesses would also come with their own risks. Answering wrong would also result in a 50-point penalty.

"One person must be chosen as the leader—no exceptions. However, you are free to not participate. Please tell me once you've selected someone. At that time, I will provide you with a key card stamped with the leader's name. You have until roll call today. In the event that you do not decide by then, we will decide for you. That is all."

Chabashira-sensei finally finished her explanations.

"Alright, I want everyone's attention. Class B will start to move." I spoke as loud as I could.

Everyone listened intently. The girls had hopeful expressions, probably thinking about how I would fix the toilet situation. The boys readied themselves as this exam could prove them useful for the class, especially those who couldn't contribute much to the written tests.

The rules appeared complicated, but they were actually pretty simple. It'll take some time before everyone can fully understand them. For now, we'll have to figure out what we're supposed to do.

This beach is like purgatory for us. Once we enter the forest, whatever we find will determine whether this exam will be heaven for us... or hell.

Chapter Text

"First of all, it would be nice if our class could look for a base camp as soon as possible. I'm sure all of you are suffering under the heat and it'll probably get worse later at noon." I started laying out my thoughts. "Hirata and I will take the lead. Ken, Akito, and the other guys will help us carry the tent. I want each guy to carry something apart from their things. The girls are free to help if they want."

"Where will we go from here, Ayanokouji-kun?" asked Hirata.

"Look, Class A's starting to move. They'll probably explore the forest and find someplace to set up camp. Of course, we'll do the same. However, since they're going on the west side of the island, I want us to explore the east side for ourselves, but we'll have to move now. If we make our base first, Class C and D will have no choice but to scramble along the center," I explained.

"That's so smart! Since Class A is our most dangerous opponent, it would make sense if we avoid them by monopolizing the opposite side of the island!" Karuizawa commented with a clap.

"As expected of Ayanokouji-kun!"

"He's so decisive!"

"Alright! We'll beat them by occupying more spots in the east!"

My excited classmates began gathering their things. We moved towards the east side of the island and passed by Ichinose's Class C.

When they saw us, Ichinose, along with Minamikata and her friends waved at me and Kikyou. It seems like they were still thinking about their next course of action.

"I understand Kushida-san being close with Ichinose-san and Class C, but it's great to see that even Ayanokouji-kun is on friendly terms with them," said Hirata.

"Well, I guess you can call us friends. I think I've mentioned this before, but I don't think Class C is our enemy."

"Kiyotaka-kun actually got pretty close with Ichinose-san from way back, you know?" Kikyou joined in on our conversation.

"Ohh... With how the class system works in our school, it's certainly rare to see two class leaders get along well with each other." Hirata smiled wryly.

"Don't worry. I'll still prioritize our class over my friendship with Class C."

"O-Oh, that's not what I'm getting at, Ayanokouji-kun... I also think having a friendly relationship with other classes is wonderful. Sorry if I sounded hostile."

"Ah, you didn't, don't worry. It was my fault for misunderstanding your point."

The small talk continued as we walked towards the east-side forest. Our classmates were engaged in their own conversations, too.

After a short while, Hirata and I stopped in our tracks and turned to everyone.

"Is there anyone here who has experience with the outdoors? I have to admit, I am not adept when it comes to these situations," asked Hirata.

"The same goes for me," I added.

Everyone stopped and listened to our plea, but only silence and our classmates' hesitant expressions greeted us.

"Uhh..." Ike slowly raised his hand.

"Ike-kun, do you have any experience with moving around in this environment? It would be of great help to the class if you could teach us a thing or two." Hirata instantly set up the stage for Ike.

"I don't know if it's considered experience, but I used to go camping with my family ever since I was a kid..." Ike explained. "Ah—but of course, I'm nothing compared to those who were boy scouts. If anyone in here was a member, then they're probably more worthy of your time. Ahaha..."

Ike would've been very hyped up to tell us all about his camping expertise. However, after that incident with Class D, Ike became visibly discouraged with his words and actions. He was severely and harshly criticized by the entire class along with Yamauchi. It's perfectly reasonable for his self-confidence to dip like this.

"Well, it doesn't seem like anyone else fits the bill. I want you to lead the class with us, Ike. I'm sure your knowledge would be helpful."

I don't know how knowledgeable Ike really is, but he's probably our best bet right now. On the other hand, Yamauchi is, objectively speaking, still completely useless at the moment.

"I'm not against it. If anyone has some sort of survival skills like Ike-kun, please feel free to let everyone know. We're all in this together."

And with that, Hirata encouraged cooperation. Well, at least I'd hope so. It's not that easy, especially in this environment. However, I think that as long as no conflict arises within the class, we'll probably be fine for the most part.

1st Day, 9:39 AM.

"Alright, everyone. This is a good place to stop and gather our thoughts. Please cool off among the shade," instructed Hirata.

"Ike, do you have any suggestions?"

"You're asking me?"

"Well, yeah. I'd like your input right now. The map in the manual is basically useless, but if I were to guess our current location, it'd probably be around here."

I pointed towards the middle-right part of the map, a few areas before the eastern beach. Well, it wasn't really clear if there was gonna be a beach on the east-most part of the island based on the map alone. The page where it's printed was as useful as a blank piece of paper.

"Then... I think our priority should be a clean source of water," replied Ike.

"Excellent, let's head straight from here. I'm pretty sure there's a river along the way."

"Oh! That's great!" Ike slowly started feeling more energetic.

"Normally, I would suggest making a few search party teams to find a good place for a base, but I think Ayanokouji-kun's instruction will yield us a much faster result," said Hirata.

Our classmates listened to our conversation in silence. At this moment, they had no choice but to rely on us. Since everyone knew the importance of cooperation, no one really went against the decisions we've been making so far. It's not like anyone had better suggestions, anyway.

After a considerable amount of time had passed, I felt a sudden change in temperature. Ike's body perked up as he approached me.

"Do you feel that, Ayanokouji? It suddenly got colder. A big water source is probably near. The river you were talking about might be right around the corner," he whispered.

"Alright, Ike. Can I ask you and your friends to go ahead and scout the area?"

"Sure!" Ike walked up to his friends and asked them to go with him.

Professor and Ijuuin declined as it was already taking their all just to keep up with us. It was an understandable response given how they were built.

After they left, Horikita approached me from behind.

"It's great that Ike-kun and the rest are finally having their time to shine, but I suddenly feel useless," she sighed.

It's rare for her to confide in me with something like this.

"That's just the way things are when the battlefield is in a completely foreign territory. But don't worry about it, Horikita. I'll need you later, that's for sure," I replied.

"I'll cooperate as effectively as I can."

After a few minutes, Ike's group finally reunited with the class.

"It's up ahead! There's a river just a couple of minutes away from here!" he announced.

"That's great!"

"A river!"

"Nice!"

"Good job on finding it, Ike-kun. We'll head there together. You lead the way." Hirata praised them accordingly.

"It's all thanks to you, Ayanokouji. You knew about the river from the start, right?" Ike addressed me excitedly.

I only nodded in response and let Ike direct the entire class. When he said "a couple of minutes", Ike probably referred to 'running speed'. It took us ten or fifteen minutes of walking before we finally saw and heard the running river water.

"Here it is!"

"Wow, so clean!"

"We have water!"

"It's tempting us to swim in it!"

The class was excited upon seeing the river. We walked on the hard, grassy lands beside it to find the perfect place to set up camp.

"Ayanokouji, we saw it around here. A mechanism of some sort." Yamauchi and Miyamoto called out to me and pointed towards a direction that was a little further ahead.

"A mechanism?"

Class B continued its march before finally arriving at a very conspicuous place. An unnaturally placed boulder was sticking out on the riverside.

"This should be the equipment for occupying a spot," announced Hirata.

A screen of some sort was attached to the boulder. As Chabashira-sensei has said earlier, we'd need the leader's key card to officially occupy this spot.

"Woohoo! A spot!"

"We're totally killing it!"

The class celebrated happily upon hearing his words.

"This should be a good place to set up camp, right Kiyotaka-kun?" Kikyou asked as she approached me with a bunch of her friends.

There were a lot of noticeable places on the island. On the west side, a cave, a tower, a cliff, a strange forest area, and a small gulf were easily recognizable from the ship. It makes sense as to why Class A would head in that direction. Their initial position only helped avoid suspicion unlike us who were obviously aware of where we were going.

On the surface, it seemed like the western parts of the island were the best places to horde spots and points, however, I never saw any suitable water source near that area. Since the southern beach was our starting point, it only makes sense that there would be no immediate spots that we could find and occupy. However, if we go on a small journey, the northeastern side has a river. If we go directly east from there, we'd be on the north side of the eastern beach. From the cruiser, I also noticed a small landform. At first, I thought it was another cave, but as the ship moved along, it actually turned out to be a small rock tunnel. I wonder if there's a spot in that place, too. Directly south of the eastern beach was a very noticeable live oak tree due to its enormous size. It's very likely for that area to have a spot somewhere, but the absence of food and water sources would render that place unsuitable as a base.

In the end, this riverside is the most ideal place we can find in the meantime.

"Let's find a grassy and balanced terrain. We'll make our base there," I suggested.

"Okay!"

It was 11:57 AM when I checked my wristwatch. In my opinion, we were pretty quick to find a nice place to stay. We didn't need to split up or do anything risky. I wonder how the other classes are faring right now?

Chapter Text

"Are you choosing this place as your base camp?" asked Chabashira-sensei.

"Yes," replied Hirata.

"Alright," she nodded. "We'll hold the roll call in this place later at 8 PM. Please be on time."

"We understand, Sensei."

After placing our things on the ground, I asked for everyone's attention once more. Hirata and Karuizawa gathered our classmates effortlessly, indicating their positions as the class's other leaders.

"I would like to distribute tasks to everyone. I know some of you aren't used to this yet, so feel free to tell me if you disagree with anything. I'll do my best to compromise."

"Uhm, Ayanokouji-kun, what will you do about the toilet?" Shinohara asked timidly.

"Don't worry about that. According to the manual, we can install temporary toilets. They'll cost 20 points each," I answered.

The girls visibly sighed in relief.

"Don't you think spending 20 points for a toilet is too much? The same goes for other things. We can probably find food on our own, and water won't be a problem with the river here." Yamauchi spoke with reason.

A lot of the boys agreed with his opinion. I'm impressed with his perfectly logical idea which would save us points. The girls started to panic in response. They looked at me with pleading expressions, seemingly asking for help.

Matsushita and Nishimura didn't wait for my response. They decided to debate with Yamauchi on this one.

"No. If you haven't caught up yet, this test isn't about saving up all of our points. That strategy is just not realistic. This is especially true for sanitation. In my honest opinion, this test is all about using our points effectively. Our goal is to get by using the least amount of points possible. However, spending is inevitable," Nishimura explained.

"Won't we get ahead if we restrain ourselves as much as we can?" Yukimura asked, supporting Yamauchi's initial statement.

"Yes, but it's too risky. If the health of our classmates starts deteriorating, our suffering will be all for naught," replied Matsushita.

"It's not just for their physical well-being, too, Yukimura-kun. Using a faulty toilet will build up stress and anxiety for everyone. I support Ayanokouji-kun's decision to buy a good one." Hirata joined the conversation to back us up.

"We'll set a goal. I want us to have at least 150 points remaining by the end of the exam," I said.

"150? You're planning to spend half of our points?"

"Isn't that a little too much, though?"

A lot of the boys voiced their doubts.

"Well, from a realistic standpoint, I think it's already plenty. Remember, we'll be here for a whole week," I explained.

Kikyou, Karuizawa, and Hirata agreed with most of my suggestions. In the end, I managed to convince everyone by promising that there would be no unnecessary spending. Class B had come to an agreement.

After asking for one temporary toilet, I also ordered a bunch of blue vinyl bags. I think I asked for too much, but that's also part of my plan.

"Firstly, I would like the boys to set up the tents. And then, we will order a bunch of fishing rods to hunt for food."

"Can anyone here even fish?" asked Karuizawa.

"I know how! You can leave it to me, Ayanokouji. I'll teach anyone who's assigned with me." Ike raised his hand with a grin.

"Great, I'll be counting on you, Ike. Next, I want to assemble a search party for finding edible fruits in the forest."

"We'll do it!" Kikyou and her friends instantly raised their hands.

"Hmm... Alright, but I want some guys to come with you. Akito, Ken, can you come with Kikyou and her group?"

"Kiyopon, can we tag along with them?" Haruka jumped in with enthusiasm.

"Oh, sure." I nodded in agreement.

"I'm pleased to work with you, Sakura-san, Hasebe-san!" Kikyou happily received my friends from the Ayanokouji Group.

"Leave it to us, Kiyotaka!" Ken and Akito gave me a thumbs-up.

For now, they'll be helping us set everything up. Their group will set out later, around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

"Finally, I want everyone else to help in securing our things. We'll have to prepare for the first night. It would be nice if we're up and ready before the sun goes down!"

"Sure!"

"We'll do our best!"

"Let's go, Class B!"

Hearing a chain of commands would give them the impression that I have everything figured out. Because of that, my classmates became more willing to hear me out and follow my instructions.

"Ayanokouji-kun, what will we do about drinking water?" asked Hirata.

"Good question. This river is certainly an option, but we have to be extra careful. I assume that a lot of the girls wouldn't want to drink from this, right?" I faced them to take in some opinions.

"No way..."

"Swimming is fine, but drinking? I don't know about that..."

"We might get stomachaches and stuff."

The girls pointed out some valid points.

"I think it's fine. The water is visibly clean. It looks like spring water, too," said Ike.

Of course, the girls still had doubts in their expressions.

"Alright, we'll hold on to this idea. I'm assigning Horikita, Satou, Matsushita, and Mori to check out the source of this river. If it's a spring, then we'll consider drinking from it. And to be extremely sure, we'll be boiling the water for 5 to 10 minutes in order to eliminate all sorts of bacteria." I turned to Ike for confirmation. "Is that a viable method, Ike?"

"Hmm... Yeah, I'm pretty sure it is. We used to boil natural water back then, too. I don't remember how long it took, but 5 or 10 minutes should be enough." Ike nodded in response.

"Horikita, Matsushita, Satou, Mori, is it alright if the four of you go right now?" I asked.

"I'm fine with it."

"Same here."

"Yep~!"

Horikita gave me a sharp look before nodding. When she passed by me, I whispered softly and asked her.

"Are you alright? You don't have to force yourself if you're not feeling well."

"I'll be fine. I'll go since I want to contribute as well. But, thank you for your concern, Ayanokouji-kun," she replied.

"Kikuchi, Makida, can you two accompany them?"

The two guys nodded and followed Horikita and the others.

Ike and his pals happily started fishing as soon as Chabashira-sensei provided us with the necessary equipment.

When the temporary toilet was installed, I took a lot of the stacked vinyl bags and arranged them accordingly.

"Ike, do you know how to make a fire source?" I called out and asked him.

"Huh?! A fire source, you say?! You mean a campfire?! I do, but we can probably do that later! It's not even past 1 in the afternoon!" Ike yelled from a distance.

"Oh, I think a campfire is essential in the night, but I'm just talking about a small fire source," I elaborated.

Sensing that I had some sort of plan, Ike gave his fishing spot to Hondou and approached me.

"Inogashira-san, you're quite good with handling craft stuff, right? Can I have a word with you for a moment?" I called out to another classmate, Inogashira. According to Kikyou, she was good at things like knitting and stuff like that.

Well, I'm not really planning on making her knit anything, but I'd like her help, regardless.

"M-Me? You need something from me, Ayanokouji-kun?!"

She was surprised and flustered. I didn't talk much with her, so it was perfectly reasonable. After some encouragement from her friends, including Kikyou, Inogashira finally approached me and Ike.

"These vinyl bags are supplied to us in unlimited amounts, remember? I thought we could use them in other ways."

"Uhm, are you talking about blankets or pillows, Ayanokouji-kun?" Inogashira asked meekly.

"Exactly."

"Ohhh! So that's why you wanted a fire source! Good job on picking that up, Ayanokouji!" Ike finally understood what I was trying to do. "Wait, can I borrow the manual for a bit?"

I gave the manual to Ike. He was looking for an item that should've been the obvious option. I was careless and overlooked it.

"Here! We can order a bunch of candles just for 2 points. We won't need to build a fire source if you're willing to spend that much."

"I think getting those candles is the best option. If some of them are left for future use, we can save up the battery life of our flashlights."

"You're planning to attach some of the vinyl bags together by burning them, right? Won't we get in trouble?"

I turned to Sensei, indicating that we wanted her to answer.

"If you're going to use candlelight to manipulate the physical structure of these vinyl bags, then it won't be enough to be considered polluting the air. However, once the testing period is over, you'll have to dispose of them properly. Leaving them on the island won't be an option since it will be considered as land pollution," she explained.

"We're in the green then."

"Just be careful about handling fire in general."

And with that, another plan was followed through.

Under my orders, some boys were assigned to pull out some grass and weeds. The girls working with Inogashira stuffed them inside the vinyl bags. They then used candlelight to carefully close up the opening of the vinyl bags. Just like that, we made ourselves some pillows. It was way easier with the blankets and mats. We just cut the vinyl bags open and reattached them using the same method.

"Our base camp is progressing nicely. Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun," said Hirata.

"Nah, it's all thanks to everyone's cooperation. Ike's camping knowledge had been a lot of help, too."

"If you weren't leading us, I doubt we could do everything as effectively."

A lot of my classmates voiced their praises and gratitude towards me.

Time passed by quickly and it was already 2:15 PM.

"Kouenji, do you want to scout out the island with me?" I asked.

For the past few hours, Kouenji did nothing but relax on top of a tree branch. The class was obviously displeased with his carefree attitude, but we've already taken his behavior into account.

"Hoh? Are you asking for my company, boy? I certainly don't swing that way, but if it's not your intention, then maybe I'd be willing to come." Kouenji smiled while giving me a sharp glance.

"I wanted to check out the island's central area. You've probably rested enough. Are you up for it?"

"Hmph, I suppose going out for an exercise isn't a bad thing for this already perfect body of mine."

Kouenji dropped down elegantly and walked past me.

"We'll head out on the opposite side now, Kiyotaka-kun," said Kikyou.

"We'll be back by sundown." Akito waved at me.

After setting out, I finally caught up to Kouenji's considerably fast walking pace. He started climbing up the trees with speed like a shinobi. He certainly seemed like a city boy like I am, but his quick movements indicated otherwise.

While observing my surroundings, I followed his lead and started climbing on top of the trees.

"Ah, my impeccable perfection is complemented by the beauty of nature." 

He started talking to himself while basking in the sunlight.

"I truly am beautiful—just perfect."

Kouenji had an absurd amount of stamina. He didn't even look tired even after jumping from one tree to another. 

"You're still here, boy?" He sounded like he just noticed my existence this time.

"Why'd you stop?"

"Hmm... As a common folk, I would like to ask you something." I wasn't sure where he was looking since his back was facing me. "Do you notice anything?"

I looked at my surroundings with critical awareness. The land, the types of trees, the terrain, the plants, the soil...

I see...

I jumped to where Kouenji was. We were currently standing on top of two huge branches on opposite sides of the same tree.

"The way to the cave is right there... And it seems like there's an unnatural plot of land if we head a little bit south from here."

"It seems like you have at least a decent pair of eyes, Ayanokouji-boy."

"Are you finally willing to help the class, Kouenji?"

This was the question that we, of Class B, wanted to ask this flamboyantly narcissistic classmate of ours for the longest time.

"Help? What kind of question is that?" Kouenji disregarded my question as some sort of nonsense.

"Well, you just showed me a way to some key locations. I guess I can consider that as help."

Kouenji scoffed before finally jumping off the tree. Of course, I followed him down.

"Let me make something clear. I do what I want to do. I couldn't care less about what was happening in the class. If my actions benefit them, then that's that. Of course, the opposite is also true." Kouenji's wide smile was unchanging.

"Then, you won't stop even if your actions compromise our class's points as long as you will it so?"

"Naturally." Kouenji fixed his hair with a harrumph. "And just so you know, I find this test extremely boring."

He glanced at me with a provocative smile.

"What are you saying?"

"Oh, come on, Ayanokouji-boy. You're not someone at the bottom of the food chain. I'm sure you can infer what my intention is."

"You're planning to retire?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"We'll lose 30 points because of it."

"I don't think that's my problem."

"You're a member of the class, aren't you? Wouldn't you want to help us reach Class A?"

"Hmph, if you think I care about that, then you're sorely mistaken. This school is just not aware of my boundless potential. It doesn't matter whether I'm in Class A or D, for that matter. I will simply do what I want."

"I see... Is there any way for me to convince you?"

"It's up to your imagination."

*Fwip*

*Thud*

I launched a roundhouse kick towards his head. Kouenji successfully defended against the blow by using his arms.

"Oho? I didn't expect you to have a feisty side, Ayanokouji-boy. I can't decide if I like it or not."

"Don't you want to strike back, Kouenji?"

"Hmph, I would do so if I wanted. But I don't find your existence ugly, so I'll restrain myself this one time."

"Is that a threat? What if I don't stop?"

"Then I'll have no choice but to punish you accordingly." Kouenji's arrogant grin remained firm.

"Punish me? Do you think you're capable of doing that?"

Kouenji didn't respond. He simply started walking away. As expected, he felt that I was still holding back with my kick. Despite that, his forearm got bruised. Kouenji should be aware of our difference in power right about now.

Just from that encounter, I could easily tell that Kouenji was an absolute unit of a fighter. Exercising daily really helped me retain at least some of my previous strengths. I wouldn't have dealt that much damage if I continued neglecting my physical condition. 

There wasn't a rule about engaging in a violent confrontation with a fellow classmate. However, even if I do beat him, he will use the injuries he'd sustain as a reason to retire, regardless.

Despite everything, Kouenji was still unfazed and confidence filled his smile.

"Are you seriously retiring?"

"Hmph, I'm feeling unwell. I have no choice but to do so," he smilingly replied before continuing his march. "See you later, Ayanokouji-boy."

And with that, Kouenji turned around and headed back in the direction of our base.

Sigh... He really is a troublesome guy.

Chapter Text

I returned to our base a bit later than Kouenji, at around 3:00 PM.

"Ayanokouji-kun, you're back." Hirata greeted me along with the rest of the remaining Class B students in the camp.

"Yeah, I hurried back after scuttling all over the place. Before I go over the next phase of our plans, why don't we decide on who's going to be the leader? That way, we can officially occupy the spot in this river and start earning points," I suggested.

"Well, we were actually talking about that earlier. Everyone agreed that you're the best choice for it."

Our classmates nodded their heads almost in unison.

"Me, huh?"

"Like, Hirata-kun and I just stand out too much. The same can also be said with Kushida-san. The best choices were you and Horikita-san, but Class D is targeting her, right?" said Karuizawa.

Hmm... They certainly have a point. I don't think Class A and D are that aware of me. And I don't think Ichinose would carelessly try to choose me when we guess the leaders' identities on the last day. On the other hand, even if the other two classes are wary of Horikita, it's not like they'll just put her name on the paper without any basis.

Regardless, I can understand why they wanted me as the leader.

"Sorry if we kind of decided this while you were gone. Of course, you can decline," said Hirata.

"No, it's fine. You guys have surveyed the perimeter, right? If no one else is around, then it's probably safe to occupy the spot as soon as now. Let's report to Chabashira-sensei and tell her that I will be the leader," I replied.

"Alright! Ayanokouji is our leader!"

"Shh! Don't be too noisy!"

"It's fine, isn't it? We've been on guard this whole time. There shouldn't be any spies around us this early in the exam."

"But still!"

I let my classmates continue whatever they were doing. Right now, Class B's morale is extremely high. If this continues, I'll be able to freely move around and look for more spots.

"Alright, here's your key card, Ayanokouji. Handle it with care," Chabashira-sensei said as she handed me a small card with my name on it.

"I will. Thank you, Sensei." I formally received the card and shoved it into the left pocket of my jersey pants.

At 3:10 PM, Class B gained the right of exclusive possession to the spot near the river. We have officially received 1 provisional point.

"Where's Kouenji, by the way?" I asked.

"Kouenji-kun returned a while ago, but he said he'd go swimming for a bit," replied Hirata.

"Sigh... I knew it."

"What do you mean, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"He's probably going to retire soon."

"What-? What do you mean? Did something happen between you guys?"

"Not really. Kouenji probably planned to retire since the start of the test after deciding that he didn't like how it was going to be."

"If he didn't like... What...?"

Even Hirata couldn't comprehend Kouenji's actions.

"Kouenji just acted on his whim. He does what he wants without a care for anything else. Or at least, that's what he told me. I tried to convince him, but it didn't work."

Hirata turned to our busy classmates with a grave expression.

"If our class finds out about this, they would surely be upset."

Being the class's hero, I'm sure Hirata will try to talk it out. But given how Kouenji was, it'll be futile to even try.

"You don't have to find and convince Kouenji, Hirata. It can't be helped this time. We'll just have to work around the penalty."

"I still want to try..." Hirata looked at me with resolute eyes.

"I know you mean well, but our classmates need you here, right now. Trust me, whatever you tell him won't work." I shook my head in response.

"I see... So that's 30 points down the drain, huh?" Hirata smiled bitterly.

"It's fine. We'll find a way to earn it back up."

Right now, our base camp looks really nice. We bought three fishing rods, four small tents, a temporary toilet, candles, and cookware with gas. 62 points spent, all in all. Using the nearest trees from our location as cover, finding this place shouldn't be too easy. Six tents were set up on the flatlands for both boys and girls. A few meters from our base camp were the simple toilet and temporary toilet. The tents were set in a way that we could have effective meetings and meals together as a group. Surprisingly, the best fishing spot was also the area where the mechanism was located.

"I've been thinking about what to do with our meals. They cost 6 points per individual, but if we buy an entire set for the class, we would only spend 10 points. It also comes with a free bottle of water for each person."

It was a very worthwhile deal, indeed.

"Remember, we can have fish and fruits from Ike and Kikyou's groups. We'll probably be able to hold on by consuming them, especially with our cookware. We can also buy more fishing rods if needed," I explained. "But I have no problems with buying the food sets if our own provisions turn out to be lacking."

"I see. They'd certainly help. Everyone has already agreed to eat two meals a day. That would very much lessen the demand for food."

"Yeah, we have the river for bathing and we can also use the temporary toilet and simple toilet as dressing rooms. There's no need to buy the temporary shower for our hygiene."

There's also an item called a "Water Shower" but we don't really know what it does.

We'll probably have to assign schedules if we want to bathe in the river. And of course, we'll have to be mindful of the proximity. After all, we're also planning to use the river for drinking, too.

"Alright, Hirata. I want you to gather everyone again."

Hirata simply nodded in response. Once again, with Karuizawa and his help, the students of Class B were in front of me and ready to listen.

"Kouenji, Kikyou's group, and Horikita's group aren't back yet so we'll just have to inform them later."

I started explaining what else I could share with them. Firstly, I let Karuizawa and the other girls handle the bathing rotations. I specified the locations of the bathing areas based on the water's running direction and depth. That way, our bathing sessions won't affect the cleanliness of our drinking water should the source turn out to be a clean spring.

Next up were the future search and scouting parties, along with the other main roles. I had Ike take the lead in preparing the campfires and teaching more students how to fish. He and his helpers will be staying at the base camp for the rest of the week. The search party will be led by me, and our focus will be on looking for spots. On the other hand, the scouting party is tasked to secure the perimeter on a regular basis. They would patrol around the base camp to check if any intruders pass by.

For the rest of the class, separate roles will be distributed for the upcoming scheduled chores. I've assigned Karuizawa and Shinohara to take the lead, along with Kikyou. Finding the food, storing it, and cooking it—Washing some clothes if needed, waste disposal, etc. There were a lot of tasks to be done.

As a precaution, I asked everyone to approach me or Hirata should any conflict arise.

Our main goal was to stay consistent. If we can hold out until the end, then our results will be stellar.

"Alright, Ayanokouji-kun. We hear you. We'll do everything we can. Right, everyone?" Hirata turned to our classmates, trying to rally them up.

"Yeah!"

"You got it!"

"Let's do this!"

"We won't fail you, Ayanokouji-kun!"

"Class B will win this!"

Everyone cheered with overflowing enthusiasm. With how smoothly our base has developed, no one really had any complaints.

"I'll try my best to find more spots. If we're lucky, we might even get the chance to find out the other classes' leaders," I said.

"Oh!"

"It'd be great if that could happen!"

"As expected of Ayanokouji-kun!"

"We'll be Class A in no time!"

They might be getting overly excited now. 

And there's still the fact that Kouenji will drop out.

It would be extremely dangerous if other classes discovered my identity as the leader. Even if we occupy many spots and rack up the most points, all of them will be negated in the end if my cover is blown. I need to be careful about that.

As of now, I have no knowledge of what the other classes are up to. I might need to check in on them as soon as tomorrow.

Chapter Text

"Everyone, we're back!"

"Hey there~!"

Around 4:00 PM, we finally heard the returning voices of Mori and Satou. With them were the rest of the group members; Horikita, Matsushita, Makida, and Kikuchi.

"We have good news. It really was a spring. We should be able to drink this water," announced Matsushita.

"Oh yeah! I told you it was clean." Ike pumped his fist in the air.

"The terrain was pretty tough on some parts, but it should be pretty easy to go there again. Horikita-san said that a spot might be hidden somewhere," said Makida as he approached me. "We found some food on the way. We're not sure if all of them are edible, though."

They tried to hand me a bunch of fruits.

"Please give them to Ike. He can evaluate whether they're good or not," I replied.

From a short distance, I heard Makida and Kikuchi engage in a spirited conversation with Ike and the rest of his group. It's rare to see the mature Kikuchi look so enthusiastic.

"Oh, that's some good stuff you got there! Well, as a rule of thumb, we should avoid white and yellow berries..." Ike started picking out the appropriate fruits one by one. He really was knowledgeable about them.

"Ike-kun's been such a huge help, isn't he?"

"He hasn't been obnoxious for a while."

"To be honest, he's looked really cool ever since he took the lead in a lot of things."

The girls on the opposite side of the camp started murmuring about Ike in a very positive light.

"Ayanokouji-kun, can I have a moment with you?" asked Horikita.

"Sure," I replied before facing Hirata and the rest. "Can you fill in the rest of what we just talked about earlier?"

"Okay," nodded Hirata. "Mori-san, Matsushita-san, Satou-san, Kikuchi-kun, and Makida-kun, can you listen to us for a second?"

The other five were called out to the girls' area of the camp.

Horikita and I sat near the boys' tents. We didn't have any logs to sit on, but we found some large tree branches that could act as alternatives. After telling her about the things I'd laid out earlier, it was finally her turn to report their findings.

"You've heard it from Makida-kun earlier. The river shifts from northeast to straight north before going northwest. The main reason why water was running towards the south was due to the source's elevation. It's above a hill with a pretty tall cliff at the end. The northern beach can be seen beyond it. We've left marks as you instructed. We can head there again tomorrow if you want," she narrated.

"I see... Good job on that." I took out a piece of paper and a ballpoint pen as I listened to her descriptions.

"This is..."

"It's what I've noted so far. The only help that the map on the manual gave me was the island's general shape."

For now, the detailed parts were the areas around our base camp and a little bit of the central area.

"You departed around two in the afternoon, right? Just how long were you running to cover this much ground...?"

I chose to ignore Horikita's question so I could explain the more important things.

"From what I've observed, the terrain and tallgrass patches that are scattered around the island serve as clues as to where some key locations are."

"Tallgrass? I see... Then, I'm a bit curious about this. It's right next to a tallgrass according to your map." Horikita pointed at a marked location. "It's leaning near the west side of the island. What did you find there?"

"Corn."

"Really?"

"It's man-made cultivation, too. That says a lot about how this island is structured."

"So it really was the case. I've noticed that too. The paths were deliberately laid down so people would rarely get lost during the day... But as expected, their purpose isn't solely about helping us."

"Yeah. Because the paths are already laid down before us, the thought of randomly heading in another direction disappears. The unusual yet natural terrain along with the wall of tallgrass was carefully worked around so that the spots can be easily missed by the people passing through."

"Of course, there are exceptions like this river where the spot was conspicuously placed," she said.

I looked at Horikita, who was focused on my impromptu map.

"Are you okay, Horikita? How are you feeling?"

Surprised by my sudden question, Horikita softly cleared her throat before responding.

"If you're talking about my fever, then it's still there, unfortunately. But you don't need to worry. Chabashira-sensei didn't confiscate the medicine we bought so I can still take them regularly."

She didn't confiscate them? I guess it's not against the rules as long as it's already a part of our luggage.

Or maybe...

"I see. I wanted you to be a part of the search party with me, but if you're unable to, then I wouldn't want to force you."

"I'll be okay. Please let me join the group."

"Alright, I'll take your word for it, Horikita."

Finally, Horikita and I decided on the other group members for the search party. They'll be Okitani, Makida, Onodera, and Matushita. The fewer people involved, the better. However, I have to consider that the other classes will look out for our leader once they encounter anyone in the class. If they find out that our group's purpose isn't just recon, but also spot occupation, then their choices will be instantly narrowed down to whoever was present. Six people shouldn't be too bad. I also have to take their physique into account. Any guy should be fine as long as they're not Ijuuin or Professor. For the girls, Onodera was easily the most athletic of the bunch. I chose Horikita and Matsushita for their overall qualities in terms of quick thinking and athleticism.

Kikyou, Yokoyama, or Shinohara were plausible choices, but they can help out in other places.

After giving them a small rundown of my plans, we decided to help out in the base camp for the rest of the day.

1st Day, 5:57 PM

"Alright, can I ask you guys to find some tree branches? It'd be great if you could bring smaller ones." Ike instructed us.

"Alright, Ike-kun," nodded Hirata. "Let's make two groups of four and find some. One will be led by me and the other will be led by Ayanokouji-kun."

My group consisted of Horikita, Professor, and Ichihashi. We explored the southern part of our camp where Kikyou's group and my friends looked for food. Of course, we saw the marks they left behind, indicating that they've traveled in this area.

Meanwhile, Hirata's group explored the western area of our base.

We were considerably near the camp and even though it was almost 6:00 PM, a bit of sunlight still illuminated the island. After all, it was the summer season.

Our group collected a bunch of small wood branches and dried leaves.

"This exam really isn't for me and Wataru-dono. It is quite hard to move around so we cannot demonstrate the true extent of our powers. You've also noticed our struggle, haven't you, Ayanokouji-dono?" Professor said as he fixed up his glasses.

Like Professor, Ijuuin also volunteered to help with the search and joined Hirata's group.

"It's fine. As long as you do what you can in the base camp, it'll be enough contribution for the class."

"Surely," he nodded proudly. "Making those mats and pillows was a new and refreshing experience. I never thought I'd utilized these hands of mine for craftmanship. After all, I was born to conquer technology."

I don't know if he's referencing anything so I just stayed silent.

"Horikita-san, I'm really sorry about the misunderstanding I've brought upon you and Ayanokouji-kun. I've been trying to clear it up with everyone as fast as I can." Ichihashi took this chance and apologized to me and Horikita.

"It's alright. No harm was done to me or Ayanokouji-kun, anyway." Horikita shrugged it off after hearing that the problem was slowly getting mended.

I thought she'd be more against the rumor and would want it to be cleared up as soon as possible, but she's acting more cool-headedly than I expected.

A few minutes passed and we could already see the light from our base. The smoke looked faint, but it was barely noticeable.

"It seems like Hirata-kun's group has returned first," said Ichihashi.

"At least we'll be able to head back quickly even if it's already quite dark," added Horikita.

After judging that our loot was enough, the four of us decided to return. As we turned around, a familiar voice called out to us.

"Oh, is that you, Horikita-san, Ichihashi-san? Sotomura-kun and Kiyotaka-kun, too!"

Kikyou called out to us from a distance. With her were Ishikura, Onodera, Nishimura, Inogashira, and my friends from the Ayanokouji Group.

"Ya-ho~! We're back Kiyopon!" yelled Haruka.

"Welcome back, Kushida-san and the rest of you! We were asked to get some leaves and branches for the campfire," greeted Ichihashi.

"Ohh, so it really was a campfire. I thought we were about to get lost because the sun was already down. The light from our base camp helped guide us back," Kikyou replied with a smile.

"Ken, are you alright?" I asked the most haggard-looking guy in the group.

"U-Ugh... Yeah... I just... need to... use the toilet..." he replied with an expression of suffering.

"This idiot ate some sort of weird berry. His stomach started acting up later on." Akito explained to me with a shrug.

"It's just the usual idiot Kencchin, I guess," Haruka commented while shaking her head.

When our big group got back, the rest of the class received us with joy. Everyone gathered around a simple campfire that was skillfully made by Ike and the others.

"They're back!"

"Kushida-san!"

"Oh! You've got tons of stuff with you, Kushida-chan!"

Ken bolted towards the temporary toilet. The rest of the class readied everything for our supper later in the evening.

Meanwhile, Hirata approached me with a guilty expression.

"Ayanokouji-kun... There's something I'd like to tell you..." Hirata turned in a certain direction. 

It was a little bit far from the main place where our classmates stayed. There, I saw a female student leaning against a tree. 

Scene Illustration

"You see, when our group was out there, we stumbled upon Ibuki-san of Class D. Her face was swollen and it was already sundown. We couldn't just leave her alone."

Ibuki Mio, of Class D...

"Did you leave a mark on where you found her?"

"Ah, yeah, I did."

"Alright, that's fine. You made the right decision, Hirata. I'm alright with having her stay here, for now."

"Great! Most of our classmates already agreed. We were willing to have a discussion if you happen to be against it, but as expected, you're really kind, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Nah, I'm just showing the bare minimum amount of human decency like all of you did. It's nothing special." I glanced in Ibuki's direction before turning back to Hirata. "Of course, it's also possible for her to be a spy."

"You're right. That's why the talk of opposition came up," he nodded, looking somber.

Hirata and I approached Ibuki. I wonder how she wound up in that place. Was Class D's base camp near? If so, I would've noticed their presence when I was scouting out the area earlier, or did they just arrive recently?

"Ibuki-san, how are you? Is everything alright?"

"I'm okay. You don't need to bother with me."

"It's fine. You're welcome here."

"What are you saying, Hirata? I'm in Class D. I'm your enemy."

"It's fine, really. We're all students of the same school. And we can't just leave you there in the darkness. You're also injured—maybe we can help."

"What the hell...?"

Hirata's kindness overwhelmed Ibuki's aloof attitude. I feel you, Ibuki.

"Well, it seems like you already know each other. I'm Ayanokouji, by the way." I tried to be casual and friendly, but Ibuki responded with a sharp glare.

"I know who you are. That bastard won't stop talking about you and a girl named Horikita," she spat indignantly.

"That bastard? Are you talking about Ryuuen?" I asked.

"Who else would it be?"

"Is that injury of yours related to him?"

"That's none of your business."

Hmm... I couldn't really infer anything else other than her blatant dislike for Ryuuen. To be honest, I can't tell if she's acting or genuinely hating on him. If it's the former, then we have to be on extra high alert.

Ryuuen challenged us head-on after the contract signing. I'm curious to see how he's planning to beat us this time.

"Well, why don't you join us for a meal later?" asked Hirata.

"You just don't understand, do you? I'm a Class D student. I might be a spy." Ibuki glared at Hirata, looking at him straight in the eyes. She stood up and planned to leave.