AN: We're glad the profile gag was widely successful in making you give a good ol' chuckle. While Cote is a dramatic series, the ridiculousness is definitely something to laugh at, so I hope we continue to make you laugh. A few things.
Hachiman's stats were made to reflect Hirata's who parallels Hayama.
Ayanokoji will be given his own stuff to do, but for the most part this will be Hachiman's story.
Canon is going to be tossed like a salad.
I hope this schedule isn't too bad for you all. My other stories suffer a bit due to conflicting focus, but this is a very sustaining time frame for us.
Your reviews fuel our energy for this fic. We're very happy with the reception we got.
LanceSennin: Thanks for the overwhelming support from the first chapter alone! We were very surprised but pleased from the reception that we got and we hope to continue delivering quality content. Personally, I understand that you guys don't want Kiyopon to be overshadowed since he is the MC of COTE, but we wanted to deviate from the normal route and use Hachiman as the main character. Don't worry, Kiyopon will still be a vital character here and besides, doesn't he prefer to be in the background instead? Heh.
"W-W-What are you doing here?" Kei Karuizawa stuttered, having obviously not expected anyone to come up here.
I myself would not have expected her of all people to be up here. If I had to describe Kei Karuizawa in her initial appearance, it'd be that she was very similar to a certain fire queen back in my own world.
The difference being that as far as I knew, Kei's exterior was nothing but a front to try and fend off bullies due to her past traumas.
Now how should I answer her?
"I didn't want to go home yet, and I didn't want to be somewhere where there's many people." I answered without any hesitation.
There was nothing suspicious about my intentions even before I went here. I really did want to find a place where I can be all alone and I'm pretty sure I gave off that impression to begin with.
I also don't think it would be good to lie directly to her, unless she couldn't find a way to call me out on it. I'm dealing with a girl whose past is way more traumatizing than mine after all, and lying won't gain me her trust.
"What about you, Karuizawa? What are you doing here?" I asked, returning the question towards her to keep the momentum going.
The look on her face went from confused to alarmed in a mere second. It was almost cute to see her expressions betray her emotions so blatantly. "M-Me? I-I-I'm just admiring the view, you know? I was told by our classmates earlier that you can see the whole campus from here. And, like, I really wanted to check it out for myself!"
…She's a terrible liar, especially when it involves her past. She tried to make up an excuse right after I threw her question back at her, but she couldn't come up with a good response, resulting in her stuttering. No wonder Ayanokoji quickly caught on to her deception in the original storyline.
Maybe I can push her for a bit? If I can gain her trust, no matter how little it may be, then I'll have a chance at changing things this early into the story for the better.
"Then what's with that red look in your eyes? You look like you've been crying." I question her in an offhandish way to feign a look of only mild interest.
Karuizawa gasped, looking offended by what I said. However, I also saw how she quickly reacted when I implied that she could have been crying.
She isn't making this any easier for herself at all, which didn't make it easy for me either.
Women.
"I-I haven't been crying! W-What the hell are you trying to say, Hikigaya? That I'm some kind of crybaby?!" She continued to stutter, tripping over her own words, attempting to keep up a strong front in an unconvincing way.
"It's just an observation. Don't get too hung up over it."
I can't be too on the offensive here. If I push her too much without rest, she'll completely shut down while rejecting me and I'll potentially destroy any chance I have of changing her fate in the future or possibly even make it worse. On the other hand if I don't push for answers, then this goes nowhere and we retrace the events of the original story, which is counterintuitive.
So let's hope I can be persuasive enough…
"I just, like, got dirt in my eyes, nothing more. And why were you watching me? Are you some kind of pervert, Hikigaya? G-Gross!" She feigned disgust, seemingly recoiling from me, but it was pretty obvious she was simply trying to change the topic.
Karuizawa really does remind me of a certain girl with the same blonde hair back in my world. I don't know if Miura was a gyaru, but when it came to speech patterns, Karuizawa is somehow similar to her. Would that make Hayato my Hirata? Now that was just being mean to Hirata when he hadn't done anything.
Oh, and I've heard this insult before, Karuizawa. You're gonna have to try harder than that if you even want to get to the same level as Yukinoshita, but I'd prefer it if you didn't.
In response to her weak attempt to divert my attention, I shrugged. "Call me gross if you want, but I can't find it within myself to leave someone who's obviously crying."
"I told you that I wasn't crying…! Stop assuming things, Hikigaya! Geez!" She pouted, clenching her fists in frustration as she stamped her foot into the ground in indignation.
This is the girl that Ayanokoji chose? No offense to her, but there were clearly better options. He could have done better than a bratty blonde who could only leech off him.
What a shame when I remember every other girl he had the option to choose from… though I guess she can't be faulted.
A broken and cute girl that clung onto you for protection had a charm for certain types of men to fuel their egos after all, but I was far from that type and I don't think Ayanokoji was either.
Anyway, I won't let the same fate happen to all those characters who deserved better. If I can get her to trust me right here, then I can prevent that scenario from ever happening, which will also change the course of many other characters' paths.
"Then what's with those marks under your eyes?" I pointed out, as she touched that area with her fingers, looking shocked at what she felt. "Did some dirt get there too? That can't be why your cheeks look wet, can it?"
"J-Just…" She stuttered, before a deep scowl replaced her look of shock as she directed a glare towards me. "Just don't come near me. It's none of your business…"
Oooh, she's getting mad. She isn't even trying to make excuses anymore. Time to fall back for now to play things safe.
"Fine, I'll leave you alone." I shrugged before turning around to prepare to walk away, but not before I left her with one last statement. "Just so you know, I meant what I said back in class earlier. Whatever you went through in the past doesn't matter here. Treat this school as a new beginning. It's never too late to start over, you know?"
I turned around slightly just so I could get a glance at the girl, and I noticed that her expression changed ever so slightly.
A while ago, she only looked angry but now, I can see that she was also troubled by something. I don't know what it is, but I hope that my words got to her or we'll both be rather disappointed by the end of all this.
"See you around, Karuizawa." I waved over my shoulder, not taking another glance this time.
After taking only two steps, I heard Karuizawa speak up again, which stopped me from walking any further.
"Why are you saying that? What makes you think that I went through something back then?" Her voice was rather meek this time, as if she was asking herself more than me.
I smirked, doing my best to not let her see my face, lest she get the wrong impression.
All right, it worked! I got through to her thanks to what I said back in the classroom! Everything I said earlier was on purpose too, and it paid off, all according to plan.
Now I have a clear opportunity to convince her to trust me.
"I thought you didn't want me to get involved in your business?" I teased, reminding her that she didn't want to talk to me before.
"Just answer me," She snapped, seemingly having no patience.
Even if I try to relate to her, she'll probably say that she doesn't need my sympathy or something similar, and that's the last thing that I want to happen. She was one of the more prideful types in situations like this where she'd be offended if you try to pity her.
So instead, I take a swing. "Eyes are called the window to the soul. Your eyes reflect a little bit of that." What goes unsaid is just what is reflected there.
Looking back at Karuizawa, she was completely quiet after everything that I said. Her head was hanging low, and she was just staring at the ground, seemingly thinking heavily on what I had told her.
Based on her reaction, it seems that my words got through to her again. I don't hear her complaining that she doesn't need sympathy, even though I was talking about myself, technically.
"If that's all you want to ask me, then I'll be on my way." I once again tried to walk away, but to no avail.
"...Wait." She called out to me again.
I was about to turn around and leave again, but Karuizawa spoke before I could.
Feigning annoyance, I turned to her with a frown. Acting in this way would rush her to get straight to the point quicker, making her unable to have enough time to properly process what she wanted to say and do. "What now?"
Karuizawa was struggling to look at me, and I could see her biting her lip out of nervousness. It took her a few seconds to calm herself, most likely because this was a big decision that she's going to make as I thought.
"If I tell you, then… could you promise not to tell anyone?" Bingo.
It was strange how open people can be when they talk to strangers after a while. People tend to be a lot more open with their personal life with strangers they think they'll never see again since there'd be almost no way for them to spread such information to people close to them to affect their lives.
In this case however, it was more of trying to find any semblance of companionship when starting anew, so you hope to relate and find common ground with anyone, because it's generally human nature to not want to be alone for too long. Usually at least.
I shrugged with a noncommittal gesture, before responding. "Sure."
She raised a finger towards me, her eyes serious as she doubled down.
"Swear it. On your life."
Oi, what the hell, woman? I know what you went through is traumatizing, but to stake my life for it? That's going too far, you know? Who does she even think she is to demand the life of somebody's over a secret? Does she think this is some sort of light novel- Oh, wait. Huh… Fair enough, I played myself there.
Ugh, let's just get this over with…
"Fine. I swear on my life that I won't tell anyone." It's not like I'd have any reason to tell anyone anyway. Ayanokoji wouldn't be of any help here… That useless Protagonist-kun couldn't even help me with Horikita.
"Good." Karuizawa nodded, satisfied, before she suddenly smiled. "Maybe you're not as bad as I thought, Hikigaya!"
I don't know about that, Karuizawa. You might take that back sometime after this. I'm only doing this to change how things go in the future and to stop you from being a parasite, as far as I'm concerned. Also, you sure bounced back rather fast! Women really do fluctuate between moods pretty quickly. I nearly got whiplash from how quickly you went from sad to angry to having the ability to smile.
"Okay, I'll tell you about my past." Kei took a deep and heavy sigh before she relayed her story to me.
And then she basically recounted her story to me, while I listened and remained quiet so she could tell me everything without any distractions. Yeah, I can still remember this part, her monologue and the things she told Ayanokoji in the original story.
Tacks in her shoes, getting splashed by dirty water, words like 'whore' being written on her uniform, yikes. Hearing about all of this feels different than reading about it.
And that was only touching the surface of what she went through. I can honestly say that I admire her resilience for choosing to get back up even after years of being bullied. No human deserves to go through what she did, but Karuizawa survived it all and she is here now.
For that, I respect her at the very least.
By the end of it, she didn't tell me anything about the scar on her stomach. I can understand why, so I didn't push for more answers. I got what I wanted from her, and that's her trust. She could tell me about that sometime in the future, especially since what she told me really did not matter in regards to details, it's that she was willing to tell me at all.
No, I also definitely wasn't thinking of asking her to spread her legs, even if that scene was a popular one among fans of the story. I have to have a bit more class than that, after all and I DEFINITELY did not want her to get any mixed signals from me. I did not need to take care of a grown teenage girl.
"So how will you deal with this now?" I asked, taking the role of a good listener who may or may not have a good idea on how to assist her with her issues.
She folded her arms and flipped her hair slightly as she relayed to me her plan."Oh, I was planning to talk to Hirata-kun tomorrow about this and maybe ask if we could pretend that we're dating. I noticed that the other girls in our class already like him. If we pretend that we're a couple, then it should keep me from being targeted since targeting me would mean he'd be involved."
There it is, there it is. It's the very event that became the catalyst for her own downfall in the future.
If Karuizawa had never fake-dated Hirata, then she wouldn't have treated herself as someone who's superior over every other girl solely through her connection to Hirata, she wouldn't have been bullied by some Class-C students, and then Ayanokoji wouldn't have had to humble her like what he did in the canon story.
They wouldn't have dated and become a couple, and many other girls wouldn't have ended up with a broken heart as well as a story that ended in tragedy.
I've gotten her to trust me with her secret, and now I have to convince her that what she's planning to do is stupid. Thankfully, this was the easy part.
"Hirata? If you don't mind me asking, why him? Just because he's popular? You're gonna tell him your secret just because everybody looks up to him like a typical riajuu?" I questioned, trying to fish for her reasoning so I could refute it properly.
"If I'm with someone who can protect me, then I don't care who it is, Hikigaya!" She snapped at me again, getting immediately apprehensive over her choice.
…Okay, that was a bad move. Women really don't like being questioned so directly. I shouldn't have outright criticized her decision. I should have been more subtle about it. It's too bad this wasn't like a dating sim where I could just choose the best of four options.
This is probably the time where I should back down if I had to guess, but I think I can push forward now. Karuizawa trusts me enough to share her secret with me. She won't ignore me now just because I told her it's a bad idea to approach Hirata for her problem because she had already seemingly committed to me knowing about her. She was also treading on dangerous waters now with me, but luckily for her, I had no plans to take advantage of her.
Like it or not, however, I was now involved and that meant she couldn't just brush me off so easily.
"Then tell me how exactly can Hirata protect you in a situation where you're in trouble and you need physical help. I don't know him personally, but from a look I can say he's not the confrontational type. He seems like a pacifist who would rather solve everything with words. I doubt you'd never be in a situation that requires smacking someone" I said in a slight mockery of the guy.
I mean no offense to Hirata himself, by the way. He did try to help Karuizawa and even agreed to her ridiculous request of pretending to be a couple, after all, but he was an absolute doormat when the subject of making people even slightly unhappy comes up.
"Well, do you have any bright ideas, Hikigaya? I don't want to stay at the bottom when it comes to social status, because it will only make me a target! If I tell Hirata-kun, then maybe he can help me! As long as I can protect myself in some way, that's all that matters! Anything I can't defend myself from in the future I'll figure a way around!" She clenched her fists as she glared at me.
Karuizawa practically shouted those words in my face, and I only stared at her for a few moments in surprise. She must have been keeping all that anger and tiredness bottled up inside her for years until she finally came here, free from the shackles of her past tormentors.
Her face sweating, her breath spiking, and her eyes looking desperate, Karuizawa then realized what she just did and turned away. She couldn't look at me afterwards, probably out of shame that she took it all out on me.
I do understand you and what you have in mind, Karuizawa. But it's still a stupid plan that I have to put a stop to no matter what. And I'm going to convince you to do something else.
"Why don't you let me do it?" I asked.
"Let you do what?" she mumbled, her voice being so quiet that it was the opposite of her earlier tone.
"Protect you."
She then turned to me in clear surprise, her eyes showing confusion at what I asked.
Wait, I shouldn't give her the wrong idea. Again. Can't be sending mixed signals here. I'd rather not have a blonde ball and chain clinging to me while I'm trying to survive against the upcoming monsters in the other classes.
"No, no, I'm not saying that we fake-date each other or something like that. It would only ruin your image if you're seen with me. I'm saying that if you let me, I can protect you from people who might target you." I quickly rephrased what I said.
"How?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at me. She looked really doubtful, which was hurtful to say the least, but I couldn't blame her.
"I can handle people who are like that by working in secret. Plus, as you may have noticed, I'm not really part of the popular kids club, so no one will be able to tell that we're working together. While you live your life here, I'll protect you behind the scenes." I suggested, while maintaining a poker face so that she couldn't read any of my intentions.
I hate to have to do this, but I have no other choice. I don't want her to rely on Hirata to help her, and Ayanokoji is out of the question. All the other guys in the classroom can't be trusted with looking after Karuizawa either.
The only way for me to ensure that she doesn't go through the same things that her original counterpart went through is to do it by myself, since I know what's likely to happen in the future and I know the best way for her to flourish.
Being a loner, Karuizawa can't treat me as a host to latch on to and give her a boost in social status like what she wanted. She also can't rely on me for any physical protection like Ayanokoji would because I'm highly doubtful I'd stand a chance against any of the behemoths out there.
What I can do is work behind the scenes and ensure that she doesn't get bullied while she gains everyone's trust and support on her own. If she manages to do that, then she can still be the leader of the girls and be a valuable asset to the class. All I'd have to do is guide her along with the knowledge I have.
Though, even with the knowledge I have, I'd be hard pressed to say I'd be able to keep her completely safe if a certain little miss genius were to target her, but until then, I'll keep on working in secret as much as I can with the advantages I had.
"You mean blackmailing other students?" She asked, looking more interested in what I told her. She didn't even seem surprised about this, as if she expected me to do this from how I looked. How hurtful. You could also try to be less excited about something morally corrupt.
"Something like that," I gave a half-baked nod in response. "Meanwhile, all you need to do is go out and be friends with everyone, whether they're a part of our class or not. In other words, just make a lot of friends and you'll be someone with influence in no time. While you do that, I'll keep my eyes out and tell you anything you might need to do to further solidify your place in the classroom."
Karuizawa shook her head frantically, closing her eyes tightly and pursing her lips together. She leaned against the wall behind her for support, because her legs started trembling and she could fall over at any second.
And just like that, we're back to square one again. Just great. Is there an instruction manual for women?
"I can't do something like that! No one even likes me enough to be my friend! It's always the same thing ever since! People only want to step on me like I'm some kind of insect, and they're right. I need someone to protect me because I can't do it. That's why I need Hirata-kun! Because without someone like him, I'll be nothing more than trash in everyone's eyes…" She let loose her emotions, releasing her insecurities as she denied the possibility of what I offered, before letting out a whimper that showed just how damaged she was in terms of her self confidence. "I can't do anything by myself…"
Tears started forming in her eyes, likely from her own anxiety. While I am putting a lot of pressure on her, I need to get her to calm down.
"And how can you be so sure? Do you remember what I said in my introduction? Whatever you went through in the past doesn't matter here. You're in a new school, and it won't be the same experience if you don't let it be that way. No one knows who you are, so you can build who you'll be." I said calmly. I can't let her get me riled up too if I want her to keep a cool head, I have to control the flow of this conversation and avoid getting swept up by her emotions.
"You wanna know what I think?" I asked. If I wanted to get her to keep things in perspective, I had to say something.
"What?" She hesitantly replied after a pause.
"I think you need to remember who you used to be." I did a hail mary.
Maybe it was something about mentioning her past or maybe it was the tone I was saying it all with, but clarity flashed through her eyes, but skepticism was still there. No one else here truly knew of her past except me after all.
"Why would you say something like that?" Karuizawa had her eyes narrowed, unsure of what I really meant as she rubbed her eyes with her sleeves.
"Because you're strong or at least you were. No one is born damaged. You were someone who was confident in yourself and those girls were jealous so they tried to tear you down. They succeeded it seems, but you can always build yourself back up if you just try. Right now you're giving up before you even give yourself a chance!"
"Yeah, I am damaged now… I can't do anything when I'm broken so why even try…" she mumbled under her breath, her gaze falling to the floor.
"Hey, I didn't say all that, woman! Listen to me properly," I snipped at her, eliciting her to look me in the eye for the first time in this entire conversation.
"You know how to be strong. You were for the entirety of middle school. Snap back to how you were then. You can bounce back, because you were strong at least once already so you have the experience!"
"You don't know that-"
"Unless you were lying to me earlier, the proof is right in front of me. You can make friends and gain the influence you need to protect yourself. I'll be there in the background to help you along the way when you need it." I cut her off, not caring for whatever excuse she may have.
Karuizawa is really running out of responses here. Maybe it's because she's realized I'm right? This is a gamble for sure that I'm rolling here, but I'm going all in on this.
"I- don't know Hikigaya. This is all too scary. That's why I need someone like Hirata-kun. I need someone to be my shield."
Ugh, Hirata this, Hirata that. It's the first day and he's already got so much belief placed into him, meanwhile the sun's going down and I'm still here arguing with her!
Life's just not fair.
"You don't," I rebutted almost immediately, "You are capable as you are. Just as you have trusted in me by telling me all of this, trust in yourself here."
The silence filled the air before the honey-blond broke it with a simple question.
"You'll stay by my side, Hikigaya-kun?" She asked, avoiding eye contact with me.
Well, that wasn't what I'm trying to say, but sure. Let's go with that. Baby steps.
Her tone wasn't filled with sarcasm, nor did she ask that question with malice. The look in her eyes showed hope that I was telling the truth.
"That was the plan all along, Karuizawa." I answered, nodding my head to confirm my intentions with her.
This is honestly very embarrassing to say. Bleh, I think Zaimokuza has infected me or something. I'm going to sit in my room and reflect on my actions later.
But there's something more important to do right now.
Karuizawa slowly but surely looked up at me. Her confidence had been laid out there and strippen bare. It'll take stepping out and trusting me to build it up again. And that's what I intend to help her with.
"C-Can you even do that? H-Handling those kinds of people, I mean." Kei Karuizawa looked like a child right now, asking with innocence and in disbelief if what I said was really true or not.
"That depends. Are you willing to believe me if I say that I can? Or will actions convince you more?" I asked in return, raising an eyebrow at her as Karuizawa thought about what she should say.
"Fine then, I'll believe you." She murmured, holding up her sleeves to her mouth to cover a good portion of her face.
Mission accomplished! I did it! That is a big weight off my back. All that's needed is to execute all of this.
Ayanokoji will likely keep his distance from her at this moment in time, but I should still keep a careful eye out for him. I don't need him questioning what I was doing or anything.
"That's all I wanted to hear." I sighed in relief, visibly relaxing now.
"Let's shake on it. S-So I know that you're serious about what you said. You're going to protect me, right?" She was still somewhat uncertain. Her eyes looked at me with nervousness as if I could disappear at any moment.
"Y-Yeah, that's what I said…" I hope this doesn't go back and forth on me having to repeatedly assure her that I definitely will protect her. It's been a long day after all.
"Then… you better not go back on your words!" She gave me a serious look, finally having the will to lock eyes with me, making me smirk.
"I don't intend to." I promised, before deciding that it was time to wrap this up. I was really mentally worn out after all. "Now that we're done here, I'm just going to-"
"W-Wait!" She stammered, preventing me from leaving.
Ugh, if I have to promise you that I'll protect you one more time…
"If I'm going to do this, then… Can I have your number first?" She fidgeted with her phone, looking way more nervous than she ever had throughout the entirety of our interaction on this roof. "A-Aren't partners supposed to have each other's number or something?"
Huh, I guess we were partners in crime at this point. At any rate, having her number would help in contacting her about class activities. I doubt she's able to recognize every ongoing thing in Class D like I will.
"Sure." I agreed, glad that she brought it up, since it's way less awkward for a girl to give her number than for a guy to ask for it.
"Do you have Lime?"
"Do you think I'm out of the loop or something," I said, pulling it up on my phone. Komachi made me install it a bit back and it seemed this world basically had the same thing.
We held our phones up to each other and thus, the deed had been done.
3 messages were quickly then spammed to me, a greeting and then two stickers of whatever cute character that was. Huh, I got a girl's Lime then.
I don't doubt that this'll be the first as it wasn't the last.
"The sun's going down already, huh…" She commented, "Sorry about this, but like, I have to get going. I need to buy some dinner before the stores close. Maybe we can continue this over a call later?"
"That's fine with me. I'm just going to stay here for a while longer." I gestured to the rooftop where I was supposed to have had to myself for relaxation before the unplanned interaction happened. I really hoped she didn't call though, since I think I've expended all of my social battery today.
"I'll talk to you later, then!" She began waving goodbye as she dashed off, but not before leaving with her own comment. "You know, you're really not as bad as I thought, Hikigaya-kun. Now I feel bad for thinking you're some kind of perverted creep…"
Trust me, that is not an original thought to have. I get that every other day. It's really not my fault my parents gave me these eyes while my sister got to be the cutest being in existence.
"Yeah, yeah, get out of here," I said, lightly shooing her away. She waved and then left without ceremony.
Ah, finally alone… Now to seriously jump off this roof because WHY THE HELL did I say all of that?!
I'm going to be kicking myself for this later. I thought my dark past was behind me, but now it's started again! It must be this word's fault. I'm now in a light novel/anime/manga essentially and now it seems to be affecting my pure thoughts…
(-)
After a moment to myself well spent, I went over to the dorms and with the key provided by the receptionist at the front desk, I walked up to my door only for my Hikki sense to go off. Something irritating was coming!
With a quick glance from behind me, I noticed the dark figure of Horikita quickly walking up to me with the intention of confronting me about something that was probably not my fault.
Nope, nope, nope. I really don't want to deal with you right now, Horikita. I have bigger things to worry about then however many ways you can find to call me a pervert.
With another one of my 108 skills, I entered the door quickly enough to close the door right in front of her without a care, seeing momentarily her surprised face from the corner of my eyes.
"I know you did not just do that to me, Hikigaya!" Horikita exclaimed from the other side of the door. I could almost see her scowling face and it did bring me some satisfaction.
Ignoring her, I collapsed on my bed, only from a cursory glance noticing a few things about the room. While the room was a simple dorm room of about 14 meters in length, it had all the necessities one would need in terms of living a normal student life from a small kitchen area all the way to a simple single sized bed made which had a bag that I didn't quite recognize sitting to the side.
"Now what's in here?" I thought to myself, picking it up to find it was packed somewhat tightly but was still rather light. Feeling it, I could already guess what the contents were and opening it proved me right as I brought out sets of neatly folded clothes that I checked.
Sure enough, they fit me perfectly and comfortably, so whatever had decided to spirit me away here had the decency to at least make sure I could relax comfortably in my own room.
I sighed to myself, I was too tired to process everything about the room, but a few more thoughts prevented me from sleeping.
For one thing, what the hell am I doing in Classroom of the Elite? I knew this wasn't a lucid dream or anything, but seriously, how?
Aside from missing the life I have in Chiba, this was the most nonchalant isekai ever. I didn't die, there was no magic symbol on the ground, and I wasn't even asleep or anything!
This all just… happened.
I joke and try to ignore the elephants in the room here, but right now, I'm concerned that I'll never get back to my old life.
The Service Club was just about to gain some speed, there was a lot more work to be done, and let alone that Komachi is going to need me as she prepares to enter high school!
I'm just really going to have to put all this behind me, aren't I? Obsessing over it will do me no good no matter how curious I am about it. I don't think I can just walk away from all of this, not when I know what happens. What would I even do outside of this school?
I shouldn't ask that question. I've already made my choice to shake things up in the story by my actions today and I intend to stick with those words through.
So… wait for your big brother, Komachi. I'll be doing my best to get back to you…
First things first, I need a proper game plan to deal with everything that'll be coming up. The first hurdle being the entirety of my class that would soon be pushing us into poverty and then I have to somehow make the three idiots of the class study hard enough to get a passing grade.
I am NOT going to spend one hundred thousand points just to get a passing grade for someone, so I definitely need Sudou to not put me into poverty.
I think going over what I needed to do was working in terms of helping me fall asleep, because I was already getting mentally exhausted from trying to figure out how I was going to manage any of that without messing anything up or raising suspicions on me.
As my vision grew dimmer in the dark room that would be my home for the next four years, I could only ask myself one thing.
"Will I be able to go head to head with the elites of this school?"
(-)
I don't know how anyone else feels about waking up for school, but I can safely say that waking up for the Koudo Ikusei High School to see characters that had been previously fictional for me was not that much different from waking up for literally any other school.
Huh, I slept in my school uniform too, I must've been really exhausted just from the first day, which I couldn't be blamed for.
Waking up like this really made me realize that I was in this for real, so after washing up and getting myself a quick breakfast to get ready for the first day of class, I got ready to leave my room only to be met face to face with a rather irate Horikita.
Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions.
Did she really stop right outside my room and waited just so she could yell at me? Women can be scarily persistent.
"Hikigaya. I must say that while I'm not surprised at your complete utter lack of etiquette, I'm still sorely disappointed by how rude you are." She immediately began to criticize me, but I didn't care about that at all.
"Did you really wait here just to tell me this?" I asked, which seemed to have caught her off guard as she didn't expect me to completely brush off what she had probably spent all morning preparing to say so she could insult me.
"Of course not. It seemed that we had finished our morning preparations at the same time." She answered once she realized what it looked like for her to have been right outside my door. "I was on my way to class when you had just opened your door."
"How distastefully convenient. You just so happened to need to pass by my door, huh?" I snarked, but that seemed to have been the wrong thing to say.
"Oh? Aren't you aware? While it displeases me greatly, I must inform you that we have the unfortunate privilege to be neighbors." Despite what she was saying, she seemed to take pleasure in revealing that she was simply one door away if she ever decided to make my life hell.
She didn't smile, cause of course she didn't, but there was a slight hint of smugness coming from her as she watched me visibly deflate.
"You have to be kidding me. I sit next to you in class AND I have to live right next to you?" I voiced my complaint out loud, which seemed to sour whatever positive emotion she had had.
"Excuse you? I should be the one who is complaining about having to be near such a dangerous individual like you! Not even that, one who behaves so rudely while looking like a potential threat to any lady's chastity!" She was saying some incredible things there about someone she had only known for a day.
Before I could retort, I saw the door next door to mine open up and it wouldn't take anyone following along too many guesses to figure out who it was that revealed himself.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka seemed up and ready for class as he stepped out of his room, before he turned to see Horikita berating me.
We made eye contact. He acknowledged my existence. He acknowledged my situation. He recognized my predicament. He processed his options.
He then turned to walk away as if he saw nothing at all.
Oi! You bastard! Take her with you! She's supposed to be your problem, not mine, you useless protagonist!
I watched as the main character left me alone to deal with the main heroine who was supposed to be hounding him, only to realize I had truly been abandoned.
"Are you even listening?!" The person who I had not been listening to raised her voice in irritation.
I really don't get it. Why was she so insistent on spending every moment she saw me to yell at me? This is like marriage, but without the tax benefits.
So as she stood there with her arms crossed glaring at me, waiting for an answer, I could only sigh.
"All I can hear is someone projecting onto me what they're probably hoping will happen. It's the only reason I can see when you probably don't have anyone else to talk to. How many names do you know aside from mine in our own classroom?" I asked in a deadpan tone, beginning to walk so we could get to class on time.
"What an asinine question. I don't need to know that many and I only know yours due to you sitting right beside me." She retorted, not even acknowledging what I had insinuated about her.
That wasn't good. I forgot she had completely disregarded the entire class early on to the point where she only knew a handful of names.
One of them was most likely Kushida due to their past, but otherwise, I needed to get her into the right mindset of actually valuing her classmates early so we can avoid a few problems later on.
"Hah? So what if something comes up where you require a partner?" I asked, trying to guide her into at least understanding that she'll have to have a good relationship with her class in some regard.
"Then I'll do all the work myself if need be. I don't require any help." She answered like she had been prepared to do so.
"Do you really think this type of school would be so easy to do things alone? If that were the case, then there wouldn't be a need to differentiate us by our classes." I scoffed, finding her inability to see the context clues given since the beginning to be ironic for how allegedly smart she seemingly was in the original story.
"This all just seems like ramblings from a delusional man who can't differentiate reality from some sort of fiction he's read." She rolled her eyes, not even giving my reasoning a single thought as well as getting uncomfortably close with her snide remark directed towards me.
"Think of it how you'd like, but considering the prestige of this school, do you really think you can dismiss everything so easily?" The conversation seemed to be going nowhere, but I knew it was a fruitless endeavor to try and immediately convince her.
Though, her intended insult of being unable to differentiate reality from fiction wasn't too far off and it had me wondering for a moment if she knew something I didn't.
"The inverse can apply. Focusing on others can also lead to my own self being hindered, wouldn't it? Until the facts are presented, there's no right or wrong way with how we spend our time at this school." She answered in a rather level headed way, irritating me, because she did have a point.
It wasn't like any other high school had students worrying about their own classmates potentially ruining their chances to graduate, so it seemed like we were at an impasse.
"Even if it turns out that I'd have to inevitably work with my peers down the line, there's no downside to focusing on myself before others since I'd still be fully capable. I'm also almost certain that it'd be a fool's errand to try and work with an entire class since everyone will be unlikely to even cooperate." She continued with her reasoning, not even sparing me a glance as if this was the most obvious line of thinking.
It did make sense. Like the academic version of Pascal's wager where she had nothing to lose from focusing on herself, but a hindrance if she were to try and throw in her lot here.
It was rather unreasonable to expect someone to assist an entire class of strangers on the second day, which was why I didn't press any further for now, merely giving my own response for some semblance of compromise.
"I see your point on that, but still. You don't lose anything by giving people the bare minimum of respect." Was my final statement on the topic.
This brother con trying to imitate her brother was irritating for everyone who had to deal with her. Curse you, Elder Horikita! Fix what you've created, this is your fault!
"I lose my own sense of self respect by doing that. Why should I give respect to those who haven't earned it?" Horikita didn't seem to have a single sense of humility and really, most of my class didn't really seem to be on the humble side either.
Ugh, what a headache. I wish I was reading a different light novel before getting transported. It'd be so much easier to talk to other characters in other series.
"You're not giving anyone anything that'd make them want to earn respect from as far as I can tell…" I muttered under my breath as we finally reached our classroom together through the hustle and bustle of other students on their first official day of class.
Before I could even open the door, she walked in front of me without a second glance, going right through as if I was just a ghost.
"Hey!" I protested, but she simply ignored me as she went to her seat.
It seems I was just a temporary distraction to conversate with on the way to class. The moment my role was done, I got tossed aside just like that…
(-)
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
I failed at making friends.
I came to this school for one reason, and that is to have a normal life, away from that man and his plans. As with any other person, I want to experience what it's like to go to a normal school, form friendships with other people, live like a normal student, and maybe even get a girlfriend along the way.
My whole life was dictated by that person up until yesterday but now that I'm free, I can do whatever I want. I even scored 50 out of 100 on purpose in all of my exams to get placed low so that I didn't stand out.
But having a normal life… is easier said than done.
When Hirata asked us to introduce ourselves yesterday, I did my best to do just that, but I'm sure that my unchanging facial expression and tone did otherwise. There are a handful of times where I genuinely hate that I'm like this, and this is one of them.
Thanks to my failed introduction, I'm just here in my seat, watching my classmates interacting with each other. It appears that if I want to have friends, then I will have to go and interact with them myself.
"You're pitiful, Hikigaya."
Hearing the voice of someone else nearby, I turned my head slightly to see who it was.
Horikita, if I remember correctly, took her seat with an agitated look on her face. I remember her being so reserved and cold yesterday that naturally, it made me curious on what caused her to change her demeanor.
"Oh, really? I'm sure that I didn't lose self-respect when I was talking with Sudo yesterday. Something that I'm sure you knew about since you were with us the whole time."
Hikigaya Hachiman, the person who sat to my right side yesterday, followed suit and sat down as well. His attention was completely directed towards Horikita, and he didn't look pleased.
"Are you insinuating that I was stalking the both of you? That sounds like wishful thinking, but I'm afraid that you'd be sorely mistaken."
"I never said that you were, but now that you mention it, it does bring up some concerns…"
"I wasn't stalking you two. Your barbaric friend was simply too loud for me to possibly ignore, and I ended up having to listen to the two of you being annoying. We also happened to be at the same store, but perhaps you're too idiotic to see that." She huffed, seeming genuinely offended at his accusations.
While they engaged in a verbal battle of insults and remarks, I kept a hidden glance at my seatmate.
Hikigaya Hachiman… he's not like my other classmates.
He told me yesterday that "Us loners should stick together", but what exactly did he mean by that? I know that a loner refers to someone who is mostly left alone all the time, either out of desire or circumstance.
Did he want to be friends with me? Or was he simply implying that we should look out for each other because we're the same? Either way, he was the only one who actually talked to me directly yesterday, even if he wasn't actually asking if he wanted to be friends.
At the moment, however, it doesn't seem like he is fixated on having friends because he's busy trying to win against Horikita. I don't need to get involved in that, especially considering their argument earlier in the dormitory. I didn't need to be a genius to know that I wanted no part in that.
If he does talk to me again though, then perhaps I can spare some time to converse with him. I do want to make friends, after all and he seemed rather friendly in regards to me.
However, for someone who wants to make friends, he seemed rather against the idea of befriending Kushida yesterday for some reason. How strange, considering our other classmates feel utterly delighted that she would be friends with everyone.
Ah, Chabashira-sensei is arriving. I better stay on my toes. Hikigaya was onto something when he asked those questions and if what my intuition is telling me, this is going to have a large effect on most of the class.
The first day of class, I felt that someone was watching me, but now that doesn't seem to be the case. It seemed someone had taken the attention off me. Whoever you are, I thank you for your sacrifice to my cause of living a completely average life.
Now to disappear in the background as I make some friends…
(-)
Horikita Suzune
"I know that someone as uncivilized as you can't possibly know how to act properly, but if you can't do that, you should at least shut your mouth!"
"Oh, and who decides that?" Hikigaya asked in his own derisive tone, "I think the only one uncivilized here is the broad who won't leave me alone."
Is he really still hung up on the incident from this morning? "If you had some basic problem solving skills, you'd understand that we're unfortunately going to be seeing each other a lot."
"Isn't that obvious? We're in the same class are we not?" Hikigaya's comments knew no bounds for stupidity.
"I don't intend to be a social butterfly, so if you happened to be in any other seat besides next to mine, we wouldn't be having this conversation." I stated with a huff. It was mere happenstance that we seemed to have been constantly placed near each other from the bus seating to our class seatings and even where we will be living in for the next four years! I have no control over this unfortunate turn of events after all.
Hikigaya's head turned the moment he saw Chabashira-sensei enter the room to take her position at the front of the classroom. He was fairly conscious of her still, similar to his comments yesterday, almost as if something about her bothered him.
"Let's not continue this conversation any longer then. Class has begun." Ominous words from a person who is likely a lazy slacker. He immediately cut our argument short right there and gave his full undivided attention to our sensei.
"Hmph, spare me your words." I wasn't about to be scolded by the likes of him, especially since of anyone here, he'd probably need to pay attention in class the most.
I arranged my belongings accordingly and readied my notes. Even with how irritating he is, this behavior does beg a few questions on how much he knows. He's definitely no teacher's pet, but something about how Chabashira-sensei is looking this way is telling me something is wrong.
Wait… could she possibly be looking at Hikigaya?
(-)
Chabashira Sae
Walking into the class, I did a quick scan over the students who I would be teaching for the next four years.
Class D, the class of defects that has never once managed to outgrow their label in the history of this school.
It's been 10 years since I was a student here myself and I've gotten to meet many different students of varying issues and talents, but this is the first time where I've found myself in a precarious situation.
After making sure that the information I had on Hachiman was not doctored in any way, I confirmed that nothing had been tampered with in terms of his files as it had completely matched the ones in the school database.
This left me here with the knowledge that this student would most likely be after my chastity with a high success rate…
No! Snap out of that mindset, Sae. You're a grown adult and a teacher who's dealt with students much more intimidating than him!
My gaze fell onto the boy in question as I entered. He seemed to have been getting into a rather heated conversation with the Horikita girl… Wait. Isn't she the younger sister of the Student Council President?
The realization of such a fact was like a bucket of cold water being poured over me as I watched him cut the conversation with her short, to which she seemed to take without question before his eyes fell on me.
It was an intense stare that I had seen before. The look of a student giving his full undivided attention to the teacher, which was normally an admirable thing to see in a student for teachers, but in this regard, I couldn't help but feel nervous.
I did my best to not notice it, my eyes darting immediately elsewhere, clearing my throat so that I could begin class as this was the student's actual first day of learning.
The entire time, I couldn't help but notice Hikigaya watching my every move, almost as if it was integral and vital to do so. I had to be conscious of my own actions, especially if I were to turn around.
Everytime I faced the board, it felt like I was turning my back to a predator, in spite of my seniority over him. It was pathetic for someone like me.
I couldn't help but lament that this would be the next four years for me, which is an ample amount of time for him to succeed in whatever plans he had.
(-)
Hikigaya couldn't help but feel deeply offended for some reason. As if his character was being slandered without his knowing and there was nothing he could do to help it…
He watched as Chabashira seemed to shift nervously in front of the class, something which he was pretty sure every one of his classmates didn't really really notice and if they did, may have just written it off as first day jitters getting to her.
He, on the other hand, found this particularly odd considering her character in the original story. Something was wrong. This was different and he couldn't help but feel like Chabashira's behavior was his fault.
If the two were aware of what the other knew, they'd have found the situation they were in to be absolutely absurd while being embarrassed because of it, but for now they had no idea and class continued on as usual.
It would appear as if the majority of the class had taken to Chabashira's threat like a fly to a wall. The number of side conversations, food eaten during class, and unattentive eyes were all much lower than Chabashira previously expected. This was the class of the rejects and losers and yet it looked like Class D had the tact that could match Class C or even B.
Although there weren't too many outward conversations, several internal conversations were being had as individuals questioned how to proceed with their own priorities.
Karuizawa Kei squirmed in her seat as she thought about last night. Was she really capable of conquering her past demons?
Horikita acted as if nothing could phase her, but something was telling her to be wary of her actions. Even her own stubbornness to not be dictated by the actions of others couldn't beat this feeling to step back and observe.
Sudo just reclined in his seat and took the time to get some shut eye. He couldn't really care if his actions inconvenienced the class or himself…
And so class went on.
(-)
Hikigaya Hachiman
For some reason, class always feels off to me. Well, at least some things will sway the class for the better. Hirata set a good example for anyone trying to curry his favor and most anyone trying to have a social life for the girls. Only Sudo and Koenji are being blatant about their rule breaking.
Speaking of the girls, Karuizawa looked over at me a few times during class. She's probably still hesitant to give my plan a chance, but nevertheless, she's starting the bits of it. As opposed to that inoffensive introduction, she's noticeably more confident and outgoing. A front, but it'll serve to become her natural self once the time comes. It's a common trend that once we get used to wearing a mask long enough, we find it hard to tell it from our true face.
Kushida is attempting to be a sort of leader among the class and she is as per canon popular among the guys and girls in class, but something is stopping her from taking a leadership position. Actually, that might be inaccurate, she hasn't had the chance to and if I play my cards right, she'll never get that chance to. No matter what, I have to slow down her momentum before she spirals outside of anyone's capabilities to control. I won't fail where our dearest protagonist and the brocon did. After all, Kushida's slow growth to power is over the course of solving everyone's problems and being the 'voice of reason'.
Something likely to throw a hole into that scheme is Class D not being at 0 Class Points. Although this is mere speculation, I can't help but wonder how much stress being at the very bottom was for some of the students.
Some, like Sakura Airi, struggle to even survive in this environment. Having to deal with a bunch of people actively harming your chances at progressing must suck.
It was a particularly nasty case with the original Class D having to start from 0. After all, morale is a limited resource that even army generals had trouble maintaining. While it was the students of Class D's own fault for getting themselves into the situation, the motivation to work hard to get rewarded would get cruelly stamped down when all you had to eat were the cheap free meals the school gave everyday, so those at the top in Class A would relax comfortably without too much worry or stress to allow for a much more comfortable environment to study and relax while those near the bottom like Class D would just sink deeper in deeper.
If I were someone capable like Ayanokoji, I'd say that 'everything will fall into my plan' like some big mastermind, but despite my foreknowledge as a reader, I'm eventually going to run into problems, like my own memory.
Case in point: right now.
"Don't forget that the Club Fair attendance is mandatory. It will take place at the gymnasium after classes are over. That is all."
All of us heard the sudden announcement through the intercom and almost immediately, several of my classmates began whispering and talking about it despite Chabashira standing right there in front of us.
I completely forgot that this was a thing, which I couldn't be blamed for. With all of the crazy games, events and plots everywhere, I don't think anyone would yell at me for letting this fade from my memory.
Some of it rings a bell when I rack my brain for the details. Doesn't Horikita's brother give a speech about the student council recruiting for new members?
I should probably attend regardless of its importance. I doubt I'll actually join a club. Also, there's no way in hell I'm remaking the Service Club here! I can't imagine the number of problems that students from this school would have! I could never handle that many even if Yukinoshita and Yuigahama were here with me!
I'm basically operating under a one-man service club for Class D anyway! Sudou, Horikita, Ayanokoji, Kushida, Kei… It can only make me wonder why i'm trying so hard when there's probably nothing preventing me from leaving this school and taking my chances with whatever was outside of here.
Do I even exist in this world? I doubt I have a permanent record… If I do though, I'd love to read that over to see how they justify my existence not only on this planet, but in this school itself.
Alright, back to reality Hachiman. Time to check out whatever filler event this is so that I can get to the main plot.
Oh no. I just realized. There were a lot of time skips in the original story, so that means every time skip made for our own convenience to skip all the bland and boring parts will be something I had to live through. My life before was basically all filler until certain points, but now I'll be consciously aware of the fact that what I'm experiencing is unimportant and if this were to have been written in the original story, it'd merely have been made to pad out the runtime.
Lazy writers…
While turning to leave, Horikita side-eyed me as if she had something to say.
"Are you planning on seeing if there might be a club you like?" I asked casually.
A simple question that appeared to catch Horikita off guard. Her face was flushed as she huffed in indignation. "Maybe I will. And you? I doubt you're the type to partake in club activities."
'Scuse you, I was in a club, thank you very much. Forced to be in it, sure, but I attended and I did partake in club activities. Meanwhile I doubt you were even invited to a birthday party if this is how you act. Though, something is definitely different about her response this time, though. Her reaction was very… embarrassed?
Is it because of my natural good looks and charm? Ah, I can't think that with a straight face. This is a face that'd never end up on the front cover of a light novel, unlike her.
"You're right, but I'm interested to see what's offered at a school like this. It's foolish to dismiss something just because of our past experiences." I gave her a halfhearted response.
Without further comment, I left for the gymnasium, with Horikita seemingly following along. I don't dare comment on it as she's probably meaning to go alone and is coincidentally going when I'm going. It's honestly very exhausting to deal with this woman day and night, but I can't let her presence stop me from keeping my priorities in check.
Even if I have to push myself to do something that's embarrassing or something that I normally wouldn't, this is the kind of world where that's going to be a necessity. I shudder to think of what I'll have to do in the future. Supporting Karuizawa was already embarrassing.
Where's Ayanokoji when you need him? He's the damn protagonist! Why can't he do all this work? I just want to change some things from the original storyline, that's all! I'm almost certain I could get half of Class D expelled and the White Room prodigy will still somehow manage to get himself to Class A.
Alas, he's probably avoiding anything troublesome while being his old socially inept self. I'll have to redouble my efforts to be able to shove off some work to him later. I hope Chabashira blackmails him soon if that's the case. That'll spring him into gear.
As I mentally prayed for my teacher to take advantage of my fellow classmate in an extremely immoral fashion, I had made it to the gym. Oh, it was already busy. There are a lot of familiar faces among the crowd, all first years as expected.
The crowd quieted down as a cute girl came to the stage.
Tachibana Akane, the student council secretary. She had quite the crush on a certain someone last I checked. Later on, some events caused her to rely on her class heavily and they supported her through that tough situation.
A pitiable character, but at this point, that was just about everyone in some way. Geez, what does that say about me being pulled into this world?
She gave the usual speech about her being the organizer of this event and the details of how each club would present themselves before allowing the fair to kick off.
Clubs like baseball and basketball garnered big attention from most of the sporty fellows in the crowd. I think I could even see Sudo over the crowds of people due to how tall he was. He also seemed to notice me, seeing as how he gave a thumbs up and a smile that I felt obliged to return.
Other clubs like art (more specifically painting) or literature appeared to get more quiet support. Unfortunately, there weren't four girls with kitty cupcakes in the latter.
It turned out, surprise surprise, that there weren't any clubs I was interested in. In fact, I'd say this was a waste of my time but then a certain person walked onto the stage.
An average height student with square-rimmed glasses stood before the crowd, his presence being enough to make the crowd just a bit more quieter.
So this was why Horikita was hesitant to attend, Horikita Manabu, the student council president and the entire reason she was the way she was right now. For such a serious guy, he makes a godawful brother. It may be Horikita, but don't you know you're supposed to spoil your little sister?
Truly, a disgrace to Onii-chan's everywhere.
If I was him, I'd make sure that Suzune would be the best younger sister ever, not that I'm fantasizing about it. And I doubt that she could even lace Komachi's boots in that area, but that's just what happens when you're cared for by such an adoring older brother.
He remained quiet for like a minute or two, which drew some snickers and even some mock laughter from the crowd of students around him. But he didn't let it get to him and retained his stone cold facade, as expected from the older brother of Horikita.
Then all of a sudden, he began to speak.
"I am the student council president. My name is Horikita Manabu."
A wave of silence washed over all of the students that were here, realizing that this wasn't someone who should be made fun of. Notably a few students from Class D seemed to have recognized that last name and were already piecing together the dots. Good job, Class D, you managed to make the simplest of deductions, I'm proud of you.
"The student council is always looking for potential recruits among the first-year students. Although there are no special qualifications required for candidacy, we do not accept students right off the bat. We don't appoint someone with a naive outlook, for it would sully the sanctity of this school. It is the student council's duty to amend and enforce the rules, and those who are willing to join would be wise to remember that."
I couldn't help but sigh as he gave his recruitment speech for the student council. I'm going to miss Komachi, and even those two women in the service club if I keep thinking about it. I'll even take another piledrive from Hiratsuka for old times sake, but thinking back on that, maybe not. I'm so grateful that Chabashira was way shorter than me, that way I never have to worry about a sudden suplex.
I was about to have a little walk around when I noticed the nervous look that was on Horikita's face, something that I haven't seen from her until now. It was an alien feeling, because this girl is just so cold that she can compete with Yukinoshita for the title of the true Ice Queen.
"Oi. Are you feeling alright?" I asked with a worried tone.
"I…" she tried to answer, but couldn't say anything at first. "Y-Yes, I'm fine."
You're fine, huh? The way you're looking down and keeping your attention away from me says otherwise. Was that a stutter? I'd be gloating if it didn't seem like bullying.
"You don't look fine at all," I stated flatly.
"Just keep your mouth shut, Hikigaya. Can't you do that for one minute?" Horikita gave me a glare that was more intense this time. "I have nothing else to do here, so I will head back to my dorm."
"Did seeing your older brother affect you this badly?" She bore a tense look for a few moments after I mentioned Brokita, but she quickly reverted back to her usual expression. "I mean, you're like this because you saw him, right? Are you scared of him or something?"
"Goodbye, Hikigaya."
…And there she goes.
Horikita didn't even bother insulting me again and just left after saying goodbye, which only proves it. She was too nervous to be around Brokita, so she just dipped and retreated to her room to avoid a possible confrontation between them, although it would happen eventually.
…Awesome! Man, if I knew that would have gotten her to go away, I'd have done that sooner! This must be how it's like for prisoners to get their chains removed. It was rather liberating.
Anyway, back to checking the clubs out. After this, I'll head back to my dorm as well and get some rest. I think I'll buy some MAX Coffee along the way too, my treat.
I roamed around the gymnasium for a few minutes, scoping out whatever clubs were there. Ah, Hirata is talking to the soccer club as expected. So is Sudo with the basketball club, big shocker. I'd have never guessed.
I also spotted one of the Class-D girls talking to the volleyball club, Shinohara I think.
Nothing really interested me and after a while, I just got tired of looking. Deciding to slow down, I sat down at a nearby bench and rested my legs.
A voice from behind me called out, "This is a pretty fun fair, isn't it?" The familiarity of the voice made me freeze. That sure wasn't Nao Toyama, which could only mean it was one other person. Huh, now that I think about it, she also sounds a lot like Yuigaha— wait, wait, I wasn't supposed to meet you yet! Hold up! The timeline's out of sync! Where's the guide dang it?!
A character that embodied staying true to herself and playing by the rules, the antithesis of what you have to do to survive at this school. To think that I'd have to meet her now. I haven't readied my heart yet!
As I turned my head to respond to the comment that was given, I couldn't help but stare at what had to be one of the most unfortunate characters in Classroom of the Elite.
"It's been interesting so far," I replied, somehow keeping my composure as I turned to face the owner of the voice.
Strawberry blonde hair, cool blue eyes with a dazzling figure radiating nothing but good feelings. She had a natural smile. One that you couldn't imagine being anything but along with wide curious eyes, wondering what kind of friend you'd be.
Ichinose Honami, I hope your cruel fate will be avoided this time.