unconfined genius

by powershadow90

gov helps ayanoboy leave and join anhs

Classroom of the Elite: Unconfined Genius (Test Phase)
Shiorimon Akimitsu

Published: 2022
Source: https/

Prologue : Part 1

??? POV

Once there was a man I looked up to.

A man who didn't have the intelligence of a genius, a man which many people would consider as "normal" or "average".

But that man had a dream. A dream to progress Japan even further than it is now. A dream to build a new generation of young Japanese men and women and shape them into the future of Japan. A dream to create growth for the younger generation of Japan that the world has never seen before.

He was a man I could proudly admire. A person who never gave up even when the odds were big. A man who shared the same dream as me and my father did.

What made him so admirable you ask? It was his determination. Despite not having the intelligence of a genius, despite not having the physics of an athlete, despite being doubted by many he never gave up.

He had the words to inspire even the most apathetic people. He had the charisma to show people that he truly was passionate about his dreams. A dream to make Japan greater than it ever was in the past. A man I used to proudly call my mentor.

A man I once proudly called Ayanokouji Sensei.

Of course, Ayanokouji-Sensei despite how inspiring his dreams were, despite how much we yearn for the same dream, we didn't share the same mindset

When my father retired as the chairman of a government-funded school called " Advanced Nurturing High School", the position of chairman was left for me to fill as I followed in my father's footsteps.

This school my father left me certainly was different than other schools, of course, it could be considered strange or unique depending on what you consider both words.

It was a school created and funded by the government to teach the most elite students currently residing in Japan. A school which judges you by your merit as a future contributor to Japanese society. A school that promises 100 guaranteed success of enrolling in a prestigious college or get a good-paying job.

Of course, not everything is as this school says. For instance, in this school, a hierarchy system is implemented with four different classes as the rankings.

Class A, Class B, Class C, and finally Class D.

What is the difference between these four classes you may ask?

Well just like the alphabetical order, Class A is considered the highest of highest in the hierarchy this school has implemented. Then it goes down and down until it reaches Class D. In which case the students who are enrolled in this class are known as the "defects" of the school. Every student in this class has a defect that is preventing them from placing in a higher class.

Why is this school unique? Well even if you are placed in such a lowly class as Class D or managed to place above every class as Class A, this school encourages competition between classes. Meaning even if you are placed in Class A, your position is never permanent and you could be overtaken by another class.

For example, this school has what it's called "Class Points" or CP for short. If somehow class C has more class points than Class A, the current Class A will drop its ranking to Class B while simultaneously the current class B would also be dragged down as the new Class C, and the current Class C would rise above the two classes to be the new Class A. This competition will continue constantly until the end of the students' third year where they will graduate as the class they are currently placed in.

You're probably asking yourself, "Why would a student deliberately aim for a higher class even though getting accepted and being enrolled in the school itself already guarantees your future?".

Well, not everything is as what the school says it is. For instance, the benefits the school mentioned as being guaranteed to be able to enroll in any college is only truly guaranteed if, at the end of your high school year, you are placed in Class A. It could be considered a scam for the government to lure students like this to their school just to find out their not guaranteed a promising. But as a future working member of society, nothing in this world ever comes easy.

Of course, just because you're placed in a class that's not Class A, doesn't mean you won't have a future. Students of lower classes can still find a suitable job or find the job they're passionate about for as long as they work hard and strive to work harder.

This is the kind of school my father has left for me to manage in his place. A school that breaks, grows and nurtures students as no other Japanese school does. A school that aims to maximize the potential of every student enrolled in the school for them to become future contributing Japanese citizens for the new era of Japan.

Despite all the preparations made by the government for this school, my mentor, Ayanokouji-sensei never considered the school as the best place to raise the future contributors of Japan. He deemed some things taught by the school as unnecessary. Although he did respect my wishes to continue to manage this school as the chairman of this school, he never once said he supported the idea of the system that is implemented in this government-funded school.

Ayanokouji-sensei decided to create his school or as a better way to put it as an educational institution. Its goal was to raise a human by removing unnecessary things from their curriculum and education. This institution was also to prove that one doesn't have to have good genetics to be a genius. Sensei believed in hard work and determination above all else speaking from his own experience.

Simply put, this facility was created to raise children in hopes that they could be defined as " perfect" human beings.

From a bystander point of view, the idea of this so-called educational facility seemed to be the next step in progressing Japan even further than it is now. Even foreigners that came to know of this place have started to invest in this educational facility.

Why did many investors believe in Sensei's experiment? Because of one boy were they convinced of the true potential of this facility. One boy proved Sensei's theory of not needing to have good genes to be a genius. It was this boy who put even adults to shame with their lack of knowledge.

It was because of this boy that the idea of creating a perfect human being could suddenly be possible.

This boy was none other than Ayanokouji-sensei's son.

The 4th demonic generation's only survivor.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

Why was this boy so special? I've heard from some of the investors supporting the white room that a mere kid could solve math equations that even high school students would struggle to solve. He could answer any question given to him without any hint of confusion or struggle. Simply put, he had a terrifying amount of knowledge for a kid.

Because of the display of intelligence, he had shown to the investors, they had finally taken more interest in the white room and began investing more money in it in hoping more of its experiment succeeded as it did with this boy.

Hearing all of the accomplishments of this facility you must be intrigued right? You might think that this facility might finally be the answer to what path to take to make Japan the greatest powerhouse country in the world.

Well beyond the accomplishments of the facility, a dark secret is kept hidden in this facility for barely anyone to know. Even the Japanese government does not know the existence or whereabouts of this facility. Why would they hide an educational facility that might help Japanese society to progress further than it already is?

The answer to this question is quite complicated. Did this facility bring results no one could have expected? Yes, there is no denying that.

But what lies beyond the facade Sensei has created, lies dark secrets that should never be exposed to the public, especially the government.

The teaching methods of this facility were not something the government would tolerate, let alone the public. To say their teaching methods were abusive is an understatement.

It was inhumane. It was unjustifiable. It was in the literal sense torture both physically and mentally.

Many Children were seen in this facility either studying or doing physical tasks without a single time of break. It is unknown where they found these children. Maybe they were sold? Or maybe they were kidnapped? Adopted? Abandoned? No one truly knew where they came from except the owner of this very own facility, Ayanokouji-sensei.

Kids were sent to a room where all they could see was white.

White walls,

White floors,

Even their clothing only consisted of the color white.

Thus earning this facility the name "White Room"

The kids in this facility were usually only doing tasks they were ordered to without any retort in fearing the punishment the instructors would give them. They only studied, did their orders, and sleep. They didn't even have time to develop relationships with their classmates not even recognize each other due to the individualism that is promoted in the white room.

This certainly took a toll on most children's mental health in this facility. Children were seen panicking, gasping for air, sometimes even collapsing mid-order due to stress they can't even relieve.

The instructors also had a part in the children's mental health. Although it depends on each generation, some instructors might give harsher punishments than other instructors like making them do more tasks, verbally abusing them, sometimes even being violent towards them.

Every kid in this facility had it hard for them. Some even had thoughts they shouldn't even be pondering at their age.

"Where are my parents?"

"Why was I born in this world only to fail?"

"I wish I was dead so I wouldn't feel pain every day"

But no other generation had it any harder than the infamous 4th demonic generation.

The 4th generation had the hardest curriculum and cruelest punishments handed to them by their instructors. Some even died by their instructor's own hand. This generation truly was what you could consider torture. Children disappeared day by day, week by week.

What did they do to the children who couldn't live up to the facility's expectations? Simply put, they were disposed of. They threw them away as if they were nothing but trash but in sensei's eyes, they were probably a level below trash. But what made this generation demonic wasn't just its harsh and excessive education.

It was the demon that was born within this generation.

The generation's only survivor, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, had become the missing piece that sensei had been hoping to create after all these years of spending wealth for this experiment. He was the so-called "Masterpiece" sensei had been hoping to create when he first started this experiment.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, he excelled at everything both academically and physically. He did every task he was ordered to do perfectly never showing any hint of struggle.

To say he was brilliant was an understatement.

No...

He was a monster.

He was different than the other kids of that generation. He would destroy his opponents with ease without even caring what would happen to other kids when they failed. He saw children breaking down in front of his very own eyes, yet never showed any sign of pity nor empathy. Based on the visits I've had in the white room, he always wore an emotionless expression.

He was made the main goal of the white room. Despite every single generation that was ever created, no matter how many children were trained, no one has ever lived up to the white room's expectation as Ayanokouji Kiyotaka did.

If I were to tell you my opinion of this facility I would say it made me sick to my stomach. How could a human being torture all these children for the sole reason of "building Japan's future" without a hint of empathy? Of course, this facility did produce results, even I couldn't help but be impressed at that. But at the cost of what?

The lives of innocent children?

I couldn't help but ponder these thoughts as I couldn't help but do anything as I watch what these children go through on a daily basis. But I knew that if I did something of my own accord, not only would I be endangering myself, but also my family. I couldn't bear to live a life without my family. Sensei has a major influence on this country, if I were to betray him he could end me and my family without hesitation.

I was lost in my thoughts when I suddenly came back to reality. I was in my office at ANHS when someone had requested for my appearance. I didn't know who it was but the government contacted me saying it's one of their military generals and another person would be accompanying them.

I got caught off guard when I heard a knock at my door. It seems that they have arrived earlier than I had expected.

"You may enter," I spoke to the people knocking at my door.

The people who entered seemed to be a lady wearing a military outfit with brunette-colored hair tied up in a ponytail with purple-colored eyes. Accompanying her seemed to be a man looking like he is in his 30's. He had black short hair, hazel brown eyes, and was wearing a lab coat. I felt like I had seen him before somewhere.

"We're sorry to take your time chairman Sakayanagi knowing you're a very busy man," the girl and her company apologized while bowing.

"No need to apologize, I'm sure if the government has sent you guys to meet me, it must be something very important," I said as I try to lighten the mood.

"We won't waste any more of your time. We'll get straight to the point. My name is
Midori Fumiko, a general in the Japanese military. The person accompanying me is
Yamato Daichi." The girl said assertively.

"Nice to meet you both. If I may ask what the government wants with me? Is it something regarding the school?"

Of course, I wasn't sure what they had come for, did I make a mistake as the chairman of the school? Had I somehow done something that would get me in trouble with the government? I honestly had no idea what these two government officials were doing in school territory.

"Rest assured, we are not here to discuss matters of this school, but rather we think you could be of help to a case we're currently investigating."

"A case? I don't know how I could be of help in a case where even the military is involved."

"I think you'd be a ton of help actually chairman Sakayanagi. Because this certain individual we're investigating certainly has some ties with you."

I couldn't think of anyone acquainted with me that the government would need me to relay information to them except one person. But they couldn't be talking about him... Right?

The man who had been silent finally spoke up, "You may not know me chairman Sakayanagi but I certainly know you. The person we've been investigating these past few weeks is someone by the name of Professor Ayanokouji. Surely you and him have some sort of relationship or connection to each other."

I flinched a bit when he said sensei's name but I tried not to show it but it was worthless as General Midori stared at me suspiciously

"I do admit we are acquainted with each other, but what does his relationship with me have to do with the case you're trying to solve?"

At that moment the man named Yamato said something that made my heart skip a beat.

"We know about your involvement with the white room."

Beads of sweat started appearing around my forehead.

How did they know about the existence of the facility? No, moreover how did they know I was acquainted with the facility? Do they suspect me of being involved with the facility?

I calmed myself and tried to think straight. Playing dumb here would certainly not help me, moreover, it would bring more suspicion to me.

As I calmed myself, I finally found what words to say to them. "I certainly won't deny I have been there a couple of times, although I would like to know how you knew of my relationship and involvement of the white room?"

"As I said you may not know me but I know you. Professor Ayanokouji always mentions to us instructors to let the children in the white room know to be on their best behavior whenever you're around. If you're wondering about how I know about you, if you haven't recognized it, I was one of the instructors in the white room assigned to the 5th generation. Well, at least I was posing as an instructor." The man named Yamato explained

"If I may add something, Yamato here has been an undercover agent posing as an instructor in the white room since the white room's 5th generation first started. He had done some investigating on the facility itself. Rest assured chairman, we do not suspect you of any crimes that involve the white room. Although we would like your cooperation. All you need to do is give us information about the white room and we'll stop involving you in this case." General Midori added to agent Yamato's explanation.

Even if I wanted to cooperate I couldn't put my family in danger. Who knows what Ayanokouji-sensei would do to them if I was dumbfounded by just gave random government agents information regarding the white room.

As I was busy thinking of an answer, General Midori interrupted "You may be thinking the risks of you exposing information to us government officials about the white room. We know the influence professor Ayanokouji has. That's why we would like to make a deal with you which will benefit both of us equally."

"A deal?," I asked. What kind of deal would benefit me?

"A deal that in exchange for information regarding the white room, we the government will offer you and your family government protection for as long as until Professor Ayanokouji is put behind bars." General Midori proposed

"Although it seems like a deal that would benefit me, how do I know that some of the government officials aren't related to Ayanokouji-sensei. Surely you've thought that through haven't you?" I tried to argue.

General Midori simply responded, "We've already pondered over the possibility of that happening. But I never said that the police or normal government agents would be protecting you. As of right now, Professor Ayanokouji has no ties with the military. If you are still paranoid, we'll even send hundreds of military troops to guard your base to ensure the safety of you and your family. Please consider our deal chairman Sakayanagi, we wouldn't think of this deal if we weren't sure if we could ensure you and your family's safety."

"May I at least discuss this with my daughter first"

"Of course chairman. It would not be fair if every member of your family did not agree to such a deal. You have until tomorrow to answer our deal."

Tomorrow huh?...

"Well me and Agent Yamato should be heading. Thank you for your time chairman. And sorry for the inconveniences we have caused you." She said before bowing Along with agent Yamato, she left along with agent Yamato leaving me alone with my thoughts.

———————————————————

Arisu Sakayanagi POV

I was in my room playing chess by myself while simultaneously reading a book. Pitiful isn't it? But I play by myself not because of a reason like not having any friends. It was simply because no person I've ever faced was ever at the same level as me except maybe that boy.

Because of that boy I had started to take an interest in chess. Fuu.. how nostalgic. I couldn't forget that moment.

I barely took any interest in anything as a kid, but when I saw him... Everything started to change. The boring world I had been in didn't seem so boring anymore. How cruel of him, to take a maiden's heart without even him realizing.

I stopped playing as I was lost in my thoughts.

I wonder what he's doing right now...

My thoughts were interrupted as I felt my phone vibrating. I picked up my phone and was confused to see who had called. It was my father but isn't contact outside that school forbidden. Well, it would be quite rude to leave my father hanging.

I picked up my phone and pressed the call button

"Father, it is quite rare of you to call me considering the school doesn't allow contact with the outside world."

"Well, I wouldn't call you so suddenly if it wasn't anything important."

Father then began to explain the situation he's in to me. Though I feel like he's hiding some parts of the situation but I won't cause trouble for him since he seems to be in a state of worry and possibly panic. It was rare to see my father in this state.

"So father what you are saying is you've been offered to cooperate for a government case and you're asking me if we should get involved even if it could endanger our lives? Although it is reassuring we would be under government protection, there's no telling if there are other traitors in the government. You usually always instantly decline a request like this but what made you hesitate to cooperate or not if I may ask father?"

It certainly was weird my father would choose to consult me rather than come to his own decision. If my father was worried this much then it surely must be something important. Logically speaking, my father would never do something that would endanger himself and me, his daughter

But the next few sentences he said to me instantly caught me off guard to the point that I was in a state of shock.

"What if I told you the case the government was investigating was related to the facility we visited years ago. What if I told you the case I was asked to cooperate in was related to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. And of course, the government has made procedures to ensure us no traitors would ever come into our harm."

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka..

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka...

When I heard that name I was caught off guard and dropped my book without realizing it. I haven't heard that name in years... Yet it came back to me as if it was fate.

"Arisu? are you there?"

"Fufu..." I muttered to myself.

I got too distracted but quickly regained my composure and answered him.

"Usually father I would never think of ever involving ourselves in a situation like this. But... If he's involved in this case, I surely find this investigation worth cooperating in."

"I see... Well, that's all I wanted your consult on. Sorry for causing you trouble Arisu."

"Nonsense father. Rather, I've felt like there truly is something to look forward to if you do cooperate in this investigation."

"Well, I won't inconvenience you more than I have now. Goodbye Arisu." He said as he hung up the call.

After the call ended, I couldn't even focus on the chess match I had with myself anymore.

Was I excited?

No... To say I was excited is an understatement.

I felt euphoric.

I felt a feeling that was beyond excitement.

Fufu... It seems fate has brought us together yet again hasn't it, Ayanokouji. I look forward to the day where I get to meet you when you are finally free from the shackles of that facility.

I want to meet you.

I want to free you.

Then I want to break you.

I'll break the so-called "Masterpiece" of the white room and prove that geniuses' are only born by genetics, never made.

The conversation I and my father had today, would be the beginning of a new journey, a new goal I was excitedly looking forward to.

Prologue: Chapter 1 END

Word count: 4 098

--

Author's Note :

Hello! I hope you enjoyed the 1st chapter of the prologue. As you may have guessed, the prologue will have multiple chapters ranging from 2-3 chapters.

So how did you guys like the 1st chapter of this fanfic?

Again I apologize if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes. English is my second language but I'm learning more and more every day.

I did a bit of research for this chapter and you may have noticed that some characters are OOC like maybe chairman Sakayanagi being more caring than he is in canon? Honestly, I don't know..

Some questions you guys may have :

Q: Will chapters be as long as the prologue is?

A: It depends on the importance of the chapter but I'll try to type in 2k words at the least for a chapter (excluding the author's notes).

Q: How many chapters are you going to release per week?

A: Since I'm busy with school and other stuff I plan to release 3-4 chapters a week. There will be times where I take a week break but I'll work hard to make sure this fanfic goes far ᕙ( • ‿ • )ᕗ.

Anyways that's all I have to say for now.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And please look forward to the next chapter!
( ‿ )

Prologue : Part 2

Professor Ayanokouji's POV

I was finishing up some documents in my office as it was early morning around 6.00-6.30 AM. In a few hours, I would be traveling in my limousine to meet with a client of mine who had grown more interested in the growth and progress of the children that are currently residing in the white room.

After twenty years of paying sums of money, working myself to the bone, the experiment I had been paying sums of money for has finally produced the results I had expected to reach 20 years ago when I first started this experiment

Kiyotaka, my own son, the sole survivor of the 4th demonic generation of the white room, after all the extensive training he faced, has reached the pinnacle of humanity's unlimited amount of potential. With his success, I could finally fulfill my lifelong dream towards advancing Japan with growth the world has never seen before.

I suddenly heard a knock at my door. It annoyed me a bit but nonetheless if my Butler were to disturb me this early either it was something very important or he wanted a literal death wish.

"Enter," I said sternly as I heard my office door open slowly.

"Forgive me, Sir, for bothering you at such an early time. But I would never interrupt you if what I'm about to inform you isn't important." My butler said as he closed the door behind him.

"This better be worth my time, you should know how I feel about people wasting my time." I glared at him menacingly.

"S-sir two people are currently in front of your mansion requesting for your immediate presence."

Honestly this guy...

"Is this what you've disturbed my time for! You should know to send I welcomed visitors immediately. I have no time to waste on foul-mannered people." I said sternly.

My butler was visibly shaking but regained some of his composure then began explaining "S-sir I know your upset because of how impolite and disrespectful these visitors are to request presence for a highly influential person like you, but I believe we should at least hear what they have to say".

This is getting annoying. Do they even realize who I am?

" That's enough! You will do as I order and send them their way home. You are my butler, you will do whatever I order you to do!"

"B-but sir-,"

"Are you talking back to me?" I was starting to get pissed off by my butler's blunder

"S-sir the people requesting your presence are both dressed in uniforms. One of them seems to be wearing a military uniform while the other might be wearing a detective coat. They even gave me confirmation on how they come from the government and showed me their badges. I don't know how important they are but I think it would be a very bad idea to reject these visitors."

The government? What are they doing here? Don't tell me they've found out about the white room? I started to panic with my thoughts but quickly regained my composure.

"If it's true what you say then please open the gates of our mansion, if the government wants something with me, it surely must be something urgent."

"Right away sir!" My butler replied as he exited my office.

I began to stand up from my chair and looked around my wardrobe to find suitable clothes to wear for this sudden meeting.

I couldn't think of anything the government would want with me except the white room facility. If they did find out about the facility and I am under suspicion, how did they find out what the white room is and who possibly leaked the contents of the white room? Was it one of the instructors of the white room? Was it the few people who had visited the white room?

Sigh...

I didn't expect to be put in such a stressful situation today. After I changed my clothes I tried to regain my composure and made my way to the guest room.

3rd Person POV

There in the guest room. two people awaited Professor Ayanokouji's arrival
Book, one a woman with brunette colored hair with purple eyes and the other was a man with red messy hair with black basic eyes. He was wearing an outfit that looked like every detective in a psychological thriller movie would wear.

Professor Ayanokouji took a seat as he gestured his butlers to serve the unexpected guests some drinks.

"Would you like black coffee or green tea ma'am and madam?" A butler asked.

"Coffee for me, what about you General Midori?" The detective asked the woman beside him.

"Green tea for me, please." The woman replied

The butlers made their way to the kitchen to prepare the drinks they were asked to serve the guests.

An awkward silence filled as they waited for their beverages.

"I'm sorry for how rude me and my employees were to keep you waiting for such a long period of time." Professor Ayanokouji decided to break the awkward atmosphere.

"No need to worry professor, we also apologize to inconvenience you this early in the morning considering how busy of a man you are. We greatly appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to meet with us." General Midori replied and the man beside her just nodded in agreement.

"Nonsense, if a General of the military had visited me along with a detective, it surely must be something important." Professor Ayanokouji replied.

"First we'll introduce ourselves, my name is Midori Fumiko. The person accompanying me is a detective ordered to accompany me. His name is Hiroshi Noir or you may call him Detective Noir as he rather prefers being called his personal name rather than his family name."

"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, if I may ask, what does the government want with me to suddenly approach my mansion very early in the morning." Professor Ayanokouji asks curiously.

After a few seconds of silence, Detective Noir decided to explain the situation.

"We won't waste any more of your time and get straight to the point. A few detectives including me were suddenly called upon to solve a case. The government had ordered us and some of its personnel to investigate this case. We the government might think you could be a suspect in the case we're working on. Even if you do end up being innocent, we think your cooperation might be of use to us to arriving one step closer to solving this case."

"If I may ask what are the contents of this case that makes it so important that even a busy military troop like General Midori had to get involved?" Professor Ayanokouji asked

"Well about this case, it certainly is no ordinary one. We received multiple strange videos from an anonymous sender. Strangely we weren't able to track their location let alone even access personal information about the sender. The videos sent to us contained a recording of children being gathered in a white room with white clothes. It seems in some of the recordings the children were doing activities only trained professionals do. There were also some recordings containing physical and verbal abuse directed to the children from what seems to be people wearing lab coats regarded as their teachers." General Midori explained.

"Of course you can see why the government got involved from the information we just relayed to you. Obviously, the contents of the videos we described to you would be considered an act of cruelty directed to children or possibly even an act of human trafficking since we do not know the origins of the children gathered in the recordings. If a facility like this does exist, it does raise questions among us like who was in charge of the facility, how long has this facility operated. If we can confirm the facility has been running for a very long time then that raises a concerning question on how the people involved in this facility could hide this facility for so long from the government. It seems the perpetrators involved in this facility are not criminals we should regard as normal criminals as they were able to keep the presence of this facility hidden if it has been confirmed to have operated for a very long time." General Midori Finished her explanation.

"If a case like this were to be revealed to the public it may an unnecessary uproar amongst the citizens of our country which may lead to protests and possible slander used against the government." Detective Noir added the finishing concerns to General Midori's explanation.

A silence occurred for a few seconds between the. Professor Ayanokouji still looked calm and composed but that certainly was the opposite of his thoughts.

'If they have this much information regarding the white room, it won't be long till I become their prime suspect in this investigation. I need to remain calm and not crack with the pressure I'm given right now. If I even show a hint of nervousness, they certainly would grow more suspicious of me.' Professor Ayanokouji thought to himself.

After a few moments of awkward silence, the silence was broken as the discussion progressed.

"If what you say is true, then I can see why the higher-ups of the government decided to get involved. But if I may ask, why was I suspected to be involved in this facility? I've recalled what I've done these past few months and I don't think I've done something suspicious to be considered a possible perpetrator of this investigation the government is working on." Professor Ayanokouji asked.

"First, we would like to thank you for your understanding. Now regarding your question, we can't disclose information on your suspicion as the information is considered confidential. We sincerely apologize but as you know we can't go around spreading confidential information to citizens." General Midori answered.

"As you know you are currently under suspicion to be involved in this case. That's why we ask you here today to come with us for questioning. You could decline but I wouldn't do that as it would probably bring you more suspicion towards yourself." Detective Noir said sternly.

"No need to be worried Detective, I have no intention of bringing more unnecessary suspicion towards me than I already have. I intend to fully cooperate until I have been proven innocent in the eyes of the government."

"Thank you for your cooperation. We will begin the questioning in an hour and we would like for you to come with us. We will begin the questioning instantly after we've arrived at our destination."

"Before we go to the destination, may I make a few phone calls? I have to inform my clients of my absence." Professor Ayanokouji asked

"Of course Professor since it's partly our fault too for suddenly interrupting you when you're very busy." General Midori said to Professor Ayanokouji.

"Thank you for your understanding, if you will please excuse me." He said as he went to his office

Professor Ayanokouji's POV

As I excused myself from both of them, I decided to make a few phone calls.

The first was to inform the investor I was planning to meet of my absence from the meeting due to a sudden emergency coming up unexpectedly. He was confused but decided to postpone our meeting to another scheduled date.

The second phone call was probably the most important phone call I've had to make today. I contacted an instructor from the white room and informed him of the current situation we were in.

"Shut down the white room temporarily immediately!" I ordered

"Sir are you sure?!," my instructor replied

"We cannot leave behind a single piece of evidence of the existence of the white room. Transport all the test subjects to a place where the government can't easily find them. As for my son, I will send him to my mansion. I will text you the address now. Do not disobey my orders, you understand?"

"Y-yes right away sir!"

The third and last phone call I made was to my butler residing in my mansion named Matsuo.

"Hello?" Matsuo asked the called.

"Matsuo this may be urgent but a limousine containing my son will come toward your mansion in a few hours. You are to treat him for weeks and months until I've come back to regain my property back. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, I shall prepare the welcoming right away sir!" Matsuo said as he hung up.

After my last phone call, I decided to go get ready for the questioning. I wore an expensive coat with a tuxedo underneath. As I finished changing my clothes, I went in front of my mansion where 5 cars were surrounding the front gate.

General Midori and Detective Noir spotted me then went on to talk to me.

"Please don't mind all these vehicles in front of your mansion. These are merely cars sent by the government to accompany us to ensure our security and safety if in case something were to go wrong." General Midori explained the situation.

Pressure started building up inside me, but I regained my composure quickly. "Of course, let's just start the questioning immediately. I've waited both of you long enough."

The two merely nodded and escorted me to the limousine.

If I don't manage to divert suspicion away from me, it's possible the white room may come to an end.

As I was lost in thought, the limousine finally started to move towards a direction I wasn't very familiar with.

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Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

After finishing my self-defense classes, I was suddenly called into my father's office but who awaited me there wasn't my father but one of the instructors here in the white room. I closed the door behind me as I waited for his orders.

What was the reason they had called me? Were they going to punish me for failing- no, I haven't failed a single test and have achieved perfect scores in every category so me being punished is very unlikely. I also found it strange how it wasn't "that man" who had come to meet me but instead one of the instructors. Did something happen to that man? I wasn't sure but my thoughts were broken as the instructor began to speak.

" Test Subject 4-01, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, your father is currently in a situation where the existence of the white room may be threatened. As a result of the situation, he is in you will be ordered to stay at a mansion your father has prepared for you where you will be living in for months, you will continue your training in the mansion as you have in the white room. Do you understand?"

So I'll be going to the outside world the second time... I've only been to the outside world once and that was because of a business trip my father had arranged for him to promote me as a product of the white room. Although the view was quite new to me, it's not like I had any real fun on the trip.

But it's strange for that man to mess up where even the existence of the white room is suddenly threatened. Did someone in this facility cause a breach in the white room? Has one of the people that visited the white room betrayed my father? Although it is unlikely because of what my father might do to them, I couldn't possibly rule out the possibility of that happening. Well, it's no use thinking of it right now. I have an opportunity to fulfill my curiosity about the outside world, even if it's for a few months I'm sure it's enough time for me to at least find the answers I have beyond this facility.

"Yes sir," I replied to the instructor.

I have only a few months of freedom. And I won't let that chance to waste. Although it is very unlikely, if there is a place where my father cannot reach and threaten my freedom, then I'll have to devise a plan with the few months I've been given to live in the outside world.

...

But that's probably unlikely to happen. My father is a man who has influence all over the country. Even if I did find a place where he can't reach me, there's no telling what other methods he would do to bring me back to the white room. To him, I'm just a tool for him to achieve his dreams. Although I don't hate the white room, I'm not exactly fond of it either. Even if it's just a few months, I guess I'm glad to have the opportunity to see the outside world again.

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After I boarded the limousine, I looked outside the window of the car I was riding on. I saw kids playing around on a windy day as the leaves on the cherry blossom trees fall. I truly wondered if it wasn't for my upbringing, could I have experienced a life similar to those kids outside? Could I have learned a better view of my emotions? Could I finally find the answer to what it means to be a normal teenager in Japanese society? I couldn't pay attention to anything else besides the thoughts that linger in my head as I looked at the view outside of the limousine. It truly was different then what I had grown normally to see in the white room. Was I mesmerized by the view? Did I finally feel happy to be in the outside world? I... Didn't know.

I read thousands maybe even millions of books, yet I could not find an answer to what I was feeling right now. Happiness? Joy? Excitement? I knew the definition of those words but not the feeling itself. I wonder if one day I could learn to feel those emotions. This feeling... I didn't know how to describe it but I guess I felt quite pleasant.

———————————————————

As I was lost in thought, I finally arrived at my destination. I opened the car door and what greeted me was a man with formal clothes who I could only assume would be the person taking care of me in these few months. He looked quite handsome if I must say despite his old age. He wore a warm smile and waved his hands towards me and I simply just nodded back at him.

"Good afternoon Ayanokouji-sama. My name is Matsuo. I will be your personal butler for the next few months of your stay here. Please feel free to talk to me if you ever have any troubles or problems."

"Uh... Yes, thank you. You can just call me by my first name, I wouldn't want you to confuse me with my father." I spoke honestly.

"Oh yes of course Kiyotaka-sama if you would please follow me into the mansion. I'll give you a tour around."

I followed him and inside was a wide room filled with luxurious furniture and paintings. Matsuo showed me my room and he continued to inform me about what each room's purpose was and where they were located.

"Well, for today your free to do whatever you want. Please don't be shy to take a look around the mansion once again. Also, please don't be afraid to call me if you ever need something Kiyotaka-sama. I will prepare dinner for us so feel free to do whatever you want before then. I'll call you when dinner is ready." He gave another warm smile.

After he said those words, he left me alone in the room while not forgetting to close the door. I lay there in my bed just staring at the ceiling above me.

For this moment, I was free. Even if it was just temporary, I was still free. Free from that facility, free from that man's expectations. Even if I went back to the facility after all is said and done, I won't waste the remaining time I have here to experience the privileges of freedom.

I realized I had been too caught up in my thoughts and decided to take a walk around the mansion. I walked down the stairs and spotted a piano.

I hadn't played the piano for a while but I still remembered the notes and pace of the songs I used to play. I learned piano during my free time in the white room. In the white room, we only learned extracurricular activities if the activities were related to national-level competitions.

I sat down looking around if someone minded me playing the piano. Of course, the only ones here in the mansion were only me and Matsuo but I don't think Matsuo would mind if I played a song on the piano.

As I put my hands over the keys of the piano, I began to recall a certain song I was going to play.

La Campanella.

A song composed by the late Frans Liszt. The nickname of the song means little bell as you can hear the bell effect in high repeated notes on the right hand.

In old times, Frans Lizst was accused of having sold his soul to the devil to acquire his virtuosity.

As I began to play the piano, I couldn't feel the world around me anymore. Every key, I played with the right pace, right precision, right timing. Every note I played, every sound that came from the piano, it's as if I was playing at a grandmaster level that other pianists could dream of. Other people would think I was some sort of pianist prodigy since early childhood, but for me this was normal.

As I finished playing the last notes, I heard loud clapping sounds from a certain direction. I turned my head towards the area I heard clapping in and my butler Matsuo had been listening to me play for quite a while.

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Matsuo's POV

As I was cooking dinner for Kiyotaka-sama, I couldn't help but feel bad for the things he had gone through. I had heard of the abuse and cruel acts he had gone through since childhood until now. I couldn't believe there were human beings who wouldn't even spare a bit of sympathy for the children in that facility even if it happened in front of their eyes.

After 10 minutes or so I had finished preparing dinner for both of us. I didn't know what kind of food he liked so I decided to make us some miso soup. I really hoped he liked the soup I made for both of us.

As I was about to call him for dinner, I heard piano notes played near me. Was Kiyotaka-sama playing the piano? I decided to head over the direction in which the music was played, there I saw Kiyotaka-sama playing the piano in a calm and collected manner. He didn't show any signs of nervousness or hesitation when playing the song. The closer I got the more I recognized the song.

La Campanella?

I had heard the piano piece a lot of times in my life played by professional pianists and piano teachers too, but never have I heard the song played this well, and by a mere teenager too. I was mesmerized by how he played the piano. Is this the difference between a child produced from that facility and a normal child? I was left speechless as if I was under a spell being hypnotized.

(If you wanna hear the song here's a link btw)

https//watch?v=H1Dvg2MxQn8

I snapped out of my thoughts as he finished playing the piano. I was amazed, I couldn't do anything but clap at the boy in front of me. He truly was amazing.

"Bravo! Bravo Kiyotaka-sama!" I cheered on him loudly.

He only looked at me confused as if he didn't know how to reply to a compliment. It may just be me overthinking things but has this child never been complimented for his efforts before? I was quickly put in a melancholic state as I realized the reality of the environment he had lived in his entire life.

"Oh, uh... Thanks, Matsuo. Sorry, I'm not really used to being complimented by other people." He spoke breaking me out of my thoughts.

"No need to apologize Kiyotaka-sama. Your performance truly was magnificent. You were playing as if you were a professional pianist." I praised him even more.

"I only came here to inform you that dinner is ready. Let's get going, shall we? We don't want the dinner to get cold do we?"

"Ah, yes," he replied.

We went our way to the dining room. I grabbed the miso soup I had made for him and placed it on the dining table in front of the place he had chosen to sit on. I grabbed my own bowl as I sat in front of him.

"Please eat as much as you want Kiyotaka-sama, I hope this food is to your liking." I smiled at him.

"Yes, thank you, Matsuo." He replied

As I said down we said in unison "Itadakimasu..."

I looked at him and surprisingly his face which had been expressionless the whole time showed emotion for the first time. It was hardly any different than his normal poker face but I was glad he showed signs of at least having some emotions.

As we were eating dinner I decided I wanted to get to know him more.

"Uh, Kiyotaka-sama if I may ask, why do you seem to never smile. Usually, kids your age would be bursting with energy or at least have some sort of satisfied expression on their faces. Of course, I'm not saying your expressionless face means you aren't happy. I'm sorry if I have offended you." I apologized sincerely.

"No it's okay Matsuo, you didn't offend me in any way. It's not like I can't smile. I don't think I have any disorders which prevent me from smiling. It's just that I don't really know how to smile not really have anything to smile about." He replied

Those simple words he said with his usual poker face broke my heart. What did this child go through to the point where he found no reason to smile? But I didn't want to pry more into his life because it might make him uncomfortable.

We continued to eat dinner as we made idle talks like our hobbies and interests.

"Well I've finished my dinner I'll be heading to my room."

"Wait Kiyotaka-sama, don't you want any dessert?" I stopped and asked him.

"Dessert? Am I allowed to have dessert?" He asked confusingly

"Of course you can Kiyotaka-sama! It's only natural kids would want dessert after a meal. But of course, if you don't want any desserts then I won't force you to eat any."

"Well it's not like I don't want dessert, it's just that it'll maybe worsen the physical state of my body."

"Physical state? Do you perhaps work out Kiyotaka-sama?" I asked out of curiosity.

"It's really nothing special. I just exercise and work out a bit to keep my body healthy and in shape." He replied modestly.

"Well if it worsens your physical condition then your father would surely scold you for it. But how about you at least give it a taste to see if it fits your taste buds or not. Let's just call this our little secret from your father." I winked at him with a playful expression.

He looked at me silently and began to speak. "Well I guess a bite wouldn't hurt would it."

"Ah, wait right here Kiyotaka-sama I'll prepare the food shortly."

After about 10 minutes of cooking, I handed him a plate. The plate consisted of pancakes drizzled with maple syrup with butter on the center top of the pancakes. I also put some berries beside the pancakes along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

He looked at it for a while with an interesting expression. He quickly snapped out of it and cut a thin slice of pancake and dipped it in the vanilla ice cream and took a bite out of it. His eyes widened for a few seconds indicating a change of expression.

"This is... Delicious Matsuo. Thank you very much for cooking me this." He thanked me genuinely.

"Your welcome Kiyotaka-sama. Please remember if you want me to cook anything for you, the menu is always open. Please don't be afraid to give me requests as it would also teach me new dishes to cook."

"I'll keep that in mind." He said as he continued to eat the pancakes.

I felt a heartwarming feeling watching him enjoying his food. It reminded me of the times where me and my son would always spend time talking idly while we are dinner together. Of course, we still have dinner sometimes but because of his busy schedule as a student and my busy life as a student, we rarely have dinner with just the two of us.

I truly hoped that the child in front of me, a child who grew up in a cruel and loveless environment could learn to one day love himself and learn to express his emotions freely without any pressure. I truly did wish happiness for the kid in front of me enjoying his pancakes.

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Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

After I finished eating my pancakes, I just went back to my room as the training I did in the white room would resume tomorrow. I must say, trying new foods was quite a pleasant experience for me. It might be normal for other normal kids to eat a dessert but I certainly wasn't like any other ordinary kid you see going to school with their friends. In the first place, I didn't even know what friends were. Were they people you usually ate with after an ordinary day of school? Were they people you could tell your problems and struggles to without fear of being judged? I honestly didn't know.

I just started at the ceiling above me as I covered my body with a blanket.

I realized once again that...

I was free.

I spent the rest of the night pondering the questions I had about life until I fell asleep. I could say with confidence that today I truly did have a pleasant day. I truly hoped that pleasant days like these will continue until I have to go back to that place.

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Matsuo's POV

I had finished brushing my teeth and just cleaned my toothbrush. I was about to go to sleep on the bed in front of me when I heard the telephone in my room ring. I wondered who it was but it was most likely Kiyotaka-sama's father calling to check on his son's condition.

I picked up the phone expecting a deep voice with a harsh tone. But contrary to what I thought the voice I heard betrayed my expectations.

"Hello, Matsuo? This is Sakayanagi. Please respond if you can hear me."

Sakayanagi? Why was he calling late in the middle of the night? I thought as the chairman of that government-funded school he wasn't allowed to have contact with the outside world.

I previously worked as Sakayanagi's limo driver but switched jobs after having offered to be a butler as Sir Ayanokouji's butler.

I wouldn't want to be disturbed right now but if he out of all people called me this late it must be something very important.

"Yes, Sakayanagi I can hear you clearly. What might be your reasoning as to calling me in the middle of the night."

"Haha... Well, I'll get straight to the point since it sounds like I've disturbed you. It's about the child you are currently taking care of. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."

When I heard what he said I slightly got nervous as I didn't know how he knew how I was taking care of his mentor's son but playing dumb at this rate would be even more troublesome so I just decided to speak truthfully.

"If I may ask Sakayanagi, how did you know I was taking care of him? Are you perhaps interested in the boy?" I asked him

"Well let's just say I do know him and I am a little bit interested in him, but I didn't call to discuss that." He shrugged off my questions.

"The reason why I'm calling you right now is if we could propose a deal."

"A deal? Are you offering me another job? Sorry to say Sakayanagi but I don't intend to quit jobs so soon since my son is about to go to high school soon and I have to pay his tuition. The pay here is quite big you know."

"No no no no, it's nothing like that. It's actually related to the boy you've been taking care of." He denied the claims.

"Sorry sir but I don't intend to sell you Sir Ayanokouji's son to you, nor do I want to go to jail for human trafficking," I replied jokingly.

"You and your jokes never get old haha... But jokes aside, I actually do have something important to inform you." He said in a serious tone.

"Currently Ayanokouji-sensei is under suspicion for being involved in a crime which involves the facility he created. That's probably why he left his son for you to take care of."

"Thank you for the information on Sir Ayanokouji but what does that have to do with you proposing a deal with me?"

I was genuinely confused as I didn't know what he wanted from me.

"I'll get straight to the point. I've been working with the government relaying them information about Ayanokouji-sensei's facility to them. The government would also like your cooperation in this case in exchange the government will put you and your family under government protection."

What I heard shocked me to the point I was speechless. Although I couldn't see the reason why he would want me to cooperate since I didn't know much about the facility Sir Ayanokouji had build besides the fact that it was a cruel place made to expand humanity's potential of growth.

"I understand the contents of the deal but why would you need my cooperation? I don't really have any useful information regarding the facility." I asked him for answers.

"Oh you may not have information, but the person your taking care of certainly does."

"You mean Kiyotaka sama..? I get that he's seen the things that happen in the facility since he was a victim of the facility itself, but wouldn't it put too much pressure on him to reveal the contents of his past? I get that he's different than other kids, but that doesn't mean he isn't human like them. Some people don't like others to pry into their lives and I'm just worried that if Kiyotaka-sama does intend to cooperate, it'll open up some wounds in his past which could trigger something in him." I worriedly asked him.

Honestly, I just wanted him to have good memories of the outside world before he departs from this mansion and goes back to that place. I don't intend to pry into his past as it would make him uncomfortable. As long as Kiyotaka-sama felt happy in his stay here, that would be enough to make me happy.

"Of course I wouldn't blame you for being concerned about him. He has lived his whole life in a loveless environment so he might feel very uncomfortable opening up to others. But, his cooperation will be necessary for us to finally shut down the white room and put Ayanokouji-sensei behind bars. Think about it Matsuo, if we can gather enough information to shut down the white room, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka will no longer be trapped in the shackles of that facility. He could even go to a normal school and make friends as any other normal kid would do. He could learn to finally feel emotions and fall in love. Don't you think it's worth for him to give us the information we need in exchange for him to have a chance at freedom?" Sakayanagi tried to persuade me.

I thought about what he said for a while. I wanted happiness for the child who I was ordered to take care of for a few months. If I just refuse this offer, I wouldn't forgive myself for letting him go back to that place without even trying to prevent the outcome.

I finally decided to answer him.

"Fine, I will cooperate for the sake of Kiyotaka-sama. But promise me the government truly will protect me and my son just in case things don't go as planned."

Honestly, I couldn't care less about me risking my life but I wouldn't want to endanger my family by risking their lives on the line.

"Of course they will. If you still have suspicions, the military itself will protect your family. Ayanokouji-sensei has no ties with the military so rest assured the government will protect you and your family from anyone that tries to harm you guys."

I sigh in relief.

"Then I guess we have a deal Sakayanagi. I'll inform Kiyotaka-sama about this immediately after waking from his sleep."

"There will be two limousines coming to pick you up in a few days. I suggest you spend as much time in the mansion as possible before finally going incognito. Inform your family about this too." Sakayanagi informed me.

I didn't know what the outcome of this deal would be but I knew that I had one goal for accepting this deal.

It was to bring down the facility and let Kiyotaka-sama experience a normal and peaceful life that was taken away from him.

Prologue: Part 2 END

Word count: 6338

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Author's note:

Hello again my fellow readers (｡•́‿•̀｡).

There will be one more part to the prologue until Ayanokouji finally starts to go to ANHS

So how did you like the chapter?

Again, please forgive me if you see any spelling or grammar mistakes as English is only my second language.

I will probably answer more questions in the AN of prologue: part 3 (final)

The final part is probably gonna be very long, maybe around 10k words so be prepared for that.

So please look forward to the next chapter and thank you for reading this chapter of Classroom of the Elite: Unconfined Genius

(人 •͈ᴗ•͈)

Prologue : Part 3 (Final)

Matsuo Eiichiro POV

It was currently 5:10 AM in the morning. I had just woken up from a very good night's sleep. I spent yesterday Sunday hanging out with my friends in a friend's house. It was so fun we got lost in time and played for about 4 hours from 3:00 PM till 8:15 PM.

Alright, I should snap out of my thoughts and prepare for school. I stepped out of my bed and began folding the mess I made while sleeping. I guess Tsubasa was right about me being a very messy sleeper. As I finished making my bed, I went ahead to the kitchen and grabbed some ingredients from the cupboards in the kitchen. I was gonna make some Omurice since I had been craving it for weeks but didn't have the ingredients and motivation to cook I t. I was too busy studying for the midterms so that might explain the lack of motivation.

As I was in the middle of cooking, I was disturbed by a sudden ringing sound coming from the table across from me. I picked up my phone to see who had called so early in the morning considering people usually haven't woken up at this time or was too busy preparing breakfast, The person who called me this early to my surprise, was my one and only father.

Since my father works as a butler, he never really comes home so we often talk on the phone whenever I finished school or when it's late at night, of course, we made sure to contact each other at an appropriate time where it wouldn't disturb either of us when we had work or school assignments.

Honestly, I wish we could spend more time together as father and son. Don't get me wrong though, my father is a very good parent paying for all my education and needs while simultaneously working with barely any spare time. I respect him a lot as not everyone could raise a child while working for about 10 hours every day. It's just, I wish his boss would give him a break for once since it's been years since we physically met each other.

Putting my thoughts aside, he usually never calls me this early in the morning. Was it an emergency? Did something happen to him...?

Alright, I need to stop having these negative thoughts and answer his call. I've left him hanging for a minute, I don't intend to take any more precious work time from him.

I pressed the green round icon with a white silhouette of a phone and put the phone on speaker since no one was around me.

"Hello, Father?"

The caller was silent for a few seconds but then, a voice I did not recognize started to speak.

"Is this Matsuo Eiichiro I'm speaking to?" An unfamiliar voice entered my ears which seems to be the voice of a woman.

I was really confused as to why another person had my dad's phone and was calling me through his phone. Did he get in trouble? Did he perhaps found a new lady to call his wife and attempted to surprise me? I mean I wouldn't be any if he were to find a new woman I'm glad for him but damn couldn't he have told me the news properly?

Alright, I'm probably overthinking it. I should question who the person behind the phone is. My father might have gotten in an accident or something serious had happened to him.

"Who is this? And why do you have my father's phone with you?" I questioned the person using my father's phone. I was on guard since I didn't know if the person behind the phone was a threat or a good person.

"Please rest assured that we didn't do anything to your father. We only called to give you information that might save you and your family's life." The woman replied.

"What do you mean by saving me and my family's life. Are you implying that something might happen to us in the near future?" I asked a bit anxiously.

"Well let's just say there's a future possibility that someone might put a bounty on you and your dad due to something your dad did." The woman explained.

Something my dad did...? What the hell did that old geezer do to suddenly risk him and his family's life. Did he commit a crime or something?

"Something my dad did? What did my dad do to suddenly anger someone to the point that someone wants him and his family dead?"

I was starting to panic a bit cause out of all the scenarios I imagined would happen today, suddenly being hunted by someone certainly wasn't one of them.

"Well rest assured, your dad is being targeted not because he did something terrible." She replied to my question which didn't make me any calmer.

I mean how would you feel if you woke up one day thinking it's going to be a good day and suddenly you got informed that someone is literally hunting you and your family. Must not be nice, must it?

Sigh...

Well, there's no use of me panicking right now. It's not like me complaining will change anything.

"Can I at least know the reason why we're suddenly being targeted? "

"To sum it up, your father went against his employer's orders. Your father basically reported and exposed some things his employer has done which are considered to be illegal by Japanese law. So he reported the crimes his employer committed to us and in exchange for getting information from him, we the government have decided to offer governmental protection to him and his loved ones considering his employer has a massive influence over Japan and might target you and your father once he finds out what your father did."

"Wow..." I couldn't help but utter those words. I mean what else would you say when you've suddenly been put into a situation like this.

"Anyways, now that I've explained the situation, I want you to start packing your clothes, essentials, and belongings as a private government car will be coming to pick you up at around 7:00 PM." The woman suddenly informed me.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH! That soon?! I mean I get that my life is in danger but I have to run away that soon? I mean It's not like I have a choice to decline but I do have a life here. I mean how are my friends gonna react to my sudden disappearance from school? Surely they would start to question me leaving without a trace. And they might even start to misunderstand things about our relationships and hate me since I left without saying goodbye. I know I have to leave soon but I have a life here too and I don't want people I care about to get hurt because I suddenly disappeared without reason." I complained a bit too much.

Although it's not like my complaints were unreasonable. I wanted to at least say goodbye to my friends as they mean a lot to me. And I didn't wang them to think they didn't mean much to me since I was gonna suddenly leave them after hanging out with them yesterday.

"Calm down kiddo. Don't panic when I haven't explained the full details to you yet." She tried to reassure me.

The call paused for a while then she continued talking, "We specifically told you we would come to pick you up at 7:00 pm specifically because your father requested it. He just like you wanted your friends to you to give them a proper goodbye. We've contacted your school and have gained permission from your school to let you leave the school and the staff of the school will probably inform your friends and classmates on why you wouldn't come to the school anymore."

"Oh... That's reassuring I guess. I apologize for my immature behavior just now. It's not like me to usually lose my patience like this." I apologized sincerely

"Well it's not like you complaining is illogical. I mean anyone would freak out if they woke up and were suddenly awoken to news as big as this one. Your still a child after all, it wouldn't be strange for you to freak out." I felt the last statement was unnecessary but I'll ignore it for now.

"Keep in mind you have more than 12 hours before we pick you up. That should be enough time for you to bid your farewells to your friends and other loved ones. Also, don't forget to pack up your essentials since you'll be living in an isolated government-owned facility for quite a while." Wait... How long was I gonna be kept isolated for?

"If you don't mind me asking, how long does the government intend to hide me and my family for?"

"We will let you go once we've got enough evidence to corner your father's employer and arrest him for the crimes he's been suspected to be involved with. I'm not sure how long that would take but probably around months? Or maybe even years."

Well, I knew it was gonna be long but it's still quite surprising. I mean can you blame me for wondering? My own life was in danger here and I have to suddenly abandon my normal everyday life because of it.

"Anyways I will be ending the call here. I and a few other colleagues will explain the situation more clearly to you once you've arrived at this facility. Until then Eiichiro, just stay at home and don't go with any strangers since we don't have info if your father's employer has realized what your father did. Also, don't forget to pack everything you need as we won't turn back to your home once we've departed from it, understood?" She said as if she was ordering me like a soldier.

"Yes ma'am understood." I just replied nonchalantly.

"Good, I'll be hanging up now considering I have tasks to do. I hope you've understood the information I've relayed on to you and we'll pick you up at exactly 7:00 pm. I'll be ending the call now."

Beep.

The sound that my phone made as we ended our call.

Sigh...

What a way to start the morning. First I get a call from who I thought was my dad this morning, turning out to be someone from the government. Then I find out I and my family were being targeted cause of something my dad did. And in a couple of hours, I'll have to leave everyone and everything behind for my own safety.

Well, I should prepare breakfast first, I should at least enjoy the few hours of normal life I had left.

--

It was currently 7:00 am in the morning. Usually at this hour, I would've already worn my uniform, socks, and shoes, then get on my bicycle and bike to school usually arriving there after 20-30 minutes of cycling. But today was no normal day as my life was about to change in about 12 hours. I decided to send a text to my best friend to inform her why I wouldn't be at school today.

I pressed the messaging app and made my way to her contact.

(Left side is Nanase chatting, the right side is him chatting.)

Contact: Nanase Tsubasa

[Good night Eiichiro and sweet dreams. (｡•́‿•̀｡)]

9:06 PM

[ Today]

[Good morning Tsubasa! Sorry I
couldn't reply to your messages
yesterday. I was really sleepy
and tired from hanging out
yesterday ]

7:03 AM

[Ah! It's okay Eiichiro! I figured
you would like some peace because of how tiring yesterday was. No need
to apologize really.]

7:04 AM

[Oh by the way, the school will
probably inform everyone
about this, but I won't be
coming to school for today and
for a while due to reasons
I can't say.]

7:05 AM

[Oh... Well that's too bad, I was
planning to play with you since
holidays are coming up soon.
Did something big perhaps
happen for you to suddenly
be absent from school?]

7:05 AM

[I guess you could say that... I'm not really allowed to disclose much
info, but yeah I guess something big
did happen. Anyways, I think it
would be better if the school told
you about it instead of me anyways.]

7:06 AM

[Well okay. I have to go now Eiichiro,
Sorry but I don't wanna be late for
School. Sorry, talk to you later!
(人 •͈ᴗ•͈)]

7:07 AM

[Oh okay. Talk to you later!]

7:07 AM

I exited the messaging app and turned off my phone. Well, that's one thing that's been taken care of. I should probably start packing my clothes and essentials. Well, this is gonna be one heck of a day, isn't it?

I went to my storage closet and grabbed one of the suitcases my dad used when we used to go on vacation. It was a bit heavy but I was able to drag it easily. I went to my room while dragging the suitcase with me. I put the suitcase on the floor as I unzipped the zippers on the suitcase.

Then I stood up and went to my wardrobe and grabbed all of my clothes. I started folding them neatly and put them in an orderly manner. I realized how many clothes I actually had and was shocked to find out some of them didn't even fit anymore.

Ugh there's so many clothes here I have to fold and some of them I can't even wear anymore. I guess this is what I get for being a lazy ass student who gets above-average grades but can't even learn to tidy his own clothes. Thoughts like these kept me occupied as in a few hours, my friends would probably show up at my house chaotically questioning what the school just informed them. It would be bothersome but you can't delay the inevitable.

Sigh...

Let's just throw away these thoughts and let's finish packing up all the stuff I need for this long goose chase my family had been involved in. I just hope once this was over I could come back here and live my life as a normal student again.

--

It's currently 4:17 PM in the late afternoon. I just woke up from a good afternoon nap. After I finished packing up all the stuff I needed, I ended up more tired than I thought I would be and ended up falling asleep. I didn't even get to eat lunch.

Well, I'm gonna be leaving in around 3 hours, I might as well order some foods online as I probably won't be eating any food like that for a long time.

I got up from my bed and wore some slippers. I grabbed the phone from the desk near my desk and what I saw on my screen wasn't even surprising honestly. I had 17 missed calls, 76 unread messages. Those missed calls and messages were most likely from my friends trying to question me on the situation I was in.

Apparently, after all of them had done their club activities, they would come to my house at around 4:30-4:45 PM. This was gonna be troublesome but it's not like I didn't expect something like this would happen.

I read some of the messages my friends had sent me. Most of them were questioning me about the information the school gave to them about me. Tsubasa in general was asking me in caps lock while also being worried about me. It was nice to know my friends actually cared about me but I felt kinda sad that I won't be able to see them for a long time.

While I was thinking of all this, I suddenly heard my doorbell being ranged which snapped me out of my thoughts instantly. I checked my phone and it was only 4:25 PM. I guess they came earlier than I expected.

I walked towards the door and saw through the window and to my surprise only one person stood there. A girl with hip-length light-blonde hair and blue eyes that could charm any man. It was my childhood friend, Nanase Tsubasa. She had a face of worry and confusion as she kept waiting in front of the door hoping for me to respond.

I didn't want to make her more worried than I've made her already. I gently open the door and saw a surprised face on her.

"Tsubas-" before I could finish calling her name she quickly hugged me the moment I opened the door.

I looked at her and I noticed she was shaking a lot while hugging me.

"T-thank God you're alright. I-i thought something might have h-happened to you after you didn't read or reply to my text messages." She said to me in a worried and shaken tone.

I patted her head and caressed her hair gently. "I'm sorry for not responding. I may have slept for too long. Sorry for worrying you Tsubasa." I tried comforting her.

She started to calm down and regain her composure. It was honestly saddening to see her worry this much about me. I knew whatever the school would announce to my friends would cause them to panic but it still hurt seeing Tsubasa like this.

"Y-you better explain everything! The senpais from your class wouldn't stop asking me what happened to you when I had no clue of what the school just told us."

"I will, I will don't worry. What did the school tell you though? I'm quite curious about what they said that could put you in this state." I asked curiously.

"Well, I heard from your friends in your class that you suddenly dropped out, and the only reason they didn't really give us any context on why you suddenly dropped out of school other than it being related to your family." She explained

She looked at me hesitantly then continued, "Since you were a student council member, some people started to spread rumors that maybe you did something against that broke the school rules and you were expelled by the school, but they didn't want the image of the student council to be tarnished so they made up an excuse for your expulsion. Obviously, I didn't believe any of those rumors but I at least needed to come see you to confirm the real reason you suddenly decided to leave the school."

Well, I'm not even surprised that rumors like those spread. Although I don't like to brag, I was one of the popular guys in my whole year and I would sometimes get jealous glares from other students. Those people might try to take advantage of the news they just received by slandering me behind my back for them to rise in the popularity rankings. I should probably clear up the situation first to Tsubasa before I start spacing out again.

"Well, what the school told you was true. I do have to drop out of school due to some family problems I'd like to keep private. There's also a chance I might have to move away to another place temporarily since the problems my family's facing hasn't been resolved." I told her a half-truth.

"WAIT YOUR MOVING?!" Oh did the school forgot to mention that?

"Unfortunately, yes. But it's not like we'll never see each other again. Once my family issues have been resolved, I'll probably come back here."

"H-how long will you be gone for?" She asked with a hint of concern in her tone.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone but at the longest, at the least, I would be gone for a few months. Though, there's a possibility we might not meet each other for a few years."

"YEARS?! YOUR JOKING RIGHT?!" She started to get worked up while questioning me.

"I really wish I was, but you know I wouldn't joke about something as serious as this," I replied somberly.

"B-but you can't! We promised we'd go to the same school once you and I graduate right?!"

"I'm sorry I truly am, but I can't do anything about the situation I'm in." I was starting to get a bit upset on thinking about how heartbroken Tsubasa must be right now.

"Still... Even if we're no longer near each other, we'll still be able to chat and call each other... Right?" I noticed she was holding back tears as she said those words.

"About that... There might be a chance I'll also have to cut communications from other people for a while. This includes you and my other friends too. So we might not be able to keep in touch for months and maybe even years."

"B-BUT WHY?! I MEAN IS IT THAT SERIOUS?! I-I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING." No longer able to hold her tears, she hugged me tightly as she was crying. Tears started to soak my shirt at the place she was sobbing in.

Although after all is said and done we could just reconnect as old friends do, there's no guarantee our bond would be as close as it is right now or if we would even have a bond anymore. It's normal in life to suddenly drift apart from someone you regarded as family to suddenly becoming strangers again. No matter what promises were made like promising to get in touch even after graduation, or promising to never forget each other no matter how far apart they are, sometimes those sweet promises are nothing but lies we humans make up to comfort ourselves from the inevitable truth.

We knew the risks of us not being able to contact each other. We knew no matter how deep my bond with Tsubasa was, there was always a chance that one day we might never even talk to each other again. We knew that there might be a day where we'll forget each other and only acknowledge each other as nostalgic people stuck in our memories.

As she continued crying and sobbing intensely, I could only do nothing but hug her tightly as I knew words of comfort wouldn't make this situation any better. While hugging her tightly I could only pray. Praying if a God or any divine is being out there that we would be reunited one day having the same or maybe even a deeper bond that we had today. I prayed and kept praying that God or any other being out there would protect us and keep us close together. I don't know if I believe in the supernatural, but at this moment I could only hope that the person in front of me would be safe and happy, hoping destiny would be on our side as we would part ways temporarily.

I could only wish these thoughts as I tried to comfort her. I only wished for her safety and happiness. Nothing more, nothing less.

Even if it's not with me, that's fine. As long as she's happy and safe, that's all I wanted for her.

--

After few minutes of me and Tsubasa comforting each other, my friends arrived at my front door. It was clear they were expecting answers from me as they had confused and worried expressions while looking at me.

I let them in my house along with Tsubasa. I prepared some drinks for them as I explained the whole situation I was in. Of course, I didn't tell them everything. I couldn't tell them that my life was suddenly in danger and I had to drop out of school and move away because of that reason.

I didn't want to make them more concerned than they already are. Plus who knows what risk would be taken if I suddenly told them the whole truth. There's no guarantee their lives wouldn't be in danger too.

As I finished explaining everything to them, some wanted to question me more but probably read the atmosphere that I didn't want to talk about it more. I stood up and grabbed the tea kettle on the table as I refilled my cup with green tea. I could count on a good cup of tea to ease myself no matter what tense situation I was in.

"Are you sure you're fine with all of this Matsuo? I mean no one would blame you if you were to complain. I mean your life you've been used to every day is suddenly going to change dramatically. You might not even be able to contact us for years which certainly bothers you does it not?" One of my friends questioned me. Her way of asking might be misunderstood as her trying to probe information from me but, I could see by her facial expressions she was genuinely worried about me.

"Even if it does bother me, it's not like me complaining will fix anything. I can only hope and wait that whatever problems my family is having would be resolved peacefully as fast as possible. You really don't have to worry about me that much Matsuhita-san."

"Right... But you better contact us as soon as your family matters have been resolved ok? Things won't be the same without you at school."

"Of course I will, that much I can promise," I reassured her.

After that conversation, me and my friends along with Tsubasa just made idle talk like what happened at school today, what I did for the rest of the day, how certain people reacted to the sudden bomb the school dropped on them.

Even though it was only for an hour, I appreciated every moment I had left with my friends. There was no guarantee I would survive the bounty put on me. Even if the military got involved in this case, there was always a chance that my life could be taken from me by my father's employer. I wanted to at least give them one last good memory of me just in case if anything were to ever happen to me.

I wish this would last forever but reality doesn't work like that sadly...

--

It was now 6:00 PM, I had requested my friends to leave at this time since I wanted to re-check my belongings. I didn't wanna accidentally leave anything important behind as I would be staying somewhere isolated for the next few months and possibly years.

While everyone was leaving, I saw some of my friends trying to hold back tears as I told them I would be leaving in an hour. Of course, the woman behind my father's phone didn't say I had to cut off communication with other people, but in this modern technological era, people can track you with just a single image. There's probably a high guarantee of someone being able to track down another person with just their devices being used.

Tsubasa looked like she wanted to say something to me but left probably due to thinking she didn't want to bother me anymore with her worries.

Once I finished checking my essentials, I just waited outside of my house and stared at the sky above me while enjoying the atmosphere of wind blowing against my skin.

I honestly had nothing else I wanted to do before my life would change in a few minutes. I could only enjoy the view and atmosphere around me as I remembered the memories I made here with my loved ones.

I could only ask questions in my head like "would I be the same person I am today once this situation has cleared up?", " Will the bonds I have now be abandoned due to lack of communicating with my friends?",

" Would I get out of this situation alive?".

I didn't know what my future will have in store for me or if I even will have a future. I can only hope that whoever is watching me is on my side and hopefully I could return here safely someday and reunite happily with people I treasured most.

I also hoped that nothing would happen to my old man. He raised me lovingly despite being a single parent. Every accomplishment, everything I stand for, and everything I am is because of him. If I lost him this early in my life, I... I wouldn't know what to do with my life anymore. At this moment, I couldn't do anything else but prayed for his safety and well-being.

As I let my head be filled with melancholic thoughts, I suddenly heard a very loud beeping sound near me. I looked at my phone, turns out I've been spacing out for a long time as it was already exactly 7.00 PM.

As I looked in front of me, there was a long black vehicle, probably a limousine right in front of my house gates. I stood up and grabbed my suitcase beside me, I approached the vehicle. Suddenly, a tall man wearing a black coat exited the vehicle and just left the door open.

"Get in, we don't want to waste much time." The man said.

I only nodded and made my way to the door of the limousine. As I entered, the sofas were made of leather colored with white. There was even a mini tv near the seats and a very long window where you could look at the view very clearly.

I sat down on one of the seats on the right side of the vehicle. It was very comfortable with the right amount of softness to the cushion and the air conditioning was not too cold nor not too hot. If I wasn't in the situation I was in right now, I would've thought that this would probably be a luxurious trip to Tokyo or any other luxurious places that were available near me.

As the man with the black coat finally closed the door, the driver finally took the steering wheel and drove us to the unknown location I was going to spend a long time living in. I'm pretty sure my father was already there so I didn't really need to worry much about him.

"Would you like a snack or perhaps some food kid?" The man in front of me spoke. Honestly, I had an impression of him being a rather stern and serious adult since it was highly likely he worked with the government.

"Ah, thank you for your offer but I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I already had dinner a few moments ago." I respectfully refused his offer.

He simply just nodded as the atmosphere came back to an awkward silence. Unable to stand the awkwardness of this situation, I just looked at the window beside me and just looked at the stunning view I was seeing with my own two eyes.

The view I was seeing was filled with the night lights of Tokyo city and the dark sky filled with stars that shine brighter than even the brightest parts of this city.

As I went into my thoughts while looking at the beautiful view in front of me, I could only wonder what my future would look like a year from now on. Would I still be alive? Would I return here safely and reunite with my friends? Or would I still be at the facility paranoid not knowing when or if my life was gonna end on any day?

I resolved one thing though. No matter what life throws at me, no matter what situation I'll be put in. I won't give up. I won't back down on anyone who tries to hurt me and my father. I'll stand taller than any world record holder buildings and I would make sure to accomplish my hopes and dreams for myself.

And thus, a new chapter of the beginning of my strange journey would begin exactly tomorrow, which is the predicted time when I would arrive at my destination.

--

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

I let out a yawn as I opened my eyes. I stretched my arms as I gain consciousness from my slumber. Things have certainly been... How do I put it, unexpected? Well, this started around a week ago.

First, I was no longer in the mansion my father had ordered me to stay in. I was now in a building that looked to be isolated somewhere deep in the forest. If everything here was painted in white, I could've probably mistaken this place as the white room due to how isolated it was and how similar the location of the place was compared to the white room. However, to me, the white room did a better job of keeping its presence hidden than this place did despite this place being a government facility.

Ah right, you must be confused why I'm suddenly staying in a government facility in the middle of nowhere.

Back to my point, around a week and three days ago, I thought it would just be like any other normal day for me. Doing my regular exercises to maintain my physique and studying subjects that the white room had ordered me to study, but, my butler Matsuo apparently had very big news to tell me.

When he informed me of the news he had to share with me, I honestly thought he was trying to crack a joke to me or had somehow gone insane. I mean what else would you think if you grew up your whole life isolated, being used as a lab rat with no freedom, and suddenly an old man told you that you had a chance at freedom despite knowing your dad at one point could move the whole country of Japan.

You should've seen my face when he told me all of that.

...

Who am I kidding, I couldn't even express myself let alone show genuine emotions on my face no matter how hard I tried. The best genuine expression I probably shown when I heard the news were probably my eyes widening by just a bit.

It's not like I was incapable of showing emotions. During my time at the mansion, I had tried to practice making facial expressions like smiling, frowning, and even narrowing my eyebrows to make it look like I was angry. There was also this other expression called pouting. It was an expression where you would fill the insides of your mouths with air causing your cheeks to look like they were expanding like balloons. You also had to somewhat make an angry expression while doing this.

From what I heard on the internet when girls did this, people would usually get smitten due to how cute the girl would look while pouting. I was intrigued by why people found this facial expression attractive so one night during dinner, I had tried to make a pouting face in front of Matsuo.

...The results were not what the internet had told me. Instead of the cheerful smile he always showed on his face, he looked at me with a worried and concerned face. He even kept bothering me with questions like "Was the food perhaps not to your liking young master?" Or "Did I do something wrong to anger you Kiyotaka-sama?".

I mean I knew I wasn't the best at making facial expressions, but I didn't think I was that bad that even Matsuo out of all people would look at me with concern and worry. Even if I was a person devoid of emotions, I was still a teenage boy you know? Even someone like me could have their feelings hurt.

Not that I even had feelings that could be hurt in the first place but still...

Alright, I should stop getting sidetracked by these boring thoughts of mine and get back to the point.

As I was saying, it was quite unbelievable on what Matsuo had told me that day. He did say he got that information and request from a trusted friend who works for the government. I was very skeptical of course, Matsuo was the kind of person who seemed good-hearted but naive at the same time. It could just be him being blinded by his kindness and the caller who requested my presence could be someone from the white room or at the least, a prank caller.

But he did let me talk to the person who contacted him about me. The person even sent evidence he really was working with the government to bring down the white room by sending me various confidential pictures through text. If I remember correctly, his name was... Sakayanagi?

But how did he know about the white room? Does he have some sort of relationship with my father? Was he the one who caused the security breach that threatened the existence of the white room? I had so many questions that wouldn't be answered unless I cooperated with him and the government.

Long story short, we were picked up by some government officials with a limousine, we escaped the mansion undetected, and here we are now.

Although I had so many questions to ask, one question stood above other things I was curious about.

Why was Matsuo willing to go this far just to help someone like me?

I mean I wasn't complaining but rather I was grateful to him. He had taken care of me in the mansion and made my stay there quite pleasant. Even if I were to go back to the white room and was fated to never see him again, the man named Matsuo would forever have my respect and the memories and bonds I made with him would always remain somewhere in my heart.

But why was he doing all of this for me? I failed to see any benefits outweighing the risks of this whole operation. Did the government offer him money? Matsuo didn't seem like a person who would be swayed by greed but people are not always who they seem. But even if it was for money, why go so far to the point he would risk his own life for me?

No matter what my supercomputer brain tried to think of, I couldn't see any logic behind all of this. He must know that if it wasn't for the government intervening, my father could have him or his family killed in an instant and my father wouldn't even show one hint of sympathy for them.

As I was spacing out, a certain figure had come to check up on me.

"Good morning Kiyotaka-sama, did you have a good night's sleep?" Matsuo asked with the cheerful smile he had always shown since my first day of staying at the mansion.

"Yes, I did have quite a pleasant sleep. Thank you for asking Matsuo." I replied to him. He just continued smiling and began walking towards my bed.

He wanted to make my bed for me but I stopped him and said I could just tidy up the bed myself. He just nodded as a reply and made his way out of my room.

Once I rolled over and stood up from my bed, I turned off the lamp beside my bed since it was no longer night time. I began picking up the blanket that was on the ground and folded it until it looked tidy and neat. Surprisingly, during my time at the mansion, Matsuo would always tease me on how much of a mess I would make while I was sleeping. He came to know about it when he entered my room early morning to wake me up but saw the sheets slightly messy and a pillow laying on the ground. He also saw me in a weird messy sleeping position which he made fun of me for sometimes. It was little things like these that made talking and being with him quite comfortable.

Once I finished tidying up the bed, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face since I was still a bit sleepy. Although I had been trained since childhood to endure sleepiness and wake up on very short sleeping hours since some days I had to train harder than other days, I was still a human being after all. I needed sleep like any other human being did and experienced the feeling of tiredness though my definition of tired to me might be different from what other people consider tiring.

After I finished doing my business in the bathroom, I opened the cupboard and wore some appropriate clothes for breakfast. I then exited my room and closed the door behind me without forgetting to turn off the air conditioning in my room. I made my way to a dining room, well more like a cafeteria where I spotted Matsuo currently cooking for the both of us.

He turned around and we made eye contact. He waved at me and gestured me to come help him with some of the cooking. Since my stay at the mansion, Matsuo had been teaching me on how to cook since he said it was a necessary skill every human being needed to survive. Of course, I wasn't taught to cook in the white room but I was never taught any exquisite recipes. So learning these new recipes from around the world was quite exciting for me. I was a fast learner in cooking so Matsuo didn't have to worry much about me making a mistake during my time in the kitchen.

Currently, we were planning to make some crispy pork dumplings. Matsuo had already mixed the meat with the vegetables and seasoning it needed so all I needed to do was to put the filling in the handmade dough Matsuo had made. I grabbed one of the small round doughs from a bowl and grabbed a little amount of meat mixed with vegetables and placed it on the small round dough.

I then soaked the tip of my right fingers with water and tapped some spots on the dough to make sure the dough would stick when I folded it. Once I had finished folding the dough, I repeated the same process with other small doughs until there were none left.

(I kinda suck at describing these kinds of things, so I sincerely apologize if I offended you with how bad I described this part)

After all of that was done, Matsuo had told me to wash my hands and let him do all the work. I nodded in response and washed my hands with soap. I then went to one of the tables in the cafeteria and waited for Matsuo to finish cooking.

A few minutes later...

Matsuo had finished cooking as he placed the dumplings on the table I was sitting on. He was then sat in the sit in front of me.

"Itadakimasu..." We said as we clapped hands in unison.

I took a bite out of the dumpling dipped in sauce.

...

Delicious. The meat wasn't overcooked and the temperature of the dumpling wasn't too hot nor too cold. I always made sure Matsuo would make food that stuck to my diet since I wanted to maintain my physique from when I was in the white room but once in a while eating delicious and flavorful food like this wasn't bad at times.

--

As we finished our breakfast, My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to ask the question that had been stuck with me for these past few days.

"Matsuo, can I ask you a question?" I asked him before he could leave his seat.

"If it's to my abilities, of course, Kiyotaka-sama." He replied. He had a slightly confused face as he wondered what could someone as smart as me want to question him about.

"You don't have to answer this if you would like to keep it a secret of course. I won't force you to listen to my selfish requests." He just nodded and smiled at me to reassure me. I could tell by his body language he didn't want me to force myself to ask him something if didn't want to.

"Why are you going so far for a stranger like me?" I asked straight to the point.

"...what do you mean by that Kiyotaka-sama?" He answered back with a question. He had a facial expression of confusion and a bit of concern.

"I mean, why do you want to help me so much you would risk your own life for me. You know the influence my father has. If he were to ever find out about me disappearing and you were the cause of it, surely he won't leave you and your family unpunished. These past few days I've been thinking of the benefits of you helping me but I couldn't find a single answer. So, I would like to hear it from you yourself on why you're doing this much for me."

He just stood there silently. He looked like he was deep in thought thinking of an answer to give me. The atmosphere became an awkward silence for a few seconds, he then regained his composure and finally answered the question I had been asking myself for these past few days.

"We Kiyotaka-sama, even if there is no benefit for me if this operation turns out to be successful and we'll be able to take down the white room, it certainly would benefit you a lot wouldn't it?"

...huh?

I couldn't help but be confused at his words. Although he's not wrong, did he really only do this purely only for my benefit? Matsuo sensing that I was confused continued his explanation.

"I knew what I was getting into when I joined this cooperation to take down your father. I knew I was risking me and my family's own life. But, if I let you go back to that horrible place without doing anything I... I would hate myself for the rest of my life for at least not trying to prevent you from going back to that place."

...

I could only listen in silence. This man... He truly was a kindhearted person. He's the only person in this world who had treated me this kindly.

"You may not think of it much but... The short times we spent together at the mansion reminded me of the times me and my son when we were younger. Due to my busy work schedule, I haven't been able to physically spend time with him as I used to when he was a kid. You may be right about the risks I'm taking in joining the government to help take down your father, but... You're wrong about one thing."

"And what is it that I'm wrong about Matsuo?" I asked him genuinely. Was there something he saw that I couldn't?

"There is a benefit for me in joining this cooperation."

?!

I couldn't help but feel a bit shocked. I widen my eyes a bit as I could not process what he had just told me. Was there something I missed during these past few days when I thought about all of this? I'll just let Matsuo finish to see if his answer would ease my confusion or not.

"You may have already realized it but there is no logical benefit in me risking my own life just to save you from that place. But you are only thinking through logic. Simply put, my benefit in joining this cooperation would be your happiness Kiyotaka-sama."

...

...

...

Can a person truly be this good-hearted? Of course, I didn't know since childhood I've lived in a loveless environment.

That last sentence he said, made me feel a warm fuzzy feeling I had never felt before.

This feeling...

It was pleasant.

It felt like I didn't want this feeling to go away...

Is this what it feels like to have someone care about you so much they're willing to go this far for you?

Is this what having a father figure in your life felt like?

Is this what it feels like to be loved by someone?

...

Did I feel happy hearing those words? Did I feel sad? Did I feel excited?

I...

I didn't know.

This was one of the few times in my life that I didn't know what the answer was to a question. Of course, I knew the textbook definition of happiness, sadness, anger, and other emotions. But I have never felt any of those emotions.

I snapped out of my thoughts and decided to ask another question.

"But... Why go so far for me...?"

"It's simple Kiyotaka-sama, I simply did it out of my own feelings and goodwill."

Oh...

No wonder I couldn't find the answer I had been looking for the past few days. I only thought about the logical benefits of him helping me. But I never considered he would help me out of his own goodwill or his own feelings.

Feelings huh...

Something I was never taught in the white room. In the white room, you needed to lock away your feelings for the sake of survival. If you didn't, you wouldn't survive for very long in that place.

The white room was designed to create a person who could come close to the definition of a "perfect" human being. We were taught knowledge that surpassed even healthy adults in college. We were trained every day to surpass the human limits, no other child has ever come close to the definition of the "perfect" human being but me.

Simply put if the white room was an artist then I would be its greatest masterpiece.

But it's ironic, isn't it...?

The white room had taught me everything they deemed necessary for me to become the perfect human being. Yet, they failed to teach me the most important part of their experiment.

They failed to teach me on how to be a human being.

...

Though it's not like I considered myself the "perfect" human being. There are 7 billion and more people in this world. Out of the 7 billion currently living in this world, there will always be someone better than me.

I truly hoped that I could find someone with the ability to defeat me. I wanted my defeat, my destruction, my failure more than anyone else did. My failure would also mean my father's failure too. I wanted the sad contradiction I carried within me to be destroyed. I truly wished that from the bottom of my heart.

--

Matsuo Eiichiro POV

I opened my eyes and remembered that I wasn't in the usual bed I was used to sleeping in every day. My body was resting on the seat of the limousine I had boarded last night. When I gained consciousness, I realized there was a pillow below my head and most of my body was under a blanket.

That's strange... I'm pretty sure I didn't fall asleep while using a pillow and blanket. I took off the blanket that was covering me and slowly awoken my body. I looked at the man in front of me, he had his eyes closed. Was he the one who gave me a pillow and blanket when I was sleeping? Well if he was, I needed to thank him as soon as he woke up cause I really had a good night's sleep despite the things that happened yesterday.

"Oh, you're awake?" The man in front of me asked. I just nodded in response. He then grabbed something from underneath his seat. It looked to be a bento wrapped in a polka dot pattern.

He unwrapped the clothing and it was revealed to be a bento box with some chopsticks on top of it. He opened up the box which revealed a food set of vegetables with chicken katsu beside it. There was also sauce which was placed in a small plastic that was tied up.

Surprisingly, he didn't eat the set of food he was holding but instead offered me it.

"Here, your breakfast." He offered.

"Are you sure...? I mean I won't deny it but wouldn't that mean you won't have anything for breakfast." I asked.

"Don't worry kid, once you work a job as big as this, you get used to it. Just take it really, it's no big deal." He reassured me.

"Ah, okay. Thank you for the meal... Uh.."

"Oliver. Just call me Oliver."

"Oh, thank you for the meal Mr.Oliver." he just nodded in response and looked back at the window beside him.

"Itadakimasu..." I said while clapping my hands. I unwrapped the plastic which contained the sauce and drizzled it on the katsu. With my chopsticks, I took a single piece of chicken katsu covered in sauce and put it in my mouth.

I took a bite out of it... Delicious. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sauce had the right sweetness to it. I also ate the vegetables and they were not bad either. If I was in a restaurant and a waiter had brought this to my table, I could've easily mistaken this as a dish served by an experienced chef instead of a government official.

While I was busy indulging in the food Mr.Oliver gave me, the limousine suddenly stopped moving. I thought something happened to the limousine cause we suddenly stopped in the middle of a forest.

"We've arrived at the location sir." I heard the driver say.

...

Wait... We've arrived? Don't tell me I'm gonna have to end up camping in the middle of nowhere for months? No no, the facility must be located somewhere here in the forest. That had to be it, there's no way the government would lie to their own people...right?

Or perhaps this was a plan by a criminal organization to pretend they were the government and they would kill me right here and right now in the forest. It was a good place to hide a body since I didn't see anyone pass through this road the whole time I was awake.

Welp, if this was somehow the case, at least I'll die knowing my last meal wasn't anything weird like a video I watched about serial killers requesting their last meals. Apparently, one of the serial killers in the video I watched had requested for their last meal to be a cooked rat. Of course, the police didn't approve of this and just put him on death row. But what if they had agreed though? What would rat meat taste like?

"Hello? Earth to Eiichiro?" A voice snapped me out of my thoughts. It was Oliver waving his hands in front of me. I never realized this but he was actually really tall. If he learned to play basketball, he probably could make it to the NBA from his size alone.

"Huh... Oh yeah sorry. I just got confused about why we suddenly had to stop in the middle of nowhere. Is the facility perhaps somewhere around here?" I asked Oliver. He just responded with a nod and gestured me to come follow him. I just followed his orders and we began to move forward walking on a dirt path leading to somewhere.

After around 30-45 minutes of nonstop walking, we finally stopped and arrived at our destination. Standing in front of us was a dirt wall with a door attached to it along with a security door code beside the door. It didn't make sense how the door could stick or even function being stuck to dirt like that. Was the dirt perhaps a camouflage to hide the metal walls? I'll probably find out the truth once I get through that door.

Oliver then started walking to the door and entered a code that only he and the government probably would know. Of course, he signaled me to look away. It was a reasonable request considering the code to open that door was confidential information outsiders should never know.

After Oliver finished entering the code, he placed his hand on the door handle and the door finally opened. What I saw behind that door was just a small and narrow hall leading to what seems to be an elevator. Honestly, it looked like something that came out of a horror movie.

Me and Oliver began to walk in the direction of the elevator. He also had to enter a code for the elevator and asked me to look away again. As expected of a government facility, the security is always top-notch as the movies portrayed it to be.

I then heard the elevator door open. It seems Oliver already finished entering the code for the elevator. We then entered the elevator with him entering first and me entering last.

The elevator door closed and Oliver pressed the last floor of the facility which apparently was the 6th floor. As the elevator began to move, the atmosphere felt really awkward. Both of us just stood there waiting for the elevator to take us to the 6th floor in silence. I decided I should at least try to make conversation with Oliver since I didn't want this awkward tension between us to stay.

"So... What do you do for a living?" I asked.

...

Alright, why the hell did I even ask him that. He works for the government, obviously he couldn't tell me what he does for a job. My conversation starter only made the awkwardness even worse as he just stared at me with a confused look. Look man, I know I messed up that question but don't look at me like that.

"I don't think you should force yourself to try to have a conversation with me. It's not like we need to have pointless idle talk to pass our time in the elevator. Besides, we've almost arrived on the 6th floor." He replied.

"Oh... Okay." I could do nothing but just stood there hiding my embarrassment.

--

Once we arrived on the 6th floor, what greeted us was a hallway with two doors on the edge of the hallway. Step by step I walked towards the door not knowing what was behind it. I stopped in the middle of my tracks, I could hear voices coming from the room behind that door. Were there perhaps more government workers waiting for me?

Seeing me stop in the middle of my tracks, Oliver walked right past me and opened both doors for us to enter. What greeted me as I entered the room was the figure of a man of average height with white hair. He seems to be wearing a cyan shirt with black leggings. Ah, that's right, the man standing in front of me right now was my father.

We noticed each other's presence and just stared at each other for a while. Oliver noticing the atmosphere just walked right past us. He probably did that to give us some privacy.

"Hello Eiichiro, how have you been my dear son." My father greeted me with a smile.

"Uhh... I guess it's been a bit stressful considering the situation we got ourselves in, but it's nothing big. I'm doing fine as always. What about you dad?" I tried to continue the conversation. Honestly, this must be a bit awkward for both of us considering it's been what, months? years? since we last talked to each other face to face.

"I'm holding up pretty well. I'll explain everything to you later. For now, just make yourself at home here." He replied. After he finished talking, he walked up to me and patted me on the head. It's been a long time since we last interacted physically so it felt nice to finally be able to see my father in person after years of being away because of work.

I looked around the place to see there were rooms set up for guests. There was also a cafeteria near the rooms and a kitchen with a bunch of ingredients. Dad said we were free to cook whatever we liked here.

There was also an underground gym for you to exercise or work out in. With all the junk food I've been eating before I was sent here, I guess I could try to lose some calories to make sure my body stays fit and healthy. There was also an indoor pool near the gym which honestly was pretty cool.

Then I arrived at the last available place on this floor. Apparently, it was a library where you could read books and study here. I don't want to get left behind on my education once this situation has calmed down so I'll probably try to study here every day for at least an hour.

When I took a look around the library, I noticed the presence of a person who seemed to be reading a book. He had brown hair and his appearance tells me he was probably around my age or older.

He appears to be reading a manga. Oh, he was actually reading one piece. Damn, the manga is still ongoing? I thought it ended like around 5 years ago. Anyways, what was a random teenager doing around here? Does he perhaps also work for the government? No, that can't be it. No one would be crazy enough to hire a kid and trust them to keep confidential information a secret.

Ah, he finally put down his book on the table in front of him. And with that, our eyes met. I didn't want things to be awkward so I decided to try to start a conversation with him.

"Uh... hi, are you from around here?" I asked him. He looked at me with confusion but quickly said something that took me by surprise.

"Ah, you must be Eichiiro, Matsuo's son. Matsuo has told me a lot about you." Wait... how did he even know my name?

"Are you perhaps an acquaintance of my father? I haven't given you my name yet. It seems you've heard about me from my father."

"Let's just say your father used to work for me. Well not me exactly, he worked as my father's butler until recently." He answered.

"Oh, you must have heard the situation he's in huh..." He just nodded at my assumption

Wait...

"If you are just another person my dad worked for, why are you here? Are you somehow involved in all of this?" I asked him.

"Let's just say I'm one of the reasons you and your father's lives are in danger. Though, I'm not the one who caused it though." He answered bluntly.

So he was involved in all of this. The lady did say that my father did something to his employer that put us in this position. The boy in front of me did say that my father worked for him until recently. Then I deduced something from the information I just gained.

"Sorry for asking suddenly but... are you perhaps the son of the man that put a bounty on me and my father?" I tried to ask him with no hostility. Whatever the reason, I don't think it was his fault me and my father was put into this situation. I wanted to make sure he knew that so he doesn't misunderstand my intentions for asking him that question.

He just kept silent and nodded at my question. No wonder he's currently in this facility. The lady did say that my father exposed the boy's father for his crimes. Was there another reason why his employer got so mad at my father?

Wait...

"Oi... my dad didn't kidnap you right?"

"..."

"..."

We just looked at each other silently. Sensing the awkward situation I put us in, I tried to stray the conversation away from that topic. But before I could, he opened his mouth to reply to me.

"Well, it depends really on how you define what kidnapping is. In normal circumstances, your dad would probably be in jail for now for running away with someone else's kid. But as you know, we are not under normal circumstances. Did your father technically kidnap me? Yes, but I don't think he actually kidnapped me like how others would see."

"Huh..." That was the only word I could say. Seeing the confused look on my face, he continued his explanation.

"People who kidnap children usually only do it to threaten their loved ones. They would want a large amount of the victim's family's money in exchange for the victim's life. If it wasn't for that reason, that it would probably be for worse reasons that I won't be discussing. But your father didn't have any ill intentions for keeping me here. My father isn't particularly a good person considering he could put a bounty on people and not even have a care in the world that he would be taking another person's life whether directly or indirectly. Simply put, your dad didn't want me to be influenced by him so he asked me to run away with him."

It's true, my dad certainly wasn't the type of person who would want to cause harm to others for his own benefit. If his employer is as bad as the person in front of me says he is then thank God for the government.

"How can you even call a person that horrible of a human being your father?"

"It's not like I want to call him my father, but what else would I call him. He was the one who raised me since childhood, well not exactly raise. He wasn't the best father during my childhood until now. I don't even know if we're even related biologically."

I started to feel bad for the person in front of me. I was lucky to have such a caring and loving person as my father. I wondered what he went through in his childhood considering how terrible of a father that man probably was to his own son.

"Ah that's right, I haven't introduced myself." The boy in front of me said trying to lighten the mood.

"My name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Uh... I guess I'm pretty much above average at everything, though don't expect much from talking to someone like me."

"Nice to meet you Ayanokouji...Kun?"

"It's up to you if you want to use honorifics for my name or not. I don't really care." He answered blankly.

"Ah, ok Ayanokouji. You seem to be reading One Piece. Do you perhaps like reading manga?" I tried to start a conversation with Ayanokouji.

"Actually this is my first time reading something like this." Those words shocked me to the point that I had made a very surprised face.

"Wait really? Even if you had a strict and uncaring father, I'm sure some of your friends have surely recommended you once to at least read something like One Piece or other mangas."

"Well to answer your question, I've been homeschooled since childhood and was pretty much isolated from the rest of the world. I've actually never had someone I could exactly call a friend." Just when I thought his life was depressing, it became even more depressing.

"In that case, I'll do the honors and become your first friend! You don't mind that right?" I offered to be his friend.

"Uh... I don't have any problems with you being my friend. But what defines a person you could call a friend anyways?" He asked confusingly.

"Definitions, meanings, just throw all that away. You don't have to have a reason to call someone a friend you know?" I answered.

"I see..." That was all he could say. It's no surprise he would be confused. If you've never had someone you could share your problems with and talk about trivial things without any fear of judgment, you probably wouldn't know how to make friends in the first place.

"You're not much of a talker aren't you Ayanokouji...?"

"I guess you could say that. This is actually one of the first times I've been able to have a conversation with someone as the same age as me."

"Damn that sucks. Sorry to hear that."

"No worries. It's not like I feel bad talking about some parts of my past. It's rather refreshing to be able to talk with someone of the same age as me."

Ayanokouji certainly was an interesting person. I wanted to know more about him. Obviously, I was interested in his childhood and upbringing but considering who his father was, I didn't want to force him to open up to me as I'm a person who respects another person's privacy. I wanted him to trust me more at his own pace. It must be nice for him to finally have someone he can call a friend. If we were to ever part ways, I could at least give him a good memory of me being his first friend.

We opened up about ourselves more as time passed by. I learned that he could do calligraphy and play the piano. I asked him to play for me one day and has just nodded in response. I also learned that he wasn't the type of person to change his facial expressions. I wanted to ask him about it, but I didn't want to come off as rude and piss him off or something like that. We talked about our interests, hobbies, dreams, and other trivial stuff. Talking with him was fun as I didn't realize we had been talking for about an hour now.

I guess living in this facility wouldn't be as boring as I thought it would be.

--

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

It was currently 6 am in the morning, I had just finished breakfast with Matsuo and Eichiiro. I wanted to help them cook but they insisted I took a break from cooking and let them cook for me instead.

Yesterday... Was quite interesting, to say the least. I expected Eichiiro to hold some resentment on me for me being one of the reasons he and Matsuo's lives were in danger but that didn't turn out to be the case. Instead, we became friends. The white room never taught me trivial stuff such as friendship and relationships. I was learning friendship through Eichiiro. I wanted to know the feeling normal people had when they had friends to talk to and hang out with.

I was doing my daily exercises in the gym to maintain my physique. I invited Eichiiro to join me, but he declined as he wanted to explore the upper floors of this facility. As I was busy lifting weights, a voice came out of one of the speakers that were implemented on this floor.

"To our guests currently residing on the 6th floor, please come straight to the 3rd floor at 7:30 AM as we plan to have a meeting with the topic being the current circumstances you are in. Thank you for your time and please don't be late."

Sigh...

I guess I knew this would've happened soon enough. I should focus on my training first as I still had 1 hour and 30 minutes before the meeting. I'll probably spend 45 more minutes exercising and working then spend the last 15 minutes before 7:00 AM showering.

--

It's now 7.25 AM. Me, Matsuo, and Eichiiro have just boarded the elevator making our way to the 3rd floor. We were suddenly called to the 3rd floor to discuss the circumstances we are currently in. We just waited in the elevator in silence.

Once we reached the 3rd floor, there were several men in tuxedos waiting for us. I noticed that Eichiiro was waving towards one of the men wearing tuxedos. Surprisingly, one of the men in the crowd of bodyguards gave a wave back towards him. Were they perhaps acquainted before all of this? I doubt that but I'll leave it at that I guess.

They asked us to follow them and we just nodded and followed their orders. They were escorting us towards a room which was probably where we would begin our meeting. The walk was awkward considering me and Eichiiro couldn't hold a conversation due to there not being any space for us to have privacy. Not like I mind though, I like a quiet and calm atmosphere though this atmosphere I would describe as calm.

As I was busy in my thoughts, we had finally arrived at the room where we would discuss everything that has happened. Upon entering, there were 8 seats at a round table, a projector, and 5 people were in there waiting for us.

Two women were sitting sternly. They were giving the aura of someone with authority. One of them was wearing a military uniform while the other was just wearing a blue tuxedo. The woman wearing the military uniform had long brunette-colored hair and beautiful purple eyes. The other woman had blue ocean eyes and short blonde hair. There was also a man standing beside them with short black hair and hazel brown eyes. He was also wearing a white lab coat which I don't know why but he looked sort of familiar. Was he perhaps someone who previously worked from the white room? Although it was a possibility, I would probably find out later during the meeting.

There were also two more people in the room. One was a man who seemed to be somewhere in his 40's maybe? He was wearing formal attire and was sitting on one of the seats that were placed near the table. When he noticed my presence, he just showed a smile on his face. I didn't know how to respond or what to respond with so I just gave him a nod.

Beside him was a short girl with lilac-colored hair and violet eyes. She was also wearing a black beret on her head. She also was wearing a blue coat over her shirt with a purple ribbon attached to it. She was also wearing a skirt with stockings reaching up until her thighs. She was also sitting while holding a black cane. Was she perhaps physically disabled? I didn't want to stare at her too long since she might misunderstand my intentions so I tried averting my eyes.

Before I could stare at something else, we made eye contact. She had a surprised expression for a second but her face quickly reverted back to a smile which could easily be mistaken for a smirk or a smug grin. She was whispering something to herself as we started at each other but I couldn't make out what she was trying to say.

The man beside her also seemed to be staring at us. Now that I take a good look at both of them, they both looked very similar to each other. Are they related in some way? Uncle and niece? Or father and daughter? Well, they could just be strangers that looked very similar to each other. After all,

Coincidences can be freaky.

--

"Now will the three of you please take your seats?" The brunette-haired woman said to us.

Each of us then went to the remaining available seats near the table. Matsuo had found a seat between the lab-coated man and the blonde-haired woman. I and Eichiiro sat next to each other with the lilac-haired girl on my left and him on my right.

"Now... Let's start the meeting, shall we?" The blonde-haired woman said in a serious tone.

From the corner of my eye, I could see that Eichiiro was somewhat nervous as his foot kept moving and he had a somewhat nervous face. On the contrary, the girl beside me kept her smile giving me glances from time to time. Now that I had a good look at her, I was a bit charmed by how beautiful she was.

"Before we start the discussion, I think it would be appropriate if all of us introduced ourselves. I think some of us would feel uncomfortable if we didn't even know the names and identities of the people in this room." The brunette-haired woman interrupted the blond-haired woman.

"I'll start, my name is Midori Fumiko. Currently, I am a high-ranking general in the Japanese military. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." The brunette-haired woman introduced herself.

"My name is Aki Bunko. I work as an information gatherer for the Japanese government. It is a pleasure to meet you all." The blonde-haired woman continued the introduction.

"I'm Yamato Daichi. You may refer to me however you like whether by my family or personal name. My occupation was a secret agent posing as an instructor for the 5th generation of the white room. I look forward to working with all of you."

As he finished introducing himself, I couldn't help but flinch a bit when he said he was from the white room. I could see Eichiiro putting on a confused and amazed expression. He was probably amazed because Yamato had revealed himself to be an undercover agent. He was also confused probably because he didn't know what Yamato was talking about when he mentioned the white room.

I could also sense the girl beside me staring at me a bit intensely. It looked like she wanted to see a reaction out of me and seeing me flinch a little must have satisfied her curiosity. I guess it's safe to assume she was related some way or another to the white room considering she wanted to see how I would react to Yamato's introduction. Especially when he specifically stated he was a former white room instructor.

"I'll go next," the man beside the lilac-colored-haired girl said. "I'm chairman Sakayanagi. Chairman of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. Pleased to be working with all of you."

(We don't know his personal name so bear with me with him introducing himself as chairman instead of his unknown personal name)

"If I may," the girl beside me started to speak, "I'm Sakayanagi Arisu. For this discussion, you can call me Arisu as to not confuse me with my father. It's a pleasure to be here."

So I was right, the man beside her was related to her in some way. However, it wouldn't be that hard to deduce considering they had the same eye color and had similar faces. Now that my suspicions were answered, was her father perhaps related to my Father in some way? Did he cause the security breach forcing the white room to shut down? I should probably ask those questions during the meeting later.

I should think about how to introduce myself first. There would be no point in lying considering almost everyone except Eichiiro probably knew who I really was. As I was deep in thought, it was Matsuo's turn to introduce himself.

"My name is Matsuo. I was previously a butler but ever since this situation, I guess I'm unemployed right now. It's a pleasure to be working with you all." He said while scratching his head to appear sincere.

Next, it would be Eichiiro's turn then lastly mine. Eichiiro looked really nervous and he was shaking a bit. I patted him on the back and whispered good luck to him to comfort him. He just gave me a bitter smile and started to introduce himself.

"Uh... My name is Matsuo Eichiiro, you can call me Eichiiro since I don't want you guys to confuse me with my father. Um... I'm not really talented in anything particular, but I guess I'm pretty good at cooking. Uh, it's a pleasure to meet all of you." He tried to force a smile but I could tell probably felt immense pressure since he was talking to government workers out of all people.

Sigh...

I guess it's my turn now, isn't it? I could see everyone looking at me with anticipation, especially Arisu beside me. Well, there's no value in me trying to keep my true identity a secret now. I stood up and properly introduced myself.

"My name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. The sole survivor of the 4th demonic generation of the white room. I'm sure all of you are already well aware of who I am or what I'm capable of, so I don't feel the need to continue my Introduction. It's nice to meet all of you." I ended with a bow.

Once I finished, I could see Matsuo giving me a thumbs up. Arisu was laughing quietly to herself while Eichiiro had probably become even more confused since I mentioned being part of the same white room that Yamato had also mentioned.

"Now that's all and done, let's begin our meeting," Midori said.

She grabbed a white remote and pressed some buttons on it. Then, the projector turned on and started to play a video that I was a little too familiar with.

It was a video of the demonic 4th generation of the white room, currently preparing for our mathematics exam. If I'm not wrong we were learning about algebraic expressions in calculus. Though I don't remember how old I was when I learned this, I could guess I was maybe around 8-10 years old.

"The mathematics exam will begin now. The passing grade of this exam is 80, anyone who scores below 80 will be punished severely, am I clear?" A voice in the video had said to the children. The children could only do nothing but nod as they started doing their exams.

Some people were baffled either by the topics we were doing for the exams at such a young age or the absurd passing grade given to us. Eichiiro also looked bewildered while Arisu kept her smile and attentive watched the video.

As time went on, the children doing the exams started to show signs of panic and distress. It was as clear as day that almost all of them were struggling heavily on their exams. Well, everyone except me. I just did the exam with no signs of struggle with my usual emotionless poker face.

"Psst... Ayanokouji, you kinda look like that boy in the middle there. Actually, you know what, forget looking similar, that is you isn't it?! That hairstyle and that expressionless poker face. It's basically your trademark at this point." Hearing Eichiiro's remarks I could hear Arisu laugh a bit. She probably overheard what Eichiiro had said about me.

"Yeah, that's me," I told him truthfully.

"You were learning this stuff ever since you were this young? And you don't even look like your struggling at all. Are you perhaps some kind of genius?" Eichiiro asked.

"Well it depends on what you define as a genius in the first place, but you could say I was the smartest out of all of my peers," I answered vaguely

"Ah is that so. I've learned something new about you today Ayanokouji. You never fail to amaze me." He complimented me with a cheerful expression

"I... Uh... Thanks, I guess." I replied. It was one of the few times someone had complimented me genuinely, so naturally, I didn't know how to respond to it.

"Fascinating..." I heard Arisu whispering those words under her breath trying to keep quiet. She's was paying a lot of attention to the screen while having a surprised and amused face. Well, I don't blame her, if you found out a child at the age of 8-10 years old could do math equations taught in high school or college, they would consider that child a genius or a prodigy even. But to me, it wasn't anything special. I had already gotten used to the harsh education the white room implemented. It was everyday normal life for me back then.

As the video progressed, the atmosphere around the room became more gloomy. I just waited patiently for the video to end knowing what's gonna happen next.

Suddenly, one of the kids doing the exam collapsed and started to have breathing problems. The others looked at him with worry and terrified expressions while some were crying from literal stress from doing the exams. I was the only one who could keep calm and maintain my signature poker face during all of that.

I looked around and some just had a disgusted look watching the video, some had worried faces, I just closed my eyes and started to daydream about some stuff.

Moments passed and the exams finally finished. After that, the screen goes blank for a few seconds before finally showing footage again. This time, the video was taken in a different place. Though no one could tell the difference considering everything in that facility besides our hair and eye color was white.

"I will now announce the scores of the exams. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka the highest scorer on this exam with a grade of 100." Eichiiro was staring at me with admiration and respect. Arisu was also staring at me intensely with a big smirk on her face.

"Test subject 4-03, 4-07, and 4-21 you have failed this exam. Come in front to receive your punishment." As the instructors said that, some kids looked away while some looked with fearful expressions.

The three walked in front of their peers and were getting ready to receive their punishments. One of the children there was even holding tears in their eyes as if they were fearing for their lives. Then something happened that caught most of the people in this room off guard.

Bam!

One of the instructors had punched a boy in the nose so hard that some blood was coming out of it. He was crying on the floor in pain with no one bothering to lend a helping hand out of fear.

"WHAT THE FUCK BRO?!" Eichiiro suddenly stood up and screamed for his chair. I looked at Matsuo who could only look away as he tried to calm himself down.

General Midori and the other government workers had a disturbed face seeing the situation unfold in front of them. Well Yamato and me were the only one who kept our expressions the same. It was expected considering we both had gotten used to how cruel the white room can be with its punishments.
Even Arisu, who had a smile this whole time had a somewhat horrified expression seeing all of this.

The next victim was test subject 4-07. She was a girl with medium-length green hair. She had an expression full of fear knowing what was coming to her.

!!!

She took a direct punch in the face and fell to the ground. Some of her teeth even fell out of her mouth and blood began spilling from her mouth. She too also cried from the pain inflicted on her.

Then it was test subject 4-21's turn. He was a boy with purple hair and green eyes. He was crying probably because knowing he was gonna end up like his two peers that were crying right beside him

"ACK-" Were the only words he could say as he got a kick directly to the stomach. He then collapsed to the floor seeming to be unconscious.

"You see this? This is the consequence of you kids failing this task. If you want to survive in this place, push yourself beyond what you thought your limit was. If you people continue to fail, we won't hesitate on disposing some of you, do all of you understand?" The man who said this was none other than my own father. And with that, the video ends.

...

The room was silent for a few minutes. It was reasonable considering what we had just witnessed. Some had horrified expressions while some looked like they were aching to punch someone.

I didn't feel anything for them though. Empathy? Sympathy? I had thrown those away when I decided I would stop being weak in that place. It's not like I never felt fear witnessing all the abuse, torture, and pain my peers went through.

I knew all about it. I knew all about fear born through pain. Calling it pain was an understatement, to other people it was utter torture. But as time went on I stopped feeling fear. I grew more cold and numb to situations like this because no matter what other people were going through, as long as I had the means to protect myself and survive, it would never happen to me.

"Now we will continue with our meeting." General Midori said trying to ease the tension of the room.

Eichiiro looked like he wanted to say something. Before he could stand up, I grabbed his arms.

"Now's not the time Eichiiro. I know you're mad and a lot of people in this room are too but don't try to do anything reckless that would make the atmosphere here even worse." I tried saying in a gentle tone.

He got my message and sat back down. Although I could tell he was still frustrated, he sat back down not wanting to cause any trouble for me and Matsuo.

"Some of you may have questions, what did we just witness? What is that place? Why are the people so cruel there? Yamato will be answering these questions." General Midori explained.

"First, the place that you just witnessed is called the white room. The white room is an educational institution that aims to raise a human by removing things they deem unnecessary to their subject's education. The main purpose of this facility was to prove that to be a genius, you didn't need excellent genes as long as you grew up in the right environment. Children were experimented and tested to see if they could break the limit which they thought normal people couldn't."

"What happened to the children who were experimented on in that facility?" Eichiiro asked

"If they failed to the point where they were judged to have no value, they would be disposed of," Yamato answered.

"Tch!" Eichiiro clicked his tongue in frustration.

"This institution had taught knowledge to its students beyond what they were supposed to know at a young age. An example of this was the video you just watched. The children who did manage to survive reached a certain level where they could be considered genius'. But, no other children have ever exceeded the level the white room was trying to train them to exceed. Well, except one. The only child who has reached the target the white room was aiming for when it first started its creation is none other than the person sitting there right at this room, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka." Yamato said that as he points at me.

Eichiiro looked at me with a surprised expression. I could hear Arisu laughing to herself a bit as she glanced at me. Yamato continued with his explanation.

"For years, I have been working undercover at the white room Observing every child's progress, And I can say with certainty that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had rightfully earned the right to be called the masterpiece of the white room. His academic scores were all perfect, his physical abilities were beyond even a trained adult, it was terrifying on how much potential this kid had. He almost broke world records like when he recorded a time of 21.98 in swimming only 9 milliseconds away from the world record. The white room also taught its students self-defense techniques and martial arts. Until this day, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is the only person in the white room to have never lost to professional fighters hired in the white room as he has a winning record."

A lot of people were looking at me with admirement, some even astonished. Matsuo's mood had gotten better as he was smirking a bit as if he was a proud father hearing his son's accomplishments.

"We the government would like your cooperation, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka on giving us information that may help us take down the white room." General Midori asked me.

Did I want the white room to be taken down? If it was for my freedom I probably would want that. Did I hate the white room? No, not exactly. Even after all the cruel things they did to me and other children I was mostly neutral to it. Without the white room, I wouldn't be the person I am today now. But alas, not even the white room could teach me everything.

I wanted to learn how it was to be normal. I wanted a better understanding of how emotions worked. I wanted to know other people's ways of thinking. I wanted to know why people would decide decisions based on feelings instead of simple logic. It all intrigued me. The white room couldn't teach me any of that.

"What is your answer, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?" Mrs.Aki spoke for the first time.

"First, please refer to me as my first or last name. It feels rather awkward for all of you to address me as my full name. Second, to answer your question... Yes, I intend to cooperate with all of you here as I too want to be freed from the white room and experience freedom and normal everyday life as it is." I answered.

"Before we can agree to a deal, there's something we the government would like to ask from you Ayanokouji. But before we ask, we have something to confess first to all of you here." Mrs.Aki informed us.

"The truth is... Not all the government knows about this. Actually, only a small part of the government even agreed to partake in this investigation."

These words shocked some of the people in this room as I saw Matsuo standing up and Chairman Sakayanagi with a confused face. Arisu also looked quite surprised but quickly regained her composure. Eichiiro at this point could not process what was even happening and just decided to stay silent as to not say anything that would be considered dumb. Seeing everyone's confused state, Mrs.Aki continued her explanation.

"As you know, Ayanokouji's father has a massive influence in Japan. He has a good reputation and because of that some of the government refused to even consider this investigation. Though we will try to convince them to join our side as soon as we have enough information and evidence to back up our claims."

She carried on with her explanation.

"Now Ayanokouji, we would like to request something from you."

What else were they gonna request? Did I have to do something for them? Do I have to directly investigate with them? I had many questions popped up in my head but it was all my questions were shattered as the words left her mouth.

"We want to test you."

...

"What do you mean by that Mrs.Aki?"

"Since only a small part of the government is helping us in this case, we lack human resources. This means there's no guarantee we could keep your freedom if we fail to gather evidence and information."

Matsuo took a 180-degree turn of his mood and stood up and slammed the table.

"Does that mean you lied to us about being able to free Kiyotaka?!" Oh, he wasn't using honorifics anymore. It seems he thinks we've gotten close enough to call each other without honorifics. Well, I don't really care if people call me using honorifics or not.

"Calm down Matsuo, we'll explain everything right now." Chairman Sakayanagi reassured him.

Matsuo realizing he lost his temper, immediately sat back down looking slightly embarrassed. Cheer up Matsuo, it's not like your reaction was unreasonable. Even I was taken by surprise a bit when she said that, though you probably won't see it in my face of course.

"As you all know, we will try our hardest to make sure your father goes to prison and pays for his crimes. But we want something in exchange for that. We want to test your full capabilities to see if you truly are as amazing as Yamato praises you to be."

"So... What do I need to do? Do some exams? Train under your conditions?" I asked

"Well, something like that... But there's more." She then slid a pamphlet across the table in my direction.

What I saw was a pamphlet of information about a government-funded school. I took the pamphlet and read it a bit. What caught my eye was the rule that "No contact from outside this school." Will be allowed.

"I think you should see where we're going now. We want you to attend this school and produce the best results you can. We at least want you to aim for at least the top 3 in the student rankings for this school, and in exchange, we'll do everything we can to take down your father and secure your freedom once and for all." She offered.

"What if I declined? Will you stop protecting me then?" I asked.

"Well we'll still help you, but you'll be stuck here doing exams and physical tests for a longer period than you will at the elite school. And didn't you say you wanted a normal everyday life? Can you really experience that in an isolated place like this? Don't you want to make even more friends, hang out with other people, and experience falling in love like in those high school slice of life comedies?"

"..." I could only do nothing but stay silent. She was right, I was curious about how all of those would feel like and would it affect some sort of change in me?

"Of course, we won't force you to attend. Whether you stay here or attend the school is up to you. Now, what's your decision Ayanokouji." Mrs.Aki finally asked me the million-dollar question.

I could feel the pressure of everyone staring at me waiting for my decision. What I answer right here and right now could affect what my future would be in the next 3 years of my life. I took a deep breath and answered.

"...I'll choose to attend the school."

"Very well then, in a year from now, you and Eichiiro will be enrolled into the school. Of course, you will be in the same class."

"WAIT WAIT, I'm attending too?!" He asked with a shocked expression. I could hear a hint of excitement in his voice, just a bit.

"Of course you will, your still a student after all. We won't take your compulsory education away from you. If you fear about your safety then don't worry, since this school prevents contact with the outside world no one will be able to harm you for the next three years you will be attending there." General Midori answered.

"Of course, you will still have to do the entrance exams and interview. But regardless of your scores and interview results, you'll still be enrolled in the school and be in the same class. But since Yamato regards you very highly, let's just say we'll put a handicap on you which will greatly disadvantage you. If you can overcome these disadvantages and rise through the ranks, then you are as special as Yamato says you are." She says with a smirk on her face.

"I'll try my best I guess..." I answered.

"Oh and one more thing Ayanokouji. No holding back got it?" Yamato said as he stared at me.

"Of course I won't hold back. I'm fighting for my freedom here." I answered bluntly.

"Fufufu... Interesting, interesting!" Arisu suddenly exclaimed while tapping her cane. She looked like she was excited as if her life had been boring until this point.

———————————————————

"And that concludes our meeting. You may all now leave. Chairman Sakayanagi, you'll stay here for a while since we still have business to discuss." Yamato informed him.

"Ah... Of course Mr.Yamato. Arisu, you wouldn't mind staying here for a while right?" He turned and asked his daughter.

"Of course I won't mind father, I feel thrilled instead to be here. I've finally been able to meet face to face with the so-called masterpiece of the white room." She said while looking at me intensely.

As our meeting concluded, Me, Eichiiro, and Arisu had left the room and were now standing outside the door. Matsuo apparently stayed back as he had more questions to ask. Of course, we let him be.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, you don't mind if you and me have a little chat don't you?" Arisu asked me suddenly.

"Ah... This seems to be a private matter between you guys, I'll just go on ahead and rest in my room. Today has been exhausting. Bye Ayanokouji!" He said as he ran in the direction of the elevator.

"Ah, bye Eichiiro..." I said in my usual dull and expressionless tone.

"Fufu... Poked-faced as always aren't you Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"It's not like I can do anything about my face, my face has already gotten used to being like this since I was a child, so it just stuck to me until now."

"Well ok. Do you mind accompanying me to the library?" She asked me.

"Sure, it's not like I have anything else to do."

We walked side by side with me matching her pace. The atmosphere didn't feel like an awkward silence but instead a pleasant silence you could say.

"I would like to apologize for having you to slow down because of me. I have a chronic disease that prevents me from doing any physical tasks." She probably noticed I was trying to be considerate slowing down my walking pace to match hers.

"It's alright really, it's not like it's your fault your like this. Plus it does feel nice to be walking with such a pretty girl walking alongside me." I tried to lighten the mood.

"Fufu, Have my looks and personality perhaps swayed your heart Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"Although I was charmed by your beauty when we first met, I don't think of you that way. Well, not yet at least."

"Not yet? What a vague answer. Though it is expected of someone like you." While she said this, I could notice a tiny blush of red on her face. It seems we were both enjoying our banter as we were heading our way towards the library.

Once we arrived at the elevator, she asked me something which caught me a bit off guard.

"It's been 7 years, hasn't it Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"Although I don't remember being acquainted or even hearing your name, you're implying that you have met me at least long ago aren't you?" I asked her.

"Of course, how could I ever forget. Seeing you behind that glass, watching you as you destroyed your opponent with ease, how could I ever forget such a precious memory to me." She answered while holding some part of her chest.

"Precious memory? Aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

"Please don't be so humble Ayanokouji-Kun. It was because of you I started to play chess. It was because of you that I decided to work harder towards my goal." The elevator door opened as she finished saying that. We had finally arrived on the 6th floor.

"Your goal? May I ask what your goal is?" I asked while heading in the direction of the library.

She stopped walking for a second and gave a slight laugh.

"To destroy you of course." She said with an innocent smile.

"Don't misunderstand though, I don't hold any personal grudges on you. It's just, you seem to be the perfect rival and playmate to satisfy my boredom." She stated her reasons.

"Well, I won't deny that you seem to be a very intelligent and cunning person. However, are you sure that you're the right person who could destroy me?" I asked her as we stared into each other's eyes. There was no hostility between us, it was simply a question I wanted her to answer.

"Hehe..." She let out a slight laugh. "Sorry if I sounded like I was underestimating you. I acknowledge your intelligence and craftiness despite being a false genius. But rest assured Ayanokouji-Kun, I will make you taste your first defeat. That much I can promise."

———————————————————

We had finally arrived at the library. I was expecting her to find a book she wanted to read but she instead asked me if there was a chessboard here. I guided her to where the chessboard was located and she offered me to play chess. As we were preparing to play, she suddenly offers me something.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, how about we make a bet shall we?" She challenged me.

"What kind of bet?"

"We'll do 5 matches at the most, the first person to 3 wins, wins the bet. The loser of the bet owes a favor to the winner of the chess match." She relayed the terms and conditions to me.

"I accept."

"Ara... But don't think of anything lewd okay Ayanokouji-Kun?" She said teasingly.

"Of course I won't. I've never felt the feeling of lust before so it's not like I'm attracted to your body or anything."

"Although it's true, it still hurts to hear that you're not interested in my body Ayanokouji-Kun, you wound my heart." She wiped her nonexistent tears.

"Well sorry if that offended you. I'm not saying you aren't attractive, you're probably the most attractive girl I've ever met so far. Though, it doesn't help that I was raised in an isolated institution where I was alone for a couple of years."

"Ara? Trying to flirt with me again Ayanokouji-Kun? You sly fox. But it'll take more to charm me more than simple flirting." She tried to tease me.

"...I'll make sure to keep that in mind then. Now let's start our chess match, shall we?' I said as I made the first move.

———————————————————

Our multiple chess match ended up taking 2 hours of our time. I had won 3 out of the 5 times we battled. I must say out of every opponent I've ever faced, Arisu certainly was one of the best I've ever faced.

"Fufu... It's my lost Ayanokouji-Kun. Guess I won't be able to hand you your defeat so easily." She admitted defeat.

"Well, there was luck in it too. If you hadn't made that one wrong move, you probably could've forced a stalemate on the last match. I must admit you are a formidable opponent Arisu." I complimented her.

"Fufu... It's an honor to be complimented by someone as capable as you are in chess. I hope we get to play against each other once more Ayanokouji-Kun." She said with a smile on her face. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also pretty cute at times. If I was a normal teenager, I'd probably already fallen for her by now.

We put the chessboard back in its place. We were about to exit the library when Arisu noticed something missing.

"Ah, it seems my hat must have fallen somewhere." She said.

"Don't worry I'll look for it. You should stay here."

"Ah, thank you once again Ayanokouji-Kun."

I walked back to the library looking for her hat. I checked the place near the chessboard, it wasn't there. Then I finally found her hat somewhere near the table we had our chess match in. I picked up her hat and walked back to where she was.

She noticed my presence and waved at me. Before she could say anything, I put her hat on her head. I noticed that she had a bit of blush when I did that.

"Fufu... Is this another one of your ways of trying to steal a maiden's heart? If I was any other girl, I probably would've already fallen for you by now." She teased me.

"Hmm... Who knows." I shrugged which got a giggle out of her. I must say, spending time with her today, even if it was just for a few hours, I had a lot of fun.

"By the way, what favor do I owe you Ayanokouji-Kun?" She asked.

I thought about it for a few seconds before coming to a conclusion.

"Just call me Kiyotaka without any honorifics. It would be weird if I was the only one calling you by your first name."

"Fufu... If that's all then perhaps it's not so much of a bad favor, isn't it, Ki-yo-ta-ka?" She asked teasingly.

"I guess so," I replied trying to imitate my expressionless tone.

As we walked out of the library, we encountered Chairman Sakayanagi who seemed to have been looking for her daughter.

"Ah, Arisu there you are, we should get going now. We don't wanna keep our driver waiting." Chairman Sakayanagi also noticed me and gave me a wave. I just nodded in response.

"Ah, it seems this is where we part ways Kiyotaka. We'll meet again in a year, I look forward to our future chess matches."

"It seems so, wait in a year? What do you mean by that?" I asked confusingly

"Oh? Did I forget to mention it? I'll be attending the same school as you there. I hope you entertain me on the next three years of my life there."

"I'll try my best..." I replied to her.

"Till we meet again, Kiyotaka." She said as she waved at me. I waved at her back and she turned around and left with her father.

Today... Was really fun, to say the least. I didn't feel bored even once hanging out with Arisu. I was tempted to say it to her but I had to admit...

I was gonna miss her a bit.

———————————————————

It was 9:00 PM at night, I was on my way to my room to take a nap. I had just finished brushing my teeth and washing my face. I opened the door to my room, but what I saw... Something strange.

"Eichiiro... Why are you in my room?" I asked since he was laying on MY bed without permission.

"Oh, Ayanokouji you're finally here. I wanted to talk to you for a bit." He answered. He looked quite sleepy, he had probably waited for me for quite a while.

"Well now that I'm here, what do you want to talk about?" I asked him. Honestly, I could predict a lot of stuff but he was probably gonna ask about my past or true abilities. Well, there's no point in me hiding my past from him anymore, it's not like I hated my past. I just don't like people trying to pry into my life. But Eichiiro seems like a trustworthy person, so I guess I'd have no problems with him knowing some parts of my childhood.

"Well, it's more like I want you to listen to me instead of us having a conversation. Are you ok with that?" He asked sincerely.

"Of course Eichiiro," I responded. Silence enveloped the room for a few seconds. I guess we were in an awkward situation so it was understandable.

"Rest assured, I don't plan to pry into your past if you don't want me to. From what I've seen for the videos, you must have a pretty messed up childhood. Anyways, I won't force you to open up to me and I want you to trust me more at your own pace. Just know that if you need to vent about something, I'm here for you, ok?" He asked me with a heartfelt tone.

I could tell that his words were of genuine care and worry. I'm glad he didn't try to force me to reveal my past. Eichiiro just seemed like his dad, a truly good person with no ill intentions.

"...Hey can I ask you a deep question," I asked him. With me saying this, he was probably thinking I was starting to open up to him a bit, which I was actually.

"You can ask anything as long as it's to my ability." He replied.

"Do you think even the most terrible person in the world could change? That they can truly be good? If they just try?"

I truly did want to know what his response would be. Perhaps it was because I was talking about myself. I knew more than anyone on how horrible I am as a human being by society's norms and morals. Could someone like me, change? The better question is... Did I want to change? I didn't know.

"Well, I think it depends on how far gone they are but, I think anyone can be a good person if they truly put their mind to it. People at one point, have at least done something that would make them question their own goodwill. Be it hurting others, hurting other species, and other stuff. We all have regrets we keep within us. Regrets that eat us up inside every day, but I think it's those regrets that what define us as human beings. Other species usually wouldn't care what they did to others because all they think about in their brain is their own survival. But we as humans were given something special, we unlike other species could realize our own mistakes. We feel regret because we know we've done wrong. Everyone has done wrong at some point in their lives, but does that make them a bad person? No, it's what makes them human. So to your question, yes, I think even the worse human beings can change if they just try."

"...I see. Thank you for your time Eichiiro. Also, can you get off my bed I wanna sleep, I'm pretty tired right now."

"Ah, ok sorry for taking up your space. See you tomorrow Ayanokouji!" He said as he left my room.

That was certainly an interesting point of view Eichiiro had given me. I now realize that I did want to change. I wondered what would my life had been like if I had a loving family and the white room never existed in the first place. Could I have been a normal teenager who was more aware of their emotions? Would I still have the intellect I had at present time? Would I have been a different person? These thoughts filled up my head every day.

Could someone like me truly become normal? Perhaps I could find the answer to that question once I go to school. I was excited to finally be able to experience what it was like to go to school like how a normal teenager does. I waited patiently for that day to come...

———————————————————

1 year later...

I was currently on my way to my new school with Eichiiro in a limousine. We had gone there a bit early since the acting director requested for our presence.

Me and Eichiiro had become closer since a year ago as we refer to each other with our first names now. Matsuo apparently offered to adopt me once this was all over, so I guess me and Eichiiro were technically stepbrothers now. I had also started tutoring Eichiiro whenever he had wanted me to.

In the next few minutes, I'll be living in a new cage. Three years of freedom, three years of learning to be normal, most importantly... Three years away from that place and that man...

...

I know it may seem sudden, but could I propose a question to all of you reading right now?

...

Tell me...

What does it truly mean to be human?

Prologue: Part 3 END

Word count: 19315 words.

———————————————————

Author's Note :

Finally, I finished this chapter. It took me a lot of days and there was a lot of stuff I still wanted to add but I figured it would bore you guys.

I also rushed a bit at the ending of this chapter, sorry.

Anyways sorry if my excuse for Kiyo not holding back might be a bit unoriginal. I couldn't think of anything else that wouldn't make him OOC.

So, how did you like this chapter?

I tried adding some humor into this chapter as well as some wholesome moments.

Was Kiyo or Arisu perhaps too OOC in this chapter?

Anyways I'll be answering some questions you might all have like...

Q: What is the general plot of this fanfic.

A: This fanfic will focus mainly on the story and big brain plays I can come up with. I want to try to be original and come up with strategies that very few people have ever thought of.

The plot of this fic is also to have a faster development of Kiyo's emotional development. In this fic, I'll try to humanize Kiyo more but not to the point where he would consider his feelings over logic. He'll start to develop emotions but he still won't let his feelings control his decisions. He'll still be cold and cruel at times but only if it's necessary. The main point is I want to develop Kiyo to become more human.

Q: Will there be romance in the story? If there is, what's the ship?

A: Of course. I'm not good at depicting romance but I'll try my best. And the ship I think it should be fairly obvious by now but if you still don't know, it's probably gonna be Arisu x Kiyotaka.

Q: What class will Kiyo and Eichiiro be in?

A: The answer can be found if you paid attention to some of the details I left in some of the dialogue. But to answer your question, it's Class D. Sorry for the people who wanted Kiyo to be in another class, but let's be real, Kiyo in another class would be way too op.

Q: If Eichiiro is joining Kiyo in attending at ANHS, who would he replace in Class D.

A: A random unnamed boy student probably.

Q: How intelligent will you make Eichiiro?

A: Academically, he's a bit smarter than Horikita and Ichinose since he was tutored by Kiyo for a year.

For example :

Horikita's official OAA academic ability is 82

Ichinose's is 86

If I had to pick Matsuo's Academic Ability would be 88.

But that's only academically. If we're talking about his intelligence as a whole, I'll have his observational and deductive skills at the same level as Horikita.

There will be times when Eichiiro can solve problems Horikita can't and there will also be times when Horikita can solve problems Eichiiro can't.

Q: What would be Eichiiro's OAA score in this timeline?

A :

Academic Ability: A (88)

Physical Ability: B (79)

Adaptability: A- (81)

Social Contribution: A- (82)

Overall: 82.75

Q: How important will Eichiiro be to the plot?

A: If it's on strategies and planning, then he's somewhat important. But he will definitely be a major character in Kiyo's stepping stone in his emotional development. Kiyo still thinks of some people as tools he hasn't changed entirely. Notice how I said some and not all, that's because even though Eichiiro could be a useful pawn for Kiyo, in this timeline he considers Matsuo more of an ally and friend rather than a tool. that's some character development I made for Kiyo and shows how important Eichiiro will be for Kiyo's emotional development.

Q: What is Eichiiro's personality?

A: He basically has the personality of Hirata but a less naive version of Hirata. Hirata is everyone's ally but Eichiiro is everyone's ally too but he's mostly loyal to Kiyo as a friend. He's also childish around people he considers to be close with.

Q: What does Eichiiro look like?

A: I don't usually like to use images from online since I feel like I'm stealing images from the image's creators but this is what I would picture Eichiiro to look like :

(I picture him to look like this but instead, he has black hair and green eyes)

(Image doesn't belong to me btw)

Anyways that's all for this chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite the rushed ending and please look forward to Volume 1!

Vol.1. Chapter 1.1 : A King's Arrival

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

April 1st

The day I would be enrolled in the government-funded Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. A school established by the Japanese government to nurture young people who will support the country in the future. It boasts a 100% employment and college entry rate, and with thorough, state-directed teaching methods, it spares no effort in pursuing the nation's desired future.

Many things interested me about this school, but the sole reason for me coming to this school was that this school in particular prohibited contact with the outside world. Which means "that man" could never reach me here. Three years away from the white room, three years away from that man, three years of freedom.

...

Currently, I and Eichiiro were on the road riding a limousine heading to our newly enrolled school. Beside me, Eichiiro was currently sound asleep, it was understandable considering we were going there very early in the morning. General Midori had informed us the acting director of the school wanted to personally meet us. We were ordered to arrive early as to not attract attention as much as possible as we would be entering the acting director's office.

In any case, if students, staff, and teachers alike saw newly enrolled first years walking out from the new acting director's office, they would surely suspect something. Or even worse, it could spread unnecessary rumors amongst the school. Although peace would be the last thing I would expect from entering this school, I at least wanted a few moments of it before I would finally make my move.

As we were traveling, I could not help but stare at the view bestowed beside me. Sakura trees blooming brightly as their leaves fall slowly at a relaxing pace. Cars traveling at an average to high speed filled with either children or teenagers going to their schools or adults trying to arrive at their designated workplace on time. The blue sky filled with white clouds that could resemble figures of animals or objects.

Because of my upbringing, I was never accustomed to the outside world like any other person at the same age as I was. It wasn't the first time I had seen all this and hoping it would not be the last. I was fascinated by these little things. Was it beautiful? Was it mesmerizing? I don't know. But I could say, it was different.

As I got lost looking at the sight before me, a question pondered into my mind. It could be taken as a simple question but it was more complex than it looked. My question was...

What does it mean to be human?

If you were to pull out a dictionary, human beings are species of homo sapiens distinguished from other animals by superior mental development, power of articulate speech, and upright stance. But of course, I wasn't asking the biological definition of the word "human" but rather a philosophical one.

Generally, human beings were unique to other species. They had the mental awareness to realize their mistakes and feel regret over them. We were able to identify if what we did was evil or good, but that leads to another question.

Who decided what was truly good or evil?

For example, let's say a young student the same age as I was sitting in a priority seat. A seat made especially for the disabled or elderly. Let's also just say there was an old lady clearly in pain standing up as she could not find a seat compatible with her now old and aging body. Naturally, a kind-hearted person would come to the rescue to give up their seat, but in this scenario, every seat in the vehicle was occupied.

The kind-hearted person would call out to the young man sitting in the priority seat to give up his position for the struggling old lady but he refused. Naturally, society would view this student as bad-mannered or blatantly disrespectful. But, what if we ignored the morals presented in this scenario?

If you exclude basic ethics, the student would legally have no obligation to give up his seat. No one would argue because no morals were present in this scenario. This comes to my conclusion that in this world there is no absolute right or wrong.

Humans created morals. They could feel sympathy and empathy for others. It was human nature to sympathize with other people's circumstances. To be considered human was to follow the ethics and morals that society has presented to us.

Humans were also unique because they could know if they made a mistake. Many species could feel regret and sorrow but every each of them could not learn from their mistakes as well as a human being could. Humans could be considered the most superior beings out of every being on earth, but that does not mean we are perfect.

To put it simply, to be human is to be imperfect.

But I felt like there was more to that question. Does being human mean being capable of feeling remorse? Does being human mean you could learn to love another person as you would yourself? I didn't know the answer to those questions but that's why I came to this school.

To experience freedom, to learn emotions, to fall in love, to experience a glimpse of everyday normal life that the white room could never teach me.

———————————————————

As I was busy daydreaming, the limousine finally stopped at our designated destination. I looked out the window to see the entrance of where I would spend the next three years learning. I poked the person beside me to awaken him from his slumber.

"Huh...? Oh, Kiyotaka, what's up?" Eichiiro asked listlessly.

"We've arrived at the school Eichiiro," I informed him.

"Ah, I see," as he looked out the window he screamed excitedly. "HOLY SHIT THIS SCHOOL IS BIG!" Eichiiro said no longer able to hide his shock and excitement. He was looking outside as if he had stars in his eyes. He got out of the limousine quickly and I followed.

I had carried a pamphlet with me and a map given to use by Yamato as to not get lost in our newly enrolled school. We walked quietly to the entrance as we could not utter a word but rather stare at how big this place was. As we made our way exploring the school, I noticed that no other student was around us. I guess we came a little bit too early.

We made our way to our classroom with a nameplate with Class 1-D engraved in it. I opened the door for the both of us and to our surprise, no one had arrived. We quickly made our way to the seat with mine being in the cornerback with the window near it. I put my bag on my chair and was ready to leave the class but...

"Looks like you got the protagonist seat Kiyotaka. Heh, must be nice huh?"

"Protagonist... Seat?"

"Ah, I forgot you're not really knowledgeable about trivial stuff like this. Let me explain, usually, the main character in a shounen school-themed anime or manga would always sit in the cornerback of the class near the window. And you Kiyotaka-dono have been chosen as this class' protagonist I must say." Eichiiro explained while teasing me a bit.

"But it's fitting for someone like you, after all, you are a genius, and not only that, your also an athletic dude! The girls in our class- no, the whole year will probably have a crush on you. Who knows, you might even get a girlfriend or even better a harem!"

"Although I would like a girlfriend, I think a harem is a bit too much. I don't wanna attract too much attention than I already will anyways." I replied in a tired tone with a sigh.

"Well, I guess it's expected of someone like you. Well c'mon now, we don't wanna be late for the meeting with the acting director." Eichiiro said while signaling me to follow him.

We exited the classroom and walked across the hallway. Outside the classroom,a young woman with long brown hair that is tied in a ponytail with bangs swept to the left, brown eyes, a well-endowed voluptuous body was waiting outside for us. She didn't seem to be wearing a uniform so she's probably our homeroom teacher or maybe one of the school's staff.

"Ah, you two must be the students the acting director has ordered me to fetch. I'm Chabashira Sae. since classes don't change, I will be your homeroom teacher for the next three years. It's a pleasure to meet both of you." The brown-haired lady introduced

"Ah, so you're our teacher? Where are my manners, I'm Matsuo Eichiiro, please take care of me for the next three years." Eichiiro bowed.

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I would say I'm an average student but knowing the government you must know of my abilities don't you?" She just nodded in response.

"Well, it'll be my first time studying in a school full of teachers and students, so please take care of me as well for the next three years." I also slightly bowed.

"The acting director has told me a lot about you two. Well, no point in wasting time now. Please follow me as the acting director has been waiting for both of your presence." She gestured for us to follow her.

We walked at an average pace through the silent but peaceful hallways. From walking, I could see the nameplates of each class. Class 1-C, Class 1-B, and Class 1-A.

From an open door, I saw Arisu reading a book sitting on the front desk near the windows. Although I would like to greet her, I have somewhere else I needed to be. So what can I deduce from this?

Arisu was placed in Class 1-A, although it could be a coincidence I'd think otherwise. In general, the alphabetical order of A to D has A being a superior letter. Mrs. Aki did say that I would be put at a disadvantage because of my capabilities.

Arisu was someone who was more than capable. Even if she had a physical weakness, her intelligence made up for all of it. I concluded that the disadvantage I would have is to lead a class full of inferior people to the ones in the upper class. Although I wasn't 100 sure, It was the only conclusion I could think of for the limited information I've obtained.

Secondly, if my previous deduction proved to be true, what was the point of implementing a hierarchy? The school informed its students that anyone who graduated from this school would receive any job or any college they would enter with a guarantee. Why would anyone deliberately want to aim to be Class A when they've already had their future set on? Besides hating being looked down upon, I could see no reason to even want to be in Class A.

..

Or perhaps... The government wasn't truthful about the guarantees and advantages of being enrolled in this school. What if to receive the full rewards on coming to this school, you had to graduate from Class A. If you think about it, there's no other answer that could be deduced but my previous statement. From this, I could confirm that there were gonna be competitions in this school which would decide our ranks.

But how does the school determine which student belongs to Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D? Was it by academic and physical ability? I don't think it's that simple. Also, if all the superior students were put in Class A wouldn't that just be unfair? How would the lower classes be able to rise up the ranks knowing they are against students the school has judged to be superior to them?

This is just a theory, but what if there were superior people placed in lower classes on purpose to increase the competition in this school? The school might have acknowledged their abilities but maybe there was a reason they were up in the lower classes and I don't think it's only because of competition.

If the school were to put superior people into lower classes solely because of competition, that would be unfair or better yet it would be unequal. With this, we can confirm that the school not only judges by someone's academic or physical capabilities. Perhaps, they had a problem in behavior? A troubling past? Or a defect?. I needed more information and evidence because all of these are nothing more than theories.

While I was lost in thought, Eichiiro poked me a few times and it made me regain my consciousness. Before I could ask, he just pointed at a corner and put his index finger in front of his mouth signaling me to keep quiet and Chabashira-sensei was in front of us. At the corner, although they were barely noticeable, Eichiiro seems to have spotted some cameras.

This was very strange. Usually, a school would want to purposely make the cameras visible to either alarm the students to behave properly. But these cameras, if you didn't have a good eye you wouldn't even notice them. Normally, there would be cameras in the hallways and classrooms so perhaps there were more of these cameras in our classroom.

But why keep the cameras hidden? Any school would want the students to be aware that even if there were no teachers around, the school was keeping an eye on them. Or maybe... They didn't want us to know. Maybe they wanted to test us, to see how we would behave in public and in class if we were made to believe that the school didn't have their eyes on us.

But what was the value in hiding them? Was it a trap by the school to catch students who were breaking the rules? No that didn't make sense, a school's priority should rather be to prevent the breaking of rules not letting one does what it wants and punishing them for it.

Cameras are also used to monitor how one's behavior is when nobody's looking but why go such length to hide it. Did they want us to do whatever as we please? What benefit would it give them? Was this related to my previous theories?

Sigh...

There I go again over-analyzing things when I've just arrived at my new school. I should just focus on the meeting we're about to have and how I would make friends later on in class.

———————————————————

We finally arrived at the director's office. The person sitting there would surprise us a bit. It was a woman with short blonde hair and with ocean blue eyes. She had some bangs covering part of her forehead while wearing a tuxedo.

"Mrs... Aki?" Eichiiro asked dumbfounded.

"That's director or more precisely acting director Aki to you."

"So you're gonna be the one watching after us for the next three years?" I asked.

"Why of course, anyway let's not waste time, we have something to discuss about." She quickly changed the topic.

"As you know, you two will be spending the next three years of your life in this school. Tell me, what do both of you think of this school so far?" She asked us.

Should I tell her the theories I've thought of in my head? Or should I tell her something along the lines of "I think this school is enjoyable" or anything complimenting the school?

I decided to give her a vague answer. "Although I'm a bit suspicious of certain things in this school, I can confidently admit I'm enjoying my time here." Eichiiro just nodded agreeing with me.

"I see... Well, that's all I wanted to talk about. You may take your leave now." She said while pointing her index finger at the door behind us.

"Eh? That's all you wanted to ask us?" Eichiiro asked reasonably

"While there could be more topics we could discuss, I feel like you kids would want to get used to your new environment better, especially Ayanokouji." Well, she wasn't wrong considering I had been isolated my whole life.

"Chabashira and I still have some stuff to discuss, so try not to get lost going back to class ok?" She spoke in a soft tone. Now that I think about it, she always had the impression of a strict and serious person but right now she felt like a completely different person. Like a mother advising her kids, not that I knew how that felt of course.

"Alright then director Aki, we'll see you later!" Eichiiro stood up and bowed while I followed. We exited the office expecting another peaceful walk but surprisingly, two people were currently walking their way to where we just left.

One of them was a girl of average height with purple hair that was tied in two buns with bangs hanging over her eyebrows and peach-brown eyes. The person accompanying her seemed to be a well-built young man of average height with short gray hair that is swept to the left, violet eyes, and square-rimmed glasses. The girl seemed to be holding a clipboard while they were conversing with each other.

They stopped their conversation as they noticed both of us walking away from the direction of the director's office. Their faces were one of confusion and a bit of shock but they quickly regained their composure.

"I've never seen both of you before so you must be first years. Tell me, what business did both of you have to go into the director's office? Or were you perhaps lost?" The man asked.

I wanted to lie as to not draw suspicion but Eichiiro said something before I could speak, "Sorry but the director has asked us to keep what we discussed private, I hope both of you understand." Eichiiro said while bowing.

An awkward silence enveloped us as we just stared at each other for a few seconds. Me and Eichiiro were just about to walk past them when the gray-haired man spoke.

"Can I know your names and what class you both belong to?" The gray-haired men asked looking at us with interest. The purple-haired girl also looked at us with interest.

"I'm Matsuo Eichiiro. Student of class 1-D, it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Eichiiro introduced himself. Although as soon as he mentioned class 1-D I could see the purple-haired girl instantly lose her interest in him and for a second saw her change expressions. I raised an eyebrow at her behavior and it seems the gray-haired man beside her seemed to notice me raising one of my eyebrows.

Ah, it was my turn to introduce myself, "I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka of class 1-D. It's nice to meet both of you." I followed with my Introduction.

"My name is Horikita Manabu. Student of class 3-A and the current student council president of this school." The man introduced himself.

"I'm Tachibana Akane, also a student of class 3-A and secretary of the student council." The girl followed.

At what I thought was the end of our conversation, president Horikita suddenly asked a question, "Ayanokouji, what do you think of this school so far?" He looked at me directly in the eyes. It seems he was testing my observational skills. Well, there's no use lying to him now as he already knew we newly enrolled first years had met with the director and he noticed my subtle body language when the girl beside him had a disinterested look when Eichiiro said he was from class 1-D.

"It certainly is an interesting school. It's probably the most advanced school I've ever entered in. However, there are very suspicious things about this school like the fact the school appears to be purposely hiding cameras around the hallways and classes." This statement made both of them widen their eyes a bit, probably impressed that I even noticed any of this.

"I see... You've piqued my interest Ayanokouji. I'll be watching over you in my last year of this school. With someone as observant as you around, things might just get interesting." President Horikita complimented me. This seemed to shock Tachibana-senpai as she wasn't even trying to hide her surprised face.

All of us walked past each other as we bid farewell. On the way to class, it was silent for a while when Eichiiro decided to start a conversation.

"Dude! How were you so calm during all of that? I swear when Horikita-senpai stared at us, I felt like peeing my pants from fear." Eichiiro exclaimed.

"He wasn't that scary to me. Also, you should know by now I have an unchanging poker face so even if I were to feel afraid, it would probably never show on my face." I responded.

"Hahaha, as expected of you Kiyotaka. Something like that could never make you change your expression. The only time I've ever seen you make a different face was when you are ice cream for the first time. You looked as if you were a child tasting candy for the first time!" Eichiiro said.

We continued our banter against each other. It was nice that my social skills had improved majorly compared to my social skills around months ago. I guess you could thank Eichiiro for that considering he taught me a lot of things about communication.

As we were conversing with each other, I wasn't paying attention and bumped into a girl which made her fall to the floor. She had dropped some of her books and had a panicked look on her face.

"Ah, I'm sorry about that," I said as I crouched down to help pick up some of her books.

"I-it's okay, it was my fault for not paying attention too." She stuttered. As I looked at her, the girl in front of me had indigo hair tied up in twin-tails with pink-violet eyes.

As we stood up, I decided to introduce myself, "I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka of class 1-D, beside me is Matsuo Eichiiro also of class 1-D, it's a pleasure to meet you." I bowed while Eichiiro waved and smiled at her.

"U-uh, I-I'm Mei-yu Wang also in the same class as both of you, but you can call me Mii-chan or whatever you prefer. It's also nice to meet both of you..." She said looking away shyly. Mei-yu Wang huh... She seems to be a quiet, shy, and reserved person. From her name, I could tell that she was Chinese. I wanted for her to feel comfortable so I began to open my mouth and spoke mandarin.

"你是中国人吗?" (Translation: Are you Chinese?) I asked her in Mandarin. She looked surprised that I could speak the same language as her but she quickly replied to me.

"是的，我是中国人。 你也是中国人吗?" (Translation: Yes, I am Chinese. Are you also Chinese?) She asked curiously. From the corner of my eye, I could see Eichiiro looking at us with confusion.

"不，我只是碰巧会说一口流利的普通话。 很高兴认识你，希望我们能成为好朋友." (Translation: No, I just happen to speak fluent Mandarin. It's nice to meet you and I hope we can become good friends.) I said to her. She started to feel more comfortable around me she said the next words with a smile.

"我也希望我们能成为好朋友绫小路君." (Translation: I also hope we can become good friends Ayanokouji-Kun.)

"Oi... don't leave me out here. I don't understand what you've guys been saying for the last minute." Eichiiro complained.

"Ah, sorry Eichiiro. We were just introducing ourselves in mandarin, her native language." I explained.

"A-ah yeah, sorry if you felt left out." Mii-Chan apologized.

"No need to be so Mii-Chan. Again, I'm Matsuo Eichiiro. It's very nice to meet you." He said enthusiastically.

"A-ah yeah, likewise Matsuo-Kun." She replied.

"Ah, since we're in the same class, you wouldn't mind if we walked together would you Mii-Chan?" Eichiiro asked.

"A-ah, of course, I wouldn't mind. Rather, I'm happy that the first friends I've made here invited me." She answered.

I had a bit of a confused expression. Was it this easy to make friends? Well, I shouldn't be getting ahead of myself.

"Ah! Sorry! I just assumed we were friends since both of you had treated me so kindly." She apologized.

"Ah, you don't have to apologize. I'm just not used to people calling me a friend." I replied

"See my buddy Kiyotaka here was a loner until I came along! I can proudly say I'm his first-ever friend and probably his best friend, am I right Kiyotaka?" Eichiiro said with a proud tone. I just nodded in response.

"Eh...? Really? No wonder you call each other by your first names. I was worried that Ayanokouji felt bewildered by me suddenly calling him a friend of mine." She said.

"Well, you better get used to it Mii-Chan. Kiyotaka here never seems to change his expression even once! He always has his disinterested and poker-faced look on his face." Eichiiro said teasing me.

"It's not like I can do anything about it. I can show expression, it's just I'm not very good at it." I explained to them.

"You should try to smile more Ayanokouji-Kun, your actually quite handsome from up close and if you smiled I'm sure you would be really popular in our year," Mii-Chan said. I could see she was a bit embarrassed by what she said as she had tints of red on her cheeks.

"See! Even Mii-Chan agrees with me! But Mii-Chan... Don't tell me you've already fallen for Kiyotaka's charms?" Eichiiro teased her.

"E-EH?! NO, NO! I WAS JUST COMPLIMENTING HIM THAT'S ALL!" She responded while waving both her arms to hide her embarrassment.

"HAHAHA! I was just joking Mii-Chan, no need to be so flustered about it." Eichiiro laughed. I just stood there looking at them converse with each other.

"Well, let's not waste any more time. Let's walk to our classroom. We don't wanna be late." I suggested.

Both of them nodded in response and we started to walk in the direction of our class. We talked about trivial stuff like our hobbies, interests, music tastes, and other stuff. Mii-Chan had asked me how many languages I was fluent in since she was surprised by how accurate my tone and pronunciation were when I spoke mandarin to her. When I told her I could speak more than 5 languages fluently, she freaked out and was amazed by me. Eichiiro just looked at us kept teasing us.

Finally, we arrived at the front door of our classroom. I slid the door open to see that there were already people currently sitting or chatting in the classroom. Some of them had already grouped up while others were alone sitting on their desks.

As we entered the classroom, everyone looked at us. This made Mii-Chan flinch a bit but she regained her composure quickly.

"Well, I'm gonna go introduce myself to our other classmates. See you later Kiyotaka!" Eichiiro said as he went over to a classmate. The classmate he was going to was a young man of average height with blonde hair and brown eyes. He gave off the impression of someone responsible and kind and he was very handsome as well. I could tell he would probably be one of the most popular boys of our year.

"I-i also wanna get to know some of our classmates, it was nice talking to you Ayanokouji-Kun! I hope we can speak again later!" Mii-Chan said as she waved at me and I just waved back as a response.

I just went back to my seat to see the empty chair beside me. It seems my seatmate hasn't arrived yet. I should probably go and try to make some friends.

I stood up and went to the boy in front of my desk and introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I wanted to get along with my fellow classmates so I'm introducing myself to you. It's nice to meet you." I bowed at him. He looked a bit surprised probably because someone took the time to come and talk to him. He gave off an aura of a person who didn't know how to socialize with people well.

"Ah, I'm Miyake Akito. It's also nice to meet you. Let's get along from now on." The boy introduced himself while smiling at me. Looking at him, he had dark magenta-colored hair and looked a bit good-looking.

"So, Miyake...Kun?" I asked trying to implement if he wanted me to call him by honorifics or not.

"You don't really have to add honorifics, I don't really care about that stuff." He replied.

"Ah, ok. So Miyake, what made you choose this school? Ah, sorry if my wording offended you in some way." I apologized sincerely.

"It's fine, it's not like you sounded hostile or anything. Honestly, I just decided to enroll here mostly because of the 100 acceptance rate but I also joined because I heard the archery club here was very good here." He spoke.

"Ah, so you like archery Miyake? That's really cool. I haven't met a skilled archer in my life so you are probably the first one I've ever met in my lifetime." I tried to sound interested and complimented him.

"Don't get your hopes up, I'm not a professional archer and I'm mostly doing it as a hobby, but I really appreciate the compliments you've given me." He said while scratching his cheeks from embarrassment.

This was going better than I expected. If it was in this position from a year ago, I would probably just end up starting at the window not knowing how to make friends. But because of Eichiiro, I learned on how to socialize with people properly. I'll have to thank him later for this.

We continued to talk about trivial things until we heard the door open and saw a young man of average height with grey hair, red eyes, and round glasses.

"Hey Miyake, you don't mind if we introduce ourselves to him don't you?" I asked him since I wanted to get to know more of my classmates.

"Sure, though you'll probably do most of the talking since I'm not really a sociable person." I just nodded at him and we made our way to the boy's desk.

When he turned and saw both of us he had a face of surprise but quickly regained his calm.

"Uh... Can I help the both of you?" The boy asked. I could tell he was on guard since he was probably not used to people suddenly striking up a conversation with him.

"Ah, sorry if we intimidated me you. Me and my friend here wanted to get to know our classmates better so we came to you. Anyways, I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, it's nice to meet you." I said in a friendly tone.

"I'm Miyake Akito, it's also nice to meet you." He said cracking a smile. He probably didn't want himself to look intimidating.

"Ah, sorry. I'm just not used to people suddenly coming up to me like this. I'm Yukimura Teruhiko. It's nice to meet both of you." He said a bit embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it, I was just like you a few minutes ago till Ayanokouji suddenly talked to me. I feel you, man." Miyake said trying to relate himself with Yukimura to make him feel comfortable around us.

We started talking again about trivia stuff like our hobbies, interests, and dreams. Yukimura proclaimed himself as an academically smart student. He certainly did give off an impression of one. As we continued our conversation, a sudden topic was brought up by none other than Yukimura.

"I wanna ask both of you, what school did you both go to?" Yukimura asked.

"Uh... Well, I went to Tokyo Space International School, but I don't like to admit this but I was a delinquent back then." He scratched his head feeling embarrassed.

"A-ah! But I'm a changed man now, I swear!" Akito remarked panicked. Seeing this Yukimura could only laugh and I as usual just stared at them with my trademarked poker face.

"Calm down Miyake, I'm not a person who judges a person by their past. My school was actually near your school? What a coincidence huh?" Yukimura replied to Akito.

"Coincidences can be freaky can they?" I said with my monotone voice trying to crack a joke. They both looked at me and laughed a bit.

"Your pretty funny aren't you Ayanokouji? You must've been really popular during your middle school days considering you're quite attractive." Miyake complimented me.

"Well, it's actually the opposite. This is actually my first time ever enrolling in a school. I've been homeschooled from childhood till now so I was a loner back then. I guess you guys could be considered as one of my first friends coming to this school." I responded. I've already planned on what to say if someone were to ever ask me about my origins.

"Woah really? For a loner, you're pretty good at socializing, though that probably doesn't mean much coming from a loner like me." Miyake complimented me.

"That's true, you even spent your time talking to a guy with terrible social skills like me," Yukimura said shamefully.

"Well, I can relate to your situations so I find talking to you guys relaxing, it's no trouble really," I replied. They seemed sort of embarrassed by my reply and we continued to talk about other topics.

Then a trio of boys approached us, one of them being Eichiiro.

"Kiyotaka, I see you've been doing well with your new friends," Eichiiro said with a smirk. Behind him was the blonde boy I mentioned earlier, the other boy was a boy of average height with green eyes and spiky black hair. He also wears glasses and looked a bit chubby.

I just waves at him as a response while Miyake and Yukimura looked confused at me.

"Ah, I forgot to mention, this is Matsuo Eichiiro, the only friend I had while I was homeschooled."

"Nice to meet all of you," Eichiiro spoke to them in a sincere and friendly tone.

"Ah, I forgot. Could you guys please introduce yourselves to Kiyotaka and his friends?" Eichiiro said to the two boys behind him.

"Of course Matsuo-dono, let me introduce myself. My name is Sotomura Hideo but you people may call me the " Professor" as I go by that nickname. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He said proudly. I see... Eichiiro probably befriended him because he looked lonely and they both probably bonded over their love for manga and anime.

"I'm Hirata Yosuke. I want all of us to get along and I would like to be friends with everyone here so it's really nice to meet all of you." He said while bowing.

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, I feel the same way Hirata," I replied to him.

Yukimura and Miyake then also introduce themselves to Eichiiro, Hirata, and Sotomura- err... I mean the Professor. The six of us then decided to converse with each other talking about random stuff. I could see some girls starting at us probably wanting to initiate contact with Eichiiro or Hirata as they were good-looking in the eyes of the girls of our class. Though, I was a bit surprised when I caught a few people staring at me. Maybe I was being too self-conscious? I don't know honestly.

When it was almost time for the entrance ceremony, each of us went back to our seats with Miyake sitting in front of me. At the last moment, three students entered the classroom as the last students who arrived.

One of them was a girl with short beige-colored hair paired with gradient crimson eyes. The other girl had long black hair with one braid tied with a pink bow. She had a stern look on her face giving me the impression of someone who didn't want to be bothered. Lastly, the person who was with them looked to be a well-built young man of above-average height with straight shoulder-length blonde hair and brown eyes. He looked around the class but I noticed he stared at me more intensely than he did at my other classmates.

The two girls then went to their seats as the beige-haired girl went to one of the seats near Mii-Chan. The black-haired girl sat next to me as it turned out she was my seatmate. I was about to try to have a conversation with her but it was interrupted when the blonde-haired man stood beside me standing as I was sitting.

"Um... Can I help you?" I asked the man standing beside me. He just smirked and made a hmph sound and replied.

"What is a person like you doing here?" He said in a mocking tone. Miyake looked a bit concerned about me as so was the rest of the class. This apparently had attracted the attention of everyone in class.

"I'm sorry did I do something to offend you by any chance?" I asked again tilting my head to mimic a confused person.

"AHAHAHAHA! It seems you've misunderstood my question boy. But don't worry, I the perfect existence is kind enough to tell you the true intentions of my blissful words." He replied. Perfect existence? That's quite a bold proclamation. He then said something that would shock even someone like me.

"Why is a masterpiece lying around here without its owner?"

Volume 1, Chapter 1.1: END

Word count: 6369

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Author's note :

And the first chapter of the first volume of this fanfic was finally released. I'm sorry for the bad grammar at the start of the chapter, I wrote that part when I was a bit tired and dizzy.

So, how did you like this chapter?

As you may tell, Ayanokouji in this fic isn't as socially awkward as he is in the canon timeline. You can thank Eichiiro for that.

And surprise, Koenji knows about Ayanogod... Well not really considering a lot of fics have this setting.

We don't actually know if Koenji knows about Ayano's origins so this might be OOC for Koenji but it's relevant to the plot.

And in this timeline, Ayanokouji befriends Akito and Keisei way faster than he did in canon. He also had a chance to make more friends with his interactions with the professor and Mii-Chan.

And in the start, Ayanokouji with the limited time has built a bit of a good reputation with the girls as he wasn't seen as a gloomy guy but rather more of a mature guy with good social skills.

Although he has good social skills, he doesn't have the charisma Eichiiro and Hirata have.

Anyways, that's all for this chapter.

Thank you for 150 votes on my story!

Your votes and comment mean a lot to me! ( ‿ )

Please look forward to chapter 1.2!

Vol.1. Chapter 1.2 : A King's Revelation

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

"Why is a masterpiece lying around here without its owner?" The blonde man said those words to me.

As I heard those words, my composure cracked a bit and my eyes widened. How... Did he know? Has he visited me before? Was any of his family members related to my father in some way?

Alright, I need to calm down and breathe. I regained my composure quickly and replied to his words.

"Masterpiece? What do you mean by that?" I feigned ignorance. When I spoke those words he just looked at me for a bit then made a smug expression.

"You should be grateful that a divine being as I even took the time to compliment you. I know just how capable your abilities are compared to these defective mongrels. Ah, but don't get ahead of yourself boy, while I've acknowledged you, you'll still never come close to the perfect existence such as I." The blonde man replied to my question. His remarks angered a lot of my peers since they had felt they had been insulted but he paid no mind to the others.

"Know how capable I am? Sorry, but do I know you from somewhere?" This time I asked genuinely confused.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! Of course, you wouldn't know me but I definitely know who you are boy. I am Koenji Rokusuke, the next heir of the Koenji family. Be grateful as I don't introduce myself to people I deem as peasants. Show me something interesting Ayano boy for the years we'll be attending this school. I look forward to seeing what you truly are capable of." He declared.

As he was just about to leave my desk, he looked back at me once and our eyes met. He just gave me a smirk and I just looked at him with my apathetic face as a response. He returned to his seat later on.

I could see everyone in the class had different expressions. Some of them were conveying worry, anger, or ease that the situation had not turned into any unnecessary conflict. Some of my friends also looked a bit worried while the professor just smirked. I also noticed my Neighbour had her mouth opened with a bit of a surprised expression. I thought this was an opportunity to strike up a conversation with her and took it.

"Uh... Is there something wrong?" I asked my neighbor.

"Ah, it's nothing, sorry." She apologized. I wasn't gonna let the conversation end so I introduced myself.

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. It's nice to meet you." I spoke to her.

"Suddenly introducing yourself?" She asked.

"Well, I wanted to get to know my classmates more especially since your gonna be my seatmate. Ah, but if you don't want to introduce yourself you can just ignore me." I replied to her. I thought she wouldn't want anything to do with me so I didn't want to make a bad impression on her. She stayed silent for a few seconds before finally opening her mouth.

"Horikita Suzune."

"Hm?"

"That's my name. Although I've introduced myself to you, please do not think of us as friends. We are merely just seatmates. I've decided to tell you my name because I find you a bit interesting." She informed me.

"Ah, of course. But wait, what do you mean by you find me interesting?"

"The boy that just spoke to you, we rode the same bus to school, and he, that girl Kushida, and a passenger was making a fuss over a priority seat in the bus." She answered. But it was strange, how did she know the short beige-colored-haired girl's name, we haven't even done an introduction yet. Perhaps they had already greeted each other before coming here? Although that could be possible, it was unlikely considering she gave the impression of someone who didn't want others to trouble her. Though, don't judge a book by its cover they said.

"From what I saw on the bus, he seemed to have a large ego and you could even call him a narcissist of some sort. But you, he acknowledged you. That piqued my interest a bit." She continued.

"Well, I guess you could say our parents had passed ties. Though, I don't remember doing something to gain acknowledgment from him." I answered with a half lie and half-truth. As I said those words, she grabbed a book from her bag and averted her eyes away from me, and read her book. Although I wanted to continue the conversation we had going, I didn't want to cause any more trouble than I already did with Koenji suddenly approaching me.

Suddenly a feminine voice came out of the speakers.

"Would all first-year students please make their way to the gymnasium where we'll be having our entrance ceremony. Please don't run in the halls nor come in late. Thank you for your understanding." The voice informed us.

Everyone then stood up from their seats and made their way out the classroom door. I invited Miyake and Yukimura to walk together and they bombarded me with questions about the situation that took place between me and Koenji. I explained everything to them to calm them down as I didn't want any more trouble. As we were talking, we had finally made it to the gymnasium.

In the gymnasium, I could see the teachers trying to organize and order their class to make a line. Chabashira-sensei did the same and I stood in the line behind a male classmate in front of me and behind me was none other than Koenji himself. Today's gonna be a troublesome day, isn't it?

I looked to my left and saw students from other classes finally arriving at the gymnasium. I looked behind and from my field of vision, three people caught my eye.

One was a well-built young man of above-average height. He appeared to be bald as I couldn't see even the tiniest string of hair on his head. He had quite a large body frame with a stern and serious expression. Though, his wasn't as hostile as what Horikita's looked like.

The next one was a young man of average height with shoulder-length magenta hair that is styled on either side and sharp magenta-colored eyes. Part of his uniform was unbuttoned and I could guess that he had a slim and muscular physique. He looked quite intimidating as he had an expression that said "don't talk to me or I'll beat you up." Or something like that.

Finally, the last one was a girl with long, light pinkish-type hair which travels down in length to her waist or hip. Besides having an average height, she possesses an extremely well-endowed figure. She also had blue eyes which I must say made her quite hard for me to look away from. I didn't wanna be labeled as a pervert by my peers so I quickly averted my gaze so people wouldn't have the wrong idea about me.

The last person to arrive was Arisu. She probably arrived last due to her physical disabilities but it was nice that some people had stayed behind and followed her pace to appear polite. Our eyes met and I saw her giggle a bit before waving at me. I just raised my palm in response as I didn't want to attract any unwanted attention.

Finally, after everyone had arrived at the gymnasium, the entrance ceremony started. Honestly, it was a bit boring for my taste but I tried my best to make it look like I was paying attention. They explained the basic rules of this school and this school's goals and dreams.

I took the entrance ceremony as an opportunity to analyze all of the students of each class. We were ordered to line up with class A on the very left and class D on the very right.

I glanced at my classmates and I could tell most of them weren't paying attention to the ceremony. Some of them were talking with the people near them, some were sleeping in broad daylight, and some were just looking somewhere else.

I then turned my head to look at the classes beside me and was pleased with my observation. Class C also had some people that weren't paying attention but not as much as class D had. Class B seemed to have almost everyone paying attention but I could see a few students talking once in a while. Finally, the students of class A were all looking at the principal with their utmost attention. Well, except one boy who was... Picking their nose...

Yuck.

From monitoring the students of each class, class A was the most organized and quiet while class D was the messiest and noisiest of the bunch. With this observation, it further supports my theory of students being sorted into classes by the school's evaluation of them and that this school truly did have a hierarchy system ranging from class A being the best to class D being the worst. Though, class D did have people who truly paid attention to the entrance ceremony like Horikita and Yukimura. Although it's just speculation, this proves that we weren't sorted solely based on our behaviors, academic ability, nor physical abilities considering Keisei proclaimed himself as an academically gifted student but admitted his faults in his physical abilities and social skills.

As what I thought was the ending of the ceremony, the headmaster whispered something to the principal which shocked the principal a bit. He then regained his composure and began to speak.

"Before we end our entrance ceremony, I would like to personally congratulate three students from the newly enrolled batch of first years. The first two are Sakayanagi Arisu of class 1-A and Koenji Rokusuke of class 1-D for scoring the highest marks in the history of Advanced Nurturing High School and tying for second place out of every first year with an average score of 96." The principal informed everyone in the gymnasium.

Everyone was surprised by this sudden announcement, especially class 1-D. I could see Koenji behind me smirking with delight as some people were staring at him with shock. Then the principal announced something that would turn my world upside down.

"As for the next student, we the higher-ups of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School would like to congratulate Ayanokouji Kiyotaka of class 1-D for being the highest scorer of the entrance exams in Advanced Nurturing High School history with all perfect scores of 100 in all subjects. This truly is a remarkable achievement that has been done. Let us applaud the three of them for what they have achieved." The principal announced while clapping his hands.

And with that, my limited peaceful life had gone down the drain. I could hear claps from other people with them looking around to see who was the student named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I also noticed a lot of my friends staring at me with shocked expressions and some of them with respect and admirement. From the corner of my eye, I could see Horikita at the corner right of my vision starting at me with an expression of shock and a bit of respect? I pretended to be oblivious and ignored the stares I was getting from my friends.

And with that, the entrance ceremony ended. We were all ordered to back to our classes as we had an introduction lesson. as I exited the gymnasium, I saw Arisu staring at me with a smug expression on her face.

"You've impressed me Ayanokouji boy." Koenji suddenly said behind me. He then quickly fasten his walking pace and went back to the classroom walking past me. I returned to the classroom silently and sat back at my desk in peace.

Miyake and Yukimura came back together and stared at me for a while. They looked like they wanted to say something to me, but noticing how Chabashira-sensei was nearby our class, they chose to keep quiet and went back to their respected seats.

My neighbor had also just come back from the gymnasium. I could feel her staring at me intensely to the point you could mistake it for a glare. Was she mad at me or something? But from the look on her face, she didn't seem mad. She'd probably want to talk to me later so I just ignored her for now

"Good morning class," Chabashira-sensei said snapping me out of my thoughts.

"My name is Chabashira Sae and I am in charge of class D this year. I teach Japanese history. This school doesn't rearrange the classes every year, so over the next three years, I hope I get to know all of you. Best regards to all of you. I will now distribute the list of special rules of this school and the matriculation guide." Chabashira-sensei spoke as she handed out the pamphlets from the front till the pamphlet reached my hands.

At this school, there are special rules that make it different from every other high school. All students are required to live on campus and are forbidden from contacting anyone outside the school. Even contacting immediate family is impossible without the permission of the school. Leaving school grounds is also forbidden.

However, there are also many other facilities so that students don't suffer from being restricted. There are karaoke, theater rooms, cafes, and even boutiques- you can say it made up a small town. And in the middle of the big city, the huge campus took up more than 600,000 square meters. There's one more special characteristic of this school, though. The introduction of the S system.

"I will now hand out student ID cards. With this card, you can buy anything from any of the shops and facilities around campus. It works like a credit card. However, be careful of how many points you use. There's nothing you can't buy at school. If there's something on school grounds, it's purchasable."

Interesting...

I felt like sensei purposefully emphasized those words leaving us with a clue about the point system. Chabashira-sensei said that we can buy anything in this school. If my theory was correct, we could even buy marks or maybe even switch classes.

"Student cards can be used by swiping them on the machines. Using the machines are really easy, so you won't have any trouble with them. The points will be automatically credited on the first day of the month. Everyone should already have 100,000 points on their card. Also, 1 point is worth 1 yen. Any more explanation is unnecessary."

The classroom then suddenly got louder.

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 number 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 on 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.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Chabashira asked everyone in the room but I saw her cast a glance at me. Alright, I guess I'll have to do this.

I raised my hand as I noticed I was the only one who did so. I then spoke, "Sensei, if I may, I would like to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"

"Your Ayanokouji Kiyotaka right? The first person to score 100 on all of the subjects in the entrance exam. I must congratulate you for your achievements." Sensei said while clapping her hands. As she said those words, all of my classmates now knew the face and looks of the student named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka who scored all perfect marks in the entrance exams.

"Now, on to your questions. If you can't tell, we teachers have a very busy schedule so, please state your confusions about the school now." Chabashira-sensei said.

"Sensei you said that we would receive 100,000 yen this month, but you never mentioned anything about next month. Would you mind telling us how many points we would receive next month?" I asked.

"...That is not a question I'm willing to answer," Chabashira-sensei answered.

"And why is that sensei? Don't we as the students currently enrolled at this school have the right to know the allowance we would receive to fulfill our daily needs and wants?"

"Look Ayanokouji, there are some questions I'm not permitted to answer. I'm sorry but even if we are teachers, we have rules that we have to follow to keep our jobs, you do understand that don't you?"

"Of course sensei, then for my other question, could you explain more about the point system to us?" I asked again raising my tone a bit.

"Again we are not permitted to answer that question. Is there anything else you would like to ask? Or is that all?" Chabashira-sensei said in a provoking tone. It was as if she was challenging me to ask her more questions. Well if that's what she wanted, then it's what she'll get.

"Sensei you said we can buy anything in this school right?" Chabashira-sensei just nodded in response.

"Then, sensei..." I took out my phone and opened my point balance which said had 100,000 points on it and showed her my phone.

(Alright I know this is meant for a different volume but bear with me)

"I would like you to sell me more information about the S-system."

As I said those words I could see shocked expressions on all my classmates and even heard some gasps and murmurs from other people. Well, except Koenji of course who was looking at his own reflection with delight.

Chabashira-sensei looked at me for a while before letting out a big smirk.

"BAHAHAHA, Brilliant Ayanokouji! To think you would notice that little detail from my explanation." Chabashira exclaimed. She felt like a different person once I asked her that question.

"So, is that a yes Chabashira-sensei?" I asked. I wanted to get this over quickly as I wanted to go to the convenience store to buy some ice cream and go back to my dorms and rest.

"Not quite. Although you did figure out you could buy information about the system, mere private points won't be enough." She responded.

"Mere private points? Chabashira-sensei, Are you implying there's another way to buy the information without using private points?" Horikita catches on and asked.

"Although I won't tell how you can pay, let's say it involves your classmates losing some of their allowances." With that being said, the whole class came to an uproar.

"So what if we don't get the information?! I don't want any of my allowance to be cut!" A gyaru type looking girl shouted.

"Yeah! Can't we just end this conversation already? I wanna buy stuff already using my points!" A brown-haired guy also shouted impatiently.

"Of course, we can't just let you decide on your own Ayanokouji. How about this, if you can convince your classmates to purchase information regarding the S-system, then I'll explain to you in full detail what the S-system truly is?" I just nodded in response and stood up from my chair.

"If I can have everyone's attention please!" I tried to shout with my monotone voice. Everyone looked in my direction and I could see some people looking at me irritated, but most of them had curious and confused looks. I sent a nod to Eichiiro, I hope he got what I wanted to convey to him.

"As you know we were given 100,000 yen of monthly allowance for the three years we will spend here, but don't you find that a bit suspicious? Even if it's the government, surely giving a student 100,000 yen is going overboard. If you were to give 100,000 yen to 160 students in a year, they would have to give us around 16,000,000 yen per month. This is why I believe that we might not get 100,000 points as sensei only said that we would only get 100,000 points this month." As I said that people started to wonder about the things Chabashira-sensei said.

"Second of all, if Chabashira-sensei priced the information so high that it would require all of us to give some parts of our allowances, don't you think that information might be very vital for our future in the next three years we'll be in this school? If we don't do something we might be in trouble around the next month or maybe even for the rest of our three years here." Now, the atmosphere had changed from a tense one to a confused and curious one.

"I would like all of you to cooperate in me with this as this information might prove to be crucial," I asked them while bowing.

"I-i think we should consider what A-Ayanokouji-Kun has offered, I mean he does seem to be a very intelligent person, a-and he does make some very good points." Surprisingly, it was Mii-chan who first stood up for me.

"Yeah! I've known my buddy Kiyotaka for a long time and he's usually right about stuff like this. You've all also heard of his entrance exam score, right? That alone should prove that he's not just saying this on a gut feeling but rather he has already thought this through? Don't you guys think so too?" Eichiiro supported me.

This was good, people were now starting to get convinced by my deductions, bringing up my test scores should gain me some trust from some of my classmates. But I needed to put the final nail in the coffin.

"Of course, there's a chance I might be wrong and the information we bought might not prove to be as essential as I had thought. Because of that, I'll try to compensate's everyone lost allowance by using my own private points." After I spoke those words, I have probably gained the trust of most of my peers. They would probably see me as someone kind and trustworthy willing to sacrifice all their points just to help the class.

(Alright, i'm sorry if this is similar to alter self-test or if it's cliche. I didn't know how else Kiyotaka would expose the school on the first day, but I tried to make it different than other fics)

"I-i don't think you have to go that far Ayanokouji-Kun..." Mii-chan said to me.

"Yeah dude, you know what, I'll pay up too if Ayanokouji turns out to be wrong." Miyake also said to the rest of the class.

"I'll also pay!" Eichiiro stood up speaking those words enthusiastically. This was going great, with Eichiiro's support more people would feel pressured into joining my side.

"Everyone! I know we've all just met here but I think we should consider Chabashira-sensei's offer! I know we've all just met but it would hurt me a lot to see all of us suffer for the next month or maybe even the next three years." The short beige-colored-haired girl expressed her worry.

Little by little, everyone started to agree with me. After all of this is settled and done I would probably rise up to the top of the social hierarchy since I've done my class a favor. Although I do want more friends, I hope that I won't get too popular that it takes my free time away.

Finally, everyone had unanimously agreed to buy the explanation. Some people still looked dissatisfied or not pleased but they could not state their opinions probably due to fear of being the outcast of the class.

"It seems everyone here has come to a decision. But before I reveal more about the S-system, I would like to ask you a question Ayanokouji." She asked.

"Well as long as it's to my capabilities, I'll answer your question honestly," I replied.

"Around an hour ago, I saw students from each class either talking with their new classmates, sitting on their desk formally, or exploring the school. But you Ayanokouji, you were different. When we passed by each other in the hallways, you looked like you were simply just taking a tour around the school getting to know the new environment. But to me, it looked like you were deep in thought and was analyzing every little hint and detail the school was dropping for you new first years." Chabashira-sensei stated. She was probably referring to when we were heading to the acting director's office. She probably must've noticed that I had suspicions about the school or maybe even saw Eichiiro when he pointed at the location of where the cameras were.

"You are right to a certain degree sensei, I had my suspicions ever since I arrived at this school. I have contemplated some theories about this school and how it works but they are nothing but just baseless assumptions." I responded.

"Then for my question, would you enlighten all of us with the theories you've thought of with the information you've received with such limited time?"
Chabashira-sensei questioned me. Was she trying to test out my deduction skills? Well, no point in wasting more time now. I nodded at her as a response and stood up from my seat gaining everybody's attention.

"As you all know, Chabashira-sensei started that I've done some observing and thought of multiple hypotheses on how this school may work. The first thing I observed was the behavior of students during the entrance ceremony. I noticed that the behavior and attitude of students during the ceremony would differ depending on what class they were in. For example, if you paid attention, the students of class A were the most well behaved as almost everyone I saw there was giving the utmost attention to the people that were on stage. On the contrary, I also took note that most of the people in this class were the least well behaved as I saw people either sleeping, drifting off into their own world, or simply engaging themselves in idle chatter." I announced my recent analysis.

"Now, I think everyone knows that in the alphabet hierarchy from A to D, A would be considered to be the best while D to be the worst. You may be asking, what does that have to do with my recent observation of the student's behavior during the ceremony? Well, I managed to notice that the students of each class behaved very differently. The class B students' behavior was similar to those of class A but not quite as well behaved as they are. While class C's attitude was similar to those of us in class D but they were more well-behaved than we were to some degree. Don't you find it strange on how certain classes behaved more properly the higher their class name is labeled in the alphabetical hierarchy? It could quite possibly be a coincidence but I refused to believe that." I continued.

"Now before I reveal my first theory, I would want all of you to know I am in no way purposefully trying to offend all of you. Provoking all of you would also mean I would be insulting myself." The class nodded in response. Some people looked curious while others had nervous expressions

"I think there's a hierarchy between the four classes in this school. This would explain why the behavior of students would differ from what class they are from. Students are sorted to each class by what their value was judged to be by this school with class A being the best and class D being the worst. Simply put, we of class D have been judged to be inferior than to those who are in other classes." As I said those words everyone was bewildered as confusion and chaos spread throughout the room.

"OI, Y-your joking? Right?!" A boy screamed.

"S-sensei is that really true?!" A girl shouted. Talks and murmurs could be heard across the room till Chabashira-sensei finally intervened.

"Although it is an interesting deduction you've come up with, does that mean you yourself are willing to admit you belong in this class?" Chabashira-sensei asked with a hint of provocation.

"If I wasn't willing to admit that then I wouldn't have thought of this theory in the first place. I am well aware of my own flaws and I know more than anyone else how much I deserve to be placed in class D," I responded trying to sound sincere. As I said this, the whole class looked at me with expressions of shock and surprise, especially the faces of Horikita and Yukimura.

"But isn't your theory incorrect Ayanokouji?! Why would someone as capable as you be placed in a lower class like class D?! You've proven your intelligence by being the first person in this school's history to get all perfect marks in the entrance exams, shouldn't you be put in a higher class?!" Yukimura retorted. A lot of people seemed to agree with his statement but I'm afraid I'll have to burst his bubble as he also probably felt angry for being sorted into a lower class.

"Of course I acknowledge my academic abilities Yukimura, but here's the thing... Who said that the school judged our value solely on academics?" With this, everyone started talking to themselves and I saw Yukimura and Horikita flinched heavily.

"B-but isn't that just common sense for schools to rank us depending on how good our academic abilities and test marks are?!" Horikita countered while glaring at me.

"Of course that would be common sense for any other Japanese schools. But Horikita, you're forgetting one little detail. This school is not like your average normal Japanese High School. The S-system, how much allowance we were given, you certainly wouldn't think any other school would do this would you?" I countered back and she just sat in silence and couldn't think of anything to reply with.

"So t-then, how does the school judge a student's value?" Hirata finally spoke up and asked.

"I'm glad you asked Hirata, although academics do play a part, that's not the whole picture. Chabashira-sensei said the school evaluated us by our talents and merit, meaning we're not only judged by our academics alone but we are also judged by our physical capabilities, ethics, and mannerisms, communication skills, adaptability, and many more that you can think of. But, I think there's more to it than that which I will explain on my second theory." I explained while implying I still had more to talk about.

"My second theory is about the need for a hierarchy in this school. Why would they implement a hierarchical system in this school? Generally, if there exist class rankings in this school, it would cause competition among classes, but why would anyone deliberately try to aim for class A? Unless you hate being looked down upon, I don't see any reason why lower classes should try to reach class A. Whatever class we graduate as we would still get the benefits of a 100% acceptance rate of attending college or getting a job, right? Well, I don't think it's that simple." I explained.

"The question we should be asking isn't why we should be aiming for class A, but rather why we shouldn't want to stay as class D? What would be the disadvantages of us graduating in a lower class than class A? But then, I came to a conclusion. What if the government wasn't truthful about the guarantees and advantages of being enrolled in this school? What if to receive the full rewards on coming to this school, we had to graduate from Class A?" After I spoke those last words, the class turned into an atmosphere full of disorderly chaos and ruckus.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS CAN YOU?!"

"B-but the government wouldn't lie to us about this... Right?" A girl questioned.

"Idiots, OF COURSE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LIE TO US, HAVE NONE OF YOU EVER WATCHED A MOVIE OR SOMETHING??" The Professor retaliated.

The ambience of the class had turned tensed with people arguing with one another and some complaining. It was reasonable considering most people probably came to this school for the promised 100 acceptance rate this school had presented. They were all probably filled with worry and anxiety knowing their future won't be as simple as they thought it would be.

"Settle down class, it seems Ayanokouji still has some more things he would like to explain to all of you," Sensei said trying to calm down everyone.

"If what you say is true Ayanokouji, then what would be the point of competition to reach class A if the school had already decided the students in other classes were superior to those of us in class D?" Eichiiro asked lending me a hand.

"A good question Eichiiro. This is just a theory, but what if there were superior people placed in lower classes on purpose to increase the competition in this school?"

"B-but that's absurd! Wouldn't that be unfair to the students who were considered superior being put into a lower class and having their futures endangered merely because the school wanted more competition?!" Horikita debated. She had a full-on thunderstruck expression while standing up from her seat.

(I edited it by myself, sorry if it's bad)

"Indeed that would be unreasonable, I can understand your complaints Horikita. However, this leads me back to my first theory. I did say that people were evaluated by their whole capabilities such as academics, physical abilities, social skills, and other useful abilities, but I don't think the school only judges us from our capabilities only. What if the school had recognized someone's academic and physical abilities to be superior but there was something that was holding them back? For example, let's say we have a straight A student with an athlete's body. Usually, someone like that would instantly be placed in class A, but, what if that student had a severe case of superiority complex but doesn't have the claims to back it up? Or what if that student has an uncooperative attitude that prevents them from being able to lead other people properly?"

As I unraveled other parts of my theory, Horikita could not respond back as she just stood there staring at me not being able to utter or speak a word. I was looking at Koenji and we made eye contact but he quickly averted his eyes away from me and started combing his hair while humming a song.

"From what I can gather from those questions, the school doesn't only judges one's value by their capabilities but rather there is more to it. Perhaps, some of us had a problem with behavior? Something that happened in the past that we can't move on from? Something that we've done in the past? Those questions are most likely true." With that, I sat back down on my seat. When I said the last two questions, I saw that Hirata and the short beige-colored-haired girl had visibly flinched. Guess I hit the mark huh?

"Of course, all of these are nothing more than just assumptions. Are you satisfied now Chabashira-sensei?" I asked finally done with revealing my theories. Although, I wanted to discuss the hidden cameras but I've felt like I've already taken too much time from myself and my peers. I can probably discuss with them about the hidden cameras at another time.

Chabashira-sensei just kept silent for a while before finally opening her mouth, "Amazing... To think not only would you notice something strange about the point system but to figure out how the school sorted its students, the hierarchy, and class competition... With only a few hours of being enrolled into this school... You're in a once in a generational talent. You really are as brilliant as they say you are! Astounding accomplishment Ayanokouji!" Chabashira exclaimed. She was now smirking so brightly that even I got creeped out.

As sensei spoke those last words, all my classmates turned their heads towards me. Some had their mouth open, some were in awe of my deadly accurate observation, some looked at me with admirement, some even looked at me with fear.

"As I promised, I will now explain the contents of the S-system," Chabashira-sensei announced to the whole class. Everyone now would pay extra attention to what she would say as it could decide the future of our three years in this school.

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

"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. You can increase your class points by scoring high on exams. You can also decrease your class points by misbehaving in class like sleeping during lessons, engaging in chatter while the teacher is teaching, sleeping during classes, arriving late, being absent without a valid reason, and other reasons you and I can think of. Honestly, you people are already high school students, you should already know the basic etiquette and mannerisms to follow during school."

From the looks of my classmate's faces, it was obvious some of them had planned to do the things Chabashira-sensei had stated. I don't blame them honestly, if I had to sit through hours learning subjects I've already memorized and understood in the white room, I also would've probably done what they were planning to do.

*RINGGGG*

The school bell rang loudly.

"Anyways, I've felt like I've already explained enough for all of you to understand how different this school is compared to other normal Japanese schools. I feel no need to explain the school system as Ayanokouji had already figured it out for you. Now, do any of you have any questions?" Chabashira questioned the class.

Eichiiro raised his hand, "Ah, you must be Matsuo Eichiiro. What's your question?" The whole class turned their heads towards him with curiosity?

"Why did the school lie to all of us about every single student here being able to secure their future due to the high rate of success of graduating from this school? Doesn't that seem like a scam Chabashira-sensei?" Eichiiro asked.

"Nothing in this world comes easy Matsuo, that's all I can say. Though don't be discouraged, if you have the right mindset and abilities, I'm sure you can still succeed even without graduating from class A. Now, are there any more questions?" Chabashira-sensei asked again.

This time Horikita was the one who raised her hand, "Sensei, how many class points did it cost for us to buy this information." Horikita asked a reasonable question.

"200 class points. Meaning 20,000 private points from your allowance has been lost. If that is all, I will be taking my leave." Chabashira sensei picked up her clipboard then left the classroom.

Everyone was silent and most of us couldn't even leave the classroom. They were probably still thinking of how their high school lives had turned 180 degrees from what they thought of. I sent a signal to Eichiiro and he seemed like he understood.

"Everyone! May I please have your attention for a minute!" Eichiiro shouted. I wish I had his amazing social skills to be honest. Everyone stopped to look at him and paid attention.

"I think Kiyota- ah, sorry, Ayanokouji wants to address something to the whole class. Can I ask all of you please to stay for a little while, this might be something important and vital for our class." Eichiiro announced.

I then grabbed my bag and walked towards the podium that Chabashira-sensei had lectured us on for the past hour. Everyone then turned their eyes to me waiting on what I was about to say.

"Now I know all of you must be dizzy or frustrated by what happened today, so I won't waste much more of your time," I said to the class.

"I want to request four things from all of you. First, the information we got will give us a headstart against other classes, though it is only for a month. So I ask all of you to please not leak any information about what has been said today. If you want to talk about it, discuss it in a place where you are 100 certain that no one would overhear you or try to eavesdrop on you." The class just nodded at my request.

"Second, I would like to hold a class meeting tomorrow if we have time or if we don't, somewhere around this week. There is still some stuff I want to address that could affect our class points overall. Third, I would like for all of us to get along with one another. Our unity and trust with each other will play a big part in helping us reach class A. I hope to get along with all of you." I said while bowing to look sincere.

"And fourth... I would like for all of you to please let me lead class D. I can't promise we'll reach class A, but I can promise that I'll try my hardest and to the best of my abilities to lead all of you to the paradise land of class A. Although I am the leader, I cannot reach class A without all of you so I would like for your cooperation from now until the next three years we'll be spending as classmates. Although I wanted for all of us to introduce ourselves, I can tell that all of you must be in a state of shock or confusion. And since it's the first day some of you might want to explore the school more so we can do the introductions tomorrow or some other day. I hope all of you can recognize me as class D's official leader and I look forward to working with all of you for the next three years." I bowed this time more heavily to appear more heartfelt and honest.

It seems everyone was touched by my speech despite my monotonous voice and apathetic face.

"With someone like you in our class, I'm sure we'll reach class A in no time! You have my full support!" A girl of average height with waist-length blonde hair that is tied in a ponytail with purple eyes voiced her support on me.

"Yeah, what she said!" Another boy followed up. Soon I was getting support from the whole class and the tense atmosphere had now become a happy one.

"Thank you all for your support. I will do my best to not disappoint any of you." I tried to say in a sincere tone.

"All of you may leave now, I'm done with everything I needed to explain," I announced that as I left the podium and slid open the door to make my way out of the classroom.

We needed to take full advantage of the one-month edge we got from my deductions and Chabashira-sensei's confirmation. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if someone from class A had already figured it out in a few days or weeks. This will be the start of my new journey to lead class D to the promised destination of class A.

Volume 1. Chapter 1.2: END

Word count: 7521 words.

--

Author's Note :

So what did you think about this chapter?

Buying information for the S-system is not my idea i repeat, i got it originally from alter-self tesy but i wanted to try to convey what comes after in a different light. Please support their fanfic cause their fanfic is amazing as hell.

This chapter was a pain in the ass. Again, sorry if there are any typos or grammar mistakes. And sorry if this chapter was very cliche. I tried to make things different by having Ayanokouji expose the school system instead of Chabashira explaining it to the class.

Anyways, i'm a bit dissatisfied with this chapter, but I guess every writer has those days.

You may have noticed how I made the entrance ceremony happen first instead of the introducing of the S-system. Well, I wanted Kiyo's classmates to have some level of trust in him so he could convince his classmates to buy information regarding the S-system. Because of his perfect marks, people saw him as an intelligent person, that's why people trusted him on his offer to buy information on the S-system.

Now, after what happened in the class, Ayanokouji's popularity amongst his class has skyrocketed by a lot. He'll probably end up as #1 on the ikemen list instead of 4th.

Also, after I publish Volume 1 chapter 1.3, there will be two side stories for two certain characters. Look forward to it!

Anyways that's all I have to say, for now, have an illustration edit I made in the middle of class.

(Might be a teaser for the future? Who knows?)

Please look forward to Chapter 1.3!

Your comments and votes mean a lot to me and I love you all! ( ‿ )

Vol.1. Chapter 1.3 : Human Relationships

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

I'm currently heading my way to the convenience store after what just happened in the classroom. I hope I didn't come off as boring or uninspiring to my classmates. I wanted the message to reach their ears clearly so they wouldn't leak any information about what we've just discovered about the school and the point system.

"Kiyotaka!" A voice called out to me. I looked behind to see Eichiiro, Miyake, and Yukimura all trying to catch up to me. I was surprised to see Yukimura there, I thought he would wang some peace and quiet or maybe alone time considering how he reacted in the classroom. I waved back at them and stopped in my tracks to wait for them.

"What you did in class was so fucking cool! It felt like I was experiencing a real ace attorney or danganronpa game!" Eichiiro exclaimed.

"Yeah, you should've told us you were a genius Ayanokouji." Miyake followed Eichiiro.

"I don't really like to brag a lot but thanks for the compliments I guess..." I thanked them.

"Yeah, now I kind of feel embarrassed praising myself as an academically gifted student..." Yukimura looked down in embarrassment. I could tell that he was feeling really down maybe because of his placement in class D.

Eichiiro noticed Yukimura's mood and decided to comfort him "You shouldn't feel so bad about being placed in class D Yukimura. Just because you are in class D doesn't mean you actually deserve to be here. I mean that's only the school's judgment. Although I don't know your whole situation, If I were the school I'd at least place you in class B or Class C."

"Plus, if you were placed in another class, you wouldn't have met me and Ayanokouji, that would be sad wouldn't it?" Miyake joined in.

"I... I guess your right..." Yukimura replied.

"Yukimura," I called him. He looked at me with full attention.

"Although I can't promise you we'll reach class A easily, I promise you and everyone in class D that I'll try my very best to bring all of us to class A. But to do that, I'll need you and the class' cooperation. So, if there comes a time when I -, no, all of class D needs your academic abilities, will you be willing to lend a helping hand?" I asked him.

"O-of course I will... If it's you leading us, I believe we actually can reach class A. If you ever need help on anything, please don't hesitate to reach out to me." Yukimura spoke.

"I see, that's good then. I'll be depending on you in the future whenever I need your help." I said to him. I noticed he was looking sort of embarrassed by the conversation we just had. I noticed there was a lack of presence in our group.

"Sotomura and Hirata aren't with you?" I asked Eichiiro.

"Well Hirata got dragged off by a group of gyaru girls and Sotomura said he wanted to hang out with some of his other friends. I didn't want to bother them so I left them to their own accord." Eichiiro responded

"Well, I was gonna go to the convenience store to buy some groceries and essentials. Do any of you want to come with me?" I offered them.

"Sure, I also need to but some stuff," Eichiiro answered. Miyake nodded in agreement.

"Well... I guess I need something to take my mind off things so I'll join you guys." Yukimura replied.

We made our way to the convenience store in silence. As we were walking, I could tell Yukimura wasn't in the best of moods but I think asking him about it or comforting him wouldn't be the right action for now.

We finally arrived at the convenience store as the door slid open for the four of us. I could see that they had a section for every essential thing like ingredients for cooking, snacks, bathroom items, and other stuff. I looked around to see a freezer with cold desserts on it. I'll probably buy that later just because I'm curious about what certain desserts taste like.

"Oh, remember guys, we only have 80,000 private points left so make sure to be wise with your spending," Yukimura advised us.

We all nodded and all headed in different directions of the store. From my field of vision, there were different sections of things such as food, bathroom necessities, but one thing caught my eye and that was a freezer. If I could, I would like to buy ice cream or at least something similar to it. There was also a snacks section filled with potato chips, gummy bears, and other unhealthy stuff. Although I had to maintain a healthy diet, it wouldn't hurt once in a while to eat food like this.

I saw Yukimura in the bathroom necessities section buying shampoo, soap, skincare, and other important toiletries. On the other side, I saw Miyake buying some snacks like potato chips, cheese balls, and some corn chips. Then we have Eichiiro, he was buying ingredients probably to cook.

I approached Miyake and asked him a question.

"Uhh... Miyake, sorry if I'm bothering you, but can you recommend me a potato chip flavor?" I asked him with curiosity.

"Well, I really like the barbecued flavored ones, but the cheese flavored ones aren't bad. There's also a new seaweed flavor I want to try." Miyake answered honestly.

"Oh, thanks. I've never tried something like this so I wanted my first experience eating potato chips to be enjoyable." As I said that, Miyake just looked at me dumbfounded with an expression filled with shock.

"YOU'VE NEVER TRIED POTATO CHIPS BEFORE?!" Miyake shouted which turned everyone's attention to him. He realized what he had just done, he embarrassingly apologized to everyone while bowing. I could see his cheeks were red due to how humiliated he felt.

"Well, to answer your question, no I have not. It's no big deal really. My father put me on a very strict diet of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and other healthy meals you could think of. So you could say I haven't tasted many savory and sweet snacks in my lifetime." I explained.

"Isn't that kind of sad though? I mean no offense of course Ayanokouji but haven't you at least tried a few things like desserts or you know, other things kids liked to eat?" Miyake asked curiously.

"Well, I never really had the privilege of eating desserts, but I did recently try eating a pancake with maple syrup. I also ate different variations of ice cream so don't worry, I'm trying to fit in with the rest of the people of my age. It's not like I hated being put on a diet by my father."

"Well, you do you I guess. Speaking of diets, are you perhaps athletic Ayanokouji? Usually, it would be athletes or bodybuilders who go on diets as you do." Miyake continued to interrogate me. I guess he sensed that this would be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other better.

"I wouldn't say I'm an athlete or bodybuilder, but I do work out from time to time and exercise a lot. Nevertheless, it's not like I'm aiming to have a professional career in anything involving exercise or athletics, I simply just want to stay healthy and maintain a good physique for my body." I responded.

"Hmm... That's pretty cool Ayanokouji. Well, I'm probably bothering you with all my questions, so I'll see you later!" He said as he went to a different section of the store.

I then went over to the ingredients section putting raw vegetables, meat, seasoning, and other foods in my shopping basket. I'm pretty sure I've already bought everything I need. Let's see... Shampoo, soap, skincare, ingredients for cooking, a bit of snacks, yeah that's everything.

"Yo Kiyotaka! Catch!" Eichiiro suddenly threw me something. I caught it perfectly and opened my hands to see what he had thrown me. It was a popsicle with a flavor called "rainbow" on it. I'm guessing it meant several fruit flavorings mixed into one to make a single flavor of popsicle. It looked quite appetizing, but I needed to hurriedly finish my shopping or this popsicle would quickly melt before I can even try it.

As I made my way to the counter, I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Can you watch where your go-" the person then quickly stopped herself from finishing that sentence. The person I bumped into turn out to be none other than my seatmate, Horikita Suzune.

"Ah, sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." I bowed to sound sincere and apologetic.

"No, I guess it was my fault too considering I should've been more mindful of my surroundings," Horikita responded. There was an awkward silence between us for a few seconds before I decided to try to start a conversation with her.

"So... What brings you here Horikita?"

"Just like you, I'm here to buy my daily needs and necessities, although, it's quite alarming how much snacks and sweets you bought, I suggest you don't eat too much unhealthy food as it may be detrimental to your health and hygiene," Horikita advised me.

"Yeah, I get it. It's not like I'll be eating these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Anyways, I won't bother you anymore. You probably don't want to waste much time here and quickly finish your shopping. Bye Horikita." I said to her trying to leave before being stopped by her.

"Ayanokouji-Kun," Horikita called for me.

"Hm?"

"If you have time, I would like to discuss with you about our class matters and affairs," Horikita said to me.

"Sure, but not today Horikita. I want to hang out with my friends a bit and check my dorm room. If you want, we can talk about it tomorrow after school."

"After school? Why not lunch?" Horikita asked.

"As class D's official leader, I would like to get to know our classmates better and have some connections to maintain a good relationship with everyone. I hope you understand that our unity and teamwork with our classmates will be very important in our mission to rise up to class A." I stated my reasoning.

"I guess that's reasonable... For now. Well, I'll be seeing you tomorrow Ayanokouji-Kun. I still have some things I need to buy. Although someone like you probably already knows this, but I recommend not spending too many points not just because we might not get as many as 100,000 private points next month, but to ensure we don't end up having bad habits of spending a lot of money without saving any."

"Yeah, I hear you. Thanks for the advice and I'll see you tomorrow Horikita." I waved and we walked past each other.

I then gathered near the counter with Eiichiro, Miyake, and Yukimura. We had just finished buying everything we needed. Miyake arrived last as he bought the most out of all of us with a month's worth of snacks, a couple of soda cans, and a lot of groceries. We were about to start a conversation when we were suddenly interrupted.

"Oi! Can you hurry up, you're really holding up the line you know!" A student shouted at someone.

"Tch, just wait a bit will you, jeez how the fuck did I forget it!" A red-haired tall student said to the people behind him. He was one of our classmates that a lot of people tried to avoid probably thinking he looked scary or assumed he was a delinquent. Eichiiro noticing the situation decided to walk towards him and de-escalate the situation.

"Hi, I've noticed that something was going on here. What seems to be the problem?" Eichiiro asked in a friendly tone.

"Huh?! Oh, I forgot my student card. I forgot it basically works like our money now." The red-haired man replied.

"Ah, I'll pay for your groceries if you want." Eichiiro offered him.

"Really? What's the catch here?" The red-haired man asked suspiciously.

"There's no catch really. I just want this situation to be over with. Plus, I can relate to your situation about being forgetful." Eichiiro responded.

"Ah, that's true. Thanks, dude, I owe you one." The red-haired man thanked Eichiiro.

"There's really no need to thank me. If it wasn't for my friends I probably wouldn't have done it." Eichiiro said as he pointed at us. He probably wanted to give a good impression of us to the red-haired man. Speaking of him, I really need to get his name so I can stop referring to him as the red-haired man.

Eichiiro then took out his id card and paid for the red-haired man's groceries. After presenting the student ID card to the machine, the transaction was quickly completed. It was even faster because there was no small change involved.

"It's really usable as money..." Miyake muttered to himself. The receipt showed the prices of each good and the leftover amount of points. The payment went off without a hitch.

We all then exited the store where Eichiiro and the red-haired man were waiting for us. When they noticed our presence Eichiiro waved at us while the red-haired man stood there feeling a bit awkward with the current situation.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Matsuo Eichiiro. It's nice to meet you." Eichiiro said to the red-haired man while bowing.

"I'm Sudou Ken. It's also nice to meet you." So his name is Sudou Ken. Looking at him closely, he was tall and had a sturdy and muscular physique. He also looked a bit intimidating but I paid no heed to that.

"Oh, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Miyake Akito, it's a pleasure to meet you Sudou." Miyake said with a smile trying to appear friendly.

"I'm Yukimura Teruhiko, I forgot to tell all of you this but I would rather all of you refer to me as Yukimura Keisei because of personal reasons. It's nice to meet you Sudou." Yukimura greeted himself to Sudou.

"I'm Ayano-" before I could introduce myself Sudou interrupted me.

"Ah, you don't need to introduce yourself, I already know who you are. After all, you saved our asses there in class. I have to thank you for that since I'd probably end up spending all my points if it weren't for you." Sudou thanked me.

"Ah, it's no problem really. I was merely also saving myself too."

"Well anyway, here Matsuo." He offered a ramen cup to Eichiiro and he accepted it. It was already filled with boiled water and the noodles had already cooked along with the other ingredients in the cup of ramen.

"I know you don't want to be repaid with money, but this is the least I could do for you," Sudou said with a smile. He and Eichiiro then sat down and were just about to eat their meal before being interrupted by a group of upper-classmen.

"Hey first years, scram would you, this is our spot." An upperclassman boldly stated his displeasure with us.

Sudou's face changed to an angry one while Yukimura and Miyake had confused expressions.

"Hah?! We were here first, find your own spots, and fuck off will you!" Sudou retorted.

"Didn't you hear what my friend said? Or are you fucking deaf you dogshit-looking fucker? He said scram." Another upperclassman countered Sudou.

"Tch, what a cheeky first year."

They all laughed at Sudou which angered him more to the point he threw his ramen cup to the ground and was about to cause a scene. I looked around my surroundings to see a camera above us. Hmm... I see what they're trying to do.

"THE FUCK YOU ALL SAID TO ME?! I'll BEAT YOUR FUCKING ASSES RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!" Sudou shouted with full annoyance.

"Heh, take a load of this guy, trying to start a fight. Well, come right at us you fucking loser." Upperclassmen taunted.

"WHY YOU-" Before Sudou could do anything I put a hand on his chest and stopped him.

"Calm down Sudou, they're trying to make you fall into their trap," I explained.

"HUH?! THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN-" Before he could say anything Eichiiro stepped forward and explained the situation.

"They were going to provoke you into beating them up and then use the cameras above us to blackmail you into giving them all of your points. Remember, this school doesn't take violence lightly and they probably would threaten you with something like suspension or maybe even expulsion." Eichiiro exposed their plan. It seems he also noticed the cameras that were monitoring us.

(This is a look at Eichiiro's deductive ability)

"Tch, this first-year punk figured us out. Your friend there looks like he belongs in class D but you and that poker-faced boy over there seem to calm in this situation. Are you class A or class B students?" An upperclassman asked. I noticed he had made a huge blunder exposing a bit of the school system.

"What do you mean by that senpai? What does me being in class A or class B have to do with my attitude and observational skills?" Eichiiro asked them provokingly.

"Tch, never mind. My mood's ruined, let's go somewhere else." An upperclassman said irritatedly while leaving all of us here near the bench. I looked back to see Miyake and Yukimura had puzzled expressions, and I saw Horikita staring at us curiously. It seems, she finished shopping for all her essentials.

"I'm really sorry for losing my temper there. I'll have to thank you Ayanokouji and Matsuo. I don't know what I would've done if I got expelled from this school or if I had to give up all my private points to those pigs." Sudou apologized.

"It's fine Sudou. We all make mistakes sometimes. I can tell that you are a good person, just try not to pick fights okay?" Eichiiro advised Sudou.

"Yeah... I don't want to cause trouble for myself and you guys. I'll be working on my temper and I'll hopefully be able to control it someday." Sudou said.

"Ah shit, my instant cup ramen. Great, I have nothing to eat now." Sudou voiced his dissatisfaction.

"Ah, you can have mine if you want." Eichiiro offered his cup of ramen to Sudou.

"Eh? No, no, I possibly couldn't take that from you. You've all already done a lot for me today, I can't possibly take your cup of ramen from you." Sudou denied the offer.

"It's okay really, besides, Kiyotaka is willing to share some of his snacks with me, right Kiyotaka~?" Eichiiro asked me while smirking.

Sigh.

"Well, I guess I don't mind. You can take some potato chips I bought at the store." I said to him.

"Haha! Thanks Kiyotaka, I'll repay you for this later on." He said as he grabbed the seaweed flavored chips from the plastic bag full of snacks and groceries.

I was reminded then that I had been holding my rainbow-flavored popsicle for a while now. I opened it up to see that it melted a bit but I didn't mind, it was still a bit rock solid. I bit into the popsicle and felt my teeth cringe from how cold it was.

Seeing me squirm a bit, Eichiiro couldn't help but laugh loudly which caught the attention of everyone near us.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Kiyotaka, be careful dude. I know you're excited trying popsicles for the first time but don't rush eating them. You'll get a brain freeze." Eichiiro advised me trying to contain his laugh.

Yukimura and Sudou noticed the 'trying popsicles for the first time' part and they bombarded me with questions. Honestly, it was quite troublesome answering all of the questions they had for me. The conversation then switched to simple topics like what made us come to this school, our dream colleges, and our future career prospects. When Sudou mentioned his dream of being a basketball player we all quickly turned our attention to him.

"You play basketball Sudou? That's pretty cool man. Now I can see where you get your height and physique from." Akito complimented him.

"Heh, well you don't get this body from just playing basketball. You also have to work out from time to time and keep a healthy exercise routine to maintain this body." Sudou said as he flexed his biceps at us.

"Yeah, your pretty amazing Sudou. Unlike me, I can barely run a few km without gasping for air or sweating a lot." Yukimura self-deprecatingly spoke.

"Don't feel so bad dude, if you start to exercise more, you might even be able to score a point against Sudou in basketball." Eichiiro joked which got most of us laughing. Well, except me of course.

"I've been meaning to ask you this Ayanokouji, but don't you ever change your expression? I mean even when you were making that speech in class you still had the same bored expression your wearing right now." Sudou questioned me.

"Well, I'm just not very good at expressing myself, but it's not like I don't feel things. Like that joke, Eichiiro cracked. I may look like I'm feeling bored but I just can't really convey my emotions well. I did find Eichiiro's joke pretty amusing." I explained to Sudou.

"That's a bummer man. If you smiled more, you'd undoubtedly be the most popular guy in our year, no erase that. Maybe even our whole school!" Miyake complimented me.

"That's true Ayanokouji, despite your apathetic and gloomy aura, you do look quite attractive from up close. And because you showed some of your intelligence in class, you'll probably be considered more of a mature guy by the girls in our class instead of gloomy or low-spirited." Yukimura joined Miyake in flattering me.

"Thanks... I guess." I awkwardly thanked them.

"Speaking of girls, I noticed that you were talking to that black-haired girl while we were shopping. What was her name? Eh... Haribita? Horichita?"

"You mean Horikita?"

"Ah, yes Horibita!"

"No, it's Horikita Eichiiro."

"Never mind her name, she gave off an impression of someone who didn't like to be around people but she looked pretty comfortable talking to you. Don't tell me you already got yourself a confession dude?" Eichiiro asked me teasingly while poking the side of my body with his elbow.

"No, me and Horikita aren't like that. Plus, why would you confess to someone you've barely even known better yet someone you've just met?"

"Well who knows, she might be one of those girls that believe in the strings of fate or love at first sight type of girls." Eichiiro continues to tease.

"Even if Horikita decided to confess to me, I'd probably reject her. Although I will admit she is very pretty, she's not really my type." I replied.

"Oh really? Or maybe, you have some other girl on your mind? Like that short purple-haired girl we met a year ago?" Eichiiro continued to poke fun at me. Because of what he said, all the boys suddenly grew curious and bombarded me with questions about girls.

After a few questions, we continued to talk about other topics for quite a while. I must say it was nice to be able to socialize with others without being confused about what to say or what topics to talk about.

Our fun had to come to an end as Sudou, Miyake, and Yukimura all wanted to go back and check out their new dorms. We had exchanged contact info with each other and promised to talk with each other more the next day.

"We'll see you Tomorrow Matsuo and Ayanokouji." Yukimura bid farewell to us as he, Miyake, and Sudou walked in the direction of the pathway to the dorms. We waved at them back as a response.

We waited for a few minutes just staring at the gradient-colored sky of orange and purple enjoying the view.

"So, you wanna go back to the dorms Kiyotaka?" Eichiiro asked.

"Sure, why no-" Before I could answer someone suddenly interrupted us.

"Ara? If it isn't Kiyotaka-Kun." A girlish voice called out to me. I and Eichiiro both turned our heads in the direction of the voice and I saw Arisu there waving at me with another girl beside her. The girl beside her had thigh-length purple hair that is tied in a long ponytail on the right side with bangs swept to the right side with purple eyes.

"Ah, hello Arisu." I waved at her responding to her greeting. She turned to the girl beside her and said something to her.

"That will be all for today Kamuro-San. Don't forget our little secret okay?" Arisu asked with a provoking tone. So her name is Kamuro...

"Tch, whatever," Kamuro answered with hostility. She then quickly left in the direction of the dorms. Eichiiro noticing Arisu decided to introduce himself.

"My name is Matsuo Eichiiro. We may have met each other a year ago but we didn't get to know each other very well. Anyways, it's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed politely to Arisu.

"I'm Sakayanagi Arisu, it's also a pleasure to meet you Matsuo-Kun." She also bowed.

"Can I ask you both a question?" Arisu asked both of us. We just nodded in response.

"How are you enjoying your first day of school so far?" Arisu questioned. Although she asked both of us, I could tell this question was mainly aimed at me. Was she trying to pry information about the S-system? Or maybe she really was curious about how I was doing? I didn't know her intentions but I wasn't willing to spill vital information that easily.

"Well, it certainly is different to the past schools I've been enrolled to. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying it a lot since I've made some new friends here." Eichiiro answered happily.

"And how about you Kiyotaka-Kun?" Arisu turned her attention to me.

"It certainly is different than what I've been accustomed to my whole life. I hope to enjoy the next three years of freedom I have in this school away from that place." I answered honestly.

"Fufu... Well, that's all I wanted to chat about with the both of you. I won't waste more of your precious time. I'll be taking my leave." Arisu said to us. We were both about to walk to the dorms before Arisu stopped me for a second.

"Oh and Kiyotaka-Kun?"

"Hm?"

"You don't mind if we have another chess match some other time do you?" Arisu asked me.

"Sure, just as long as we're both not busy with class or school affairs," I responded.

"Fufu... I'll be looking forward to it Kiyotaka-Kun. I'm also looking forward to what you'll be doing for the next three years and for the day we'll finally be able to face each other one on one ." Arisu stated.

"Yeah, I'll be looking forward to it too, I guess," I replied.

"Well, that's all I wanted to say, have a good night Kiyotaka-Kun. Oh, and sweet dreams." She waved her hand at me while showing a smiling expression. I just waved back at her as a reply.

I and Eichiiro then decided to walk to our dorms but it wasn't without him teasing me more.

"Hey, you sure you guys aren't dating? She even said good night and sweet dreams to you dude! She totally has a crush on you!" Eichiiro tried to tease me.

"No, we're not dating. Plus, it might just be her trying to get a reaction out of me out of pure satisfaction. And I think it's too early for me to be looking for a girlfriend." I countered his teasing.

"Well, I guess that's Kiyotaka for you. Let's go to the counter." Turns out, we arrived at the dorms earlier than I expected. Searching around the lobby, there were a few students I'm guessing just came back from the mall or were getting their dorm rooms ids.

After the first-floor receptionist gave me a card key for the room 401 and an information manual, I got on the elevator. While flipping through the manual, I saw the time and day for the garbage disposal and a warning to not make too much noise. It also said not to waste water and electricity as much as possible.

"They don't actually have limits on gas and electricity usage, huh..." Eichiiro muttered to himself.

"What room did you get assigned to?" I asked Eichiiro.

"Room 402, how about you?"

"Room 401, guess we'll be neighbors."

This school really went through great lengths for the sake of the students. I was surprised that they implemented co-ed dorms though. For a school that prohibits relationships between students, the coed dorms felt out of character. In other words, sex was a no-no. Well, obviously.

We arrived on the 4th floor and began to go into our rooms. Me and Eichiiro bid farewell even though we were neighbors then I opened the door which lead the way to the room I would be staying in for the year. The room was quite big, around about 8 tatami mats big. This is my house starting from today. It's also my first time living alone. Until graduation, I would have to live without contacting anyone outside of school.

I then put the plastic bag I had been holding for a while down on the floor. I opened the cabinet to put my groceries, ingredients, and snacks there. I then stood up and closed my door and jumped on the bed not caring I was wearing my uniform. I decided to rest for a bit as today was quite exhausting from the friends I've made and the things I did in the class.

Only for today, I could have this peace and quiet.

———————————————————

It was 8:00 PM at night, or maybe evening depending on where you live or how you define night, day, noon, or evening. I couldn't sleep so I exited my dorm room and made my way to the elevator. I then pushed the button heading towards the lobby floor. I needed some fresh air and I wanted to empty my thoughts.

I arrived at the lobby and quickly left the dormitories before anyone could spot me. I then went to a place near the dormitories and walked my way there. I put my hands on the railing as I observed the view in front of me.

The stars shone brightly as they formed a night-blue sky. The sound of leaves waving in the wind, which was quite strong. The sound of waves crashing on the shores of this school as I felt water droplets land on my face and various parts of my uniform, but I didn't care.

Today was an enjoyable day you could say, or maybe I was at least trying to make it enjoyable. I had made new friends, new acquaintances, and solidified my position as the leader of class D.

I came to this school for many reasons. To learn emotions, to learn how to love, to know what it felt like to have friends, to know the feeling of having fun, but most importantly...

I came to this school to fight for my freedom. That was my main priority coming to this school.

At this moment right now, I didn't have responsibilities that I had to do, I didn't have expectations I was expected to uphold.

For this moment, I was free.

In English, that's "freedom". In French, it's "liberté." Isn't freedom the best? I can eat, sleep, and play when I want to. Without having anyone order me around.

I was finally free from that place and away from that man. A year ago, when I was told to enroll in this school with that man never being able to reach me here, I felt glad.

No one can judge me or order me around now. I can redo... no, start anew. A new start, a new life. Anyway, I plan to have a fun student life from now on. What will the next three years in this school bring me? I didn't know, but I was looking forward to it.

I then turned around, making my way back to the dormitories. Before I left the place, I noticed a beautiful and charming young girl with crimson eyes and long platinum blonde hair sitting on a bench near me. We made eye contact for a second but I quickly averted my eyes away from her as I didn't want anyone bothering me right now.

Tomorrow would officially be the second day of school. The second day of the next three years I would be spending here. I just hoped that tomorrow would not be too troublesome.

Volume 1 Chapter 1.3: END

Word count: 5506

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Author's Note :

Hello! Sorry, this was a very late upload. I wanted to finish and publish this chapter yesterday but I had some family problems. I also wanted to finish this on Sunday but I was feeling a bit down that day so sorry for the delay.

Anyways, how did you like this chapter?

Again, I apologize for typos or bad grammar.

And with this, chapter 1 of volume 1 ends.

If you noticed, Ayanokouji has stopped referring to his dad as his father and now calls him "that man". This is a bit of development as he now considers Matsuo more of a father than his dad ever will be.

Regarding the emotional development of Ayanokouji, he will develop but I won't turn him into a softie. He'll learn more to be human but he'll still be heartless and cold when he needs to be.

Remember, although Ayanokouji does want to learn to be human, his main priority is to reach class A and attain his freedom. He won't hesitate to use underhanded tactics or cut someone from the class if they prove to be a burden to him.

Anyways, how do you like the new cover? Is it good? Bad maybe? Well, it's your opinion really.

Anyways just a bit of a spoiler in this fic but expect Ayanokouji and Koenji teaming up in the future. Also, expect an Ayanokouji vs Koenji moment too. Will it be a physical fight? An intellectually psychological battle? Who knows.

There will be two side stories before the 2nd chapter of Volume 1 comes. Who are they you ask? Well you'll find out yourselves.

Anyways, thank you again for reading and please vote and comment as I really appreciate all of your support. ( ‿ )

Also read Heaven's lie by Mr_Fruity. Underrated fanfic that needs more love.

That's a i have to say, hope you enjoyed this chapter!

SS.1. An Interesting Kouhai

Horikita Manabu POV

April 1st.

the first day of my last year enrolling in Advanced Nurturing High School. The newly enrolled first years would enter this school most of them probably expecting to graduate with the highest acceptance rate, but as for my own experience, that certainly wasn't the whole truth.

When my homeroom teacher explained the point system for the first time, I was ashamed to say that I didn't suspect a single thing about the S-system, well at least not the first week. But of course, just because I didn't have any doubts about the system, doesn't mean I spent all my money instantly. I knew the benefits of saving and how spending could lead to bad habits that could affect me once I graduated from this school.

But week by week I was starting to notice some strange things. First, when I was grocery shopping, I noticed some things were sold for free. Why would the school give out free items when we were given an allowance equal to 100,000 yen? This is where my suspicions started.

Second, I observed my classmate's behavior during lessons. Most of them were mostly well behaved but they would talk with their friends while the teacher was giving us a lecture once in a while, sometimes even openly. Yet, the teacher never seemed to care about it, and unlike any other normal teacher, he simply just let it be.

Third, I saw that some upperclassmen were eating the free vegetable meals instead of the usual deluxe meal or any other food tray with meat on it. I noticed that most of them either came from class D or class C.

With all the information I gathered, I quickly encouraged my class to be on their best behavior. Most of them complied, though some of them didn't agree with me and continued to do as they pleased. When the next month came, we as class A were able to save around 800 cp. I was glad that our behavior had not been the self-destruction of our class.

Looking back at the past, I have grown greatly compared to the person I was two years ago. I had made new allies, new friends, lost people, and now I would start my third and final year of this school being the reigning student council president.

If I had to say, my biggest regret would be appointing Nagumo Miyabi as Vice President. When I was a second-year running for student council president, Nagumo shocked everyone on how bold he was declaring he was running for president considering he was only a first-year at the time. We had different ideals but the same goal towards improving the school system. When the election was over, I had won most of the student body votes, but it was only by a slim margin.

I acknowledged his leadership skills since he was able to lead his class to class A despite being placed in a lower class. I acknowledged his intelligence and cunningness to devise strategies and his charisma which got him so many votes in the first place. I chose him as my Vice President hoping I could change his way of thinking and bring him to my side so when I leave this school, I would know that there would be someone who would continue what I've built and continue to progress the school while upholding traditional values, but alas, Nagumo never changed.

He wanted to turn this school into a true Meritocracy where only people he deem worthy would be transferred into class A erasing all competition. His influence in the student council also did not go unnoticed as he manage to convince the higher-ups to implement the OAA app or the overall abilities app. It is an app where displays each student's abilities assessment. It is based onschool results in which if any student's overall ability score gets lower than the certain baseline, they will receive a penalty.

Sigh...

Well, there's no use reminiscing about past mistakes now. I have a meeting with the higher-ups in around ten to twenty minutes and I wouldn't like to be late. It was surprising considering this meeting wasn't planned nor did they give notice to me before a few hours ago. Whatever they wanted to discuss, it must've been something urgent.

I got up from my bed and went to the table near me to get my glasses. I then walked over to my closet and pulled off my shirt and grabbed my folded school uniform lying in one of the drawers in the closet. Once I finished putting on my uniform, I opened the door and made my way to the student council meeting room.

———————————————————

When I arrived at the front doors of the student council meeting room, I was surprised to see Chabashira-Sensei's presence there. She was having a chat with Tachibana who I assume must have been doing some student council work.

"Ah, President!" Tachibana waved at me. I raised my palm as a sign of greeting and I walked towards to join in on their conversation.

"If I may intrude, what were you two discussing?" I asked them curiously.

"I was just asking her how well class 3-A was doing and asked her about student council affairs," Chabashira-Sensei replied.

"I see..."

"Oh by the way Horikita Ku- I mean... President, why are you here? Didn't you finish your tasks hours ago?" Tachibana questioned me.

"The higher-ups of the school all of a sudden wanted to hold a meeting. I don't know what the will be the topic but it seems very urgent considering they would usually give me prior notice before announcing a meeting." I explained.

"Ah, sorry about that President Horikita. It was me who actually brought up the need for a meeting." Chabashira-Sensei apologized.

"Really? It is unlike you to suddenly participate in a meeting besides if it was a school event or class troubles. And it's suspicious of you to arrange this meeting exactly on the first day of school for the newly enrolled first years. Is the meeting perhaps something related to the first years?" I interrogated Chabashira-Sensei. Did one of the sophomores from her class perhaps cause trouble? I found it quite strange it was Chabashira-Sensei out of all teachers who would organize this sudden conference.

"Oh ho? Perceptive as always I see. While it is related to the newly enrolled sophomores, it's probably not what you think it is. Before I answer your question president Horikita, mind if I question you about something?" Chabashira-Sensei asked.

"If it's to my capabilities then please do not be afraid to ask," I replied.

"What's your honest opinion of the newly admitted first years so far?" Chabashira-Sensei asked.

I pondered the question I was asked for a while before finally deciding to answer, "Most of them mostly had the same behaviors as last year's students did when they first enrolled here. Though, I must say it is quite shocking how disrespectful your class was during the entrance ceremony Chabashira-Sensei. Of course, I'm not saying this to provoke you so don't take it the wrong way." I answered bluntly.

"Although it hurts to hear that from you, I'm not offended really. But is that really all you think of them?" Chabashira-Sensei asked with a smirk on her face. I saw Tachibana had a slightly worried face but I looked at her to assure her that nothing troublesome was going to happen.

"Although I think no different for most of them, there's Koenji Rokusuke from your class but from what I've heard about him, he seems to be a very narcissistic person. There's also Sakayanagi Arisu who tied with Koenji for second in the entrance exams, but we don't know a lot about her besides that she's related to the chairman. Although, one student from your class has certainly piqued my interest." I answered vaguely.

"Ho? Could that person be your sister Horikita Suzune?" When she asked that I could see Tachibana had a surprised face.

" Sigh, so she really did follow me this far..." I muttered to myself. I was hoping that if Suzune were to enroll in this school, I could at least see a bit of development from her character but it appears she hasn't grown at all considering her placement in class.

"Even though she is my sister, I have no interest in someone as defective as my sister is. Please don't associate me with her for the time being." I answered honestly.

"I-isn't that a bit cruel President...?" Tachibana asked worriedly. I stood there silently hinting that I didn't want to be bothered by such questions anymore. Tachibana sensing the mood, stopped her questioning and looked down worriedly.

"If it isn't your sister, I wonder who the person is in a class full of defectives that could intrigue you out of all people?" She asked again.

"If I recall, his name was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka," I responded. Chabashira-Sensei's eyes widened a bit but she quickly reverted her face back to a smirk.

"Oh! Isn't that the student we encountered early in the morning? Wasn't he also the one who scored all perfect marks out of everyone in the entrance exam?" Tachibana questioned.

"Oh? You know about him?" Chabashira-Sensei interrogated.

Although we barely even know each other, he fascinated me. He was an extremely observant person as he could locate where the cameras were in such a short amount of time despite the school doing its best to keep them hidden. I also saw him raise an eyebrow when Tachibana made a blunder when he and that other boy from class D were introducing themselves. It seems he was paying very close attention to me and Tachibana's behavior. Has he perhaps begun to suspect something about the school? If he did, well color me impressed.

"It is natural that I would have heard of the first student in Advanced Nurturing High School to score all perfect marks on the entrance exam. Although, this is one of the first time's that I've questioned the school's decision." I answered her truthfully.

"What do you mean by that last sentence president?" Tachibana asked with a curious expression.

"What I meant was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's placing in class D. Even if he had a defect, putting someone who made history in one day in class D surely is too extreme. At the least, he deserved to be placed in either class C or class B. I thought that It might've been his attitude that landed him in class D, but, when we first met, he acted politely and showed proper mannerisms greeting his seniors. He also didn't seem to be an unfriendly or uncooperative person as the other boy and he seemed to have a good relationship with each other. His physical abilities might be another reason he was placed in class D, but unless he had a horrible physique and endurance, I doubt that would be the cause considering some intelligent people are in class A even if they had below-average physical abilities. I've tried to find out more about him but I still could not conclude why he was placed in class D. If I may ask, what do you think the reason is for Ayanokouji Kiyotaka to be admitted in the defective class out of all the classes he could've been placed in?"

Of course, I was sure Chabashira-Sensei already knew why he was placed in class D. I don't know his past nor know him personally but he didn't act or seem like someone defective. Maybe it was a facade? I couldn't deny that possibility but even then, I still could not find a reasonable explanation why someone as observant and capably intelligent as him would be put in class D.

"I am not obliged to answer that, am I? But don't worry Horikita-Kun, the meeting might be a clue to the answer to your question." Chabashira-Sensei stated vaguely.

"What do you mean by that Cha-" before I could finish my sentence, a few of the higher-ups had arrived signaling for me and Chabashira-Sensei to head to the meeting room.

"We'll continue this discussion at a later time Horikita-Kun. Let's proceed to the meeting room." Chabashira-Sensei asserted. I just nodded in response and walked my way to the meeting room. I left Tachibana in the hallways and made my way to my seat and sat in an appropriate sitting position and waited for the meeting to begin.

Chabashira-Sensei sat on one of the seats to my left and now contrary to her smirky demeanor a few minutes ago, now had a serious expression. The higher-ups finally seated themselves to the seats in the room and all had a serious face.

"Has everyone arrived here in full attendance?" I asked sternly. Every single person in the meeting room nodded.

"Then we may begin this discussion," I announced.

———————————————————

Tachibana Akane POV

It's already been an hour since Horikita-Kun entered the meeting room. I was waiting for him outside the student council meeting room hoping to ask what the meeting was about... Or maybe that's what I wanted to believe. Although it wasn't a lie that I was curious about what they were discussing, I honestly just wanted to spend time with Horikita-Kun even if it included extra work or tasks.

Sigh...

I'm hopelessly in love with someone who might not even acknowledge or even have a clue about my feelings. Perhaps it was I who wasn't able to reach my feelings to him properly? Or maybe it was because he was already too busy leading our class while simultaneously being the student council president which could explain why he may not see me as a potential love interest.

I admire Horikita-Kun, and so does the rest of our class. If it wasn't for him, maybe our class wouldn't be where it is today. A lot of us doubted him at first, but as time went on we grew on to believe and put our trust in him to lead us to the best results for our future.

Most of the girls in our year came to like Horikita-Kun, including me. B-but can you really blame us? He was intelligent, he was handsome, he had a well-trained body every guy would kill for, his soft and fluffy hair, his beautiful smile, his dazzling violet eyes that shined brighter than any evening sky...

...

smack*

I slapped my face with both my hands.

C-calm down Akane... This is no time to be thinking of Manabu- I MEAN HORIKITA KUN! You're in public right now, you must act like a civilized and well-mannered lady.

clack!*

My thoughts were interrupted as the door in front of me opened. The higher-ups of the school and Chabashira-Sensei were exiting the room. I greeted them with a bow and some of them waved back, some nodded, and some smiled back at my greeting.

"It was nice to catch up with you Tachibana," Chabashira-Sensei called out to me.

"Likewise Sensei," I replied to her with a smile.

I then entered the student council room with Horikita-Kun currently sitting on the president's seat with both his hands intertwined with each other resting above his lips. He seemed to be in deep thought so I guess the meeting must've been something very important.

"Tachibana? What are you still doing here? Haven't you finished your student council work hours ago?" Horikita-Kun asked me with a curious yet serious expression.

"A-ah I was just curious what the meeting was about and wanted to ask you a few questions. But of course, if... It's between you and the higher-ups I won't pry any further." I said with a flustered tone.

"I just also wanted to be with you..." I whispered to myself.

"Excuse me, can you repeat that Tachibana? I couldn't quite catch what you were saying?"

"ITS N-NOTHING PRESIDENT!" Ah jeez! I need to calm myself. It's because of the thoughts I had minutes ago that I can't control myself right now.

"I see... Well if you are that curious, please take a seat. This might be a lot for you to take in." Horikita-Kun warned me. He then gestured for me to sit on the chair nearest to him. I quickened my pace and sat down on the right side of the room on a chair. I rested my hands on the table in front of me and composed myself to listen to what Horikita-Kun had to say.

"Apparently... Someone from the batch of newly enrolled first-years has already solved most of the school system..." Horikita-Kun informed me. Ah so it was just that, I thought something might have happened.

...

CHOTTO MATE?!

"Are you serious President?!" I said in a flabbergasted tone. I found it hard to believe that someone had already figured out the school system in such a short amount of time. It even took Horikita-Kun weeks to even suspect the school system!

"I'm not finished yet, Tachibana. Not only did they solve the mystery of the school on the first day but they somehow managed to convince their class to buy information regarding the S-System in exchange for class points." Horikita-Kun revealed more shocking news.

"We can do that?!" I shouted as I couldn't hide my shock.

"I didn't know of it either until it was revealed in the meeting. Apparently, this was the first time something like this has happened in this school's history. Normally, I would've scolded you for shouting loudly in the student council room but considering what you just heard, I'll let it slide this time." Horikita-Kun said to me. That was a relief...

"Amazing... But which class A or class B student did this President? Were you told who their name was?" This was an important question considering they would be a very good candidate to join the student council. We currently had two open positions so whoever this Kouhai was, they must be something special.

"Yes, I was told on who his name was," Ah, so it's a he.

"But here's the strange thing Tachibana... The student who made all these outstanding deductions came from class D," Horikita-Kun replied.

...

Did I hear that right? A class D student?

"President, are you sure you didn't mishear them?" I questioned him curiously. It was hard to believe that a class D student out of every student would be the one to figure out the school and the S-System.

"No, I'm 100% sure what I heard was true," Horikita-Kun confirmed his answer. I couldn't think of anyone from class D who would be able to do something like this. From the entrance ceremony, most of them were blatantly acting very disrespectful with some of them sleeping in public, chatting loudly without shame and guilt, and some of them weren't even paying attention to the ceremony, though I couldn't blame them for the last one. The entrance ceremony of this school was very boring but you get used to it eventually.

It's not like I want to look down on class D students. It's just their behavior and attitude would be unacceptable if they enrolled in any other school. Some of the defective students of my year had me baffled by how bad they were at simple academic topics such as simple algebra. Though, I have come to recognize that some of them can change and I shouldn't be acting arrogant just because I was luckily placed in class A.

I kept thinking and thinking until a certain tall brown-haired boy with brown eyes appeared in my thoughts.

Don't tell me...

"Was it him... President?" I asked him curiously.

"If your referring to the student named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka then yes, it was him." Horikita-Kun finally cleared up my confusion.

I knew it. There was no one else who comes to wind who could have done such a thing except him. On our first meeting, I noticed he was a bit more observant than the average person as he was able to spot the locations of the hidden cameras of this school. I didn't think too much of him until Horikita-Kun had boldly announced to him that he had piqued his interest. I couldn't understand why Horikita-Kun had found him fascinating but now I can see why.

But this raises a very important question. Why was he placed in class D? Were his physical scores terrible? Was he uncooperative in his class? Did he have a terrible attitude in middle school? Did he have some past regrets maybe? I couldn't fulfill my curiosity so I just decided to ask the elephant in the room.

"President, do you by any chance know why he's placed in class D?" I questioned him bluntly.

"I tried asking the higher-ups and Chabashira-Sensei about it. But to my disappointment, they didn't give me a proper explanation and just answered the question vaguely." Horikita-Kun replied.

"But, for whatever reason you might think why he was allotted to class D, I suggest you throw all those thoughts away." He said as he grabbed something from one of the drawers on his table. It was revealed to be a brown folder with a single sheet of paper inside. He slid the folder smoothly across the table in my direction.

I picked up the folder resting there on the table. I opened it up which revealed a paper with a title engraved on it.

School Database

Was the text written on top of the sheet of paper.

"Eh? School database? Isn't this supposed to be released after a month or two?" I asked Horikita-Kun.

"Usually that would be the case but they had made one very early on for a specific person who you probably already know. Anyways, I want you to read it and give some of your thoughts on the manner.

I pulled out the school database revealing the student evaluation of the student named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

(I tried making this on my own, sorry if it's bad)

Notes from Homeroom Instructor :

An outstanding student with terrifying Intelligence and Decision Making ability as he somehow made deadly accurate deductions about the school system. He also possesses very good communication skills as he was able to convince the class of defectives to buy information about the point system. Overall, that is all I can take from his first day of school.

I look forward to seeing how he would lead his peers to class A. I am also excited to witness his growth as I believe he could have the potential to leave a mark in this school as one of the greatest students to ever step foot into Advanced Nurturing High School.

(I typed this one because I accidentally cropped the homeroom instructor part.)

I was astonished by the grades he was given on his abilities. I think this was the first time that anyone had gotten all straight A's marked on their evaluation so early on. But I noticed something strange about his evaluation...

"So you noticed it too Tachibana? There was no mention of why he was placed in class D nor any mention of his flaws or defect." Horikita-Kun stated the obvious.

"This is really strange... Usually, a student from class C or class D had notes from their homeroom instructors or interviews on their reasoning for being placed in a lower class and what they could improve on. Maybe they forgot?" I asked but I knew this was very unlikely considering the type of school this was.

"Although it is a possibility, I don't think that's it. This might just be a theory but I think that he has no defect but there's a chance the school purposefully allotted him to class D." Horikita-Kun voiced his opinion.

"Isn't that absurd President? Why would they purposefully put a capable person such as him into the class full of defectives?" I countered him.

"I don't know honestly. It's also a possibility he was put in class D by mistake but there's a below two percent chance of that being the reason." Horikita-Kun rebutted.

"First was seeing him leave the director's office, second his entrance exam scores, third figuring out the school system in such a short amount of time, fourth somehow managing to convince his peers to purchase information about the S-System, and fifth his student evaluation marks. I don't know about you President but I don't think him leaving the director's office was merely a coincidence."

"I've thought about that either, but at this point, we can't make any solid deductions. But we can't deny that the student named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is unique who most likely is the most capable of his year and possibly even the whole year." Horikita-Kun expressed his judgment. I agreed with most of what he said but was surprised by the last parts of his sentence.

"...The whole year? Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit?" I asked him.

"Maybe, but we can't deny that his achievements have never been done by any student ever enrolled in this school. That must be a sign of how truly capable the student known as Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is." Horikita-Kun refuted.

"I guess that's true..." I just ended up agreeing with him.

"Say Tachibana?" Horikit-Kun suddenly asked me.

"Yeah?"

"After May 1st, I plan to personally invite Ayanokouji to the student council. What are your thoughts on that?" Usually, I would get a bit worked up over this but as of now, I was just tired from all the information my head tried to process.

"Well, I do have some of my own opinions... But, I won't question your decision regardless of what you intend to do." I answered honestly.

"I see... Thank you, Tachibana. Well, we're done for the day. Would you mind accompanying me back to the dormitories?" Horikita-Kun asked me.

"Sure, President I would love to," I replied while smiling at him.

"Ah, you don't have to refer to me as President when we've finished school. You can call me by my family name or first name if that makes you happy. I don't really care for such things." He said to me with a little smile on his face.

Agh! That was bad for my heart. If he smiled more frequently I might just die of a heart attack.

We stood up from our seats and pushed them back near the tables. We grabbed our bags and exited the student council room. I noticed the sky had a gradient color of orange and purple.

Today has been a very long day. Many questions popped up in my mind but I ignored them as I was just trying to enjoy the moment I was in with the person who walked beside me.

But one question was stuck in my mind.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka...

Just who are you?

SS.1. : END

Word count: 4550

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Author's note:

Hello again my fellow readers.

Tell me, what was your opinion on this side story?

Again, I apologize for the typos and bad grammar. English is not my native language so I would appreciate some constructive criticism on my English if there are any.

This chapter was just mostly focused on Manabu and Tachibana being interested in Ayanokouji very early on compared to the canon timeline.

I apologize if some of the conversations I wrote were bland or boring. If you don't know, author is a very socially awkward person, an introvert you can say. My social skills are very bad and I don't usually know what people talk about for fun.

I noticed that some of you were worried about my health. I thank you for worrying, but it's really no big deal. Writing this fic is really fun for me and it doesn't really hinder me from schoolwork. Also if you are worried about my free time, well don't really worry about it. I don't just write this fic whenever I'm free as I have other things to do, and I barely have any friends to even spend time with.

...

Ok, that made it sound worse than what I was conveying. I do have 2-4 friends, I just barely talk to them as I've always haven't been much of a talker and we chat only when we have group assignments or maybe once in a week or two.

Alright enough of my personal life, I have two very important questions for my readers. Please answer them as I need your feedback.

1. What should be Eichiiro's flaw? Or if he should even have one?

I wanted to make him being too nice as his flaw but that kinda seems like a lazy reason. So I want your opinion about it.

2. Would you be more interested in a Kiryuin Fuka SS or a Koenji Rokusuke SS?

Anyways that's all I was going to ask.

I just wanted to let you guys know that sometimes I get demotivated or depressed in the middle of writing but knowing that some of you take the time to read my fic really keeps me going.

So, I just want to say I really appreciate your comments and votes. And thank you for reading this fic and please continue to support me in the future ( ‿ )

Look forward to the next chapter! Until then...

Sayonara!

SS.2. Twin Masterpiece

Koenji Rokusuke POV

April 1st.

The day I would enroll in the school that was made for the so-called "elites" of elite students all around Japan. The school boasts a 100% employment and college entry rate, and with thorough, state-directed teaching methods, it spares no effort in pursuing the nation's desired future.They say you could get any job opportunity or any colleges or universities you plan to go to if you get accepted into this school but honestly, that's a load of bullshit.

For example, if a peasant were to somehow graduate from the school and enter medical school with not even the slightest bit of knowledge of any medical fields, would they really accept a student like that? If they do accept the student, then Japanese society truly is doomed.

Although, that's not my problem. I have no plans to contribute to a society filled with ignorant mongrels. Call me egotistical all you want, but maybe it is you who cannot see how truly perfect I am.

Ah, you must be new here. You must not know whose thoughts you're reading. But don't worry, I, the perfect existence is feeling kind today so listen closely as it is an honor to even receive such blissful words from me.

I am Koenji Rokusuke. Future heir of the Koenji family who will carry Japan with my very own back. You should feel lucky that I even bothered to introduce myself to someone as low as you.

You must be asking yourself, why would a person as I claim to be as something as absurd as a "perfect" existence? It's simple. It's because I am the perfect existence. Unparalleled intelligence, an ideal physique that attracts even the same sex, beautiful looks, and glorious shining gold hair. There is simply nothing else that could describe me other than "perfect".

But it seems other people on the bus I was riding it couldn't see it. Ah, that's right, I the great Koenji have decided to ride a commoner's vehicle because I was feeling kind today and let other people witness my beauty. A lot of them were staring at me, I just pretended to not notice the stares. But alas, my peace was interrupted by a sudden statement by some annoying old hag.

"Don't you think you should give up your seat?" an office lady said to me. I tried to ignore her unnecessary existence but she continued with her annoying statements.

"You there, can't you see the old woman having trouble standing up?" The lady stated the fucking obvious.

"Well no shit Sherlock, and what do you propose I do?" I asked provokingly.

"Did you not hear me the first time? I said to give up your seat so the old woman can find a place to sit down." She replied to me not even trying to hide her irritation.

"And why should I lady? There's absolutely no reason nor benefit for me for giving my seat up." I refuted.

"Isn't it natural to hand over the priority seat to the elderly?" She asked again. This ugly hag was starting to annoy me more and more. I guess I should drop some knowledge for her like a superior being advising its lamb.

"I don't understand. Priority seats are just priority seats, and there is no legal obligation for me to move. Whether or not I move should be decided by me, who is currently sitting in this seat. Will you give up your seat because I am a young man? HAHAHA!, that's a stupid way of thinking. But of course, it is expected of how brainless you are as an inferior being. But don't worry as I, a superior being will now educate you on why I don't want to give up this seat." I explained to her. She had a very angered expression but I couldn't care less what mere lowly peasants think of me.

"I am a healthy young man. Certainly, I don't feel that standing up would inconvenience me. However, it is obvious standing up will consume more physical strength than sitting down will. I don't want to do such a useless thing. Or maybe, are you telling me to be more lively and energetic?" I continued my rebuttal.

"HAH?! Are you really a high school student?! THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR SUPERIORS KID, LEARN SOME RESPECT!" She started throwing a tantrum.

"SUPERIOR?! Do you really think you lady, a lesser being, is more superior to someone as perfect as me?! HAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S A GOOD ONE!" I laughed hilariously at how delusional she was. Now all the attention on the bus was directed to me, but I didn't care. I was baffled by how highly this lady thinks of herself, perhaps she needs a scolding to know her place.

"It's obvious that both you and the old woman have lived longer than me. There's no doubt about it. However, that ' above ' refers to height. Also, I have a problem with you. Even if there is an age difference, isn't that an awfully rude and impertinent attitude? " I argued back.

"You little... Just listen to what adults have to say and obey them!" She kept trying to argue back. If this was a circus show, she wouldn't even be a clown. She would be the whole circus!

"Please really... It's fine... I don't want any trouble so please just let him be..." The old lady tried to defuse the situation. She kept making gestures that she was satisfied with the office lady for standing up for her but the office hag just had to keep insulting me nonetheless. Although, I must praise her bravery. Not everyone can bravely insult a perfect being and get away with it. I decided to end the situation as it had started to become troublesome even for someone like me.

"Apparently the older woman seems to have better hearing than you do. Oh dear, I guess Japanese society isn't completely useless yet. Enjoy the rest of your life to your heart's content." I showed a provoking smile and grabbed put my earphones back on my ears and listened to the music loudly. The office hag was clenching her teeth due to how frustrated she must have felt to get humiliated by a person more superior to her.

Once the atmosphere had calmed down, I could see the office clown was holding back tears as what I assumed she was apologizing to the old lady. Ugh, were mongrels always this soft? But it didn't bother me anymore. I had won the argument and everyone here had no choice but to accept that I will remain sitting in this priority seat. At least that's what I thought...

"Umm... I also think that the lady is right." A girl suddenly lent a helping hand. She wore the same school uniform as me and as from her looks, she was very beautiful indeed.

"Oh ho? A pretty girl this time? My luck with the opposite sex must be high today. Ah, who am I kidding? It's just I being the natural beautiful existence that I am attracting the attention of other beautiful women." I boldly stated.

"Grandmother, it looks like it's been hot for a while now. Won't you give up your seat? It may be none of your concern, but I think it will contribute to society."

I snapped my fingers in response and responded to her request.

"Social contribution? I see, that's an interesting way to put it. Giving seats to the elderly may be a way of contributing to society. Unfortunately, I am not interested in contributing to society. I only think about my own satisfaction. Oh, and also. In this crowded bus, you're asking me, who's sitting in the priority seat, to give up my seat, but can't you ask the other people who are staying silent and leave me alone? If someone truly cares for the elderly, I think that priority seat here, priority seat there would be a trivial concern."

I thought I had crushed her spirit enough that she would have already given up. But, apparently, she then faced in everyone's direction and fearlessly asked for everyone's cooperation.

"Everyone. Please listen to me for at least a little bit. Can anyone give their seat to the old woman? Please, anyone. " How is there so much compassion courage, and determination in those few words? It's rare to see such genuine intentions.

With her remark, the girl may have seemed like an annoyance. But she seriously appealed to the passengers without fear. But, her efforts were all for none as no one bothered to give up their seats to the old lady.

Of course, the elderly are undeniably important contributors and supporters of Japan. But we, the youth, are the important human resources that will support Japan from now on. Also, because the general population is gradually aging, our value is also increasing. So, if you compare the youth and the elderly, it's obvious which one is more important now. Well, this is also a perfect argument, isn't it?

I then became quite curious about what other people would do. I then looked around the bus to see that every passenger had hesitant looks to give up their seat. Peasants will be peasants I guess.

One girl though didn't even have a hint of guilt on her face. She had an expressionless look and was just reading a book titled "Crime and Punishment". Our eyes met for a second, I just gave her a wink and a pleasing smile but she quickly looked away with disgust. Jeez, woman, it's not my fault your eyes are blinded by so much ignorance that you can't learn to appreciate that a divine being as I even bothered to give my time of the day to greet you.

"Umm... You can take my seat if you want..." After minutes of the girl pleading, a woman had stood up offering her seat probably due to guilt.

"Ah! Thank you very much, ma'am!" The girl exclaimed giving her thanks.

When the girl lowered her head with a full smile, she pushed through the crowd and guided the old woman to the seat. She thanked the girl over and over again, then sat down in her seat.

Peace and quiet have been restored.

———————————————————

After a couple of minutes, the bus had finally arrived at my destination, Advanced Nurturing High School. What greeted me there was a gate made out of natural stone. The architecture was certainly unique compared to what I had been accustomed to my whole life.

All the boys and girls wearing the school uniform exited the bus and made their way through the gates.

"Wait for a second!" A stern but girlish voice called out to me. I looked back to see the black-haired beauty behind me but just quickly fasten my pace as I have no motivation to deal with someone as troublesome as her.

"HEY! Wait-" before she could catch up I had already blended into the crowd and made my way to the classroom I would be admitted in for the next three years.

I came to this school for two reasons. One, I was forced to enroll here by my father maybe because he wanted to test me against the other so-called "elites" of Japan. I was honestly offended that he thought that mere lowly mortals could even be a challenge for me. Second, I wanted to have some fun. If there truly was someone who could pose a challenge to me, perhaps coming to this school wasn't a waste of time.

I then arrived at the front door of the class I was placed in with a nameplate engraved near the door on the walls.

Class 1-D

The nameplate said. In front of me was the short beige-colored-haired girl who had tried to convince me to give up my seat. She noticed me suddenly and waved her hands while flashing my eyes with a broad smile. I just smirked at her and close my eyes as I crossed my arms. Behind me was the black-haired girl panting like a dog. It looked like she was furious at me but didn't want to cause a scene in public.

The short-beige-haired girl then opened the door as we stepped into the class. I scanned the classroom with full attention but it was filled with nothing more than boring peasants indulging themselves with others. That is what I thought until I saw a certain brown-haired boy.

When I saw his figure, my composure cracked for a few seconds and I didn't have the same smirk I had a few seconds ago but I quickly regained my composure. Multiple questions filled my mind... What was he doing here? Did he escape from that place? Was I dreaming?

No... I knew I wasn't dreaming. I knew more than anyone else what kind of monster that the school had enrolled. There was a story my father had once told me.

My father told me that there was an educational facility, a world of white, where humans were trained to become monsters. The test subjects were average people who were pushed to their limits until they either couldn't continue anymore or they had survived and became something that even some adults couldn't.

But one boy stood out. Ah, how could I forget that day in New York. The day when I was introduced to that boy. The day...

That I met "The Demon who ruled over the white hell."

When he showed his abilities in front of my eyes, I was astounded, astonished at how someone could even be at the same level as me... No... He was above my level.

He was... Terrifying. He was the only person who made me doubt my abilities and my claim to being the perfect existence. But that was long ago.

I had to thank him for motivating me for making me the person that I am today. If it wasn't for him, there was a possibility that I truly could not reach my utmost potential and become the perfect existence. It was boring being superior knowing that no one could even stand a leg against me, but now...

Things are about to get interesting.

I approached him boldly and stood near his desk as I swept my hair backward trying to let out a superior aura. He seemed to notice me and looked at me with that same cold and apathetic eyes devoid of emotion I had sawn years ago.

(I know the edit's bad, sorry.)

"Umm. Can I help you?" He asked me.

"What is a person like you doing here?" I said mocking him. This seemed to attract everyone's attention but I did not care for the stares I was getting. He looked at me with a confused expression, confirming that he didn't know what I was talking about.

"I'm sorry, but have I offended you by any chance?" He questioned me.

"AHAHAHAHA! It seems you've misunderstood my question boy. But don't worry, I the perfect existence is kind enough to tell you the true intentions of my blissful words. " I boldly stated my intentions. The atmosphere was quiet but tense as I sensed that everyone was looking at us either with worry or fear.

" Why is a masterpiece lying here without its owner," I interrogated him in a provoking tone to get a reaction out of him. Disappointingly, he only widened his eyes and quickly calmed himself. Tch, I was at least expecting a bit of emotion to show on his face.

"Masterpiece? What do you mean by that?" He tried to feign ignorance, but I knew he knew what I meant.

"You should be grateful that a divine being as I even took the time to compliment you. I know just how capable your abilities are compared to these defective mongrels. Ah, but don't get ahead of yourself boy, while I've acknowledged you, you'll still never come close to the perfect existence such as I."

"Know how capable I am? Sorry, but do I know you from somewhere? " he questioned me. This time, he didn't seem like he was trying to act ignorant. Hmph, I guess it's time for me to introduce myself to the demon himself.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! Of course, you wouldn't know me but I know who you are boy. I am Koenji Rokusuke, the next heir of the Koenji family. Be grateful as I don't introduce myself to people I deem as peasants. Show me something interesting Ayano boy for the years we'll be attending this school. I look forward to seeing what you truly are capable of." I declared to him.

I then left him to his own accord but not without looking back at him with a smirk. I guess coming to this school wasn't a waste after all. I, the perfect existence have finally found an opponent worth beating.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka...

I hope you're ready for our future battles. For the next three years, we'll finally settle the score.

Let's see which one of us truly deserves the title of "masterpiece."

SS.2. : END
Word count: 2873

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Author's Note :

How did you all like this chapter?

Ironically, even though this was the shortest chapter I've ever typed, it was the most pain in the ass chapter I have ever written despite me already having a 20k words chapter. I wouldn't blame you if this chapter disappointed you.

I think I made Koenji a bit OOC though I did say in an author's note that Koenji would be the most OOC character here.

Anyways a few stuff I want to address:

For new readers, I made a poll asking if the OAA app should be introduced early and most of the readers voted yes so if you're confused about why the OAA app was mentioned in the last chapter, there's your answer.

I probably won't be doing another Koenji SS cause of how difficult his personality is. It frustrated me to write him cause I didn't know if the stuff I wrote was too OOC for him or not.

Anyways regarding how Koenji sees Ayanokouji, although he still regards himself more superior to him, he respects Ayanokouji as Koenji acknowledges him as the person being closest to his level. They're basically rivals with no personal grudge against each other.

I also want to inform you all that I already have a fixed scheme planned for volume 2. Volume 3 I only have a rough draft of what I want to write, but I've already determined the most important things.

Also, I'm really excited to write Volume 4 once I finish volumes 2 and 3. I've planned for this volume the most. There will be some changes to the exam, but you'll have to keep reading to find out.

I also wanted to change a bit of Ayanokouji's student evaluation. Everything will be the same except his cooperation will be B now instead of A.

I also made a student evaluation of Eichiiro because I was bored so here.

That's what I imagine him to look like btw but you're free to imagine him however you like.

Anyways that's all, I hope this chapter wasn't too disappointing.

Oh before I say my goodbyes.

Ryuen had bangs wtf?

Anyways, Sayonara!

Look forward to the next chapter!

Vol.1. Chapter 2.1 : A Troublesome Way to Start the Day, Part 1

Matsuo Eichiiro POV

*ring! ring! ring!*

A noisy sound came from my phone. I awoke from my slumber and opened my eyes to see the white-colored ceiling above me. I forced my body to wake up and grabbed my phone to check the time. It was currently 6:07 AM in the early morning, meaning I had two hours to prepare myself before heading to school.

I yawned in tiredness. Why does sleeping feel so blissful and relaxing yet so agonizing at the same time especially when you have to get up early for school? These are the type of questions that I can't seem to find an answer to.

I turned my body and put my foot down on the floor and stood up from my bed. I then proceeded to put the pillows in their proper place then began to fold my blanket in a tidy manner. I then patted the mattress of my bed to make a smooth surface.

I didn't have the motivation to cook any breakfast for myself, so I crouched down and opened the lower cabinet to get myself a cereal box. It was a cereal filled with mostly chocolate chunks and came with some almond nuts in it. I put the cereal box on the table near my computer and grabbed a bowl from the upper part of the cabinet.

I then put opened my refrigerator to get myself a gallon of milk to complement my cereal. I heard on the internet that some people pour their milk into their bowls before pouring the cereal first instead of the opposite. I honestly didn't get why people would do that considering the cereal would soak even faster causing it to soften a lot faster which could end up making the cereal too mushy or flavorless, but I guess people will be people I guess. I don't really have a right to judge how other people eat their meals considering I used to eat cereal straight from the box with no milk.

I set the gallon of milk on the table in front of me and opened the cereal box from the top, showing a silver-colored bag inside that most likely contained the food I was going to consume. Then I ripped the right corner of the silver-colored bag and started pouring the cereal into the bowl. After pouring the appropriate amount of cereal into the bowl, I grabbed my gallon of milk, screwed the cap open, and poured some milk into the bowl, and breakfast was finally complete.

I sat in the chair in front of the table which held my breakfast, computer, and phone. To gain access to my computer, I turned it on and entered my passcode. Before I leave for school, I wanted to open YouTube and watch a few gaming videos. My phone abruptly rang before I could even open Google, Someone had apparently messaged me this early in the morning.

I looked away from my computer and focused my attention on the notification displayed on my phone screen. It came from Hirata asking if we could meet up in front of the convenience store around 6:45 AM. Hirata was one of the friends I made on the first day of school along with Sudou, Yukimura, Miyake, and Sotomura, or the professor as he likes to refer to himself.

From what I've gotten to know about Hirata yesterday, he seemed like a pretty chill and relaxed dude. Though, I kinda feel bad for him being dragged around by girls on the first day of school. Well, I guess I can kind of relate to him considering I was fairly popular during my middle school days.

Sigh...

" Alright, I'll be there. Let me shower and eat some breakfast first." I replied to his text message. The message was instantly read and he sent a thumbs-up emoji as a response. I then fasten my eating pace as I only had thirty-five more minutes remaining before our meeting time.

After finishing my humble meal, I walked towards the bathroom and took off all my clothes. I then turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature. I needed some energy today so I guess I'll take a cold shower.

"AH!" I screamed when the water began to get colder. I didn't realize the water would be this cold. But, you got to power through this Eichiiro, it'll all be worth it at the end as I'll probably end up staying awake the whole day.

When I finished my bath, I grabbed my teal-colored towel and rubbed it over my hair and body to dry myself. I then wrapped a towel around myself and opened my clothing cabinet. I took my neatly folded school uniform and put it on without fully buttoning it to appear cool.

( Basically, he wears the uniform like how kiyo does)

I opened the curtains and slid my window open to dry my towel and clothes after I finished cleaning them in the laundry. I then went back to the bathroom to style my hair. I grabbed the cable for my hairdryer and plugged it into one of the bathroom outlets, letting the wind from the hairdryer blow through my hair as it slowly dried my hair.

After my hair had dried enough, I began combing my hair with most of my hair being swept to the left side of my face. I might need to cut my hair soon considering some of my hair started to cover my left eye a bit. I don't want to wake up one day looking at the mirror realizing my hair had grown too long and it would eventually mess with my vision. Even worse, the professor might start making fun of me calling me a hent- ok let's not talk about that right now.

Once I had finished styling my hair, I exited the bathroom and checked the insides of my bag to make sure I don't forget to bring anything to school. Pencil case, books, stationaries... Yep, everything's here alright. I would usually also bring a lunch box with me but I wanted to go to the cafeteria today to try some of their food.

I closed my bag and carried it with began making my way to the door. I grabbed my shoes from the shelves and began tying them as neatly as possible. As I was tying my shoes, I recalled a memory where at the time, I didn't know how to tie my shoelaces and Tsubasa would always scold me for it. Good times...

I wonder how she's doing right now...

I quickly snapped out of my thoughts as I heard a buzzing sound coming from my pocket. I reached into my pocket to take out my phone revealing a message from my next-door neighbor.

Contact: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

[I won't be walking to school with you today as I plan to work out at the gym early in the morning. Sorry for the late notice.]

6:34 PM

[Also, I plan to hold a class discussion today where we'll most likely introduce ourselves to each other. I plan on revealing the hidden cameras in our class and discuss about future special exams. I'll need your help to rally up the class' attention.]

6:35 PM

[Noted, will do my best. Also, remember what we've practiced before we came to school. Don't mess up your introduction like last time!]

6:35 PM

I hung up the phone and picked up my bag, which was on the floor. I left my dorm room and went to the elevator.

--

After a couple of minutes of walking, I finally arrived near the convenience store and saw the person waiting for me in front of the store. He was looking at his phone while his other hand held a melon pan bread which I'm assuming was his breakfast. He turned off his phone and looked around to finally notice my presence.

"Ah, good morning Matsuo-Kun!" Hirata greeted me while waving with one of his arms with a smile.

"Yo, morning Hirata," I greeted back. He quickly finished his melon pan bread and threw the paper into the trash bin near him.

"I'm really sorry to have called you here so early in the morning. But I would like to discuss a few things with you if you don't mind of course." Hirata told me.

"It's fine really, I was already awake before you texted me. What did you want to discuss about so early in the morning?" I asked curiously.

"Well... I wanted to talk about what happened yesterday and what we should do shortly in the future. That's fine with you right?"

"Well, I don't mind. But, why discuss it with me? Why not just discuss this topic with Kiyotaka?" I questioned him.

"I do want to talk to him about it, but I don't have his contact information, and I noticed that you were particularly close to Ayanokouji-Kun since you call each other by your first names."

"Well, you could say we've known each other for a while," I answered. It wasn't technically a lie. We did get to know each other better from the time we spent at that government facility for a year. But it's not like I'm his best friend from childhood or anything.

"I was hoping you could convince Ayanokouji-Kun to talk to the whole class later on. I think most of us still aren't able to grasp the situation we're in clearly. So, I thought that Ayanokouji-Kun could address some questions and issues our classmates were confused on." Hirata requested me while stating his intentions.

"You don't need to worry about that. He already texted me early in the morning he plans to hold a class discussion today." I informed him

"Oh, for real? That's fantastic! That's all I wanted to discuss with you. Matsuo-Kun, I apologize for wasting your time." With a slight bow, Hirata apologized.

"It's not that big of a deal. I'm relieved that someone else is as concerned about the class as I am. Anyways, would you like to accompany me on the way to school?" I asked him.

"Oh, sure! You don't mind if a few acquaintances accompany us right?"

"Yeah, I don't see why no-"

"Hirata-Kun! Ohayo!" Before I could finish my sentence a feminine voice entered my ears. I turned my head backward to see four girls approaching us. So this is what he meant by the extra company...

"Hirata-Kun, who's this?" A girl with neck-length blue-colored hair asked him.

"Ah, let me introduce you to him. He's Matsuo-Kun from our class." Hirata introduced me to all of them. All of them were staring at me with curious looks on their faces, though one particular brown-haired girl was looking at me a bit more intensely than the others. Wait... Is that Matsuhita?! No, no don't jump to conclusions yet. It'd be embarrassing to assume she was someone I knew when we'd only met a few seconds before.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I hope we can get along from now on!" I said in a cheerful tone while flashing a smile. All of them were taken by surprise and one of the girls even had tints of red on her cheeks. So, there are the benefits of being handsome huh...

"I'm Karuizawa Kei! I mostly like shopping and hanging out with my friends. It's very nice to meet you." The blonde-haired girl said in an enthusiastic tone.

"Nee~ Satou-San, you've been staring at him for a while. Why not introduce yourself first then you can continue your stalking?" Karuizawa teased the girl next to her.

"K-karuizawa-San?! That's not it! I was just..." She shouted while covering her face trying to hide her blushing face.

"She's Satou Maya. It seems she's taken a liking to you." The girl with neck-length blue-colored hair spoke to me.

"S-SHINOHARA SAN! I T-TOLD YOU IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" She exclaimed while swinging her arms in the air.

"So your name is Shinohara?" I asked the blue-haired girl.

"Yep! The one and only. Shinohara Satsuki to be precise. Anyways, you seem to be a nice person. It's a pleasure to meet you." She introduced herself to me.

"And you are?" I finally asked the final person I haven't been introduced to.

"Hah? Matsuo-Kun, did you forget about me? That stings, you know..." She said this while dramatically placing her hands on her chest. Except for me, almost everyone was perplexed by what she was doing.

"Wait... Are you Matsuhita by any chance?"

"Bingo!"

"No way... Dude, it's been such a long time! How are you doing?" I asked her a friendly question.

"I should be the one asking you that. You disappear for a year and somehow we ended up enrolling in the same high school. What a coincidence huh?"

"Well... Coincidences can be freaky." I tried to imitate Kiyotaka's signature poker face with his expressionless tone of voice.

"Umm... I don't mean to intrude, but, have both of you perhaps known each other from before?" Shinohara asked.

"Well, we used to go to the same middle school together. But, I had to leave the third year due to some family circumstances." I replied.

"What's with that worried look Satou-San? I'm not gonna steal him from you ya know?" Matsuhita teased her.

"E-eh?! What are you talking about Matsuhita-Chan!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking. No need to get so flustered Satou-San."

"Anyways, Matsuo-Kun wanted to walk with us on our way to school. You girls wouldn't mind him accompanying us right?" Hirata asked all of them.

"Sure! I don't have any problems being accompanied by two handsome boys to school~" Karuizawa said boldly. Was she perhaps trying to flirt with both of us? Sorry mate your pretty and all but not really my type.

The others just nodded at Hirata's request and we started to walk in the direction of the school. We indulged in idle chatter mostly talking about our hobbies, favorite food, what club we were planning to join. Apparently, Hirata wanted to join the football club. I was planning to see what clubs were available just in case I might get interested, but that's unlikely considering I don't want club activities to take up more of my free time after school. In the middle of our chat, a specific topic was suddenly brought up.

"Man, yesterday sure was something huh." Shinohara suddenly brought up the events that took place yesterday.

"I know right. I'm still pondering if yesterday really did happen or it was just a bad dream." Satou said.

"If it hadn't been for Ayanokouji-Kun, our class would most likely be in trouble for the next month or possibly, even the next three years," Hirata said gratefully.

"Isn't it odd, though? Why is a genius like him placed in class D, out of all the classes he could have gotten into?" Matsuhita asked, intrigued by the topic.

"Maybe he's really bad at physical exercises?" Satou shared her opinion.

"Even if he's bad at physical activities, I don't think that's enough of a reason to put him in class D. Plus, it would be absurd for the school to expect every student to excel at everything. At the least, he should've been placed in class B." Matsuhita rebutted.

"Maybe he has a terrible personality? I mean it didn't seem like it yesterday but who knows what people are truly like nowadays." Karuizawa expressed her thoughts.

"That is possible... Or maybe... He's secretly a perverted scum?!" When I heard Shinohara say that I couldn't help but burst out laughing at how wrong her assumption was. The others looked at me weirdly but I couldn't help it. Kiyotaka? Perverted? He's denser than a black hole!

"Mind telling us what you find funny Matsuo?" Matsuhita finally addressed the elephant in the room. Well technically we're outside but you get the point.

"Ah, sorry. It's just... If I had to describe Kiyotaka in one word, perverted would be the last on my mind." I responded to her question.

"Kiyotaka... Who's that? Aren't we talking about Ayanokouji-Kun right now?" Satou asked with a face full of confusion.

"That's Ayanokouji's first name. Sorry, I should've said that first."

"First name? Are you and Ayanokouji-Kun friends?" Shinohara asked.

"Well, after I left my old middle school, me and my father moved into a new neighborhood. and when we arrived there, it turned out that he was my next-door neighbor. Since then, I guess you could say we became closer and considered each other as friends." I made up a story on the spot. I didn't intend to reveal anything about his past considering he was very secretive about it and I wouldn't like to breach more of his privacy.

"Oh really? Nee~ what was he like back then? Like, he gives off an enigmatic aura around him." Karuizawa interrogated me for more information about him. It seems it wasn't only her as everyone was looking at me with curious expressions.

"He was bad at socializing when we first met. It's not like he had an attitude problem or anything; in fact, when we first met, he was a pretty shy person. Though, I found out that he was homeschooled his whole life so I guess he wasn't able to develop any social skills." I answered some truths mixed in with a lie. From where he was educated, it didn't look like a home school, but it certainly didn't look like any normal school either. Especially the extremely harsh punishments they gave to the children there. Thinking about it just makes my blood boil honestly.

"Eh? Really? That didn't seem to be the case yesterday when he just boldly exposed the school in front of everyone in the class." Matsuhita said in surprise.

"But didn't he look pretty cool yesterday?" Shinohara complimented him.

"Yeah yeah! I agree. I've also noticed that he's actually quite handsome compared to some of the boys in our class. Honestly, besides Hirata, Matsuo, and Ayanokouji, all the boys in our class don't even look that good." Karuizawa bluntly stated her opinion.

(Please forgive this woman for insulting our Akibro.)

"He also has this mature and laid-back aura to complement his charm. He'll probably be in the top 5 in the Ikemen rankings." Shinohara said. Ikemen ranking? Do they still do that even in high school? I wonder where I would rank amongst the boys in our year...

We finally arrived at our destination, and I bid them goodbye. They kept begging me to stay but I wanted to talk to some of my boyfriends

...

Alright, I know I worded that sentence terribly, but it's not what your thinking.

I looked around to see Sotomura with Sudou chatting with two other boys beside them. One of them was a boy with brown hair and bangs on the right side. He also had brown eyes. The other student was a boy of average height with plain brown hair and red eyes.

"Matsuo-Dono! Over here" the professor shouted loudly noticing my presence. Suddenly everyone turned their eyes towards me but it was only for a second. I looked back to see Sudou waving at me while the two boys glared at me as if they were analyzing me.

I made my way to his table where all of them were standing.

"So we have an ikemen here..." The brown-haired boy with bangs said to me.

"Ikemen? Nah I don't thi-"

"Oi, don't be so humble. YOUR SO FUCKING HANDSOME MAN IT'S UNFAIR. THIS WORLD IS TOO CRUEL FOR THE LIKES OF ME." The boy screamed his complaints. He got weird looks from everyone but he probably didn't even notice any of the stares he was getting considering he looked like he was about to cry.

"Hehehe... You should be lucky that I haven't revealed my true face to everyone here. If I did, you'd all wouldn't even stand a chance with any of the girls here." He said with his fingers doing a tick pose on his chin.

"Forgive me, your highness... I graciously thank you for your generosity." I decided to play along. I bowed and clasp my hands together to get into the role. All of them looked at me dumbfounded for a second but all of them then burst out laughing at my reply.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Your pretty funny man! What's your name?" The brown-haired boy with red eyes asked me?

"Matsuo Eichiiro, it's a pleasure to meet both of you." I bowed as a sign of respect.

"I'm Ike Kanji. You can come talk to me when you need advice on what to do for a date." The boy said bluntly.

"I'm Yamauchi Haruki. As you may have heard, your lucky a being like me has even bothered to introduce themselves to the likes of you." He said that while smirking widely. These two were undoubtedly troublemakers, but I'll settle with these two idiots for now as I want to learn more about my male classmates.

"Wait... You said it was nice to meet both of us only... Does that mean you and Sudou already know each other?" Ike asked me.

"Well, we coincidentally met at the convenience store yesterday along with a few boys. We hung out for a while so I guess we do know each other a bit." I replied.

"Hey, hey, is it true that Sudou tried to start a fight yesterday?" Ike persisted in questioning me.

"OI! How many times do I have to tell you they were the ones who started it first! I literally didn't do anything to them and those fuckers tried to pick a fight with me yesterday." Sudou said angrily.

"Calm down Sudou... I know it wasn't you who tried to pick a fight with them," I tried to calm him down. The last thing I want is Sudou to cause a commotion so early in the morning given his volatile temper.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue and looked away.

"To answer your question Ike, some upperclassmen tried to provoke Sudou so they could blackmail him later for points," I told the truth.

"Wait they did? Man what a bunch of assholes!" Ike expressed his dissatisfaction with the upperclassmen's behavior.

"They're lucky I wasn't there, or else we would've beaten their asses, right Sudou?" Yamauchi tried to sound intimidating.

"Yamauchi-Dono, if a fight were to happen, Sudou-Dono would probably be the one to do the beating. You're the one who's probably getting the beating." The professor joked. This got a chuckle out of everyone except Yamauchi.

"Oi! Don't underestimate me! I can hold myself pretty well in a fight." Yamauchi exclaimed.

"Hoh? Then why don't you say that to the likes of Sudou?" I taunted him. Yamauchi then looked at Sudou but quickly looked away in fear. Sudou just crossed his arms and let out a smirk.

"What's wrong Yamauchi? Don't tell me you're actually a phony and in reality, just a chicken." Ike joined my taunting and started to provoke Yamauchi.

"I-it's not like that, I just haven't been in the mood to fight someone likely. Ah-ha! That's right!" Yamauchi refuted.

"Well, whatever you say dude..." I just decided to give up and let Yamauchi be... Well, Yamauchi. We continued chatting about random stuff until we were interrupted by a sudden loud screaming voice.

"KYAA!!!!" A group of girls screamed getting everyone's attention.

"OH MY GOD LOOK AT THE SCHOOL FORUM!" A girl shouted. I quickly grabbed my phone from one of my pockets and entered the passcode into my phone.

"I knew he was handsome but I didn't know he was this handsome!"

"Oh my God, he's so hot!!!"

"HE'S SOOO MY TYPE!"

I overheard girls saying those sentences loudly so that the entire class could hear them. Once I opened the school forum, I was surprised to see the image that was posted a few minutes ago.

It was a picture of the blonde-haired man in our class shirtless with visible sweat drenching. It also contained a picture of...Kiyotaka with visible sweat on his face. He was drinking from a water bottle while holding it. His shirt was also a little see-through, revealing some of the muscle on his biceps.

"KUSO!!! THESE DAMN IKEMENS!" Ike screamed with a voice full of agony.

I quickly exited the school forum and opened the messaging app on my phone and opened Kiyotaka's contact.

"Good luck." I texted him and closed my phone. Well... Let's just hope he doesn't mind the extra attention he'll be getting this morning.

Vol.1. Chapter 2.1: END
Word Count: 4157

--

Author's note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
This chapter was more of a filler than a serious one but regardless, I hope you still liked it.

Also, forgive me if I had any grammatical errors in this chapter.

I wanted to make a full chapter on this but decided to cut it into two parts as I didn't want to make the chapter unreasonably long for a filler.

There's not much I want to say in this chapter, so that's it really.

Also, I forgot to mention this but this fic will follow anime Kiyo's personality more where he's expressionless from the beginning, unlike his LN counterpart which he tried to pretend to be someone he's not.

Well, that's all...

Look forward to the next chapter and...

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 2.2 : A Troublesome Way to Start the Day, Part 2

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

I was currently walking my way out of the dormitories and was on my way to the gym. Even though I'm not in the white room anymore, I still have to maintain my physique because if I don't, my physique will deteriorate. I finally arrived in front of the gym and as I entered, a man was standing behind the counter. I approached him and asked him on how much a gym membership would cost for a month.

"8,000 private points per month huh... That doesn't seem too bad." I muttered to myself. I took my phone out of one of my pockets and paid for my gym membership. I was then given a card as proof of my gym membership and headed directly to the gym.

When I arrived, there were already three individuals there working out. One was a boy with blue eyes and long blonde hair tied into a ponytail. He was talking with another boy with long black hair that reached his shoulders. His face probably appeared intimidating to others because it does not appear to be that of a high schooler. Finally, there was a tall boy with dark skin currently bench pressing. He had a very muscular physique based on my observation of his body.

I was about to begin my daily exercise routine when I was interrupted by someone.

"Oh ho? If it isn't Ayanokouji boy. Fancy meeting you here." A voice called out to me. I looked behind me to see the presence of Koenji Rokusuke.

"Koenji... Did you come to the gym without wearing a shirt?" I asked him curiously. He was showing his bare body in public with no hint of embarrassment or shame.

"Why of course I did. Is it not obvious? Or have you perhaps become so enamored with my beauty that it has clouded your judgment?"

"No, it's nothing like that really." I quickly shut him down to not cause any misunderstandings.

"Oh, what a pity. You should consider yourself fortunate that I, the perfect existence, came here topless in the first place. It's not often that I show off my gorgeous body to mere peasants. But, of course, I'm not lumping you with the likes of such common people don't misunderstand Ayanokouji boy." Koenji boldly stated. He was getting strange looks now from the ponytailed blond boy and the scary-faced black-haired boy with him.

"Do you have some business with me Koenji? I'd like to start my exercising drills and training now if you don't mind." I said to him bluntly.

"Well then, I'll be around the gym if you want to admire my glorious self working out." Koenji offered me.

"Yeah... No thanks. I'll be off now Koenji." I quickly walked away from him.

I noticed the tall dark-skinned boy had finished working out and was about to leave the gymnasium as I was walking. I then noticed a phone on one of the tables near the bench pressing weights. I turned around to see him searching his pockets and bag for something.

Thinking that the phone on the table belonged to him, I took it from the table and headed over in his direction.

" This is bad." I overheard him saying in English. He did give off an impression of a foreigner but I didn't like to judge something by its cover. I tapped his shoulders to get his attention. He turned around, finally noticing my presence.

"Excuse me, but are you perhaps looking for this?" I spoke in English. He had a surprised look on his face for a second but he quickly reverted back to his usual expression.

"Ah, yes. That's my phone." He told me. After he answered my question, I handed the phone back to him.

"Thank you very much." He thanked me while bowing.

"It's no problem. Don't forget to check your belongings next time ok?" I advised him. He just nodded silently in response.

"Your English is very good for a Japanese student. Or are you perhaps from somewhere else?" He complimented while asking me.

"Thank you, and no, I am certain I am Japanese. I'd like to think that I speak English very well, so hearing a foreigner compliment my English makes me feel better." I replied. I thought the conversation would end there but he continued the conversation.

"What is your name? If I may ask." He questioned me politely.

"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka,"

"I'm Yamada Albert of class 1-C. Although I can speak Japanese, I'd prefer it if I could talk to someone in my native language. So, I was wondering if we could be friends? Of course, you don't have to accept if you don't feel comfortable." He offered me. I guess having connections with students from other classes wouldn't be bad.

"I don't see why not," I responded to his offer.

"That's great then. I hope we can meet again sometime Ayanokouji." With that, we exchanged bows as we bid our goodbyes. I then tried to walk over to the bench area but suddenly, I felt someone wrap their arms around my neck.

"So your the rumored Mr.100 huh?" I heard a voice enter my ears.

"Mr.100? What are you talking about?"
I inquired of the person whose arms were wrapped around my neck. It was the blonde boy with his hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Oh, nothing. It's just a nickname some of my classmates came up with on the person who scored all perfect marks on the entrance exams." He replied.

"So... You were listening in our conversation."

"Well, more like I accidentally overheard it. No need to be so guarded bro. I only understood the part where you guys introduced yourselves to each other." He tried to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Oh, I'm Hashimoto Masayoshi of class 1-A btw. Over there is my buddy and classmate Kito Hayato. He may look a bit scary but don't feel intimidated, his face just appears to be that way naturally." He introduced himself and his friend.

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you. I don't think you need me to introduce myself because you probably already know who I am." I remarked.

"Heh, almost everyone knows who you are. You're a hot topic amongst our year being hailed as a genius and prodigy of some sort. However, barely anyone besides your class knows what you look like so you're a pretty mysterious person to other people." He commented.

I knew I was going to draw attention from the start, but I didn't expect everyone in my school year to be interested in me. Even worse, the student council president already took interest in me even though I only pointed out the hidden cameras. They're really not that hard to spot if you look hard enough.

"Well speaking of you, I've noticed your forearms are quite muscular. You do a lot of exercises don't you?" He questioned me.

"Well, I am currently in the gym right now... That alone should be enough to answer your question." I responded bluntly.

"I guess you're right; it was a stupid question to ask. Anyway, what types of exercises do you do?" He continued to question me.

"Bench pressing, dumbbell curdling, sit-ups, push-ups, running a few kilometers, just your usual typical workout," I answered. Hashimoto looked at me with an amazed yet curious expression.

"You even bench press? Damn, those weights are way too heavy for my noodle arms to support." He said with an embarrassed tone. It's not like he was weak for not being able to lift weights, he'd be just like any other ordinary high school student but I guess I've sort of raised the standards for him for a normal high schooler.

"Well, I won't take up more of your time since it looks like you've been waiting for this conversation to end so you could start your workout. It was nice chatting with you Ayanokouji." He said as he returned to where his friend was.

I then went over to one of the treadmills and did some running exercises on it. I set the treadmill to a certain speed, slightly faster than average but not extremely fast, and ran for about twenty minutes on it. After I finished running, I went over to a bench, where I sat my bag, and grabbed my water bottle to rehydrate myself.

Koenji happened to be nearby as well, with his bag next to mine. He, too, was holding a water bottle, but instead of drinking it, he was... Pouring the water in his water bottle on himself as if he was showering.

(The pinnacle of human beauty. Koenji truly is a perfect existence.)

I couldn't help but feel second-hand embarrassment for him. Is he not at all embarrassed to be doing this in public? Well, given his personality, I wouldn't be surprised if he said something along the lines of "Oh, Why should I feel humiliated? You should consider this a blessing to witness a divine being like me flaunting his stunning and captivating body right in front of your eyes, Ayanokouji boy." In my mind, I tried to impersonate him.

"Were you perhaps thinking of something rude about me Ayanokouji boy?" He asked snapping me out of my thoughts.

"...Who knows?" I simply let out a vague reply.

*SNAP!*

A sound entered my ears as it echoed throughout the whole gym. Me and Koenji turned around to see the source of the sudden noise. What greeted us was Hashimoto holding his phone in a landscape way with a grinning expression on his face.

"Hehe... This is gonna be a hit with the ladies." Hashimoto said happily.

"What exactly did you do, Hashimoto?" I inquired, confused.

"Oh nothing, I just snapped a photo of you both while you were drinking from your wanted bottles. Well... More like showering for Koenji." Hashimoto replied.

"And what are you perhaps intending to do with a picture of two of us Ponytail boy?" Koenji questioned the elephant in the room. I guess Koenji has a habit of nicknaming whoever he talks to regardless if he knows their names or not.

"You both wouldn't mind if I posted this on the school forum, right?" Hashimoto asked the both of us.

"I certainly wouldn't mind. Let it be known that a perfect being, such as myself, has entered the presence of this school full of peasants." Koenji boldly remarked. Hashimoto looked a bit baffled by his claim but nevertheless decided to ignore it.

"Well that's great news isn't it." He said happily.

"Wait don't I get say in thi-"

PING*

A sound came from Hashimoto's phone. I quickly opened my bag and took my phone out of it. I entered my passcode and opened the school forum.

...

Yabe.

He really did post it in the school forum. The post was titled "just two guys I met hanging out in the gym!" With my name and Koenji's being tagged in the post. There were already likes and comments coming from other students browsing through the school forum.

[Anonymous: KYA!!! ( ) Are they the new first years enrolled here? They're so hot!!!

[Anonymous: Someone quickly put them at the top of the list!

[Anonymous: I want both of their bodies to sandwich me mercilessly (๑ ๑)

[Anonymous: So this is what the student who scored perfect marks in the entrance exams look like? He certainly is quite handsome.

[Anonymous: Top 10 people who should just go die.

[Kiryuin Fuka: Oya oya~? Looks like I've found myself some attractive Kouhai's

The comments were... Interesting to say the least. Though, the fourth to last comment was a bit harsh. But who is this Kiryuin Fuka? Was she a second-year or third-year senpai? And who would be so bold as to display their name so blatantly in the school forum?

*Ping!*

I received a notification that came from Eichiiro.

"Good luck," the message said.

How troublesome. I sigh in defeat and put my phone back into my bag. I then went to another area of the gym and continued to do my workouts.

--

I was on my way back to the dorms currently. I'd just finished working out at the gym and needed to take a shower after all of those exhausting workouts and exercises. On my way back, I noticed Koenji walking in the same direction. I decided to approach him and ask him some questions about a specific topic.

"Koenji," I called out to him. He turned to see who had called him so abruptly. When he realized it was me, his expression quickly changed to a smirk.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Ayanokouji boy?" He inquired. It seems he was already expecting my presence.

"I just want to ask you a few questions, will that be okay with you?"

"I already know where this is going, but please, do enlighten me on what questions you might have for me." He gave his permission to me. In thirty to forty minutes, school will begin. I don't want to be late so I won't waste much time and get straight to the point.

"Tell me... How much do you know about 'that' place?" I interrogated him. He must have known what I was talking about considering he boldly called me out in class.

"Although I have never personally visited that location, I am aware that it is an educational facility that provides its students with an education that far exceeds the standard education that most children receive. I'm also aware of the harsh methods used on the students there." He responded.

"If you've never personally visited the white room, then how did you come to know of my existence?" I continued to pester him with questions. This was the question that piqued my interest the most. Maybe he heard about me from his parents. Or perhaps he met my father in person? I wouldn't get an answer unless it came directly from Koenji's mouth.

"Well, Ayanokouji boy, the answer to your question can simply be answered by only two words." He remarked. He stopped dead in his tracks and directly looked into my eyes.

"New York." He revealed the two words that would provide an answer to my question.

"So... You're implying that you were there in person when my father was showcasing me in New York?" I asked him.

"Isn't that obvious boy? How could I forget that day when you demonstrated intelligence far beyond what children of our age should know so early on in our lives." He responded.

"The perfect existence wishes to thank you for inspiring me to become the amazing person that I am today. But don't get too far ahead of yourself, boy; I'm still better than you." Koenji asserted his belief.

"Uh... Your welcome I guess..." I replied, puzzled on what to respond.

We continued to walk in the direction of the dormitories in silence. I felt that it was a bit awkward so I tried to go on ahead.

"Well, that's all I wanted to ask you Koenji. Thank you for your time." I bowed as a gesture of thanks. I tried to quicken my pace so I could reach the dormitories faster but before I could, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder stopping me from walking. I looked back to see it was Koenji's hand.

"Who says that we were done talking Ayanokouji boy?" He asked provokingly. I could tell there was some tension between us, but not to the point where a fight would break out.

"Do you perhaps still have some business with me?" I questioned him.

"Did you really forget? You still haven't answered my question from yesterday. It's quite rude to leave someone hanging without a response." He answered.

"I'm sorry, but I can't remember what you asked of me yesterday. Could you please repeat the question?" Of course, this was a lie. I knew what he asked me yesterday but I decided to feign ignorance.

"Hmph, you're probably feigning ignorance right now, but if you truly forgot, today is your lucky day because I, the perfect being, have taken pity on you and will repeat the question. Pay close attention. I don't like repeating myself, Ayanokouji boy." He said this with a solemn tone and expression.

"What exactly is a person like you doing here? Shouldn't you be in that place, being experimented on like a lab rat for your father's ridiculous dream of ruling Japan?" Koenji interrogated me. He seems to be aware of that man's absurd ambition and the future he has planned for me.

"Did your father purposefully send you here for a specific reason? Maybe to put your skills to the test and prove your superiority?" He bombarded me with questions. Though, he asked the last question with a smirk on his face.

"I simply defied that man's orders and left that place willingly, enrolling in this school on my own initiative," I answered truthfully. He looked a bit surprised when I mentioned escaping the white room but nevertheless, he kept his calm.

"Hoh? Please fulfill my curiosity and elaborate what sort of scheme you had to come up with to somehow escape from that place." Koenji inquired. Rather than his usual smirk, he now had an interested expression on his face, as if he was paying close attention to me.

"It wasn't really anything special. A spy posing as a white room instructor had leaked sensitive information about the white room, threatening its survival. That man had ordered me to stay at a mansion, but I was able to escape with the help of a few government officials, a butler, and a friend." I responded truthfully.

"Is that it? I'm not going to lie. I expected a little more from you, but that's enough to pique my interest for the time being." Koenji commented bluntly.

"Will that be all Koenji?" I asked him. I wanted to get this over with and just take a shower and arrive at school on time.

"Very impatient aren't we? Well then, I have two more questions to ask you." He informed me. Were his questions all going to be related to that place or that man, well time to find out I guess.

"Ask away then," I said to him.

"First and foremost, is your friend who assisted you enrolled here as well? Perhaps even in our class?" Koenji asked. This was a bit of a difficult question to answer. Should I be truthful and reveal Eichiiro's true identity? What would he do with that information if I did? I suppose I shouldn't leave him hanging.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. You'll just have to pay more attention to your classmates and the rest of the students in our year if you want to find out." I answered vaguely. I don't think lying to him would be a good option but I didn't want to outright tell him the whole truth either.

"A very hazy answer I see, but still acceptable," Koenji stated.

"Now, what's your final question?" I asked trying to quickly end this conversation.

We came to a halt and stood there in silence until Koenji decided to open his mouth.

"What's your goal for attending this school?" Koenji asked brusquely. I had to stand there in silence, contemplating the question he had posed to me.

What was my motivation for enrolling in this school? I attended this school for a variety of reasons. Fighting for my freedom, to experience freedom, to get away from the white room, but was that really all I wanted?

I also wanted to learn more about what it meant to be human. To feel emotions, to learn to deeply love someone, to form unforgettable bonds, and to care for someone as I would care for myself. I realized I was curious about how all of that felt.

For the majority of my life, I was nothing more than a blank canvas. This school and its students have the potential to be the brush and palette that can fill the dark abyss within me with color and passion. At least, that's what I was hoping for.

"I came to this school for a lot of reasons, but I simply just want to experience a typical peaceful high school life," I answered him.

"But this school is far from the tranquillity you seek, Ayanokouji boy. You, of all people, should be aware of this." Koenji remarked.

"Everyone has their own interpretation of what it means to be a peaceful high school student. I stated that I desired a peaceful high school experience, but I never stated that I desired a mundane and uninteresting one." I declared my reasonings.

"HAHAHAHAHA! You truly are a fascinating individual!" Koenji laughed as he spoke to me.

"So... Are we done now Koenji?" I asked him.

"Yes, my business with you has been finished. Unfortunately, our conversation must come to an end. I'm curious to see how you intend to lead the class of defectives. I'm also looking forward to our upcoming battles. Prepare yourself, Ayanokouji boy." Koenji boldly proclaimed.

"I'm looking forward to it as well, Koenji," I responded.

"Oh, and before we part ways Ayanokouji boy," Koenji abruptly called out to me. I returned my gaze to him as a sign that he had my attention.

"Rest assured, I have no intention of revealing any details about your past as it has no benefits for me." Well, that was a relief. No matter how highly Koenji thinks of himself or how rich and secure his family was, He was astute enough to realize that if he revealed my identity to the public, that man would not hesitate to ruin his and his family's lives.

"I see... Thank you for that Koenji. Oh and before we part ways, would you mind exchanging contacts with me?" I took a risk and asked him for his contact information.

"Normally, I would reject any peasant who dared to ask that question. However, you have earned the respect of a divine being such as myself. I wouldn't mind sharing my contact information with you. You should consider yourself fortunate as a perfect being as I have given you this blessing and gift."

I was a bit surprised as I was expecting him to reject my offer. Out of everyone in class I had an impression on, I would least expect Koenji to exchange contact information with me. We said our goodbyes, and I dashed back to my dorm to shower and get ready for class.

———————————————————

I was now quickly speed-walking to class. I had only ten minutes left before classes start as I spent too much time conversing with Koenji. In the hallways, I noticed that everyone was staring at me intensely as if a predator was observing its prey.

They were most likely staring at me as a result of Hashimoto's post. All the attention I was getting made me feel a little uneasy. I began to pick up the pace and eventually arrived at the front door of my class.

To enter the class, I slid the door open. Instead, I was met with everyone in the class staring at me as if they were peering into my soul. Out of everyone in my class, it appears that I was the last to arrive.

The stares were making me feel very uncomfortable. It was as if I had returned to the white room and every step I took was being watched. I quickly attempted to go to my seat in the classroom's far corner, but I was stopped by a presence.

"Ohayo Ayanokouji-Kun!" Hirata greeted me. Hirata, I appreciate you taking the time to greet me but now is really not the time.

"Good morning... Hirata." I greeted back. I thought that would be the end of our conversation but I was suddenly surrounded by four girls with Hirata in front of him.

"Ohayo Ayanokouji-Kun!" They all greeted me in unison.

"Ohayo uh... All of you."
I returned their greeting. They began to introduce themselves to me. The girls who had greeted me were apparently Karuizawa Kei, Shinohara Satsuki, Satou Maya, and Matsuhita Chiaki. They all tried to start a conversation with me but they were put to a stop by Hirata who could sense I was a bit uncomfortable by the situation I had been put in.

I then rushed to my seat and put my bag down near my desk.

"Good morning Horikita." I greeted my teammate.

"...Good morning Ayanokouji-Kun." She returned my greeting. I then sat down and the school bell finally rang. It looked like Horikita wanted to say something to me but quickly decided against it as class was about to start.

"Good Morning class. Today we will start our first official lesson on your second day of being enrolled in this school. Please grab your textbooks and open page three." Chabashira-Sensei said to us.

This morning was a bit tiresome. First, was the post that Hashimoto posted on the school forum which attracted a lot of unnecessary attention to me. The second was the conversation with Koenji. I had spent too much time conversing with him that I had lost track of time to the point where I was almost late for class.

Sigh...

What a troublesome way to start the day.

Vol.1. Chapter 2.2: End

Word Count: 4253 Words

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Author's note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

This chapter was again, mostly a filler. The chapter was mostly made for the conversation between Ayanokouji and Koenji.

I kind of rushed the ending a bit cause at the moment I'm writing this, it's currently 11:46 PM and I'm sort of tired. I actually planned to write more but I didn't wanna overdo it.

Anyways, that's all I have to say for this chapter. I don't wanna write much.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter despite me rushing it and...

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 2.3 : Class 1-D

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

"That will be all for today's class. Don't forget to get your textbooks out before the next lesson begins, even if your teacher isn't there yet." Chabashira- Sensei called the class to a close.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask me before I leave the classroom?" Chabashira-Sensei asked everyone in the classroom. Eichiiro immediately raised his hand to inquire about the elephant in the room.

"Yes, Matsuo?"

"Chabashira-Sensei, I know the lesson is over, but don't you think you're ending class a little early? We still have 20 minutes until our next class." Eichiiro interrogated her. I could tell that everyone was perplexed as to why the lesson had abruptly ended so early.

"That was the question I was expecting. To be honest, I thought I'd let you all talk about what happened yesterday and what you're all going to do as a class in the near future. I purposefully ended the lesson early because I hoped you'd all want to talk about it or introduce yourselves to your classmates. Of course, you are free to do whatever you want with the time you have left." Chabashira-Sensei finished her explanation.

She grabbed her books and paperwork and was about to take her leave but...

"Oh and Ayanokouji?" Chabashira-Sensei suddenly called me out. Now everyone in the class had their eyes on me. Please don't look at me like that

"Yes, Sensei?"

"If you think my lessons are so tedious, then you are free to look at the window all you want. But I must remind you that it will deduct the total of your class points considering you were the one who had asked for information about it in the first place." Chabashira-Sensei mocked me in front of my classmates.

Because of how bored I was, it appears that I had been acting too outwardly. However, it was most likely due to my occasional glance out the window. I doubt my expression hinted at it because... Well, You probably already know why.

There were a few murmurs from the class. Some of the boys were snickering at me, while some of the girls were pitying me and giving me awkward smiles. My seatmate Horikita, in particular, let out a sigh. It was as if she was implying that she was dissatisfied with my behavior.

You can't really blame me for that, can you? If you learned about this at a young age, you'd quickly grow tired of hearing it again because you've already learned it. However, I should not have made my dissatisfaction so obvious, so I guess it was partly my fault as well.

Chabashira-Sensei then excused herself from the classroom. The majority of the students had begun chatting with their friends, while others were preparing stationery and pulling out their textbooks for the next lesson. But all of this was cut short when a voice called out to all of us.

"Everyone, may I please have your attention!" Everyone turned to face the source of the voice, which revealed itself to be Hirata.

"I know that all of you would rather mind your own business with the free time we were given, but, I think it would be beneficial if we could take advantage of the time we were given to discuss about class matters and the school system. But before that, do you mind if we introduce ourselves to each other? I'd love to learn more about each and everyone one of you." Hirata expressed his friendliness and desire to learn more about his classmates.

I had anticipated something like this happening, which is why I had prepared a script for my introduction. I was also relieved that Hirata had brought it up because I, the self-proclaimed leader of class D, needed to maintain good relationships with my peers, and this self-introduction would serve as a stepping stone toward that goal.

I also admired Hirata's bravery and courage in abruptly calling out the class. For someone like me, it would take guts for me to suddenly interrupt the class like that, but for people with elite social skills like him, it was probably a cakewalk. He probably appeared to be a hero to people who were timid and shy, as some of them might want to make friends but didn't know how to initiate an introduction.

"That's a great idea, Hirata-Kun!" The short beige-haired colored girl exclaimed I think her name was... Kushida? Anyway, with her support, everyone had unanimously agreed to a self-introduction. Although some of them, such as Sudou and Horikita, had dissatisfied expressions on their faces, they may have remained silent out of fear of causing a commotion in public.

"Then I'll take the lead. Hi, my name is Hirata Yousuke. People used to call me Yousuke when I was in middle school, so feel free to use my given name. My hobby is playing sports in general, but I particularly enjoy soccer. I intend to join the soccer club here as well. Everyone, it's a pleasure to meet you "Hirata stated as he flashed a smile.

If I were a girl, I would have been smitten by that smile right away. Well, I could still be smitten as a boy, but unfortunately, I don't swing that way.

Hirata made an easy introduction. Within the class, his popularity must have skyrocketed. It was to be expected because he had very good looks and a friendly demeanor around him. He was the stereotypical popular pretty boy Ikemen based on what I've read from some manga books.

"So, starting from the front, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves. Is that all right?" Hirata inquired. Everyone nodded in agreement and started introducing themselves one by one.

So far, things were going swimmingly. Although this did not provide me with much information about my classmates, it did provide me with an insight into some of their personalities.

Of course, some shy students struggled with the introduction. However, with the help of Hirata and Kushida, they were able to make an acceptable introduction. There were also the girls I had met earlier in the day. They appeared to be the typical Gyaru girls I'd seen in manga books. They had introduced themselves confidently, which helped to lift the mood in the class.

"Um... I think it's my turn how." Kushida said timidly.

Kushida really did look cute now that I'm getting a better look at her. She gave off the impression of a sweet girl who wanted to get along with everyone. Her introduction appeared to be the most anticipated by my classmates, as she was cheered on and I could even hear some words of encouragement directed at her.

"Kushida Kikyou is my name. My junior high friends didn't make it to this school, so I'm here by myself. I'd like to meet everyone and get to know their names and faces as soon as possible! "Kushida stated.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Horikita's eyes twitched slightly as if she was flinching. when Kushida said all of those things. That is certainly suspicious... But I won't pry further into it for now. I'll ask Horikita about it later when we'll have our meeting

While the majority of the students had only said a few words of greeting, Kushida continued to speak.

"My first objective is to make friends with everyone. So, once we've finished introducing ourselves, I'd appreciate it if you could share your contact information with me!" she continued with a big smile on her face.

"So, after school or during vacations, I'd like to make all sorts of memories with a lot of people." Please feel free to invite me to as many events as you like; I've already talked for a long time, so I'll end my introduction here." Kushida finished by exuding an angelic aura throughout the room.

Everyone applauded loudly when Kushida was introduced. There were raucous cheers and claps throughout the classroom. The boys even made some loud whistling noises while chanting "Kushida-Chan!" several times in unison.

The applause came to a halt as the introductions continued. A short time passed by as the baton was finally passed to a student. It was now Koenji's turn.

"Excuse me, can you introduce yourself?"Hirata addressed Koenji who was sitting in the center seat of the room.

"Hmph, Fine," He smirked like an aristocrat, displaying his arrogant demeanor. Koenji remained seated and simply crossed his legs before finally introducing himself.

"Koenji Rokusuke is my name. I will soon be tasked with leading Japan into the future as the sole male heir to the Koenji conglomerate group. I eagerly await the opportunity to meet you, ladies."

He targeted his introduction to the opposite sex rather than the entire class. While some admired his wealth, many saw him as nothing more than a weirdo.

"Beginning today, I will mercilessly punish anyone who makes me feel uncomfortable. Please take appropriate precautions to avoid this "He had finished.

"Koenji-Kun, um... What exactly do you mean by "punish anyone who makes me feel uncomfortable"?" Hirata, who looked uneasy at the word "punish," questioned him.

"I said exactly what I meant. If I had to give an example, I would say that I despise ugly things, for example. So, if I saw something heinous, I would do exactly what I said "Kouenji replied, flipping his long flowing bangs with a fwish! He certainly made an impression.

After Koenji's introduction, a few students had finished introducing themselves. it was now Eichiiro's turn.

"It's your turn now Matsuo-Kun," Hirata said happily.

Some girls commented on how attractive he was, while the majority of the boys looked at him in jealousy. I couldn't understand what the boys were saying. I mean, it's not his fault he was born more attractive than the rest of you. Then again, jealousy can cause some people to behave irrationally, so perhaps I was judging them too harshly.

( Savagekouji, might be OOC but idrc)

"Hello everyone! My name is Matsuo Eichiiro. I don't have any hobbies in particular, but I am fairly confident in my academic abilities and social skills. I hope to get along with every one of you. Please take care of me for the next three years." He bowed as a form of sincerity to end his Introduction.

The boys had stopped glaring at him and began to applaud along with the girls when he was introduced. Everyone seemed to appreciate his sincerity. After a few moments, it was finally my turn.

"Ayanokouji-Kun it's finally your turn, do your best!" Kushida encouraged me. Everyone was now focusing their attention on me. Even Koenji, who had his eyes closed during everyone else's introduction, was focused on me.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down. This was a matter of life and death for someone like me. If I do not properly introduce myself, I will have a difficult time maintaining future relationships. Although I will continue to be the class leader, this does not guarantee that I will be well-liked by my classmates. Some may not even have the courage to approach me because I, as a high-ranking position holder such as class leader, may appear intimidating to them.

*CLANK!*

Was the sound my chair had made when I stood up from my seat. This seems to have startled some of my classmates. Crap... I was already off to a rough beginning. Well, the only way to go now is forward.

"I believe you are all familiar with me, but I'll introduce myself again in case anyone has forgotten. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is my name. It's a pleasure to be acquainted with you all." I stated parts of my introduction. I could've ended my introduction there, but I wanted to address some stuff first.

"First, I'd like to apologize for my monotonous way of speaking and for my apathetic appearance. I've always struggled with expressing myself properly since childhood, so I hope none of you interpret my way of expressing myself as fake or insincere."

This would be vital information for people to hear as people would now not misunderstand my intention when I socialize with them. Most of them nodded at my apology while some looked at me with pity.

"In general, I don't have any hobbies, but I do enjoy playing chess and reading books. I can also play some instruments fairly well, but I am most proficient at playing the piano. I'm looking for new activities to try, so if you have any suggestions, please share them with me." I continued my Introduction.

"Anyway, that concludes my introduction. Please do not be afraid to consult me as the class leader if you have any problems or simply want to talk to me in general. I hope to get along with everyone because we'll all be classmates for the next three years." With that, I sat back down as I finished introducing myself.

Everyone was applauding, indicating that my introduction was well-received. When I looked at Eichiiro, he was winking at me and giving me a thumbs up. I simply returned his thumbs-up.

"Your introduction wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Horikita spoke to me and complimented my efforts.

"Thanks, although I might've just gotten lucky," I replied to her. Her facial expression suggests that she was uninterested in introducing herself to her classmates. Obviously, I had to intervene to get her to do so.

"Horikita, When it's your turn, I recommend that you make an effort to properly introduce yourself." I voiced my opinion.

"Hah? Why should I? I don't plan on introducing myself in the first place."

"You'll end up being the target of ridicule in our class, and you won't be able to make friends properly."

"And how is that supposed to be my problem exactly? I never intended to make friends in the first place. They're useless to someone like me." Horikita boldly refuted. So Horikita is that type of person huh...

"Sure, you don't feel the need to make friends, but if you end up irritating everyone, it will have an impact on our unity. Remember that if we want to advance through the ranks and reach class a, we will need to work together and as a team. Once again, I ask that you please introduce yourself properly so that you do not become a social liability for our class." I used a harsher tone than usual when I said the last sentence.

Horikita appeared surprised, as evidenced by the surprised expression on her face. It's not that I wanted to be unnecessarily harsh, but if Horikita doesn't recognize her own flaws, that will be a very difficult problem for me to deal with.

She needed to hear the truth from me because if it were any other person, she would dismiss their advice instantly and possibly even insult them. But I've already demonstrated that I'm far more capable than Horikita in some areas. As a result, she has no choice but to heed my warnings.

"Tch, fine. But, I'm doing this because you're telling me to. Not because of my own accord so don't misunderstand anything Ayanokouji." Horikita asserted her intentions.

"That's more than enough. Thank you, Horikita." I sincerely thanked her.

She then stood up and started introducing herself,

"My name is Horikita Suzune. I believe I've provided you with all of the necessary information about me." She introduced herself. She quickly sat back down with an irritated expression. As cold as ice huh...

"You did well Horikita." I tried to lighten up the mood between us. She just ignored me fully. That... It kind of hurt, but no point in moping now.

It wasn't long before all thirty-nine of us had finished our introductions. Everything went smoothly with Kushida and Hirata in charge. It was finally time to move on after the hard-fought self-introduction of Sakura. Sudou would be the last person who would introduce himself.

"Sudou, it's your turn now," Eichiiro called out to him. Eichiiro understands how Sudou's appearance, unfriendly demeanor, and volatile temper can affect his social standing in class. This is why Eichiiro needed to take the initiative in overseeing Sudo.

"Hah? Why the fuck should I? I'm not a kid anymore." Sudou complained. Before any complaints or insults could be directed at him Eichiiro quickly replied to Sudou's comment.

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with introducing yourself. As your friend, I'd like to learn more about you as a person. For example, did you say you were a basketball player yesterday? It's no surprise you're so tall! I would also die to have a body like yours man." Eichiiro exaggerated the last part.

"The fuck? Just leave me alone..." Sudou tried to hide his embarrassment. I then tried to step in to help Eichiiro.

"You also stated that you aspired to be a basketball player, correct? So, when you become a basketball player, we'll be able to proudly tell your future fans that we knew you before you were famous and know more about you than they do." I continued to barrage him with encouragement. I purposefully said "when you become a basketball player" to indicate that I did believe that he would be successful in his dreams of being a basketball player.

"EH?! Sudou's gonna become a professional basketball player?" One of the girls screamed.

"Holy shit! That's awesome man!" One of the boys also complimented him. Sudo was then bombarded with compliments from our class.

"SUDO WHAT THE HELL?! YOUR GETTING ATTENTION FROM THE GIRLS? I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF US!!" Jealousy erupted in Ike.

"YOUR JUST LIKE THOSE TYPICAL IKEMEN!" Yamauchi joined Ike. This should be the final blow to boost Sudo's willingness to introduce himself.

"Well if you all really want to... Okay then!" Sudo stood up enthusiastically.

"My name is Sudo Ken! Remember that name as someday I'll be Japan's #1 professional basketball player!" Sudou exclaimed with excitement in his voice.

This boosted the mood even more as the majority of the class applauded and clapped loudly for him. "Sudo! Sudo!" the boys were chanting. Sudo was sitting at his desk with his arms crossed and a heavy smirk on his face.

Hirata then calmed things down in class, bringing the bright atmosphere to an end.

"Thank you for your participation in this self-introduction, everyone! We were able to complete it without incident. But we must be careful not to get carried away. Remember, we only have so much time... There are five minutes left. Prior to the start of the next lesson. I'd like to invite Ayanokouji-Kun to the front of the room to begin our discussion." Hirata reminded everyone of what we had planned to do with our limited time.

I jumped out of my seat and made my way to the podium, where Chabashira-Sensei had just stood. When I turned around, everyone's eyes and ears were on me. This is going better than I expected; I expected some kind of rebellion, but it appears that everyone was mature enough to recognize that their futures were at stake here. In comparison to how they treated me on the first day, it appears that they had all accepted that I would be class D's primary leader.

"Ahem, first and foremost, I'd like to thank all of you for your cooperation thus far. It has been a great help that we have been able to establish friendly relationships with each other, as this will be important for our class's overall solidarity." This should be an excellent way to kick off the class discussion.

"Now, I'd like to talk about our behavior in class and in general. I'm sure you're aware, but we only have a one-month advantage. So let us try to take advantage of that. I would like to remind everyone to do their best to pay attention in class and not let anything distract them, as I was mocked by Chabashira-Sensei for not paying attention in her class." Using myself as an example should convince most of them.

"As you are aware, any unethical behavior or action detected by the school will have an impact on how many class points we will receive in the coming month. And don't try to misbehave in secret; I forgot to tell you that there are hidden cameras in the classroom that monitor our every move, which means you are being watched by every move you make, so don't try to do anything funny during lessons." I informed them as I pointed at one of the locations of the four cameras in our classroom.

"Woah! There really is a camera there!"

"Holy shit! Nice catch Ayanokouji! I'd have never noticed that was there if it weren't for you!"

Voices were heard as the class was bewildered by what I had revealed to them.

"Now, I'd like to move on to our next topic, which is our own contribution to the class. Although our unity is essential, each of us must contribute to the class in our own unique way. For example, in a typical exam, there will undoubtedly be students who struggle academically. We can now rely on the smarter students to tutor them in order for them to pass the tests. I don't know about you, but I have a feeling something bad will happen if we fail a couple of exams. We don't know what special exams will consist of, but we can assume they won't be like the regular test exams we have. This is where other factors come into play." I continued my explanation.

"Assume a student has poor academic performance but is the best in their class in terms of physical abilities. Obviously, that student will need to improve his grades, but if there is a special exam where physical ability is most important, that student will undoubtedly be the most valuable piece of the class for that special exam and future similar special exams. For example, Yukimura," I called out to him. He was startled a bit but remained his calm.

"You take pride in being an academically gifted student, don't you?" I questioned him.

"Naturally, I do. I don't mean to brag, but I believe—no, I'm certain—that I'm among the top fifteen in overall entrance exam scores." Yukimura asserted vehemently.

"But you're not very good at anything, including sports, are you?"

"Y-yeah. I don't like to admit it but I can't run a few km without getting drenched in sweat while gasping for air." Yukimura said.

"Meanwhile we have the opposite with Sudo."

"Huh?" Sudo looked at me confused.

"You have an athlete's physique and exceptional physical ability. But you don't seem to be the type to be good at academics, am I wrong?" I questioned Sudo.

"Yeah, so what?" Normally, he'd be enraged if someone said this to him, but he was probably in a good mood after his self-introduction, so he ignored my remark.

"Now you're both living proof of the point I'm trying to make. Yukimura's value will indicate when the class requires a tutor to help academically challenged students, whereas Sudo's value will indicate when there are any special exams involving mostly physicality. What I'm trying to say is that, despite being assigned to class D, the lowest of the low, we all have our own set of skills that may come in handy in the future. I won't deny that we each have our own weaknesses, but instead, let's focus on our individual strengths and how we can fully utilize them to gain an advantage over other classes." And with that, I finally finished my speech.

The room was silent for a few seconds before cheers could be heard. Everyone was left in awe of my deductions and inspiring words. Well, at least I hoped so.

"You're a genius Ayanokouji!"

"You've thought about this much in one day? That's amazing!"

"Go Ayanokouji-Kun! With you leading us, we'll take over class A in no time!"

Praises were directed at me as almost everyone in the class was cheering for me. Though Koenji was just minding his own business as usual, and Sakura couldn't find the courage to say anything. Horikita was just staring at me intensely, you could even call it glaring at this point.

"So, since the next lesson is about to begin, I'll conclude this discussion by making a few requests of you all. First and foremost, do not, under any circumstances, leak any information about anything that has been revealed to us. We only have a one-month advantage, and I intend to take full advantage of it. If you want to talk about something we talked about today, make sure you're in a quiet place where no one will be listening or eavesdropping, or just text it in your private chat or make a group chat about it."

"Second, I hope you all follow the school rules and don't cause any disruptions in class. This includes slackness in class. Finally, if you feel the need to improve your academic performance, please do not hesitate to consult any of the capable students, such as myself, Yukimura, or Eichiiro, or any other capable student you know."

I ended the discussion with a bow and as if perfect timing a teacher with chest-length light-brown hair that is curled at the bottom with bangs hanging on the right side with purple eyes entered the classroom.

"Good morning everyone~ please take your seats as our lessons will begin shortly." The teacher said.

I quickly went back to my seat and pulled my textbook from my bag. Hopefully, the message I was trying to convey in the discussion was understood fully by everyone here in class D.

Vol.1 Chapter 2.3: END

Word Count: 4333 Words

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Author's Note:

Hello, my fellow readers! What did you think of this chapter?

This chapter was heavily inspired by chapter 3.3 of alter-self-test as I took some of the conversations there but tried to change Them to my own sentences.

I wanted to write more in this chapter but that would make the chapter probably 5k words longer so that'll be in the next chapter.

Anyways, updates may be delayed cause Indonesian wifi can be utter dogshit at times. My wifi hasn't been working since yesterday and I'm currently using my dad's hotspot to write this chapter.

Anyways, I will admit, this fic was inspired a lot by alter-self-test hence the similarities. But it will eventually go in a different direction as I have already planned a rough plot for volumes 1-7.

Anyways, that's all for today's author's note.

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 3.1 : Lunch Troubles

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

RING!!! The bell rang loudly, signaling the end of our lesson. "That's all for today, class. Have a nice break and don't forget about me!" Hoshinomiya-Sensei teased us all. She blew a kiss to all of us as she made her grand exit from the class.

When I looked around, I noticed that some of the boys were smitten by her gesture and were openly acting excited, while some of the girls were looking at them with pure disgust on their faces.

As the lesson came to an end, everyone began to congregate around their friends, making plans for where they would eat lunch. Lunchtime would be an excellent opportunity for me to get to know my fellow classmates better. I needed to act quickly so that I didn't get left in the dust.

I rose from my seat and began scanning the room for available students. Hirata was being swarmed by Karuizawa's group, so no. Sudo appeared to be planning to accompany Yamauchi and Ike, so I guess I can't invite him.

"A-ayanokouji-Kun... U-um..." A sweet but shy voice called out to me, jolting me out of my reverie. The person who had called out to me was Mii-Chan with a few girls behind her which included Kushida. It seems they were acquaintances of hers.

"Yes, Mii-Chan? May I help you?" I inquired her. I can probably already guess that she was planning to invite me to lunch along with her friends.

"Mii-Chan, you don't have to be so shy! I'm sure Ayanokouji-Kun won't mind." Kushida backed her up. There were numerous words of encouragement, such as "you can do it!" "Come on, Mii-Chan!" Coming from her batch of friends.

"What is it, Mii-Chan?" I asked this to elicit the long-awaited question she wanted to ask me.

"U-um... W-would you like to, uh... Join us for lunch?" Mii-Chan finally inquired, her voice flustered. I could tell from her expression that she needed a lot of confidence and encouragement from her friends to ask for something as simple as this. Mii-chan appeared to have a typically shy and sheepish personality based on the interactions we've had so far.

"Sure, why not?" I replied. She seemed surprised by my response but quickly breathed a sigh of relief.

"See? I told you there was no need to be concerned!" Mii-Chan was reassured by a girl. A closer look revealed a girl with short brown hair and yellow gradient-violet eyes.

I recalled her name was... Onodera Kayano. In her introduction, she described herself as a very skilled and experienced swimmer who intended to join the school's swimming club. In comparison to the other girls in my class, she appeared more tomboyish and masculine.

"I-i see, I'm glad then..." Mii-Chan murmured to herself. From a distance, she had a small smile on her face, with red tints on her cheeks. Now that I'd gotten a good look at her, she was really cute. Anyone would be charmed by her adorable but shy demeanor.

"Ara? Ayanokouji-Kun, aren't you staring at Mii-chan a little too much?" One of the girls enquired sarcastically. Ichihashi Ruri was her name, based on what I could tell. I didn't learn much about her personality from her introduction because it was brief, but she appeared to be a pleasant and cheerful young lady.

It appears that my staring was too obvious. I needed to clear up the misunderstanding quickly so they didn't mistake me for a pervert. I don't want the rest of the class to think of me as a creep, especially since I'll be the one leading them.

"Ah, sorry if I freaked you out or anything. I just thought she looked really cute for a second." I complimented Mii-Chan while clarifying any misunderstandings about the situation.

"E-eh?!" Mii-Chan exclaimed loudly, sounding agitated. My compliment seemed to elicit a response from her. Her exclamation drew the attention of everyone in the room. She quickly tried to cover her reddened face with her hands, but it was futile because everyone was already staring in our direction with full interest.

"Kya! I had no idea you were so daring, Ayanokouji-Kun!" Onodera shouted. She was exacerbating an already dire situation.

"You two can flirt with each other later at the cafeteria." Ichihashi teased even more.

"We're not flirting in the least! We are especially not l-lovebirds!" Mii-Chan yelled at them. Okay, I need to calm them down before things become even more troublesome.

"Please accept my apologies if it appeared that I was hitting on you. I really had no ulterior motives when I complimented you." I apologized and bowed to appear sincere.

"There's no need for an apology, Ayanokouji-kun! We were all aware that wasn't your intention. All we were doing was teasing her, that's all!" Kushida attempted to reassure me.

"Yeah Ayanokouji-Kun, I know you'd never do something like that. After all, you're a nice person." Mii-Chan also joined Kushida in reassuring me.

"Yes, I see. Then I'd like to thank you for not making any irrational assumptions about me." In response, they simply nodded their heads.

"So where are we gonna have lunch?" I asked while opening my bag to grab my bento wrap.

"Ah, we were actually thinking of going to this cafe called palette cafe," Onodera replied.

Sigh...

"I see..." I muttered to myself. I guess it was pointless to make a bento wrap for lunch. What a waste. Although I could bring the bento to the cafe, I doubt that places like that would allow outside food.

"Do you not like cafes Ayanokouji-Kun?" Kushida asked with concern hinted in her tone.

"Why do you ask that?"

"It's just that I noticed you sighed suddenly when we mentioned we were going to palette cafe for lunch."

It appears that I had made my dissatisfaction too blatantly visible, or perhaps Kushida was just that perceptive of other people. She was concerned about something as insignificant as that. I guess she is as nice as she portrays herself to be.

"I don't despise going to the cafe; rather, I enjoy its sweet culinary offerings and refreshing beverages. I just don't like the extra attention I'd get if I went there as the only boy in a group of girls. I also brought a bento wrap for lunch, but I suppose I wouldn't mind eating at the cafe."

Although all of that was true, I also didn't want to be stared at by the people who would be attending the cafe given the uproar caused by Hashimoto's sudden post about me.

"Do you perhaps dislike attention, Ayanokouji-Kun?" A young girl with shoulder-length brown hair and violet eyes with a yellow tinge spoke up.

Inogashira Kokoro was her name. She was one of the shy girls who struggled to introduce herself at first. But, with the help of Kushida and a few of our other classmates, she was able to introduce herself quietly well.

"Not always, but I prefer to keep to myself," I replied to her question.

"Eh? Really? I assumed you were the same type of boy as Hirata-Kun. Ayanokouji-Kun, weren't you popular in middle school? You have the looks for it, and you're also extremely intelligent." Ichihashi pounced on me with questions.

"Well, we can talk about it later as a topic of conversation once we get to the cafe." I ended the conversation. I was about to walk over to the classroom door when Kushida suddenly grabbed my wrist.

"Please wait a moment. Ayanokouji-Kun. Didn't you say you brought a bento wrap with you a few minutes ago?"

So that's why she grabbed my wrist so suddenly...

"I did, is there any problem with that?"

"No, no, the opposite of that actually. It's just, wouldn't it be a waste for you to not eat the bento you prepared to eat for lunch? We can just eat at the cafeteria and reschedule when we want to eat at the cafe." She said as her face got closer to mine.

Could someone really be this considerate of other people's feelings? Kushida's words seemed genuine as if she was doing this solely out of goodwill rather than malice. Though I can't rule out the possibility that it was a ruse, she honestly didn't seem like that kind of person to me.

"I suppose it would be a waste. But are you all okay with not going to the cafe?" I requested confirmation from them.

"Well, I was really looking forward to trying out the food and drinks at Palette Cafe... But we can come to visit another time. It's fine really. After all, we'll have plenty of opportunities to hang out at the cafe during our three years together as classmates." Onodera replied with a smile on his face. The others simply nodded and agreed with her.

"I see... Then let's go to the cafeteria for lunch. Again, I would like to apologize for inconveniencing you all in this manner." I offered my apologies to them.

"Mou~ stop apologizing so much Ayanokouji-Kun! You haven't done anything wrong really!" Ichihashi voiced her displeasure with my attitude.

I unconsciously tried to apologize again but she just scolded me even more for it. The other girls shared a laugh at our playful banter.

"Well, now that everything is settled, shall we make our way to lunch everyone?" Kushida questioned us.

"Wait, can I invite someone else to come with us?" I asked suddenly.

"Of course Ayanokouji-Kun! Anyone is welcome to join us for lunch." Kushida started her welcome to anyone who wished to join us.

Alright, that's good then. I'd wanted to bring a male companion with me so I wouldn't feel awkward being surrounded by girls. I was planning on inviting my trusted right-hand man, Eichiiro.

I shifted my gaze to his seat and...

He'd been gone for a long time already...

In the first place, why did I even expect him to stay in class for a such a long period of time? It must be common for him and Hirata to be surrounded by girls of the same age. I guess I had already gotten used to his company when we stayed at that government facility for a year.

I then averted my gaze from his seat and searched for my other male acquaintances, where I came across Miyake.

"Miyak-" I stopped my mouth from saying his name as I noticed he was already accompanying Yukimura as they were talking with another one of my classmates.

If I'm not wrong, her name was Hasebe Haruka. She was a girl with waist-length blue hair that has bangs going on either side with orange eyes with a mole visible beneath her left eye. She also had a well-endowed body as I could see that the boys of our class would occasionally stare at her either attracted by her beauty or looking at her with lust in their eyes.

"Ayanokouji-Kun?" Mii-Chan snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Ah, it's nothing. The person I wanted to invite is already occupied with someone else. Let's just go to the cafeteria." I notified them.

I then grabbed my bento wrap from my table and we all made our way to the cafeteria.

———————————————————

We had arrived at the already overcrowded cafeteria. When we walked in, I noticed that some people would occasionally glance at me multiple times per second, while others were staring at me openly. The stares I received from other people made me feel uneasy, so I quickly tried to find a table for us to alleviate my concerns.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, save a table for us okay!" Onodera said loudly to gain my attention. I just nodded slightly as a response.

I initially struggled to find an open table with no one occupying it at first, but after a couple of minutes, I finally found one. I then set my bento wrap on the table as I took a seat. I began unwrapping my bento as I rest the cloth beneath the bento box. I then slowly opened the box revealing the food inside.

It simply looked scrumptious, and I was fighting the urge to bite into it while waiting for the girls to get their food trays. I could just eat the bento right now without them, but I didn't want to act badly mannered and I was afraid that if I didn't wait for them, they would feel offended by my impatience on my tolerance of hunger.

While I was waiting for the girls, I noticed someone approaching me with a food tray in hand. They didn't seem to want to ask if they could sit with me, but rather exchange a simple greeting. And of all people, it had to be him...

"Yo, Ayanokouji!" A certain blonde ponytailed boy called out to me.

I let out a sigh before responding to him,

"Yes, Hashimoto?" I asked with slight irritation hinted at my voice.

"Woah, no need to be so cold man. Don't tell me you're upset about the photo I posted of you and Koenji this morning?" Hashimoto interrogated me.

Hashimoto, I think anyone would be upset if you posted a picture of them without their consent. That's just basic common sense.

"While I disliked the necessary attention that post drew to me, I'm not particularly upset with you." I gave him an honest answer.

"Phew! I thought you might have hated me or something!" Hashimoto said while wiping sweat from his head to appear relieved.

"I'm not that petty Hashimoto. I'm sure you had no ill intention when you posted that picture. I'm not someone who would hold a grudge over something as trivial as that." I remarked.

"Man, are you sure you're a high schooler? Your way too mature compared to some other boys in this school."

"I can confirm that I am indeed a normal high schooler."

That is utter bullshit and you and I know that very well.

(Ignore the 4th wall break. And yes, I think Kiyo can swear if he wants to. Just not openly.)

"Ayanokouji, I don't think any normal high schooler would get perfect marks on their entrance exams, especially in an elite school," Hashimoto remarked.

"Well, there's always the possibility that I got lucky with the questions and got perfect marks by pure chance." I retorted. He just stared at me for a while before letting out a sigh.

"Aren't you being a bit too humble man?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've already asked Sakayanagi about the entrance exams, and she even said that some of the questions were college-level questions that we high school students shouldn't even be able to answer yet! No matter how you look at it, you're clearly some kind of academic prodigy or just a genius in general ." Hashimoto exclaimed while throwing compliments at me.

"Well, by my accomplishments, I guess you could call me a genius." I gave up and just gave in to his compliments.

"Now that's more like it Ayanokouji! The ladies love a confident man who can actually back up his claims."

Ladies? When did this conversation suddenly turn into him giving me advice on ladies?

"Anyway, almost forgot to ask, but do you have anyone accompanying you? It would be a shame if you came to to the cafeteria just to eat alone. You're welcome to join me and my friends for lunch. If you want to, of course." Hashimoto asked me.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll pass. I'm already waiting for some people to finish their orders so I can join them for lunch." I replied as I pointed to Kushida's group of girls. Hashimoto just gave me a smirk in response.

"My king is already building a harem of girls I see." Hashimoto teased.

Also king? Is he just like Koenji, nicknaming anyone he meets as he likes? Is that normal for blonde people?

"Anyways, I'd love to chat with you more but I already have friends waiting for me. See you later, Ayanokouji!" Hashimoto bid farewell as he walked in the direction where his friends were sitting.

"Ayanokouji-Kun!" I heard Kushida's voice calling out to me.

I turned my head in the direction of her voice and everyone had apparently finished taking their orders. Coincidentally, They had just arrived at our table when Hashimoto and I ended our conversation as he left to join his friends at their table.

"Thanks for waiting for all of us." Onodera expressed her gratitude. I just nodded as a response. They then took their seats, with Onodera, Inogashira, and Ichihashi sitting in front of me, Mii-Chan to my left, and Kushida to my right.

"Itadakimasu." We all said in unison. I then used my pair of chopsticks to pick up some fried rice and shrimp to put in my mouth.

Delicious.

A good meal is really well needed after a tiring start to the day. I had to thank Matsuo and Eichiiro for my culinary skills. They taught me a lot of Japanese and foreign recipes for me to try to cook. Although I'm not the best cook, I think my food would be acceptable for others to eat.

"Your food looks so appetizing Ayanokouji-Kun!" Ichihashi praised my bento.

"I know right, compared to what we ordered, your bento looks like a Michelin star meal." Onodera joined in complimenting my food.

"Did you cook that yourself Ayanokouji-Kun?" Mii-Chan asked me.

"Yeah, I did."

"Sugoi! Your amazing Ayanokouji-Kun!" Kushida exclaimed.

"I know right! I can't even cook a single meal for myself without one of the ingredients getting burned." Inogashira said with an embarrassed expression.

"I don't think it's really that special. Cooking is an essential skill you'll need later in life, so I'm just doing the bare minimum."

"Even so, most boys of your age don't even bother trying to learn how to cook. So it's still pretty impressive Ayanokouji-Kun. You'll surely be at the top of the list soon." Onodera voices her opinion.

Wait...

"List? What kind of list are you talking about?" I asked curiously.

"Onodera chan!" Ichihashi yelled at her.

"E-eh?! Just ignore that Ayanokouji-Kun. That was a blunder on my part!" Onodera said loudly. Were they trying to hide something from me? Well I won't try to pry into it any further considering its probably none of my business

"Girls, I think we can tell Ayanokouji-Kun about the list. I'm sure he wouldn't tell any of the other boys about It." Kushida voiced her opinion. Was it really that important that barely any of the boys know about it?

"Are you sure Kushida-Chan?" Inogashira asked her.

"Well, if you don't want to tell me, it's fine really. But if you do decide to tell me, I promise I won't tell anyone about it." I spoke up to reassure them. I continued to eat as I await their decision. Although I am quite curious about what they meant by list, I didn't think it was that necessary for me to know about it.

"Umm... I think we can trust Ayanokouji-Kun. He seems like he wouldn't tell anyone about it." Mii-Chan expressed her stance on the manner.

"See? Even Mii-Chan agrees with me. So can we all just agree to tell him?" Kushida asked once more.

"Well... I guess if it's Ayanokouji-Kun, I wouldn't mind." Inogashira finalized her decision.

"I'm fine with him knowing about it I guess... But promise us you won't tell anyone okay Ayanokouji-Kun?" Onodera extended her pinky as a sign of wanting to make a pinky promise.

"You have my complete cooperation in remaining silent on this matter." As a sign of a pinky promise, I extended my pinky and wrapped mine around hers.

"A-ah, okay then! It's a deal!" She quickly retracted her pinky from mine. When I looked at her face, I noticed that she was blushing and that her cheeks were red. It seems my actions appear to have triggered a flustered reaction from her.

"Then it's settled!" Kushida exclaimed loudly. Everyone just nodded signaling a unanimous decision.

"Well then, what's all this list thing about?" I questioned them.

"Well, you see Ayanokouji-Kun... The girls have already started to plan to make multiple types of lists for the boys. And the list Onodera-San was talking about was the Ikemen rankings. And as of right now, you're the favorite to take first place, with Matsuo-Kun and Satonaka-Kun vying for second place. Congratulations by the way!"Kushida informed me of everything.

So they make multiple lists to judge and rank us boys, huh? Although I don't mind, if we men were the ones to rank the girls, we would be labeled as the scum of society and we would be belittled and insulted by others. It's amazing how unequal the world can be.

"I see..."

"Doesn't it make you happy to be ranked first Ayanokouji-Kun?" Mii-Chan asked.

"It would be different if I cared about being popular, but I don't particularly really care about it. Regardless, I'm glad to know many of the girls of our year think of me highly." I answered truthfully. They just giggled at my response and continued on eating their lunch. Though, I still had more questions to ask Kushida about the lists.

"What are the other types of rankings for the boys?" I questioned her.

"I can't remember all of them because there are so many. But, from what I recall, there's a wealth ranking, a gloomy ranking, a sexy ranking, a grossness ranking, and boys who should just die rank-"

"Okay, that's enough for now. I don't want to know any more about it." I abruptly cut her off. It was only the second day, and they'd already considered this? The world of girls can truly be quite perplexing, can it?

"Well if become curious about it again, you can ask me again anytime Ayanokouji-Kun!" Kushida exclaimed while letting out a bright smile.

We all then continued talking about trivial matters until the bell rang and we had to go back to class. Once the lessons are done, I would accompany Horikita to have our meeting. I can only pray that the meeting would go well.

Vol.1. Chapter 3.1: END

Word Count: 3748 Words

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 3.2: Horikita Suzune

———————————————————

I hoped you all really liked this chapter despite it being a filler.

To tell you the truth, I wanted to add some important stuff to the chapter but I'd figure I would save It for chapter 4 considering chapter 3 is mainly gonna focus on Horikita's and Ayanokouji's discussion.

Anyways if you can't tell, this story will be much more slower-paced compared to other fanfics. I want to go into more detail in this fic on what Kiyo does or what he's thinking about. I hope you don't mind.

Anyways, that's all for today's author's note.

Now, feast your eyes on the future ikemen rankings :

Ikemen ranking according to Class D

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

2. Matsuo Eichiiro

3. Satonaka

4. Hirata Yosuke

5. Miyake Akito

Ikemen ranking according to the whole first year:

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

2. Matsuo Eichiiro

3. Satonaka

4. Hirata Yosuke

5. Koenji Rokusuke

Ikemen ranking according to every year:

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

2. Koenji Rokusuke

3. Matsuo Eichiiro

4. Satonaka

5. Hirata Yosuke

Ikemen ranking involving every boy judged by every year:

1. Manabu Horikita

2. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

3. Nagumo Miyabi

4. Koenji Rokusuke

5. Matsuo Eichiiro

That's all for today! The next chapter might come tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 3.2 : Horikita Suzune

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

Ring!!!

The school bell rang once more, signaling the end of the day's classes.

"That concludes today's class. You are all dismissed." Sakagami-Sensei addressed us all. He exited the classroom quietly, clutching his clipboard and textbooks.

I grabbed my textbook and stationaries from my table and stuffed them into my bag. Then I snatched my bag and slung it over my shoulder. My classmates stood up one by one, either to hang out with their friends after school or to return to their dorms.

When I stood up, a sweet voice suddenly played over the speakers announcing something.

"At 5:00 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." The voice announced.

5:00 PM? That's two hours from now. Should I become a member of a club? In my introduction, I mentioned that I was interested in finding new hobbies, but I also didn't want to join anything that would take up my free time after school, unless it was useful.

Kushida and her friends had invited me to hang out at Keyaki Mall with them, buying clothes and trying out the food court, but I had to decline because I and Horikita had some business to attend to.
When I turned to look at my seatmate, she was staring at me, gesticulating that she had been waiting for me for quite some time.

As a response, we both nodded at each other. Me and Horikita were about to leave the classroom when we were abruptly stopped by a crowd of girls.

"Ayanokouji-Kun!" A loud and feminine voice called out to me.

When I turned around to see who had suddenly called me so suddenly, I saw Karuizawa Kei and her group of gals with Hirata and Eichiiro standing behind them. They were waving at me, and I responded by waving back.

"What's up Karuizawa?" I asked.

"So, like, me and my friends were going to Keyaki Mall to hang out with Hirata-Kun and Matsuo-Kun. But then I thought, why don't you come join us? It'd be a lot more fun with you there!"

It appears that I've received another invitation to Keyaki Mall from a different group of girls. So this is what it's like to be popular with the opposite gender.

Eichiiro would always say that being bothered by girls was a curse that came with being popular, but I didn't find it particularly bothersome.

...

I should probably reconsider that conclusion before I start jinxing myself. Before I could give a reply, Horikita swiftly interrupted our conversation,

"Sorry Karuizawa-San, but unlike you and your friends wasting time at the mall, Ayanokouji and I already have more important matters to attend to," Horikita said bluntly.

Her response did not appear to be well received, as Karuizawa and some of her friends wore a frustrated expression and were glaring daggers at Horikita. Hirata and Eichiiro noticing the tension caused by Horikita's harsh and sharp words had worried looks on their faces.

"Hah?! Who the hell are you to speak up? I asked for Ayanokouji-Kun's opinion, not yours!" Karuizawa retaliated.

"Yeah, who the fuck are you to monopolize him? You're not his girlfriend Horikita-San, so I don't think you have the right to decide what he does with his free time!" Shinohara backed up Karuizawa.

So you're saying that if she were my girlfriend, she'd have control over what I do in my spare time? What kind of reasoning is that? What I do in my spare time should be decided solely by myself.

"Ano... She's right Karuizawa. I already have a meeting planned with Horikita after school, so I'm sorry but I'll have to decline your invitation." I apologized and bowed slightly.

"Why the hell would you want to hang out with a bitch like her? We're way better company than she is!" Karuizawa argued. Yikes, things could get heated if I don't do some-

"Because, unlike you, Karuizawa, we're going to actually talk about something important and do something productive. Something you and your bimbo girls wouldn't understand because you spend all of your time doing unproductive and illogical things." Horikita retorted.

Yabe.

Horikita had exacerbated the situation just as I was about to act. Some of the girls became enraged and retaliated to Horikita's comments by hurling insults at her. Horikita, on the other hand, paid no attention to their remarks about her. Okay, I need to calm this situation down before it worsens.

I looked to Hirata and Eichiiro, pleading with them to assist me in calming the situation. They both seemed to have understood my message and nodded hesitantly as a response.

"Excuse me for interrupting, but can't we just calm down and talk this through?" Eichiiro intervened, attempting to pacify them.

"Yeah, I'm sure Horikita-San didn't mean any harm by her words." Hirata joined Eichiiro. With their help, Hopefully Karuizawa's group and Horikita would be able to stop being hostile to each other.

"It's not our fault Hirata-Kun! Karuizawa-San was just trying to invite Ayanokouji-Kun when Horikita-San suddenly insulted us out of nowhere. We were just returning her insults!" Shinohara objected.

Although I believe Horikita's attitude was some to blame, Karuizawa and her group of girls were not without fault.

They were partly to blame for being so easily provoked by Horikita's words and making rash assumptions about her attempts to monopolize me for herself. Also, didn't Karuizawa insult her first by calling Horikita a bitch? Well, It didn't matter who started it first; I just didn't want this situation to get any more troublesome than it already was.

"Okay, everyone, please calm down. Let's not start pointing fingers at each other on who provoked who first. Why don't we just settle down and apologize to each other? We don't want to be at odds with our own classmates, do we?" Hirata made an attempt to persuade them.

"But Hirata-Kun! She was the first to be hostile to us. So it's only natural for her to be the one to apologize to us!" Karuizawa argued vehemently for her point of view.

"But Karuiza-"

"Tch, you know what? I don't want to waste my time with your idiotic group of friends, Karuizawa. I'll be waiting for you outside of class Ayanokouji-Kun, but please don't spend too much time talking to Karuizawa and her friends because we have something important to talk about. Her hypocritical idiocy could infect you." Horikita spoke in a very brusque way.

She then hurried to the classroom door and quickly exited, ignoring the glares she was receiving from Karuizawa and her group of gals.

"Jeez, what's her problem anyway." Satou finally expressed her displeasure. She had remained silent about Horikita's actions until now. I guess some people prefer to speak negatively about others behind their backs rather than openly.

"I know right? Honestly, she's so entitled."

"She reminds me of one of those bitchy spoiled brats who think the world revolves around them."

"She called us idiots when we haven't even done any exams yet. Can you believe how delusional she is?"

The girls were now openly insulting and harshly reprimanding Horikita. Unlike a few minutes ago, when it was just Shinohara and Karuizawa, everyone was now expressing their irritation with Horikita's attitude toward her classmates.

Well everyone except for Matsuhita and, of course, Eichiiro and Hirata. Matsuhita stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do, while Eichiiro and Hirata tried to diffuse the situation. To be honest, I felt sorry for the three of them.

If it were another time, I would try to assist Hirata and Eichiiro, but I had a meeting with Horikita right now. I didn't want to keep her waiting any longer than necessary. Who knows what icy and sharp words she'd use to chastise me if I kept her waiting too long. Well before I leave, I should probably apologize on Horikita's behalf.

"Please accept my apologies for Horikita's inappropriate behavior. She's really not a bad person at all. She's just not very good at socializing with others and can be obstinate at times." I bowed while apologizing to appear genuine with my words.

They stopped gossiping and focused their full attention on me after I apologized. They then panicked a little while attempting to reassure me.

"I-it's not your fault, Ayanokouji-Kun! Please raise your head!" Satou attempted to console me.

"Yeah! Don't blame yourself for what she did. You haven't done anything wrong!" Shinohara joined in the cheering as well.

The girls then flooded me with words of reassurance and comfort, assuring me that I was not to blame for Horikita's actions. Well To be honest, I didn't feel sorry for Horikita. Her stubborn nature and unwillingness to cooperate must have resulted in her placement in Class D.

" I believe we've taken up too much of your time Kiyotaka. You should leave right away; you don't want to keep the ice devil waiting, do you?" Eichiiro said this in a lighthearted tone. His nickname for Horikita had earned him some laughs from the girls.

"Yes, indeed. I wish we could all talk more, but I need to talk to Horikita right now. Umm... Is it okay if we hang out some other time?" I inquired.

"Of course Ayanokouji-Kun. We'd be delighted to spend time with you at any time." Hirata said in a cheerful tone while flashing me with a smile full of sincerity.

Hirata piqued my interest because I couldn't figure out why he was assigned to class D. In the presence of others, he exudes a mature and friendly vibe. From the outside, he appears to be a warm, kind, and caring individual.

Perhaps his grades were poor? Or does he have a lack of physical ability? No, that would be an absurd reason to place someone in class D simply because they were not the best at a particular skill. He also intended to join a soccer club, so his physique had to be at least above average.

But I did notice him flinch a little yesterday when I mentioned that we might be assigned to class D due to something we did in the past. Although I could be mistaken, I believe that could be a hint as to what Hirata's flaw could be. After all, not everyone is who they appear to be on the outside.

"Alright, then I'll be taking my leave. I'll see you all later." I bid my farewells to them as I turned around and exited the classroom.

Horikita was leaning against the wall outside the classroom, arms crossed and an expression with tiny hints of annoyance on her face. It appears that I had lingered a little too long with Karuizawa and the others.

"Ano..."

"Took you long enough," Horikita finally spoke.

"I apologize for the inconvenience. It was never my intention to keep you waiting for any longer than was necessary." I began by apologizing.

Wow, maybe Ichihashi was right. I do apologize too much.

"Hmm... Well, that whole commotion wasn't your fault in the first place. This time, I'll forgive you." Horikita responded.

"Then, shall we be on our way?"
"Of course, Ayanokouji-Kun."

We then entered the hallways near the classrooms. A few students passing by us in the halls would give us a few glances, and I overheard some murmurs and whispers. Do people really not get tired of gossiping about me?

I noticed that we weren't heading towards the dorms, but rather into unknown territory. This was strange; where did she intend to take me? Maybe palette cafe? Or how about Keyaki Mall? Well, unless I asked her directly, I wouldn't know.

"Where exactly are we going, Horikita?" I asked.

"Why, to the faculty office of course. "

Faculty office? But why?

"Your expression suggests that you are confused right now. Let's just say I have a few questions for Chabashira-Sensei about the school system." Horikita responded. It's as if she could read my mind.

"Perhaps some of my explanations yesterday or today were unclear to you?" I persisted in interrogating her.

"No, you've made your points loud and clear. Although I am skeptical of the deductions you announced to the class today, the fact that you solved the school's mystery in only a few hours should demonstrate your deductive ability is not to be underestimated." Horikita replied.

"I see..."

For a while, we walked in awkward silence. But it didn't seem to bother her in the least. I believe I should try to strike up a conversation with her in order to learn more about the girl known as Horikita Suzune.

"If you have something to say, say it, Ayanokouji-Kun."

"Eh?"

"Your unwarranted staring is making me more uncomfortable by the second."

Sigh...

Well, no use in beating around the bush now.

"Couldn't you have treated Karuizawa and her friends better?" I brought up the elephant in the room.

"What's the point? They were going to stymie our progress and waste even more time."

"You know, with that attitude, it'll be difficult for you to make friends, don't you?"

"I've already stated that I don't intend to make any friends. But I am curious as to why you're insisting on it." Horikita now attempted to question me.

"It's not like I'm trying to coerce you into making new friends. I'm sure having a few allies on whom you can rely would be beneficial to you."

"But don't I already have you?"

I would have misinterpreted that as an attempt to flirt with me if it hadn't been for her cold demeanor.

"It's nice to know you can count on me. But there will be times when you won't be able to. And if I can't help you when you're in trouble, you'll have to seek assistance from others. That would be very beneficial to you, don't you think?" I countered.

"... I suppose your right Ayanokouji-Kun, you make an excellent point." Wow, I didn't think she would admit it that easily.

Horikita's flawed way of thinking was something I needed Horikita to recognize. If Horikita maintains her current attitude, she will be isolated from her classmates and detested by them. That would undoubtedly erode our class solidarity.

I suppose I should try to steer the conversation away from class issues. It would be nice to learn more about Horikita as a person.

"Horikita, don't we look like a couple to-"

"Ayanokouji-Kun, don't even say it."

"Ah, okay. Sorry then."

Well, that was a failure. It appears that I still have some gaps in my social skills. I just hope our walk to the faculty office isn't too awkward now.

--

We were now standing in front of the door that led to the faculty office. Horikita motioned for me to enter the room first, and I simply nodded in response.

"Please excuse me..." I said quietly after knocking on the door about three times. The only person present in the faculty office was none other than Hoshinomiya-Sensei.

"Ara? If it isn't Mr.Popular himself? How may I help you Mr.Ikemen-Kun?" Hoshinomiya-Sensei asked in a teasing manner.

"Pardon the intrusion Sensei, but do you know where Chabashira-Sensei is?" Horikita walked into the room and spoke up.

"Oh? So there's two of you huh? Why of course I know where Sae-Chan is!" She exclaimed loudly in a high-pitched voice with a smirking expression on her face and her hands both on her hips.

"Then can we know where she is?" Horikita asked.

"Of course you can! But first, why are you kids looking for her? Ara? Don't tell me you're planning to do something naughty with each other?" Hoshinomiya-Sensei continued to poke fun at us.

"Please don't be irrational sensei. There were some materials we didn't understand during her lessons and we would like to ask her about it." Horikita quickly devised an excuse.

"Is that it? What hardworking students you are! I should give you both a prize for being such good students!"

She then approached us, her hands extended. Horikita had walked away, avoiding whatever Hoshinomiya-Sensei had planned for her, while I stood there silently, unsure what to do. My hair was then gently touched and rubbed by one of her hands.

"Eh?"

"Who's a good boy? You are!" Hoshinomiya-Sensei teased in a playful tone while patting my head. I must say, it does feel quite nice.

"Sensei can you please put an end to your childish antics. We've come to find out where our homeroom teacher is. If you are unwilling to assist us, we will simply seek her location by another teacher or ourselves if we have to." Horikita expressed her displeasure with Hoshinomiya-playful Sensei's demeanor.

"Jeez~ you're just like Sae-Chan. So direct and cold. Well, I'm afraid our playtime has to end here Ikemen-Kun." She said as she retracted her hand from my hair.

"Well if you really want to know where Sae-Chan is, she's probably on her favorite smoking spot, the rooftop. Normally, students aren't allowed to go there at this hour... But, I think it should be fine as long as you don't get caught." Hoshinomiya-Sensei said with a wink.

"I see. If that's the case, we'll be going ahead now Sensei. Thank you for the information Hoshinomiya-Sensei." Horikita and I bowed in appreciation.

"No problemo! Take care you two! Also, tell Sae-Chan I said hi!!!!" Hoshinomiya-Sensei shouted joyously while waving one of her arms aggressively.

Horikita and I then exited the faculty office and began ascending the stairs step by step.

(If you get the reference, you are a real one)

--

We were now at the door that would take us to the rooftop. I looked at my phone to see what time it was. It was now 4:00 p.m., one hour before the club fair began. So, I guess this should be enough time for me to accompany Horikita as she asks Chabashira-Sensei and me any questions she may have.

I yanked on the door handle, revealing the rooftop with Chabashira-Sensei, who appeared to be smoking a cigarette with her eyes fixed on the vast blue sky. When she turned around to see what was making the noise, her eyes widened slightly in surprise to see me and Horikita. She quickly reverted to a calm and collected expression and removed the cigar she was smoking from her mouth.

"Horikita? Ayanokouji? What exactly are you two doing here? You do realize it's after-school hours, don't you? Students would not normally choose this location for a hangout." Chabashira-Sensei inquired.

"I only have a few questions for you, Sensei. Of course, I realize you're probably very busy, so I'll get right to the point." Horikita responded.

"Oh? Then what is Ayanokouji-Kun doing here?"

"He's only here because I asked him to come with me. I needed his thoughts on a few critical issues."

"Is that so? Well, then Horikita, you're free to ask away." Chabashira-Sensei said in a provoking way.

"Sensei-"

"Hoshinomiya-Sensei said hi by the way." I interrupted Horikita.

...

After I said that, an awkward silence enveloped on the atmosphere. Horikita was glaring at me with daggers for bothering her, and Chabashira-Sensei was staring at me strangely, as if I were an alien.

" Sigh..., was that really what you both came here for?" Chabashira-Sensei asked with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Obviously not. I was about to ask you some questions when someone couldn't keep their mouth shut and abruptly cut me off." Horikita expressed her discontent with me suddenly interrupting her.

We both then walked towards Chabashira-Sensei to close the gap, allowing Horikita to ask her questions loudly and clearly without having to repeat herself.

"Then Sensei, I'll be honest with you, Why was I assigned to class D out of all classes?" Horikira pressed Chabashira-Sensei for a response. So that's what she was hoping to ask from her...

"That's quite a straightforward question Horikita."

"Yesterday, you confirmed Ayanokouji-Kun's suspicions about the school sorting all the superior students to class A while the worst of the worst were all sorted into class D."

"That is correct. Are you implying that you believe you belong in a higher class?"

I'm curious how Horikita would react to this. I'm sure she'd be more upset about her placement in class D.

I'm sure I am. I believe I should be placed in Class A instead of any of the other classes." Horikita made a bold declaration.

So Horikita has a bit of a superiority complex, huh? She truly believes she should be at the very top and refuses to believe she was placed in a lower class due to her own flaws. I could tell she was a bit egotistical based on her interactions with others, but I didn't expect it to be this bad.

She's not on the same level as Koenji, of course. God forbid how much Koenji admires himself. Horikita, on the other hand, clearly holds herself to a very high standard, perhaps even too high.

"Oh? And what makes you think that Horikita?" Chabashira-Sensei continued to provoke Horikita even more. Horikita's questions and claims about herself didn't seem to bother her at all. It was as if she had foreseen what was going to happen.

"Almost every problem on the entrance exams I was able to solve. I also made no significant mistakes during the interview. At the very least, I should not have been classified as a Class D student."

"You solved almost all of the problems on the entrance exam, hmm? Normally, I wouldn't be able to show individual students their exam results, but I'll make an exception in this case. You performed admirably on the entrance examination, as you stated. You had the fifth-highest test score among first-year students, and you were close to becoming the fourth-highest student to score on the exams, You did an excellent job. And you're correct, we found no major issues in your interview. On the contrary, we evaluated you quite highly."

"Thank you very much... So then why was I placed in Class D?"

"Before I respond, could you please explain why you are dissatisfied with Class D?"

"Who could be pleased with an incorrect assessment? Furthermore, the class rankings have a significant impact on our future prospects. Of course, I'm disappointed."

"Incorrect assessment? Perhaps your self-assessment is far too high." Chabashira-Sensei snickered, or rather, burst out laughing.

"What's so funny Sensei?" Horikita asked with anger in her tone.

"Oh, nothing. It's just, I am aware of your academic accomplishments. You are unquestionably a gifted academic student. But wasn't it Ayanokouji who said that students weren't divided into classes solely based on their academic performance?" Chabashira-Sensei retorted.

"Even so, I refuse to believe that I have a flaw that the school deemed so serious that I was assigned to class D. If you look at my middle school records, you'll notice that I've always received high marks on my physical evaluations and that I've always been a diligent honor student who always followed the rules and never caused any trouble." Horikita continued to argue her case.

"Horikita, even as a one-of-a-kind talent like Ayanokouji, has already accepted that he deserves to be in class D. You're not saying you think you're superior to him are you?"

Horikita's reaction to Chabashira-Sensei's question was something I was very curious about. Was her superiority complex so severe that she regarded me as a lesser being? Or could she swallow her ego and accept that, in her opinion, her abilities are inferior to mine?

"Of course that's not what I'm saying. He has already demonstrated his incredible intelligence and unbelievable academic ability yesterday, and while I don't know how truly physically capable he is, he does appear to have a very good physique from the picture that was posted in the school forum. I will give credit where it's due."

So Horikita saw it, too huh...

"But I'm not saying I'm inferior to him, nor am I saying he is superior to me. I believe I excel at some things better than he does. Although his entrance exam scores are impressive, it is possible that they were a fluke and he received perfect marks by chance." Horikita Retorted.

"You think you're better at some things than he is? Even the great Horikita Manabu couldn't figure out the school system in a week, let alone a single day. As his sister, you should understand how incredible it is for Ayanokouji to make deadly accurate deductions on how the school really works after only a few hours of enrollment."

When Chabashira-Sensei mentioned the name "Horikita Manabu" Horikita visibly flinched and her composure completely broke. In contrast to her usual ice-cold demeanor, she now had a very nervous expression on her face.

"D-don't bring N-nii-San into this..." Horikita said anxiously. Chabashira-Sensei just snickered at Horikita's unusual behavior and continued with voicing her opinions.

"And do you really believe Ayanokouji's test results were a fluke? Horikita, I wouldn't think of Ayanokouji's perfect scores in the entrance exams as a stroke of luck. After all, I was the one who was watching him and the other first-year applicants when they took the entrance exams for the first time."

So she was the observer, huh? It's no surprise that I felt some familiarity when I saw her presence for the first time...

"W-what does have to do with anything...?" As of right now, Horikita was still shaken by the mention of her brother and couldn't think rationally at the moment.

"What if I told you that the first person to finish the test was the same person who aced the entrance exams? Isn't it incredible? Not only that, but he showed no signs of difficulty in taking the exam, and we even used college-level materials in it. Some students complain that the entrance exams were too difficult for them to answer, but to Ayanokouji, the exams just appeared to be child's play to him."

As a result, Horikita would have no choice but to regard me as someone superior to her. Of course, I haven't yet demonstrated any of my physical abilities yet, but Horikita has probably already guessed how physically capable I am.

"But, Sensei, I'm not sure I understand your point. I don't see how Ayanokouji's accomplishments are related to my placement in class D," Horikita said as she regained her full composure.

"Then let's ask Ayanokouji himself about that question, shall we?"

"Huh?" Both me and Horikita spoke in unison confused about what Chabashira-Sensei had meant.

"What do you mean Chabashira-Sensei?"I finally decided to speak up after several minutes of silence and asked her.

"What I mean is, why do you think the student known as Horikita Suzune was assigned to class D? Or, better yet, what do you think about Horikita that makes her a defective?" Chabashira-Sensei interrogated me. Horikita was also looking at me intensely, also curious as to what my response would be.

"What makes you think I'd know about Horikita's defect, Chabashira-Sensei?" I countered.

"Don't try to play the fool Ayanokouji. Someone like you must have been watching his classmates' every move to figure out why they were assigned to class D. Based on her absurd claims of her believing she was incorrectly evaluated and should be placed in a higher class, I assumed you'd be aware of Horikita's defect right away."

I didn't see what she'd gain from me revealing why Horikita was assigned to class D. Aren't teachers supposed to remain neutral in these situations? Or perhaps... Was Chabashira-Sensei expecting me to repair Horikita?

She'd been acting strangely since the day before. She appeared indifferent and distant towards Class D at first, but when I acted to save them, her face lit up with excitement and passion. It was as if she wanted me to do something about it.

This could just be a wild guess, but what if she wants us, Class D, to overtake Class A? It would make sense why she was suddenly so cooperative when I purchased information about the S-System and exposed the whole school system. But why would she want us to rise to Class A? Were there any benefits in teachers whose classes graduated as Class A?

Sigh...

I probably shouldn't be thinking about it right now. If answering Chabashira- Sensei's question meant breaking Horikita's superiority complex, then that would certainly be beneficial.

"Okay, then. I'll reveal the alleged flaw I think Horikita possesses that has resulted in her placement in Class D," I announced to Horikita and Chabashira-Sensei. Horikita looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't get the words out of her mouth. I turned to Horikita, ready to make some harsh remarks about her flawed mindset.

"Horikita, despite the fact that we've only known each other for two days, you're someone who prefers to work alone rather than with others, correct?"

"Yes, that's right. What's the issue with that?"

"Looking at it from a societal standpoint, most jobs require you to be able to socially contribute if you are required to work with your coworkers. That entails working as a team and being able to work well with your peers. Do you think a company would want to hire someone who refuses to cooperate with others?"

"T-that..." She tried to defend herself, but it was clear that she was beginning to see my point.

"Horikita, your disobedient demeanor isn't your only flaw. Please forgive my bluntness, but from what I've observed of you, you can be very egotistical at times, and you also have a habit of insulting others who you consider inferior to you. I'm not saying it's bad to think of yourself highly. Everyone should strive for confidence, and your entrance exam results have demonstrated that you are a capable student. However, keep in mind that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance."

"But stating your superiority isn't arrogance, is it?" Horikita retorted. Seriously, just how highly does she think of herself?

"That depends, in my opinion. Can you prove your superiority in the first place? You wouldn't be so naive as to believe you're the best student on campus, would you? If a group of class A students who are equally as capable as you can collaborate effectively with others it's a foregone conclusion that they'll be placed in class A over you."

Horikita was at a loss for words at this point. She was clearly in denial, but she was beginning to question her own way of thinking. This would be a good first step in breaking her superiority complex.

"To summarize, Horikita Suzune's defect is her unwillingness to collaborate with others because she sees them as nothing more than a hindrance. Her flawed way of thinking stems from her belief that she is superior to everyone else. Simply put, Horikita Suzune suffers from a severe superiority complex, but she is unable to back up her claims of superiority. But, of course, what I just said are just assumptions I've made about her based on what I've seen from her thus far. There is still a chance that I could be mistaken."

After I revealed my thoughts on Horikita's defect, there was only silence for a few seconds. Chabashira-Sensei smirked broadly, while Horikita looked down, questioning her own self-evaluation with a hint of shame in her expression. To be honest, I was feeling a bit uneasy because of the tense atmosphere that could be sensed.

"My oh my, you've certainly made a very good case Ayanokouji. But your not as naive as to think that I would just reveal why Horikita was placed in Class D, do you?" Chabashira-Sensei asked provokingly.

"Of course not. Whatever Horikita's defect is or whatever alleged flaw that caused her to be assigned to Class D is up to herself to figure out." I calmly responded to her provocative question.

"Is your work done here, Horikita? Or do you still need me to answer any questions you have?" Chabashira-Sensei questioned her.

"No, Sensei, that's all I had planned for today," Horikita spoke in hushed tones. "Thank you for your time today, Sensei." She bowed as a gesture of gratitude. "Should we go, Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"Ah, sure..." We then bowed one more time to Chabashira-Sensei and silently exited the rooftop.

I checked my phone again, curious about the time. It was now 4:37 PM, we had spent thirty-seven minutes on conversing with Chabashira-Sensei about Horikita's refusal to admit that she was correctly evaluated for placement as a class D student.

Unable to bear the silence between us, Horikita finally decided to speak up after we had arrived on the first floor.

"Is this all true...? You thought the entrance exams were too easy for you?" Horikita inquired, her voice trembling.

"I wouldn't say it was a walk in the park, but there wasn't a single question on the exams that I couldn't easily solve," I replied.

"The fact that you can say that without sounding arrogant or haughty... Just who are you?"

"I'm simply Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. A fifteen-year-old adolescent boy who aspires to have an eventful high school experience." I simply answered her question.

"That doesn't really answer my question though..." Horikita murmured to herself.

"Do you have anything else you'd like to talk about with me, Horikita?" I inquired.

"No... I believe we've completed our tasks for the day. I just need some time to process what I've learned from our conversation."

"Yes, I see... Of course, we can continue this tomorrow if you wish."

"Sure, Ayanokouji-Kun. I still have some questions for you, and I'm sure you do as well." As a response, I simply nodded.

"Ah, before I forget, can we exchange contact info's Horikita?" I asked.

"Eh? Sure, why not I guess..." We both then immediately grabbed our phones and exchanged contact information with each other.

"Well, I will be off now Ayanokouji-Kun. I'll see you tomorrow." Horikita bid farewell. I just waved at her as a response and headed to my own path.

I was planning to invite her to accompany me to the club fair, but I should probably leave her to her own thoughts for now. I can try to develop my relationship with Horikita at a later time.

I've learned a lot about Horikita today. To fully bring out her potential, I will need to break her superiority complex and build her back up again. If all goes according to plan, then Horikita will be a useful tool I can use and utilize to make her an important figure to the class while also making her a weapon against the other classes. Horikita's growth is something I'm looking forward to seeing.

Vol.1. Chapter 3.2: END

Word Count: 5872

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 3.3: The Not So Lonely Four.

--

Author's note:

Hello, hello, everyone. I hope you enjoyed today's chapter.

Anyways, this chapter took longer than I expected. I expected a 3k word chapter but I instead ended up writing a 5.7k words chapter.

Anyways, there are some things I'd like to address.

So the students going to school at 8:00 AM and ending school at 3:00 PM is something I came up with by myself because idk what time they go home in.

Now, Horikita may seem tame compared to her volume 1 version. Well, because Ayanokouji has already shown his intelligence and academic abilities to her, she now holds a bit of respect for him which is why her behavior is not the same as it was in the original volume. Though, this chapter did showcase her cold and harsh personality towards others as she berated Karuizawa's groups harshly.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to address.

Thank you for 1k votes on this story! I honestly thought it would take me longer to reach 1k but we did it in only 12 chapters! (ﾉヮ)ﾉ*.

Well, that's all for today. Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 3.3 : The Not so Lonely Four

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

I was strolling around campus, minding my own business, when I felt a vibration from one of my pockets. I quickly took my phone from my pocket, and the screen displayed Miyake's contact information. I had apparently received a call from him. To answer his call, I slid the green button with a white telephone silhouette up towards the screen.

"Ayanokouji, yo!" Miyake greeted. His voice was audible, but there was some background noise from his phone indicating that he was somewhere crowded.

"What's up, Miyake?" I inquired, intrigued.

It was the first time we'd called each other. We had only exchanged text messages the day before. This morning, he texted that he would wait for me in the dormitory lobby, but he quickly informed me that if he waited any longer, he would be late for class, so he stopped waiting for me and went to class.

"Sorry for calling all of a sudden. I was just wondering if you would like to go to the club fair with us?" Miyake asked.

"Us? Who is accompanying you?"

"It's just Yukimura and a new friend I'd like to introduce you to!"

"The club fair, eh?"

Miyake, you are a lifesaver. I assumed I'd have to go to the gym by myself. I could have asked Karuizawa and her batch of gyaru gals or Kushida and her friends to accompany me, but it would be awkward to join either of them because I had already declined their invitation. After all, I thought I could ask Horikita to accompany me. Regrettably, this did not occur...

"Ah! But, if you already have someone or a group you're going with, you can just refuse. Given your popularity, it's really not a big deal."

"You don't need to be concerned. I haven't been invited to the club fair by anyone else." I lied as I easily breathed.

"Eh? Really? That's quite surprising to be honest. I expected all the girls in our class, and even girls from other classes, to swarm around you and try to persuade you to come with them to the gym to attend the club fair. "Miyake said in a stunned tone, unable to hide his surprise.

They did, I mean, but he didn't need to know. Even I wasn't that oblivious to how popular I am with the fairer sex. Surprisingly, Mii-chan has also shown signs of being romanticly interested in me based on our interactions. But, unfortunately for her, I had never felt the feeling of being in love before, so I absolutely held no affection towards her at this point.

But who knows what the future holds. Maybe one day I'll fall head over heels for someone like Eichiiro did with his childhood friend he keeps mentioning. He hasn't realized his own feelings for her, however. And he refers to me as dense...

"Well, things don't always go as expected do they?"

"Yeah... So does that mean you'll accompany us to the club fair?"

"Well, there's no reason for me to say no. So, yeah, I'll see you all at the gym." I told him.

"That's fantastic! Oh, I hope you don't mind if we bring our new friend with us."

"I wouldn't mind meeting new people and making new connections, so yeah, I don't mind."

"Great! We'll meet near the gymnasium. I'm going to hang up now because the place is getting a little rowdy and crowded. Yukimura and I will be waiting for your arrival. See you later Ayanokouji!" Miyake said his goodbyes as he hung up the phone.

A new potential friend, eh? It wasn't something I was opposed to. Actually, I'd like to meet more people my age. Every one of my classmates I've interacted with so far has been a member of some sort of clique or social group, so getting to know more about my classmates individually would be beneficial.

I slid my phone back into my pocket and turned it off. I then increased my walking speed and proceeded to the gymnasium.

I could feel the glances from passers-by on my way there. Don't they have anything better to do than openly observe me in public? Someone like Koenji would certainly appreciate this kind of attention, but someone like me just honestly found the stares very uncomfortable and bothersome.

The stares I was getting were either from girls who looked at me as if I was their prey or from some boys who glared at me with complete jealousy and murderous purpose. So this is what Eichiiro meant when he talked about the plague for being popular.

"Excuse me! Sorry!" I heard a loud voice say from behind me. I turned my body 180 degrees, but then-

' THWACK!'

Someone had slammed into me hard, resulting in a collision that sent both of us to the floor. When I opened my eyes, there were papers on the floor. I'm guessing the papers belonged to the person who had collided with me.

When I looked up at the person in front of me, I recognized a familiar face. She was the purple-haired senpai Eichiiro and I saw her on our way to class the other day. Tachibana Akane of class 3-A, if I'm not mistaken. She held the position of secretary in the student council, so she must be well respected among her peers.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" While lowering her head, Tachibana-Senpai apologized profusely. She then attempted to pick up the papers she had just dropped on her own, but it appeared she was having some difficulty.

Well, since I want to make a good impression on her and to the people who were currently watching us, I'll lend a helping hand. I then began assisting her in picking up some of the papers that had fallen to the ground.

"Ah, you don't have to-"

"No, it's fine really. It was also partly my fault for getting in the way." I cut her off quickly and continued to assist her.

"Once again, I apologize for causing you so much trouble!" She apologized once more, this time more vehemently.

I took the papers, which appeared to be flyers containing information about the club fair. Isn't this something that should have been set up beforehand? Well, It's pointless to speculate on that.

I was about to return the papers to her after I finished collecting them from the floor, but if I left her alone, a similar incident might happen to her and another student.

"Ah! It's you!" Tachibana senpai was taken aback.

"Yes, it's me. Is there an issue?" I asked.

"No, it's far from that. Anyway, you can now hand over the papers to me." She requested.

"You know what, I'll just assist you in transporting them to the gymnasium. This is a large amount of paperwork for one person to carry." I offered to help.

"N-no! You can't! I've already caused enough trouble for you. You don't have to go to such lengths to be nice to me." She attempted to refuse.

"No, it's perfectly fine. You haven't caused any major problems for me. Furthermore, if you force yourself to carry that much paperwork, something similar may happen to you and another student."

"If you say so," She surrendered. I then started walking at her pace, and we made our way to the gymnasium.

When we got close to the entrance, there was a fair-skinned man with black hair swept to the right and gradient brown eyes standing near the gymnasium's doors with his arms crossed. He appears to have been anticipating Tachibana-Senpai's arrival.
When he saw us, he waved but then looked a bit perplexed, probably wondering why I was walking alongside Tachibana-Senpai, who was supposed to be her carrying the paperwork.

"We've been waiting for you for a long time, Tachibana-Senpai! What was your excuse for being late?" The question was raised by the gentleman.

I can tell he's a second-year based on how he addresses Tachibana-Senpai and how familiar his tone is when speaking to him.

"Kiriyama-Kun, my apologies. I got myself into some trouble, and this Kouhai was forced to assist me as a result of my error. Anyway, please accept my apologies for my tardiness." Her apologies were reiterated.

So, his name is Kiriyama. He's most likely a member of the student council, as it's usually their job to organize events like this.

He simply sighed before responding, "Tachibana-Senpai, please lift your head. You don't need to apologize so much. I suppose everyone, including you, makes mistakes."

I could tell they were in a hurry, and I didn't want to annoy them by being there. And besides, Miyake and his friends were currently already waiting for me.

"Well, I guess I'd better get going..."

I was about to walk away when I felt a hand on my right shoulder. I turned around to see who had abruptly stopped me, and it was Kiriyama-Senpai himself.

"I'd like to thank you for helping Tachibana-Senpai. I don't know what would have happened if she had arrived any later." He expressed his gratitude.

"You are most welcome," I said. I assumed that was the end of our conversation, but it appears that he had more to say to me.

"Kouhai, what is your name?" He asked me a question.

"My name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, and I'm a student in Class 1-D. It's a pleasure to meet you senpai." As a show of sincerity, I bowed slightly.

"So you're the one who aced the entrance exam, huh?"

"Umm..."

"Ah, where are my manners? My name is Kiriyama Ikuto, and I am a student of Class 2-B. I am a student council member and Class 2-B's representative. It's also a pleasure to meet you Ayanokouji. let's get along from now on." I simply shook back his hand as he extended his hand for a handshake.

"I wish we had had more time to talk, but as you can see, we are both extremely busy. I'll see you around Ayanokouji." Kiriyama-Senpai said before walking away. Tachibana-Senpai bowed once more in my direction before finally bidding farewell.

Before going into the gymnasium, I double-checked the time. It's now 4:57 PM, just three minutes before the start of the club fair. I guess I should get going now. I don't want to keep Miyake, Yukimura, and their companion waiting for too long.

I took a step forward and entered the gymnasium. There appeared to be a larger turnout than I had anticipated. Almost all of the students in attendance were freshmen. A crowd of about a hundred people was gathered.

I stood near the back of the room and texted Miyake to let him know where I was so his group of friends could find me. While waiting, I read the pamphlet that students were given upon entering the gymnasium. The pamphlet provided in-depth information about club activities.

"There you are Ayanokouji!" A voice called my name. I slid my phone into one of my pockets. I turned around to see Miyake, Yukimura, and a blue-haired girl behind them.

"Yo," I said with a slight raise of my palm.

"We've been looking for you everywhere man, we thought you might've been kidnapped by another group of girls or something." Miyake made a sarcastic remark.

"I'm sure I would have if you had come here any later." I attempted to respond to his joke.

"Anyways, we should all get going now. The club fair should begin shortly." Yukimura alerted us.

"Oi! Miyatchi! Yukimu! Are you sure you're not going to introduce me to him? How rude of both of you." With a playful pout on her face, the girl exclaimed.

Miyatchi? Yukimu? To whom was she referring?

"Ah, sorry I forgot to introduce you to Ayanokouji," Miyake mused, scratching his chin. She then took quick, lighted steps towards me and stared at me, our faces very close to each other.

Was she trying to observe me? Perhaps trying to trigger a reaction from me? It's a good thing my signature poker face comes in handy in situations like these. Not that I was bothered by our faces almost touching in the first place.

"Ano...?"

"Hmm... You don't seem to change your expression much, do you? Even though you were close to a girl with a pretty face like mine, you maintained your poker face. As one would expect from the poker-faced genius!" She yelled, mocking me.

Poker-faced genius? Was that the moniker given to me? That nickname was, I suppose, was quite accurate.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're Hasebe Haruka, correct?"

"DING DING DING! Correct!" She smiled smugly and stroke a pose. "I'm surprised someone like the great Ayanokouji remembers my name." She remarked while puffing up her chest proudly.

"Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you, Hasebe. I'm hoping we'll get along better from now on."

"Yup! Ayanon, I hope we get along as well!"

Ayanon? What's the deal with people I've just met giving me nicknames? Initially, it was Koenji, then Hashimoto, and now Hasebe? Is it a popular trend to nickname people you've just met? Well, I shouldn't get worked up over something so insignificant anyway.

"I'm curious if there are any well-known clubs at this school. Maybe a soccer team, for example." Hasebe pondered her thoughts.

"Every club appears to function at a high level, as expected." Miyake began to inspect the fairgrounds around us.

Naturally, this school could not be a top-tier institution in every sport. That much is obvious to me.

"Everything here is luxurious, from the equipment to the facilities. It truly outperforms professional equipment." Yukimura added his thoughts.

"In any case, are any of you planning to join a club?" I inquired.

"So far, only Miyatchi is planning to join a club. And it's something as old-fashioned and simple as archery." Hasebe made a lighthearted remark.

"Hey! It may be old-fashioned, but it's still a very enjoyable sport!" Miyake retorted.

"Yeah, yeah whatever grandpa."

"Pft," Yukimura tried to suppress his laughter.

"Oi Yukimura! Don't tell me you're actually agreeing with her!"

"...No comment." Yukimura tried to sound convincing but it was painfully obvious that he did.

"Ayanokouji, you don't actually agree with her right?" Miyake questioned me.

"Personally, I've never tried archery, but I might give it a shot someday. It does have a certain allure to it." I offered my thoughts.

"Hasebe, you see that? Even Ayanokouji agrees with me!" Miyake burst out laughing.

"Ehh~? That's just not right! I assumed you were on my side, Ayanon!"

"Bad day for you I guess," I joked.

The rest of us then shared a laugh together. Well, except me for obvious reasons. We were about to resume our chit-chat when a familiar voice rang out throughout the gymnasium.

"First-year students, we appreciate your patience. The club fair will now begin. Each club's function will be explained by a representative from that club. My name is Tachibana, and I am the secretary of the student council as well as the organizer of the club fair. It's a pleasure to finally meet all of you." Tachibana-Senpai announced.

Representatives from each club rushed to form a line on a stage. It was a diverse group of people. The club representative ranged from burly athletes in judo uniforms to students dressed in beautiful kimonos.

The representative of the archery club was currently speaking on stage, but I paid no attention. I took a look around the gymnasium to see who was there for the club fair. There was Hirata and his harem with Eichiiro, Ike with Sudo and Yamauchi, and, surprisingly, I saw Horikita alone standing among the crowd.

That was definitely intriguing. I didn't think of her as someone who wanted to join a club. Then again, she could be like me, checking out the clubs but having no desire to join any of them.

Suddenly, Horikita's expression changed unexpectedly, much to my surprise. She had the same look on her face now as she had on the rooftop when Chabashira-Sensei mentioned her brother, Horikita Manabu. I averted my gaze away from her and turned to face the stage, where the man himself was standing there in front of the microphone.

He cast a piercing and calculating look at the audience. He scanned the venue calmly, focusing on the first-year students. To everyone's surprise, he did not immediately begin talking.

The audience then began to raise their voices. Some even began mocking him. But, the man himself was unfazed by the laughter of the audience. The laughter then stopped as the tense atmosphere was now clear to the crowd.

He kept staring at the audience with an apathetic expression resembling a similar expression that man always held. But, in comparison to that man's gaze, his attempt to intimidate me was pale.

After thirty seconds or so, he finally began to speak.

"My name is Horikita Manabu. I am the officially recognized student council president of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School." He formally introduced himself.

"The student council is looking for potential candidates among first-year students to replace graduating third-year students. Although there are no special requirements needed for candidacy, we humbly request that those considering applications refrain from participating in other club activities. We generally do not accept students who are involved in other activities." His voice was gentle, but the atmosphere he created was oppressive. The entire gymnasium was subdued by constant silence.

"Furthermore, we the student council do not wish to appoint anyone with a naive outlook. Not only would such a person not be elected, but he or she would also taint the sanctity of this school. The student council has the authority and responsibility to enforce and modify the rules, but the school expects more. Those of you who recognize this are warmly welcomed." He continued.

Horikita Manabu had delivered an impassioned speech. He didn't pause or stutter as he finished his piece. One can certainly get the distinct impression that he is at the pinnacle of this school.

His speech does raise a question for me. Should I apply for a position on the student council? Although it would take some of my free time, joining it would not be without benefits. I should give this some serious thought first.

"Thank you very much for your attendance. The club fair has now come to an end. Anyone interested in signing up can now come to the reception area. Additionally, registration will be open until the end of April, so if any student wishes to join at a later date, we ask that you bring the application form directly to the club you wish to join." The tension in the air was immediately dissipated thanks to Tachibana-Senpai's relaxed tone.

Before leaving the stage, I noticed he had given me a sidelong glance while muttering something under his breath. I returned his gaze, and we had exchanged eye contact with each other. He then paused for a few seconds, and we engaged in an intense staring contest that only we were aware of. He eventually averted his gaze and quietly exited the stage.

"Man... That sure was intense huh?" Hasebe commented breaking the awkward silence between us.

"Yeah, the student council president sure is intimidating," Miyake added.

"Well, it is to be expected. After all, He is the student council president of the most prestigious school in Japan." Yukimura remarked on it.

"Though, Ayanokouji didn't seem intimidated by his presence at all," Miyake observed.

"Well, I could be terrified in my shoes right now and you wouldn't know it because of my poker face."

"Was he intimidating to you?"

"No, not really," I answered truthfully.

"You've got balls of steel Ayanon. Almost everyone was making fun of him until he started speaking. It was as if he were a dictator silencing his subjects." Hasebe made a sarcastic remark.

"In any case, I should be able to apply to the archery club soon. Are you sure that none of you plan to join a club?"

"No, there's nothing particularly interesting for me, and it would just take away my free time," Hasebe replied.

"No, I doubt it. It will obstruct the time I have for studying." Yukimura chimed in as well.

"Eh? Even when there are no exams scheduled, you still study after school?" Hasebe inquired, a little perplexed.

"Of course I do," says the speaker.

"Don't you think you're a little bit too studious Yukimu?"

"No, not at all. In elementary or middle school, studying just before exams would most likely be the norm. However, we are now in high school. Not only that, but we're attending the most prestigious school that the Japanese government can offer. I don't believe I would be overreacting if I attempted to study the materials ahead of time before the exams." Yukimura backed up his statement.

"Well... I guess that's true. Your pretty good at convincing people aren't you Yukimu?"

"I think that's just basic common sense. Ayanokouji, even natural geniuses must study for exams, am I correct?" Yukimura approached me and asked.

"I think your right." I simply responded to blend in. Though, I wasn't particularly lying either.

I already have a vast amount of knowledge that a typical high school student shouldn't even know. Even someone as intelligent as myself needed to be fed the information in advance. I was just simply taught at a quicker and younger pace.

But I don't consider myself a natural genius; rather, I consider myself an artificial one. I've never thought of myself as a naturally gifted person. I am an individual with many skills, but natural talent? That I lacked. I was just a lab rat, a specimen with average genes who rose to the top through determination and sheer perseverance.

The distinction between talent and skill is frequently erroneous. But first, consider what those two words actually mean.

Talent is something that is innate; it is the natural ability to do something without thinking about it. For example, even if you have no prior experience playing basketball, if you have the talent, you should have no trouble keeping the ball in play.

Skill, on the other hand, is something you learn after putting in a lot of effort; unlike talent, it is learned rather than inborn. Although not everyone is gifted, if you put forth the time and effort, you can learn a new skill.

I was regarded as the most successful product of the white room out of every child who had enrolled in it. The white room may be the most efficient place in the world to raise a human being, but not everything can be taught there because its goals are to eliminate anything they deem unnecessary to our education to the extreme.

Furthermore, the White Room is a special kind of facility whose ultimate goal is to elevate ordinary people to the level of equivalent superiority. It is a place where they try to prove that the limits of humanity are determined by the environment in which one is raised in, rather than by one's own genetics. In other words, they want their products to foster and develop exceptional talent on par with those who are blessed with excellent genes.

That is why I, Ayankouji Kiyotaka, consider myself to be an artificially created genius rather than a natural-born one. I am a man with little to no natural talent, but I have exceptional talents and skills on par with, if not better than, those who are born with natural talent or superior genes.

"Umm... Ayanokouji?" Yukimura said

"Umm... Ayanokouji? Are you there?" Yukimura asked, jolting me out of my reverie.

It appears that I had become so engrossed in my thoughts that I had become oblivious to my surroundings.

"Yeah, is there something wrong?"

"Well, we were just about to accompany Miyake to the archery club. But, as we were about to walk in their direction, you just stood there, as if deep in thought. Is there something that bothers you?" Yukimura raised an eyebrow.

"No, nothing's wrong. I was just daydreaming about something trivial. I apologize if I've caused you any concern."

"It's all right. Then let's go with Miyake to his Archery club right now." Yukimura motioned for me to follow, and all I could do was nod.

While walking to the reception table, we were indulging ourselves in idle conversations talking about topics such as our hobbies, favorite foods, colors, and more questions that people trying to get to know each other better would ask.

(I'm sorry if I can't think of any interesting conversations. I fucking suck at socializing and I don't know what people normally even talk about.)

"Miyake, just wondering, but don't some people sign up for a club but never attend any club meetings or events?" I brought up a subject.

"You mean the so-called phantom members?" Hasebe mentioned. Phantom members? I guess that's one way to put it.

"Well, phantom members are very common in most clubs. They rarely, if ever, participate in after-school club activities. We even had some of them in my middle school archery club."

"Won't they get in trouble though with the school for not attending, even though they've already signed up for a club? The club members and its representatives can just report their absence." Yukimura asked.

"If they are passionate about recruiting new students to join their club, of course, it would bother them. But usually, the leaders of the clubs don't mind it at all. After all, more members mean more budget which leads to better equipment."

"I see..."

"Ah, we've arrived. You guys just wait here for a minute or two, I'll sign up for the club and join you later." Miyake received a nod from all of us.

"Just don't take long," Yukimura said.

With that, Miyake made his way to the reception table. Because most students were still talking among themselves, the reception area was relatively empty. He shouldn't have too much trouble joining the archery club.

"I've been meaning to ask you this, Ayanokouji, but you've mentioned wanting to try new hobbies but don't plan on joining a club. Why is that?" Yukimura queried, while Hasebe gazed at me with interest.

"Well, I wasn't lying," I said, "but I don't want any more of my free time taken up by mandatory club activities or events."

The art and music clubs intrigued me but, but I didn't feel persuaded to join either. Fine arts were something that was never taught in the white room, most likely due to the belief that they were useless.

I'd like to try my hand at painting one day. Besides trying to paint an object accurately, people usually paint to communicate certain thoughts or feelings about a subject. I'm thinking whether I could paint something that would replicate the feeling of being trapped when I was in the white room or the sensation of finally being free when I first escaped the clutches of that place and that man.

"Oi Yukimura, Ayanokouji, you guys also came?" We were addressed by a thoughtful voice. we turned around to see Sudo with two of my classmates, Ike and Yamauchi.

"It seems you guys are getting along," Yukimura commented.

Ike and Yamauchi had left a bad impression on the girls to the point where they were already gossiping badly about them. Though, they seem to get along well with the most of the boys of our class.

"Are you also thinking of joining a club?" Sudo questioned.

"No, I was just looking. Considering your history with basketball, I'm guessing you're here to join the basketball club?"

"Yea. I've been playing basketball since elementary school, I think."

"What about you two?" I asked Ike and Yamauchi.

"We just came because it seemed fun and exciting. also hoped some kind of fateful encounter would happen ."

"The hell? What do you mean by a fateful encounter?" Yukimura prompted Ike to after hearing that dubious goal, and he replied proudly while crossing his arms.

"My first goal is to get a girlfriend. So I was hoping for a fateful encounter here."

So it was that sort of thing. Having a girlfriend appears to be an essential component of Ike's ideal school life.

I must admit that I was also very interested in learning what it was like to have a girlfriend. But, given my circumstances and the type of person I am, finding someone with whom I could connect with both intimately and emotionally would prove to be difficult. Arisu was an option, but she appears to consider me more as her equal or rival rather than being viewing me as a potential romantic partner.

While Yukimura was chatting with Sudo and his two friends, I noticed Hasebe was rather quiet in comparison to how cheerful and chatty she was just a few minutes before. She also had a nervous expression on her face.

"Hasebe, you okay?" I asked concernedly. Well, not really.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine Ayanon. It's just..."

"You're not very good at talking to other people are you?" I interrogated.

"Yeah... Sorry if I seem like a mood killer."

"There's really no need for you to apologize. After all, I can painfully relate to your situation."

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah, really. Believe it or not, I've always been a loner with no friends before yesterday happened."

"You're not just saying this to make me feel more comfortable are you?"

"Of course not. Why would I joke about something like that?"

Her suspicions were justified really. When someone is in a difficult situation, people often try to offer words of sympathy in an attempt to relate to the person's plight, but the person trying to comfort them often has little to no idea what they're going through.

Fortunately for her, I was the epitome of a loner. Individualism was the sole focus of the White Room's fourth generation. With all of the students dropping out due to the overly harsh education they had received, I was the only survivor of that generation, which forced me to spend several years there alone with my only company being the instructors.

"That's honestly kind of unbelievable, no offense Ayanon." She remarked.

"None taken."

"It's just, the way you gave speeches so smoothly to the class these past two days, I thought you'd be some kind of hotshot in your middle school. Wouldn't that be what people usually expect from a popular boy? Why weren't you popular in your middle school days?" Hasebe started to cross-question me with inquisitive intent.

"Well, first of all, I was never enrolled in a middle school. My father didn't think any schools would be enough to educate me thoroughly, so I was homeschooled for most of my life until a day ago."

"Well it's no wonder you were alone, you were homeschooled!"

"That doesn't change the fact that I was a loner, does it?" I countered.

"That... I guess your right." She surrendered.

Allowing people to see a vulnerable side of you will often cause them to soften and feel more at ease around you. When Sudo and his two friends started talking to us, I could tell Hasebe was feeling uncomfortable. Disclosing some of my circumstances would undoubtedly provide her with a sense of relief that someone could relate to her predicament.

"Still, if you had gone to a middle school, girls would probably be fawning over you. Even I would probably have a crush on you if you were in my middle school." Hasebe joked reverting back to her happy-go-lucky attitude.

"Are you implying that you may have a crush on me later on in the future?"

"Hehehe... Who knows Ayanon~?" Hasebe replied teasingly. Using my own spells against me?

Touché Hasebe, Touché.

"Ah, by the way," Sudo said loudly, attracting everyone's attention.

"Ike made a group chat yesterday for the boys. If you guys want, I could invite you two to the group chat." Sudo informed us.

"Eh? Are you sure the boys would be alright with Ayanokouji being in the group?" Ike asked.

"Huh? What's wrong with him being in the chat group?"

"Well, you know... Some of the boys in our class might disagree considering how much of a typical Ikemen he is." Yamauchi replied with a bit of hostility in his tone.

"If anyone has any complaints with Ayanokouji being invited, they can talk to me with their fists, how does that sound?" Sudou declared boldly.

"Er, you know what? You can join Ayanokouji. I'd rather not get beaten up by Sudo." Ike exclaimed nervously.

"Damn straight," Sudo responded.

I didn't expect that from Sudo. Although this was probably thanks from him for saving him from those upperclassmen, It was nice to know he was willing to defend me for something as trivial as me being invited to an all-male group chat. This could be a good opportunity for me to maintain a good relationship with the boys of my class.

We talked for a little while before saying our goodbyes as Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi made their way to the reception table. Miyake returned a few seconds later. We didn't have much to do, so we went back to our dorms together, indulging ourselves in idle conversations once more.

"Ah, before we all go," Hasebe took out her phone. "We should all make a group chat! If you all don't mind of course." Hasebe suggested. We all just nodded signaling that we were alright with it.

"What should the name of our group chat be though." Miyake pondered.

"How about... The Ayanon group!" Hasebe proposed.

...

Wait what? Did I hear that correctly?

"Actually, that's a pretty good idea for a group name," Yukimura stated his agreement. Miyake nodded as well.

"Wait, why is the group being named after my nickname though?" I asked the elephant in the room.

"It's simple really. You're the leader of the class so it would only make sense for you to also be the leader of this group." Hasebe said.

Wait, me leader of the group? That logic was very questionable and flawed... But, I don't feel like getting in an argument over something this small.

"Well... I guess I don't mind." I conceded to my inevitable fate.

"Humu hunu... That's great then!" Hasebe shouted happily.

We all then exchanged contact information with Hasebe. She then invited all of us to the group char.

"I forgot to mention this, but I had really had a lot of fun with you guys today!" Hasebe voiced her satisfaction with today's events.

"Honestly, yeah. I've never really had this much fun since a long time ago." Yukimura joined in.

"It's a shame the day had to end so soon though," Miyake said melancholily.

"Oi Miyatchi! Don't be such a mood killer!" Hasebe then bonked Miyake's head while having one of her arms around him.

"We can just hang out at a later time, ya know?"

"Yeah... I guess your right." Miyake responded with a smile on his face.

"Anyways it's already 7:00 PM, I should really get going now. Bye Miyatchi! Yukimu! Ayanon! Let's meet again tomorrow!" Hasebe shouted loudly while running in the direction of the girl's dormitory. We waved back at her as a response.

We talked a bit for a few minutes until finally deciding to part ways when we went to our own dorm rooms.

Today was a very eventful day. First, my popularity skyrocketed because of Hashimoto's post. Second, I had lunch with Kushida and her friends so I got to learn more about them. Third, I basically exposed Horikita and made her question her own claim of superiority and found something interesting in my homeroom teacher. And lastly, I've made some new friends.

This was a glimpse into the calm high school life that most teenagers my age experience. Although this school is far from ordinary, that doesn't mean we can't have ordinary experiences here.

I texted Eichiiro a message first before shutting off my phone and plucking the charger in to charge my phone.
I'm just hoping that tomorrow isn't too difficult and that I have another productive day.

You might be wondering how I was feeling right now. I'm not even sure myself. However, I was very pleased with the events of the day and overall thought it was quite an enjoyable day. Perhaps attending this school wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Vol.1. Chapter 3.3: END

Word Count: 6125 Words

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 4.1: A Very Strange Morning

———————————————————

Author's Note:

Hello! Sorry for the delay in the chapter! I hope you enjoyed it regardless.

I gave a bit of emotional development for Kiyo as this chapter was supposed to be a very wholesome one. Sorry if Kiyo or some of the characters here were too OOC.

Some things to note in this chapter:

Unlike the canon, Tachibana has a good impression of Ayanokouji because he has already shown that he is a capable student and he was willing to help her even after she abruptly bumped into him.

Kiriyama rather has a neutral opinion of Ayanokouji. Although he looks down on Class D students (it was stated that he questioned why Manabu had put so much trust into Kiyo despite him being a Class D student), that doesn't really seem to be the case here as he respects Ayanokouji for acing the entrance exams and helping Tachibana out.

Sudo might be too nice in this chapter, but remember, if it weren't for Eichiiro and Ayano, he might have gotten blackmailed and gotten his private points taken away or even worse, get expelled. He respects them both and is very thankful for both of their actions to help him.

Although there's already a group chat for the Ayanokouji group, they're not an official friend group yet. As of right now, they're just friends who often will associate with each other.

Just a question but, should I make Eichiiro good at fighting? It was stated by Nanase that he was better at her than everything but I don't know if that included martial arts. I also thought that if I made him good at fighting, it would make him look suspiciously overpowered for a Class D student.

Also, read Slipstream by Volts1500 and Cote - Different Possibilities by EliAlex31.

They're new fics that I think are really good and have potential to be very enjoyable in the future.

Anyways that's all I wanted to say for this chapter, look forward to the next and...

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 4.1 : A Very Strange Morning

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

It is now Friday, April 3rd, 2015. It's the third day of my stay here at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

(If you're wondering where I got the day and year, I just assume that COTE takes place in 2015 and searched the 2015 Calendar.)

I was currently heating water in a pot. I had already finished making my bed after a good night's slumber. For breakfast, I decided to try a type of noodles called 'instant ramen,' which, according to Eichiiro, is surprisingly very simple to prepare.

Although it is a very inexpensive meal, according to Eichiiro, they actually taste very delicious and come in a variety of flavors, giving you a wide range of options to choose from. Despite the fact that it's extremely unhealthy and could harm my health, I was eager to give it a shot because I'd never had food like this in the White Room before.

I opened the lower cupboard and grabbed a cup of instant ramen while waiting for the water to come to the proper temperature. It looked like a regular flavored one from the cover. Since I don't want to eat anything too unhealthy for breakfast, I'll just stick with it.

I was also anticipating the arrival of a visitor to my dorm room. Even though it's 5:57 AM in the morning, I have some important matters that I would like to discuss with him. Furthermore, what we would discuss would most likely be beneficial for Class D's future.

I'm just hoping he's not too upset that I asked him to meet me so early in the morning.

Oh, I guess I should turn off the stovetop before I forget. I don't want the water to become too hot or to evaporate excessively.

I then grabbed a cup of instant ramen and halfway opened the lid. I took some of the instant noodles' ingredients and placed them in the cup. I then carefully took the pot of hot water and slowly poured it over the noodles, covering them by a few centimeters. Finally, I covered the lid and set it on the kitchen table to rest for a few minutes while allowing my breakfast to finish cooking.

'Knock! Knock!'

Ah, it seems my guest has finally arrived. I walked over to my door and opened it, revealing Eichiiro in his pyjamas and a sleepy expression. His pyjamas had cute lamb patterns on them.

"You'd better have a compelling reason to text me in the middle of the night to come to your room in the first flush of the morning. I'm not sure what kind of person would ask someone to meet them when they should be getting ready for school, which starts in two hours." Eichiiro said, his tone slightly irritated.

"Perhaps you didn't get enough sleep? You seem to be a bit annoyed." I enquired.

It wasn't an absurd question either. Eichiiro has a habit of staying up late either owing to his studies or playing games, according to what I've learned during the period we were compelled to stay in that government institution. He also has what appears to be bed hair in his hair, which makes it look a little unkempt.

"Kiyo, I think anyone would be annoyed in being called first thing in the morning. Then again, you're not wrong. I stayed up all night and played a game called candy crush on my phone for hours. I ended up only sleeping for like, two or three hours maybe? I'm not really sure." He replied truthfully.

"You know, for an honor student, you can certainly sometimes be irresponsible with how you manage your time."

"Agh shut up, you sound just like my dad. Ah sorry, I meant OUR dad."

"You know I'm not legally adopted yet right? It's only a proposal that Matsuo came up with."

"Well, my father basically already treats you as if you were his own son. Plus, I think we're already close enough to call each other brothers without it sounding strange."

"I guess your right. I don't really have a problem with it."

Oh, my cup of noodles appears to have finished cooking. I went over to the kitchen table and took a cup of instant ramen. I completely opened the lid... It really is that simple to prepare a meal.

"Your eating instant ramen for breakfast?" Eichiiro looked at me with, puzzled.

"Yeah, I am. Is there an issue with that?"

"I mean, not really... But isn't it too early to be eating stuff like that?"

"I don't think so. Although it might be considered unhealthy, you should know more than anyone else that I'm very curious as to how this would taste."

"Ah, right. You grew up in that dreadful hell. Tch," Eichiiro scoffed, slightly enraged.

Whenever I brought up the topic of the White Room, he would usually look at me sympathetically or get frustrated and worked up about it. I'm guessing it's because, just like his father, he has a lot of empathy for others. So witnessing footage of children being harmed so casually would disgust him tremendously and stay with him for a long time.

"Please take a seat wherever you'd like; the topic we'll be discussing may take some time." I motioned for him to take a seat someplace. He nodded reluctantly and sat on my bed, while I sat across from him in the chair.

I snatched up a set of chopsticks and dug into my first serving of quick cup ramen.

...

It was delicious. The noodles were similar in texture and form to any other homemade or restaurant-served ramen. The broth was tasty, even if it was a little salty. I'd personally give it an eight out of ten for overall quality.

"Let's get right to it. You did hang out with Hirata, Karuizawa, and her group of friends yesterday, right?" I interrogated him.

"Yes, I did, though I only stayed with them until the club fair ended. Is this relevant to what we'll be discussing?" I simply nodded silently in response.

"First and foremost, I'd like to hear your thoughts on them. Their personalities to be exact."

"Do you mean like my impression of them?"

"Something along those lines," I answered vaguely.

Although I have an impression of them, I don't know them well enough to discern their personalities clearly. After all, you can't judge a book by its cover.

"I'm guessing it'll be significant, so I'll just tell you. Hirata honestly seems to be a genuinely good person. He can, however, be a touch too sweet at times. I'm going to be brutally honest here, but Karuizawa and several of her friends gave me impressions of the stereotypical cruel fashionist gyaru females that pick on others you usually see in anime or manga. Although I don't believe they're mean people, truthfully, they can sound like a bitch at times." Eichiiro conveyed his opinion bluntly.

"Does Matsuhita fall into that category as well?" I came up with the question.

Matsuhita didn't give the impression of the type of person to make disparaging remarks about others behind their backs. Perhaps she joined them owing to peer pressure and to blend in with her peers. I honestly felt pity for her because she had to deal with Karuizawa's bunch of gals.

"Oh, Matsuhita? Nah, she's cool. I can vouch for her because she was a friend of mine in middle school. When the girls began to gossip about the others, she just remained silent. She and Hirata should honestly be commended for being able to deal with them so patiently." Eichiiro threw in his two cents' worth.

"I see... My initial impressions of them weren't far off."

"Is that all you've summoned me here for?" Eichiiro inquired.

"No, there's still more to come. Would you mind if I asked you to do me a favor? I promise it won't be too difficult."

"I suppose I don't mind. It's probably for a good reason, right?" As a response, I simply nodded once more.

"Okay, then... I'd like you to investigate more about Kushida Kikyou." I stated my favor. He seemed a bit perplexed by what I had asked him to do, which was understandable.

"Pft, investigate? Who do you think I am? Sherlock Holmes? Phoenix Wright? Detective Conan?" Eichiiro cracked a joke.

It proved to be ineffective considering I only knew who Sherlock Holmes was and not the other two people he mentioned. Were they famous detectives I'd never heard of? I suppose the white room can't teach everything, can it? I guess I'll look into them more later.

"Anyway, enough of the jokes; why do you need me to look into Kushida? Don't tell me you're interested in her." With a smirk on his face, Eichiiro said teasingly.

"Please don't make any unsubstantiated assumptions about my relationship with her. She and I are merely just acquaintances." I quickly dismissed his conjecture.

"That's unfortunate, to say the least. Anyway, getting back to the point, why do you need me to look into Kushida? Is she guilty of something?" Eichiiro raised his eyebrows.

"She isn't, not at all. Well, not yet anyway. She just seems a little... Suspicious, in my opinion." I said something in response.

"Suspicious... In what way, exactly? She honestly just looks like any typical nice and attractive girl seen in every class." Eichiiro again raised a question.

"Yes, but I'm very skeptical of her. If you were paying attention to her over the last few days, which I assume you weren't, she's been acting strangely in ways that I don't think are just coincidences."

"Oh? Please do tell. You've piqued my interest a bit."

"To begin with, when I was explaining to everyone why people were placed in class D on the first day, I noticed Kushida visibly flinch at the mention of something we'd done in the past. I assume it was just a coincidence or that I was overthinking things, but yesterday she raised even more doubts in my mind about her." I elaborated. Eichiiro appeared to be paying close attention to me, so it's comforting to know I have his undivided attention.

"Second, she said in her introduction yesterday that none of her middle school friends had made it here. But I observed Horikita, my seatmate, grimace a little when Kushida stated that. Third, when Kushida and her friends urged me to join out with them at Keyaki Mall, I rejected, citing that I had some important matters to discuss with Horikita. When I said that, Kushida flinched and became obviously hesitant when I mentioned Horikita's name. I don't know about you, but I don't believe all of this is just a coincidence." I explained further.

"So you're claiming that Horikita and Kushida are somehow linked? Maybe classmates from middle school?" As a reply, I nodded.

"I don't understand though. Why did Kushida say that no one from her middle school came to this school with her if they already knew each other from before? Maybe she didn't know that she and Horikita attended the same middle school?" Eichiiro speculated.

"No, I'm not convinced that's the case. Her reaction when I mentioned Horikita must indicate that she was aware of her In some way." I countered with a rejoinder.

"But then why..."

!!!

"Ah," it seems he has finally caught on. As expected of Eichiiro.

"Do you understand what I'm trying to imply now? She sounded pretty ecstatic for someone whose middle school buddies were not able to attend the same high school. If someone else were placed in Kushida's shoes, they would almost certainly be frustrated or upset."

"And having Horikita in the same class as her must've caught her off guard, which explains her reluctant reaction when you mentioned Horikita's name." Eichiiro posited a theory.

"Which leads me to believe that Kushida was relieved that none of her middle school mates had been accepted into the same school as her since she didn't want them to." I came up with a hypothesis.

"But why would she be against it? In most circumstances, finding out that someone you know went to the same school as you would alleviate some of the stress of attempting to adjust to a new environment among strangers. Then again, based on what I've heard about Kushida, she seems to be a social butterfly, so I doubt it would be an issue for her."

"I don't have a definitive answer to that question, but I do know that Kushida has already hinted at what the reasoning might be. When I stated that we might be assigned to class D because of things we've done in the past, she visibly flinched. It's got to be something to do with that statement. She'd probably done something in middle school that she doesn't want anyone to know about. For the time being, that's the only plausible explanation I can think of." I continued to ponder.

"Wait a minute, why are we talking about this? Sure, Kushida is behaving strangely, but shouldn't we make an effort to respect her privacy? Perhaps something traumatic happened to her back then, and she doesn't want others to know about it so they don't judge her differently." Eichiiro expressed his sympathy.

"That is something I cannot rule out. I'm simply attempting to determine whether Kushida will become a burden to our class or not." I gave a straightforward response.

"Burden? Kiyo, don't you think that's a bit too harsh?"

"Harsh? I'd like to believe otherwise. Given how influential she is in the class, Kushida will be a very valuable ally for us to have if we want to maintain unity and tranquillity among our classmates. But, no matter how much of a goody-two-shoes she appears to be, there's a reason she's placed in class D." I resisted the urge to call her a pawn because I didn't want Eichiiro to get the wrong idea... Even if it's true.

"But what might her flaw be? Maybe she has extremely poor grades scores and terrible physical abilities?"

"We won't know for sure unless an exam testing our academic or physical abilities is administered. But, based on her placement in Class D, we know that Kushida has a defect that's preventing her from reaching her full potential."

Kushida, on the other hand, did not give the impression of someone who was poor in academics or had a bad physique. She appears to be one of those well-liked smart students who were popular simply because they were pleasant to be around.

"By the way, What exactly do you mean by "investigating" her? You're not asking me to follow her around or anything like that, are you? I'm not sure about you, but I don't want to be labeled a pervert or creep for the rest of my high school career."

"Of course not, why in the world would I ask you to do something that would jeopardize your reputation? I'm only requesting that you try to get to know her better and spend time with her and her group of friends. We might learn more about Kushida from you, given how adept you are at mingling."

"If that's all you want from me, I suppose I'll gladly comply. Is that all you had in mind to say?"

"That's everything. You are free to leave at any time." I walked over to the trash can to dispose of my empty cup of ramen. He sat up from my bed and prepared to leave.

"Oh, by the way, Karuizawa and her friends wanted to invite you to lunch if you're available," Eichiiro said.

"Will you be there with them?"

"Nah, I'm going to have lunch with some of the boys of our class. Don't worry, you won't be the only boy there because Hirata will probably also be there."

So I don't see why I shouldn't accept their offer. After all, since I don't know them well, I could use this as an opportunity to learn more about their personalities.

Eichiiro then left my dorm room and returned to his, leaving me to get ready for school.

———————————————————

I was currently waiting for the elevator to reach the lobby floor. Because I didn't feel like going to the gym today, I opted to go to school early for today. When the elevator doors opened, I took a step out and was surprised to see who was standing alone in the foyer of the guys' dormitories.

It was Kushida Kikyou, the person that I and Eichiiro had discussed earlier in the day. Normally, I'd ask her to accompany me to school, but she looked like she was waiting for someone. I didn't want to bother her, so I tried to walk past by her. But before I could, she suddenly ran up to me and tugged my arm.

"Ayanokouji-Kun! I was waiting for you!" She exclaimed cheerfully. So she was waiting for me huh... It was a small gesture but a welcome one.

"Well, I was just on my way to class. Can I know why you were waiting for me?" I asked.

"Well you see... I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Is that ok?" What would she want to talk about with me first thing in the morning?

"Um... Sure, I guess." I replied listlessly.

"Eh? Really! Am I not being a bother to you?" She asked, worriedly, with puppy eyes fixed on me.

Crap, please don't look at me like that. With our faces close to each other, she looked quite pretty and adorable. I can see why she was so popular among the boys in our class.

"I was a bit shocked to see you in the boys' dormitory lobby, but I wouldn't call a nuisance of any sort."

"I'm glad then!" Kushida then leaned in at a close range. Yikes... I could see of the boys present in the dormitory were glaring at me with eyes full of murderous intent. Kushida didn't seem to mind the unnecessary attention we were getting, as expected of a social elite.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, you seem to be quite close with Horikita-San, don't you?" This question caught me off guard a bit.

"No, I wouldn't say that. We're just neighbors who are acquainted with each other."

"Really? But from what I've heard from Karuizawa-San, she acted a little rude to the others and was only willing to have a normal chat with you."

"Maybe she's attracted to me?" I tried to make a sarcastic remark. It earned a giggle from Kushida but I felt that it was out of pity rather than it being genuine.

"You see... My goal is to be friends with everyone in school, so when I approached Horikita at the club fair and asked for her contact information, but... She turned me down quickly and stated that she has no intention of becoming friends with anyone." Horikita is still as stubborn I see...

"Yeah, I think that's just how she is."

"But I still want to be friends with Horikita too, in spite of all of that!" She stated, determined, while suddenly clasping my hands with hers.

"Won't you please help me Ayanokouji-Kun!" She said with even more resolve while tightening her grip a bit.

"You mean you want me to be some sort of middleman between you guys?" At least, that's what I think she's trying to imply.

"Yeah! Exactly! Please Ayanokouji-Kun!" Horikita would probably be disgusted if I attempted to do something like that.

"Well..."

"You mean... You Won't?" She tilted her head while looking at me with a pained and melancholic expression.

Sigh

Well, I guess Horikita would benefit by interacting with someone she already knows, as this would allow her to open up more to her peers. I should give Kushida a response quickly as she was already waiting patiently for my answer.

"Fine... I'll try my best Kushida. Don't expect much from me though." I said reluctantly. She quickly reverted to an ecstatic and euphoric expression.

"Thank you so much Ayanokouji-Kun! I'll repay you for this one day, I swear!" I was about to decline her offer when I realized, a favor from Kushida could come in handy someday.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I'll get in touch with you later for our plan of action. Anyways, do you want to walk with me to school Ayanokouji-Kun?" She offered.

"Sure, I don't see why not." We both nodded and exited the boys' dormitory while making our way to the school.

Kushida's reaction on the first day, Horikita's slight flinch, Her unusual wary reaction when I mentioned Horikita, and now this? This just proves that it's not merely just a coincidence.

I don't know who you are Kushida Kikyou, but as long as you don't get in the way of getting to Class A, I won't take any action against you.

Vol.1. Chapter 4.1: END

Word Count: 3503 Words

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 4.2 : A Predator Lurking in Plain Sight

———————————————————

Author's Note:

Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter despite the delay in publishing it.

It was delayed due to a couple of reasons. First, my wifi died for hours. Second, keep in mind I'm still a student and have schoolwork to do. I also have a special needs brother I have to care for so it limits my free time. Thirdly, I was just procrastinating a bit, so sorry.

Anyways, in this timeline, Kiyo begins to suspect Kushida way earlier than he did in canon. He doesn't see her as a potential threat yet though to Class D's success.

I forgot to mention that Koenji will be more cooperative in this timeline, but he'll only cooperate if a special exam interests him or something. Basically, he'll compete with Kiyo whenever a special exam allows it.

Anyways, I'll try to upload the chapter tomorrow since I promised I would publish 4 chapters this week.

Oh and please gimme votes and comments (づ｡‿‿｡)づ

That's all for today and once again...

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 4.2 : A Predator Lurking in Plain Sight

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka POV

'RING!!!'

The rest of the morning was spent going over the course objectives in our various subjects.

I tried my hardest to pay attention during the lessons so my behavior would not cost us any class points. Surprisingly, the class was very well behaved today during the lessons and I hope it will stay that way for the rest of the school year.

"Ayanokouji-Kun!" A set of voices called out to me. I turned my head to see five girls and one pitiful boy who had walked up to me. They were Karuizawa Kei, Matsushita Chiaki, Shinohara Satsuki, Mori Nene, Sato Maya, and Hirata Yosuke.

"What's up? Do you need anything from me?" I asked even though I already knew what they were going to ask of me.

"We were wondering if you wanted to join us for lunch. Since like ya know, you couldn't hang out with us yesterday." Karuizawa asked staring at me with her purple eyes.

"I have nothing else planned so I have no reason to refuse," I said choosing the option to broaden my social circle. Hearing my response, she slightly cracked a smile. I would consider Karuizawa one of the many attractive girls in our class now that I have a better look at her.

"That's great Ayanokouji-Kun," Hirata said with sincerity while also flashing me a genuine smile.

"You know Ayanokouji-Kun..." Shinohara leaned in, "One of the reasons we wanted to invite you for lunch was because Matsuhita said she was interested in you." She whispered, poking fun at Matsuhita. Her efforts to say it quietly were futile because everyone could hear what she had said to me.

"E-EH?! I-it's not like that Shinohara-San!" Matsuhita desperately tried to deny. "I was just curious about what kind of person he was. Don't say things that could to a misunderstanding!" She shouted with a flushed face while flapping her arms all over the place.

I looked around the room, trying to gauge how everyone was reacting to our silly antics. The majority of the males appeared irritated, while the majority of the females appeared to be interested in the current development. Karuizawa and her friends were giggling loudly while teasing Matsuhita at the same time. Miyake and Yukimura had smirks on their faces as they looked at me, while Eichiiro had a smug grin on his face and gave me a thumbs up.

Horikita... Well, She didn't even bother to pay attention and simply looked away, her face devoid of any expression of interest.

Hirata, Karuizawa, and the rest of her pals... I didn't know any of them very well, but they did give brief introductions on the first day here at school. There was also yesterday's dispute between Karuizawa and her group of girls with Horikita which provided me with a little bit of insight into some of their characters.

Once the teasing had finally ended, I grabbed the bento wrap that I packed this morning and followed their clique as we made our way to the cafeteria. While walking, I could see Matsuhita, Sato, and Mori throwing a few occasional sidelong glances directed at me.

It wasn't long until we finally reached the cafeteria. Looking around, I saw Albert who was eating a food tray with a girl who had mid-back length silver hair that has black ribbons tied behind it and light purplish eyes. They appeared to be discussing something related to the book that the silver-haired was currently holding in her hands.

On the other table, Hashimoto was chatting idly with what I assumed were some of his classmates. Though, most of them were girls as only one boy had come to accompany him. If I'm being honest, the boy sitting next to Hashimoto looked quite attractive. He'll most likely be placed near the top of the Ikemen rankings that Kushida and her friends were talking about yesterday.

"So, what lunch set will you all be getting?" Hirata inquired, his voice light and chipper.

"Hmm... I think I'll get the basic and cheap lunch set." I wanna save some of my private points to purchase some trendy clothing." As stated by Karuizawa. "In any case, how about the rest of you?" She returned the question to all of us.

"Hmm... I think I'll go with the 5000-point special deluxe meal." Matsuhita responded without hesitation.

"Eh...? "Are you sure you want to spend that many points just on food?" Mori asked with concern. Matsuhita simply shrugged off her suggestion.

"Of course, why not?" I mean, I haven't used up a lot of my private points. Plus, just consider this a special treat before however many private points we earn next month." Matsuhita replied with a relaxed tone.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't want Ayanokouji-Kun to think of you as a glutton, would you?" Karuizawa teased provocatively.

"Obviously not. But I don't think Ayanokouji-Kun is the type of person who would make a rude assumption about someone. Isn't that right Ayanokouji-Kun?" Matsuhita posed the question to me.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't like to pass judgment on people without first getting to know them." I replied.

"Anyways, we should all go out and order our foods right away.' Hirata recommended. "The cafeteria is becoming increasingly crowded by the minute, and if we wait any longer, we may not even be able to get a table for all of us," Hirata warned us.

Since I already packed lunch beforehand, I parted ways with them temporarily in search of a table for all of us to have lunch in. I finally found a rectangular table with seats near the windows after a few seconds of searching. I sat down and placed my bento wrap on the table while waiting for them to finish their orders.

After a few moments of waiting, they finally noticed me and proceeded over to my table, where Hirata, Karuizawa, and Shinohara sat in front of me, Matsuhita and Sato on my left, and Mori on my right.

"Eh~? So Ayanokouji-Kun packed his own lunch I see..." Mori began on a conversation topic. I expected this to be brought up in some way or another.

"Wait, does that mean you can cook Ayanokouji-Kun?" Hirata questioned. I mean, the fact that I even brought a homemade bento should be able to answer your question already...

That is what I wanted to say but I didn't want to come off as rude. I merely nodded as an answer.

"That's amazing Ayanokouji-Kun!" Shinohara praised me loudly.

"He really is husband material." I overheard Sato say to Matsuhita in hushed tones.

"I don't think that's something really worth praising over. Cooking is a necessary skill that you'll eventually have to learn in order to survive in the world, so I don't think me making my own bento for lunch is particularly noteworthy." I kept my head down. Some of them awkwardly smiled at my response while some sighed, slightly disappointed.

"Mou~! That's not right Ayanokouji-Kun! When a girl compliments you, you should thank her for it." Karuizawa advised me. And what's with that Mou sound at the beginning? It sounded kind of cute honestly.

"I see... I'll keep that in mind then. Thanks, Karuizawa." I expressed my gratitude to her. She smiled smugly after hearing my response.

"However, it's nice to know that you're a really modest person, Ayanokouji-Kun," Hirata remarked positively.

"I know right! Kushida-San also mentioned that you can be overly humble at times, according to what I've heard." Sato added.

"It's almost as though Ayanokouji-Kun is overflowing with humility," Shinohara exclaimed.

They began bombarding me with even more absurd compliments and praise. I wasn't used to being given such high praise considering the environment I grew up in. Don't get me wrong though, I value their praise. They can simply just be overwhelming.

"Guys, I think we should eat now. Ayanokouji-Kun's been looking a bit hungry, I think we should stop bothering him for now." Hirata tried to calm the girls.

Yes, Hirata. Go go Hirata. You are my savior, Hirata. We all agreed unanimously and began eating our lunch.

I unwrapped the cloth from my bento box then opened the bento box itself revealing rice in the shape of a charming rabbit, served with karaage, octopus sausages, and cooked meat to round up the meal, as well as a variety of vegetables on the side.

"Ayanokouji-Kun is that your lunch?!" Sato asked looking at me with glittering curiosity in her eyes.

"Uh... Yes? Why? Does it look unappetizing?"

"Unappetizing? It's the opposite of that! It looks so cute!!" Sato applauded noisily. Everyone at the table turned to look at me as a result of Sato's sudden loud acclamation.

"Woah your right Sato-San!" Karuizawa added. Can't I just eat my lunch in peace, please?

"Do you perhaps like cute accessories Ayanokouji-Kun?" Matsuhita inquired precipitously.

"Why do you ask that?"

"It's just that, as Sato-san mentioned, your food is nicely decorated, and your chopstick container has a cute bunny face engraved in it."

"I would be lying if I said didn't. I just happened to see the lunch box set in one of the stores on this campus and bought it on a whim."

"I see..." She then leaned in to whisper something in Sato's ear which made her flustered as she tried to cover her face with her hands but it was too late as all of us had already seen the expression on her face.

We ate quietly for a while, occasionally chit-chatting about specific topics. Is this how it feels to be popular? I pity Eichiiro and Hirata. It must be exhausting to have girls constantly wanting to ask you questions or attempt to flirt with you.

"I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now Ayanokouji-Kun, but do you and Matsuo-Kun know each other from before?" Hirata posed a question. Everyone again had their eyes on me full of curious intent.

"Why do you say that Hirata?"

"Well, I've noticed that you guys call each other by your first names. Are you perhaps best friends of each other?"

Before going to this school, the only friends I had were Eichiiro and Arisu. I'm not sure whether Arisu even considers me a friend though. But if I had to choose one of them to call my best buddy, I'd probably choose Eichiiro. We'd already spent the most time together, and we're technically stepbrothers, not legally yet though.

"I guess you could say we are. I've only known him for about a year though." I replied to his query.

"Really? You guys must've been very popular in middle school." Mori assumed.

"It's shameful to admit but I used to be a loner back in the day."

"Eh? You're not just being humble again are you Ayanokouji-Kun?" Matsuhita interrogated.

"I wish I was but I'm really not lying this time. This is actually my first time ever attending a real school. My father didn't believe that school would be adequate to teach me, so he hired many tutors to come to teach me, and I was essentially homeschooled until two days ago."

"Hiring tutors? Wait, is your family rich Ayanokouji-Kun?!" The girls continued to bombard me with questions about my personal life.

"I wouldn't say my family is some kind of billionaire or anything like that, but I think my family is quite wealthy." I gave a vague response.

"Your athletic, smart, humble, mature, and you're rich?! Aren't you way too perfect Ayanokouji-Kun?" Shinoharashowered me with praise.

"I think you're overestimating me too much." I maintained my modest demeanor.

"See! There you go again being humble! You should really think highly of yourself sometimes Ayanokouji-Kun!" Sato playfully scolded me.

"Hai, hai." I gave a simple response.

"Hey isn't Hirata being left out here?" I deflected the girls' attention to him. I'm sorry Hirata, but it's your turn to suffer now. Even though I'm the one who soiled you in the first place, I shall remember your noble sacrifice.

Hirata was overcome by the girls' admiration and praises, and all I could do was watch him suffer as I ate my lunch discreetly. The majority of our chat consisted of them comparing the lads in our class, primarily me and Hirata, to the boys in the other classes.

Satonaka was the name of the boy who was accompanying Hashimoto. His appearance was well regarded by the girls in our class. I also learned that Karuizawa's group of girls thought Hashimoto was quite attractive. Koenji was also mentioned, but he was swiftly removed from the conversation since the girls believed his narcissistic demeanor destroyed his allure to the opposite sex.

(I can just imagine Koenji saying something along the lines of "It is merely your peasant eyes that is unable to see the beauty of the perfect existence in front of you.)

'THUD!'

A loud noise interrupted our conversation and brought everyone's attention to the other side of the cafeteria. Someone allegedly slapped another person's food dish away from a table. The gentleman at the table was enraged, but the person in front of him had a provocative smile on his face.

Looking at the two boys, one of them had dark green hair and dark green eyes while the other was a young man of ordinary height with shoulder-length magenta hair styled on both sides and sharp magenta-colored eyes. His attire comprised of a conventional red school blazer with a black unbuttoned shirt underneath and no tie.

Everyone could tell that something had transpired between them, and the atmosphere of the cafeteria had become strained. Their appearance would lead others to believe they were delinquents. They must have appeared rather intimidating to the general public, especially the boy with magenta-colored hair.

"RYUEN YOU MOTHERFUCKER! YOUR GONNA PAY FOR THIS!" The dark green-haired boy shouted with pure anger in his tone.

So his name is Ryuen huh... If I remember, he was one of the students who caught my attention during the entrance ceremony. He too was also looked to be analyzing everyone's behavior during the entrance exams.

"Hoh? What's wrong Ishizaki? Are you gonna cry to mommy? YOU A FUCKING CRYBABY BITCH BOY?" Ryuen provoked harshly. Hirata was about to stand up, probably wanting to intervene but I signaled him to not do anything for the moment. He got the message and reluctantly sat back.

"TCH SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'll BEAT YOUR ASS RIGHT HERE!" Ishizaki retaliated.

Suddenly, Ishizaki charged at Ryuen with his fist open, aiming to land a punch on him. But before he could, Ryuen had grabbed his arm and apprehended him. He then slammed Ishizaki hardly against one of the tables with his hand still gripping Ishizaki's arm.

"Hoh? What's wrong Ishizaki? I thought you were gonna beat me up? Don't tell me you're actually a fucking wimp you sack of shit." Ryuen continued to provoke him.

"WHY YOU LITTLE-" Before he could finish, Ryuen twisted his arm and tightened his grip.

"AGH! SHIT!" Ishizaki screamed in pain.

"You know Ishizaki..." He leaned his face closer to his, "Although I was the one who provoked you, you were the first one who tried to attack me. You could get expelled for this." Ryuen taunted.

"DAMN YOU, I ALREADY TOLD YOU I WON'T LISTEN TO YOUR SHITTY ORDER- AGH!" Ishizaki again cried in agony, some tears streaming on his face and Ryuen continued to tighten his grasp on him. He murmured something into his ears again, which I couldn't discern what he was saying but it elicited a reaction from Ishizaki.

Ryuen then gazed around the cafeteria at analyzing various students until his piercing eyes eventually met mine. He, unlike the others, kept his gaze fixed on us. Each flash conveyed a distinct message. His, for example, revealed his fatigue; he appeared to have been awake for quite some time, taking aggressive actions, but his posture remained relaxed. The ideal illustration of a man in command of any situation.

(This chapter took some inspiration from Mr.Fruity's Heaven's Lie Chapter 14. I tried to paraphrase the sentences so it didn't look like I was blatantly copying them. I hope you don't mind Mr.Fruity!)

Every blink I exchanged with Ryuen was illegible. I maintained my apathetic poker face while he attempted to scare me with his penetrating glare, but it did not affect me. In no way, shape, or form. I wasn't phased by him in the slightest.

"Kukuku.." A small grin formed on his face as he let out a weird chuckle. He then suddenly let go of Ishizaki's arm and made his way in my direction. Everyone was deafeningly quiet, their faces etched with fear and anxiety. His shoe landed with a clean, loud thud, signaling that he wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of our upcoming possible confrontation.

He closed the distance between us and loomed menacingly in front of me. As a result, I got out of my seat and we looked at each other head-on, generating a very tense atmosphere between us. He gave me a sneaky grin as I maintained my customary uninterested demeanor.

Any chance of me escaping this tight scenario had evaporated, and I'd have to deal with it without causing any sort of unnecessary problems.

"Well, well, well... If it isn't the clever pretty lad of Class 1-D," Ryuen said provokingly.

"May I ask what you need from me, Ryuen?" I questioned.

"So you've heard about me..."

"Well Ishizaki did loudly scream out your name, so it would be stupid of me to not know who you are," I replied without worry.

"Your an interesting one aren't you?" He commented.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"If you're not blind, you'll notice that everyone in the cafeteria is wearing a terrified or nervous expression on their face. But you... I don't detect any signs of fear or apprehension from you. I wonder why..." He interrogated in a provocative manner.

"To be honest, it's probably because I don't feel frightened by your presence in the least. That's all there is to it." I boldly responded to his query. He then let out a scary laugh as if he was a villain.

"So, you don't think I'm much of a threat do you know? Are you implying that you've been terrified by even more frightening shit?" He inquired, his hands poking over my shoulders. He appears to be attempting to evoke an emotional response from me...

"Who knows?" I vaguely replied.

"Kukuku... I know people like you. You put on a strong act and pretend to be unconcerned, but when you're alone, you cry the most in dread and fear. Do you believe that description accurately defines who you truly are, Ayanokouji?" He continued to pester me with questions.

"No, I'd rather not believe myself as being that kind of person," I replied bluntly to his statement.

I grabbed my bento attempting to exit the cafeteria but a hand abruptly gripped the area between my neck and shoulders. It was none other than Ryuen himself.

"You're quite a buff one aren't you pal?" He expressed mild surprise at my muscles. I continued to ignore him and sought to walk away when he suddenly tried to pull me back. With the amount of force he used to try to pull me back, any normal person would have collapsed. Yet I barely moved a fraction of an inch.

"Don't you think it's a bit rude to walk away from a conversation? What are you a pussy?" He again tried to provoke an emotional response from me. I only turned my body 180 degrees and stared at him in silence.

"Ryuen-Kun I think you should stop that." Hirata tried to intervene.

"How bout you shut your mind your own fucking business you pretty-faced fuck boy." Ryuen retorted. He then returned his gaze to me, as if expecting a response, but I remained as silent as ever.

"Hey, dipshit, are fucking deaf or something? Answer me! " He then pushed me hardly moving me by a few inches.

If this continued on for much longer, It's possible a fight might start between me and Ryuen. Of course, I was confident I could easily defeat him, but I didn't want to risk being expelled after only being enrolled here for three days.

However, I would not give Ryuen what he desired. Only if I was the first to act would there be a dispute between me and Ryuen. He was probably taunting me into fighting him so that if I won, the teachers would reprimand me and Ryuen could claim that he was just fighting me for self-defense.

He tried to toy with my emotions, but unfortunately for him, I haven't learned enough about them for me to allow him to do so.

"Both of you stop what your about to do right now!" A feminine voice called out to us. Ryuen and I shifted our gaze to the person who had interrupted us. It was none other than the beautiful strawberry blonde-colored-haired girl I had seen during the entrance ceremony.

"Tch, " Ryuen clicked his tongue in frustration. "What do you want pal? Don't go snooping yourself into other people's business." Ryuen said to the girl.

"I'm sorry, but as a student of this school, I simply cannot allow any sort of violent acts to be permitted. If you both still insist to quarrel, I'll have no choice but to report this incident to the teachers." The girl argued. Ryuen was slightly surprised by her bravery to confront us and a sly grin appeared on his face.

"What's your name girl?" Ryuen asked.

"Ichinose Honami. Class representative of Class 1-B." She introduced herself. So she's the leader of Class 1-B...

"Well, Ichinose, you're mistaken. This isn't a fight. I was merely just having a little chat with my buddy." Ryuen stated his claim confidently.

"Are you sure about that Ryuen? It looked to me like you were trying to provoke him into fighting you. If you keep this up I will not hesitate to inform the teachers about your unethical behavior." She retorted.

"Hmph, what a mood killer," Ryuen muttered to himself.

"Oi Monster." He called out to me before walking away. I looked back in his direction to signal that my attention was on him.

"You'll be a fun toy for me to play with." He challenged in a provoking tone, finally walking away from the cafeteria.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ichinose approached me and expressed her concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing happened in the end thanks to you." I reassured her. She really is beautiful...

"That's good then! Don't let him provoke you into fights, okay?" She advised me.

"I wasn't planning to fight him in the first place but thanks for the advice." She broke into a bright smile hearing my response.

"Sorry for the scare everyone! Everything's been resolved now! You can go back to eating and chat with your friends freely!" She announced to the whole cafeteria. The strained atmosphere then came back to a lively one as everyone was now idly chatting happily with their comrades once again.

She also went back to her table full of her friends. Hirata, Karuizawa, and her companions showed their concern about me as I sat back down at my table, but I told them that I was alright.

In fact, whatever occurred in the cafeteria today turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It provided me with some background knowledge on the other classes.

Ishizaki expressed his displeasure at not wanting to obey Ryuen's orders. That suggests Ryuen intends to control him, as well as some of his classmates, to obey his commands. This is just a guess, but he may want to enslave his class by using brutality and dictatorship.

Ichinose, on the other hand, appears to be a really nice and kind person. If her class has already fully accepted her as the leader, they may share her temperament and be the most cohesive class yet.

Ichinose and Ryuen... I must pay very close attention to them. Maybe one of them or maybe even both could pose a challenge to me and possibly even beat me. I sincerely hoped that somewhere in this school, someone would be able to hand me my first defeat.

We chatted for a few minutes until the school bell rang signaling the start of our classes. We simply returned to class after cleaning up our table.

Vol.1. Chapter 4.2: END.

Word Count: 4133 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 4.3: Her True Colors.

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Author's Note:

Thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed this chapter!

The point of this chapter was basically Ryuen and Ichinose's debut in this fic. Ryuen and Ayanokouji are now more wary of each other way earlier than they were in the canon timeline.

Anyways the fic might be very slow-paced but in a couple of chapters, it will reach May 1st soon. The first 3-4 days of school are very important for this fic's plot. I hope you can understand that.

I wanted to ask all of you a question. For the pool scene, I was planning for Class D to have an inter classes lesson with another class so it wouldn't be so cliche. But first I need to decide on which class they would interact with.

So comment here and vote which class you would want Class D to have the pool scene with. (Class A, B, or C)

Anyways that's all for today

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 4.3 : Her True Colors

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Horikita," I called her name suddenly. She looked slightly surprised as if she hadn't expected me to call her out abruptly.

"What is it Ayanokouji-Kun? Is there any business you wish to conduct with me?" She asked, her head slightly cocked in confusion.

"Actually, yes there is. If you're not too busy, I'd like to speak with you alone about something. Will that be okay with you?"

"Hmm... Is it about something important?" As an answer, I just nodded.

"That's perfectly acceptable. But first, let me go to the convenience store and get a lunch kit. Today I didn't eat much." She let me know.

"Speaking of lunch, instead of buying something from the convenience store, why don't you accompany me to palate cafe?" I had invited her. She looked at me, trying to figure out if I had a hidden agenda.

"What are yoy planning Ayanokouji-Kun?" She inquired with skepticism.

"Does an invitation from me suggest that I have some sort of ulterior motive?"

"If you could tell me specifically why you want to go there, I'd be willing to hear you out."

"Well, first of all, I wanted to try some of the cuisines that they have to offer. I could go there by myself, and you could simply buy a simple meal from the convenience store, but it would be more efficient if we ordered food from the same place. The meals available at the convenience store don't look particularly appetizing to me. Furthermore, the cafe is always packed with women, and I'm not brave enough to go there by myself because I might end up attracting some unwanted attention due to my popularity with the fairer sex." I stated my objective.

"I suppose that's a plausible explanation. Wait, you're not recommending that we eat there, are you?"

"Obviously not. We'll just order some takeout and hold our meeting in my dorm room. Of if you prefer, we can use your dorm or any other private location."

"We'll simply visit your dorm. In my case, I still need to organize a few items."

"All right then. Shall we get going now?" As a symbol of invitation, I extended my hand. She simply nodded and got out of her seat, grabbing her luggage. We then silently proceeded to the cafe.

We had finally arrived at our destination after a few minutes of walking around the mall. As we entered the cafe, the automatic doors easily slid open. Everyone looked at us for a brief moment before returning to their conversations with their peers.

...

Well, that's what I wanted to happen, but the majority of the girls in the cafe were staring at us, especially at me, as if they were peering into my soul. Murmurs and gossip about me and Horikita could be heard throughout the cafe.

"Isn't he the one who came in first place in the Ikemen rankings?"

"Oh my God he is! He's even more stunning in person!"

"Wait, Is he on a date with that girl?"

"Damn it! We were beaten to the punch."

Were some of the whispers I could hear among the girls in the cafe.

I looked around the cafe to see if there were any familiar faces. Karuizawa and her pals were present, but Hirata was noticeably absent. Ichinose was also present, and I believe she was with a few of her classmates. And, as expected, no boys were in sight in the cafe.

I understand why they don't want to visit this location. The place exuded a frightening aura around it, with girls dominating the space and a "no boys allowed" type of vibe. Well, except if you were someone fairly popular or considered handsome among the girls of this school.

"We've got quite a throng here, haven't we?" Horikita spoke finally breaking the awkward silence between us.

"It is only natural. After all, our year's and presumably every other year's females frequent this location. Is this your first time coming here too Horikita?" I made an attempt to strike up a conversation with her.

"It certainly is. Although appealing, the meals and beverages available here can be highly unhealthy, which would be detrimental to my health. Plus, this location is normally highly crowded, which would be inconvenient for someone like me."

"Oh right, you're a loner." Wait did I just say that out loud?

"You're making fun of me aren't you? How childish." Horikita coldly replied to my remark.

"Sorry, that just slipped out of my mouth. I had no such intention of mocking you." I quickly apologized.

"Your manner of speech makes it difficult to discern what your words truly mean," Horikita replied by going after my weak point. I sincerely hoped she did not intend to do that on purpose.

We waited in line for a couple of minutes until it was eventually our turn to place an order.

"Good day! It's great to meet you both! Could you please tell me what you both wish to order today?" In a friendly tone of voice, the charming lady at the counter inquired.

"I'll just have a strawberry milkshake and two slices of banana bread to go." Horikita submitted her order. "What about you Ayanokouji-Kun?"

I rested my palm on my chin, as if deep in contemplation, and stared at the refrigerated bakery case in front of me, curious about the pastries they had on display.

They sold a variety of sweet pastries, including melon pan bread, various flavored French croissants, several types of cake, and other sweet treats you could think of. But I had already made up my mind on what I would buy as three pastries on display had piqued my interest and sparked my curiosity.

"I'll only get one cinnamon roll, one cookie monster cookie, and one small slice of chocolate chip brownies." That amount of sweets should suffice for now.

Horikita seemed perplexed by how much sugary food I was purchasing. You can't really blame me, can you? This was the first time I had seen such food since the white room would always serve us healthy foods that were required for our mandatory diet.

"Alright then! Please be patient and wait for your orders to be completed." The lady informed us.

"You've got quite the sweet tooth don't you?" Horikita commented on the number of unhealthy treats I had ordered.

"I don't typically eat this much junk food," I admitted honestly. "However, today will be my first time trying stuff like this, so I'm rather curious how they'll taste in my tongue."

"Are you serious...?" Horikita asked, a bit shocked by my response.

"My father had always put me on a rigorous diet since I was a child. As a result, I've never really had the opportunity to sample the sweet and savory cuisines that you presumably did during childhood."

"I see..." That was the only thing she could say in response. My ears may be deceiving me, but Horikita's voice had a trade of genuine sympathy in it when she said that.

"All right here are your orders!" She informed us as she placed two paper bags on the counter. "The total cost of purchases is 4.650 private points."

(Idk if this is too cheap or expensive. If someone can inform me, I'd be very thankful.)

"Horikita, would you like me to pay for our orders?" While turning on my phone, I offered to pay.

"Why should you be the only one to pay? Isn't it better for the both of us to just split the bill?"

"Well, when a boy and a girl both buy something together, isn't it normally the men that pay for it?"

"Such gender-stereotypical rubbish does not hold water with me. Unless the other person is adamant about paying for everything, I believe both parties should be able to pay for what they each desire." Horikita was frank in her assessment of the matter.

We both mutually agreed to each pay 2325 private points. We each took a paper bag carrying our orders and made our way to the dorms after the transaction was completed.

"Would you like to begin conversing with me as we walk?" I proposed.

"Shouldn't we discuss our subjects when we get into your room?"

"But, Horikita, take a look around you; there's hardly anyone around us. I believe we have established a sufficiently private environment in which we can discuss class issues without being overheard." Even if someone was currently tailing us, I'd have picked up on it by now.

"Hmm... Fine then. What exactly do you want to talk about with me today?"

"First and foremost, I've gained some understanding of how other classes function. To begin with, let's look at Class B. Class B is captained by Ichinose Honami, who exudes the aura of a caring and kind-hearted individual. She also appears to be a conscientious student who is a strict follower of the rules. If her class has unanimously chosen her to head them, their class must share the same views and values as she does. As a result, outside of our own class, they are probably the safest option for us to form an alliance with." I elaborated.

"Do you plan on making friends with our future foes...?" Horikita enquired further.

"Horikita, even though this is a highly unique type of school, we are still simply high school students. It's unnecessary to treat everyone outside of Class D with such venom. Of course, the fact that you're not letting your guard down is a good thing. But considering that we don't exactly know what these special exams contain, it's possible that in the near future, we might be compelled into teaming up with other classes of our year to fight against the upcoming adversaries from our year or maybe even our upperclassmen." I clarified.

"You make an excellent point once again Ayanokouji-Kun. As one would expect from you." Horikita complimented and expressed admiration for me.

It's good to know that she doesn't regard me as someone below her, but rather someone praiseworthy in her eyes. This would be a modest step towards eliminating Horikita's superiority complex.

"Now let's go to Class C. Class C currently lacks a leading figure in their class, although that may change shortly. A student called Ryuen aims to seize control of his class by using violence and tyranny to force his peers to bow to him."

"So he's the guy who tried to pick a fight with you..." Horikita muttered.

"So you've heard about what happened in the cafeteria at lunch..."

"I wasn't physically present, but I couldn't help but overhear some of our classmates discussing it."

So the word has gotten around among my peers, huh? Because the cafeteria was so packed, it most likely spread to the other courses as well. Great, More unwelcome attention, just exactly what I needed.

"Against someone like Ryuen, we should be on our alert. He seeks to prey on me, which means he intends to target all of Class D. He'll most likely be the most troublesome foe we'll have to contend with as of now." I went into more detail.

"How about Class A? Do you have any information on them?"

"No, I don't know enough about them to try to figure out how they work. Class A is still a mystery to me at the moment."

Class A... The class that features students who the school has determined to be faultless and superior to those of the students in the lower classes. Based on what I saw during the entrance ceremony, they were also the class that behaved the best throughout its period.

Arisu and Hashimoto are the only people I know from Class A. Perhaps I could try to secretly probe some information from them regarding their class affairs in a non-obtrusive manner.

We'd finally made it to the dorms and were swiftly making our way to my room. I swiped the key card to enter room 401, which revealed the same vacant room I had been accustomed to for the past three days at my time here at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

"Your room is spotless, Ayanokouji-Kun," Horikita observed. "Do you consider yourself a minimalist?"

"No, not really. I just don't see the point in having any extraneous exterior in my dorm room."

"Isn't that essentially what a minimalist is?"

"You are free to imagine me in any way you want. Anyway, let's talk while we eat." I said as I placed my bag on top of the bed.

Horikita placed her school bag lightly on the floor before placing her paper bag with her pastry order on the dining table, just as I did.

I snatched the little plastic container from the paper bag that held the chocolate chip brownie slice. Then, for the first time, I sampled the brownies...

It was overwhelmingly sweet, which is to my liking. It had a velvety texture and a fudgy, chocolatey flavor. The chocolate chips also added a nice touch.

Horikita remarked, "Your expression resembles that of a toddler."

"Is that meant to be a snub?"

"No. I'm only saying what I observed on your face when you tried that brownie. It's understandable given that this is your first time trying anything so sickeningly sweet. But I don't advocate eating too many sweet pastries like that. It could be harmful to both your health and your hygiene." Horikita counseled me.

"You don't need to tell me that much. Anyways, before we discuss my topic, are you feeling all right? I'm sure your mind is still a bit jumbled, especially after what occurred yesterday between us and Chabashira-Sensei." I initiated the start of our meeting.

"At the very least, I'm doing better than I was yesterday. It's pointless to be concerned about my current class placement at this stage." Horikita reassured me.

"Even though I still consider myself a quite capable student, you've demonstrated that you and some other students on this campus may be superior to me in other ways. That's why Ayanokouji-Kun, I've decided to trust the success of Class D in your hands." Horikita declared. "At first, I was suspicious of how talented you actually were, but you've proven to be someone deserving of respect. Regarding our class and everything else, I'll put my faith in your enticing skills. I'm hoping that by working together, we'll be able to soar above the ranks and propel our class into Class A."

"Thank you, Horikita. I'm hoping we'll be able to work effectively together since our goals align. From now until our three years here, I'm looking forward to working with you." She eagerly grasped my hand and shook it when I extended my arm for a handshake.

"Now, on to our first order of business: I believe you have the potential to be a vital part of Class D's success. In terms of tenacity, Horikita, you're impressive. And, based on what Chabashira-sensei said the day before, you should be quite astute. You also appear to have a keen sense of responsibility, which is particularly useful. "I assessed. "Allies are the only thing you lack right now. If you don't have at least one ally, you'll never reach your full potential and may even self-destruct due to the result of that."

"I've already acknowledged that is something I need to work on. But, even if I tried to build new connections with our classmates, I'm not exactly the most socially outgoing person." Horikita paused to consider her comments.

"Then let's start step by step. Do you consider me an ally Horikita?" I inquired of her.

"Of course I do. Have I not made that clear? You're obviously someone necessary for us to reach Class A." Horikita came back with a response.

"That's good then. Now onto the next step."

"Next step?" Horikita blurted out, a bit confused.

"Do you consider me someone you can call a friend Horikita?"

"That... Well... What exactly is friendship anyway?" Horikita was taken aback by my unexpected inquiry.

"By textbook definition, a friend is someone you know and have a mutual affection for, usually without regard for sexual or familial ties. But, to be honest, there is no definitive description of what friendship truly is. Maybe it's someone who can listen to your troubles without judgment or someone with whom you can enjoy a beer with or someone with whom you share a common interest. Everyone has a different perspective on what friendship entails. However, It doesn't have to be so difficult. If you consider me a friend, then we're friends because I also feel the same. It's not that complicated really."

I can't believe I'm the one giving Horikita advice on friendship out of everyone else. It's ironic, isn't it?

I may have come out as someone who knows how to make friends with her, but in reality, I'm the polar opposite. I was still learning the true meanings of friendship and human connections. Naturally, I desired a shared link with someone with whom I could share all of my burdens with. My problems, on the other hand, aren't so common that I can just tell anyone about them.

Eichiiro is probably the closest person I can call a friend, yet even he doesn't know everything there is to know about me and my upbringing. Arisu may have a better understanding of the type of person I am, but our connection hasn't progressed far enough for me to consider her someone special to me. At the end of the day, maybe it is I who needs to learn more about the basics of friendship.

"If you insist then... I'm not opposed to calling someone like you, my friend." Shereplied in a soft tone, slightly flustered by what she just said.

"Alright then. Thank you, Horikita." I expressed my appreciation.

"Now we'll get down to business." I went on. "Are you familiar with the phrase 'Don't believe everything you see, even salt can pass on as sugar.' Horikita?"

"I am, indeed. What exactly are you getting at Ayanokouji-Kun?" Horikita requested that I get straight to the point.

"Well... That quote sums up Kushida very well doesn't it?"

She visibly flinched and had a bewildered expression on her face when she heard my bluff. It seems Kushida does not appear to be the sweet girl she presents herself to be in front of others...

"What do you mean by that Ayanokouji-Kun?" Was she trying to play dumb? Did something happen between them?

"I think you know exactly what I'm implying Horikita. I'm just curious to ask you, what kind of person is Kushida Kikyou really?" I interrogated her further.

"You could have asked that question to anyone, but why me? You're aware that I'm not particularly close to her"

"On the surface, that appears to be correct. However, Horikita..." I then leaned in closer, bringing our faces even closer together. "I know that you and Kushida must have some sort of history together," I spoke in hushed tones into her ear.

I leaned back to see she had a very shocked expression on her face. It's understandable considering I've just dropped a bombshell on her out of nowhere.

"H-how did you know?" So she doesn't intend to hide the fact, does she?

"Do you suppose I've been attempting to make friends with my students for the past few days, Horikita? That is true, but it isn't the sole reason. I've been quietly observing you and everyone else I've come into contact with to figure out why they were assigned to Class D. Kushida has repeatedly behaved strangely whenever I even mention your name or even approach close to you. Other considerations also contributed to my deduction, but I'm not willing to reveal them at this time." I went over everything.

"I see... Given how perceptive you are, I assume not even Kushida's act she puts on in front of others could deceive you."

"That was actually a bluff. I was curious to see how you'd react if I mentioned something along those lines. And based on your reaction to that statement, I assume it's true, right?" As a response, she gave a hesitant nod.

Kushida appeared to be a caring and intelligent individual on the surface. She is not only stunning and lovely, but she is also outgoing and friendly. Kushida's personality would undoubtedly be described as "too good to be true" by someone who has never met her. If Horikita is correct, things might just get a bit more intriguing...

"Would you mind explaining further about the history between you two?"

"To be honest, I don't want to bring up her background, but I believe it's important to inform you first. Your curiosity must be for a valid reason, right?" I merely nodded in response to her query.

"I'm simply trying to figure out if Kushida is someone I can trust because she'll almost certainly be a significant component of Class D's success."

"Well, first of all, we both went to the same middle school. That school is in a whole different prefecture, is quite a distance away. She probably never imagined that someone from her middle school would attend the same high school as her." She began.

"I see."

"My middle school had over a thousand students, and I don't recall ever being in the same class as Kushida-san."

I wasn't surprised to learn that Horikita was probably like this in middle school, too. She probably avoided making acquaintances and instead spent every day quietly completing her coursework.

"When Kushida was in middle school, what kind of student was she?"

"I honestly don't really know. She and I, as I already stated, did not interact in the slightest. However, I can attest to the fact that she was just as, if not more, popular there as she is here. In retrospect, she was undoubtedly the center of attention in her class at all times. She was a well-liked person who treated everyone with kindness and always made a positive impression. I don't believe she was a member of the student council, but she would definitely have been invited to join."

Horikita would have remembered that she was in the same grade if she had held a post in the student council. The Kushida I'm trying to get to know has not expressed any interest so far in wanting to join the student council.

"What I'm about to say next is crucial. But keep in mind that this is merely a rumor at this point. Only Kushida-san has access to the complete truth."

Horikita got right to the issue and started speaking seriously.

"As graduation loomed near the end of February, something happened that caused a class to fall apart."

"It wasn't the flu, was it?"

"Well, the rumors got to me right away. it was said that a specific school girl had caused a class meltdown and that the class didn't get back to normal until after I graduated."

"I'm sure I don't need to ask who that schoolgirl is."

"Yes, it was Kushida-san, to be precise. However, I am unaware of the circumstances surrounding the class's demise. I'm afraid the school, too, is keeping the information under wraps. The school's credibility would be jeopardized if the facts were made public. It would also almost certainly have an impact on the educational process and faculty hiring. Despite this, the school was unable to extinguish the blaze. Rumors began to circulate among the pupils, based on various kinds of speculations."

"Do you have any recollection of anything, even if it's only a rumor?"

I was curious as to the nature of the problem. Horikita spoke as though recalling something from the past.

"Some kids in my class began discussing the incident as soon as it became public. They claimed that the classroom had been entirely destroyed, with defamatory graffiti covering the blackboard and tables."

"To be covered with slanderous graffiti... Is it possible to conclude that Kushida was being bullied?"

"There were too many rumors, I don't know. Things like the bullying being perpetrated by a classmate, or the fact that she was bullying a classmate herself. There were also stories of significant acts of violence, although I don't recall them being as specific."

In short, there seemed to be a plethora amount of rumors going around.

"But, in the blink of an eye, I stopped hearing such rumors. It was no longer possible to discuss it. A class had been abolished, yet it was treated as if it had never happened."

There had to be some kind of external force at work.

"In any event, with such limited information, it's understandable that you didn't realize Kushida was the reason for the class's demise. At the time, I doubt you were much interested in such matters."

"Exactly. I was concentrating at the moment on the school's entrance exam. I felt confident in my ability to pass the exam, so I didn't pay attention to what was going on around me."

It's only natural. She would have been confident in her abilities to get in even if her school's rankings had plummeted.

A class had collapsed due to an occurrence thought to have been caused by Kushida. That is, without a doubt, a severe matter that will have an impact on future schooling or work opportunities. I can't fathom the Kushida I know now acting in this manner.

If the rumors are true, it's obvious that she wouldn't be able to spare anyone who knew the truth. If this was revealed, I have no doubt that Kushida's current social standing in the school would instantly be terminated.

"If we put everything in order, Kushida caused an incident, and we don't know the details of what transpired. Kushida, on the other hand, is unaware that you are unaware of the details. She believes that because you attended the same school as her, you should be familiar with the details to a certain extent. Is that everything?"

"Actually, she isn't entirely incorrect, because I am aware that she was the perpetrator of the incident." She let out a sigh. I started looking into the circumstances in which Horikita had been placed.

Kushida values keeping her background buried so much that she enrolled in this school, most likely to go away from her prior neighborhood. Even if Horikita claimed she was unaware of the occurrence, Kushida was unlikely to trust her.

Horikita's limited knowledge of what had happened may be irrelevant to Kushida. The fact that we're speaking about this in the first place is evidence that Horikita knows about her past. It's a very tricky situation.

"If that is all then... I'll need to investigate further into this. As of right now, Kushida is a ticking time bomb on the verge of exploding. I'll have to do something about her if I don't want the class to break apart quickly."

"Do you have a plan?" Horikita inquired, looking at me with curious intent.

"I'm devising one as we speak. I'll tell you all about the details at some other time. Either by text or I'll tell you directly." I informed her.

"Before we conclude our meeting, there is something I would like to ask of you."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"Are you available during the weekends?" I questioned.

"I only have a few materials I'd like to study, so I'm not really occupied. Why do you ask?"

"I intend to arrange a gathering for all of the people I believe can heavily contribute to Class D's success. I'm hoping you'll be able to join us considering you're also a key member."

"All you have to do is text me the precise date and time, I'll show up."

"This also a good opportunity for you to gain more allies. So do please come."

"You make a valid point once again Ayanokouji-Kun. I'll be taking my leave now if that's all that we have to talk about today." She says as she grabbed her paper bag and school bag.

"Thank you for today Ayanokouji-Kun as I found it to be very beneficial." She bowed towards me, then took a quick step outside and shut the door behind her.

Horikita's intention to be more cooperative from now on is encouraging. She now regards me as a slightly superior individual. She'll finally be a very important piece to Class D's success once I rebuild her and fix that defect of hers.

Kushida Kikyou... You're a fascinating individual. If you can bring a class to a halt on your own, I must act immediately to prevent you from the possibility of doing so.

If Horikita and Kushida prove to be a nuisance to Class D, I will not hesitate to expel them, no matter what means I must employ.

Vol.1. Chapter 4.3: END.

Word Count: 4839 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 5.1: The Aces of Class 1-D

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Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

I was supposed to finish this chapter yesterday but my wifi provider likes to screw me over apparently.

Anyways, there's not much I want to say really.

The swimming class will probably most likely have Class D with Class A since most of you suggested it and we haven't had an interaction between either class.

I won't spoil too much but Kushida's fate has already been sealed since the start of this fic so I hope you look forward to it.

I have to publish around 6-10 more chapters before we reach May 1st as I want to go into great detail.

Anyways that's all for today

Sayonara! ( )

Vol.1. Chapter 5.1 : The Aces of Class 1-D

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

It is now day four of my time here as a student in Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

There would be no school today because it was a Saturday, a weekend to be exact. Many groups of friends had invited me to hang out with them in Keyaki Mall or Palate Cafe, most notably Kushida and Karuizawa's. Obviously, I had to politely decline their invitations since I intended to use today to talk to several of my classmates who I believe have the potential to become major figures in Class D about some critical issues.

Eichiiro, Kushida, Hirata, and, of course, Horikita were among the people I had summoned to my hostel.

Although I haven't seen much of Hirata and Kushida's talents, they do wield a lot of influence in our class, which will undoubtedly aid me in maintaining the unity and solidarity of the class.

Eichiiro and Horikita were self-evident. Eichiiro is a capable right-hand man for me and is on good terms with the boys of our class.

Horikita was a capable student as well, which is why I wanted her to become a prominent figure in Class D. She just needs to change her stubborn attitude and open up more to others, and she'll finally be accepted by the majority of our peers.

It was currently 1:45 p.m. 15 minutes prior to the appointed meeting time. I was waiting for the oven to complete baking the cookie dough I'd made two or three hours earlier.

I was bored after my appointment with Horikita the day before, so I just went online and looked for new culinary recipes to try.

One recipe, in particular, attracted my interest. It was a well-edited video including the recipe and ingredients to making their self-proclaimed perfect chocolate chip cookies. According to what I observed in the YouTube video, they were experimenting with different types of ingredients to see how they could combine their greatest qualities to create the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.

After memorizing all of the components for the recipe, I went to the grocery store in the evening and purchased everything I needed to bake the cookies.

One cup of bread flour, 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, two tablespoons of kosher salt, one tablespoon of baking soda, one cup of butter, one cup of dark brown sugar, half a cup of white sugar, two tablespoons of vanilla, one tablespoon of espresso powder, egg and egg yolk, five ounces of dark chocolate chunks from a dark chocolate bar I bought from the store, and, of course, chocolate chips were the ingredients I used to make the cookie dough.

(If you want the recipe I'll link it here)

https//watch?v=rEdl2Uetpvo

After I finished creating the cookie dough, I scooped some out and placed it on a baking sheet, then refrigerated it overnight to get the greatest flavors out of it, as instructed in the video. I was tempted to bake it straight immediately, but I restraint myself and decided that the flavor I would be getting from the cookie dough that had been chilled overnight would be worth the wait.

Once it had chilled overnight, I removed the pan from the fridge and placed it in the oven, adjusting the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and allowing the cookie dough to bake for twelve to fourteen minutes. I've already had the tray in the oven for about five minutes, so the cookies should be done in around seven to nine minutes.

'Knock! Knock! Knock!'

Oh? Some of my guests appear to have arrived earlier than I had anticipated. I removed my oven mitts and walked over to the door. When I opened the door, I was met with Hirata and Eichiiro's presence both waiting in front of my door.

"Yo," Eichiiro said, lifting his palm in greeting. As a response, I lifted my palm too.

"Good afternoon Ayanokouji-Kun. It's nice to see you again." Hirata greeted me with a friendly smile as well.

"You guys showed up earlier than I expected."

"I'm literally your next-door neighbor bruh," Eichiiro replied in a joking tone.

Bra? Isn't that what women wear to keep their breasts supported? Maybe that's an online acronym I'm unfamiliar with. I'm not sure what bra would even stand for, to be honest.

"Anyhow, did the two of you come here together or...

"Nah, I just happened to run into Hirata while walking around campus. He said he was already on his way to your dorm even though it was still this early, so I just tagged along because I had nothing else to do." Eichiiro answered.

"I see... You both have permission to enter. You may sit wherever you want, but please remove your shoes first before entering my dorm." They were informed.

"Please excuse the intrusion," they said in unison, bowing.

They then removed their shoes and placed them on the floor of my dorm room entrance. They took their respective with Eichiiro sitting on my bed while Hirata sat on the floor.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, do you consider yourself to be a minimalist?" Hirata enquired. "I've noticed that your room is somewhat vacant. Of course, that's not a terrible thing; I'm just a bit interested in why."

Why is it that people keep asking me that question?

"No, not really. I simply lack the drive or effort to shop for dorm decorations."

As Eichiiro sniffs his nose, he exclaims, "Something smells pretty good."

"That's most likely the batch of chocolate chip cookies I made for everyone. It should be ready to eat in about... five to seven minutes," said the timer on my phone.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, do you know how to bake?"

"I do, but I'm still a novice. Baking is something I've just recently begun to take an interest in. This is actually my first time making something like this, so I hope you both will like the cookies I made. Any kind of feedback would be appreciated."

"I see... Well then, I'm excited to try the cookies you've cooked for us, Ayanokouji-Kun. I'm looking forward to it."

"Oh, you definitely should Hirata. I've tried some of Kiyo's cooking, and so far they've all been nothing more than chefs kiss." Eichiiro praised my culinary abilities while patting me on the back.

We talked for a while, well, more like I had to listen to Eichiiro gushing about me to Hirata He just sat there and nodded awkwardly until I heard a knock at my door. I suppose everyone simply decided to arrive early today. I strolled straight to my door, leaving Hirata and Eichiiro to their own devices. Horikita and Kushida's figures greeted me as I opened the door. I'm presuming they met up by chance or came to my door at the same time.

"Konnichiwa Ayanokouji-Kun!" Kushida bowed in greeting.

"Good afternoon, Ayanokouji-Kun." Horikita turned to face me. "I'm guessing we're not late for the meeting, are we?"

"No, you actually arrived a few minutes ahead of schedule. But don't worry; Eichiiro and Hirata had the same notion as you and arrived earlier than expected as well. Anyway, feel free to come in and sit wherever you like." I greeted them warmly and flung open the door wide for them to enter.

"Ojama Shimasu," As a gesture of gratitude, they modestly bowed in greeting. They then went into my room and greeted Eichiiro and Hirata before taking their seats.

'Ding!'

Ah, That should be the sound the oven makes when the chocolate chip cookies are done baking. I hurriedly put on my oven mitten, opened the oven, and grabbed the burning hot metal tray that held all of the cooked chocolate chip cookies, and placed them on the kitchen table to let them rest and cool down a bit.

"Did you make those Ayanokouji-Kun?" Kushida inquired, her eyes wide with intrigue.

"Yes, I did. I figured I could bake us some snacks as compensation for calling all of you here unexpectedly on a holiday when you should all be having fun."

"Please don't feel too downhearted Ayanokouji-Kun," Hirata commented. "I'm sure you wouldn't have gathered us here unless it was for a good reason." Hirata used a kind expression to try to console me.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, you shouldn't have to feel obligated to offer us anything. As Hirata-Kun remarked, I'm sure you called us all here because you have some important things you want to discuss with us relating to the class, Is that correct, Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"You're right, Kushida." If this was acting, Kushida deserved a lot of credit. Even someone as perceptive as me couldn't see right through her deception easily.

Horikita's demeanor indicated that she was having some difficulty. Given what we had just discussed the day before, she was undoubtedly uncomfortable being around Kushida. But she realizes she can't act weirdly or Kushida might start suspecting her.

I've already emailed her the specifics of how she'll be involved in my investigation into Kushida. Though it wouldn't be an understatement to say she was dissatisfied with the plan I devised. But, her participation is required if I want to keep Kushida tamed as possible.

This amount of time should be sufficient for the cookies to cool down. I took the cookies from the tray and placed them in a clear bowl.

"Here you go," I say as I set the cookie bowl on the table for them to consume. "You are free to take as many as you like, however, please don't be selfish and give everyone a chance to try one before grabbing many. It's fine if you don't feel like eating or if the food isn't to your liking. Any constructive critique that will help me improve my baking skills is much welcomed." I told them.

"I won't be eating any of the cookies you've made because I'm not one who likes to eat junk food but I appreciate the gesture, Ayanokouji-Kun." Horikita conveyed her gratitude in a small way.

"Horikita, are you sure? Kiyo's food is really good ya know?." Eichiiro made an attempt to persuade her. "I guess you truly do live up to your ice devil moniker." He unintentionally said something he shouldn't have. He soon realized what he had just blurted out and attempted to cover his mouth, but the damage had already been done.

"...What did you just call me?" says the narrator. Horikita inquired firmly, her gaze fixed on Eichiiro as though delving into his soul.

Yabe.

"N-nothing,"

"Really? I'm afraid I must differ. I believe I heard you refer to me as an ice devil or something of that sort." Horikita pressed him even more.

"Y-you must have been hearing things, Horikita-Ch- I MEAN SAN" In an attempt to defend himself, Eichiiro blundered.

"Hey, Matsuo-Kun..." Horikita addressed him coldly.

"Y-yes?"

"Would you rather repent in pain or in despair?" Horikita drew a compass from her bag and offered Eichiiro a choice. What is she up to?

"I'm not sure what you mean by that, but if I had to pick... neither of them?" Horikita's remarks made him noticeably tighten up.

"I see... So, Matsuo-Kun, are you prepared to take responsibility?"

"Wait wha-" Horikita tried to stab him in the shoulder with her compass before he could finish his statement, but Eichiiro grabbed her wrist and stopped her before she could.

"Horikita-San!" Hirata and Kushida yelled in worry.

"C-CHOTTO MATE! What the hell do you think you're doing!" Eichiiro exclaimed, still clutching her wrist.

"Stop reacting irrationally. I'm simply just giving you the punishment you deserve."

"Horikita-San, isn't that going a little too far?" Kushdia attempted to calm things down.

"Kushida-San, I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you there. Matsuo-Kun clearly needs to be taught some proper etiquette." Horikita responded sharply.

"HELP ME OUT HERE, OI KIYO!" Eichiiro had requested my assistance.

"Sorry, but this time you're on your own, bud." I turned away and let him die on his own. I truly apologize, Eichiiro, but even I wouldn't want to get involved with Horikita's antics.

"YOU TRAITOR!" He shouted, baffled by my betrayal.

They persisted in their shenanigans until Kushida and Hirata intervened and brought order to the situation. Later, I'll have to express my thanks to them. I didn't want my room to become a bloodbath because of the two of them.

"You guys should really eat the cookies right now. You should know that they won't stay warm indefinitely." They'd been warned.

They nodded in response to my warning and each picked a chocolate chip cookie from the bowl to try. I could see that several of them had contented and delighted expressions on their faces after they put the cookie in their mouths. That's a relief. In instances like this, the internet can be very helpful.

"This is without a doubt, the most delicious cookies I've ever tasted in my lifetime." Eichiiro was the first to comment.

"This is amazing Ayanokouji-Kun! Are you sure this is your first time baking?" Hirata asked.

"Believe it or not it actually is. I am grateful for your praises." I voiced my appreciation.

"You've got these chocolate pockets with all the cracks and crinkles, the middle is ooey-gooey while the outside is still crunchy at the same time. And the chocolate, oh my God, it melts in your tongue like butter. It simply has all of the flavors and textures that a chocolate chip cookie should have. This gets a 10 out of ten from me. Ayanokouji-Kun, you've done a fantastic job!" Kushida lavished admiration on me.

"Thank you, Kushida. Anyways, I don't want to waste any more of your time, so let's get down to business." I announced to them. They all looked in my direction and paid attention to what I was about to say.

"First and foremost, I want all of you to lead the class with me."

"What do you mean by that Ayanokouji-Kun?" Hirata inquired, his face befuddled.

"Well, you see, Hirata, despite the fact that I am Class D's formal leader, there may be occasions when Class D gets into difficulty and I am powerless to intervene, and that's where all of you come in." I elaborated.

"I see..." I'm guessing Hirata already has a good idea of what I'm talking about.

"Are there any more questions?" Kushida raised her hand. "Yes, Kushida?"

"I'm grateful that you think I'm capable of leading, and I'd be delighted to help, but... why did you pick the four of us? I'm pretty sure we haven't done anything outstanding to earn the title of significant figures in class D." Kushida raised a valid point.

"Excellent question Kushida. I genuinely summoned you all here not only to assess your full capabilities as a student but also to assess your social abilities." I explained to them.

"Obviously, the majority of you have a large social circle and are well-liked by our peers. This indicates that the majority of you have significant clout in the classroom. Because we were deemed the school's faulty class, there may be instances when dispute and disagreement arise inside our class; but, in order to prevent the class from devolving into chaos, I'll be relying on the majority of you to maintain order."

"I guess that's reasonable." Eichiiro agreed with me.

"Now on to our second order of business. Regarding our class, I'd like to devise exam countermeasures. As Class D students, I'm confident that several students in our class will probably struggle academically. That is something I believe we should address."

"The simplest and most effective options would be to form a study group. I'm not sure why we would need a substitute for it "Eichiiro responded with a positive response.

"Yes. The best option is to join a study group. After we've seen the abilities of our most capable classmates, we'll be able to choose our tutors. Of course, I will make every effort to assist anyone who requires my assistance." Horikita expressed her thoughts on the subject.

"That's something I'm not convinced of. What if they're doing so poorly in school that their academic abilities are comparable to those of a seventh to eighth-grader." I pondered.

"That is ludicrous. It's possible that expulsion would be a better option for such students. They'd just end up being a liability to the class." With a glare, Horikita said.

"Horikita-San... Aren't you going a little too far with this?" With a bitter smile, Hirata expressed his discontent. It was clear that Horikita and Hirata had polar opposite ideologies on how the class should be led.

"But what if those students had areas in which they struggle, as well as subjects in which they may easily excel? For example, what if a student's history grades were terrible, but their English grades were on a level with a tutor's? Academics aside, What about someone like Sudo? He claims that he has never received outstanding academic grades, but he is athletically superior to the rest of our classmates. Would you be so naive as to expel him just on the basis of that? And if something as simple as not paying attention in class deducts points from our grade, how much do you think it would cost if one of our classmates were to be expelled?"

"That... I guess you make a good point Ayanokouji-Kun." Horikita admitted defeat.

"Horikita, you need to work on your faulty way of thinking. You can't see everyone who isn't as capable as you as a burden. They're not your puppets; they're your classmates."

"I see... Thank you, Ayanokouji-Kun, for advising me. I wouldn't mind being chastised by someone as smart as you." Horikita expressed her gratitude solemnly. I just nodded as a response.

"Now before we get into the third order of our business, are there any of you here who gets along well with the pupils of Class B?" I questioned.

"I've only recently become acquainted with Ichinose and a few of her classmates, so I wouldn't say I'm really familiar with them," Kushida replied.

"I'm not really buddies with any of them yet, but I owe that Shibata guy in Class B 10.000 private points because I lost a running race against him." Why would you risk so many points on such a trivial race?

"How about you, Hirata?"

"I suppose you could call a few Class B students who attend the same club as me, my friends. why are you asking this Ayanokouji-Kun?" Hirata inquired.

"That will be relevant to the following topic. I'd like some of you to organize a hangout with Class B because some of you are friends with them. The goal of this hang out would be to strengthen the link between Class B and Class D in order to persuade them to join us in forming an alliance." I clarified.

"Now are there any questions?" Eichiiro made a gesture with his hand, indicating that he wanted to say something.

"Yes, Eichiiro?"

"I get how this future partnership will help both of our classes, but why Class B specifically? How about the other classes?" Eichiiro posed a question.

"Let's begin with Class C. I'm guessing you are all undoubtedly aware that I don't get along well with Class C because of what happened in the cafeteria between me and Ryuen."

"Wait, just because you're feuding with Ryuen doesn't mean we shouldn't consider allying with Class C as a possibility." Eichiiro shot back.

"On any other occasion, that would be true. However, Ryuen aims to use violence and dictatorship to govern over his class, and if he succeeds in doing so, it will be hard to even consider being friendly with Class C." I retorted.

"Wait, there's violence? Shouldn't we inform the teachers about him? Oh, and you did mention that there were surveillance cameras in the class, right? Why is he doing that in broad daylight? Is he truly that illiterate and oblivious?" Eichiiro expressed his honest bewilderment.

"Either Ryuen is a genius or a complete moron. Because Ryuen is in Class C, they can't report him to the school because he's in their class, which means their own classmates who were part of the acts of violence could be penalized as well. Furthermore, there is a non-zero chance that this school punishes entire classes for the behavior of a single student. Even if we caught them red-handed and recorded them on our phones, it would be worthless because we can't do anything as outsiders. It would only be useful as proof if a Class C student complained to the school, but as I previously stated, they cannot do so." I went over everything.

"Does this mean he can do whatever he wants to his classmates and get away with it?" Hirata asked in slight disbelief and a hint of anger.

"As of right now, there is nothing we can do about Ryuen's actions. But who knows, maybe in the future one of the students in class c will become tired of Ryuen and report him to the teachers."

"That's horrible..." Kushida took pity on them and had a dismal expression on her face.

Just how truly genuine were your words, Kushida Kikyou?

"Excluding Class C, what about Class A?" Hirata enquired.

"Class A is out of the question." Horikita who had been silent till now decided to speak up. "We know nothing about them, and they should be our primary targets."

"What Horikita says is true. Though I intend to look into them further, I may approach their class alone and try to learn more about them sometime around next week."

"Wait, your planning to confront them alone? Should you really be doing something like that by yourself?" Horikita asked.

"Please don't be too concerned. Let's simply say I'd like to reconnect with a childhood friend who is in Class A." I give a cryptic response. "I'll see what I can find out about Class A from her."

"Ayanokouji-Kun, please wait for a moment. I admire your efforts to help the class, but I wouldn't want you to do anything that would endanger your bond with your childhood friend." Hirata was the first to express his point of view.

"It's all right, Hirata. Let's just say we have a friendly rivalry. So even if I were to interrogate her for information, she wouldn't object because it's all part of our roundtable rivalry." I reassured him.

"If Ayanokouji-Kun says so..."

"Anyway, that's all I wanted to talk about with you. You are free to depart at this time. Again, please accept my apologies if I have squandered any of your time."

"Not at all Ayanokouji-Kun. The information you've relayed to us was worthy of some value, and I appreciate you sharing it with us. I would also like to thank everyone here for making the time to attend this meeting even if it was a holiday." Hirata thanked everyone.

"Please don't hesitate to contact me, Ayanokouji-Kun, if you ever require my support. I'll do everything I can to assist in any way I can. That's something you can count on me for!" Kushdia beamingly exclaimed.

"Well, then I'll be taking my leave first," Hirata said. "Do you wanna come along Matsuo-Kun?"

"Yeah sure, I don't have anything else to do anyway." Eichiiro accepted his invitation. They then left the room leaving me alone with Kushida and Horikita.

"Can I chat with you for a moment, Horikita-San?" Kushida asked courteously.

"Is it about something important?"

"I guess you could say that..."

"Well let's discuss it outside then. We wouldn't want to trouble Ayanokouji-Kun more than we already have."

"Um okay then," They then hurriedly exited the room to have a private conversation. I just sat and waited because I'm sure Horikita still has some questions for me.

———————————————————

Horikita returned to my room after a few minutes of waiting, and Kushida was nowhere to be seen. Kushida, I'm guessing, was the first to return to her dorm.

"How did it go with Kushida?" I inquired.

"It was all right. However, I was disgusted from the beginning to the end of our conversation." She sneered. "Is it really necessary for me to involve myself with Kushida?"

"Yes, as things stand now. I still don't know much about Kushida. If I start asking questions all of a sudden, she'll become suspicious. I'd need a card to play against her if I'm going to divulge what I know about her." I clarified once again.

"You're not asking me to act all buddy-buddy with her, are you?" Horikita cocked her head to the side, her brow furrowed.

"Certainly not. All I want is that you get along well with her as a classmate. Also, don't speak to her in an overly antagonistic manner. Even if she's just acting, as long as she doesn't do harm to you, you don't need to be so hostile. Don't worry, I'm not asking you to hang out with her." I replied.

"I see... I suppose I can cooperate if you only ask me to do that much." She didn't seem to appreciate the notion, but I'm kind of glad she was willing to go through with it. "I've already given her my contact information as you instructed."

"That's good then. Do you have anything else you wish to discuss with me?"

"As of right now, no. I'll be taking my leave now Ayanokouji-Kun." She said as she briskly walked out the door.

Everything was going swimmingly. I've now placed all of the pieces necessary for Class D's success on the chessboard. Let's hope things continue to go smoothly.

Vol.1. Chapter 5.1: END

Word Count: 4313 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 6.1: The Queen and Her King.

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Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

I would like to apologize for not uploading a chapter for 4 days straight. I was stressed mentally and had some family circumstances so I hope you can understand.

Anyways, May 1st will come in about 4-5 more chapters.

That's all I wanted to write, until then...

Sayonara! ( )

Vol.1. Chapter 6.1 : The Queen and Her King

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

Today is Monday, April 6th, 2015. This is the sixth day of my stay at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.

Currently, Chabashira-Sensei was providing us with an explanation about the has of the Yamato government also known as o-Kimi. I did my hardest to appear as if I was paying attention while also attempting to avoid boredom.

In my head, I was currently conducting a chess battle with myself. If you are skilled enough at chess, you will not require a chessboard to play the game. Because white had triumphed, as prophesied by me, I had technically won the battle... And lost at the same time? I'm not sure, it's a little perplexing.

I jumped out of my reverie to check the time to see how many more dreadful minutes I would have to put up with before the session was over.

Three minutes more, huh...

I opted to monitor the rest of the class' conduct during this session since I had nothing else better to do. There were pupils like Hirata, Eichiiro, Horikita, and Kushida who were completely focused on Chabashira-Sensei's lecture. They were either listening intently or taking notes.

Sudo, on the other hand, appeared to be struggling for his life in order to avoid dozing off in class. Hang in there buddy; I understand how you're feeling. Though I'm probably bored for a more different reason than you.

Most of my other classmates were likewise well-behaved, which was admirable; nevertheless, I began to notice that some of them had become more relaxed and informal since the first three days of school.

Yamauchi is a good example. On the surface, he appears to be taking notes, but he's actually reading a manga page and attempting to cover his tablet by putting a notebook over it.

Satou and Shinohara were also examples. They had their phones tucked away under their tables. I'm guessing they were bored and decided to text each other throughout class. They reasoned that if they hid their devices under their tables and looked down from time to time, they wouldn't be discovered.

I could do nothing but sigh in disappointment. Did they forget that there are cameras installed in the classroom? Well, I guess they're in Class D for a reason. If you're going to do something else in class, at least make an effort to conceal it thoroughly.

This is something I'll have to address with them later on. If I continue to let them do as they please, their laid-back attitude will undoubtedly affect the others, which is plainly undesirable if we want to keep as many class points as possible.

'Ring!'

The school bell rang repeatedly in my ears, signifying the end of our classes and the beginning of lunchtime. Finally, time seems to move at such a glacial pace when you're bored.

"That will be all for today's class. Please completely evaluate the information I've taught you today." Chabashira-Sensei said up before exiting the classroom quickly.

After Chabashira-Sensei left the classroom, the majority of my classmates had begun to congregate with their friends, with a select few enjoying their lunches alone. If I had wanted to live a tranquil life here instead of pursuing Class A, I would have probably become one of those people. That component was definitely influenced by the social skills I've built over the past year.

Normally, I would use lunchtime as an opportunity to get to know my classmates better either by getting invited by a new group of classmates or by sticking to familiar acquaintances such as the Ayanon group, Hirata, and his harem of girls, or Kushida's friend group.

But I had no intention of eating lunch with any of them right now. I believed today would be the ideal time for me to approach Class A and do my own investigation for further information. Hirata and Kushida have already been notified, so their circle of friends won't bother me for today.

Just as I was going to get up and go to Class A, someone had unexpectedly shouted out to me.

"Yo, Ayanokouji!" When I turned around to check who had called my name, I was met with Sudou's presence with Ike and Yamauchi behind him.

"May I help you Sudou?" I asked.

"Do you wanna like to join us for lunch? I mean, we've barely talked, and I kinda wanna get to know you better. Also, if you want to join us, we'll be eating somewhere close to the convenience store." He responded with an invitation.

I'm guessing he meant me, him, Ike, and Yamauchi when he referred to "us,". If it were any other day, I would most likely accept his invitation. Unfortunately, today was not one of those days.

"I'm sorry Sudou, but I'll have to decline for today. I already have plans to eat with someone else today." I politely rejected his offer. "If you'd like, we can eat lunch at another time."

"Damn, It's a shame you can't join us right now but sure! Let's go eat some other time. " Sudou said enthusiastically. He then left my table and proceeded to the convenience store with Ike and Yamauchi.

"I'm surprised you turned down Sudou's offer." My next-door neighbor abruptly spoke out.

" I told you on Saturday, didn't I? I'm going to meet someone from Class A in the hopes of learning more about their class."

"That's something I'm already aware of; it's just... Are you sure you'll be fine going into unknown territory by yourself?"

Was she concerned about me or something? I instantly dismissed the thought, assuming she was more concerned with whether or not I would succeed.

"I can't promise you anything, but I'll do my best to steer the conversation in my favor, and hopefully she'll make a blunder and spill some confidential information by accident," I clarified.

"I see... Well, good luck, I guess."

"Thank you. I'll see you later, Horikita." I bid my farewell. But before I could even leave, someone had called me out again before I could even reach the classroom door handle.

"Yo, Ayanon!" Hasebe called out to me with Yukimura and Miyake behind her.

"Do you guys need anything?"

"Well, since the club fair, we haven't really hung out, so we were just wondering if you'd want to join us for lunch?" Hasebe offered.

We haven't been able to communicate much with one other except through online texting. I wanted to spend time with them, but I had more pressing matters to attend to.

"Sorry, but perhaps another time. I've already made plans for lunch with someone else."

"Eh? So you have plans with another person? Ara, don't tell me it's a girl?" She smiled sarcastically while playfully raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's a girl." I bluntly replied.

"EH?!" She was taken aback and yelled loudly with surprise. This drew the attention of the entire class.

"Oi, Hasebe, We're out in the open right now. Don't make a fool of yourself in front of our classmates." Miyake admonished her in a lighthearted manner.

"Why are we even startled in the first place? After all, Ayanokouji is rather popular among our peers. I wouldn't really be surprised if he already had a girlfriend at this point." Yukimura made a remark.

"EH?! You already have a girlfriend Ayanon?!" She asked, flabbergasted.

When everyone heard this, some of the girls were completely focused on our chat, while some of the boys were openly glaring at me with killing intent. Crap, if I don't clear things out, there might be some misunderstandings about me. I really don't want any more unnecessary attention than I've already had to deal with the past week.

"Hasebe, please calm down. Don't make snap judgments based on a lack of evidence." I attempted to mediate the situation. "I'm just going to talk with an old childhood friend of mine. I haven't seen her in a long time and would like to catch up with her on several matters."

It wouldn't be a stretch to call Arisu a childhood acquaintance. She is the only one in this school who knows everything there is to know about me. She has also visited the white room in person and is quite familiar with it.

"I suppose I should be going now. I don't want to keep her waiting any longer than necessary." I swiftly exited the classroom after saying my goodbyes.

I could hear some gossip and murmuring from the girls as I walked out of the classroom. They were primarily discussing me and a mystery childhood pal. Was having a childhood friend really so unusual? I guess I'll have to ask Eichiiro about it later.

I felt like people were staring at me while walking to Class A, but it wasn't as awful as it had been the previous three days, which was a huge sigh of relief.

It took a few minutes, but I finally made it to the class with the nameplate "Class 1-A" inscribed on it.

I had to figure out a strategy to approach their class first without appearing suspicious. For instance, should I, for example, storm into the classroom and enthusiastically call out Arisu? No, I'd sooner die than attempt to duplicate myself as a happy-go-lucky person.

Should I ask for her contact information from someone from Class-1A and message her privately so I don't have to draw attention to myself in class? I quickly disregarded the notion, fearing that the person I would ask for her contact information would misinterpret my motives and spread tales about me and her. I didn't want to be a bother to the both of us.

Because this setting was so different from anything I'd ever encountered before, someone like me needed to devise a plan. I was cut off from most of the outside world ever since I was a child. It was do or die for me as I stepped alone into a battleground.

Ugh, why does socializing with other people have to be so bothersome. Even if I've spent the last year honing my social abilities to the point that I'm acceptable to others, I'm not a social elite like Hirata or Eichiiro.

I attribute my lack of social skills to the White Room as I was unable to acquire them because all of my generation's children had dropped out by the time I was nine or ten years old. As a result, I was cut off from all human contact with all of the people around my age. Until a year ago, I was completely and utterly alone and secluded.

"Ayanokouji? What are you doing just standing around over there?" While I was wrestling with my non-existent anxiety, someone had had again called out to me for the third time of the day. I broke out from my trance to see who had called out to me, I was greeted by Hashimoto.

"Oh, Hashimoto. I just need to talk to someone in your class." I answered truthfully.

"Is that true? If that's the case, why don't you simply walk right in? You've been there a long time." Hashimoto added something to the conversation.

Trust me, Hashimoto, Instead of fretting about something as little as this, if I had the bravery to walk in there myself, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

"I would if I could, but I'm not the most outgoing or extroverted person out there. As a result, I'm a little apprehensive about stepping into someone else's class."

"You don't need to be so concerned over something as minor as that! In fact, you're actually a really hot topic in our class. I'm sure everyone would welcome your presence there." Hashimoto attempted to persuade me.

Well, that's easy for you to say. Have you ever been reared in a secluded facility, cut off from human contact for most of your life?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

"But if you're really that hesitant... Then I guess I can help you and contact that person on your behalf." Hashimoto offered his assistance.

"Really? Thanks, man. I really appreciate the kind gesture." I expressed my gratitude.

"Don't sweat it. It's the least I can do to make amends for posting that photo of you without your consent on the school forum. Anyways, I just need the name of the person you're looking for from my class."

"Oh, yeah. Her name is Sakayanagi Arisu." I responded. He widened his eyes in surprise after hearing her name while looking at me with a baffled expression.

"...Sorry, I think I must have misheard you. Can you say her name again?"

"Uh... Sure? Her name is Sakayanagi Arisu." I repeated.

"You're not here to ask her on a date or something like that, are you? She's not exactly the warmest or friendliest person you'll ever meet. Plus, she's a little frightening in my opinion."

I could be overanalyzing it, but do I detect fear in his tone? Was there something Arisu did to him that caused him to be so hesitant? Knowing her, she most likely did something.

"I already know all of that. I'm her childhood friend after all." I answered casually.

"Wait, are you serious?!" Hashimoto inquired his face contorted with surprise. "Your not making some kind of joke are you?"

"Why would I make a joke about something so serious? You can ask her yourself if you don't believe me. I just want to have lunch with her because it's been a long time since I've seen her. I simply just want to do some catching up with her." I explained.

"If you two are already acquainted, as you claim, I don't see why I shouldn't summon her here. But, just in case, I'll ask her if you and she are really childhood friends. It's not that I don't trust you; it's just that the princess can be rather terrifying at times, and if you were caught lying about knowing her, she'd most likely find a method to punish you or something equally threatening."

Is he always this cautious when it comes to Arisu? Was she truly that ominous to other people? When we initially met, she didn't appear to be that type of person. Then again, everyone always behaves differently depending on the environment they're in or the person they're talking to.

However, it's possible that there's a part of her that she only shows when she's with me. If I were any other typical adolescent boy, I'd be ecstatic to learn that a beautiful girl like her treated me more specially than she did with others, but I didn't feel particularly happy. Not in the least.

"It's fine, I get it. I'm sure there's a reason you act so wary when it comes to her." He meekly nodded as a response. He then turned around and headed back to his classroom.

I could see several groups of Class A students eating lunch from the classroom window, most of whom were grouped around two students. Arisu was one, and the other was the tall, bald man who had attracted my curiosity during the entrance ceremony.

The bald man was surrounded by a large group of individuals, but his most notable companion was a young man with matching green hair and eyes. So he was the one who went around picking his nose in public with no shame... Please remind me to not get involved with him at all costs.

Arisu's group of folks caught my attention on the other side of the classroom. They were primarily focused on Arisu's current conversation with them. I tried to read her lips, but it was impossible to do so because it was so difficult to discern what she was saying.

I could also see Hashimoto approaching her desk stealthily as if he were a predator keeping a close eye on his victim. He muttered something into her ears as soon as he arrived at her desk, which I assume was about my invitation. She responded with a little chuckle and also whispered something into his ears.

He briskly walked away from the group and out of the classroom as they had finished their short and brief talk. Her classmates, understandably, were perplexed and curious by the topic they might have had just discussed. Arisu appeared to be reassuring them when she noticed this.

There was also a female with purple eyes and thigh-length purple hair tied in a long ponytail on the right side with swept bangs in the herd of people around Arisu. Her name was Kamuro if my memory serves me correctly. I had unexpected ran into both of them at the end of my trip to the convenience store.

She was quite stunning, I must say. Though she generally had an annoyed expression on her face rather than a pleasant or cheery one, it undoubtedly diminished her appeal to some other boys but I honestly didn't mind it. She appeared to be visibly uneasy being around Arisu, giving me the idea that they weren't the best of friends. Arisu may have even compelled her to accompany her despite her obvious aversion.

I may be observing too much, but this was a fascinating sight to witness. For example, I tallied the number of students in the classroom and discovered that every single one of them was present there.

Typically, some students would congregate around the school cafeteria for lunch. It was one of the few sites with enough space to accommodate the majority of the pupils.

Others, on the other hand, preferred to eat lunch somewhere else. Other students would rather buy their lunch at a convenience store and eat them at some other place like at the rooftop or in a quiet area like the school's corners where they could hear the ocean, or in their respective classrooms. Others who didn't have to worry about the points went to one of the several buildings on campus where they could eat lunch.

This raises multiple questions inside my head Like Why were all of the students in Class A present in their classroom when the other classes would normally be eating lunch somewhere else or, better yet, why were they only collected around two people? It seemed as if the class had been divided into two.

Of course, I could be overthinking things, but I cannot afford to miss even one small element if I want to learn more about Class A. Even a minor detail could assist me in determining what kind of structure and leadership Class A operates under.

My thoughts were interrupted as I noticed someone waving their palm in front of my eyes. I turned my head to see, and it was Hashimoto.

"Are you all right, dude? I've been calling your name over and over, but you just stood there calmly and unresponsive like a statue."

It seems I had become so engrossed in my thoughts that I had lost track of my surroundings. I definitely need to break this horrible habit of mine so that I don't end up disgracing myself in front of others.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry if I've caused you any concern." I apologized. "When I have nothing to do, I have a propensity of daydreaming in public which usually makes me oblivious to the surroundings around me."

"Don't worry about it. You didn't bother me in the least. Anyway, it appears to be exactly as you claim. You and the princess really are childhood friends..."

Princess? Is that the sobriquet she's been given by others? Or is that just he who calls her that? Well, I suppose the moniker is understandable given that she exudes an air of superiority and grandeur around her. Her attractive appearance is also likely to contribute to people's perceptions of her.

"How did she respond to my invitation?" I enquired. Even if she declined, I had already gotten some knowledge of her class, even if it was only a smidgeon.

"She said she would love to have lunch with you. She stated that you should wait for her at the special annex building because she has some business to attend to. She told me to inform you that she'd be there in around five to six minutes." He let me know.

The special annex building, eh? I haven't gotten the opportunity to visit the building yet, but it certainly was a weird spot to pick just to have lunch in. Perhaps she also has a hidden agenda in accepting my invitation. Well, I guess I can't complain because I was the same.

I merely responded with a nod and made my way to the special annex building to await her.

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It's only been a few moments since I arrived at the special annex building. I began to feel the heat emanating from the structure, which made me very uncomfortable.

I saw that there were no cameras mounted in the special annex building while I was inspecting the insides of the structure. It's quite odd considering all of the other classrooms and facilities had hidden CCTV cameras, but this one didn't. I'll have to look into this further at a later time.

When I heard tapping abbreviating throughout the hall, I was soon jolted out of my stupor. It was either Arisu had finally arrived or someone else was currently in the building. To find out who it was, I turned 180 degrees around my body.

I was greeted by Arisu, who was surprisingly flanked by Kamuro. Was she hoping for a group to join our lunch or something? That most likely isn't the case. She must have sought for Kamuro's help because she needed aid walking over to the building considering her condition.

She only gave me a frigid smile once our eyes connected, whereas Kamuro clearly looked like she didn't even want to be here.

"Can I go back now?" Kamuro asked with a tinge of displeasure in her tone.

"Of course. Excellent work Masumi-San. I'll be relying on you again in the future." Kamuro quietly nodded and left the premises leaving me and Arisu alone in the building.

"You wished to see me, Kiyotaka-Kun?" As a reaction, I did nothing but nod. "Did I keep you waiting for too long?"

"You were only a little late by..." To check the time, I retrieved my phone from one of my pockets. "Two minutes. However, it isn't really a major issue."

"You know Kiyotaka-Kun, It's considered impolite to respond so bluntly. You should've said something along the lines of, 'Oh, no, I didn't.' 'Actually, I just arrived.' ."

"But I'm just stating the truth, am I not?"

"Well, you're not entirely wrong. But, even if it is falsehood, it's just common sense to respond in that manner."

"You of all people should know that I am completely unaware of what other people regard to be common sense."

"Fufu... I suppose that's true." She remarked while slightly grinning to herself. "Ah, where have all my manners gone? Please accept my apologies if I kept you waiting, Kiyotaka-Kun."

"It's all right. You didn't keep me waiting long." I responded. "Anyway, since we're going to have lunch, do you want to go for a walk right now? It's starting to get a little sweltering in here." As I approached her, I inquired.

"I chose this building so that no one would interrupt our meeting, but if you have a different location in mind, that's fine with me." She answered.

(I'm running out of words to say like "I replied" or "she responded" okay? Don't judge me.)

I waited for Arisu to join me before the start of the stroll. I had planned to take us to a somewhat remote location with very few people. It was near the fences of the campus, where you could watch the ocean waves crashing onto the coast while being shaded from the sun by the trees located near the benches. I must say, it was a very relaxing location to eat in.

"I apologize for being such a sluggish walker." She expressed regret.

"There's really no need for you to apologize."

Her walking speed was obviously poor, but it was due to the handicap she was born with, thus it wasn't her fault. I also prefer taking slow hikes, so it didn't bother me in the least.

We walked for a few minutes in quiet before arriving at our destination. The place was a garden with a view of the campus's waterways. No one was around, thus the place was completely deserted. It had a pleasing and aesthetic vibe about it.

After that, we each took a seat on the garden bench. She was, nevertheless, rather close to me. Is she seeking to elicit a response from me in some way? I gave her a quick glance but was met with her typical smug smile, so I decided to leave her alone.

I then unwrapped my bento on the right bench handle. I took my chicken katsu set out of the bento box. Since last night, I had prepared and packed my lunch. I decided to cook this because I wanted a sense of nostalgia since this was one of the first dishes that Matsuo had taught me.

Matsuo deserves a lot of credit for my culinary abilities. We did learn to cook in the white room, but it was largely simple and healthful fare. He is solely responsible for everything I know about other cuisines.

"Oh? Did you make that bento yourself, Kiyotaka-Kun?" Arisu questioned, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"I did. Instead of ordering meal trays from the school cafeteria or purchasing low-cost food at the convenience shop, I choose to prepare my own lunch. Daily practice also aids me in improving my culinary skills."

"Did you ever learn to cook at 'that place?'"

It was a thoughtful gesture that she was cautious about revealing the White Room's identity. Even if it appeared that no one was present, there is a possibility that someone is eavesdropping in on our talk right now. If someone were to inquire what the White Room was, I wouldn't want to go through the trouble of fabricating a fiction.

"I did, but I was only trained to prepare healthful, boring, and simple meals. Only because I had a mentor outside of the white room who taught me everything I needed to know about cooking can I cook different cuisines."

"Oh? If I may inquire, who is that mentor of yours?"

"It was mostly Matsuo who had taught me how to cook. It was his father, not the person from my class. I owe him a great deal, from teaching me how to cook to risking his and his family's lives to assist me in escaping that place and that man's clutches."

Logically, I still couldn't understand why he would sacrifice so much merely to give me the chance to live a free and happy life. And, knowing that man, a bounty on his head I very certainly already on his head. However, I suppose some people prefer to think emotionally rather than intellectually.

Don't get me wrong: I appreciate everything he's done for me, but he should've considered this through before interfering in that man's business. Even if the government didn't get involved, I have a hunch he'd still try to help me get away from the White Room and help me enroll in this school. Matsuo, as he was known, was a guy of great kindness. Something he and his son have in common.

I can only pray that that man would never find him, for if he does, Matsuo's life will almost certainly be cut short. My father was a ruthless individual. He wouldn't think twice about annihilating everyone who got in his way or dared to oppose him.

"Well if you do meet him again, please give him my utmost gratitude since, without him, I would not have been able to meet the masterpiece in person." She instructed me to pass on the message.

As we individually opened our lunch boxes to eat, we put the conversation on a hold.

"Itadakimasu." We uttered the same words at the same time. For a few minutes, we ate quietly while taking in the scenery. As the wind blew hard in our direction, the sun shone brightly on us.

These were the kinds of moments I didn't get to experience during my time in the white room. Before attending this school, I had only visited the outside world once. It was when that man had ordered me to accompany him on a business trip to New York.

He intended to show me off to potential White Room Investors there in the hopes of securing the support and funds needed to develop the project even further. Apparently, It was also when Koenji had first learned of my existence, via chance.

Even if I was only used as a product for them, seeing the sights and architecture of New York was a memorable experience. Was it a relief to be able to finally return to the outside world? Not necessarily. It wasn't that it was dull or fascinating; I simply just felt a sense of emptiness and apathy.

Was it a new experience for me? Sure. But I wasn't completely enthralled by anything particularly. I'd seen photographs of New York in the textbooks we were given as part of our education. I do sincerely hope that one day I will be able to be captivated by the wonders that the outer world had to offer. One of the reasons why I chose to attend this school was to pursue this personal goal of mine.

"What's the matter Kiyotaka-Kun? You seem to be deeply absorbed in your thoughts?" Arisu inquired with concern.

"It's nothing. I just recalled something a little bit traumatic.

"She didn't try to push any further after hearing my statement, respecting my wishes of not wanting to discuss about it while looking at me with a sad and melancholic smile on her face.

Before things grow awkward, I should try to think of a discussion topic we could discuss. Should I just go straight to her and ask about her class? Or should I come up with a silly issue to discuss first?

Well, the second alternative sounds preferable. As I was ready to open my mouth, she abruptly cut me off before I could even say anything.

"Kiyotaka Kun, how has your stay at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School gone?" She initiated the discussion.

"It certainly seems extremely different from the environment I've been accustomed to for the majority of my life, but it's been fairly enjoyable for the first five days that I've been here. I've made several friends during our school year, and I'm wanting to expand my social network and learn more about human interactions." I answered honestly.

"Friends? Are you sure you're not just using them as textbooks to learn the friendship curriculum?"

...That technically wasn't a lie. In this school, I have not yet encountered anyone with whom I have formed an inextricable bond, let alone an emotional one. They're merely those who can assist me in quelling my interest in what friendship really is. That is truly all there is to it.

"Perhaps, but perhaps not. Anyway, how has your time at this school been thus far?" This time I was the one who posed the question.

"It's been a really dull few days. It's only entertaining when I'm tormenting Masumi-San or conversing with you. But, as time passes, I'll be able to enjoy my school days again by competing against you."

"How do you plan on facing me?"

"Kiyotaka-Kun, this school is considerably more than it appears to be. But I'm sure you've already got that figured out."

As a result, she may have some awareness of the school system. It's incredible that she was able to figure it out in a matter of days. I guess she is as brilliant as she professes to be.

"Ah, I see. Then I also eagerly anticipate our possible confrontation in the not-too-distant future." I responded.

'I'm also quite excited, but it's too bad that we'll have to postpone our competition."

"How come?" I wondered.

"Before I can even begin to face you, I'll have to take command of my class. Katsuragi is quite a tenacious and unyielding individual. He argues that he can better lead the class than I could. What a complete moron and a fool he is. To make matters worst, he's got that fanboy who constantly licks his feet to him every damn second."

I'm guessing Katsuragi was the bald man in her class who had half of her classmates clustered around him during lunch.

"Are you sure you should be sharing confidential information about your class to an outsider like me?"

"I don't see the issue, and weren't you the one who was probing me for information about my class in the first place?"

She seemed to have perfectly figured me out. But then again, I was also shamelessly spying on her classroom in broad daylight, so I guess I'm equally to blame. It's pointless to lie to her at this point.

"I guess you got me. But, even if you were aware of my motivations, why did you still accept my invitation to lunch?" I asked.

"For two reasons actually. First, considering how popular you are among the ladies of our year, it would be an honor for a young maiden like me to be invited by someone like you. For the second reason, let's just say I have a trade proposal for you." She gave an explanation.

Trade proposal? What would she exactly want from me?

"What exactly are you implying when you say 'trade proposal?' Would you like to trade something with me in exchange for private points? Or perhaps a favor?"

"Nothing of that sort. I merely just want to share some facts with you about what's going on in my class." Ah, I can see where she's heading with this. "However, we will have to abide by the law of equivalent exchange. It would be inequitable if I was the only one who informed you about my class."

"So you're suggesting that you'll tell me more about your class if I tell you some information about mine?" She replied with a nod.

I don't see why I shouldn't accept this offer as the leadership every class operates in will eventually come to light. Of course, I wasn't so eager to share important knowledge on the S-System with her.

"I accept your deal then."

"Fufu... That's great then. Now, shall we come back to where we left off?" She says as she puts down her lunchbox.

"Simply put, two students in my class have attempted to assume leadership roles, and the class is evenly divided between two factions. One being led by yours truly while Katsuragi Kohei headed the other. The Katsuragi Faction supports a more conservative leadership, whereas I prefer a more inventive and liberal approach." She began.

"I can give you an overview of Katsuragi's character. Katsuragi is, in many ways, the polar opposite of me. Even though I admit he is intelligent, he is nowhere near my level. Instead, he's garnered support as a dependable leader who is always stern and appears to value maintaining the class's own status over bringing down his adversaries." She continued.

A conflict of ideologies appears to have separated Class A, with the shrewd and wily Arisu and the stoic and dependable Katsuragi leading the opposition. Their class may appear to be flawless at first glance, but there was a significant schism inside it.

"That's all I'm willing to reveal about my class. I think it's time for you to return the favor, Kiyotaka-Kun."

I had to be careful not to let anything vital slide through my fingers.

"For starters, I am the only officially acknowledged leader of Class D, but I intend to change that by enlisting the help of four other people to assist me in leading the class. Horikita Suzune is the first, a sober and intellectual young lady who rarely shows emotion and appears undisturbed by most things. Although I concede she is capable, she has a highly anti-social attitude and a superiority complex despite her inability to back up her assertions of superiority. She likes to keep her distance from her classmates and looks down on those who fall short of her standards. She also lacks the ability to collaborate with others, which keeps her from being her best self."

"So the student council president has a sister who was placed in Class D? How disgraceful. I would feel ashamed to even call someone like her my sister." Horikita was heavily chastised by her.

So she's also familiar with the school's student classification system. Interesting...

"The second student is Kushida Kikyou, a girl who appears to be a sweet, kind, and loving person on the surface, but who hides a dark side of herself from others. Horikita, who attended the same middle school as her, believes her placement in Class D was impacted by something she did in the past."

"So you have a narcissistic ice devil and a two-faced bitch as your supporting casts? My oh my, it seems like you have quite the crowd. I'm very interested to learn who the other two are."

"Hirata Yosuke is the third person. He exudes a warm and mature demeanor around him, with an outgoing and welcoming disposition. I don't know the most about him out of everyone I've listed thus far. I've been watching him for a while, but I'm still stumped as to why he was assigned to Class D. Eichiiro is, of course, the last person. He, like myself, was placed in Class D on purpose, but if I had to point out a weakness, I believe he can sometimes be too naive and friendly. Anyways, that's all I'm willing to relay to you." I elaborated.

That was the conclusion of my explanation to Arisu. She appeared to be pleased with what I'd told her. When I took out my phone to check the time, I was surprised to see that lunchtime was only six minutes away. I guess time really does seem to speed up on occasion.

"If that's all you wanted to talk about with me today, I suppose we should both go back to our respective classrooms now. Kiyotaka-Kun, I'd like to thank you for today. Our small lunch rendezvous was a lot of fun for me, even if it was just for scouting out information." She remarked.

"Yeah, I had fun too."

"We should have another chess match at a later date. I enjoyed our last fight and would like to see who would win in a rematch, don't you think so?" Arisu came up with the question.

"I don't have any objections. I've played chess against a lot of people, but you were the first to genuinely challenge me."

"Is that so? Then to be praised by the same person who introduced me to chess is a huge honor." As a symbol of respect, she removed her hat and bowed gently.

We left the garden and had a leisurely trek back to our respective classrooms. Today, I learned a lot about Class A. I have to admit that I was a little excited to see what obstacles this school's children may throw at me. Perhaps the girl next to me will be the one to deliver me my first loss.

After a couple of minutes of walking, we finally arrived at the halls of our classrooms.

"It's unfortunate that we won't be able to spend much time together due to our busy schedules guiding our classes to the promised land, but once I take over my class, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, mark my words." She shifted her gaze to me. "I will deliver you your defeat and demolish your father's greatest work." She boldly declared.

"I look forward to seeing you try. I do hope that you'll be able to entertain me by giving me a challenge." I retorted with a taunt. She simply guffawed at my statement.

"Oh, I will. I can promise you that much. Well then, until we meet again... My masterpiece."

We turned around and gave each other one final glare before returning back to our respective classrooms.

She'd issued a challenge to a duel...

And I agreed to take up her task. Sakayanagi Arisu...

Let's see what you're truly capable of.

Vol.1. Chapter 6.1: END.

Word Count: 6807 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 6.2: Karuizawa Kei.

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Author's Note:

I'd just like to apologize for not uploading this yesterday. I tried to publish this yesterday but I had some stomach problems which prevented me from doing so.

Anyways, this chapter was meant to be hype up to the Sakayanagi vs Ayanokouji rivalry. I was planning to put more intense dialogue in the end, but I discarded that thought since I didn't wabt to make the chapter unnecessary longer than it needs to be.

Also, I'm about to have my final exams, so I'll only be able to upload 1 or 2 chapters next week.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say until then...

Sayonara! ( )

Vol.1. Chapter 6.2 : Karuizawa Kei

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

Waiting for the noodles to cook, I thought to myself, "It should finish boiling by any minute now..."

I was currently preparing a slice of chicken parmesan for dinner, a breaded chicken breast meal covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese on top. A dish originating from the Italian diaspora during the twentieth century.

I'd never eaten Italian cuisine before, so I figured, why not make it for dinner? having already purchased all of the necessary components for the recipe, I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't.

Of course, I am more aware than anybody else of the importance of not squandering too many private points on cooking supplies and ingredients, but who can blame me for wanting to try something new?

I was startled out of my thoughts when my phone, which had been placed on the study table, began to ring noisily. I turned off the stove to avoid overcooking the noodles and went to get my phone.

When I first took up the phone, I was greeted by Hirata's contact information on the screen. He was presently attempting to call me. Why was he contacting me so late in the evening? Was there anything he needed to talk to me about? Or perhaps he simply wanted to spend time with me and have a friendly talk.

Well, I wouldn't know unless I picked up the phone and answered it. To answer his call, I swiped the green button with the white telephone silhouette upwards while putting the phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Good evening Ayanokouji-Kun! Sorry for calling you so suddenly. I hope I'm not bothering you from doing something important."

"I'm only cooking dinner for myself right now but other than that, I'm not doing anything really productive,"I replied nonchalantly.

"I see... I'm glad then." Although we were on voice call, I could guess that he probably had a warm smile on his face.

"Do you perhaps have some business with me? It's rare for you to phone me at this hour."

This was the first time we'd actually called each other, but based on the amount of time we've spent texting, he's normally not online from daybreak until early morning. I'm assuming he wants to chat with me about something serious.

"Actually...There is. Is it okay if I visit your room right now?"

I wasn't expecting him to make such a request so late in the evening. Is what he wants to say to me so vital that we must meet in person? Or is it possible that he just wants to hang out? If it's the latter, I won't be able to avoid declining him.

"Can you tell me why you need to come into my room?" I inquired about the obvious.

"Something important has come up, and we'd like your input on it."

We? So he and someone else need my opinion on something...

"If it's truly that important, I suppose it's alright. By the way, do you want me to prepare dinner for you and the person accompanying you?"

I sincerely hope he is only coming to my room with just one person. If there are several, my room may become cluttered.

"Oh, we're fine. We can't burden you more than we already have. Plus we already had dinner during our mall hang out with Class B."

Ah, that's right. I had instructed Hirata and Kushida to strengthen the bond between Class D and Class B by hanging out with them whenever the occasion arose. Hopefully, our friendship will expand to the point where they will consider forming a mutual partnership with us.

"Okay then. I'll see you in a few minutes." I said as I hung up the phone and returned

I pulled out my tongs and gently lifted the pasta from the hot, boiling deep-pan, placing it on a black plate nearby.
tea then put on my mitten glove and opened the oven to remove the frying pan containing my completely cooked chicken parmesan. I set the frying pan on the kitchen table and used a spatula to spread the solitary slice of chicken parmesan over the black plate's noodles.

With little to no difficulty, I can confidently state that I nailed it when it came to creating this dish. It looked straight up mouthwatering and appetizing to me, and I was inclined to devour it straight immediately. I then took the black plate and set it on the dining room table. I got my knife and fork and was ready to dig, when suddenly...

'Knock! Knock! Knock!'

I could only sigh in exasperation hearing the knocks. Couldn't they have shown up just a few minutes later?

Well, I suppose I should congratulate Hirata and his companion. They're the first people to be able to put me, the demon of the fourth generation, in a state of vexation.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was already 7:37 p.m. So, it's this late already huh?

I put down my utensils and got out of my chair. I approached the door and gently opened it, only to be greeted by Hirata and... Karuizawa. Karuizawa was the last person I had anticipated to be the one who would tag along with him.

Hirata smiled as he said, "Good evening, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Wonderful evening..." Karuizawa, on the other hand, wore a solemn countenance.

"Please come in. Feel free to sit in whichever chair you choose. You are also welcome to sit on the bed." I welcomed them and I wrench open the door for them to enter.

"Pardon the intrusion~" They expressed their gratitude by bowing.

They then removed their shoes and sat in their designated areas, Hirata on the chair and Karuizawa on my bed. I was a little taken aback by her choice of seat because it was the first time a girl had sat on my bed, but I didn't want to get worked up over it.

"Do you guys want anything to drink?" I offered.

"Hm... If it's not too much trouble, I'll have a cup of coffee. Karuizawa-San, how about you?" Hirata deflected the question.

"I'm just going to have a cup of green tea instead. Thanks." Karuizawa said in a very meek tone.

Her flippant, haughty, and prideful demeanor she showcases in front of others was suddenly nowhere to be found. Was this Karuizawa Kei's true personality hidden beneath her pompous mask? But hey, maybe I'm simply overthinking things as I often do.

"As far as beverages go, I don't have any hot ones right now. I only have two cold cans of green tea and one can of coffee. Will that be acceptable to both of you?" In answer to my worry, they merely nodded.

I opened the fridge and took the two bottles of cans from it. I then hurled both of them in Hirata and Karuizawa's directions. I may have tossed Karuizawa's green tea can with too much power because she had to lean back and fumble to get it. If I were a normal adolescent boy, I'd be laughing out loud at her circumstance, but sadly, I still have not figured out how to do so.

"Ayanokouji-kun, I'm sure you're curious as to why we've come. Karuizawa-san, I'll leave the explaining to you." Hirata remarked as he handed her the baton.

She was visibly squirming and hesitant to open her mouth, struggling to express what she wanted to say, which was in stark contrast to how she usually acts. She seemed worried and nervous, and I could tell. I have to tread carefully so she doesn't feel pressured and bullied into telling me what's on her mind.

"Karuizawa-San, please calm down. I'm confident that Ayanokouji-Kun will be able to assist us in resolving this issue." Karuizawa was reassured by Hirata.

She seemed hesitant for a brief second but decided to face me anyway. Whatever it is that's troubling her right now, I'm about to discover right now.

"Can you promise me, Ayanokouji-kun, that anything we talk about in this room will stay in this room?" She begged. Her desperation could be seen in her eyes and in her actions.

"I get what you mean. I'll keep it to myself if it's something you want to keep secret." I responded. It's only reasonable for me to reciprocate in kind because Hirata had put his trust in me on this.

"Thank you..." After a long sigh, she continued. "You see... I was bullied a lot since my elementary days."

Bullied? That was certainly unexpected. Could the traumas she's suffered as a result of the bullying be the reason she puts on such a rough and harsh persona in public? That is the most likely plausible outcome I could think of.

I didn't bother to interrupt her since I didn't believe it was necessary, and I assumed that she would prefer that I let her explain everything first before asking questions about her sensitive background. Seeing that I was silent, she continued.

"I've been the victim of both verbal and physical abuse. My own classmates would harass, punch, kick, spit on me, and whatever else you can think of..." Karuizawa narrated, her eyes welling up with tears. "My desk was always vandalized, and there wasn't a day that went by without my pouring large amounts of dirty water in the bathroom... The only term that comes to mind to express what I went through is hell. Then I went to this school and finally got away from it all. Nobody knows who I am... However, I'm still afraid that the same things might happen again..." she concluded.

I could see it took all of Karuizawa's bravery to open up on what she had gone through in the past.

It takes a lot of courage to reveal your vulnerabilities to others. Humans in one have things they hide from others in one manner or another for fear of being criticized or reprimanded. For example, you may be self-conscious about your appearance, or you may have experienced something very traumatic in the past that has profoundly impacted or injured you as a person.

Naturally, not everyone is brave enough to share their troubles with others, even those closest to them. "If you ever need someone to rely on, you can count on me," people would normally remark. "You can tell me your problems; I'm here for you," or "You don't have to do everything alone; I'm here to help you." And the recipient who receives those encouraging comments will feel obligated to tell them about their sins or insecurities. It would be easier for you to bear that weight if you could share it with someone.

It's that easy right? Unfortunately, only a naive and idealistic fool would believe it was that simple. Sure, getting things off your chest to someone might make you feel better, but how do you know that person will keep your secret? How can you tell whether they're someone trustworthy or not? How do you know that they won't utilize your secrets to exploit you? The answer is... You don't. You can only hope and rely that they will follow through with their promises.

The world is a dreadful place populated by self-centered and unloving individuals. Not everyone is who they portray themselves to be, and most people are well aware of this. That is why some people find it difficult to express their actual sentiments to others; they are afraid of being betrayed if they place their faith in someone. That is the unfortunate and sobering truth about this unfair world that we live in.

Was I speaking about this from my own personal experience? Obviously not. I'm merely expressing my thoughts on the subject. I knew more than anyone else that I was one of those self-serving individuals who wouldn't hesitate to stoop so low as to employ unspeakable methods that society would regard as rotten or cruel as long as they benefited me in the end. Was that a feature of myself that I despised? Not really. That's just the type of person I really am.

( If that little monologue didn't make sense then I'm really sorry. I don't know if all that stuff I spouted was true, I'm just speaking from personal experience.)

As of right now, Karuizawa is in a very vulnerable state so I'll do my best to at least appear empathetic in this situation.

"I see... Thank you for trusting me, Karuizawa. But why did you bring Hirata into this? Can he perhaps help you in some way?" I asked.

"Well... I attempted to persuade Hirata-Kun to become my lover. Of course, I have no romantic feelings for him, so we'll just pretend like we're in a relationship. Hirata-Kun, on the other hand, didn't believe it was a good idea. That's why we'd want to hear your thoughts on the subject." Karuizawa clarified.

Ah, so that's what she's aiming for.

"Hirata can choose whether or not he wants to be your boyfriend, even if it's just for show. But if you want my opinion on the subject... I believe Karuizawa makes a more compelling case." I expressed my point of view. "The issue is that it's too early for the both of you to get into a relationship right now. Given that we've only been at this school for five days, people are bound to be suspicious of how the two of you became so close so soon."

I was planning to Hirata-Kun in about two to three weeks, but some of the other girls were preparing to confess to him first, so I... I got desperate and approached him sooner than expected." Karuizawa explained.

"But why pick me?" Hirata asked the main question.

"Please don't tell any of the girls that I told you both this, but the girls have secretly compiled a popularity ranking list of our year's boys. Ayanokouji-Kun is currently in the lead, followed by Matsuo-Kun and Hirata-Kun. I think you would be the best option since most girls would prefer a mature prince charming type of guy. Because you'll be well-known, I'll be able to use that to my advantage to boost my own social standing. Any attempts by others to bully me would evaporate in an instant."

I was surprised to hear that Karuizawa had gone to a lot of effort to think things through. I guess she's not quite as stupid as I assumed, don't tell her that though.

"It seems like you've already thought this through, Karuizawa-San," Hirata commented.

"I have for a couple of days actually. I've even already made up of a story I could tell the girls when Hirata-Kun and I announce our relationship in public." Karuizawa, who had been agitated the entire time, suddenly showed signs of resuming her usual happy demeanor.

"That's interesting... Before we wrap up our conversation, I have one more question. Have you considered Ayanokouji-Kun or Mastuo-Kun as alternatives? Isn't it likely that they'll become popular in the near future as well?"

Even if Karuizawa had asked for my assistance, I would have denied instantly. I wasn't soft-hearted enough to feel sorry for Karuizawa's predicament so I could play the role of her boyfriend. In either case, I would have recommended Hirata or Eichiiro.

I'm planning on leading the class soon. Faking a relationship would only add to the chaos and exhaustion that already exists in my life.

Plus, I was curious about learning the feeling of love as well. Despite the fact that I find Karuizawa to be pretty attractive, I have no desire to go out with her.

"Well I did consider Matsuo-Kun as an option first, but he sometimes hangs out with the idiots of our class. Although I don't think he's a pervert, some of the girls might get the wrong idea about him. For Ayanokouji-Kun, He's already done a lot for our class so I didn't want to end up burdening him more. Plus, I didn't want to ruin the relationship that he and Horikita-San had going on."

Woah woah woah woah, do people actually still think me and Horikita are dating? Damn it, I really need to clear this up as soon as possible before the whole school starts believing this false rumor.

"Let me correct you there Karuizawa, nothing is going on between me and Horikita. We are simply just seatmates who interact with each other from time to time." I made my point clear.

"Eh? Really? But I heard from a few girls that they spotted you and Horikita-San were out on a date at Palate cafe. They've even taken pictures of it."

She took out her phone and went to the school's discussion board. She then thrust her phone in my face, exposing a photo of Horikita and myself waiting in line. So they did, in fact, capture photographs...

"We weren't on a date just because we were hanging out together. I simply requested her to accompany me to the cafe because it was largely filled with women and I didn't feel bold enough to go alone."

"Hoho, I see~ once I tell the girls that you and Horikita-San aren't dating, They'll surely feel relieved and overjoyed at this revelation."

Am I really that popular with women? I mean, I knew my popularity with the females would skyrocket once I started showcasing my abilities, but I didn't expect them to be this drawn to me.

"Anyways it's getting late now, you both should probably head back now," I advised, ignoring Karuizawa's last remark.

"Ah, thank you for listening to the both of us today Ayanokouji-Kun!" Hirata expressed his gratitude.

"Yeah thanks, Ayanokouji-Kun... I'll be counting on you and Hirata-Kun to help me when I need you both"

"If you ever need help from me or Hirata, please don't hesitate on calling either of us. Just don't cause some unnecessary trouble for the class." She nodded as a response and with that, they exited my dorm.

Today was quite an eventful day.

To be honest, I agreed with Karuizawa's suggestion that they form a fictitious relationship not because I didn't feel sorry for her. Truthfully, I couldn't care less about what happens to Karuizawa.

Her influence will soar both inside and beyond the class once she and Hirata reveal their connection. She'll eventually gain control of the girls in our class and emerge as their leader, providing me with the final element I require to keep our class stable.

She'll be a very useful puppet for me to control.

Vol.1. Chapter 6.2: END.

Word Count: 3136 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 7.1: Testing our limits.

———————————————————
Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite it being so short.

I forgot to mention this but while they were discussing, Ayanokouji was still eating his dinner so don't worry, he didn't forget to eat.

Anyways, I will upload one more chapter before not uploading for five days straight since I have my exams.

Also, there will be two more chapters until the May 1st reveal.

To new viewers, I did a poll back a month ago about the OAA app, and most of the readers agreed to install it a year early or May 1st will contain the OAA rankings.

Now my version of the OAA might have a different definition than the one in the LN, so expect some different results.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say for today.

Sayonara! (‿)

Vol.1. Chapter 7.1 : Testing Our Limits

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Good morning, Yamauchi!"

"Good morning, Ike!" Yamauchi greeted Ike with a big grin as he entered the class.

The admission ceremony was one week ago today. It was very unusual for Ike and Yamauchi to arrive so early; they would normally arrive a few minutes before homeroom begins.

"Whew, man! I was so excited for today that I didn't get much sleep last night!" Ike exclaimed with zeal.

"Isn't this school just the best?!" Yamauchi began by agreeing with Ike's assertion.

Ike was constantly giving glances to the girls of our class with an unsettling grin while conversing with our male classmates. Though, he wasn't alone. Almost all of the boys were currently standing near him, laughing amongst themselves and occasionally staring at the girls, especially Kushida.

Wait, never mind. When I followed their line of sight, I noticed that their eyes were fixed on their chests, not on them. They weren't gazing at them, but rather, ogling them. Some of the girls who noticed this were visibly disturbed but didn't raise their voices against it.

Instead, The girls were gradually pulling themselves away from them, as if attempting to escape contracting a contagious disease.

Ah, I finally realized what was going on. Today was going to be our first day of swimming lessons. To put it another way, Horikita, Kushida, Hasebe, and the other girls will be exposing a lot of skin. It was understandable that the boys were feeling very ecstatic about it.

(If you think this is a swimming chapter, reading further might do you some good.)

"Please don't tell me your planning to join them." My seatmate suddenly spoke up, looking at me as if she was disappointed.

"What made you think I'd barge into their conversation?"

Was she under the impression that I was someone who would engage in perverted and lustful discussions? Unfortunately, the White Room had taken away everything that might have influenced my sexual cravings for women.

"It's just the way you were staring at them... It appeared as if you were interested in participating in their perverse chatter." Horikita added her two cents.

"Do you really think I'm the kind of person who would openly discuss something so aberrant in public?"

If I were to join in their conversation, my reputation among the girls in our class will most likely suffer. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be despised by my peers for the remainder of my high school career.

"No... But then again, who knows. Not everyone is who they appear to be on the surface. For example, you may present yourself as a mature and responsible student, but underneath that, you might also be a closet pervert just like them."

"Rest assured, I barely have any interest in a girl's body parts. Even if I were interested, I would keep those personal thoughts to myself." I gave a genuine response.

"So your not denying to having those kinds of thoughts." Horikita raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"But I'm also not confirming it either, am I? We're at a stalemate at this moment, so you can't really get anything out of my lips."

"I guess your right." Horikita put the conversation to an end and returned her focus to the book she had been previously reading.

I hope Horikita will learn to get along better with our classmates one day. She assured me that she would make an effort to be more friendly to others, but I have yet to see her follow-through. Of course, she could have made advances behind my back that I was unaware of.

Maybe she'd already made a network of people with whom she could communicate. I envisioned her hanging out with a group of girls, laughing and smiling as they talked about inconsequential matters.

...

Actually you know what? It didn't seem so horrible to imagine Horikita smiling in a photo. She'd surely give Kushida's fame a run for her money if she had Kushida's outside personality. That image will certainly be etched into my supercomputer brain and probably stay there until the day I leave this world.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, are you perhaps thinking of something snide about me?" Horikita glared at me as if peering into my soul.

Seriously, how does she keep reading my thoughts as if it was a piece of cake? Is that a female-only superpower that I'm not aware of? Am I actually starting to show emotion on my face that gives away what I'm thinking? Yeah, I doubt that.

Sigh.

Women's intuition can be quite frightening, to say the least.

"It's simply just all in your head, Horikita." I denied her claim. Her eyes filled with suspicion swept over me for a few seconds before returning her sight to her book.

Phew, that was close. If she had continued in her assumptions, she may have tried stabbing me with her compass, and I would have met the same fate as Eichiiro did a few days ago. I guess people don't refer to her as the Ice Queen for no reason.

I had nothing better to do while waiting for homeroom to begin, so I opted to listen in on Ike and his buddies' conversation.

"Will the strategy be put into action, Professor?" Ike asked of Sotomura, who had been tinkering with his laptop.

"Why of course, Ike-Dono. If things go according to plan, everything should proceed smoothly. We'll get our hands on those records as soon as possible!" Sotomura exclaimed.

"Perfect! Oh, my goodness I can't wait!" Yamauchi was overjoyed.

"Hey, what exactly do you mean when you say records?" Eichiiro inquired softly, interrupting their discourse.

"Huh? Matsuo? Hmm... Why should we tell you? You could end up tattling on us." Ike questioned, his face full of skepticism.

"Yeah! Aren't you pretty close with some of the girls?" Yamauchi added.

"I won't deny that I am, but as long as you don't do anything ridiculous, I will always prioritize my brothers first," Eichiiro said playfully, attempting to persuade them. "After all, I'm a firm believer of the term bros before hoes."

I was still puzzled as to why some lads liked to refer to women as "hoes." Was that meant to be a snub or a compliment of some sort? A hoe, according to the textbook definition, is a long-handled gardening tool with a thin metal blade that is mostly used for weeding. Trying to fit in with others can be quite perplexing and frustrating at times.

"Now, now. Doesn't it make sense to include Matsuo-Dono in our plans? I think even an Ikeman like him has teenage desires that he wants to fulfill isn't that right Matsuo-Dono?"

"I... Suppose?" Eichiiro smiled bitterly and befuddledly. "However, I'm still not sure what you're planning to accomplish." Finally, Eichiiro addressed the elephant in the room.

"Professor will pretend to be ill. That way, He'll be able to observe the girls' boobs from the side and take measurements on their sizes." Yamauchi spoke in hushed tones.

"If we're lucky, he might even get us pictures," Ike continued with an alarming grin on his face.

"Oi, oi, your not serious are you?" Sudou began to feel reluctant about being apart of what they were scheming.

"Please tell me your joking..." Eichiiro voiced his dissatisfaction.

"Why would we be joking about something like that?" Ike seemed very oblivious to what the consequences could be.

It'll be a complete carnage if the girls find out about this. Every girl in class 1-D would most likely detest ke and Yamauchi, and they will be shunned and disgraced as outsiders until graduation. Worse yet, they're already renowned as the twin idiots of Class-D.

"Alright, count me out. I don't wanna risk ending up in jail just to see explicit pictures of the girls." Eichiiro responded while putting his arms up in the air.

Sudou withdrew from their plan as well, most likely out of fear of being loathed by the rest of the class or fear of facing jail time.

"C'mon dude! It'll only be a crime if we aren't caught." Ike pleaded. "Plus, I'm sure no one here will try to snitch on us."

Was he so desperate that he's willing to ruin his entire life just to glimpse indecent photographs of the girls of our class? Well, I guess there's a reason why he was alloted to Class D.

"While I won't accompany you on your vile mission, I won't get in the way either. Just don't say I didn't warn you when you're put on trial for sexual harassment." Eichiiro issued a cautionary statement. "Ike and Yamauchi, in particular. You know how the girls have already labeled you as perverts, right?"

"W-wait, seriously?!" Yamauchi panicked.

"Shit! Abort the mission! I repeat, abort the mission!" Ike screamed with agitation. Eichiiro then left them to their antics and approached my desk.

"Honestly, those two never learn do they?" Eichiiro sighed in great dismay.

"What do you think would've happened to them if they still continued on with their plan even after you've already alerted them?"

"Hmm... I probably would've reported them to the teachers or told the girls on what they had intended to do." Eichiiro bluntly answered. "Either that or I would've dragged them out of the class and beat them to a pulp to teach them a lesson." Eichiiro joked.

"Please don't try to do anything of the sort. I'd appreciate it if you were able to remain in this school for the next three years." I advised him.

"Heh, of course I won't. If I do get expelled because of something like that, I wouldn't hear the end of it from our dad." Eichiiro then sat back on his chair, leaving my desk.

Ike and Yamauchi urged me and Eichiiro to rejoin them after a few minutes had elapsed. They were reportedly placing bets on the size of the girls' breast sizes. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious, but Sudou, Eichiiro, and I were well aware of the dangers of becoming involved, so we did nothing but listen.

Sakura and Hasebe were two of the most popular predictions. I'm curious to see how they'd react if they found out about this...

The door slid open, showing Chabashira-Sensei, who had just come for homeroom on time. We all returned to our seats and focused on what Chabashira-Sensei was going to teach us today.

"Good morning Class 1-D. I have a sudden announcement I would like to deliver to all of you first before we begin today's lesson." Chabashira-Sensei was the first to speak.

I twisted my head, trying to figure out what this unexpected statement could be about. Maybe a surprise pop quiz? Or would it be the start of our first special exam? Or perhaps some grim news regarding something tragic? I suppose I should listen to her first before considering the possibilities.

"Unfortunately, your swimming lessons will have to be postponed until next week due to some unforeseen circumstances," Chabashira-Sensei informed us.

I looked around the classroom to see how everyone reacted to the news. Some of the females, particularly Sakura and Hasebe, exhale a sigh of relief, undoubtedly relieved that they won't have to cope with the boys' inevitable stares when they expose a lot of skin. Some of the boys were discontented and slumped in their seats.

Ike on the other hand...

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!" Ike shouted at the top of his lungs as if he was in pure agony.

"Oi, Ike. Shut the fuck up, it's literally 8.00 a.m. in the morning!" Sudou scolded Ike loudly.

"B-but Sudou... The swimsuits... The boobs!"

Oh crap, did he just say that out loud? Hearing Ike's remark, some of the girls clicked their tongues and looked at him with complete distaste.

(I'm making crap Kiyo's favorite swear word in this fic since I think him saying something along the lines of shit or fuck would be too OOC of him. Well, it's not really a swear word but you get my point.)

"Don't say something like that out loud ya fucking dipshit!" Sudou continued to admonish Ike harshly.

"If you two would please let me finish," Chabashira-Sensei glared at them. "As compensation, there will be a PE class replacing your swimming classes for today. Mashima-Sensei will be the one to supervise all of you in the gymnasium."

Mashima-Sensei huh...

He's our English instructor, as well as the homeroom teacher for Class A's outstanding students. He appeared to be a severe man who took his job very seriously. Given that class D can be unduly unruly at times, it makes it fitting that he would be the one to look after us.

"Now are there any questions regarding this?" No one raised their hands. "Good, now we'll begin today's lecture."

--

After lunch, it was finally time for Physical Education. Many of the boys were pumped, knowing that this was their chance to show off their athleticism in front of the females of our class. And, more than likely, to see the girls in their gym uniforms and shorts. I trailed behind my classmates we entered the locker rooms to change.

Sudou began changing his clothes right away. His well-sculpted figure from years of playing basketball was on display. His body appears to be powerful, especially when compared to the other students in the class.

"Sudou, don't you ever get embarrassed by revealing your body in public so easily?" Ike unintentionally spoke up at the sight.

"Nah, I try to change as quickly as possible. If you try to hide yourself, you'll become the center of attention."

You can say that again. Someone who tries to change quietly in a locker room will almost certainly be mocked.

I quickly took off my clothes and also searched for my gym uniform and shorts but before I could put them on, I felt the gaze of every boy staring at me.

"HOLY SHIT AYANOKOUJI YOUR FUCKING RIPPED!" Miyamoto was the first to comment.

"I knew you would be a bit athletic because of the picture on the school forum, but I didn't know you were this buff!" Sudou said while slapping my back. It hurt.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, do you happen to be a bodybuilder. No matter how you look at it, even if you do sports, your physique is not that of a normal high schooler." Hirata remarked.

"I guess I exercise on a daily and I do some weight lifting," I answered truthfully. Though, my routine was not as simple as that of a normal high school athlete.

My response seemed to satisfy them all. We all finished getting dressed and exited the locker room at the same time. I spotted an unexpected duo speaking with each other while walking.

It was Eichiiro and Koenji.

I slowed my pace a little to eavesdrop a bit on what they were saying.

"I don't think anyone noticed you, but you're quite athletic, aren't you Koenji? For a high schooler, you have an unreasonably athletic body like Kiyo." Eichiiro complimented him.

"Why of course, Matsuo boy! It is only natural that I, the great Koenji Rokusuke, have a beautiful and divine body that is the apex of the human physique." Koenji boldly boasted.

"Apex of human physique? Aren't you overestimating yourself a bit Koenji?" Eichiiro slightly chuckled. He looked like he genuinely enjoyed chatting with Koenji.

"Overestimating? Oh please. A mere mortal like you wouldn't understand how truly perfect of a human being I am. You should feel lucky Matsuo boy. Usually, I would reprimand people who dare to criticize me, but I've taken a bit of a liking to you. At the very least, you're more of a lowly human than a mere ant."

"...I guess that's better than being an ant." Koenji then picked up the tempo and left Eichiiro to his own device. I took advantage of the opportunity to talk with Eichiiro.

"You two seem to be getting along well."

"Eh, more or less."

"Why do you hang around him though? Because of his egotistic and contemptuous tone, most of our classmates would prefer to avoid him." I enquired further. "

"Despite the fact that he's a complete narcissist, I find people like him to be the most interesting and fun to be around. He can, however, be a jerk at times."

Eichiiro seemed to desire to develop some strange friendship with Koenji for personal interest. If he could befriend Koenji, I'd probably give him a medal if I had one. If someone like Koenji were a friend of mine, I'd probably find it quite bothersome and irritating.

As the gym began to fill, I made my way towards Horikita, who was surprisingly engaged in conversation with Onodera.

"Horikita-San, do you participate in any kind of sports?" Onodera asked.

"No, not really. Why do you ask?"

"Well... It's just that I noticed while we were changing, you had a pretty well build figure compared to the other girls."

"I do exercise daily and I follow a stringent diet to keep my healthy physique."

"I see..."

"What about you, Onodera-San? I noticed that you also had a good body shape." It was nice to know that Horikita was trying to keep the conversation going.

"Eheh, I feel a bit flattered by your compliment," Onodera said while scratching her head. "Actually, I used to be in the swimming club during my elementary and middle school days. I also recently just applied and got accepted into the swimming club of this school."

"I see..."

"You know Horikita-San, contrary to what the other girls say about you, you're actually not that hard to talk to."

"It's because you're not as obnoxious as the other girls of our class are."

"I know they can be a pain sometimes, but I promise that they are genuinely nice people.".

"I'll keep that in mind then."

"Well, I better go now. I don't wanna keep Kushida-Chan waiting. See you later Horikita!" Onodera ran while waving goodbye at Horikita.

"You two appear to get along swimmingly," I observed.

"All I'm trying to do is follow your advice and be more open to people. However, this does not imply that we are already mates. As of right now, she and I are nothing more than acquaintances who only speak with one another once in a while." Horikita put it straightforwardly.

So she still has her cold and aloof demeanor, but I suppose some growth, even if it's only a little, is better than none.

"All right, everyone, please assemble around me!" Mashima-Sensei motioned for everyone to come to him. "So, it appears that all 40 of you are in attendance, which is great." He went on after finishing roll call. "Before we get started on our activities, I'd like to have everyone do some stretches first. Circulate around the gymnasium at least five times after you've finished warming up. After that, you can take a three-minute pause to re-energize before we start." Mashima-Sensei instructed.

We all began by stretching, periodically extending, and strengthening our arms, legs, and other body components. We all went for a long jog around the gymnasium after six minutes of stretching. With the exception of myself, Eichiiro, Sudou, Hirata, Koenji, Horikita, Kushida, and Onodera, everyone had a fatigued expression on their faces after we finished jogging. I guess our class wasn't particularly sporty.

I took out my water bottle from my luggage and started drinking from it to rehydrate myself. With a towel I brought, I wiped the sweat from my face and neck. While doing so, I noticed some of the girls ogling me with crimson tints on their faces. Some of them were even drooling in public with no feeling of guilt or embarrassment.

If it were the other way around, the guys would surely be severely disciplined and reprimanded and we would be publicly shamed as the filth of human society. Is this the so-called gender equality that the world has gotten accustomed to?

"Everyone, please form a line with the females on the left and the boys on the right." Mashima-Sensei jolted me out of my trance with a command. We each form a straight line with Sudou in front of me while Koenji was behind me. I don't think it was a coincidence that Koenji was constantly in front of or behind me whenever we were told to line up.

"You may be wondering why I've ordered you all to form a line. As a reward for deferring your swimming lessons, you will all be competing in a dodgeball battle near the end of our session. Of course, it will be separated by gender." Mashima-Sensei made a statement.

The class went into loud commotion, probably because they were thrilled to be doing something fun until Mashima-Sensei silenced them.

"But first, have a look at this." Mashima-Sensei demonstrated an apparatus that I recognized as a grip strength tester. "This is a grip strength meter I borrowed from school. I'm going to ask everyone currently present to grab this device with their dominant arm, and it'll assess your grip strength. I borrowed two so that we may measure more quickly and efficiently."

After saying that, he handed out one to each of the pupils in front of their respective lines.

It was probably going to be passed backward in time, with Koenji being the last participant. I was very intrigued to know just how strong Koenji's grip was. He had a very muscular physique which was comparable to that of a White Room student.

After a few moments of waiting, it was time for the final three consisting of me, Sudou, and Koenji, to test our grip strength. Hirata had the strongest grip strength so far, weighing in at a healthy 57.9 kilograms. As expected, an omnipotent man like him could produce unwavering results even here.

"Ayanokouji, keep looking. This is the strength of the man who will one day become the greatest basketball player in Japan " Sudou proudly laughs and flaunts his prowess. "Uraaa!" Sudou's shoulder shook as he held the instrument with his right hand, full of battling spirit.

The numerical numbers in digital format rapidly increased. In an instant, it surpassed 50, reached 60, and then continued to surge to 70. Finally, the digitally displayed value was 82.4 kilograms. The surrounding area briefly erupted in a frenzy.

"Bro you're way too strong!" Someone exclaimed with shock.

"Heh. It's because I've been training ever since I was in elementary school." Sudou boasted, a smug grin on his face.

"Sudou, your results are very amazing. Nothing less would I expect from a basketball player." Sudou rubbed his head as Mashima-Sensei commended him.

"Ayanokouji, it's now your turn!" Sudou said As he handed me the clutching gadget.

Sudou's grip strength of 82.4 kg is quite high, however, I'm curious about the typical grip strength of a first-year high school student. I've held hundreds of thousands of such measuring equipment in my time, but I've never heard the average for my generation since nothing else was retained but my personal records.

If I were trying to live a regular and peaceful life, I would have sought out the national average and attempted to mimic it. That was not, of course, my aim. Since I was battling for my freedom in this school, I couldn't afford to hold back in this school.

Then again, this is just a gym class, not a special exam or competition in which I should be putting out my best effort in. I held the grip strength measuring gadget in such a way that I could see the monitor. The strength of your grasp isn't directly related to the thickness of your arm.

Of course, they're not unconnected, but the brachioradialis muscle in the forearm and the flexor carpi radialis muscle bundle are the most crucial. The mechanism is that as the forearm muscles contract, they pull on the tendons, bending the fingers.

As a result, strengthening this group of muscles can help you enhance your grip strength. In other words, as long as you have a specific level of muscle mass, you can lift more than 100 kilograms depending on how you train. Naturally, nothing but extensive periods of gripping training is required to achieve this, which I've already endured ever since my time at the White Room.

I held the lever with increasing vigor. Then, once I'd hit 60, I started putting all of my efforts into it. I gradually upped the numbers to 80, then 90, until I reached my maximum.

"I can't move it any further..." I narrated. I let go of the measuring equipment and handed it over to Koenji after saying so. Then I went over to Mashima-Sensei to report.

"I weighed in at 114.7 kilograms." That's how I reported it, uninterestedly.

(I saw in a comment once that the world record was around 128-130 kg. I didn't want to make Kouji's grip strength unrealistic, so I chose that random number. If that is wrong then just assume that 128-130 kg is the world record in this fic.)

As they heard my results, the gymnasium quickly became silent. Everyone was staring at me with shocked and bewildered expressions. Some people's eyes widened, while others' jaws dropped.

Sudou was especially doing both, most likely in disbelief after hearing my results. It was logical, given that my grip strength rivaled that of even the most seasoned bodybuilders. Even Horikita, who generally wore a glum expression on her face, lost her cool and looked very surprised.

"Ano... Why are you all glaring at me like that?" I played dumb, breaking the quiet atmosphere.

"H-how is that even possible..."

"Is he even human...?"

Murmurs like those spread throughout the gymnasium.

"AYANOKOUJI WHAT THE FUCK! I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE THAT STRONG!" Sudou yelled, grasping my shoulders and shaking me violently. This is making me feel nauseated and dizzy.

"Sudou... Stop... Shaking me... Please..." I implored, trying to come to seem as I was on the verge of vomiting. He swiftly released his grip on my shoulders. Phew, if he had shaken me any harder, I might have actually ended up puking. Not really, but you get the idea.

"Ayanokouji, these results are astounding!" Mashima-Sensei exclaimed loudly. "You must have done some weight lifting or training to get this powerful.

"Well, I guess I do some bodybuilding now and then." I didn't want to make up a narrative, so I answered loosely.

Everyone surrounded me and began interrogating me about my grip strength. It wasn't just the girls who were genuinely interested, but also the boys. It's comforting to know that my reputation among my class's male population is improving day by day.

"Now it's your turn Koenji," Mashima-Sensei informed him.

"Hmph, watch and learn you mere mongrels. You're about to witness the full strength of a perfect celestial being such as myself today. Once you see my inhuman results, feel free to bow down and worship me as my servants." Koenji made a daring declaration that caused practically everyone to look at him with repulse.

Koenji then pulled the lever with all his might, rapidly increasing the digital numbers at an alarming rate. 80, 90, and so on until it passed 100.

"114.7 kilograms huh..." Koenji muttered which was heard by everyone around him.

"Holy shit... He has the same grip strength as Ayanokouji does..."

"They're on a different level compared to us..."

"What in the actual fuck..." Murmurs similar to this could be heard around the gymnasium.

"It appears that this time, it was a draw Ayanokouji boy." Koenji shifted his gaze to me. "But keep in mind that I'm much better than you at everything else, so brace yourself for your ultimate defeat." Koenji made a taunt.

"Uh... Okay?" That was all I could say in response.

People were undoubtedly under the impression that Koenji and I had a heated rivalry going on between us. However, this was not the case. It's more like... we're friendnemies of some sort? It's difficult to put into words what exactly our relationship is.

After measuring our grip strength, Mashima-Sensei called us over to finally begin our physical activities.

Vol.1. Chapter 7.1: END.

Word Count: 4740 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 7.2: A Game of Dodgeball.

———————————————————

Author's Note:

Hello everyone! It's been a while, hasn't it?

As you know, I wasn't able to publish any chapters for a week due to finals exams. But now that's done with and now I can continue to upload more chapters.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite me rushing it a bit.

Just some things I would like to address:

1. Since Kiyo still trained in the government facility and in school, he's still in his prime white room condition, which I consider his physique equal to that of Koenji's.

2. Look forward to more Eichiiro and Koenji interactions.

3. I've already developed the OAA system which will be a bit different compared to the canon one. For example, in this one, students will be judged in five categories instead of just four. I won't reveal what they are since I plan to unveil it in Chapter 9.1 but expect something different.

Anyways, this chapter will be split into two parts and hopefully, I can upload the second part today.

That's all for today, Sayonara! (ﾉヮ)ﾉ*.

Vol.1. Chapter 7.2 : A Game of Dodgeball

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

It was now time for dodgeball. During my time at the White Room, I was taught a variety of athletics and sports, but dodgeball was not one of them. It was regarded as unnecessary, and because it was a team sport, I didn't have anyone with whom I could try it with.

As the sole survivor of my generation, I spent years alone and in seclusion. People may think I must've felt isolated and friendless but that was not the case. After all, being alone is not synonymous with feeling lonely. I didn't feel sad nor regretful that there was no one I could call an acquaintance in the vicinity I was raised in. I simply felt apathetic about such things.

"For those of you who are unfamiliar with how to play, I'll be explaining it to you right now. So listen carefully and no chit-chatting while I'm speaking. I don't like to repeat myself." Mashima-Sensei was adamant and stern.

The Game of Dodgeball

The Objective of the game

The main objective in dodgeball is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by throwing the ball at them. Players must dodge the ball to remain in the game and the team who manages to eliminate all of their opponent's first are deemed the winners.

Scoring

While there is no real point scoring in dodgeball, the aim of the game is to eliminate players of the opposing team, which can be done in several ways. The most obvious way is hitting an opponent with a ball, if a player is hit and the ball is not caught before becoming dead, that player is eliminated. However, if a player throws a ball that is caught by an opponent, the throwing player is eliminated from the game.

A player will eliminate themselves if they run out of the court of play.

Winning the Game

The game is over when all of the players on one team are eliminated, resulting in the other team winning the game. If both teams still have members at the end of an allotted amount of time, the winning team will be the one with the most players. If this still results in a deadlock, overtime can be played.

Rules of Dodgeball

-The number of players, number of balls, size of the court, and length of the game can be determined by the organizers.

-Players must remain within the court at all times unless collecting dead balls.

-Players are allowed to leave the court to collect balls but they are not allowed to throw the ball until they are back within the court. If a player leaves the court for any other purpose or they throw a ball from outside the court, they are eliminated .

- Players struck with a ball that is then caught before it becomes dead are eliminated.

-When a player catches a ball, the throwing player will be eliminated.

So that's how you play dodgeball...

I'm quite sure I understand the goal and the regulations. Because my reflexes and reaction time are so much better than the ordinary human, I should be able to avoid being hit relatively well. I can also use my speed to my advantage to get a head start on the competition by grabbing the ball first before anyone else can.

"Now does anyone have any questions?" Multiple people raised their hands.

"Yes, Horikita?" Mashima-Sensei pointed at her.

"How many balls will we be playing with?" I was gonna ask that question too but it seems Horikita beat me to it.

"Since there are fourty of you currently present here, there will be eight dodgeballs, two for every ten individuals," Mashima-Sensei answered.

"Will the competition be a free for all or will we be divided into different teams?" It was surprisingly Ike out of all people who asked the reasonable question.

"I wanted there to be two matches, each separated by gender, but because of the limited time we have, you'll be put into two teams with ten boys and ten girls in each team."

"Sensei," I called out to him. "Are we allowed to have multiple dodge balls at the same time?" To be honest, hoarding a huge number of dodge balls didn't seem like a horrible strategy. At the very least, I have the quickness and grip strength to carry more than one.

"That's a good question. The answer is no. A single person is only allowed to hold one dodgeball at a time."

"I see..." I nodded as a response.

"Is there going to be any kind of prize for the winning team? Or will there be a penalty for the losing team?" Eichiiro inquired.

"The losing team will not be penalized, but if your team wins, you will be rewarded. A total of 2,000 private points will be awarded to each member of the winning squad. I will personally provide a bonus of 10,000 private points to the winning team's MVP." Mashima-Sensei went on to explain things further.

The atmosphere in the gymnasium changed dramatically after he announced the prize for the victors, as the boys appeared to be hungry animals determined to win at all costs.

"No one else seems to have any more queries. Okay, then. I'm going to start separating the teams." Mashima-Sensei made the statement.

We spent a few minutes getting to know the team we'd be fighting along with. The following were the list of the two groupings.

Group 1

Boys: Sudou Ken, Matsuo Eichiiro, Koenji Rokusuke, Miyake Akito, Yamauchi Haruki, Okitani Kyousuke, Ijuin Wataru, Yukimura Teruhiko, Minami Hakuo, and Makida Susumu.

Girls: Horikita Suzune, Onodera Kayano, Shinohara Satsuki, Mori Nene, Hasebe Haruka, Sakura Airi, Azuma Sana, Ishikura Kayoko, Maezono, and Wang Mei-Yu.

Group 2

Boys: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Hirata Yosuke, Ike Kanji, Hondou Ryotarou, Sotomura Hideo, Onizuka, Okiya Kyosuke, Kikuchi, Minami Setsuya, and Miyamoto Soshi.

Girls: Kushida Kikyou, Inogashira Kokoro, Karuizawa Kei, Matsuhita Chiaki, Satou Maya, Sonoda Chiyo, Nishimura Ryuko, Ishizaki, Rino, and Ichihashi Ruri.

"Oi oi oi! Is this sorting even fair?!" Ike voiced his complaint.

On this one, I had to agree with Ike in part. In comparison to us, the other squad has a lot more athletic and sporty pupils. I, too, had my doubts about the match's power balance. Is it possible that Mashima-Sensei sorted it incorrectly on purpose to put me to the test?

Perhaps I'm just overthinking things again. Sudou, Eichiiro, Koenji, Horikita, and Onodera, with their above-average physical ability, pose the greatest threat to the opposition squad. To secure a faultless triumph, I'll have to focus on them especially.

Meanwhile, because we are the most physically dominant members of our team, a bounty will most likely be placed on mine and Hirata's heads. I'm sure I'd be able to handle the likes of Sudou and Eichiiro, but I'm curious as to if Koenji could compete equally with me, if not outperform me. If he could, I wouldn't have any complaints or regrets.

"What's wrong Ike? Afraid you're gonna lose?" Eichiiro taunted with a provoking smirk.

"Don't worry Ike, once I've finished crushing you and your group, I'll attend your sorry-ass burial," Sudou stated arrogantly.

Sudou's constant boasting prompted a few glares from some of my teammates. Sudou's confidence probably rubbed them the wrong way, and his provocations made them sneer at his words. I had to concur that Sudou was behaving too confident in his team's ability to win considering that I'm still a threat.

"Hoho, don't get too cocky now, Sudou-Dono." Sotomura suddenly appeared behind me. " Your team may have Koenji and you as their top players, but you're overlooking the fact that we also have the legendary Ayanokouji-Dono on our side to guide us to victory." Sotomura boldly declared while patting my back repeatedly.

Seriously, What is it about folks liking to smack each other in the back?

"Hah! I accept that Ayanokouji is a formidable opponent, but whether it's him, Hirata, or anyone else, I'm going to beat you all in the end!" Sudou yelled with full battle zeal as if he were a soldier about to go to war.

"That's enough both of you!" Mashima-Sensei reprimanded. "You're only wasting more valuable time with your pointless trash talk. Assemble with your groups and take your positions. I'm almost finished with arranging the dodgeballs." Mashima-Sensei commanded.

We all formed a horizontal line and took our positions. My opponent team's classmates stood in front of me, taking the same attitude as we did. There were eight dodge balls in the gym court's exact middle. Given my location, grabbing the dodgeball second to the very right of the center would be the most effective and efficient.

"On your marks!"

"Get set!"

"Go!" Mashima-Sensei gave us the signal.

Everyone dashed to the center of the gym in the hopes of catching a ball. I wasn't holding back, but I made sure I wasn't running at full speed, but rather just enough to get ahead of everyone else.

I was fortunate enough to be the first to arrive at the facility and get a dodgeball. I rapidly studied the crowd in front of me to choose who I should attack. I had intended to get the power players out first to secure an easy victory, but I noticed an easy hit on Haruka and changed my mind. I took a step back and arched my back, releasing the ball in the direction of Hasebe. The ball ended up hitting her on the... Boobs.

Gomensai, Hasebe.

And with that, she was out of the game.

"Oi Ayanon! That was dirty! I thought we were friends!" Haruka pouted, sounding as if she had just been betrayed by a close comrade.

"Can't talk right now, too busy trying to win," I said unemotionally. One down, nineteen to go.

Sudou threw a ball at me, and I immediately dodged it by shifting my feet to the left. Eichiiro took advantage of the situation and attempted to direct the ball towards my feet. Because of the way he was looking at me, I was able to figure out which body area he was planning to hit me at. I leaped to dodge the ball that was beneath me.

"SHIT! I ALMOST HAD HIM!" Eichiiro whined looking frustrated.

"You're going down Ayanokouji! SHINE!" Yamauchi tossed a ball at me. Fortunately, his throwing posture was quite unorganized, and the ball's speed was very slow, so I was able to effortlessly grab the ball with ease. With that, Yamauchi is no longer in the game.

In my peripheral view, I observed Koenji wasn't even attempting to do anything. Of course, he was dodging the balls hurled at him, but he wasn't even attempting to retaliate or rebuke. Perhaps he's working on some sort of strategy right now...

"SHIT!" I heard Miyamoto curse out loud. He was apparently caught in the crossfire and was struck by a ball. I turned around to see that three members of my team had already been removed. Hasebe and Yamauchi were the only members of the other squad that were eliminated.

I was about to make my move when I noticed a ball heading straight towards me. My quick reflexes came in as I shifted my weight backward to dodge a ball aimed at my face. It wasn't over yet, as I raised my arms high to escape getting struck by a ball that was presumably targeted at my bicep.

Miyake snatched a ball from the ground and tossed it towards me. To dodge it, I swiftly bowed my knees and dove. I'd just ducked three balls in a row in such a short period of time.

"Holy fuck, nice reflexes Ayanokouji!" Hondou complimented me.

A ball flew over my shoulder before I could respond.

"Tch, I missed." Horikita clicked her tongue in exasperation. She might have gotten me if she had only thrown in a few more steps to the left.

It's evident that I'm the opposition's main target. Maybe I'll be able to take advantage of that. I'll act as a decoy for them to target, and while they're distracted, I'll have someone hit them and catch them off guard.

I tried to communicate with Hirata by looking at him. He returned my stare and nodded, indicating that he understood what I was trying to convey. With this, we should be able to put our plan into action.

I dashed over to collect the ball that Horikita had just thrown. I then started to sprint in a diagonal line to try to get one of the opposition players' attention. It appeared to succeed because Onodera's attention was now totally on me only. She tried to think of the best method to attack me, but before she could attempt to do anything, I quickly directed Hirata to throw the ball towards Onodera, to which he complied so, hitting her in the chest.

Okay, one of their five power players has been eliminated. Because both of our sides are losing players, I'll have to tread carefully to avoid making a mistake that could cost us the game.

Miyake, who had thrown his ball against me, caught my attention instantly. I swiftly spun to the right and used that momentum to charge some force into my right arm as I slammed the ball in Miyake's direction, hitting his arm.

"Sorry, Ayanokouji-Kun!" Mii-Chan shouted something before hurling a ball at me. Due to her unathletic build and feeble throw, I was able to effortlessly catch the ball. Mii-Chan was no longer a player in the game.

I would now execute my second strategy when I was done evaluating everyone in front of me. I swiftly shifted my feet to the right, making it appear as if I was about to strike Sakura. Horikita, who happened to be nearby, noticed me and used the chance to assault me while I was distracted.

However, it was all a ploy. A trap set by me that Horikita had fallen into.

I turned my sight quickly to Horikita. I then threw the ball with enough force that she wouldn't be able to respond quickly enough to the abrupt and unexpected onslaught. She tried to evade the ball when she saw it was being thrown at her, but it was futile as the ball hit her shin.

"Tsk, damn it!" Horikita clenched her teeth in annoyance. Horikita didn't seem the type of person to take trivial competitions seriously. I suppose you learn something new every day.

The match became increasingly fierce as each team lost more players by the minute until only six individuals remained on the court. Those six people were me, Hirata, Suodu, Eichiiro, and Koenji, and somehow Ike managed to survive this long surprisingly.

"LET'S GO SUDOU AND MASTUO! WIN THIS FOR US!" The boys vehemently cheered on them.

"IKUZO HIRATA-KUN AND AYANOKOUJI-KUN!" The girls of our team also encouraged us passionately.

I felt sorry for Ike since no one seemed to believe in him. However, he only has himself to blame for tarnishing his own reputation amongst our peers by being a pervert.

"You're going down Ayanokouji!" exclaims the narrator. Sudou flung a ball towards me, full of strength and battling energy. I swerved to the side to avoid it. Unfortunately, Ike was right behind me and absorbed the brunt of the blow instead of me. What made matters worse was the fact that...

He took a direct strike to the balls.

"AGH!" As he dropped to the floor, Ike cried out in anguish. Every boy who saw what had happened had a shudder on their faces, most likely because they understood how excruciatingly painful it was to be smacked in the balls.

"Oh crap! Sorry Ike! That wasn't on purpose!" Sudou apologized, his face showing remorse.

Noticing Sudou had his attention occupied on Ike, I quickly seized a ball from the ground, stretched my body, and flung the ball at Sudou with strong power, hitting his chest.

Would it have been more moral for me to just wait for him to quit being concerned about Ike? Maybe. Is it possible that what I've done is considered unsportsmanlike? Probably. But I wasn't going to allow the chance to get rid of Sudou to pass me by.

Sudou had finally been dispatched. The chances of us winning now appear to be higher, but that depends on whether Koenji will care to participate and act serious now that there are only four of us left.

Eichiiro had hit Hirata with a swift and accurate shot that had hit him in the head. And now it was two against one, Koenji and Eichiiro vs. me.

The odds seemed very appealing to me.

I dashed forward in an attempt to catch a ball, but my attempt was thwarted when I had to dive for it to avoid being hit by a ball shot by Eichiiro. I was about to target Eichiiro after I stood up and regained my footing when my instincts kicked in and I jumped vertically and twirled mid-air, narrowly evading the ball that was fired at me. After that, I landed on one foot and used the momentum gained from the flip to finish off Eichiiro.

"Oh my God!"

"THAT WAS NICE AYANOKOUJI!"

"What in actual fuck did I just witness." Throughout the gymnasium, people's shocked reactions to my actions could be heard.

(If you wanna know what it looked like, here's a video.)

https//watch?v=69X7tP6p7E0

Koenji appeared to have finally begun to take things seriously. He was anticipating for the rest of the players to leave the game so he could attack me when my guard was down. Fortunately, I was able to avoid his surprise attack, but only merely though. He had been eagerly waiting for us to go off against each other in a one-on-one battle with no outside interference.

"It appears that it's just the two of us now, Ayanokouji boy," Koenji stated the obvious. "This I've been waiting for this moment my entire life so do please entertain me."

To be honest, the odds were stacked against me. Koenji had been conserving energy the entire time while I was working tirelessly to lead my squad to victory. But I wasn't going to let the odds get the best of me.

"Then give me your best shot, Koenji." I challenged. We dashed forward to catch the balls that had fallen behind us. I wasn't going to hold back any longer. It was now the first time Koenji and I was formally competing in a duel.

"One minute remaining!" Mashina-Sensei announced to the both of us.

If neither of us are struck by a ball once the clock runs out, the game will end and conclude in a draw, which I wouldn't mind because I really have nothing to lose. I'll have to eliminate him with the remaining amount of time we've been given.

50.

We, both were analyzing and trying to predict what the other was going to do next.

40.

He made the initial move, attempting to deceive me by shifting his eyes towards my chest while he was aiming for one of my feet. Fortunately, I was able to hop over it before it had a chance to make contact with me.

30.

I made the second move, feinting a right-handed throw while quickly changing directions and aiming for the spot where he was leaping. As the ball whizzed past his left shoulder, I realized I'd made a slight miscalculation.

20.

I shifted my weight backward, bending both legs and evading a ball aimed at my face or chest. I regained my balance and tossed a ball at his knees, but he jumped over and did a backflip to avoid it. I thought the backflip was superfluous, but knowing Koenji, he was most likely just trying to show off.

10.

When a lifeless ball rolled near me, my mind rapidly devised a strategy.

9.

I had a ball in my hand when I hurled it at Koenji, aiming for his ankles.

8.

I crouched as quickly as I could to catch the dead ball that was close by when the ball was moving towards him.

7.

To dodge the assault, Koenji sprung up.

6.

I was able to place him exactly where I desired.

5.

I flung the ball towards him while he was in mid-air before he could stick his landing.

4.

It would be difficult for him to make a move to avoid the ball hurtling at him because he was in mid-air.

3.

The outcome would be determined by how well I aimed the ball.

2.

1.

Checkmate.

Mashima-Sensei blew the whistle. "Koenji Rokusuke has been eliminated. as the final man standing, group 2 has won the match! With the MVP being given to Ayanokouji Kiyotaka!" Mashima-Sensei announced the results enthusiastically.

"That was a great match, Ayanokouji boy." Koenji casually approached me and extended his hand. "I owe you a debt of gratitude since you are one of the few people on this boring planet who has beguiled a perfect existence such as I. You are truly a force to be reckoned with." As a show of sportsmanship and respect, I shook his hand.

"You may have won this round, but I'll get you next time." Koenji proclaimed before walking away from me.

The females flocked to me more than they did to Hirata or Eichiiro right away. In fact, the boys also followed suit. They bombarded me with questions, and my mind went completely blank, not knowing how to respond to them.

"Okay, everybody. You're all making Ayanokouji-kun confused. Please maintain your composure." Thank you so much, Hirata. I knew I could count on you to come to the rescue whenever I need some help in social situations.

I catch a glimpse of Matsushita peering at me from the corner of my eye. She swiftly averted her attention when I turned to look at her.

The opposition team applauded me as well, and my own squad thanked me for securing points for them. They even lifted me up as if I had just won a gold medal in the Olympics for Japan. Mashima-Sensei also congratulated me and transferred me the points for winning MVP.

We all packed up and returned to our classroom after the festivities were over.

Today, I must say, was quite an adventure. I'd never played dodgeball before, so it was exciting to try something new.

Did I have a good time? I'm not sure. I couldn't even describe what it felt like to have fun in the first place. However, I must tell that it was a very nice experience for me. Accepting the government's invitation to come to this institution was an excellent decision, and I have no regrets thus far.

Vol.1. Chapter 7.2: END.

Word Count: 3816 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 8.1: Prelude to an Arduous Journey.

———————————————————

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite me being bad at describing things.

This was exhausting to write since I wasn't very knowledgeable on dodgeball.

Anyways, this is the second to last chapter before May 1st.

Oh and if some of you are wondering why Koenji might be too sportsmanlike, I think Koenji knows when to give respect to someone when it's due. Though, he would only act like that if he deemed the person worthy.

If some of you are still confused as to what Eichiiro's personality is, he's a mix of Hirata and Shibata but a bit less naive than both of them. Or you could say he's basically Volume 1-3 Kouji just more socially adept.

That's all I wanted to say today.

Sayonara!

Ayanokouji's Private point balance: 48.187 private points.

Vol.1. Chapter 8.1 : Prelude to an Arduous Journey

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

It's Monday, April 26th, the fourth week of school for us. After three weeks, the class is still going strong. On the other hand, my classmates were thrown into a frenzy when Karuizawa abruptly announced that she and Hirata had begun dating.

Of course, I wasn't startled in the least because I knew it was all a ruse to keep Karuizawa safe from any bullying threats.

Because of this, some of the boys of my class began to dislike Hirata even more, while the girls, although congratulating them, seemed upset by the news. Some of them probably had a crush on Hirata, and it must be heartbreaking to learn that the person you love already has someone else.

I wouldn't know how that would feel though. I guess being damaged and scarred at such an early age must have its weird perks.

(Expect to see more of Kiyo making self-deprecating and dark jokes to cope with his trauma.)

Though, Even apathetic people like myself would like to understand this perplexing sensation known as love. Perhaps one day I can even learn to truly appreciate and adore someone deeply from the bottom of my heart.

But, given the brutal and loveless atmosphere in which I had been raised my entire life, I knew that would be extremely tough for me. Nevertheless, I do sincerely hope that this institution will be able to grant all of my aspirations and that I have not come here in vain.

Returning to the subject, even though some of the females were heartbroken, they quickly recovered when they realized Eichiiro and I were still single and accessible.

Despite his good appearance, Miyake was not popular enough among the girls to be considered a potential future love interest. Koenji wasn't even in the dialogue for discussion due to his narcissistic attitude and arrogant approach.

The girl's hopes of dating either me or Eichiiro are likely to be very slim, considering Eichiiro is already in love with someone else and I...

Well, I wasn't seeking for a long-term relationship at this current time. After all, for the next three years, I will be the leader in charge of guiding this class to the promised land of class A. For the time being, all I intend to do is concentrate on obtaining my freedom and independence. Nothing more and nothing less. However, I do hope that one day I'll be able to form a romantic relationship with someone I consider to be close with.

Swiveling my head to the right, I noticed Horikita, who was wearing her trademark poker look. She was reading a book and appeared unmoved and unconcerned about Karuizawa's revelation to all of our classmates. Horikita, as one might imagine, was someone who was probably uninterested in trifling concerns such as who was dating who, who confessed first, and other similar matters.

To be honest, I wish she wouldn't act so serious all of the time. It's admirable that she's one of the honor students of our class and always pays attention during class discussions and lessons, but I wish she'd behave like a normal high school girl for a change. Nonetheless, she appears to have made some headway in her attempt to broaden her social circle, since I've seen her interacting with Onodera, Kushida, and Inogashira on many occasions.

Although she probably hasn't thought of them as friends yet, it was reassuring to know that she was now more eager to talk to her classmates. She does, however, have some areas she needs to improve in.

But then again, who am I out of all people to pass judgment on a person's social skills?

While I was deep in meditation, the school bell rang, signifying the start of our homeroom. The classroom door slid open, revealing Chabashira-Sensei who had just arrived. She appears to be holding a stack of paper in her hands. She proceeded to enter the classroom in a brisk manner.

"Alright, class. We're going to be doing a little test today. Please deliver these to the back of the room." Chabashira-frigid sensei's remarks resonated throughout the room without explanation.

We didn't respond in a way that would create a ruckus, but many of our classmates wore worried expressions.

"Because you already know a lot about the S-System, it's fine for me to tell you more than the other courses are permitted to know. To be frank, this test is really a guideline. "There will be no risk because the results will not appear on your report cards." That's what we're meant to tell the students in our classes. However, you guys, on the other hand, are unique," she clarified. "As you may have guessed, this test will affect the number of class points you will be earning in May. Newly enrolled freshmen take this surprise test at the end of their first month every year."

Horikita and I exchanged quick glances with each other. Her expression seemed to have a hint of anxiousness in it. If she was telling the truth, even if we're aware of the system, we're not immune to it. For example, even if no one in our class misbehaves, they can choose not to listen to the talks.

We've only just begun preparing for the midterms and finals, so no study groups have been formed yet. To put it another way, those who struggle with academics are definitely in trouble.

In the end, we can only give this test our best effort.

"Cheating will not be permitted whatsoever. If you disobey the rules, you will face severe consequences." Chabashira-Sensei warned as she strolled around the classroom.

I proceeded to delve into the test that had been provided to me. There were a total of thirty-five questions, consisting of thirty multiple-choice questions and five essays in this test.

If my calculations are correct, each correct response to a multiple-choice question will earn you 2.5 points, for a total of seventy-five points simply from multiple choices if you answer all of them correctly. The essay, on the other hand, would offer you a total of twenty-five points if you answered all of the questions properly. To be specific, five points would be awarded for each correct essay answer.

After thoroughly perusing the test, I realized that several of the questions were far too simple. At least, that's how it feels to me. In terms of difficulty, it's about two levels lower than what we encountered in the entrance examinations. I breezed through all of the multiple-choice questions, but as I neared the end of the test...

The last five essays were particularly challenging. The essays' questions appeared to be ones that only second-year or third-year high school students could answer. Of course, I could easily answer all of them because my knowledge considerably exceeds that of the ordinary first-year high school student, but not the same could be said with my classmates.

Given that I trained Eichiiro on several complex materials during our time at that government institution, I believe he could answer at least one of them correctly. I had no idea how smart Koenji was in terms of academics, so I had high expectations for him to do well, especially because he had always declared himself to be the man who would bring me my ultimate defeat.

Likewise, I also projected Arisu to receive a grade in the ninety to one hundred percentile. If she is as smart and brilliant as she claims, she'll be a menace I'll have to watch out for once she takes charge of her class.

It's not that I don't believe in Katsuragi, but I know very little about him other than the fact that half of the class supports his faction and that he is a very educated and capable man. Though, I have my doubts that he is wiser than Arisu. Then again, expect the unexpected they always say.

I completed the test at long last. After a quick review, I'm confident that I answered all of the questions correctly. I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I opted to observe everyone else as they took their tests

Students like Sudou, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sakura looked like they were having difficulty in finishing the exam while honor students like Kushida, Horikita, Hirata, and Eichiiro appeared to be performing quite well. Later on, some of them had puzzled expressions on their faces. Most likely bemused by how difficult the essays were.

Hopefully, the outcome of this surprise exam wouldn't be too disastrous.

--

We all completed the test well ahead of schedule. Chabashira-sensei noticed this and collected our papers five minutes before the bell rang.

"Your fourth period is completely free. Make the most of your time and avoid making too much noise. Please be prepared for your midterms at the end of May in conjunction with this test. Goodbye." Chabashira-sensei stepped out of the classroom with her typical indifferent demeanor.

After that, cliques and groups conversed during the final half-hour of the fourth period. Because I didn't fit in any particular group of friends, I just signaled the Ayanon group to come to my desk to discuss about the exam. They picked up on my sign and moved closer to my desk.

"Ugh, man. That exam was such a pain to deal with." Miyake was the first to speak up, sounding apprehensive about his exam results.

"I know right! I tried everything I could find the perfect response to the questions, but I still couldn't figure out what the answers were." Hasebe grumbled as she sagged against my desk.

Her large breasts were evident as she sat at my desk. I instantly diverted my sight so she wouldn't mistake me for a creep or pervert.

"What about you Yukimu? How did you think you did on the test?" Hasebe inquired of Yukimura. Despite the fact that we've already been friends for three weeks now, I was still unaccustomed to the whimsical nicknames that Hasebe had given us.

"Hmmm... I think I did okay. However, even someone like me found the last five questions exceedingly tough to answer." Yukimura shifted his weight slightly. "In terms of complexity, they were probably second-year level, if not higher. I wasn't even sure how to respond to them."

"I see... What about you Ayanokouji?" Miyake asked with everyone staring at me directly in the eyes.

"Hmm... I'm fairly certain I answered all of the problems correctly." I gave a casual reply.

"Wait, really? I know you're a good student since you've always perfectly answered everything during class... But even if that's true..." Yukimura's composure was wearing thin. "So you're claiming that you got a perfect score..?"

"I believe that is most likely the case. When Chabashira-sensei reveals the outcome, you'll be able to tell." I responded casually.

"The fact that you can say that without sounding arrogant..." With his eyes trembling, Yukimura muttered.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, but isn't it safe to say that Ayanokouji is just that smart?" Miyake stepped in and said something.

"I-I suppose you're right. What else can I expect from the class genius?" Yukimura took a deep breath and buried his ego.

"Yikes, We fared horribly compared to the two of you. But I did give it my all." Hasebe groused, sounding disappointed with herself.

"It'll be alright," I patted their shoulders in an attempt to reassure them. "If you wish to improve your grades, Yukimura and I would be pleased to tutor you individually. I'm also thinking about forming study groups for all of us so that we can all increase our grades even more. Of course, you'll have to give up some of your free time as a result."

"Hmm... I guess that would be fine if it'll help the class even more. You've already done the most for our class, so this is the least I can do to help." Miyake accepted my offer.

"I also agree with Miyake. I wouldn't mind giving up some of my free time during exam periods to improve my grades." Hasebe also joined in.

'That's great then."

For a while, we all talked about insignificant issues until the bell rang, signaling the start of lunchtime. We all packed our lunches and headed to the cafeteria to enjoy lunch together.

Vol.1. Chapter 8.1: END

Word Count: 2080 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 9.1: Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite.

--

Author's Note:

This chapter marks the final chapter before May 1st. I hope you enjoyed everything I've written so far.

Forgot to mention this but, some students tend to speak more formally than others like Ayanokouji, Horikita, and Arisu. While some students like Sudou, Ike, and Miyake speak in a nonformal manner. Eichiiro is a mix of both since he's mature but still has his playful nature.

Anyways, the OAA I've created will be revealed in the next chapter so look forward to it.

And just a reminder that Class D will still lose some class points due to some misbehaviors by certain students.

That's all I wanted to say

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 9.1 : Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

May 1st.

Today would finally be the day when our class points and exam scores from last week's test would be released. Our private points were just transferred this morning. Though, I was a little disappointed because it was less than what I was hoping for.

I suppose I should've scolded my disobedient classmates more severely so that they wouldn't cost us more class points and become a burden to our class in the near future. However, there was little to nothing I could do to even attempt to modify Koenji's attitude. I couldn't even try to influence his behavior in class because he was already too far gone. But, I guess that's Koenji for you.

Naturally, there was a significant atmosphere of both excitement and tension throughout the classroom. After all, it would be disclosed whether our efforts had been fruitless or fruitful.

"Good day." As the bell rang throughout the campus, Chabashira-sensei waltzed in. "Sit down and listen up, students of Class B."

I raised an eyebrow in response to her statement and so did most of my classmates. Some of us must have assumed she had misspoken and waited for her to clarify herself, but she merely stood there calmly, the expressionless look she always wore was nowhere to be found and instead replaced by a contented grin.

"Umm... Don't you mean Class D, Sensei?" Mii-Chan was the one to break the uneasy silence while asking the obvious question.

"Nope. I meant what I said."

"Wait, does that mean..."

"I think you know exactly what it means, Hirata." Chabashira-Sensei casually replied. "Congratulations, all of you. Starting today you've all been promoted from Class D to Class B." Chabashira-Sensei let out a modest but sincere smile as she applauded us on our accomplishment.

The entire class went into an uproar as they heard the announcement. Each student's reaction was unique, yet they were all positive in some way.

"We did it, everyone!" Kushida couldn't help but tell out.

"LET'S G-" Before he could finish his sentence, Eichiiro accidentally banged his knee on the underside of his desk.

"AGH! FUCK!" Eichiiro unintentionally cursed loudly.

"Language, Matsuo." Chabashira-Sensei scolded with a frigid tone of voice while glaring daggers at Eichiiro.

"Y-yes Sensei..." He stuttered, feeling frightened by Chabashira-Sensei's scary demeanor. He hurriedly sat back down, his palms covering his face in embarrassment. Everyone giggled and had a good laugh seeing Eichiiro's antics.

Many of the females were giddy with joy as they smiled at their companions. Horikita, on the other hand, only gave a modest nod of approval. Couldn't she at least put on be a bit more cheerful and celebratory about this?

Actually, you know what? Knowing Horikita, I would be expecting too much from her.

"I'm sure the other classes are scratching their heads as to how you all could pull off this bizarre achievement, but it doesn't matter," Chabashira-sensei smirked as she used magnets to attach a poster on the chalkboard.

"Are these the results for each class...?" Horikita asked.

"As you can see, you've advanced above two classes. Only a few hundred points separate you from Class A." With a smile, Chabashira-Sensei clarified.

The points listed were as followed:

Class A (A): 980 cp

Class B (D): 680 cp

Class C (B): 650 cp

Class D (C): 490 cp

"Damn... Class A still managed to save up that many points despite not knowing much about the S-System..." I heard Ike murmur.

"That's insane!" Satou exclaimed.

"I guess they aren't Class A for nothing..." Horikita muttered to herself.

While we were obviously pleased with our scores, we were astounded by Class A's astronomically high number of class points.

"You were all judged according to the same set of criteria. I suppose this serves as a nice reminder of how each of you differs from Class A. Of course, none of you can now be classified as defective." Chabashira-sensei smiled at first, but then her face became solemn.

"However," she remarked, pointing at our score, "let me remind you... Right here is what you might call a fluke."

Many of the students in Class B hardened as a result.

(NO, NOT THAT KIND OF HARDENED OK?)

"Ayanokouji is the sole reason why you're all even here. If it weren't for him, you might as well be in the low hundreds. Remember, you were all grouped together in this class because the school deemed your flaws unworthy of higher classes." Chabashira-sensei clarified the situation.

This is why I chose not to share the results of my entrance exam with the rest of the class. Horikita and Yukimura's findings were diametrically opposed to the thesis they support. Finally, Sensei made it clear that our selection was not only dependent on our admission exam scores.

"Before I begin to announce your exam results," Chabashira-Sensei said, taking out her phone and holding it up for us to see. "I'm going to need all of you to do something ahead of time. Something very important for the rest of your life here at school." She explained.

"Take out your phones and place them on your desks, everyone. You'll have to go back to your room and get it if you didn't bring it with you, although I doubt anyone forgot." She instructed.

Cellular phones have become a major necessity in today's society. You could even argue that it was the most crucial thing to have with you at all times.

Before long, 40 phones had been placed on the desks. After quickly checking to make sure nobody had forgotten theirs, Chabashira continued speaking.

"So, the first thing you all need to do is navigate to the school's homepage and install a new application. It should be available to download any second now. The official name of the app is 'Over All Ability', but once it's finished installing it'll show up as just 'OAA' on your phone."

The blackboard switched over to a different screen, where captioned live-action video demonstration began to play on the chalkboard. You could say that this was one of the many benefits that new technology has provided us.

After successfully installing the app and following the video's instructions, an icon of what looked to be an illustration of the school along with the letters 'OAA' appeared on my phone's home screen.

"After you've finished installing the app, put your phones down. Raise your hand if there's something you still don't understand."

The method of installation was really simple. Everything went off without a hitch because everyone here was used to utilizing their cellphones.

"You're not the only ones who are doing this right now. Every pupil in the school is currently installing it with you. This software will be a very important tool for you at Advanced Nurturing High School from now on. As they say, seeing is believing, so go ahead and start it up."

I pressed the icon on my home screen to launch the app, but my phone's camera came up instead.

"Just take a picture of your student ID card and it'll take care of the initial setup process."

I snapped a picture of my ID card in accordance with her directions. The app then proceeded with the login process after scanning the card for various pieces of information such as my ID number and a portrait photograph.

"Each of you should have your own personal account at this point. You won't need to login in the future because your account is tied to your phone, so please be careful so you don't lose it."

After finally logging into the program, a variety of menus appeared.

"This app stores all of a student's personal information for the whole school year. For example, if you select Class 1-B from the menu, your names will appear in alphabetical order. Go ahead and give it a shot."

The school photographs and full names of all 39 of us were displayed on the screen in alphabetical order, just as she had promised.

"You are welcome to browse at whatever profile you choose, but you should probably start with your own."

As Chabashira instructed, I touched on my own name. I was expecting to be met with basic information such as my date of birth, but that was not the case. Instead, data that I had never seen before was presented to me.

Class 1-B - Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

First-Year Evaluation

Academic Ability: S (100)

Intelligence: A (96)

Physical Ability: A (96)

Cooperativeness: A (87)

Social Contribution: A- (82)

Overall Ability: A (92)

"S-sensei, it looks like my scores have been converted into video game stats?!" Eichiiro inquired, looking very puzzled.

I instantly exited my profile and tapped Eichiiro's name on the screen to examine his stats.

Class 1-B - Matsuo Eichiiro

First-Year Evaluation

Academic Ability: A (88)

Intelligence: A- (82)

Physical Ability: B (77)

Cooperativeness: A- (83)

Social Contribution: A- (84)

Overall Ability: A- (83)

"That's correct. Based on your accomplishments from past records and what you've done in your first month here, the school determined those ratings for each of you. Of course, you aren't the only ones who have access to this data; students from any class or school year can view whoever's information they like. We chose the system because we feel it will be an important tool for your education in the future."

To put it another way, the goal of the OAA app was to provide a numerical assessment of everyone's talents. On the other hand, it appeared to have the potential to be used to deliver public messages to all students in the school.

On the upper right corner of the screen, there was a question mark icon that, when touched, gave me a full description of each of the numerous categories on my profile.

Academic Ability: Primarily calculated based on your written exam scores conducted throughout the school year.

Intelligence: Calculated based on other forms of intelligence such as Deductive reasoning, judgment ability, the ability to think outside the box, the skill to quickly adapt to unfamiliar situations, etc.

Physical Ability: Calculated based on your performance in physical education classes, club activities, special exams, and other physical endeavors.

Cooperativeness: Calculated mostly according to how much you contribute to the class through special exams and other factors. Your social network and communication abilities also both play a role in this.

Social Contribution: Calculated based on a variety of factors, such as your general attitude during class, your attendance record, the presence of any potentially problematic behavior, or your contribution to the school through programs like the student council.

Overall Ability: A student's comprehensive ability is derived from each of the five values calculated above.

The formula for how Overall Ability is calculated:

(Academic Ability Intelligence Physical Ability Cooperativeness Social Contribution) : 5 = Overall Ability (Rounded up)

Interesting...

With an evaluation criteria like this, I could see why my academic and physical abilities were highly ranked. Because I was able to make deadly correct deductions about this school system in just a few hours of enrolling, my intelligence had been rated highly as well. However, I was still perplexed as to how social contribution was measured. There were more pages for my second and third years of information beside the information for my first year, but they were now blank.

"Currently, only your first month's ratings are displayed; however, as fresh ratings become available, they will be reflected on the first-year page. They'll be updated every month on the first day of the month, the same day that private points are issued. For example, Sudou, your present Academic Ability grade is an E, but if you achieve full marks on the next written exam, you'll gain a C on your evaluation page for Academic Ability."

This meant that our previous records would be assessed independently of our first-year ratings.

One of the most notable advantages of this program was the ability to monitor not only our own class but all the other classes as well. Before this, I couldn't find out about students I'd never met before without personally going out and gathering information, but now, with just a quick peek at the app, I could find out anyone's name, face, and rating, regardless of whether they were in my school year or not.

"There are likely some kids here who are dissatisfied with their grades and are angry with how they will be recorded. But I can only reply to those pupils, "You're the ones who spent the last three years of middle school acting like that."

As a student, the closer one's important ratings, such as Academic Ability and Physical Ability, were to an E, the more ashamed one felt.

"Your middle school records, on the other hand, are no longer relevant and will have no bearing on the evaluations you receive. It is critical that those of you who earned inadequate results take advantage of this opportunity to improve. The school anticipates that being able to visualize your progress will aid you in achieving your goals as a first-year student. In other words, it encourages growth in this way."

Because the app keeps a record of personal ratings that anybody can see, many students will likely start putting in extra effort to improve themselves. This would almost certainly have a promotional effect on achieving better ratings, as Chabashira predicted, but...

"Sensei, I'm still a bit confused as to how social contribution is measured?" Hirata Yosuke asked this topic because he was curious about how social contribution was genuinely valued.

"Academic ability, intelligence, physical ability, and cooperativeness are all important factors to consider. These four categories are incredibly significant to the institution. On the other hand, Social Contribution is a little different. Morals and etiquette are the foundations of social contribution. It's a general assessment of how you appear as a student, taking into account things like your tone and attitude toward your teachers, the number of absences or tardies on your attendance record, whether or not you're willing to follow certain rules, and even the impact of your voice and the accuracy of your words. It covers the kinds of common-sense skills you can't afford to be without."

Unlike the first four categories, where you couldn't expect to see significant improvements overnight, you could drastically increase your Social Contribution-related talents at any time by simply changing your mentality and how you approached things. That was the distinction.

"Everyone is treated equally with this app. The program evaluates you the same regardless of what class you're in or where you rank among your peers. As it stands today, those of you who received high scores in the Overall Ability category have done something deserving of commendation as individuals."

The students were displayed in alphabetical order in the app, but it also appeared to have a sorting feature. And thanks to that, there was no need for me to look through each student in Class 1-B one by one to find out who had the highest Overall Ability ratings.

The top five in our class were currently me in first place followed by Eichiiro in second, Hirata at third, Kushida at fourth, and Horikita at fifth place. Sudou, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sakura, on the other hand, took the top four spots when arranged in descending order.

"On a related point, while it has nothing to do with Class B, there are certain particular considerations for first-year students. Sakayanagi Arisu of Class 1-A will have the same Physical Ability rating as the student with the lowest Physical Ability rating for the school year."

Arisu had been physically challenged since birth. Even while walking, she needed to use a cane to get around. In other words, she wasn't capable of engaging in physical exercise, even if she wanted to.

However, the Physical Ability component could not simply be deleted from the overall score calculation. Having her take the same grade as the lowest-placed student seems like a sensible compromise in that regard.

"I'm confident that this app will establish itself as a valuable tool for not just altering your thoughts and developing yourself, but also for engaging with others, as you'll now have a way to swiftly familiarize yourself with the names and faces of students regardless of their school year. But... I believe there's more to it than that. This is only my conjecture, but perhaps in a year's time, pupils who fail to maintain an Overall Ability rating above a particular threshold will be penalized in some way."

"Penalized... Sensei, you're not implying something like expulsion, are you...?" Yukimura was the one who raised the issue.

"It's conceivable. But, as I already stated, this is just guesswork. It's not like it's a hard and fast fact. However, the closer your Overall Ability rating is near an E, the riskier your situation becomes. It's preferable if you remember that."

Sudou, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sakura were all rated at the very bottom for the time being. They'd be in hot water if they spent the next few months doing the same things they did in junior high.

"Some of you may be dissatisfied with the school's assessment, which may differ from what you believe you should have received, but keep in mind that this is how the school views you right now. If you're unhappy, you have the rest of the year to prove us incorrect. After all, the school is not without flaws."

"H-how are we expected to accomplish that, Sensei?" Yamauchi raised his hand frantically as he inquired, having realized he was at the bottom of the hierarchy.

"For instance, whether or not a student participates in club activities affects the accuracy of the Physical Ability assessment. Joining a club could be a fantastic decision if you're confident in your talents."

Chabashira-Sensei was implying that students who demonstrated their ability to the school would obtain better grades. However, it was still dependent on the individual. If a kid makes a negative appeal to the school, it could come back to bite them.

"It's as if we're battling alone." Chabashira-Sensei was aware of Horikita's faint murmuring.

Horikita undoubtedly felt like the launch of this app eliminated the class-focused competitiveness she had expected to face for her next three years here. And she was probably not the only one who felt this way.

"You're both right and wrong, Horikita. The school approved and implemented a proposal by the current student council vice president, Nagumo Miyabi, and that is the very system we're introducing this year."

Nagumo Miyabi. This is the first time I have heard of him but considering his position in the student council, he must be quite the capable student. He had proposed a system that encouraged individualistic meritocracy sort of goes against the competitiveness the school had set up for us in the first place.

"But, the fact that the school's emphasis lies on working together as a class still hasn't changed. Keep that in mind as you work hard to improve yourselves every day."

"Before I forget, the menu below you will display you with your recent exam results if you click on it. I must admit that I was expecting worse, but I'm really pleased with the results you've provided."

I instantly navigated to the menu and saw the exam results.

(Before I show you, I buffed the exam a bit if you didn't notice by yesterday's chapter so expect different results.)

First Exam Results of Class 1-B

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: 100

Koenji Rokusuke: 95

Matsuo Eichiiro: 85

Horikita Suzune: 80

Yukimura Teruhiko: 80

Matsuhita Chiaki: 80

Wang Mei-Yu: 75

Hirata Yosuke: 75

Kushida Kikyou: 75

-

Ike Kanji: 20

Yamauchi Haruki: 15

Sakura Airi: 15

Sudou Ken: 10

Looking at the results, I was alone at the top of the leaderboard with 100 points. Koenji finished in second position with 95 points. Eichiiro took third place after answering two of the five challenging essays correctly. Horikita and Yukimura were tied for fourth place. I get what you mean. Their intellectual abilities are also outstanding. They were able to answer one of the difficult problems in the essay.

"There were 35 questions on your exam. Each multiple-choice question is worth 2.5 points, and each essay is worth 5 points. Your class average is 62, which indicates the passing grade as 31. Sudou, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sakura." Chabashira-Sensei addressed them with a firm tone. They stiffened when sensei spoke.

"The four of you scored below that, which means you would have been expelled if this had been a genuine test," Chabashira-Sensei said coldly and without remorse. They could only meekly nod as a response.

"I have to commend you, Ayanokouji. I expected you to do well based on your entrance examinations, but expecting you to do so in such a short period of time is ridiculous. You've received a bonus of 10,000 private points for getting the top grade in the class." That suggested that not even Sakayanagi had solved all of the difficult questions.

Horikita said solemnly, "You actually received a flawless score..."

"Did you expect less from me?"

"Well- no... But still..." She was at a loss of words seeing me ace the exam so easily.

"All right, now listen up." Finally, Chabashira-sensei spoke up. "In three weeks, you'll have your midterms. So do your best to get ready for it. Make sure you pay attention to your teachers." Chabashira-Sensei then quickly exited the classroom.

The calm life we lived for a month has vanished after the truth was known to everyone in our year. Between us and other classes, there would now be all-out war and slaughter.

My primary battle pieces are already in place. We had already used up our one-month benefit, but it had not gone to waste. It was our responsibility as a class now to rise up against all odds and overtake Class A.

--

'Ring!'.

The bell rang loudly, signaling the end of our last lesson.

"Alright class, that will be all for today! Please make sure to review the materials thoroughly and have a good day~!" Hoshinomiya-Sensei bid her goodbyes cheerfully. But before she could leave, an unexpected guest had arrived at our doorway.

"Oh~? And what is the student council president doing here?"

Vol.1. Chapter 9.1: END.

Word Count: 3755 Words.

Next Chapter: SS.3.: The Misfit of Class 1-D.

--

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! This took a lot of research and storage from my phone lmao.

Anyways, I'll reveal everyone's OAA in the next chapter. If you're wondering how Class D lost 120 points, it was mostly due to their behavior and the four failing exams.

Anyways, I don't want to write much today. I'll write more rambling in the next chapter.

Until then, Sayonara!

Ayanokouji's Private Point Balance: 126,187.

Exams ranking throughout the whole year:

1st Place: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka (100)

2nd Place: Sakayanagi Arisu, Koenji Rokusuke (95)

3rd Place: Matsuo Eichiiro (85)

4th Place: Ichinose Honami, Katsuragi Kohei, Yukimura Teruhiko, Horikita Suzune, Matsuhita Chiaki (80)

OAA Facts:

-Ayanokouji is the only student who has an S rating in the five categories.

-In terms of Overall Abilities, He is in third place only behind Nagumo Miyabi at second and Horikita Manabu at first.

More details about the OAA will be revealed in the SS.

OAA STATS

I buffed and nerfed some characters ratings in specific categories. The OAA stats have been calculated by information from School Database, Canon OAA Stats, and Personal Opinion.

Some characters' ratings may be OOC, but that is due to us not knowing much about them.

I apologize if some of the columns are disorganized. Microsoft messed it up for some reason.

Class 1-B (D)

Class 1-D (C)

Class 1-C (B)

Class 1-A (A)

Other Years

--

Academic Ability Rankings (First Years)

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: S (100)

2. Sakayanagi Arisu, Koenji Rokusuke: A (96)

3. Matsuo Eichiiro: A (88)

4. Horikita Suzune: A (86)

5. Katsuragi Kohei, Shiina Hiyori: A- (85)

Intelligence Rankings (First Years)

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: A (96)

2. Sakayanagi Arisu: A (91)

3. Koenji Rokusuke: A (90)

4. Ryuuen Kakeru, Ichinose Honami: A (87)

5. Katsuragi Kohei: A (86)

Physical Ability Rankings (First Years)

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: A (96)

2. Koenji Rokusuke: A (95)

3. Sudou Ken: A (93)

4. Albert Yamada: A (90)

5. Hayato Kitou: A (88)

Cooperativeness Rankings (First Years)

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Ichinose Honami: A (87)

2. Kushida Kikyou: A- (85)

3. Matsuo Eichiiro, Hirata Yosuke: A- (83)

4. Amikura Mako: B (77)

5. Katsuragi Kohei: B (76)

Social Contribution Rankings (First Years)

1. Ichinose Honami: A (89)

2. Kushida Kikyou: A (86)

3. Matsuo Eichiiro, Hirata Yosuke, Katsuragi Kohei: A- (84)

4. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Sakayanagi Arisu: A- (82)

5. Horikita Suzune: A- (81)

Overall Rankings (First Years)

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: A (92)

2. Matsuo Eichiiro: A- (83)

3. Ichinose Honami: B (80)

4. Hirata Yosuke: B (78)

5. Katsuragi Kohei: B (77)

--

Academic Ability Rankings

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: S (100)

2. Sakayanagi Arisu, Koenji Rokusuke, Kiryuuin Fuka: A (96)

3. Horikita Manabu: A (94)

4. Nagumo Miyabi: A (91)

5. Matsuo Eichiiro: A (88)

Intelligence Rankings

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Horikita Manabu: A (96)

2. Kiryuuin Fuka: A (94)

3. Nagumo Miyabi: A (92)

4. Sakayanagi Arisu: A (91)

5. Koenji Rokusuke: A (90)

Physical Ability Rankings

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: A (96)

2. Koenji Rokusuke, Kiryuuin Fuka: A (95)

3. Horikita Manabu: A (94)

4. Sudou Ken: A (93)

5. Albert Yamada: A (90)

Cooperativeness Rankings

1. Horikita Manabu: A (98)

2. Nagumo Miyabi: A (97)

3. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Ichinose Honami: A (87)

4. Kiriyama Ikuto: A (86)

5. Tachibana Akane: A (84)

Social Contribution Rankings

1. Horikita Manabu: A (99)

2. Nagumo Miyabi: A (97)

3. Tachibana Akane: A (93)

4. Kiriyama Ikuto: A (91)

5. Ichinose Honami: A (89)

Overall Rankings

1. Horikita Manabu: A (96)

2. Nagumo Miyabi: A (93)

3. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka: A (92)

4. Matsuo Eichiiro, Kiriyama Ikuto: A- (83)

5. Ichinose Honami, Tachibana Akane: B (80)

--

OAA Facts:

-All members of the student council have a Social Contribution score of over 90.

-The only way for someone to get above 91 in Social Contribution is to join the Student Council.

-Horikita Manabu is the only student in the whole year who has an A Overall grade.

-Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is the only student in the whole year who has an S grade in a category.

-Second Year and Third Year students are judged differently compared to the newly enrolled First Year students since the school has evaluated them for much longer while the First Year Students were mostly evaluated by middle school records and their behavior during the first month.

-Girls' Physical Abilities are set on a different standard compared to Boys'. For example: Although Kiryuuin has a higher physical ability grade than Manabu, that doesn't make her necessarily more athletic.

-Intelligence is evaluated not only by deduction reasoning, observation skills, adaptability. It includes ALL forms of intelligence. So just because one student has a higher intelligence grade compared to the other, it doesn't make that person necessarily better at every form of intelligence than the other person. Except for Ayanokouji cause he's God LMAO.

-Most of the Cooperativeness grade is mostly judged by contribution to the class in special exams and other factors. Basically, the more of a leader you are admitted by others, the more you're Cooperativeness will rise. The minority is mostly influenced by Social Circles and Communication Skills.

-Just because someone is a leader of a class, it doesn't instantly mean they'll have a high Cooperativeness grade.

For example: Ryuuen. Although he is technically the leader, he made his class yield by sheer violence and dictatorship.

Ichinose and Ayanokouji have the highest in their grade since they were able to gain their classmates' trust. Though, Ayanokouji has more contributions. The reason why Ichinose's Cooperativeness is equal with Kiyo is because of her vast social circle.

-Kiyo tends to space out sometimes in class and just not pay attention, which is why his Social Contribution isn't very high compared to the other leaders of his class. His monotone way of speaking also doesn't help as sometimes the teachers or anyone else, in general, would rub them the wrong way.

-Horikita also has a lower Social Contribution score due to her tone of voice, and icy attitude. Even though she's just as diligent as the other leaders of her class.

-I forgot Mei-Yu Wang but she basically has the same stats as her canon OAA.

If you have any other questions regarding the OAA, feel free to ask here.

SS.3. The Misfit of Class 1-D

" There are... many types of monsters in this world.

Monsters who will not show themselves and who cause trouble; monsters who abduct children; monsters who devour dreams; monsters who suck blood,

and... monsters who always tell lies. Lying monsters are a real nuisance. They are much more cunning than other monsters.

They pose as humans even though they have no understanding of the human heart. They eat even though they've never experienced hunger. They study even though they have no interest in academics. They seek friendship even though they do not know how to love.

If were to encounter such a monster, I would most likely be eaten by it.

Because in truth,

I am that monster. "

-L Lawliet

———————————————————

Katsuragi Kohei's POV

When I opened the classroom door, practically everyone was there. Contrary to my expectations, everyone appeared to be cheerful and eager rather than afraid. Why wouldn't they be?

We'd just received 98,000 private points on our phones, after all. We were only 2,000 points short of our original target.

Despite the fact that I disagree with Sakayanagi's ideology and leadership style, I must applaud her brains and logical reasoning abilities. We in class A could have received fewer points if it wasn't for her.

We had all worked out some of the truths about the S-system. I knew this institution was different compared to any other ordinary school, but I was still stunned when I discovered what kind of structure and system that this school had in place for its students.

"My oh my, you seem to be very deep in thought Katsuragi-Kun~" A feminine voice called out to me, jolting me awake from my reverie.

The person who had just approached me was none other than Sakayanagi Arisu. A petite teenage girl with lilac-colored hair and violet eyes. She also wears a black beret on her head with a gray ribbon connected to it and wears the standard school uniform.

She uses a cane to walk due to her health issue, and she is fairly short for her age when compared to my other classmates, but this is primarily due to her congenital heart ailment. Many students at the school think she's cute, but they're hesitant to approach her because of the power and dominion she wields.

Both of us are frequently viewed as representatives of our class. This is accurate to some extent. As a result, the student body outside of our class assumes that we get along swimmingly.

I am usually seen addressing and reporting to Sakayanagi when asking for her ideas and actions on problems concerning other classes, so it appeared that she was the genuine leader of the class from the start. The class perceives me as more of an advisor who acts as her right-hand man in all matters pertaining to our class.

Despite our strong partnership, I have a lot of disputes with her about how to operate things effectively. Our personalities are also very different, with Sakayanagi being the more playful kind and me being the more serious type. It isn't technically incorrect.

Simply put, two individuals in my class have sought to take on leadership responsibilities, and the class is evenly split into two factions. One was led by me, and the other was headed by Sakayanagi Arisu. The Sakayanagi camp favors a more aggressive and liberal leadership style, whereas I prefer a more defensive and conservative approach.

To be honest, I had no idea what Sakayanagi was trying to achieve by being confrontational. Why should we strive to attack other classes when we're already miles ahead of them? Why should we let our guards down and risk exposing ourselves to be vulnerable when we can just endeavor to maintain and protect our current position?

I'll never understand just how that brain of her works.

"Good morning to you too, Sakayanagi." I returned her greeting in a friendly manner.

Even though we are rivals, there is no reason for us to be unnecessarily unfriendly to one another when there are no class issues at hand. As of right now, We're currently only conversing as people. Not leaders.

"Today's going to be quite the special day, isn't it, Katsuragi-Kun."

"...Sure."

Ah, that's right. The 1st of May has arrived. The day when each student's private points are assigned. That is, at least, what the school would like you to believe. In reality, we will not receive the full 100,000 private points. Of course, this is contingent on each class's behavior and disposition throughout their first month at school.

With our class at the top of the hierarchy and Class D at the bottom, I wouldn't be surprised if they received the fewest amount of points compared to the other classes.

"Do you need something from me, Sakayanagi? You don't usually talk to me unless we're arguing or if it's about class matters." I asked.

"There's no need to be so cautious. I'm only here to issue a simple cautionary statement." She responded.

"Cautionary statement? What exactly does that imply? Are you perhaps threatening me?" I tried to intimidate her by glaring at her, but it was in vain; she merely laughed haughtily at my attempt to fear her.

"Fufu~ you don't have to be so hostile, Katsuragi-Kun. I'm not attempting to scare you or anything of the sort." She refuted my allegations. "I'm just dropping by to let you know about something else."

"And what is this other thing you're talking about?"

"What trying to communicate is..." She motioned for me to get a bit closer to her, which I did. "When you check the results for each class, don't get too fired up. You may be in for a pleasant surprise." She spoke in hushed tones into my ears.

A pleasant surprise? What exactly is that supposed to mean? She took a step back and gave me a smug smile. I was going to interrogate her further but it was interrupted as Mashima-Sensei entered the classroom calmly, holding a rolled-up poster in his arms. I and Sakayanagi swiftly signaled for everyone to return to their seats and act appropriately, to which they complied immediately.

"Okay, your morning homeroom class is about to begin. Do you have any queries before we begin? I'm sure you have some questions for me, so feel free to speak up."

Mashima-sensei sounded confident that we would have a question for him. Nobody, however, made any attempts to ask something from him, contrary to his expectations. In fact, the majority of my classmates appeared bored and were waiting for him to continue.

"Eh? Doesn't anyone have something to say?" Mashima-sensei inquired, clearly taken aback.

"If it's about our points, sensei, we pretty much already figured out what was going on within our first two weeks here. We have no reason to ask any inquiries at this time." On behalf of Class A, Hashimoto spoke up.

Mashima-Sensei looked genuinely amazed by his abrupt revelation. He knew we were the finest of the best, but He probably couldn't have predicted how quickly we were able to deduce about the S-system.

"O-oh... I'll just get straight to the point then." Mashima-Sensei regained his usual calm and composed demeanor.

He took a white rolled-up poster from his tube and spread it around. He used magnets to attach the poster to the blackboard. All of the formerly uninterested pupils were now looking at the poster with bated breath.

"Are these... Each class' results?" Yahiko mumbled under his breath. He was probably correct. Classes A through D were listed on the poster, along with a column of numerals up to four digits.

The poster read:

Class Standings

Class A (A): 980 cp

Class B (D): 680 cp

Class C (B): 650 cp

Class D (C): 490 cp

Depending on the rankings, it appeared that our hypothesis about students being classified into classes A through D based on their abilities was right. This meant that the 'Class Points' system was the final piece of the puzzle. I couldn't help but conclude that the fact that our class points were published in a format termed 'Standings' means we'll be competing against other classes. However, I couldn't see how there could ever be a fair competition if Class A had all of the excellent kids and Class D had all of the 'defectives.'

"I see how things are now. Instead of the 100,000 points we earned the first month, we received 98,000 today. To put it another way, each 'Class Point' is equivalent to 100 private points." Sakayanagi quickly deducted as she always does.

?!

Wait... Something was very odd about this poster.

"Sensei, Is it possible that the school made a mistake? Isn't class D supposed to have the least amount of class points?" It was Nishikawa who posed the question.

"No. The school made no such mistake. Every class was evaluated with careful observation. Every class was judged fairly and equally." Mashima-Sensei bluntly answered.

"T-then how the hell did Class D get that many class points?!" Yahiko enquired vehemently, sounding incredibly perplexed.

The classroom was filled with confusion and befuddlement. I too was also baffled by Class D's results. if Class D was able to save up so many class points, Were we perhaps mistaken on our assumptions about this school's hierarchical system? I mean, it would make more sense for the school to divide superior students into distinct classes rather than using a hierarchical system in order to create more competitive contention amongst classes.

Murmurs could be heard all across the classroom, but it quickly shut down, leaving just a crazy and a psychotic-like chuckle from none other than Sakayanagi herself. She appeared to be sincerely enjoying the horrible circumstance in the same way that a sadist would. Is this what she meant when she mentioned a pleasant surprise? Well, it certainly doesn't seem like one.

"What's so funny, Sakayanagi?!" Yahiko questioned, his voice agitated and irritated by Sakayanagi's irrational behavior.

"Oh, Yahiko. You poor deafening moron. You can't see what's going on, can you?" Sakayanagi posed a provocative question.

"Sakayanagi," I spoke forcefully in a commanding tone of voice. "Do you have anything to do with this, or do you not? Perhaps a member of your faction leaked information about the S-system to class D?" I interrogated her.

"I made no such orders, Katsuragi." She flatly denied my accusation.

"So, what's the matter with you? You acted as if you had prepared for all of this."

"Katsuragi, don't be such a fool." She insulted. "I've already deduced how class D was able to accumulate so many class points."

"Really? Please enlighten us as to what you believe what might the cause be."

"Isn't it painfully evident this point? Someone in class D had worked out the realities about the S-system long before we had."

"What?!" My composure finally cracked as I unintentionally slammed my palms against my desk.

(Desk: slam me harder Johnny~ Ignore this please.)

"That's not possible!"

"There's no way a defective could be able to solve the mystery of the school so easily!"

"Sakayanagi, y-you're kidding right?" Even Hashimoto was bewildered by Sakayanagi's statement, as he addressed her by her name rather than calling her princess as he usually does.

"Why would I be joking at a time like this? Even better, I already know the perpetrator who was able to unravel this school's secret so quickly and lead the class to jump ahead of two classes." Sakayanagi stated boldly.

"Then tell us who it is already!" Yahiko yelled at Sakayanagi, demanding an answer.

Normally, I would have chastised him for being so irritable and combative. But I'll let it slip this time because I'm also curious about the individual Sakayanagi believes could have cracked the S-system.

Obviously, once we discovered their name, they'd be a dangerous opponent that Class A will have to take more seriously in comparison to the other adversaries we'd make along the way.

"Before I reveal who the mastermind behind Class D's success is..." She paused. "Mashima-Sensei, is there anything that you would like to add? You look like you've been waiting for us to finish for quite a while."

"Ah, thank you Sakayanagi." We quickly turned our heads and turned our attention towards Mashima-Sensei.

He began by explaining the OAA app to us all. Nagumo Miyabi, the current student council vice president, issued an app called Over All Abilities that displays each student's abilities assessment. It is based on school outcomes, and any student whose total ability score falls below a particular threshold will be penalized.

As Mashima-Sensei instructed, I touched on my own name. I was expecting to be met with basic information such as my date of birth, but that was not the case. Instead, data that I had never seen before was presented to me.

Class 1-A - Katsuragi Kohei

First-Year Evaluation

Academic Ability: A (85)

Intelligence: A (86)

Physical Ability: C (56)

Cooperativeness: B (76)

Social Contribution: A (84)

Overall Ability: B (77)

I see... Overall, I was pleased with the school's evaluations of me. Everything seemed logical, albeit some of my classmates might have doubts about my physical ability rating. Although I have a large body, I am not particularly athletic. I can hold my own in a pinch, but I'm no professional.

Some of us asked Mashima-Sensei a few questions here and there, and he answered them. He quickly exited the classroom after answering all of our inquiries and slipped the door shut behind him. Everyone gathered around Sakayanagi after that, eager for her to reveal Class D's genius.

"So... Who do you think it is princess?" Hashimoto asked the elephant in the room.

"Fufu, well to answer your question, why don't you take a look at everyone's test scores." Sakayanagi vaguely replied.

"What do our results have to do with class D's mastermind?" For the sake of everyone, I raised the question.

"Are you stupid Katsuragi?" she continued to hurl abusive words towards me. "I'm obviously not talking about Class A's test scores. I'm talking about the test scores of everyone in our grade."

"Eh? We can do that?" Kamura who was silent till now suddenly asked.

"Why would I suppose I'm telling you this if we couldn't even do so in the first place?"

This was the first time I'd heard of it. I promptly launched the OAA app and selected the menu option in the bottom right corner to view everyone's exam results throughout the school year. Instead of Sakayanagi being at the top of the rankings, I was greeted with...

"A-Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?!" Machida screamed, his face flushed with shock and surprise.

He was well-known among my classmates. In the history of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, he was the first student to ace the entrance exams. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe him as a genius.

I was still muddled as to why he was assigned to Class D rather than Class A. Surely someone as educated and accomplished as him deserves to be at the top of the food chain, right? Or maybe, he could have poor physical characteristics, although I doubt it given the photo Hashimoto released of him and Koenji Rokusuke in the gym, which revealed some of his powerful physique.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is an enigmatic character. If he truly is the guy who solved the puzzle of the S-system before us, we must be extremely cautious of him.

"There's no way! I know he got perfect scores on the entrance exams, but that must've been luck. I refuse to believe that defective like him could get a 100 on our recent exams without cheating!" Yahiko pointed the finger at him.

"Oi! Don't just go around accusing someone of cheating when you don't even have any concrete evidence that he did!" Hashimoto stepped up to protect Ayanokouji. "Plus, if he really did cheat, wouldn't he have been disciplined or expelled by the school by now?" Hashimoto retorted with reason.

"He's right, Yahiko." I stepped between them. "Unbelievable as it may be, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka has proven that he's the most academically gifted student of our year."

"But, Sakayanagi, you're suspicious as well." I shifted my focus to her. "You promised me a pleasant surprise this morning. It's as though you're implying that you knew Class D would receive this many class points. It's as if you knew Ayanokouji Kiyotaka would figure out the school's strange point system for students."

"Why of course I did." She answered straightforwardly.

"B-but how?!" One of the students of my faction asked loudly.

"I am more aware than anyone else in this school of just how truly capable Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is. I knew just how terrifying and monstrous his brilliance and insight were. After all, I was his childhood pal." She dropped an unexpected bombshell on the class.

"EH?!" Her surprising revelation elicited shrieks of surprise from the rest of the class.

"However, Katsuragi-Kun." She narrated as she made eye contact with me. "Allow me to issue a straightforward cautionary statement. And don't take it the wrong way: i'm not trying to offend or threaten you in any way." Sakayanagi gave a faint grin as if she was looking forward to something.

"I am not so proud to declare that it is most likely that no students at this school, including you, hold a candle to Kiyotaka-Kun's intelligence. Therefore if we want to maintain our lead as Class A, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is the foe we must be most prepared to face." She said it outright.

This came as a complete shock. Sakayanagi was a conceited woman who always claimed to be the most superior person in our class. It's rather frightening to hear her be humble and praise someone else's abilities. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, just how truly brilliant are you that you can make the likes of Sakayanagi think so highly of you?

Hearing her accolades for Ayanokouji, everyone in the classroom looked amazed and bemused. Given the type of person she was, it was understandable.

"H-hime, are you saying that he might even be smarter than you?"

"Hmm... Who knows?" She shrugged playfully. "But one thing I am certain of is that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is not to be taken lightly. If you even slightly underestimate him, he will make sure you will pay for it. He is a shrewd and astute individual. Even I am unaware of the entire scope of his true potential."

"T-then do we even stand a chance?" Yoshikawa muttered meekly. It didn't go unnoticed by everyone near her.

"What do you mean by that, Nishikawa?" Hashimoto seemed concerned about her.

"Surely you're not doubting our class that much, are you?" I raised the question.

"N-no... It's just that, can we even win against him if we face him directly? I mean he literally lead the class full of detectives to such a feat in just one month. Who knows what he could do in three years."

She was understandably concerned about our class's situation. We in class A may have taken things for granted and acted so arrogantly that we failed to consider the potential that another class would discover the truth about the school system as well. It was the first time we genuinely felt threatened by another class possibly taking our place.

"Fufufu~ no need to be so pessimistic, Nishikawa-San."

"Sakayanagi-San?"

"Although he's debatably the most skilled and proficient student of our grade, in the end, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is human. Human beings are flawed creatures, regardless of how wonderful they appear to be. We'll just have to strike him when he's at his weakest. I promise that if you put your faith in me, I will do everything in my power to bring down the student named Ayanokouji Kiyotaka." With a gleeful grin, she asserted enthusiastically. It wasn't a proclamation full of hate and detest, but rather a declaration of war one would wage against a mutual rival.

Over time, the environment gradually improved and became more optimistic. We talked about the situation some more until Sakagami-Sensei entered the classroom, signaling the start of our classes.

If we've learned anything from today, it's that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is going to be a very troublesome opponent that we'll have to deal with in the near future.

SS.3.: END.

Word Count: 3416 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 10.1: The Student Council.

Mystery Chapter: Vol.?. Chapter ?: The Resolve of Matsuo Eichiiro.

———————————————————

Author's Note:

First of all, I would like to apologize for not uploading this sooner than I should have. I've been feeling really depressed lately but I promise to at least post 4 chapters a week.

As compensation, have a mystery chapter. You are free to guess on what volume that chapter will take place in. I won't answer though.

Also, sudden announcement, but I'm planning to publish another fanfic.

The fanfic will be about Kiyotaka trying to live a normal life as a college student after three years of enrolling at ANHS. Some changes will be made to the timeline, and more details will be explained in the fic. It's a Kiyo x Hiyori fic btw.

Here's the cover I made for it:

I know it's lazy but bear with it please.

Anyways, I'll only be updating that fic at the most, 2-3 chapters a week. My main focus is on Unconfined Genius right now.

That's all I wanted to say for today.

Sayonara!

.

Volume 2 - 4 Teaser

(I know Volume 1 Isn't finished yet, but I just wanted to hype you guys up a bit. Anyways enjoy.)

You are free to guess whoever is saying the quotes.

"Kukuku... If it isn't the defective pretty boy genius of Class 1-B."

"He's... Amazing, isn't he?"

"Y-you bastard! Don't you dare..."

"You're simply overreacting."

"How can you be so heartless?!"

"Objection!"

"Don't get too cocky now. Once I finish humiliating Ayanokouji, you're up next on my list, Matsuo Eichiiro."

"If you can't trust in me, at the very least trust in my abilities."

"Do you really think you'll be able to beat me?"

"I'm not sure, but I can't just give up without trying."

"I don't care about your hopes and dreams."

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves!"

"What value do you have in telling me all this?"

"I'm warning you."

"Y-you planned all this, didn't you?"

"We've put on quite a show, haven't we?"

"I strongly advise you to cease your ineffective retaliation. You're not the one who's in control here."

"Let's just say a little birdie informed me that something interesting was going to happen here."

"Are you that much of a sore loser that you're willing to wage violence against me?"

"You don't have to worry. After all, everything is going according to plan."

"Tch, people like you disgust me."

"A-Ayanokouji-Kun?!"

"Get well soon, okay?"

"What exactly do you see in him that makes you think so highly of him?"

"Ew, I got blood on my fist."

"Do not become a burden to the class."

"It was nice knowing you,"

The atmosphere became bleak and tense. Everyone had a perturbed expression on their faces as they stared at us. If the situation escalated even further, a brawl would almost certainly ensue.

"Kukuku... You bastard. Are you declaring war on me?"

He took a bold move forward, making it clear that he wasn't going to let anyone stand in our way. He then leaned in close to me and gazed into my eyes, as if he was peering into my soul with the purpose to kill. He was attempting to scare me into submission.

"Take it however as you may. But if it's bloodshed you want..." As I moved closer to him, I opened my eyes and gave him a death glare, my eyes darkening.

"Then it's bloodshed you'll get."

Chapter 10.1 will be uploaded today. Look forward to it!

Vol.1. Chapter 10.1 : The Student Council

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Oh~? And what is the student council president doing here?" Hoshinomiya-Sensei asked in a frisky manner.

Everyone abruptly paused from what they were doing and turned their attention to Hoshinomiya-Sensei's direction. I was a bit surprised to see the president of the student council, Horikita Manabu, standing there in front of our classroom door. Tachibana Akane, his secretary, was also accompanying him.

"I have some business with a certain pupil in Class 1-D. Of course, I'll only call them if you are finished with your lesson." While adjusting his glasses, Manabu began his intentions.

Now that I've had a close look at him, he does appear to be quite attractive. It's no surprise that he topped the Ikemen rankings for all of the school's males.

"May I ask who that certain someone is?" Hoshinomiya-Sensei persisted further with her interrogation.

"If you really wish to know..." Manabu heaved a sigh before continuing. "The student I'm looking for is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka," Manabu answered , judging it would be more time-efficient if he just answered all her queries.

"Oh~? You mean Mr.Popular over there~?" Hoshinomiya-Sensei said while pointing at me. Manabu just gave a slight nod as a response.

"And here I was thinking you were on the hunt for your darling sister." Hoshinomiya made a snide comment.

When Horikita's name was mentioned, she instantly stiffened. Horikita had an uneasy expression on her face now that I glanced at her, and her body language was tense. Horikita received only a fleeting glance from Manabu before he turned away with a disdainful frown visible on his face.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time to spare for someone as inept as her." Manabu conveyed his opinion bluntly. Horikita caught my gaze as I swiveled my head. After hearing her brother's critical remarks about her, she appeared to be on the verge of crying.

My curiosity was sparked by their relationship. Is there a grudge between Manabu and his own sister? Was there something that happened between them in the past that caused their dreadful sibling rivalry? Does he truly despise Horikita that much that he felt ashamed of having her as a family member?

Then again, it is not in my position to try to pry into other people's family affairs.

"What a cold-hearted and heartless brother you are. Anyway, I'm finished with classes for the day, which is good news for you. Yay~!" Hoshinomiya laughed and made lighthearted clapping motions. "If you wish to speak with him right now, go ahead." She informed him as she waltzed out of the classroom.

Everyone's eyes had switched to me at this point. It's as if they're watching me from the stands, anticipating for me to hit the game-winning free throw for the NBA championship. I'm desperate to get this over with. I felt like I was back in the White Room because of other people's direct stares at me, which I was very uncomfortable with.

He peered around the classroom and strolled over to my desk once he had found where was I sitting.

In a severe tone of voice, he addressed me, "Ayanokouji." I simply raised my head to indicate that he had my undivided attention. My classmates were all listening in on our conversation. It could be really bothersome for me if he perhaps says something very unneeded.

"Please come to the student council office as soon as possible. The student council would like to speak with you about a few issues." Manabu stated unequivocally.

"Does it concern something significant?"

"Very much so, yes. It's not every day that a kid from Class D is summoned to the office of the student council. Of course, that is excluding occurrences involving conflict between students or inappropriate behavior."

"I think I'm available at the moment. So, if you want, I guess I can go to the student council office right now."

"That's good then. After you've completed packing all your luggage, please follow me as I will direct you to the student council office ." He instructed me as he motioned for me to walk along with him.

I snatched my backpack from the floor and slung the strap over my left shoulder. I briskly exited the classroom after awkwardly waving everyone goodbye. Manabu and Tachibana were waiting outside the classroom awaiting my arrival. He flicked his wrist slightly after seeing my presence, signaling me to follow his directions. I merely nodded as a response.

I could feel the stares aimed at me as we walked to the student council office. The worst aspect was that the looks came not only from students in my year but also from a number of upperclassmen.

Although I'm not sure why they were blatantly staring at me so intently, their curiosity in me was most likely heightened after seeing my OAA data or test scores. I understand that it's a near-impossible task, but couldn't they at least try to hide their motive of observing me?

Is it human nature for people who are interested in someone to just merely look at that certain person uncomfortably? Ugh, I still haven't been able to grasp this bewildering outside world to which I haven't yet become very accustomed to.

'Thud!'

"Ittai..." I muttered as I winced slightly in pain.

Apparently, I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts that I had failed to see my surroundings and I'd accidentally blown my face against the door to the student council office. I spun around to see how they reacted to my minor mishap. Manabu was visibly face palming, while Tachibana was covering her mouth with her palm, attempting to keep her giggle in.

"Be more aware of your surroundings next time, Ayanokouji," Manabu warned. I meekly looked down in humiliation at his words.

"You may enter," said a voice from behind the closed door, allowing us to enter the office. My head hitting the door may have been misinterpreted as a knock. What an embarrassing situation.

Given the permission, I opened the door. We then entered the room in a formal manner. Rather than walking with both hands in my pockets like I typically do, I modified my stance to appear as a civil and well-mannered student. I wanted to make a good impression on the individuals at the office right now.

Everyone in the room moved their focus to us as soon as they heard the door creak open. There was Kiriyama who was seated at a desk with a fair-skinned man with light blond hair and light blue eyes. He must be Nagumo Miyabi, based on what I've learned through the OAA application. The student council's vice president.

Three figures stood in front of me, staring at me as if they were meticulously scrutinizing and watching every motion I made. Those three people were Sakayanagi Arisu of Class 1-A, Katsuragi Kohei of Class 1-A, and Ichinose Honami of Class 1-C, formerly Class 1-B, were the folks in question.

"A-Ayanokouji-Kun?!" Ichinose yelled loudly due to shock, probably not expecting my appearance. I observed Katsuragi's eyes widen and flinched ever so slightly. He looked at me for a while but soon averted his sights away from me.

"Yo, Ichinose," I replied indiscriminately.

"You all arrived rather early... Please have a seat on the couch first. This meeting will most likely take a while." Nagumo remarked while surveying the students in front of him.

We did as we were told and sat on an adjacent couch. In stark contrast to our laid-back atmosphere. Ichinose's and the others' tension was palpable.

It seems They were also summoned for an important reason. Maybe they had applied to the student council and were now waiting to hear whether or not they had been accepted? Well, I wouldn't know unless I listened in on our upcoming discussion.

"First and foremost, I'd like to express my gratitude to all of you for taking your time to come here so late in the afternoon. I know you're all probably swamped with schoolwork or preoccupied with your thoughts regarding the truth that was just revealed to you today." Manabu thanked us. As a simple reaction, we all nodded.

"I'd like to congratulate Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kohei of Class 1-A. Your class was able to receive 980 class points this month. No class in the history of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School has ever saved up this many amounts of points in the first month. This is something you both should be very proud of." Manabu praised them for their achievements.

"Second, I'm also quite impressed with you, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka." He shifted his gaze towards me."This is the first time in this school's history that Class D was able to advance beyond two classes in such a short period of time. To make it even more astounding, you did all of this in the first month of your enrollment. That is something to be commended and applauded for." Manabu showered me with compliments while clapping his hands briefly.

I also noticed Arisu, who was giggling to herself, Katsuragi, who had an uneasy expression on his face, seemingly disappointed with himself, and Ichinose, who was staring at me with eyes shining with admiration and respect.

My heart would have probably fluttered there if I hadn't been so emotionally traumatized and thoroughly touched by my dreadful past.

"Now let's get down to business. Katsuragi Kohei and Ichinose Honami, You both put in an application for the student council. I'm sure you all realize how critical it is." Manabu emphasized strongly, his voice dominating. He also indicated that they expressed interest in wanting to be part of the student government. I'm curious as to what will transpire.

"I'm afraid I'll have to turn down your application even though you two were sorted into the higher classes." They were flatly rejected by Manabu.

Huh? That's odd. I'm still not sure about Katsuragi, but Ichinose seems like the right choice for the part. She appeared to be a force to be reckoned with based on her OAA statistics. She also has the highest social contribution grade out of all of our year's students, which I thought was a requirement to join. I was considering why they were turned down, My mind began to formulate several possible conclusions.

"I see... It appears that I am still unprepared to serve on the student council." Ichinose sighed despondently.

"May I ask why, Mr. President? I'm very certain that I'm the ideal candidate for the council." The president's choice was openly questioned by the so-called Katsuragi.

"While this is partially true, I'm still going to have to say no." Manabu was unfazed. He made it obvious that he had no intention of second-guessing his decision.

"Fufufu, Katsuragi-kun, stop it, it was already determined," Arisu chided, a smug smirk on her face.

"You are free to leave if you have no further queries. However, I appreciate you both for attempting." Manabu stood up and bowed to them.

Arisu tucked Katsuragi's right sleeve as they stood up from the couch and were prepared to walk away.

Katsuragi, irritated, inquired, "What is it now, Sakayanagi?"

"Hold your horses there, Katsuragi. I believe it is preferable for you and Ichinose to stay here just a little bit longer."

"Huh?" Ichinose's face was flushed with bemusement. "Can you explain what you mean by that?"

"Something exciting and entertaining is about to happen, I just have a feeling it will. President Horikita," The president was addressed by Arisu. "May we stay here for a few minutes longer, if you don't mind?" Arisu had made a request.

"I'm perfectly fine with it as long as you don't cause any trouble." Manabu gave his approval

"Thank you very much, President Horikita, "Arisu thanked him.

"Now then," He walked over to the couch in front of us and sat down, his piercing eyes fixed on me.

"If I may, President?" I kindly raised my right palm. "I'd like to know why I've been summoned to this room. I have not yet submitted an application to join the student council, and I'm very certain I haven't caused any trouble for anyone. I'm still unsure as to why I've been exactly called here. Of course, please accept my heartfelt apologies if I have made a mistake and have not noticed it."

"I applaud your demeanor and decorum, Kouhai," Nagumo, who had remained deafeningly quiet up until this point, suddenly piped up. "You surely know how to conduct yourself in the presence of the student council president. A lot of people don't show enough regard to the student council. As a result, I must eulogize you on that."

"Thank you, Nagumo-Senpai." I bowed my head slightly as a sign of respect. He gave a proud grin as a response and merely continued sipping the cup of tea he was drinking.

"Now back to the topic, may I inquire as to the specific reason as to why you've called me here, president Horikita?"

"Let's just say I've taken a bit of an interest in you, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka." Manabu was upfront about his objective.

This came as a complete surprise, although, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't expecting something like this. Ichinose, Katsuragi, and the other members of the student council's faces were visibly shocked.

"I'm flattered you feel that way about me, president Horikita. Unfortunately for you, I don't swing that way." I made an attempt to crack a joke.

"PFFFFT!!" Nagumo spat out the entire cup of tea he was drinking from his mouth and burst out laughing. He was visibly wheezing, tears of joy flowing down his cheeks.

Arisu was giggling alongside me as well. The others, on the other hand, were filled with horror. They were undoubtedly perplexed that I had the audacity to make such a scathing remark about him out of all people. To be honest, I'm impressed with myself as well.

"Kouhai, watch your manners! You're talking to the student council president of this school!" Tachibana barked at me.

"Aw~ come on Tachibana-Senpai, there's no need to be so strict." Nagumo stepped in to cover for me. "He's not only capable and well-mannered, but he also has a wicked sense of humor. I like this guy!" Nagumo exclaimed, snapping his fingers.

"I did not take you for someone childish, Ayanokouji," Manabu remarked.

"I suppose appearances can be deceiving." I shrugged nonchalantly. "However, I apologize if my comment offended you personally in some way. I had no intention of hurting you in any way."

"It's fine. Something like that is inconsequential to me." Manabu brushed it off.

"Getting back to where we left off, I'm sure you didn't just call me here to tell me that." I made the decision to forego the formality. Tachibana's expression showed visible displeasure.

"Yes, exactly. So, instead of wasting your time, I'll just get to the point." As he rose and approached me, he said. "For the student council, two slots are open. A post as the vice president's secretary and as a first-year representative. You can have the secretary seat if you prefer. I don't mind whichever option you choose." Manabu came out with an offer.

(I made two positions open so Ichinose can join later on. Also if you want to make the reading experience more intense, I suggest you play pursuit-cornered while reading the next couple of lines.)

The comfortable vibe in the room had vanished as everyone in the room erupted into an uproar. The most common expression on everyone's faces was shock. In particular, Katsuragi and Ichinose. Meanwhile, Arisu began to chuckle uncontrollably as she saw the events unfolding in front of her eyes. To be honest, I was grateful for her presence. Without her, the environment could have gotten far too oppressive for me to bear.

"H-Horikita-Senpai, have you gone mad?!" Nagumo yelled, unable to maintain his composure for any longer.

"A-are you serious, president?!" Kiriyama expressed his concern on the matter.

"President, you do know what class I was alloted to at the start of the year, right?" I questioned him.

"Yes. I'm perfectly aware that you were originally assigned as a Class D student. However, I am unconcerned with such trivialities." Manabu answered brusquely.

"Hmm..." I rubbed my chin, contemplating if I should accept or decline his offer.

Even though I've considered joining the student council, I haven't made up my mind. Although Class D will profit from the many benefits offered by the student council, my free time will be severely constrained because I will most likely be required to participate in many student council activities after school or assist them in setting up and preparing big school events.

I wanted more time to consider the pros and cons of accepting his offer. Why did he solely want to invite me, is a question I have. He did state there were two unfilled slots on the student council, so why not approve Ichinose's application first, then mine? Is there a significant reason why he doesn't want Ichinose on the council?

My mind went into overdrive as I sought to figure out every possible connection. But, alas, it was all for naught. I couldn't come up with any reasonable explanations for why he didn't want Ichinose to be in the council. I'll have to press him for even more details.

"Before I respond to your offer..." I removed my hand from my chin. "Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?"

"As long as it is within to my capabilities, then sure."

"Then my first inquiry would be, why me, specifically?"

"It's because you possess the necessary characteristics to serve on the student council. Not only that, but you were also able to transform a 'defective' class into Class B in just one month. If that wasn't enough, you have the highest Academic Ability, Physical Ability score, and you tied for first with me in the intelligence category in the OAA, despite the fact that you've only been here for a month. In addition, you came in third place overall in the OAA rankings. That is extremely impressive and a very praiseworthy attainment for a first-year student."

He presented me with a pretty well-thought-out argument. But I am not someone who struggles to be put under duress. I was not going to back down simply because I had received a few praises.

"Then I'll ask you another question, president." I leaned in closer to him. "What exactly are you implying when you mean I possess the 'necessary characteristics'?"

Manabu simply remained silent for a few moments. He was staring at me with a serious expression on his face. He finally spoke up after a while.

"If you simply wish to know, then I guess I can tell you." He paused before beginning his explanation.

"You were a student who had already intrigued me since the first time I met you. You were not only able to ace the entrance examinations so quickly, but you were also able to detect the concealed cameras across the institution with ease. Your powers of observation are very alarming. Before I go any farther, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, I'd like to pose a question to you." He points his index finger at me menacingly. "Do you have any idea why you were placed in Class D out of all the classes?"

"Of course. It's because I'm a flawed student. I'm a defective product. Isn't my placement in Class D already enough of an answer for your question?" I countered.

"I refuse to believe that one bit. When I first met with the school's new acting director, she told me that you were a student to keep an eye on. I couldn't figure out why she said that. That is until I checked the findings of your school database." He turned around and pulled a single sheet of paper from a folder, which revealed my database. "Academics: A, Intelligence: A, Decision Making: A, Physical Abilities: A, and Cooperativeness: B. To make my point even stronger, there was no mention of the flaw that caused you to be placed in class D. This is just a hypothesis, but I believe the school is conducting an experiment while using you as the test subject." He made a deduction.

"Experiment? What kind of experiment, president?" It was Kiriyama who raised the question.

"What I'm saying is that the school had purposefully assigned you to class D, even though you're a person who is very deserving of Class A." Manabu made a daring claim.

"W-what?!" Katsuragi finally lost his cool. "But why would they do that?!"

"It's that easy. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, you are a one-of-a-kind individual. The school has determined that you are the most superior student in every one of your classes- nay, in the whole history of Advanced Nurturing High School-and has purposely placed a handicap on you. You were placed in Class D because the school wanted to see if someone as gifted as you could lead a class of defectives to a higher level. And it turned out that they were correct. After all, you figured out the S-system in a matter of hours after enrolling in this institution." He said that with a sneer on his face.

!!!

"T-that's impossible!" Nagumo smashed his palm against the desk, unable to believe that I had accomplished what Manabu claimed I had on the first day.

Everyone, not just him, had puzzled expressions on their faces. They were just too stunned to speak that They couldn't even get the words out of their mouth properly.

"But, on the other hand, I don't have any concrete evidence to back up and of my allegations. I'm only stating a conclusion based on all of the data and knowledge I have about you." He completed the task at long last.

Amazing... To think Horikita Manabu was able to conjunct lethal deductions on why I was assigned to Class D. His assumptions were not only correct, but he also obtained proof to back them up. He is, without a doubt, a very bright individual. I'm excited to see the true scope of his potential.

"You raise some excellent points, Horikita Manabu." He was praised by me. "You also brazenly proclaimed that the school has determined that I am the most talented student who has ever registered in this school. It's clear that you hold me to a high standard. With your forceful exclamation, however, you're also implying that I may be superior to you. Are you sure you're ready to admit that so easily?" I asked a provocative question.

I posed the question to put him to the test. I was curious to learn more about Horikita Manabu's character. Was he a guy of tenacity, brimming with pride as high as the boundless blue sky? Or was he modest, his humility as cryptic as the deep Mariana Trench? What he says in response to this question will decide my opinion of him.

Before replying, he took a very deep breath. "Frankly, I am a man who takes pride in my abilities. However, based on what you've shown me thus far, you've proven that you are a force to be reckoned with. I'm not sure what your ultimate potential is, but I believe you'll leave an indelible impact on our school as arguably the finest student it has ever had. Do I believe you are superior to me? We can't come up with a precise answer right now. However, based on how proficient you are, you have the greatest chance of surpassing me and even standing alone at the summit."

I've never received this much amount of laud in my life. When I achieved something, I was always assured that I could do better and that the training regimens will be made more difficult in order to reach my maximum potential. Should I be pleased that my efforts had finally been noticed by someone in his position? I'm not sure.

Horikita Manabu, you certainly are quite the fascinating individual.

"I see... If that's all you wanted to talk with me about, then I'll be taking my leave." I bid my farewell as I whirled around to exit the office.

"Wait, Ayanokouji. What's your answer to my offer?"

I turned my head slightly and looked at him, opening my mouth to give him a reply. "I'll think about it." I then left the premises, leaving everyone there baffled about what had just taken place in the room.

Vol.1. Chapter 10: END.

Word Count: 4132 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 11.1: Study Groups.

Mystery Chapter (last one): Vol.?. Chapter?: Ruler of a Cold Game.

--

Author's Note

Unknowingly, Ayanokouji has gained some respect for Manabu. This chapter will be the planting seed for Ayanokouji's future admiration for Manabu.

Kiyo now is starting to get familiar with outside culture, as it's hinted from the NBA free throw thing.

He also has started to drop saying honorifics in people's names (only the senpais as of right now) but he'll still address them as senpai to appear polite on the outside.

Anyways, that's all for today.

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 11.1 : Study Groups

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"You appear to be in a bit of a shabby state today." My next-door neighbor made a remark about how unkempt my appearance was.

I'd been awake all night, debating whether or not to accept Horikita Manabu's invitation to join the student council. I was also preoccupied with assigning tutors and pupils to groups. Of course, I had to carefully classify them into groups based on their compatibility with others.

Horikita, Hirata, Kushida, Matsuhita, Eichiiro, Yukimura, and Mii-Chan were among the tutors. It's too bad I couldn't persuade Koenji to cooperate and help out. His assistance would have been invaluable for the class.

So that there would be no unneeded controversy among our classmates, I had to carefully sift out the participants.

If I were to allot Karuizawa and Shinohara to Horikita's group, for example, they would be fighting like cats and dogs. There would be no progress made and only chaos and hostility would ensue between them and their relationship would strain even further than it already was.

I haven't told everyone in class about the study groups yet, but Hirata and Kushida have already been instructed by me to talk about them after school today. They could always be counted on to speak up in front of the class and disclose my plans. No one would dare to challenge or argue with them because of their influence among our peers, either out of fear of being alienated by the class or out of admiration for them.

Simply put, I was transferring to them the obligations that I should be doing as a class leader. But, hey, they are my executives for a reason.

"Bloody hell, leave me alone, would you? I sacrificed some of my sleeping time thinking hard about the study groups," I grumbled somewhat as I tidied out my tangled bed hair.

(BritisihKouji? Anyone?)

"My comment was made with no malice in mind. Couldn't you have thought about that earlier in the evening rather than late at night? It would be more efficient because you wouldn't be putting important things off, and it would save you time at night that you could use to rest and be more productive in the morning." She chastised me severely. Did she really just assume I was procrastinating?

"Look, Horikita. Don't just make assumptions about me because you don't know the details of my circumstance." I told her. "Plus, it's not my fault that I happen to actually have a social life, unlike you, and more interesting things to do than sit and study for hours on end." I came back with a ripost. I would have already formed a smug grin on my face if my facial expressions allowed it.

"Are you seriously ridiculing me for my lack of connections and for genuinely putting my time to good use? You're such a child." She snarled; rolling her eyes as we speak.

"That may be true. But at least I don't get stirred up just because someone decides to do something at a different time than I usually do." I countered.

Horikita and I had a tumultuous relationship. Every so often we would banter with each other, sometimes even hurling abusive words and harsh comments aimed against each other, though, I wouldn't say we're on poor terms. We knew none of it was meant to be taken seriously, but I'm still very curious if friends are supposed to dispute occasionally like Horikita and I do on a regular basis.

"Everyone, may I please have your attention!" Our conversation abruptly came to a halt when we heard a feminine voice calling out to all of us. Everyone immediately swiveled their head to the direction of the source, exposing there to be Hirata, Kushida, and Eichiiro standing in front of the classroom behind the podium.

Everyone was perplexed as to why they were standing in front of the classroom, but they still focused on the three of them. This was commonplace in our class. Our peers have already identified me, Hirata, Kushida, and Eichiiro as Class D's cornerstones. Horikita wasn't really regarded as an important figure in this class because she still didn't have a particularly excellent reputation among our classmates.

However, I intend to reverse that as quickly as possible by boosting her reputation and increasing her influence in the class to the point where she will be admitted as a semi-leader for Class D. In comparison to Hirata and Kushida, I say semi-leader because she'll play a more crucial role in leading Class D. However, She wasn't as trustworthy as Eichiiro is considering he's a very valuable and dependable right-hand man for me.

"Um... What's the matter, Kushida-Chan?" Ichihashi took the initiative to ask the elephant in the room.

"I'll continue from here on, Kushida." While patting Kushida on the shoulder, Hirata affirmed. At his request, she meekly nodded. "Everyone, I'm sure some of you are disappointed with your recent exam results and nervous about the upcoming midterms." The discussion was started by Hirata.

"That's right, Hirata-Kun!" Shinohara let out a loud exclamation. "Some of the test's questions were really confusing, and I struggled greatly in the latter sections. To even come up with a solution to such questions, I had to devote 100 percent of my brainpower." Shinohara said while scratching her head embarrassingly.

"I'm surprised you even have a functioning brain..." Horikita insulted Shinohara in hushed tones, which I overheard.

"We understand that some students in Class D have academic difficulties. As a result, we've prepared a proposition for you all." Hirata went on to explain. "We won't be able to change the results of our recent exam. But, putting that aside, we may at least make a valiant effort to improve and prepare better for our forthcoming midterms."

It was a fantastic opportunity. We can easily drive and persuade our peers to agree with us if we use our most recent exams as a guide.

"Everyone, we would like to organize study groups in preparation for the midterms and for future upcoming written tests. Will everyone be okay with that?" Eichiiro inquired, his voice full of enthusiasm.

He's always exuded a magnetic charisma that makes it impossible for you to say no or argue with him. Trust me, I'm sadly a victim of it.

Almost immediately, Karuizawa answered his plea. "I'm in! I had a lot of trouble with the exam and like, I'm not sure how well I can comprehend the lessons. They're always so boring and the teachers explain it so blandly that it just gets out of my head so easily. I think that joining a study group will be extremely helpful to me!"

At that point, everyone's thoughts were echoed amongst themselves. We didn't try to silence them so they could make their conclusive decision. Kushida went in for the decisive query when she felt the moment was right.

"So, who's in? Are you all on board? "she inquired with a contagious smile that could make the most coldest of individuals flustered plastered on her face.

"I'm so in!" Onodera shouted with excitement in her tone.

"I'll be able to achieve better grades because of this."

"Let's go!!"

"I want Ayanokouji-Sama to tutor me." Wait, what the hell?

"We can do this y'all!"

Every student in the class agreed. A few folks chose not to participate in the discussion, but that's fine. I'll keep an eye on them to see if there's anything I can do to assist them. I'm sure they're in a difficult predicament. In particular, bashful students like Hasebe, Miyake, and Sakura, were probably feeling anxious about this.

"In fact, we've already separated the groups and assigned each tutor to one of them. The instructors to whom you've been assigned are listed below." Eichiiro used magnets to attach a placard to the blackboard containing every study groups' teachers and members.

The following were the list of the study groups:

1. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's Study Group: Hasebe Haruka, Miyake Akito, Sakura Airi, and Mori Nene.

2. Kushida Kikyou's Study Group: Ike Kanji, Yamauchi Haruki, Okitani Kyosuke, and Ijuin Wataru.

3. Hirata Yosuke's Study Group: Karuizawa Kei, Satou Maya, Shinohara Satsuki, and Maezono.

4. Matsuo Eichiiro's Study Group: Sudou Ken, Sotomura Hideo, Sonoda Chiyo, and Azuma Sana.

5. Horikita Suzune's Study Group: Onodera Kayano, Inogashira Koro, and Minami Setsuya.

6. Matsuhita Chiaki's Study Group: Minami Hakuo, Makida Susumu, Ishikura Kayoko, and Onizuka.

7. Wang Mei-Yu's Study Group: Nishimura Ryuko, Rino, Ishizaki (Class D Girl), and Hondou Ryoutarou.

8. Yukimura Teruhiko's Study Group: Miyamoto Soshi, Kikuchi, Unnamed Class D Boy, and other Irrelevant Class D Student.

(Sorry, got lazy on Yukimura)

"LETS GOOO!!!!" Ike yelled with zeal and intensity, with both fists raised in the air. He looks as if he had just won the lottery, which for him, it probably was. "WE'RE IN THE SAME GROUP AS KUSHIDA-CHAN!" Ike squealed with delight while hugging Yamauchi, jumping up and down joyfully.

"Our prayers have been answered, Ike! All those nights of hoping and dreaming were not in vain!" Yamauchi matched Ike's energy.

Normally, the girls would be disturbed by their indecent conduct, but one of them was also rejoicing with the same vigor.

"I'm so happy! I'm in the same group as Ayanokouji-Kun!" Mori celebrated with delight, also flipping her chair at the moment.

That was really uncalled for... She may have just cost us a few of our class points for damaging public property. I'll have to reprimand her about this later on.

Although a few people groused, no one really expressed their displeasure with the groups they were allocated to. This was the result that I had hoped for. I didn't want my classmates to generate an unnecessary ruckus just because they weren't placed in the same group as their pals.

Plus, even if they were placed in a group with people they weren't too familiar with, it would be an excellent opportunity for them to get to know their classmates better and form new bonds with them, which would increase both our solidarity and unity as a whole.

I did, however, make several allowances. I put Ike and Yamauchi in Kushida's study group, for example, because it was evident they didn't enjoy studying. If they were given a cheerleader like Kushida, it would almost certainly increase their desire to improve their grades.

I also included Miyake and Hasebe in my group because they were not particularly socially adept and would most likely struggle to get along with others. Sakura was also placed in my group for the same reason, although her social ineptitude and shyness were far worse than everyone else's.

Because I, too, struggled with speaking with others as a result of the isolated and secluded environment in which I grew up, I could empathize heavily with their position. Though I'm sure they didn't have to go through the same things that I had to.

Mori Nene was alloted to my group on the spur of the moment. I didn't want someone in my group who was too boisterous and energetic, but I also didn't want someone as socially uncomfortable as Sakura. Mori was, in a sense, the middle ground between the two.

In addition, I was already familiar with most of them. This will, however, be my first encounter with Sakura. You may classify her as one of our class's unfortunate loners. Her dreadful OAA stats, as well as her lack of companions, made her one of the least valuable individuals in our class. If there ever comes a time where we would be forced to sacrifice one of our peers in Class D, she would almost certainly be the most likely student who'd be disposed of.

I just hope she doesn't become too much of a nuisance to the class.

———————————————————

It had already passed 8:00 p.m. Since I couldn't sleep, I decided to go down for a drink. I leave my dorm room and entered the elevator after changing into more appropriate attire. I got to the first floor and went straight to the vending machine outside the foyer.

I ordered a can of matcha green tea as my drink of choice. Tea has always been a beverage I prefer drinking when I'm in a calm and relaxing environment. I clicked a few buttons and took the canned tea from the vending machine's bottom shelf.

After that, I walked over to a bench in a garden near the first-year dorm. When I need to clear my mind about something, I come here frequently to just enjoy the landscape and scenery this place had to offer. I took a leisurely look around at the vista that was presented in front of me.

The night sky was mesmerizing, aglow with an unlimited number of stars that flashed brightly like the light of our lives. The pale crescent moon sparkled like a glittering claw as the waves of the sea slammed upon the shore of this school, the mood became more calming due to the cold and brisk breeze. The sounds of leaves, plants, and flowers waving smoothly and peacefully without a concern in the world.

These are the kinds of moments I'd never be able to have in the white room. Here, I was uninhibited. Free to communicate with people my own age, free from the white room instructors' high expectations for me, free from the exhausting training regiment I followed on a daily basis, and finally... Free from the demons of my past.

I'd perform 'Clair De Lune' on the piano if it was available, a classical pianic masterpiece composed by the late Clause Debussy.

Many years ago, when I first heard Clair de Lune, I thought it was a lovely composition, but I didn't believe it was anything noteworthy. I didn't give it much thought, just like any other classical piece that is underappreciated by most young people. I didn't understand how beautiful it was until recently. It made me realize how powerful music can be without words in evoking strong emotions, transporting you to a specific period in time, or reminding you of a current event in your life.

Of course, due to my emotional numbness, which derives from the traumatic events I had to endure as a child during my time at the White Room, I wasn't able to feel those emotions deeply enough that I would feel moved by the song. But now I have the chance and opportunity to perhaps rediscover those emotions that I had long forgotten and lost.

The reflective and thought-provoking sentiment of Clair de Lune was absolutely intended by Debussy. The title Clair de Lune translates to 'moonlight' in French. Fair enough- the piece does remind us of the moonlit night, but what is interesting is that the piece was originally called 'Promenade Sentimentale' meaning a 'sentimental walk'. This title targets more specifically the emotions the song is meant to provoke, as if the piece itself is a journey through one's personal emotions.

At the same time, the title is free to interpretation; rather than being taught what to feel by the composer, it is up to the listeners to elicit personal feelings and develop personal associations. One of the many reasons I like this piece is that it evokes such a wide range of unexplainable emotions, which appear to vary from person to person.

Clair de Lune stands out for me, but I'm not alone in my opinion. For many years, the piece has been considered timeless. The piece's self-reflective character brings forth a range of feelings from people with varying backgrounds and levels of development.

When I heard a presence behind me, I was quickly jolted out of my reverie. I instantly set my tea can down and relaxed my guard. Was it possible that someone had been watching me all along? Has it been a long time since they've been following me? Was there a plot to ambush me while my guard was down? My mind raced as I tried to come up with every potential outcome of this situation.

"Whoever you are hiding behind that tree, you can come out now. There's no need for you to conceal yourself for any longer." I said in a sharp tone of voice while glaring at the spot of where this said individual was.

"My oh my~ no need to be so pugnacious, Kouhai-Kun. I'm going to come out right now to show you that I'm not a threat." A feminine voice informed me.

A stunning young lady with ruby eyes and long platinum blonde hair emerged from behind the tree. Her outfit consisted of the school uniform, which included a black blouse under the blazer and black tights, as well as a headband on her hair.

She must be Kiryuin Fuka of Class 2-B, based on what I've researched via the OAA app. She tied for second place in Academic Ability with Koenji and Arisu with an A, based on the rankings of every single student in the school. In terms of intelligence and physical ability, she is the best among the girls. Her cooperation grade, on the other hand, was abysmal. Her social contribution score was adequate, but not exceptional. Her statistics were reminiscent of Koenji's.

She appears to be a very capable student in general, but her uncooperative character keeps her from ranking well in terms of overall competence.

"Kiryuin-Senpai, why were you attempting to obscure your existence from me? Were you dispatched by someone to go spy on me? Or are you attempting to track me down or something similar?" I had a lot of questions for her.

"Don't make it sound like I'm some obsessive stalker, fufu. I was just passing by on my way to get some fresh air when I happened upon you." By wagging her index finger in a cheeky manner, she refuted my claim. "I became intrigued by what you were doing and decided to keep a safe distance from you. However, it appears that you're quite the keen observer. Even though I've only been here for a few seconds, you were able to recognize me so easily. You truly are a fascinating person." She expressed her thoughts.

"May I ask what you mean by 'fascinating person' senpai?" I persisted even further with my investigation.

"It's actually rather simple. You've stimulated my curiosity."

"How so?" I wondered. Her words drew a raised brow from me.

"You became famous among your upperclassmen almost overnight for acing the admission exams. Not even a celestial being as I could pull off such a feat." She boasted in a haughty tone of voice. "Not only that, but in just one month, you were able to lead the class of defectives to Class B. Even though you've only been here for a little while, you managed to place third overall in the OAA overall rankings. For a first-year student, the things you've achieved thus far are very remarkable." She made slow clapping motions as she praised my accomplishments.

"I see... Well, if that's all the business you have with me, I'll be taking my leave, Senpai." I tried to say my goodbyes as I walked by her, but she grabbed one of my shoulders before I could even move past her.

"There's no need to haste, Kouhai-Kun." She smiles at me with a coquettish grin. "How about we take a seat on that bench over there?" Surprisingly, that was also the bench where Arisu and I had our little lunch rendezvous.

With trepidation, I accepted her offer and sat down. Instead of confronting her, I concluded that it would be best for me to just go along with her pranks. I really hope I'm released from this naughty devil's grasp soon.

"So, what exactly would you like to discuss with me?"

"It doesn't matter. As long as I can figure out what kind of person you are, it'll suffice."

"Figure out what kind of person I am? Your OAA cooperativeness appears to be at an all-time low. That indicates you're unconcerned about what happens to your classmates, correct?"

"Aren't being interested and cooperating two completely different things? In my class, there are some interesting folks, and I occasionally wish to strike up a polite chat with them, just like I'm doing right now with you." I see. It was precisely what she claimed it would be.

"This school's system and ambition for student's to aim for Class A does not interest me. Although the school's main selling point is that you may attend any university or college you want and work wherever you want, I believe that with my own ability, I can accomplish anything I want. I decided to attend this school on a whim." She sounded eerily similar to Kouenji based on what she said. She has complete absolute faith in her own talents. Her attitude, though, did not appear to be as extreme as Koenji's.

Furthermore, she has exceptional marks in academic ability, intelligence, and athletic ability, which can be substantiated.

"Would you have picked this location if you had known before you arrived here that this school's structure is based on cooperation?"

"That isn't the case at all. This school appeals to me. Since my arrival, I haven't had a single complaint about life here. The point system is also quite pleasant." Koenji seemed to appreciate this school as well, taking full advantage of all of its perks. There's no reason to adhere to aim for Class A if you can execute anything you want on your own after graduation

"It appears that you are indifferent about other people's disdainfor you."

"Other people's evaluations don't matter to me," Kiryuin replied simply, but with a peculiar laugh.

"I was going to ask you a question, but you're the one who's interrogating me instead," Kiryuin remarked as if transitioning from defense to offense.

"It's past time you told me about yourself," She narrated.

"If I may ask, why me? Horikita Manabu and Nagumo Miyabi, for example, have a higher overall score and have certainly contributed more to the school than I have."

"It's all based on instinct. My senses tell me that the individual in front of me isn't like the rest of us." Putting her faith in her intuition despite the fact that she had no evidence to back them up. I might have mistaken her for Kouenji if it hadn't been for the fact that they weren't of the same gender.

"Am I the only one who has piqued your interest, Senpai?" I had my doubts.

"No, no, no. The two people you've introduced have also aroused my interest before."

"Can you tell me what made you lose interest in them?"

"I considered them to be inferior to me. They were just ordinary people who could be found at almost anyplace." She was pretentious and condescending.

"You're quite full of yourself, aren't you, senpai?"

"Oh please. It is not arrogance to declare your supremacy. That is a philosophy I have always abided by."

"Then, senpai," As I rose from the bench, I addressed her. "Are you saying that you think that I may be superior to a self-proclaimed divine entity like you by taking an interest in me?" I posed an objecting question. I hope my inquiry wasn't misinterpreted and she didn't think I was attempting to taunt or provoke her in any way.

"Heh. Don't get too cocky now, Ayanokouji. Whether or not my interest in you fades depends entirely on what you plan to demonstrate to me throughout my last two years at this school."

"On the contrary, I hope your fascination with me dissipates quickly."

"I see. Kouhai, you say a few intriguing things. Ayanokouji, I look forward to fighting you one day." Kiryuuin pushed me away with a gesture as if shooing a stray animal away.

"Then I'll be departing now."

I bowed and collected my can of tea as I bid farewell to her. Today, I've met a truly strange upperclassman. It had been an odd yet peaceful night. I'm curious if more days like these will be forthcoming in the near future.

Vol.1. Chapter 11.1: END.

Word Count: 4042 Words.

Next Chapter: Chapter 12.1: Cementing a Friendship.

———————————————————

Author's Note

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

I was supposed to finish this hours ago, but my wifi shut down for about 5 hours which delayed my ability to finish the chapter.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say.

Sayonara! And merry Christmas to all my readers who celebrate it! (ﾉヮ)ﾉ*.

Vol.1. Chapter 12.1 : The Beginnings of Friendship

Group Chat: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's Study Group.

Total Members: 5

Name of Members:

-AyanoKiyo (Admin)

-M.A.

-Nenechi

-SakuraAiri

-NotHasebeHaruka

Chatroom:

[So... Where should we begin our study session and when should we start?] (M.A.)

] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[Why don't we study together in the classroom? Hirata-Kun and Kushida-Chan's group will also be present there. The more the merrier, right? (ー)] (Nenechi)

[Actually, I can't concentrate very well in a crowded environment. Sorry for being an inconvenience (｡ŏ﹏ŏ)] (SakuraAiri)

[That's fine Sakura-San! No need to apologize really! I can relate to your situation since I'm a bit of an anti-social person myself ] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[I don't think that's something you should be proud of...] (M.A.)

[Shut up Miyacchi ಠ_ಠ] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[Okay ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ] (M.A)

[He's right you know?]

[Nah. I'm pretty sure he's Miyake. Not right ] (NotHasebeHaruka]

[Shut up Hasebe (눈‸눈)] (M.A.)

[I'm just kidding LMAO ] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[What does LMAO stand for again?]

[Laughing My Ass Off. Jeez, Ayanon. How can a teenager not know something as simple as that? ] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[That seems very illogical. It should be nearly impossible for a person to laugh their arse off.]

[It's just a simple form of expression, Ayanokouji-Kun. No need to take everything so seriously (ᴥʋ)] (Nenechi)

[Okay then... I apologize for my ignorance. LOL -_-]

[You do know what LOL means, right?) (M.A.)

[...Yes?]

[That's a lie isn't it?) (M.A.)

[...I'm not obliged to answer that.]

[Anyway, back on topic. If the classroom won't do, then what location should we pick. Do any of you have any suggestions? ] (Nenechi)

[What about going to the library? The place isn't too crowded, and they play classical music, which makes the atmosphere of the place quite soothing.]

[I'm down for it. What about you, Miyacchi?) (NotHasebeHaruka)

[Eh, sure. Why not? What about the others?] (M.A.)

[I wouldn't mind studying in the library, I guess. I haven't gone to the library at all, but it would be a nice change if I did. Plus, I heard that the place had a very pleasant vibe there.] (Nenechi)

[I can vouch for that.]

[How about you, Sakura?) [M.A.]

[I guess the library is okay. But what time should we gather there?] (SakuraAiri)

[What about precisely after school? In the afternoon at around 3 p.m? How does that sound?] (Nenechi)

[Yikes, no can do. I have club activities ranging from around 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. sorry lads (.] (M.A.)

[Oh, you're in a club Miyake-Kun? What kind of club are you a member of?] (Nenechi)

[The archery club ] (M.A.)

[Seems pretty boring ngl...] (Nenechi)

[PFT ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[BRUH WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THAT?! It's really not that old-fashioned and tedious as people claim it to be (ノД)ノ彡] (M.A.)

[Okay grandpa ಠಠ] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[I swear to God this woman... (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ] (M.A.)

[Chill out Miyacchi, it's really amusing to watch your reactions when you're being teased ・ᴥ・] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[Ugh, whatever. The point is I won't be available then. Is it possible to reschedule for another time?] (M.A.)

[Why don't we meet at 5.30 p.m.? After his club activities, Miyake will have 30 minutes to recover, and I believe the library is open until 8.30 p.m. Does that appeal to all of you?]

[Sounds good to me! ()] (NotHasebeHaruka)

[That would be fine with me] (M.A.)

] (SakuraAiri)

[I was planning to hang out at the mall with several of my friends at 5.30 p.m. but if it's for something as vital as this, I guess I could meet up with them some other time.] (Nenechi)

[Great! Then it's settled! Everyone will come together at the library at 5.30 p.m. don't be late y'all!] (NotHasebeHaruka)

———————————————————

The time was exactly 5.00 p.m. Since thirty minutes ago, I've been here. While I was waiting for my study partners to arrive, I decided to go to the library early on and read a few novels.

'Farewell, My Lovely,' was the book I was reading at the time. A great work by the late Raymond Chandler, who died on March 26, 1959. May he rest in peace.

Surprisingly, the library is vacant after school. We can't hang out with our friends or do any other frivolous things with them due to the fact that we can't chat too loudly in the library. Only a few individuals appear to be here right now, thus it appears that I'll be able to return the book without difficulty.

"Since I'm already here, I might as well borrow another book..."

After all, whether I borrow one or two books, the burden of returning them will be the same. I suppose I'll hunt for another book I'm interested in reading before returning this one.

I went over to the Mystery corner while holding 'Farewell, My Lovely' in one hand. I might as well borrow a couple of detective-themed novels since it's going to be this way. I'd prefer to borrow another one of Raymond Chandler's works.

I noticed a lone female student upon arriving at the Mystery Corner. She was having trouble reaching out with her arms to fetch a book that was higher on the bookcase than she was. The book is at an odd height, where she can reach it one second and then can't the next.

Since she looks to be able to reach it, She appeared to be hesitant in whether she should utilize the step stool supplied. I guess whether you're a male or female, It's the same...

The novel she was attempting to get a grasp on was 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Brontë. It is a well-known literary work created by the Bronte sisters. No, despite the fact that the premise suggests it's a mystery, wouldn't it have to be romance? I stretched out to take the book "Wuthering Heights," which the girl was also trying to get her hands on.

"I may have done something unnecessary, but..."

I realized that I recognized the female student that was standing beside me.

"You're... Shiina Hiyori for. Class 1-C, right?" I asked.

"Ah, yes, that's me." She confirmed. "You must be... Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, if I'm not mistaken. I'm surprised you even know my name, let alone my existence."

"I've already etched every student's name and face from our year in my mind."

I am now able to identify people and judge their abilities much more quickly thanks to the OAA app that Vice President Nagumo Miyabi built. You can also send direct messages to someone even if you didn't have their contact information with the app.

According to the information I've gathered about Class C, she appears to be among the smartest students in her class, with an Academic Ability of A- (85) and an Intelligence of A- (84). Her athletic ability and cooperation in class, however, appear to be inadequate. Her social contribution, on the other hand, appears to be above average, indicating that she is one of the few responsible and well-behaved kids in a class full of misbehaving delinquents.

She and Ryuen would undoubtedly be a problem in the future, and we'd have to be on the lookout for them.

"What's the matter, Ayanokouji-Kun?" She cocked her head to the side. "You look as if you're endeavoring to analyze me." She giggled playfully at my actions.

"It's really not like that. To be honest, I was just taken aback by how beautiful you are." I instantly concocted a plausible explanation.

She was very attractive when I had a closer look at her. Rather than the gorgeous and pulchritudinous feeling that most ladies at this institution exude, her allure stemmed from how adorable, sweet, and likable she looked. If she had a personality akin to Kushida or Ichinose, she may possibly compete with them in terms of popularity.

Her looks and figure resemble that of a heavenly angel if you ask me. That is, at least, how she appeared to me.

Then again, I spent much of my adolescent years alone in the white room. It's possible that I may be exaggerating when I say that every girl I saw was stunning, given that I've only seen and chatted with a few.

"I-I see..." She swiftly diverted her attention from me and shifted her glance downward. I also saw that her face was flushed with red as if she was embarrassed by my compliment.

Oh crap, did I make a blunder? Did she think I was hitting on her? Was she going to call me a creep or shitty virgin? Would I now be labeled a womanizer or a playboy? I don't want this to be the reason for my peers' possible disillusionment with me in the future.

"A-ah, Please accept my apologies if it appeared that I was attempting to flirt with you. I genuinely didn't mean any harm with my statement." I purposely stuttered and rubbed my head in guiltto make it look like I was sincere. She meekly nodded as a response to my apology.

"Yeah. For the time being, here..." I handed the book to her.

"Thank you so much," Shiina expressed her gratitude by bowing slightly.

"Is it to your liking? Brontë, I mean."

"Personally, I have no favorites or dislikes. However, because the book was in the wrong genre, I simply decided to move it to its proper location "she replied.

"Ah, I see." It seems she was trying to do the same thing I was. "By the way, isn't the book you're holding 'Farewell, My Lovely? The book is certainly a work of art " She gave her two cents. Shiina's eyes seemed to light up as a result of this.

"I was able to borrow it today since I arrived earlier at the library and found it at the bottom of the bookshelves."

"You're in luck because it appears that Raymond Chandler is quite popular among 2nd-year students, and there has been a long-running dispute over this book. I've been wanting to read it for a while, but I couldn't find it here either today." She continued.

"I seem to have done something bad. Monopolizing it" I informed her with a tinge of shame in my tone.

"That's fine with me. After all, I've already read it before. Plus, I was fortunate enough to come across another book while looking for that one. This school's library appears to have a substantial amount of book collection. I may not be able to read them all before I graduate "she replied, somewhat chuckling and holding the Brontë book.

"I see, that may be so." I narrated.

Indeed there were quite a number of books in this library. You can simply kill time in here even if you don't read a certain book. I'm not sure why this location is so unpopular amongst my peers. However, everyone's tastes vary, and most teenagers my age are incapable of appreciating and enjoying the true wonders of literature.

"Are you perhaps looking for a new book to borrow by any chance? I'd be happy to lend a hand if it's just to find a book to read. Wouldn't it be more convenient to borrow another book while you're already here?" As she moved closer to me, Shiina inquired.

"I figured I'd postpone it until later—what are you up to?" I had approached her with my question. Shiina had already shifted her gaze away from me and was perusing the library's mysterious nook.

She asks me, "Have you read the Dorothy L. Sayers series?"

"No. Christie is one of my favorite authors, but I haven't read Dorothy yet."

"How about 'Whose Body,' if that's the case?" It's something I'd strongly recommend. Also, the Lord Peter series, if you read one of it you'll surely want to complete the series too". Saying that, she pulled the books off the shelves and presented them to me.

"Umm..." I was perplexed by the quick change. I was stumped as to how I should answer her.

"I'm sorry if I irritated you by speaking out like this." She apologized with sad puppy eyes on her face and a worried tone in her voice.

I wasn't very intrigued, but I couldn't say no to her. Moreover, renting a book is free, so I'll probably go along with it.

"Sorry. Right now, I'm a little surprised. But, since I'm already here, I suppose I'll borrow them "I took the books she offered me.

"If you want." I'm not sure what she meant, but Shiina asked with a delighted grin on her face. "The library isn't going anywhere anytime soon. If it's okay with you, would you like to read with me?" She extended a friendly invitation.

"Eh?" I suddenly blurted out.

From book recommendations to an unexpected turn of events. Rather than a fortuitous meeting, I believe she was sent by Ryuen with instructions to spy on me. Whether I decline or accept her offer, Shiina will have the same opinion of me. Whatever direction I took, she would always perceive me as a threat to her class.

"No one in Class C likes reading novels, so I don't have anyone to chat with" Shiina whispered, perhaps because she couldn't tolerate the silence.

"Won't this be a problem?" Ryuen and I are currently at odds with each other. I just imagined you wouldn't be permitted to contact anyone from Class D because he's the reputed dictator of your class."

"Please don't worry. Conflict and confrontation had never piqued my interest from the beginning. Is talking to me a problem for you?"

"No. If you haven't encountered any issues, neither do I. However, I will only be able to join you for a half-hour."

"That's great news; I'd hate for classes to feud over such insignificant matters. The most important thing, in my opinion, is creating friends."

Sadly, there's nothing you can do about it. From the beginning, the educational system was designed in this manner. Furthermore, the majority of students continue to communicate with one another in the same way as before.

Because students like Hirata and Kushida appear to be particularly well-liked, they will simply smash down your inner barriers in order to create 'friends.'

"So, shall we take a seat? It appears that time is slipping away from us." I then glanced at the clock in the library.

"Please be patient and wait until I've finished borrowing this book."

Who'd have guessed I'd be making such progress in the library?

———————————————————

"I had a lot of fun today than I have in a while, Ayanokouji-Kun!" Shiina exclaimed as our reading session came to a close. It was now 5.30 p.m. the exact time my study session would begin.

"I enjoyed the time I spent with you too, Shiina," I reply as I returned the books to their proper bookshelves. "If you'd like, could we hang out again some other time? I really loved spending my afternoon with you. Maybe tomorrow at lunch or after school? Would that be alright with you?" I took advantage of this opportunity to try to make friends with someone from the other classes.

Although I was a bit acquainted with Ichinose, I wouldn't specifically specify her as one of my close pals. After all, we've only interacted twice throughout our one month enrolling in this school.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, I'd be delighted to do so!" She eagerly clapped her hands as she accepted my invitation.

"So, I believe I should depart at this time. Ayanokouji-Kun, I'll see you tomorrow." Waving to me, she said her goodbyes. It could be my imagination, but I believe she seemed giddy with excitement as she hugged the book she was clutching.

She'd probably be one of my best friends if we were placed in the same class. She was easygoing and shared many of my hobbies. However, it's a pity that we were assigned to separate classes based on our evaluations. That isn't to say that we can't be on good terms though. Truthfully, with the brief time I had with her, I was able to have a lot of fun.

"Yo, Ayanokouji. It's finally time, huh?" Miyake greeted me as he and the rest of the members of my study group approached my seat.

"Good evening, Ayanokouji-Kun!" Nene yelled loudly

"SHH!" Miyake quickly tried to shush her up.

"Ah, sorry!" She scratched her head and stuck out her tongue in meek humiliation.

"Hey there Nene, Miyake, and Hasebe." As a little hello, I raised my palm. "Sakura, it's nice to finally meet you." I reached out my hand and attempted to say it in a welcoming way.

"I-it's nice to meet you too, Ayanokouji-Kun..." She addressed me gently in a reluctant tone.

"You may all take a seat now."

After laying down their notes on the table, I began to distribute a bunch of papers.

"These are the questions I've prepared for all of you. Based on the results, I'll figure out how I should teach you people. Please complete them honestly, and remember that cheating is not permitted. I'll scold you if I catch any of you trying to peek at one of your partner's replies." They had been warned by me.

Their pens danced on top of the paper I gave them as I listened to Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor. They submitted in their test papers after the 25-minute mark and prepared themselves for my assessment.

"It's extremely remarkable... Miyake and Hasebe's ratings on each subject are nearly similar..." I told them about it.

"Huh? Seriously?" Hasebe inquired, her face baffled.

"Yeah. Both of you scored above average in the sciences, but below average in language and history. Even the same questions were answered correctly and incorrectly..." I explained myself.

"Yikes, considering the second half, I'm not sure if I should feel glad about that," Miyake replied, his tone uneasy.

"But, Miyacchi, isn't that insane? We have a lot in common." As she crossed her arms over Miyake's head, Hasebe made a remark.

"You both didn't conspire with each other, right?" I interrogated.

"What nonsense!" Hasebe said as she playfully put her palms on her chest to appear offended. "I swear to God and every holy being that I did not cheat whatsoever." She playfully crossed her arms and pouted.

It was adorable.

"Well, I guess I don't have any proof to hold you two responsible." I grudgingly surrendered.

"Your marks are evenly divided, Nene. You're not particularly awful in any of your subjects, but you need to improve them all at once." I clarified the situation.

"Yay!"

"That's hardly something to be proud of, baka," I reprimanded her while I chopped the top of her head humorously.

"Ittai!" She groaned as she massaged her temples.

"Now, moving on to Sakura," I ignored Nene as she whimpered in pain. "I've got a bit of bad news for you." She gulped anxiously after hearing my statement.

"Your academic performance is... To say the least, it's not looking good. There are numerous areas in which you need to improve on, and I am confident that I will be able to assist you in doing so. All I want is that you put out your best effort in your studies." Despite the grim news, I tried to encourage her.

"Oh..." Sakura reacted meekly to my evaluation. "I-I'll try my best..."

"Okay, for the time being, I'll give you all some pages to study. We'll next go over what you recall and pick up the pace from there. Are you all okay with that?" I questioned. They all responded with a nod.

We've got some fantastic coordination going on here, so that's good to know. We'll surely make it in time for the exam if we keep going at this rate.

Our group finally completed today's quota after a few hours had elapsed. We realized the library was virtually packed as we rose up after preparing to leave. It was, as I expected, a popular hangout as examinations were approaching.

It was 7.33 p.m. when I checked the time. As the sun began to drop slowly, the five of us went along the corridors, the floor turning an orange and purple hue.

I'd want to paint the amazing panorama that was exhibited around me if there was a canvas available. Of course, not in front of the public. That would draw unwanted attention to myself, which I despise.

Liberal arts has always been a subject that fascinated me. That you were able to express yourself, your burdens, your views on a particular subject, and who you are as a person without using words struck a chord with me. It reminded me of music in several ways. Music was a sort of amusement created by the pitch of voice and sound, but painting was usually a form of entertainment portrayed and drawn on blank sheets of paper.

It doesn't even necessarily have to be on paper. If it was allowed in this school, you could even paint on the walls or any of the other equipment here. I considered joining the art club but quickly threw away the idea since it would get rid of some of my free time.

"Phew! Oh man, that study session mentally and physically exhausted me!" Miyake whined a little as he protested.

"Don't be so overdramatic, Miyake-Kun. I was also there and I feel fine." Nene haughtily poked fun at him.

"Well, that's because you don't have club activities, Nene." Miyake retorted.

"Hmm... I guess that's true. It could also be because I'm not as dumb as the two of you." Nene smirked while striking a pose.

"Hey! Don't lump me in with this chump!" Hasebe complained while pointing at Miyake. "He's way more stupider than he looks and probably copied all of my answers."

"The fuck? If it's anything, you're the one who probably copied off my answers!" Miyake rebutted.

"How blasphemous! You don't have any concrete evidence that I did!"

"So you're not denying it either?" I barged in to their conversation.

"That doesn't mean I cheated! You'd believe me more than you'd trust in Miyacchi, right Ayanon?" She looked at me with pleading eyes.

"If I were to be given a choice... I'd pick Miyake honestly."

"Urk!" Hasebe clutched her stomach. "You wound my heart, Ayanon."

"That isn't even where the heart is located, idiot." Miyake mocked while sneering.

"I-I know that!" Hasebe yelled in a flustered manner, her face colored with shades of crimson and pink.

"Hahaha! You two are funny!" Nene burst out laughing while commenting.

"You're actually way different than the impression I had of you, Hasebe-San!"

"Eh? How?" Hasebe asked, sounding puzzled by her remark.

"I had the sense you were a bit of an ice queen, to be honest. But, as I've gotten to know you better, I've discovered that you're actually a lot of fun to be around."

"I-I see..." She diverted her gaze away from her, probably embarrassed.

The mix of those three was quite energetic. If I assigned someone from Karuizawa's group of friends to my group, I doubt the two of them would converse thus openly.

"How was our meeting today, Sakura?" I inquired of the young lady who was strolling alongside me.

"It was fine... I was nervous at first, but everyone was so friendly and respectful to me. They're very good people." Sakura replied while her mouth curved upwardly.

"I see... That's great then."

The three resumed their conversation, while Sakura and I talked quietly until we finally arrived at the dormitories.

"I-I'll be taking my leave now," Sakura informed.

"I'll also do the same, goodbye all of you," I said as I whirled my body and walked towards the elevator.

"Bye Ayanon!" Hasebe waved aggressively while bidding farewell.

After saying our goodbyes, we all went back to our various rooms.

———————————————————

I couldn't sleep, so I got up and left. I went back to the elevator after purchasing some juice from the vending machine in the foyer.

"Hmm?" The elevator had come to a stop on the seventh floor, which I could see. I opted to look at the CCTV, which showed what was going on inside the elevator vehicle because I was curious. I saw Horikita who was still clothed in her school uniform.

"Well, I don't have to hide, but..." I hid behind the vending machine because seeing her may be difficult and awkward for now.

Horikita then arrived on the first floor. She exited the premises, seemingly afraid of her surroundings. I resolved to pursue her when she vanished into the darkness. When I turned the corner, though, I automatically hid again. Horikita came to a complete halt. I had the impression she was accompanied by another individual.

"Suzune. I didn't expect you to stick with me this long," says a masculine voice.

So, she's going to meet her brother...

"Nii-san, I'm not the same useless girl you used to know. I'll catch up to you eventually." Horikita was the one who responded.

My instincts told me to remain hidden. His silhouette was obscured by the darkness, but if I move a muscle, I'll be detected.

"Catch up to me, huh...? I heard you were assigned to Class D, but in May you were upgraded to Class B. That is quite outstanding." He remarked, sounding impressed.

"Yes. I'm sure I'll get into Class A," Horikita boldly declared.

"Hmph, you've become hubristic as a result of a fluke? Then inform me Suzune, Were you the driving force behind your class's success? Were you the one who made sure the defects didn't fall into utter chaos and despair?" He interrogated her in a stern and harsh tone.

"I..." Horikita shook her head. Her self-assurance plummeted almost immediately.

"Exactly what I thought. Suzune, it's a waste of time. You lack the skills and attributes required to advance to Class A. Even if Ayanokouji is able to lead your class to the apex of the hierarchy in the future, I doubt how much you'd even contribute to that success," he elaborated.

"That isn't-." Manabu grabbed her wrist forcibly when she tried to protest. Horikita was shoved into a wall with little apparent resistance.

"How naive..." It was clear that his grip had shifted. I suppose I should put a stop to this nonsense before he hurts her.

I mustered up all of the speed I could at the time and charged at them as quickly as I could. I grabbed his right arm and signaled my presence before he could react.

"What? You..." With a piercing glint, he glanced at his arm before slowly turning to face me.

"A-Ayanokouji-kun?!" Horikita wept.

"Ayanokouji..." Manabu murmured, taken aback by my unexpected appearance.

"Wasn't it just a matter of time before you threw your sister to the ground? Are you aware that the floor here is concrete? Even though you are siblings, you should be able to distinguish between right and wrong." I stated.

He responded, "Eavesdropping is not a commendable trait."

"Fine. Then let go, Manabu." My voice was cold and severe.

"That's my line, Ayanokouji."

In perfect quiet, we glared at each other menacingly. Something was about to ensue between the two of us, and it was evident to both of us. One of us would not be able to leave this spot unscathed.

And it wasn't going to be me.

Horikita said, her voice strained, "Stop it, Ayanokouji-kun." That was the first time I'd ever heard her speak in such a way.

I let her brother go reluctantly. He tried to hit me in the face with a backhand. To avoid it, I immediately stepped back. He was a vicious attacker, especially for someone of his size. He then aimed a sharp kick at my unguarded spot, which I barely dodged. He didn't stop there, planting his foot and attempting to strike me in the head with a spinning heel kick. To evade his strike, I knelt swiftly.

"A razor-thin margin..." I mumbled incoherently. It could've been fatal if that blow had hit me.

Looking slightly in awe, He took a big breath, stretched his right arm, and opened his hand, He'd most likely hurl me to the ground if I grabbed his hand. Instead, I smacked his hand away.

"Incredible reaction time. I didn't think you'd be able to evade some of my arsenals so effortlessly. Furthermore, you appeared to grasp what I was attempting. Have you had any formal instruction?" Following the cessation of attacks, the questioning began.

"I was taught piano and calligraphy. I could play Flight of the Bumblebee right now if there was a piano around."

"Heh, you never cease to impress me, Ayanokouji." He smirked after hearing my answer. "Why didn't you try to fight back? You seem capable of at least giving me a run for my money?"

"Because it would be foolish of me to do so," I responded. "I did consider attacking you, but I couldn't risk the possibility of you letting yourself purposefully get injured by me. You could then report it to the school and make it look like I was the aggressor instead." I scrutinized.

"I wasn't planning to do any of that, but very wise decision making, Ayanokouji." He gave me high praises.

"Thank you, President Horikita."

"Suzune," he addressed the fearful Horikita. "Is he a friend of yours?" The query was directed at her.

"H-he's..." She gulped before replying hesitantly. "Y-yeah, he is..." Manabu was visibly surprised by her answer, but I could tell it was a pleasant shock instead of a bewildered one.

"I see... Then perhaps I was mistaken. Maybe you have changed, even if it's just a smidgeon, " Manabu smiled ever so slightly.

(We need more Manabu fanart. That man is fucking gorgeous I tell you.)

I patted his shoulder just as he was going to walk away and disappear into the night. I firmly grasped it to show that I wasn't going to let him go that lightly.

Manabu heaved a sigh before asking. "What do you want with me, Ayanokouji?"

"Do you really think I'd let you off the hook so easily?" My voice changed into that of a threatening tone. They visibly flinched hearing my sudden change of voice.

"Don't tell me you're still planning to fight me?"

"No, nothing of the sort." I denied his claim as I snatched my phone out of my pockets.

"Then what are you up-" before he could finish, I tapped the screen on my phone and played a video.

"Suzune. I didn't think you'd stick with me for this long."

"Nii San, I'm not the same useless girl you used to know. I'll catch up to you eventually."

"..."

"..."

I had just announced that I had videotaped the entire situation that had transpired between them. Horikita was startled when she heard it, and Manabu clicked his tongue in irritation when he saw it.

"Wouldn't domestic violence, even if simply attempted, look preposterously horrible on anyone's resume, Senpai?" I provocatively posed the question.

"Y-you..." Manabu broke a sweat.

"When I put this video on the school forum, I'm curious to see how everyone will react to it. Your reputation will undoubtedly suffer, and everything you've worked so hard to achieve will all have been for naught. Gone, reduced to atoms. You could even be dismissed from school." I antagonized him even further.

"A-Ayanokouji-Kun, don't..." Horikita tried to stop me.

"Quiet, Horikita," I commanded strictly. "This is between me and him. It has nothing to do with you."

"B-but still..."

"That's enough, Suzune." Manabu asserted her sister. "What do you want from me, Ayanokouji?"

"What do you mean by that, Senpai?"

"You're attempting to blackmail me into giving you something in exchange for erasing that video, and it's brutally clear. You'd have already uploaded that video if you weren't." He observed "So, what exactly are you looking for? Money? Information regarding the educational system? A position in the student council?" He kept bombarding me with proposals.

He knew he couldn't retaliate because if he did, I could easily undo his three years' worth of work right now. In this agreement, I had the upper hand no matter how you look at it. The discourse was dominated by me.

"If I had to think of something on top of my head..." I rubbed my chin. "Three million private points."

"Excuse me?" Manabu blurted out.

"Three million private points. Take it or leave it." I made it evident that I wasn't interested in bargaining for less.

"You're asking awfully a lot from me..."

"Really? I'd like to think otherwise, or maybe, should I just order you to surrender all of your points to me?" I pressured him even more.

"No... Three million points is enough." He accepted his inevitable fate. "However, before I transfer the points over to you, how will I know if you'll keep your end of the deal?" He raised a reasonable query.

"I'll delete it right here in front of your eyes if you want. You can also check my gallery to see if I own a copy. I'm a shrewd man, but not a con artist." I clarified.

"Plus, you should definitely hide the fact that you're currently filming our chat." I made a deduction.

After hearing my sentence, he raised his eyebrows in stupefaction. It appears that my predictions were correct. Sorry, Manabu, but nothing you do will ever escape these keen eyes of mine.

"Heh, your observational skills are truly terrifying, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."

He then took his phones out of his pockets and stopped the recording. He handed over the three million points to me right away. In exchange, I removed his and Suzune's video from my gallery. I let him look through my phone to check if I had done anything questionable. When he realized I was telling the truth, he immediately returned it to me.

"Will that be all, Ayanokouji?" Manabu asked, seemingly tired from everything that's just happened between the three of us.

"Yes, that will be all, president. You are free to leave now." I shooed him away.

"Show me something entertaining in my last year of being in this school, Ayanokouji. I expect great things from you." He said as he left me and Horikita to our own devices.

"Are you all right?" I queried with concern as I approached Horikita. I extended my hand to her.

"D-don't worry about me." She accepted my hand as I helped her get up. "Did you hear everything...?"

"Yes, I believe so. I noticed you wandering suspiciously when I got down. I decided to follow you because I was curious. I apologize if I intruded into your affairs. It wasn't my aim to do so." I expressed regret for my actions.

Horikita mumbled faintly, "It's... fine," before becoming silent. She was leaning against the wall, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Your brother was a formidable opponent. He's got a lot of ferocity." I tried to rescue the situation by saying something.

She said, "He's a fifth dan in karate and a fourth dan in aikido."

So he's quite capable in those two martial arts.

"Ayanokouji-kun, do you practice martial arts as well? You must have been ranked highly."

"I'm not sure what rank I hold, but I'm convinced I can go toe to toe with your brother."

"What kind of martial arts do you practice? Karate? Taekwondo? Muay Thai? Boxing?" She persisted with her questioning.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I was an expert in all of them?"

"..."

"Yeah... I thought so."

"It's... Hard to believe. But after seeing you compete with my brother, I guess what you say could be true." She admitted. "Hey... Ayanokouji-Kun?"

"Hm?" I tilted my head.

"Why do you think my brother hasn't acknowledged me? Is there something he wants to see in me that I'm lacking?" She asked me, holding back some tears in her eyes.

I heaved a sigh before answering. "Take heed, Horikita. You should try to figure out where you need to improve and where you're weak by yourself. Don't get me wrong: it's great that you can now more readily ask for aid. You'll have to work it out on your own if you want your brother's approval. He would be disappointed in you if I told him what areas you should work on. He wants you to change for yourself, not for the sake of others. Make it your mission to prove your brother wrong and show that Horikita Suzune is capable of matching, if not exceeding your brother's expectations for you. For the time being, that's all I will say." I counseled her.

"I-I see... Thank you, Ayanokouji-Kun, for everything." She expressed her gratitude.

"Don't worry, Horikita; I'll make sure to lead you and everyone in Class B to the promised land of class A." As I turned to face the night-blue sky, I reassured her.

Horikita's eyes glowed brightly as she stared at me. We just stood there calmly, gazing at the beautiful night sky and listening to the noise of the crickets and owls. It was serene, just the way I wanted it. We continued to converse until we were forced to return to our rooms. The day had been rather hectic, and tonight was no exception.

Vol.1. Chapter 12.1: END.

Word Count: 6270 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.1. Chapter 13.1: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.

———————————————————

Author's Log

The 3 Million points will be very relevant in a future volume. Pay attention to it. Granted, not all of it will probably be used.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed today's chapter!

Volume 1 will end in about 2-3 chapters.

Thank you for all of the support you've showered me with and I hope I can live up to your expectations even further.

Also, Eichiiro will shine the most in Volume 2 so look forward to it .

That's all I have to say.

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 13.1 : An Unusual Arrangement

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

Our study sessions for the next few weeks went without a hitch. Horikita and the others even joined us for joint sessions. Their progress was comparable to ours. Everyone began to warm up to one another, and we could even be considered a friend group at this time. I'm relieved to see that more of the students are getting along now.

These study groups will undoubtedly strengthen our class's cohesiveness and camaraderie. Whenever we're in distress, it's more like everyone has already banded together against a common foe. Unsurprisingly, it was none other than Koenji.

He doesn't contribute much to the class, despite his excellent academic performance and physical ability. You could even call him the class misfit, but he would simply reject it, claiming arrogantly that we peasants were unworthy of his attention.

If I were to pick someone Koenji would most likely consider a friend, I'd say it'd be me. I don't have anything personal against the guy. In fact, I believe his narcissistic and brash demeanor might occasionally lighten the mood in the classroom.

He just has this bizarre fascination with wanting to destroy me to prove to the world that he is the apex of human perfection. Arisu can also be added to that list of people. Seriously, why are people who are aware of my background wanting to beat me so badly?

I mean, I want to be handed my defeat too, but it's exhausting, and bothersome when the two most allegedly intelligent individuals in my year want to bring me down and humiliate me. I simply hope that my future underclassmen aren't like them.

After all, Someone with knowledge of my past would never enroll in this school just to triumph against me like those two... Right?

That is something I sincerely hope does not occur.

When it was time for lunch, I got out of my seat and swiftly approached Horikita, who was starting to eat her bento. Her lunchbox was decorated with a sweet pink and white polka dot pattern. It was out of character for her, but I thought it was charming.

"Horikita," I addressed, patting her shoulders to alert her of my presence. She irritatedly moved her head in my direction. But as soon as she learned who was bugging her, that rapidly changed.

Even with that disinterested expression on her face, anyone could misinterpret it as her glaring at them. Horikita's piercing gaze is similar to that of a thousand daggers roaming over you, just around the corner, ready to stab you at any second. The last thing I'd want to do right now is to cause a scene and piss Horikita off.

"What is it, Ayanokouji-Kun?" Horikita asked.

"I'm going to the cafeteria, and I'd like you to accompany me." She raised her eyebrows a bit at my statement, probably suspicious of my motives."Don't worry, I'm not intending to invite you out to lunch with other people or anything like that. It's about something that could be crucial and important for our midterm examinations. Of course, I will not compel you to accompany me. Of course, I understand if you have other concerns you need to attend to right now." I explained.

"Hm..." She rubbed her chin. "If it's really that vital for our upcoming tests, then I wouldn't mind joining you. Plus, I have nothing else to do at lunch anyway." She stated as she rose from her seat, waiting for my signal to follow me.

"Before we depart, I think Eichiiro should join us; you can wait outside the classroom first," I informed her about a third party. She simply nodded as a response and walked out of the classroom.

I locked eyes with Eichiiro and then shifted my peer towards the classroom door. He inclined his head as if he understood what I was trying to convey through mere eye contact. He came up with an excuse on the spot for the people who were planning to ask him out for lunch and hurriedly made his way outside. I quickly zipped my bag and dashed out the classroom door before anyone dared to talk to me.

Horikita and Eichiiro were waiting outside upon my arrival. Horikita was simply crossing her arms, minding her own business, while Eichiiro was tapping his foot, his face puzzled. I haven't seen much of either of them interact with one another, but I had a hunch they didn't get along very well.

Their personalities were fundamentally diametrically opposed. Horikita was the austere and cold-hearted ice queen of our class, whereas Eichiiro was more of the ordinary kind-hearted, and playful popular pretty boy.

They were also ranked the same in terms of intelligence, with a commendable grade of A- (82). Though, as of right now, if I had to pick who was more beneficial to the class, it would be Eichiiro.

Currently, He is superior to her because of his cooperative demeanor, charismatic nature, greater academic aptitude, and finer physical attributes.

Horikita, on the other hand, I believe has the biggest potential out of the two for growth. She just needs to keep her ego in check and come out of her shell. She'll eventually become a better person once she is able to socialize and act jointly with others better. I also need her to do so in order for her to be recognized by the class as a key component to Class D's success.

"So, why do you need us to keep you company in the cafeteria?" Eichiiro queried, finally breaking the silent atmosphere.

"I wanted you both to come with me so I wouldn't have to explain everything. But it would be unfair to you if I remained silent." I replied nonchalantly.

"If you just give us the gist of what you're planning, that's fine." Horikita let out a sigh.

"To be honest, I believe I've figured out a solution for everyone to possibly achieve a flawless grade on the exam." Horikita's eyes widened in surprise as she heard my comments.

"Are you serious? You can't possibly be considering cheating, can you?" Horikita inquired, feeling bewildered. "You do realize that if we disobey school regulations, they will punish us severely."

"It's nothing like what you're thinking. Don't worry; you'll see what I mean in a few minutes."

"Just what in the world are you planning to do..." Horikita mused, trying to contemplate my next move.

With a purposeful objective, We took serious movements toward the cafeteria. We made our way through the mob to the lunch ticket machine. I purchased three tickets but did not queue at the counter. Instead, I walked over to the side of the vending machine and stared at the students who were looking over the menu.

They undoubtedly wanted to ask some questions when they saw me eyeing the folks in line, but since I told them that answers will come later, they just stood there and waited for me.

As they purchased lunch sets from the ticket machine, I continued to observe the students present. My target appeared after I had surveyed roughly around twenty students. With heavy, trudging strides, he bought his dinner ticket and proceeded to a table.

"Bingo." I made a snapping sound with my fingers. "All right, let's get going, you two." I motioned for them to follow me.

"Eh? Okay, I guess..." They looked confused but followed my instructions.

Just as I was about to approach the upperclassman and take a seat...

"Kouhai-Kun? What are you doing here?" I heard Kiryuin's voice call out to me.

I gave her barely a fleeting glance before averting my eyes and returning my focus to my prey.

She was sat at a table across from her and was chaperoned by another person. A girl with waist-length chocolate-brown hair that is adorned by a hairpin in the shape of a sunflower on the right side along with two ordinary hair clips on the same side and purple eyes.

Her name is Asahina Nazuna if I remember well. A member of Nagumo's class, Class 2-A. She was rather popular with the lads in my class, who regarded her to be dainty and alluring. To be honest, she struck me as a bit scruffy-looking.

"Kouhai-Kun!" She kept bugging me. I chose to ignore her, despite my reservations, because talking with her would only lead to more trouble. My instinct tells me I shouldn't be involved with someone like her, even though we haven't met since that faithful night. If I do, I'm afraid that she'll make my life unbearable.

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on me as a result of her loudly calling me repeatedly. To be honest, it seemed like I'd returned to the White Room. But instead of the instructors sneakily observing me behind a glass pane or a white wall, I can actually see people watching me like hawks keeping an eye on their quarry.

I was ready to walk away when I felt my shoulders being caressed. I turned around to see who was clutching my blazer and it was none other than Kiryuin herself.

"Ignoring your senpai? Even after everything we've gone through together? What a cruel person you are. you've pierced my soul, Kouhai-Kun" She made a dramatic gesture by putting her palm over the region of her heart as if she was offended or upset.

With a heavy sigh, I eventually decided to speak up. "Kiryuin-Senpai, what do you want from me?" I questioned, my voice tinged with displeasure.

"You don't have to be so furious, Kouhai-Kun." She waggled her index finger with a sly grin. "I simply wanted to say hello and see what you were up to in the cafeteria. You frequently come here with that pretty boy's harem or that beige-colored hair girl's friend group. However, you've drawn an unusual crowd to the cafeteria." She pondered

"It's because I need to discuss some serious business with someone." I made a gesture with my finger at the upperclassman who was chowing down his meal.

"Him? What would you want to talk about with that filthy shitsack of a twat?" Kiryuin declared unequivocally. It seems Kiryuin isn't very fond of him.

"Senpai, I believe it's a little impolite of you to openly disparage someone when they're close to you," I cautioned.

"Oh, please, I'm simply presenting facts. He and his retarded girlfriend are continuously shoving their disgusting relationship in everyone's faces." She made a vomiting motion with her hands.

"Ignoring your scathing remarks, I have a question for him that might help my class with the midterms," I admitted honestly.

"Why don't you just come to me and ask? I'm convinced that I might be of greater assistance to you than that worthless fat pig." She continued to savagely hurl abusive words towards him. She appeared to despise him and his girlfriend with a burning vengeance.

I considered enlisting Kiryuin's aid, but I decided that working with someone who didn't have as many points would give me the best chance of success. Perhaps she could truly be of service to me in resolving my problem.

"Then Senpai, if you're available, may we have a seat at your table?" I asked in a courteous manner.

"Of course, Kouhai-Kun," She accepted. She signaled for us to approach her table. We all took our seats once we arrived, with Eichiiro, Horikita, and me seated immediately in front of Kiryuin and Asahina.

"Ah!" Asahina was taken aback and blurted out. "Do you happen to be Ayanokouji-Kun?" She inquired with zeal.

"Yes, that's me. I apologize if we intruded on your personal time, Senpai, but I need to speak with Kiryuin-Senpai about something." As an apology, I lowered my head slightly.

"No worries, mate. In fact, I consider myself fortunate because I was able to sit with Class-experimental D's student." She squealed with delight.

"Experimental student?" I furrowed my eyebrows hearing that sentence. "What do you mean by that, Senpai?"

"Well," she leaned in closer to keep our conversation private.

"Don't take my word for it, but there are whispers floating about that you were put in Class D on purpose. The reason for this is unknown, but some speculate that it was because the school intended to test if the most judgeably talented student in your year could lead the faulty class to the top of the hierarchy, using you as their lab rat. It seemed impossible at first, but after seeing how many class points your class was able to save and your amazing OAA grades, it's starting to make sense and become reasonable." She muttered into my ears.

Experimental student? Was there a smear campaign going on about me? if there was, were they attempting to malign me in any way? Although this is merely a probability, the source of those theories must have been from one of the people who were present at the student council event. Nagumo was the most likely suspect since he was one of her classmates, but I couldn't discard the possibility that it might have also come from someone from my year too.

"Senpai, I don't think you should believe everything you hear. After all, it's just a hunch based on a lack of concrete evidence. At the end of the day, it's all just supposition." I shrugged casually, attempting to shift the topic of the conversation.

"I guess you're right..." She scratched her cheek embarrassingly.

"Anyways, Kiryuin-Senpai." I turned my head in her direction. "I have a request to ask from you. If you choose to listen, I'll show you my gratitude."

"Gratitude?"

The cafeteria's hustle and bustle drowned out my voice. The students were all engrossed in chatting pleasantly with their friends.

"Do you still have the problems from the midterm test from the first semester of your first year? Or, if not, do you happen to know someone from your class who does?" I posed the question.

"Hm..." She rubbed her chin. " I do, but what do you need them for?"

"I just assumed it wouldn't be a problem if we studied using outdated test questions. Plus, I didn't see anything in the school rules that said it was prohibited in any way. In addition, I couldn't find anything in the school rules prohibiting it. So there shouldn't be any issues with me asking for them, right senpai?" I asked for her confirmation.

"There don't seem to be any. But you are well aware that nothing in life is free. There is a price to pay for the old exam problems. So, how much would you be willing to give me in exchange for them?" The negotiation process finally began.

"How about twenty thousand private points? That's as high as I'll go." I made the first move.

Taking charge of the negotiating table is one of the most effective negotiating methods. The finest negotiators accomplish this by establishing the basic terms of a deal. If they're selling anything, they set a high price and leave it up to the other person to come up with a lower one. According to research, when the seller makes the first offer, the final price is greater, and when the buyer makes the first offer, the price is lower. Whoever speaks first establishes the debate's parameters and, as a result, can direct the conversation toward their underlying interests.

"Oh, so you're offering private points for it? Well, in that case, make it thirty thousand points instead." She raised the price.

I had three million points in my account, so I could probably pay her the thirty thousand points and be done with it, but I wasn't going to let her take advantage of me that easily. She has no idea how that I have an inordinate amount of private points I have, so I'll try to persuade her to lower the price.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to afford to pay you that much, Senpai. What are you going to do with that many private points in the first place?"

"To have fun, of course. What other reason do I need?"

"Well, I'm still not willing to pay you that much. How about this, Senpai, I'll pay you twenty-two thousand private points and I'll also owe you a favor in the future. Will that suffice as a bargain?" I reached out and extended my hand.

"Wow, that's a fantastic offer..." She paused to consider my offer. "However, I'm not sure how I'd use that favor."

"Oh! I have an idea!" Asahina barged into the conversation and raised her hand.

"Yes, Asahina?" Kiryuin had a dubious look on her face.

"So like, How about Ayanokouji-Kun and Matsuo-Kun take us out on a double date at Keyaki Mall during summer vacation?" Hearing this, Eichiiro coughed on his drink.

"A d-date?!" Eichiiro was visibly startled by her proposal, sounding flustered.

"Yeah! I mean why not? Throughout the school year, you two are rather popular. Not only that, but you two, especially Matsuo-Kun, have a very attractive appearance. When the females at this school see us on a double date with two of the most stunning underclassmen, they will be so jealous!" She guffawed a little.

"W-well that's..." Eichiiro's face had turned bright crimson, and he was stuttering. He was plainly agitated by her remarks.

"Actually, that seems like a wonderful idea. Asahina, you're a genius!" Kiryuin gave her a gentle pat on the head. "So, Kouhai-Kun, how do you feel about it? Do you agree to it?"

This was something I had to give a lot of thought to. If it had been any other girl who had invited me, I would have happily accepted the date, but this is Kiryuin we're talking about here. She was basically Koenji's feminine counterpart.

Furthermore, she is well-known among the lads in my class. They'd give me death glares for the remainder of my high school career if they saw me going out on a date with two attractive upperclassmen.

Not only that, but Kiryuin was a presumptuous and frisky young lady. We've only spoken a few times, but there's a reason I'm trying to keep my distance from her. I don't despise or have any ill feelings against her. She has a reputation for causing havoc wherever she goes. And I didn't want to be a part of it.

Regardless, these old exams will be critical to Class D's performance in the midterms. For the sake of the class, I suppose I'd be willing to put up with Kiryuin for a day. I simply hope to God, if there is one, that our prospective future date isn't too difficult.

"Fine, I understand. I'll pay the twenty-two thousand points and prepare for our date." I reluctantly gave in.

"Wait, are you serious? Don't I get a say in this?" Eichiiro voiced his opinion.

"What's wrong Matsuo-Kun? Do you perhaps have a problem with going out with us?" Asahina asked with sad puppy eyes.

"W-well, no... I've just never really gone to an official date before. Let alone a double date." He made a surprising confession.

"Wait, really? Considering how much of a hot topic you are with the ladies, I expected you'd have gone to one by now." Asahina began by addressing the topic that was on everyone's mind.

"Well, technically, I have been on an informal date. In middle school, I spent a lot of time hanging out with girls on my own. None of it, however, was ever a confirmed date. We were just hanging around as normal buddies and nothing beyond that." He went into detail about it.

"I see..." Asahina murmured to herself.

"Ayanokouji, If you want this arrangement to be final, I'll have to ask you to transfer the points ahead of time."

"Okay, but you won't be forgiven if you try to defraud us in any way. Even if you are a senior, I'll do all in my power to expel you." I declared audaciously.

Everyone was perturbed when they heard my fearless proclamation. They probably didn't think I was the kind of person who would threaten a senior with something major as dismissing them from the school entirely. With the exception of Horikita, of course, who I coerced her brother into handing me three million points. Kiryuin was taken aback when she heard my warning, but she immediately recovered her composure and returned to her customary smug look.

"Hoh~? Are you certain you'll even be able to defeat me? Even Vice President Nagumo has failed in his attempts to deport me. You're treading on thin ice right now, Kouhai-Kun." Kiryuin sneered.

"Excuse me Senpai, but did I stutter?" While I was staring at her intently, my voice had a tinge of animosity in it. I made it plain that I wasn't joking around and that my warning was no laughing matter.

For a few moments, we stared each other down. Because of the tension we were emitting, everyone had worried and anxious expressions on their faces. She was obviously attempting to put me to the test. To see if I would quiver in trepidation and surrender to her, or if I would stand up for myself, confronting her as if we were two predators hunting each other down.

"Heh, you're a feisty one, aren't you?" She made a joking remark. "You don't have to be concerned about me double-crossing you. Furthermore, whenever you transfer points, a record is kept. I don't want to get into problems with the school by deceiving my own adoring and amusing Kouhai into awarding me private points illegally."

I transferred the twenty-two thousand points to her account.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Senpai." I bowed slightly in appreciation along with Eichiiro and Horikita.

After everything was settled, the three of us got out of our chairs and began to form a line. I'm starving right now, so I may have a larger lunch set than normal. Moreover, I was unable to prepare a bento for myself today.

Horikita yelled out to me as soon as we took our seats, "Ayanokouji-Kun." In my opinion, her bento looked delicious. I'm curious about the flavor of a high school girl's cuisine.

"Hm?"

"We're in an inconspicuous part of the cafeteria. I don't think there's any danger in you explaining everything here?"

"Without a doubt. Where do you want me to start?" I inquired.

"You have complete freedom to tell me everything at your leisure. However, please don't omit any information out." Horikita was the one to respond.

"Alright. I'll ask you a question. What are your thoughts of what I just did?"

"It was... ludicrous. Unless a person has some sort of bond with the upperclassmen, no regular student would consider acquiring previous exam questions from them "she explained.

"You're absolutely correct. It may even be tantamount to cheating."

"That's my main concern." Eichiiro who had been silent this whole time decided to speak up.

"You don't have anything to worry about. If the school truly believed it was cheating, it would have been explicitly stated in the rules." I shook my head. "Besides, during our first conversation, I knew everything was fine."

Her calm manner suggested that exchanging points was a typical practice at this school

"However, this may prove ineffective. Isn't it true that old questions are no longer relevant? The test this year may have nothing to do with the previous one." Horikita raised a reasonable query.

"Although the issues may not be identical, there will be some parallels. That was hinted at the last mock exam."

"Hint?" Eichiiro tilted his head.

"Didn't you see that there were both difficult and simple problems?"

"Well, yeah. Those questions were completely lost on me." Eichiiro said while scratching his head.

"After further investigation, I discovered that they were questions that second-and third-year students were learning. To put it another way, they didn't think first-year students will be able to address those challenges. Isn't it pointless to include problems that can't be solved? They're most likely there for reasons other than to put us to the test. What would happen if the problems on the mock exam were identical to those on previous mock exams?"

"Then I'd be able to ace the test..." Horikita mumbled.

The same can be applicable to the midterms.

Soon after, I got a message from Kiryuin with an attachment. It was the old exam papers. I began by reviewing the practice test. The key question is, are the last three problems the same?

"Why, exactly? You even went to the trouble of using so many points." Horikita questioned.

"They will lose all motivation and concentration if they learn that these are the test questions. Above all, overconfidence is the most serious issue. The midterm may not be the same as the mock test; it's possible that the questions on the midterm are different. It's critical to remember that these outdated tests are merely precautionary."

"What are you going to do with them then?"

"The day before the midterms, we release these papers. Then we inform everyone that these problems are similar to those on this year's test. What would everyone do in that situation?"

"That night, everyone will strive to cram the problems into their heads!" Eichiiro said.

"That's how things are."

Students who can't comprehend the fundamentals are unlikely to memorize all of the problems in a single day. However, it is not difficult to understand the issues beforehand. On this next test, we're not aiming for the greatest possible score. We're attempting to prevent any failures. The plan can backfire if we ask for too much. But with this, we should be able to pass everyone in class D.

"Hey... When did you start thinking about all of this?" Horikita inquired, her face solemn.

"When we discovered the test was different. However, ever since the midterm was mentioned, I had an inkling that the old tests may be similar."

"That early?" Both were taken aback.

"Chabashira-Sensei spoke in an unexpected manner when she first mentioned the midterm. Despite the fact that she was well-versed in Sudou's and the other's grades and attitudes, she talked with complete assurance. In other words, she certified that they could be saved."

Sudou, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sakura must have been admitted to this school despite their lack of intellectual competence and horrendous OAA scores for whatever reason. This is sort of an escape route and backup plan if they can't accomplish good grades by studying hard.

"I'm sure you've heard it before, but your intelligence and observational skills are truly phenomenal and out of this world." Horikita complimented me yet again.

"Can you do me a favor, Horikita?" She confirmed with a nod.

"I want you to be the one to distribute the old exam papers to our classmates, and only you. Take full credit for them, and don't even trace that I or Eichiiro were engaged in their acquisition." I made a request.

"Why not? You were the one who put forth the most effort to obtain these exam papers." Horikita enquired, baffled.

"Actually, I never needed you to accompany me. This was honestly the sole reason why I even invited you out to the cafeteria in the first place. You don't have a good reputation among our peers right now. Heck, You aren't even regarded as a significant figure. Your influence in the class will skyrocket once you dispense these papers, and you'd earn more trust from our classmates." I went on to elaborate myself.

"I see... If that's all you want me to do, I suppose I can comply with your request. Anyway, Ayanokouji-kun, this is excellent news."

"Yeah. Would you like to inform Hirata and the other tutors?" I asked.

"There's no need. The fewer people involved, the less likely it is that these would be mistakenly exposed."

"Do you perhaps have some doubts about them?" Eichiiro queried.

"That is a difficult question to answer. It's not that I don't appreciate their assistance, but I won't ask for it if I don't need it "she said "Even with someone like Sudou-Kun, I have no trouble cooperating with my classmates. After all, it was Ayanokouji-Kun's words and abilities that jolted me up... However, I believe that relying on others all of the time is not a smart concept."

This isn't the worst development, considering her nasty and detached demeanor during the first week. However, it would have been preferable if she had been able to place greater faith in someone like Hirata.

"Yes, exactly. I agree with you that forcing people to work together isn't always the greatest solution. You aren't one for sugarcoating things. But, if at all possible, I hope you will come to warm up to our other students, including me. Perhaps you aren't as frigid and unfriendly as I assumed." Eichiiro smiles mischievously.

"That's correct. Matsuo-Kun, you've shown yourself to be a formidable student. I used to think you were just an obnoxious, intolerable goofball." Horikita conveyed her opinion bluntly.

"Ack!" Eichiiro clutched his uniform as if his heart had been stabbed by an arrow. "That kinda hurts I'm not gonna lie."

"In any event, I'd like you to send me the test questions later." Horikita flipped through the pages of her book once again. "Matsuo-Kun and Ayanokouji-Kun, you can now go talk to your other pals."

Horikita didn't have to be so forceful about pushing us out the door. Eichiiro stood up and returned to class, while I opted to stay with Horikita because I, too, was hoping for some peace and quiet away from the crowd.

Vol.1. Chapter 13.1: END.

Word Count: 4991 Words.

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Author's Log

I was supposed to put Kushida's submission in this chapter, but I decided it would be better if I split the chapters into two parts. The kushida chapter will come later on.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed today's chapter.

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 13.2 : A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

Horikita, Eichiiro, and I ultimately resolved to carry out our plan when the next several days arrived. We should be able to easily attract the eyes and ears of our classmates' thanks to my leadership position and Eichiiro's great reputation.

Eichiiro stood up and called for everyone's attention as Chabashira-Sensei left us after the last homeroom period.

"I know we all agreed that this last day would be a self-study day, but, Horikita has something she'd want to say before you all depart," Eichiiro announced.

Horikita's name was brought up unexpectedly, which startled and perplexed everyone. After all, she hadn't done anything noteworthy in class to draw any type of heed to herself. Of course, aside from becoming an instructor.

She swiftly rose from her seat and made her way to the front of the room. She came to a halt in front of the podium, facing the Class B students.

"I'm hoping everyone has been studying hard in preparation for tomorrow's exam." She remarked. "I've got something that might be useful for some final studying tonight. I'll distribute them right immediately."

Everyone in the first row received a copy of the questions and answer sheets.

"Test... Questions? Horikita-San did you create them?" With an astonished look on his face, Hirata inquired. "

"These are, in fact, previous exam questions. They were given to me a few days ago by a third-year Senpai." She replied to his question.

"Huh?"

"Will we be studying with these?"

"Eh? Will these problems even be valid on the tests?"

Everyone had questions and thoughts on the subject, but after a brief review of the papers, they realized that the questions were quite similar to the study materials they'd been utilizing.

"That's correct. The midterm questions on this problem set were substantially identical to those on the midterm two years earlier. So, I believe we'll be able to do better on tomorrow's test if you practice using these papers. I recommend that everyone try to memorize the answers to each of the lessons." She was firm in her advice.

When they heard those statements, the entire class into an uproar.

"Are you serious, Horikita-San?" Onodera wept.

"D-Doesn't that mean if we just memorize all of these, we'll earn a perfect score?" Karuizawa was taken aback.

"Woah! Seriously? Horikita-San, thank you so much!" Satou expressed his gratitude with a profound bow.

"Let's go!" In joy, Ike clutched his test. All of the other pupils were equally unable to contain their feelings.

"What the hell, doesn't all of our studying become pointless if we have these problems?" Yamauchi was both laughing and grumbling at the same time.

This was a happy occurrence for everyone. Horikita attempted to offer Kouenji a copy of the questions at this time, but he chose to remain inside the classroom for some reason.

"Please take one, Kouenji-kun. I'm confident it'll be beneficial to you." She said as she handed him one set.

"Hmph, I appreciate your concern, Horikita girl. However, I will politely decline. Such things are unnecessary for me. I was only here to listen to what lovely things Ayanokouji boy had to spout." He got to his feet and took his luggage. "I'm satisfied now that he didn't let me down. Goodbye."

Kouenji walked out of the room with his customary graceful strides. For Class B, seeing him like this was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Do your best today, Sudou-kun, while studying."

"Yea. Thanks." Sudou was ecstatic to receive the papers as well.

"This is a well-kept secret amongst the other classes! Let's all do well and achieve our goals!"

Ike shouted out with full determination, but I had to acquiesce. It's unnecessary to send assistance to the other classes. Everyone was in great spirits when they returned home.

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"Cheers!" Eichiiro exclaimed with delight as everyone hoisted their cans of juice.

All of the students who were the tutors of the eight study groups gathered in the evening after school had concluded. Except for me and Horikita, everyone was giddy with delight because we had finally completed our job of instructing the members of our study group.

We made it through the hardships with the help of our friends. Is this what it means to be young? It doesn't seem so bad, I guess.

"What's up with your glum expression? Everything should be fine because today is the final before the midterms, right?" Matsuhita enquired, a sly grin on her face.

"I'm not opposed to a party, but why is it taking place in my room?" Exasperatedly, I sigh.

"Your room is very desolated and vacant. Ayanokouji, it's a little strange that you don't have any unique furniture or decorations in your room." Yukimura was the one who spoke up.

"School has barely been in session for two months. It's stranger to have so much stuff in your room, rather." With rationality, I rebutted.

I don't require anything else but my everyday essentials.

"Kushida-chan, what are your thoughts on Ayanokouji's room?" Mii-Chan posed the query.

"It seems satisfactory to me. It has a simple, clean vibe to it." Kushida put in her two cents.

"However, in the grand scheme of things, this upcoming midterm is quite risky. Ike, Sudou, and Yamauchi would have been kicked out if we hadn't planned to hold study group meetings." Eichiiro remarked, sarcastically mocking them.

"Ayanokouji-Kun's efforts are responsible for everything. He is entirely deserving of praise. After all, he was the one who first proposed the notion of forming a study club." Kushida complimented me profusely.

"You know, I still haven't forgiven you for making me an instructor." Matsuhita, who sat next to me, poked my cheeks with a teasing smirk.

"Well, it's not like I was forcing you to become one in the first place. You fared quite well on our recent exam, finishing in the top three of the entire class, alongside Yukimura and Horikita. I also noted that you completed the test a lot more faster compared to the others. You must be a high-achieving student." I included little praise in my statement.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow playfully after hearing what I said. "How did you know how quickly I finished the test? Were you perhaps staring at me the whole time while I was doing the exam?" Matsushita swooped down on me right away. She wore a smug grin on her face.

I see... So that's how she wants to play it. Matsuhita, your efforts are admirable. But, unfortunately, you've dug your own grave. Because I have a secret trump card you don't know about.

"That could be the case. But I'm simply repaying the favor." I shrugged jokingly. "Near the end of gym class, you were also staring at me with a very odd expression on your face. I've always been curious as to what you were thinking about at the time." I would've already flashed a proud and wisenheimer grin on my face if my emotions hadn't been so restrained.

She was attempting to get into my thoughts and elicit a worried and agitated response from me. In other words, she was waging psychological warfare on me. Perhaps she thought it would be amusing to see my cool crumble and me act out of character. Regrettably for her, two can play at that game.

In my mind's eye, I had mentally saved the image of her ogling me in the gym. Because Matsuhita had such a mischievous and playful disposition, I had kept it there just in case she tried to tease me into giving a reaction. She was similar to Eichiiro in appearance, but his antics were a little more subdued.

All according to keikaku.

After hearing my brilliant ripost, she flinched and widened her eyes. She was probably taken aback that I had spotted her staring at me and remembered it from so long ago. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, indicating that she was blushing from embarrassment.

"E-eh?!" She stuttered. "I-I don't know what y-you're talking about, Ayanokouji-Kun." She stammered even more, sheltering her face with her palms to hide her face.

"It's pointless for you to act as if you don't understand what I'm talking about or try to lie your way out of it, Matsuhita. Your facial expression and tone of voice make it brutally evident that I'm telling the truth." I continued to obliterate her with basic logic and reasoning. "You may have tried to outsmart me but I've outsmarted your outsmarting." With my index and middle fingers hitting my forehead, I returned.

"Tch," she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You win this time, Ayanokouji-Kun. But I'll get you someday!" She pouted while crossing her arms and turning her head away.

With the exception of Horikita, everyone laughed at our shenanigans.

"Oh, Horikita-San, could you tell me how you found out about that? I'm still baffled as to how you were able to come up with such an idea." Kushida spoke up.

"As you can see..." She built on the theory in the same way as I did with her. Of course, I nitpicked certain facts that may be left out. Her explanation astounded everyone, as one might anticipate.

"That's amazing Horikita-San!" Mii-Chan cheered.

"I guess you really do care about the class, even when you act so cold and distant to us." Eichiiro grinned even though he knew It was me who actually got the papers.

"I merely acted for my own benefit. Nothing more, nothing less." She shot him down coldly.

"No need to act so Tsun-Tsun, Horikita. Your dependable side is also rather charming, don't you think?" He continued to poke fun at her.

"Matsuo-Kun, do you want to die?" Horikita made a threat while rummaging inside her bag for something.

"N-no, ma'am. Please forgive me. I beg you to not stab me with that compass again." He pleaded for his sins.

Horikita and Eichiiro's antics made everyone giggle. I looked at Kushida while everyone else was looking at Horikita with respect and affection. She wasn't smiling, but she was biting her lower lip as if she was irritated with Horikita getting the attention over her.

Her facade has been eroding in my view over the previous few days. I could now detect whether she was being sincere or not on occasion. I just hope she doesn't reach her breaking point and throw the class into chaos.

I have to prevent that from happening. Even if I have to resort to inexcusable means to silence her.

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After the tiny celebration, I was cleaning up the mess that my classmates had created. While Kushida was gathering up the juice cans and other rubbish on the floor, I began sweeping the crumbs to the dustpan.

Everyone had gone, but she remained for some unfathomable reason. She graciously offered to assist me in cleaning up the dorm. I initially tried to dismiss her act of kindness, but I eventually caved in after she begged me repeatedly to let her help me.

"I'm not sure how many times I've said it, but thank you for lending a helping hand. It means a lot to me." I made an attempt to strike up a conversation with her.

"Instead, Ayanokouji-Kun, I should be the one thanking you. Even if you were a little uneasy about it, you allowed us to use your room to celebrate. Ayanokouji-Kun, I regret if we've caused you any big problems." To appear honest, she bowed.

"There is no need to be concerned. I'm only returning the favor because you're all my buddies." I wasn't really bothered by it, so I just brushed it off.

I swept the floor and walked over to the garbage can. I pressed my foot against the pedal, and the bin slid open. I poured the small food scraps on the dustbin's surface into the garbage bin's interiors. I finished by returning the broom and dustpan to their proper places.

When I glanced back, I noticed Kushida had completed her part as well. She was attempting to tie the last of the two trash bags together in a knot.

"Ayanokouji-Kun..." She addressed me in a tone that was extremely different from what I am used to hearing most of the time. She had a serious expression on her face as she looked at me. In front of me, the bright and smiling Kushida was not apparent.

"Yes, Kushida?"

"Do you perhaps like girls who are like Horikita?" Well, that was a very unexpected question. "I always notice you two walking hand-in-hand. It's also causing a lot of gossip among the girls in the class. They might even believe you're dating surreptitiously." Kushida presumptively assumed.

"Horikita is simply someone I just know. My next-door neighbor, to be precise. I don't consider her as someone special to me or anything along the lines of that." I answered earnestly.

"I see..." She paused for a bit. "Then, I'll be going home now, Ayanokouji-Kun. I'll see you tomorrow!" She waved at me as she briskly left the room.

I was going to get up to throw the garbage bags away when I discovered Kushida had left her phone on my bed. I took her phone in my hands with the goal of returning it to her. I exited the room and awaited the coming of the elevator.

I could see a screen above the buttons that showed whether the elevator was moving to the upper or lower level. It was headed to the lobby, according to the screen. That's strange. Kushida just announced that she would be returning to her dorm. The dorms for the girls are meant to be located upstairs...

It was 6:17 p.m. when I checked the time. If she really wanted to return to the dorms, she wouldn't go anyplace else than here. When the elevator door opened, I decided to pursue her.

I raced about looking for her because she wasn't in sight. From the back of the school building, I noticed someone who looked like Kushida. It was late in the evening, so only club members were present. There's also the potential that Kushida is meeting one of her club-going friends.

Time to go inside.

I proceeded to the hallway after getting my indoor shoes from the rack, but I didn't see Kushida. Is it possible that I've lost track of her? That was my first thinking, but then I heard the faint sound of someone's sneakers. I reached the stairwell going to the second floor.

I dashed as quickly as I could without making a sound. When I eventually made it to the third floor, I heard footsteps ascending to the rooftop. If it was Kushida, she was either walking slowly or stopping for a moment to do something. Regardless, I chose to follow the person in a sneaky manner.

Someone, as expected, unlocked the entrance to the rooftop. I noticed her approaching the brink through the small gap. Kushida was the culprit.

I murmured softly, "So this is what Eichiiro was talking about."

I had tasked him to spy on Kushida and track her whereabouts a month ago. And he delivered on his promises.

He claimed that she would normally walk to the rooftop at 6 or 7 p.m., where there were no cameras visible. Of course, he couldn't ascend the stairway and go much higher because it would blow his cover. In any case, he had provided me with vital knowledge.

When Horikita and I came here to question Chabashira-sensei, I confirmed that the door would not make a sound if I opened it again. Kushida wasn't looking in my way, so I decided to enter the rooftop and completely conceal my existence with the help of the night's darkness.

Kushida could just be here for a breath of fresh air, for all I know. Another possibility is that she's in town for a meeting. Should one of those be the case, I'll just return back to my dorm.

"Agh, screw this!" Even though she spoke loudly, her tone was so low that it didn't sound like Kushida.

"They're revolting!" They're seriously so annoying! Always trying to get close to me, always trying to ogle me-!" Kushida grumbled as if she were attempting to cast a curse.

"That Horikita... Why did she have to attend the same school as me?! Don't act so conceited and pompous just because you handed out some test papers to the class. I absolutely despise her! I wish she would just kill herself! Agh!" She screamed and repeatedly kicked her foot on the railing.

So this is the true face of Kushida Kikyou...

I feel like the image of the class' most popular girl has been burned down. It was a figure that she didn't want to be seen by anyone else.

I pulled out my phone and launched the camera app, making sure Kushida couldn't see the bright screen. This might provide a significant amount of leverage. It would be extremely useful to have someone like Kushida forced to do dirty work for me with unwavering commitment.

Through the crack in the door, I aimed the front camera. If the audio was followed by visual evidence of Kushida's rant, the tape would be far more incriminating. I slid my thumb across the screen and pressed the record button.

Kushida ultimately came to an end after a few minutes of recording. I kept the record button pressed in case she tried to harm me in any way. The only difference was that it was now a voice recorder. Not video graphic. I pushed open the door to let her know I was there.

"A-Ayanokouji-Kun?!" Bewilderment could be heard in her voice.

"Yo," I raised my palm casually. "You left this, so I thought I'd give it back to you," I spoke, pointing to my phone, which she smacked out of my hand, closing the gap between us.

"Did you hear everything?" She spat at me, her gaze fixed on mine. Nearly everyone in our school would be terrified by her duality, but I, too, am concealing something far worse.

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't hear or see anything?"

"I'll make you pay if you say anything about this to anyone."

"Oh? How so?"

"I'll spread a rumor that you raped me up here."

"You know, that's a bogus accusation."

"It's all right. It wouldn't be false." Her remarks were hefty and powerful, exuding a lethal aura.

Kushida grasped my right wrist and slowly opened my hand as she whispered. My palm was pressed against her soft breast.

"Can you tell me what you're doing?" I inquired quietly, putting up no protest.

"Your fingerprints have left their mark on my clothing. That is proof of my claim. I'm serious about this. Understand?" Kushida was still icy and spoke in a low, gloomy tone, but she seemed also slightly pleased with her strategy, showing a sadistic and haughty smile.

I heaved a sigh. "I understand. Could you please let go of my hand now?"

"I'm not going to wash this uniform and will keep it in my room. I'm going to give this to the cops if you tell a tone."

I locked my eyes on Kushida for a few moments as she kept my hand on her breasts.

"Don't forget," she narrated. Kushida took a step aside from me to make sure I understood.

She might believe she has the upper hand over me. Everything, however, was going according to plan. I can turn her into a pawn. A shaky tool that I may be forced to discard or deem obsolete in the future. However, she will be valuable to me for the time being.

Fear and aggressiveness will work wonders in subduing her and guaranteeing her compliance for the time being.

"You know, Kushida... " I began to tell my story. "If I were you, I wouldn't be so arrogant." As I took my phone from my pockets, I advised.

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about-" Before she could finish her sentence, I displayed a video on my phone screen and started and tapped the surface to play it.

"I'll spread a rumor that you raped me up here."

"You know, that's a bogus accusation."

"..."

"..."

Her face flushed as she realized I had been filming everything that had happened between us the entire time. This is something I could take advantage of.

"Your life would be finished as soon as I release this recording. Forget about your social standing and reputation; falsely accusing someone of rape is a felony. You'd almost certainly be dismissed from this school, but there's also a chance you'd be imprisoned for your crime. Poor little Kushida... You'll be left with no friends, no job, no pride, and no prospects for the future. You should've considered your options first before attempting to manipulate me for your own benefit. Now, what shall I do with this piece of evidence, I wonder." I stroked my chin and asked provocatively

"Y-you!"

Kushida raced forward, trying to snare my phone. I took use of my height by raising the phone and my arms out of reach of her. Her entire body was exposed as she desperately tried to grasp my phone. What a moron. After she threw her right hand, I crouched slightly and unleashed a devastating right uppercut aimed directly at her solar plexus.

"Ack!" As she slumped to the ground, Kushida winced in pain.

The solar plexus, also known as the celiac plexus, is a nerve bundle that fires when touched with enough force, sending impulses to adjacent organs. The diaphragm is the one that causes the most concern, as nerve signals force it to spasm or constrict.

The brain sends out signals that cause rhythmic contraction and relaxation during breathing. After being struck, these nerves are temporarily overstimulated, resulting in a strong and continuous contraction. The diaphragm can relax and normal breathing can resume once these nerves have recovered.

These same kinds of signals also go to the other organs nearby. During the time of the spasm, the brain and body detect this physiological situation, and the whole sympathetic nervous system may become activated, causing things such as a state of fear, clammy sweating, and other symptoms.

I approached Kushida, who was still gasping for air and trembling in discomfort. She's still reeling from the hit she just endured.

'THUD!'

While she was down, I kicked her violently to the ground. Her eyes were beginning to show signs of disillusionment and fear. I gave her a harsh stare, showing neither pity nor sorrow.

"How utterly pathetic," I groused, a bitter and severe tone in my voice. "You said you'd make me pay, right? Is this the best you can do? You make me feel disgusted. Right now, you honestly look like an ugly bitch." I irritated her.

"S-shut the fuck up!" Kushida yelled angrily, regaining her balance and posture.

She charged at me head-on, attempting to suffocate me. I took a few steps back and raised my arm. I formed a fist with my hands and bashed her on the crown of her head. I wasn't done yet, so I grabbed her hair and yanked it wildly. I raised my foot and kneed her in the stomach.

"Agh!" She squirmed even more in agony. Affliction surged through her whole body as if a sharp knife had stabbed her gut.

"Seriously, Kushida, stop retaliating while you still have the chance. This is becoming a source of embarrassment for you. You're incapable of even putting up a fight, let alone landing a hit on me. Kushida, you need to grow up. The world doesn't revolve around you. If you weren't such a delusional twat, none of this would have had to happen." I continued to berate her vehemently.

I delivered a powerful kick to her unguarded midsection before she could catch her breath and restore her composure.

"?!" Kushida was knocked back due to her inability to withstand the force of the hit. She collapsed to the ground, her head hitting the floor first. Her palms were stroking her temples, and she appeared dazed from the floor's impact.

Her musculature was strained. Her respiration was becoming more rapid. Sweat beads were starting to form on her brow. Her eyes were welling up with tears. On the floor, she was jerking and quivering uncontrollably. She was starting to be afraid of me. But it's unlikely that this would satisfy her. I needed to accomplish more. I needed her to entirely surrender to me.

"Kushida, say goodbye to everything you've achieved so far at this school." As I was ready to click the power button on my phone, I made a threat. Of course, I had no intention of disclosing it to the school's discussion board. All I wanted was for her to believe I actually was.

"Y-you bastard... I'll kill you!"

With wrath in her voice and bloodlust in her eyes, she lunged at me. She attempted to throw a couple of punches at me, which I easily deflected. Her attacks were sluggish and incorrect, even though she was one of the most physically skilled girls in our class. I took a step back till I found myself resting against the wall.

Perfect.

My shirt was aggressively tugged by her. But before she could react, I raised my hand and stabbed her in the eyes with both index and middle fingers, briefly blinding her. I grabbed her face, pushed outward with my palm, pivoted, and slammed her head onto the wall. I swiftly raised my foot and stomped furiously on her knee. I proceeded to strike her in the throat by plunging the tip of my hand on it.

She made a gurgling noise instinctively. She sought to grasp her throat as a reaction. I seized both of her wrists and roughly pinned her against the wall before she could try. I positioned my legs in between hers to keep her from collapsing to the ground and succumbing to her injuries.

There was only the sound of silence. We were the only ones in the vicinity. It was very late at night. I didn't think anyone was in this area.

She tried to fight back, but I was simply too strong. I gave her a dead-on stare. My golden eyes were bathed in the moonlight. The eyes that reflected a vast, dark, and inexhaustible abyss.

"Kushida, I didn't even want to do this to you. In this school, all I wanted was to live a tranquil and peaceful life. Now that you've become a stumbling block in my path, I'll make sure you reap what you sow." I stated with a voice as intimidating as a lion's roar and a tone colder than that of freezing ice.

"Kushida, you tried to blackmail me. I'm not very appreciative of that. So, what am I supposed to do in return?" Despite the fact that I knew she couldn't answer, I asked this inquiry.

Kushida was standing there, hyperventilating and murmuring incomprehensible gibberish. She knew she couldn't respond in any situation, and she realized she didn't have any authority in this one. She realized she was utterly at my mercy, and it shattered her.

"Hey, Kushida." I addressed her. She gradually raised her head and made eye contact with me for the first time.

I leaned my head back and smacked her across the face with a barbarous headbutt. Belaboring the nasal pole was the intended objective.

If even minor damage is sustained, a particular consequence is triggered in the human body. "Tears" is the word I'm referring to. When they are smacked on the nose, every human being sheds tears. Tears welled up in response to the discomfort, taking away important visibility. It makes no difference if you're a youngster or an adult, young or elderly. It is a mechanism of the human body.

As she took the blow, she screeched in suffering. Tears were already running down her face, and they didn't appear to be stopping anytime soon.

"When someone asks you a question, you owe it to them to respond. If you continue to remain mute, I will not hesitate to inflict additional pain on you. Next time, I'll be more aggressive. Do you understand, Kushida?" I glared at her with killing intent.

My words elicited a terrified nod from her. She had become as docile as a mouse. Her imperious and grandiose demeanor had vanished just a few moments before. She'll look at me differently from now till the end of our high school careers.

"W-what do you want from me..." Kushida let out a barely audible mumble.

In answer, I simply stared into her eyes for a few moments. The more I make her wait for my response in this manner, the more trepidation she will develop. As she awaited my response, her body shook with dread and anxiety.

"Kushida..." I sized her up and leaned closer to her ear.

"Spread your legs," I commanded.

"H-huh?!" She was perplexed by my request.

"Are you deaf, Kushida?" I let go of one of her wrists and slapped her across the face heftily. It was forceful enough to leave a red mark on her cheek. I grabbed her right wrist again right away.

I progressively tightened my grip until it was impossible for her to withstand the anguish any longer.

Kushida let loose, tears flowing down her face and onto my hand as I fulfilled her darkest nightmare. Because I effectively had her life in my hands, she had no choice but to comply with my demands. No matter how hard she tries, she'll never be able to prevent me from destroying all she's worked so hard for.

Her only alternative was to placate me and hope that I wouldn't decide to wreck her life. As she cried, Kushida's body shivered disorderly. I waited patiently for her crying to stop, even though I didn't let go of her arm or retract my foot. For a few minutes, the only sound in the school was this girl's disheartened weeping. She eventually regained some composure, and her sobbing subsided, replaced by fragmented sobs.

This was because Kushida's life would change starting today. Either everything would fall apart, or she would be forced to live for me. She probably knew too much about it, which is why she had a nervous breakdown. Kushida's blazer's collar and chest, as well as my arm, were wet with tears by this point, but no more were gushing from her eyes.

It seems that this was the appropriate time.

"So, what's it going to be? Will you follow my instructions?" I questioned her without feeling, with no sympathy or grief in my heart for her.

I watched Kushida's mouth move after a few seconds, and she made a sound, but it was so quiet that I couldn't hear it. Her words carried light vibrations into the air, but they never reached my ears.

"Speak up, will you." In a vituperative tone, I raised my voice. She flinched dramatically as if I was about to physically abuse her again.

"F-fine!" She abruptly cried out. "Whatever you say, I'll do. But you're going to stick to your word, right? You're not going to tell anyone about me if I follow your orders?" Kushida had given up on fleeing and instead pleaded with me to protect her confidential identity.

"Yes, I will. I promise you that much." I assured her. "You're going to do everything I say without question from now on. You'll carry out every decree I give you to the tee. If you disobey me even once, you'll pay the consequences for it dearly. Do you understand, Kushida?" She gave a series of affirmative nods.

After saying that, I let go of Kushida and walked back to give her space. Her eyes expanded slightly, and a tiny ray of hope appeared on her face.

"Y-you're not going to..."

"Assault you? Of course not. What kind of monster do you think I am? I have no sexual interest in your body." I bluntly replied.

I wasn't looking for a slave; I was after a useful pawn. In actuality, I had no intention of significantly altering Kushida's life. I only needed her to help me when I needed it, and that was it. She should be grateful she came across me here since I'm sure there were other boys who wouldn't be so kind.

Kushida chose not to ask any more questions, which I thought was a sensible option and instead turned his gaze to the ground. I'd ended up showing Kushida my nasty and heartless side, but there was almost little risk involved.

"However, Kushida." I snatched her arm and twisted it behind her, locking both arms together and ramming her against the wall, gradually tightening my grip on her arms. I let go of her and tossed her against the metal railing after hearing a grunt of pain. She was left gasping for air and leaning on them in a state of despair and disquietude.

I approached and grasped her chin firmly, forcing her to look at my eyes filled with tenebrosity and devilry.

"If you even dream of betraying me, I'll make your life a living hell. Remember that." I terrorized her one last time.

I immediately spun my body around and left her in distress alone. Today, I had gained a really useful tool. Of course, I didn't rule out the potential that she might be planning to betray me in the future. But I've already begun to prepare for it.

Kushida may have attempted to scare me with her dualism, but the darkness she bears pales in comparison to the demon I truly am.

Vol.1. Chapter 13.2: END.

Word Count: 5683 Words

Next Chapter: Vol 1. Chapter 14.1 (Final): The Midterms Exams.

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Author's Log

I tried to give a more violent and cruel approach to Ayanokouji making Kushida submit to him. I'm sorry if I described the scenes pretty badly. I'm very inexperienced in writing fight scenes.

Also, unlike some fics, Kushida will be an antagonist in this story rather than an ally.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed today's chapter.

Sayonara!

Vol.1. Chapter 14.1 : Midterm Exams (Final)

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

The day began bright and clear.

Through my window, the sun shone scintillatingly. Another day had begun, bringing in new hopes and aspirations with it. My room was illuminated up by the first rays of sunlight. The lovely birdsong of the dawn chorus wafted in.

I've just awoken from a long and restful slumber. To find out what time it was, I pulled my phone from the table next to my bed.

"6:30 a.m..." I mumbled unconsciously.

Well, I guess it's time for me to start getting ready for school. I got out of bed and draped the blanket over my thighs and feet. After that, I got up and began making the bed.

Once I finished doing so, I stepped to the window, rubbing my foggy eyes. The sky had a glossy sheen to it. The morning atmosphere took on a rosy tone as the sun rose higher in the sky. The area was irradiated by the golden fingers of sunlight.

I opted to have a breakfast of a cereal under the name of 'fruit loops.' I crouched to fetch the cereal box from my kitchen cabinet. I then went to my refrigerator, opened it, and took the gallon of milk from the upper shelf.

I grabbed an orange-colored towel, removed my pajamas, undressed myself, and went into the restroom after finishing breakfast. I walked into the shower, which was partially obscured by a glass pane.

I changed the temperature of the water from chilly to warm by turning the red metal circle counterclockwise. I grabbed a bottle of shampoo and began softly and gently brushing my hair. I then pressed a button on a soap dispenser and began scrubbing my entire body with it. For a little period, I was the cleanest human being on the planet.

(Please don't get horny over something like this. I'm watching you.)

I exited the shower after finishing cleansing myself and began drying myself by wiping the liquid off my entire body with the orange-colored towel. After that, I changed into my school clothes that I had prepared ahead of time before showering. I put on my boxers first, then my formal green slacks, a neat white shirt, a dark blue tie tied between the third and fourth buttons of my shirt, and finally my red school blazer, which I didn't bother to button up since I thought it would make me look too courtly.

I left the bathroom and went to the habiliment wardrobe to retrieve my black and white socks. As I grabbed my black sneakers from the shoe rack, I slipped my feet into the socks. I turned back and grabbed my school bag after I was finished putting it on. I double-checked my bag one final time to be sure I hadn't forgotten anything essential for today.

"Ittekimasu." I bowed slightly to no one in particular and bid adieu to my dorm.

The phrase "Ittekimasu", is typically used by a Japanese when they are about to leave somewhere, such as from the home or office. The closest literal translation would be "I'll go and I'll come back". But a more natural translation is something like "see you later".

The remaining people at home or in the office then reply to the person leaving with "Itterasshai", Literally meaning "please go and come back". The phrase is also close to "see you later", "have a good day", or "take care" but none of those expressions truly express the spirit behind the word.

"Ittekimasu" expresses that "I will be going now but do not worry, I will safely return" while "Itterasshai" indicates that "You will be leaving soon but please do come back safely".

You might be wondering why I'm even informing you about this. That is a question that I am also baffled about. Perhaps I've habitually started to treat this school as if it were my true home.

Indeed... Ever since my arrival at this institution, I've felt at ease and comfortable. The sophisticated and opulent structures, the sumptuous and lavishing amenities offered, the number of points we were entrusted with for the duration of our high school careers, and, most importantly, I had finally felt like a bird being released from its cage.

I was once a Cavia porcellus, or guinea pig is the common term, who had been cursed with a dreadful and heinous fate that I had to live with for the rest of my life. However, everything might be different now.

I had the potential to fight back against the horrible kismet that the White Room had bestowed upon me. Perhaps one day, I might even be able to grow and evolve as a human being. In my heart, I sincerely desired and prayed that maybe, just maybe, it would be possible for someone as callous and soulless as myself.

When I got close to the elevator, I pressed the arrow heading downwards button. I checked the clock on my phone while waiting for its presence to lay out the welcome mat for me. It was 7:10 p.m. at the time. Just fifty minutes until school is in session.

I decided to look at the texting software that the school had made available to us. There was a colossal amount of notifications in my direct messages.

There was the Ayanon group, who were going over some of the materials and quizzing each other questions regarding the subjects that would be on the midterm exam.

The other chat rooms were doing similarly. With the exception of two certain groups. Karuizawa's group of gals was one of them. Instead, they were discussing their future plans and what they would do after we finished our midterms at Keyaki Mall.

The boys' chat room was the other group. Instead, they were chatting about obscene pornography and women's bodies. Of course, I had very little libido for the other sex. Even if I did, I understood that it was basic common sense not to act recklessly upon my sexual inclinations.

If the females were to find out what they were talking about, they would be certainly disgusted and chastise them, labeling them perverts. Not wanting to be a single part of it, I reluctantly closed the app, heaving a sigh in the process.

The lift arrived precisely at the moment I was putting my phone into one of my pockets. As the door swung open, I was greeted by an unexpected crowd.

There was Horikita, who as usual was minding her own business, Onodera, who was waving enthusiastically at me as soon as she saw me, and... Kushida.

She flinched as soon as she realized I was the figure in front of her, and I could hear her start to hyperventilate a bit. Given what I did to her on the rooftop the day before, it was reasonable.

I gave her a brief glare, signifying that she needed to calm down. I didn't want to raise any red flags for either of us. She gave a tentative nod before swiftly reverting to her former demeanor.

It's impressive and astounding how quickly she can return to acting. If she were to present herself to the world, she'd most likely be lauded as an acting prodigy or something along the lines of that.

I could tell her fingers were twitching and she was shivering slightly but uncontrollably as a result of her proximity to me. That provided even more indication that she had begun to fear me more than anyone else in the school.

"G-good morning, A-Ayanokouji-Kun." She finally mustered up some courage and greeted me as meekly as a preadolescent puppy.

"Morning, Kushida." I returned her salute nonchalantly, not even bothering to spare her a glance.

The trip to the lobby was shrouded in a strange quiet. I'd strike up a casual discussion with Onodera now and then, but without Kushida as the anchor, it wasn't particularly substantial.

It's not that I can't engage socially with others; in fact, because to Eichiiro, my social skills have drastically ameliorated compared to a year ago. The issue is that I'm still quite lacking in it. You're presumably aware of the rationale for this. I'm not going to clarify the reason why once more.

Kushida seized the opportunity to take off as rapidly as lightning once the elevator had arrived at our destination She appeared to be doing everything she could to get as far away from me as possible.

Onodera, perplexed by Kushida's behavior, began to hasten her speed and attempted to catch up with her. She cried out to her several times, concerned for her well-being, but Kushida simply disregarded her and continued to walk away.

I considered striking up a chinwag with Horikita, but I realized I had been focused on Onodera and Kushida for too long and had missed the chance to do so. She was heading alone to the school's entrance route.

I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my blazer and walked into class with my normal careless posture. I arrived on the site after a few minutes of roaming about the campus. People were gathered inside with their study groups, most likely conferencing about the examinations one more time before we had to take them in a few moments.

"Ah, Ayanon, get over here!" Hasebe, the first person to notice my attendance, motioned for me to join her at her table.

My study group was currently convened there. Everyone had rigid and nervous expressions on their faces, especially Sakura. I walked up to her table from my desk, where I rested my bag.

"Good day, everyone." I tipped my hat to them and raised my palm moderately. "I trust that all of you've been working hard in preparation for today's exams."

"We have Ayanon!" Hasebe trumpeted proudly. "Honestly, I think I could even get a higher score than Miyacchi now." She made a snide remark and sneered at Miyake.

"Oi! Don't act so cocky just because you got one additional question right than me! I made a typo and you just got lucky!" Miyake retaliated.

"What are you two talking about?" Nene jumped in. "Obviously, I'll be the greater one out of you two." She declared in a haughty manner.

"Hey! If you two are so confident that you'll beat me, then what if we propose a bet?" Miyake offered, apparently very sure of himself that he'll be the one to come out victorious.

"Let's each put in 10,000 private points because there are three of us. Everyone will provide 30,000 points to the person who achieves the highest marks on the midterm tests. How does that sound?" Miyake inquired.

"Only 10,000? Why not 20,000?" Nene spoke up.

"20,000?! Are you an impulsive gambler or something?! Hell no! I don't want to lose a large number of points just because of a bet!" Miyake protested and made a fuss about it.

"I have to agree with Miyacchi on this once." Hasebe voiced her opinion on the matter. "As much as I'd like to get my hands on 60,000 private points, I think that would be way too much for something as trivial as this."

"Ugh, fine... I'll settle with 10,000 points." Nene groaned and surrendered grudgingly.

"Great! No chickening out okay? That applies to both of you!" Hasebe pointed both of her index fingers to Miyacch- I mean Miyake and Nene.

"You have my word on that."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Nene stroke a cute pose.

For a long, we spoke about midterms until the bell sounded, signifying the start of our first exam. Everyone dispersed immediately and returned to their seats.

"Good morning, Class B," Chabashira-Sensei waltzed into the classroom and addressed the entire class. "No absences, huh? That's only natural, I suppose. This will be the first stumbling block for all of you in staying in school. Are you all ready?"

"Chabashira-sensei, everyone has been studying diligently for the past few weeks. No one in our class, I believe, will fail." Hirata made a daring statement.

Chabashira-Sensei commented on his attitude, "You appear quite confident, Hirata. The issue is, can you back up your allegation with evidence?"

"I'm sure that none of us will be forced to drop out due to the midterms. We'll prove it to you!" Hirata exclaimed, his face lit up with zeal and determination.

"That's excellent, frankly." She flashed out a smile as she nodded in response to Hirata's reply. "Your academics will be built on the foundation of this midterm exam. You'll have your finals in July after you finish this. Do your best because if everyone passes, the school will reward you with a bewitching vacation during the summer break."

"A vacation?" Ike was the one to pose the query.

"That's correct," she replied, "a wonderful holiday on an island surrounded by the gorgeous blue sea.

An island, huh? I'd never traveled outside of cities before. Of course, going to New York was an exception. I doubted the school would provide us with something so pleasurable, but if they did, I was looking forward to it.

After receiving the news, some of the boys were trembling with joy. There were even a few who were openly drooling. It was brutally evident that the majority of them were picturing girls in swimwear.

"W-What is this pressure...?" I heard Okitani mutter.

Even Chabashira-sensei took a step back from the obvious tension among the students... which was mostly emanating from the boys.

"Everyone, let's give it our all!" Ike shrieked.

"Yeah!"

The entire class's morale improved two or thrice as a result of Ike's mistaken keenness. I debated whether or not to join them in cheering, but Horikita's scary look convinced me to remain silent.

She tapped the tests against the table to line them up before passing them out. The first period is dedicated to social studies. I surmise you might call it the easiest of all the subjects' tests. If anyone trips up here, the rest of the tests will be a hardship.

The exams were quickly distributed to everyone. When the teacher gave the signal, everyone began at the same time. I rapidly scanned the entire test while looking over the issues. I looked to see if the questions were comparable to those on previous tests.

Godsend.

I made a little triumphal pose. All of the questions were recognizable. I didn't pay close attention to the problems, but I didn't see any differences either.

It was crystal clear that if I memorized all of the answers, I could achieve a near-perfect score. That is if I were a typical student. But even if I didn't review the materials, I could still probably get a perfect grade with very little effort.

I didn't notice any students who appeared puzzled or agitated when I looked around the classroom. The majority of the students appeared to have done some last-minute studying.

The Japanese and chemistry sections of the test were resumed during the second and third periods. I noticed something else when I was working on the queries.

Horikita's lessons are very similar to the topics covered in the test. She was able to precisely identify the types of questions that would be asked based on the class lessons. The quiet girl in the seat next to me, who continued to scribble down answers, was more impressive than I had anticipated.

Nice job, Horikita. I would give you a thumbs up physically if I could, but I'd probably get in trouble for and attract some unnecessary attention if I did that in the middle of such a time.

Then it came time for the fourth period. Math. All of the unusually difficult issues from the mock test are, without a doubt, included in this one. They probably have no idea what it means, but if they memorized the answer, they should be able to do well.

After some time had gone, we finally completed our Mathematics exam. Finally, students will be able to relax as break time sprung in.

"This is an easy pass!

"I feel like I'll get a 120 at this point!"

Ike looked to be in a good mood. Yamauchi seems relieved as well, judging by his smile. They were smiling while holding the old test questions in their hands for a final review.

Meanwhile, my study group had collected around my table because Miyake sat directly in front of me, and sauntering to another member's desk would be too much labor for the two of us when we're already so close to each other.

Not in that kind of sense, of course.

"How did you all do," I asked.

"I think I did fantastic actually! Those outdated test questions really helped me a lot. I should probably thank Horikita after all of this is done." Miyake scratched his head indifferently.

"That's true..." Sakura took the initiative and said something. "If it wasn't for Ayanokouji-Kun, I'd probably fail the tests." Sakura self-deprecatingly assumed.

"Don't think so lowly of yourself, Sakura-San! I'm sure you'd have passed even without our help." Nene made an attempt to comfort her by patting her back.

"Hey, Sudou, you okay? You're looking really high strung right now." Yamauchi's words reverberated around the classroom.

"You did study the materials, right Sudou?" I left my study group and barged into their discussion.

"Sudou is doing nicely. He's just double-checking to make sure that he hasn't memorized anything improperly." Matsuo casually responded for him.

"Oh, sure." Sudou shifted his gaze to us. "Last night, I was on the verge of getting into trouble. It's a good thing I had Matsuo with me."

"Yeah. He summoned me to his room since he was worried about how he would do on the exams. And, being the gracious and kind-hearted individual that I am, I accepted. However, while studying English, this bastard kept falling asleep. I'm not sure what would have happened to him today if I hadn't slapped his awareness out of him." With a smirk on his face, Eichiiro made fun of Sudou.

"As much as I hate that smug countenance of yours, yeah he's telling the truth. I owe a huge debt to him."

"Heh," Eichiiro scoffed. "You can pay me back by passing this midterm. Also, you have to buy me three bowls of ramen from that Japanese restaurant the next time we hang out at Keyaki Mall again."

"What?! But those are so expensive for ramen bowls!" Sudou complained.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Sudou." Eichiiro cheekily wagged his index finger. "You know the rules, and so do I.

"Tch," Sudou clicked his tongue in frustration. "Fine, you win Matsuo. I'll pay."

"Hehehe, I'll always come out the victor in the end." Eichiiro boastfully declared.

Everyone ultimately took the final two exams when the bell sounded. Everything remained the same, as predicted.

Once the time limit had run out, I passed my exam sheet to the front, and our midterms had finally concluded.

"Everyone did a wonderful job. You all appear to be self-assured. I have high hopes for the results." Chabashira-sensei then departed from the classroom, carrying our test papers in the process.

"IT'S FINALLY OVER!" Yamauchi screamed with significant jubilation in his tone.

"LET'S GO!!!" Ike joined in and rallied the boys.

"Hey hey, we should go to Keyaki Mall right now!" I heard Karuizawa and the girls say noisily.

Class B was ecstatic to see our midterm exams come to a close. As a token of appreciation, many of them invited their instructors out to dinner. My study group and Yukimura, of course, chose to eat lunch at a well-known restaurant in Keyaki Mall. All we can do now is hope for the best and wait for the results of our exams.

--

Chabashira-sensei was taken aback when she entered the classroom and looked around. The results of the midterms were awaited with bated breath.

"Sensei. I heard the results would be released today, but when will they be revealed exactly?" Hirata was the one who brought up the subject of the elephant in the room.

"Hirata, there's no need for you to be so worried about it. You most likely received a passing grade." Chabashira attempted to reassure.

"When are they going to be released...?" Hirata coolly dismissed her words.

"I suppose now is a good moment. I was planning on showing you the results in afternoon homeroom, but getting started now rather than later isn't a bad idea," Chabashira-sensei advised.

Chabashira-sensei removed a poster from his bag and put it on the blackboard. Chabashira-sensei smiled warmly when she turned back to face us. Anyone could tell she was genuinely pleased with the outcome.

"You did exceptionally well on your first-semester midterm tests. Class B, I sincerely acknowledge your efforts." She applauded.

"I can't believe I actually got a passing grade!"

"Woohoo! I live to see another day!"

"Look at the top!"

Seven rows of pupils received one hundred points in each of the six topics. Horikita, Eichiiro, Matsuhita, Mii-Chan, Yukimura, and Koenji were among them.

Koenji's test scores were very admirable. It seems he truly didn't need the previous exam questions. He's earned a smidgeon of my respect today.

"Congratulations to those of you who received flawless scores on all of your tests. Not only that, but I'd want to congratulate everyone on a job well done." Chabashira-sensei continued to shower us with compliments.

"Thank God!" Sudou cheered at full volume and breath a heavy sigh of relief.

He earned the lowest overall score, but it was far higher than his mock test scores. His lowest grade was in English, which he received a fifty-four on. He scored twelve points higher than the passing grade of forty-two.

Chabashira-sensei let everyone bask in the glory of their superb exam results. She was naturally proud of her kids as our homeroom teacher.

"So, I guess that concludes the results. Take your seats and be silent because the next class is about to begin "she reminded. "Goodbye." As she walked out of the classroom, she bid farewell.

My long and grueling path to liberation has only just begun. Despite the fact that we had a fantastic outcome, my journey for sovereignty at this institution is far from over. We've made it beyond the first hindrance that this school threw in our way.

Let's just hope that things continue to go smoothly in the upcoming future as we enter our second month at this school.

Volume 1: END.

Word Count: 3847 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.2. Chapter 1.1: The Start of An Alliance.

--

Author Log

This chapter finally marks the end of Volume 1.

As always, thank you for the support you've given me so far.

I am grateful for the praises and criticism.

Please look forward to Volume 2.

Also please read A Monster's Influence route C and B, composed by HundredBlossoms

Underrated as hell fanfic. Show some love to it.

Vol.2. Chapter 1.1: The Genesis of a Strenuous Warfare

Matsuo Eichiiro's POV

It's a little abrupt, but please pay attention to the question I'm about to ask you and consider the response carefully.

My inquiry is, what is the truth?

It may appear to be a simple query, but it is far more convoluted than it appears.

If you were to pull out the dictionary or browse the internet to open Wikipedia, truth is the property of being in accordance with fact or reality. In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent actuality or otherwise correspond to it, such as beliefs, propositions, and declarative sentences.

Falsehood is frequently seen as the polar opposite of truth. Truth is argued in a variety of situations, including philosophy, art, theology, and science. Most human activities depend upon the concept, where its nature as a concept is assumed rather than being a subject of discussion; examples include most sciences, law, journalism, and everyday life.

Some philosophers believe that the concept of truth is fundamental and that it cannot be articulated in terms that are more understandable than the concept of truth itself. The most prevalent interpretation of truth is that it is the connection of language or idea to the mind-independent universe. The correspondence theory of truth is the name for this approach.

Various theories and views of truth continue to be debated among scholars, philosophers, and theologians. There are many different questions about the nature of truth which are still the subject of contemporary debates, such as:

How do we define truth?

Is it even possible to give an informative definition of truth?

What things are truth-bearers and are therefore capable of being true or false?

Are truth and falsehood bivalent, or are there other truth values?

What are the criteria of truth that allow us to identify it and to distinguish it from falsehood?

What role does truth play in constituting knowledge?

And is truth always absolute, or can it be relative to one's perspective?

For generations, there has been a struggle between what is truly good and what is truly wrong. Many conservatives still think that truth is pure reality with no room for deception. Others, contrastingly, feel that truth is relative - that it is a person's perception of ideals and decisions.

As a result, truth varies among people due to their differing viewpoints. However, the truth is something that everyone believes to be correct. Hence, it is heavily reliant on what individuals believe to be real. On the other hand, truth uttered with malice can be far more damaging than a lie. Therefore, truth is defined as a statement or expression that is consistent with reality and enjoyment.

Truth and the individuals who tell them are highly valued in today's culture. A fair and just society is built on the foundation of honourableness. Witnesses are expected to swear to tell the truth in court; this ensures that justice is served. Most modern religions have a viewpoint on the subject, and they hold the ideals of truthfulness in high regard.

Honesty can be divided into two categories: being true to others and being genuine to oneself. Although the two are not identical, they are inextricably intertwined.

People that are sincere have a greater grasp of themselves. They are aware of their talents and flaws, and they are not fooled by their achievements or failures. Truth assists individuals in expressing and revealing their actual selves. It aids them in accurately describing themselves and others, as well as keeping any pledges or obligations made.

The truth is essential to both individuals and humankind as a whole. Being truthful as an individual allows you to grow and mature by learning from your mistakes. Uprightness succors in the formation of social bonds in society. Lying and hypocrisy, on the other hand, have a negative impact and can cause those relationships to be broken.

There are two ways to avoid telling the truth. The first is to not supply all the necessary facts. Even if the truth is the truth, some individuals avoid becoming very personal. It depends on the situation and whether or not the specifics are requisite. Some people will even refuse to share anything.

It is unethical to provide incorrect information. Some people lie to get out of a situation or to avoid hurting others' feelings. However, there are times when lying is vital. Finding the right balance in frankness, like any other attribute, is crucial. It is important not to exaggerate or minimize one's defects or strengths. Pretending to be less skilled in a certain area is just as terrible as exaggerating one's ability.

Living and acting in compliance with one's morals is indispensable. It is critical to be straight from the shoulder with oneself since one cannot live by following one's principles if one keeps pretending to be someone else. Being candid helps people in being honest with themselves and living a life that reflects that nobility.

I recognize that the truth can be rather unforgiving and harrowing at times. But, however tragic the reality may be, it would be an even bigger tragedy to simply avert our eyes away from it.

(These words are not from my mouth alone. I merely wrote and paraphrased this monologue from multiple sources on the internet.)

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I decided to take a stroll around campus after school because I had nothing else to do. I was touring around the special annex building at the time. It was unsurprisingly calm and cavernous here. I believe Kiyotaka would enjoy hanging out in a setting like this. I'll tell him about this spot later on.

I also noted that it was really hot in here. I could feel the sun's rays gently heating my skin, as sweat began to trickle from my brow and down my body. My shirt's collar, as well as my tie, were slightly drenched n bodily fluids. Right now, I'd give anything for some iced lemon tea.

This location was also usually utilized for after-school clubs. Normally, they would conduct their business here or outside the building. Given how vast and uncrowded this location was, it seemed logical. If you overlook the strange point system and competitive class hierarchy, this school is essentially a haven of grandiosity.

While wandering around the area, I ran into a familiar classmate. The individual in question was a teenage girl of average height with shoulder-length pink hair tied in twin pigtails with bangs swept to the left, gradient blue eyes, and a very well-endowed physique.

I took my phone out of one of my pockets and promptly launched the OAA app to identify the young lady in front of me.

I quickly flicked my fingers upwards on the phone screen as I scrolled through the list of students in class B. It may seem impolite of me not to remember all of my classmates' names, but I'm only human. It's not like I was born and blessed with a photographic memory or something amazing like that. I'm not some sort of omnipotent being.

I eventually located the photograph of the girl in front of me.

If I'm not mistaken, her name is Sakura Airi.

She has quite a modest and reserved temperament and prefers to remain in the background. I felt sorry for her since Karuizawa and her unpalatable circle of girls would always spit on her behind her back and dismiss her existence unnecessarily.

That girl really needs to brush up on her etiquette and clean her filthy mouth. I'm not sure how much longer I can stand hearing her spout utter bullshit.

When you get a good look at her, she actually looks rather lovely and stunning. That is, at least, my opinion. She could even compete with the likes of Kushida and Ichinose if she were more confident and upbeat

I unintentionally bumped into her fairly aggressively while looking through my phone. I swiftly grabbed both my phone and a camera on reflex as they were going to tumble to the floor. Because there was no one else in the corridor but us, I believed the camera was her property.

She was frightened when she saw my human-like figure and sought to flee as quickly as she could. If I could, I would have clasped her wrist to stop her, but both of my palms were occupied by her camera and my phone.

With my hands full, I decided to call out her name, "Sakura!" to get her attention. "You forgot to take your camera!"

Her jogging came to a standstill as soon as she heard what I said. She took a weak and shy step back towards me.

"U-umm I-I'm sorry if I bothered you, b-but would you please give me my camera back?" She asked nicely while stammering woodenly.

Holy shit she's adorable.

I know this isn't the most appropriate moment to say something like that, but the way she's trembling and acting like a shy puppy, oh my God. I think I'd have an excellent chance of falling for her if I didn't have Nanase.

To regain my composure, I violently shook my head. Snap out of it, Eichiiro. This is not the time for you to behave in such a manner, especially in front of such a beautiful woman like her.

"E-eh?! Why not?!" I jolted out of my reverie and heard her squawk distressfully.

Oh fuck.

She must have misinterpreted my body language as a refusal to comply with her request. Crap, I need to resolve this as soon as possible to avoid a misunderstanding between us. I didn't want her opinion of me to deteriorate to the point where she would possibly hate me or something along those lines.

"Ah, That's not what I meant!" I flailed my arms wildly around the place, feeling a bit flustered and embarrassed. "I was just a bit surprised to see you here! Please accept my sincerest apologies for any confusion that may have caused!" To make my apology seem heartfelt, I bowed slightly.

"Please raise your head!" She commanded sheepishly. "I'm also sorry for leaping to conclusions as well. I should've been more understanding of the predicament you were put in when you encountered me."

She was fidgeting and shivering, as if she were freezing and shaking in the center of the north pole due to the heavy snow and frigid temperature there. I don't want her to be in any kind of perturbation or disquiet. I need to reassure her and make sure she calms down.

I slid my phone back into my pockets and reluctantly handed back her camera. She was initially hesitant, but she soon accepted the camera. She was ready to turn around and walk away but before she could do so, I decided I wanted to strike up a pleasant chat with her first.

"Do you come here often, Sakura?" I asked in a kind manner.

"U-uh..."

Oh no, I made a blunder again, didn't I? Did she feel forced to respond to my question? I wasn't attempting to coerce her into speaking with me. I'd be fine with it and move on with my life if she had no intention of talking to me. Nevertheless, it would still be a slight affront to my pride and dignity.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to respond. I'm not trying to pressurize you into replying in any manner. You can just walk away from this conversation right now and act as if nothing transpired between us." I gave her my assurance.

"I-It's nothing like that!" She summoned the strength to speak up at long last. "I apologize if you feel uncomfortable conversing with me. I'm really bad with socializing with other people." She disparaged herself in a self-deprecating mien.

"You're not required to eat humble pie, Sakura. I get where you're coming from." I stated.

"Eh?" A bewildered expression flashed on her face. "You do? Aren't you really popular, Matsuo-Kun?"

"I'm not talking about myself in particular. Kiyotaka, my best friend, is the person I'm referring to. Or as you commonly know him as, Ayanokouji. He was much like you until a few months ago. He was socially incompetent and could barely hold a conversation with someone. That was primarily due to the fact that he was predominantly homeschooled. Regardless, I believe I have a basic understanding of your circumstance. He had to put in a lot of time and effort to improve his social skills. Meanwhile, Sakura, you are rather attractive. I'm sure a lot more people would approach you if you bust a gut at being a bit more outgoing." I narrated.

I hope the last few sentences of my paragraph didn't turn her off. My main goal was to praise her on her appearance. If she postulated that I was endeavoring to seduce her in any way... Without a doubt, her opinion of me would plummet and surfer greatly. I should clear things up before it's too late.

"I'm sorry if that sounded a bit strange... I had no malevolent purpose when I complimented you on your looks." I asserted with a hint of regret.

She chuckled lightheartedly at my reaction.

"Please don't worry about that, Matsuo-Kun." She put my mind at ease. "When you said those lines, I realized you weren't trying to hit on me in any way. I can tell you're a genuinely nice guy."

"Really? You don't need to be so concerned about my sentiments. I won't be upset in the least if you thought of me in that light."

Sakura, I assumed, was the type of person who needed more time to get to know someone before she could open up to them. That may not be the case if she is secure in her assessment of my character.

"Just by glancing at someone's eyes, I can determine if they can be trusted," she remarked. "When you stare into someone's eyes, you get the strangest feeling, like if there's something else behind those eyes? That's how I feel a lot of the time, even when the individual appears to be nice on the surface."

"Does it operate like that?" I cocked my head to the side.

"I-I'm not sure how to express it. Since I was a kid, I've been passing judgment on folks like this. People's gaze terrified me the majority of the time. That's probably why I'm unable to communicate with others, much alone look them in the eyes..." Sakura told the story.

"So my eyes are that of a good person?" I inquired.

"Matsuo-Kun, your eyes are among the most gorgeous I've ever seen. Your eyes suggest tenderness and compassion. Yours are the eyes of a person with a benevolent heart. When I speak with you, I feel comfortable." She added, her cheeks flushed slightly.

"I-is that so..." I scratched my cheeks, feeling a little self-conscious. My face was heating up, and I was probably a blushing disaster at this point.

As I tried to settle myself down from these trivial thoughts, I heard some noises coming from the other hallway.

When Sakura heard the commotion, she flinched. I ran towards the source of the sound, being the curious guy that I am. Sakura, for some reason, has also decided to follow me.

"Komiya? Kondou? What the fuck do you want now?"

Sudou? What the hell is he doing here? I might be wrong, but aren't those students from another class?

The green-haired man commented, "I heard you were being an arrogant bitch, Sudou."

"That's correct, Ishizaki. Sudou has been being acting a lot cocky recently."

"Motherfucker really thinks he's the shit just because the instructor mentioned making him a regular."

They insulted Sudou while laughing haughtily, causing him to become enraged. This is bad... He'll be in big trouble if they aim to hurt him since he's outnumbered.

"Say it again, you scumbags, I dare you! Just because I'm alone doesn't mean I'm afraid of you."

Get a hold of yourself, Sudou! Don't be fooled by such obvious provocation. Before something terrible and harmful happens, I need to put an end to this.

"Tch, a defect like you doesn't deserve that reward in the first place!" One of the guys lunged at him and tried to punch him.

He missed badly, but something tells me that he did it on purpose. I had a basic understanding of the proper movements of some martial arts because I had studied some fighting techniques and self-defense strategies from Kiyo during our time at that government institution. Why wouldn't he intentionally attack him? Whatever he was trying to accomplish, I had to put a stop to it.

Sudou was able to easily dodge the blow, but before he could retaliate.

"Sudou that's enoug-" I felt his fist strike my cheek before I could complete my sentence. I was knocked to the ground and fell to the floor because I was in pain.

Some of my teeth grazed the gums in my mouth, and I could feel it. While I was trying to compose myself, I could even taste some blood. It stings, but I need to make putting an end to this situation a top priority right now.

"M-Matsuo?!" Sudou exclaimed, perplexed by my sudden entrance.

"Matsuo-Kun!" Sakura yelped with worry in her tone.

"The heck?!"

"Damn it! There's someone here."

The man opposing him became frantic immediately.

"You bastards! You'll pay for making me accidentally hurt my friend!" Before he could even try to reach any of them, I swiftly stood up and held him back.

"Get out of the way, Matsuo! I can handle the three of them by myself!"

That's not the point you dumb fuckwit!

"Sudou, calm down! This is not the place to lash out your anger!"

Kiyo assigned me the responsibility of keeping an eye on Sudou. He was scared that his erratic nature would get the better of him and something like this would happen. At first, I felt he was being overly careful, but I'm glad I ended up heeding his warnings.

"Damn it! Our plan was foiled!"

Huh?

"What do we do now, Ishizaki?"

"Tch," Seaweed expressed clicked his tongue in frustration. "Come on, let's scram. There's no point of doing it now."

The three of them briskly went out of the special annex building after that.

"Didn't I tell you, Matsuo?! You didn't need to be anxious about me at all! Even if I was outmanned, I could have handled those guys by myself!" Sudou vehemently vociferated.

"That isn't the point at all! This school has a rigorous no-violence policy. They could file a complaint against you if you actually hit one of them, and you could face severe consequences. Keep your temper under check when you're in public. If something similar happens again and neither I nor anybody else is present to intervene, you may be disciplined and possibly face the threat of expulsion." I explained and scolded him.

"But it wasn't my fault! You saw that they were the ones who initiated the fight first, right?!" He argued and pursued to make a case for himself.

"So what if you weren't the one who started it in the first place? Would the school believe you if you didn't have proof that you didn't?" I retorted.

"That's!-" Sudou clenched his teeth in annoyance. "Ugh, whatever. I'm going home. Today has been a complete catastrophe." He stormed out and returned to the pathway leading to the dorms.

"Are you alright, Matsuo-Kun?!" Sakura dashed towards me, her face flushed with fear. You should go to the nurse's office. If you leave it like that, your injuries can get worse." She made a suggestion.

"Yeah, yeah, I will." I asserted. "Look, I think you should get out of here right now. You must be feeling tired and exhausted from everything that's cropped up today, right?" She simply nodded as a response.

"Y-yeah... I'll be going then, Matsuo-Kun. See you tomorrow." She waved at me and departed.

I'm not sure what's going on, but it appears that Class C is up to something nefarious. Right now, I should be on the lookout for them. This is something I need to alert Kiyo about right away.

Vol.2. Chapter 1.1: END.

Word Count: 3404 Words.

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Author's Log

I was supposed to upload two chapters today, but some unexpected things happened and I didn't have time to do so. I apologize for getting your hopes up.

Anyways, because of Eichiiro's involvement, Sudou won't get in trouble with the school.

You can try to guess who Ryuen's next target will be.

Anyways, thank you for reading, and look forward to the next chapter!

Sayonara!

Vol.2. Chapter 1.2 : Start of the Third Month

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

Mornings in Class B were often tumultuous because the majority of the pupils in this class were anything but studious. They were even rowdier today than usual. The reason for this was brutally evident. We were about to collect our monthly private points.

My school, "Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School," has implemented a revolutionary apparatus known as the S-point system. In a moment, I'll explain.

I took out my school-issued phone, launched the pre-installed school app, and checked in with my student ID and password. Then I tapped "Balance Inquiry" from the menu.

You may accomplish a lot of things from here. You could examine your current personal balance or the total number of points earned by the entire class collectively. You might even transmit points to another student using this feature.

The points were divided into two categories. At the end of one of them, there was a "cl," which stood for "class." These were also known as "class points," because they were not points that a single student had, but rather points that the entire class had accumulated jointly.

Since June, only 680 class points had been earned by Class B. At least for us, it's a significant number of points. Though, I'd be lying if I claimed I didn't anticipate us to save more money. It shouldn't be unreasonable for me to expect us to have more points considering what I did on the first day of school.

The rest of the points were denoted by a "pr" at the end, which meant "private." These were our individual points. They increased the cl points, or class points, by 100 on the first of every month and put the result into our personal point accounts. We bought daily essentials, lunches, and even electrical appliances with our private points. Points are used as a form of payment in this school. They're quite crucial.

We had 1000 class points when we first started here. We would have received 100,000 yen in points each month if we had kept those points. Our class points changed on certain days, which was unfortunate. A variety of factors contributed to a loss of points, such as chatting in class or receiving a poor grade on an exam. As a result, when May rolled around, Class B had lost a total of 120 class points, excluding the 200 class points needed to purchase information about the point system.

The class points were utilized to determine our monthly allowance as well as to assess each class's merit. Class points were used to rank the classes in descending order from A to D. So if Class D scored enough points to overtake Class C, their class would most likely be promoted from D to C for the next month. Furthermore, if we finally make it all the way up to Class A, we'll be able to attend the college of our choosing or acquire the job of our dreams.

When I obtained information from Chabashira-Sensei on the hidden truths of the S-systems, my perspective shifted. When I realized that the school would let me buy confidential information about their school system with both class and private points, I recognized that our homeroom teacher, Chabashira-sensei, wasn't joking when she said, "At this school, you can buy anything with your points."

As a result, holding on to private points meant that you could improve your situation. If you think about it, you could probably buy more than just your personal needs and desires.

The classroom door opened while I was fumbling with my phone, generating a loud noise that resonated throughout the entire room. For a brief while, everyone paused in their conversations to look in the direction of the sound to see who had just entered the classroom. The person in question was none other than Eichiiro.

His hair looked a little unkempt and disheveled today, in contrast to his usual appearance, as some blatant bed hair was visible. He also had small but shadowy and dark circle bags under his eyes, indicating that he might've not gotten enough sleep the night before and seemed to be in a worn-out and troubled state of mind.

Dark circles under your eyes usually happen when the skin beneath your eyes appears discolored. It's not the same as bruising around one eye as a result of an injury or redness and swelling in one eye as a result of an illness.

Though, dark circles beneath your eyes aren't always symptomatic of a medical issue. Fatigueness is the most common cause of dark circles beneath the eyes. What appears to be dark circles under your eyes are sometimes only shadows produced by puffy eyelids or hollows under your eyes that form as a natural part of aging.

Some of our classmates rose out of their chairs and approached him to meet him, but he only smiled bitterly and answered their greetings awkwardly. I got up from my desk and walked over to his table, concerned about his well-being. Something must be bothering him at the moment. Eichiiro rarely behaves in this manner unless he's feeling under the weather.

"Yo," I lift my hand slightly, addressing him. "You seem to be in very low spirits today. Did something happen?" I interrogated.

His cheeks appeared to be fairly crimson on a closer inspection of his face. Not in a typical flustered blushing sense, but rather bruised. As my thoughts went into overdrive, this prompted me to ask more questions.

What caused him to become injured in the first place? Did he get into a brawl with one of our peers? Perhaps a different student? Is it possible that he was being bullied? Was someone starting to harass him? Well, unless it came from his own mouth, I wouldn't know what the grounds was.

He heaved a sigh before responding. "Later, around lunch or after school, I'll tell you about it. Nothing resembling a scuffle took place between me and anyone else, I can guarantee you that much at least. When things calm down, I'll clarify everything." He reassured me with a calm tone of voice.

"I see..." I stroke my chin. "Well if there's anything that's severely troubling you, you know you can come to me or anyone else for help, right?'

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for worrying about me." His demeanor reverted to that of his usual buoyant and effervescent self.

Sudou had just arrived as our talk was coming to its conclusion. As if he were seeking for a needle in a haystack, he looked to be glancing around the room, scrutinizing everyone in his field of vision. I'm curious as to what he's up to...

He was clutching a can of Coca-Cola and a bag of seaweed-flavored potato chips in each hand. He didn't appear to have purchased it for himself, but rather to give it as a present to someone else.

He was ready to approach Eichiiro silently as his eyes met his figure, but he came to a halt when he spotted me standing beside him. He then stroked his chin, as if contemplating whether to keep walking towards us or wait for me to go.

He was obviously keen to speak with Eichiiro based on his body language. I'm presuming the snack and beverages he purchased at the convenience store were largesses for Eichiiro.

I understood his signal and said my goodbyes to Eichiiro while sauntering away from his table. I didn't instantly return to my bench, of course. I tried to eavesdrop on what he wanted to talk about with him by standing near their location.

Sudou regained his focus and ambled up to Eichiiro's desk, standing in front of him, as soon as he realized I wasn't there anymore. On his table, he placed a can of Coca-Cola and a bag of potato chips. Because Eichiiro was only using his phone, he was perplexed by the sudden products that were bestowed upon him. Sudou's abrupt appearance surprised him, and he looked up at him with a puzzled and befuddled expression on his face.

"Uh... Look, man," He scratched his head inconveniently as if he couldn't seem to get the words out.

"I'm really sorry for what I did to you yesterday. I see now that you were merely just attempting to help me the day before. My obnoxious, uncontrollable rage got the better of me, and I retaliated against you because of it. It's fine if you're still angry with me; given yesterday's events, it's penetrable. I'm hoping you'll forgive me and that we can continue to be friends." As a display of true reverence and humility, he bowed deeply.

This is a significant step forward for him, especially considering how much of a time bomb and explosive his attitude was at the start of the year. If it had been the same stubborn guy from a month ago, I'm sure it would have taken him days or weeks to even congregate the courage to approach Eichiiro willingly.

Although his recalcitrant irritable disposition would still be a problem and something that needs to be fixed in the future, this wasn't bad growth for someone like Sudou. His physical prowess and ability will be required for future special exams that may include physical activities or something similar.

"You're overreacting, Sudou." He shaved the top of his head humorously.

"I'm not going to forgive because you have nothing to apologize for in the first place. To begin with, I should've been more mindful of the situation and peril you were thrust into by those Class D thugs. If I were you, I'd also be furious if someone insulted my basketball competency and claimed I didn't deserve to be in the starting lineup, despite the fact that I've worked so hard to earn it and to keep my skills sharp. You're really awesome Sudou. I know very little about basketball, but I can tell you're a very consummate basketball player and athlete." He narrated.

"T-thanks... I've never been acknowledged this much before." Sudou scratched his cheeks, feeling embarrassed by the barrage of compliments Eichiiro was showering him with.

"That's why I'd like to see you play until you graduate, if not longer. The best thing you can do to make up for punching me in the face is to learn to be more patient and avoid pointless conflicts with other people. The sanctions at this institution are exceedingly stringent. If you get into pointless conflicts with violence, the school will undoubtedly penalize you acutely. In the worst-case scenario, you could even be expelled. As your buddy, I'd hate to see something like that happen to you. I'll be satisfied if you can make that promise to me." Eichiiro continued to advise him softly.

"Well... Because I look kind of like a delinquent and have a violent personality, people have always looked down on me and distanced me from them. As a result, castigating everybody who gets in my way has become second nature to me. I'm sort of ashamed of myself as a result of that. I understand that change will be difficult for me, but I will do my best. From now on, I'll make every effort to stay out of trouble."

Sudou made a fist towards him while saying this. Eichiiro, understandably, reciprocated with a fist bump. Before returning to their normal selves, they exchanged a laugh and went on with their days.

It's good to hear that they were able to settle their disagreements amicably. I'm not sure what transpired between them, but I'm guessing the bruise on his face was caused by Sudou, whether by mistake or on purpose.

Having said that, I'm not sure what Eichiiro meant when he mentioned Sudou was put into a predicament because of the Class D lackies. Was Class D attempting to target us right now? Is Ryuen finally about to make his move? He did imply that I'd be a wonderful toy to play with, and he even tried to provoke me into hitting when I was in the cafeteria with Hirata and his harem.

If I said I wasn't expecting this from him, I'd be lying. So, whatever dastardly strategy he has in mind for our class, I'll start making preparations ahead of time to ensure he doesn't succeed in assaulting us. What exactly was he attempting to achieve? To kick one of our students out of the class? To sever our class's bonds of brotherhood and unity? Whatever it is, I'm going to make sure he doesn't receive it.

Ryuen Kakeru, let's see what you've got in store for us.

"Hello, Class B," Chabashira-Sensei entered the room with her customary gloomy expression. She pasted the poster indicating each freshman class's class points without wasting any time.

"Sensei... Isn't it true that our class points have risen?" Horikita inquired, sounding a bit nervous.

"That's right, Horikita. As you can see clearly." After she finished sticking the magnets, Chabashira-sensei touched the blackboard lightly.

"Go ahead and have a look." With her index finger, she specified the poster.

Class A: 1044 cl (64)

Class B: 771 cl (91)

Class C: 663 cl (13)

Class D: 492 cl (2)

"Let's go! We got the highest amount of points!" Ike exclaimed.

"Clas D only got two points? What a joke." Yamauchi mockingly ridiculed them.

"We'll reach Class A in no time!" Everyone cheered with optimism.

"Congratulations. Your class has bridged the gap between itself and Class A once more." With a delighted smile, Chabashira-sensei commended us.

This morning, we each earned 77,100 private points, a noteworthy increase over the 68,000 points we received in last month. We had discussed it previously in the class group chat and in the classroom, but of course, we haven't gotten around to it yet.

"Your OAA metrics should have been updated by now, in addition to your class points. I'll give you immediate access to the application." Chabashira-Sensei notified us.

I quickly removed my phone from my pockets and entered my passcode to unlock it. Then I went into the OAA app and tapped on my name to see my refurbished OAA data.

Class 1-B - Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

First-Year Evaluation

Academic Ability: S (100) (0)

Intelligence: A (97) (1)

Physical Ability: A (96) (0)

Cooperativeness: A (90) (3)

Social Contribution: A (84) (2)

Overall Ability: A (93) (1)

As expected, my academic ability rating remains unchanged. After all, I did a fantastic job on the final exam. If I want to keep my SS rating, I'll need to keep getting perfect grades on my upcoming examinations.

My intelligence, cooperativeness, and social contribution scores have also improved, resulting in a one-point increase in my overall ability score. I suppose the school noticed the point transfer among the pupils and deduced that I had purchased earlier exam papers from Kiryuin.

I checked the OAA rankings and saw that I had passed Horikita Manabu in intelligence and was now in first place in that area. Meanwhile, Ichinose's cooperativeness score had only risen by two points, putting me at the top in that category.

I'd also tied in second place with Nagumo Miyabi in the overall rankings. Although I have no idea what the future holds, I am confident that I will soon exceed him and possibly even take first position.

Classes continued as usual, and the bell rang to signify the start of lunchtime after a few hours. A surprising stranger emerged in front of the classroom door just as I was ready to leave.

"Uh... Is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka here?"

Vol.2. Chapter 2.2: END.

Word Count: 2633 Words.

--

Author's Log

Not much to say about this chapter. I apologize for delaying this chapter for a day. My mental health continues to worsen and make me more unmotivated than I already am.

Also, I might take a bit of a hiatus in February cause of how busy I'll be the next few months. Don't worry, I'll try to upload three to four chapters per week.

Anyways, I made an error in the last chapter of volume 1. It was supposed to be the third month instead of second. I apologize for that.

Hopefully, my mental health will improve soon along with my will to publish more chapters.

Anyways, that's all for today. I'm a bit tired and depressed rn so I won't ramble about things too much.

Also, if I'm mistaken about the date or months, please tell me. That would help me a lot.

That's enough for now.

Sayonara!

Vol.2. Chapter 1.3 : Forming an Alliance

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Uh... Is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka here?" My ears were greeted by a pleasantly soothing feminine voice.

Some pupils who had remained in the classroom for lunch paused in their conversation with their buddies or whatever they were planning on doing to look at the girl who had just entered the classroom.

The person in question was none other than the prominent Ichinose Honami. Her unexpected entrance into our classroom stunned everyone.

I also spotted three figures following her. One was a tall young man with violet-bluish hair and purple eyes. The second individual was a boy with blue hair and purple eyes. The last person I saw was a girl of ordinary height who had purple hair and eyes.

If my memory serves me correctly, their names are Kanzaki Ryuji, Shibata So, and Amikura Mako. According to my OAA app analysis, Kanzaki ranks fairly high among his classmates, whereas Shibata has the greatest physical ability grade among his peers. Amikura Mako also has a high cooperatives score, implying that she must make a significant contribution in her class. Either that, or she's a natural at socializing and creating connections.

On the other hand, Ichinose is unquestionably the fully acknowledged leader of class C. Given the folks Ichinose was accompanied by, you could probably tell they didn't just come here to invite anyone out for lunch. They're probably known as the four pillars or class C.

Though there is that Himeno girl in their class who has a decent intellect score. Albeit, she isn't here with the others. Despite her abilities, her cooperativeness and social contribution scores weren't the finest, therefore she could've been someone similar to Koenji. Basically, someone who, although has commendable talents, does not cooperate or contribute much in terms of helping her class.

However, it's possible that I'm just overthinking and over-analyzing everything with my supercomputer brain because I'm scrutinizing everyone I see on the OAA app too closely. Perhaps they really did just come here to invite some of their friends over for lunch, but given that this is their first visit to our class, let alone standing in front of it, I seriously doubt it.

Except for Shibata, of course. For whatever reason, he and Eichiiro like competing in petty tournaments to the extent of risking huge sums of money.

Spoiler alert, I'm quite confident that Shibata has cheated Eichiiro out of about 15,000 private points or maybe even more.

I'd already counseled him several times on his poor money management habits and gambling tendencies, but I suppose it's neither in my power nor my place to tell him what he should do with his money. It's his fault if he goes bankrupt. It's as simple as that.

Besides, he wasn't a shopaholic like Karuizawa, so he could improve. In all likelihood, She presumably would have spent all of her points on stylish and fashionable clothes and other pointless items if it hadn't been for me figuring out the S-system on the first day of school. She's relatively a clutz for such a motivated young lady.

"Ichinose-San?" Hirata spoke up, sounding confused with her sudden advent. "What brings you here?"

"Ah, Hirata-Kun!" She greeted him while waving her arms gaily. "I figured someone like you would have already gone to the cafeteria."

Her query was, in all honesty, perfectly sensible. He'd get dragged by either Karuizawa's group of girls or Kushida's friend group every time lunch came to our school, along with Eichiiro on occasion. He was practically the subject of hatred for the lads of our class because of his burgeoning popularity with ladies.

I couldn't help but sympathize with him in his predicament. He appeared to want to interact with the other boys in our class at times, but they would usually treat him like an outsider and shoo him away like a stray cat or dog. Miyake, Yukimura, Eichiiro, and I were all cool with him though.

Well, it's more like we don't have any reasonable cause to detest him. I appreciated his presence in our class because he was a really kind and helpful character. Plus, unlike the other lads, even if we were envious of his adoration, we'd be able to keep our composure and treat him with equal respect.

"Actually, I was planning to do that as usual, but I instructed my regular group of pals to go ahead and do it without me. I wanted to be alone today. Plus, instead of always paying for meals from the cafeteria, I could save more points by purchasing food from the convenience shop." Hirata replied while scratching the back of his head.

Indeed, He was completely right. If you wanted to save more private points, it would be preferable for you to either buy the vegetable sets in the cafeteria, which no one likes unless they're on a strict diet, of course, or you could just buy your khana from the convenience store. You can purchase something inexpensive, such as melon pan bread. It's a small nosh, but it's really sweet and appetizing.

Granted, the repasts there may not be as grandiose or delectable as those served at the cafeteria. That much is known. However, as I previously stated, you can spend less money than you would if you went to the school cafeteria.

"Anyways, Ichinose-San, you said you were looking for Ayanokouji-Kun?" Hirata addressed the 800-pound gorilla in the room.

"Ah, that's right!" She raised her index finger as if she had just broken out of a trance. "Is he here right now?"

"I'm passable certain he is. He's just right around the corner... There he is!" As he pointed at me, he exclaimed.

"Good afternoon, Ichinose." I got up from my chair and walked up to her to say hello. "Why did you call for me out of nowhere? Do you perhaps have any form of business with me in regards to class matters?"

After hearing my statement, Ichinose and the rest raised their eyebrows in surprise. It seemed that I had hit the nail on the head.

"Yes, we were actually..." Ichinose confirmed my suspicions reluctantly. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you know we had that in view, Ayanokouji-Kun?" Her splendiferous ocean blue eyes glistened with curiosity and wonder.

She and her students were staring at me in awe, impressed by the terrifyingly accurate assumption I'd just made about their motivations for dropping in my class without class. Well, I suppose it wouldn't harm to explain how I arrived at that decision to them. It's not like I'm attempting to conceal my extraordinary observational and deductive abilities.

She and her mates were staring at me in awe, impressed by the terrifyingly accurate assumption I'd just made about their whys and wherefores for dropping in my class without notice. Well, I suppose it wouldn't harm to explain how I arrived at that decision to them. It's not like I'm attempting to conceal my stupendous observational and deductive abilities.

"It's very simple, really." I began with an opening sentence. "First and foremost, every one of you in front of me are extraordinary people. At least by the criteria of the school that is. There's Kanzaki, who has a commendable overall ability score, Shibata, who has outstanding physical prowess, Amikura, who appears to have a high cooperativeness score in her OAA stats, and, of course, Ichinose, who I surmise is the habile leader of your class. Second and lastly, with the exception of Shibata and peradventure Ichinose, none of you have ever come to my class before. Of course, some of you may have summoned the guts to drop by the class in the hopes of making new friends or acquaintances, but based on my careful and considerate calculations, I believe it was extremely improbable."

Seeing that they were still deafeningly quiet and listening attentively, I went further with my explanation.

"Looking at all of your meritorious OAA scores, I postulated that you're all somewhat salient leading figures in your class. Taking everything into consideration, the most likely conclusion I could draw from everything that had been presented to me was that you had all come here with the resolution to discuss pertinent topics concerning your class with the leaders of my class. Of course, this is all just a speculative hypothesis that I concocted in my head with very little to no data to back it up. If anything I mentioned was incorrect, you are welcome to point out my errors and correct me." I shrugged unconcernedly.

They all looked at me with apparent disbelief in their features once I finished narrating everything to them. Some people's jaws even fell to the ground. Of course, this is figuratively speaking, not literally. Ichinose was also goggling at me, her eyes shining with admiration and respect. Some of the males in my class scowled at me with deadly intent when they saw the prominent and majestic Ichinose Honami of Class B gaping at me earnestly with fascination.

"You're amazing, Ayanokouji-Kun.." She murmured in a staggered tone under her breath. "To think that you're not only capable of figuring out why we got here in the first place, but also of memorizing all of our OAA grades and identifying the leader and executives or Class B... I reckon there's a reason you have the highest intelligence grade in our school." Ichinose flashed a genuine and very winsome smile.

It's no surprise that she's appraised as one of the most captivating and beauteous students of our year. Her long and graceful strawberry blonde hair, her enticing ocean blue eyes that threatened to lure me in whenever I looked directly at her... It's as if you might lose yourself in it as if it were a heavenly paradise. Her innocent and lovely grin, capable of piercing the hearts of even the most passionless and soulless of men... Truly, Ichinose Honami is without a doubt one of the most pulchritudinous women I've ever encountered.

I sprang up from my hypnotic state and turned away. I hope I didn't gaze at her too long or too intensely. I didn't want her to think of me as a lecherous pervert or some kind of repulsive freak. Anyway, I should respond to her right away before it becomes awkwardly quiet.

"It was nothing more than a heaven-sent guesstimate. I was simply fortuitous enough to be able to make such a precise conclusion." I casually misjudged the competence of my adroitness.

I was well aware that acting humble would insult others who were sincere in their compliments. This I had learned from my interactions with the girls in my class, as well as Eichiiro, who had chastised me for it on several occasions. However, I'm confident that Ichinose wasn't someone who would harbor a grudge against me simply because I turned down her compliments.

"Please don't act so mightily deferential, Ayanokouji-Kun!" Patting my right shoulder, she made an effort to console me. Her palms brushed across the outside of my blazer, and I could feel her soft and satiny skin. "I'm confident that deep down inside you are an eminently remarkable individual. Have some assurance in yourself!"

Ichinose Honami is an unfailingly tender-hearted, courteous, and benevolent person, to put it in one sentence. On her OAA data, her social contribution score is also very high, showing that she is a very conscientious and diligent student who scrupulously respects the rules and acts in accordance with proper and appropriate etiquette.

"I appreciate your warm and kind words, but I believe you place too much emphasis on me."

"Mou~! I'll make sure you feel the repercussions if you try to act self-effacing one more time, Ayanokouji-Kun." She made a humorous threat while exuberantly pinching my cheeks.

"Hai, Hai" I sullenly submitted to her importunity. "Can you let go of my cheeks now?"

"Huh?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, sure! Sorry for doing that to you. I hope the pressure on your cheek wasn't too painful." She apologized wholeheartedly.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." I brushed it off nonchalantly. She exhaled a sigh of relief after hearing my comments. "Anyhow, about that meeting..."

"Oh, yeah. It almost slipped away from my mind. Teehee~" she ruffled her hair and stuck her tongue out in a frisky manner. "But seriously though,

"I'd favor for us to talk about this someplace else. Is that all right with you?" She enquired.

"That's all right with me. It doesn't matter to me where you want to go as long as there's decent cuisine." I cracked a joke. "However, before we leave, may I bring along a couple of friends to chaperone along with?"

"By all means, with pleasure! As the popular saying goes, the more the merrier!" She answered enthusiastically.

As an answer, I merely nodded. I then cast a darting glance at Horikita and Eichiiro. I then made a hand gesture to summon them to join me in my odyssey with Ichinose. They appear to have grasped the point I was attempting to convey. They then got out of their chairs and trailed behind me as I followed Ichinose's tracks.

I observed that we were walking down a familiar path and inferred that we were going to the famed "Palate Cafe" for lunch. What a headache. Truth to be told, I had cooked up a meal and packed a bento for today's lunch, but I "forgot" to bring it with me. Well, whatever. Instead, I'll just have the bento for dinner.

Ichinose, Amikura, Shibata, and Eichiiro strolled ahead of us, mingling and conversing among themselves. They were unequivocally the group's most outgoing extroverts. Horikita, Kanzaki, and I, on the other hand, were trailing behind them at a slower rate. I could tell that the three of us were primarily socially incompetent because we didn't engage in much conversation.

"Ah, I think we haven't properly introduced ourselves." Kanzaki was the one who raised his voice. "My name is Kanzaki Ryuji. It's nice to meet all of you." He extended his hand towards me and Horikita.

When you take a closer look at him, you'll notice that he's adequately gorgeous and personable. His hair looks silky, and his solemn demeanor may appear daunting at first, but I believe it gives him a really serene and mature impression. I also remembered that he was near the top ten of the Ikemen rankings.

I haven't been able to discern much about his personality, but he appears to be a kind and punctilious student. Making friends with an introvert like him might not be a bad idea, and it might even help me in the future.

"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Kanzaki." I acknowledged in kind and shook his hand informally.

Horikita caught my attention next. She appeared to be debating whether or not to acknowledge the welcome. To be straightforwardly frank with you, I sincerely hope she does. I didn't want her to be seen as unapproachable or beyond one's reach by others. Even if she doesn't berate him in any offending way and plainly returns his salutations, I'd probably be the happiest person on the planet.

Of course, I'm just being sarcastic.

It was funny... Right?

Well, not that I care about your opinion.

After a few seconds of contemplating, Horikita finally opened her mouth. "My name is Horikita Suzune. Likewise, Kanzaki-Kun."

Following our introductions, we didn't say much. We simply trooped quietly, listening in on the persons in front of us engaging in mindless conversation. I'd take a few moments to gaze about, taking in the sights of students sauntering with their pals or ambling around the area with their boyfriends or girlfriends.

I was walking to a cafe where most of the customers were female, and I was accompanied by three very attractive women. Many lads would give anything to be in my shoes, but I was not thrilled. Many passers-by gave me envious looks, and the boys were glaring me down with malice in their eyes. I was feeling a little uneasy, so I tried to slow down so the others could go ahead of me. When I slowed down, Ichinose did as well, and when the others saw Ichinose slow down, they did as well, and when Horikita and Kanzaki saw us three slow down, they did as well. So, after a single pathetic and futile attempt, I quit up.

Soon later, we arrived at the Palate Cafe. Normally, it would be filled with students, but it was lunch break, and many people eat their lunch in the cafeteria or purchase meals from the convenience shop, so it wasn't as crowded as it would be in the evenings. However, several pupils remained seated, all of whom were female and the majority of whom were Senpais.

This was my fifth or sixth time paying a visit to the cafe. I also observed Asahina sitting with her companions at one of the center tables. On a side note, we were the only boys in the cafe, which was filled with the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere of girls, so the concept of it made me a little bit nervous.

"Guys, let's sit on that table near the window! It looks commodious and there should be enough seats to accommodate all seven of us there." We were told to do so by Ichinose. We all agreed and sat at the table that Ichinose had pointed at.

Ichinose was seated immediately in front of me while I was sandwiched between Eichiiro and Horikita. This was a sensible position to take, in the light of that we were about to hold a crucial meeting involving both of our classes.

A dapper-looking man dressed in a white shirt, black pants, black shoes, black socks, and a green tie strode over to our table. I believe he's one of the cafe's waiters because I've seen him a couple of times while eating here with my other acquaintances.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." He bowed and smiled warmly at us. "What would you kids like to order for today?"'

"I'd like to have a strawberry milkshake along with a Crème Brûlée. "Ichinose completed her order of food and drinks. "How about the rest of you? Would you all like to eat anything?"

We all placed our orders, with the majority of us opting for sweet and enticing fare, with Kanzaki and Horikita deciding for the more savory dishes. Then it was my turn.

Please serve me a seafood Nasi Goreng special and some black coffee. That is all. Thank you." I communicated my gratitude.

Nasi goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice) is often referred to as the Indonesian version of fried rice. Although it is considered to be the national dish of Indonesia, it is also commonly eaten in Malaysia and Singapore. It is believed that the tradition of frying rice in Indonesia stems from Chinese culture when the trade between the two countries started to develop.

Indonesians adopted the Chinese practice based on the concept that wasting food is evil, and nasi goreng, like many other types of fried rice, was born. It is commonly eaten in the morning and cooked from leftover rice from the previous day, as it was developed out of a practical need.

Rice is frequently fried in a tiny amount of oil before being seasoned with shallots, garlic, chili, or ginger. Indonesian fried rice is characterized by its liberal use of sweet soy sauce, which gives it a richer, spicier flavor than other fried rice variations.

Eggs are also frequently served with nasi goreng. They're usually fried and offered on the side, or mixed in with the rice.

(Did I write all this to get more words? Yes.)

"Ayanokouji, you like to drink black coffee? That's quite grown-up of you, considering how much most teenagers our age are not very fond of it." Shibata remarked snarkily.

"Liking black coffee is considered grown-up? I'm not sure what you're talking about, and I don't understand what you're trying to get at. I'm solely just consuming a beverage that I think is better for me. There isn't a lot of maturity in it." I put in my two cents.

"Well... Whatever you say, Ayanokouji." Shibata laughed it off awkwardly.

Amikura was the last individual who had not placed an order.

"Hm..." She stroked her chin, chewing over her options carefully. "I'll have the carbonara and for dessert, I want a chocolate chip muffin and a glass of vanilla milkshake." All of Amikura's orders were heard.

"Amikura, you've ordered a substantial amount of food. Are you sure that you'll be able to eat them all with the limited time we have for lunch?" Eichiiro inquired, apprehensive in his tone.

"Hehe, don't worry! "I wouldn't have asked for them in the first place if I didn't think I'd be able to guzzle them all. I'm not trying to boast, but I eat very quickly." She declared with pride.

"Just be careful not to overindulge in unhealthy grub. As a result, you can get stomach pains. You could also gain weight, making you appear heavier or fatter than you are." Unconsciously, I advised her subconsciously.

The bustling atmosphere had abruptly changed to silence. When I turned around, I noticed that everyone was staring at me as if I were a lion watching their victim die. Horikita visibly facepalmed, while Ichinose put a bitter awkward smile on her face. Amikura, on the other hand, was staring down, her face flushed with crimson.

Ah, It appears that I had made a blunder. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, to begin with. I need to apologize to her tout de suite before the group's atmosphere becomes too unpleasant and unbearable.

"Amikura-San, please don't be upset!" Eichiiro tried to comfort her. "I'm sure Kiyo didn't mean anything when he said that, did he?" He gave me a hard slap on the back of the head. I'm not going to lie, it hurt a little bit.

"Amikura, I apologize if my statements affected you in any way." As a sign of candor, I bowed my head slightly. "When I spoke those hurtful things about you, it was not with malevolence in mind. I beg your pardon, and I hope we can continue to be friends after this."

Because I aspire to propose a cooperative partnership with Class C in the future, we must first cultivate a positive relationship with not only Ichinose but also the entire Class C student body. We want them to trust us as much as they want us to trust them, so hopefully, this incident hasn't harmed our friendship too grievously. If it had, my gauche demeanor had just blown it for us.

"Ayanokouji-Kun, please raise your head. I was only joking really when. There's no need to be so serious about it!" She calmed my nerves.

"I see... That's a relief, I guess." My mind was put to rest. "Anyhow, Ichinose, what were you hoping to thrash out with us today?" I didn't waste any time getting straight to the point.

"I was hoping for some buoyant jesting before we got down to business, but I guess getting right to the point isn't such a bad idea." She expressed her thoughts. "I won't mince words; to be guileless with you, I want both of our classes to form a collaborative correlation with one another. Alternatively, an alliance of any form." She made her intentions clear.

This caught me imperceptibly off guard. I expected our relationships to grow to the point where we would weigh up forming a shared coalition, but I didn't expect it to happen so expeditiously.

"Huh? Horikita cocked her head to the side in dubiety.

"Well, I'm cognizant that this school is built in such a way that class conflict is inexorable, therefore there may come a moment in the impending future when our classes will have to go head to head against each other. However, given the unknown contents of the looming special tests, there may be junctures when classes must collaborate with other classes; if that moment ever comes, we can count on your class to help, and Class C will return the favor by doing the same. I believe that this collaboration will be highly beneficial to both of our classes since we will be able to reap the benefits of our synergistic efforts." Ichinose clarified.

She had raised some very substantial points, to be sure. I, too, had the same reasons that she did for wanting our class to create some sort of alliance. Horikita and I had talked about it around two months ago, so she shouldn't have any issues with it. And, given that Eichiiro and Shibata are on good terms, he should be an advocate of the confederation.

"I simply have a quick question for you. Is it okay if I say so?" Ichinose agreed with a simple nod of her head. "Did you think about joining forces with the other classes as well?"

"To be upfront with you, your class was chosen primarily through the elimination process. Class A was not taken into account because they were already at the top of the hierarchy and were the major focus of everyone. We didn't make a formal recommendation to Class D, but we did think about it. However, after some assaults they made against our class, the idea of arranging an entente with them was swiftly abandoned." Ichinose was quite clear with her elucidation.

"Let me guess, they're attempting to get into trouble with you guys by vocally inciting, pestering, and harassing your classmates?" Eichiiro was the first to speak up.

"Believe it or not, yeah. How did you know, Matsuo?" Kanzaki interrogated.

"Some class D pricks tried to pick a fight with one of my friends for an inane reason. His name is Sudou Ken by the way."

"Sudou... Isn't he that guy in the basketball club? I heard that he's a very athletic student." Kanzaki commented.

"He is, yeah. He just recently got promoted into the starting lineup of his basketball team."

"Oh! That's amazing! Tell him congratulations for me!" Amikura praised him.

"Yeah, I will."

"It seems you folks are dealing with your own problematic affairs as well, huh?" Ichinose sighed dejectedly. "They also wreaked some havoc for my class. I won't go into detail, but we lost a lot of class points this month as a result of their continual vilifications."

"I see. Thank you very much for informing us. You can reach out to the three of us if there's anything we can do to assist you."

"We'll be sure to keep that in mind, thank you, Matsuo-Kun." Ichinose displayed an amiable smile. "By the way, about our proposal..."

"Oh, I'll admit that I'm all for it. However, because Kiyo is the leader, he'll have the last say on the matter."

"Hm... Although I would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you all because it would benefit both of our classes enormously, at the end of the day, this is a decision that the class as a whole will have to discuss in order to arrive at a solution that we believe will be favorable to us. Could we give you a reply around this week?" I inquired.

"By all means, please do so! I recognize that this is a major decision, so please take your time. We're not putting any pressure on you to respond right away." Ichinose said.

"Thank you very much, Ichinose. I found today's conversation with you very valuable."

"I feel the same way, Ayanokouji-Kun."

Our orders arrived just as we were finishing off our formal meeting. We talked about unimportant things for the rest of the session while munching on our meals until the bell rang signifying the end of lunch.

Vol.2. Chapter 1.3: END.

Word Count: 4733 Words.

Next Chapter: Vol.2. Chapter 2.1: The Investigation Begins!

--

Author's Log

First and foremost, I apologize for delaying this chapter. If you didn't know, I took a small break from writing to focus on recovering mentally.

Anyway, you can still try to guess who Ryuen's target will be. But I will give you a hint. It's not Eichiiro.

Anyhow, that's all for today.

Sayonara! (‿)

Vol.2. Chapter 2.1 : A Somewhat Weird Encounter

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

"Ayanon!" Hasebe waved heartily, calling out to me. My usual posse of friends flanked behind her. To be more exact, Miyake, Yukimura, Sakura, and Nene "Please, please, please, please! Let's meet together for some lunch! I heard there was a one-day-only discount for cafeteria meals!" She let me know about it.

"Is that true? By how many percentages?"

"Well... I'm not sure how accurate the price is... However, I think it was..." In contemplation, she rubbed her chin. "15%–20% off? I'm not sure, but it should be in the neighborhood of those figures."

"I see... That's interesting. Alright, allow me a moment, please. I'm going to quickly snatch my bento out of my bag."

"Okie!" With her palm, she made a thumbs-up sign.

I crouched down as I tugged the zipper of my bag to open it. Inside my luggage contained some compulsory stationeries, the school-issued textbooks, some notebooks I purchased at a particular store, my phone, and of course, the lunchbox I had packed and prepared the night before. I swiftly lay hold of it and was about to take off with the rest of the gang, when an unexpected visitor barged in on us.

"Yo!" We were hailed by a masculine voice, who made his presence known. We all turned to look at the source of the voice, which turned out to be Eichiiro's. "Mind if I join you guys for lunch?"

"Matsuo-Kun?" Mori cocked her head to the side, sounding slightly startled.

"The one and only." In a humorous fashion, he bowed gracefully. "So, am I permitted to engage in the tiffin-eating activities with you all?"

"I mean, I'm not opposed to it." Yukimura expressed his point of view. "But don't you typically spend your lunchtime with Hirata's group of friends or the other boys of our class?" Yukimura posed a valid query.

"You're not entirely incorrect. During this period, I normally hobnob around them." He made a small nod articulating agreement. "But, eh, the boys are too preoccupied with fawning over our upperclassmen, and Hirata's harem is acting more irritating and clinging with him than habitually. I just suddenly thought, hey, what the hell, I'll just hang out with you guys today." He was forthright in stating his reasons. "Plus, it'd be fun for me to look over all of you to see what kind of friends my dear Kiyo has rubbed elbows with over the last few months."

"Your dear Kiyo? You make it sound like as if you own me or something along the lines of that."

"Eh?!" Mori squawked in surprise. "Matsuo-Kun, Ayanokouji-Kun, don't tell me you both have that kind of relationship..."

I realized she was thinking about something that made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. What was she thinking about in the first place? Is it possible that she misinterpreted my relationship with Eichiiro? Well, whatever it is, it isn't likely to be something positive.

"Huh? What do you mean-" Eichiiro widened his eyes as if everything had just clicked for him. "Oi, oi, oi, oi! It's not what you're thinking! We aren't in any kind of vulgar or sexual relationship! We're just technically stepbrothers!" Eichiiro frantically attempted to clear up the misconception.

"Stepbrothers?! Doesn't that make it sound more enticing?" Hasebe raised her eyebrows playfully.

"Get your head out of the gutter!" Eichiiro scolded them harshly. "We really aren't like that; I certainly don't swing that way, and I believe we can all agree that incest is sickening, right, Kiyo?"

"Indeed. I can confidently affirm that I am by no means homosexual nor am I attracted to people of the same gender. Not that there's anything wrong with people who are. Incest, on the other hand, is something I find very repulsive."

Avoiding inbreeding, a collection of genetic problems suffered by the children of parents with a close genetic tie is a prominent rationale for forbidding incest. Congenital diseases, mortality, and developmental and physical disability are all higher risks for such children, and the risk is proportional to their parents' coefficient of relationship, which is a measure of how closely the parents are genetically connected. However, cultural anthropologists have pointed out that inbreeding evasion cannot be the sole justification for the incest prohibition because the incest proscription's borders vary greatly between societies, and not always in ways that optimize inbreeding prevention.

Brother-sister, father-daughter, mother-son, cousin-cousin, aunt-nephew, uncle-niece, and other combinations of kin within a royal family were married as a way of continuing the royal bloodline in various societies, such as Ancient Egypt. Some cultures have differing perspectives on what constitutes criminal or unethical incest. Marriage between a brother and an elder sister was permitted in Ancient Egypt, as it was in Samoa, nonetheless, marriage between a brother and a younger sister was deemed unscrupulous. Sexual connections with a first-degree relative (a parent, sibling, or kid) are, on the flip side, is virtually invariably outlawed.

Wait, what the hell, why was I thinking about this irrelevant topic in the first place? This is both uncharacteristic and proverbial of me. Perhaps I've been plagued with an overabundance of knowledge as a result of the hundreds of books I've read in the White Room. My library sessions with Shiina Hiyori, my book buddy, may also have had an impact on me.

"See! As I predicted! You know what? This is starting to stray from the original topic." He wildly flailed his arms. "So, is it all right if I tag along with you guys for some grub?"

"Well, I'm not against it, to be sure. What are everyone's thoughts on the subject?" Everyone in my immediate vicinity was questioned.

"Sure! What's the harm?"

"I don't have any objections to more company."

"As they say, the more the merrier, right?"

Everybody seemed to be on board with allowing Eichiiro to join us for our little lunch rendezvous. We briskly made our way to the front of the class and out.

We came across three figures in front of us who were staring— well, more like gazing at us with wicked intent while sauntering our way to the school cafeteria. Particularly at Miyake and Eichiiro, to be precise.

The first person was a man with a punchable face with green hair and dark green eyes. The second man was a slim young man with bluish-purple hair that was long and wavy. He also had a white headband worn across his brow as well. The third and final boy had medium-length red hair and was the most scowling of the three.

Their names should be Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya Kyogo, and Kondou Reo, if my memory serves me well.

They were pupils who had previously been in Class C but had just been downgraded to Class D. It's safe to say that they must be one of Ryuen's subordinates considering his vicious and totalitarian modus operandi of dictating his class.

What are they planning to do now?

Although the fact that both of our groups happened to be in the same place at the same time was pure coincidence, it appeared that they had a bone to pick with us. They displayed diabolical and malicious motives on their features as if giving us the evil eye.

They suddenly began to slog in our direction, taking hefty steps. The others were too preoccupied with banal and idle chatter to scrutinize the strange change in their demeanor. They weren't exactly facing us directly, but they were only a few centimeters away, approaching us slowly and menacingly.

They didn't do anything yet, and I was ready to move past them when Ishizaki shifted his foot to the right and leaned in his shoulder before you could say knife, which collided with Miyake's.

Although it may have appeared to be a minor mishap, I could tell he did it on purpose and with a shady goal in mind. But what was his possible motivation for doing so?

Was it to annoy or provoke Miyake in some way? Has Ryuen placed a bounty on Miyake after his Janus-faced schlenter with Sudou fell through owing to Eichiiro's intervention? Whatever it is, the next few minutes of our interaction will be spent providing me with answers.

"You stupid fuck, keep an eye on where you're going." Ishizaki became enraged and confronted Miyake in a violent tone.

The jovial and upbeat ambiance we were in had abruptly changed to deafening silence and a nervous atmosphere. Everyone came to a halt to stare at the three criminals who had just confronted Miyake. The females had uneasy expressions on their faces as if they were afraid of an unnecessary altercation, while Yukimura was perplexed and Eichiiro looked at them with distaste as if he were peeping at utter garbage.

"Ah, sorry about that. I'll be more cautious and aware of my surroundings next time." Miyake apologized awkwardly in an attempt to alleviate the heated atmosphere. After apologizing, he attempted to walk away, but Kondou grabbed the sleeve of his blazer and yanked it.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr.Wanna be delinquent himself." Kondou addressed him in a satirical manner.

Miyake heaved an exasperated sigh before answering him. "What do you want, Kondou?"

I slipped my hand into one of my pockets and switched on my phone quietly. I pushed the record button on an app with a red circle cover on it. I did this just in case a conceivable brawl could transpire between them and we needed corroboration of who started the conflict in the first place.

"Buddy, what's with the long face? That's all I'm looking for is to reconnect with an old delinquent pal." He encircled him in his arm.

"We were never friends, Kondou. And get off me." He moved his arms away from his neck in a manhandling motion.

"You know this punk, Kondou?" Ishizaki pointed his thumb at Miyake.

"Was that not implied? We've known one other for quite some time." Kondou started explaining himself. "In middle school, this motherfucker and I got into a tussle, and he was lucky as hell that his senpai was there to save his crybaby wimpy ass." He was doing his utmost in endeavoring to ruffle his feathers.

We all knew who Miyake had been in the past because we were his closest pals. We didn't judge him or push him away because of that, of course. We recognized he was attempting to overcome his past and become a better person.

In view of the fact that the world is continuously changing and we must adjust to these changes, change can be a journey for everyone. Getting a promotion at work, for example, is an example of how change may be beneficial. Change can be discouraging or upsetting, such as when a close family member passes away. In any case, change is something that affects everyone at some point in their lives.

"If that's all you have to say, then I and my friends will be taking our leave." He tried to say goodbye again before Komiya stepped in front of us and blocked our path. It was clear that they weren't going to allow us through so simply anymore. If we're not careful, this situation could quickly devolve into a vehement one, perchance escalating into a gratuitous squabble.

"Hold on now, who said you could even leave in the first place?" Kondou continued to harass him even more."

"Seriously, what do you people want from me? If you have a bone to pick with me, then just say it already. You don't have to involve innocent bystanders in it." Miyake was visibly getting irritated by the second.

"Heh, look at this guy." Kondou scoffed. "I only said a few words to him and his blood is already boiling. What? You gonna cry, you sniveler." Kondou trudged forward and shoved Miyake's right shoulder slightly.

"Oi, that's enough, both of you!" Eichiiro, not being able to bear the mare's nest unfold in front of him anymore, finally decided to step in.

"Ugh, it's you again." Kondou groaned. "When will you learn to not nose yourself into other people's business?"

"Maybe when you learn to shut that filthy mouth of yours. Honestly, I feel bad for your ass considering all of the bullshit stored up in your body that comes out of your mouth instead." Eichiiro retorted.

"Pft, don't act too cocky Mr.Popular. if Sudou wasn't there with you in the special annex building, we would've beaten you to a pulp." Komiya made a daring statement.

"I'm sorry, but was I speaking to you, Walmart back street boy?" Eichiiro made a ripost.

"I mean seriously, gain some weight dude. Do you really think you can make the basketball team when you literally look like a low-budget slender man? And what's up with your hair, by the way? Are you attempting a cheap Leo DiCaprio impersonation or something? Unfortunately, buddy, it isn't working. You look like an American hippie drug dealer from the '90s who just recently got divorced. Your hairstyle is so ugly that my cat has probably coughed up better-looking ones. Let's not even discuss your facial structure. Even plastic surgery won't be able to conceal how hideous you are." Eichiiro unleashed a barrage of venomous insults at him in a matter of seconds.

"Why you-!" Komiya was fuming with anger and looked like he was about to punch him when he was stopped by Ishizaki.

"I didn't take you for someone who had the backbone to talk shit to other people. You tryna make us look foolish or something?" Ishizaki glowered daggers at him.

"Frankly, you don't need my help for that. Have you looked in the mirror as of lately?"

"Tch, you little shit." Ishizaki clicked his tongue in frustration. I could also see that he was a bit impressed by Eichiiro's quick and witty comments.

"I suggest you stop trying to get on our nerves before something bad happens to you," Kondou warned him in a threatening tone.

"Or what? You gonna beat me up or something?" Eichiiro persisted n antagonizing him.

"Was that not indicated by what I just said?"

"Heh." Eichiiro sneered, seemingly taunting them. "You're beyond delusional if you think you even have any chance of beating me in a fight."

"Oh? Arrogant, are we? Then why don't we fight right now, you son of a bitch. You talk all that trash, don't tell me your too much of a pussy to prove it?"

"Pussy? I can't believe you're calling me a pussy out of all the people. You literally ran away from a battle simply because you were terrified of Sudou. Don't ridicule me for being high-handed when a blatherskite like you probably can't land a hit Sudou even if you tried." Eichiiro snapped back at him.

"Blatherskite? What the hell is that even suppose to mean?"

"Ah, I forgot, you're a Class D student. No wonder you wouldn't know." Eichiiro flashed a disparaging smile towards him.

"Oh, you're gonna get it now you fucking retard!"

Sigh...

I suppose I should call it a day now. I need to put a stop to this before something awful happens between both of our gaggles. It was amusing while it lasted.

I snatched his wrist, which was pointing at Eichiiro's face, and tightened my grip.

"All of you, that's plenty." With a chilly and frightening tone, I threatened. "We don't want to cause any trouble for you and your classmates. So why don't we just move on with our lives and forget about it? Now scram, the three of you." I let go of his wrist and walked forward.

"Hah?! Who the hell are you?! I'm not done with any of-"

"I said scram. Final warning." I frowned my brows together and did my damnedest to form a grimace on my lips as I peered at him with murderous intent.

It appears that my attempt to intimidate him was successful. Hearing my unusually strong and stern tone of voice and peering directly into my eyes, he flinched. The others were similarly taken aback when they saw me cowing someone without hesitation. When he jerked awake from his stupor, he hauled his hands away from my grasp at full tilt and growled at me with rancor.

"Tch! Whatever. Let's get a move on, Ishizaki, Komiya. You're lucky I'm not in the mood to wreck your ass right now."

That sounded so horribly worded...

They then turned their figures and went away like greased lightning, leaving us on our own. I started walking forward, but the group didn't seem to notice, and everyone was staring at me as if I had just entered the women's restroom by accident.

"Are you guys just gonna stand there or...?" I took the initiative to break the unpalatable silence.

"You really surprised us, Ayanon." Hasebe was the first to remark. "We've never seen this scary side of yours."

They all agreed with a modest nod, as though they shared her thoughts and feelings. If me louring at him made their bloods run cold, it's probably best if I never show them my despotic and merciless side. Of course, It's not like I had that in view, to begin with. I don't intend to be unduly unfriendly or abhorrent to my friends unless they may be of assistance to me. Although I will do everything it takes to win, even if it means using dastardly procedures, there is no need to act in this manner if the situation does not demand it.

"I think you're exaggerating a little, but it's fine." I dismissed it with a shrug of my shoulders. "In any case, Miyake, it appears that you and Kondou have some sort of history together."

"Well, let's just say we're not on speaking terms." He started elucidating things. "He was well-known in my neighborhood for being a troublemaker, and he also attended the same middle school as me. I once witnessed him bullying a helpless student into giving him money for lunch. I tried to reason with him peacefully, but it didn't work out. We got into a fiery confrontation in one way or another, and there was some violence involved. Fortunately, one of my senpais saw me and aided me in addressing him."

"Woah, you've been in a real fistfight? That sounds awesome man." Mori voiced her opinion.

"Eh, not really." He scratched his head, feeling marginally embarrassed. "I went home with some injuries. They were minor, but they still hurt. If my senpai hadn't shown up to help me, things probably would've gone even more south."

"I don't mean to be strict, but don't be fooled by their ruses. He was clearly trying to persuade you to assault him once more. I don't want you to get into problems at school because you disobeyed the rules. Furthermore, because the school takes acts of violence extremely seriously, I hope you are aware of the potentially lethal repercussions if you do so."

"Jeez, that much I know. I'm no longer the person I used to be in middle school. When I recall my cringy delinquent phase, I honestly wince at myself."

We've all had periods in our lives that we've regretted and wish we could take back. Right now, you could say I'm in the midst of my rebellious phase. I essentially defied that man's commands and fled to a location where he had no control of and couldn't reach me. But after you've seen what I've seen, you'd probably do the same.

"I was likewise taken flabbergasted by your rash behavior, Matsuo-Kun," Mori spoke up. "I didn't think you'd be able to stand up to the likes of those hair-raising delinquents. You even confidently declared that you could beat them in a fight. Are you familiar with martial arts or other types of fighting techniques?" Mori was as curious as a cat.

"I wouldn't call myself a terrific fighter. Kiyo mostly taught me the fundamentals, and in comparison to him, I'm a word-for-word namby-pamby." He laughed sarcastically at himself.

"Ooo, you can fight, Ayanokouji?" It was Yukimura who raised the query.

"I guess I'm very well versed in martial arts. I don't know how capable I am, but I think I could equally go head to head against Ishizaki."

"If that isn't the understatement of the century, then I don't know what is." Eichiiro moaned about it.

They all shared a chortle as we diverted away from the issue and spent our lunch doing what we usually do. This time with Eichiiro in the group.

———————————————————

Author's Log

The next chapter will come out in a couple of hours. It's a short one though (1000 words probably), and it will be in Eichiiro's pov

Anyways, I feel like I owe you all an apology for not uploading for a week. If you didn't know, I fell ill very badly. I even thought I had covid since I lost my sense of smell, but that was quickly debunked.

I will go back to my weekly updates now.

Anyhow, if you can't tell already, the target is *drumroll please*

Miyake-Chan. Yey...

I made up some backstory with him and one of Ryuen's underlings so it would make sense considering his past as a delinquent.

That's all for today.

See you in the next chapter! (A couple of hours from now.)

Vol.2. Chapter 2.2 : The Investigation Begins!

Matsuo Eichiiro's POV

"So, you're saying this is the structure where the event almost took place?" Kiyo inquired as he stood alongside me, facing me.

"I'm rather certain it is." In response to his question, I merely nodded.

We had agreed to conduct an investigation into the brawl that nearly occurred between Sudou, Komiya, Kondou, and Ishizaki after school. Needless to say, we didn't yet inform the other leaders of our plans since we wanted to get a jump start on examining it just the two of us alone.

After that, we went inside and into the special annex building.

"The holiest shitiest of shit, why is it so fucking hot...?" I made a reasonable fuss over the sweltering and unappealing atmosphere of the edifice.

This heat was atrociously apocalyptic. With all things being equal, this was probably how summer at school should feel more often than not, but I had hoped that the cold air would help to balance out the heat within the building.

I guess I had become too accustomed to air-conditioned environments. Because of the difference in expectations, I felt extra sweaty. The air conditioning in the special building was presumably on during class time, but it wasn't on at the current moment. As of right now, I'd give anything for a glass of orange-flavored Fanta with ice cubes.

"Please accept my apologies for dragging you here." Kiyo, who was sauntering next to me, simply looked around the corridor, showing little yet subtle signs of discomfort and annoyance.

"It's not a big deal, really. You gave me the option of accepting or declining, and I came here voluntarily on my own accord." I reassured him by lightly patting the right shoulder of his blazer.

"So, this is the exact place?"

"Yep, sure is. I was initially out for a meander around here, somewhere around... Over there." I pointed south with my index finger from my vantage point of view. "Sakura was also present at the time. I believe she was taking pictures of herself without wearing her spectacles and untying her hair down. She probably has an interest and a passion for photography, which is how we happened to cross paths coincidentally. She also witnessed the near-fight with me." I clarified the situation.

"Sakura has a hobby of photography?" Kiyo slightly raised his left eyebrow as an indication of imperceptible surprise. "I didn't know that..."

She was regarded as one of Class B's unfortunate loners. While she is highly attractive, many people concluded that her potential to be popular among her peers is limited due to her shy and awkward demeanor. In the first month, no one made the effort to interact with her, so very few people knew who she actually was.

Of course, with the support of Kiyo's study group, she was able to meet a handful of students with whom she could identify and relate to on a personal level. If my memory serves me well, the names of those individuals were Kiyotaka himself, Hasebe, Miyake, Mori, and Yukimura.

They were also the introverts of our class who only interacted with certain people. Mori, on the other hand, is more on the extroverted side of the spectrum in light of the fact that she was well acquainted with the other well-liked pupils of our class.

"Hm... I see. I think I have a gist of what's happening here." He muttered under his breath, which did not go unnoticed by me.

Damn, that fast? I guess that's Kiyotaka for you.

Please don't take that out of context.

"Well then, mind enlightening me about what you're thinking about, Mr.Herlock Sholm- I mean, Mr.Sherlock Holmes?" I inquired in a joking manner.

Frankly, that moniker was rather apt for him. Whatever problems or difficulties you were having, he'll most likely be able to solve them in a couple of minutes. I'd go as far as to even suggest seconds.

One day, I was bored at the government facility where we were staying, so I asked one of the staff members if there were any games for me to play. And praise God and everything that was good, he answered yes and showed me where the video games were kept on the shelf. They were all extremely old and traditional games, but they were still a lot of fun.

Luckily, I was able to snag three of Capcom and Nintendo's most recognizable and well-loved old titles. It was the Ace Attorney trilogy, to be precise.

This trilogy consisted of three primary games. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Ace Attorney: Justice for All, and Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations, to name them all.

If you're unfamiliar with it, Ace Attorney is a series of adventure video game legal dramas developed by Capcom. The first entry in the series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, was released in 2001; since then, five further main series games, as well as various spin-offs and high-definition remasters for newer game consoles, have been released. Additionally, the series has seen adaptations in the form of a live-action film and an anime and has been the base for manga series, drama CDs, musicals, and stage plays.

The player assumes the roles of various defense attorneys, including Phoenix Wright, his mentor Mia Fey, and his understudy, Apollo justice. They investigate cases and defend their clients in court; they discover the truth by cross-examining witnesses and looking for inconsistencies between their testimonies and the proof they have gathered. The trials take a maximum of three days, with the judge deciding the outcome based on evidence provided by both the defense and prosecuting attorneys.

I invited him to play with me in some special cases so that I could revisit the nostalgic memories of my boyhood days. I had no idea how brilliant his deductive abilities were at the time. I mean, it took me god damn days to finish specific cases and several resets, but he could do it easily in a matter of hours and without making any mistakes. At the very least, he's set a record for finishing the series in the shortest amount of time.

It demonstrates how truly talented and skilled he was as a person. To all intents and purposes, given how frighteningly clever he can be at times, I question if he even is a real human being sometimes. But, hey, I suppose that's Kiyotaka for you.

(Did I write this to fit in more words? Yes. But I genuinely also want people to know how underrated this game is. It brought back a lot of childhood nostalgia. I will forever love this series and hold it very dear in my heart.)

"Class D is beginning to instigate an assault on multiple classes." He stated in a nonchalant tone.

"Well, that much is already obvious." I shrugged insouciantly. "But can you elucidate to me by what you one hundred percent mean by that?"

I attempted to come up with anything, but the puzzle pieces just wouldn't fit together. After all, I have more faith in Kiyo's convictions than I do in my own. My intellect is insignificant in comparison to his.

"Everything is starting to make sense now that we have a few solid pieces of information from Miyake and you. To begin with, there were three of them. Because Komiya and Kondou are both members of the basketball club, they must have been aware of Sudou's volatile temperament and violent behavior. They brought Ishizaki along to trigger Sudou into fighting them." He began clarifying his exposition as I listened intently to his words.

"Komiya rushed in first to punch Sudou, according to your observations. That, though, strikes me as unusual. They should've pursued Sudou simultaneously if they truly wanted to pummel him to a pulp."

Indeed. It was odd. It was painfully evident that they couldn't win a physical fistfight against Sudou. They could have had a better chance of winning if they had swarmed and thumped him all at once. One of them could, for example, distract Sudou while the other two attack him in his unguarded areas, leaving him baffled and vulnerable.

"So you're saying they didn't want to 'beat him up?'" I enquired, my brow furrowed skeptically.

"Yes, that's weak authentication on its own, but we'll come back to it later. The second thing that struck me as odd was their reaction to your unexpected presence. Normally, they'd use you to further aggravate him, but instead, they just went away," He added.

"Yeah, you're right! That's what I thought back then, too! I reckoned they were going to mock us intently, but when they saw me arrive, their faces were full of distress instead." Something clicked in my head. "Oh! They also mentioned some kind of plan not being able to work!"

I think I'm starting to see the light here...

"The exact location was the last piece of verification I required. Security cameras are installed in each room on the first and second floors. However, they are only found in a few rooms on the third floor. None of them can be effortlessly located in the corridors, as you can see. He remarked this while pointing to a few electrical sockets on the ceiling.

But, Kiyo, then, what were their true motivations for inciting Sudou in the first place?" I wondered.

"This is all just mere guesswork and suspicion, but when you sum it all together... They took Sudou to an undisclosed location and set out to quote on quote 'fight' him. They threw the fight on purpose, hoping Sudou would beat them up. They can report what happened to the teachers and claim to be the victims even though they were the ones who started it originally because there were no surveillance cameras around. It wouldn't work, of course, because you were there for the entire event. As Sudou's witness, you may retaliate. That is why, rather than doing anything else, they decided to leave." He concluded his hypothesis logically.

"The consequences for aggression at this school should be strong and punitive. I'm guessing they're striving to expel Sudou or something?" I came up with my own reasoning.

Suspension, for instance, would result in a loss of class points, so it would make sense. I'm curious as to how much we'd lose if one of our classmates was expelled.

I quickly shook my head, dismissing the possibility of it happening. I couldn't bear the thought of it happening to one of our classmates. Given that we had to graduate from Class A, they'd be leaving the school with an unsure future, unsettled if they'd be able to make it in the real world or not.

"I don't deny that as a possibility, but I think it's about something even bigger than that. I think he's trying to conduct some sort of experiment."

"Experiment?"

"It's the only sensible motive to make sense of Class C's actions. They're plainly endeavoring to provoke someone into attacking them in order to see how harshly students who conduct acts of violence will be punished."

"Although I don't believe in judging a book by its cover, I doubt that three fools could come up with such a well-thought-out and well-prepared scheme only to annoy Sudou. That is to say..." I removed my hand from my chin. "It has to be Ryuen who designed everything."

"Without a doubt, yes." He bobbed his head in agreement.

This is ridiculous. I felt a surge of rage within me. So he's just treating us all like we're guinea pigs for his farcical trial?

This Ryuen guy is starting to get under my skin a lot. To be honest, all I wanted to do was hit the guy in the face and let out some steam. But if I did, I'd probably get rekt.

He was able to subjugate a class with pure tyranny and brutality for heaven's sake. I thought that type of shit only happened solely in movies or something along the lines of that.

Ryuen appears to be a reckless and violent delinquent, but he is actually highly intelligent. Despite the fact that his grades don't reflect it, his intellect score does. If I'm not mistaken, he has an intelligence score of approximately 84-88. As a result, he's quite a force to be reckoned with.

He's probably a really formidable fighter, but I doubt he'd be able to defeat Kiyo one on one.

"So, what are we going to do about him? Do we go to the school and report his class, or..."

"No, no. Let him do what he wants. To be candid with you, I've actually already devised a stratagem to counter against Class D." He affirmed sternly. "While I will not go into details for now, "I'm going to use class D as an example of why Ryuen should think twice before befouling with us."

I swear if this was death note and Kiyotaka was light, he would be smirking evilly like Kira. Be that as it may, I do think he would relate to L more than Kira.

"Having said that, before we can set our trap, we must first make particular preparations. That's where you come into play." He made eye contact with me. "For the time being, I'll give you numerous jobs. Don't worry; I'm confident they won't take up too much of your free time."

Oh, that's fantastic. Just dandy. We already have homework and final exams to deal with; now I'm gonna have to do this crap. I don't always enjoy being his most trusted ally. On the contrary, things could be a lot worse. Over at Class D, I could be working for Dollar Tree Rapunzel.

I heaved a sigh before responding. "Just please don't burden me too much with your tasks."

"Fear not, I would never do such a cruel thing to you."

No, you would, actually. That's why I'm dreading it to start with.

"We also need two certain individuals to be involved in this master ploy, so it may take a while."

"That makes sense. We should also warn the class about this so they don't fall for Ryuen's trickery and risk the class of losing points." He bowed his head, showing endorsement. "Also, you owe me 2000-5000 private points of garlic bread for forcing me to do all this. I need some sort of payment."

"Fine. I have no problems with it."

"Yosh!" I raised my fist in vehemence. "Don't forget that, okay! You promised!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just get a move on now."

We wrapped up the inspection by leaving the building and parting ways, with me returning to my room.

Vol.2. Chapter 2.2: End.

Word Count: 2460 Words.

--

Author's Log

This marks the beginning of the game plan I've thought of for this volume.

You can try to guess who the two individuals Ayanokouji needs and what Eichiiro will be assigned to do for his course of action to be perfect.

This was a shorter chapter than usual, but I hope you enjoyed it regardless.

Also, I paraphrased some lines from alter-self-test. So maybe that's why it may seem familiar to you.

That is all for today, until then,

Sayonara!

Vol.2. Chapter 3.1 : Inceptions of a Maneuver

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's POV

In Class B, it was another bright and sunny morning. As was customary, the mood was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Everything appeared to be normal to them, and the only thing they needed to be concerned about was the first semester's fast-approaching and eagerly awaited final exams. After that is said and done, our reward for passing the examinations would be a lavishing summer vacation spent on a gorgeous and resplendent island.

Or so Chabashira-Sensei claims...

I do have a lot of doubts and am feeling quite skeptical about it, but I have little to no proof to support or refute my suspicions and assertions.

I resolved to take action after half a day had passed. The bell rang loudly, as it does every day, signifying the beginning of lunchtime. Chabashira-Sensei's habit of leaving the classroom earlier, as usual.

"That will be all for today, Class B. When you have some free time, please review the contents again. Particularly now that final examinations are hovering around the corner." She was strict in her announcement. "I will now depart if there are no further inquiries."

Before she could leave the classroom, I hurriedly stood up, causing my seat to rock backward, emitting an obnoxious sound that echoed throughout the room.

Most of my classmates cringed hearing the unpleasant noise, with some even covering their ears with their palms. I didn't mean to make that much of a fuss to gain the attention of Chabashira-Sensei. Well, there's no turning back now.

"Chabashira-Sensei, can you spare me some time later? I have something extremely salient that I would like to discuss with you." I told her about it. "Don't be concerned. It's not anything dreadfully complicated. There are just a few questions I would like to ask you to satiate my curiosity. Will that be alright you?" I was courteous with my question.

"Ayanokouji? Hm... It's quite rare for you to seek help from me about anything. "It's not every day that you come to me for answers to your questions, so it must be significant. Fine then, it'll be no problem for me. I'll actually be taking my leave now. For real this time." She nimbly waltzed out of the classroom in silence.

My peers began to assemble around their social circles once she left, and the atmosphere returned to normal. For a lunch, I usually joined Hirata's group of girls, Kushida's gang of pals, or the Ayanon group. But that would have to wait because I had other plans in store for today.

Before anyone could flee the scene, I rushed forward with quick steps and took a position in front of them. I laid my hands on the podium and peered around the room at everyone.

Everyone was taken aback when they saw me in the front. They suddenly fell silent, and the room became deafeningly quiet.

"Everyone, will you please give me some of your patch and attention. I'd want to share some critical information with all of you." I asked for their undivided attention.

"I assume it must be something important if you have to worry us during such a trifling period," Hirata observed.

Horikita and Kushida, along with the rest of the class, were nonplussed. They sat up straight, waiting for me to say my piece. Eichiiro was the lone one who was anticipating my signal. After all, I'd told him everything during our meeting the day before.

Miyake, Sakura, Hasebe, Yukimura, and Mori all appeared to know what was about to happen at the same time. I summoned them last night in Eichiiro's presence to attest for my words.

I threw Eichiiro a glance, signaling him to take a step forward and join me on the podium. When he received my signal, he rose from his desk and strolled to the front.

"Alright. Now that I've garnered all of your heeds, I'd like to issue a cautionary statement to all of you." I bluntly informed them of it.

"Huh...?"

"I don't get it." Murmurs like that could be heard all around the classroom.

"Ayanokouji-Kun." Horikita raised her hand, to which, I merely nodded as a response. "What exactly do you mean when you say 'cautionary statement'?" She had a puzzled expression on her face.

"Well, for your query, I'll let Eichiiro here explain to all of you." I stepped aside and let Eichiiro take the spotlight.

"First and foremost, despite the fact that you all should be chowing down on your collations right now, I'd like to thank you all for sticking here." He bowed to appear genuine, which was received well by our classmates. "Now, returning to the matter at hand, we have reasonable grounds to believe that a Class has begun to make its move against other classes." After that, he made a gesture and directed his index finger towards Miyake. "Miyake, is it true that you nearly got into a fight with three boys from Class D a couple of days ago?"

Someone with an inflammatory disposition like Sudou, for example, could have misinterpreted the question and struck back against Eichiiro for advertising such a humiliating event in front of their peers if it had been someone with an explosive disposition.

Miyake, on the other hand, is a peaceful individual. So he should be able to understand what we were trying to do. Furthermore, we had already notified him of our plans for the day, so there should be no hitches.

"Yeah..." He made light scratching motions on his head, seemingly a bit ashamed. "I was going to go to the cafeteria for lunch when I bumped into some delinquents from Class D. They were Komiya, Kondou, and Ishizaki if my memory serves me correctly. Those bastards wouldn't let me through and kept harassing me and my friends nonstop which started to annoy me by the second. I almost considered intervening to stop them, but luckily, the situation was defused with the help of Matsuo and Ayanokouji stepping in. If it weren't for them, I might have gotten into trouble with the school."

Our classmates continued to listen intently. Well, except for Koenji, who was just acting like his wonted self. He was currently filing his nails while ignoring the discussion entirely.

"Thank you, Miyake, for providing some background." I redirected everyone's eyes back to me. "Given their deviant character, most of you might assume that the fight was merely Class D trying to stir up some trouble. But, based on my theories, I believe there is more to it than meets the eye."

Everyone, including Horikita, was perplexed and baffled, save from the folks I just stated.

"To put it simply, we're being attacked by Class D," I affirmed in a ruminative manner.

"We're... Being attacked?"

"Wait, what?"

"How does that even work?"

"The fuck?"

"Language!" Eichiiro comically leered at Hondou.

Of course, you wouldn't use the word "attack" to describe a situation in which kids are competing for a spot at the top of the hierarchy. It's not like we are at war with the other classes, even though we're all contending for first place.

"Later on, we'll give a more complete explanation. Kiyotaka's allegations are backed up by some substantial evidence. The first is that we have a voice recording of yesterday's dispute." I snatched my phone from one of my pockets. The recording was then played after I entered my passcode and tapped on an app.

"I'm aware that owing to the distance, all of you at the rear are unable to hear this recording clearly. After school, I'll submit this audio recording to the group chat in case you all want to hear it." As I turned off my phone and slid it back into my pockets, the recording came to an end.

"Second of all, according to Ichinose from Class C, her classmates have also been constantly bullied and tormented by the students from Class D. You should be able to notice how little class points they earned this month."

"Even Ichinose-San's class...?"

"They sound like a bunch of annoying pricks."

"They probably are."

"I'll sum up my argument by stating this. If you have friends from Class D, you don't have to treat them with venom or be blatantly unfriendly." Eichiiro went on. "I'm just asking that you all be cautious around them because we don't know what their genuine intentions are. I thank you, everyone, again for your time and attention, and you may now continue with your lunch." We both genuflected and ambled out of class.

For a split second, we both stared at each other and cocked our heads. We part ways since he is skipping lunch today due to working on the assignment I assigned him just a short time ago. I also had no intention of eating anything right now because I was trying to figure out where Chabashira-Sensei was.

Her response to my inquiry would be one of the deciding variables in determining whether or not my scheme to combat Class D would work. I merely need to control a couple more chess pieces before I can ser this operation into place.

--

Matsuo Eichiiro's POV

I took my time walking down the corridors of the building, carefully inspecting my surroundings. I decided to spend some of my lunch break working on the homework Kiyo had given me.

I peeked into the corridor's penultimate classroom and, after a few moments of staring, grabbed a folded A3 sheet of paper from my pocket and wrote on it with a red marker.

I ascended to the third floor through the stairwell. Our classroom was on this floor in the first-year block, which made me wonder if there was also an unused classroom on the comparable floor in the second-year block.

As I walked down the corridor, I made notes on my paper. Because this was a staff floor, most rooms could not be mapped; nonetheless, the passageway itself was arguably the most climacteric element. Students aren't likely to find themselves in these staff rooms on a regular basis.

(Credits to True Elites for providing me with these lines. I just paraphrased them so it wouldn't exactly be the same.)

I rounded the bend, and as I neared the end of the L shape, I made one last mark. However, there was also an unused classroom lurking around the corner of the second-year block's third level. This is most likely the room we'll be assigned for our second year. I took a peek around the room and scribbled a red mark on the paper.

"The final site should be on the roof..." As I turned around, I muttered to myself.

After hours, the roof was locked, although students were permitted to utilize it during lunch. This meant that now was the best moment for me to finish the mission I'd been given. I'd be able to do it all in one sitting without having to return to finish the roof later.

I returned to the main corridor's U-shaped stairway and ascended to the roof. As I made my way up the stairwell, I spotted something peculiar and came to a halt. The door was slightly ajar. That most likely implies that someone is currently up there. No one who comes up here would ever leave it open.

I crept up the steps, squinting through the half-open doorway. I saw a well-endowed girl with waist-length pink-tinted hair there. She appeared to be by herself, resting against the railing and gazing out over the campus.

"Ichinose...?" I whispered unconsciously.

What was she doing up here? Was she having lunch with a friend here? I don't see anyone with her though. Maybe she just wanted to eat alone? I didn't see any food. Maybe she is eating with someone but they're the ones who are bringing the food?

Hm... I don't know. I can't make a conclusive deduction. I'm not Kiyotaka after all.

I was intrigued by the discovery I had just made, but I didn't want to draw her attention to myself. I'm not sure if I'm permitted to answer her possible questions about what I was doing roaming around the rooftop. I also didn't want to go overstep my boundaries and upset her in any way, just in case it was a private topic that was only for her to know about.

I was deep in thinking about what I should do in a scenario like this when the tapping sound of shoes began to reverberate from the floor below. I darted behind the corner, looked out, and dashed away with light and silent steps. Nobody would notice me from this distance, even if they happened to glance down the corridor for some inexplicable reason.

As he moved upwards to the third floor before continuing to the roof, the visitor's blond hair and well-built figure became visible. That individual would most likely be the mystery visitor Ichinose was meeting with.

"Nagumo-Senpai...?" I carelessly mumbled in hushed tones, not bothering to hide the flabbergasted expression on my face.

So he's the guy Ichinose was hoping to meet...

He didn't appear to have brought any additional guests to the meeting, so they must have mutually decided to meet one-on-one. I'm curious as to what they'd be discussing if they were alone. Were they on a date? If they were, there'd be a great outcry among the boys in our class- no, wait, scratch that. If I'm being candid, that would generate quite a ruckus among the males in our year.

Were they conceivably involved in a secret relationship that they didn't want their classmates to know about? If that is the case, I may have just encroached on something very intimate and unspoken.

Nagumo-Senpai, as far as I'm aware, is someone at this school who's worthy of admiration and respect. Many of the females in my year think he's incredibly attractive and occasionally fawn over him, and many of the senpais I've talked with have similar views.

I mean, How could you not, right? In this prestigious school, he served as Vice President of the Student Council. I don't blame people for chanting his praises all the time.

Ichinose and her Class C buddies were also people I frequented. She would rhapsodize about how meritorious and hardworking he is, and how he had aided her greatly mentally after Horikita Manabu had rejected her application for membership in the student body.

I was stunned to my core when I learned she had been denied. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck me out of the blue. I was confounded to a fault as to why she had been denied membership in the student council.

To me, she seemed like the ideal prospect. She had an excellent reputation among students and teachers, was an honor student who scrupulously adhered to the regulations, was a kind and gentle-hearted person, and was essentially the model student for this institution.

However, I witnessed Kiyo being summoned to the student council office a month ago. If it hadn't been for Kiyo's presence, she could have been the ideal choice. Maybe there was only one slot remaining and they opted to give it to Kiyo, who I think deserves it more than Ichinose.

Then again, he did say that he hasn't accepted nor denied Horikita Manabu's invitation to join the student council. I'm not sure how serious they are about making him a member, but I'm undoubtedly certain that they don't want to wait a long time for an answer.
Someone who ceaselessly beats about the bush round the clock would naturally irritate them.

Trust me. I can talk from personal experience.

He should probably give a reply to them as soon as possible, or else he'll somehow piss off the entire student council. But it's not like that would be a problem for him.

Ichinose and Nagumo-senpai had returned from the loof on time. I stood there watching as they walked down the stairs, listening to their shoes clacking as they walked away.

I galloped to the stairwell and climbed to the roof once the footsteps vanished. Before turning around to make my way back, I took a quick look around and placed one final red marker on my paper.

I instantly saw a major snag when I returned to the second floor. Nagumo-Senpai had gone, but Ichinose remained, resting against the wall, deep in thought.

"Yabe." I panicked and attempted to think of a quick method to get away without being seen.

I attempted to slip back upstairs without being noticed, but today was just not my lucky day.

"Matsuo-Kun?" She addressed me with a startled tone of voice. "What are you doing here?"

Her tone had a tinge of panic in it, denoting that she was concerned that I'd seen her meet with Nagumo. That pretty much reinforced my suspicions that they had discussed something confidential.

God damn it. Why did this have to happen to someone as gracious as me? I feel like I've done nothing wrong to be deserving of this.

Wait a minute...

Is this karma for not sharing my garlic bread with Yamauchi?! Oh come on God! Can't I just be selfish when it comes to garlic bread? Jesus Christ. The world can be very annoying at times.

Alright, Eichiiro, all you need to do is just come up with a convincing reason as to why you were descending down the stairs. I used up all of the IQ of my brain to come up with the best solution.

Playing dumb.

"Oh, uh... I was..." I stuttered nervously. "Cleaning the chimney...?"

Not that dumb you idiot!

I internally slapped myself for that pathetic excuse.

"Chimney...? I'm pretty sure we don't have something like that, Matsuo-Kun..." She raised her eyebrow, indicating she was starting to get suspicious of me.

"What...?" I pretended to gape in surprise. "That's crazy! I didn't know that!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Matsuo-"

"That was a joke Ichinose. I apologize for the bad endeavor."

As I switched on my brain, time seemed to literally stop. Ichinose's non-confrontational, overly nice, and trusting demeanor sprang to mind as I tried to come up with the greatest possible elucidation for me dropping by without notice.

Because this was a second-year building, I couldn't use an explanation like "I was called to a staff room." If a teacher needed to speak with me, I would have been summoned to the first-year building's third floor.

I wasn't sure how credulous Ichinose was, so sacrificing any chance of her ever trusting me just so I could use that clarification wasn't worth it.

That meant I'd have to come up with a different justification for being on the second-year building's staff floor. Ichinose is aware that I was not up on the roof for lunch; otherwise, she would have run into me. Basically, there was no purpose for me to be on that floor in the first place.

The most practical option for me was to simply give her the truth. As I walked over, I retrieved the folded sheet of paper from my back pocket and opened it, pointing it in her direction.

"I was putting together a map," I said in a careless and indifferent tone.

"A map? Why would you need to draw a floor plan for this building? Isn't a map of the school included in the handouts we received at the entrance ceremony?" Ichinose inquired, addled.

As I approached her side, I exclaimed, "Ah, it's not just any map. Look. A surveillance camera is represented by all of the red dots I've added to it."

I decided that if I told her the truth and let her in on some of Class B's business, she'd be more likely to believe me.

"You're mapping out surveillance cameras?" She interrogated in a befuddled tone.

"You're right. I've been doing so for the past week, to be more pinpoint. This was one of the last areas of the school I hadn't yet mapped." I went over it in greater depth.

"Hm..." Ichinose, who I'd heard was generally a terrific conversationalist, trailed off and glanced down as if she didn't know what to say.

She looked up and established eye contact with me after a few moments.
"Did you see?"

"Yeah," I confessed. It's probably best to keep things simple.

"Did you overhear anything about our discussion?"

"While I did see him meeting up with you, I felt like you'd be dismayed with me trying to listen secretly to your conversations. I concluded it would be best if I left you both to your own devices."

"I see..."

"Ichinose," I addressed her name. "Although I'm riveted about what you two were talking about, I won't try to dig anymore if you don't want me to. Rest assured, I'm not going to tell anyone about what I just seen with my own two eyes." I comforted her in a sympathetic manner.

"Thank you... Matsuo-Kun. I appreciate it a lot." A warm and genuine smile flashed on her face.

Ack! Critical damage!

I'd probably have knelt down on one knee and proposed to her on the spot if I wasn't such a person with common sense. Then again, there's also Nanase. So that plays a part.

We lingered in idle conversation until the lunch bell rang, signifying the end of the meal. As we headed back to our various classes, we bid au revoir to each other.

Vol.2. Chapter 3.1: END

Word Count: 3616 Words.

--

Author's Log

First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for delaying this chapter. Wattpad was being annoying.

Anyways, if you can't already tell, most of the second part of the crappie was taken from True Elites.

Although the stratagem is a bit similar to that, I can confirm that the scheme I've come up with is different than the one in that fic. I just included this factor into the plan so it'd be more convincing.

Also, I might not be able to upload much weekly as I used to do cause I have a lot of shit going on in February.

Anyhow, that's all for today.

Sayonara!

Announcement (Not Discontinued so don't worry)

If you've read my announcement, you should know that I have five huge projects due in two weeks.

So to balance out my mental health and school assignments, I'll be going on break for the rest of the month.

I'll probably try to upload if I have free time, but don't expect much.

Will delete this in a day.

Thank you for your understanding!

Rewrite Notice!

Hello, it's been a month since I've last updated this fic, hasn't it?

Well, before I explain what's going on, let me tell you where and what I've been doing this past month.

Like my previous chapter said, I was bombarded with a shit ton of projects to do in February. And amongst all that school work, I was tasked with doing a week-long worth of exams, so you can pretty much see why I haven't been able to make time to upload any chapters for this fic.

I sincerely apologize for making all my readers wait for such a long time. I don't expect you to forgive me, but please understand that I too also have a life in school and at home.

Now let's get out of the way, and talk about the title.

Yes, I will be rewriting this fic.

Not just plain rewriting it, but there'll be a lot of changes made to the beginnings of the story in comparison to what I initially had planned for this story in the beginning.

I found myself getting stressed and confused over what I planned to write for the future since there were a lot of plot holes at the beginning of this book. To put it simply, I'm dissatisfied with the story I'm writing right now and the future where it's headed.

If you want to know what some of the changes may be, you can check out my Wattpad account and check out my announcements. It has everything I might plan to change in the story.

Some people have recommended me to just make another route for this story, but I concluded that it'd be too troublesome for me to create two separate routes for this fic.

The prologues and chapter 1.1 will probably be the same. I'll just paraphrase the entire chapters with a more diverse vocabulary and better grammar.

I won't delete this book, as I've already worked too hard and spent so much time in it that it'd be a shame if I unpublished it, so this will be some sort of test book.

For when I'll start publishing the rewrite, I can guarantee that it probably won't be in two weeks, due to heavy schoolwork and exams.

So until the rewrite comes (which will be a separate book) this fic is discontinued. But don't worry.

Once I finish all my assignments, I'll get to writing as soon as possible.

I thank every single one of you who has supported me and my fic. You've all made my day with your comments, votes, critics, and etc.

I look forward to seeing some of you back in my rewrite.

Until then...

Sayonara!