A Liquid Inspiration
Summary: (A re-telling of Classroom of the Elite sparked by a certain conversation between Masterpiece and Professor.)
One day, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka receives a surprising invitation from his father, Ayanokouji Atsuomi, to join him for a drink. It was unusual for Kiyotaka, who normally wouldn't be summoned by his father without a hidden agenda.
That's why even the emotionless Kiyotaka was surprised when his father began to open up about his own experiences with love and relationships.
For the emotionally distant "masterpiece," this conversation is a rare moment of connection with his father, and it sparked a curiosity within him to explore the world of human relationships, to be more specific: romance and intimacy.
It was that spark that pushed Kiyotaka to demand something from his father:
"Father, teach me everything about human relationships."
This then begins a ripple that changes how Ayanokouji Kiyotaka would approach the world in the foreseeable future.
Do check out this fic on Wattpad. It has the same title and content, but we do have illustrations there to increase immersion for the fic. Thanks, and here's the chapter!
Vol. 1 Chapter 18 - Midterm Results
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka
"Kiyopon... when you invited us to celebrate, I thought we were just going to Pallet," Haruka giggled. "I don't think anyone expected we'd be... well, here."
After we left the school building, the rest of the Ayanokōji Group expected me to treat them in some of the restaurants in Keyaki Mall or in Pallet, but to their surprise, I decided to lead everyone into the dorm building.
It seemed they misunderstood what I meant by celebrating.
Keiji-san, in his lectures, taught me that the best way to celebrate with friends was through sharing home-cooked meals since it made the celebration more meaningful and sincere. I was simply applying that principle here.
But even if I misunderstood what should be common sense, I'd argue that this was a better experience than anything Pallet could offer due to my superior culinary abilities.
"One of my role models told me that this is a good way to celebrate success with friends," I replied, shrugging. "And since we've gone to Pallet a lot in the last couple of weeks, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to have a home-cooked meal together."
"Wait, you're going to cook for us, Kiyopon?" Haruka asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You should have just said so!"
"Heh! Now, that's what we're talking about!" Ken cheered, grinning. "Nothing's better than free food, after all!"
"A-ano... Kiyotaka-kun," Airi called out, her blue eyes facing me. "If you'd like... I can help you out."
"Ooh! That's right, Ai-chan can cook too," Haruka pointed out. "Did you guys know Ai-chan makes her own bento?"
"She does? Damn, that's impressive, Airi," Ken praised, nodding his head. "Man, if only I could cook too."
"She does, and it tastes good too!" Haruka said, smiling widely. "I took a couple of bites from it yesterday, fufu!"
Well, if that were true, then there shouldn't be any harm in allowing Airi to help me prepare.
With that, I turned my head to the pink-haired girl, who was fidgeting. "Are you sure, Airi?" I asked.
Airi nodded her head. "It...it's the least I could do, Kiyotaka-kun."
"Alright. Let's go, Airi."
"H-Hai!"
I led the group into my dorm room, which was spacious and had a kitchenette. Airi immediately went to the kitchen and started rummaging through my cabinets, looking for the ingredients.
"So what are you going to cook, Kiyopon?" Haruka asked, peeking over Airi's shoulder.
"I was thinking of making a seafood pasta dish," I replied, taking out the pasta and a can of tomatoes. "And maybe a salad as a side dish."
"Seafood pasta? That sounds fancy!" Ken exclaimed. "Man, I can't wait to try it out!"
"Did you prepare for this, Kiyotaka?" Akito asked, his eyes hovering over the kitchen area. "You don't exactly strike me as a pasta guy, no offense."
"Yuki and Chiaki come here sometimes. They like eating pasta, so I bought some ingredients should I need them," I replied, starting to boil the water for the pasta. "But yeah, you're right. I'm not a pasta guy."
As I started to cook the pasta, Airi helped me prepare the seafood by cleaning and cutting them into bite-sized pieces. She was surprisingly skilled at it, handling the knife with ease.
"Kiyotaka-kun, do you need any help with the sauce?" Airi asked, looking at the pan where the tomato sauce was cooking.
"I'm good for now, Airi. Thank you," I replied, adding some seasoning to the sauce. "But could you help me with the salad?"
"Sure, Kiyotaka-kun!" Airi said, moving towards the fridge to take out the vegetables. "What do you want me to do?"
"Just cut them into small pieces, please. And can you pass me the olive oil and vinegar from the cabinet?"
"Got it!"
As Airi worked on the salad, I checked on the pasta, making sure it was cooked al dente before draining it and adding it to the sauce. The smell of garlic and seafood filled the room, and with how Ken, Akito, and Haruka's eyes were intently looking at the food, I knew they were looking forward to the meal.
"Kiyopon, is it ready yet?"
"He'll serve it when it's done, Haruka, be patient," Akito said before standing up from the couch and moving towards the kitchen area. "Can I help you with anything, Kiyotaka?"
"No need, Akito. I'm almost done," I replied, taking out some grated cheese to sprinkle over the pasta.
"Kiyopon, is it ready yet?" Haruka repeated as if she were a child eagerly waiting for her meal.
"Almost there, Haruka. Just give us a few more minutes," I replied, facing the blue-haired girl.
Finally, after a few minutes, the dish was ready. I divided the pasta into plates and added the salad as a side.
"There you go. Enjoy," I said, handing out the plates.
"Wow, this looks amazing, Kiyopon!" Haruka exclaimed, taking a seat at the table. "I can't wait to try it!"
As the rest of the Ayanokōji Group dug into the pasta, their faces were filled with surprise and delight. It was evident that they were enjoying the dish.
"It's really delicious, Kiyotaka-kun," Airi added, her cheeks slightly pink. "Thank you for letting me help you."
"You did great, Airi. I appreciate your help," I replied, smiling.
Airi didn't say anything in response, simply nodding her head. But upon closer inspection, I could see she was incredibly flustered at being praised.
She really was weak to compliments.
"You guys heard me say earlier that nothing's better than free food, right?" Ken asked, twirling a fork into the pasta. "But I'd pay good money for this. Damn it, Kiyotaka! Is there anything you can't do?"
"Lose, Ken. I can't lose," I replied, smirking. "That's why you should prepare yourself when we play basketball tomorrow."
That was one of the conditions Ken had when he agreed to review the materials that I was giving him: for us to play one-on-one Basketball.
I'm pretty sure he simply wanted to hang out with me, but Ken had always been an awkward communicator, so that was his roundabout way of getting what he wanted.
"Oh yeah, that's right! We did agree to that," Ken grinned. "Prepare to eat those words, Kiyotaka! You're not a match for me just yet."
"Kenchin and you are going to play basketball, Kiyopon?" Haruka asked in between bites. "Can we watch?"
"Sure. As long as you guys cheer for me," I replied. "I made you guys food, after all."
"Oi, if anything, they should root for me," Ken protested. "I'm battling the study group dictator, ya know? This is justice for everyone!"
The redhead grinned at his own joke.
"Justice, my ass," I replied, shaking my head. "I'll let you invite Kayano, so you can have your own cheerleader."
"Heh, I might just do that," Ken smirked. "I might score some points if I end up crushing you."
It seems like Ken was too focused on the notion that we were going to play basketball to even be flustered.
Normally, my words would have made him sputter something along the lines of 'W-What the heck are you talking about, ya prick?'
Athletes really are different.
"Hm, should I hold back then?"
"What?! No, don't hold back! Even if somehow I lost, I'd still have fun, Kiyotaka. That's the fun of sports," Ken replied. "Sports is more than just winning or losing. I'd actually be insulted if you held back on me."
That was surprisingly mature of him.
Despite his initial academic and intellectual inadequacy, it seemed like Sudo Ken wasn't a complete idiot. He simply channeled everything he got into his life's passion: Sports, specifically, Basketball.
And it was clear that he valued the spirit of competition more than the game's outcome.
"Don't worry, Ken. I won't," I said, taking a bite out of the pasta. "I'd probably lose if I did that, anyways."
"Now, that's the spirit!" Ken grinned. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
The group continued to eat and chat, savoring the meal I had prepared for them. The ambiance was warm and pleasant, and it seemed like everyone was enjoying themselves.
Keiji-san was right.
Sharing a home-cooked meal was indeed a more meaningful and sincere way to celebrate with friends.
Despite how I viewed this group, I did find myself enjoying the ambiance, the company, and just about everything with this celebration.
"Kiyopon, can you make me bento starting next week?" Haruka said, clasping her hands and looking at me with pleading eyes. "This is just so good! I'm sure your bento tastes even better."
"Shouldn't it be the girl who makes the bento for the guy?" Akito asked, glancing at Haruka. "Oh, I forgot you can't cook."
"That's uncalled for, Miyacchi!"Haruka pouted, crossing her arms. "I can cook! Just not as good as Kiyopon."
"Sure you can," Akito sarcastically replied.
"Well, I could make you bento, Haruka, but you'll have to do something for me in return," I said, putting down my fork and looking at her.
"What is it, Kiyopon?" Haruka asked, her eyes gleaming in excitement.
"You'll pay me 20,000 points for every bento I make."
"Wha-what the heck?! I thought we were friends!"
Although Haruka was glaring at me, I could tell she was simply joking around.
"There's no way he'll make you bento, Haruka. It's not like you're Tsubaki-san," Akito chimed in. "You need to be his girlfriend before he cooks you food every day."
"Do you really think Yuki's my girlfriend?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Not really. But you guys look like you're dating," Akito replied, shrugging. "If I didn't know any better, I'd probably think you're in a four-way relationship with Tsubaki-san, Matsushita-san, and Horikita-san."
"Horikita?"
"I sit in front of you guys. I can hear it when you tease her," Akito pointed out. "It feels weird hearing her sound like a normal schoolgirl sometimes. Horikita-san is like our resident ice queen, after all."
"That's simply because I'm friends with her brother," I replied. "Since she looks up so much to Horikita-senpai, she treats me better than how she normally treats our other classmates."
"Got the older brother supporting you already?" Akito asked in amusement. "Well, if you actually want to form a harem, I won't judge. Just love them equally, I guess."
"While Miyacchi wouldn't judge you, I would!" Haruka chimed in. "Stay loyal to Yukicchi, Kiyopon."
"Thanks for the advice, Akito," I said, nodding my head. "But I'll pass on the harem for now."
"Good choice," Haruka nodded, grinning. "You already have your hands full with Yukicchi, after all."
"Oh, that would be an understatement. And she's not even my girlfriend," I replied, shaking my head as my mind drifted to the things Yuki would do simply because she wanted to do it.
She really was a handful.
"Well, it's not like you're actually complaining about it. Waah! I'm rooting for the two of you to get together," Haruka teased.
I guess with Kushida's true nature being exposed, Haruka is now the lead supporter of the... "ship," between myself and Yuki.
That being said, the word "ship" is a rather weird term to use when rooting for two people to get together. Does it have a deep meaning that I hadn't understood? Or was it just a weird internet jargon that I should just ignore?
A few minutes later, we finished eating.
Akito, and to my surprise, Ken offered to wash the dishes, which left me, Airi, and Haruka in the dining room.
As this happened, I noticed Haruka eyeing the leftover pasta longingly.
"Is something wrong, Haruka?" I asked, noticing her gaze.
"It's just that the pasta is so good, and I don't want to waste it," she replied sheepishly. "And well..."
"I see. Don't worry, I'll take care of it," I said, getting up from my seat and moving to the kitchen. I grabbed a plastic container and started packing the leftover pasta into it.
"Here you go," I said, handing the container to Haruka. "You can take it with you."
"Thank you so much, Kiyopon!" Haruka exclaimed, hugging me tightly.
"A big hug just for leftover food?" I asked in amusement. "You're like a kid, Haruka."
"Well... it's been a while since anyone cooked for me, you know?" Haruka pointed out. "It's almost two months since we've been in this school... so it's really been a while."
"Is that so? Well, I'm glad this made you happy," I replied, patting Haruka's head a couple of times.
"And I'm not giving up on making you cook more food for me, fufu!" Haruka declared before letting go of the hug, showing me the grin on her face.
Somehow, this felt like I was given a little sister— the kind that could be both annoying and surprisingly endearing at times.
18.1
The sun shone brightly as we stepped onto the basketball court the following day.
Ken wore a confident smirk as he dribbled the ball, clearly excited about our one-on-one match. The rest of the Ayanokōji Group, along with Kayano, Yuki, and Chiaki, settled down in the bleachers to watch.
"Are you ready to eat your words, Kiyotaka?" Ken taunted, bouncing the ball between his legs.
"Let's find out," I replied, stretching my arms and preparing myself for the game.
As we took our positions, Akito volunteered as the referee, carrying with him a whistle.
"Akito, where did you even get a whistle?" I asked, looking at the whistle dangling on his neck.
"I bought it after we left your dorm," he replied as he took the ball from Ken's hand. "I just wanted to referee a match. It's fine with you guys, right?"
"Yeah, dude," Ken nodded his head. "But damn, didn't think you'd actually buy a whistle. This is just first to 21, ya know?"
"Ken, what are the rules for this? I've searched on the internet, and it said that there's not really a general rule to a game of 21," I asked, looking at Ken.
"First to 21 wins, but if both of us get to 20, then the guy who scores two more points would win. 20-22, 21-23, something like that," Ken explained.
"This is the first time I heard you sound smart, Ken," Akito said in amusement.
Ken clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Because this is basketball, ya bastard."
After a few moments, Ken and I agreed on a coin toss to determine who'd start the game as the ball handler. Ken won, meaning he'll have the first possession.
"Alright, Referee Akito, let's get this game started then," I said, taking my position on the court.
Akito blew the whistle to signal the start of the match. Ken charged towards the hoop, dribbling the ball with ease. I moved to block him, but while I was faster than him, Ken was more in tune with the court, and maneuvered himself away from a potential blocked shot.
With a reverse lay-up, Ken scored the first bucket in the game, and the redhead grinned at me as he jogged back to the starting position.
"One point for Ken!" Akito announced, clearly enjoying his role as referee.
"See? Told you that you're not a match for me just yet," Ken said, puffing his chest out with pride.
Hmm... so that's how Ken plays, huh?
At 183 cm, I expected Ken to be more of a jump shooter, as his height would suggest that he plays the point or maybe the two-guard.
But then again, there were plenty of backcourt players who preferred the slashing style of play, like John Wall or Russell Westbrook.
I simply smiled and shrugged, not allowing his trash talk to affect me. I admit I might have bitten more than I could chew when I claimed I could easily beat him at basketball because Ken was actually pretty good for a High School prospect.
But I think I'd be able to make an adjustment midway through the game.
As we continued playing, I began to understand Ken's playing style better. He relied heavily on his agility and ball-handling skills to break through defenses. I decided to adapt my defensive strategy, focusing on anticipating his moves and forcing him to take more difficult shots.
Soon enough, I started making a comeback. With each successful block and rebound, I was able to push the ball down the court, scoring with lay-ups and mid-range jump shots. The score was now 9-5 in Ken's favor.
"GO KIYOTAKAA!" Yuki cheered from the bleachers. "Make sure you win so I can win my bet against Onodera-san!"
They... bet on the game?
I shook my head in amusement. That was probably Yuki's idea since the girl often asked people to bet on just about anything.
Hopefully, she wouldn't start gambling on crazy things in the future.
As the game progressed, the intensity on the court increased. Both Ken and I were drenched in sweat, as we'd been going at it for about thirty minutes now.
Ken was still in the lead, but I had managed to close the gap. The score was now 15-14, with neither of us scoring in the last five minutes. Ken was a better defender than I gave him credit for, as he pretty much smothered me on defense and forced me to take bad shots on multiple occasions.
"You're not bad, Kiyotaka," he said, wiping his brow. "But let's see if you can keep up."
Ken made a sudden break toward the hoop, but I was prepared. I stepped in his path, cutting off his driving lane. Caught off guard, Ken was forced to stop and pull up for a jump shot. I extended my arm, getting a piece of the ball and sending it off target.
"Nice block, Kiyotaka-kun!" Chiaki shouted from the bleachers, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
I recovered the ball and quickly moved down the court. With a smooth mid-range jump shot, I scored, tying the game at 15-15. Ken shook his head, probably trying to mentally put himself back in the game.
It was probably quite the experience for him since he, a prospect who was the ace of the team who made the semi-finals of the Nationals last year, was fighting toe-to-toe with someone who didn't even play on a varsity level.
The game continued with both of us trading baskets, neither willing to give an inch. As the score crept up, the game heated up, and the cheers from our friends in the bleachers became louder.
At 19-19, I could tell that Ken was starting to feel the pressure. His movements had become slightly more erratic, and he was taking more risks. I, on the other hand, maintained my composure, focusing on exploiting Ken's weaknesses and making the most of my opportunities.
Ken took possession of the ball and tried to fake me out with a crossover. I didn't fall for it, staying right on his hip as he drove toward the basket. He went up for a lay-up, but I managed to block the shot, sending the ball back in the opposite direction.
I sprinted after the ball and scooped it up before it went out of bounds. I had a clear path to the hoop, but I knew Ken was right behind me. I took a deep breath and leaped, performing a simple lay-up, scoring the 20th point.
"Damn it, you're really getting me fired up, Kiyotaka!" Ken exclaimed, grinning widely. "None of the other first years played this well against me, ya know?"
"Is that so? I'm glad to live up to your expectations, then."
To be honest, even I was surprised at how well I was doing.
Even in my time in the White Room, I usually struggled the first time I'd have a match with another person.
For example, Yuki beat me in swimming when we first swam together, and Shiro defeated me when we first sparred.
Now, it seemed like I would beat Ken in my first one-on-one game in basketball.
Then again, it wasn't my first time playing basketball. I had practiced on the basketball court at the mansion, which made the difference. Since I understood the rules and had more or less mastered the fundamental mechanics by watching videos over the internet and practicing them, I was better equipped to adapt during the game.
I just hadn't had the opportunity to play with another person before, as Eiichiro didn't like playing basketball, preferring football instead.
"This ain't over just yet, Kiyotaka," Ken declared, wiping the sweat from his brow. "This is just too fun for this to end now."
I nodded my head in agreement before passing the ball to Ken, who was standing at the starting position just outside of the three-point line.
After a few seconds, the game resumed, the ball in Ken's hand. He faked left, then darted right, trying to shake me off. I stayed with him, mirroring his movements, refusing to be fooled.
As Ken neared the three-point line, he suddenly pulled up for a jump shot. It was a risky move, but one that would win him the game if it went in. I leaped into the air, stretching out my arm as far as I could, attempting to block the shot.
The ball left Ken's hand just a split second before my fingertips could reach it. Time seemed to slow down as the ball arced through the air, heading straight for the hoop.
As the ball descended, it bounced off the rim, missing the basket by mere inches.
I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly grabbed the rebound, preventing Ken from getting a second chance. The score was still 20-19, and I had the opportunity to win the game right here.
"Nice try, Ken," I said, trying to hide my relief. "But now it's my turn to end this."
Ken's eyes narrowed, determination evident on his face. "I won't go down that easily, Kiyotaka."
I dribbled the ball, scanning the court for an opening. Ken was playing tight defense, not giving me any room to maneuver. I decided to take a risk and attempt a step-back jump shot.
With a quick change of pace, I stepped back, creating just enough space to get the shot off. Ken lunged at me, but it was too late. I released the ball, watching as it sailed through the air.
The ball hit the backboard and dropped straight through the hoop. The sound of the net swishing filled the air, signaling my victory. The final score was 21-19.
The crowd on the bleachers erupted into cheers, with Yuki, Chiaki, and the rest of the Ayanokōji Group clapping and whistling in celebration. Ken, on the other hand, looked at me with disbelief and admiration.
"Damn, Kiyotaka... I didn't think you'd actually pull it off," Ken admitted, extending his hand for a handshake. "Let's play again, man! It's been a while since someone defeated me in a one-on-one. Heh, I'm really getting fired up!"
I shook his hand, smiling. "We'll see if I have time for another game. That said, I didn't think I'd enjoy the game as much as I did. You were really good, Ken."
While playing contact sports wasn't really something that I enjoyed, I did enjoy playing with Ken. Perhaps, that was because of my friendship with the redhead that made me enjoy it, but nonetheless, I genuinely had fun.
I also managed to learn a few things about Sudo Ken just from playing basketball with him. Ken wasn't shaken by failure. In fact, despite his innate competitiveness as a sportsman, he wasn't averse to losing.
He took to it as an opportunity to grow.
A few moments later, Yuki, Chiaki, Airi, Haruka, and Kayano descended from the bleachers and walked in our direction.
"I didn't know you could play basketball too, Kiyotaka," Kayano said, smiling. "That was one hell of a comeback, huh?"
"Hehe! I told you, Onodera-san," Yuki grinned. "Kiyotaka would win no matter what."
Kayano shrugged. "Well, it wasn't like you could go wrong betting on Ken. He's a pretty good player, and I saw him outperform the other first years on practice a couple of times now."
"You watched them practice?" I asked.
"More of... Ken asked me to watch him play," Kayano replied, leaning her forearm against Ken's shoulder. "It was an exchange for making him join the swim club."
I looked at Ken, who, upon noticing my look, simply nodded his head.
The unspoken words were: You actually reconsidered and accepted Kayano's offer?
Hah. The things that love can make you do.
"But geez, those were some mean blocks earlier, Ken!" Kayano praised Ken, who was starting to get flustered. "I got hyped when you sent Kiyotaka's shot to the fourth row!"
It seemed like things still ended up well for Ken, even if he lost.
All Kayano seemed to care about was the fact that Ken performed well during the game.
He sure had lucked out on the girl he had chosen to crush on.
"I agree! You did well, Sudo-kun," Chiaki agreed. "But I guess Kiyotaka-kun is just that great!"
"T-They were both great," Airi chimed in. "Ken-kun and Kiyotaka-kun did their best."
"Kiyotaka simply had better stamina and endurance than Ken," Akito added, having just returned from the equipment room, where he returned the basketball. "Ken faded near the end. But that's to be expected since they played for so long without a break."
That was true. Had the game had a timer, which for the sake of argument, we'd set at 15 minutes, I would have lost since Ken had been dominating the early parts of the game.
But as the game continued to drag on, and with the physicality increasing, Ken was starting to get fatigued, and that was when I started to mount a comeback. Even then, Ken was matching me blow-by-blow, a testament to how skilled he truly was.
I was simply built to win in a battle of endurance.
Ken nodded his head. "Yeah, I was starting to get tired. But Kiyotaka's still pretty good. Sometimes, basketball ends up being a battle of attrition."
"Kenchin, Kiyopon, take a look at this!" Haruka, who had been fiddling with her phone almost the entire time, spoke and showed us her phone. "I took a video of your game! It's just the last five minutes though, but it's gonna do for our memory bank, right?"
"Memory bank?" Ken asked, confused.
"Yup!" Haruka excitedly replied. "Since we're all close friends now, I'm putting myself in charge of documenting our fun memories."
"That's actually pretty cute, Haruka-chan!" Yuki praised the blue-haired girl, who nodded happily.
"C-Could you send me a copy, Haruka-chan?" Airi asked shyly.
"Of course, Ai-chan! Actually, I'll be sending it to our group chat," Haruka replied.
"Hey, how about we all go out for ice cream to celebrate Kiyotaka's victory?" Chiaki suggested.
"Ice cream?" Kayano asked.
"Yup. Ice Cream," Chiaki nodded her head. "Kiyotaka likes it a lot, so we should celebrate by going out for Ice Cream."
The rest of the group agreed, and after Ken and I changed clothes, the eight of us went to Keyaki Mall to eat Ice Cream.
18.2
Today was June 1, the day the results of the midterms were going to be announced.
This also meant that we got our Private Points deposit for this month.
For the month of June, we received 89,000 points, 3,000 points lesser than the points we got in May. This meant that over the last month, we've lost 30 class points, probably due to a few instances of misdemeanors.
And judging by how we performed in the midterms, where I expected our class to yield a high average, it was safe to assume that our reward for the midterms would only be reflected in July for some reason.
Well, I'm not exactly worried about it because, the way I see it, we'll still be getting our much-deserved points.
Besides, 89,000 points is still a lot of money.
I can wait for our reward.
A few minutes later, the morning bell rang, and as if on cue, Chabashira-sensei entered the classroom, walking over to the podium while idly looking at us.
"Why are you guys looking worried?" She asked.
Yōsuke raised a hand. "Sensei, we noticed that our private point deposit for this month had been reduced. Did we do badly on the midterms?"
"Oh, so it's about that," Chabashira said nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it, Hirata. You guys didn't do badly. The rewards from your performance in the midterms will be reflected in July."
"I see. Thank you, Chabashira-sensei."
Chabashira-sensei nodded her head at Yōsuke.
"I have another question, sensei," Yōsuke followed up. "We were told that the results would be announced today, but when exactly would it be announced?"
"There's no need for you to get so worked up, Hirata. You should have passed quite easily."
"So when exactly would they be released, sensei?"
"They're supposed to be released later in the afternoon, but I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to do it now," Chabashira-sensei answered before taking out a poster and sticking it on the blackboard.
In it were everyone's names and test scores.
She was totally prepared for that question, wasn't she?
As Chabashira-sensei turned around, a pleased smile made its way to her face. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that she was happy with the results.
"These scores reflect your hard work, and honestly, I am impressed," Chabashira-sensei began, glancing at the scores before returning her attention to us. "While I was confident you would find out a way to ensure everyone in this class passes, I did not expect this kind of score, as well as the class average."
"HAHAHA! I got higher scores than you, Yamauchi!"
"Dude, that's a lot of 100s there!"
"95 in all subjects, Makida-san? Was that intentional?"
"I never scored this high before!"
From the results, 13 students got an average score of 100. They included all eight tutors, as well as Kōenji, Nishikawa, Azuma, Mori, and Sotomura.
"Congratulations to those students who've achieved a perfect score in your midterm examinations. Aside from that, I'd like to congratulate the rest of the class for passing the midterm examinations with flying colors," Chabashira-sensei praised.
"Hell yeah! I didn't get the lowest scores!" Ken cheered.
To my surprise, Ken averaged 81.4 across the board, miles ahead of my initial prediction score for him. In fact, when we compare it to his results in the mock test, where he had the sixth lowest score, he had now surpassed six of our classmates.
Airi, as well, impressed me as she averaged 91.6, a far cry from where she was previously at.
Akito and Haruka, as expected, had the same scores and scored the highest scores outside the 13 of us who scored 100 across the board.
Although their scores might as well be inflated due to the strategies that we employed throughout the preparations, they should still be applauded for their efforts.
After all, despite everything, there were still students who scored in the low 70s, like Yamauchi, Ike, Hondo, and Miyamoto.
"Sensei," Horikita spoke up, raising her hand. "May I ask what's the passing grade this time around?"
"The passing grade? The passing grade for each subject was actually 43."
So even if Yamauchi scored the lowest, his lowest score of 69 was still 26 points above the passing threshold.
That was actually impressive.
"If you are curious why 43 was the average score this time, that's because we've calculated not just your average scores but the average score yielded by the entire year," Chabashira-sensei then took out a chalk and began writing on the blackboard.
"For Class B, you kids actually have the highest average in your year, averaging 90.69. But, when we add that up with the other classes, we get an average of 86.25. Now, the formula for the passing grade would be the cumulative average divided by two, so in this case, 86.25 divided by 2 would equal 43.125, which, upon rounding to the nearest whole number, gives us 43. Thus, making it the passing score."
It was a pretty straightforward explanation, so no one raised any follow-up questions.
"I suppose I could afford to let you kids have the chance to celebrate your success. I'll be ending our homeroom early, but do remember to behave yourselves. You are full-fledged Class B students, after all," Chabashira-sensei said, smirking. "That would be all. Goodbye."
Chabashira-sensei should just be honest and admit that she wanted to celebrate our success as well. It was clear from her face that she was more than pleased with how the class performed.
"I'm still in awe seeing how things turned out to be," Horikita mused, her eyes still glued to the midterm results pasted on the board. "I didn't think it was possible for the class to collectively average 90 for the midterms, yet, it happened."
"It's because everyone did their best," I replied, turning my head to her. "All the advantages in the world are useless if those who held such advantages didn't use them at all. If people didn't listen in to the study sessions and if the tutors didn't do their best in teaching their study groups, my strategy would have been moot."
"I dislike it when you try to sound humble, Ayanokōji-kun," Horikita said. "You should take pride that you were instrumental in making this happen. Considering how our classmates are, this was like a miracle."
"Are you growing a soft spot for me, Horikita?"
"Wha...What nonsense are you talking about?" Horikita countered indignantly. "I simply disliked your act right now because you spent almost two months being smug about your skills."
"Iie... I think you were saying those things in admiration rather than agitation," I teased the dark-haired girl, who glared at me.
"Shut up. That's not true."
"Anyways," I said, stretching my arms upwards. "Have you bought ice cream ingredients yet? I want my ice cream tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow. Think of it as our little celebration for the class doing well on the midterms," I replied. "Of course, I'll be making you onigiri as well."
"Why would you want ice cream, anyway? It's bound to melt unless you devour it immediately," Horikita questioned, her eyebrows knitting together. "Couldn't I simply prepare a bento instead?"
Had the heavens finally decided to bless me?
A mere two weeks ago, upon glimpsing Horikita's meticulously crafted homemade bento, I couldn't help but wish that she would create one for me rather than ice cream.
And now, that very opportunity was being presented to me on a metaphorical silver platter.
God is real.
"I'm surprised you're actually willing to go through this, Horikita. Even offering an alternative," I said in amusement.
"Because it would be rude if I backed out of a deal that I had previously agreed to," Horikita retorted, her tone brisk.
"Just admit you were curious how my onigiri would taste."
"That's not it at all. Stop putting words in my mouth, Ayanokōji-kun."
"Regardless, I'll take you up on your offer. A homemade bento sounds perfect," I replied, smiling at her. "I'll look forward to having it tomorrow."
Horikita exhaled a resigned sigh, her annoyance palpable, but she acquiesced with a nod. "And I can only hope your onigiri proves sufficient compensation for enduring your irksome behavior, Ayanokōji-kun."
"That said, great job on handling your study group, Horikita," I praised the dark-haired girl, who was seemingly caught off-guard by the praise. "Nishimura got a perfect score, Sonoda and Makida scored above 95, and Okitani did well too. You sure do have a knack for teaching, don't you?"
"Thank you, Ayanokōji-kun," Horikita replied. "But I don't think they'd perform that well if not for the strategy you shared with the tutors."
"You give me too much credit," I replied, looking up at the ceiling. "Considering how you started as a tutor and how you gradually improved in dealing with your study group, you deserve plenty of credit as well."
Okitani and Nishimura, in particular, had reported to me how Horikita had begun changing how she approached the study group. While she was initially impatient with them, especially when they got some questions wrong, she eventually became more understanding.
She even went out of her way to simplify the lessons she was tutoring her study group.
Obviously, the decision came from a place of practicality. But Horikita Suzune of two months ago would no doubt just give up on people she claimed to be failures and let them bury themselves deeper into the hole.
"You've come so far from the person you used to be when we first met, Horikita," I replied, turning my head to Horikita. "Sure, you're still cold for the most part. But... you're no longer rejecting everyone."
"I... I don't think I changed that much. I simply took the practical road to contribute to the class," she replied, turning away from me. "You... already know why."
"I understand," I said, giving Horikita a pat on the head, which she surprisingly didn't complain about. "You'll get there, Horikita."
The reason for everything Horikita had done was her desire to be acknowledged by Horikita Manabu as someone who had grown up from the 'useless' person she once was.
Or at least, that used to be the sole reason.
After our conversation almost three weeks ago, I saw Horikita beginning to actually ponder upon the words I imparted to her:
"Are you content with your goal of just imitating Horikita-senpai and hoping to be his equal?"
"You're Horikita Suzune. While you may think of senpai like some sort of a higher being, you're better off being just yourself... and forging your own path."
The change, for the most part, was only slightly noticeable, but I consider that as a positive at this point.
After all, it is just impossible for a person to change almost immediately. Considering Horikita's disposition, wherein she practically abandoned the thought of connecting with people in favor of her obsession with emulating her brother and being his equal, it would be tough to immediately remove the thought from her system.
That was why this change— small as it might be— would always be good because this is a sign that Horikita Suzune had realized that she needed to change something within her...
For her to become the person that she wanted to become.
While at present, her motivation is to gain her brother's sincere acknowledgment, I'm confident that her reasons will eventually evolve.
After all, Horikita Suzune had begun to grow.
End of Chapter
A/N: Well... another chapter, another scene sent to the next one.
I just had this tendency as an author that even if I had a fixed ending planned, I would not hesitate to move it to the next chapter if I ended up with a good closing line.
Kiyotaka's monologue about Suzune's steady growth seemed to be a good way to end the chapter, so I decided to transfer the removed scenes to Chapter 19, which I could hopefully upload later or the day after.
Here's a TL;DR of how certain characters had progressed with Kiyotaka's active presence
Suzune: With how Kiyo presented himself and the eventual reveal that her brother respected him, Suzune had begun valuing his words more than she would normally do. Their series of conversations (when not in a teasing tone) also led Suzune to make some introspection... something she only considered due to the fact that she views Kiyo highly.
Ken: SuDAWG is still the hot-blooded, easy-to-anger SuDAWG. However, he had underwent a massive improvement that was orchestrated by Kiyo, mainly due to Ken's unexpected help in Chapter 3. Kiyotaka included Ken in the main clique of their class and had began tutoring him as early as April, tapping Kayano to help him out along the way (this happened after the Swim Class chapter.)
Yousuke: While he is still the sus Hirata people meme about, Kiyotaka's presence has helped him out as well. Now that he had a male friend in Kiyotaka, who more or less understood his plight, Yousuke was able to behave in ways that were similar to how normal high school boys behave. Yes, Yousuke is still this guy who wanted to save everyone—if possible—but since they're still not in danger (yet), Yousuke is simply functioning the way he wanted to function.
And again... I'd just like to remind people that this fic isn't really designed to be a psychological edge lord fantasy. I just enjoy writing SoL stuff and some character exploration. While, of course, elements of psychological thriller, logic, and mystery, exist here, I'd like people to stop expecting this fic to be as convoluted as canon CotE.