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 2. Chapter 11 - An Eye Towards the Future

A/N: A short chapter to close things up!

Ayanokōji Kiyotaka

The dormitory building appeared after a brisk ten-minute walk, and stepping inside, we were instantly struck by the hum of tension in the otherwise quiet lobby. It was almost as if the building itself was holding its breath, a sentiment mirrored in the nervous pacing of Haruka. Her blue hair swished back and forth like a metronome, lines of worry etched into her face as she awaited her best friend's return.

Haruka's current state could largely be attributed to the terse message I had sent her: that Airi had narrowly escaped an encounter with a stalker and that she should wait for us in the lobby.

Now that I thought about it, I felt a little bad for not elaborating more about the situation.

"Ai-chaaaaan!" The raw relief in Haruka's voice permeated the lobby as she rushed towards Airi, ensnaring her in a fierce embrace. "I was so worried! I'm glad you're okay."

"Haruka-chan..." Airi's whisper was a thread of gratitude, lost in the fabric of her friend's embrace.

"I was really frightened," Airi admitted, her voice a soft whisper. "But then, Kiyotaka-kun and Tsubaki-san came..."

Beside me, Yuki giggled, nudging my side playfully. "I feel like we're playing mom and dad for these two," she remarked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

What an odd comment to make, Yuki.

Ignoring her comment for a moment, I glanced at the wall clock in the lobby, which read 5:28 PM. "Yuki, message Tachibana-senpai," I instructed, my tone serious. "Inform her we've been handling an emergency."

"And... that we're now on our way to get her soda," I added as an afterthought.

"Hey! You just ignored what I said!" Yuki protested, her lips pursing into a playful pout. But she pulled out her phone all the same, no doubt envisioning the wrath of the purple-haired Tachibana-senpai if we failed to update her.

With Yuki preoccupied, I approached Airi and Haruka, who were still hugging.

"Haruka, is it fine if we leave Airi under your care in the meantime? Yuki and I still have to return to the Student Council Office," I requested.

Haruka's response was immediate. "Sure thing, Kiyopon! I'll keep Ai-chan safe," she assured, her smile lighting up her face.

I gave a nod of thanks, then shifted my gaze to Airi. "We'll talk about it tomorrow," I promised, noticing the unspoken questions swirling in her eyes.

Airi didn't respond for a moment, then nodded, a soft 'okay' leaving her lips. She wanted to know how Yuki and I had found her after she had turned off her location sharing.

Well, she had been meaning to do so earlier, but she didn't get the chance to ask me about it due to the police's arrival.

"You've been brave today, Airi. I'm proud of you," I said, giving her an encouraging smile. Her cheeks flushed at the compliment, but the relief in her eyes was clear.

Yuki slid her phone back into her pocket, moving to stand beside me. "Alright, that's done. Tachibana-senpai has been informed," she announced, folding her arms across her chest. "Although I can't guarantee she won't scold us for getting her soda late."

"That's on her for not buying it herself," I quipped, glancing at Yuki sideways. "And besides, Tachibana-senpai isn't exactly unreasonable."

A chuckle slipped from Yuki's lips. "That's true. Oh, and she's just responded," she reported, her gaze darting down at her phone.

"What did she say?"

"Just 'Coca-Cola.' Nothing else," Yuki replied, her tone reflecting the amusement she found in Tachibana-senpai's terse response.

"Coca-Cola? Let's get going then," I prompted, before turning my head back to the girls huddled in the corner.

"We'll be going now. Take care, Airi. You too, Haruka."

"Thank you, Kiyotaka-kun... Tsubaki-san..." Airi's voice trailed off, but the appreciation in her gaze was evident. Beside her, Haruka gave us a small wave, her other arm wrapped protectively around her friend.

With that, we left the dormitory building, our steps guiding us back to the Student Council Office.

11.1

July 24, 2015 - Friday

Just before 7 PM, my dorm room became a sanctuary for the evening, occupied by Chiaki and Yuki, who both insisted on spending the night. The two girls made themselves at home on my bed, Yuki nestling her head on my lap, while Chiaki lounged against the headrest, cradling the panda plushie she won from the arcade a couple of weeks back.

In the week that had passed since Yuki and I saved Airi, the school had taken swift action on the case. Airi's stalker, a SIVCamera employee, had been dismissed and formally arrested. The school's administration had also issued a formal apology to Airi, vowing to enforce stricter screening protocols for potential employees to ensure that such an incident would never recur.

Airi, although still visibly shaken by the incident, seemed to take solace in the fact that her stalker was finally behind bars, and that the school was taking steps to improve student safety.

That girl definitely had a kind soul.

"Only a week before the Summer Island Vacation..." Yuki mused, staring at the ceiling. "I wonder what the island would look like..."

Chiaki giggled, her gaze sparkling with mischief. "I'll be surprising Kiyotaka-kun with my swimsuit, that's for sure!"

Yuki's lips curved into a smirk. "Don't get your hopes up, Chiaki-chan. Why would he look at you when I'll be doing the same?" She angled her body towards me, putting her generous figure on display.

Chiaki ignored her and, instead, shot me an expectant look. "Kiyotaka-kun, you'll notice me, won't you?" She scooted closer, resting her chin on my shoulder.

I glanced at Chiaki before my gaze wandered to the magenta-eyed dragon plushie sitting on the adjacent couch. Chiaki had dubbed it the 'Ryūen plushie' due to it having a similar eye color to its namesake.

And it had quite the menacing look for a plushie, I must say.

"Kiyotaka-kun?"

I dragged my eyes away from the plushie. "Yes, Chiaki. I will certainly notice you," I responded, my tone level.

"That sounded awfully dismissive," Yuki commented, laughter tingeing her voice. "You need to up your game, Chiaki-chan."

"It's not that," I said, my mind churning with thoughts about the upcoming trip. "I've just been contemplating the Island Vacation."

Yuki propped herself up to face me, curiosity etching her features. "You think a special exam would be taking place, right?"

It was something that I hadn't disclosed to the class when I oriented them about the S-System three months ago: the existence of a Special Exam. I held back from telling them about it back then lest they either blab or be overwhelmed by the revelation.

Basically, the Special Exam served as the means for classes to accumulate Class Points aside from written examinations, and from what I had gathered, it was also the fastest way to climb up the ranks.

From what Nagumo-senpai told me, his Class B overtook Kiriyama-senpai's Class A during their first Special Exams. That was telling of how these Special Exams could easily change the tides of the battle.

Regaining focus, I turned to Yuki, my tone firm, "I don't just suspect it. I know it. A Special Exam is set for the Island Vacation."

Chiaki let out a long sigh. "So, another trap disguised as a treat. I swear, this school's starting to wear me out, Kiyotaka-kun."

That would make the two of us, Chiaki. In fact, I found myself questioning why my father spoke high praises about ANHS when it basically did nothing groundbreaking in nurturing its students.

True, I had made more friends than I could count and discovered new facets of leadership, delving into its intricate maze.

But these were not fruits borne of ANHS's supposedly innovative educational approach. Instead, they were a product of my proactive response to the challenges that the school ceaselessly threw at us. ANHS's strategy seemed less about nurturing its students and more about pressuring us into adapting and thriving amidst its relentless harshness.

And so, this brought forth these questions: How exactly was ANHS nurturing its students? Was it by constantly keeping us on our toes, perpetually pushing us out of our comfort zones? Or was it by setting us up in contrived situations that forced us to fight against each other?

Behind the smokescreen, ANHS barely stood at the level of elite High Schools in the West, its only edge being the absurd budget the government had allotted for it.

Yuki's gentle movement snapped me from my contemplation. She lifted her head from my lap, stretched her arms leisurely, and then rested her head on my shoulder.

"Well, as long as Kiyotaka is here, I don't really mind this school too much," she said.

"I have no doubt about that," Chiaki retorted, a hint of sarcasm edging her words.

Yuki shot back, a smug grin on her face, "Don't pretend it's any different for you, Chiaki-chan. Weren't you headed to America before you learned that Kiyotaka would be attending ANHS?"

Chiaki could only huff in response, admitting, "Fine, you win!"

"Excuse me for a while," I said before getting out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Yuki asked.

"Rearranging some things."

As I moved towards the couch where the dragon plushie sat, I could feel their curious eyes on me. I hoisted the plushie, repositioning it to the farthest corner of the room.

Yuki broke the silence, amusement dripping from her words, "He really didn't like that Ryūen plushie, did he, Chiaki-chan?"

"I'm surprised he kept it for this long," Chiaki chuckled, a smile playing on her lips.

I couldn't help but shake my head at the exchange between the two.

"Because you'd be upset if I threw it away, Chiaki," I replied, making my way back to the inviting warmth of the bed. "And I'd rather not have you be upset for a week."

Chiaki responded with a giggle and a peck on my cheek. "I wouldn't have been mad, but thanks for your consideration!"

"Speaking of Ryūen..." Yuki mused, her voice heavy with thought. "If there's going to be a Special Exam, he'll undoubtedly be out for revenge. Not that I'm overly worried, but it's something we can't ignore, right?"

"They're barely a concern, Yuki-chan. Remember, Class D lost many points because of Komiya's expulsion," Chiaki reasoned, attempting to dispel the tension.

"That's true... but Ryūen is still the most formidable Class Leader in our year aside from Kiyotaka. It's not a stretch to say he'll attempt some sort of revenge," Yuki argued, looking in my direction.

"And... Kiyotaka, you did provoke him the last time you saw him," she pointed out.

I shrugged, nonchalant in the face of her worry. "It was a necessary gamble. It was crucial for me to assess how he processed his loss."

Chiaki's fingers danced across her hair. "A crushing defeat, despite playing all his cards. He's not one to forget humiliation easily."

"I couldn't agree more," I said, nodding in agreement. "In fact, his loss is likely to make him more crafty the next time around."

"What makes you think that, Kiyotaka-kun?"

"During our confrontation, I observed that he remained remarkably composed. Sure, he was clearly on edge, but he was in control. It gave me the impression that he was already hatching another scheme."

Ryūen's reaction to adversity was intriguing, perhaps even a touch alarming. But that said, it wasn't a threat worth overcommitting our resources for.

After all, he wasn't the only player we needed to keep our eye on.

My gaze then drifted, lost in the myriad of possible scenarios that unfolded in my mind. "That said, I need you girls for the next special exam. There's work to do," I continued.

Yuki's brows furrowed in surprise. "Are you suggesting we aim to take them down in the next exam? It's a good idea, don't get me wrong, but I'm surprised you'd do it."

I shook my head, a decisive look in my eyes. "No, Yuki. We need to aim higher, much higher."

Chiaki's eyes widened, as though she had suddenly deciphered a hidden message. "Are you suggesting...?" Her voice trailed off, her anticipation hanging thick in the air.

I met Yuki's eyes first, then turned to Chiaki, finally nodding in affirmation. "That's right," I confirmed.

"We're not only targeting Ryūen and Class D. We're going to claim the top spot. We're going to be Class A when we return to campus."

End of Chapter

A/N: The official end of Volume 2.

The next chapter would be Honami's side story, which would be a double update alongside the Volume 3 Prologue.