I slowly opened my eyes, squinting in the sunlight streaming through the slightly parted curtains of the window. The gentle chirping of birds outside filled the room, and I turned my head to glance at the digital clock on the wall.
It read 5:57 am, indicating that the morning had already arrived.
"So, morning is already here, huh?" I muttered to myself, stretching my arms and legs as I sat up in bed. I fumbled around for my phone to turn off the alarm, which was about to blare its irritating tune.
Standing up from the bed, I headed towards the bathroom to freshen up. The cold tiles felt refreshing against the soles of my feet as I walked, and the sound of running water filled the small space.
After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I opened the closet to find something to wear for my morning workout routine. However, I quickly realized that my wardrobe was lacking, with only a few plain clothes for indoor wear, a handful of jeans, and a few hoodies. I mentally noted that I needed to go shopping later when I had the time.
I donned my tracksuit, laced up my running shoes, and packed a water bottle and towel in a bag before heading out for my workout routine.
Maintaining my physique was crucial to me, even though I didn't have to worry about Tsukishiro and the White Room enforcers anymore. I had built my strength and endurance with years of hard work, and I didn't want to lose it.
I headed to the park that I had discovered the day before, which had a range of calisthenic bars and other equipment for my workout. It was a beautiful space, surrounded by trees and with a clear blue sky above.
The dew on the grass glistened in the sunlight, as I entered the park. The fresh air was invigorating. I saw a few people walking their dogs and jogging around the park, but not many. It was still early in the morning, and most people were likely still in bed.
I walked over to a nearby bench and placed my bag and water bottle down before heading over to the calisthenic bars. The metal bars glinted in the morning light, and I took a deep breath, feeling energized and ready to begin my workout.
With my muscles burning and my heart pounding, I finished my workout session at the park and headed back to my apartment. As I walked, I could feel the sweat on my body starting to dry, making me feel sticky and uncomfortable.
As soon as I entered my apartment, I made a beeline for the bathroom and stepped into the shower.
As I stepped out of the shower, the warmth of the bathroom still clinging to my skin, I made my way to my closet. I pulled open the doors to reveal my new school uniform, neatly pressed and hanging ready for the first day of classes.
It was similar yet different from the ones I was used to wearing at ANHS, with a white collared shirt, a black jacket trimmed in white, black pants, and a green tie. I quickly got dressed in the uniform, leaving off the jacket so I could cook breakfast.
The smell of bacon wafted through the air as I cooked up a simple western breakfast of two eggs, buttered toast, and crispy bacon.
As I ate, I checked the time on my phone and realized I had to hurry if I wanted to make it to school on time. It was already 7:40 am, and it would take me around 20 minutes to reach the school. I finished my breakfast and put on my jacket before grabbing my bag, which contained my new school materials and wallet.
I rushed out of my apartment, walking quickly to reach the school on time. The staff had contacted me yesterday and instructed me to meet with the headmaster and my homeroom teacher at 8 am sharp.
After about 15 minutes, I noticed the school gate in the distance, and I could see many students entering through the gate, some in groups and some alone. Seeing them, I hastened my pace.
I reached the front of the school gate and took a moment to take in the scenery of the school. It wasn't as grandieur as ANHS but was a good sight to see, nonetheless. The Sobu High was a fairly large school, larger than the average high school, but way smaller compared to ANHS. It was expected since ANHS is supposed to be the largest and the most prestigious school in Japan.
However, as long as this school was ordinary, I didn't much care about its size. I passed through the school gate and trailed the students, all headed towards the main school building.
Once inside, I looked around for a while, searching for the headmaster's office, but couldn't locate it. So, I sought directions from a staff member and made my way to the designated location.
Eventually, I arrived at the door of the headmaster's office, knocked thrice and waited for a response.
"Come in," a voice from inside the room responded.
Turning the knob, I opened the door, and stepped inside the office. The room had a modern aesthetic with a large leather couch on one side, accompanied by a coffee table. The walls were adorned with pictures and awards earned by the school. On the opposite side of the room sat the headmaster's desk.
Seated behind the desk was a man in his late fifties, with slightly long slicked-back black hair scattered with strands of white. He was sitting comfortably on his seat wearing a warm smile on his face, clearly indicating he was the headmaster of the school.
"Good morning," I greeted, bowing slightly.
"Good morning, and you must be Ayanokoji Kiyotaka-Kun? The new transfer student, I presume." The Headmaster responded.
"Yes, I am Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."
"Ah, where are my manners? I am Yoshifumi Ryota, the Headmaster of Sobu High School."
It was obvious that he was the headmaster, but I stayed quiet and patiently waited for him to continue.
"The school staff, including myself, were surprised to hear of a transfer in the middle of the semester, especially from Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, which provides a 100% employment and university acceptance rate. It is strange that someone would willingly leave such an esteemed institution. May I ask the reason for your transfer, Ayanokoji-Kun?"
"I apologize, but I prefer to keep it confidential. It's a family matter." I responded politely.
"I see. It happens from time to time. However, what surprised us even more was your entrance exam scores. You are the first student to ever achieve a perfect score of 100 in all subjects of the entrance exam, and since you're transferring to the second year, we had to increase the difficulty level from the usual paper."
"Thank you, I suppose," I said awkwardly, unsure of how to respond to such praise.
Knock
Knock
"Come in."
"Good morning, Yoshifumi-Sensei, is the new transfer student already here?"
Our conversation was interrupted by knocks on the door followed by the entry of a woman in a lab coat. She was a tall and beautiful lady, probably in her late twenties, with long black hair that cascaded down her shoulders and reached her shins. She had unkempt bangs that covered her purple eyes.
"Good morning, Hiratsuka-Sensei, yes, he is here." Replied the Headmaster.
"Good morning, I am Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and I am the new transfer student," I introduced myself while offering a slight smile and a bow.
The woman turned her gaze towards me and scrutinized me for a few seconds before nodding her head and turning towards the headmaster. "Alright, can we proceed, Yoshifumi-Sensei? Homeroom is about to start in five minutes," she said, casting a quick glance at the wall clock.
"Of course, you may take him now and Ayanokoji-Kun, this is Hiratsuka Shizuka, your homeroom teacher. I assume you know which class you're in and your other details?"
I nodded in response. The headmaster turned to Hiratsuka-Sensei and signaled for her to lead me away.
"Follow me, kid," said my homeroom teacher, leading me out of the room.
I gave a slight bow to the headmaster before following her. Hiratsuka-Sensei walked along the hallway, and I followed slightly behind her in the direction of what I assumed was my classroom, Class 2-F.
Now that I think about it, it's a good thing that there is no class hierarchy at this school; otherwise, my class would be at the lower half of the hierarchy.
"Hey, I heard that you transferred here from The Advanced Nurturing High School in Tokyo. Is it true?" Sensei suddenly asked, glancing at me from the corner of her eye.
I moved to her side before responding. "Yes, it's true,"
"Why did you transfer out from such a prestigious school, though?" she asked.
"Family matters," I answered.
"I see," she said, and the conversation turned silent.
It seemed that willingly dropping out of a school with the status of ANHS was inconceivable for a lot of people.
I assumed that would be the end of our conversation, but sensei continued.
"What do you think of the school so far?" she asked.
"As far as I have seen, this school lives up to its reputation," I replied.
"No, what I meant was how does this school compare to your previous one?" clarified Hiratsuka-sensei. She was probably trying to know how life inside ANHS was.
"Apologies, sensei, but I am not permitted to disclose anything pertaining to my previous school," I stated.
"Ah, that's unfortunate," she said.
I thought that would be the end of our discussion, but Hiratsuka-sensei continued, again. "Can I ask you something?"
I was confused by the question but decided to entertain her, so I nodded.
"This may seem offensive to you, but why does your voice sound so flat and your expression look really blank? I only saw you smile briefly inside the headmaster's office."
Oh, it's this question. A question that I have faced many times before. I decided to give her the same answer I always give. "I have difficulty expressing myself, and it is not a disease. I was born this way. I can only express myself a little when I'm extremely happy or excited" I said, mixing lies and truth.
"Interesting," she said.
I didn't understand what was interesting about it, but I just kept my mouth shut.
We soon arrived at the door of a classroom labeled '2-F.' I could hear the voices of numerous students chattering inside.
"I will enter first. Come in when I tell you to. Understood?" Hiratsuka-Sensei said.
I nodded in response. She slid open the door and walked into the classroom, causing the whole class to quiet down and scurry to their respective seats, leaving me to brace myself for the introduction.
Hikigaya POV:
It was just another ordinary day in class, still early with about five minutes left until homeroom began. As usual, I remained invisible to my classmates.
'Stealth Hikki is in top form it seems.'
I pretended to sleep, as I did every day, while trying to eavesdrop on any interesting conversations around me. Unfortunately, all I could hear was the blathering of the group that included the Fire Queen and her Pretty King.
The day would have continued like any other, and I would have returned to my safe haven to laze around or spend time with my precious Vita-Chan, if not for the fact that my beautiful but single and rowdy homeroom teacher had forced me to join an obscure club last week against my will.
I wouldn't have minded a quiet club with a peaceful environment where I could read my beloved light novels and take a nap whenever I wanted. Don't get me wrong, that's exactly what the club was like. But the existence of a lone Ice Queen within the club really grated on my nerves.
I understand that you are a beauty and a top academic achiever at this school, but does she really have the right to insult me, my actions, or my appearance every chance she gets? My eyes are not even my fault, for God's sake!
I considered getting out of that situation, but I knew that Christmas cake would not leave me alone.
In any case, I grew tired of listening to the mindless chatter of the normie groups around me, so I attempted to get some 'much-needed' rest.
As I tried to find a more comfortable position with my head resting on my arms, I was startled by the sliding of the classroom door by Hiratsuka-sensei. The chattering in the class subsided, and everyone hastily returned to their respective desks.
'Tch. She had to come just when I was about to sleep. Damn, I need to control wasting my time on unnecessary monologues,'
"Good morning, class. Before we begin with the roll call, I have an announcement to make," said Hiratsuka-sensei. "I know the timing is a bit unusual, but the school is getting a transfer student. The transfer student I'm referring to, will be joining your class."
Silence filled the room, and even I was a bit intrigued by this news. Who transfers schools in the middle of a semester? Perhaps a child of a big shot or a particularly talented individual.
"A Transfer student huh. Man, I hope it's a cute girl!" shamelessly exclaimed the orange-haired boy from the pretty boys' group.
"Well, you may come in, Ayanokoji," Hiratsuka-Sensei said, ignoring the orange-haired boy.
I raised my head and turned towards the door to get a full view of the newcomer. I heard footsteps before the door slowly slid open, revealing the transfer student. As he entered the classroom, my eyes followed him as he stood beside Hiratsuka-Sensei.
Some of the blatant girls gasped and kept staring at the boy while having hearts in their eyes. The boy had a handsome face and was tall, slightly taller than the blond pretty boy of our class, standing at almost 180 cm.
He had long, medium-length brown hair that was parted in the middle and fell off the sides. I couldn't judge if his body was muscular or not because of the school uniform.
He looked like just another pretty boy who would give our residential blondie a competition, but there was something different that I noticed about him, his eyes. They were kind of like mine, not the fish part but the dead part. His eyes looked lifeless and bored, as if he had seen the deepest and darkest secrets of the world.
'Wait! Isn't that guy the one Komachi and I met at the grocery store yesterday? No wonder why the name felt familiar. But, How could I not remember him instantly? He even brainwashed my cute little imouto for a few moments there. Damn bastard!'
The guy observed everyone in the class as if analyzing them before a smile appeared on his face and he began to speak.
"Hello, my name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. As for myself, I am confident in my academics, and I like to think that I am fairly athletic. About my hobbies, I suppose I enjoy reading books, playing chess, and playing the piano. I hope to get along with everyone, and it's nice to meet you all," he said, ending with a small gracious bow.
'It's just another one of those riajuu ikemen. I wasted my time for nothing. I guess I'd better get back to sleep. Haaaaah,'
I didn't want to waste my energy on pointless things, so I sighed and placed my head back in my arms, ready to fall back into slumber.
Ayanokoji POV:
"Hello, my name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. As for myself, I am confident in my academics, and I like to think that I am fairly athletic. About my hobbies, I suppose I enjoy reading books, playing chess, and playing the piano. I hope to get along with everyone, and it's nice to meet you all,"
I put on a smile as I delivered my introduction and concluded with a small bow. And to my relief, the class responded with genuine applause and compliments, unlike the last time.
"Now that the introductions are done, please take the empty seat behind Hikigaya. Hikigaya, raise your hand," Hiratsuka-Sensei instructed.
The boy named Hikigaya lazily lifted his head from his desk and raised his hand. To my surprise, he was the same fish-eyed boy I had met at the grocery store yesterday. What were the odds of us coincidentally ending up at the same school and in the same class? I was grateful to see a familiar face among the sea of strangers.
I made my way to the mentioned seat and took a seat. Wanting to start a conversation with Hikigaya, I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to face me.
"Hey, it's great to see you again. I didn't expect us to cross paths like this," I greeted him and extended my hand for a handshake.
He shot me an intense glare for a few seconds, but then reluctantly shook my hand before turning his attention back to the front of the class. The teacher promptly arrived and began the lesson.
'Dude, why are you so angry with me? Didn't I save your sister yesterday?'
The sound of the bell echoed through the classroom, signaling the end of class and the beginning of lunchtime. I watched as the black-haired boy in front of me frantically packed his books and rushed out of the room, seemingly eager to escape the crowd. His sudden exit piqued my curiosity, but I brushed it off for the moment.
As I packed my own belongings, I sensed someone approaching behind me. Turning around, I caught sight of a charming blonde boy with a friendly smile. From my peripheral vision, I could see a few girls approaching me, but stopped in their tracks when they saw the boy standing next to me.
"Uh, hello?"
"Hello, Ayanokoji-Kun. My name is Hayama Hayato. It's nice to meet you," The boy named Hayama said as he extended his hand for a handshake. I reciprocated.
He honestly reminds me of Hirata, except that girls don't cling to him at every chance they get. Perhaps, he has a girlfriend.
"Hello, Hayama. How may I help you?" I asked.
"Ah, you can decline if you want, but I was just hoping you might join us in the cafeteria for lunch. We would like to get to know you better," Replied Hayama while gesturing towards a group of students, presumably his friends.
I turned my head towards the mentioned group and observed them for a few seconds before returning my attention to Hayama and answering.
"Sure, I don't mind," I replied with a shrug. I did want to get to know my new classmates and get along with them, so this might be a good place to start.
I followed Hayama towards his group of friends who were waiting by the door. The group, including Hayama, consisted of three girls and four boys. I noticed that all the girls in the group were as beautiful as the ones in ANHS.
"Shall we proceed to the cafeteria first? We can introduce ourselves later," Suggested Hayama.
Everyone agreed, and we left the classroom, heading towards the cafeteria. On the way, the group chatted about trivial topics that typical teenagers would discuss, while I kept to myself and listened to them.
I could tell that many of them were masters at the art of social interaction, especially Hayama. Additionally, I noticed that the blonde girl in the group was trying to cling to him as much as possible. She was probably his girlfriend. Both of them stood out the most among the group.
"Hayato-bro, shouldn't you… like introduce us?" A good-looking boy with long, flowing orange hair and a black hairband noticed that I was being left out of their chattering and asked.
"I was thinking of doing it while we have lunch, but I guess now isn't a bad time," replied Hayama, turning to face me with a charming smile.
With that, Hayama began introducing them one by one. I learned that the name of the orange-haired guy was Tobe Kakeru. He was a loud and cheerful person. The short one was named Ooka, and the tall guy was Yamato.
As Hayama continued, I also got to know the girls. The blonde girl from earlier was Miura Yumiko. She seemed the most disinterested in me. The girl with spectacles was Ebina Hina. She seemed like a quiet, calm, and collected person, always with a smile on her face.
The last one was named Yuigahama Yui, she had shoulder-length peach-colored hair fashioned into a bun at the top. From what I could tell about her after watching her for a few moments, she was the type of girl who was kind to anyone and always tried to help others, her presence warm and inviting. She reminded me of Ichinose, someone similar I had known in ANHS.
After a few minutes of walking, we entered the cafeteria, which was clean and spacious, comparable in size to the one in ANHS. Despite this school being smaller than ANHS, it had many more students, so the size of the cafeteria was understandable. Hayama suggested that one of the guys find a table while the rest of us buy our meals from the counter.
The eight of us were seated around a large table, each with our respective lunches. I sat between Yuigahama and Yamato on my right and left, respectively. Hayama sat opposite me, with Miura and Tobe on his left and right. Ooka and Ebina sat at opposite ends of the table. I would have preferred to sit at the end of the bench instead of in the middle, but I didn't complain.
They resumed their conversation, and Hayama tried to pull me into it by asking trivial questions related to their topics. To my surprise, I found myself conversing with them naturally. However, the topic suddenly changed to me.
"Ayanokoji-kun, are you feeling well? You don't seem to be having fun," Hayama asked with a concerned expression. Everyone at the table turned their heads towards me.
"Huh, I am having fun though. Why did you think that?"
"It's just that I haven't seen you change your expression even once this whole time."
"Oh, it's about that. Don't worry about it." I replied calmly, "This is just how I normally am; I have a hard time expressing myself. It's been like this for as long as I can remember, even since my childhood. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm not having fun." I said, trying to ease their concern.
"Ah, no need to apologize, but I'm sorry if I sounded insensitive." Said Hayama.
"As I said, don't worry about it." I reassured them. "I hear that all the time. People at my old high school used to be curious about it too."
Suddenly, Ebina, who had been quiet until then, asked, "Ayanokoji-kun, which school did you transfer from?" I was surprised to hear her initiate a conversation like this. She, like me, hadn't spoken much earlier.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure how they would react to my answer, but then decided to answer truthfully, "Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School."
"Eh, really!?"
I nodded in confirmation. Everyone seated at the table seemed shocked by my answer. Some people from the surrounding tables, hearing the commotion, turned to look at us. Hayama noticing the situation, stood up to apologize to them.
Their reactions to my answer were a bit more dramatic than I expected. I didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention, so it would be best if others at the school didn't know about this.
After everyone calmed down, the questioning resumed.
"Ayanokoji, did you really come from that school?" Miura asked, suddenly interested. "Isn't it like the most prestigious school in Japan?"
"Yeah, why would I lie about that? Is it really that unbelievable?" I replied.
"No, we believe you, right guys?" Hayama answered on behalf of everyone and looked at the others. They all nodded in agreement before Hayama continued.
"It's just strange, I mean why would someone deliberately transfer from the most prestigious school where most Japanese kids dream of attending, to a school like Sobu High? Don't get me wrong, this school is great. It's one of the most well-known in Chiba and has its own set of accomplishments. But it doesn't compare to the Advanced Nurturing High School, where the government even provides graduates with a 100% employment and university acceptance rate to wherever they want."
I sighed inwardly. "The reason is some matters related to my family, so I would appreciate it if you don't pry into it," I said, my voice neutral as always.
"O-oh, sorry if it sounded insensitive again."
"It's okay. I understand why you would be curious about it. But can I ask you guys a favor? Don't worry, it's not much." Hearing my question, everyone looked confused but nodded anyway and waited for me to continue.
"I would like it if you guys would keep quiet about my previous school, and not spread it around to others." Everyone seemed confused by my request but nodded anyway.
"Alright, but may we ask why?" Hayama asked, his tone gentle.
"It's just that I don't like having unnecessary attention on myself."
"Oh, okay."
I didn't know if I could trust them with this, especially a loudmouth like Tobe. He seemed to be the type of guy who couldn't keep a secret, but despite my apprehension, I decided to take a chance and trust them anyway. Hopefully, they would keep quiet about it.
With that, the talk about me came to an end, and we moved on to other topics. I learned that all the boys in the group belonged to a club related to sports. Hayama and Tobe were in the soccer club, while Ooka and Yamato belonged to the baseball and rugby clubs, respectively. But it seemed that none of the girls were part of any club.
I wondered if it would be a good idea for me to take part in some kind of club activity too. Since there are no class battles or other special exams here, the days would be quite boring. But clubs related to athleticism were a no-go for me; it would be a hassle, as all they have to do is practice and participate in tournaments, which seemed quite boring to me.
I didn't want to waste my time doing something that didn't excite me. I wanted to join a club where I could indulge in an activity that I enjoyed or maybe some other clubs that manage to interest me. Well, I would think about clubs some other time. I'll investigate the matter further later.
With that, we finished our meals, disposed of our meal trays at the counter, and returned to the classroom. The bell rang again, signaling the end of lunch break and the start of another class. Everyone in the classroom returned to their seats, and the teacher started teaching his lessons again. Despite the return to the classroom, a lingering question tugged at the back of my mind.
'Can Hayama and the others from his clique be considered my friends now?'
"Everyone, do bear in mind to complete your homework and hand it in by tomorrow, else, be prepared to face the consequences." Remarked Hiratsuka-sensei.
As the words left her lips, the chatter in the classroom resumed. Everyone began to gather their study materials and exited the classroom in groups. Some heading to their respective clubs, some meeting up with their friends, and others simply returning home. Life here wasn't much different from life at ANHS, except it wasn't confined to school grounds but spread out into the open world.
I assumed that Hikigaya would leave the classroom immediately after class ended, just like he did during lunch break. But, to my surprise, he stayed back and kept grumbling about 'single women' and how as the world was being unfair to him.
"Ayanokoji, come to the teacher's office now. I have something important to discuss with you." Hiratsuka-sensei's commanding voice from the door suddenly caught my attention. I turned towards the door, but she quickly left the classroom, leaving me with no opportunity to respond.
I lazily stowed away my study materials in my bag and stood up, ready to exit the classroom. But before I could leave, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Hayama's charming smile once again.
"Is there something you need from me, Hayama?" I asked, curious.
"Ah, Yes, my friends and I are heading to the mall right now. I was wondering if you'd like to join us, Ayanokoji-kun."
I was taken aback. "But don't you guys have club practice right now?" I inquired.
"Not today. We don't have to attend practice on Mondays and Wednesdays if we don't want to. It's optional on these days, but it's mandatory on other school days. Since it's Monday today, I thought I could go for an outing with my friends. So, would you like to come with us, Ayanokoji-kun?"
"Sorry, Hayama. I would have liked to join you guys, but Hiratsuka-sensei just called me to the teacher's office. From the way she phrased it, it seems like something important. Though, Can we exchange contact information? I can let you know if I'm free some other time."
"Sure, I was about to ask you the same thing," Hayama replied. With that, we exchanged our phones. Just as we were about to share our information, a sudden scream erupted from the group that was quietly watching us.
"KYYAAAHHH! TWO HANDSOME BOYS EXCHANGING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR RENDEZVOUSING LATER! SO HO-"
It was Ebina, the bespectacled girl. She had a nosebleed following her sudden outburst. Miura quickly took out her handkerchief and covered Ebina's nose with it.
I, on the other hand, was confused, really confused. I didn't know what was going on. Hayama must have sensed my confusion as he started explaining the situation.
"Ah, don't mind her sudden outburst, Ayanokoji-kun. She's really into BL stuff, so when she sees boys closely interacting with each other or in some other intimate situations, she gets lost in her fantasies."
"I see." I replied calmly, attempting to hide my ignorance while mentally noting to search it up online later.
After exchanging contact information with Hayama, I bid them farewell and left the classroom, disappearing from their sight. As I trudged through the school building, I stumbled upon the teacher's office and observed that the door was open. I spotted Hiratsuka seated in one of the cubicles and knocked before entering the room to signal my arrival. A few teachers briefly glanced in my direction before returning to their respective duties.
"Ayanokoji, wait outside by the door for a moment. I won't take long," Hiratsuka-Sensei declared. I nodded and proceeded to wait outside the door.
After approximately five minutes, Hiratsuka-Sensei emerged from the door and directed me to follow her. We walked in silence, passing by other students and teachers occasionally, but I had no idea where she was taking me.
"Sensei, could you inform me of our destination?" I inquired as I trailed behind her.
"You will know when we get there," replied Sensei, implying that I wouldn't be getting an answer anytime soon, leaving me inquisitive.
We left the main school building and proceeded towards another. As we made our way through the corridors, we passed by numerous labeled club rooms, until we came upon an unmarked one.
'It is probably a storage room' is what I would have assumed if not for the fact that I could hear voices from inside, and the conversation seemed pretty heated too. This all let me to the conclusion that the room probably belonged to an obscure club of some sort.
Hiratsuka-Sensei knocked on the door and without waiting for a response, opened it and walked into the room without any hesitation, not even giving the people inside an option to respond. I sighed at her brazen actions but followed her in, nonetheless.
I let my gaze wander around the empty room before it landed on Hikigaya. I would be lying if I said I wasn't surprised to see him there. He looked like the type of person who wouldn't want to waste his time in a club.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, how many times have I told you to knock before entering the room?" Spoke up a raven-haired girl seated near the window.
"I did knock, though," Replied Hiratsuka-sensei.
"Yes, you did, but you should have waited for me to reply." Retorted the girl.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, let's get down to business, shall we?" Hiratsuka-sensei continued, brushing off the girl's complaints.
The girl let out an exasperated sigh and started massaging her temples before speaking up again. "I suppose we could get down to whatever reason you came here for, Sensei. But may I know who this person is?" She pointed her index finger at me.
"Ah, he is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka of Class 2-F. He just transferred here today, and he is the reason we are here. He will be joining the club."
I was utterly bewildered by what the teacher was talking about. When had I applied to join this club? I had not even mentioned anything about joining any clubs to anyone at this school, and to add to that, I did not even know the name or purpose of this club.
"That would explain why I didn't know him," muttered the raven-haired girl.
"Uh, what are you talking about, Sensei? I don't recall applying to join any club," I spoke up before things could continue further.
"Oh, of course, you didn't. I decided it for you, and I won't take no for an answer," replied Sensei firmly.
"But can I at least know the reason?" I asked, trying to understand the situation.
After hearing my question, Sensei took me to a corner of the room and spoke in a low whisper-like voice, not wanting others to hear what she was about to say. "Because it will help you. It's for your own good. Remember what you said to me this morning about expressing your emotions? I believe that being in a club will assist you with that."
"But didn't I say that I've been like this since childhood? It's something I just can't do," I replied, feeling somewhat defensive.
"Like hell I would believe that! I'm sure you had some kind of traumatic experience in the past that led you to your current apathetic behavior. I believe that joining this club will help you. It will also allow me to keep an eye on you, and again, I won't take no for an answer. My decision is final," said Sensei firmly, leaving me with no choice.
Seems like I don't have a say in this matter. I shut my eyes and exhaled heavily while deciding to let her do whatever she wanted. "Fine, do what you want," I conceded defeat.
Hiratsuka-Sensei's expression brightened after hearing my answer, and she strode towards the center of the room before speaking up. "Anyway, Yukinoshita, as I was saying, Ayanokoji will be joining this club, and I am sure that being the genius he is, he will be a great asset to the club."
I heaved a sigh at her statement about me being a supposed genius. I get that I had aced the entrance exam, but was that enough of an achievement to be considered a genius? I doubted it.
Firstly, academic prowess alone didn't define one's intelligence, and a genius wasn't just an intelligent or highly knowledgeable person either; they were on a completely different level. Not only did they possess incredible intellect and vast knowledge, but they also had creativity and the ability to see things from multiple perspectives, unlike an average smart person.
Sensei shouldn't have known anything about me other than my test scores, so her statement about me being a genius would be considered dubious, to say the least.
"May I know on what basis you're considering him a genius?" asked the girl—apparently named Yukinoshita—with a hint of suspicion towards Sensei's declaration. She then tossed a verbal jab towards me by adding, "He doesn't look like the type of person to me; he looks like the type of person who is done with his life." Her words stung me, but I kept quiet and refrained from responding.
Hiratsuka-sensei countered, "Don't judge a book by its cover, Yukinoshita. Besides, shouldn't I consider a person a genius when they are the first ever to ace the entrance exam with such ease?"
Yukinoshita widened her eyes, revealing her surprise by my academic achievement. Even Hikigaya, who appeared bored and had been silent until now, appeared intrigued with that piece of information.
"But couldn't it be that he's just book smart, and nothing more than that?" Prodded Yukinoshita.
"I don't believe so, Yukinoshita. Call it an intuition of mine, but I believe he will be a valuable asset to the club. So, after everything I've said, do you accept now?" The teacher asked, not wanting to continue the argument any further.
Even though I had been in the room for a while, I still couldn't grasp the purpose of the club. How was I supposed to know if I would be helpful to the club or not when they themselves didn't know me well enough? If only I knew the name of the club, I could have tried to figure it out, but unfortunately, I didn't have that information.
"Even if I try to reject him, you will force me to accept him anyway... sigh, very well, I will accept Ayanokoji-kun into the Service Club," said Yukinoshita.
Ah, so it was called the Service Club. Based on the name, it seemed to be involved in helping others and providing services to them. Without more information, I wasn't sure what my role would be, but the club started to pique my interest.
"Good, now that he is a member of the club, you guys can get to know each other. I'll take my leave now." said Hiratsuka-Sensei before exiting the room and shutting the door behind her.
For a few moments, the air was awkwardly silent. I didn't know what to say, so I just stood there, choosing to stay quiet and waiting for someone to speak up. But it seemed that no one wanted to break the silence, so I took the initiative to introduce myself.
"Uh, Good afternoon," I began, addressing both Hikigaya and Yukinoshita. "I already know Hikigaya from before, but this is the first time I am speaking to both of you, so I guess I will introduce myself. My name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from 2-F. My hobbies include reading books, playing chess, and playing the piano. I look forward to working with both of you."
"Yukinoshita Yukino, 2J. Welcome to the service club, Ayanokoji-kun," she greeted me with a stern tone and expression, showing no emotion. As I took a closer look at her, I realized she was very similar to Horikita in both appearance and demeanor- a cold yet beautiful, black-haired girl. I decided not to dwell on that matter and continued the conversation.
"May I take a seat?" I asked, looking around for a chair.
"Yes, you may. At least you have manners, unlike a certain someone," she replied, casting a faint glance in Hikigaya's direction.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I'll have you know that I always adhere to the rules and am a law-abiding member of the society," Hikigaya spoke up in an irritated manner.
"My, my, did I say anything about you being ill-mannered, Hikigaya-kun? Oh, I see you've recognized your own shortcomings, haven't you? I didn't realize a person of your caliber could mature so quickly," Yukinoshita said with a slight smirk on her face.
"Tch." Hikigaya clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned his head away.
As this exchange unfolded, I retrieved a chair from the corner of the room and settled between Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, maintaining a moderate distance from them.
I wasn't entirely sure why, but it was kind of amusing to watch their interaction. I was curious as to why Hikigaya was being insulted like that, but I decided to focus on learning more about the club and satisfying my curiosity later.
"So, could you tell me more about the club? As a member, I feel like I should have a better understanding so that I can contribute effectively," I asked.
"Why don't you share your thoughts about what you believe this club is about, Ayanokoji-kun?" Yukinoshita asked, perhaps testing my intellect. I decided to share my understanding of the club so far.
"Based on the name of the club, I believe it's about helping people with their problems. I assume people come to us with their requests, and we assist them in finding solutions," I answered.
Yukinoshita and Hikigaya both seemed surprised by my response. I wasn't sure why; it seemed straightforward to me.
"Your interpretation is almost correct, Ayanokoji-kun. However, rather than solving their problems for them, we aim to guide them towards finding their own solutions. It's more like the saying, 'give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,'" clarified Yukinoshita.
"I see, so the club provides consultation too." Yukinoshita seemed satisfied that I understood her explanation.
Out of the blue, Hikigaya asked, "So, how many people have you helped so far?" From the way he asked the question, I concluded that he too had just recently joined the club. There was also something peculiar about the relationship between him and Yukinoshita—they didn't appear particularly close. Usually, if you spend time with someone, you naturally grow closer and feel comfortable with their company, but I couldn't sense that between them.
Anyway, getting back to the question asked by Hikigaya, I too was curious about the answer. The way Yukinoshita described the club made it seem like she had at least a few experiences in solving other people's problems. We turned towards her, eagerly anticipating her answer.
"I-I didn't have the chance to help anybody yet. Nobody has come to the club with a request so far," answered Yukinoshita, stammering and blushing slightly due to her embarrassment.
It's not what I expected, but I can understand why no one has been here yet. It's most likely that the club is not yet official and unknown to other students. Additionally, the clubroom's location is far away from areas where students would normally be, so anyone who comes here with a request would only do so if we, the members of the Service Club or Hiratsuka-sensei, the advisor, start advertising and spreading the club's name or if someone accidentally stumbles upon it.
"So, all those talk about helping other people wa- "
Before Hikigaya could finish his sentence, there was a knock at the door, interrupting him. I wondered who it could be, but at the same time, I also thought it could be our first client. I straightened my posture and turned my attention to the door, while Hikigaya remained indifferent.
Yukinoshita composed herself from her embarrassed expression and returned to her usual self before saying, "Come in."
The door slowly slid open, and a head popped into the room. I was surprised by our visitor. Of all people, I didn't expect her to visit this room.
"Excuse me, but is this the Service Club?"
Author's notes:
Hello again, it's been a while.
You probably all know who it is at the end, but I decided to end the chapter this way because it was getting a bit lengthy for my taste.
As for the timeline, let's say it was just after Hikigaya joined the club.
Thank you for reading this chapter. I'll see you all next week, or maybe a bit later depending on my schedule.
Adieu~