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 2 - Plans in Motion
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka
After everyone finished introducing themselves, everyone in the class, after Hirata's urging, left the room and headed down to the gymnasium for the Entrance Ceremony. Since the introduction took quite some time to finish, we only had about 15 minutes left before the ceremony started.
Of course, Chiaki and Yuki did not hesitate to walk by my side, which caused me to get unnecessary attention, not that I cared much about it. With what I was planning to do, it would be impossible for me to remain inconspicuous anyways. Also, they would be upset if I told them not to walk with me.
That said, who cares what other people would think?
I'm walking with pretty girls. I'm winning in life. The two idiots glaring in my direction had nothing to show for themselves, so they were definitely not worth my time.
Damn it, Kōenji! You're definitely rubbing off on me.
Speaking of the blonde narcissist, he declined my invitation to have lunch with us because he would be embarking on a "scouting mission," which in Kōenji language meant "see if there are seniors worth my time."
I wanted to have lunch with him, but I also knew that I wouldn't be able to dictate Kōenji no matter how much he respected me, so I simply let him do what he wanted to do. I did manage to get his contact information, however.
As disinterested as Kōenji might be about what this school was all about, he's someone that'll prove valuable to my mission here.
"You're so mean, Kiyotaka."
I turned my head to my right and was met by Yuki's pouting face, making me curious about what I did to have her pout at me.
"Why?" I asked.
Yuki glared at me, making me even more confused. "Are you actually embarrassed by people knowing we have a connection? What's with calling me Tsubaki earlier? Or... have you somehow fallen in love with your witch of a seatmate? I demand answers, Kiyotaka!"
Oh, so that's what she's upset over.
You're being a little overdramatic, Yuki.
"That's a little too extreme, Yuki. Why would I even fall in love with Horikita? I simply called you by your last name because I thought it'd be the appropriate way to address you in front of Chabashira-sensei. If I were embarrassed to be seen with you, I wouldn't be walking with you now, would I?" I rhetorically asked.
"You're forgiven this time! But that's the last time you're ever going to call me Tsubaki, got it?" Yuki got in my face and demanded.
"Yes, ma'am."
Yuki smiled and then patted my shoulder. "That's a good boy!"
Am I a child now?
"You get worked up over the smallest of things, Yuki-chan. Are you sure you're actually mentally and emotionally capable of being in a high school?" Chiaki chimed in, throwing a thinly veiled insult at Yuki, who gritted her teeth upon hearing her words.
"Would you like it if Kiyotaka called you Matsushita?" Yuki countered.
"Fine. You got a point there," Chiaki conceded.
"See? So do you agree that Kiyotaka was being a Kiyotaka earlier?" Yuki asked, a cheeky grin plastered on her face as she gauged my reaction to her words.
I'm not giving you the satisfaction, Yuki.
Chiaki nodded her head. "Yep, totally! You should apologize to Yuki-chan, Kiyotaka-kun!" She berated me as if she were an angry mother.
"Fine. Sorry, Yuki."
"Say it with more emotions," Yuki demanded.
I turned my head toward Yuki and stared at the cheeky girl for a few moments before I flicked her in the forehead.
It doesn't hurt, but it would annoy Yuki, completing my objective for my revenge.
"Kiyotaka!"
"That's what you get for being cheeky," I replied, leading Chiaki to giggle.
You really shouldn't have done that, Chiaki. That made me remember you were as part of the skit as Yuki was.
I turned my head to Chiaki and did the same to her.
"Same goes for you," I added.
Chiaki simply brushed it off, staying true to her dignified and elegant aura.
"Yuki-chan, were you actually serious about buying the right to transfer seats earlier, or were you just testing Chabashira-sensei?" Chiaki asked Yuki, who was thankfully no longer upset at what I did.
"Why wouldn't I be serious about wanting to sit next to Kiyotaka? But yeah, I was trying to see what anything meant as well. Unfortunately, it's still bounded by Japanese laws, so I couldn't buy Kiyotaka. I was initially planning on saving up points just for that," Yuki replied.
Only Yuki would test out a hypothesis while at the same time trying to achieve a secondary objective.
That said, what the hell is wrong with you, Yuki? No one is allowed to buy me. That's never happening. Ever.
"You need to be locked up in a mental asylum, Yuki-chan," Chiaki replied in a dry tone.
I agree.
"Why? I'm sure you'd also think of the same thing if it was remotely possible, you damned stalker," Yuki bit back.
"What?! I'm not a stalker!"
You're not fooling anyone, Chiaki. You're just lucky you're beautiful enough to get away with it.
"That said, I'm still pissed off at the fact that the witch declined! Did she already fall for your charms, Kiyotaka? I wouldn't blame her, but I won't accept it. Chiaki and Tsubasa are already hard enough to deal with. I don't want more women popping up," Yuki whined at the end, which was a little entertaining.
"Even if that were the case, I don't think you should be worried. Horikita has no chance to be with me if that's going to be her personality," I reassured her.
But I soon realized my mistake when I was met with a glare not just from Yuki but from Chiaki too.
"So she'll have a chance if she changes her personality? Is that what you were saying, Kiyotaka-kun?" Chiaki asked.
"You are putting words in my mouth," I replied in exasperation.
"Ayanokōji-kun, Tsubaki-san!"
Yuki and I turned our heads and saw Hirata and...four women walk in our direction. Yuki, Chiaki, and I went ahead of the class, so Hirata and his entourage separated from the class when they headed our way. Why would he do that?
And most importantly, did he form a harem already?
"Hirata, was it?" I asked.
The dirty-blonde-haired boy nodded his head and gave us a smile.
"What can we do for you?" Yuki asked.
"Also, did you ignore me, Hirata-kun?" Chiaki had a sour look on her face as she asked that.
Hirata let out a nervous chuckle. "I apologize, Matsushita-san! I was just calling out to Ayanokōji-kun and Tsubaki-san to thank them for what they did earlier during the introductions. If they didn't stop Sudo-kun from leaving, a lot of the class probably would have followed him out too," he replied.
So he also noticed it too, huh? That makes me glad because that means he's not just socially competent, but he could also pick up on subtle changes in body language.
After noticing Chiaki had been placated by his words, Hirata turned his head to Yuki and I. "I'd just like to thank you both again for helping me out earlier with the introductions," Hirata repeated his words but said them directly to us to properly convey his gratitude. What a good guy.
"Don't sweat it, Hirata. Since we're going to be classmates for the next three years, I think it'd be for the best if we all got familiar with each other. Besides, Sudo is probably just rough around the edges, so we have to be extra patient with him," I replied.
I'm talking way too much like a Riajuu, aren't I? The things I do to get things done, I guess. I will definitely tone it down because I might have an identity crisis if I keep pretending.
"What he said. And then, I'd also like for everyone to get along too. I don't want Sudo to be an outcast in class," Yuki added.
"That's to be expected from them, you know? Yuki-chan is nice, and Kiyotaka-kun has always tried to help out anyone, even if he sounds like he doesn't care about people just about all the time," Chiaki chimed in.
Hey, why aren't you giving Yuki backhanded praise as you did to me? That's unfair. Wasn't she supposed to be your rival in love, Chiaki?
Yuki, Hirata, as well as some of the women with him, giggled at Chiaki's backhanded praise.
"I could definitely tell they're both considerate people, Matsushita-san. Also, am I correct in assuming that the three of you already know each other before entering this school?" He asked.
What's with these nothing questions? While I have improved as a conversationalist, I still find myself a bit drained by small talk. Yes, Hirata, we know each other. Calling each other by our first names should be indicator enough.
"Yup! Kiyotaka-kun here is even my future husband," Chiaki declared before clinging to my arm.
"What the hell are you talking about, Chiaki-chan? Kiyotaka already rejected you. Shoo, shoo! Get yourself another man."
Yuki's face had a rather ethereal smile etched on it, but her words definitely were the complete opposite of her outward elegance.
I saw the women around Hirata looking surprised at Chiaki and Yuki's brazen admittance of their shared attraction toward me, so I let out a sigh. Sure, I do not mind the attention, but I hope it wouldn't lead to unsavory rumors.
"No way! It's not like you're Kiyotaka-kun's girlfriend, you know?" Chiaki fired back.
I tuned out their conversation because I could tell it'd just give me a headache. Since Hirata conveniently made his way to us, I decided to engage him in a conversation.
"I'm really impressed by your confidence in leading the class through the introductions earlier, Hirata," I complimented the boy, who had a sheepish smile on his face.
I figured starting off with a compliment would be a good way to start off the conversation positively, and it seemed like Hirata took it well.
"I just did what I felt was necessary to do, Ayanokōji-kun. Chabashira-sensei said we would be sticking together for three years, so it should be obvious for the class to start being familiar with each other," Hirata replied.
"Were you also able to pick up anything else with what Chabashira-sensei announced?" I asked him so that I could gauge where his intuition and deduction levels were.
Hirata rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't really get much beyond what you and Tsubaki-san asked, Ayanokōji-kun. All I have is a little suspicion that there was more to what Chabashira-sensei had shared," he replied.
I suppose that's good enough. He wasn't blinded by the smokescreen of being given a ridiculous amount of allowance.
"I have a question to ask, Ayanokōji-kun."
I turned my head to the short, indigo-haired girl who was part of Hirata's entourage. If I remember correctly, she prefers being called Mii-chan, but I don't think I could talk to her with that much familiarity right away.
And it feels weird for me to call someone as "chan." Tsubasa's saved contact info as puppy-chan was more of a joke, so it didn't count.
"What is it, Wang?"
Wang looked a little startled at the indifferent tone I used in addressing her, which actually caused her to freeze a little bit.
"Ah, my apologies. I didn't mean to sound cold. I'm just not used to calling people by nicknames, and I don't really use honorifics," I told the girl, who was relieved at finding out I wasn't annoyed by her.
"You told sensei you were suspicious of the money the school would give out. Do you think we won't get 100,000 points next month?"
I didn't show it in my face, but I was pleased with what Wang said. If someone aside from the obvious notable students in the class also thought that the entire premise of financial security was dubious, then it wouldn't be too hard to convince most of the class.
"It really depends, Wang. I do not know for certain how the school would judge us, but just to be safe, I wouldn't be needlessly spending my points," I replied.
"I agree with you there, Ayanokōji-kun. It'd be risky to spend so many points when we do not know how many points we'd be getting next month," Hirata added.
"You too, Hirata-kun? Aw man, I was looking forward to spending points on buying clothes, but if there's a chance we wouldn't be getting as many points next month, it'd probably be better if I held back on my spending," the brown-haired girl, Sato Maya, added.
"What do you think, Karuizawa-san?" The other brown-haired girl in the group, Mori Nene, asked the ponytailed, blond-haired girl, who surprisingly did not insert herself in our conversation. Instead, she just talked to Sato and Mori about some girl stuff that I did not understand. She did seem to be listening in to our conversation as I caught her sending us side glances from time to time.
"I'm still going to buy what I want, but if Hirata-kun also thinks it'll be risky to spend carelessly, I would hold back on spending too. Ahh mou~! I hope we still get a lot of points next month. I'd be excited over nothing if we won't be getting a lot of points," Karuizawa lamented.
"What are you guys talking about?" Chiaki asked, finally having finished her banter with Yuki, who was pouting.
Did Chiaki beat Yuki this time?
I'll have to ask her later because their mini-debates were always interesting.
"We were talking about the question Chabashira-sensei deflected earlier. It seems like they also noticed something was amiss," I replied.
"It should be obvious. Chabashira-sensei wouldn't have deflected your question if the school was hiding nothing," Chiaki replied.
"We're almost in the gymnasium now, so we can talk about that later, Chiaki-chan," Yuki said, and indeed the gymnasium for the entrance ceremony was now visible.
What an impressive-looking building.
"Hirata and harem, you guys want to have lunch with us?" I offered.
Well, I only wanted to talk with Hirata to ask if he wanted to help with my plan, but it seemed the girls with Hirata weren't completely useless, so I wouldn't be opposed to having them with us as well.
"H-Harem?!" Karuizawa exclaimed in an indignant tone.
The rest of the girls with Hirata weren't faring any better, as Mori and Sato were visibly flustered, while Wang hid her face with her palms.
"I was joking. But the offer still stands," I clarified.
"Geeez! It's hard to tell when you sound the same even when joking, you know?" Karuizawa replied.
"That's right! It's hard to tell with Kiyotaka-kun sometimes," Chiaki chimed in.
Hirata, the proclaimed Harem King, proved his social aptitude as he did not show his outward embarrassment. I could tell, however, that he was also embarrassed by what I said.
"If it's fine with Tsubaki-san and Matsushita-san, then I'd like to have lunch with you guys. How about you girls?" Hirata turned to the four girls, who just nodded at his words.
What impressive control over people who you haven't met for half a day. Impressive, Hirata.
"Then that settles it. Let's go to the cafeteria later after the Entrance Ceremony," I declared.
"Sounds like a plan!" Chiaki affirmed.
"I call dibs on the chair next to Kiyotaka!" Yuki exclaimed.
Chiaki giggled. "You're so silly. School cafeterias have wide tables, Yuki-chan, so there should be enough room for both of us."
Yuki didn't really have the chance to go to a normal school, Chiaki, so her unawareness should be expected. While I was in the same boat, I saw enough anime to confirm what she said.
"Enough about that. We're here now," I pointed out.
All eight of us stared at the gymnasium doors before finally entering.
For a school with so few students, the gymnasium is rather large as you could probably multiply the students here by four, and the gymnasium still wouldn't be half-filled.
I began observing the other first years aside from us, although I doubt it'd be productive given there are just too many people around to accurately gauge who I should look out for.
Well, speaking of people to look out for...
I just saw a pink-haired girl, and judging from what I have seen in anime...
I will definitely stay away from her.
2.1
Despite its anime school-like premise and traits, the Entrance Ceremony of ANHS was as mundane as it could get. Some important people offered words of encouragement and advice, as well as setting out primary expectations for the students. It had gotten so boring to the point that I could guarantee that a quarter of the students were asleep in the middle of the ceremony. Yamauchi and Ike were the most prominent, openly yawning in the ceremony as if they were uncivilized filth.
Hopefully, I can get something out of these two because it'd be a pain if they had no skills that the class could take advantage of.
After someone, who I didn't bother to remember, finished his closing remarks and dismissed the students, the crowd slowly dispersed. There were plenty of lone wolves, but there were also some students who had managed to form groups around them, one of which was the pink-haired girl that I am vowing to avoid in the foreseeable future.
I was probably wrong because she seemed to radiate wholesome energy like Hirata, but her hair color was enough for me to be wary of her. After all, Lucy from Elfen Lied had an innocent side, but she also murdered the family of her love interest.
If I do end up being wrong about her, I hope everyone blames Eiichiro for it.
"Ayanokōji-boy!"
I turned my head in the direction of the voice, and as expected, I was met with the ever-so-confident visage of Kōenji.
"You're still here? I thought you were going to go on a 'scouting mission,' Kōenji," I replied.
Kōenji grinned. "That's right, and I'm just waiting for you, Ayanokōji-boy! Didn't you say you're a bit interested in what I'm planning to do?"
I never said that...
"Were you actually planning to go with Kōenji on a 'scouting mission,' Kiyotaka?" Yuki had a smile on her face as she asked that question, but the smile didn't fool me. I could sense the malice from a mile away.
Oh, you blonde bastard. This was your revenge for what happened on the bus earlier, wasn't it?
"Ha Ha Ha! It would seem you'd have to tame one of your women, so I'll be going off on my own, Ayanokōji-boy! Needless to say, you will be the first person to know when this Perfect Existence inevitably succeeds in his conquest. Ha Ha Ha!" Kōenji waved at us before disappearing into the crowd.
I'll get you back for this, Kōenji.
As Kōenji left, Yuki's glare disappeared. She seemed to have realized it was just a rib from Kōenji and promptly calmed down. I sighed in relief at the fact that Yuki's capable of being rational when facts were presented to her because that talent is definitely rare in a woman.
For a girl with mental issues, she seemed better adjusted than some of the women I keep reading about on Reddit.
"Kōenji has a petty side to him, doesn't he?" Chiaki pointed out.
"How come you didn't react like how Yuki initially did?" I curiously asked.
"It's obvious Kōenji was trying to get either of us pissed at you. That's obviously not going to work on me," Chiaki replied matter-of-factly.
"Hmph. I'll get that arrogant bastard back for getting me worried at Kiyotaka turning into a womanizer," Yuki said.
"Is Kōenji-kun also one of your friends before entering the school, Ayanokōji-kun?" Hirata asked, finally making his way in our direction, and as expected, the four women with him weren't that far behind.
"I guess you can say that. That delusional guy lives in his own world, though, so it'll be hard to reach him," I replied.
Hirata chuckled. "Kōenji-kun also has this scary aura, but your description of him made me laugh a little," he said.
"I call it as I see it. Anyways, I think we should head for lunch now," I suggested.
"Yeah! I'm getting a little hungry already," Sato said.
Yuki, who was talking with Chiaki over something, came up to us and smiled. "Wait up, guys! Before we head to the cafeteria, would it be fine with you if we all exchanged contact information?"
Good thinking, Yuki!
"Oh, that's a great idea, Tsubaki-san! Now that we're all friends here, we should be able to contact each other even outside school hours!" Sato cheered before taking out the school-issued phone from her pocket.
The others also agreed to the proposal, so with that, we exchanged our contact information.
After we all exchanged contact information, I now had eight new contacts on my phone. Hirata and his harem, Yuki, Chiaki, and Kōenji. Not bad, Kiyotaka!
"You seem quite happy, Kiyotaka," Yuki pointed out.
"I now have plenty of contacts on my phone. It calls for a celebration," I replied.
Yuki giggled at my reply. "You sound like a social outcast," she joked.
"Tsubaki-san really has a sharp tongue, doesn't she?" I heard Mori point out.
I shook my head in amusement. "Do I? Last time I checked, social outcasts don't have two extremely beautiful girls clinging to them on their way to school," I replied.
Yuki pinched my shoulder and looked away. "Ba-Baka Kiyotaka! Do not say things like that with such an empty-sounding voice," she reprimanded.
Hey, what was that for?
I can't help the way I sound, Yuki.
2.2
After some time walking, we finally made our way to the cafeteria.
While scanning the vicinity, I found something interesting. I immediately tapped Yuki on the shoulder, immediately catching her attention.
"Yuki, look to your right," I said, pointing my index finger in the direction of what I wanted Yuki to notice. The blonde-haired girl immediately followed and saw what I was referring to.
"Seems like there's a free lunch set option here... and people are somehow picking it out," she pointed out.
"What do you think about it, Yuki?" I asked.
"I think we both have similar conclusions, Kiyotaka," Yuki replied.
I nodded my head. "If you're thinking about how this was definitive proof that not all students are given 100,000 monthly, you'd be right."
"Wait, what do you mean by that? Isn't it possible that they're just thinking the same as us and were saving money?" Karuizawa asked.
I paid no mind to Karuizawa's question and decided to walk in the direction of the free set offered in the cafeteria. My companions were curious about what I intended to do and followed suit.
"Are you taking one of the free sets, young man?" The attendant manning the area asked.
"Oh, not really. I'm just examining all the options in the cafeteria," I replied.
Vegetable lunch sets, huh?
Let's consider a hypothetical scenario.
Imagine you're a student in an elite academy that was supposed to give you a 100,000 monthly stipend simply because you were admitted to the school. Surely, 100,000 is a hefty amount for a teenager, right?
Now, you find yourself inside a cafeteria with so many options to choose from. If you have the means or at least can afford to spend a little, would you consider taking the bland vegetable set that looks like it doesn't have any flavor?
Of course, you won't.
The handbook provided that students were given money on their individual accounts on the first of every month, so assuming all students do equally receive 100,000 a month, it should be almost impossible for any student to willingly buy the free lunch set today.
The fact that some students are already picking up the vegetable lunch set is already a strong argument against the notion of students being given 100,000 a month, no strings attached.
"They're not saving money, Karuizawa. They don't have money at all," I replied to Karuizawa's earlier words before walking off and buying myself actual food.
Of course, I said it in a whisper because I did not want to offend the seniors who didn't have anything to do with me.
"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Karuizawa asked in a rather demanding tone.
Tone it down a little, Karuizawa. We might get unwanted attention that I actually did not want to have.
"I'll explain later. Let's order first," I replied.
"Wait, Ayanokōji-kun. We don't have a table yet. How about everyone else order while I find us a table?" Hirata offered.
"A...ano, you don't have to do that, Hirata-kun. If you guys would like it, I could sit at a table while you guys buy lunch. I'm not really that comfortable around crowds, so I'll be fine," Wang offered.
"Are you sure about that, Mii-chan? What would you like to buy then? Don't worry about the points. You can just pay me back later," Chiaki said to the indigo-haired girl, who nodded at Chiaki's question before telling Chiaki what she'd like to have.
Wang soon separated from the group and sat at a table that was sort of isolated from everyone else in the cafeteria. She's quite the smart girl, isn't she? Wang was aware we might be having a conversation that needed to be kept away from certain ears and found the perfect inconspicuous spot for us to have that conversation.
"She's smart," Yuki, who was also observing Wang, said offhandedly.
I nodded my head and then continued to walk toward the line where students were gathered.
Before we knew it, we were next in line, and wow, there were plenty of options on the cafeteria menu.
"This school really offers just about anything, huh? It's like we're in a restaurant instead," Mori said in wonder as her eyes scanned the menu.
I agree with her assessment seeing as there was some food on the menu that you wouldn't even see in normal restaurants. Just what the hell is with this school?
Soon after, everyone was done placing their orders, and it didn't take long for our orders to be delivered and directly placed on a food tray.
Hirata, like the gentleman he was, was the one who carried Wang's food, leading the reserved girl to blush upon realizing Hirata himself did her a favor.
After settling into our table, we all uttered short prayers of gratitude before starting to eat.
"Okay, spill it now, Ayanokōji," Karuizawa spoke in a rather demanding tone.
Why do I feel like Karuizawa was forcing this tough girl act? Oh well, it's none of my business anyway.
Yuki glared at the blonde. "Couldn't you ask in a nicer tone, Karuizawa-san?"
"Let it go, Yuki. She's probably just a little agitated because I didn't answer her right away," I replied in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
After seeing Yuki calm down, I spoke once again. "It's simple. No one in their right mind would willingly eat a vegetable lunch set unless they were broke... or vegetarian. But considering today is April 1, it should be impossible for students to spend all of the 100,000 that should have just been deposited into their accounts, and since all those people lining up were obviously upperclassmen, it should be easy to tell that they either have zero points or have really low monthly deposits that they needed to be mindful of their spending."
Karuizawa's eyes widened. "That does make sense! How the hell were you able to tell right away, Ayanokōji? You must be some sort of genius!" She exclaimed in praise.
Thank you, Karuizawa. It's been a while since a girl praised me.
"I'm not too sure about genius, but I've always been aware of my surroundings," I cooly replied.
"I don't think Karuizawa-san is far off the mark, Ayanokōji-kun. Your observation really was impressive!" Hirata praised.
"They're right, Ayanokōji-kun! You must be some sort of super genius manufactured in a laboratory!" Sato exclaimed.
If only you knew how close you are to the truth, Sato.
Chiaki giggled. "The laboratory seemed to have forgotten to put expressiveness in the formula, then."
"I know, right? Kiyotaka wasn't even smiling at anyone until last year. His programmers must have finally given him emotional triggers," Yuki added.
"Why are the two of you making fun of me?"
"You deserve it," Yuki replied.
"What she said."
The rest of the group laughed at the exchange. I can't say I'm that bothered about it because, on the contrary, I found myself appreciative of the experience.
So this is the beauty of high school life, huh? Friends, memories, experiences, and company. It's not a bad way to live.
"You girls didn't see the memo? Today was supposed to be "No Insults to Kiyotaka Day," and you have just violated its sanctity," I joked.
Karuizawa snickered before it turned to full-blown laughter. "Pfft! Even his jokes sound robotic!"
"Nice observation, Karuizawa-san! We hereby give you permission to call him Robotkōji-kun," Chiaki announced as if she was the head of a committee that decides how a person could address me.
Where are my individual human rights again? I will not stand for this slander.
"Your girlfriends sure are mean, Robotkōji-kun," Karuizawa noted and used the slanderous nickname Chiaki allowed her to use.
"G-Girlfriends?!" Chiaki exclaimed.
"No way! I'm not sharing Kiyotaka," Yuki protested.
With how friendly you are with Chiaki and Tsubasa, I highly doubt that Yuki.
That said, she might genuinely go crazy if she finds out another girl aside from Chiaki and Tsubasa fancied me. If I had to guess, the reason she even tolerates Chiaki and Tsubasa was solely based on the fact that I would most likely have left her alone had Tsubasa and Chiaki not been part of my life, and she was grateful for it.
"We're getting sidetracked here," I muttered under my breath.
"Fiiiiine, we'll stop teasing you now, Kiyotaka-kun, as long as you admit Robotkōji-kun is a funny nickname," Chiaki said.
I shook my head at Chiaki's childishness. "If I agreed to that, you'll just see it as a go-signal to call me that. No way," I replied.
"Well... now that Kiyotaka had discussed how weird the school really is, how do we convince our classmates that the school isn't as lenient as it presented itself to be?" Yuki asked.
I smiled at Yuki. She at least deserved that for picking up on what I was trying to do here.
"He... he smiled!" Karuizawa spoke in shock as if she had found a lost treasure or something.
"And it looks really friendly too! How was that even possible?" Sato chimed in.
"Hey, that's just rude, you guys," I protested.
My protest went to deaf ears as they all just laughed at my indignant reply.
"Going back to what Tsubaki-san said, I think we could try to talk to the class tomorrow before lunch and then share what we have found out," Hirata suggested.
Decent plan, but it still has flaws.
"There's still the issue of whether or not the information we have is convincing enough. Aside from that, the first question our classmates would be asking would revolve around the thought of 'how do we keep our points,' or something like that," Chiaki added.
A lightbulb seemed to have found its way to my head. Sure, I have already planned on doing what I'm planning to do, but this would definitely increase its effectiveness.
"Good points, Chiaki. I already have a theory on how it works. Do you guys want to hear it?" I asked.
Obviously, everyone nodded. I simply asked them just to set the tone.
"If you have any ideas on how our points may potentially be deducted, our ears are open to hearing it, Ayanokōji-kun," Hirata affirmed.
"This is just a theory, but seeing as this school is meritocratic by nature, it'd be safe to assume that our points would be decided based on academics and behavior. So if possible, people shouldn't come to school late, use their phones in class, sleep in class, and basic stuff like that," I replied.
Yuki's eyes widened in realization as if she had just recalled something. "This is different from what we're talking about right now, but it's kind of connected. Remember what Chabashira-sensei mentioned earlier? About how the amount we would receive reflects the evaluation of our worth?"
I found myself amazed at what Yuki said and what I felt she was going to say. She's definitely proving herself to still be brilliant despite the trauma she had endured. What Yuki was pointing to is almost similar to the theory that I had just made.
Yuki's observation correlates with my theory of "class points" as well as "class hierarchy." Well then, let's see how far you've read the situation, Yuki.
"What do you mean?" Chiaki asked.
"I think the points we receive are directly connected to our class. The handout, as well as Chabashira-sensei's words, had proven the existence of meritocracy in this school, so if we analyze the concept of "evaluation of your worth," it would bring us to one logical outcome: we, as a class, would have to work together to show the school what we're worth," Yuki answered.
Close enough, but impressive nonetheless.
"My mind couldn't absorb what you guys are talking about. Why am I surrounded by geniuses?" Sato jokingly complained.
"What Yuki is saying was that Chabashira-sensei's words were indicator enough that we may be partaking in class competitions. Meaning, our class needs to be united and on the same page since we'll also be competing against other classes," I explained.
"Are you sure about this, Ayanokōji-kun?" Hirata asked.
"I am at least 99.9% sure of it," I confirmed.
"That's a rather high percentage," Mori pointed out.
Yuki giggled. "Because that's how likely the theory is. We just need evidence now to convince the class of our theory," she explained.
"Do you think the other classes are aware of this, Ayanokōji-kun, Tsubaki-san?" Hirata asked.
"At least one of the classes probably does, but I don't think it's that easy to notice because the 100,000 points incentive, as well as other promises of leniency, are already effective smokescreens that would lull people into a false sense of security," I answered.
"That's true, and even if they knew about it, they'd probably not do anything about it for the moment. Everyone knows that you're supposed to take it easy on the first month of school," Chiaki added.
"I really feel like I'm out of place in this conversation. You guys are just crazy smart."
This time, it was Mori who spoke.
"Don't say that, Mori-san! You have a place in this conversation, you know?" Yuki reassured Mori, who smiled at her.
"We're all friends here, so you're not out of place, Mori-san," Hirata said.
"Thanks, guys!" Mori spoke before once again smiling.
I let the scene breathe for a while, and upon noticing that most of us had finished eating, I figured this would be the apt time to share what I wanted to do.
"That said, I have a plan that is less time-consuming. Since a lot of our theories have more or less been proven, I am confident of making this move," I said.
"What would that be, Ayanokōji-kun?" Hirata asked.
"Listen closely because I'll be needing everyone's help to make it work," I said to everyone at the table before I began describing my plan to them as well as how we were going to implement it.
While earlier in the classroom, I was thinking of sending people out for a recon mission, the unexpected growth of my intended party as well as evidence that conveniently laid on our laps, I decided to change approaches.
Do you know what the easiest and most powerful weapon that anyone can use is?
It's a risky double-edged sword, and it's called lying.
But in this case, it will yield absolute success because I am certain of the points that I am going to make.
Now, I just needed the cooperation of the seven people who were with me so the plan could even be more flawless.
"I'm certain of what I'm going to unveil, so this really wouldn't be a gamble. All I need is for you guys to agree with my plan," I said.
"If Kiyotaka is sure about what he's doing, I would, of course, support him," Yuki replied.
"When Kiyotaka-kun acts this assertive, he's most likely sure about his plans," Chiaki added.
"I... I guess it wouldn't actually be lying. It's probably how we could convince our classmates to see things our way," Hirata affirmed
That seemed to be the convincing the rest of the girls needed, as they were soon on board with my plan.
And thank God they did.
My pocket would have felt the pain if they had disagreed with my plan.
Well then... let's now set things in motion.
2.3
"You're truly as amazing as your file had suggested, Ayanokōji. The same principle also applies to Tsubaki, I suppose."
After our endeavor in the cafeteria, Yuki and I headed to the Faculty Room to meet with Chabashira-sensei. Chabashira-sensei then led us to a more private space after I told her of a concern I wished to address.
Chiaki was supposed to join in, but she was dragged along by Karuizawa and Sato on a shopping trip. Yuki was invited, but she hadn't really shown an interest in fashion, so it was easy for her to decline.
The reason why we looked for Chabashira-sensei was to ask how much buying the homeroom schedule would cost, and upon asking the question, Chabashira-sensei's face broke out into an uncharacteristic grin.
"So how much for it, Chabashira-sensei?" I pressed.
"It's a thousand yen per minute, so if you want to consume the entire homeroom session, that would be 30,000 points," she answered.
I turned my head to Yuki. "Do you think 30 minutes would be enough, Yuki?" I asked.
Yuki had a contemplative look on her face before she nodded her head. "It'll be enough, I think. We just have to make it clear from the get-go so that even the slower ones could understand it," she replied.
"Mind if I ask what the two of you are going to use the Homeroom time for?" Chabashira-sensei asked.
"To tell everyone about the anomalies we found out about the school," I answered.
Chabashira-sensei chuckled. "You've already gathered that much in less than a day?"
"If I told you about my hypothesis, would you confirm if they were true or not?" I asked.
Chabashira-sensei shook her head. "I am not at any liberty to give you straightforward answers, but if what you're saying proves to be interesting enough, I may lead you somewhere," she replied.
"I see. I'm going to tell the class about the existence of class competitions and the potential existence of some sort of class points that could be tied to our private points," I said.
Chabashira-sensei's face didn't show any sign of change, but her body definitely did, as she dropped her hands after my statement, as if to say, "how?"
"The class competition part is easy to guess. The whole messaging about meritocracy and evaluating our collective worth brought me to that conclusion... and as for class points or whatever it's actually called... that was the currency you were aiming for me to spend earlier, wasn't it? That's how I figured out something like that existed."
Normally, I wouldn't bother explaining to Chabashira-sensei how I figured things out, but I needed to do this so I could get her cooperation.
Aside from purchasing the time slot for homeroom, I needed Chabashira-sensei to play along with the scene that I had crafted. It's basically an insurance policy so that even the unruly students would be contemplative about the points we would be raising.
To get her cooperation, Chabashira-sensei would have to see that our visions align.
"Good guesses. Now, what do you want me to do, Ayanokōji?"
I inwardly smiled. Straight to business, huh? Just as how I like it.
"If possible, I'd like for you to present our time in class as if we would be revealing interesting findings about the school. If our classmates saw that our move was being endorsed by a teacher, they'd be more likely to pay attention to whatever we're going to say," I replied.
Chabashira-sensei smirked. "A sound social engineering plan, Ayanokōji. I think that's within my power, but for obvious reasons, I will not be laying it on thick," she answered.
"As long as you'll help us out, that'll be great," I replied.
"What an incredible duo the two of you are, Tsubaki, Ayanokōji," Chabashira-sensei shook her head as a nostalgic expression made its way to her gorgeous features.
After formulating a contract, I transferred 30,000 points to Chabashira-sensei, which confirmed our transaction that would be manifested the same day.
Before we left the Faculty Room, I opened up the newly created group chat, which consisted of Hirata and his harem, Yuki, Chiaki, and of course, me.
Yuki, upon seeing what I did, followed suit. This girl certainly has initiative, that's for sure.
[Hey guys. We've just finished with Chabashira-sensei. It's a success]
[Kei: Did she confirm what you said earlier?]
[Yuki: More or less. She just told us she couldn't outright confirm it but would give hints if we were right]
[And we were right]
[Chiaki: That's great, you guys! Also, you two better not be going on a date!]
[Yuki: We are on a date now. Sucks to be you, Chiaki!]
[Chiaki: It's only a date if Kiyotaka-kun thinks it's a date ( ｡ •̀ ᴗ - ) ✧]
[Yuki: Don't care. It's a date ～ ( ' ε ｀ )]
[Yousuke: Great news, Ayanokōji-kun! How much did it cost?]
[1,000 per minute, so it cost us 30,000 points total]
[Yousuke: That's cheaper than I thought. Well then, all of us will transfer 4,000 points each to you guys]
[Yuki: Divide it by 3. 3 of you will give 4,000 to Kiyotaka, and the other 3 will give 4,000 to me. Is that fine with everyone?]
[Maya: Fine by me!]
[Mii-chan me too]
[Kei: Sure sure]
[Yuki: Mii-chan, Chiaki-chan, and Sato-san will be the ones sending to me, and the rest will do the same to Kiyotaka]
[Haaaah! Today was so draining, wasn't it? And it's just the first day!]
[Yuki: And whose fault do you think it was, Kiyotaka? ಠ ︵ ಠ]
[My bad]
[Yousuke: See you all at school tomorrow!]
After a couple more minutes of chatting, I finally closed my phone and turned to Chabashira-sensei, who was reading a newspaper.
"We'll be going now, Chabashira-sensei. A pleasure to do business with you," I said to her.
Chabashira-sensei nodded at us but said nothing more. With that, we decided to finally leave the Faculty Office and head out to the dorms.
And yes...
Yuki had decided to visit my dorm before she even entered hers.
Once we arrived at the dormitory building, we immediately headed to the reception desk.
At the reception desk, the receptionist asked for my Student ID, and upon cross-checking with their database, she gave me a keycard for Room 401 as well as a handbook containing information about the dormitory's rules and a rough map of the entire building, including fire exit spots. Yuki, on the other hand, was assigned to Room 911... a rather appropriate room number for her if we're thinking about other countries. Japan's direct-dial emergency number is 119, but hey, the joke should still work.
I opened the handbook we received and began reading through the important information it had while walking toward the elevator.
The school definitely isn't that harsh, even if you somehow ran out of points. From the offered toiletries and food to the free electricity and water supply, you're definitely not going to die.
The experience would be shit, though. But hey, at least you're not dead.
"You should invest in soundproofing in the future, Kiyotaka," Yuki suddenly said.
What is wrong with you, woman?
"And why would I do that?"
"Oyaa? Don't tell me you're feigning ignorance of the growing desire of your male body. Just remember, if you need help with that, you're free to call me," the cheeky woman responded and then pressed her body against me.
"You don't even have any experience in it. If I needed help, I'd call someone like Chabashira-sensei instead," I replied.
I knew it was a risky joke, but Yuki's words made me imagine things that I'd rather not imagine in public.
I had to get my revenge.
Yuki glared at me. "You're such a Kiyotaka!" She exclaimed.
"I know. You told me too many times already, and I don't care," I replied dismissively before opening my dorm room using my keycard.
"Why would you even think about doing it with sensei? Wouldn't it be better if we had our first time together? Tsk! You're so mean!"
"Why are you even talking about us having sex, Yuki? That's not normal behavior," I said in exasperation.
From the year since we had reunited, Yuki had shown subtle hints of wanting to be physical with me, but this was the first time she was forward about it. I wonder if the thought of being in an isolated school brought her the idea of teasing me about doing it.
Can't say I'm opposed to the idea, but I have an image to uphold.
Yuki tiptoed and was now almost level with my height. I could certainly smell her scent as well as feel her breaths. Doesn't she know this is too much stimulation for a teenager?
"Hehe~! Just trying to tease you, Kiyotaka! But if you end up wanting it... I wouldn't say no, you know?"
I wonder if women raised in the White Room were all wired to have horny tendencies. I hope Yuki ends up being the only one.
(Narrator Voice: Kiyotaka's hopes would eventually be dashed a year later)
"I won't even bother with replying to that, Yuki."
Yuki paid my reply no mind because upon seeing my bed, she bent over before leaping on it... and as she leaped, I could definitely see her underwear.
Damn it, I'm definitely going to have a cold shower later on.
Also... I just remembered that I had forgotten something.
I didn't tell Horikita anything about what I had planned. Not that it matters because the plan would work with or without Horikita. Hirata and the others were more than useful enough.
That said, I hope she wouldn't be too upset about being left in the dark. It's her fault for keeping to herself anyways.
End of Chapter
A/N: I initially planned to include the scene of Kiyo's big reveal in this chapter, but I ended up having way too much fun giving Kei, Nene, Maya, and Mii-chan some development so their introduction, alongside Hirata, ate up space for the chapter. I didn't particularly mind it because doing so would eventually give me more characters to spotlight down the line.
1. I'm not sure if my idea of using Hirata and his group as Kiyo's first lackeys were good, but I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you guys did as well. My alternative was for Kiyo to tap Kushida as well, but since I had established Yuki to be at their level of social aptitude, I decided against it. Aside from that, Kushida and Kiyo didn't really have much interaction for him to reach out to her.
2. Kiyotaka's plan is not something I'd call incredibly impressive, but it will have a high success rate because his gamble was actually on point. You will get what I mean in the next chapter. (Clue: he's not going to act like a textbook smartass and say it's a theory).
3. I omitted the Sudo convenience store scene because Kiyotaka was exposed to a different group in this story. Besides, the only significant information they could get from going to the convenience store would be upperclassmen calling Class D defects. It's not like those seniors were going to extort money from Sudo after finding out he's in Class D. But that now off-screen scene wouldn't be ignored because Sudo would let that information out himself. (Would this be a significant buff to him? Should I do it? Because in my head, I was thinking about how Class D had some sort of idea that this school was weird, but didn't know just HOW weird it was)
4. Horikita was supposed to have screen time in this chapter, but I think it'd be out of character for her to willingly be in the company of so many people this early on, so she basically just did canon Horikita things.
5. While I do understand that in early volumes, Kei was an arrogant bitch, it's basically just a front. Besides, she's said to have a remarkable ability to read the environment and the people around her, so I thought it'd be realistic for her to act the way she did in this chapter. It'd be pointless to antagonize people who were just giving sound insights. (and I do like Kei for how loyal she was to the people she cares about, so it would hurt me to write her negatively)
6. I don't think I am significantly buffing Class D, but I thought that if they had access to certain information early in the game, they would begin thinking like how the characters featured in this chapter would think. Of course, not all of them got it from the get-go. To summarize: Hirata and Mii-chan (owing to their canon intellect) were suspicious of the system because of Kiyo's probing of Chabs, while the rest were more amiable to the idea that the school might not be what it seems to be because of the information they have. (Let me know if my analysis of the situation was wrong. I'd be willing to change it up!)
7. Some people were looking for how our favorite blonde boi would react to Kiyo's comments on the bus, and here you go. It's not really effective because our boi Kiyo had good heroines, but hey, at least he tried.
If you guys feel like it, do feel free to leave suggestions and recommendations under this text. I'll be making sure to read all of them.
See you guys in the next chapter!