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 5 - The Development of Class D
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka
I slowly opened my eyes after a comfortable slumber, only to find myself staring at Chiaki sitting on top of me. I wholeheartedly approve of the sight before me, but I would never openly admit to doing so.
"Good morning, Kiyotaka-kun!" Chiaki greeted me with a cheerful voice.
"To think you'd wake up before I did, Chiaki," I replied. Looking at the wall clock, I saw it was still 5:00 AM, just about the usual time that I would wake up in the morning. It gave me enough time to do my morning workout, take a shower, and do all other things.
I couldn't help but wonder why Chiaki was awake so early, but maybe it was all by design.
"That's the first thing you're going to say? Not a 'good morning' greeting? Seriously, Kiyotaka-kun... you still lack common sense," she complained.
"Good morning, Chiaki," I replied. Her brown-haired face lit up with a wide smile.
"That's so much better!" she exclaimed.
Feeling a bit uneasy with the situation, I asked, "That said, why are you on top of me?"
"Are you complaining?" she teased, pouting her lips.
"Not really. But why?" I pressed.
Chiaki shifted her weight slightly, and it unintentionally stimulated my crotch. It was obviously not her intent, but I couldn't help but feel a bit aroused.
I still blame Eiichiro for introducing me to content typically consumed by men of culture or whatever that means.
"Why not?" she replied with a sly grin.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," I replied, trying to control the sexual tension between us.
Chiaki giggled. "What are you going to do to me? Bend me over? I'm not against that, you know?"
Please don't say things like that when you're on top of me, Chiaki. You're a beautiful girl, and I am a hormonal teenager.
We react to stimulations like these.
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I'd rather not," I joked, trying to play it off as humorous.
"Kiyotaka-kun... why is there a flashlight on your pants?" she asked in an uneasy tone, moving away slightly and poking the 'flashlight.' I couldn't help but chuckle at her surprisingly innocent reaction.
Also, Chiaki... that's my dick.
"It's not a flashlight, Chiaki," I said, trying to keep a straight face. "It's just... morning wood."
Chiaki's face flushed, and she quickly stood up, looking away. "T-That's so embarrassing, Kiyotaka-kun!"
I found myself amused at her reaction. "Sorry about that. It's just a natural bodily function."
"I know, but still..." She trailed off, still not looking at me.
"Seems like you're all talk and no bite, Chiaki," I teased the brown-haired woman, who pouted.
"I am not all talk!" she protested, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Is that so? Then prove it," I challenged her, a mischievous glint showing in my eyes.
Chiaki looked at me, her cheeks still flushed. "You really want me to prove it?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
I nodded, feeling the sexual tension between us grow even stronger. "I do."
Without warning, she pushed me back down on the bed, a flustered look evident on her beautiful face. Chiaki leaned down but stopped as her lips were mere inches away from my own.
Chiaki looked at me with half-lidded eyes. "It still irks me that Yuki was the first of us that got to kiss you on the lips," she confessed, and with our current proximity, I could feel her heavy breaths.
"Then what are you waiting for? I won't resist," I replied.
Upon my invitation, a smirk emerged on Chiaki's face before she steadily reduced the distance between us and pressed her lips to mine. Our kiss was hesitant at first, but as the seconds ticked by, it became more intense and more passionate.
I ran my hands through her silky brown hair, pulling her closer to me while she wrapped her arms around my neck, deepening the kiss. We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, lost in the moment.
Eventually, we pulled away from each other, both of us panting heavily. Chiaki looked at me with a mixture of surprise and desire in her eyes, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph.
"Looks like you're not all talk after all," I said, still cupping one of Chiaki's cheeks with my hand.
Chiaki smirked. "I told you I wasn't."
I admit... I was a little stunned at what had just happened. I was expecting Chiaki to back down, but it seemed like I underestimated her desires.
Not that I'm complaining.
"Hehe~! I can't wait to brag to Yuki that it wasn't me that encouraged our make-out session," she said in a smug tone.
"Are you not scared of what she'd do to you?" I asked.
Chiaki giggled. "She's not going to do anything to me. Remember when we bantered on the first day during lunch?"
I nodded my head.
"The condition was that the winner would get to make out with you," she revealed.
So that was what that was about. It explained why Yuki got angry, now that I thought about it.
"That still doesn't explain how she would just let that go," I replied.
"Well... yesterday, I agreed to let her do the same if she won't react violently to me sleeping here."
To think these two girls would connive for such a devious plot where the only role I played was that of a glorified reward.
Not that I mind it. I would willingly make out with either of them. Internet-sensei did say to not refuse when a blessing is being offered to you.
No, no, no. That's just wrong.
Remain chaste, Kiyotaka.
Hearing no response from me, Chiaki stood up and stretched, giving me a good view of her curves.
I think I would qualify to be a Buddhist monk with how long I remained a virgin with girls as beautiful as Chiaki willing to do... things with me. But I'd rather not go bald.
She noticed my lingering gaze and smirked, "You're such a pervert, Kiyotaka-kun."
I raised an eyebrow, "And you're such a tease, Chiaki."
She laughed, "Maybe we're just a perfect match."
I stood up from the bed, took off my shirt, and stretched as well, "Are we?"
Chiaki said nothing, opting to examine my body. With how intently she was staring at me, it looked like she wanted to burn the image of my firm, muscular frame in her head.
"Who's the pervert now... Ecchiaki?" I fired at Chiaki, who simply giggled at my accusation.
"You took off your shirt in front of me. I'd argue you were deliberately seducing me, stupid, sexy Kiyotaka-kun. Also, what's with that nickname? Giving nicknames is my thing!" she replied, a look of amusement evident on her face.
I looked at Chiaki for a few seconds before finally starting my workout routine.
After I finished my workout, Chiaki walked in my direction, a smile plastered on her face.
"That kiss made me really happy, you know? I've always wanted to do that with you," She randomly said.
"I know," I replied as I began wiping off the sweat sticking to my body with a towel.
Chiaki had a pout on her face at my dismissive words. "At least sound a little flustered, Kiyotaka!" She complained.
"That would be out of character for me to do, Chiaki," I replied.
Chiaki giggled. "As expected of Robotkōji Kiyobaka-kun, I suppose."
I shrugged in response, "I am who I am, Chiaki."
Chiaki walked over to me and placed a hand on my chest, "And that's what I love about you."
I looked down at her hand on my chest, feeling my heart rate quicken. "Chiaki, what are you-"
Before I could finish my sentence, Chiaki leaned in and kissed me. This time, however, it was a quick peck.
As Chiaki pulled away, I could see her grinning at my perplexed reaction. "I'm a greedy person, Kiyotaka-kun. I won't be satisfied with just one kiss. I hope you remember that," she said before heading off to the kitchen area.
"You're going to cook?" I asked.
Chiaki hummed in affirmation. "It's the least I could do for sleeping in your room. Besides, I like cooking," she replied.
That was true. Out of the girls, Chiaki was, by far, the best cook, and we had cooked together before. Our picnic gatherings were always fun because of how delicious the food Chiaki and I would cook turned out to be.
"Suit yourself. I'll be taking a shower now," I informed the brown-haired girl before heading to the bathroom.
Before I could do so, however, Chiaki spoke her protest.
"What?! No, sit there! You're not allowed to take a shower if we're not doing it together!"
I rolled my eyes at her words. "You've had your fun already, Chiaki. Get back to cooking," I chided the girl before I went inside the bathroom.
"Tch! So stingy," I heard Chiaki from the outside.
I shook my head in amusement before beginning to take a shower... a really cold shower. I think this must be the most stimulating morning in my life thus far.
Is this what youth means? If so, I am happy to have been given the privilege to experience the springtime of youth.
A few moments later, I finished showering and began wiping myself off with a towel, which I wrapped around my lower body upon finishing. I then stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
As I walked into the kitchen, the aroma of Chiaki's cooking hit my nose, making my stomach grumble with hunger.
"Hey, Chiaki," I called out.
She turned around, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. "Aki likes what she sees. I order you to eat breakfast while wearing nothing but a towel!" She exclaimed, but I could tell she was just joking.
I shook my head at Chiaki's antics before heading to my closet and wearing my school uniform except for my blazer. Since my feet hadn't dried off yet, I simply took out a pair of socks and prepared them on my desk, so I could just wear them for later.
With that done, I sat down at the table, noticing how the sunlight streaming through the window cast a warm glow on the room. Chiaki placed a plate in front of me, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of my favorite dish.
"This looks amazing, Chiaki," I said before taking a bite. The flavors exploded in my mouth, and I savored every morsel.
Chiaki then looked at me expectantly, her face clearly conveying the message, "What do you think of my cooking, Kiyotaka?" It was cute seeing her like that.
"Delicious as always, Chiaki," I complimented her.
"Thank you, Kiyotaka-kun," Chiaki said, her smile widening. "I'm glad you like it."
We continued eating in comfortable silence, enjoying the food and each other's company. As we finished, Chiaki stood up and started clearing the dishes.
"Let me help you with that," I offered, getting up from my seat.
Chiaki shook her head, "No, it's fine. You've already done enough by letting me stay here. Besides, I still have a few things to take care of before I head out."
I nodded in understanding before heading to my room to change.
What a great way to start the day.
Mornings with Yuki were wild and funny, and mornings with Chiaki were... interesting and, eventually, calm. I actually couldn't pick one over the other.
Should I ask them later if they'd both agree to sleep over later?
That might be a great idea as it'll allow me to explore what type of morning company I prefer more when I am with a woman.
It's all for research... and not my hormonal mind taking over.
Definitely research.
5.1
April 3.
The first day of formal discussion with our teachers.
But before I could experience my first slow and calm school day, I had to witness first-hand another banter between Chiaki and Yuki, one that boiled over after Chiaki bragged that I was the one who encouraged our make-out session.
"I'm sooo jealous, Chiaki-chan! And you... I won't forgive you because you initiated the whole thing!" Yuki glared and pointed a finger at me
Don't worry, Yuki. I'll do the same for you later. Just... stop glaring at me like that.
"It's not my fault you lost a debate against Chiaki, Yuki," I replied.
Chiaki giggled. "Sucks to be you, silver medalist," she teased Yuki, who was now glaring at her.
"At least I was Kiyotaka's first kiss! It means more because it was pure and wholesome!"
I doubt that kiss on my birthday was wholesome. Yuki took my first kiss like a hungry hyena. Definitely nothing wholesome to it.
"How cute. But that's what separates girls from women. Women like me strive for more monumental goals," Chiaki fired back.
"Hmph. It's not like Kiyotaka won't do the same thing to me eventually. What happened earlier isn't anything special," Yuki countered, but at this point, she was just being petty and whiny—a really funny state to see Yuki in, all things considered.
"I'm surprised you actually managed to be relatively calm about the entire thing, Yuki-chan," Chiaki pointed out.
Yuki sighed. "I'm a little upset about it, but it's not like being mad about it would change things. I don't want Kiyotaka to avoid me because I went crazy, you know?" She spoke defensively.
"That's quite mature of you, Yuki. But I admit, I'm weirded out how you girls get along so well even if you're both openly aware of your respective feelings toward me," I chimed in.
"I mean... Chiaki-chan and Tsubasa-chan have become important to me as well. I think I could take it if it's just the two of them... but I'll definitely win you over, Kiyotaka," Yuki declared.
I glanced at Yuki and then at Chiaki before turning away from both girls. I wonder if I actually deserve to receive honest feelings like this from women who are earnestly in love with me.
Sure, I have changed, but I know that a small part of me will always retain the mentality that came with me as I grew up... and it's a monstrous side that barely feels human.
Then again, after everything I had experienced in my time outside of the White Room, I have learned that the only sentiment that matters is the fact that I want to be human.
I really shouldn't beat myself up all the time with my turmoil about my past and the great things I'm experiencing in the present.
Before I could drown even more in my thoughts, however, I felt both of my hands being squeezed. Yuki and Chiaki held each of my hands and gave me reassuring smiles.
"There you are again with your internal turmoil, Kiyotaka," Yuki said, her voice gentle. "You deserve the good things you're experiencing, okay? Don't forget that."
Chiaki nodded her head. "I may not know the entire circumstance that you and Yuki-chan had to go through, Kiyotaka-kun, but I do know that you're a great guy... that's why I'm in love with you, you know?"
Yuki stepped forward, meeting my eyes. The blonde tiptoed to level my height and cupped my cheeks. "Allow us to help you, Kiyotaka. As for me, I'll be with you no matter how hard it gets. You saved me then, and if you needed to be saved, I would be the first to extend my hand."
I could feel Yuki's conviction and felt touched by it... and if I were being honest, only Yuki would be able to elicit such feelings in me, mainly because of everything we had shared together. Out of the women in my life, she's the only one who actually knew about what I had to go through, having experienced almost the same things as well.
That's why... her words of assurance would always be stronger compared to Chiaki and Tsubasa.
Now that I think about it, the only thing holding me back from pursuing a relationship with Yuki... would be the still noticeable and unstable darkness she carries. She might have gotten a better handle on it, but what she had gone through was not something that could magically be cured by love.
It would take time before Tsubaki Yuki, like me, regains her humanity.
To do so, she needs to regain her self-sufficiency.
While I had initial reservations about her early admission into ANHS, I now look at it differently. Now, I see ANHS as an effective medium to develop Yuki into her own person.
With the entire setup of ANHS as well as the things I am anticipating to unfold in this school, it is most certainly possible to cultivate certain desirable things in Yuki. While I do not think it's possible to completely get rid of her darkness, she can definitely develop into a person that can survive even without me.
Once that happens, it will be easy for me to make my choice as to who I will be giving my love.
Heh, if I told Kōenji about my dilemma, he'd probably just tell me, "Ha Ha Ha! To think you, a fellow Perfect Existence, would be bothered by something as trivial as picking one woman. A honed Perfect Existence picks ALL who are worthy," or something that society would deem as unacceptable.
That said, I wonder how his 'scouting mission' went since I haven't received any text messages from him yet.
Knowing him, he probably just forgot and would simply brag about it once he remembered that he would tell me about his progress.
5.2
For the third day in a row, I entered the classroom with Yuki and Chiaki practically attached to me.
So much for a peaceful high school life, I guess.
That being said, it feels nice to see people openly recognize you and look happy upon seeing you. Of course, there were Yuki, Chiaki, Tsubasa, Eiichiro, and others, but they were part of my inner circle, so being treated like this by people who aren't even connected to me... feels nice.
"You're always entering the class in style, Ayanokōji-kun—pretty girls in both arms, cool aura, and apathetic eyes," greeted Hirata, who seemed to have developed a mischievous streak after my insistence on him being a Harem King.
I could tell he was trying to get a rise out of me. "Are you falling in love with me, Hirata?" I joked.
Hirata's face blanched in horror. "Don't even joke about something like that, Ayanokōji-kun. I am straight," he clarified.
Good to know, Hirata.
"You better not fall in love with Kiyotaka, Hirata-kun!" Yuki warned the dirty-blonde-haired boy, who smiled nervously.
"Yeah! You have plenty of options already. There's Karuizawa-san, Mori-san, and Mii-chan!" Chiaki added in support.
Karuizawa and Mori, who were within earshot of us, blushed profusely at Chiaki's blunt words. Wang, on the other hand, was spared from the embarrassment as she was sitting in front of Horikita, which would be in the second to the last row of the classroom.
If I knew how to laugh properly, I would. But since I was not sure how my laughter would sound, I decided to internally laugh at Hirata.
On that note, I should congratulate Karuizawa and Sato for arriving earlier today than yesterday.
"Good morning, Ayanokōji-kun, Hirata-kun, Tsubaki-san, Matsushita-san!" The four of us turned our heads to Kushida, who was sending us a smile, one amplified by her bubbly aura.
The three returned Kushida's greeting while I simply nodded at the beige-haired girl. I'm still unsure what to make of her because of my observations, but so long as she's not antagonizing anyone from the class, I'll let her be.
"Ah, before I forget! Ayanokōji-kun, is it okay if we share contact information?" Kushida asked.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why?" I asked.
Kushida smiled at me. "My goal here is to be friends with everyone, so I think we'd be getting there if we both have each other's contact information," she reasoned.
I shrugged and took out my phone, and exchanged contact information with Kushida.
"And...done! Well, if you need help understanding girls from a third-party source, you can count on me, Ayanokōji-kun! Hehe~! I'm sure Tsubaki-san would appreciate it," Kushida sent Yuki a wink before returning to her seat.
The girl in question returned Kushida's wink and gave the beige-haired girl a thumbs-up. It seemed like Yuki appreciated Kushida's gesture.
I'm impressed, Kushida. You managed to appease the queen of passive-aggressiveness with ease.
"It seemed like Kushida-san already picked who she was going to support," Hirata commented, his eyes showing his amusement at the ordeal.
Yuki giggled. "She's awesome, right?"
Chiaki pouted at this. "I'll find some supporters, too. Just watch!"
Yuki patted Chiaki's head. "It's okay, Chiaki-chan. Losing is normal when I'm your opponent," she teased the brown-haired girl, who rolled her eyes.
"Who lost in our last five or so arguments?" Chiaki asked rhetorically.
"Hmph!"
Shaking my head at the girl's shenanigans, I decided to let them be and walked to Kushida's seat. If she was indeed gathering everyone's contact information, she could help us out by helping set up a class group chat.
"Hello, Kushida. Mind if I asked you a question?" I approached Kushida, deciding not to beat around the bush as it was obvious she wouldn't take it negatively, considering my increasing stature in the class.
Kushida turned her head in my direction and smiled. "What do you want to ask, Ayanokōji-kun?"
"Did you manage to get everyone's contact information already?" I asked.
Kushida shook her head. "I do have almost everyone's contact information... but I haven't had luck with Horikita-san. She rejected me when I asked for her contact information yesterday. I don't have Kōenji-kun's number too, but to be honest, I'm a little scared of approaching him. Well, I also didn't have your contact information until today, too, but it's because you were always so busy," she replied.
"Ah, sorry about that."
"It's okay, Ayanokōji-kun! What's important is that we're friends now. That said, why did you ask if I had everyone's contact information?" Kushida asked.
"Now that we have more or less figured out what we need to do in this school, I'd like it if we had a group chat. I think having a group chat would be an effective way of communicating with each other outside of class," I answered.
Kushida beamed. "That's a great idea, Ayanokōji-kun!" Then as she said that, a worried look made its way to her face, "But what about Horikita-san and Kōenji-kun?"
"I have Kōenji's number, so that shouldn't be a problem. Horikita... well, we can just announce our plan right now, and she might be willing to join in," I replied.
"You have Kōenji-kun's number?" Kushida curiously asked.
"I'm his only friend in this school, so yeah," I replied.
Kushida giggled. "You must have a really hard time dealing with him, Ayanokōji-kun! But I think you could handle him just fine. What you said on the bus was really funny," she remarked.
"Oh, he got back at me for that. The pain in the ass told Yuki and Chiaki we'd be hunting down women from the higher years. I'm just lucky they knew I'm not a womanizer like him," I replied.
"That reminds me, both Matsushita-san and Tsubaki-san seem to like you but are also best friends. How does that even work?"
I sighed. "If I knew, I would tell you. I don't even understand how that even happened."
Kushida chuckled. "That said, Ayanokōji-kun, how do we go around creating our class group chat?"
I then proceeded to instruct Kushida on what I needed her to do. The beige-haired girl listened intently and even added some things that she believed would make our classmates, especially the introverted ones, willing to participate.
What a reliable girl. But her uses are quite limited, considering Yuki's also in this class.
Looking at the wall clock, I saw that it was still 8:15, meaning there were still 15 minutes before homeroom started...
And wouldn't you look at it, everyone had arrived on time.
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Yuki interjected, placing her arms around both of our shoulders.
"Oh, Tsubaki-san! Ayanokōji-kun and I were just talking about creating a group chat for the class," Kushida smoothly replied.
Yuki smiled at us. "That looks like a great idea! I'll help you guys out in making everyone participate," Yuki said before wandering off to talk to Mori.
"I hope you don't mind Yuki being like that. She's... really attached to me," I said to Kushida.
Kushida giggled. "It's fine! I think it's really cute. She told me you guys were childhood friends, and she has had a crush on you since. Aren't you a lucky guy? Tsubaki-san is among the prettiest girls in our year, you know?" Kushida spoke in a teasing tone.
I glanced at Yuki before turning my gaze back to Kushida. "I suppose. But you're not that far behind, Kushida," I complimented the beige-haired girl, who was caught off-guard by my sudden compliment.
"Bad Ayanokōji-kun! Tsubaki-san is just right there, you know?" Kushida giggled.
"I know. I was messing with her because she was listening in to our conversation."
Upon my call-out, Yuki, who had her back turned on us, stiffened.
"A...ah, sorry, Kushida-san!" Yuki spoke in apology.
Kushida shrugged it off. "It's fine, Tsubaki-san. Don't worry about it."
What an easy-going girl.
"Since we still have more or less 14 minutes before homeroom starts, let's start the plan now," I suggested.
Upon seeing Kushida nod, I began walking to the podium, with Kushida not that far behind.
"Good morning, everyone! Can we have a bit of your time? Ayanokōji-kun and I want to talk about something with the class," Kushida began.
The class, who were either talking to each other or keeping to themselves, immediately turned their attention to us.
"Sure thing, Kushida-san!" Onodera affirmed.
"Yeah, let's hear it!" Shinohara, the girl sitting in front of Karuizawa, said.
"Now that we have discussed what we should expect in this school, it's a good idea for our class to bond together even outside of class. That said, I'm sure most of you are aware of the messenger app that was installed on our phones."
Seeing everyone, except the male blonde menace, nod, I continued. "Kushida and I thought it'd be a good idea to create a group chat for our class where we can talk about anything even if we're not inside our classroom. What do you guys think?"
"Yeah! That's a great idea, Ayanokōji-kun!"
"As expected from the guy who figured out how this school works!"
"Hah! Prepare to witness my god-tier memes!"
"Your Kim Kardashian memes aren't funny, Sotomura."
"What? Breaking the internet parodies are funny!"
"Maybe in 2014."
I slammed my fist on the podium, halting everyone from their rather chaotic conversations. "You guys really are going off-topic. Also, Sotomura, breaking the internet parodies is outdated," I said in a dry tone.
Sotomura, a chubby nerdy boy in the class who was a self-admitted otaku and man of culture, sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Apologies, Ayanokōji-dono!"
Kushida simply giggled at what had transpired. "Since we have everyone's agreement, I'll create the group chat now!"
"Yeah, go ahead, Kushida-san!"
"That being said, if you're not in the group chat, just tell me or Ayanokōji-kun, and we'll add you in!" Kushida finished.
As Kushida was busy fiddling with her phone and setting up the group chat, I also took out my phone and opened the messenger app.
[8:21:00] I'm adding you to the group chat, Kōenji. You better contribute to the class.
I looked at Kōenji, who, upon noticing the vibration of his phone, took it out of his pocket and mustered a grin on his face.
[8:21:25 Kōenji Rokusuke] Hah! Only if I see any benefit in doing so, Ayanokōji-boy
Upon reading Kōenji's message, I let out a sigh. Just as expected, I guess.
[8:21:40] How did your scouting mission go?
[8:21:55 Kōenji Rokusuke] What do you think?
I turned my eyes to Kōenji, and as our eyes met, the blonde menace showed me one of his signature smug grins.
I shook my head in amusement before turning my head to Kushida, who tapped me on the shoulder.
"I've already made the group chat, Ayanokōji-kun!" She informed.
I smiled at her. That's the least she deserves for her good efforts. "Great work, Kushida! Thank you for helping me out," I replied.
Kushida smiled back. "Oh, that's nothing compared to what you did for the class, Ayanokōji-kun! I'm glad to help out however I can. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"
I nodded my head at the girl before finally sitting on my seat.
"You even smiled at her. Did you turn her into your woman already?" Horikita's sharp words immediately made themselves known.
What an amusing question, Horikita.
"Are you jealous, Horikita?" I asked with a hint of amusement.
"Tch!" she retorted, clearly annoyed.
"She's not my type," I told Horikita. "There's just something about her that I can't quite put my finger on."
Horikita's eyes flickered for a moment before returning to their usual form.
That confirms it—there's a history between them. Or, at the very least, Horikita knew something about my suspicions about Kushida.
"You could tell?" Horikita asked, raising an eyebrow.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows?"
"That being said, Horikita, I need you to join the group chat," I said.
"Do you mind if I refuse, Ayanokōji-kun?" Horikita began, "I'd rather not join the group chat. I have no interest in mingling with the others."
I sighed, feeling disappointed. This girl just never learns, even after our conversation yesterday.
"I know you prefer solitude, but it's important that you're not excluded from the rest of the class. We need to work together to improve our class placement," I explained.
Horikita pursed her lips. "I do acknowledge your sentiments... even Chabashira-sensei said the same thing, but do I really have to?"
"You don't have to say anything in the group chat. It's just to make appearances. Don't worry too much about it."
Horikita hesitated for a moment before conceding. "Fine, but you owe me for this."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her demand. "I owe you for what?"
I'm the one doing you a favor here, woman.
"For forcing me out of my comfort zone," Horikita replied with a hint of annoyance.
What an unreasonable woman.
"So long as it won't get me killed, sure, sure, I owe you," I replied nonchalantly.
Horikita's eyes narrowed for a moment before she turned back to her book.
"That said, let me have your contact information so I can add you to the group chat myself," I said, taking out my phone. "You'd prefer if I did it instead of Kushida, right?"
Horikita sighed. "I suppose. Here," Horikita took out her phone and, after fiddling with it for a few moments, presented her phone to me, showing a QR code that presumably contained her contact information.
I scanned the QR code, and as expected, it contained her contact information. I saved it as defect-chan, just for my own amusement.
"If you don't want others to find out your contact number, you can change your settings to make it private," I suggested, placating Horikita, who seemed hesitant to comply with my request of being added to the group chat.
Horikita looked at me for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Thank you, Ayanokōji-kun."
"Now we're even. I did you a favor as well," I said as I returned her phone.
Horikita glared at me. "What a deplorable man."
That's what you get for trying to make me do your bidding.
[8:26:50] Hey, guys! Horikita requested you give her a warm welcome after I added her to our group chat.
[8:26:55 Yuki] I doubt she'd do something like that. What are you even planning?
[8:26:57 Kikyou] She did seem to have an annoyed look earlier, Ayanokōji-kun
[8:26:58 Kei] Do we even have a choice?
[8:27:00} Replying to Kei. Nope.
[8:27:04] Replying to Yuki. We'll just be giving her a Class D welcome. It's not every day an Ice Queen graces us with her presence. Come on, do it with me. And boys, none of you are part of this plan. I doubt Horikita would appreciate it.
[8:27:08 Yōsuke] You're really mischievous, Ayanokōji-kun
[8:27:12 Kanji] Meh. I'm just here for Kushida-chan, anyways!
[8:27:14 Haruki] Me too!
[8:27:20] Look at you, Kushida. You're really popular here.
[8:27:25 Kikyō] 😂😂😂
[8:27:30] Okay, the plan is set in motion! I'll be removing all chats over the last minute.
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka added Horikita Suzune to the group
[8:28:57 Kikyō] Welcome, Horikita-san!
[8:29:00 Yuki] We're all here now! Hiiii Horikita-san!
[8:29:05 Chiaki] The Queen has arrived 😂
[8:29:08] Ice Queen, you mean?
[8:29:10 Chiaki] Don't bully Horikita-san. Bad Kiyotaka-kun!
[8:29:11 Maya] Hello, Horikita-san!
[8:29:13 Kei] Hello, Horikita-san! We've been waiting for you!
[8:29:15 Nene] Hello, Horikita-san! I hope Ayanokōji-kun didn't annoy you much.
Hey, what was that for, Mori?
"What a rowdy bunch," Horikita muttered to herself before closing her phone.
"At least say hi to them, Horikita," I replied in amusement.
Horikita turned her head to me for a few seconds before turning away. "Fine," she conceded.
[8:29:40 Suzune] Greetings. Thank you for the warm welcome.
What a Horikita thing to type out.
5.3
As the morning period went by, I decided to take on a more passive role and observe how the class conducted themselves now that they knew what they were getting into.
To their credit, Class D had made an effort to conduct themselves properly. No one fiddled with their phones or engaged in prolonged conversations. Most of them listened attentively to the discussion or at least pretended to do so. However, a few students were visibly struggling to stay awake, like Sudo, Yamauchi, and Ike.
While, of course, it would be ideal if everyone followed our lead right away, the fact that the majority of the class was at least trying to act like upstanding students... is acceptable enough.
One of my next moves would be to determine the penalties for having a classmate expelled. If some students proved to be deadweight, I would have no qualms about removing them as long as there were no significant losses to be incurred.
I'd rather not be held back by people with no redeemable abilities if I can help it.
"Kiyotaka-kun! What are you sitting there for? It's lunchtime already!" Chiaki called out.
I turned to face her. "Just give me a moment. I want to invite someone to join us," I replied.
I walked over to Sudo's desk, where the brash redhead was putting his stuff back in his bag.
"Sudo, are you free for lunch?" I asked.
He turned to me with surprise. "Oh, Ayanokōji. I was just going to eat a cup of ramen or something. Why do you ask?"
I was pleased by Sudo's reply. He wasn't aggressive towards me, a clear acknowledgment of my feats. He probably thinks highly of me, given I was one of the few people who didn't talk down to him.
"I want you to join us for lunch. C'mon, before they leave us behind," I pointed at the door, where Chiaki and Yuki were tapping their foot on the ground. Hirata and his harem were there too, but they were more patient compared to the two.
"Haah? Why me? I mean... not that I mind, but is it really fine?" Sudo asked, revealing a surprisingly bashful nature to him.
I patted Sudo on the shoulder. "Of course, it's fine. Are you in, or are you in?"
"Well... if you really insist, I'll join you," Sudo replied.
"Good! Good! Let's go before Yuki rips my head off," I joked.
"Are you and Tsubaki dating?" Sudo asked.
"Not really, but we're childhood friends, so we're relatively close," I replied.
"So, is it Matsushita you're dating then?" Sudo followed up.
I shook my head. "I'm not dating either of them. I'm still not ready for romance, Sudo."
"A lot of guys would really want to trade places with you, Ayanokōji."
I smirked at Sudo. "I know."
At my urging, Sudo and I walked outside the door. As we did, I noticed the shocked looks of Yamauchi and Ike as they saw Sudo mingling with my group. After all, Sudo is probably amongst the last guys you'd expect to be in a group with six cute girls. Granted, Hirata and I would take up all the attention, but it's still worth noting.
"They're probably going to call you a traitor from now on, Sudo," I joked, leading Sudo to groan.
"Don't remind me."
"It's a small price to pay for having lunch with a lot of cute girls around," I replied and nudged Sudo's sides.
"I was starting to get impatient, Kiyotaka! Anyways, hello, Sudo-kun! I hope Kiyotaka here didn't bother you much," Yuki greeted the redhead.
The other girls and Hirata greeted Sudo as well.
"I hope I'm not intruding on your lunch. This guy," Sudo pointed at me before continuing. "Insisted I go with you guys. Didn't even give me a choice."
Yuki chuckled. "Sounds like something Kiyotaka would do. Let's go, guys!"
"I need a bodyguard to protect me from you, Yuki," I joked.
Yuki pouted. "That's just mean, Kiyotaka!"
I patted Yuki on the head. "There, there."
"Hey, give me some too!" Chiaki protested.
What's with girls and wanting to get head pats?
That said, I gave Chiaki her share as well, and as I did so, I could hear Hirata coughing and muttering "True Harem King" over and over while sneaking glances at me, making sure I was aware of what he was doing.
I only have two girls in my group, and you have four. You're the harem king, Hirata.
The 9-man group consisting of Yuki, Chiaki, me, Sudo, Hirata and his harem finally decided to stroll towards the cafeteria. As we walked, we chatted amicably about various topics, from the latest anime shows to our favorite music genres.
The sound of our footsteps echoed through the hallway as we passed by the various classrooms and noticeboards lining the walls. The air was filled with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms, a sure sign that the spring season was in full bloom.
Sudo, who was walking right behind me, remained quiet, lost in thought.
"Sudo, why are you so silent?" I asked the redhead.
He turned his head to me, his fiery red hair reflecting the sunlight. "I'm just not used to being in a group like this," he replied. "This is basically the group of the most influential members in the class, you know? I don't really fit in."
"Don't be ridiculous," I said, smiling reassuringly. "You fit in perfectly. Hirata and I are athletic guys, and you are one as well. Speaking of, how good are you at basketball?"
"Heh! Now we're talking!" Sudo's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'm really good at it, Ayanokōji. We made the nationals last year, and I was even in the starting lineup."
Hirata, hearing Sudo's words, looked at us in interest. "Really? That's impressive, Sudo-kun! I was on my high school varsity too, but our football team didn't even make it that far. We'd always lose out on the prefecture finals," Hirata shared.
"That's still impressive, Hirata-kun." Sato commented, "Still, nationals, huh? You must be a really great player, Sudo-kun!"
"Mhm-mm!" Mori added. "Where did you place in the nationals, Sudo-kun?"
"We lost in the semifinals... and it was painful because it happened in overtime. If only my knees weren't all sorts of fucked up, I could have done more," Sudo lamented.
"That's fine, Sudo-kun!" Sato chimed in. "Making it to the semis is hard enough! You'll just have to try even better here. You said you were joining the basketball club, right?"
Upon Sato's words, Sudo cheered up. "That's right! And you better believe that I'd be leaving a mark on the team," he spoke with admirable confidence.
That said, it's evident Sudo hasn't gotten this much attention from women before, as I could see a tinge of pink on his cheeks as he bashfully looked at the girls.
Seeing as Sudo was now doing fine by himself, I walked closer to Yuki and Chiaki, who were just spectating the interaction between Sudo, Hirata, and the rest of the girls.
"You seem to have high hopes for him, seeing as you went out of your way to integrate him into the core group of the class," Yuki pointed out.
"Our Kiyotaka-kun here really has a bleeding heart," Chiaki teased, her lips curled up in a mischievous smile.
Yuki glared at her. "What do you mean 'our' Kiyotaka-kun? I won't share, Chiaki-chan!" She protested, her cheeks turning pink.
Chiaki giggled. "I'll just wait for you to die then, 'Kaori-chan.' I'm sure Tsubasa-chan and I could come to an agreement," Chiaki fired back, using a callback to the banter they had yesterday.
"Not happening!" Yuki protested. "I'm not dying until Kiyotaka and I have three kids."
"Ara ara~! Is that so, Yuki-chan? Make three kids with her now, Kiyotaka. I'll raise them in Yuki's stead," Chiaki replied.
"Grrrr!"
I sighed at their banter, shaking my head in amusement. "You girls talk about really disturbing things sometimes," I muttered, trying to steer the conversation back to a more lighthearted topic.
What the hell is up with that banter? Well... I guess if I do end up choosing Yuki, I will have a vasectomy after our second child so that she won't die.
"That said, your plan seemed to be working out quite well, Kiyotaka-kun," Chiaki said, turning her eyes to the other six members of our group, who were still conversing.
"Sudo will prove to be an important figure in the class moving forward, so it'd be great if he finds his place in the class. Besides, you girls have seen it, right? He's not exactly a bad guy... just extremely unrefined," I replied, to which the girls nodded in agreement.
Hirata was really doing a great job acclimating Sudo to an unfamiliar territory, skillfully controlling the conversation in a way that the girls wouldn't just pay attention to him but to Sudo as well.
The reason I'm trying to give Sudo a platform in the class comes from my theory that this school doesn't rate students solely on academic aptitude. Like I told Horikita yesterday if academic aptitude were the only factor being considered, then she would definitely be a Class A or Class B student. Since she's sent to Class D, other factors such as communication skills, collaboration, and physical abilities might also be points that the school was considering in sorting students.
And speaking of Physical Abilities, Sudo is the most physically gifted member of Class D aside from Kōenji and myself, so it'd be nice if Sudo could be developed into an important figure in the class since Kōenji had already told me he doesn't have any interest in participating unless there's something in it for him.
Just then, Sudo's booming laugh rang out across the courtyard, drawing the attention of the other students around us. "Man, you guys are hilarious! You're surprisingly really cool, Hirata. I really thought you were just some riajuu snob," he exclaimed.
Hirata grinned at him. "Well, appearances can be deceiving, you know? Look at Ayanokōji-kun... one look at him and the word Harem King wouldn't be the first thing that'll come to mind, but it turns out that he's actually one," he said.
Oi, what blasphemy are you spreading, Hirata?
"Said the guy who has five girls in his harem," I joked.
"Five? Oi, what the hell, Ayanokōji?!" Sudo exclaimed upon realizing my joke.
"You're a bad influence on his humor, Chiaki-chan," Yuki spoke in a dry tone.
Chiaki giggled. "He's simply growing up, Yuki-chan!"
Bzzzt
As my phone vibrated, I immediately took it out of my pocket to see a notification: a message from Kōenji.
This was going to be either entertaining or disturbing, seeing as it was a photo attachment. As I clicked the attachment, I couldn't help but shake my head.
The photo had Kōenji with two girls with him. In the photo, he gave off his signature wink, with each of his hands firmly holding the hips of the two girls.
The man truly was living the dream, wasn't he?
But I'm still not impressed as they weren't on the level of Chiaki and Yuki in terms of beauty.
[12:38:30] I still have hotter girls.
[12:39:41 Kōenji Rokusuke] Ha Ha Ha! Do something with them then, Ayanokōji-boy, and maybe I'll concede defeat.
[12:39:58] I made out with Chiaki in my room earlier
[12:40:14 Kōenji Rokusuke] Hooh? Ha Ha Ha! That makes me extremely proud. Join me this evening, Ayanokōji-boy! Let's celebrate your victory. But for now, I still have women to satisfy. Ciao!
The guy can be motivational in his own weird way.
What an amusing guy.
5.4
Lunch was quite eventful, with our expanding group moving to acclimate the newest member, Sudo, in the new environment of being surrounded by the most popular people in the class.
Hirata certainly did not disappoint, as Sudo was more than comfortable sharing his thoughts about certain topics from sports and, surprisingly enough, anime. It seems that as time passes, more and more athletes are being open with their interest in something that people would deem as childish.
Not that I care much about that societal perspective. Anime helped me out a lot in terms of how to act and how not to act around people in some ways.
To commemorate the newly-formed bond, Sato suggested that Sudo be added to our group chat, which was supported by everyone else.
I couldn't resist sending a smirk to Sudo as he was showered with the attention he hadn't really gotten outside of basketball.
As we made our way back to the classroom, Sudo tapped me on the back.
Sudo had a wide grin on his face. "I really appreciate what you did, Ayanokōji. I had fun hanging out with you guys!"
"You're now as part of the group as I am, Sudo. We'll hang out more and more, so you better not get flustered around girls," I teased the redhead.
"That's just for today! Basketball stars like me would be able to adjust easily, you know?" Sudo bragged and puffed out his chest.
"Heh. To think you'd actually apologize to Hirata for being a prick two days ago," I spoke in amusement.
"Well... he's a surprisingly cool guy to hang out with, you know?"
"Are you falling in love with him, Sudo?"
"Damn you, Ayanokōji!"
I gave Sudo an amused look before heading back to my desk.
Horikita was already sitting at her desk, still ignoring the world around her and focusing on her book.
That's certainly not a development, so I pinched Horikita on her cheeks.
Horikita swiftly turned her head to me, her face twisted in an angry glare. "What is wrong with you, Ayanokōji-kun?!"
"I couldn't resist the involuntary movements of my hands," I teased Horikita.
Horikita scowled at me. "You're being childish."
"Maybe," I shrugged. "But I think you look cute when you're all serious."
Horikita maintained her glare at me. "That's not the point."
"That said, you're still being stiff and closed off, Horikita. I need progress from you," I chided her playfully.
Horikita's expression softened slightly, but she remained defiant. "Just because I've acknowledged your points doesn't mean I'm going to abandon everything I believe in."
"Well, that's true. But look at Sudo, for example. The guy was as bad as bad could get, but he's putting in an effort to change himself. While that won't happen right away, the fact that he's trying to do something about it... is already worth my praise," I countered.
"That guy? What do you even see in him? He looks like one of those dumb meatheads with nothing more to them than physical abilities," Horikita replied.
"But those physical abilities might be useful somewhere down the line," I pointed out. "You still have much growing to do, Horikita. The more you remain firm in your beliefs, the more your usefulness in the class decreases."
Horikita gritted her teeth in frustration but didn't say anything.
"Hey, I'm not saying you have to change overnight," he said. "But it would be nice to see you try."
Horikita nodded, still looking annoyed, but at least she seemed a little more open to the idea.
"Okay," she said finally. "I'll think about it. But do not expect me to just blindly follow your demands."
Although I had no idea why Horikita was so apprehensive at the thought of working with people, I had a theory on it, one based on her assumed relationship with her brother, Horikita Manabu. Chiaki might have hit the mark with her assumption that Horikita enrolled in ANHS because of her brother. If that was the case, it's probably out of admiration and the desire to be acknowledged.
Just as my thoughts yesterday, I wondered if the Horikita Suzune of today was a byproduct of Horikita Manabu's influence. There must be an underlying reason why Horikita rejected everything that had to do with cooperation.
That being said, I'd like to mess with her a little more.
A thought then came to mind.
"You know, Horikita... there's a weird thought in my mind. Wanna hear it?"
"I'd rather not. Stop bothering me, Ayanokōji-kun."
"I'll say it anyways. I think you'd look so much cuter with short hair, Horikita."
Horikita's eyes widened for a split second before they reverted back to their cold, detached form.
Was there a significance to what I had said?
Horikita sighed and then turned her head to me. "Please refrain from making inappropriate comments, Ayanokōji-kun."
"What's so inappropriate about it?"
Horikita did not say anything back, effectively ending our conversation.
Maybe I should actually try and join the student council and ask Horikita-senpai if there's something about short hair that made Horikita react in a certain way.
Nah, that's too much effort for just one question.
Soon, the bell rang, signifying the start of our fourth period. Our teacher for this subject was a woman named Hoshinomiya Chie... who, oddly enough, was grinning when she saw Horikita yesterday, much to Horikita's displeasure.
When I asked her about it, she revealed she saw Hoshinomiya-sensei when she visited the Faculty Room and felt disturbed by her presence.
I could totally see that which was why I tried to remain as small as possible yesterday. Thankfully, Hoshinomiya-sensei didn't take notice of me.
A few moments later, the door opened, revealing Hoshinomiya Chie.
"He~llo, everyone! It's your favorite teacher, Chie-chan, again, and for today, we shall finally begin our lessons for this year. Exciting, right?"
No, it's not.
But to my surprise, despite her outward appearance and aura, Hoshinomiya-sensei was actually a competent Science teacher.
I've also noticed that many students were actually able to listen well to her lessons, but I'd have to factor that into her beauty, which was comparable to Chabashira-sensei.
Ike and Yamauchi, in particular, were ogling the bubbly teacher's body. I do not blame them, but that's just so shameless.
"Well... at least they seem to be listening to her lesson," I muttered under my breath.
"She's... a surprisingly good teacher," Horikita added.
"Agreed. Although, I heard from someone from her homeroom that she came to their class drunk and hungover, so it's unlikely she'll be like this all the time," I replied, noting what Ichinose shared with Yuki when they were chatting over the phone last night.
"How irresponsible," Horikita commented in disgust.
I shook my head in amusement over Horikita's comment and simply listened to the rest of Hoshinomiya-sensei's discussion.
Soon, Hoshinomiya-sensei's time ended upon the ringing of the bell, and the same thing repeated itself as two more teachers went in and departed until we reached the end of our third day in school.
Now, I think Class D is off to a shaky but commendable start.
Throughout the day, they had shown their willingness to cooperate with us as they did their best in trying to be upstanding students, or in the worst case, simply pretended to be one. If this level of effort gets sustained and improved in the days and months to come, we might just be able to match the other classes in terms of quality.
I'm not too worried in that regard.
Now that the class seems to have discovered its focus... or at the very least, attempted to, good things will come, and I will elevate those with latent potential to them.
That's essentially my mission here, right, Father?
I'll make a success out of these defects.
End of Chapter
A/N: I just noticed just how slow the pace of Volume 1 was, considering we're almost already 49k words into the volume. But don't worry. We'll speed up little by little.
I'm just trying to establish the key characters from 1-D in this story so that when we do skip by a week or a couple of weeks, the readers would be able to understand the tiny changes in their demeanor.
So yeah, the characters Kiyo was nurturing in this chapter were Kushida, Sudo, and Horikita. But don't let that fool you from the fact that Kiyo does not respect any of the three characters.
1. He's a little friendly to Sudo because he unknowingly helped Kiyo out on Day 2 by revealing the whole defect thing.
2. He's still trying to gauge Kushida's game before deciding how to deal with her.
3. Kiyo is just messing around with Horikita, but he is unknowingly affecting Horikita by somehow showing Horikita glimpses of Manabu. In Horikita's mind, Kiyotaka seemed to be a twisted mirror of her brother (a fact alluded to in Chapter 4, where Horikita low-key admitted to wanting Kiyo to recognize her as someone with great potential, a by-product of Kiyo showing off just how great he was) and now... the guy straight up pulls a reverse Manabu and said he thinks Horikita would look cuter with shorter hair, which, unbeknownst to Kiyo, was Horikita's preferred hair length.
Hirata also gets some kind of development in this chapter as he sees Kiyotaka as someone who can understand his girl troubles, hence, the bond made over teasing each other over their 'harems.' (Sudo best girl)
Also... Chiaki got her make-out session, and you bet Yuki is going to make sure it is her turn that Kiyo would remember best. Watch out for the obsessed childhood friend doing best-girl things.
The next chapter will have the pool scene and some deviations from it (Clue: it's a little similar to what my Shikamaru in Emergence of the Shadow did)... and maybe the introduction of Fuka, who I'm still looking for ways on how to portray her character. The whole kouhai-kun thing got tiring after 10 fanfics, so there's got to be something else to make her interesting. Lemme know if you have any ideas how to do that.
That said, the next update might be on April 2. I know I said this in Chapter 3, but I ended up chucking up two more chapters because I had ideas on how to pull it off.
But even if I'm not going to be updating for like 10 days, do check out the fic from time to time, as I will be smoothening out some mistakes in the fic in terms of structure and characterization of certain people (Kouenji).
See you in the next one!