A Liquid Inspiration

Summary: (A re-telling of Classroom of the Elite sparked by a certain conversation between Masterpiece and Professor.)

One day, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka receives a surprising invitation from his father, Ayanokouji Atsuomi, to join him for a drink. It was unusual for Kiyotaka, who normally wouldn't be summoned by his father without a hidden agenda.

That's why even the emotionless Kiyotaka was surprised when his father began to open up about his own experiences with love and relationships.

For the emotionally distant "masterpiece," this conversation is a rare moment of connection with his father, and it sparked a curiosity within him to explore the world of human relationships, to be more specific: romance and intimacy.

It was that spark that pushed Kiyotaka to demand something from his father:

"Father, teach me everything about human relationships."

This then begins a ripple that changes how Ayanokouji Kiyotaka would approach the world in the foreseeable future.

Do check out this fic on Wattpad. It has the same title and content, but we do have illustrations there to increase immersion for the fic. Thanks, and here's the chapter!

Vol 2. Chapter 4 - The Game Continues

Ryūen Kakeru

July 1, 2015 (4:30 PM)

"W-What are we going to do now, Ryūen? S-Since they filed a complaint, we're pretty much screwed!" stammered Kondo, terror written plainly on his face.

"T-There's two sets of complaints against me!" echoed Komiya, his voice tainted by a mix of disbelief and fear.

After Sakagami-sensei called these three morons over to the faculty office earlier, I already expected that things weren't going to go in our favor.

Yet, even with my sharp intuition, I hadn't fully anticipated Ayanokōji's cunning countermove.

There were two separate complaints filed against these idiots: one charge of bullying for Ishizaki, Kondo, and Komiya, and another charge for attempted assault on Komiya.

And since Ayanokōji dared to order that moron Sudo to file two complaints, then it should be obvious that they had visual evidence of Komiya attempting to punch Sudo.

And there's no way the school would turn a blind eye to that kind of evidence.

That fucker Ayanokōji sure does have insane luck.

"R-Ryūen... W-We... We could apologize," Ishizaki muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the tense silence. His suggestion, however, only elicited a scoff from me.

"Apologize?" I chuckled menacingly. "You think that would just wash away everything that happened? Ayanokōji is not a simpleton to fall for such a half-baked idea. That guy is Vice President for a reason."

The room fell silent once more, all three of them staring at me with a mixture of trepidation and confusion. It was laughable really, the way they thought I'd have an instant solution to Ayanokōji's unexpected play.

This was a setback, and there was no doubt about that. The complaints and the evidence were a powerful one-two punch, and I had to admit, Ayanokōji had played it perfectly. He took advantage of my botched plan and turned it against me.

But was I going to fold and accept defeat? Hell no.

I turned my gaze back to these three idiots. "So, did Sakagami tell you anything? That fucker better be helping us," I asked.

Kondo nodded. "Sakagami-sensei said there's a way for us to... minimize our losses," he said.

I scoffed upon hearing his words. "What did he do then? Since the three of you aren't suspended or anything, he must have set something up."

"Sakagami-sensei appealed for... a trial, which was granted. It will happen next Wednesday," Ishizaki replied.

"A trial?" I mused, tapping my fingers against my armrest as I leaned back in my chair. "That's our play then."

"Can we really win a trial, Ryūen?" Kondo asked, his voice laced with apprehension.

Winning wasn't necessarily the goal. Not in the way they were thinking, anyway. It was more about buying time, causing distractions, and muddying the waters. With a trial, we could present our own version of events, cast doubt on the complaints, and even shift the blame. It would be our chance to fight back.

"Winning or losing isn't the question here," I said, letting my words sink into their trembling minds. "What matters is how we can use this trial to our advantage."

"B-But... how?" Komiya asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

It was clear they were lost, so it was up to me to steer this ship. "Remember, this isn't just a trial. It's a battle of perceptions, a game of chess. We need to paint ourselves as victims, just as much as they're painting us as bullies."

"But how do we do that?" Ishizaki piped up, frowning. "We're the ones being accused here."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his naivety. "Ever heard of a counter-accusation?"

Their faces remained blank, so I continued. "We need to shift the narrative. Maybe we claim that there were aggravating circumstances that led to Komiya attempting to hit Sudo. Maybe we say that they've been lying about their claims of bullying even happening. You idiots talked about Sudo acting high and mighty for being a regular, right? If that's the case, then wouldn't it be unlikely for you two to even think of bullying that guy? We could also attack the credibility of their witness. After all, Sakura Airi is a Class B student herself."

I paused, letting the idea take root in their minds. "It should be easy to plant the idea that they orchestrated this attack. And remember, at the trial, it's not just about the facts; it's about the delivery. You three have to appear genuine, scared even. If you can make the jury partly believe your side of the story, you'll probably get a slap on the wrist."

"So... we'll still be punished?" Komiya asked, looking apprehensive.

"Of course, you idiot. You got caught in the act of attempting to attack Sudo. There's no way we can deny that," I replied, scoffing at the crew-cut moron. "Sakagami had the right idea when he believed that we could reduce our losses here, and we can pretty much do just that."

"Reduce our losses... how?" Kondo inquired, looking pale.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow at him. "Have you heard of public image, Kondo?" I asked, my tone oozing sarcasm.

Kondo didn't answer, but his confused expression was enough for me.

"Here's what I mean," I began, enjoying the process of breaking down my plan into these three dolts. "If we manage to shift the narrative in our favor, we'll create doubt and sympathy. If we can paint Ayanokōji and Class B as manipulative liars who took advantage of your vulnerabilities, the punishments meted out to you will be lighter. You'd be seen as victims."

"I-Is that really possible, Ryūen?" Komiya stuttered, his face reflecting a flicker of hope.

"Of course, it's possible," I said with a shrug. "But only if you guys are willing to commit. We need to be one step ahead of Ayanokōji at all times. You need to stick to our story, no matter what, and show remorse. Genuine remorse."

"R-Remorse?" Ishizaki echoed.

I nodded, smirking at the dark-green-haired boy. "It'll make our counter-narrative even stronger. After all, we're just misguided youths who made a mistake in the heat of the moment, right? That's the image we need to project."

The three of them looked at each other, clearly unsure. Good. I needed them nervous and on their toes.

"Remember," I continued, "This isn't about what you did or didn't do. It's about what people believe you did or didn't do. Perception is everything."

"Perception..." Komiya murmured, clearly trying to wrap his head around the concept.

"But Ryūen..." Kondo started, looking even paler than before, "What if... what if they don't believe us?"

I sneered at him, shaking my head. "Then you'll face the consequences of your actions. But believe me, if you do as I say, the chances of that happening are slim."

I paused for a moment, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. "So, are you in, or are you out?"

The room fell into silence as the three of them exchanged looks, the tension almost tangible. After a moment, they all nodded, a sense of grim determination on their faces.

Well, it wasn't like they had a choice.

Their only choice was the one where they stood a chance to survive.

"Good. I'll be having Kaneda work as your defense for this case. That four-eyed bastard can do that much," I said. "Ah, that reminds me. After the three of you leave, call over Kaneda. I'll brief him on the plan I have in mind."

I saw hope flicker back into their eyes. It wasn't going to be easy, and the risks were high, but it was better than sitting back and taking the fall. I wasn't one to play the victim - I was the predator, not the prey.

And Ayanokōji, that sneaky bastard, would soon discover how viciously a cornered animal could fight back.

Heh. Let's see how long your luck lasts, Ayanokōji.

4.1

Ayanokōji Kiyotaka

July 2, 2015 - Wednesday.

Last night, I told everyone in the Class B group chat to arrive at exactly 8:00 AM in our classroom as I had wanted to gather everyone and inform them of important news. Of course, everyone was intrigued by it, but I told them that I'd only share the information once we were in class.

Thankfully, with the help of Yuki and Yōsuke, the rest of the class, who initially protested about the prospect of going to class earlier than usual, relented with my request.

And so, upon seeing everyone finally gathered in the classroom after the arrival of Yamauchi and Ike, I made my way to the front of the class, stopping upon reaching the podium.

A hush fell over the room as I cleared my throat, my gaze scanning the room. "Thank you all for being punctual. I know this is earlier than usual, but I have an announcement to make."

I could see the curiosity in their eyes, a few of them exchanging glances. I took a moment to let the anticipation build, ensuring I had their full attention before I continued.

"Two days ago, Class D launched an attack against our class," I began, and I could see the shock on some faces while others seemed indifferent. "They did this by orchestrating an attack on Ken."

Everyone's eyes turned to Ken, who was initially caught off-guard by the sudden attention. "Uhh... yeah, it's as what Kiyotaka said. Three bastards from Class D tried gettin' me into trouble, but thankfully, Airi was there to bail me out."

"S-Seriously?!"

"But a fight didn't happen, right? I mean... Sudo's practically unharmed."

"I was gettin' to that, ya bastards," Ken said in slight irritation. "So those two asshats from Class D, Komiya and Kondo, called me up to the special building after our basketball practice, and well, when I got there... another ugly bastard named Ishizaki was there with them. They were talking shit and all that, and suddenly, that bastard Komiya ran up to me and tried to punch me. That's when Airi came to the save, and for some reason, those assholes just left."

A murmur ran through the class, shock and disbelief evident on their faces. They turned to Airi, who was sitting quietly in her seat, her eyes wide as everyone's attention shifted to her.

"I was... I was just at the right place at the right time," she stuttered, her voice barely audible. "I... I had my camera with me, and when I saw what was happening, I... I took a picture."

"And it was a good thing she did," I continued, turning the class's attention back to me. "Because with that photograph, we have concrete evidence of Class D's assault against Ken."

"Umm... Ayanokōji-kun, why do you say it's an attack from Class D? Isn't it possible that those two just tried to provoke Sudo-kun and brought in the third guy as an insurance policy?" Nishimura asked. "I mean... it happens all the time when delinquents fight."

"Oi, who are you calling a delinquent?" Ken protested.

Ignoring Ken's protest, I continued addressing Nishimura's concern. "That's a fair question, Nishimura. However, this incident wasn't a simple scuffle. There are plenty of oddities in that encounter that led us to believe that the motivation wasn't as simple as just teaching Ken a lesson."

"First off, why was only one guy moving in to punch Ken? Logically speaking, the best way to take down someone when you have the numbers advantage is to overwhelm the target. But in this case, they sent one person to initiate the attack while the others stayed back. It suggests a calculated move, possibly to provoke a reaction from Ken or to capture evidence of his aggression."

"Furthermore, there's the arena of this attack," I continued. "It happened right in the special building, where there are no security cameras around. It's almost as if they planned the entire encounter, taking advantage of the circumstances to ensure minimal interference and to ensure they wouldn't leave a trace."

I paused for a moment, allowing my words to sink in. The class was listening intently, their expressions a mix of shock and concern.

"That's not all," I added, my voice steady. "Why would they just leave when Airi showed up? And on top of that, why were they panicked upon seeing her?"

The room fell into silence as everyone contemplated my words. The implications of these questions hung heavy in the air, fueling the growing realization that this incident was more than a simple confrontation.

One by one, understanding washed over their faces, and the gravity of the situation sank in.

"That means... they were trying to frame Ken," Yōsuke stated, his voice filled with concern. "They wanted to provoke him into a fight and make it seem like he was the aggressor."

"And do you guys think that those three guys who people in Class D thought to be nothing more than brutes would be able to concoct a plan like that?" I added.

"No, they aren't capable of that," Yuki quipped.

"Exactly," I continued, my voice steady. "It's highly unlikely that those three would have been capable of orchestrating such a calculated plan themselves. I'm certain that there was someone in Class D pulling the strings, simply using them as pawns in a larger game."

"So, you're saying that there might be someone from Class D who's manipulating this whole situation?" Kushida asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Indeed, and that's something we would be investigating," I replied, glancing at the beige-haired girl. "Because chances are... this attack, although a failure, was just a warning shot. And as they say, one must know their enemy."

Of course, I already knew who was behind this.

Although Ryūen had taken a more hands-off approach with his attacks, fully content in letting his pawns do the dirty work, a little digging would be enough to find out that he's the recognized leader of his class.

But assuming that some of our classmates were friends with people from Class D, I had decided to withhold that information for now so that Ryūen wouldn't know that I was aware of him.

"We can't let Class D get away with this," Yōsuke spoke up, his voice filled with resolve. "If they're willing to go to such lengths to fight us, then we must be equally determined to protect our class."

"I agree with what Yōsuke said," I said, leading to everyone's eyes turning back to me. "That being said, don't worry too much about what they had done to Ken. We've already reported the incident to the school administration. And they've given Class D a timeframe to defend themselves against our allegations."

"All things considered, we've already won this battle," I continued.

The class looked at me with surprise and confusion, unsure of what I meant by "we've already won this battle." I took a moment to let my words sink in before elaborating.

"By reporting the incident to the school administration, we've ensured that Class D will have to defend themselves against our allegations," I explained. "They may have tried to frame Ken, but we have evidence to counter their claims. The burden of proof is now on their shoulders, and it's unlikely that they'll be able to counter the evidence we have."

"Well, I don't think they can refute a photograph," Yukimura said. "The case is ours to win."

I glanced at Yukimura and acknowledged his points with a nod. "Yukimura is right. But now that we have tackled this issue, I'll now be getting to why I had asked everyone to gather here this morning," I continued, redirecting the conversation back to the initial purpose of the meeting.

"I want everyone here to remain cautious at all costs," I began, my eyes scanning the classroom. "Logically speaking, Ken only escaped being framed due to Airi somehow being there."

"What do you guys think would have happened if Airi wasn't in the right place at the right time?" I continued.

The class fell silent, contemplating the gravity of my question. The realization slowly sank in, and expressions of concern filled the room.

"It was a stroke of luck that things ended up the way they did, and we can't always rely on chance or luck to protect us," I emphasized. "That's why I want you guys to remain vigilant at all costs, especially from schemes made by Class D."

"I'm not saying to cut off your ties if you guys happen to have friends in Class D," I clarified. "But I am suggesting that we exercise caution when interacting with them. We can't be sure who we can trust within their class, especially considering the recent attack on Ken."

"I agree with Kiyotaka," Yuki said, turning to face the class with a warm smile. "This incident is just a glimpse into the challenges we may encounter during our time at this school. There are some people out there who are capable of scheming malicious ploys, so everyone must be careful."

As the rest of the class voiced their agreement with Yuki's sentiment, I sent the blonde-haired girl a small smile and nodded my head appreciatingly.

"Well then," I said, bringing everyone's attention back to me. "Now that everyone seemed to be on the same page, we can now close this meeting. Thank you for your time, everyone."

With the echoes of my words still lingering in the air, I returned to my seat, pondering the intricate web of inter-class politics at our school.

While Ryūen may not pose a direct threat to me, his cunning and resourcefulness could certainly disrupt our class with new schemes and tactics that he was sure to have been scheming already.

This was why the class needed to know the looming danger that was just waiting to strike; for them to realize that complacency would just lead to them getting swallowed whole by a predator.

And they needed to realize this quickly.

After all, despite Class B trailing Class A by a mere 14 points, I was sure that our class remained the most defective class in our year in terms of overall abilities.

Of course, the abilities of my classmates had improved over the past three months, but they were initially labeled as defects for a reason.

So even with the progress my classmates had made over the past three months, they were still susceptible to the machinations of someone like Ryūen.

And this... made Ryūen Kakeru dangerous.

4.2

"Ayanokōji-kun, you already knew who was behind the attacks, didn't you?"

A few minutes after I settled into my seat, I heard Horikita's voice from beside me, slightly muffled by the hum of the air conditioner and the chatter of our classmates.

I turned my head to face her, meeting her gaze. There was a mixture of curiosity and suspicion in her eyes, and I knew she was waiting for an answer.

"Quite the confidence you have in me, Suzune."

"Wha—What did I say about you saying my name so casually?" she retorted, the usual icy coolness in her voice replaced by a pitch of surprise.

A faint smile tugged at my lips. "For me not to get used to saying it. As far as I can remember, this is only the third time that I did that, and the first time since June," I replied, patting Horikita on the head, my hand briefly sinking into the soft, silky strands of her hair. "So I'm pretty sure I followed through with what you said."

Horikita swatted my hand away, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "That's not the point, Ayanokōji-kun. Focus on what I asked you."

"Wasn't that what I was just doing? Your question was, and I repeat, 'What did I say about you saying my name so casually?' Have you forgotten?"

She took a moment to regain her composure, the blush on her cheeks slowly fading under the cool, artificial light. "That's not what I— You're infuriating, Ayanokōji-kun," she finally managed to say. Her voice was low, almost swallowed by the buzz of the classroom around us.

She took a deep breath before continuing, "You know that was not the question I was referring to. I'm asking about the attacks. Did you know who was behind them?"

I turned back to my desk, not meeting her gaze. "I do," I admitted nonchalantly, stretching my arms upward.

"And you didn't think it was necessary to share this with the class?" she asked, her tone full of disbelief.

"Because I have the situation under control," I answered, glancing at her from the corner of my eye. "It might even disrupt my plans if, somehow, a classmate accidentally slipped and said that I was aware of Class D's leader and how they operated."

"Can you at least tell me about it?" Horikita asked. Her voice was softer but no less persistent.

"Alright, but on one condition," I replied, the sound of my chair scraping against the floor as I leaned in closer.

Horikita's eyes narrowed, curiosity and suspicion warring in her stormy gaze. "What condition?"

"Have lunch with Chiaki, Yuki, and me later," I replied.

A look of surprise crossed Horikita's face at my condition. For a moment, she seemed to be caught off guard. But she quickly masked it with her usual stern expression. "Why would you want me to join you?"

"Because it would be nice to have you with us," I said simply, giving her a faint smile. I didn't give her any room for further argument. "That's my only condition. Take it or leave it."

Horikita hesitated, her gaze flicking between me and her desk. She seemed to be contemplating my condition deeply.

It was adorable, all things considered.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally spoke, "What happened to 'Take your time, Horikita. There's no rush?' You sure are being pushy, Ayanokōji-kun."

"I just want to have lunch with you. Is anything wrong with that?" I countered, enjoying the blush that was forming on Horikita's face.

Horikita glared at me upon noticing the look on my face. "No, not really. But I find myself irritated at that smug look on your face," she replied.

"Because you always look cute when you're flustered like that," I replied cheekily. "It's quite flattering that I could make you react like that, you know?"

Horikita's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she quickly averted her gaze, clearly flustered by my comment. "That's not the point, Ayanokōji-kun! Fine, I'll join you for lunch, but only because it seems like you won't take 'no' for an answer."

I quirked an eyebrow upon hearing Horikita's reply, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

Despite her claims of not being one, that was a classic tsundere response.

4.3

It was almost lunchtime, and as usual, the final subject before the break was as boring as they came. Since I had nothing else to do, as I had already learned everything about Mashima-sensei's lesson, I took out my phone and messaged Shiina.

There was no real reason for me to text her, but considering she did give me quality book recommendations, the least I could do was to thank her for it.

[11:48:10] I finished reading several chapters of Sayer's 'Whose Body?' last night. It's pretty good. Thanks for the recommendation, Shiina.

[11:48:50 Shiina Hiyori] I knew you'd like it! Let me know when you've finished the books. We can talk about it if you'd like.

[11:49:05] Sure thing. You're always at the library after classes, right?

[11:49:20 Shiina Hiyori] Yup! Drop by when you have the time, Ayanokōji-kun.

Shiina's really eager to talk about books, huh?

Seeing as I had nothing else to reply to her text, I pressed the back button of the messaging app, returning to the list of message threads. The classroom was filled with the monotonous drone of Mashima-sensei's voice, but my screen, brimming with conversations, was a colorful contrast.

And just as my finger hovered over the power button to lock the phone, I heard a sharp intake of breath beside me.

"Did you... just save my contact as Suzuneko?"

Horikita's voice, flabbergasted yet hushed, barely pierced the near-silent hum of the classroom. Her gaze was fixed on my phone screen, a flash of surprise momentarily disrupting her typically composed face.

Intrigued by her reaction, I glanced back at my screen, where I found out why she reacted that way. It would seem that Horikita had spotted my cheeky contact name for her among the long list of message threads on my phone.

Should I mess with her?

I think I should.

"Hmm?" I replied, glancing at the flustered girl. "Did I give you permission to look at my phone screen?"

Horikita's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she quickly averted her gaze, her embarrassment evident. "I-I'm sorry. It was just... right there. I didn't mean to invade your privacy."

"But still, that is a very rude nickname, Ayanokōji-kun," she continued.

To my amusement, Horikita wasn't glaring at me. It seemed like she was more flustered than angry about what she had just noticed.

"You don't seem mad about it, though," I replied, glancing at the wall clock before returning my eyes to Horikita.

"Of course I am," she retorted a bit too quickly. "It's just... I'm more surprised than anything else."

"Surprised? How come?"

"Why 'Suzuneko'? I'm not... I'm not like a cat."

Typical Horikita and her lack of self-awareness, I suppose.

"Just like how you're not a tsundere, right? After all, 'Fine, I'll join you for lunch, but only because it seems like you won't take 'no' for an answer' sounded like a classic tsundere line, didn't it?" I countered.

"Haah... you've always been in denial, Horikita," I continued, leaning back in my chair as I watched the mixture of shock and embarrassment paint itself across Horikita's face.

"Tsundere? That's absurd! I'm not—" she began, but I interrupted her.

"You're blushing again, Suzuneko," I said, smirking at the deepening color on her face.

"Stop calling me that!" she snapped, but there was no real heat in her words; she just found the nickname embarrassing.

"Well, 'Suzuneko' seemed fitting. You're quiet, independent, and you also have your adorable moments. Just like a cat," I countered.

"Adorable? I am not—" she started, before cutting herself off and taking a deep breath, as if attempting to control her emotions. "You're just doing this to annoy me, aren't you, Ayanokōji-kun?"

No, not really. That's entirely on you for being bashful when people compliment you... Suzuneko.

I shrugged my shoulders, deciding to play along with her assumption. "Indeed. It's always fun to see you all riled up, Horikita."

Horikita gave me a glare that could freeze the sun, but the faint red tinge on her cheeks betrayed her true feelings. "I wish everlasting suffering onto you, Ayanokōji-kun."

"You mean... me being married to you? That's the closest thing to everlasting suffering that I could imagine," I retorted, enjoying the widening of Horikita's eyes.

It really wasn't, but that was bound to elicit a certain reaction to Horikita, so I went for that unconventional joke.

That was all there was to it.

"Wha—What are you saying?" she stuttered, her face flushing a deep crimson. She was completely taken aback by my statement, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "And on the contrary, it is me who would suffer with that arrangement!"

"I'm just joking, Horikita," I replied. "You really take things too seriously sometimes."

"Joking..." she echoed, her blush slowly subsiding, only to be replaced with a look of annoyance. "That's not funny, Ayanokōji-kun."

"Really? I found it quite amusing," I shrugged, returning my attention to Mashima-sensei's lecture.

Glancing at Horikita, I couldn't help but find amusement in what had just happened.

Well... I suppose it would be more apt to say that this was a common occurrence, as our verbal exchanges often ended up this way, with Horikita fuming and me finding amusement in her reactions.

"That said, I have a request," Horikita said after a while, breaking the silence that had settled between us.

"What is it?"

"Can you please change my contact name on your phone?"

"Not happening."

"Why not?"

"Because it suits you," I replied, standing up upon seeing that the wall clock read 11:59 AM. "Oh look, lunchtime is approaching. Are you ready to join Chiaki, Yuki, and me?"

Horikita huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I already agreed, didn't I? Let's just get this over with."

Soon, the lunch break bell rang, and with Mashima-sensei formally dismissing the class, our classmates immediately sprung up to their feet and dashed to the cafeteria.

As usual, there were people like Airi who stayed in the classroom as they cooked their own meals and those who simply just didn't eat for lunch.

"Don't be like that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Chiaki and Yuki about our lunch plans," I replied.

"Wait, Ayanokōji-kun," Horikita called out just as I was about to step away.

I turned back to her, raising an eyebrow in question. "Yes, Suzune?"

She looked slightly taken aback by my use of her first name, but she quickly regained her composure. "I hate you so much," she said.

"You don't mean that," I replied, shaking off her words and walking away.

For a girl that everyone saw as an Ice Queen, she sure had a wide range of expressions, didn't she?

4.4

After explaining to both Chiaki and Yuki why I decided to invite Horikita for lunch, the now party of four, consisting of me, Chiaki, Yuki, and Horikita, made our way to the cafeteria.

And as we entered the bustling cafeteria, the aroma of various dishes filled the air. Students were chatting animatedly, laughing, and enjoying their meals. We found an empty table near the window and sat down, with Horikita and Chiaki sitting on one side, Yuki and I on the opposite side.

"Chiaki-chan seems to be a bit tense, doesn't she?" Yuki whispered into my ear, her voice filled with amusement as she glanced in Chiaki's direction. "Fufu! To think she's actually jealous."

"What are the two of you talking about?" Chiaki pouted, looking at the two of us in suspicion.

"Oh, I was just telling Kiyotaka that it'd be fun if he fed me mouth-to-mouth," Yuki deflected, sending a cheeky grin in Chiaki's direction.

What the hell, Yuki?

"H-How indecent, Tsubaki-san," Horikita said, her eyes widening as she looked at Yuki. "Those aren't things that a girl our age should say."

"You should just get used to Yuki-chan acting like a degenerate when she's around people she's comfortable with. It's not really a big deal, you know?" Chiaki said to Horikita, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

On the surface, Chiaki's words seemed to be a gentle admonishment of Yuki's... degeneracy, but I knew better.

Chiaki was sending Horikita a veiled insult, one that insinuated that if she couldn't find it in her to adjust to the group that she had 'intruded' in, then she should just leave.

And while I wasn't completely surprised by her reaction, it was pretty funny to see Chiaki give Yuki a run for her money at being the Queen of Passive-Aggressiveness.

Scratch that.

With how Horikita seemed to be more flustered than angry, Chiaki might just have Yuki beat.

Horikita, seemingly oblivious to Chiaki's underlying insinuation, took a moment to regain her composure. She finally replied, "I... I see."

She glanced at Chiaki, then at Yuki. "I admit that I am not used to hearing such language out of the blue, so I apologize if I overreacted."

Yuki chuckled, placing an arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry about it, Horikita-san. You'll get used to it sooner or later. Who knows, you might even learn to find it amusing!" She winked at me, a clear sign that she recognized Chiaki's passive-aggressiveness just as I had.

"Assuming she has it in her to stick around," Chiaki giggled, glancing at Horikita before turning her eyes to Yuki. "You might just be too much for her, Yuki-chan!"

Yuki giggled at Chiaki's comment, her mirthful eyes sparkling with delight. "If she can take having Horikita-senpai as an older brother, I'm pretty sure she can survive being with us, Chiaki-chan."

And now... Yuki was just poking fun at Chiaki, accurately pinpointing the reason behind Chiaki's current attitude— her being bothered with Horikita's inclusion in our lunch.

Caught amidst this verbal exchange, Horikita appeared slightly flustered. A faint blush tinged her cheeks, standing out against her typically composed demeanor.

Since she had always been more reserved and straightforward, this kind of indirect, playful conversation was unfamiliar territory for her.

"I'm sure I can manage," she managed to respond, her fingers deftly unfastening the clasps on her bento box. The click-clack sound punctuated the lighthearted atmosphere around our table. "It's just a matter of adjustment."

"And you're beginning to adjust already," I pointed out, looking at Horikita in amusement. "After all, you didn't seem mad hearing Yuki insult your brother."

Horikita maintained her cool composure. "Being nii-san's little sister was a constant challenge, so I don't think she's wrong at all, Ayanokōji-kun," she replied, flipping open the lid of her bento box. The enticing aroma of her homemade meal wafted out, mingling with the myriad of other scents in the cafeteria.

"Hmm... I guess," I conceded, placing three separate bento boxes on the table. The familiar sound of the lids opening echoed in the relative quiet around us. Two of the boxes were slid across the table to Chiaki and Yuki, while the third one, with a green cover, was set in front of me.

"Well, I don't know about you girls, but I'm getting hungry already. Why don't we eat?" I suggested, the enticing smells of our lunch drawing an involuntary rumble from my stomach.

The suggestion was met with nods of agreement, and the clatter of chopsticks signaled the beginning of our meal.

"Wait!" Yuki suddenly said, pointing her chopsticks at Horikita. "Can we trade food again, Horikita-san?"

Ah, I suppose I should have seen that coming from a mile away. As expected of Yuki, I guess.

She sure had her priorities straight.

Horikita blinked, seemingly caught off guard by Yuki's request. She glanced at Yuki, then at her own bento box, considering the proposition for a moment.

"The second time we have lunch together, and once again, you ask to trade food," Horikita pointed out. While her words seemed hostile, we could tell she didn't mean anything with what she had said.

It was just her unique way of expressing her thoughts to others - direct and unwavering, which was not everyone's cup of tea.

"Horikita-san, good food... is good food. It's only natural for me to want to trade," Yuki defended, as though that was a self-evident truth. "And since I found for myself that you're a good cook, you better get used to it!"

Horikita's reaction was more muted this time. "I... appreciate your kind words, Tsubaki-san," she replied, a hint of a blush creeping into her cheeks. "But just like last time... only a few bites."

Horikita really was weak to compliments... especially when it came from people she least expected to compliment her.

Yuki's eyes lit up with excitement, and she eagerly slid her bento box toward Horikita. "Deal! I can't wait to try your cooking again, Horikita-san."

As Yuki and Horikita began negotiating what they wanted to trade, my gaze slid over to Chiaki, seemingly ensnared in her introspective reverie.

With that, I took out my phone and sent her a message.

It was funny seeing you give Yuki a run for her money at being passive-aggressive. But you really shouldn't worry about her, Chiaki.

I hit send and placed the phone back into my pocket, just in time to see Chiaki's phone vibrate on the table. She blinked, her attention pulled from the lively conversation between Yuki and Horikita.

Her eyes flickered to her phone, her hand slowly reaching out to pick it up. Upon reading the message, she looked up at me with a surprised look. Chiaki then glanced down at her phone and began typing out a text.

Chiaki's fingers moved swiftly across the screen as she composed her response. Once finished, she pressed the send button and placed her phone back on the table.

A moment later, my phone vibrated in my pocket, indicating the arrival of her reply. I retrieved it and read her message.

[12:20:10 Chiaki] I can't help it. It seems like you're always giving her attention, you know? It was one thing trying to guide her because her brother's an asshole... but having her have lunch with us? Do you like her, Kiyotaka? I can accept Yuki-chan or Tsubasa-chan, but not her.

Chiaki being extremely jealous and Yuki being casual and chill... was a personality trade that I wasn't expecting to see today.

But then again, I could understand why Chiaki would react like this.

Chiaki already felt inferior compared to Yuki and, for the past two months, had resigned herself to simply taking what affection she could get from me. Now, with my act of inviting Horikita to have lunch with the three of us, she must have taken it as an indicator that I might be developing some sort of interest in Horikita.

And Chiaki wouldn't accept it solely because she had already conditioned herself into thinking that it was only fine if it was just her, Yuki, and Tsubasa that caught my eye.

She really hated changes that went against what she wanted to happen.

I looked at Chiaki, her eyes fixed on her bento box, a mix of emotions swirling within her. It was clear that her insecurities and jealousy were starting to get the better of her, clouding her usual calm and composed demeanor.

And since I was aware of what was happening and why it was happening, it would be apt for me to address what had been bothering her.

Chiaki, listen to me. Inviting Horikita to have lunch with us doesn't mean that I have feelings for her. We'll talk about this later. For now, just enjoy your lunch, alright?

I pressed send, and as I did, I locked eyes with Chiaki's expressive blues.

Chiaki's attention pivoted to her newly vibrating phone, her features strained with tension as she read my message. After a few lingering moments, her expression softened, and she nodded, acknowledging my words. Chiaki then set her phone aside and began to enjoy her lunch.

Crisis averted.

4.5

"This onigiri sure is delicious, Horikita-san!"

Yuki's voice broke the brief silence of our lunch, her words carrying genuine appreciation for the food. Horikita looked up from her bento box, a small smile forming on her lips.

She really should smile more.

"I'm glad you like it, Tsubaki-san," she replied, her voice laced with a touch of pride. "Since it is my favorite food, I made an effort to always make it up to my standards."

"But... it still doesn't match up to Ayanokōji-kun's version, as ashamed as I am to admit it," she continued, taking a bite out of the onigiri she had traded with Yuki.

"That's to be expected, Horikita-san. Kiyotaka's simply the best," Yuki replied, leaning her head on my shoulder for a few seconds. "But don't sell yourself short. If you passed my palate, then you're a good cook."

"Is... that so?" Horikita asked.

"Yup!" Yuki enthusiastically answered, nodding her head.

After that, the four of us ate in relative peace, aside from Yuki trying to convince Horikita to let her have a piece of her teriyaki. Chiaki really was spot on when she called Yuki a "food monster."

A few minutes later, Horikita broke the silence, aiming to finally know what she had been curious about.

"Can I now ask you about my concern, Ayanokōji-kun? It is the only reason why I agreed to this, after all," Horikita asked, turning her head in my direction.

"Ehh? I thought you agreed because you wanted to impress Kiyotaka with your cooking?" Yuki teased, picking up an onigiri from Horikita's bento and pushing it on my lips.

And she didn't stop there, as the blonde-haired girl looked at Chiaki tauntingly, waving the chopsticks up and down.

I wonder why Yuki was acting unbothered and treating Horikita the same way she teased Ichinose...

Ah, that was probably it.

Chiaki must have told Yuki about the conversation that we had yesterday, which just made the already smug Yuki more confident.

"Wha-What?! That's ridiculous, Tsubaki-san!" Horikita protested, glaring at the blonde-haired girl. "I'd rather die than try and impress him."

Horikita's protest only elicited laughter from Yuki, who seemed to relish in teasing her. Chiaki, on the other hand, sighed, having recognized that this was Yuki's way of teasing her for her passive-aggressiveness earlier.

After eating the onigiri that Yuki had stolen from Horikita's bento, I turned my head toward the dark-haired girl, my eyes meeting her gradient red eyes.

"Yuki's just joking. You really should learn to loosen up, you know?" I joked. "But I suppose I owe you an answer."

"It was the leader of Class D, Ryūen Kakeru, who orchestrated the attack on Ken," I continued, answering Horikita's question from earlier.

"Ryū...en? I'm not familiar with the name," Horikita admitted. "You said you have the situation under control. How do you plan to deal with him?"

"That's something that only Chiaki, Yuki, and I should know for now, Horikita," I replied. "I do promise to tell you about it once all is said and done."

"Don't you... trust me as well, Ayanokōji-kun?" Horikita asked, meeting my eyes. "I would also like to contribute to our class, and I know I can help out."

"I do trust you, Horikita, and you've shown yourself to be valuable during the midterm examination. However, the three of us already have this situation under control," I replied.

Horikita seemed taken aback by my response, her eyes flickering with a mix of disappointment and sadness.

"I... understand, but is there really nothing that I can do?" she asked, her eyes begging for a chance to prove her worth. "I'm willing to do anything to help the class."

I looked at Horikita for a few seconds before turning my head to Chiaki and Yuki, both girls giving me a nod, having understood what I was trying to convey.

The reason why it took me a few minutes to brief Chiaki and Yuki about why I invited Horikita for lunch was because I wanted Horikita to be part of our plan against Class D.

Since Yuki and I couldn't directly interfere in this case considering our held positions in the Student Council, I figured that adding Horikita to our plan would allow me to take another route in how I was planning to deal with this conflict with Class D.

As well as another reason that I haven't disclosed to the duo.

That said, the two of them were doubtful whether or not Horikita would agree with what I wanted her to do, and personally, I didn't know how she would take it.

But with how I managed to control the flow of the conversation, it now looked like Horikita would be willing to cooperate if it meant she could prove her worth.

It was... interesting.

It would seem that I underestimated just how much Horikita Suzune respected me.

"You're willing to do anything?" I questioned, an eyebrow arched in query. "Then let me ask you this, Horikita. Would you be willing to help us in expelling another student?"

Horikita blinked, momentarily taken aback by my abrupt question. Her face grew pale, as if she was trying to comprehend what I had just asked her. She clearly hadn't expected this.

"Expel... another student? Are you serious, Ayanokōji-kun?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper.

"Yes, I am," I answered, looking at her intently. "From what I had gathered, an expulsion causes a class to lose 300 Class Points. This should be enough warning for Class D to give up in trying to cause us trouble."

There was a brief moment of silence as my words began sinking in. Even Yuki and Chiaki were now watching the two of us with heightened anticipation. The casual atmosphere had turned heavy, reflecting the gravity of the situation at hand.

As for Horikita, the dark-haired girl had a contemplative look on her face, her eyes glancing down to her bento, and her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Clearly, an internal conflict raged within her - a tug of war between her personal ethics and her desire to meet my expectations.

A few seconds later, she lifted her gaze, looking me straight in the eyes.

"Who is the student that you're planning to get expelled?" Horikita began, her voice steady but quiet. "If this student deserves expulsion, then I would be more than willing to help, Ayanokōji-kun."

"I see," I murmured, taking a moment to analyze the resolve evident in her gaze. She seemed ready to cross a line she had never thought she would, all in the name of proving her worth and helping our class.

Still, it would take some time before one could fully reconcile with deviating from their moral compass, even if temporarily. This was likely why Horikita needed to know the target, to justify to herself what she was getting herself into.

"Komiya Kyogo from Class D. He's the one who was caught trying to punch Ken," I said, looking at her calmly. "We already have submitted this case to the school, and the evidence already indicated his guilt in this case. What I need for you to do would be to provide a strong case that would put expulsion to the table for Komiya."

"Komiya Kyogo, huh..." She murmured. "He did act with the possible intent to harm, so I guess... he does deserve it."

"So, can you do it, Horikita?"

Horikita nodded, but did not offer a verbal reply.

Glancing at the girl, I could see the conflict in Horikita's eyes, the turmoil she was experiencing as she weighed the consequences of her decision. But ultimately, her determination won out, and she made up her mind to take action.

"That's great to hear," I replied, smiling at Horikita. "Welcome to the team."

"You sound like the team leader of a bad spy movie, Kiyotaka," Yuki interjected, giggling.

"You're an idiot, Yuki," I replied, shaking my head. "Stalking people is more of Chiaki's thing. Both of us are more on the plotting side."

"I-I am not a stalker!" Chiaki complained, her wide eyes focusing on me.

That's what you get for being lost in thought, Chiaki.

"You're a stalker, Matsushita-san?" Horikita asked, turning her head to the brown-haired girl, who began vehemently denying the accusations.

"No, no, no! That's not true at all!" Chiaki protested, flustered. "I'm not a stalker, I just... observe people sometimes. It's all for the sake of analyzing their behavior and understanding their motivations!"

Horikita raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of Chiaki's explanation. "That still sounds like stalking to me."

Yuki giggled. "That's right, Horikita-san. Chiaki-chan here is well... a shameless stalker who always comes up with different ways to describe stalking."

Chiaki's face turned bright red, and she pouted in embarrassment. "You two are ganging up on me! I Again, it's not stalking, it's...proactive observation!"

Chiaki really wasn't helping her case there. All she did was prove Yuki right.

Yuki burst into laughter, her infectious giggles filling the room. "Proactive observation, huh? That's a new one, Chiaki-chan."

Chiaki shot Yuki an annoyed glance, but before she could retaliate, I interjected to steer the conversation back on track.

"Alright, that's enough poking fun of Chiaki," I said, glancing at Chiaki, who was pouting and glaring at me.

I suppose I deserved that since I started the joke.

"Let's focus on the task at hand," I continued, shifting the attention back to our plan. "Horikita, the trial is set to happen next Wednesday, where you will be facing the accused students as well as their homeroom teacher, Sakagami-sensei. We already have gathered important points for discussion, so all I'll be needing for you would be to provide a strong case that would convince Horikita-senpai to put expulsion on the table for Komiya."

"Wait. This trial is going to be moderated by the Student Council?" Horikita asked, her eyes slightly widening in surprise. "Then... I'll be meeting with nii-san..."

This was the secondary reason that I hadn't divulged to Chiaki and Yuki.

The reason why I wanted to involve Horikita in this scheme and in this specific role, was for her to try and manifest the courage to speak up to Horikita-senpai. And since this case was pretty much won— unbeknownst to Horikita— it would be a safe avenue to have her fight off the panic that typically came to her when facing her older brother.

While Horikita was indeed growing and had shown willingness to traverse new horizons, that journey would never be completed until she could face the root of her insecurities— Horikita Manabu.

"I know," I replied, glancing at the dark-haired girl. "Are you still willing to do this, Horikita?"

Horikita's eyes darted back and forth, a glimmer of fear present, but quickly replaced by a newfound determination.

"I... I can handle it," she said firmly, her jaw clenched with determination. "I won't back down just because nii-san will be there. I want to help the class."

A smile made its way on my face. It would seem that my faith in Horikita Suzune's pursuit for growth wasn't misplaced.

While she wasn't on the level of Chiaki and Yuki quite yet, her desire to grow and move past from her history as a 'failure' was something that I could respect.

"I see. Then we'll be counting on you, Horikita," I replied, nodding my head at the dark-haired girl. "That said, Yuki and I cannot directly help you with the case since we are both members of the Student Council, so I'll be assigning Chiaki to help you out for the hearing. I hope that's fine with both of you."

Horikita and Chiaki glanced at each other before turning their eyes to me, giving me a resolute nod.

"Quite the strategy you got there, Kiyotaka," Yuki said, giggling. "After all is said and done, Ryūen should be thinking twice about trying to cross you again."

"Hmm... we'll just see how it goes, Yuki," I replied, glancing at her before turning my attention back to my unfinished bento.

If Tokito's claim of Ryūen's desire to dominate the other classes was true, then it was pretty unlikely for him to give up even if he would incur massive losses.

However, this was still a good move to take as this move would serve as a sufficient warning shot that would tell him that there were consequences in the game he wanted to play.

And the consequence?

The expulsion of Komiya Kyogo, the boy who was caught in the act of attempting to punch Ken in the altercation that Ryūen orchestrated.

Even though Komiya was nothing more than a grunt, losing 300 Class Points meant that their goal of ascending up the hierarchy would be more challenging, as they would then be trailing Class C by about 500 Class Points.

Not only that, but Ryūen losing a classmate due to his botched scheme would most likely lead to students like Tokito to double down on their dislike of how Ryūen ran things in their class and in an ideal case, would attempt to rebel against him.

This is an example of the butterfly effect, where a seemingly inconsequential event can cause significant ripples throughout the system. In this case, I was hypothesizing how the initially inconsequential loss of a grunt would actually lead to Class D's increased troubles.

And this was just the beginning.

End of Chapter

A/N: This is the end of the set-up scenes for this arc. In the next chapter, we'll have a reversal of the canon trial, with Kiyotaka's Class B becomes the petitioner, while Dragon-Boy's Class D becomes the accused.

We also tackled here Chiaki's tendency to act passive-aggressive. This was already alluded to in Volume 0 and in Chapter 1 of Volume 1. While Chiaki does like and enjoy talking to Suzune and didn't mind the possibility of her crushing on Kiyo, it was a whole different ballgame now that it was Kiyo himself who initiated Suzune's invite to their lunch, something that Chiaki had coveted to be exclusive to just the three of them (or four, if puppy-chan is around). And considering Chiaki's feeling of inadequacy towards Yuki, I think this was an understandable reaction coming from her.

Imagine a new girl coming in and basically only walking through a shortcut to get to the same place as you did? You would not be happy with it too.

Also, Yuki's more confident than ever because Chiaki shared her conversation with Kiyo in Chapter 3.5. That's why she really wasn't jealous of Suzune and had elected to making fun of her.

She's a freaking rockstar when not jealous, isn't she?