Ayanokouji watched as Nanami shifted away from him as her face was a mixed expression of shock, embarrassment, and realization. It was like Nanami is seeing Ayanokouji in a different light as her face became red in embarrassment.
"U-uhh... A-Ayanokouji-kun..." stammered Nanami. "T-that's not a very funny joke."
"It's not. It's hardly a joke if it's the truth." replied Ayanokouji.
Nanami became to stammered and seemed to be tongue-tied. Her face grew into a deeper shade of red as she struggled to replied to Ayanokouji. After a few moments of struggling to speak, Nanami stuttered a response.
"T-thank you,A-Ayanokouji-kun." stammered Nanami.
"No need to thank me." replied Ayanokouji. The duo fell into silence and Ayanokouji looked at the clock that is nearby. It's almost noon and he wondered on what he should do.
"It's about lunchtime, huh?" asked Nanami. Her eyes followed Ayanokouji's and their eyes were looking at the clock.
"Yeah." replied Ayanokouji.
"H-how about we go to l-lunch t-together?" asked Nanami, averting her eyes from Ayanokouji. Her face seemed to be flustered as she said it.
"Okay. It's little too early. How about we do something else before that?"
"O-okay!"
Nanami POV
'Ahhh! What is happening to me?! My heart can't stop beating that fast when I'm near Ayanokouji-kun. This is the first time for me and why now? Out of all the time I've talked or was with him, I've fallen for him when he called me a cute girl! I mean he's a nice guy and he's helping Rika with her little problem. Ah! What do I do now?! This is my first time with this. Love...' thought Nanami. Nanami tried to calm herself, but is dialing miserably. She can feel that her face is growing red in embarrassment and shyness and it's obvious that Ayanokouji could see it. After a few failed attempts of calming herself down, she managed to regained some control and gave Ayanokouji her usual smile.
"L-let's getting going." said Nanami.
"Okay." replied Ayanokouji. Luckily, Ayanokouji decided not to say anything about Nanami's unusual behavior and acted his usual behavior. Nanami internally took a sigh of relief and told herself to act like herself. But, her heart was beating faster as she realized that she's technically going on a date with Ayanokouji right now.
Ayanokouji POV
Ayanokouji and Nanami left the park and headed towards the Keyaki Mall. They chatted for a bit before arriving to the entrance of the Keyaki Mall.
"Where should we go?" asked Ayanokouji.
"I don't know. Let's explore the mall for a bit. We might find something cool and a place to eat while doing that." suggested Nanami. Ayanokouji nodded and the duo entered the mall. They decided to go to the east side of the mall and they began slowly walking and looking at the businesses and shops.
"Hey, look. Over there." said Nanami, tapping on Ayanokouji's shoulders and he turned towards where Nanami was pointing to. It was a bakery.
"A bakery?" asked Ayanokouji. "You want to go there?"
"Yeah. Maybe they have some fresh bread or something on sell."
"Okay. It doesn't hurt to look."
Ayanokouji and Nanami entered the bakery. As soon as they entered the store, the scent of freshly baked bread and dessert filled the room and Ayanokouji could immediately smell it. The place was warm with some noise coming from the kitchen. There were a bunch of display cases with bread and desserts. It seemed to be small desserts and the bigger and fancier things are behind the front counter display with a lock that only the employees can access. Nanami and Ayanokouji looked at the bread on display and it seems that most of the bread was freshly made. Ayanokouji wondered when they make the bread and the pricing doesn't seemed to bad. Ayanokouji asked one of the staff and apparently, they make bread around 11 AM and 6 PM, twice per day. Ayanokouji kept that mind and he and Nanami decided not to buy anything since they are going to eat lunch in a little bit.
After a few more minutes of checking out the display, the duo left the bakery and made their way further into the wall. They checked out a few more shops such as a gift shop, clothing store, and a supermarket. Apparently, the supermarket they visited sells fresh fish early every morning and they just missed it. Most of the fish left were sold to another supermarket where it's packaged and sent to the shelves.
"Let's find somewhere to eat!" said Nanami. Ayanokouji nodded and they began checking out the restaurants and they found a restaurant that specializes in seafood. They decided to go there and entered the restaurant. A waiter brought them to am empty table and gave them menu. After a few minutes of looking, Ayanokouji decided to get the paella and Nanami choose the kaisendon.
"Wow. Everything here looks so good." said Nanami.
"Yeah. The price is not so bad." replied Ayanokouji.
"Hey. Don't be so stingy!"
"Sorry. Just pointing that out."
Nanami giggled a little before her face morphed into a serious.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Serious question: do you have a girlfriend?" asked Nanami.
"No." replied Ayanokouji, immediately.
"Seriously? Is that the truth?"
"Yes."
"Well, I mean it looks like you get along with so many g-girls. I-I thought one of them is your g-girlfriend."
"Objectively speaking, I was hanging out with them. So, I don't have a girlfriend."
Nanami looked relieved and looked away in embarrassment when Ayanokouji looked at her. Nanami was asking for her own benefit and now she felt really embarrassed and stupid for asking a question like that.
"I guess. It would be dumb if you're like dating all of them." said Nanami, with a laugh in an attempt as a joke to distract Ayanokouji from looking at her.
"I suppose you're right." replied Ayanokouji.
"It's not like the girls will be okay with sharing a guy."
"That stuff happens in anime."
"That's what Saki would've said. You being a protagonist or something like that."
"That would be something she would say."
The duo talked about trivial things for a bit until their food arrived. Ayanokouji looked at the steaming plate of paella. The hot steaming rice with shrimp, calms, and eel along with onions, bell peppers, and peas as vegetables. Ayanokouji could see the golden rice on the bottom of the plate and mixed along with the other ingredients.
"Let's eat." said the duo.
Ayanokouji took a bite of his paella and the flavor of seafood and rice meshed well. The little bits of vegetables also complement with the seafood. He heard that paella could have bits of meat with it, but Ayanokouji ordered a seafood paella.
"It's good." muttered Nanami, taking a bite of kaisendon. She looked at Ayanokouji's steaming plate of paella.
"Would you like a bite?" asked Ayanokouji.
"E-eh?! I r-rather not." said Nanami, denying it. Ayanokouji could tell that she's curious about paella and was looking at it while Ayanokouji was eating.
"It's okay. You can have a bite."
Ayanokouji scooped up a spoonful of paella and held it out towards Nanami. She stared at the spoon and her face grew flustered. She looked at Ayanokouji quickly before turning her eyes on the spoon.
"U-uhh... Ayanokouji-kun?!" said Nanami.
"You don't want it?" asked Ayanokouji. "I won't force you if you don't want to."
Ayanokouji began to retract his spoon away from Nanami, but Nanami stopped it by grabbing his hand with her hands.
"W-wait... I-I wasn't e-expecting it." said Nanami. "Thanks, Ayanokouji-kun."
Nanami ate the spoonful of paella and retracted back to her seat. She chewed for a moment before saying something.
"I-it's pretty good." said Nanami. Ayanokouji noticed that her face was redder than usual and it looked like it has gotten worse when she ate a bit of Ayanokouji's paella. Ayanokouji ignored it and continued eating. On the other hand, Nanami seemed to be frozen and was not eating her lunch.
I wonder why she's not eating. Maybe girls don't eat that much, but she's not even halfway done with her kaisendon.
'Holy shit! An i-indirect kiss with A-Ayanokouji-kun! C-calm down, Nanami. Calm down. How is he still eating without thinking about it?! I just feel stupid if I'm the only one thinking about this!' thought Nanami. Nanami forced herself to calm down a little bit and started to slowly eat her kaisendon.
After finishing their lunch, Nanami and Ayanokouji chatted for a bit, but the mood felt a little off. He knew that their classes are in conflict with each other, so it's a bit awkward and there a certain topics they shouldn't bring up especially if it has to do with their own class.
"Alright. Let's go." said Nanami. The duo left the restaurant after paying separately for their meals. They decided to walk around the mall more and after about 20 minutes, Nanami's phone buzzed and she picked it up. Her face soured as if she saw something unpleasant.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. I gotta go!" said Nanami.
"Okay. Should I walk to there?" asked Ayanokouji.
"No need. See ya later."
"Bye, Nanami."
Nanami quickly left and Ayanokouji wondered where she was going and that she was acting a little strange. Ayanokouji saw from a distance, a girl with short blue hair walking behind Nanami. From a distance, it looked like they are simply walking in the same direction, but Ayanokouji saw the same girl following them around. He noticed her with the corner of his eyes as he was walking. Ayanokouji wondered if that girl was in Class C, since he never seen before, and why she was following Nanami. Ayanokouji decided to ignore it and began heading towards the center of the mall where he can go to the exit.
After a few minutes of walking, he heard someone calling him.
"Hey, Ayanokouji." called out Nishino.
"Hello, Nishino." said Ayanokouji.
Nishino was in an area with a few vending machines and benches. She was sitting down with a drink her hands. She gestured to Ayanokouji to come towards her and he sat down on the bench next to hers.
"What's going on, Nishino?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Just a little curious about you." replied Nishino. She began counting her fingers as she spoke. "Yabu, Manabe, Yamashita, Morofuji. All 4 girls that normally stick together and doesn't interact with much people. Especially with people from other class and you're hanging with them like it's not a problem."
"Maybe I got lucky."
"Ha! As if that's the truth. I don't know, but it's kinda of fun to see what will happened next."
"Wait, aren't you the same?"
"The same?"
"Aren't you a loner?"
"Damn. You don't have to do me dirty like that, but yeah. It's true."
"It's ironic that a loner is talking about something like this."
"Maybe, but I'm a little curious, you know. But, it's not like I had time talking with other people."
"Not even from your own class."
"Nah. I rather not get involved with them especially him."
Nishino had a grimace expression on her face as if she just remembered something unpleasant.
"Him?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Don't worry about it." replied Nishino, with a frown. Ayanokouji noticed that Nishino didn't think that it was true, but kept it away from him.
"Anyways, I'm going to enjoy my time here." said Nishino.
"As do I." replied Ayanokouji.
"Well, it seems you're really having fun."
"Fun?"
"Screwing with a bunch of girls."
"Ah. Please don't misunderstand."
"What's there to misunderstand? You're literally a playboy."
"In a certain perspective. But I just happened to know a bunch of people and they are all girls."
"Ha! That's hilarious, but I guess it makes you like a Hirata 2.0"
"Please don't call me that."
Nishino cracked a small smile in amusement and Ayanokouji realized how different she looked from usual face. He noticed how pretty her smile is and the beautiful shade of purple from her eyes. Ayanokouji had a feeling that he saw a rare side of her. Nishino quickly changed her smile to usual face..
"What are you talking at?" asked Nishino. "Don't tell me that you're a perv."
"Of course not. I just didn't expect to see you smile." replied Ayanokouji.
"Ha! Me too. But, I guess you're an alright guy if I smile when I'm with you."
"Thanks, I guess."
"Not a problem, Hirata 2.0"
The duo fell into silence as Nishino took another sip of her drink. After a few minutes, Ayanokouji decided to leave.
"Alright. I'm leaving." said Ayanokouji.
"See you later, Ayanokouji." said Nishino.
"Bye, Nishino."
With that, Ayanokouji left Nishino and headed towards the exit of the Keyaki Mall. After exiting the mall, he decided to head towards the dorms, but ran into Horikita.
"Ah! Ayanokouji-kun, good timing." said Horikita.
"Hello, Horikita." said Ayanokouji.
"Let's find somewhere private to talk."
Horikita led Ayanokouji to a empty area where they sat at an empty bench.
"Okay. I've received the message from Kushida-san. I think I can build a case around it, to prove Sudou's innocence." said Horikita.
"Really? Based on what?" replied Ayanokouji.
"Since there's limited evidence besides an eyewitness, we can build the case around self-defense and Class C let Sudou-kun beat them up. The likelihood of Sudou-kun of winning a fight against 3 opponents at once is high unlikely."
"That's a decent plan. Are you going to use Sakura?"
"Yes. Her testimony should prove that Sudou-kun was doing it out of self-defense. She said she has proof of it, but didn't show it to me yet."
"Ah."
"I'm not sure if Sakura-san will be a sufficient witness, but it will have to do."
"Yes."
Apparently, Horikita and Ayanokouji both share the same concern about Sakura. Her shy nature and lack of social skill will likely be a determiner for them especially when she's a key witness to a trial which will force her to speak up to others.
"There's not much we can do. Sakura must do it on her own." said Ayanokouji.
"Yes, but it will be unpredictable. Will Sakura-san actually do it?" mused Horikita.
"At any rate, is that all to your case?"
"No. I'm thinking about what else to add. Some arguments and counterpoints against Class C. I think I understand what Class C is going for."
"What about Sudou?"
"Sudou-kun? I've already ordered him to stay calm and avoid lashing out during the trial. He already has a bad reputation, and we don't need any more of his undesirable behavior during the trial."
"The question is: are you ready, Horikita?"
"R-ready?"
"You know what I mean."
Horikita hesitated for a few moments with a hint of doubt and insecurity before her face hardened with determination.
"Yes. As ready as I'll ever be." said Horikita.
"That's good." replied Ayanokouji.
"I'll let you know if I need any help or running out of ideas on the trial."
"Okay. Let me know."
Horikita nodded and the duo sat in silence, enjoying each other company. It's not everyday that Ayanokouji could enjoy the peaceful silence and days before the chaos of his soulmates. For some reason Ayanokouji found, sitting with someone else and enjoying the silence together is a better experience than sitting by yourself. After a few minutes, Horikita spoke up.
"Ayanokouji-kun, in 2 weeks is our cruise ship vacation... do you mind if I take a little bit of your time next week?" asked Horikita.
"Oh. I'm fine with it." replied Ayanokouji.
"T-thanks. It would be after the trial on Monday. So, how about Wednesday?"
"Okay."
"T-thank you."
Horikita seemed to be thinking about something and Ayanokouji wondered if it's about their upcoming time together on Wednesday.
"Horikita?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Ah. I was thinking about something and preoccupied. Can you give me some time?"
"Sure."
"Goodbye, Ayanokouji-kun."
"Bye, Horikita."
Ayanokouji left Horikita, sitting on the bench who is staring off into the distance where there's a line of trees. He figured Horikita should have some space and time to think by herself. Ayanokouji headed back towards the dorms.
Well, I have a busy night ahead of me.
*Timeskip (5 hours later)*
Ayanokouji's doorbell rang and he approached the door and open it for his guests.
"Hi, Ayanokouji-kun." said Shinohara.
"Sorry for the intrusion!" said Onodera.
Onodera and Shinohara entered his room as he closed the door. The two girls removed their shoes and Shinohara slipped on her sandals which are at the doorway. Onodera, who was barefoot, gave Shinohara a suspicious look as she didn't expect Shinohara to have sandals in his room. It indicated that Shinohara is usually at Ayanokouji's room, which is more than Onodera, if she had sandals in Ayanokouji's room already.
Shinohara already told Ayanokouji that she'll be coming to his room yesterday when she was in his room . Onodera messaged him earlier today and asked if she could stop by during dinner. Ayanokouji agreed and it seemed that Onodera and Shinohara are aware of that the other is going to be there as they texted each other and Ayanokouji for some arrangements.
"Have a seat." said Ayanokouji. Onodera looked around to see where to sit, but Shinohara immediately sat down at her usual spot by the cote table. She grabbed her cushion on the couch and placed it on the floor. Onodera was surprised on how easily Shinohara made herself at home in Ayanokouji's room. It's like she's been in his room multiple times already and gotten used to it. Shinohara grabbed her notebook and a textbook out of her bag. She reached into a pencil pound and pulled out her pencil and eraser. On the other hand, Onodera set down her bag on the ground and pulled out some dumbbells.
Onodera and Shinohara both contacted Ayanokouji yesterday, asking if they could visit his room today during dinner. Ayanokouji agreed and told them that the other is visiting at the same time. It seemed that they both agreed to visit, but Onodera and Shinohara were both eyeing each other suspiciously and wondered why the other is visiting Ayanokouji's room. Ayanokouji saw down across the coffee table where he could watch Shinohara work while Onodera stood nearby, doing some curls with her dumbbells.
The trio spent about a hour and half together before they started dinner. Ayanokouji helped Shinohara on her studies and did a light workout with Onodera's dumbbells during that time.
It seemed that Shinohara's academics is getting better. Shinohara's recent quiz score shows that she's improved significantly than before. The difference is day and night. She's about average now.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun, isn't it time for dinner?" asked Shinohara.
"Yeah. Did everyone bring stuff for the potluck?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Yep." said Shinohara and Ondoera. The trio agreed to a potluck and to bring their own ingredients and food to contribute to dinner. Shinohara pulled out a package of frozen dumplings out of her bag. Onodera pulled out some vegetables out of a bag. The duo set their ingredients on the kitchen counter and Ayanokouji took a look in his fridge.
"What should we make?" asked Shinohara.
"I don't know. Maybe a stir fry with my vegetables." replied Onodera, washing her hands.
"I have some chicken in my fridge." said Ayanokouji, pulling out some chicken and eggs.
"Stir-fry chicken with vegetables with a side of dumplings?" said Onodera.
"Seems good to me." said Shinohara, washing her hands at the sink. It seemed that the trio seemed to agreed and they started preparing the ingredients for dinner. Shinohara began to boil a pot of water for the dumplings while Onodera is preparing the vegetables she brought which consist of bell peppers, onions, green onions, and corn. Ayanokouji is preparing the chicken and set a pan on the stove in preparation. He began cutting the chicken into little pieces on the cutting board. Onodera was using another cutting board that she found in the kitchen.
"Hey. That's a pretty cute cutting board you have, Ayanokouji-kun." said Onodera.
"Thanks. But, it's not mine. It's Horikita's." replied Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji's response seemed to have caused Onodera and Shinohara to freeze and stop what they were doing.
"Horikita-san?" asked Shinohara, suspiciously. Onodera and Shinohara were both not his soulmates at that time and didn't participate in the last dinner with his other soulmates. Ever since then, Ayanokouji's soulmates has doubled and Horikita left some of our cooking utensils in his room.
"Yes. She came over at my room a while ago and cooked for me and a few others." said Ayanokouji, making sure to add that there are other people present. The last thing he wanted bro say that he and Horikita were alone in the room. That seemed to have lessen the pressure from the looks that Ayanokouji received.
Of course, I'm not going to mention that the other people are all girls. I don't think that detail is necessary and will cause more trouble than good.
"I didn't know Horikita-san can cook." said Onodera, resuming her chopping.
"Well, the more you know." said Shinohara. "Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Can I help you? I'm just waiting for water to be boiled."
"Okay. Look at the at cupboard cabinet for some oil." said Ayanokouji, cutting the last of the chicken. Shinohara nodded and a few moments later, she came back with a bottle of oil.
"It's time to cook." said Ayanokouji, turning on the stove. Onodera placed a bowl of assorted and newly sliced vegetables next to him.
Ayanokouji did the cooking by himself while Shinohara passed him other stuff that he requested such as sauce and any additional ingredients. Shinohara also started cooking rice at that time. On the other hand, Onodera kept an eye on the pot and when it started boiling, she dumped the dumplings into the boiling pot. After a bit of time, Ayanokouji and Onodera finished cooking and began plating their food while Shinohara set up the table and scooped a bowl of rice for everyone.
After everything is set and ready, everyone took a seat and Ayanokouji is facing Onodera and Shinohara.
"Let's eat." said the trio.
Ayanokouji took a bite of the chicken and silently judged it, noting that some improvements are necessary.
"It's pretty good, Ayanokouji-kun." said Shinohara.
"I didn't know you were this good at cooking." said Onodera.
"Thanks, you two. But, I think I did a decent job. There's still some room for improvement." said Ayanokouji.
"You always do this!" said Shinohara.
"Do what?" replied Ayanokouji.
"Always trying to downplay your skills. You kept doing that every time you help me during our study sessions!"
Onodera's eyes widened at what Shinohara said. She was already getting suspicious that Shinohara is a constant visitor at Ayanokouji's room due to her familiarity with his room and some stuff she already had in his room: bowl, chopsticks, sandals, cushion, and other things. Onodera was certain that this wasn't the first time that Shinohara have been in Ayanokouji's room and she wondered how often she and Ayanokouji is alone in his room.
'Kayano, stop acting like a jealous girl! But... Shinohara-san is doing something that I didn't expect. Maybe me and Ayanokouji-kun can have some alone time working out.' thought Onodera, pouting.
"Sorry. I just don't like to gloat or take credit. Especially if it's someone else's hard work." said Ayanokouji. "You did well, Shinohara. It's all due to your hard work."
"B-but, you helped me. At least take some credit." protested Shinohara.
"I suppose you're right about that. But, the credit should go to you."
"Ahh! So stubborn."
"You two seemed to get along." noted Onodera.
"I suppose." replied Ayanokouji. Shinohara just scratched her cheek in shyness and nodded her head in agreement.
The trio ate the rest of dinner, discussing about trivial things and it reminded Ayanokouji of the first month of school where the true nature of the school wasn't revealed and it looked like a normal high school. That was the life that Ayanokouji wanted and at least her get to enjoy sometimes which he appreciates.
After the trio finished eating, Shinohara and Onodera washed the dishes and insisted that Ayanokouji shouldn't get himself involved. Since the two girls were already doing it, he figured that he would just be in the way if he got into the kitchen and it was 2-person job. Ayanokouji turned on the TV and went on a random channel. Ayanokouji was watching a reality TV show and Ayanokouji was intrigued on the concept of the show. After a few minutes, Shinohara and Onodera came out of the kitchen and took a seat next to Ayanokouji.
"Ugh... that show." said Shinohara, looking at the TV.
"Hey, isn't that the show where they..." said Onodera.
"I'm not sure what you guys mean by it, but I clicked on this channel coincidentally." said Ayanokouji. "Is there something wrong with it?"
"Nah. It just kinda of cheesy." said Shinohara.
"I'm not into shows like this, but I heard about it. Ayanokouji-kun, can I change channel?" asked Onodera.
"Sure. Go ahead." said Ayanokouji, getting up from his seat. "Do you guys want some juice or something to drink?"
"Water is fine for me." said Onodera.
"Same." said Shinohara.
Ayanokouji nodded and went to kitchen. He filled up a pitcher of water and placed Shinohara's cup, his own cup, and a plastic one for Onodera onto a tray. He added a few small snacks on his tray for later before exiting the kitchen. He placed the tray of the coffee table and noticed that Onodera switched to a sports channel.
"Thanks, Ayanokouji-kun." said Shinohara, cupping her cup of water.
"Snacks too?" said Onodera, picking up and looking at the snacks that Ayanokouji brought.
"Oh c'mon. We just ate." said Shinohara.
"Just looking at it. I'm eating this later."
For a bit, the trio watched TV and conversed together before Ayanokouji told Shinohara to finish up her studies for the day. He decided to give her a little break after dinner before continuing her studies. Onodera continued watching TV while talking to Ayanokouji is talking to her and helping Shinohara at the same time. After another hour, Onodera and Shinohara packed up their things to leave and return back to their rooms.
"Good night, Ayanokouji-kun." said Onodera and Shinohara.
"Good night, you two." said Ayanokouji. With some final words and greetings, the two girls walked towards the direction of the elevator before Ayanokouji closed the door.
Another day over. It looks like tomorrow is going to be quite a busy day for me.
*Timeskip (next day)*
Ayanokouji left the dorm after eating his breakfast in his room. It's about 9:15 and Ayanokouji had a meeting with Tanihara and the rest of the band. Apparently, she wanted to have a meeting after the band is formed to discuss some important things regarding the band's future. Tanihara invited Ayanokouji too since he's going to be involved with the band. Tanihara had sent the location and time on the band's group chat yesterday either all of the group members and Ayanokouji agreeing to meet up. Ayanokouji approached the Keyaki Mall and according to Tanihara, the meeting is taking place at the same music store that Ayanokouji first met Tanihara and where all of the band members met.
After about a bit of walking, Ayanokouji approached the music store and saw Tanihara, Isoyama, and Nakajima already waiting at the entrance of the music store.
"Ah, Ayanokouji-kun! Right on time." said Tanihara, waving at him. Ayanokouji said his greetings to Tanihara, Isoyama, and Nakajima as the girls fretted him.
"We're just missing Tsube-san." said Nakajima.
"Hey. Is this our usual meeting spot now?" asked Isoyama. It seemed that Nakajima and Isoyama were also confused on why they are here as well.
"I'll explain when Tsube-san gets here." said Tanihara. The trio of girls began talking about trivial things and it seemed that they have bonded a little when they had dinner together. Ayanokouji was out of the loop and maintained his silence. After a few minutes, Tsube approached them.
"Hey! Sorry for being late!" said Tsube.
"All good. Don't worry about it, Tsube-san." said Tanihara. "Let's get going."
Tanihara took the group into the music store and made her way to the front counter. The group watched as she approached the staff and said something to him. The staff nodded and gave Tanihara a clipboard before Tanihara nodded and approached the group with a clipboard.
"Now that we're a band, we should have a space to play and practice our music. So, let's get a studio." said Tanihara, showing them the clipboard. It was a form to rent a studio which the store owns for a monthly fee.
"Whoa! A studio?!" said Isoyama, looking excited.
"I like that idea!" agreed Tsube. It seemed that everyone seemed to be excited about Tanihara's idea expect Nakajima who looked a little nervous about it.
"How much is the fee?" asked Nakajima.
"It's 15,000 points per month." said Tanihara. Isoyama whistled in appreciation and awe as she heard the price.
For people in Class C or D, paying that much per month is a bad move and will leave you with no points. You'll lose more points per month than gaining points.
"If we split the cost, it will be 3,750 points per person." said Tanihara.
"Wait... wouldn't it be 3,000 points per person? Is it for a 4-person split?" asked Nakajima, after a brief moment of doing quick mental math.
"Yeah. Ayanokouji-kun is probably not going to be playing with us. He's just here to help me, so he's probably not going to use the studio as much as us! So, it will be the 4 of us paying." said Tanihara. Tsube agreed with Tanihara.
"I suppose that's true. But, it would be helpful if he paid for some of the cost. I'm fine with it though." said Nakajima. It seems that all of the girls agreed and Tanihara read the acknowledgment and terms of the contract before signing the form. There were certain terms such as setting up for a monthly payment, rules to the studio, and other stuff when renting a space.
Tanihara approached the front counter and the group followed her. She handed the clipboard back to the staff member who took a look of the form. He nodded and reached under the counter, pulling out some papers and a device.
"Okay. We now need to set up a payment plan. As the contract stated, the monthly fee for renting and using this studio you selected is 15,000 points. We will need to set up the payment process." said the staff. He was tapping away on the device as he was explaining.
"Let's start by opening your school ID and the points balance tab. You should see a payment option." said the staff. Tanihara followed his instructions and pulled it up. The staff instructed Tanihara to set up a automatic payment process directly to the music store which Tanihara selected the total amount and frequency of the payment. The staff looked at his device and it played a pleasant ringing noise which confirmed that the automatic payment process has been set up properly.
"Okay. It seemed that everything is set up correctly. I just need you to sign that you agreed to this payment and the risks that it may have. You may be charged for extra fees if you break any rules or any equipment in the studio." said the staff.
"We're in a group. Is there some sort of way for the group members to pay their cost?" asked Tanihara.
"Yes. We'll need to set up an automatic payment process for each member. How many people are paying?"
"4."
"Are they paying the cost equally?"
"Yeah."
"Ok. You'll need to set up the payment process but change the amount to 3,750 points instead of 15,000."
Nakajima, Tsube, and Isoyama pulled out their phones and followed the staff's previous steps and set up their payment process to the store. Tanihara changed the amount on her payment process while the staff member tapped on his device. There was another ringing noise which signaled that the payment process has been updated and set up properly.
"Okay. Nakajima-san, Tanihara-san, Tsube-san, and Isoyama-san has been set up for the monthly payment process. If you all agree that you will all be paying 3,000 points per month, please sign this form." said the staff, pushing the form towards the group.
"All of us?" asked Nakajima.
"Yes. Just draw a X and line on the bottom after using the first signature line."
The group of girls signed the form and the staff took the form and handed the group another form which had a few paper stapled together.
"This is a copy of the rules and terms that you agree to. Please keep it for your own reference." said the staff. Tanihara nodded and took the papers before the staff went over to the cabinet and pulled out a key.
"Here's the key to your studio. It has the room number on the key. You'll find the studio rooms in the alleyway of the store." said the staff.
"Thank you very much." said Tanihara. The group left the store and went to the alleyway to the right of the store. The room number was 8 and they found the room relativity quick. Tanihara inserted the key, twisted, and opened the door. The room was dark, but Tanihara found a light switch by the door and flicked it, turning on the lights. It revealed a medium-sized black room with soundproof material on all the walls and ceilings with a microphone stand, speakers, and other devices and equipment used in a music studio. There was a little stage, few seats, and a table.
"Wow. This is perfect for us!" exclaimed Tanihara, getting on top of the stage. Isoyama also looked excited and followed Tanihara. Nakajima and Tsube looked at the speakers and other equipment in the room.
"It's soundproof." noted Ayanokouji, studying the material on the wall.
"Yeah. It's to contain all of the noise in this room, so we don't bother their business." said Tsube.
"Probably cost a lot of money to make." said Isoyama.
"Anyways, let's start our official meeting here." said Tanihara. The other girls sat down at the seats and Ayanokouji sat down on the stage since there are not enough seats for everyone.
"Now that we got a space to play music, it's a chance to discuss what we should do." said Tanihara. "I think it'll be really cool if we can perform in public."
"Isn't that a little too much?" asked Tsube. She was the member in the band with the least experience with her instrument and was nervous and doubtful about it.
"I guess Tsube-san has a point. Expecting us to play in public right away is too much of a jump. I think we should practice and see our skills first." said Nakajima. Isoyama agreed with Nakajima and Isoyama gave the group a nervous smile.
"Okay, okay. I guess I jumped the gun with that." said Tanihara, scratching her head. "Why don't we play around for a bit to see how good we are?"
"That's why you told us to bring our instruments." said Nakajima.
"Oh! I didn't bring mines since it's a bit of a hassle to bring it everywhere." said Isoyama. "I'll go get it."
Isoyama quickly left the studio to retrieve her instruments. The other members pulled out their instruments. Tanihara is assembling her keyboard piano after she pulled it out of her case. Nakajima was strumming her bass and warming up her fingers.
"Okay. I'll go first." said Tanihara. Tanihara began to play some music and her fingers danced across the keys as Ayanokouji listened to the music Tanihara is making.
She doesn't sound too bad, but she still need some improvement. I can tell that she practiced for a bit. It's not any song I recognized. It's most likely just a tune she made up.
After a minute, Tanihara stopped playing and everyone gave her a round of applause. Tanihara thanked everyone and looked a bit embarrassed.
"That's good, Taniahra-san." said Tsube.
"Thanks. But, I just got a lot to learn and Ayanokouji-kun is better than me." said Tanihara.
"That was okay, Tanihara. I can tell that you practiced a lot." said Ayanokouji.
"Thanks, Ayanokouji-kun. That means a lot to me. But, I still have a lot to learn... sensei." said Tanihara.
"I would like to hear Ayanokouji-kun play." said Tsube. Nakajima agreed with her since the two girls didn't see Ayanokouji's performance at the music store.
"My turn." said Nakajima, readying her bass. She began strumming her bass, playing a low and deep noise. Nakajima played her instrument a minute longer than Tanihara's, but she seemed to be almost at the same level as Tanihara. Both girls seemed to have almost at the same time and practiced by themselves. After Nakajima finished, everyone gave a round of applause and Nakajima sat down on the stage right next to Ayanokouji.
"Wow. You need to teach me some tricks!" said Tsube. "I don't think I can play as good as you."
"Thanks for that. I'll give you some help to help you improve, but our instruments are different from each other." said Nakajima.
"Any help will do! I guess... it's my turn."
Tsube got on the stage and nervously shuffled her feet before strumming on her guitar. Ayanokouji immediately knew that she was a beginner. Some of her tones that was produced were a bit out of tune and not as polished. From a musician perspective, it was clear that Tsube was a beginner and was learning to play guitar. After a minute of playing, everyone gave another round of applause, but Tsube looked quite shy and embarrassed about it.
"Sorry... I'm not that good." said Tsube.
"Don't worry about it! Everyone is always a beginner when they first start. You'll be good in no time." said Tanihara. Nakajima nodded and voiced her agreement. Ayanokouji silently agreed to Tanihara's statement since he knew from first-hand experience on learning and adapting to something new and unfamiliar to him. He had to experience that to survive. The group decided to split up and help each other to improve. Ayanokouji is working with Tanihara with her keyboard while Nakajima is helping Tsube.
Ayanokouji noted some flaws with Tanihara's performance and he decided to work on each other flaw individual to ensure that he doesn't overwhelm her. As Ayanokouji described the problems and ways to improve, Tanihara nodded and asked Ayanokouji to demonstrate. He obliged and showed her. Tanihara was quite the learner and seemed to like the approach of watching someone else do it and trying to learn off it. She made a few attempts and failed, but seemed to be getting the hang of it.
"All you need is practice. Get used to the different and new way of playing. That's the key of improvement." said Ayanokouji. Tanihara nodded and continued playing. On the other side of the studio, Ayanokouji could see that Nakajima is teaching Tsube. Tsube was trying to readjust the way she hold her guitar and tried strumming it. Ayanokouji could see that Tsube is holding her guitar awkwardly as she wasn't used to it. But, it seemed that Nakajima was more focused on general tips rather than the specifics of the guitar since she lacked the knowledge on guitars. After about 5 minutes, there was a knock on the door and Tsube opened the door. She quickly moved out of the way and held opened the door. Isoyama pushed a cart with her entire drum set tied on it.
"Sorry about that!" said Isoyama. "I got my entire set here!"
Isoyama pushed the cart onto the stage via a ramp on the side. She set the cart in the middle of stage and began to take her drums off the cart, assembling it. It made a few noises as Isoyama set up her drums in the proper position. After a few moments, the drums are set up and Isoyama is sitting behind it with her drumsticks.
"One, two, three, four!" said Isoyama, hitting her drumsticks together before playing. Ayanokouji immediately could tell that Isoyama was the best out of everyone. She had been playing longer than most of the band members, but it seemed more than that. Judging from her movement and the beats that she made, it was clear that Isoyama had put a lot more time practicing on her drums. After about 2 minutes of playing, Isoyama ended her drum solo and everyone gave her a standing ovation.
"Wow! That was so good!" said Tsube, clapping her hands.
"You didn't tell us that you're that good!" protested Tanihara. "We looked like beginners compared to you."
"Stop overreacting, guys. It's just a little thing I was working on." said Isoyama, shyly. She began tapping on one of her snare drum.
"I'm impressed. You played well, Isoyama." said Ayanokouji, giving her an appreciative nod.
"Thanks, everyone." said Isoyama. With that, everyone began working together or alone on improving themselves. It was clear that the band wasn't in a state to play in front of a crowd. They still needed some practice and improvement before performing to a crowd.
For the next 2 hours, the group were practicing together and was focusing on one person at a time. They decided that it was better to focus on one person, so they can listen to their individual performance without a room full of noise from the other band members. Most of their time was helping Tsube to improve since she was the newest member.
"Ah. Why don't we call it a day?" asked Tanihara.
"Sure." said the other band members. Everyone began to pack up their instruments, but Ayanokouji stopped Isoyama.
"Isoyama, you can just leave your drums here." said Ayanokouji.
"Wait. I can?" asked Isoyama.
"Yeah. The rules is that you can leave your stuff behind, but they are not responsible for it."
You could leave your belongings in the studio. But, if you don't make your monthly payment or break any terms, the store will take back the studio and your belongings will be removed.
"Okay. I'll just leave my drums behind. It would be a pain to move it around all the time." said Isoyama. The group left the studio after everyone expect Isoyama packed up their instruments. Tanihara locked the door before they left the alleyway. The group left and decided to go their separate ways. Isoyama left to meet with some friends while Tanihara and Nakajima left together towards the dorms. This left Ayanokouji with Tsube which left the duo standing there awkwardly.
"It's almost lunchtime. How about we get some lunch together, Ayanokouji-kun?" asked Tsube, clearing her throat and trying to clear up the awkward atmosphere.
"Okay." replied Ayanokouji.
"Are you fine with anything?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go to one of my favorite places to eat."
Ayanokouji nodded and followed Tsube. She headed towards the exit of the Keyaki Mall which puzzled Ayanokouji. He thought she might bring him a restaurant inside of the mall, but apparently, it's outside of the mall. The duo exited the mall and headed down the main path. Tsube led him to another path diverting off the main path and into a trail with more trees and vegetation. After a few minutes of walking, they came upon a clearing with a food trucks. The clearing was surrounded by trees and it's a perfect isolated area. It looked like they are in the wilderness, not in ANHS.
"This is one of my favorite spots. It's nice, quiet, and I can play my guitar here." said Tsube.
Ayanokouji agreed with her and saw that there were various different cuisines from the food truck: Chinese, American, Korean, and a few other Japanese dishes. They decided to get ramen and went to ramen cart. It looked like a traditional Japanese yatai with the ramen symbol on the red curtains and paper lantern. The menu was small and it was taped onto the back wall of the cart. There was only 3 types of ramen: miso, shoyu, and shio. You can add other items to ramen such as extra pork, extra pickled vegetables and tempura. Ayanokouji ordered the shoyu ramen and Tsube ordered the shio ramen. He decided to add a tempura with his ramen and Tsube ordered extra pickled vegetables. They found a table near the food cart and took a seat.
"Not that much people here." said Ayanokouji, taking a look around.
"Yeah. All of those carts are people that get here early in the morning to set up for shop. Not many people go here." said Tsube.
"How did you find this place?"
"I was looking for somewhere to play, so I thought a quiet place like a park would be good. I walked down the path we took and found this clearing."
"You must really like playing the guitar?"
"Yeah, but I'm not too good with it."
"Are you considering playing in front of people?"
"I-I'm not sure. I mean I'm not too good. I'm a little nervous to be honest."
"Well, you have me and the rest of the band to help you. I'm not a guitarist, but I can give some help."
"Thanks, Ayanokouji-kun."
Tsube gave Ayanokouji a smile and before the duo could say anything, they heard a ringing noise coming from the food cart.
"Your food is ready." said the chef. The duo quickly grabbed their bowls and brought it to the table. When Ayanokouji grabbed his bowl, he noticed that the chef gave him a thumbs up and wink.
I wonder what this is about.
Ayanokouji sat down facing Tsube and looked at his steaming bowl of ramen.
"Let's eat." said the duo.
Ayanokouji took a slurp of his noodles and realized it was different from the traditional tonkotsu ramen he ate. It had a soy sauce based broth and with a strong and tangy taste. The broth is also more brown than cloudy white color. Then, he took a bite of the tempura that he ordered. It had an airy and crispy texture and Ayanokouji enjoyed it.
It was a shame that I only got one.
"So, anyways... I need more practice to get a hang of my guitar." said Tsube.
"Do you just practice by yourself or use some reference?" asked Ayanokouji.
"I tried freestyling for a bit, but I started watching online videos to learn some new techniques and other stuff to improve."
"That's a start."
"I was really bad at the beginning. Like I didn't know which string is which and how to tune a guitar. Good thing I learned it with some those videos."
"Do you play to someone or by yourself?"
"I-I'm a little embarrassed about it, so I play to myself."
"How about you play for me?"
"E-eh?!"
"It's better to have a second opinion on your music to help you improve. If you don't mind, I can lend an ear."
"A-are you sure about that? I-it's really bad."
"I'm okay with it. I won't have suggested it if I was against the idea."
"Can we do it here and now?"
"Sure, but..."
"Let's finish eating!"
With that, the duo ate the rest of their lunch in silence. Ayanokouji could see that Tsube was eating faster and seemed eager to play the guitar. After a few minutes, they finished their respective ramen and the chef approached them with a bill and a device. Ayanokouji looked at the bill and before he could do anything, Tsube paid for both of their meals with her phone.
"Tsube?" asked Ayanokouji, a little puzzled by it.
"Ah! Think of it as a payment and thanks for helping me." said Tsube.
"Thanks, but what if I just left and didn't help you?"
"Ah... I didn't think of that, but I think you won't do that."
"I suppose. Thank you for that."
"No worries. It's free food."
"Yeah. I had bad experience with people giving me free food."
"Sucks to be you! So... are you in?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you! Let's find somewhere else to play."
Ayanokouji and Tsube left their table and walked over to an empty area of the clearing where there are no food stands in the nearby area. They sat down on the green grass as Tsube took her guitar out of her case. She positioned herself and began to play. It was similar to what Tsube had played with the band's first meeting, but she decided to try something new. It changed the tune and the different strings that she played and after a few more strumming, she stopped playing.
"Gah! That's sounds so wrong." said Tsube.
"Well, the sound you played just now was a lot better than your previous one. You just need a little more practice with it." replied Ayanokouji.
"Yeah, but it's kinda of hard to play this string and that one. I'll have to stretch my hand to reach it."
Tsube tried again and barely managed to play it. She kept trying again and again. With each try, she seemed to be able to get it. Tsube still didn't look satisfied by it and frowned.
"It stills feel a little off." said Tsube.
"I suggest that you change the position of your hand. If you place your hand a little more to the left, you should be able to reach the string easily." said Ayanokouji.
Tsube tried out Ayanokouji's advice and it looked like it was effective.
"Oh. This is so much better!" said Tsube, trying it over and over.
The duo spent some time together as Tsube continued to play and Ayanokouji began to have a general grasp of her skills with the guitar. She also showed Ayanokouji the online videos that she watched and they watched a few together. She tried some of the tips that the video showcased and Ayanokouji helped her based on what he saw and learned from the video.
"Ah! I need to go. I almost forgot the time!" said Tsube, getting up.
"Okay. I should be going as well." said Ayanokouji, getting up as well.
"Let's get back together!"
Ayanokouji and Tsube left the clearing and walked back to the trail that lead back to the main path. Ayanokouji was surprised that there was a little forest in the school and he was sure that they were some restrictions on the are especially during the night. After a few minutes of walking, the duo arrived back at the main path and Tsube turned to say her goodbyes.
"Thanks for helping me, Ayanokouji-kun." said Tsube.
"I'm not sure if I was the best of assistance, but it's no problem." said Ayanokouji.
"See you later, Ayanokouji-kun!"
"Bye, Tsube."
Tsube gave Ayanokouji one last smile before turning and walking towards the direction of the Keyaki Mall. Ayanokouji gave her one last look before he turned and walked towards the opposite direction which is the direction of the dorms. After a minute of walking, he heard someone calling his name.
"Ayanokouji-kun!" called out Yamashita.
"Hello, Yamashita." said Ayanokouji. He noticed two girls with Yamashita.
"Who's this, Yamashita?" asked one of the girls. The girl had olive-colored hair with a side ponytail. She had black-rimmed glasses with sparkling brown eyes.
"Ah! This is Ayanokouji-kun!" said Yamashita. Ayanokouji gave the girls a nod of greeting, but stayed silent.
"That's the boy you were with last time!" said the olive-colored hair girl. The other girls giggled at it.
"It's my student!" said Yamashita.
"You better not be getting weak by romantic sentiment. The lord of darkness needs to be defeated!" said another girl. She was dressed peculiarly with a white eyepatch over her left eye. She has chestnut colored hair with a short side ponytail on the right side. It was Ayanokouji's classmate that he never talked to.
I believe her name is Nishimura Ryuko.
"Hey, Yamashita. What's going on?" asked Ayanokouji.
"I'm wondering if we're doing the thing tonight." said Yamashita.
"Yeah. What time are you coming?"
"Let's say around 7."
Nishimura and the other girl gave Ayanokouji and Yamashita with looks of confusion and they seemed a little flustered. From their perspective, it could mean a lot of things and it's not looking good for Ayanokouji.
"Are you bringing the last movie?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Yeah! We'll finish it tonight." said Yamashita. The confirmation seemed to have quell the thoughts and misconceptions that the two girls have.
"C'mon, Suzuki! You shouldn't be thinking about something like that! A mind-controlling succubus is influencing your mind! Sent by the lord of darkness!" said Nishimura, posing a dramatic pose. One of her hand seemed to hovering her eyepatch like she's hiding something beneath that eyepatch.
"Ah! Shut up. You probably thinking the same thing." said Suzuki.
"Nonsense! A demigod like me won't fall for something like that!"
Ayanokouji was a little puzzled by Nishimura's strange behavior and her unique way of dressing. It was like she had a wild imagination and Ayanokouji didn't know what to do or react. He glanced over to Yamashita who shrugged.
"What are you guys talking about? A movie?" asked Suzuki.
"Me and my student are finishing K-on." said Yamashita.
"Didn't you already watch it?"
"I borrowed it to my student and he's finishing it."
"Hey! You're letting him borrow stuff from you? But, not me?! The betrayal!" said Nishimura, clutching her chest in dramatic way.
"That's because you probably damage it." said Yamashita.
"It's not my fault. The dark lord sent his minions after me. I have to defend myself and use my holy power!"
"And how is the dark lord finding you?"
"He cursed me on my left eye! He can control and track me. This eyepatch subdue his power over me!"
Nishimura's statement left Ayanokouji baffled and he was marveled on how strong Nishimura's imagination is.
"So, he's watched anime too?" asked Suzuki.
"Yelp. Under my watch!" said Yamashita, proudly.
"Hmm... maybe he can help us with something."
"Something?"
"You know that idea..."
"Oh! That might not be a bad idea."
"Uhh... what's happening?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Don't worry about it. You're not there yet, my student." said Yamashita.
"Okay."
Ayanokouji decided not to push further and let the topic die. The group of girls joined Ayanokouji and they walked back to the dorms together. They talked about anime and which ones that Ayanokouji watched. It seemed that the girls have watched most of them.
"See you later, Ayanokouji-kun." said Yamashita as Ayanokouji stepped out of the elevator.
"Bye, Ayanokouji-kun." said Suzuki.
"Careful, Ayanokouji-kun. The lord of darkness light hunt you. If you need me, you must summon me!" said Nishimura.
"Okay. Goodbye, everyone." said Ayanokouji. He gave them a wave before turning around. Ayanokouji heard the elevator closed behind him and he walked to his dorm room.
*Timeskip (few hours later)*
Ayanokouji was sitting on his couch. It has been about 25 minutes after he ate his dinner and he is relaxing before Yamashita came over to his dorm. He was messaging some of his soulmates and Sotomura's group chat with Ijuin and Okitani. There was various different topics that he was engaging with depending on who he was messaging. He had about half a hour before she arrived and Ayanokouji took the elevator to the ground level. Suddenly, Ayanokouji's phone buzzed and her got a message from someone that he didn't expect. It was Sakura.
Sakura: If I was absent from school tomorrow, what do you think would happen?
Ayanokouji: What do you mean?
Sakura: What are you doing right now?
Ayanokouji: I'm in my room.
Sakura: If it's okay with you, could we meet right now? I'm in room 1106. If you could keep this a secret from everyone... That would really help
me out.
Ayanokouji: I'll head over there in about five minutes.
Ayanokouji exited his room, approached the elevator, and pushed the elevator's call button. Luckily, there's found no one in the elevator. It would've been a nightmare if any of his soulmates were there and found out that he was going to another girl's room in the night. Ayanokouji selected the 11th floor and the elevator went up. After about a minute, he stepped off the elevator and found Sakura's room. He gave it a light knock and after a few moments, the door opened.
"Pardon me for intruding..." said Ayanokouji.
"Come on in." said Sakura, greeting him and Ayanokouji saw that she was wearing casual clothes.
"So. What did you need from me? Is it true?"
"M-maybe..."
Sakura seemed to be having trouble conveying what she wanted to say, but Ayanokouji had a vague idea.
"Sakura. You don't have to force yourself. You shouldn't feel obligated to appear as the witness, Sakura. It'd be pointless to force you to testify." said Ayanokouji.
"But..." said Sakura.
"It would be pointless to force you to testify. You're not obligated to do so, Sakura."
There was a brief moment of silence between the two as Sakura seemed to be deep in thought.
"Umm... Ayanokouji-kun, do you mean what you said? I...just don't have any self-confidence after all."
"Is this about speaking in front of other people?"
"I've been terrible at it for so long... I'm not good at speaking in front of others. I'm not sure if I can be of use for everyone..."
"So you're considering taking the day off from school?"
Sakura gave a slight nod before collapsing and laying her forehead onto the table.
"Ahhhhh. Jeez, why am I so completely useless?!" said Sakura, shrinking into herself, clearly ashamed.
"Sakura, you're surprisingly high-strung, huh?" asked Ayanokouji, nt expecting to see this side of her. There was a gap between the person he saw now and her usual behavior. He thought Sakura would be a nervous wreck at this point.
"Huh?!"
Sakura, realizing she'd let Ayanokouji see this side of her, blushed and shook her head.
"N-no! I'm not like that at all." said Sakura.
"Can I ask you just one thing? Why did you call me? Kushida or somebody else would've been friendlier, easier to talk to." said Ayanokouji.
"That's because I'm not afraid of your eyes, Ayanokouji-kun..." replied Sakura.
Huh? What did that mean? I certainly didn't have scary eyes or anything, but...
"If you're looking for someone to talk to, Kushida is a much warmer, more outgoing person. She has a lot of friends, too." said Ayanokouji.
"Oh, no. I don't mean the eyes that you've seen me with. I mean the pupils, way back in the eyes... If you look someone deep in their eyes, you'll understand. I'm sorry, I can't really explain it well." replied Sakura.
So, was it like insight into a person's true self? When someone looked at me, would they see that I was insubstantial and lack ambition? This was kind of complicated, but it seemed that Sakura could see into me to a certain extent. Hmmm... this is very interesting.
"Well, it's just... When I see a man...even if he seems kind...I suddenly get afraid." said Sakura.
Perhaps that came with a woman's point of view. It might have been natural for her to be uncomfortable around men, but Sakura had an abnormally terrified expression. Speaking of which, I recalled the day we'd gone to get her digital camera repaired...
It was certainly true that men and women generally differed in physical strength and stamina. However, some girls were overly mindful of that fact, lived in abnormal degrees of fear. I wondered if something had happened in Sakura's past to cause her intense fear of men. Similar to Morofuji... Did something happened to Sakura?
"I know it would be good to simply say what it is I saw. But no matter what I do, I can't seem to imagine it... How can I speak that assertively?" said Sakura.
"If you want to quit, would you like me to talk?" said Ayanokouji.
"You're not going to get mad?"
"I told you before, didn't I? If we forced you to testify, it would be meaningless."
Sakura was an invaluable witness, but her evidence wasn't automatically reliable. She might not have any influence on the outcome. However, if she were absent, Sudou might get angry. I should probably try to coax her into participating, but I had no idea how to do it. Forcing her will have the opposite effect and might caused her to not testify.
"Umm... What do you think would be best to do, Ayanokouji-kun?" said Sakura.
"I think you should do what you want, Sakura." replied Ayanokouji.
"I see. Well, I suppose it's probably bothersome to ask you for help like that... I'm just no good. It's probably why I can't even make a single friend myself."
Sakura shrugged and smiled bitterly. She seemed disgusted with herself.
"Sakura, I think you'll be able to make friends with someone in no time." said Ayanokouji.
"I'm sorry. I don't know how to best say what I feel... You seem to get along really well with a lot of people and have lots of friends, Ayanokouji-kun. I'm a bit envious." replied Sakura.
"No, I don't."
"Horikita-san, Kushida-san, Mori-san, Mii-chan, Azuma-san, Shinohara-san, Onodera-san, Ichihashi-san..."
Sakura listed their names while counting them on her fingers.
Apparently Sakura believed that I had many friends and lots of fun. In my case, there's a difference between friends and lovers.
"It might be presumptuous for me to say this, but I think that we're like friends. We are." said Ayanokouji.
"We're friends? Really?" whispered Sakura.
"If you don't think so, Sakura, then that's different."
"No... It does make me happy...to hear you say that."
Sakura is still looking somewhat perplexed by Ayanokouji's statement, but he could tell that she's happy. Ayanokouji began to realize that if people didn't talk face to face, they wouldn't
get a feel for what the other person was really like. He was surprised by the discovery of Sakura's unexpected side.
If she let this part of her out more, she'd probably make friends right away. Honestly, even a minor adjustment would do wonders. But for her, I supposed making even a minor adjustment
would be difficult. What might seem trivial to one person could be quite difficult for another, depending on their issues.
"Sakura... is there anything else you want with me? I assume you want more from me when you called me to your room." said Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji accidently phrased his wording incorrectly and suggested that Sakura wanted something else from Ayanokouji. Something that is not permitted between a male and female student especially alone in a room. Then, without any hesitation, Sakura shot up out of her seat.
"Huh?!" yelped Sakura. As she leapt up, she banged her knees against the table and doubled over in agony. Her glasses flew off her face.
"That looked like it really hurt just now. Are you okay?" asked Ayanokouji.
"I...I'm perfectly fine!" said Sakura. She wasn't very convincing; the pain was so intense that she was on the verge of tears. Ayanokouji picked up her glasses. Just as he thought, there were no
lenses. Ayanokouji had a growing suspicion that those glasses were fake and was used to hide her face. Ayanokouji handed her glasses back. Sakura's hands trembled when she took them,
and she thanked him. Sakura wrestled with her pain for about a minute before she finally calmed down and quieted down.
"U-uhh... Ayanokouji-kun... what do you mean?" asked Sakura.
"I think you were going to tell me something else. Something not involved with Sudou's case." said Ayanokouji.
Sakura's face began one of panic and fear, but it also seemed that her face also darkened. It was like she was hiding a secret and isn't willing to share.
"W-what do you mean?" asked Sakura.
"From a friend to a friend, if you're struggling with something, no matter how big or small it is, it's best to seek help." said Ayanokouji, giving her honest advice. Ayanokouji realized that pressuring Sakura would not work and mostly likely backfired, causing Sakura to be more withdrawn.
"I don't know how to make friends at all. I'm envious. You were the first person to call me a friend."
"What about Kushida? It seemed that you guys were getting along yesterday."
"Y-yeah... I actually wanted to hang out with her soon. I'm not sure if I could do it. I'm so pathetic."
It seemed like Sakura was trying to make an attempt to make the first move and invite someone to hang out. It was Sakura's way of taking the first step instead of being the person waiting for someone else to do it for her. In a way, it seemed that Sakura wanted to change.
"Can I ask you for one bit of advice for tomorrow?" asked Sakura.
"For Sudou. For Kushida. For your classmates. Throw all of those thoughts away." replied Ayanokouji, giving an unexpected answer.
"Huh? Throw them...all away?"
"When you testify tomorrow, speak for yourself. As someone who tells the truth of what she saw, as a witness."
It was good for a self-reliant person to try doing something for other people. However, Sakura still couldn't properly take care of herself. She had a tendency to wrap herself up and endure pain, sorrow, and suffering alone. If you weren't happy yourself, then you couldn't make others happy, either.
"Tell the truth for your own sake. Do that, and Sudou will be saved. That's enough." said Ayanokouji.
I didn't know how effective my advice would be. It probably was meaningless blather, actually. But perhaps it was right to encourage Sakura to speak for herself. Maybe I did it because I understood how it felt to be wanted. Because I needed someone to know I understood the pain and anguish of battling loneliness. All those years...
"Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun." said Sakura, bowing her head in gratitude. "And thank you for coming to see me today."
"It's no big deal. You can call me anytime." said Ayanokouji.
"Do you mean what you say?"
"Yes."
"I-I may need to talk you later."
"Okay."
"M-maybe after the trial."
If I could ease Sakura's burdens even slightly, then it was worth it. I'd leave it up to Sakura herself to decide whether or not she'd come to school tomorrow. Hopefully, my words had found purchase somewhere in Sakura's heart.
With that, Ayanokouji got up from his seat, making his way towards the exit and Sakura opened the door for Ayanokouji.
"Good night, Ayanokouji-kun." said Sakura.
"Good night, Sakura." said Ayanokouji. He exited Sakura's room and made his way to the elevator, with the intention of heading back to his room.
It's almost time for Yamashita to come over. A few minutes left.
Within about a minute, Ayanokouji entered back into his room and prepared some snacks and drinks for his guest. As soon as he finished his preparation, he heard a knock at his door. He left his tray full of snacks and drinks before answering the door. Yamashita was standing there in causal clothes with a tote bag.
"Hi, Ayanokouji-kun!" said Yamashita.
"Hello. Please come in." replied Ayanokouji.
"Sorry for the intrusion."
Yamashita removed her shoes, entered the room, and looked around.
"Wow! There's not much stuff here!" said Yamashita, sitting down on the couch. She began taking some items out of her tote bag while Ayanokouji went to kitchen and retrieved his tray. He brought it out and placed it on the coffee table while Yamashita pulled out a DVD case and some snacks out of her bag.
"Thanks!" said Yamashita. Ayanokouji nodded and he grabbed the remote and turned on his TV. He switched to his DVD player and it returned to the episode that he's currently watching.
"I'm on this episode. I'm starting it right now." said Ayanokouji.
"Okay." replied Yamashita. The duo sat down on the couch together and started watching. Ayanokouji noted how close they are from each other. He could easily do something sleazy like putting his arm around Yamashita or doing something aggressive, but he knew if he did that, it would be the end of their friendship. Ayanokouji pushed those thoughts aside and focused his attention to the TV screen in front of him.
*Timeskip (2.5 hours later)*
Ayanokouji looked over to Yamashita as the end credits of the movie that she brought is playing. Yamashita turned to Ayanokouji and the duo engaged in a conversation.
"So, what do you think?" asked Yamashita.
"It's pretty good. Thanks for the recommendation." said Ayanokouji.
"What's your favorite song from the series?"
"I think the ending song No Thank You ".
"That's a pretty good one. Do you like shows like these?"
"I don't have a problem with them. It's enjoyable."
"Then, you will like Yuru Camp?"
"Ah..."
Ayanokouji and Yamashita spent another half hour, talking about K-on and their takes on it. Ayanokouji was surprised on how through Yamashita is about certain aspects of the show and certain moments from certain episodes. The snacks and drinks that Ayanokouji brought earlier on the tray are gone and the duo continued talking. After a few more minutes of talking, Yamashita looked a t the clock.
"Ah! It's almost curfew. I should go." said Yamashita.
"Yeah. I don't want to get you into trouble." said Ayanokouji. The duo quickly cleaned up and packed up what Yamashita brought. Ayanokouji gave Yamashita back all of the K-on DVDs that she gave to him which Yamashita placed into her tote bag.
"Thanks, Ayanokouji-kun! Let me know if you need to borrow some more of me." said Yamashita.
"Okay. I'll keep that in mind." replied Ayanokouji. He escorted Yamashita to the door and watched as she put on her shoes. He unlocked and opened the door for Yamashita.
"Bye, Ayanokouji-kun." said Yamashita.
"Good night, Yamashita." replied Ayanokouji. With their final goodbyes, Yamashita walked into the hallway and headed towards the direction of the elevator. Ayanokouji closed and locked his door before making his way into his living room. He grabbed the tray and brought it back to the kitchen where he threw away the empty snack wrappers and paper cup that Yamashita used. Ayanokouji washed his own cup and left it on the drying rack before returning back to the living room. Ayanokouji's pjhone buzzed and he picked it up. It was a message from Kushida.
Kushida: Ayanokouji-kun! I found something interesting. I think you should know!
Ayanokouji: What is it?
Kushida: It's about Sakura-san.
Kushida sent a link to Ayanokouji and he opened it. It was somebody's blog and it seemed sheen and polished like a fully-fledged business. Ayanokouji looked at the name of the blog: Shizuku. He scrolled down a little bit and encountered a picture of Shizuku. It was someone that he knew and saw briefly recently.
Ayanokouji: Is this a picture of Shizuku?
Kushida: Yeah! Does she look familiar?
Ayanokouji: Sakura.
Kushida: Wow! You noticed?
Ayanokouji: Yeah. One of the pictures have the dorm room as a background. The door.
Kushida: The door? Wait, how did you know what her room looks like?
Ayanokouji: The inside of each room in the dorm should be the same. Similar structure and layout of rooms.
Kushida: Okay...
It seemed that Kushida was still a little suspicious by Ayanokouji's statement, but didn't pressed further.
Ayanokouji: Sakura's a gravure idol? According to the dates of her posts, it seemed that she disappeared a few months ago. When she was getting popular.
Kushida: Yeah. I can't believe Sakura-san is actually Shizuku. I wonder why she's hiding herself.
Ayanokouji: Sometimes someone that is famous or in the public spotlight needs to hide from the public. Sakura probably doesn't want anyone to know.
Kushida: I see! We should keep it that way.
Ayanokouji: Of course.
Kushida: By the way Ayanokouji-kun, how did you know it's Sakura-san? Most people wouldn't have noticed it unless they get a good look on her face.
Ayanokouji: I noticed that the lens of her glasses are fake. Real glasses show some distortion on the lenses and Sakura's glasses don't have any. At first, I thought that there was definitely some link between those fake glasses and Sakura's fashion sense.
Kushida: So, it's a cover-up?
Ayanokouji: Exactly. In Sakura's case, though, she probably wears them because she doesn't want others to see her true self. She's always slouching and won't look people in the eye. I doubt it's simply because she dislikes other people.
Kushida: Ayanokouji-kun, you're very observant of people.
Ayanokouji: I just tend to notice certain things.
Kushida: Oh stop it! You said that last time when we were dealing with that senpai for the midterms answer.
Ayanokouji: At any rate, I don't think Sakura wants us to find out her idol secret. It's best for us not to reveal anything about it or let her know that we know.
Kushida: Yeah. I don't want things to be weird between us.
Ayanokouji: By the way, how did you even find Shizuku in the first place? I doubt that you're very interested in gravure idol.
Kushida: Ugh! That fucking disgusting Ike had a magazine about her on the front page. Why the fuck was he looking at that in class?!
Ayanokouji: I see.
Kushida: Those fucking perverts disgusted me. I can't deal with this shit.
Ayanokouji: Good night, Kushida.
Kushida: Good night, Ayanokouji-kun.
Ayanokouji closed his phone and walked over to his bedside table, plugging in and charging his phone. He began thinking about Sakura and the images of Shizuku on her blog. He couldn't believe that someone like Sakura is a idol.
So, she lived a double life as an idol and a quiet, inconspicuous student at our school. Why had she wanted to create another life? It was like a coin with two very different sides.
With those thoughts swirling in his mind, Ayanokouji went to bathroom to brush his teeth and prepared to go to sleep. Tomorrow will be the day of Sudou's trial and he wondered if Horikita could handle it or what the outcome will be. Those were the thoughts of Ayanokouji as he tucked himself into his bed and slowly drifted to sleep.
Soulmates
1) Horikita Suzune
2) Kushida Kikyou
3) Mii-chan
4) Tachibana Akane
5) Azuma Sana
6) Shinohara Satsuki
7) Onodera Kayano
8) Mori Nene
9) Hoshinomiya Chie
10) Ichihashi Ruri
11) Andou Sayo
12) Shiranami Chihiro
13) Yabu Nanami
Author's Note:
Another chapter completed! For now, I'll be taking a break to recover my sanity and to enjoy a bit of the winter days. I'll be back, but an early thank you for 50k views on this story and 300 followers!
I can't believe that we hit another milestone before the end of the year. Thank you all!
Also, I don't play any instruments, so I'm just going on a limb with Tanihara's band. So forgive me, any musicians that might be reading this.
Number 2: I'm also running out characters to include (girls). I managed to get a few girls that are not well-known and some don't even have first name. I might have to make up a first name for them, but everyone in the story are canon, no OC!
On other note, the next chapter is going to be about Sudou's trial and probably going to be the same as the LN: same outcome. I have plans for some chaotic times on the cruise ship with Ayanokouji and some certain girls. Stay tuned for that.
Until next time, my dear readers.