Classroom of the Elite: The 100 Elites Who Really, Really Love Him

by legalinmybooks

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka has been cursed (blessed) by The God of Love who accidentally linked Ayanokouji and 100 different girls/women. They are to become soulmates bounded by love and fate. If their relationship with Ayanokouji fails, the girls are fated to die in an accident. It's a matter of life or death. Will Ayanokouji survive ANHS with 100 potential soulmates waiting for him? Wil

6. Chapter 5: May 1st

Ayanokouji entered the classroom and waved hello to Mii-chan, Kushida, and some other girls that he was acquainted with during the past month. He noticed that the usual carefree and relaxed atmosphere of the classroom is gone and replaced with a panicked and confused atmosphere. Ayanokouji noticed that a few students were talking and checking their phones.

The bell rang and Chabashira-sensei entered the classroom with her expression more stern than usual.

"Hey, sensei, did you start menopause or something?" asked Ike which shocked Ayanokouji on how blunt that joke was. Chabashira-sensei didn't care and ignored Ike's sexual harassment.

"All right, your morning homeroom is about to begin. Before we get started, does anyone have any questions? If so, now is the time to speak." Chabashira-sensei Immediately, several students raised their hands.

"Um, I checked my point balance this morning, but I didn't see any deposits. Points are given on the first day of every month, aren't they? I couldn't buy juice this morning." said Hondo.

"Hondo, I already explained this before, didn't I? Points are deposited on the first day of the month. I've confirmed that points were wired this month without any issues." replied Chabashira-sensei.

"Um, but...nothing was deposited into my account, though."

Hondou and Yamauchi exchanged glances. Ike appeared too shocked to notice them looking at each other. Ayanokouji checked my point balance that morning as well, but saw that it had remained unchanged from the day before. No more points had been deposited into his account.

'Two possible ways: either my theory is correct or the school will wire the points later. But, it's most likely more theory. Good thing that I didn't spend too many points.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Are you kids really that dumb?" said Chabashira-sensei, chuckling.

"Dumb? What?" As Hondo stupidly repeated her words, Chabashira-sensei looked at him sharply.

"Sit down, Hondou. I'll explain once more," she said.

"S-Sae-chan-sensei?"

Hondo, taken aback by her unusually strict tone, slumped in his seat.

"Points were deposited. That much I know for certain. There is absolutely no chance that we forgot about anyone in this class. To think so is ludicrous. Understood?"

"Well, even if I tell you that we understand, we haven't received any points..." Hondo, still perplexed, began to look dissatisfied.

"Ha ha ha! I see. So, it's like that then, teacher? I think I've solved the mystery," Kouenji boomed, laughing. He propped his feet up on his desk and smugly pointed toward Hondo. "It's simple. We're in Class D, so we didn't receive a single point."

"Huh? What are you talking about? They said that we'd get 100,000 points every month—"

"I don't remember hearing that, though. Do you?" Chuckling, Kouenji boldly pointed at Chabashira-sensei.

"While he certainly has an attitude problem, Kouenji is exactly right. For crying out loud, barely anyone seems to have noticed the hint I gave you. How deplorable."

'That's correct. She said this month. So, it's not guaranteed that we're receiving 100,000 points every month.' thought Ayanokouji.

In response to this sudden turn of events, the classroom exploded in an uproar.

"Sensei, may I please ask you a question? I'm afraid I still don't understand." Hirata raised his hand. He appeared to ask on behalf of his classmates rather than out of selfish concern.

"Can you please tell us why we didn't receive any points? We won't completely understand otherwise." asked Hirata.

"A total of 98 absences and late arrivals. 391 incidences of talking or using a cell phone in class. That is quite a few infractions over one month. In this school, your class's results are reflected in the points that you receive. As a result, you wasted all of the 100,000 points that you should have received. That's what happened." said Chabashira-sensei.

'Those hidden cameras must have caught all of those incidents. That's why the teachers didn't reprimand us. The cameras caught everything and our points were deducted because of it.' thought Ayanokouji.

"I should have explained this all to you on the day of the entrance ceremony. This school measures its students' true abilities. This time, you were evaluated as being worth nothing. That's all." said Chabashira-sensei in a robotic fashion, devoid of any emotion. The doubts and theory that Ayanokouji had since coming to this school were finally confirmed, though, in the worst way possible. Even though Class D started with the huge advantage of 100,000 points, Class D had lost it in just a single month.

Ayanokouji heard a pencil moving against paper. Horikita seemed to be tallying the number of absences, tardy arrivals, and instances of talking in class down in her notebook, perhaps trying to make sense of the situation.

"Chabashira-sensei. I do not recall hearing you explain that to us before—"

"What? Are you incapable of understanding something unless it's explained in detail?"

"Of course. There was never any talk about reducing our points. Had that been explained beforehand, I'm sure we would have avoided being late or talking during class."

"That is a rather bizarre argument, Hirata. It is certainly true that I don't recall explaining the rules of point distribution. However, didn't you all learn in elementary school not to be late or talk in class? Was that not taught throughout your elementary and junior high schools?"

"Well, that's—"

"I'm sure that in nine years of compulsory education, you learned that being late and talking in class are bad things. And now you say that you can't understand this because I haven't explained it to you? I'm afraid your reasoning is flimsy. If you had simply acted properly, then your points would not have dropped all the way to zero. This comes down to you taking personal responsibility."

'There was no way for anyone to refute her perfectly sound argument. Everyone knew that bad behavior didn't pay. So that's what the upperclassmen meant when they said it will be 'hell'.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Having just entered your first year of high school, did you honestly think you'd receive 100,000 points every month with no strings attached? At a school established by the Japanese government for the express purposes of training gifted people? That's unthinkable. Try using some common sense. Why would you leave it to chance?"

Although Hirata appeared to be frustrated, he looked the teacher straight in the eye. "Well then, could you at least explain in detail how points are added or deducted? We can keep that in mind for future reference."

"I cannot tell you. We cannot disclose the methods behind our student evaluation. It's the same as any other organization. When you enter a company, it is the company's choice whether or not to tell you how it evaluates its employees. However, I'm not cruel, and I'm not trying to be cold. In fact, this situation is so pathetic that I will give you one bit of guidance."

For the first time, I saw a faint sliver of a smile on Chabashira-sensei's lips.

"Let's say that you stop being late to class and have no more absences... Even though zero points will be deducted from you this month, that doesn't mean that your points will increase, either. That means next month you will still receive zero points. From another perspective, you could say no matter how many times you're late or absent to class, it doesn't matter. So, you're not really at a loss, are you?"

"Tch..." Hirata's expression darkened. Her explanation was so counterproductive that it had the opposite effect; some students seemed incapable of understanding what she meant. The students who thought they could improve their situation by remedying bad behavior had their hopes dashed. That was probably Chabashira-sensei's, or rather, this school's, intention.

The bell rang, signaling the end of homeroom.

"It looks like we spent too much time yammering. I hope that you understood the gist of it. Well, it's about time that we switch to our main topic."

From the tube she carried, she removed a white rolled-up poster and spread it out. She stuck the poster to the blackboard with some magnets. The still-confused students stared blankly at the poster.

"Are these...the results for each class?" Horikita tentatively took a guess. Class A through Class D were listed. To the side was a row of numbers that went up to a maximum of four digits. Class D had zero. Class C had 490. Class B had 650. And at the top was Class A, with a total of 940.

"You've all been doing whatever you pleased this past month. The school has no intention of preventing you from doing what you want. Your actions, such as being late or talking during class, only affect the points you receive. The same goes for how you use your points. How you choose to spend is entirely up to you. We have not put any restrictions on point usage."

"This isn't fair, though! We can't enjoy our student lives like this!" shouted Ike, who'd stayed quiet until now. Yamauchi wailed in incredible agony. He'd already used up all of his points.

"Look here, morons. Every other class got points. The amount of points we gave you for the first month should be plenty for you to live on."

"B-but, how do the other classes still have points left? That's weird..."

"I've already told you, there's nothing unfair about it. All of the classes were scored using the same rules. Despite that, they didn't lose as many as you. That's the truth."

"But...why is there such a difference in our point values?" Hirata also seemed to have noticed that the numbers were too tidy.

"Do you finally understand now? Do you see why you were placed in Class D?"

"The reason why we were placed in Class D? Weren't we simply accepted into this school?"

"Huh? But classes are normally divided up like this, right?" Students exchanged glances.

"In this school, students are sorted by their level of excellence. The superior students are sorted into Class A, the least capable in Class D. It's the same system you'd find in the major cram schools. In other words, Class D is akin to the last bastion for failures. You are the worst of the worst. You're defective. This is just the result of you being defective."

Horikita's face stiffened. She appeared shocked by this line of reasoning. It certainly made sense to sort the superior students with the other superior students and the failures with the failures. If you mixed rotten oranges with good ones, the rotten would quickly spoil the good. Inevitably,
the superior Horikita would find this revolting.

"However, I have to say, this year's Class D was the first to ever spend all of their points in a single month. I am impressed by how much you indulge yourselves. Wonderful, just wonderful." said Chabashira-sensei's false applause echoed throughout the classroom.

"So, does that mean that once we reach zero points, we'll always stay there?"

"Yes. You will remain at zero until you graduate. But don't worry, you can still have a room in the dorms and free meals. You won't die."

'It's the bare minimum and it's not a life of luxury that we are used to.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Won't the other classes make fun of us?" said Sudou kicked the legs of his desk with a loud thwack. After hearing that the classes were divided based on merit, everyone else would probably believe that Class D was full of morons. Despair wasn't unreasonable.

"What? You're still worried about your dignity, Sudou? Well then, work to make your class into the best one."

"Huh?"

"Your class's points aren't just linked to the amount of money that you receive each month. They're also indicative of your class rank."

'So there's a way to get up to Class A. If we get 500 points, then we surpass Class C and become the new Class C. Interesting.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Now then, I have one more bit of bad news to share with you all."

She stuck another sheet of paper up on the board. It listed the names of everyone in class. A number stood next to everyone's name.

"Judging from these, I can see that we've quite a few idiots in this class." As her heels clacked against the floor, she glanced at us. "These are the results of the short test you took a while ago. Your sensei was so happy after your excellent performance. Come on, what in the world did you all study when you were in junior high?"

With the exception of a few high scores, almost everyone tested below a sixty. Even if you ignored Sudou's wonderful score of fourteen points, there was Ike, scoring a little above him at twenty-four points. The average score was sixty-five.

"I'm so glad. If this were an actual test, then seven of you would've had to drop out."

"D-drop out? What do you mean?"

"Oh, what, did I not explain this to you? If you fail a midterm or final exam in this school, then you have to drop out. If we applied that rule to this test, anyone who scored below thirty-two points would be out. You guys really are stupid, aren't you?"

"Wh-what?!" wailed Ike and the other failures.

There was a red line drawn on the paper, separating the seven people in question from the rest of the class.

"Hey, don't jerk us around, Sae-chan-sensei! Don't joke about kicking us out!"

"Frankly, I'm also at a loss," the teacher said. "These are the school rules. You should prepare for the worst."

"The teacher's right. There do seem to be a lot of morons here." said Kouenji wore a smug grin while he polished his nails, his legs propped on the desk.

"What the hell, Kouenji? You scored below the red line, too!"

"Pah. Where exactly are you looking, boy? Look again."

"Huh? Kouenji is...huh?"

Starting from the bottom of the page, Sudou scanned upward, and there he found Kouenji Rokosuke's name. Unbelievably, Kouenji had tied for the top spot, scoring ninety points. That meant he'd been able to solve one of those super difficult problems.

"Oh, one more thing. This school, which operates under government supervision, boasts a high rate of advancement into elite education and workforce placement. That is a well-known fact. It's very likely that most of you have chosen a college or future workplace. However, nothing comes easy in this world. Mediocre people such as yourselves would have to be naive to think that you could easily get into the college or workplace of your choice." said Chabashira-sensei's words carried throughout the room.

"In other words, you're saying that if we want to get into the company or college of our choice, we must, at minimum, surpass Class C?" Hirata asked.

"You're wrong. To make your dreams of a bright future come true, your only option is to overtake Class A. This school guarantees nothing for any other students."

'That's the final straw for most people in this class. This piece of information is something that I didn't expect, but I suppose it makes sense. If Class A is the best of the best in the year, they should be the one to have picked over the company or college of their choice. The school has a reputation to keep too.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Th-that's...absurd! We didn't hear anything about that!" said Yukimura, standing up. He'd tied with Kouenji for the top score, indicating that there were no issues with his academic abilities.

"How disgraceful. There's nothing more pitiful than men losing their cool." As if prompted by Yukimura's words, Kouenji let out a sigh.

"Don't you feel dissatisfied being in Class D, Kouenji?" Yukimura asked.

"Dissatisfied? Why would I feel dissatisfied? I don't understand."

"Because the school says we're so low that we're basically delinquents and failures. We've been told that there's no guarantee whatsoever that we'll advance into higher education or get a job!"

"Pah. Utter nonsense. That's so marvelously stupid that I can't even find the words." Kouenji didn't even stop polishing his nails or turn to face Yukimura as he spoke. "The school simply hasn't seen my potential yet. I pride myself on being great, and I value, respect, and regard myself more highly than anyone. So, the school arbitrarily placing me into Class D means nothing. Say, for instance, that I dropped out of school—I would be perfectly fine. After all, I am 100 percent positive that the school would come crying to take me back."

"It looks like your bubbles have burst. If you had simply understood the harsh reality of the situation from the start, then this long homeroom period might have meant something. Your midterm exams are in three weeks. Please think things over, and be careful not to drop out. I have confidence that you can find a way to avoid getting red marks on your report cards. If at all possible, challenge yourself to act in a way befitting a skilled individual." said Chabashira-sensei exited the room, closing the door with some force for added emphasis. The students marked in red were left dejected. Even the normally proud Sudou clicked his tongue and hung his head in shame. As soon as Chabashira-sensei left the classroom, the entire class erupted into chaos.

"What are we going to do?"

"I've used all of my points."

"Forget about the points. What the hell about this class? Why was I put into Class D?!" Yukimura cried resentfully.

"Wait, does this mean that we can't get into college now? Why did we even go to this school? Does Sae-chan-sensei hate us or something?"

None of the other students could hide their confusion and anger.

"I understand that you're all confused right now, but everyone needs to calm down." Hirata, sensing the classroom tipping toward crisis, stood and attempted to rein everyone in.

"How are we supposed to calm down? Aren't you frustrated that she called us a bunch of failures?!" Yukimura said.

"Even if I was, isn't it better for us to band together so we can turn things around?" Hirata asked.

"Turn things around? I don't even agree with how we were sorted in the first place!"

"I understand. However, sitting here whining won't help us right now."

"What did you say?" Yukimura quickly went to Hirata and forcefully grasped his collar.

"Calm down, you two, okay? I'm sure that the teacher talked to us harshly so we'd be inspired to do better, right?" said Kushida, slipping between the two and separating them, gently taking Yukimura's balled fist. Just as anyone would expect, Yukimura
didn't try to hurt her and reflexively took half a step back.

"Besides, it's only been one month since we started here, right? Like Hirata-kun said, it's better if we all do our best together. Do you think that I'm wrong about that?"

"N-no, it's... Well, I certainly wouldn't say you're wrong, but..." Yukimura's anger had almost completely vanished. Kushida looked at everyone in class, and it was almost as if her eyes reflected a sincere wish for us to work together.

"Yeah, it's better for us to band together. Right? There's no need for you to fight, Yukimura. Hirata."

"I'm sorry. I lost my cool," Yukimura said.

"It's all right. I should have chosen my words a little more carefully."

Kushida Kikyou's presence brought everyone together. Ayanokouji took out his cell phone and snapped a picture of the paper with the class point totals. Horikita, taking notice, looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I haven't been able to figure out how points are calculated yet. You've also been taking notes, haven't you?"

'If I could figure out how many points were deducted by being late or talking in class, it'd be easier to come up with countermeasures.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Wouldn't it be difficult to figure out those details at this stage? Besides, I don't think you can resolve this simply by investigating. Everyone in our class arrived late and talked too often." said Horikita, her calm and composed attitude is gone.

"Are you trying to get into college, too?" Ayanokouji wondered.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, when we learned about the differences between A and D, you looked shocked."

"But so was almost everyone in this class, more or less. If they'd told us at the start, that would've been one thing, but to explain it at this stage? Unthinkable."

"I think that before we even start talking about A or D or whatever, we should secure points."

"Points are just a byproduct of our performance, though. Not having points won't hinder our lives here at school. We have free options at almost every turn, right?" Horikita said.

"How many points did you spend last month, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"I spent about 26,000 points."

"They baited us into spending all our points over the course of this one month, and we fell for it." said Ayanokouji, watching Ike and Yamauchi panicking about their points balance.

'One hundred thousand points per month. Even though everyone had thought it too good to be true, we'd been too happy to care.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Attention, everyone. Before class begins, I want you to listen seriously for a moment. Especially you, Sudou-kun." The class was still in an uproar, but Hirata claimed everyone's attention when he stood at the teacher's podium.

"Tch, what is it?" Sudou grumbled.

"We didn't get any points this month. This is a serious problem, and one that will have an enormous impact on our daily lives moving forward. It's impossible for us to make it to graduation with zero points, right?"

"You're absolutely right!" shouted one of the female students, her voice full of despair. Hirata gave a kind nod in response, sympathizing with her.

"Of course. Therefore, we must earn points next month. To do that, we all need to cooperate with each other. So, please, take care not to be late to class or to talk during the lecture. Also, the use of cell phones during class is prohibited, of course."

"Huh? And why do you get to tell us what to do? Besides, that's supposing our points will increase. If they don't change at all, then it's useless."

"As long as we continue talking during class and being late, our points won't increase for sure. Although we can't go below zero points, disruption will, without a doubt, count as strikes against us."

"I'm still not convinced. Besides, even if we get serious and work hard in class, our points won't necessarily go up." Sudou snorted and crossed his arms in defiance. Kushida took notice of this and commented on it.

"Well, the teacher did say that being late and talking in class were obviously bad, right?"

"Yeah, I agree with Kushida-san. It's only natural to avoid doing those things."

"That's just your own selfish interpretation. Besides, you don't know how to increase our points. Try talking to me after you figure that out."

"I don't think that there's anything particularly wrong with what you said, Sudou-kun. I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable." Hirata bowed his head politely toward the disgruntled Sudou.

"However, Sudou-kun, it's a fact that unless we all cooperate, we won't get any more points."

"Do whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Just don't involve me in it. Understand?" Sudou snapped.

As if being in the room made him feel uncomfortable, he left immediately.

"Sudou-kun really can't read the room. He's the one who was late to class the most. Couldn't we still get some points even without Sudou-kun?"

"Yeah. He really is the worst. Why is he in our class?"

There were a few grumblings about Sudou. Ayanokouji noticed that Hirata is approaching them.

"Horikita-san, Ayanokouji-kun, do you have a moment? I want to speak with you about how we can increase our points. I'd like you to join me. Can you?"

"Why do you want us?" Ayanokouji asked.

"I want to hear everyone's voices. However, if I ask for everyone to weigh in, I think more than half of the class probably won't take it seriously."

Horikita glanced at Ayanokouji, seeing if he was going to leave or join Hirata. Ayanokouji didn't do anything and seemed to be waiting for Hirata.

"Fine. Let's talk." sighed was surprised that Horikita agreed to it, but he didn't know that Horikita decided to do it because Ayanokouji didn't decline.

"As Chabashira-sensei stated, it's best for us to pay attention in class, avoid talking to each other during lessons, and stop looking at our phones. We don't know how to gain points yet, so it's best to not lose any potential points we might be getting." said Horikita, giving her honest opinion.

" I agree with Horikita." said Ayanokouji.

Hirata nodded, "That's the same thing as what Kushida-san said and I agree with it. I'll tell the others."

"It's up to them whether or not they listen to my advice. These incompetent buffoons are not going to listen. That's the reason why they're in Class D." said Horikita, harshly.

"That's a little harsh, Horikita-san." said Hirata, wincing.

"That's the truth." replied Horikita, crossing her arms.

'You're doing the same thing, Horikita. You may not know it, but in my eyes, you and the rest of Class D are the same.' thought Ayanokouji.

"I'll tell the others. Thank you, Horikita-san, Ayanokouji-kun." said Hirata, quickly leaving and telling the others. Most of the girls agreed to it because Hirata asked them to. Some of the boys agree, but most of them are neutral or openly hostile towards Hirata. Kushida stepped in and asked them to do it with her puppy eyes. That seemed to do the trick and majority of the boys agreed to it. Ike, Yamauchi, and the perverted boys nodded along when Kushida asked them.

Hirata also proposed for study groups to be formed, so the academic weak students can get some additional help in studying and pass the midterm exams to avoid any expulsion. Most people agreed to it due to the fear and risk of expulsion.

'It's almost too easy. Most of the class seems on board, but the problem is Sudou and his behavior and Class D's poor academic scores.' thought Ayanokouji.

*Timeskip (lunchtime)*

Ayanokouji observed his classmates during the lessons. He noticed a significant change in the class' behavior. Most of the class seemed to be paying attention to class, but with the exception of a few others. Notably Sudou, who was still sleeping during class. Some students near him glared at him, but didn't wake him up out of fear. Ike and Yamauchi seem to be doing their best to pay attention during class.

The lunch bell rang and Ayanokouji glanced at Horikita. She seemed to be glancing at him and before Ayanokouji could say something, she spoke first.

"Ayanokouji-kun, let's go have lunch. I can treat you to a meal set, if that's okay with you." said Horikita.

It doesn't seem like she's asking, but demanding. It'll be more of a hassle if I deny.

"Sure, Horikita. Let's go." replied Ayanokouji.

Ayanokouji decided to follow Horikita to the cafeteria, where he chose one of the most expensive special meal sets. Together, they sat down.

"Well then, shall we eat?" she asked. Horikita started at Ayanokouji intently, as
if she were waiting for him to begin.

"What's the matter, Ayanokouji-kun? Aren't you going to eat?"

"Oh."

'There was definitely a catch, no doubt about it. Nevertheless, I couldn't just sit here and not eat. Letting the food get cold would be a waste.' thought Ayanokouji.

Ayanokouji hesitantly bit into his croquette. Horikita's eyes gleamed victoriously and Ayanokouji wondered what her plan was.

"I know this is rather sudden, but I want to talk to you about something." said Horikita.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Just as Ayanokouji was preparing to flee, she grabbed my hand. "Ayanokouji-kun, I'll ask once again. Will you listen to me?"

"Ugh..."

"Ever since Chabashira-sensei's warning, most people have arrived late or talked in class. When I say we eliminated more than half of the reasons our class got into trouble, I'm not exaggerating."

"Yeah, that's true. It wasn't really a difficult issue to begin with, though."

There was no guarantee that our classmates will listen to what Hirata says. I would say a majority will probably obey, so we won't be losing that much points.

"The next step is to improve our chances of scoring well in the midterm. Hirata-kun started taking action toward that end earlier." said Horikita.

"The study groups, huh? Well, I suppose that a study group certainly could help. Only..." replied Ayanokouji.

"Only what? It sounds like you're implying something. What's the problem?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. I have to say, it's unusual to see you so worried for others."

"I can't truly imagine failing a test. However, it's true that some students in this world can do just that."

"Sudou and the others, you mean? You're as vicious as ever, I see."

"I'm just telling the truth."

"I'm relieved that Hirata-kun set up a study group. However, Sudou-kun, Ike-kun, and Yamauchi-kun didn't join, did they? That worries me," Horikita said.

"Oh, those guys. I wouldn't say they're Hirata's enemies, but they aren't on good terms with him. They wouldn't join."

"So, in other words, there remains a high probability that those three will fail. In order to reach Class A, we need to avoid demerits and build toward a positive evaluation, correct? I think it highly likely that good test scores will help with that."

"What if you also held a study group like Hirata's, specifically for helping Sudou and Ike?" Ayanokouji asked.

"Sure. I wouldn't have any objections to that. You probably find that rather surprising, though, don't you?" replied Horikita.

"Well, everything about your behavior up until now has been surprising."

'It's not surprising. Horikita was doing this all for her own benefit. Personally, I'd never thought that Horikita was that cold of a person.' thought Ayanokouji.

"Well, I understand that you want to move up to Class A. However, I didn't think that you'd opt for ordinary methods like tutoring them. Typically, failing students tend not to like studying. Besides, you've kept your distance from the other students since the first day, right? I doubt
someone who considers friends unnecessary would be able to bring people together easily." said Ayanokouji.

"That's why I'm asking you. Fortunately, you're already friendly with these people, right?" said Horikita.

I see. What's she up to? Using me as a bridge to get to those three idiots.

"Are you insane? Out of all people?"

"Yes, you. You seem to befriend them to a certain degree."

"Borrowing from your words, how come a "socially inept" person like myself hoped to accomplish such feats?"

"Don't take my truthful words as an excuse to run away, Ayanokouji-kun."

"I still refuse."

"You ate the food I treated you to, right? Lunch. The special set. A wonderful, delicious meal."

"I simply received the honest goodwill of another human being."

"Unfortunately, that wasn't out of goodwill. I had an ulterior motive."

"Sorry, I didn't hear a word you said. Here are some points, my treat. Now we're even."

"I refuse to stoop so low as to accept handouts from others," she said.

"But..."

"Ayanokouji-kun..." said Horikita. Ayanokouji felt a scary and dark presence from Horikita. It was like she's ready to threaten Ayanokouji with something. Ayanokouji noticed that Horikita was reaching into her pocket and saw a shiny tip of something sharp and small.

Let's do something drastic. The risk involved being stabbed by a compass. But, I'll give it a shot.

"You know, Horikita. I would have done it without the food. We're friends, aren't we?" asked Ayanokouji. Horikita froze when Ayanokouji asked that question.

'This can't be. Am I friends with Ayanokouji-kun?! Why does my heart feel pain when Ayanokouji-kun calls me a friend? Do I value him as more than a friend? This can't be. I don't need friends, but I acknowledge Ayanokouji-kun as my ally. It's better than all the other idiots in the class. But, in my heart, something is telling me that it's not right.' thought Horikita.

"I'll correct one thing, Ayanokouji-kun. I am not your friend, but merely an ally." said Horikita.

'Well, it's better than being stabbed by a compass. I'll take what I can get.' thought Ayanokouji.

"How about we invite Kushida to the study group? The three idiots like Kushida more than me. With her on our side, they will attend the study sessions." said Ayanokouji.

"No." said Horikita, immediately.

"Why not? Is there something going on between you and Kushida?"

"I won't say this to you again, Ayanokouji-kun. But, stay away from Kushida-san. She's not what she seems like. She's someone dangerous and cannot be trusted."

"Huh?"

"Take it as a warning, Ayanokouji-kun. It's only because you're my ally that I told you this."

"..."

"So, Kushida is a no-go?" asked Ayanokouji. Horikita nodded.

"Okay. I trust you, Horikita. But, I ask you the same thing. Can you trust me?" asked Ayanokouji.

"U-uh..." stammered Horikita.

'Can I trust Ayanokouji-kun? I feel like I should trust him, but my mind said no. I have to reach Class A. I must. It's been my goal the entire time. Trusting him can be a liability and hinder my progress to Class A. Why? Why am I placed in Class D with these defects?!' thought Horikita.

"Horikita, please trust me." said Ayanokouji, looking Horikita dead in her eyes. Ayanokouji tried his best to convey sincerity in his eyes, asking Horikita to trust him for once. Horikita stared back in Ayanokouji's eyes with confusion and a feeling of conflict. Horikita paused for a few moments, debating whether or not to trust Ayanokouji. Finally, Horikita heaved a sigh.

'What is happening to me? Ever since I met Ayanokouji-kun, my heart can't stop beating fiercely every time I'm near him. Is he someone special? Those eyes staring deep into mine. Asking for my trust and faith in him... My heart can't take any more of this. Strangely, I feel like I should place my trust in Ayanokouji-kun. I normally won't put my trust, faith, and confidence based on my emotions and I favored logic and reasoning more. But, for once. I will do this. Is it because of Ayanokouji-kun? I believe so...' thought Horikita.

"Fine... I trust you this one time. Remember this, Ayanokouji-kun, trust is something that is hard to gain and can break in an instance. Do not disappoint me." said Horikita.

"Okay. I'm going to recruit Kushida as our study group." said Ayanokouji.

"What?! I told you not to."

"Horikita." said Ayanokouji, staring at Horikita again. She paused and reluctantly nodded her head in agreement.

*Timeskip (after school)*

Ayanokouji approached Kushida and her group of friends after school. Some of her friends noticed Ayanokouji approaching and stopped their conservation. They greeted Ayanokouji warmly and Kushida turned her head to Ayanokouji, tilting her in curiosity.

"Sorry for bothering you guys. But, can I talk to Kushida alone? It's something important." said Ayanokouji. The girls stared at Kushida and Ayanokouji before nodding their heads. Mii-chan looked a little red and nervous when Ayanokouji asked for Kushida. She wrings her hands nervously and some of the girls noticed it and began whispering to her. Mii-chan's face became more red and started shaking her head.

"I'll be right back, everyone." said Kushida. She followed Ayanokouji out of the classroom with some glares from some of the boys aimed at Ayanokouji's back.

"Kushida, you've been selected as an ambassador of goodwill. Tomorrow, your hard work begins." said Ayanokouji.

"Uh, what? I'm sorry, but what do you mean?" she asked.

Ayanokouji explained to her that he wanted to form a study group to save Sudou and the others. Of course, he also told her that Horikita would be tutoring.

"I thought that you could use this study group as a way to get closer to Horikita. What do you think?" Ayanokouji asked.

"Well, I do want to get closer to her, but... well, I won't worry about that now. Besides, it's only natural to help out a friend in need." replied Kushida.

"Are you really okay with this? If not, I won't force you to join,"

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't hesitate because I disliked the idea. I hesitated because I was happy."

"It's cruel to expel someone for getting a bad grade. Isn't it awful to have to say goodbye after you've worked to become friends with everyone? When Hirata-kun told us that he was holding a study group, I greatly admired him. But you could say that Horikita has been much more observant than I. She noticed Sudou and those other guys, after all. It's like Horikita is now
starting to think of her classmates as friends. I'll do anything I can to be useful!" said Kushida, happily.

Kushida took Ayanokouji's hand and smiled.

'Whoa, she was seriously way too cute! There wasn't a man alive who wouldn't fall for that smile. Wait… Horikita warned me Kushida. She's not what she seems like? Is Kushida hiding something? It's not like I don't trust Horikita, but Horikita doesn't seem to be the type of person to slander Kushida. Have to be on guard just in case.' thought Ayanokouji.

"We plan to start tomorrow in the library, Kushida. I'll let you invite those three yourself. Make sure to tell them that." said Ayanokouji, gently pulling his hand away from Kushida. Kushida pouted cutely.

"Ah... okay. I see. Thank you, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll contact you later." said Kushida.

"This might be too forward, but are you two already dating?" Kushida asked.

"Wh-where did you hear that? Horikita and I are friends...no, just allies and neighbors." replied Ayanokouji.

"I see..." muttered Kushida, her face seeming to be showing relief. Ayanokouji was a little confused by it .

"Why did you assume that?"

"You guys are seen almost together. Horikita-san is always alone and you're the only person that talks and gets along with her. You guys even eat together."

"I see. Unfortunately, there's nothing going on like that between us."

"Unfortunately?"

"Just kidding."

"You're pretty funny, Ayanokouji-kun." giggled Kushida. With that, Kushida said goodbye to Ayanokouji and entered the classroom again to talk with her friends. Ayanokouji decided to go to the Keyaki Mall to kill some time before Kushida contacted him again.

*Timeskip (45 minutes later)*

Ayanokouji exited a store. It was a small rental store that some businesses rented. The store was selling accessories, hats, toys, and other miscellaneous items. Ayanokouji figured to give the rental shop a try. It was a place that he never looked into and could be a new experience. Ayanokouji told himself that because it's not like he's lonely and had no one to hang out with.

Ayanokouji was walking to the escalator to go down to the ground floor. Ayanokouji was wondering if he should buy ingredients to make dinner or eat out. He was debating whether or not to do it, weighing the pros and cons of both options, but it stopped when Ayanokouji ran into a familiar classmate.

"Oh! Hi-ya Ayanokouji-kun!" said Onodera, cheerfully.

"Hello Onodera." said Ayanokouji.

"Quite a shock we had today, didn't we?" said Onodera, turning serious.

"Yes, I suppose. We were foolish enough to spend and lose all of our points." said Ayanokouji.

"Damn it. But, we got this!" said Onodera, with some enthusiasm. Ayanokouji wondered how she can be cheerful during some dire situations.

"You still have points left?"

"Yea. I have about 34,000 points left."

"That much left? I assumed you didn't spend that much on clothes like the others."

"As I said before, I'm too muscular for the cutesy and fashionable clothes that girls like. My gym membership and gym clothes probably took a good chunk of my points."

"I see."

"Do you want some points, Ayanokouji-kun? I can lend you some."

"No, it's okay. I live a minimalist lifestyle, so I have some points leftover."

"I see. Hey, do you want to sign up for the gym?"

"Huh? But, I'm not sure if I have enough points for it."

"Don't worry. It doesn't cost points for you to check it out. C'mon." said Onodera, grabbing Ayanokouji's wrist and pulling him along. Ayanokouji decided to resist and let Onodera pull him along. Onodera seems pretty happy and cheerful to talk about the gym and athletic stuff with Ayanokouji.

Onodera and Ayanokouji walked over towards the end of the second floor and Ayanokouji saw a big storefront which is the gym. The duo entered the gym and approached the reception. The receptionist welcomed Onodera and turned to Ayanokouji.

"So, here's my friend. He's interested in joining the gym." said Onodera, speaking for Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji wanted to protest, but decided against it.

"I see. For newcomers, they can have a week free trial with the gym before selecting a monthly plan. During the free trial, the entire gym is free to use by them, free of charge." said the receptionist.

"I see. Do you mind if I take a look around the gym before deciding?" asked Ayanokouji. The receptionist nodded and Onodera took him into the gym. It seems that Onodera decided to personally give Ayanokouji a tour.

"Here's the locker room, Ayanokouji-kun." said Onodera, gesturing to the two rooms that are clearly labeled properly: male and female.

"We wouldn't be changing, so let's go into the gym. Oh. There's the rental clothes that the gym offers." said Onodera, pointing to some racks next to the locker rooms. They were clearly labeled and sorted by gender and size.

Onodera and Ayanokouji entered the gym and Ayanokouji noticed some students and staff members inside. The mall and its businesses are not exclusively for students, but also to the teachers and staff members who lived at the school.

Onodera began giving a tour of the gym, pointing out the machines and equipment. Ayanokouji was impressed and noticed that it was similar to the gym that he had back in his mansion.

After15 minutes of explaining, Ondoera asked if Ayanokouji had any questions. Ayanokouji shook his head and Onodera brought him to a break room for the people that used the gyms. There were a bunch of chairs and tables for people to rest. Two big coolers in the corner of the room and a vending machine with protein, pre-workout, and other exercise goodies.

"Here's the break room. Just in case, you didn't bring any water, towels, or anything for the gym. The gym will provide it for you." said Onodera.

"What about showers?" asked Ayanokouji .

"Oh yeah about that. There are showers in the bathroom. You can take one after you finish your workout."

"I see."

"That's all, Ayanokouji-kun. Interested?"

"Yeah. I might sign up if we get some points next month."

"Don't worry about it. The basic plan is cheapish. It's about 6500 points per month."

"That's pretty cheap." said Ayanokouji, picking up a pamphlet from the receptionist. The pamphlet allows Ayanokouji to start his free trial once he goes back to gym and shows them the flyers. Apparently, Ayanokouji needs to scan his school ID to start the free trial. Ayanokouji slipped the gym pamphlet into his school bag and left the gym with Onodera.

The duo walked to the escalator and began their descent to the ground level, participating in small talk. It's been a while since Ayanokouji talked with Onodera.

"Hey, Onodera-san!" called out a voice. The duo turned around and saw a girl with short brown hair that looked like a boyish haircut. She had brown eyes and a large figure. Ayanokouji could tell that this girl is an athlete too and similar to Onodera.

"Hey, Andou-san!" replied Onodera.

"Who's this? Don't tell me you're going on a date with him." teased Andou.

"Of course not." laughed Onodera.

"My name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. I'm Onodera's classmate." said Ayanokouji.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Andou Sayo from Class B." said Andou.

"We just went to the gym. I gave Ayanokouji a tour of it." explained Onodera.

"Ah...okay." replied Andou.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" asked Andou. Onodera and Ayanokouji both shook their heads.

"Let's eat together!" suggested Andou. Onodera and Ayanokouji looked at each other.

"I mean... we don't have anything to do and it's getting close to dinner time." said Onodera.

"I have no problems with it." agreed Ayanokouji. Onodera agreed with Ayanokouji.

"Great! Let's go!" said Andou, cheerfully. "What do you guys want to eat?"

"I'm fine with anything." replied Ayanokouji.

"Same. As long as it's not too fatty and has lots of cholesterol." said Onodera. Andou laughed and agreed with Onodera.

It seems that they think alike. They are probably both athletes.

Andou took Onodera and Ayanokouji to the ground level and took them to a restaurant specializing in curry. In short, it's a curry house.

The trio stood in line waiting for a meal machine to be available. Ayanokouji noticed that there's a decent amount of students eating here.

It's most likely a chain restaurant based on how popular it is and the meal machine. A regular restaurant would have customers sitting at a table with menus.

A meal machine became available for the trio and they approached it, perusing the menu. Ayanokouji decided to choose the spicy curry. He selected a medium spice level. Onodera selected beef curry rice and Andou selected soup curry.

The trio purchased their dinner individually and received their meal tickets from the machine. The ticket had a number on the top and will be called once the meal is ready. The trio found an empty table and sat down.

"Oh! Ayanokouji-kun, you got the spicy curry? You can handle your spice?" asked Andou.

"We'll see. I'm curious how spicy the curry can be. I choose a medium level of spice." replied Ayanokouji.

"Quite daring, Ayanokouji-kun." laughed Onodera.

"You choose the soup curry, Andou-san?" asked Onodera.

"Yep. Trying to not get too much carbs from the rice." said Andou.

"Damn it! I should've done the same thing too."

"Soup curry is originally from Hokkaido. It's created as a dish for the cold winters and weather that Hokkaido is known for. Instead of using rice, they used hot curry and soup to warm people up." said Ayanokouji. Andou and Onodera both stopped talking and looked at Ayanokouji like he spouted horns. They began to laugh to which Ayanokouji titled his head in confusion.

"I-I'm sorry, Ayanokouji-kun. I-It's just that you sound so serious and nerdy on such weird topics." laughed Onodera.

"I-ii know right! I mean who has such knowledge on soup curry. It's like you're waiting for the right moment to use that information." giggled Andou.

"Ah...okay." said Ayanokouji.

"S-sorry about that." said Onodera and Andou, stifling their laughter.

Their numbers got called through the loudspeaker.

"Shall we go, Curry-san?" asked Andou, giving Ayanokouji a playful wink. The trio got up from their table and picked up their trays containing their curry and a glass of water.

"Itadakimasu" said the trio.

Ayanokouji scooped up some curry by itself and ate it first. His mouth exploded in a rich flavor with the curry, potatoes, and pork mixed together and having an explosive party in his mouth. Ayanokouji then tried the curry with the white rice. The combination of curry and rice is a powerful combo and Ayanokouji began eating the curry a little faster. After a few spoonfuls, Ayanokouji felt his mouth burning up a little bit. The spice level was catching up to him, but Ayanokouji continued to eat. Although the spice is causing him a little discomfort, Ayanokouji didn't mind it and it still tasted delicious. Ayanokouji noticed the girls whispering about something and staring at him.

"U-uhh... is there something on my face?" asked Ayanokouji, puzzled by their staring.

"No. We were wondering if the curry is spicy." asked Andou.

"No, it's okay. It's not too bad." replied Ayanokouji.

"Your spice tolerance must be unbelievable!"

"You think?"

"Oh stop flattering him, Andou-san! You'll find anything that has a little spice spicy! For God's sake, you found Sriracha spicy." teased Onodera.

"Hey, hey! I won't go that far." said Andou.

"Oh yeah?"

"You'll pay for that!"

The two girls began trading verbal blows at each other and seeing which one will crack first. Ayanokouji sat in silence and continued to eat his curry. He learned that Andou has a low spice tolerance and that she's similar to Onodera in some ways. They are both athletes coming from the swimming and volleyball club and both have cheerful personalities.

'It's a bit of a pain to deal with cheerful people. But, for now, I don't mind it. Is this how it feels to have friends? Are we friends? That's the question I have.' thought Ayanokouji.

Ayanokouji listened in on Onodera's and Andou's conversation as the trio finished their curry. Then, they left the curry house together and began walking back towards the dorm.

"You know, Ayanokouji-kun, you're actually a pretty nice and chill guy." said Andou, complimenting him. This puzzled Ayanokouji because he thought they didn't enjoy his company.

"Thanks, I guess." replied Ayanokouji.

"It's hard to tell what you're thinking when you have that serious expression all the time."

"I'll work on it."

"Don't be silly. I didn't say I hated it."

"Oh! Look at you, being so smooth, Andou-chan." teased Onodera. Before Andou's call was returned, a phone's ringtone came from her pockets. Andous reached into her pockets, pulled out her phone, and looked at it.

"Sorry, guys. I have a hang out with my classmates. I need to pick up some snacks at the convenience store!" said Andou, smiling apologetically.

"It's okay." replied Onodera and Ayanokouji.

"Sorry again! Gotta run! See you later, Onodera-san and Ayanokouji-kun!" said Andou, jogging out of the Keyaki Mall and in the direction of the convenience store.

"Ah!" yelped Onodera.

"What is it, Onodera?" asked Ayanokouji.

"I almost forgot that I have a swim meeting at karaoke with my club members! I hope I'm not too late!" said Onodera, panicking a little bit.

"You better go."

"Yeah! Sorry about that, Ayanokouji-kun!"

"No problem."

"I'll see you tomorrow!" said Onodera, sprinting back into the Keyaki Mall. The students in her way moved to the side quickly to avoid a collision with Onodera.

Ayanokouji walked back to the dorm and noticed something going on the way back. Ayanokouji decided to check out the disturbance. It was near the third year dorms, a place where Ayanokouji has been at all. Ayanokouji peeked around the corner and noticed a female and male student at the back of third year dorms, a place with no cameras.

"Hey, Tachibana-chan. You know that you stand no chance with the president." said the male student.

"Hmph! I'm tired of desperate guys like you saying that to me. As if you have a chance with me, in the first place." said the female student.

Ayanokouji recognized the female student by her appearance and name. She is short for a senpai, with purple hair tied in two buns on the side of her head, and brown eyes. It was the student council secretary that was in charge of the club fair at the beginning of school.

"Now... now... don't be like that, Tachibana-chan. I promise to give you a good time unlike four-eyes." said the male student.

"As if! I already said no. Be gone, you Class D trash!" said Tachibana, attempting to walk past him. But, the male student suddenly grabbed her by her shoulders and stopped her from leaving.

"W-what are you doing?" demanded Tachibana.

"You're not leaving so soon, Tachibana-chan! If you don't accept my love, then you should feel it first before giving me an answer." said the male student.

"S-stop it! Y-you know what y-you're doing is illegal! I'm a m-member of the student council. You know the c-consequences if you mess with m-me."

"HAHAHA... I don't care. My love for you, Tachibana-chan, will protect me from you so-called lover."

'He sort of reminds me of Yamauchi. That desperation and need to find a girlfriend. I wonder if he's going to turn out like this in a few years.' thought Ayanokouji.

"P-please stop..." whimpered Tachibana. She's desperately trying to resist, but unfortunately, the student is overpowering her. He grabbed Tachibana and shoved her into the building's walls. Tachibana managed to slap him in the face once before the student grabbed her hands and pinned it to the wall above her head.

"That hurts, Tachibana-chan! Don't worry. You'll tend my wounds once I'm done with you." said the male student. He grabbed Tachibana's blazer and violently unbuttoned it, revealing her white school uniform.

"One more thing standing between our love." said the student. He reached towards Tachibana's school uniform which was underneath the school issued blazer. Ayanokouji can see his intention was to rip the uniform and reveal Tachibana's breasts. He decided now's the time to interfere.

Before the male student could continue any further with Tachibana, a flash of light blinded him temporarily. They both turned their heads towards the direction of the light. Ayanokouji was standing there with a blank expression with his phone pointing at them. Ayanokouji took another photo with another blinding light.

"A senpai sexually assaulting a female senpai. I wonder how the school will deal with this." said Ayanokouji.

"N-no. T-that's wrong. Y-you're wrong." stammered the male student.

"Hmm, it certainly doesn't sound wrong. Does it? It kind of looks that way, don't you think?" said Ayanokouji.

"You're wrong. Me and Tachibana-chan are lovers. You have no right in interfering with our affairs."

"Oh really? It looks to me that she's trying to get away from you and you're forcing yourself on her."

"N-no. Our love is eternal."

Ayanokouji walked closer to the male student, grabbing his hands and forcing them off Tachibana, and pressing him against the building's wall.

"I saw everything, senpai. I took pictures. If you show your face to that girl again, or talk to her again, I'll expose you and your school life is over. Got it?" said Ayanokouji, looking at the male student.

"Y-you brat! You-" started the male student. Before he can continue on, Ayanokouji looks at him with his eyes of darkness. The male student gulped in fear and the words died out before he could say it. he began to tremble in fear and his forehead seemed to be sweating profusely.

"Eek!" yelped the male student, averting his eyes and his legs are knocking against each other. Ayanokouji let him go and shoved him away from him. The male student stumbled away from Ayanokouji and Tachibana and left the two alone.

"Are you okay?" asked Ayanokouji, looking at Tachibana. Tachibana nodded and quickly became flustered as she buttoned up her blazer.

"T-thank you, kohai." said Tachibana.

"It's no problem, senpai. Are you going to report this to the student council?"

"U-uh... maybe I shouldn't."

"Wait, really?"

"..."

Tachibana seems to be staying quiet and doesn't want to talk about it further with Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji decided to not force Tachibana to talk about it.

"It's your choice. At any rate, he wouldn't be getting closer to you anymore." said Ayanokouji, showing her the pictures that he got when he was observing the situation.

"You!" said Tachibana, surprised by Ayanokouji's resourcefulness and stealth. Tachibana didn't even notice Ayanokouji's presence, probably because she was preoccupied, but she knew even if she was not distracted, she would have never detected his presence.

"If he gives you trouble, I'll expose him to the school and he'll be expelled." said Ayanokouji.

"T-thank you." stammered Tachibana, relieved that her problem is solved without involving the student council.

"No problem. I'll be taking my leave now." said Ayanokouji, turning around and began walking away.

"W-wait. Can you please tell me your name so I can properly thank you?" asked Tachibana.

Ayanokouji turned around and looked at Tachibana. An electric shock ran through Ayanokouji's body as he looked into Tachibana's eyes. His eyes widened slightly before returning back to normal. Tachibana seems to be staring at him with a mixture of shock, surprise, and horror like she couldn't believe what happened to her.

"My name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, Tachibana-senpai." said Ayanokouji.

Author's Note:

Another one! The first part of the chapter is similar to the ln (basically explaining the S-system, so yeah).

Horikita is a little different because she's in love with Ayanokouji. The food trap is still the same! But, she's more willing to accept Ayanokouji's help and suggestion to recruit Kushida.

I'll be doing back to back chapters with COTE 100 girlfriends. Next up, Tachibana's backstory and Ayanokouji's study group.

Until next time, my dear readers.