Shinohara POV:
'Whoa. What is happening to me?! Why is my heart racing all of a sudden?! It can't be… I think I'm totally in love with Ayanokouji-kun! This is totally crazy! I can't be... This love is another weakness for me. I can't let it happen to me.' thought Shinohara.
*Flashback (3 years ago)*
'I was your average junior high girl. I had a circle of friends and was not hated or well-liked by my peers. I was just average. I was happy with my life with no problems. The only problem is my grades. They were a little below average, but I could just study. But, I intend to live out my junior high school life with my friends and happy memories. It all changed when I found out something that I didn't mean to find out. I was waiting for my little sister. I was in my second year and my sister was in her first year. She was in the same junior high school as me and we walked together to school and home. I was waiting for her after school one day and noticed that she's late. By the way, my sister's name is Shinohara Sakiko.' thought Shinohara.
'I thought it was weird and waited for a few minutes before entering back into the school myself to find her. I went to the faculty staff room and asked her homeroom teacher. She said that Sakiko went off with a bunch of her classmates after class ended. Worried that she wouldn't text me back, I decided to look around the school myself. I first checked her classroom and found some of her classmates still there. I asked around and they told me the same thing that the homeroom told me. She was out with some of her classmates. I decided to wander the halls and asked if anyone spotted her. Most people didn't see her, but one girl said that she saw Sakiko heading to the back of the gym with some of her classmates. I headed there quietly to check it out.' thought Shinohara.
'I saw Sakiko kneeling on the ground in a fetal position as she's surrounded by girls. The girls that were her classmates and supposedly "friends" of hers. They were jeering and laughing at her as some of them began to slap and kick at her. I stood there in horror and surprise as the girls continued to barrage Sakiko with insults and slaps. Their laughter became a dull throb in my hearing. My anger has never grown this badly and it washed over me like a choppy wave from the ocean.' thought Shinohara.
'Their laughter and insults became a distant sound in my ears and my eyesight turned red in anger. I marched out of my hiding spot and yelled, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!" It was the loudest that I ever had shouted, but it worked. All of the girls immediately backed away from Sakiko who was crying on the ground. They each had the look of fear and surprise in their eyes. Before I could say anything else, they ran away, leaving me and Sakiko alone.' thought Shinohara.
"Sakiko, are you okay?"
"Onee-chan..."
'Sakiko was now bawling her eyes out and I quickly wrapped her in a hug. She clutched at me and held on to me tightly. Her tears are coming out freely like a stream and soaking her uniform. I gently stroked her head and whispered to her, telling her that it's going to be fine and not to worry.' thought Shinohara.
"How long have they been doing this?" I asked, in an angry tone.
"A f-few days..." replied Sakiko.
"Why didn't you tell me or anyone else?"
"I can't. Dad always said that we gotta be strong, you know. I thought I can take them on."
"Don't be stupid, Sakiko."
"Onee-chan, please don't tell dad and mom about this."
"Sakiko-"
"P-please!"
'I had never heard Sakiko be this angry and desperate for something. But, when I looked at her eyes, I felt her strong and indomitable spirit flared inside of her eyes. She wanted to take care of this herself. I admire that about her: the strength to do something by herself without relying on anyone.' thought Shinohara.
"Fine. But, if it's too much, tell me." I said, reluctantly.
"T-thank you, Onee-chan." said Sakiko. Her face became a small smile, but the tears on her face ruined it. She wiped the tears on her face and I helped her up. And then, we walked home.
'That was the biggest mistake of my life. I shouldn't have let her fight by herself . Sakiko was a strong girl, but even she got overwhelmed by the constant bullying. Her friends were too afraid to do something and fear getting bullied in retaliation. The teachers were clueless as ever and some of the students even joined in. Most of the students did not know which included me. Sakiko always kept a happy and cheerful attitude every time I walked with her before and after school. To me, it's her usual attitude and nothing is wrong.' thought Shinohara.
'That changed on that day. It was a nice and wonderful afternoon and I was with Sakiko, preparing to walk home. Sakiko told me that she forgot something in her classrooms and that she's going to get it. She left for a few minutes and I got a bad feeling. Immediately, I ran to Sakiko's classroom as fast as I could.' thought Shinohara.
'By the time I got there, I was in a sweaty mess and gasping for breath. I took a deep breath to compose myself and slides open the classroom door. Then, I saw a horrifying scene that happened in front of my eyes. Sakiko was sitting on the window ledge of an opened classroom window. One of her legs was already outside of the classroom and half of her body was already outside. She turned to me with a sad expression and tears in her eyes. Tears were streaming down her face as the wind blew into the classroom, swirling her hair and the curtains.' thought Shinohara.
"Stop! Sakiko, don't do it." I yelled in desperation. I was thinking about how to save my sister and stop her from jumping.
"I-I'm sorry, Onee-chan. I'm too weak." said Sakiko.
"You're not! Please don't do this! Please!"
"I'm sorry, Onee-chan. For being a pathetic and weak sister."
"Y-you're not!"
"Thank you. For being here and for being my older sister. Goodbye."
'Sakiko said that with a sad smile on her face and tears streaming down her face. I realized what was going to happen and I ran at Sakiko, the fastest I've ever ran. My hands stretched in an attempt to grab her and stop her from jumping, but it was too late. My ah da grabbed nothing and Sakiko disappeared from the classroom and out of the open window. I looked outside of the window and saw Sakiko laying on the ground with a pool of blood forming beneath her. The pool of blood became bigger. I cried and ran out of the classroom to the staff room as fast as I could. I managed to tell the teachers what happened and an ambulance was called. Sakiko was taken to the hospital with me riding in the back of the ambulance, crying my eyes out.' thought Shinohara.
'I should have been a better older sister. I should have helped Sakiko. It was all my fault. I should've been stronger. So, I could've protected Sakiko. Our father told us when we were younger to be strong. He said strength is something that keeps your enemies at bay and makes you stronger. I wasn't the physically strongest girl, but I realized something. Strength is something that I never had to begin with. That's why I couldn't protect Sakiko. I couldn't even protect myself with my own strength, so how can I protect Sakiko? It was because of me that Sakiko chose this option. Why was death her only way out?' thought Shinohara.
'Those were the thoughts running in my mind as the ambulance raced to the hospital. Sakiko was brought to urgent care and the doctors and nurses rushed into the room. I was pacing around frantically and praying for the gods to give Sakiko the strength to survive. I was still crying, but the tears are mostly gone now. They already ran off my face and fell onto the floor. My tear ducts are reaching their limits. A few minutes later, my parents arrived at the hospital. My mom was a big crying mess like me and we hugged each other tightly. My dad was shedding a few tears and balled his fists, tightly. This was the first time I saw my dad cry. We found seats nearby and sat down. We spent the time crying and praying for Sakiko's safety. An hour later, the doctor came out of the room. We all got up quickly and approached him, frantic and desperate for news.' thought Shinohara.
"Doctor! How is she?!" asked my dad.
"Shinohara-san, your daughter has sustained critical injuries on her head and other parts of her body. She's broken her right arm and both of her legs. The worrying part is her head." said the doctor.
"H-her head..." stammered my dad.
"She hit her head pretty hard on the floor. She fell from the third story building after all. Your daughter is in a coma." said the doctor.
"C-coma?"
My mom burst into tears and started to hug me. Some tears began to fall freely in my eyes. My dad looked like he's ready to cry as well, but managed to hold it.
"Can she be cured, doctor?" asked my dad.
"Possibly. It will take some time. But, be warned: your daughter had received some trauma on the head. She may not be able to recover or be the same if she recovered." said the doctor.
My mother started to shake and her legs seemed to have given out. I managed to keep her from falling down and guided her to her seat. My dad stared at the floor without saying anything.
"B-but, s-she still can be cured, right?!" I asked, desperately and pleaded with the doctor.
"Perhaps. But, I caution you to not get your hopes up." said the doctor.
"WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR ARE YOU?! You're a doctor! Do something to save her! God damn it!" I yelled which caused my mom to flinch at my sudden outburst. My dad was also surprised. All of my anger and fury at the entire situation seemed to come out of me and left me with sadness, regret, and remorse. The doctor nodded his head and gave his condolences before leaving. As a family, we began to cry.
'It has been a few weeks since the incident with Sakiko. Sakiko is still in her coma and I visited her every day at the hospital. I sat at her bedside and told her stories about my school life.
But, deep down, I knew that would bring her back. I noticed the girls that bullied Sakiko are starting again and choose to bully one of Sakiko's friends. My anger grew as I watched it happen and I decided that I was going to help this time. I wasn't going to let the same thing that happened to Sakiko happen to one of her friends. I began changing. I learned that if physical force does not work, the power of words and an attitude will work. Every time they approached one of Sakiko's friends, I would be there. I've developed a new personality. Some people may call it bitchy, annoying, and arrogant, but it gets the job done.' thought Shinohara.
'Once I started with this personality, people started to notice my change. Of course, I was still the same within my friend group, but I viewed people that I didn't know as my enemies and felt distrustful towards them. This way… I can protect the ones I wanted. My friends and Sakiko's friends. It's the least I can do. Of course, this started rumors about me. People began to think that I was starting to lose it because Sakiko was hospitalized. At first, I ignored the rumors, but it grew out of control. More rumors began popping everywhere: me as a prostitute, my family had been mascaraed, and other countless and disgusting rumors. I realized that I have to step in to counter them.' thought Shinohara.
'I've become hateful to anyone who talks bad about me and snapped back at everyone that brings up the rumors in front of my face. Sakiko's bullies eventually couldn't shake me and I managed to protect Sakiko's friends. But, in return, they told their older sisters about it who happened to be in my class. They targeted me and I retaliated back. For the rest of my junior high school years, I was constantly fighting back against those bullies. Time and time again. I refused to show weakness and used my signature glare and my attitude against them. I've managed to protect myself, my friends, and Sakiko's friends.' thought Shinohara
'During the last year of junior high, they used a new tactic. They started using boys as a way to attack me. Of course, most boys were not comfortable around me because of my personality, but they used perverted boys. I started to hate and become even more distrustful towards boys. Any boy. There were a few exceptions though. Some boys were like Hirata-kun and I trusted them, but most boys did not fall into that category. At any rate, I managed to fend off the bullies and was accepted into ANHS.' thought Shinohara.
'I can't be this week! Ayanokouji-kun… I mean he's different from those disgusting pervert boys. Especially Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun! He's not on the level of Hirata-kun. He might be a closeted pervert! But, I feel like I could trust Ayanokouji-kun. He's not a pervert… No! I can't be thinking like that! There's nothing that can prove Ayanokouji-kun is that kind of guy. I have to be on my guard! He might take advantage of me. Why is my heart pounding so fast when I'm near him?' thought Shinohara.
Ayanokouji POV:
'Okay. Didn't expect that to happen so soon. Shinohara is a headstrong girl that seems to be distrustful towards most boys that seems to jump to conclusions really quickly. She seems to be quite defensive when someone talks to her negatively.' thought Ayanokouji.
"Shinohara?" asked Ayanokouji. Shinohara was standing there frozen and was staring at Ayanokouji.
"U-uhh... it's nothing." yelped Shinohara. She averted her eyes from Ayanokouji and her face flustered a little.
"Should we get going? If we stand here longer, we'll be late."
"Y-yeah."
Ayanokouji and Shinohara began walking to their classroom. As they entered the classroom, their classmates stared at the unusual duo. Shinohara thanked Ayanokouji one more time before going to her seat. Mii-chan, Horikita, Kushida, and Azuma both gave Ayanokouji a look before returning back to what they were doing before. Ayanokouji took his seat and looked out the window. Ayanokouji could feel a stare coming from his neighbor.
"Is anything wrong, Horikita?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Ayanokouji-kun..." said Horikita, coldly. Ayanokouji could feel the dark and cold aura from Horikita and he swore that he saw her beautiful back hair, swirling around by an invisible wind.
"We just ran into each other."
"Did you think that little lie is enough to fool me? Shinohara-san seems to be staring at you."
Ayanokouji glanced to his side and noticed that Shinohara was sneaking glances at him. Shinohara was trying her best to not make it obvious, but she's failing. She blushed a little and averted her eyes from Ayanokouji.
"Don't worry about it. It's just a-" said Ayanokouji.
Horikita gave Ayanokouji a karate chop to his side. She was quite accurate and managed to nail Ayanokouji even though he was sitting down.
"Don't say it's a coincidence." hissed Horikita.
"Ow! Why did you do that?" answered Ayanokouji, rubbing his sides in pain.
"Nothing. Just your imagination."
"Yes, ma'am."
Horikita looked satisfied and happy which made Ayanokouji confused.
'Why is she so happy? Happy about someone's pain and suffering. I really got myself into a troublesome soulmate.' thought Ayanokouji.
"Ayanokouji-kun, if you don't mind, how about we study together?" asked Horikita.
"Wait, really?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Yes. Your scores are average at best."
'Horikita doesn't seem to be the type of girl to openly offer tutoring. I expected her to say something like this: Be grateful that I decided to grace you with my presence and help your pathetic, meager scores. Something like that. Her love for me must be really affecting her decision making.' thought Ayanokouji.
"You were thinking something rude, aren't you?" said Horikita, narrowing her eyes at Ayanokouji. Her hands moved towards her compass which was sitting on her desk.
"N-no. Sorry, Horikita. I'll pass." replied Ayanokouji.
"I see. How disappointing. I thought you had more class than those three imbeciles."
'Apparently, Horikita thinks that I was planning to do a last minute cram session like Sudou, Ike, and Yamauchi. Please Horikita. Put more faith in me.' thought Ayanokouji.
"Oh. Don't worry about that. I have no intention of doing that." said Ayanokouji.
"Really? Are you going to get an average score again?" asked Horikita. Horikita remembered what Chabashira-sensei said about Ayanokouji's entrance exam scores. She wondered if Ayanokouji was planning to do the same thing and the reason for it.
'If Ayanokouji-kun is smart, why is he doing this? Does he not want attention? Why? I don't understand his reasoning.' thought Horikita.
"Who knows, Horikita? Maybe I'll get lucky and get a higher score." said Ayanokouji.
Horikita stared at him for a moment, "Was that supposed to be a joke, Ayanokouji-kun? If so, that was a poor tasteless joke."
"Perhaps."
The homeroom bell rang and Chabashira-sensei entered the classroom.
*Timeskip (lunchtime)*
Ayanokouji got up from his seat and left the classroom with the intention to head to the cafeteria. As soon as he left the classroom, someone called his name. It was Kushida.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun! Let's get some lunch." said Kushida, cheerfully.
"Okay." replied Ayanokouji.
"There's a new place set up outside of the school. Let's go there instead of the cafeteria!"
Ayanokouji nodded and followed Kushida out of the school building. Students are permitted to leave the school during lunchtime. Some students leave the school to go to restaurants, cafes, and other places for food. Ayanokouji followed Kushida outside and walked a little bit away from the school. Kushida brought him to a plaza and a fountain where there was a small park with trees, bathrooms, and benches. On the plaza, there were some food stands and trucks open for business. There were a small number of students there.
'It was obvious that some businesses and individuals are taking advantage of lunchtime and setting up little stands for the students. Most likely chose this location because it's close to the school and students don't need to walk far.' thought Ayanokouji.
"I heard of this place from one of my friends. What do you want to get?" asked Kushida. Ayanokouji looked at the stands and saw their menus on each sign.
"Looks like they got everything. Want to get a little bit from each stand?" answered Ayanokouji.
"Okay!"
The duo went to each food stand to check out and decide what to buy. They decided not to visit and buy every stand, but instead chose the stands that interest them. Within 10 minutes, the duo had bought everything they wanted: a serving of takoyaki, 3 servings of yakitori, 2 bowls of red miso soup, 2 onigiri, and 2 cups of shaved ice. Ayanokouji and Kushida managed to secure a table for themselves by the trees, providing them shade.
"Itadakimasu." said the duo.
Ayanokouji grabbed a stick of yakitori and took a bite of the chicken. The taste of chicken exploded into Ayanokouji's mouth. It had a sweet and salty flavor with a tang of smokiness. It was something that Ayanokouji never had.
'It's the sauce and the charcoal grill they used. Delicious.' thought Ayanokouji.
After a few bites, Ayanokouji placed the empty yakitori stick down and decided to try the red miso soup. There was one for him and Kushida to try. Ayanokouji took a sip of his red soup. It was different from white miso soup and much more flavorful.
"Ayanokouji-kun, thank you." said Kushida.
"I didn't do anything special to deserve your gratitude." said Ayanokouji.
"You did. Thanks to you. I managed to talk to Horikita and made me not give up on the study group. You cheered me up."
"Kushida, you weren't going to give up in the first place. My words only helped calmed you down. You did all the hard work."
"You're really shy, aren't you? Let me thank you at least."
"If you insist."
"I'm going to start the study group again. Sudou-kun, Ike-kun, and Yamauchi-kun really need help otherwise they're going to be expelled!"
"What if Horikita refuses?"
"She has to accept! Otherwise we'll lose our friends!"
"I don't think she'll agree to let you join."
Ayanokouji's logic and correct assessment of Horikita dampened Kushida's cheerfulness.
"M-maybe... But, I'll have to try! If it doesn't work out, then, I-I'll tutor them myself." said Kushida.
"Are you sure? Don't you have other students to tutor?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Yeah. But, we changed our times and will be meeting later."
"I see. Well, good luck."
"W-wait! Y-you're not coming?"
"Yeah."
"I-is it Horikita-san-"
"No. I just prefer to study by myself."
"Okay. If you need any help, you're welcome to stop by the study group. We'll be in the library."
"Understood."
Ayanokouji sipped the rest of his red miso soup before looking at the takoyaki. There were 6 steaming hot takoyaki and only one toothpick. Kushida noticed that as well and realized what's going to happen.
"U-uhh..." stammered Kushida. Her face became flustered and red.
"Maybe we should ask the takoyaki stand for a toothpick." said Ayanokouji, getting up. But, Kushida grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"I-it's fine. L-let's share." said Kushida, staring down at the table with her ears turning a little red.
"Are you sure?" asked Ayanokouji. Kushida nodded her head rapidly.
"Okay." said Ayanokouji, reaching for the toothpick. But, Kushida grabbed it first and picked up the takoyaki. She faced Ayanokouji and moved the takoyaki towards him.
"Say 'Ahh...'" said Kushida. Her face became a blushing face, but she managed to do it. When Ayanokouji stared at her, Kushida had an embarrassed smile which is something that Ayanokouji had never seen on Kushida's face and found it cute.
"Ahh..." said Ayanokouji, leaning forward and ate the takoyaki off the toothpick. He decided not to question Kushida because the toothpick was a little wobbly and looked like it was going to break. Kushida set down the toothpick and blushed heavily.
'I can't believe it! I did that with Ayanokouji-kun! I'm so glad that those bitches aren't here. Especially that bitch, Horikita. I said I wouldn't fall in love with Ayanokouji-kun, but I'm so happy right now! I can't even be myself!' thought Kushida.
Ayanokouji grabbed the toothpick and stabbed another takoyaki while Kushida was blushing and was out of it.
"My turn. Say 'Ahh...'" said Ayanokouji, moving the takoyaki piece towards Kushida. Kushida's face is still red from Ayanokouji's previous actions, frozen and staring at the takoyaki that slowly approached her.
"Ahh..." said Kushida, opening her mouth and eating the takoyaki. She slowly chewed the hot octopus ball and realized something which almost made Kushida choke.
'I just ate from the same toothpick as Ayanokouji-kun! I can't stop blushing now. Surely, Ayanokouji-kun can see it now. It's so obvious now! He's looking at me now. C'mon, Kikyou. Smile normally. Why?! Why am I in love with this guy? Don't make me fall for you even more!' thought Kushida.
Kushida looked embarrassed and she swallowed the last of the takoyaki. With that, the duo finished the rest of their lunch in silence. The duo threw all of their trash into a nearby trashcan and decided to walk to the classroom with their shaved ice, eating it on the way back.
Ayanokouji has chosen the cherry flavor and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. It was cold, crunchy, and sweet because it's obviously ice with some flavoring. Ayanokouji enjoyed it because it's something he never had in his life.
Ayanokouji and Kushida had small talk on their way back to the classroom, eating and chatting. Some of the students they walked by gave them a second look, not expecting the ever-so popular Kushida to hang out with a nobody like Ayanokouji.
When Ayanokouji entered the classroom with Kushida, some of the boys that are still in the classroom stared at them. Ayanokouji could hear Ike and Yamauchi wailing in the background, calling Ayanokouji a 'lucky bastard', and questioning the reason why he's having lunch with Kushida. Of course, everyone can hear it, but Kushida just smiled and pretended not to have listened.
Ayanokouji is fighting a war on two fronts: one from the perverted boys and the other from his soulmates. He felt the stares and glares of Horikita, Mii-chan, Azuma, and Shinohara.
'These cold stares... I'm really going to be in a world of pain later on. Knowing my luck, Tachibana-senpai would probably hear of this.' thought Ayanokouji.
*Timeskip (after class)*
Ayanokouji finally left the classroom by himself. He had just finished a session of scolding and explaining with his soulmates. At the end of class, Horikita, Mii-chan, Azuma, and Shinohara all surrounded Ayanokouji which prevented his escape. Kushida asked Horikita if she wanted to join her with the study group with the three idiots, but she rejected it. Kushida accepted in dejectedly and left the classroom with the three idiots. This left Ayanokouji alone and at the complete mercy of his soulmates.
After a long explanation, Ayanokouji's soulmates let him go. Ayanokouji is walking out of the school, rubbing his side which got karate chopped by Horikita. He also had a faint red outline on his face from Shinohara's slap which she later apologized for. Apparently, Shinohara overreacted and slapped Ayanokouji without thinking. It was a hard slap, but it left a faint red mark of a hand on his face.
Ayanokouji decided to go to a cafe because he felt a little adventurous. He went to the Keyaki Mall and found a small cafe where there's not a lot of students. Ayanokouji ordered a latte and sat down at the counter, waiting. A few minutes later, Ayanokouji received his latte and he took a sip of it, savoring the coffee. Ayanokouji took a menu and looked at it again and wondered if he should buy a scone.
"If you want to buy a scone, go for it! It's pretty good, you know." said a voice. It came from Ayanokouji's right side. Ayanokouji turned around and saw a girl with shoulder-length black hair, dark blue eyes, and dark-rimmed glasses.
"Huh? How did you know?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Just a hunch. I recommend the blueberry scone."
"I see. You better be right."
"Of course I am. If it's not to your liking, I'll compensate the points for you."
Ayanokouji ordered the blueberry scone and the girl watched on.
"I'm Ninomiya Yui from Class B. Nice to meet you." said the girl, introducing herself.
"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka from Class D. The pleasure is all mine." replied Ayanokouji.
"So Ayanokouji-kun, I take it this is your first time here."
"Yeah."
"No wonder, you seem to be a little lost~"
Ninomiya said it in a teasing way to which Ayanokouji found it cute. The waitress at the counter placed a plate with a blueberry scone on the counter where Ayanokouji is sitting. She then brought a plate with 2 scones and placed it near Ninomiya.
"Wait. I ordered one scone, didn't I?" asked Ninomiya, confused as to why there were 2 scones.
"No. You ordered 2 scones: one blueberry and one chocolate." said the waitress.
"But..."
Ninomiya looked at the scones and wondered if she was going to do it with 2 scones. She can't eat two full scones by herself. Ninomiya is panicking and looking around desperately, wondering what she should do.
'She's an airhead. A cute and adorable airhead. How did she order 2 scones and forget about it?' thought Ayanokouji.
"If you can't finish them, I can give you a hand." said Ayanokouji.
"Ayanokouji-kun... But, you are already eating a full scone by yourself." replied Ninomiya.
"Don't worry about it. I'm a growing boy. I can eat a lot more."
"Hmm... it'll be a shame to waste some food. Okay!"
Ninomiya tried to give Ayanokouji the chocolate scone, but Ayanokouji stopped her.
"Let's share it. I don't think I can eat 2 scones." said Ayanokouji. He asked the waitress for a knife. She gave Ayanokouji a butter knife to which he cut the chocolate scone in half.
Ayanokouji took a bite of half of the chocolate scone and noted how sweet it was. He placed back on the plate and started eating his blueberry scone. Ninomiya was eating her blueberry scone and the duo ate their respective scones in silence. Ninomiya finished her blueberry scone first and her face was covered with crumbs, but she didn't notice it, grabbed one half of the chocolate scone, and started to eat it.
"U-uhh... that's my half of the scone." said Ayanokouji.
"E-eh?!" said Ninomiya, putting the scone back on the plate in a panic. Her face became a little red and she opened her mouth to say something.
"I-ei'm s-worry, Ayanokouji-kun." said Ninomiya, with food still in her mouth.
"Calm down, Ninomiya." said Ayanokouji. "You still have food in your mouth."
Ninomiya became a little more embarrassed and started to chew the remaining pieces of scone in her mouth. After a few moments, she swallowed and replied, "I'm sorry, Ayanokouji-kun. I didn't mean to. I just forgot which one is yours."
"It's okay. I guess I'll take my original one." said Ayanokouji.
"A-are you sure? Wouldn't that be-" started Ninomiya.
"A what?"
"Never mind."
The two finished the rest of the scones in silence. Ayanokouji finished the rest of his latte and paid for his scone and drink.
"Well, I'm heading back to the dorm, Ninomiya." said Ayanokouji.
"Okay! Oh wait! I got to attend a study group. I'm late!" yelped Ninomiya, checking the time on her phone. She quickly got up and made a dash to the exit.
"Wait!"
"What is it, Ayanokouji-kun?" asked Ninomiya, stopping in front of the door.
"You forgot to pay for your food and drink." said Ayanokouji, gesturing to the empty plate and drink. The waitress was standing there, holding an ID scanner.
"I-i'm so sorry. I forgot..." said Ninomiya, running back to the counter and paying the points. Ayanokouji handed her a napkin and pointed at his face. Ninomiya blushed a little and quickly wiped her face.
"T-thank you, Ayanokouji-kun. You've been patient with me." said Ninomiya, bowing her head to Ayanokouji.
"No worries. You're a little scatter-brained." said Ayanokouji.
"No need to be mean~" pouted Ninomiya, cutely. She giggled.
"Bye, Ayanokouji-kun. Thanks for reminding me." said Ninomiya, giving Ayanokouji a wave before leaving the cafe.
'This girl is definitely an air-head. She must have good academic abilities to be in Class B. She doesn't seem like the type of person to be good at planning and thinking ahead.' thought Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji paid his points and exited the cafe a few minutes later. He decided to walk back to the dorm, but took a shortcut through a park to get to the dorm faster. Ayanokouji was walking along the sidewalk. Suddenly, Ayanokouji bumped into a girl that was carrying some books and a crepe. She yelped in surprise and alarm as she dropped all of her books and her crepe on the sidewalk.
"Sorry. I wasn't paying attention." said Ayanokouji, giving his apologies. He started helping the girl pick up her books.
"No, no. It's also my fault as well." said the girl.
"Thanks for the help." said the girl. The books were picked up, but the crepe is not salvageable.
"Sorry for the crepe. How about I buy you a new one?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Oh no! It's fine, really." said the girl, shaking her head.
"I insist. It's my fault."
"But..."
Ayanokouji gestured to her to follow him and started walking to the crepe stand. The girl sighed and followed Ayanokouji. The girl ordered her strawberry crepe and Ayanokouji paid for it. He decided against getting one for himself, to not get himself full before dinner. Ayanokouji reminded himself to try a crepe at this park for the future.
The girl took her first bite of the crepe and let out a cute squeal. Ayanokouji looked at the books that she had with her. The books were textbooks and workbooks with various subjects that were taught in class.
"Did you come here to study?" asked Ayanokouji.
"I did. The park is a very relaxing place to study and I like it." replied the girl.
"I see."
"When the weather is perfect, you can get a nice breeze and it's very free. It's better than being stuck indoors with no fresh air."
"Yeah. But, I like coffee though. So, a cafe is the place for me."
"Yeah. Oh wait! I never got a chance to introduce myself. I'm Nanami Yabu from Class C."
"I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka from Class D."
"Nice to meet you, Ayanokouji-kun!"
"The pleasure is all mine."
"What are you studying anyway? The Age of Discovery?" asked Ayanokouji, looking at the textbook.
"Age of Discovery? What are you talking about? Sakagami-sensei said that the Edo period would be covered in the Japanese history exam section of the midterm." replied Nanami.
"Wait... That's not what we've been told."
"Huh?! That's weird. Does this mean that each class gets a different test?"
"That seems unlikely. The test should be the same for everyone in the same grade."
"Y-you're right."
'The same fundamental problems from the five main topics should be featured on everyone's midterm. Otherwise, it'd be unclear how to judge our aptitude. Had Class C learned that the test would change before anyone else? Or was Class D the only group being left out of the loop?' thought Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji and Nanami were mystified in the light of this new information.
'What if every class's test had different Japanese history questions? No... What if it wasn't just Japanese history? What if all the test questions were completely different? If that were the case,
then we'd wasted days' worth of studying.' thought Ayanokouji.
"I'm going to ask my homeroom teacher," said Ayanokouji.
"Same as well." said Nanami, panicking a little bit.
"Hey, Nanami! Is this guy harassing you?" called another voice. The voice came from behind Ayanokouji and they turned to face it. It was two girls approaching them, a girl that had a hostile glance and the other girl was avoiding eye contact with Ayanokouji.
The hostile girl has light greenish and brownish shoulder-length hair with a hairband on one of her front bangs. She had light colored-eyes. The shy girl has dark brownish and purplish hair that is tied in a bun similar to a dango and with glasses.
"Shiho! What have I told you about being mean to others? Ayanokouji-kun is keeping me company." said Nanami.
"Tch... whatever." said the girl, still giving Ayanokouji a glare.
"I'm really sorry about that, Ayanokouji-kun. She's not as bad as she looks. It takes a while for her to warm up to people. These are my two friends, Manabe Shiho and Morofuji Rika." said Nanami.
"Hey." said Ayanokouji, giving them a nod. "I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
"Yeah, yeah..." said Manabe, her glare still present.
"..."
Morofuji still remained silent and couldn't look at Ayanokouji at all.
"Well, I have to go. It's nice meeting you all." said Ayanokouji.
"Same here. Have a good day, Ayanokouji-kun." said Nanami with a smile, giving Ayanokouji a wave.
With that, Ayanokouji walked out of the park and towards the dorm.
Ayanokouji was sitting at his desk and the school bell rang, signaling the end of class. Chabashira-sensei left the classroom and some of the students started packing up, preparing to leave the classroom. Most of the students are getting together with their usual groups. Ayanokouji was staring outside of the window. He heard a noise and saw Horikita, Kushida, Mii-chan, Azuma, and Shinohara getting up and moving towards him.
"Ayanokouji-kun..." said Horikita.
"Hi, Ayanokouji-kun!" said Kushida.
"Heya, Ayanokouji-kun." said Azuma.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Ayanokouji-kun." said Mii-chan.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun." said Shinohara.
"What is everyone doing here?" asked Ayanokouji, a little curious on why all of his soulmates are focused on him and coming to him at the same time.
"Well-" Horikita started. But, everyone in the classroom noticed the unusual gathering of students with Ayanokouji as the center. The boys began to mutter to each other.
"Why is Kushida-chan with Ayanokouji?!"
"Lucky bastard..."
"Look at the line-up of girls."
"Leave some for us, you bastard."
The girls looked at began muttering to themselves.
"Ayanokouji-kun..."
"I mean, he's a quiet guy, but he looks pretty hot."
"Remember him: shirtless at the pool."
"KYA! A hidden gem in the class."
The girls began getting up from their seats and surrounded Ayanokouji's desk. Ayanokouji is surrounded on all sides by his female classmates.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun... wanna hang out with us?"
"No, hang out with us!"
"Ayanokouji-kun, can I have your number?"
"Trying to get ahead of us, aren't you?"
Ayanokouji was baffled as to why every girl in the class is so interested in him. He glanced around and saw his soulmates all giving him a cold glare or smile.
'Yikes! What is happening? It's like my soulmate's power is getting out of control. I can practically see the hearts in every girls' eyes.' thought Ayanokouji.
"Let's get him!"
The girls began advancing towards Ayanokouji. But, his soulmates blocked the crowd of girls.
"Stop right there, everyone." said Horikita, giving everyone their glare.
"Everyone, please calm down." said Kushida.
"You're blocking our way to Ayanokouji-kun! It's not fair that you all enjoy your time with him!" yelled a girl. The crowd of girls agreed with the girl and started shouting. The boys muttered curses at Ayanokouji.
"I bet you already kissed him!" yelled another girl. Horikita and Kushida both blushed and averted their eyes. Azuma's, Shionhara's, and Mii-chan's eyes widened at the realization. Ayanokouji could hear Ike's and Yamauchi's wails in the background.
"Let's go!"
Kushida and Horikita were too busy blushing and were unable to stop the onslaught of girls. They pushed past Ayanokouji's soulmates and closed the distance with him. Ayanokouji could see his field of vision being blocked and the bodies of his female classmates taking over his sight.
"The day of reckoning is upon you, Ayanokouji-dono!" Sotomura, calling out. The girl's clamoring, pestering for Ayanokouji, and the wails of the perverted boys mixed into Ayanokouji's ears as the girls reached their hands towards Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji woke up in an instant and looked around his bedroom. He realized it was all a dream and he usually doesn't pay much attention to his own dreams.
'Whether it's good or bad, in the end, dreams aren't reality. And humans, by nature, tend to forget them. What a strange feeling. The day of reckoning, huh? Let's hope that's not my future.' thought Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji got up from his bed and did some stretches to warm up his muscles. Ayanokouji changed into his gym clothes and exited his dorm. Ayanokouji is walking to the gym that Onodera showed him where he still has his free trial. He entered the gym and started doing some basic warm ups and stretches. Ayanokouji noticed Koenji at the gym, working out and showing off his amazing physique. He smirked at Ayanokouji and continued his workout. Ayanokouji decided to start with a light jog on the treadmill to warm up before continuing on the more intensive workout. Ayanokouji spent around 20 minutes jogging at a moderate speed. Ayanokouji stepped off the treadmill, turned it off, and took a long sip of water from his bottle.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun!" said Onodera, walking up to Ayanokouji. It looked like she just entered the gym because she doesn't look tired and sweaty.
"Hey, Onodera." replied Ayanokouji, with a wave.
"Just finished jogging?"
"Yeah. It was just a warm-up."
"Ohh... I'm a little curious about your warm-up."
"You want to see it?"
"Yep! Let me do some stretches to warm up first!"
Onodera began doing some stretches as Ayanokouji watched and took sips from his water bottle. After a few minutes, Ayanokouji followed Onodera to a section where there's leg curl machines and other machines for the lower body.
"You start here first?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Yep! Gotta work out my legs! To help build muscles and endurance for swimming!" replied Onodera, fiddling with the settings of the leg curl machine.
"I see. I'll join you."
Ayanokouji changed the settings of the machine next to Onodera to his liking before sitting down at the machine.
"Time to start!" said Onodera.
Onodera and Ayanokouji spent at least 15 minutes on the leg curl machine. They did several reps before taking small breaks in between and having idle chit chat. They talked about various gym related and exercise topics.
After wiping down their machines they just used, the duo moved onto the calf raise machine. After spending another 15 minutes on the machine, they decided to move to the upper body machines. They started at the shoulder press and spent 20 minutes there. Ayanokouji noticed that Onodera was tiring out, so he decided to slow down.
"Don't worry about me, Ayanokouji-kun. You keep on going." said Onodera, gasping for breath.
"I'm resting for a bit. You okay?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Yeah. Just catching my breath. Give me a few."
Ayanokouji decided to stop and take a sip of water. Onodera wiped the sweat off her forehead with her towel and sat there for a few minutes before getting up.
"Alright. Let's do the bench press!" said Onodera. They wiped down the machines they just used again before the duo headed into the heavy lifting section where the bench press and dumbbells are located. Onodera began lifting dumbbells and Ayanokouji watched her lift them. Onodera was lifting 11 kg with no problems. She started to do a few reps and Ayanokouji decided to use the bench press. Ayanokouji added some additional weights onto the press, but decided not to add too much.
Ayanokouji began doing reps and had a few small breaks. After several reps, Onodera put down her dumbbells and went over to Ayanokouji.
"Wow! You're really strong, Ayanokouji-kun! You're benching all of these weights." said Onodera.
"Thanks. I work out a lot." said Ayanokouji, setting the bar down. Ayanokouji remained laying down as he caught his breath.
Onodera handed him his water and Ayanokouji thanked her. After a long sip, he began doing his reps again and Onodera watched on in wonder. After 15 minutes of lifting, Ayanokouji called it a day and removed the additional weights from the machine. He wiped down the machine before following Onodera to the cardio machines.
"You've got some stamina, Ayanokouji-kun! I'm tired out and you look like you're just getting started!" said Onodera, fiddling with the settings of the machine.
"I'm tired. I just don't express it freely." replied Ayanokouji.
"Let's finish this work out on a high note!"
Ayanokouji and Onodera turned on their machines and began jogging. They remained silent and finished the rest of their workout within 30 minutes, a time that they set on their machine.
After the workout, Onodera and Ayanokouji went to their respective locker rooms where they showered and changed into their school uniforms. Ayanokouji was waiting in the lobby for Onodera to finish up as he was checking his phone. There were a few messages from Shinohara and Azuma, asking him if he wanted to walk to school with him. He replied and told them that he was at the gym and couldn't walk with them. After a few messages were exchanged, Ayanokouji slipped his phone back into his pockets.
"Oh. You already finished before me? Let's go back to the dorm." said Onodera, arriving at the lobby. Ayanokouji nodded and walked back to the dorm with Onodera. On the way back, Onodera was talking about Ayanokouji's physique and stamina. She was impressed by the number of reps Ayanokouji can do and his strength.
"Wow! I can't believe it! You're in better shape than me!" said Onodera.
"Probably because I'm a boy." said Ayanokouji.
"Now that sounds wrong!"
"You know what I mean. Boys have more muscles than girls according to biology."
"I know. But, don't hide your efforts through a flimsy excuse!"
"I'm sorry, Onodera." said Ayanokouji, looking at her. Suddenly, an electric shock ran through Ayanokouji's body. Onodera began blushing and averted her eyes from Ayanokouji.
"I-it's okay, Ayanokouji-kun." said Onodera, scratching her arm nervously.
"You did well too. I can see that you're giving it your best effort." said Ayanokouji.
"T-thank you."
Onodera seems to be unable to hold a conversation with Ayanokouji. She fell into silence on the rest of the way to the dorms. They entered the elevator and waited. When the elevator reached Ayanokouji's floor, Ayanokouji got out.
"Bye, Ayanokouji-kun!" said Onodera. She seemed to regain a little bit of her usual self, but her face was still red.
"See you later, Onodera." said Ayanokouji. The elevator closed and Ayanokouji headed into his room to drop off his sweaty gym clothes.
Onodera POV:
'Whoa! Calm down, Kayano! Why am I feeling this way towards Ayanokouji-kun? I can't believe it! I can't stop thinking about Ayanokouji's body. That perfect body of his. Those well-defined and perfect muscles and abs. I could see his glistening abs through his sweaty shirt. Whoa! Calm down! Don't trample on someone's workout efforts with your perversion, Kayano!' thought Onodera.
Onodera had already entered her room and was pacing around her room, thinking. Then, Onodera jumped onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow while kicking her legs up and down.
'I can't stop thinking about Ayanokouji and his body. What is wrong with me? I never have those thoughts. Why is it happening now and with Ayanokouji-kun?!' thought Onodera.
Ayanokouji POV:
Ayanokouji led the dorms and decided to go somewhere for breakfast. He was walking to the Keyaki Mall with his school bag. Ayanokouji entered the Keyaki Mall and wondered where he should go to get some breakfast. Suddenly, Ayanokouji could feel a friendly slap on his back.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun!" said Mori, cheerfully.
"Hey, Mori." replied Ayanokouji.
"C'mon. I know it's morning and people are tired and stuff. But, at least have some sort of reaction!"
"My bad, my bad. Let me try again."
"Okay. Take two! Hey, Ayanokouji-kun!"
"Hey, Mori." said Ayanokouji, with a little more emotion. But, there was almost no difference.
"You failed!"
"I see."
"What'cha doing here? I don't see you here in the morning."
"Getting breakfast."
"Need a place?"
"Yeah."
"Follow me."
Ayanokouji followed Mori and they walked into the Keyaki Mall. After a few minutes of walking, they entered a restaurant that turns out to be a family restaurant chain. Ayanokouji and Mori took a look at the menu. Ayanokouji ordered some pancakes with a side of eggs and bacon. He also ordered a black coffee. Mori ordered some French toast and an omelette along with a hot cocoa. While they're waiting for their food, Mori and Ayanokouji had some small talk before getting to an interesting topic.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Are you going out with Mii-chan, Kushida-chan, or Horikita-san?" asked Mori.
"Nope." said Ayanokouji, immediately.
"Whoa! So quick."
"I don't know where you get these ideas from."
"Are you sure? Most of the girls in the class think you're going out with one of them."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Horikita-san doesn't talk to anyone besides you and invites you to lunch. Kushida-chan and Mii-chan both seem to like you and sometimes have lunch with you."
"I guess people tend to misunderstand when they see it."
"It's not true?"
"Yeah."
"I guess that makes sense. It's not like all three girls are not in love with you. That would be out of the world!"
"Speaking of which, Mori, have you ever fallen in love?"
"Me? No."
"That's strange."
"Strange?"
"I would definitely go for you."
"E-eh?!"
"A cute girl like you."
Ayanokouji locked eyes with Mori and an electric shock spread throughout Ayanokouji's body.
'Seriously, another one. I was just joking around, but apparently Mori took it quite seriously. Ah... I need to work on my jokes.' thought Ayanokouji.
Mori was blushing furiously and averted her eyes from Ayanokouji. Before Ayanokouji could reply, the waitress brought over their orders.
"Itadakimasu." said the duo.
Mori was pretty focused on her breakfast and didn't look or talk to Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji enjoyed his breakfast and finished around the same time as Mori.
"I'm sorry. That was a terrible joke. I shouldn't say things like that to girls." said Ayanokouji, bowing his head down.
"U-uhh... it's fine." yelped Mori.
'So Ayanokouji-kun doesn't see me as a cute girl. Why does it hurt so much?' thought Mori.
"Everything except the part where I said you're a cute girl. That part is true." said Ayanokouji.
"E-eh?!" squeaked Mori.
'What is happening to me?! I'm supposed to be the one making him embarrassed, not the other way around! My heart can't stop racing after hearing that!' thought Mori.
"T-thank you, Ayanokouji-kun." stammered Mori.
"I'm just telling the truth." replied Ayanokouji.
"D-don't say that, you idiot!"
"I thought women like men that tell the truth."
"It only applies to certain situations!"
"I have much to learn, Mori-sensei."
Mori giggled as the conversation shifted away from the topic that Mori wanted to avoid. The awkward and tense atmosphere is slowly dissipating.
"Very well, my student. I will take care of you." said Mori.
"I'll be in your care." replied Ayanokouji.
Mori and Ayanokouji had a few more minutes of small talk before paying their points and leaving the family restaurant. The duo began walking to school together. They blended along with the students on the way to school and nobody batted an eye to them. Ayanokouji and Mori entered the classroom together. Ayanokouji felt Shinohara and Azuma before looking at him. He waved goodbye to Mori and went to his seat.
Well, Ayanokouji attempted to get to his seat. Shinohara and Azuma blocked him from going to his seat.
"Ayanokouji-kun, I see why you're busy this morning. Busy hitting the gym, aren't you?" said Shinohara, giving Ayanokouji a cold glare.
"That's why you can't walk with me to school." said Azuma.
"Wait, Azuma-san. Walking with you?" demanded Shinohara.
"Yeah. Wait, did you also ask him?" said Azuma, narrowing her eyes at Shinohara.
"Yeah. Any problem with that?"
"Obviously. You're getting my way."
"Your way? How about you get real for a moment? You're in my way."
Shinohara and Azuma glared at each other, forgetting Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji decided it's time to slip away while they were busy fighting each other.
"Ayanokouji-kun..." said the two girls, focusing their attention on Ayanokouji.
"Listen girls-" started Ayanokouji.
Shinohara and Azuma grabbed Ayanokouji by the arms and dragged him to his seat. Ayanokouji sat down and Shinohara and Azuma stood by, arms crossed and waiting for an explanation.
'I can't just tell them that I was hanging out with two girls. Girls that happen to be my soulmate and are deeply in love with me.' thought Ayanokouji.
"I went to the gym and ran into Mori on the way to school." said Ayanokouji, making the explanation as short as possible.
"T-then, why didn't you tell me to wait for you after you finished the gym?!" asked Shinohara, giving Ayanokouji a slight glare.
"Yeah!" agreed Azuma.
"I didn't want you guys to wait for me just in case I was running a little late. We can't afford any more absences." said Ayanokouji. The two girls thought about it and nodded reluctantly.
"You're safe this time." said Azuma.
"But, you owe us one." added Shinohara.
"Okay. If it's in my power." replied Ayanokouji. Azuma and Shinohara seemed satisfied and went back to their groups. Horikita was giving Ayanokouji a curious look.
"Hey, Horikita. There's something I have to-" started Ayanokouji.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun!" said Kushida, walking over.
"You're interrupting my time with Ayanokouji-kun." said Horikita, giving Kushida an annoyed glare.
"No. There's something that you two should hear." said Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji described what he learned yesterday with Nanami at the park. Information about the midterm exams and how it was different from what Class D was told.
"That's strange. It doesn't make sense." mused Horikita.
"Wait! Does that mean each class has different exam topics?" said Kushida with a panicked tone.
"There's no proof of that. Unless we can verify it from each class." said Horikita.
"I got it! Give me a few minutes." said Kushida, pulling out her phone and starting typing away.
"I don't think that's the case. It's most likely that we were provided false information about the midterm exam." said Ayanokouji.
"Why would the school do that?!" exclaimed Kushida.
"Because we're... defects in the eyes of the school." said Horikita, coldly and resentfully.
"T-that's not fair!" said Kushida. Kushida's phone buzzed and she looked at in for a few moments.
"You're right, Ayanokouji-kun. My friends from Class A, B, and C had the same midterm topics. It's different from ours." said Kushida, her hands shaking a little.
"We should meet with Chabashira-sensei." said Horikita, frowning.
"Y-yeah. I'm going to tell the others." said Kushida, turning around to leave. Ayanokouji grabbed her wrists to prevent her from moving.
"E-eh?!"
"Don't do that yet, Kushida. We need confirmation from Chabashira-sensei first before telling the others. We don't want to cause some chaos without confirmation." said Ayanokouji. Kushida nodded.
"Ayanokouji-kun, let's meet with Chabashira-sensei during lunch." said Horikita. Ayanokouji nodded in agreement.
"I'm coming with you!" said Kushida. Horikita gave Kushida a cold glare.
"No. You should be on standby. I'll text you as soon as we finish meeting with Chabashira-sensei. So, you'll be prepared to talk to the class." said Ayanokouji. Kushida reluctantly nodded.
'Let's find out the truth.' thought Ayanokouji.
*Timeskip (lunchtime)*
Ayanokouji and Horikita both left the classroom together and made their way to the faculty staff room. Shinohara, Azuma, Onodera, Mori, and Mii-chan gave them a curious look, some of them seemed tense while others gave him a glare. Kushida gave Ayanokouji a wave and a wink, wishing him luck. The duo knocked on the door of the faculty staff room and Mashima-sensei opened the door.
"We're looking for Chabashira-sensei." said Horikita. Mashima-sensei turned his back to them and called out for Chabashira-sensei. A few moments later, Chabashira-sensei came out of the room, holding a notebook with a pen sticking out of it.
"Let's go somewhere else to talk." said Chabashira-sensei. "Rooftop?"
Horikita and Ayanokouji nodded and followed Chabashira-sensei. Chabashira-sensei pushed open the door leading to the rooftop. The trio exited the building and entered a wide and spacious rooftop with a tall chain-link fence protecting the students from the edge. Chabashira-sensei stopped near the chain-link fence and faced Horikita and Ayanokouji.
"Chabashira-sensei, when you told us what material the test would cover, did you make a mistake? Some Class A, B, and C students told us that the test's material would be different from what we were expecting." said Horikita.
Chabashira-sensei listened in complete silence and didn't even bat an eyelash as Horikita spoke. Then, she sighed, "That's right. The test's topics changed last Friday. Sorry, I must've
forgotten to inform you."
"What?!" yelped Horikita.
Chabashira scribbled something down on a page in her notebook, tore it out, and handed it to Horikita. Horikita and Ayanokouji looked at it. Chabashira-sensei had written down textbook page numbers that referred to material they already covered in class.
'Most of the new material was from before we'd started the group, stuff that Sudou and the others hadn't learned.' thought Ayanokouji.
"Thanks to you, Horikita-san, I was able to correct my mistake. I'm grateful to all of you. That's all. Thank you." said Chabashira-sensei.
Horikita studied Chabashira-sensei without replying or leaving.
"You still have one week. If you use that study time wisely, it should be easy. Right?" said
Chabashira-sensei, shooing Ayanokouji and Horikita out of the rooftop. The duo left silently and Ayanokouji looked at Chabashira-sensei one last time. She was standing there, looking at the horizon and pulling out a cigarette.
Ayanokouji and Horikita are walking down the stairs and Horikita hands Ayanokouji the sheet of paper that Chabashira-sensei gave her.
"Send this to Kushida." said Horikita. Ayanokouji nodded and sent a photo of the paper to Kushida along with a message telling her what happened. Kushida responded back instantly and told Ayanokouji that she's going to tell the class. Ayanokouji replied back with a thumbs up and slipped his phone back in his pocket.
"I'll go now. I need some time to think and reevaluate some things." said Horikita. "See you soon, Ayanokouji-kun."
Ayanokouji said his goodbyes and watched Horikita walk off. Ayanokouji decided to head back to Class D, but he sensed a presence that made him stop.
"You can come out now." said Ayanokouji.
"Ara~ You managed to notice me~" said a voice. The person's voice came around the corner and came into view. It was Hoshinomiya Chie, Class B's homeroom teacher.
"Why are you following me?" asked Ayanokouji.
"Don't be like that~" said Hoshinomiya-sensei, moving towards Ayanokouji and latching herself to Ayanokouji's arm. Ayanokouji could feel her breasts pressing up against the hard muscles of his arms and forearms.
"I'm leaving."
"Wait! It's weird seeing Sae-chan talking and being proactive with her students. Is there something special about you, Ayanokouji-kun?~" said Hoshinomiya-sensei, leaning closer to Ayanokouji's face. Ayanokouji could see her purple eyes gleaming at him and her long beautiful brown hair draping down, revealing the scent of her shampoo.
'What's with this teacher? Is she trying to get fired? Any guy would lose it if they're in my situation.' thought Ayanokouji.
"Who knows? Maybe she's as concerned as our homeroom teacher." said Ayanokouji.
"I doubt it. You're a special boy, Ayanokouji-kun.~" said Hoshinomiya-sensei.
"I'm an ordinary high school boy."
"Still hiding. How cute.~"
Hoshinomiya-sensei giggled and looked at Ayanokouji's eyes and whispered seductively, "Why don't you tell me? You might get a reward.~"
"You might bite off more than you chew." said Ayanokouji, locking eyes with her. Suddenly, an electric shock ran through Ayanokouji's body. Hoshinomiya-sensei's eyes widened in surprise and her face became flustered. She released herself and backed away from Ayanokouji.
"A-aggressive, aren't you?~ I like it." said Hoshinomiya-sensei. She managed to maintain her flirty and outgoing personality, but her face is still red.
"You might want to be careful what you say, sensei. I don't want you to get fired because of it." said Ayanokouji.
"Ara~ Y-you care about me, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Just don't ruin your life because of your student."
"You're worth the risk.~"
"Sensei, please stop that."
Ayanokouji gave Hoshinomiya-sensei a serious look. Hoshinomiya-sensei managed to keep eye contact with Ayanokouji for a few moments before averting her eyes.
"Y-yeah. I g-guess I'll do that." said Hoshinomiya-sensei.
"I need to get back to class, sensei." said Ayanokouji.
"Okay! Bye, Ayanokouji-kun!"
With that, Ayanokouji left Hoshinomiya-sensei alone and made his way back to Class D.
'Well, that was interesting. 3 soulmates already and it's not even the end of the day. Will I encounter more? Who knows? But, I can hear Sotomura calling out 'It's the day of reckoning!'. I wonder how the class will react to this news. How will Horikita tackle this? It won't be long before something big happens and Horikita will change. It's a feeling that I can't shake.' thought Ayanokouji.
Author's Note:
Yo! What's up everyone? I'm procrastinating yet again! Sorry for that! But, I finished the story. I promised a backstory for Shinohara and some spicy actions for you all. Here you go! Some of your favorite and most requested girls for you all!
Thanks to AbzuAzazel, Harem of the Side Characters. I took some inspiration and ideas from his work and might incorporate more of his ideas to some of the other girls! Give him some love, everyone!
I have plans for the new soulmates, but this is just an introduction.
Anyways, it's time to abandon this for a bit and focus on my 2 other stories. It'll be back shortly! Good night, everyone!
Until next time, my dear readers.