(A/N) not my story this fic has been in my eye for a long time as I see quite a lot of ppl like it but I was too lazy to read
Original author: Kiku6037
Read it here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/15510967/Kiku6037
Chapter 1 - Opening Move
April. The school entrance ceremony.
My gaze passed over the people on the bus. Most of them were high schoolers, wearing the same uniform I was, while others were commuting to work and looked quite stressed. An old woman boarded at the next stop. She seemed to have problems with her legs as she was wobbling around while clutching her cane. Our eyes met for a moment and the elderly individual smiled at me. The friendly expression didn't seem to hold any special meaning and was just meant as a kind gesture, but I didn't reciprocate it and instead closed my eyes in response.
"Excuse me, but shouldn't you offer your seat?"
One of the commuting passengers who uttered those words disturbed my brief rest. At first I thought that the woman meant me, but she was addressing the blonde high schooler that was sitting on one of the priority seats.
"Can't you see that this elderly woman is having trouble standing? Isn't it only natural to give up your seat?"
The attention of the entire bus was now on said group. While the elderly woman tried to mediate with the office lady, the blonde man combed his hair and admired himself in his hand mirror. As the younger office worker kept bugging him, the man's voice rang through the otherwise peaceful bus.
"Natural? I don't think so. There is no reason for me to give up my seat for someone else. Since I am currently occupying this place, it is naturally my decision to move or not. The woman boarded the bus knowing full well that it is almost filled to the brim. Since she entered this fine vehicle in that situation, she should be fine with standing. No?"
The office lady seemed quite perplexed upon hearing that man's reasoning, but I had to admit that there was nothing wrong with what he said. There were multiple such busses driving in the same direction in brief intervals. Even I was aware of this. If she wanted a seat, she could have just waited for the next bus to arrive, which was most likely not as stuffed as this one.
"Wh- what kind of attitude is that to take with your superiors?"
"Superiors?" The man broke away from his reflection to glance at the office lady and the woman before moving his attention back to his mirror. "I consent that you are with no doubt superior to me in age, but that is where your superiority over me ends."
The lady flushed red in anger. As if overheating, she burst out, "Wha — You're just a high schooler! You should be quiet and listen to what adults tell you!"
"... P-please, it's fine. I'm okay with standing."
The elderly passenger interjected, trying to mend the heated mood.
I found this situation to be quite ironic, as it seemed like the woman was fine. She was unsteady and depending on her cane, but she didn't look like she wanted to bother anyone so she could have a seat. Just like the man had claimed, she boarded the train even though it was full and there were alternatives available.
As the office worker kept trying to persuade the blonde man, he slid his earphones in and stored away his mirror, apparently done with this exchange. The lady turned around to apologize to the woman when a fourth party suddenly joined in.
"Uhm... I think the lady is right."
The helper was a young girl wearing the same uniform as the blonde man.
It was rather brave of her to speak out like that after witnessing what transpired just moments ago. This implied that she was a nice person, as she could have ignored this troublesome incident instead of lending the two women a hand. The remaining passengers did just that, since it was too burdensome for them.
"And the new challenger is a pretty girl, eh? It would seem that I'm rather lucky with the fairer sex."
He heard the girl talking to him even after sliding in his earphones. Did he listen to quiet music? No, maybe it was just a classical piece without vocals, which wouldn't impair his hearing to a degree where he wouldn't be able to understand the girl. Or the song might have changed at that exact time. Or maybe he can lip read...
I am overthinking this...
The girl, having the attention of all occupants on her, proceeded, "This poor woman seems to have been suffering for quite some time now. Won't you please offer your seat? While you might consider such courtesy unnecessary, I think it would contribute enormously to society."
The boy snapped his fingers, as if annoyed, and smirked at the youthful student in front of him.
"A contribution to society, you say? That is an interesting opinion. It's certainly true that offering one's seat to the elderly could be viewed in such a positive light. Unfortunately, I have no interest in contributing to society. I care only for my satisfaction. But let me ask you a question, pretty girl: If you truly cared for this elderly woman, couldn't you just have asked someone else to give up their seat after I continuously declined? Rather than trying to convince me to give up the seat, why wouldn't you ask if someone else were to give up theirs? Do you really want to help this elderly woman, or are you just trying to make yourself look better in front of the people here?"
Even though he was narcissistic, he was also oddly sharp. The girl had no reason to confront him directly. If she were truly concerned about the person in question, she could have just asked if someone else would give up their seat for her, which had a higher chance of success than arguing with him. This alone didn't make her a bad person, of course. Maybe she was just blinded by her passion while feeling sorry for the woman.
A normal person wouldn't have picked up on something like that, however. He was a rather interesting character. I still hoped that the two of us wouldn't share a class, as he appeared rather hard to handle.
The boy's attitude remained unchanged. Both the office lady and the elderly woman wore bitter smiles in response. But the girl receiving the harsh verbal beating didn't back down.
"I only kept asking you because I thought I could reason with you, but it looks like that is not possible..."
The teenager glanced around, visibly saddened, as she lowered her head. Contrary to everyone's expectations, she promptly recovered from this defeat and addressed the remaining passengers.
"Everyone, please listen for a moment. Won't someone give up their seat for this woman? It doesn't matter who. Please."
Her courage, determination and compassion for this stranger were impressive... or that was how it seemed. Hidden between her words was a massive red flag, one I and clear by his smile, the blonde boy had picked up on. He didn't seem to care much about this, however, and soon moved his attention to the nail file in his hands.
As I wondered how the others would react, I looked around and identified two kinds of people. Those who pretended they heard nothing, and those who were hesitant. As the girl's gentle eyes swayed through the bus, she would recognize mine as the latter — hesitant, but willing to sacrifice myself in order to restore peace. This stood in stark contrast to the black-haired girl sitting right beside me, as her face remained expressionless throughout this entire ordeal.
She must have noticed my unintentional peeks since our gazes entwined a moment later. Even without speaking, I could tell that we shared the same opinion. Neither of us considered it necessary to give up our seat.
As I averted my gaze, I couldn't help but notice the subtle movements of a working woman in front of me to my left. I moved around in my seat, giving the false impression of someone who had planned to hand over their spot.
"E-excuse me. You can have mine."
It seemed like she could no longer bear the guilt and stood up. The elderly person smiled and thanked that individual for standing up while hobbling towards the now empty spot. With this, the commotion was settled, and we soon arrived at our destination where the high school students, including myself, disembarked.
As I was running through my mental preparations to walk up the stairs and pass the school gate, a voice echoed through the area.
"Wait!"
I seized my movements and turned around to look for the adolescent responsible. My gaze once again met with the raven-haired girl who'd sat next to me on the bus. Her arms were interlaced in front of her chest and she presented herself to be rather angry with the way her eyes narrowed. A gust of wind blew through the entrance, whirling her hair around.
"You were looking at me. Why?"
"Sorry. I guess I was just interested, is all. I mean, you didn't think about giving up your seat to the old woman, did you?"
"That's right. I didn't consider giving it up. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Not at all. I didn't intend to give up my seat either. I dislike trouble, you see."
"You dislike trouble?" The scorn and ridicule in her voice were hard to miss. "I didn't give up my seat because I thought it would be pointless."
"Isn't that even worse?"
"Perhaps. I simply act according to my beliefs. I don't want to spend any time with people like you."
"Likewise." I turned around.
She was weird. My knowledge about her was next to null, and I already disliked her attitude. I could only hope that the other students in this school would be more approachable. Even though she was attractive, I didn't feel like getting to know her would be a good idea at all.
Because of the school's enormous size, signs were placed on the routes, which would help new students like me to find their respective classes. I followed the signs that read, 'First Years' and soon arrived at a fairly large building. Without dawdling around, I moved to the classroom I was assigned to: 1-D.
The room was already halfway filled when I walked inside. Some of them turned around to look at me while others were absorbed in their conversations. I paid them no mind and let my gaze sway around the room. The high security caught my eye, but I ignored it for now and refocused on the other students.
Did they already make friends? Or did they know each other from before? If it was the former, they were impressive.
I trudged towards the table that bore my nameplate, placed my bag nearby, and sat down. It was the best seat one could have. All the way in the back, right by the window. When I was bored in the future, I could glance outside and observe the birds, the sakura blossoms or the falling snow, depending on the season.
Well then, what should I do? Should I walk up to someone and talk with them, or would that be deemed as weird? Talking to a girl right off the bat was out of the question. I couldn't help but believe that I would be labeled 'creep' if I were to stroll up to them and start a conversation with no warning. Joining a group that was already talking would be bad as well. If they already knew each other beforehand, they would glance at each other and be like, 'Hey, you see that guy that just randomly talked to us? What do you think he wants? Wasn't that kind of creepy?', or such things.
With this reasoning, I eliminated most of the people present in the room, leaving only the ones who were alone, like me. The boy in front of me fit this description perfectly. Should I talk to him? But what if he was just waiting for someone he knew? Or isn't in the mood to talk? Shouldn't I wait for the right time to strike up a conversation? Like when he drops something and I pick it up? Or would that be weird as well?
As I kept spiraling down into the dark corners of my thoughts and ruminating about such scenarios, I noticed that making friends seemed to be incredibly difficult. While I was occupied debating the pros and cons of striking up a conversation with the youth in front of me, I noticed that he was already engaged in a conversation with someone else.
I failed. I'm miserable.
"What an unfortunate coincidence."
Hearing this voice, I lowered my head onto the table before heaving a massive sigh.
Of course it would be her, of all people. Why did it have to be this girl?
"So, we were placed in the same class, huh?"
Well, still... I should introduce myself properly. Maybe she wasn't as bad as my initial impression led me to believe. I mean, she started the conversation twice already, if I counted our brief exchange near the bus stop. She couldn't be the worst person to get to know, right? Okay. Here goes nothing.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
"You just went and introduced yourself?"
"Well, this is the second time we've spoken. Isn't it normal for me to do so?"
It seemed like my initial impression was right on the mark. I just hoped she behaved like this with everyone who tried talking to her and not just me. If she didn't, that would be bad for my non-existent reputation. My soul would slowly be crushed as well. Perhaps.
"Do you mind if I refuse?"
"Don't you think that it would be weird sitting next to someone without knowing their name?"
"No."
The girl refused flatly and placed her bag on the desk. She sat down and stared forward without moving, as if she were in a trance. Conversations popped up around us, but she appeared to be in her own world.
The way she glared towards the blackboard reminded me of the Queen's Guard. No matter what happened around them, they wouldn't move. Would she do something if I waved my hand in front of her? At least her irises should dart around, right? She shouldn't be specifically trained, so there was bound to be some sort of physical reaction.
As I was pondering over the matter, she sighed. The girl turned towards me, and her eyes once again met mine. I had to admit that they were rather pretty, even though I didn't like her attitude. I had to give credit where credit was due.
"I'm Horikita Suzune."
Wow, she was beautiful. This, coupled with her attitude, made her seem like the cold-beauty type of girl. And her voice sounded like a bell, so the name was quite fitting as well.
That aside... she introduced herself. Are we friends now? No. There should be more to 'being friends' than just that, right? Well, since she answered, it was now my turn to keep the conversation going. But how? Should I ask her something? Or would she be bothered by that? A safer option would be to talk about myself. This way, she wouldn't feel forced to share anything she didn't want to.
"Let me tell you about myself. I have no particular hobbies but I'm interested in just about anything. I don't need many friends, but it would be nice to have a few. Well, that's about it."
"Spoken like someone who avoids trouble. I don't think I could ever like such a person."
Ouch. That hurt.
My heart stung a little after receiving such a vicious attack. I couldn't help but think that her gaze was filled with venom while she stared me down as if I was an annoying dog.
She sighed while I was occupied licking my hemorrhaging wounds.
"Another unfortunate coincidence."
Following her gaze, I discovered yet another person from the bus.
"Seems like it." I said as I checked the nameplate that read 'Kouenji'.
The man in question put his feet on top of the desk and resumed his manicure, which got interrupted as he stepped off the bus. The students around him immediately became irritated by his attitude and backed up. Kouenji didn't seem to mind and even started humming a jazzy tune. My neighbor shook her head and started reading a book called 'Crime and Punishment'.
Well, so much for my first friend...
The bell rang a few moments later. At that exact moment, a woman with brown hair tied into a ponytail walked into the room. My initial impression was that she believed in discipline due to the way she presented herself. Looking at her like that, she could be Horikita from the future, or her mother if not for the differing hair color. She gave off a similar vibe to the girl beside me, as she wore a suit and radiated a cool impression, which would make anyone hesitant to address her.
"Good morning students. I'm the instructor for Class D. My name is Chabashira Sae. For the next three years, I will act as your homeroom teacher, so I hope to get to know all of you. It's a pleasure to meet you. The entrance ceremony will be in the gymnasium in one hour from now on, but first, I will distribute written materials with information about this school's special rules. I will also hand out the admissions guide."
After everyone received said documents which were passed back from the front rows, the teacher continued in a smoky voice. Her bedroom eyes didn't help my situation at all, as it was rather hard to listen to her without my mind drifting off-topic.
"I will now hand out your student ID cards, which acts like a credit card. By using them, you can access the facilities on the campus and purchase goods from the stores. At this school, you can use your points to buy anything. Anything located on the school premises is available for purchase."
Anything can be bought with points, huh? If everything on the premises could be bought, would it be possible to buy an entire store? Or parts of a building to restrict access for certain people? I should inquire about this later.
"Your student cards can be used by simply swiping them through the scanner. Points are automatically deposited into your account on the first day of every month. You should have already received 100.000 points. Keep in mind that one point is one yen. No further explanation should be necessary."
The whole classroom erupted into chaos after that statement from our teacher.
100.000 points per students equals 4.000.000 per class and 16.000.000 for all classes in the first year. For all three years, that would be 48.000.000 points per month and 576.000.000 per year. That was a little over 4.8 million US-Dollars. Even though the school was being funded by the government, this was too much to give to a bunch of teenagers.
"Shocked by the amount of points you've been given? This school evaluates its students' talents. Everyone here passed the entrance examination, which speaks to your value and potential. The amount you've received reflects the evaluation of your worth. You can use your points without restraint. Your leftover points will be returned to the school upon graduation. Since there is no way to exchange your points for cash, there is no advantage in saving them. Once points have been deposited into your account, it's up to you how to spend them. If you don't want to spend your points, you may transfer them to someone else. However, extorting money from your peers is not allowed. This school monitors bullying especially thorough."
The amount we've received reflects the evaluation of our worth... which means if our worth dwindles, so do our points. How would they calculate our worth then? Exams would be one way to measure our value, but would that be the only one? No... those cameras were not for security, but for observation. Even outside of the classrooms, they are rather small and inconspicuous. They weren't intended to spread a feeling of safety, but to observe the students as they are tackling their school life.
Chabashira-sensei looked over the room once again before dismissing class for today.
"Well, it appears no one has questions. I hope that you enjoy your time here as students."
Many of my classmates were surprised and still couldn't believe the amount of points they've had received. I checked my phone, which we got together with our student ID cards and confirmed the existence of 100.000 points in my account.
I glanced to my side and observed the girl named Horikita Suzune.
Unlike Kouenji, she wasn't a narcissist, but was still very proud of her intelligence and overall abilities. Or at least she appeared that way. I knew nothing about her, but it was impossible to miss how highly she thought of herself. Let's put her abilities to the test, shall we?
"This school doesn't seem as strict as I thought."
My neighbour had apparently noticed my soft mutterings and turned her head.
"This school is rather lenient, isn't it?"
She agreed with my statement, which was disappointing. Didn't she have anything more to say? Weren't there any doubts in her mind after the teacher's explanation?
"This is almost too much preferential treatment. It's frightening."
At least she noticed that something was off. Maybe she was actually smart, and just needed time to process all the information we had just taken in. There was no shame in needing time to convert all the data into usable chunks. As long as she thought about everything, it was good enough for me.
The room got louder and louder, especially the girls as they were already debating on which clothes to spend their points on and things like that. The boys deliberated which gaming console was the best. They were struggling to decide between a handheld and a stationary machine. Afterwards they bickered about which movie genre was their preferred one and things of that nature.
I didn't even know that we could buy clothes here. Why would we need them if there are uniforms? The boys also confused me and I felt left out after hearing terms I was wholly unfamiliar with. How did they already know all of this? Was I just clueless?
"Everyone, can you please listen for a moment?"
A student with blonde hair stood up, gaining the attention of everyone around him. Even though his hair was the same color as Kouenji's, he had a much darker tone than the latter. The youth seemed like an honor student like Horikita, just far more approachable because of the pleasant smile on his face.
"Starting today, we're all going to be classmates. Therefore, I think it would be good for us to introduce ourselves and become friends as soon as possible. We still have some time until the entrance ceremony. What do you say?"
Just like that, he spoke up in front of everyone, which was an incredible feat. No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn't have done something like this. I doubted that I could ever stand tall and appeal to people in a forty person classroom.
"Agreed! We still don't know a thing about each other, not even our names."
Someone shouted, which prompted the hesitant students to agree as well. Leading with a good example, the boy who just addressed the entire class introduced himself first.
"My name is Hirata Yosuke. Back in junior high, lots of people called my Yosuke. Feel free to use my first name! I guess my hobby is playing sports, but soccer is my specialty. I'm planning on playing soccer here too. Nice to meet you."
With that, the boy named Hirata presented himself in front of the class with no effort while leaving a lasting first impression. He was not only outspoken but also quite handsome and played soccer. The girls next to him had heart-shaped eyes, which spoke for his newfound popularity.
"Well then, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves, starting from the front. Is that okay?"
Although the girl in question was bewildered to be called out of the blue, she promptly made up her mind and stood up.
"M-my n-name is Inogashira Ko-Ko..."
The girl froze. Her words halted, as if they were stuck in her throat and her skin paled somewhat. It was rare to see someone get this nervous over a simple introduction. Did she perhaps have some poor memories about a previous one?
Kind words came from the side of our classmates. They cheered her on and kept telling her to do her best, which seemed to have the opposite effect, as she completely suspended her operations following those proposals. Some girls started giggling. Even though it wasn't a malicious snicker, for someone who was receiving them, they could prove quite harmful. The words of encouragement she received were nice, but not what she needed to hear at this point in time. A better alternative would have been to —
"It's okay to go slow. Don't rush. Take all the time you need."
The girl who said this once again saved the day. This time for the young woman called Inogashira. Upon hearing the angel's voice, she took a deep breath and started anew.
"My name is Inogashira Kokoro. Um, my hobby is sewing and I'm pretty good at knitting. I-It's nice to meet you all."
Looking relieved, delighted and fairly embarrassed, the girl sat down while the boy next to her stood up.
"I'm Yamauchi Haruki. I competed in table tennis during elementary school, and in junior high, I was the ace player in our baseball team. I was number four. Unfortunately, I got hurt during the inter-high school championships, though, and I'm undergoing rehab now. Nice to meet you."
That... well. I'm not commenting on that. His introduction indicated multiple signs of lying behavior, which didn't need to be pointed out. Not to mention that his lies were some of the worst I had ever heard.
"Well then, I'm next, aren't I?"
The girl who stood up next was the one who saved Inogashira, as well as the one who confronted Kouenji in the bus. She still had the same positive energy around her as this morning.
"My name is Kushida Kikyou. None of my friends from junior high made it to this school, so I'm alone here. I'd like to get to know all of your names and faces right away and become friends as soon as possible!"
She didn't finish there, however, and supplemented her introduction with a dazzling smile, which made her as, if not more, approachable than Hirata. But I couldn't help but think that Horikita's name was a much better fit, as far as I could tell.
"My first goal is to become friends with everyone. So, after we're finished with introductions, I'd love for you to share your contact information with me!"
As she kept talking, I was once again reminded of the red flag I had picked up on this morning. There was something off about her, but I didn't know what just yet. Kouenji detected this as well, and even attacked her afterwards to probe her reaction, which just confirmed what both of us had expected. He is the most interesting of all the people in the classroom at this point in time.
Hirata then asked the next person to introduce himself. The boy with short red hair, however, just lashed out at him, which immediately called down the wrath of all the girls inside the classroom. He started cursing and left the room only leaving his loud steps without turning back.
After his abrupt exit, some other students stood up and left the room in silence. My neighbor took one last glance at me before disappearing as well. Hirata seemed somewhat lost and tried to justify their behavior in front of his other classmates.
"They're not a bad bunch. It's my fault. I was being selfish and made people do this."
Hirata didn't exhibit any red flags at all, unlike Kushida. He genuinely tried to be the scapegoat for the delinquents misbehavior as to not alienate the red-haired student and the ones that followed him from the rest of our class. Even though he did his best after this situation took place, some people, especially the girls, didn't feel like it was his fault at all.
"No way. You did nothing wrong Hirata-kun. Let's just leave them be."
They said things like that but still harbored ill will, especially towards the guy with fiery red hair. It seemed like they already decided that they wanted nothing to do with some hothead like him. After this short commotion, it didn't take long until everyone calmed down and the next person introduced himself.
"I'm Ike Kanji. I love girls and hate pretty boys. I'm currently looking for a new girlfriend, especially a cute or beautiful one. Nice to meet you."
His introduction was even worse than the delinquent's non-existent one as the girls all looked at him with revulsion. Studying the introductions until now, I was sure that it wouldn't take long for the boy called Yamauchi to connect with the one called Ike, since they both exhibited certain signals. Like two twin-brothers that were separated at birth and found themselves again.
"Wow. You are so cool, Ike-kun," one of the girls said, in a dispassionate voice. She was almost as good as I was in this kind of thing. This was what impressed me the most.
Ike thanked them while blushing in an unhealthy capacity. The girls kept throwing sarcastic remarks his way, but he didn't understand this at all. He started scratching his head in embarrassment because of all the compliments he received. As the girls kept entertaining Ike's fantasies, Hirata turned to the narcissist and asked him if he would introduce himself.
"Hm. Fine."
He smirked, displaying the same attitude he had back on the bus. It seemed like he didn't care what people thought of him, which was not a bad habit to have. Coupled with his arrogance and narcissistic nature, however, it would likely spill bad blood between him and some other students. For now, at least, the term I would use was arrogance, but depending on his performance, I might have to turn it into something like confidence. He had already proven that his observation skills were out of the ordinary and his physique was nothing to scoff at, either.
"My name is Kouenji Rokusuke. As the sole male heir of the Kouenji conglomerate group, I will soon be tasked with carrying Japan into the future. I sincerely look forward to making your acquaintance, ladies."
In line with my thoughts about him, he only introduced himself to the female population in the room, disregarding the boys. Some girls immediately reevaluated him after hearing that he was rich, while others thought that he was just weird.
After his introduction, if one could call it that, he refocused on his hair and comb, which he already did on the bus. This made me wonder about so many things, but now wasn't the time. Kouenji kept talking while I drifted into my own little world. I was so absorbed in their introductions and my thoughts about them that I failed to think over what I should say in mine.
I thought back to the ones I had heard until now and compared them. Some had pros and cons, while others were off the table altogether. Could I be like Hirata and state my interests with confidence before proposing to use my first name if they wanted? The answer was a definitive no. Leaving aside that I could never be able to speak with so much courage, it would be extremely uncomfortable if I told them to use my first name and none of them did. Only someone like Hirata, who was outspoken and popular, could do something like that... or idiots like Yamauchi and Ike.
Speaking of them, should I crack a joke? Since they failed terribly, I didn't think I should try something like this either. Since it would be my first time making a joke, it was a bad idea to do so in front of this many people. If it turned out to be a bad or tasteless one, and no one laughed, I would cry myself to sleep.
Inogashira Kokoro, she stumbled over her words and was anxious, which could have been considered kind of cute by certain individuals. If I were to do something like this, however, it would just seem weird. 'Wow, what's with him? He can't even introduce himself. Gross.' I already heard the girls say this with disgusted expressions.
Kushida's introduction was on the same level as Hirata's and something like Kouenji's was out of the question. I didn't want to stand out too much, but I also didn't want to end up like Horikita. The best course of action would be to take my time and properly formulate a —
"Excuse me? Could you please introduce yourself?"
Hirata threw me a strange, yet worried glance. Some girls were already staring daggers as well. Judging by his tone of voice and the death threats I received via eye contact, he already asked this question at least once.
I messed up.
Clack! The chair rattled as I stood.
"Um. Well... my name is Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. And uh... I don't really have any special skills or anything. I'll do my best to get along with you all. It's, uh, nice to meet you."
Yes. I messed up. What kind of lame presence was that? Even the small introduction I gave Horikita turned out better than this disaster.
I sat back down and buried my head in my hands. I hadn't had the time to construct a proper introduction because I was overthinking it. This was the worst possible opening I could have given. It didn't attract attention and absolutely no one would remember it. Well, maybe that was for the better after this dumpster fire.
"It's nice to meet you Ayanokouji-kun. I always want to be friends with everyone just like you. Let's both do our best together, okay?"
Hirata came to the rescue with a refreshing smile. He recognized my failure and noticed the internal mental breakdown I was currently going through. Thus, he took it upon himself to include me as to not stand out in a negative light or be forgotten in my entirety. It was unquestionable that he was a kind soul.
Everyone clapped. Their applause felt somewhat like pity and kind of forced by some of them, which pained me. Despite that, however, I felt kind of glad. At least they were trying, right?
The entrance ceremony was quite boring and, according to the faces of most of the students here, they would agree with me. The principal gave a long-winded speech, something about the school's history and miscellaneous information which took far too much time for everyone's taste. Few people listened attentively while most of them wished they could be some place else right about now. The ceremony finally ended at noon. After we received some general information about the campus, the crowd dispersed.
Most of the juniors headed to the dormitories, while others already went out with friends to visit the stores, cafes and karaoke place. I made my way over to one of the convenience stores to buy some things I would need during my day to day. As I was roaming through the campus on my own, I was quite amazed at how huge this school was. Aside from that, cameras were positioned almost everywhere. After I reached my destination and walked inside, a familiar voice entered my ears.
"My, yet another unpleasant coincidence."
I really wondered if I wronged anyone in my life, after once again running into the girl I didn't want to see the most. After checking my memories, however, I concluded that nothing noteworthy took place for which I would deserve such a cruel fate.
"There is no need to be so hostile. Did you need to buy something as well?"
"Yes, just a few things. I came to get some necessities."
She was like me in that regard. Coming here to buy shampoo, a toothbrush and things like that. As I watched Horikita put similar essentials into her basket, I wondered why she went for the cheapest option most of the time. Saving points would be the right course of action, but I always believed that girls would be picky with products that would affect their appearance and hygiene. Did the book I've read lie to me?
"I thought girls usually made a fuss over what kind of shampoo they bought."
"That depends on the person, doesn't it? I'm the sort who doesn't know when you might need money."
I see. This conduct didn't apply to every girl, apparently. From a practical standpoint, I had to agree with her. It was always handy to have money in case you needed it, especially in such a mysterious environment like this school.
A cold shudder traveled down my back as I caught Horikita's icy glare, which seemed to declare, 'Could you please not inspect other people's purchases without their permission?'
Well, no. Scratch that please from the sentence. She wouldn't be using a word like this while looking like a devil incarnate.
"At any rate. I was surprised that you stayed for the introductions. You didn't look like the type to hang out with a circle of classmates."
"I already told you that I don't like trouble, hence I took part as not to stand out negatively. Why didn't you introduce yourself, Horikita? You could have gotten to know several students, and it would have been a chance to make friends."
Most of the students exchanged numbers shortly after the introduction. One of those pairs was Yamauchi and Ike, just like I had expected. The girls scrambled around Hirata as if they had a competition about whoever got his number first, while the boys went to Kushida. Most of the females then turned to her to exchange numbers as well after they had sucked Hirata dry like a pack of vampires. While all of this was taking place I, well..., I observed them.
Alone.
If Horikita would have been there with me, maybe I wouldn't have been. Even Kouenji started exchanging numbers with some girls. My savior, Hirata, tried to include me, but he was drowned by girls before he could do anything at all, which was why I ended up alone while everyone else made friends.
"There are several reasons I objected. My introduction might have sown discord, depending on how things went. Thus, doing nothing avoided creating more problems. Am I wrong?"
Well, thinking about her debut, I could certainly see her choosing harsh and rather cold words. She might have been right in just leaving, even though it was quite a shame. If she weren't as headstrong and a little more approachable, she could be exceedingly popular.
"Statistically speaking, there was a high probability that you could have hit it off with everyone after introducing yourself."
"How did you conclude that? Let's say that the probability of making friends was high, like you said. How many people did you get to know?"
Ouch. That was a low blow, even for her. She should know that it was easier for a girl to make friends if she was cute. Even if these 'friends' were only male ones who wanted to get to know her better while having ulterior motives. Her chance to find a friend in class was much higher than mine. A similar rule applied to someone like Hirata, who was a handsome boy.
"Ugh..."
She gazed at me with a victorious smirk.
I couldn't argue with her reasoning, however. She would only hurt me more if I tried to defend myself since the fact that I failed miserably works in favor of the point she was trying to make as well.
I instinctively averted my eyes.
"In other terms, you have no evidence to support your claim, do you? Besides, I never intend to make any friends in the first place, thus there is no need to introduce myself, which also eliminates the reason for staying to hear the introductions. Have I convinced you?"
The only reply she received was a forlorn sigh, as I had no comeback. She turned around and kept shoving items into her basket, and so did I. We sometimes ended up walking with each other, but we neither exchanged words nor eye contact. Even though she was rather uptight and slightly rude, being with her didn't feel uncomfortable.
Was this the feeling called 'love'? I wondered.
The two of us stumbled upon a few rather noisy male students that stood in front of the instant noodles.
"Damn, look at that! The selection is huge! This school is amazing!"
So this is more than a normal convenience store would have in stock? Well, not that this information was useful to me in any significant way. I should get some to see how they taste, though.
"Do boys really like this kind of stuff? I can't imagine that it's healthy," Horikita said without turning towards me.
"I like them just fine, I guess."
I picked one of the noodle cups and examined the price tag. It said 156 yen, but I couldn't tell whether this was expensive. Since Horikita once again opened a conversation with me, she couldn't hate me as much as she tried to make me believe. Maybe I should ask her?
"Hey, what do you think? Is this price high or low?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure. Why, is there something curious about it?"
"No, I was just wondering."
I ignored her quizzical expression and dumped the G-Cup labeled noodles into my basket. On an unrelated note, Horikita's breasts were neither small nor huge. They exquisitely straddled the line between the two. The perfect size.
"Ayanokouji-kun. Were you thinking something stupid just now?"
"Er. No?"
Cold sweat gathered on my palms and forehead.
"I felt like you were acting strange."
Scary. How did she do that? Could it be...? Mind reading? Perfect size, perfect size, perfect size. I repeated like a chant.
"Ayanokouji-kun."
Her uncomfortable gaze drilled into me with the strength of a thousand frozen tundras.
"Yes?"
"Do you really think you should buy that? The school offers far healthier food options. Don't you think it's better to avoid eating junk?"
"I guess just once is fine. I never had one of these before, to be honest."
That wouldn't be a weird thing to say. I confirmed that before, since she basically said that she never had one either. Our reasons may differ, but the result wouldn't change.
"Suit yourself." Horikita said, before wandering off.
We moved away from the food and began looking for daily essentials. She still seemed quite distant. Would she look cuter with a smile? I thought about cracking a joke, since this was much easier to do in a one-on-one situation.
"If you're looking for something a cut above the rest, how about this razor with five blades?"
I grinned, proud of my accomplishment at cracking a joke. I've read that one in a book, and it applied perfectly as she was just browsing the area.
"Why in the world would I want to shave with that?"
I pretended to shave my imaginary beard to prove my point. But she didn't laugh. Far from it. Instead, she looked at me like I was dirt. I knew full well that she didn't have a beard, but shaving my imaginary hair in another place would be borderline sexual harassment.
"Look at me. I have nothing to shave. Not on my chin, not under my armpits, and not down there."
Unlike the information that this school's selection was huge, this one could be useful somewhere down the line.
"Ayanokouji-kun. Were you thinking something rude just now?"
"No." I replied and noted that Horikita Suzune doesn't need a razor.
"I have to say I'm a little envious of your ability to babble nonsense to someone you've just met."
So that was a weird thing to do. Hmm.
"Well, I feel you've been saying stupid crap too, and you only just met me."
I changed tactics. Just like a kid, I denied her fact and just turned it onto her with not a single piece of evidence to back me up. I felt proud of this, even though I knew that I shouldn't.
"Is that so? I merely stated facts. Unlike you."
I let it go this time as I had the feeling I was making her angry every time I talked with her. I would need to sleep a night over it and reevaluate my social skills that seem to be even lower than initially estimated.
We kept walking through the store while she continued picking up the cheapest of each product to save money. I went with a similar strategy since I didn't know how much we were going to be receiving next month. I was sure that the amount was going to change, but I didn't know the exact reasons, and whether the change would affect only the specific student or the entire class.
Horikita just sighed. It almost seemed like she was pitying me for my poor social skills. At that moment, I thought of a new plan to talk to her. Since she was serious all the time, I should try that. Luckily for me, I stumbled upon a rather interesting shelf which was perfect to pique her curiosity.
"Hey. What's up with this?"
I felt her presence draw closer as she peeked over some aisles.
"Free?" she wondered aloud.
Horikita seemed to find it strange as well and examined the daily necessities which were piled up on said shelf. Nearby was a clearance bin, which was labeled 'three items per month'. I wondered if Horikita finally picked up that something was terribly wrong with this school, as she examined the items with narrowed eyes.
"Those must be emergency relief supplies for students who used up all of their points. This school really is incredibly lenient," I said to prompt her into an answer after she revealed nothing herself.
I was curious what transpired in her head at this exact moment. But one thing was for certain: she found all of this weird as well. As I was looking forward to her reply, a sudden shout drowned the store's relaxing background music.
"Hey, shut it! Just wait a sec! I'm looking for it right now!"
"Come on, hurry. You have a line of people waiting on you!"
"Oh, yeah? Then how about they complain to me in person, huh?"
Unfortunately for me, our red-haired classmate stole Horikita's attention away from the strange items. She looked at him, apparently recognizing the boy as well, before shaking her head and leaving to browse through the rest of the store.
Wait! Could that be my chance to make a friend? He was a hothead, but maybe he wasn't that bad if I got to know him properly. I took the risk and made my way towards the counter.
"What's going on here?"
"Huh?! Who are you?"
He glared towards me with a fierce attitude. Intimidation, however, wouldn't work on me. Good for him, or else I might have stopped my attempt to help him right here out of fear of being beaten up.
"My name is Ayanokouji. I'm from your class. I just asked because it sounded like there was trouble."
The red-haired boy seemed to calm down after this. He lowered his voice to a normal level and explained the current situation to me.
"Oh. Yeah, I remember you. I forgot my student ID card. Forgot that it pretty much acts as our money from now on, too."
Just as he said this, he put the noodle cups away, probably heading back to his dorms where he left his card. As this would be a giant waste of time and the fact that I could use this situation to make a friend, I offered him a simple solution.
"I can pay for you. Wouldn't it be annoying if you had to head all the way back to the dorms? I don't really mind."
The boy stopped and turned back around to face me. He seemed thankful, yet kind of ashamed, likely because he lashed out at me in the beginning. This reaction confirmed that he wasn't a bad guy, just quick to anger.
"True. You're right. That would be hella annoying. Thanks. My name's Sudou. I really owe you one."
"Nice to meet you, Sudou." I said as he handed me his noodle cup.
We walked to the hot water dispenser where Horikita seemed to have watched our exchange.
"You're acting like a pushover right from the start. Are you really doing all of this to make friends?"
"I didn't do this to make friends. I just wanted to help."
I lied through my teeth and wondered if I was so easily seen through. I didn't understand what's so wrong with trying to make friends, but if I would have asked her answer would have been something like, 'Friends only drag you down. You are better off without them', or something along those lines. This was the feeling the girl to my right gave off.
"You don't seem to be afraid."
"Because he looks like a delinquent? You should rather be wary of the ones that don't seem dangerous at a glance."
I flashed her a smile. I wasn't used to moving my facial muscles like that, so it might have looked awkward. Her expression changed into a mixture of slight surprise and bewilderment.
"Did you make a joke just now?"
Ouch.
"I have to admit, it was better than the previous one. But yes, you are right. Normal people would try to keep someone like him at bay."
"That might be the case. Does that mean you are not a normal person yourself?"
"There is no reason for me to be afraid of him. If he acted violently, I could rebuff him."
I was agonizing if I should take a jab at her while speculating whether she could block it in time. The answer was most likely no, but I couldn't help craving to test where her confidence stemmed from. But right now was not the time to do so.
"Let's finish our shopping. We'll be a bother to the others if we dawdle."
Horikita, who seemed to have read my mind once again, said this before I could even open my mouth.
We presented our cards to the machine at the register and checked out with little trouble. The recipe on the phone showed the price of each item and the remaining amount of points. Since I didn't know how to use these cups, I observed Sudou. He skillfully opened the lid and poured water inside until it reached a red line, which seemed simple enough. I copied his actions as he walked outside. Alone with Horikita, I once again tried to get a reaction out of her regarding the school's point policy.
"Horikita, what do you think? How does the school benefit from giving us so much money?"
"I wonder. The campus has more than enough facilities for the number of students. Handing out this much money might prove detrimental to students who should be studying."
Yeah, that too. But that was not the point I was trying to make. Was she messing with me right now? She couldn't possibly be this ignorant.
"I won't tell you what to do, but I think it would be best to avoid wasting your money on useless products. Once a person gets used to the easy life, there is no easy way to fix them. When you suddenly lose the money, the shock can be great."
Did she perhaps pick up on everything but kept it to herself? She warned me, so that meant she should have doubts as well. But why not voice them? Was she trying to probe me while I was trying to probe her? Whatever the case, I wouldn't show my cards this soon.
"I'll keep that in mind."
After exiting the store, I found Sudou squatting outside, apparently waiting for me. When our eyes met, he beckoned me over. I returned the gesture, feeling slightly embarrassed, yet happy.
Did I make a friend just now? Was he my first friend? Wait... could Horikita be considered my friend as well? We talked a lot today. Did something like that make us friends? I didn't talk with Sudou as much, but he seemed to be strangely inviting. Could there be multiple correct ways to make friends?
"Are you really going to eat here?" I asked aloud, noticing the lack of tables or chairs.
"Of course. It's common sense."
His answer perplexed me to no end. Common sense dictated to eat at a table, preferably while sitting on a chair. He crouched on the ground while stirring through his cup noodles as if it was an everyday occurrence. While I was confused, yet intrigued about this new common sense I had just discovered, Horikita exhaled in exasperation.
"I'm going back. I'll be stripped of my dignity if I spend more time here."
"Dignity? We're just high school students. We're ordinary. Are you the high-born daughter of some noble or something, huh?"
Horikita had no physical reaction to Sudou's harsh tone. She kept walking without turning an eye, which made the already short-fused Sudou explode into a fit of rage.
"Hey, listen when people are talking to you."
Horikita spun around and focused on me before opening her mouth. "What's his problem? He just suddenly got angry."
I once again had to reevaluate the girl known as Horikita Suzune. She wasn't just cold. She was arctic. Thinking back on our conversation from before, I felt that it was the right decision to skip the introductions. With her harsh attitude, she would have pissed off the whole class.
"Hey! Get over here! I'll smack that smug look off your face."
Sudou's powerful voice reverberated through the campus.
My glance unconsciously moved towards the cameras that were placed all around here. It would be bad if a fight were to break out, even though I would love to see what she would do to 'rebuff' him. I would have to check that at a later date.
"Sudou, I admit that Horikita has a bad attitude. But I think you are taking things too far."
"Huh?" He turned towards me. His patience had finally run out, that much was obvious. If I did not diffuse the situation accordingly, he would let his fists do the talking. "What was that? She has a bratty, obnoxious attitude. That's bad, especially for a girl."
I was surprised at his level of vocabulary. While I formulated a response that wouldn't send him over the edge, Horikita's voice cut into our conversation, making things much worse.
"For a girl? That's rather outdated thinking, is it not? Ayanokouji, I would advise you not to become his friend."
With that bomb dropped on us, she turned tail and elegantly strode towards the dorms. There was no fear or hurry in her steps. She was as calm as a frozen lake.
"Hey! Wait, you shitty stuck-up bitch!"
His movements suggested that he wanted to go after her, and not because he wanted to hold a friendly chat. I grabbed him by the arm, rooting him in place.
"Calm down. You really don't want to get into a fight on the first day at your new school."
He seized his movements, so I let go of his arm. He stomped back to his noodle cup, ripped off the cover, which was already halfway open, and sat down. If he didn't feel like he owed me right now, he likely would have blown up into my face instead of Horikita's.
"The hell is her deal? Goddamn it!"
After a short round of cursing, he started squeezing the noodles into his mouth. As I was about to do the same, three students arrived in front of us. They were staring at Sudou with a peculiar glint in their eyes.
"Hey, you guys first years? This is our spot."
Sudou stopped slurping his noodles and glared at the three guys who had just left the store. They were holding onto their own noodle cups, proving that Sudou was correct and this was indeed 'common sense'. Since he was already agitated, my classmate barked at them like a ferocious beast without advanced warning. To be fair, he would have most likely snarled at them, without being in an unusually bad mood as well.
"Who are you? I was here first, so get lost."
"Get lost," one of them mimicked Sudou with a whiny voice.
"You believe this guy?"
"What a cocky little first-year punk."
The three of them laughed in Sudou's face. He shot up while slamming his cup against the ground. The warm broth and noodles splashed everywhere. I felt kind of bad for them. They did nothing wrong, yet they were smashed into the ground without a second thought.
"You tryin' to make fun of me?!"
As expected, this was going to end badly if I didn't do something. But maybe this was fine for the moment. I might gain some information from them while they were riling each other up. I resolved myself to step in once Sudou got violent.
"Fun of you? We would never. We were just here first. See?"
They plopped down their bags right in front of us and once again amused themselves with Sudou's reactions.
"Now beat it."
"You assholes got a lot of guts."
Sudou scowled at them. It wouldn't be long until his fists would burst into their faces. I briefly debated if I should let him run wild to check how far the rumoured 'anything' applied, but decided against it since there were better ways to check my hypothesis without endangering one of my classmates.
"Ohh scary. What class are you in? Wait, let me guess: it's D, isn't it?"
The three of them found this hilarious and once again roared aloud. I would do the same if I could, because they gave me some useful information with that single rash remark.
"Yeah. So what?"
"He really is! I knew it. He was a dead giveaway!"
"Huh?! What's that supposed to mean? Hey!"
Sudou took a step forward. While the boys stepped back with condescending grins on their faces.
"Aww, you poor thing. Since you are defective, we'll be nice senpai's and let you off the hook this time. Let's get going, guys."
"Hey! Don't run away! Dammit!"
"Yeah, yeah. Keep on shouting around like that. You'll be in hell soon enough."
Be in hell, huh? Did they have a White Room here as well?
Those people seemed similar to Sudou and, clear by their behavior towards us, they wouldn't be in class D themselves. Did this mean that classes A, B and C are deemed superior to ours? It looked that way. Or at least, the students in this school thought that way.
"Why the hell did these morons need to show up? I wouldn't have complained about nice second-year students or cute girls."
He thrust his hands into his pockets and walked away while grumbling about his bad luck. A sudden gust of wind blew through the campus, which made the cup roll around on the ground with a strange, yet satisfying sound.
I placed my own on the asphalt nearby and started cleaning up the mess Sudou had made. After I was done, I picked up my cup and took my first bite. It wasn't bad, maybe a bit too salty for my taste, but decent. If one wasn't concerned about healthy food, this would be a cheap alternative indeed.
On my way to the dorm, I walked by a store that was filled with games. I stepped inside and browsed through different board and computer games, just to get a feel for things like that. Ike and Yamauchi were standing at the register. Both bought some kind of portable gaming console and looked in my direction before leaving the store.
I guess they didn't see me. It was also possible that they didn't recognize me, but that would be horrible. Yes, I'm sure that they didn't see me because something was in the way. I only saw them because I have such exceptional eyesight. That must've been it.
I grabbed the board games I decided on and proceeded to the register to check out. Funnily enough, these items cost almost as much as anything else I had just bought from the convenience store.
A few minutes later, I arrived at the dorm, which would be my home from now on. The nice lady at the reception gave me a key for Room 401 as well as a handbook containing information about the dorm's rules and regulations. After boarding the elevator, I swiftly browsed through the handbook and made some mental notes about the policies and garbage disposal times. After scanning through it, I closed the guidebook just in time for the elevator to stop on the floor my room was on.
I opened the apartment to be greeted by a place that was about eight tatami mats wide. This was the first time I realized that I would live on my own from now on. Considering that, I cracked a smile.
Or did I? I wasn't entirely sure about that, but I believed that I was.
After everything I've been through, I was finally, for the first time in my life, free. I resolved myself to enjoy my time here to the fullest, without drawing attention to myself. After storing the necessities I had bought in the convenience store, I grabbed the board game I had purchased.
I placed it in one of the corners of my room, which would have been a perfect place for a vase with some flowers inside, or something like that. I opened the box, pulled the contents out, and set them on the table. The 64 pieces inside the box were neatly set up beside the board, waiting to be placed. Of these 64 pieces, 16 each were painted in a specific color: red, blue, yellow and green.
I took one of the red pieces and placed it on the white square k4. This was the equivalent to h4 on a normal two-player board.