Everyone took advantage of the five minutes Eve gave them to discuss amongst themselves, including the Ayanokouji Group. Leaving aside Shiina, Ichinose, and Satou who were sitting far away from them, Horikita and the others didn't need to move from their seats due to being close to each other.
"Well, from what I can see, as Ryuuen said earlier, nothing major has happened yet," Miyake said while facing backwards from his seat.
"Yeah, so far what we've seen is Kouenji-kun's selfishness, Kiyopon's innocent behavior, Suzune's cold and cruel attitude, Kyo-chan's fake kindness, and Kenchin who has a very short fuse," Hasebe said while counting on her fingers.
Ayanokouji, Horikita, Kushida, and Sudou grimaced at Hasebe's words who had a negative view of themselves, although in Ayanokouji's case his innocent behavior couldn't be said to be negative, but he still grimaced.
"Okay, I admit I was grumpy at first. But now I'm better, right?" Sudou asked everyone desperately.
"Ha ha, no need to worry, Ken-kun. We were just kidding," said Kushida while laughing at the distraught Sudou.
"Yeah, yeah, you are better now. Look, even Airi isn't afraid of you now," said Hasebe.
"Eh!?" Sakura squealed in surprise when her name was suddenly mentioned.
"Hah!? You're afraid of me, Airi?" asked Sudou in surprise.
"Y-Yes, because you used to be grumpy and rude, Ken-kun," Sakura said a little nervously.
"I see, sorry for scaring you," said Sudou looking down.
"No, it's okay, now it's okay, I'm not afraid of you anymore. I know you're a good person," Sakura said with a smile.
"Thanks," said Sudou with a smirk.
By knowing each other's past and the formation of the new Ayanokouji Group, Sakura and Sudou quickly understand each other.
"Back to the main topic, is there anything else to discuss?" Yukimura asked.
"For now, just this. I'll probably have a meeting when this session ends to discuss. I'm counting on you guys to gather everyone together later, Yousuke-kun, Kei-san, and Kikyou-san," Horikita said.
Hirata, Karuizawa, and Kushida nodded in agreement with Horikita's order. Horikita relied on them because in terms of student-to-student relations, the three of them were far superior to her.
"Thank you," Horikita said.
After that the meeting ended and they went back to their own business, shortly after the five minute break ended and Eve's voice emerged from the speaker.
"Alright, everyone. Let's move on to part two," Eve said.
Everyone focused their attention back on the screen that was starting to light up. The words that came up were...
The Students of Class D
"The Students of Class D, huh. Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of their classes," Shibata said crossing his arms.
"I think so. Since it's taken from Ayanokouji's point of view, it's only natural that we'll see a lot about his class," said Kanzaki.
On our second day of school—well, I suppose technically it was the first day of class—we spent most of our time running over the course objectives. Apparently, many of the students were quite surprised, if not a little disappointed, by how genuinely warm and friendly the teachers at this school looked. Sudou had already made a spectacle of himself by spending most of the class asleep. I thought that the teachers would notice, but they showed no signs of doing so. After all, it was up to every individual student whether or not he or she wanted to listen in class. I wondered if this was how teachers typically interacted with students once they left compulsory education.
"I thought they would mess up, but they seem like normal students to me," Kamuro said. Other than Sudou who was sleeping in class, the behavior of the other students seemed normal to her.
"Fu fu, that's because it's just the beginning. Let's see how they change in the following days," said Sakayanagi.
Someone needs time to get used to a new environment, when they feel comfortable then that's when their true nature comes out.
That was what Sakayanagi really meant.
I took in the relaxed atmosphere, and soon it was lunchtime. Students stood up and left with their new acquaintances, disappearing from my view. I couldn't help but feel slightly envious as I watched them. Unfortunately, I still hadn't managed to befriend a single one of my new classmates.
"How pathetic."
"Ouch, that's frankly so," Azuma said, grimacing.
"Horikita-san really is merciless when it comes to insulting people," said Ichihashi who also grimaced.
Only one person had noticed how I felt, and she met my pain with derisive laughter.
"What? What's pathetic?" I asked.
"'I want someone to invite me along. I want to eat with someone!' Your thoughts are like an open book," Horikita said.
"His desire to have friends is very strong, it can be seen from the outside," said Andou.
"Yeah, but because he's not good at socializing, it's hard for him to make friends," said Minamikata.
"But you're alone, too, aren't you? Haven't you thought the same thing? Or do you intend to spend three years here without making a single friend?"
"That's right. I prefer to be alone," she replied quickly, without hesitation. It sounded like she was being honest. "Why don't you stop worrying about me and instead think about yourself?"
"Well, I..."
I certainly wasn't proclaiming my intention to be social. Honestly, at the rate things were going I might be unable to make any friends, spelling trouble for my future. I'd likely end up alone again, and that would make me stand out. It could make me a target for bullying.
"Ku ku, the target of bullying, huh. So funny, even I can't imagine that monster being targeted," Ryuuen said with a chuckle.
"If anything, it would be Ayanokouji who would destroy them," Ibuki said as she crossed her arms. She didn't want to admit it but she was the same as Ryuuen, she couldn't imagine someone like Ayanokouji being the target of bullying.
Ishizaki and Albert nodded in agreement with what Ryuuen and Ibuki said.
Unbeknownst to them, Shiina was listening silently to their conversation. Hearing their conversation made Shiina even more curious about what Ayanokouji had done to Ryuuen and his gang. She had asked Ayanokouji that question before but the boy avoided the question. Maybe this event is her chance to find out the mystery.
Less than a minute after the end-of-class bell rang, about half of the students had disappeared. Those who remained either secretly wanted to go, like me, were unconscious of their surroundings, or preferred being alone, like Horikita.
"Well then." Horikita shot me another pitying look before departing the classroom, leaving me alone.
"That was pointless."
Reluctantly, I got up and decided to head toward the cafeteria by myself. If I didn't feel like I could eat alone in there, I'd just score some supplies from the convenience store.
= = =
After taking a quick peek into the cafeteria, I opted instead to go to the convenience store, buy some bread, and return to class. About ten people had remained in the room. Some had pushed their desks together so they could all eat as a group, while other, more solitary students quietly ate their lunches alone. Everyone here had brought a lunch box from the cafeteria or convenience store.
I was going to eat by myself, but then Horikita returned and sat down beside me. On Horikita's desk sat a delicious-looking sandwich. Her aura seemed to say, "Don't talk to me," so I returned to my seat without speaking. Just as I was about to sink my teeth into a sweet bun, music played through the speakers.
"At five PM Japan Standard Time today, we will be holding a student club fair in Gymnasium No. 1. Students interested in joining a club, please gather in Gymnasium No. 1. I repeat, at—"
"Oh, club fair. Brings back memories," said Sudou a little excitedly, it seemed he was remembering the days when he enrolled in the basketball club.
A girl with a sweet voice continued the announcement. Club activities, huh? Come to think of it, I'd never joined a club before.
"Hey, Horikita—"
"I'm not interested in joining a club."
"Wow, Kiyopon hasn't even asked anything yet," said Hasebe a little surprised.
"Isn't that easy to guess?" said Yukimura who raised his eyebrows.
"That... well, I guess you're right," Hasebe said a little hesitantly, actually she meant to be joking but she realized that Yukimura was the serious type.
"I didn't even ask you anything yet."
"Well, what is it?"
"Are you interested in joining a club?"
Laughter erupted in the theater room after hearing Ayanokouji's words.
"Ha ha ha, my gosh, I didn't expect him to say that," Shinohara said with a laugh.
"I don't know if he's really on purpose or serious," said a chuckled Matsushita.
"Mou, Kiyotaka-kun," said Satou with a giggle.
"Is this kind of conversation they have every day?" said Onodera laughing.
"I don't know but they're both funny. This is a side of them that I just found out about," said a giggling Mori.
While everyone was laughing at that scene, in the back row of Class C, Horikita was staring at Ayanokouji with a death stare.
"What is it?" Asked Ayanokouji a little nervously, he was a bit wary of the angry Horikita.
"You make us both look like idiots," Horikita snapped.
"That... sorry," Ayanokouji said resignedly. He wanted to reply but he didn't know what to say because what Horikita said was true.
Horikita only grunted in annoyance in response.
"Ayanokouji-kun, do you have dementia, or are you just an idiot? Didn't I just tell you that I'm not interested?"
"That doesn't mean you won't join, though," I replied.
"Now you're just splitting hairs. Don't argue for the sake of arguing."
"Okay then."
"Can't you invite anyone other than me?" she asked.
"It's precisely because I don't have anyone else to invite that I'm having such a hard time!"
"True. However, I don't think you seriously mean what you're saying, Ayanokouji-kun. If you seriously want to make a friend, you should be more insistent."
"I can't, though. I've devoted myself to walking a lonely road."
"Isn't that against his will?" said Machida from class A. His friends nodded in agreement.
At the very back of Class A's row, Katsuragi sat while crossing his arms.
"So you're the contradictory type of person, Ayanokouji," thought Katsuragi.
Horikita took up her sandwich and quietly resumed eating. "I have trouble comprehending your contradictory way of thinking."
"Contradictory, huh..." Shiina thought. After knowing all about Ayanokouji, she could tell those words stuck with Ayanokouji deeply.
Ayanokouji really wanted to have friends, that was his sincere wish. But at the same time, Ayanokouji also views everyone as a tool he can use to his own advantage, which ultimately goes against his will to make friends.
Having a desire for something but doing the opposite of what is desired, that's the contradiction that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka has. Shiina was sad at the thought of her book friend, but it was only for a moment.
"That's what we're for, isn't it?" Shiina thought with a smile. She and the rest of Ayanokouji's group had decided to help Ayanokouji get what he wanted, so there was no point in being sad now.
I wanted to make friends, but I couldn't. Horikita apparently found that incomprehensible.
I gave up on Horikita and looked out the window. Ah, the weather today was so nice.
"Club activities, hmm. I see..."
Horikita mumbled to herself as she pondered something.
"Well, if it's only for a little while after school, I'll go with you," she said.
Everyone sighed seeing Horikita's change in decision, they still couldn't understand what the girl was thinking.
"Yep, it's decided. Horikita is a tsundere," Sotomura said, pushing up his glasses.
"Oooh, if the professor has said that then it must be true," said Ike nodding enthusiastically.
"Tsundere and ice queen, huh. A unique combination," said Miyamoto, the rest of his friends nodded in agreement.
These people didn't realize they were saying that out loud, in the distance Horikita glared at them with death glare. She wanted to take out her compass but she couldn't find them, then she realized that Kushida had already confiscated her weapon.
"Give it back," she demanded to Kushida.
"Sorry, Suzune-san. I want to avoid bloodshed," said Kushida with a smile.
Horikita grumbled but she finally gave in, she then crossed her arms and stared back at the screen.
"What do you mean 'a little while'?"
"You asked me earlier, didn't you? You said you wanted to go to the club fair."
"Oh, yeah. I never planned to stick around. I was just looking for a chance to go. Is that okay?"
"If it's just for a little while. All right, we'll go after class."
After our conversation ended, we resumed eating our lunches. I had said that she was unpleasant earlier, but maybe things had turned around. Perhaps Horikita was actually a good person.
"I'm not too sure," Ibuki snorted.
"Watching you flail about as you fail to make friends sounds somewhat interesting."
Nope. She was unpleasant.
Some people laughed at that, they already knew it was coming but they still found it funny.
= = =
"There are more people here than I expected."
After class had ended for the day, Horikita and I went to the gymnasium. Nearly all of the students assembled there were freshmen. There were about a hundred people waiting around. We stood near the back of the room and waited for the fair to begin. While waiting, we glanced over the pamphlet that students received upon entering the gymnasium. The pamphlet contained detailed information about club activities.
"Hm, so this is like a club fair at this school," said Hasebe.
"Didn't you come last year to the club fair, Haruka-chan?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Well, you know I'm not interested in such things, Airi," Hasebe said waving her hand.
"That's true," Sakura said with a chuckle.
"By the way Miyacchi, are you going to join in recruiting the juniors?" Hasebe asked.
"No, that's not my specialty. How about you two, Ken, Yousuke?" Miyake asked Sudou and Hirata.
"I think I'll do it, but it depends on the outcome of our meeting later," Hirata replied.
"Not yet decided, but if it were me, then I'd be selecting them very strictly," said Sudou clenching his fists while grinning. It seemed he would really enjoy the task.
"I wonder if this school has famous clubs. For example, something like karate."
"Every club seems to operate on a high level. It looks like many athletes and club members here are famous throughout the nation."
Even though this school didn't seem like a top-tier institution for activities like baseball and ballet, the clubs here certainly looked great.
"These facilities are significantly more substantial than ordinary schools. Look, they even have O2 chambers. The equipment here is so luxurious, it puts the professionals' stuff to shame. Oh, but it looks like they don't have a karate club after all."
"I see."
"If you want, you can make your own club, you know?" Kushida said to Horikita.
"I know, but I already have a plan for when the new school year starts," Horikita replied.
"You mean you're going to join a club, Suzune?" Sudou asked in surprise.
"Something like that," Horikita replied.
All the members of Ayanokouji's group were surprised to hear that, they didn't expect someone like Horikita to decide to join a club.
"Eh, seriously? What kind of club will you join, Suzune?" Hasebe asked curiously.
"That's a secret for now."
"Eeeh, can't you tell us now?"
"Neither now nor later makes no difference, right?" asked Horikita.
"Well, that's... right," Hasebe replied.
"In that case, be patient. I don't think now is the time to be telling that anyway," Horikita said.
"Okaay..." Hasebe said slightly dissatisfied.
Even though they were still curious, they decided to be patient until Horikita told them. But even so, there was one person who knew what Horikita meant.
Ayanokouji looked at Horikita with a curious look, he knew which club Horikita was referring to, rather than the club it was the Organization to be more precise.
From what Ayanokouji could see, it seemed Horikita had decided to become a member of the student council, and that certainly wasn't without reason.
Recently Horikita has challenged Ayanokouji to a duel where there will be a penalty for the loser, if Ayanokouji loses then he will seriously help the class from now on, and if Horikita loses then she will enter and become a student council member as Ayanokouji requested.
Of course Horikita didn't want to at first, but her curiosity about Ayanokouji overcame her reluctance, leading her to finally agree to the deal.
But now that knowing Ayanokouji's past, Horikita knows that she has no chance of winning against Ayanokouji, the difference is too far. Finally she decided to agree to become a member of the student council. Even though she wasn't satisfied with losing before the fight, she still did it because she was the one who requested the duel in the first place.
"The old Horikita would never have given in so easily," thought Ayanokouji after coming to a conclusion.
"What? Were you interested in karate or something?" I asked.
"No, not particularly."
"Thank you all for waiting, first-year students. We will now begin the club fair. A representative from each club will explain their function. My name is Tachibana, the student council secretary and the club fair's organizer. It's nice to meet you all."
After Tachibana delivered the opening remarks, representatives from each club quickly lined up on a stage. It was quite a diverse crowd. The club representatives included everything from burly athletes in judo uniforms to students dressed in beautiful kimonos.
"Hey, if you want to get a fresh start, why not try joining an athletic club? The judo club looks good, doesn't it? That upperclassman looks kind, and I'm sure he'd encourage you."
"What do you mean 'kind'?! He looks like a gorilla! He'll kill me for sure!" I snapped.
"That's rude," said a girl from class B.
"He'll probably talk passionately about how easy judo is."
"Cut it out!"
"Ha ha, I don't know if Horikita-san is serious or joking," said Amikura chuckling.
"I think she's serious," Ichinose said giggling.
Sheesh. I'd thought that we were having a decent conversation, but she'd done nothing but stick it to me.
"Tch!"
As the seniors introduced their respective clubs one after the other, I saw Horikita suddenly tense. She looked at the stage, her face pale.
"???"
Everyone was suddenly confused by Horikita's choking voice as well as her face turning pale, they didn't understand the sudden change that the girl had gone through.
"What happened?" asked
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