The noise of our classmates' chatter faded into the background as the room temperature felt like it dropped.
"Who are you, really?"
Ayanokouji repeated as his voice was low and intense. His eyes were locked onto mine, questioning, evaluating.
But that was never enough to phase me.
"I'm someone who knows more than you'd think," I replied calmly. "The White Room. It's real, isn't it?"
"That's not an answer."
"I'm aware," I said, maintaining eye contact. "But that's the only one you're going to get if this conversation dies."
His eyes flickered, a brief crack in his otherwise perfect composure.
"How do you know about that place?" he asked. "That's not something just anyone can find out."
"You don't suspect me of being affiliated with the White Room?"
"That's a possibility, undeniably." Ayanokouji's gaze sharpened. "But I am certain you're not someone from that place."
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "What makes you sure though? That I won't expose your background?"
"If you really were a subject from the White room, you wouldn't even suggest that." he said with an unreadable expression. "Besides, if that truly was your intention, you're taking a risk confronting me directly."
Obviously, I confronted him knowing that he'd notice these hints.
Honestly it was kind of nerve wracking to do this. Directly impacting the protagonist of the story.
"Well, it's reassuring that you'd catch it this fast," I leaned in slightly. "As for who I am... Let's just say I'm not too keen on sharing my background. I hate people peering into my past as much as you do. So rest assured. I'm not a hypocrite piece of shit."
The temperature in the room suddenly dropped.
"What is your goal?" he asked in a cold voice.
"Nothing."
Honestly, I had no fixed goals set at that point. I'm very sure even if I didn't make it out of the A class, I'd still be able to do something outside. Not reaching class A wasn't like the end of the world. However...
"You've probably noticed this by now, but the school is actually up to something, haven't you?" I pointed toward the camera monitoring us and the other unsuspecting students.
Ayanokouji didn't even look, because he already knew of it's existence. "What's your angle, Levent?" he asked.
"...Are you familiar with the term co-op?"
"Co-operative, you mean?"
"Yes. Unlike a competitive game, these types of games must be played with more than one player. And instead of attacking and trying to defeat each other, the players actually work together for a common goal."
His eyes narrowed, studying my face for any sign of deception.
"A co-operative bond," I answered. "More precisely, I want a partner in crime."
After hearing that, he made a complicated expression. "In other words, you want to use me?"
"Yes, I want to use you. But in exchange of the network of information I have. I'd much prefer you to be an ally instead of an enemy. Because neither of us wants to deal with a in-fighting hassle."
Silence stretched between us, thick with tension. Each of us waited for the other to make the next move. I looked out over the pool where the girls were almost done with their race. The boys' turn was soon approaching. There was a reason why I chose this day out of all the others.
"Here's the deal," I said, breaking the silence. "I'll give you the answers. But they won't be free. You'll have to earn them."
He raised an eyebrow. "How exactly do you expect me to earn them, Levent?"
"The competition," I spoke out. "Give it everything you've got. If you win, I'll give you all the answers and leave you alone. If I win... well, guess what happens."
His expression remained unreadable, but I could tell he was thinking it over.
"Are you trying to force my hand?" he raised an eyebrow.
"If that's how what you think... then so be it." I muttered.
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Nothing." I didn't answer that. "For now, let's think of this as a test."
🄾🅄🅃🅂🄸🄳🄴🅁
I stood at the edge of the pool, stretching out my arms to loosen up. As I took my position, I couldn't help but reflect on what had just transpired. Ayanokouji's group had raced just before me, which I had observed from the sidelines.
From the very start, it was clear to me that he wasn't going full throttle. Yet he somehow made it seem like he was giving everything he had. He wanted everyone to think he'd been at his maximum, when in reality he held back. In the final stretch, when it really mattered, he pushed ahead, leaving his competitors in the dust.
I looked at his direction. Our eyes met for just a second. He didn't smile, but he acknowledged the competition between us. For all his calm and stoic demeanor, I knew he was aware of the challenge I posed. Now, it was my turn to race.
"Swimmers, ready?" The PE teacher's voice cut through my thoughts, signaling the start of my race.
With a small tilt of my head, I adjusted my position. I could hear the faint sounds of my classmates' chatter, but I tuned it all out, focusing only on the pool in front of me.
Fluuut!
The whistle blew.
With a swift push from the edge, I launched myself into the pool. I threw my left hand, then the right hand, then left again, slicing through the water like a knife running through a block of butter, all while continuously moving my legs, propelling forward.
This was nothing new, and I knew what I was doing. It wasn't about going all out from the very beginning. This race, like any other, was about pacing.
I could see the other competitors from my group ahead of me, but I wasn't worried about them. My only goal was to finish with a solid time and make it to the final round.
Halfway through the race, I glanced to my left. No one. I checked my right. Still no one. The water on the parallel lanes was undisturbed, as if I was the only one in the race.
"I must be in first place, huh?" I internally muttered to no one in particular, knowing full well that I was the first to reach the finish line. It was just too easy.
But that's when I got distracted. I misjudged my positioning, and before I could even register what was happening.
Thud!
I slammed my head into the pool's edge. My vision blurred for a second, and I instinctively rubbed my head, trying to shake off the pain.
"Smooth," I gurgled sarcastically under the water. Perfect timing, as always.
I pushed myself out of the water, finally looking up to see the other contestants slowly approaching. I casually wiped my face with one hand, trying to appear unaffected as I made my way to the side.
The silence that followed was almost deafening. I was beginning to think I might have just made a fool of myself.
I looked around. All of the other boys were still swimming. Not one of them were anywhere near me. They had barely even reached the halfway mark, but I could feel their eyes on me.
"Levent, you're pretty fast, aren't you?" Yukimura spoke up with genuine surprise.
"I don't know. Was it fast?" I turned to him and shrugged.
"Sensei, can you tell us the time?" Onodera's voice was calm, but her eyes were bright with interest.
The teacher glanced at the stopwatch, then back at me, clearly double-checking what he was seeing.
"23.69 seconds."
"Whoa! Levent!" Ike was shouting with wide eyed excitement. "23 seconds! That's insane! Are you a fish or something?"
"Dude, you were swimming like a torpedo!" Sudou, who finished right after me, was just as loud.
"That's... fast?"
"Insanely fast!" he looked at me with a mix of admiration and disbelief. "Even I only hit 25.6. If that's what you call 'casual swimming,' I'll eat my shorts, dude!"
Bruh.
"Eh, it's not a big deal," I said, a bit unsure of how to respond. The attention was strange, to say the least. I wasn't one to boast or act like this was some huge accomplishment. To me, it was just another race.
Sudou patted my back. "You're heading to the final with Ayanokouji and me. So, you better not hold back there, alright?"
I suppressed my desire to smirk at that. Someone who's practically forcing someone to not hold back being told the same thing. Ironic, isn't it?
"All the best, I guess?" I said before turning my back on him.
As I started walking away to dry myself and rest, I heard a few voices from behind.
"Hey, check out Levent-kun. Did you see that? Totally unexpected, right?"
A few of the girls on the observation deck had started whispering to each other, not as quietly as they probably thought.
"Totally! And did you see those muscles? I wonder if he's trained somewhere."
"Right? I mean, look at him. He's pretty cute, too." one whispered.
"I wonder if he's single..." one of them giggled.
"I swear, he looks so good when he's wet,"
"Ahem!" I cleared my throat, pretending I hadn't overheard them. Seriously? I thought. This was the kind of thing that I'd never expected to happen to me, not from one little swim race.
But I didn't let it get to me. I wasn't going to let high school girl gossip distract me.
I turned my attention back to the man in question, who had now emerged from the opposite side of the pool, quietly walking over to where I was standing.
"So, did you hold back?"
He looked at me with an unreadable expression for a moment. "I expected you to be fast, but didn't think you'd be that fast," he said.
"Right," I muttered. "So, you were holding back?"
He gave me a slight shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not."
I narrowed my eyes at him, already knowing the answer. He tried to do the same thing to me as he did to everyone else.. 'Keep them guessing'.
But it didn't matter now. We were both in the finals, and that's where things would get interesting.
"The confidence that you have in your skills.. I'm trying to gauge whether it is absolute confidence, or egotistical arrogance." I said in a low tone.
"Who knows?" he gave his signature reply.
I flashed a smirk.
"Indeed.. who knows?" I said. "Rest assured... I'll keep my end of the deal and go all out."
He didn't flinch at my words, and in typical Ayanokouji fashion, he just gave a small nod. "It'll be interesting to see how things play out in the final."
"Good."
There was no more holding back. It would be a race, not just for speed, but for strategy. We both knew what we had to do. The question was: who would win?
With one last glance, we both turned and walked to our own directions, waiting for the final confrontation to begin.
🄾🅄🅃🅂🄸🄳🄴🅁
I moved into the crowd for a better position to watch the race. Most of the class was cheering for, well, no one in particular. But the moment my eyes caught Kouenji, I felt a disturbance in the air.
"Hey. Uh, why is Kouenji wearing a speedo?" someone pointed out, clearly as thrown off as I was.
"Wh-what?" another classmate muttered in disbelief.
There he was, Kouenji posing—no, practically bending backwards on the platform in his bright red speedo. He had his arms thrown upwards as if he was trying to fly to heaven.
The result? Well, his underwear brief and his entire posture drew eyes to...well, something more than what anyone wanted to see.
"What the hell! Gross!" The girls around us instantly looked away making twisted faces in disgust.
"Good grief, why's Kouenji showing off like that?" muttered a guy next to me, who I vaguely recognized as Kikuchi.
"Does he need a reason?" I replied in a dry tone. Knowing Kouenji, the answer was a clear 'no'.
Kikuchi chuckled at that. "Fair point," he said, turning back toward the pool.
Kouenji, still holding his grand pose, suddenly glanced my way and made eye contact. Then, with a dramatic sweep of his arm, he pointed at me, and apparently the dude standing behind me.
"It seems there are some of you who can actually swim. Levent-boy, Ayanokouji-boy," he declared. "Prepare to be impressed by a perfect performance from a perfect being!"
"Ayanokouji...boy?" Ayanokouji muttered, clearly as baffled as I was.
"Just...ignore him," I said under my breath. Then again, ignoring Kouenji was like ignoring a hurricane.
"Alright! Take your positions!" the PE teacher called, finally getting Kouenji's group organized.
As the whistle blew, Kouenji dove forward with flawless form, slicing through the water like it's butter. His movements were fast, aggressive, and way more serious than I expected. The pool's surface practically boiled in his wake, and his stroke rate was...well, alarming.
"Whoa! Wow!"
The shouts around us grew louder. Kouenji's unexpected swimming performance shocked even the loudest Sudou and Ike. He hit the wall with a final splash; finishing at an insane 22.53 seconds.
"22.53? W-what the hell?!" Ike crowed. "That's even faster than Levent!"
"Seriously?" Miyamoto shook his head in disbelief. "The guy's actually... fast?"
"Is he even human? I think I just witnessed Aquaman," Sotomura commented.
"Kouenji's fucking terrifying in the water, bro." Yamauchi remarked.
"Bro probably does push-ups in the pool." Hamaguchi snickered.
As Kouenji climbed out of the pool, he ran a hand through his hair, clearly savoring the reactions around him.
"My abdominal muscles, back muscles, and psoas major muscle are in peak condition," he declared to no one in particular. "A fine display of physical perfection, don't you think?"
After a second of silently looking at each other, the guys finally lost it, and bust out laughing and groaning.
"Yo, look at this 'doood!"
"Get a load of this bastard!"
"Who talks like that? Seriously?
"'Psoas major?' The hell even is that?"
"Sounds like a medical drama crap,"
While I was enjoying the teenagers' banter, I slightly glanced over my side to see Kushida beside me. She looked a little surprised seeing Kouenji's performance.
"Kouenji-kun's... definitely unique," she said finally. "But he's actually pretty good at swimming, huh?"
"Surprised me too," I replied. "But I bet he's more interested in his reflection in the pool than his speed."
"Haha, you're probably right." She giggled. "It feels like he's always posing for an invisible camera."
...
"Maybe he's got an audience we can't see. Who knows?" I muttered, watching Kouenji pat his chest with pride.
"Do you think he practices for that kind of thing?" she asked.
I shook my head. "Probably not. With Kouenji, I think that level of performance is natural. Or at least, he's convinced himself it is."
She tilted her head. "So, he's confident. You know, I guess it's nice in a way. I think confidence like that is good for people."
"Depends," I said. "It's one thing to be confident and another to make it everyone else's problem."
"Haha, You have a point," she laughed lightly. "Confidence doesn't have to be... quite so obvious."
Suddenly, Kushida tilted her head slightly, and looked at me. "You know, Aozaki-kun, I feel like you're kind of... different from everyone else in our class."
I raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"
"Hard to explain," she admitted, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You just don't try too hard to fit in, I guess. You're calm, and you don't seem like you're trying to win everyone over. I think you're more mature than everyone."
Is my cover already blown?
"Perhaps." I nodded slowly, watching her carefully. "I just don't trust people too easily."
She looked at me a little closer, sensing the sharper edge to my words. "That's... one way to look at it. But doesn't that make you an 'outsider'?"
I didn't say anything, silently turning my gaze back at the pool.
"Still," she said, smiling a little. "That kind of attitude is... well, I figured most people would try hard to fit in."
"Let's just say I'm used to keeping a low profile."
"Aha, I think I get it," she said while shaking her head, as if she just understood a math problem.
"On the other hand, you do all right yourself. People seem to trust you easily."
"Ah," she gave me a small, almost bashful smile. "Thanks. I guess I try to be as friendly and as useful as I can. It's kind of... important to me."
"Important, huh?" I deliberately kept my tone vague. "It seems people have all sorts of reasons for connecting with others."
"Right?" she chuckled but then looked at me curiously. "But I must say, Aozaki-kun...Despite what you said earlier, you seem to get along with people pretty well,"
"Oh, I'm very good at listening. But it seems that's all it takes to 'get along' apparently..." I deadpanned.
"Hahaha! Seriously, Aozaki-kun... I think you should open up to people more. It really is a mystery why you're still not popular yet."
"I'll think about it."
Wait...
"Actually, Kushida-san."
"Yes? What is it?"
"I want you— no, I want everyone to stop calling me by my last name."
"Oh?" She blinked, slightly caught off guard. "Any particular reason?"
Because Levent is my name. Not this...'Aozaki' label everyone uses.
Nonetheless, I paused, choosing my words carefully. "My last name doesn't really feel like... mine, you know? I prefer the name that belongs to me."
"Huh... I never thought of it like that." Kushida looked thoughtful, probably pondering about my words for a moment. "Alright, fair enough. Levent-kun it is."
She glanced back with a soft smile. "And if we're going first names... then you can call me by mine as well!"
"Hm. I guess it's only fair if we're both on first name basis." I muttered before looking in her eyes. "Kikyou-chan, wasn't it?"
"...Un, that's right!" Her face softened for a moment, almost like she was caught off guard, but she quickly recovered.
"I think you're the first girl I've had the privilege of being on a first-name basis with." I mused.
"Ahaha! Wow, that's sweet! I'm honored to be on a first-name basis with you too." She giggled.
For the first time, her laugh 'seemed' genuine, like she wasn't acting for once. I kept my expression neutral, but internally I noted the shift. My guard stayed up.
One laugh doesn't change who she is.
"Alright, everyone!" Before any of us could continue, the PE teacher's voice rang out again. "Winners from the first round, get ready for the final race!"
Kushida— no, Kikyou, smiled and wished me luck. I nodded before stepping toward the pool.
Ayanokouji happened to be in position in the lane next to mine.
"So, this is it, huh?" he asked casually.
"Seems like it," I dryly replied.
"...Just so you know, I remember the agreement, so I will not hold back,"
"Arasso?" (E: Sarcastic way of saying "Is that so?")
"Levent...I've never said something like this to any of my competitors before, so..." he paused, letting the words hang in the silence as he sharply looked forward to his lane.
"...Swim with everything you've got."
The words similar to what he said to Horikita Manabu in a latter volume; a person whom he had deeply respected. I knew he didn't say things like that lightly. But for me, it wasn't a matter of respect... but rather, it was something along the lines of a test, to see if I'd be worth the effort.
In that case, I wouldn't allow myself to lose to this arrogant edgelord brat.
"Let's make it interesting, then."
The piercing noise of the whistle blew. And just like that, the race was on.
🄾🅄🅃🅂🄸🄳🄴🅁
'Hah'
I sighed, leaning against a wall as droplets of water fell from my hair. My breathing had settled, and the fatigue in my muscles had vanished. Dealing with the exhausting crowd that swarmed me after the race was quite a hassle.
As expected, the race was over in an instant.
I glanced over at Ayanokouji, who was still near the pool's edge. He was sharply staring into the pool space, as if he was dissecting the events of the race. When he's in the zone, I bet the guy could analyze a leaf falling from a tree and come up with a three-step plan to exploit gravity.
I pushed off the wall and walked over to him. Despite my footsteps being soundless in the slippery tiles of the poolside, he noticed me approaching. He stood up and faced me.
"So," he began in a flat tone, as though he'd been waiting for me all along. "About our agreement."
"...No congratulations?"
"...Would you care for one?" he replied dryly.
"I think I'll pass."
We silently stood there for a moment. The conversation might've ended there. But apparently Ayanokouji wasn't done.
"You beat me, Levent. Fairly easily." he said.
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you upset about it?"
"Not at all," he replied. "But I was curious. You said you'd name your reward after the race. So, what's it going to be?"
I took a moment to consider my response. It wasn't that I didn't know what I wanted... I had known since before the race even began. But the way I phrased it mattered. Words were tools, and the wrong ones could dismantle everything before it even started.
"No friendly fire," I declared.
"Elaborate." Ayanokouji raised an eyebrow.
"You and I, we're not exactly... team players." I stated my observation. That earned a slight nod of his head. He didn't deny it, neither did I.
"But this class..." I continued, secretly gesturing at our classmates, "...is a mess. There is no unity, no order. And the system feels too eerie and odd. I believe something disastrous could happen to our class in the future"
"And you think an agreement between us will change that?" he asked, matter of factly.
"Not the class. Just us," I corrected. "Meaning, we don't waste time trying to screw each other over. No sabotage. no betrayals, no unnecessary conflicts. If someone's out to get one of us, the other watches their back. Nothing more, nothing less."
It was a simple proposition. But simplicity was deceptive. This wasn't about trust or friendship... it was about survival. If I was going to live in the world of YouZitsu, I needed someone who understood everything as well as I did. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to act if the situation called for it.
And what better character is there, other than the main character himself, Ayanokouji?
"Do I really need your help?"
"No, you don't," I closed my eyes. "But you're smart enough to know that this benefits both of us. And besides, it doesn't hurt to have a contingency plan."
"And if I say no?"
"Well, that depends on how you wish to continue from there," I relaxed my eyebrows, making an almost nonchalant expression. "But think about the long-term. Then maybe you'll see the value in this."
It was not a truth, not a promise... but a 'fact'. In which we both had the most faith. In fact, we trusted facts even more than ourselves.
"Hmm.." He studied me for a long time without blinking once. Then he suddenly leaned back slightly in a relaxed posture.
"No friendly fire, then."
I couldn't help but internally laugh at the absurdity of it all. Two people who barely knew each other, casually drafting a non-aggression pact like we were rival warlords.
"Glad we understand each other," I said.
He stood, brushing a stray drop of water from his arm. "For how long?"
"As long as it's convenient,"
He nodded once, and that was it. No andshakes or memorandum, or other fiasco.
As I watched him walk away, I couldn't help but think about the strange paths' life had taken me down. In another world, another time, maybe I would have been someone who sought allies out of camaraderie, or friendship, or even a shared sense of purpose.
But this wasn't that world, and I wasn't that person.
Even in the light novels, Ayanokouji was like a puzzle. I couldn't quite piece him together. But I didn't need to understand him to recognize his value. He was sharp, calculating, and utterly unpredictable, which made him dangerous.
That is why I disabled the threat by temporarily striking an alliance with him.
As I rejoined the rest of the class, Kikyou waved me over with her usual 'friendly' smile. It was a welcome change compared to the 'stiff and all-serious' conversation I had with the guy earlier.
"Levent-kun! You were amazing out there," she said cheerfully. "I bet everyone's going to be talking about this for days."
"Let's hope not," I deadpanned.
She laughed again. For a moment, even I allowed myself to relax.
However, in the future, there will be bigger challenges ahead. And I intend to face them all.
Horikita..
Prepare yourself.
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