Chapter 287: Hikigaya: "I am Totsuka Yahiko of Class A"
"I don't intend to waste any more time. Sign this immediately."
Ayanokouji Atsuomi tossed a fountain pen onto the document titled Application for Withdrawal.
"I have no reason to leave this school," Ayanokouji Kiyotaka finally spoke.
"This is an order!"
"Your orders are absolute only within the White Room."
"This is my final ultimatum. Sign the withdrawal form now. You have no right to refuse!"
"If you were truly capable of that, you would have brought men to forcibly remove me from this school by now. Instead, you are asking for my signed consent. This proves your influence cannot reach into Advanced Nurturing High School. Furthermore, you, who normally never even go to the bathroom without bodyguards, have entered this school alone. This confirms my earlier suspicion."
"Oh? Your observation skills aren't bad. You've even picked up some social awareness... The White Room didn't teach you that."
"This is something I learned after coming to this school."
"I see. It seems you've been having a rather miserable time here."
Ayanokouji Atsuomi sneered, acting as though he had seen through everything.
How does one learn a skill quickly? The answer is: by experiencing the harsh beatings of reality.
The only difference was that the beatings in the White Room were physical, while the beatings at Advanced Nurturing were mental.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka did not deny it. He recalled the first semester: in order to learn "human emotion," he had joined Yamauchi's small group. That experience was more painful than his life in the White Room—it was practically a "Black Room."
Later, his attempt to test Hikigaya failed, and he was instead "dealt with" harshly several times. In the recent end-of-term special exam, he was toyed with by Koenji Rokusuke, completely exposing his true strength.
This caused Kiyotaka to question himself somewhat. Perhaps he, once called the White Room's greatest masterpiece, wasn't such a big deal after all.
"By the way, let me tell you something.
Matsuo, the man who helped you escape the White Room to enroll here, is dead."
Matsuo was the Ayanokouji family butler. Because Atsuomi was constantly busy with work, Matsuo was essentially the one who raised Kiyotaka. Butler Matsuo had hoped Kiyotaka could grow up with a normal education and secretly helped him escape Atsuomi's control.
"He committed self-immolation out of guilt.
He hoped that by doing so, I wouldn't retaliate against his family.
But you know me. I never let those who betray me off the hook.
I pulled a few strings and had his son, Eiichiro, expelled from his school."
Ayanokouji Atsuomi recounted this tragedy while secretly observing Kiyotaka's expression.
"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remained expressionless.
"Humph! I figured as much."
Ayanokouji Atsuomi said coldly, "I am simply warning you. No matter what, you cannot escape my control! I'll say it one last time, Kiyotaka: Withdraw immediately!"
Atsuomi delivered his final ultimatum.
"Excuse me, Ayanokouji-sensei, allow me to interrupt."
Chairman Sakayanagi Narumori spoke in a seemingly gentle tone, yet his eyes carried a natural, imposing authority.
"Sakayanagi. You, who were once my subordinate secretary, have now become a man of high standing."
Atsuomi's voice was calm; it was impossible to tell if he was being complimentary or sarcastic.
"You flatter me. It's been seven or eight years since I inherited this school from my father.
Ayanokouji-sensei, do you truly wish for Kiyotaka-kun to withdraw?" Narumori confirmed.
"Yes. That is the purpose of my visit.
Since it is the parent's request, the school has an obligation to carry it out immediately," Atsuomi stated firmly.
"I'm afraid that won't work. According to the rules of this school, as long as the student themselves does not personally express a desire to withdraw, I will not recognize it."
Sakayanagi Narumori gave a definitive refusal.
"You know better than anyone that this is mere sophistry." Ayanokouji Atsuomi glared at him.
"You're being too harsh. This 'reasoning' is the reasoning of Advanced Nurturing High School."
Sakayanagi used a soft tone to deliver the strongest words. His stance was clear: on his turf, things were done by his rules.
"Fine."
Realizing further entanglement was pointless, Ayanokouji Atsuomi quickly gave up. He stood to leave, throwing out one final remark: "I'll leave Kiyotaka in your 'safekeeping' for now."
Safekeeping, not supervision. He spoke as if referring to a tool.
Facing his cold biological father, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka remained unmoved throughout. He knew that this man, who would stop at nothing, would certainly not give up. From now on, the challenges he would face in this school would only increase.
"Thank you, Chairman," Kiyotaka said.
"Heh, no need to feign gratitude."
Sakayanagi Narumori smiled. "You feel no sadness even when someone who helped you is caught up in the crossfire or loses their life, do you?"
"..."
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka opened his mouth, wondering if he should put on a sad expression. But considering the man before him was on the same level as his father, a hypocritical performance would be useless.
Come to think of it, Hikigaya could also see through his disguises at a glance. That guy was truly impressive.
"Don't worry, I'm not criticizing you, Kiyotaka-kun.
Having lived in such an inhumane facility since childhood, it would be asking too much to expect you to be mentally and physically healthy.
That is why I want to save you..."
Sakayanagi Narumori looked at him deeply, his tone shifting: "Of course, whether or not you can be redeemed depends on yourself."
"Depends on myself?" Kiyotaka was puzzled.
"Alright, you may go back now.
The new semester is about to begin.
I wish you a pleasant school life."
With his back to Kiyotaka, Sakayanagi dismissed him.
.
.
.
Outside the School Building
Hikigaya, who was "on patrol" (read: slacking off), ran into Ayanokouji Atsuomi just as he was leaving the office building.
Hikigaya pretended to look down at his phone, lowering his presence to the absolute minimum. It wasn't that he feared this "old geezer in a suit," but rather that the man radiated "Final Boss" energy. Getting involved with someone like that would be nothing but trouble.
Ttap, ttap, ttap...
The sound of leather shoes on the concrete grew closer.
'Hey, hey... No way, right? Why is he coming toward me?'
Although Hikigaya didn't look up, his ears were sharp. Ayanokouji Atsuomi walked straight up to him and stood there silently, staring.
Hikigaya's heart was pounding, but his face remained calm. To distract himself, he randomly opened his contacts and pretended to send messages.
[To: Sakayanagi] Hikigaya: Sakayanagi, come out for a date! Right now!
Sakayanagi: ???
Hikigaya: I'm asking you! Do you not understand human speech?
Hikigaya was typing furiously with total concentration. After a dozen seconds, she replied.
Sakayanagi: Hikigaya-kun, have you run into some big trouble?
'Holy crap! Why is this "loli brat" (Arisu) so smart?!'
Hikigaya was shocked.
Sakayanagi: Hehe~ It seems I guessed right.
Hikigaya: Are you coming or not? Just give me a straight answer! If not, I'm moving to the next one!!
Sakayanagi: Your way of inviting someone is truly irritating! However, I am quite interested in whatever "big trouble" could make Hikigaya-kun lose his composure and text so frantically~~
To cooperate with his act, Sakayanagi Arisu thoughtfully sent a voice message. Hikigaya turned on the speakerphone:
"Darling~ Where are you? I'm coming over right now."
Blegh! That "squeaky-sweet" voice was pure evil!
Resisting the urge to gag, Hikigaya replied with a voice message: "Arisu-chan~ I'm waiting for you by the fountain in front of the school building."
"Which class are you in, and what is your name?"
'Really?' Hikigaya thought.
'Old man, can you not read the room at all? I'm clearly acting "too busy to talk," so why are you bothering me?'
"Sorry, mister, who are you?" Hikigaya looked up, feigning confusion.
"I am the one asking you."
Atsuomi's sharp gaze was like a whetted blade. Anyone pinned by that stare would feel the pressure of their soul being peered into.
Hikigaya's face turned pale as he forced himself to stay calm. His voice carried a slight tremble: "Class 1-A... Totsuka Yahiko..."
"I see. An elite from Class A."
Ayanokouji Atsuomi showed an "as expected" expression.
'This old guy actually knows about the class ranking system here. He must be someone important!' Hikigaya thought warily, wondering how to get rid of him.
"Sir, you must be a very important person," Hikigaya said, testing him. "May I ask why you called out to me? Do you have instructions?"
"Hmm. I want to ask you... what is your opinion of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka?"
Atsuomi was extremely confident in the "artificial genius" produced by the White Room, the project he had dedicated his life to. Even if Kiyotaka was currently an "unfinished product," Atsuomi felt he should be more than enough to handle this so-called "Advanced Nurturing" school.
'You're his dad, and you're asking me?' Hikigaya was speechless internally.
But on the surface, he played along: "Ayanokouji from Class D? That guy's reputation isn't very good."
"How so?" Ayanokouji Atsuomi felt a hint of curiosity. His influence outside the school struggled to penetrate this government-corporate partnership school, so his information was limited.
"Ayanokouji is... how should I put it... a real 'closet' type," Hikigaya said. "When he enrolled, he controlled all his subject scores to be exactly 50. Not a point more, not a point less. That clumsy attempt at hiding was basically screaming 'look at how awesome I am'—he was just waiting for people to find out so he could satisfy his ego by showing off!"
Hikigaya was telling the truth (from a certain perspective). Atsuomi's lip twitched.
'Come to think of it, my son has never been to a regular school; it makes sense he wouldn't know how to hide his scores properly.'
"Continue."
"Ayanokouji is also good at toying with girls' feelings. He has an ambiguous relationship with a 'gyaru' from Class C and has used her as a spy multiple times..."
Oh? Atsuomi thought.
'That part is like me.'
In his youth, Atsuomi had been a host to save money for his political campaign. Later, to produce an heir, he found a bar hostess to enter a contract marriage. After the son was born, Atsuomi paid 53 million yen to buy full custody and told her to disappear. He only let the mother name the child: "Kiyotaka," which was reportedly the name of another host she liked. Atsuomi didn't care; whether it was the "wife" or the "son," they were all just tools to be used.
"And during the summer break, Ayanokouji plotted with his Class D buddies to secretly film the girls' changing room—"
"Secretly film?!" Ayanokouji Atsuomi's brow furrowed.
'What? My proudest masterpiece from the White Room turned into a pervert?'
"It's true. The school's disciplinary notice was very clear."
To be fair, Hikigaya wasn't lying. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was in the loop during the peeping incident. It was just that Kiyotaka realized things were going south, turned on Yamauchi and the others to become a "state witness," and escaped expulsion.
"..." Ayanokouji Atsuomi's face shifted between shades of anger and doubt.
'Could it be that being locked in the White Room for too long... suppressed his nature too much?'
"Oh, and in the recent final exams, Ayanokouji made quite a splash," Hikigaya added with fake consolation. "He actually got the highest total score in the entire grade!"
"Humph!"
'White Room education is, of course, top-tier!' Atsuomi's expression softened slightly.
"But I heard Ayanokouji was forced into it. He was toyed with by Koenji Rokusuke of Class D and ended up exposing the strength he wanted to hide."
'Koenji... as in the Koenji Conglomerate?'
The White Room's masterpiece lost (in a battle of wits/hiding) to the son of a wealthy family? This was unacceptable! Atsuomi's face turned grim once again.
"Well, that's all the info I have on Ayanokouji."
Hikigaya lowered his head, pretending he didn't want to say more. In reality, he was afraid he'd burst out laughing.
"I see. Thank you for your cooperation, Totsuka-kun."
Ayanokouji Atsuomi offered a few pleasantries, intending to ask more about the school's inner workings. Hikigaya immediately used his pre-planned excuse.
"Uh, excuse me, mister, I have a date with my girlfriend, so I really have to go..."
"Hachiman-kun~ Sorry to keep you waiting."
Sakayanagi Arisu appeared, wearing a light brown dress with a white shawl and a white beret. She was all smiles, looking exactly like a young girl in the first flushes of love.
"...?"
Ayanokouji Atsuomi frowned, looking at "Totsuka Yahiko" with confusion.
"Ahem~ That... 'Hachiman' is just a pet name my girlfriend has for me..." Hikigaya's face turned red as he gave an explanation that sounded utterly ridiculous to any listener.
'Wait!' Atsuomi thought.
'Is this even possible? He has a woman treating him like a god? This young man's 'training' methods are no weaker than mine were back in the day!'
(The meaning of the name Hachiman is God of 8 Banners, it' also the name of the Japanese Shinto-Buddhist deity of archery, war, and agriculture, revered as the protector of Japan)
Ayanokouji Atsuomi suddenly held him in higher regard: 'This boy will surely become a great man in the future!!'
"You are Narumori's daughter. I haven't seen you in seven or eight years; I didn't expect you to grow into such a fine young lady." Atsuomi turned his gaze to Sakayanagi Arisu.
'This old geezer is also good at lying through his teeth' Hikigaya thought.
Arisu was many things, but "fine young lady" (in the traditional sense) wasn't the first phrase that came to mind.
However, Arisu, who usually loved to joke around, acted exceptionally formal: "Hello, Uncle. I have often heard my father speak of you."
"Mm. I have business to attend to, so I won't disturb your date."
Atsuomi had no intention of reminiscing. He looked at Hikigaya with a hint of admiration. "For Totsuka-kun to win the heart of Miss Arisu, you must be an outstanding individual. I look forward to meeting you again."
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