[Horikita Suzune Pov]
Horrible Human and Blank Slate, I can see why those are the titles," I thought to myself, watching the theater in which we were gathered by this mysterious god named Ryota. The room was full-all classes present, and the leaders with controls in their hands. Ayanokouji, as always, remained calm, observing without showing any particular emotion. He seemed more interested in observing reactions than participating.
The idea of choosing between these two timelines intrigued me. Ayanokouji was never an easy person to read. He could be kind, yes, but I always felt and knew that there was something more behind his actions. His apathy never seemed completely natural, but rather as a result of something deeper.
"Blank Slate... That title is particularly strange. Maybe it will show why he is so apathetic?" I muttered to myself.
I decided to ask him directly. He is the center of all this, after all.
"Ayanokouji, which one do you think is the best one to vote for?" I asked calmly, my eyes fixed on him.
He looked at me, with that neutral, almost boring expression, but his eyes had a peculiar glint. After a few seconds of silence, he finally answered:
"Choose whichever one you find more interesting. Both titles are... appropriate, depending on the perspective." Ayanokouji-kun said, looking at me with his typical apathetic look.
Of course he wouldn't give a direct answer.
As I pondered, the theater was alive with voices and debate. Ryuen was, as expected, taking this as a game for his amusement.
"So, what do you think?" Ryuen turned to his class, but his question was more meant to provoke than to seek answers. "Horrible human sounds fun. I bet that's where he shows his darkest side, isn't it? I'm interested."
Ichika Amasawa, who was standing next to him, gave a smirk. "Maybe he'll show something sempai never wanted to reveal. Who knows? It could be interesting."
"After we received the controls and after Ryota's words, she immediately came close to us, this girl only knows how to cause trouble. She was talking to that Yagami boy before approaching us.
How strange, Yagami is sitting with his arms around his knees, he was looking lost, he didn't even look like that same boy from the student council room, was he like that because he was expelled?
"I think I'll put authorship directly in my sentences." -I hear Ayanokouji whispering to himself as he looks at Amasawa taking me out of my thoughts.
What did he mean by that?
Meanwhile, Ichinose looked uncomfortable.
"Horrible human? It seems so... heavy and doesn't match Ayanokouji-kun at all. I prefer Blank Slate. Maybe it's something that better explains who he is, you know? Something more... neutral." She looked at her class, seeking support.
Kanzaki adjusted her glasses and calmly replied: "It's hard to say without context. But it makes sense to look for something that reveals more about him, without prior judgments."
If that's your choice Honami-chan, we'll support you completely! -Amikura said smiling while her class supported along, which made Ichinose sigh in relief.
"I see, since they don't know which class is in random control, they're convincing their own class so that if they're among them, they'll follow whatever their leader wants." -I whisper to myself.
"So you realized that, do you plan to do the same thing?" -Ayanokouji-kun spoke calmly beside me.
"No, the chances of them starting with our class are only 25% considering the randomness, but if we consider that we will react to you, there is a chance that the control has fallen to the other classes to make the subject more interesting, besides that our class has not calmed down 100% yet and doing this now could generate distrust among them about who might be hiding the control" - I said calmly looking at ayanokouji-kun next to me who just nodded in agreement.
Did he agree because he thought my decision was good or did he agree just because I answered his question? I would like to know the answer....
Arisu Sakayanagi, on the other hand, was perfectly at ease, it seems that her illness being cured really made her more at ease..
"No matter which timeline we choose, both should be fascinating," she said with her enigmatic smile. "However, Blank Slate... sounds so theatrical, don't you think?" She looked at Hashimoto, who was next to her. "What do you think, Hashimoto-kun?"
Hashimoto laughed softly. "If it's about the King, everything will be interesting. But I would say Horrible Human, just to see something shocking."
You just want to cause trouble, you idiot." Kamuro said seriously, looking at Hashimoto, who laughed at her cold response.
"You hurt my feelings like that, Kamuro-san." Hashimoto said smiling with her hand on her chest.
"Do snakes have feelings?" Kamuri said, looking at Hashimoto with a serious and cold look.
"You two control yourselves, stop acting like children." -Kito said seriously, looking at Hashimoto and Kamuro, who just snorted at his words.
While the leaders debated, some conversations began to form among the students.
Kei Karuizawa, who had started walking through her class, found Hirata and started talking to him.
"Hey, Hirata, what do you think of all this?"
Hirata calmly replied, smiling softly: "I think we should choose carefully. We don't know what these timelines will show, but maybe it's an opportunity to understand Kiyotaka-kun better and for any bad things that may come, we can help him in any way we can."
"I hope he doesn't get mad, the whole school will be watching his life without his consent." -Kei said, sighing slightly worried about her boyfriend.
"I'm sure Kiyotaka won't get mad because of this, Kei-san." "-Hirata says calmly, looking at Kei, who nodded, looking at Kiyotaka.
'I don't even know why I said that, I'm sure there's no way he could feel angry, I think his face would break.' -Kei thinks, trying to imagine Kiyotaka with a look other than that of a dead fish.
"Kei-chan, it's not nice to think rude things about your boyfriend." -Sata says, smiling, looking at Kei, leaving her blushing and embarrassed.
"Wait, did I say that out loud?" - Kei quickly spoke, blushing.
"No, but it was obvious what you were thinking after your conversation with Hirata-san." - Sato said, smiling and laughing calmly, looking at Kei.
In another area of Class B.
"Man, why do we have to see Ayanokouji?"
"Yeah, he's just a shady guy who hangs around Horikita-san."
"We should be seeing Hirata-san or someone like Horikita-san!"
That area was a forbidden area, a place full of toxicity
---
Back to the leaders' discussion, I realized that we were at an impasse. All the leaders had different opinions, and it would be difficult to reach a consensus.
"Suzune," Ryuen called, looking directly at me. "You seem too quiet. What do you think? Let's just pick this shit up and get it over with."
I sighed, keeping calm, not wanting to start an argument. "I'm evaluating the possibilities. This isn't something to decide on impulse, I must remember that this involves someone from my class and ?"
"Still so methodical, we're talking about the monster, it's obvious you're worried about something else being shown," he teased, but his tone was almost amused.
He must be talking about what Ayanokouji-kun has been doing in the shadows of the class.
"So, how about a vote between the four of us? Or will the god Ryota impose some rule on us in the end?" Ichinose asked, trying to find a middle ground.
*No, the decision is up to you, I won't interfere in it." -Ryota speaks calmly in front of us, looking at us.
"I see, sorry for my assumption." -Ichinose speaks quickly, slightly embarrassed.
"It's okay, no need to apologize for that." -Ryotakan speaks, smiling calmly.
I looked again at the controller in my hand. Horrible Human or Blank Slate... Either way, this would reveal something important about Ayanokouji.
"Make your choices," Ryota said, his voice echoing through the room. "I look forward to seeing how you decide."
The lights in the theater grew brighter, increasing the tension in the room. It was time to choose.
.
The tension in the theater was palpable. All the leaders held the controls tightly, each one reflecting their intentions. Ryuen was smiling as always, he seemed happy, he certainly wants "horrible human to win" to create some chaos in my class and only Ayanokouji-kun, Ichinose was trying to keep a smile on her face, but it was quite obvious that she was anxious, her hands were shaking slightly as she held the control, it seemed that seeing something about Ayanokouji-kun affected her in some way. Arisu maintained her calm and confident posture, she certainly already had a choice in mind, while I carefully analyzed the two titles.
I already have my choice, Blank Slate will be better, Horrible Human will possibly show a side of him that my class doesn't know and that would cause problems for him and in general to take everything away.
After a few moments of silence, Arisu was the first to speak her choice.
"Blank slate."
She pressed the corresponding button without hesitation. "It's a timeline that seems to explore something deeper and more meaningful about Ayanokouji, perhaps showing something more internal about him, how he feels. Maybe we can see a more emotional side that Ayanokouji-kun doesn't reveal to other people." Her tone was calm, but it carried a hint of almost malicious curiosity.
From her words, it was obvious that she knew something, I just want to understand what.
"You two already know each other, don't you? She talks as if she knows something about you, besides that she helped you that time with the voting system" -I say whispering to ayanokouji-kun next to me.
"Maybe, it's complicated to explain that." -Says Ayanokouji-kun looking at me which made me sigh.
Of course he would leave it up to me to interpret, this possibly involves something from his personal life.
I watched the reactions around me, but kept my focus. Despite the mystery surrounding "Horrible Human," I already knew that "Blank Slate" was the right choice, it will give me the chance to know more about my friend and I will be able to keep some things about him hidden still. There were things I needed to understand about him.
"I also vote for Blank Slate," I declared. I didn't see the need to justify my decision, but I still added, "Maybe this timeline reveals more about him than just moral judgments."
"You really want to know more about me, don't you?." -Ayanokouji-kun said sighing beside me.
He already knew the answers, so I didn't see the need to turn around to answer, he already knew what I would say and I already knew what he would say.
Ichinose hesitated for a moment. She looked at Kanzaki and Tom, who gave a slight nod. Then he took a deep breath and pressed the button.
"Blank slate," she said smiling softly. "I agree with Horikita. Understanding is more important than judging, even though I don't like the titles, it will be good to see something about Ayanokouji-kun, even if it's something more personal to him" -Ichinose said, smiling, pressing the button without hesitating or for a second.
This left Ryuen aside, who was visibly upset with his choices so far. He let out a short, slightly irritated laugh.
"You're all so boring," he teased, pressing the button corresponding to "Horrible human." "If I'm going to react about the monster, I want to see the worst side of him completely. I bet it'll be a lot more interesting than anything emotional or 'deep' you guys are trying to go for." He leaned back in his chair, wearing a satisfied smile.
'He really has respect issues." -I sigh seeing Ryuen resting his feet on the chair of another student in his class, I assume that was Ishizaki's seat since he was standing next to him.
This left the last control to a random mystery student.
I can understand why Ryota left it as a random system, it wouldn't be fair if the control was in an extra class, he prohibited the student from revealing or talking about the control he has with him so he can keep this control completely controlled without suffering interference of other leaders.
The entire room fell silent except for the soft clicking sound of the button being pressed. To the surprise of some, the student voted for "Blank slate."
Ryota appeared on stage, clapping his hands.
"So, the decision has been made! Blank slate will be the timeline you will watch." He seemed genuinely excited, as if he had been waiting for exactly this outcome. "Brace yourselves, students, because what's coming is a sight that will greatly change your perspectives on a certain student."
The theater began to darken, and a giant screen appeared in front of everyone. As the transition was happening, Ryuen couldn't keep his mouth shut.
"You really chose the most boring option," he muttered, laughing. "I hope this shit is at least worth it."
Ichinose ignored the provocation, but not before responding softly: "Not everything has to be a horror show, Ryuen-kun, even if it's not something you wanted, it will be good to see a more emotional side of Ayanokouji-kun."
'Completely rude as always.' -I think, sighing, seeing Ryuen just showing the middle finger to Ichinose, who strangely didn't let herself be shaken and just turned her face away, calming her group, who were angry with Ryuen.
Arisu, on the other hand, just smiled enigmatically. "Either way, I believe we will all learn something interesting about Ayanokouji. Let's see what the 'Blank Slate' really means."
Meanwhile, I was focused. If this timeline promised to reveal something about Ayanokouji, this was perhaps my only chance to understand the reason for his apathy, his cold logic, and who he really is behind this neutral facade, and to be able to understand how he got like this and how he became so intelligent, that was something I really wanted to understand.
[Ayanokouji Kiyotaka Pov]
I genuinely hope I didn't make the wrong choice, if I assume correctly, blackboard em.brwnco won't be about the white room, and I hope it really isn't about that.
"Are you worried Ayanokouji-kun? Like, people are going to know more about you against your will, that must be horrible." -I look to the side, listening to Kushida speaking, smiling calmly.
I understand what she means, I kind of did the same thing to her.
"Yes, that must be horrible." -I speak calmly while Kushida smiles.
"Yes, only a horrible person would do that to another person." -Kushida speaks calmly, smiling.
We were silent for a moment, the atmosphere seemed calm between me and her, but anyone who noticed correctly would see the look of almost sadistic joy staring at her.
".....I don't regret anything." -I speak calmly in a whisper.
"Die." -Kushida speaks in a whisper next to me, smiling.
"Kiyotaka, stop flirting with Kushida." -Kei says, pouting, looking at me while holding my arm.
'Could this be considered flirting?' -I think calmly surprised internally.
"Please don't talk nonsense like that Karuizawa-san, Ayanokouji-kun and I don't have that relationship." -Kushida said calmly looking at Kei, the strange thing is that she was slightly blushing.
I understand, she must be maintaining her disguise because of the other classes, otherwise she would have already cursed Kei a lot.
"Still, I don't want to see my boyfriend flirting with other girls." -Kei says again, holding my arm, pulling me closer to her.
'Again, how does that classify as flirting? She literally told me to die' -I think curiously while Kei holds me.
"Please you 3 stop, the video is starting." -Horikita says seriously looking at us.
I nod calmly and look at the movie screen that has finally started playing the video.
A faint aroma of coffee wafted through the room, mixing with the comfortable silence between the two. Horikita Suzune kept her gaze fixed on the cup in her hands, while Kiyotaka Ayanokouji remained impassive, staring at the window with his always apathetic eyes.
I understand, it seems like you're going to focus on me and Horikita at the beginning.
[Poor Omniscient Narrator.]
"Kukuku, I see, it's going to be about Suzune and the monster." -Ryuen says smiling looking at the screen.
"Then it will be about Horikita-san and Ayanokouji-kun." -Ichinose thought smiling until she realized where they are. "Wait, they're having coffee together, is this a date for them?" -Ichinose thought with her gaze slowly getting colder.
"Ichinose-San, your jealousy is almost taking physical form." -Mako thought, laughing slightly nervously, looking at Ichinose who was staring at the screen and then changing to Horikita and ayanokouji in the cinema.
"It's going to be about Horikita with Ayanokouji, maybe it's some future meeting about some class competition? Ryota never specified which timeline we would see, and we can either see the future or the past of our timeline, so Any information on this will be helpful." -Arisu thinks, smiling calmly.
"So it will start with Ayanokouji with Suzune, it makes sense since they are almost always together." -Sudou spoke calmly.
"Yes, they must be discussing something related to our class." -Ike spoke calmly.
"At least it won't be just me who gets attention, how does it feel to be exposed too?" -Ayanokouji speaks calmly looking at Horikita.
"Should I remind you that you will be the focus? I certainly won't have such a long role, but at least I'll be able to see a little of what you think while you're with me" -Horikita says calmly looking at Ayanokouji.
"Yes, thank you for confirming that you are happy to invade my headspace without permission." -Ayanokouji says, sighing calmly.
"You're welcome, and thank you for allowing me to watch this without getting mad or complaining." -Horikita speaks calmly.
"When I allow it"- Ayanokou starts to speak. "I'll make you some food during your break, completely free this time."-Horikita says calmly looking at Ayanokouji.
"Yes, I must be remembering it wrong, I will definitely let you see that, I just remembered that." -Ayanokouji speaks calmly quickly.
'Free food always works.' -Horikita thinking calmly, smiling slightly, looking at the screen.
"Free food is free food." -Ayanokouji thinks calmly.
"But, look at Ayanokouji-kun on the screen, doesn't he look different?" -Sato said calmly, smiling, looking at the screen.
"Yes, he seems to have a strange expression on his face." -Shinorara speaks calmly looking at the screen.
"Wait, is that what I think it is?" -Kei thinks slowly, starting to smile.
"Impossible." -Ryuen thinks looking at the screen in disbelief.
"He really is.." -Ichinose thinks smiling slightly blushing
'Finally you are changing Ayanokouji.' -Manabu thinks calmly, smiling slightly.
'So even you can make that expression Senpai.' -Ichika thinks, smiling slightly blushing.
'Senpai looks cute with that expression.' -Nanase thinks, smiling softly, blushing.
'So even you can make that expression.' -Tsubaki thinks calmly looking at the screen.
Yagami calmly raised his head looking at the screen, even he was surprised by what he was seeing.
Ayanokouji and Horikita are looking at the screen, each surprised by what they are seeing.
'He is.' -Horikita thinks looking at the screen in surprise 'I am.' -Ayanokouji thinks looking at the screen with his eyes slightly wide.
"You're smiling."
"impossible."-Ryuen thinks. with disbelief.
"impossible."-Ibuki thinks angrily.
"impossible."-Ishizaki thinks in surprise.
"impossible."- Albert thinks in surprise with his neutral face.
"You're finally breaking your composure ayanokouji-kun." -Arisu thinks, smiling softly, blushing.
"My friend looks really cute smiling." -Hyori thinks about softly blushing.
"Ayanokouji-kun needs to smile more often, he looks very handsome." -Ichinose thinks, smiling blushingly.
'Damn, why does this bastard have to be so handsome smiling.' -Kushida thinks, smiling blushingly.
"I think this is the first time I've seen Ayanokouji change the expression on his face." -Ike says calmly, surprised looking at the screen.
"truth, I think since the first year he never showed any reaction." -Sudo. speaks calmly, surprised too.
'He didn't change his expression even when he was stabbed, what made him change his expression?' -Sudo thinks, looking at the screen, surprised and curious.
'So even this bastard can change his face.' -Hosen thinks seriously looking at the screen.
"Why didn't you ever make that face at me?." -Kei says, turning his face to look at Ayanokouji and saw something slightly surprising.
Your boyfriend was slightly wide-eyed, slightly surprised like his on-screen version.
Horikita's statement was calm, but enough to cut the silence. Kiyotaka blinked, looking away from her. For a brief moment, something almost imperceptible happened. His eyes, always cold and calculating, widened just a few millimeters. Small but significant.
"I'm smiling? Do you know why?" he asked, his voice as calm as ever, but with a curiosity that almost seemed childish. He himself hadn't noticed.
"You look like a child who just learned to smile." -Horikita says looking at Ayanokouji curious about his question while she is slightly blushing.
"I don't look like a child." -Ayanokouji replied looking at Horikita calmly.
"I have to disagree Kiyotaka, you on the screen really look like you've learned to smile now, in fact, even here you look like it" -Kei says smiling looking at ayanokouji.
"She's right Ayanokouji-kun." -Matsushita says, smiling calmly, looking at Ayanokouji.
"you have to smile more ayanokouji-san, your expression would be much better than your apathetic one." -Sato says smiling calmly.
"They're right ayanokouji-kun, your apathetic face can even look a little better when you smile." -Kushida says smiling calmly.
'Can this be classified as bullying with my normal face?' -Ayanokouji thinks calmly looking at the girls.
Horikita blushed slightly, looking away to hide her embarrassment. "Yes... But I don't know why." His voice, normally firm, sounded hesitant.
"wow, what do we see here?! I didn't know you could make that shy face Horikita-san." -Sato says smiling, teasing Horikita.
"True, who knew Horikita-san could make that face, she always seemed to be serious and things like that." -Matsushita says smiling looking at Horikita.
"True, I've never seen Horikita make that kind of face." -Kushida says, smiling calmly, looking at Horikita who was blushing, holding tightly to her partner.
"suffer what I suffered Horikita." -Ayanokouji speaks in a whisper, which resulted in a slight puncture on his thigh.
"Shut up ayanokouji-kun." -Horikita speaks in a whisper, looking away.
"So even Suzune can make that face." -Ryuen says laughing, looking at the screen.
'Horikita-san seems very happy around Ayanokouji-kun.' -Ichinose thinks smiling peacefully looking at the screen and Horikita in the cinema.
"This little part of my life is called happiness." -Manabu speaks in a whisper, smiling softly, looking at the ground while holding a flag with the name Kiyo x Hori written on it.
'Wait, what does he hold? Where did he get that from?' -Ryota thinks, looking surprised at Manabu as he interrupts the narrator because he is a shitty childish god.
'Sorry.' -Ryota thinks apologizing several times while bowing.
'Manabu?'- Tachibana-Senpai thinks in surprise, looking at Manabu for his reaction and what he said.
'Suzune looks pretty like this.' -Sudo thinks, smiling softly, he didn't think that out of passion or anything like that, he just thought what he genuinely believed.
Kiyotaka leaned back in his chair, his gaze lost, reflecting on what she had just said. A smile? This didn't come naturally to him. At least, it shouldn't be.
'Dwarf.' -Ayanokouji thought calmly, sighing.
"What did he mean by that?" -That was the thought of a large part of the public.
'Sorry ayanokouji-kun, but a lot of your life outside of school is going to be exposed by the looks of it.' -Arisu thinks calmly with his eyes closed.
'Looks like hime knows something about this.' -Hashimoto thinks, looking at Arisu.
'Now it's getting interesting.' -Ryuen thinks, adjusting himself in the chair, smiling.
He turned to his memories. From birth, his life had been an experiment. The White Room shaped him like a blank slate, where emotions were unnecessary and human connections superfluous. He had no memories of someone genuinely caring about him, nor of receiving affection without ulterior motives.
Silence fell in the movie theater after hearing Ayanokouji's thoughts.
Ayanokouji sighed with his eyes closed when he felt most of the people around him looking at him.
"Experiment, is he a laboratory rat?"
"What is this white room Ayanokouji?"
"Were your parents mean to you ayanokouji?"
"
"Guys, let's respect Kiyotaka's space, he probably doesn't want to talk about this." -Hirata speaks quickly seeing Kiyotaka's 'discomfort'.
"Yes guys, please don't try to ask questions that might make Kiyotaka uncomfortable." -Kei speaks quickly, getting up from the chair.
'It seems that Ayanokouji-kun's life wasn't easy, having no memory of anyone worrying about you, that's sad, what happened to you ayanokouji?' -Ichinose thinks worriedly
'I'm beginning to understand how he understood my pain.' -Kei thinks looking worriedly at his boyfriend.
'Apparently yours was shit, wasn't it bro.' -Sudo thinks looking at ayanokouji.
'It makes sense, no one would have that apathetic shitty face for no reason.' -Ryuen thinks seriously, looking at the screen with interest.
"That's how it works in the White Room. You only have to worry about yourself, no one else. Otherwise, you fail. And bad things... happen to those who fail." - Yagami thought, his eyes fixed on the screen, carrying a disturbing emptiness, like that of a broken child.
'Senpai... Yagami...' - Ichika watched, alternating his gaze between Ayanokouji and Yagami, a growing concern tightening his chest.
Since she saw that Yagami had been teleported with them, she has tried to interact with him countless times. But he didn't respond. He didn't even lift his head to look at her. He looked like a soulless doll, trapped in a world where no one else mattered.
'That place is still going to be destroyed.' -Thinks Arisu with his eyes closed with slight anger.
'Senpai seems to have suffered a lot.' -Nanase thinks worriedly.
'So your apathetic face is just a mask to hide how you feel?' -Tsubaki thought curiously.
"From the looks of it, your life hasn't been easy at all, has it?" - Horikita whispered, her voice calm but full of concern as she glanced at Ayanokouji's face.
"Nobody's life in this world is easy, Horikita." - Ayanokouji replied in the same tone, without looking away from the screen in front of him. - "Some just have it easier in certain areas, but everyone faces difficulties in something. I wouldn't be the exception in this world."
Horikita Suzune just nodded silently, shifting her gaze back to the screen. Still, his hand remained where it was, firmly but hesitantly gripping the sleeve of Ayanokouji's blouse.
He remained motionless, ignoring the looks of pity that burned around him, as if they were irrelevant.
He immersed himself in the analytical mode that characterized him so much. The concept of smiling was, for him, a physical manifestation derived from positive emotional stimuli. An act that should be conscious or, at the very least, the result of a specific emotional reaction. However, he could not identify the trigger. What external or internal factor could have induced such behavior? Was it a mistake? A lapse in control?
'What the fuck, you bastard treat yourself like a computer? "error, lapse of control?" What the fuck are you to have thoughts like that?' -, Ryuen thought, genuinely surprised, laughing slightly.
'Come on ayanokouji, the answer is easier than you think.' -Arisu thinks anxiously looking at the screen.
'Ayanokouji-kun, you were only happy with Horikita, why can't you understand that?' -Ichinose thinks worriedly looking at Ayanokouji.
'Your life hasn't been easy at all, hasn't it Ayanokouji?, to reach the level where you can't even realize you're happy, I really don't want to know the hell you went through in your childhood.' -Kanzaki thinks calmly, adjusting his glasses with pity and respect for Ayanokouji
"Ayanokouji..." - Ichinose whispered, bending over in an attempt to get up. Her eyes were fixed on him, full of concern. But before he could take a step, he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder.
"Not now, Honami." - Mako-chan's voice was calm, but carried a firmness that made her stop. - "Ayanokouji-san's life is being exposed against his will. Right now, painful memories must be invading his mind."
Mako-chan looked down, lightly squeezing Ichinose's shoulder before continuing: - "He needs space. We can't just go up to him and start asking questions or telling him everything is going to be okay... because we don't even know the depth of the pain he carries."
Silence hung between them, thick and heavy, as Ichinose lowered her head, reluctant but understanding her friend's words.
"Okay... sorry." -Ichinose whispered, her voice wavering as she looked away. - "I think my concern spoke louder."
Mako-chan let go of her shoulder gently, but remained at the side, offering a faint smile of understanding before looking back at Ayanokouji.
'He didn't even for a moment consider the possibility that he was...happy? Happy?' - Kei thought, concern evident in his gaze as he alternated between the two Ayanokouji: the one on the screen and the one next to him in the cinema, who seemed equally lost in his own thoughts.
'You've never experienced genuine happiness... is that why you can't recognize what you're feeling?' - Horikita reflected silently, her eyes analyzing Ayanokouji with concern for her first friend at school.
His mind took him to Yuki, one of the few variables outside the norm in the White Room. She smiled, even in an environment devoid of joy. This behavioral divergence resulted in her early elimination; she failed an exam. His emotional instability became a limiting factor. When expelled, she broke down and couldn't even talk about the white room without freaking out.
"She was eliminated... because she smiled? This place reduced individuals to disposable cogs. Is that what shaped Ayanokouji? This place looks like it came out of a horror movie if that's what I'm thinking." -Horikita thinks worriedly looking at Ayan
'Yuki, I haven't heard that name in a long time.' -Ayanokouji thinks calmly looking at the screen.
'This girl managed to develop emotions... even though she's from the same generation as Senpai?' - Ichika thought, surprised, as his gaze fixed on Ayanokouji.
"It seems that not even the happiest were able to withstand Ayanokouji-senpai's generation, I'm surprised it lasted so long seeing several of them slowly break down." - Yagami whispered, his cold voice broken, carrying a weight that Ichika felt but didn't fully understand.
'Yagami... what happened to you when you returned to the White Room?' - The question burned in his mind, bringing growing anxiety. She wanted to know, needed to know. After all, Yagami wasn't just her best friend... he was like a brother, someone she couldn't just abandon after all.
"What is this White Room, Kiyotaka? And why does your speech about it sound like something out of a sci-fi horror movie?" - Kei asked quickly, almost running over the words. The concern in his voice was evident as his eyes searched his boyfriend's face for some explanation.
Kiyotaka looked forward, staring at the screen for a few seconds. His expression was indifferent, as if the question hadn't reached him. "It's just a name... of a place where things happen, you don't have to worry about things like that." - He replied with an evasive but controlled tone, clearly trying to avoid the subject.
Kei frowned, dissatisfied. She could feel him running away, but her worry was greater than her fear of putting pressure on him. "Kiyotaka... what happened there? You can tell me. You don't have to carry this alone."
He sighed, his gaze remaining fixed ahead. When he spoke again, his voice had a cutting coldness that made Kei shudder. "Kei, don't try to get into my personal life. There are things you won't understand... and you don't even need to, understand?."
His words were like a wall of ice between the two. Kei backed away slightly, her eyes filled with frustration and sadness, but she knew that insisting now would only push him further away.
''Sometimes I forget that he never talks about his personal life... Very bad things must have happened, and this White Room is certainly involved in it. I need to be careful not to be too intrusive.' - Kei thought, a pang of guilt crossing his heart as he looked away from Kiyotaka.
'I understand how you feel, Karuizawa. I made the same mistake last year.' - Horikita reflected, her gaze passing from Kei to Ayanokouji, carrying a slight expression of pity, something rare for her.
"Don't you think you took it hard? She's your girlfriend. I was just worried about you." - Horikita whispered calmly, but her voice had a slight tone of reproach as she fixed her eyes on Ayanokouji's impassive profile.
He sighed softly before responding, turning to face her. His voice was calm, almost emotionless. "I know. At break, after you make my food, I'll talk to her about it. But I don't like people trying to find out about my personal life."
Horikita raised an eyebrow slightly, but didn't say anything else. She knew that pressuring him would be futile, but she couldn't help but wonder if he could really understand the impact his words had on those who cared about him and if he knows, does he even care? She probably already knows the answer to that.
"What do you think happened in that White Room, boss?" Ishizaki asked, his voice carrying an unusual concern as his eyes fixed on Ryuen.
"It looks like the monster was almost a lab rat. I'm just curious to know what level this rat was." - Ryuen replied with a light laugh, but his serious tone revealed his true uneasiness as he looked at the screen.
'Obviously, some fucking macabre things happened in this place. But to what extent? Human experiments? Trainings? Advanced drug trials?' - he thought, his eyes narrowed in an expression of intense analysis.
"Katsuragi-san, is everything okay?" - Hyori asked in her calm voice, shifting her attention to Katsuragi, who seemed lost in thought as he stared at the screen.
"Yes, I'm fine. No need to worry." - Katsuragi replied, his tone calm, but his serious expression did not go unnoticed.
'White Room... Did he undergo training with other children? And, if so, what kind of training was that to leave someone so traumatized that they couldn't even talk about the place? Certainly, this was not something the police would have authorized, what happened to you as a child Ayanokouji.' - Katsuragi reflected, his mind spinning with hypotheses as he kept his gaze fixed on the screen.
"This place shouldn't exist. No one should be broken like this." - Arisu thought, his serious gaze fixed on the screen, while a slight anger flashed in his eyes.
'Hime definitely knows something. She's staring at this screen with a look I've never seen before... anger.' - Hashimoto reflected silently, watching Arisu from the corner of his eye. 'Bro, the King's past must have been hell... living in a place where even the happiest people leave like this, broken.' - He closed his eyes, processing the impact of the revelation.
'That guy... went through a lot of shit.' - Kamuro thought, his gaze fixed on Ayanokouji's profile. The seriousness in her eyes reflected the intensity of the thoughts she didn't dare voice.
Was smiling her mistake? Or does he consider this a mistake? This... is so cruel. Is this what he learned? That affection and kindness are weaknesses? - Ichinose thought, her eyes fixed on the screen, while a mix of sadness and worry filled her heart. 'Ayanokouji-kun, you are so kind to me, even after everything you've been through...' - she reflected, blushing slightly as she remembered the moments when he had helped her.
"Ichinose... are you okay?" - Mako-chan asked, her voice calm but full of concern, as she placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder.
Ichinose blinked a few times, as if brought back to reality, and turned to Mako-chan. "Ah, yes, I'm...just...wondering how he managed to survive all that." - She replied, her voice hesitant but sincere.
"It's hard to imagine, isn't it?" - Kanzaki intervened, his expression serious as he looked from Ichinose to the screen. "But I think what's most impressive is not only that he survived, but that he was still able to be functional, as if nothing had happened."
Ichinose frowned slightly, her voice carrying sincere concern. "Do you think that's really it, Kanzaki? Functionality? What if he just learned to hide everything? Like he's been fighting alone all this time?"
Mako-chan looked at Ichinose, her voice soft but firm. "If he's learned to hide, Honami, that doesn't mean he wants people to get into that side of him now. Maybe all we can do is be there for him, without forcing anything."
Ichinose sighed but nodded. "You're right...but it's so hard not to try to help when you care about someone."
"I know," - Kanzaki replied, with a slight understanding nod. "But helping doesn't always mean asking, if Ayanokouji hasn't talked about it until now, it means he doesn't want to talk about these matters"
Ichinose smiled slightly, although she still looked thoughtful. Her eyes returned to the screen, and in her heart she made a silent promise: "Ayanokouji-kun... I will be here for you, whenever you need me."
This raised a question: what was the real value of affection in a controlled environment? In the White Room, everything was reduced to utility equations. Kindness, affection and empathy had no intrinsic value. They were redundant, distracting elements that compromised efficiency.
'Affection, empathy, kindness... He was taught to despise these things. But does he really believe that? Or is he just trying to understand something he's never known? Does he want to know the value of these things? Or do you sincerely believe that all this is useless?' - Horikita thought, her concern visible in her gaze as she observed Ayanokouji sitting next to her, head down and eyes closed.
"Do you really think kindness is a useless thing?" - Horikita asked softly, hesitant but firm.
Ayanokouji opened his eyes slowly, looking away from the screen as he spoke, his voice as calm as it was cold. "It's not about what I think. It's about what I was taught to think."
Horikita frowned slightly and spoke in a whisper. "So what do you believe?"
For a moment, he remained silent, as if analyzing her words, before looking back at the screen and speaking in a whisper. "In between... we'll continue this while you prepare my food, I hope this food is really good."
Horikita nodded slightly, pleased that he agreed to talk about this. "Right. And don't worry, lunch or dinner will live up to your expectations."
"What are you talking about there?" - Kushida asked calmly, his sweet and curious smile facing Ayanokouji and Horikita.
'She probably just wants to say that to get attention back to me and Horikita to irritate Kei for what she had said before.' -Ayanokouji thought, sighing internally.
"Yes, I want to know too." - Kei added quickly, leaning closer to them, clearly interested in what was being discussed, trying to forget the cold response and serious look that her boyfriend gave her and why she was slightly jealous seeing that Kiyotaka wasn't stopping. whisper with Horikita.
Horikita looked at Ayanokouji, about to respond, but before she could speak, Ayanokouji interrupted her with a direct look, enough for her to get the message. He didn't want them to talk about it there, especially in front of others.
"Nothing important." - Ayanokouji replied calmly, looking away from the screen, clearly signaling that the matter was personal and not something he wanted to discuss publicly.
Horikita, although a little surprised by his response, immediately understood the situation. She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable or forced to speak in front of other people. With a light sigh, she decided to quickly change the subject.
"We were just arguing about the break. No big deal." - Horikita said with a polite wave, trying to divert attention.
Kei, still looking at them with a suspicious expression, remained silent, but her eyes showed that she still wanted to know more, she knew that Kiyotaka was hiding something from her. Horikita felt the pressure of having to deal with her curiosity, but she couldn't expose Ayanokouji like that, especially after he said they were going to tell her a little about his personal life.
Ayanokouji looked at Horikita, a faint nod of thanks in his eyes, before turning back to the screen.
Kei then, still with a thoughtful expression, leaned back in the chair, still sulking. "Okay, if you guys don't want to talk about it, that's fine..." - she said, with a slight visible frustration, but knowing that, eventually, she would have the chance to talk to Ayanokouji about what was really going on.
Horikita turned to Ayanokouji, silently saying, "We'll talk about this later, when it's just between us." - Mutual understanding was clear. She would help maintain his privacy completely.
"Are you satisfied?" -Ayanokouji asked, sighing in a whisper, looking at Kushida who was smiling calmly.
"Very much, she had irritated me with that stupid statement." -Kushida said smiling, whispering very happily.
In class C:
'So that's it. You were created to be a machine, huh, Ayanokouji? No space for feelings or distractions, that's why he has this apathetic shit face. I bet you still see yourself like this. But tell me one thing," Ryuen thought, narrowing his eyes at the screen. "To what extent are you going to believe this kind of rubbish?"
'My reading friend's past seems like something out of an action manga with the op protagonist coming from a secret laboratory.' -Hyori thought imagining it and then shook her head. 'No, I have to take this seriously, this is something my friend went through and suffered, I can't reduce it to a mere manga.' -Hyori thinks quickly looking at ayanokouji.
"Tsk, now it makes sense for this bastard to have an apathetic look." -Ibuki speaks in a whisper looking at the screen.
"Yeah, bro's past is horrible." -Albert spoke calmly seriously while Ishizaki silently agreed.
In class D:
"Ayanokouji, what happened to you in that white room? How did you get there in the first place?" -Ichinose thinks worriedly looking at Ayanokouji in the distance
Still, he found himself intrigued by the logic behind kindness. Why would anyone be kind without a clear intention of reciprocity? If there was no measurable exchange of benefits, what would be the rational motivation? He hypothesized that kindness might be an evolutionary mechanism, a cooperative behavior rooted in primitive social bonds. But even this explanation seemed inadequate in the current context.
He reformulated the problem.
If kindness is a means of strengthening bonds, then what defines those bonds? 'Friendship' would be the most common answer, but the term is subjective and difficult to quantify. Would friends be those who share common interests? Those who demonstrate trust and who you can count on when you need them? Or, perhaps, those who provide unconditional help?
If the latter criterion is accepted, then why the distinction between friends and family? Both can overlap. In this case, would family be a subset of friendships, defined by genetic ties or continuous presence? The initial conclusion indicated that any attempt to categorize human connections was inherently flawed due to the subjective nature of relationships.
'Ayanokouji-kun, kindness doesn't have to be logical. Sometimes, we just want to help because... because we care. Even if there is no reason, even if there is no return, we want to make someone happy. Isn't that what matters in the end? Isn't that why you helped me every time I never managed to repay you?' -Ichinose thought looking at Ayanokouji, she just wanted to get up from her class section and go to him and tell him how happy she is for his help and explain how kindness works, mistress knew she couldn't now, she would have to wait until break .
She pressed her hands against her knees, fighting the urge to get up, to go to him and tell him everything she felt. But I knew it wasn't the right time. She would have to wait until halftime.
"Honami, are you okay?" - Mako-chan asked softly, leaning forward a little and touching Ichinose's arm carefully.
"I am, Mako-chan. Just... just thinking about some things." - Ichinose replied with a forced smile, trying not to look too shaken.
Kanzaki, who was sitting next to them, gave a curious look. "Thinking about what? You look worried. Is it because of what they showed just now? About that White Room?" - He asked, keeping his voice low so as not to attract attention.
Ichinose hesitated before responding, casting a glance at Ayanokouji once more. "Yes... it's just... Ayanokouji-kun has been through so much, and he never talks about it. He never lets anyone into his life, and that worries me. I wanted to help, but I don't know how to do that." ."
Mako-chan sighed, shaking her head, smiling softly at her best friend. "I understand, Honami, but there are people who need time and there are some who never want to talk about things that happened. He may not be ready to talk about it right now. Maybe your kindness needs to be shown in another way, without pressure." it."
Kanzaki crossed his arms, thoughtful. "I think Amikura is right. Forcing him can push him away even more, especially since he's from another class, which could create problems if his friends see the two of you alone talking about private things like that. But I also think you It should be clear when you have the opportunity. If what you want is to help him, he needs to know that directly instead of just being indirect."
Ichinose nodded, feeling the support of her friends. "Thank you, both of you. Maybe during the break I can say something. I just... I just want him to know he's not alone."
Mako-chan gave a reassuring smile, finishing excitedly. "I'm sure he'll realize that, Honami. And, if he doesn't, you'll make him realize it, calmly and maybe even win his heart."
Ichinose blushed silently looking at the movie screen.
Ryuen just rolled his eyes at what he heard, he had already seen that Kiyotaka didn't care at all about his friendships and was ready to discard anyone who was inconvenient so hearing this didn't affect him at all.
'Reading books causes this to us, we start to analyze everything after a while and start to question everything we believed, my friend suffered a lot as a child and apparently he didn't have any friends and he must have had an abusive family It makes him feel like he doesn't understand the difference between friendship and family." -Hyori thought sadly with pity for what her friend suffered.
"I understand what you mean, you are really a very confused person Ayanokouji-kun." -Horikita thinks, sighing internally, they would have a long conversation during lunch during the break.
Kei was already used to it and already knew the way Kiyotaka saw people, so it didn't impress her.
"Bro, how shitty does your life have to be for you not to know about such basic things?" - Sudou whispered to himself, with a pitiful expression, as he looked at the screen. He could hardly believe what he had heard.
"I don't think I'll ever complain about my life again. Ayanokouji's seems to have been total shit." - Ike murmured back, looking sideways at Sudou with a mixture of pity and discomfort.
Shinohara, who was sitting next to them, glanced at the two and whispered in a critical tone: "Do you think this is the time to say this? His life was clearly horrible, and you are here making comments."
"It's not like we were wrong, Shinohara. You saw and heard what he said. It's bizarre that someone would grow up without understanding such simple things." - Sudou replied, crossing his arms, but his voice had a more restrained tone now.
Sato, who was nearby, also decided to join the conversation, her voice sounding more worried than whispering. "I think he doesn't talk about these things because he doesn't want to remember. It must be very painful for him. Did you see how he avoided answering directly? It seems like just thinking about it makes him uncomfortable."
Yes, she was just worried because he is her friend's boyfriend, nothing more and nothing less.
Shinohara nodded, glancing at Ayanokouji. "Yeah, he barely looks at us when it comes to his past other than that apathetic look on his face. I never noticed it before, but now it makes perfect sense. He doesn't want anyone getting involved in this."
"Maybe that's why he always seems so calm, so distant... Like he's always calculating how to avoid people, maybe that's why on our first day here he didn't know how to introduce himself to the class." - Sato commented, with a reflective tone. "It's sad to think that he had to learn to be like that to look good in that white room."
Ike sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking a little sorry for his earlier comments. "Okay, you're right. Maybe we should stop trying to understand something that we can't even imagine that he suffered. It must have been too heavy, and we're just judging from afar."
Sudou shrugged, but seemed to agree, even if he didn't openly admit it. "Yeah, it's best to let it go. He already has enough to deal with without people talking about it."
'Kiyotaka, I promise I will help you, just like you helped me in the past" -Hirata thinks seriously looking at his friend.
Kiyotaka realized that, regardless of the variables analyzed, there was one element that he could not ignore: the lack of experience. He did not have the data necessary to validate or refute the logic behind these interactions.
His existence, until then, had been isolated, controlled. He didn't know what friendship was, just like he didn't know what family was, he knows the concept of both, but he couldn't feel it. It was impossible to understand something I had never genuinely experienced. Therefore, any conclusion on the subject would inevitably be incomplete.
He looked at Horikita again. She was there, blushing softly, but still present. She didn't demand anything from him these days, he helped her when she asked, she considered him a friend and she didn't try to change who he was even though she knew how bad he was. Was this really... friendship? He didn't know, it was illogical.
"I had even forgotten he was talking to me before he got lost in thought." - Horikita thought calmly, laughing lightly as she looked at the screen.
"You look cute with that embarrassed look." - Ayanokouji spoke calmly, in a whisper so casual that it seemed trivial.
Horikita froze for a few seconds, her eyes blinking as she processed his words. "What?" - She finally murmured, turning to him with a surprised look and a slight blush on her face.
Ayanokouji continued to look at the screen, completely unconcerned, as if he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary. "I'm just commenting, Horikita. It's interesting to see you like this, out of your usual serious posture."
"You really don't have filters, do you?" - Horikita replied, crossing her arms and trying to regain her composure, but she still looked a little disconcerted.
Meanwhile, Kei, who was sitting not far away, heard his comment. Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned toward him, her voice thick with disbelief. "Wait, did I hear that right? Did you call Horikita cute?"
Ayanokouji turned his head slightly, casting a calm look at Kei. "Yes, that's what I said. With that embarrassed look on the screen, she really looked cute."
Kei looked ready to explode with rage, her eyes flashing as she partially rose from her chair. "Are you serious, Kiyotaka?! What's so cute about her, huh?!"
Before she could continue, Ayanokouji turned to her with a calm expression and added, "But you look so much cuter, Kei. It's just that Horikita has her moments... and you're always adorable."
Kei froze in place, his face turning red in a matter of seconds. She tried to hide it, but couldn't help but smile shyly. "T-That was so direct! You're trying to provoke me, right?!" - She murmured, hiding her face with her hands.
Ayanokouji remained calm. "I see no reason to hide what I think."
Kei, still embarrassed, lightly punched him in the arm, as a way to release the mixture of feelings she was feeling. "You're impossible, you know that?!"
Ayanokouji simply turned his attention back to the screen.
'I almost die, I have to be more careful with what I say.' -Ayanokouji thought calmly admitting that he is a womanizer
'Please don't tarnish my image with these accusations, I didn't do anything to earn this title.' -Ayanokouji thought calmly, breaking the fourth wall because he is a bastard.
You know what, fuck I quit, get another narrator, I'm not paid enough for this shit, there are three bastards who are going to break the fourth wall in this shit, I'm not paid for that, bye to you readers, drink water and Take care and don't become narrators, bye.
[Omniscient Narrator leaving.]
'Boy, what the fuck, first time I've seen a narrator freak out.' -Ryota thinks in surprise.
'You owe me a new narrator.' - I look seriously at Ayanokouji sitting in his chair calmly with his eyes closed as if he hadn't just made my Narrator resign.
[Omniscient Narrator Ryota On version.]
Horikita, who was watching the interaction, sighed and shook her head. "You two are so... quirky. It's hard to follow or understand."
Kei glanced at Horikita, still blushing, but with a satisfied smile. "Yeah, and don't even try to compete with me, Horikita. He's already made it clear who he thinks is cuter."
"I don't want your apathetic boyfriend." - Horikita said calmly, with her eyes closed, while crossing her arms, as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.
Ayanokouji, sitting at the side, remained motionless, but in his mind, he visualized a giant arrow with the word "APATIC" sticking directly into his chest.
'Apathetic? Serious?' - He thought, as a second imaginary arrow, smaller but equally cruel, approached with the words "ZERO IN EMOTION."
"Huh? Apathetic?!" - Kei said, looking at Horikita in disbelief. "You mean reserved, right? Like, mysteriously handsome? Isn't that what he is?!"
"No. Really apathetic." - Horikita replied, opening her eyes just enough to cast an impassive look at Kei. "Mysterious is what they say when they want to be polite. Apathetic is more... direct."
Ayanokouji sighed softly, still dealing with the imaginary pain of the mental arrows. "You guys know I'm right here, right?" - He finally said, his tone so calm it almost sounded like an echo of disapproval.
Kei snorted and crossed his arms. "Are you really going to let her talk about you like that, Kiyotaka? At least try to defend yourself"
"If she thinks that, it's not something I can change." - He replied, so indifferently that a third mental arrow with the phrase "CONFIRMED APATHIC" stuck in his mind, like a final blow.
Kei shook his head, frustrated. "Oh my God, you're impossible sometimes! Kiyotaka, at least pretend you're offended!"
"I don't see why I should be offended. Besides, it's just an opinion." - He replied calmly, looking at Horikita with a slight tilt of his head. "I would prefer 'objective' as a definition, but 'apathetic' works too, I suppose."
Horikita said calmly looking at him. "You know you just proved my point, don't you?"
Kei stared at the two, exasperatedly returning to her seat. "Great, now you two are getting along! I wish I could get something to drink now."
While Kei mumbled, Ayanokouji looked at Horikita. "Does she really think I'm mysterious?"
"It must be love." - Horikita replied, seriously, before looking away from the screen.
Ayanokouji paused, blinked slowly, and mentally prepared himself for another imaginary arrow, this time written "MYSTERIOUS BY OBLIGATION."
'I hate my life.' -Ayanokouji thought calmly.
"Don't think I didn't notice you in the video were questioning if what we have is really friendship, I guarantee you I'll have several questions during our break, you called me cute so I couldn't realize that, but it didn't work." -Horikita whispers to Ayanokouji.
'No, I actually called her cute honestly.' -Ayanokouji thinks calmly, sighing seeing what problems he will have in this life.
"Of course Horikita, but with each question I will become more demanding about food."-Ayanokouji speaks calmly which resulted in a slight nod of Horikita's head.
"Horikita." He broke the silence. "Do you think it's illogical for someone to want to help someone else without expecting anything in return?"
*Why are you asking this question out of nowhere?" -She couldn't understand the reason for such a question for no reason.
"Curiosity, I'm curious about your opinion on this matter." -It was a good excuse, I hope she can answer me and that I can understand.
She looked up, and sighed at her friend's curious nature, she knew that wasn't the only reason, after all, there was a reason for everything he did. "Illogical, perhaps... But not meaningless." She hesitated before continuing. "People can find value in connections, even if they are not easy to understand. Not everything needs to have a logical or meaningful explanation."
Kiyotaka remained silent. For the first time, he felt a spark of understanding about this matter, it was something small, very small, but it was something. Or, at least, the idea that not everything needed to be understood to be accepted.
"Very well, Horikita-san, if you can put any level of spark in his mind, it will be a very good start." - Hirata thought, smiling discreetly as he observed Ayanokouji, who seemed to be deep in thought.
Despite his apparent calm, Hirata knew well that when Ayanokouji was like this, he was probably processing something very far from the ordinary. 'The question is... What is he thinking now? Something about the white room? Or maybe something about his other man's questioning about friendship?' - he questioned himself, before sighing softly.
Ichinose, leaned slightly towards Mako, whispering in a soft voice:
"Horikita-san is achieving quite a feat, right?"
Mako raised her eyebrows, curious about her friend's speech. "Like this?"
"She's managing to make him listen." - Ichinose smiled softly, looking away at Ayanokouji lost in thought. "You know, he's not the type to be influenced easily... so just her being able to say something that stuck in his head is already a victory."
Mako chuckled softly. "That or he's thinking something else absurd."
"I hope not... but who knows?" - Ichinose replied, sighing with a tired smile, before looking back at the boy. 'Good answer, Horikita-san... just for you to be able to plant something in his head is already a victory.'
Meanwhile, Hirata looked back at Ayanokouji, even more intrigued when he noticed his friend's serene expression. 'No... wait. He doesn't seem tense or alert. In fact, he seems...relaxed? Is he thinking about something simple? Something trivial? No, it's impossible, not after the other questions from the other him, he must be thinking about something very serious right now, this is Ayanokouji.'
On the other side, however, the perfect human's thoughts were much more intense than most people expect.
'Soba, onigiri, tamagoyaki, yakiniku, miso shiru... and maybe some sushi.' - Ayanokouji listed mentally, in a serious debate inside his own head. 'Should I add any more foods to the list? Nikujaga, perhaps? No... it would be too much.'
Horikita, sitting next to him, watched him from a glance, suspicious of his serenity. She narrowed her eyes.
"How many meals are you planning on ordering for me, exactly?" - Horikita asked in a dry tone, interrupting Ayanokouji's gastronomic thoughts.
He opened his eyes, calmly, as if nothing had happened. "There is?"
Horikita stared at him intensely, crossing her arms. "You were making a list, weren't you? You can confess."
Ayanokouji looked away for a brief second, realizing he had been caught. "Just the basics. Don't worry, it will be something basic for each of your questions"
"Really the basics?" - Horikita said, looking seriously at Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji nodded calmly, looking at the movie theater.
Horikita sighed, rolling her eyes. "I hope it's just the basics Ayanokouji-kun."
As Horikita complained, Ayanokouji remained silent, slowly looking away and wondering how long it would take to order the "rest" of the list.
"At least Senpai has started to understand feelings a little more." - Ichika commented next to Nanase, with a smile that mixed lightness and a touch of provocation.
Nanase nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, I'm glad to see Ayanokouji-senpai a little lighter. It seems like he's really trying to understand the people around him."
Ichika tilted his head slightly, looking at Nanase with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hmm... looks like someone was a lot happier than they should have been about this, huh?"
Nanase blinked, confused. "What do you mean, Ichika-san?"
"Don't act like you don't understand." - Ichika laughed softly, crossing his arms and leaning slightly closer to Nanase. "You're always smiling when you talk about Senpai. And that tone of voice? It's almost too affectionate. It's obvious that you like him."
Nanase widened her eyes and instantly blushed. "What?! No! Of course not!" - She waved her hands nervously, trying to explain herself. "I just...respect him a lot. He's helped me several times, and...and...he's someone admirable!"
Ichika laughed even more, enjoying his colleague's reaction. "Ah, 'admirable', I see. Is that what you call it now?" - She winked at Nanase, with a suggestive smile.
"Ichika-san, please!" - Nanase whispered in protest, visibly embarrassed.
Ichika placed his hand on his chin, pretending to think. "You know... you really look adorable when you're blushing like that. Is that what Senpai sees in you?"
Nanase covered her face with her hands, looking away. "Stop it! That's not what you're thinking at all!"
Ichika continued teasing with a light and good-natured tone. "Okay, okay... but, seriously, if you like him, it's okay. I just warn you that the competition is fierce. He has a line of admirers, you know?"
Nanase sighed, trying to regain her composure. "I'm not in line, Ichika-san. And... even if I was, it doesn't matter. Ayanokouji-senpai is someone very special, but... he's not the kind of person who thinks about romance."
Ichika smiled, pleased to have teased her colleague a little. "Well, if you say so... but if you change your mind, let me know. I can even give you some tips on how to impress Senpai."
Nanase shook her head, calmer now, but still with a slight blush on her face. "Thanks, but I think I'll just admire it from a distance."
Ichika just laughed again, lightly patting Nanase's shoulder. "You're really cute, you know that? Just be careful not to end up falling for him even more."
"Idiots." -Hosen thinks, sighing, looking at Ichika and Nanase.
The silence in the room still hovered, but Kiyotaka was immersed in a whirlwind of thoughts. The smile. Such a simple gesture, but now it seemed to carry an immeasurable weight. Something that should be banal to anyone, but to him, it was an anomalous phenomenon.
He had never smiled before. Not even when I was a baby, in the most primitive stages of human development, where smiles are natural reflexes. Not even during the rare moments when he tried to force the act, just to understand how it worked. There was no memory, conscious or unconscious, that could confirm the existence of such an expression in his repertoire.
"He's never smiled before? Not even as a reflex? Not even when he was a baby? That's... weird." - Kei thought in surprise, observing Ayanokouji sitting with his typical apathetic face. Slowly, without thinking much, she leaned over and touched his cheek with her hands, curious.
Ayanokouji frowned slightly, without changing his expression. "What are you doing?" he asked calmly, looking at her with genuine strangeness.
"I'm testing to see if your face is real or plastic, since it never changes." - Kei replied, seriously, while moving his lips with his fingers in a clumsy attempt to force him to smile.
Ayanokouji blinked slowly, looking at her. "That's not going to work. You're literally pushing my lips up."
Kei rolled his eyes. "I know you won't, but you can at least try! You'll discover a new muscle and learn how to use it."
Ayanokouji sighed, but made no move to push her away. "You really have free time, right?"
Kei huffed, frustrated with the failure of the experiment. "Ugh, how can someone be so indifferent? You should smile more, you know? It's good for your health."
"I don't have enough reasons for that." - Ayanokouji replied with his usual calmness.
"Ah, of course, because you are the 'king of detachment', right?" - Kei teased, crossing his arms.
At that moment, Horikita, who was processing Kiyotaka's thoughts, intervened with a comment. "What's going on here? Are you trying to reconstruct his face, Karuizawa?"
Kei turned to her, still frustrated. "I'm trying to make him smile, but I think it would be easier to teach a fish to walk."
Ayanokouji looked at Horikita, who raised an eyebrow. "I don't think this is something you'll be able to force, Kei."
"Oh, really? I didn't even notice." - Kei replied sarcastically, throwing his hands up.
'Not even smiling when you were a baby, how bad does your life have to be for that to happen?' -Horikita tried to imagine and just the thought made her shiver with fear of what Ayanokouji may have had to endure in childhood.
Kei. Your girlfriend/love book. Even in moments where the closeness between the two should have evoked some kind of emotion, he remained indifferent. Hirata. Someone anyone else could easily classify as a friend. Her interactions with him, although cordial, never crossed the boundaries of a functional relationship. Nothing. Not even the faintest emotions could break through the barrier of his apathy. There has never been anything like this.
"Calm down, you already knew he was like that." -Kei sighs softly and then takes a deep breath and smiles softly.- "I accepted this relationship knowing what I was getting myself into, he's very bad with emotions and relationships, I'm going to make him understand that he loves me and that he doesn't feel alone the indifference he believes he feels." -Kei thinks smiling softly
"I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough friend to help you with that." -Hirata thinks with his eyes closed, looking down, disappointed in himself.
'I'm still going to break that apathetic face of yours, you bastard.' -Ryuen thinks smiling.
So why was it different with Horikita Suzune? Why now?
'I'm also wondering why it was with her and not me.' -Kei thinks with slight jealousy, but without showing it.
'I'm curious about that reason.' -Horikita thought calmly, tilting her head to the side in curiosity, slightly raised remembering Ayanokouji's smile.
'It's cute to see him all confused about his emotions.' -Arisu thinks calmly, laughing lightly.
He began to deconstruct the events. From the beginning, his relationship with Horikita was guided by practical objectives. She was an important player in the game of academic survival, a valuable ally who he guided to maximize the potential of the Class that was 1-D at the beginning and that we are currently 2-B. However, recently, something has changed. He noticed that his thoughts often strayed to her. Not about strategies, not about how to best use it in your plans.
'Thanks for the confirmation, so this will happen this year.' -Arisu thinks, smiling softly.
He wanted to talk to her....and that was it.
Talk about trivial things. Small everyday banalities that he always considered irrelevant. I wanted to hear your opinion on unimportant matters, discuss topics without clear objectives or goals to be achieved. Just interact, per se.
'So another me, is there any way you can control your thoughts so I don't die here? May I remind you that you have a slightly jealous girlfriend? And that there are other girls who also like us?' -Ayanokouji thought, closing his eyes when he felt the gazes of 5 different girls being redirected to him.
'I didn't know he wanted to have conversations like that with me with the two of us alone and nothing else.' -Horikita thought slightly blushing, not expecting this type of thought from Ayanokouji.
'Are you finally feeling the heat I told you about Ayanokouji-kun?' -Arisu thinks about softly
'Kei-chan won't like this at all.' -That was Sato and Chiaki's thinking.
"Kiyotaka, what does this other one of yours mean? Do you feel the same way as him?" -Kei asks ""calmly"" looking at Ayanokouji, she seemed calm, except for the part where she was almost tearing his shirt with the strength she was holding.
"Yes, I have them." -Ayanokouji said in a whisper, looking at Kei who froze for a second.
"What did you say?" -Kei asked, there was no longer anger in his tone, just concern and insecurities and fear.
"Yes I do, but they are all redirected to you and you alone, so no need to worry." -Ayanokouji said in a whisper, calmly stroking Kei's head, which resulted in her blushing a lot and smiling softly holding his arm.
'Could this be considered manipulation or falsehood?' -Kushida asks himself mentally while listening to Ayanokouji and Kei's conversation.
'If this other person doesn't control his thoughts, I'll end up single and dead before the second video.' -Ayanokouji thinks, sighing calmly, stroking Kei's head, he knew he had to say some things to the blushing black-haired girl next to him so she wouldn't get the wrong idea, but he knew it could cause problems if he did it now in front of Kei.
This was disturbing. It didn't make sense. Your human interactions have always been a means to an end. There was never room for purposeless interactions. And yet, here he was, wanting something so... illogical.
He deepened the analysis. What was the variable that differentiated Horikita from the others? Was it your determination? Your stubbornness? Your pride? I can't know, but I want to.
These traits could be considered unique, but they didn't justify the emotional reaction he was beginning to perceive. What did Horikita represent to him? An ally? A tool? A pawn?...A... friend?
'I called you a pawn at first, so I can't judge you for thinking about me like that, but I'm going to make you recognize me as something more than that.' -Horikita thought, sighing slightly, looking at the screen.
"I'm sorry for the thoughts of my other self, I don't think the same as him" -Ayanokouji said calmly looking at Horikita who nodded calmly accepting his lie
'She's just your friend Kiyotaka and nothing more than that.' -Kei said, whispering in the ayanokouji's arms.
"Okay, okay, I already understand that, Kei." -Ayanokouji says, sighing.
Friendship. He pondered the concept again. A bond based on mutual trust and emotional support. But if that were the case, then why didn't he feel the same way about Hirata, or even about Kei, who, despite the artificial circumstances he created himself, offered him social closeness?
'Keep some thoughts hidden or lie about them otherwise I'm going to die in this first video you idiot.' -Kiyotaka thinks quickly looking at his version on the screen.
"His opinions and mine are different, I really have feelings for you, remember, I was the one who started this relationship, I wouldn't do this if I didn't love you." -Ayanokouji said quickly, looking at Kei who smiled softly, happily holding her boyfriend's arm.
'The falsehood is so big that it is almost taking physical form.' -Kushida thinks calmly looking at Ayanokouji and Kei.
His protective feelings towards Horikita were equally confusing. It didn't make sense for him to care if someone hurt her. The concept of protecting someone implies an emotional investment that he has always avoided. So why now? Why her?
Kei calmly just closed her eyes while ignoring everything that came out of the movie screen, she prefers to believe what her Kiyotaka says than what this other one thinks.
'Please, it ends soon.' -Horikita thinks blushing with her eyes closed, every word that Ayanokouji on the screen said made her blush even more.
Before I was enjoying their closeness with her helping him, now that doesn't seem cool anymore.' -Ichinose thought looking at Ayanokouji and Horikita in the cinema.
He considered the possibility that he was sick. Could it be possible that his mind, after years of emotional isolation, was developing flaws? Perhaps his body, under subconscious pressure, was manifesting these emotions as a kind of delayed psychological reaction.
But even this explanation seemed unsatisfactory. He didn't feel that way with anyone else. Just with her.
"It ends for God's sake." -These were the thoughts of Kei (jealousy), Horikita (embarrassed.), Ichinose (Jealousy/homicidal instinct.)
He examined the symptoms. Proximity. Concern. The desire to be present, to listen and be heard. The desire to protect. Each of these emotions defied logic. It was as if something deeply rooted in his psyche was manifesting, something he didn't know existed...
Some knew what he was feeling and wanted to give their opinion so he could understand, but just a brief look from a ""slightly"" jealous Kei holding Ayanokouji's arm silenced them all plus the aura coming out of Ichinose.
'Aren't you going to tell me that this monster fell in love with Suzune?' -Ryuen thought, laughing slightly.
In the end, he could only conclude one thing. No matter how much he analyzed, how many variables he tried to consider, he couldn't understand. It was like trying to solve an equation with incomplete data.
"Yes, and I will make you understand completely, understand? Trust me on this." -Kei spoke calmly, whispering seriously, looking at Kiyotaka who nodded calmly.
"Look at the trouble you got me in." -Kiyotaka thinks looking at Ryota who was smiling innocently looking at the video.
But there was something he knew for sure.
"A drop of ink was placed on my blank slate."
And for the first time, he wondered if this really was a good thing or a bad thing, because what he felt now was something completely new and he couldn't decide if it was good or bad for his future plans.
End of video-
With the end of the video, several students were relieved.
So, did you like the video?!" -Ryota asks, smiling at the students.
"I liked the beginning where he talked about himself and the issues he felt, but I didn't like the ending." -Kei says calmly looking at Ryota.
"I found the video interesting from start to finish." -Horikita speaks calmly, slightly blushing, not noticing kei and Ichinose seriously looking at her.
"I enjoyed seeing a little about how Ayanokouji-kun feels, but I have several questions." -Ichinose spoke calmly, smiling softly.
"I liked seeing how the monster thinks a little." -Ryuen says smiling with Ishizaki agreeing and Katsuragi giving him a disapproving look.
"It was interesting and sad to see a little about my friend's past." -Hyori speaks calmly, slightly sad.
"It was good to see the evolution of Ayanokouji-kun's feelings, I don't regret choosing this one for us to see." -Arisu says, smiling calmly.
"That was interesting to see, even though it was against my will to have a part of my past exposed like this." -Ayanokouji said, looking at the students who just looked away.
'I hate my life' -Ayanokouji thought calmly.
"Finally, I will send you to the private dormitories that I created for you, it is almost identical to yours at school so don't worry, take your time to rest and do what you want to do, and then I will bring you back ." - I say, smiling calmly, snapping my fingers, causing the students to be teleported.
End of reaction chapter 1.
I was finally able to release this chapter, guys, I fucking hate writing on the phone (ノ｀Д')ノ彡┻━┻
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Announcement about the next chapter, there is currently a vote going on on my Patreon to decide what the next One-Shot/reaction will be, the vote is open to anyone who subscribes to any modality, I also changed all the prices leaving the lowest price of $1 and the highest of $12 per month for those who want to help and have a lot of benefits, again, this money is to help me buy a PC for studies and to create stories for you, so any help will be welcome, the link to my Patreon is right below.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, it was genuinely very difficult to make a chapter of this size on the phone ಥ‿ಥ
The next chapter will start to be made when someone votes on Patreon, so I will be eagerly waiting for it.
Until the next chapter (つ✧ω✧)
If you want to send story suggestions for them to react to, send them to the post I made on Patreon, leave the comments section here to talk about the chapter, then make your suggestions there.
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